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House fire kills seven children in UAE

DUBAI (Reuters) - A house fire killed seven children on Monday near the eastern city of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates, the education ministry said in a statement. The victims from the Rabia family ranged from kindergarten age to the eighth grade, the ministry added on its official Twitter page. Gulf News, a UAE newspaper, Quote: d a local police and civil defense officials saying that their mother reported the fire at dawn and though the cause of the blaze remained unknown, a short-circuit was suspected. A tourism and trade hub, the UAE has suffered several high-profile fires among its trademark high-rise buildings in recent years, few of which caused deaths. “We have today instructed the state’s civil defense to ensure immediately that all necessary fire protection systems are in place in all citizens’ homes”, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Prime Minister and Vice-President of the United Arab Emirates and ruler of Dubai, said in a tweet. Relatively poorer than fellow emirates Dubai and Abu Dhabi, mountainous Fujairah sits astride the Indian Ocean on the country’s East coast. Reporting by Noah Browning, editing by Ed Osmond

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-emirates-fire/house-fire-kills-seven-children-in-uae-idUSKBN1FB1KR

AI is 'extremely disruptive': Robert Shiller

Adam Jeffery | CNBC Robert Shiller Artificial intelligence (AI) could be the biggest challenge facing the jobs market and even humanity itself, according to Nobel Prize-winning economist Robert Shiller. However, the Yale University professor told CNBC that he had a radical idea that could be implemented to mitigate AI's potential harm to society. Speaking ahead of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, which he will be attending, Shiller said: "What we're seeing is something unprecedented, which is the arrival of artificial intelligence, which has a big impact." Asked if he was worried about AI, Shiller said it was an unknown entity. "It creates tremendous uncertainty and impacts different people differently," he said. "And some people could be left out." "It might turn out well. It may be that we'll have more school teachers and smaller classes, and people will be taking care of the elderly and we'll be living longer and there'll be people to look after the elderly. We'll see," he added. "But, for me, the big thing is the uncertainty we face because of AI, it could be extremely disruptive." AI has attracted a lot of attention in recent years amid widespread concern that artificial intelligence, or robots, will replace human workers, causing a seismic shift in society and the economy. In 2013, Oxford University published a study that estimated that 47 percent of U.S. jobs could be replaced by robots and automated technology within 20 years. And that view has been echoed by other high-profile tech leaders. 'Livelihood insurance' Not everyone agrees that AI will be such a bad thing, however. Research firm Gartner, for instance, said in a recent report that AI could in fact create 2.3 million jobs by 2020, exceeding the 1.8 million that it could wipe out . Shiller, who won the Nobel Prize for Economics in 2013 for his work on asset prices and inefficient markets, said he advocated some kind of "livelihood insurance" to mitigate against the potential loss of jobs or drop in incomes that AI could cause. "I think that people are facing career risks like never before and what I've advocated in the book 'Finance and the Good Society' is that I think we should think about some kind of insurance program for individuals and their careers, and to prevent inequality from just running its course," he said. show chapters 1:23 PM ET Thu, 27 July 2017 | 01:28 "People tend to worry about what's happening now and maybe redistributing income on a government basis now, but I think we should be moving towards other kinds of insurance-type of redistribution." Asked more about the concept of livelihood insurance, that could insure people against a decline in their occupation or income, Shiller said the idea was already taking root but that it needed more "figuring out" for a wider application. "We're starting to see a bit of livelihood insurance (in action). We now have web design academies that teach young people how to program computers to run internet sites and they don't charge anything unless you get a job at a certain level of income. Then they'll tax your first year of income, they'll take 10 percent of your first year's income. They're promising you a job, and if you don't get a job you pay nothing — that's actually happening." Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook .

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/18/ai-is-extremely-disruptive-robert-shiller.html

AmeriLife® Names James Quinn Chief Financial Officer

CLEARWATER, Fla., Jan. 10, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- AmeriLife has appointed James "Jim" Quinn as its Chief Financial Officer to oversee its accounting, finance, tax and acquisition functions. Prior to joining AmeriLife, Quinn served as Senior Vice President of Corporate Development for Marsh & McLennan Agency, the middle market platform of Marsh. While at MMA, he managed a team of corporate development professionals responsible for the organization's acquisition activities, completing a number of acquisitions ranging in size from $1 million to $130 million. Quinn graduated from Georgetown University with a degree in economics and a MBA from Stanford University. He has more than 25 years of experience as an investor, executive and advisor in the financial services industry. He began his career with Goldman Sachs and spent over a decade with Olympus Partners, a middle market private equity firm. "Jim's experience in the insurance and investment industries will be a tremendous asset to our company," said AmeriLife CEO Scott Perry. "His mergers and acquisition expertise will add a new dimension as we continue our focus on acquiring new businesses in 2018." Karen Surplus, who has served as AmeriLife's Chief Financial Officer, will remain with the company in a transitionary role as Senior Vice President of Finance in charge of special projects, supporting the Office of the CFO. "Karen has been instrumental in building AmeriLife's strong finance function," said Perry. "She has helped to shape the AmeriLife strategy with multiple acquisitions, including the company's sale to J.C. Flowers and Company in 2015." AmeriLife is a national leader in developing, marketing and distributing affordable annuity, life and health insurance solutions to enhance the lives of others. Leveraging a national distribution network of over 140,000 insurance agents and brokers via nearly 20 marketing organizations, and 45 insurance agency locations, AmeriLife, and its more than 75 insurance carrier partners, offers value and quality to insurance agents, advisors and customers served. Visit www.amerilife.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn for the latest news and information. View original content with multimedia: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/amerilife-names-james-quinn-chief-financial-officer-300580519.html SOURCE AmeriLife

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/10/pr-newswire-amerilifea-names-james-quinn-chief-financial-officer.html

Pope, in Chile, expresses 'pain and shame' over Church sex abuse scandal

SANTIAGO, Jan 16 (Reuters) - Pope Francis expressed his “pain and shame” on Tuesday over a sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic Church in Chile, seeking forgiveness for a crisis that has scarred its credibility and left many faithful sceptical of reform. “Here I feel bound to express my pain and shame at the irreparable damage caused to children by some ministers of the Church,” he said in the presidential palace, drawing sustained applause from his listeners. Francis was making his first official address of the trip in the presence of President Michelle Bachelet, other Chilean top officials, cardinals, bishops and foreign diplomats. “I am one with my brother bishops, for it is right to ask for forgiveness and make every effort to support the victims, even as we commit ourselves to ensuring that such things do not happen again,” he said. Catholics have been upset with Francis’ 2015 appointment of Bishop Juan Barros to head the small diocese of Osorno in south-central Chile. Barros has been accused of protecting his former mentor, Father Fernando Karadima, whom a Vatican investigation found guilty in 2011 of abusing teenage boys over many years. Karadima has denied the allegations and Barros said he was unaware of any wrongdoing. But the scandal has gripped Chile, and, along with growing secularization, has hurt the standing of the Church that had been praised for defending human rights during the 1973-1990 dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet. A poll by Santiago-based think tank Latinobarometro this month showed that the number of Chileans calling themselves Catholics fell to 45 percent last year, from 74 percent in 1995. A group opposed to the visit posted on Twitter: “No more abuse, no more cover-ups, no more hypocrisy.” At least eight Catholic churches have been attacked in Chile over the past week, including one with a homemade bomb where unidentified vandals left a pamphlet reading: “Pope Francis, the next bomb will be in your robe.” No one was injured in the attacks and no one has claimed responsibility. ANTI-POPE GRAFFITI Hours after the pope arrived, two churches were attacked and burned to the ground almost simultaneously in a small village near Temuco that the pope had planned to visit on Wednesday. A church in the capital was also attacked during the night, causing minor damage. Vandals burned Chilean and Vatican flags at the site and tossed pamphlets with threats against the pope. Graffiti on one church in the capital read ”Burn pope and “pope accomplice.” But the welcome most Chileans have given the pope has been warm, with thousands of mostly young people lining the streets of the capital and hundreds of thousands attending a Mass in a Santiago park. Francis read the speech in the Moneda palace, which Pinochet’s forces bombed from the air and with ground artillery on Sept. 11, 1973 while democratically elected President Salvatore Allende was inside. The pope referred to that dark period, saying the country had “faced moments of turmoil, at times painful.” He praised the consolidation of democracy but said more had to be done to help the unemployed and native people. Bachelet told the pope: “How wonderful to be able to tell you that today Chile has changed ... we strengthened our democracy, with more tolerance, more freedom and more transparency.” Chile, with a population of about 17.4 million, is the world’s top copper producer, the fifth-largest economy in Latin America and one of the region’s most stable. After a private meeting with Bachelet, Francis said Mass for tens of thousands of people in the capital’s sprawling Parque O‘Higgins. Angelina Soto, 67, of San Francisco de Mostazal, south of Santiago, said she and her family arrived before sunrise. “We are very committed Catholics, we’ve been singing all morning,” she said. “I think (the visit) will change Chile, it will make us more generous, and help to close the gap between rich and poor.” (Additional reporting by Felipe Iturrieta; Editing by Bernadette Baum)

https://www.reuters.com/article/pope-chile/pope-in-chile-expresses-pain-and-shame-over-church-sex-abuse-scandal-idUSL8N1PB2OC

Digital publishers ramp up TV push to nab viewers, ad dollars

January 25, 2018 / 12:07 PM / Updated 3 hours ago Digital publishers ramp up TV push to nab viewers, ad dollars Jessica Toonkel 4 Min Read (Reuters) - Online media companies ATTN:, BuzzFeed and Group Nine Media are making a bigger push into television, executives said, aiming to grab more of the TV advertising market and depend less on social media for viewers. While the companies have long lured audiences through social media like Facebook Inc, that has made them vulnerable to changes that could bury their content. TV also offers the opportunity for revenue from licensing shows domestically and abroad. Three-year-old ATTN:, which draws more than half of viewers for its videos on current events from Facebook, is in development on two pilots. It has sold a pilot of a documentary-style news show to CBS Corp’s Showtime and is co-producing a series called “America Versus” with Paramount Television, the television studio owned by Viacom Inc, Matt Segal, ATTN:’s chief executive, told Reuters. As digital media becomes more competitive, television is a crucial next step for companies like BuzzFeed, which announced layoffs for 100 employees last year amid reports it missed revenue targets, executives said. Group Nine and BuzzFeed already have shows on air or scheduled with networks owned by their respective investors Discovery Communications and Comcast Corp’s NBCUniversal, and are now pitching pilots to other networks, executives told Reuters. Facebook recently changed its news feed to favour posts from friends and family of its more than 2 billion users over content shared by publishers, underscoring the risk of depending too much on third-party social media. “Our weakness is we don’t own those platforms and that’s just the reality,” said Ben Lerer, CEO of New York-based Group Nine, which owns travel brand Thrillist, video news creator NowThis and animal video site The Dodo. “This is a way of gaining revenue outside of that ecosystem.” Television also offers a much more lucrative advertising market, executives said, even as viewers increasingly cancel cable subscriptions in favour of online streaming services like Netflix Inc. Spending on TV spots is expected to be $72 billion this year, compared to $15.4 billion for digital ad spending, according to market researcher eMarketer. Los Angeles-based ATTN: always planned to get into TV and expects to bring in seven figures of ad revenue this year if its pilots get picked up, said Segal. Segal declined to comment on how much ad revenue the company brings in now, but said it would also earn fees from licensing shows to partners in the United States and abroad. “Television is going to bring us more ad revenue and brand lift,” he said. I WANT MY TV Vice Media was the first digital media company to get into TV with its own show on HBO, as well as its own channel, Viceland. Vice News Tonight brought in on average 174,000 viewers between the ages of 18-49 in 2017, compared to 130,000 the previous year, according to Nielsen. ATTN:’s pilot with Showtime is a documentary-style series that addresses topics like politics, socioeconomics, and the war on drugs. “America Versus,” ATTN:’s show it is developing with Paramount Television, will take topics like binge drinking and look at them in the United States versus other countries, Segal said. Group Nine’s The Dodo will premier its first TV series, “Dodo Heroes,” featuring people who save animals in need, with Discovery’s Animal Planet this year. BuzzFeed is shopping a game show to a number of broadcast networks, which would be the first time it has a show outside of NBC networks, said Matthew Henick, head of BuzzFeed Motion Pictures. BuzzFeed recently announced a documentary series with NBC’s Oxygen network. “It used to be with digital you were just hoping to work within an algorithm where viewers are going to go,” Henick said. “Now people know what to expect if they go to a BuzzFeed News show.” (This version of the story corrects paragraph 3 to show that ATTN: is working with Paramount Television, not Paramount Network) Reporting By Jessica Toonkel; Editing by Anna Driver and Meredith Mazzilli

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-television-digital/digital-publishers-ramp-up-tv-push-to-nab-viewers-ad-dollars-idUKKBN1FE1KH

FileMaker Named a Leader in G2 Crowd Report for No-Code Development Platforms

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Jan. 24, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- FileMaker, Inc. has been recognized as a Leader with a 91 percent satisfaction rating in G2 Crowd's Grid® for No-Code Platforms. FileMaker has the largest market presence and received the highest customer satisfaction score among No-Code Development Platform products. Ninety-one percent of users gave it a rating of four or five stars, and 91 percent of users said they would be likely to recommend FileMaker. To view the report, go here: info2.filemaker.com/G2-crowd-report2018.html This report illustrates FileMaker's ongoing success in offering business teams of all sizes the industry's leading no-code development platform. FileMaker provides companies and teams with an alternative to packaged apps or programming tools so that they can quickly solve unique challenges as they arise in evolving workplace environments. To qualify for inclusion in G2 Crowd's "No Code" category, a product must: Offer drag-and-drop elements to assemble applications Provide no tools for customizing code within the platform Integrate with databases, web services, or APIs to connect data Ann Monroe, vice president of worldwide marketing and customer success, FileMaker, Inc., said: "Our mission is to help people create better ways to work. We're thrilled that the G2 Crowd customer reviews show that we are empowering businesses of all sizes to be more productive." Kara Kennedy research manager, G2 Crowd, said: "G2 Crowd rates no-code development platforms algorithmically based on data sourced from product reviews shared by G2 Crowd users and data aggregated from online sources and social networks. Technology buyers can use the Grid to help them quickly select the best no-code development platforms for their businesses and to find peers with similar experiences." About FileMaker, Inc. FileMaker, Inc. is an Apple subsidiary that provides a unified platform to create and deploy custom apps for mobile, cloud, and on-premises environments. Business teams use the FileMaker Platform to quickly solve unique problems — even as they change. Press Contact: Jessica M. Pasko Nadel Phelan, Inc. +1 831-440-2412 jessica@nadelphelan.com © 2018 FileMaker, Inc. All rights reserved. FileMaker, FileMaker Go and the file folder logo are registered trademarks of FileMaker, Inc. in the U.S. and other countries. FileMaker WebDirect and FileMaker Cloud are trademarks of FileMaker, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Prices are listed in U.S. Dollars and subject to change without notice. View original content with multimedia: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/filemaker-named-a-leader-in-g2-crowd-report-for-no-code-development-platforms-300587182.html SOURCE FileMaker, Inc.

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/24/pr-newswire-filemaker-named-a-leader-in-g2-crowd-report-for-no-code-development-platforms.html

Trump to name tax lawyer Rettig to head IRS - Politico

January 24, 2018 / 2:55 AM / Updated 12 minutes ago Trump to name tax lawyer Rettig to head IRS - Politico Reuters Staff 2 Min Read WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump plans to nominate tax lawyer Charles “Chuck” Rettig to serve as commissioner of the U.S. Internal Revenue Service, Politico reported on Tuesday, citing multiple sources with knowledge of the White House selection process. Asked about the report, a White House spokeswoman said the administration had no personnel announcements to make for now. If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Rettig will have to oversee implementation of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, passed by Congress and signed into law by Trump in December, that makes major changes to the tax code. He will also have to deal with an agency weakened by sharply reduced staffing after budget cuts by Republican lawmakers in recent years. The IRS has lost more than 17,000 employees, almost 20 percent of its staff, since 2010. Rettig, who has been at Hochman, Salkin, Rettig, Toscher & Perez in California for more than 35 years, specializes in federal and state civil tax and criminal tax controversy matters and tax litigation, according to his entry on the law firm’s website. He has represented clients before the IRS, the Justice Department’s Tax Division, numerous state tax authorities and in federal and state court litigation and appeals, the entry said. Rettig has also chaired the IRS Advisory Council, which counsels the commissioner on tax administration issues, according to the website. Reporting by Eric Walsh; Editing by Peter Cooney

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-usa-trump-irs/trump-to-name-tax-lawyer-rettig-to-head-irs-politico-idUKKBN1FD085

Crop munching pest in Africa raises hunger threat

ROME (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - A crop munching worm that can fly up to 100 km (60 miles) at night is spreading rapidly across Africa, threatening food production and the livelihoods of millions of farmers already struggling with conflicts and drought, experts said on Friday. The larvae form of fall armyworm prefers maize, but can feed on more than 80 plant species including rice, sorghum, millet, sugarcane, vegetable crops and cotton, said the United Nations’ Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO). “There are roughly 35 million hectares of maize planted per year in Africa and if (the worm is) not in all those maize fields now, it will be very soon in the next planting season or so,” said Allan Hruska, principal technical coordinator at FAO. The fields are tended by some 30 million smallholder farmers who depend on maize for food and income, Hruska said. “Fall armyworm poses a great challenge to the survival of agriculture in Africa,” with potential to put hundreds of millions at risk of hunger, Mark Green, head of the U.S. Agency for International Development told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in a statement. The invasive species, native to tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas, was first detected in Central and Western Africa in early 2016. It has now spread to virtually all of sub-Saharan Africa, according to an FAO map seen by the Thomson Reuters Foundation. The female moth can lay up to 1,000 eggs in her lifetime. In December, Malawi declared 20 out of 28 districts disaster areas after an outbreak of fall armyworm. In Zimbabwe, fall armyworm destroyed 20 percent of the country’s maize crop last season, according to government figures, at a time when the country was recovering from devastating drought. Losses in Africa could range from 8 to 20 million tonnes in just 12 maize-producing countries alone if the pest is not controlled, and could be more severe in areas already suffering drought and conflict, said Ken Wilson, professor of evolutionary ecology at Lancaster University in England. Drought-affected plants are less able to resist the pests while conflict may prevent farmers from accessing much-needed help, he said. Farmers in America use genetically modified plants and advanced pesticides to control the pests, but these options may be too expensive, and harm the environment and crops. “(The farmers) can get pesticides from the government this year, but what happens next year, or the year after that?” said Wafaa El Khoury, technical specialist at the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) in Rome. Mixing crops and encouraging natural predators may be more effective, from the experience of smallholder farmers in the Americas, said FAO’s Hruska. But Wilson said fall armyworm’s presence in Africa is irreversible. “It’s here to stay and we need to develop strategies on how best to manage this pest long-term,” he said. Reporting By Thin Lei Win, Editing by Ros Russell; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, corruption and climate change. Visit www.trust.org

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-africa-worm-food/crop-munching-pest-in-africa-raises-hunger-threat-idUSKBN1FF2D1

For $16,000 this robot will fold your laundry, but not your socks

This week at CES, Japanese company Seven Dreamers demoed its laundry-folding robot, Laudroid. The machine was set up in a mock living room and is about the size of a very tall dresser. Clothing dropped in the bottom drawer is picked up by two robotic arms and unfolded so that software can recognize the garment From there, artificial intelligence takes over. "For this t-shirt, visual analysis technology and AI has to measure the length and width of the shirt to determine where to fold, which direction to fold, and see where the collar position is and to see if it's a front and back," says Seven Dreamers CEO Shin Sakane. "And then once it measures everything, it could fold nicely." Laundroid can organize clothing either by family member or type. It's also WiFi connected and comes with an app that tracks everything the machine folds, creating a type of virtual closet. The process is still very slow. It takes about five hours for Laundroid to fold a full load and it doesn't work with socks. Preorders for Laundroid start this fall. The robot will be initially available in Japan, the U.S. and parts of China for $16,000.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/12/seven-dreams-robot-laundroid-folds-your-laundry-but-not-your-socks.html

Hospitality Properties Trust Announces Quarterly Dividend on Common Shares

NEWTON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Hospitality Properties Trust (Nasdaq: HPT) today announced a regular quarterly cash distribution on its common shares of $0.52 per common share ($2.08 per share per year). This distribution will be paid to HPT’s common shareholders of record as of the close of business on January 29, 2018 and distributed on or about February 22, 2018. Hospitality Properties Trust is a real estate investment trust, or REIT, which owns a diverse portfolio of hotels and travel centers located in 45 states, Puerto Rico and Canada. HPT's properties are operated under long term management or lease agreements. HPT is managed by the operating subsidiary of The RMR Group Inc. (Nasdaq: RMR), an alternative asset management company that is headquartered in Newton, Massachusetts. WARNING REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS THIS PRESS RELEASE CONTAINS FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE PRIVATE SECURITIES LITIGATION REFORM ACT OF 1995 AND OTHER SECURITIES LAWS. THESE FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS ARE BASED UPON HPT’S PRESENT BELIEFS AND EXPECTATIONS, BUT THESE STATEMENTS AND THE IMPLICATIONS OF THESE STATEMENTS ARE NOT GUARANTEED TO OCCUR AND MAY NOT OCCUR FOR VARIOUS REASONS, SOME OF WHICH ARE BEYOND HPT’S CONTROL. FOR EXAMPLE, THIS PRESS RELEASE STATES THAT HPT’S DIVIDEND RATE WILL BE $0.52/SHARE PER QUARTER OR $2.08/SHARE PER YEAR. A POSSIBLE IMPLICATION OF THIS STATEMENT IS THAT HPT WILL CONTINUOUSLY PAY QUARTERLY DIVIDENDS OF $0.52/SHARE PER QUARTER OR $2.08/SHARE PER YEAR IN THE FUTURE. HPT’S DIVIDEND RATES ARE SET AND RESET FROM TIME TO TIME BY HPT’S BOARD OF TRUSTEES. THE HPT BOARD CONSIDERS MANY FACTORS WHEN SETTING DIVIDEND RATES INCLUDING HPT’S HISTORICAL AND PROJECTED INCOME, NORMALIZED FUNDS FROM OPERATIONS, THE THEN CURRENT AND EXPECTED NEEDS AND AVAILABILITY OF CASH TO PAY HPT’S OBLIGATIONS, DISTRIBUTIONS WHICH MAY BE REQUIRED TO BE PAID TO MAINTAIN HPT’S TAX STATUS AS A REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST AND OTHER FACTORS DEEMED RELEVANT BY HPT’S BOARD OF TRUSTEES IN ITS DISCRETION. ACCORDINGLY, FUTURE DIVIDEND RATES MAY BE INCREASED OR DECREASED AND THERE IS NO ASSURANCE AS TO THE RATE AT WHICH FUTURE DIVIDENDS WILL BE PAID. FOR THESE REASONS, AMONG OTHERS, INVESTORS ARE CAUTIONED NOT TO PLACE UNDUE RELIANCE UPON ANY FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS IN THIS PRESS RELEASE. A Maryland Real Estate Investment Trust with transferable shares of beneficial interest listed on the Nasdaq. No shareholder, Trustee or officer is personally liable for any act or obligation of the Trust. View source version on businesswire.com : http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180119005646/en/ Hospitality Properties Trust Katie Strohacker, 617-796-8232 Senior Director, Investor Relations www.hptreit.com Source: Hospitality Properties Trust

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/19/business-wire-hospitality-properties-trust-announces-quarterly-dividend-on-common-shares.html

Golf-Wild Woods entertains with recovery shots at Torrey Pines

January 27, 2018 / 9:01 PM / Updated 33 minutes ago Wild Woods entertains with recovery shots at Torrey Pines Andrew Both 2 Min Read LA JOLLA, California (Reuters) - Tiger Woods drove the ball wildly but hit some sensational recovery shots to slightly improve his position halfway through the third round at the Farmers Insurance Open on Saturday. Woods found the fairway with his tee shot only once, and some of his misses were by wide margins as he picked up three birdies and two bogeys on his outward half at Torrey Pines. He began his inward nine at two under par, 10 strokes behind leaders Ryan Palmer and Luke List. A huge gallery watched 14-times major champion Woods, who started his round at the 10th hole on the South course, where he has won eight times. Jan 26, 2018; San Diego, CA, USA; Tiger Woods plays his shot from the 15th tee during the second round of the Farmers Insurance Open golf tournament at Torrey Pines Municipal Golf Course. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports His putter was much hotter than his driver. Four times he holed putts from eight feet or longer, including an 11-footer at the par-five 18th, which conjured up memories from a decade ago. Woods sank a putt from much the same distance at the 72nd hole of the 2008 U.S. Open to get into a playoff which he won. Jan 26, 2018; San Diego, CA, USA; Tiger Woods lines up a putt on the 11th green during the second round of the Farmers Insurance Open golf tournament at Torrey Pines Municipal Golf Course. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports This week he is playing his first official tournament since a spinal fusion last April. Palmer, meanwhile, was joined at the top of a crowded leaderboard by fellow American List. Both had completed seven holes. Australian former world number one Jason Day charged within one stroke of the lead approaching the turn, while Swede Alex Noren and Americans Michael Kim and Tony Finau were also 10 under. Reporting by Andrew Both, editing by Ed Osmond

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-golf-farmers/wild-woods-entertains-with-recovery-shots-at-torrey-pines-idUKKBN1FG0WK

No. 22 Tennessee hangs on against Vanderbilt

No. 22 Tennessee nearly blew a 20-point, second-half lead, but hung on to knock off visiting Vanderbilt, 67-62, at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville on Tuesday night. Guard Jordan Bowden had 19, while forward Grant Williams chipped in 18 for the Vols (14-5, 5-3 SEC). Williams was 12-of-14 from the foul line, with many coming in the second half as the Vols struggled to get field goals. A pair of seniors, guard Riley LaChance (25) and Jeff Roberson (21), led Vandy (7-13, 2-6) in scoring. All of LaChance’s points came in the second half. Vanderbilt had cut UT’s lead to 60-58, but Vol guard Lamonte Turner buried an open 3 from the left side with 1:03 left. After LaChance missed a 3, Bowden hit a lay-up with 33 seconds left to provide insurance. The Vols led by 20 on three different occasions in the second half in the midst of a stretch where VU missed 17 3-pointers in a row. Tennessee was up 41-21 with 14:28 left after Turner hit a jumper from the right side. But the Vols suddenly had trouble scoring from the field as LaChance hit four 3s in a row. Vandy pulled within four when guard Larry Austin Jr. assisted on a couple of transition lay-ups, the second a pass to Roberson with 7:06 left. But Tennessee was able to close, and with that, sweep the regular-season series. Vanderbilt’s Payton Willis hit a 3 on the game’s first possession, aiding the Commodores to a 7-4 lead to start. It took a terrible turn for the Commodores, who trailed 32-15 at half, from there. Tennessee’s tight man-to-man defense made it difficult for the Commodores to find an offensive rhythm. Even when Vanderbilt got open shots, it couldn’t hit them. The Vols’ Bowden had no such troubles, hitting 3 of 4 of his first-half 3-pointers, leading all scorers at half. Tennessee also hit 8 of 12 first-half free throws, while Vanderbilt missed its only attempt. Vanderbilt announced before the game that guard Matthew Fisher-Davis’s collegiate career is over. The senior, Vanderbilt’s second-leading scorer (11.9) was a preseason first-team All-SEC pick and hadn’t played since Vanderbilt’s loss to Kentucky on Jan. 13. That leaves VU with 10 eligible scholarship players. --Field Level Media

https://www.reuters.com/article/basketball-ncaa-ten-van-recap/no-22-tennessee-hangs-on-against-vanderbilt-idUSMTZEE1O1GBQ2L

Dixons Carphone CEO quits - Sky News

Jan 19 (Reuters) - Britain’s Dixons Carphone Plc’s CEO Sebastian James is quitting to join Boots, the high street chemist, Sky News reported on Friday. James’s reported resignation comes just days after Dixons’ finance chief Humphrey Singer quit to join Marks and Spencer Group Plc. Dixons could not immediately be reached for comment. The electricals and mobile phones retailer reported a 60 percent slump in first-half profits in December. Dixons Carphone is set to release a trading statement on Jan. 23. The chief executive's resignation will be formally notified to the London Stock Exchange on Monday, Sky News reported, citing unidentified sources. bit.ly/2BeLZoH (Reporting by Bhanu Pratap in Bengaluru; Editing by Adrian Croft)

https://www.reuters.com/article/dixons-carphone-moves-ceo/dixons-carphone-ceo-quits-sky-news-idUSL8N1PE5E7

PRESS DIGEST- New York Times business news - Jan 17

January 17, 2018 / 5:25 AM / Updated 44 minutes ago PRESS DIGEST- New York Times business news - Jan 17 Reuters Staff 1 Min Read Jan 17 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories on the New York Times business pages. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. - General Electric Co delivered another disappointing surprise to investors on Tuesday, taking a $6.2 billion charge to pay for lingering problems in its finance unit. nyti.ms/2mKCrgS - General Motors Co Chief Executive Mary Barra urged the Trump administration on Tuesday not to scrap the North American Free Trade Agreement, and said any changes in the pact should account for the effect on American automakers and workers. nyti.ms/2mNG7yk - The legal fight against the Federal Communications Commission's recent repeal of so-called net neutrality regulations began on Tuesday, with a flurry of lawsuits filed to block the agency's action. nyti.ms/2mMmOFA Compiled by Bengaluru newsroom

https://www.reuters.com/article/press-digest-nyt/press-digest-new-york-times-business-news-jan-17-idUSL3N1PC26N

Jack Ma: Alibaba Mulls Hong Kong Stock Listing | Fortune

Finance Alibaba Founder Jack Ma Says He's Reconsidering a Stock Listing in Hong Kong Alibaba chair Jack Ma and Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam attend a Jumpstarter conference in Hong Kong on Nov. 21, 2017. Bobby Yip—Reuters By Reuters 9:34 PM EST Alibaba Group Holding Ltd (baba) will consider a listing in Hong Kong, the South China Morning Post reported the company’s founder Jack Ma as saying—remarks which follow the city’s decision to allow dual class share listings. Ma was responding to an invitation by Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam to list in the city during a discussion at an event in Hong Kong. “Alibaba will take this message. We will definitely consider Hong Kong’s market,” the newspaper quoted Ma as saying . “We hope we can further invest in Hong Kong and enhance our participation in the city’s economy,” he said. Alibaba held its record $25 billion public float in New York in 2014 after Hong Kong, its favored venue, refused to accept its governance structure where a self-selecting group of senior managers control the majority of board appointments . But Hong Kong is now set to allow dual-class shares under rule changes to be proposed by the city’s stock exchange as it raises the stakes in its battle against New York for blockbuster Chinese initial public offerings (IPOs). For more on Alibaba, watch Fortune’s video: Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing, the city’s exchange operator, said in December that it had begun drafting specific rule changes that will be put up for a formal public consultation in the first three months of 2018. SPONSORED FINANCIAL CONTENT

http://fortune.com/2018/01/08/alibaba-jack-ma-hong-kong-listing/

Amy Cooley Promoted to Pinnacle Vice President

DENVER, Jan. 29, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pinnacle, one of the nation’s leading multifamily management firms, announces today the promotion of Amy Cooley to vice president presiding over operations in Colorado. Elevating from her previous role as a regional property manager, Cooley now oversees a growing portfolio of apartment communities throughout the state and provides guidance to more than 100 team members. Based out of Denver, Cooley reports to Executive Vice President, Eric Schwabe. Amy Cooley promoted to vice president of Pinnacle's Rocky Mountain Region “Amy is an on-point operator whose tremendous work ethic is already creating recognizable changes in Colorado,” explains Schwabe. “There is so much opportunity for Pinnacle in that region and she is exactly the person we want to have at the helm as we grow our portfolio and team member mentorship programs.” Under Cooley’s leadership, Pinnacle was recently awarded a 1,200 unit property in Denver, taking the company’s Rocky Mountain portfolio to more than 3,600 apartment homes with several new developments in the pipeline. In addition to business development in 2018, Cooley will be focused on employee growth by launching several local programs specific to recognition and mentorship. She is also in the process of adding new analytic tools and training programs to further enhance driving property performance. Cooley joined Pinnacle in 2016 with 21 years of management experience, of which 17 years were at the corporate level. The operational expertise she built while working with firms like Greystar, the Laramar Group and Corum Real Estate Group helped her to instill quality, consistency and compliance within her Denver-based portfolio at Pinnacle. She has ground-up experience with all asset types and draws on her knowledge in operations, finance, marketing, budgeting, team building and client relations to lead with confidence. Cooley is a Certified Property Manager (CPM), Certified Apartment Manager (CAM) and has her Colorado Real Estate Broker’s License. About Pinnacle Property Management Services, LLC Pinnacle Property Management Services, LLC, (“Pinnacle”) is a privately held national real estate provider specializing in third party management of multifamily residential communities. As one of the nation’s preferred third-party managers, Pinnacle’s portfolio includes over 165,000 residential units and 2.75 million square feet of commercial assets. With the Corporate headquarters located in Dallas, Texas, Pinnacle has more than 4,100 employees located in 30 states. For more information, visit www.pinnacleliving.com . MEDIA CONTACT Suzi Smith (214) 891-7831 ssmith@pinnacleliving.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3bbc9aa1-4add-4166-a067-078c8a9ca131 Source: US-Pinnacle Property

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/29/globe-newswire-amy-cooley-promoted-to-pinnacle-vice-president.html

UPDATE 1-Tennis-Chung becomes South Korea's first grand slam semi-finalist

January 24, 2018 / 5:20 AM / Updated 7 hours ago Chung blazes trail into Australian Open semi-finals Ian Ransom 4 Min Read MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Chung Hyeon’s trailblazing run through the Australian Open continued on Wednesday as the relentless South Korean tossed American Tennys Sandgren aside 6-4 7-6(5) 6-3 to become his nation’s first grand slam semi-finalist. Bespectacled like Clark Kent but playing like Superman at a sunbathed Rod Laver Arena, world number 58 Chung became the lowest ranked player into the last four at Melbourne Park since Marat Safin in 2004. The muscular 21-year-old will meet either champion Roger Federer or Tomas Berdych for a place in the final, and should head into that clash brimful of confidence. As in his fourth round elimination of six-times champion Novak Djokovic, Chung had all the answers against world number 97 Sandgren, returning virtually everything the battling American could throw at him. A near-perfect display finished with a wobble when serving out the match, as he squandered a 40-0 lead and saw a total of five match points evaporate into a cloudless sky. He later admitted to thinking prematurely about victory and what it might mean for his expectant nation. “I think (in the) last game, many things come together. If I win one more point, I make history in Korea,” he told reporters. “Something I (was) thinking like that. I have to think about the ceremony. Anyway, I had to stay calm because... the match was not finished yet.” Chung’s raw power ultimately prevailed, a blazing forehand into the corner causing a scrambling Sandgren to push his desperate retrieve well past the baseline. Chung flashed a broad grin as South Koreans draped in flags roared in the terraces and his mother shaped a love heart with her arms from the players’ box. South Korea has been late to the party in global tennis but Chung’s success could light a fire for the sport in the east Asian nation. It has also been a devastating raid by a player barely spoken about before the tournament, with most of the buzz around young guns like Germany’s Alexander Zverev, who Chung dismantled in the third round, and Australian Nick Kyrgios. Tennis - Australian Open - Quarterfinals - Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, Australia, January 24, 2018. Chung Hyeon of South Korea reacts after winning against Tennys Sandgren of the U.S. REUTERS/Thomas Peter FALSE ALARM The match began in an unnerving way for all concerned, a false alarm ringing out and warning to “evacuate, evacuate, evacuate” early in the first set. Play was halted for a few moments and some fans scurried for the exits. Chung broke Sandgren in the third game and served out the set to love, then took the heavy-legged American’s serve again to take a 2-0 lead in the second. Slideshow (2 Images) Sandgren rallied strongly, breaking Chung twice but he faltered when serving for the set at 5-3. The Korean converted a second break point to get back on serve and the pair fought furiously in a breathless tiebreak. Sandgren wound his forehand up for a straightforward winner to secure two set points but instead thumped the ball into the net to allow Chung to level at 5-5. Another rush of blood saw the American fire long, and a clinical Chung needed only one chance to take the set. The Korean flapped his hands at the crowd in triumph, as a red-faced Sandgren retired to his chair to shake his head and fume. The American appeared spent and slumped to a 3-1 deficit, but gave the crowd their money’s worth with brilliant volleying to save a fifth match point. The 26-year-old bowed out to warm applause from the crowd, though a storm over his social media links with right wing nationalists raged on in the background. “I‘m happy with being resilient,” Sandgren said. “It’s not easy to come off some big wins, biggest wins of my career, crazy stages, like quarter-finals of a slam... and to deal with the stuff off the court as well.” Editing by Greg Stutchbury/John O'Brien

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-tennis-ausopen-chung/chung-becomes-south-koreas-first-grand-slam-semi-finalist-idUKKBN1FD0DN

5 things students can do now to get hired in May

This time of year, college students are returning to school, buying books and selecting classes. It's also when they should start to think seriously about how to get hired by May. By starting the job search process now, students can make sure they land a role that can help jumpstart their careers and make their degrees pay off . Here are five things that students should do now to make sure they have an exciting opportunity to embark on in May: 1. Refresh your resume When you start a new job search, your first step should always be to freshen up your resume. Monster career expert Vicki Salemi says that students should include the most recent relevant information including coursework and research projects. "They should make sure their resume is up to date," says Salemi. "And that doesn't only mean to include their internships, it also means they should be incorporating relevant classwork and other projects or experiences that are happening this semester." Salemi explains that experiences, like shadowing a professor or working a campus job, can be great talking points for demonstrating your strengths — especially if you don't have years and years of professional experience to talk about. Mark Bennington Vicki Salemi 2. Network "Right now is the ideal time to network," says Salemi. "Start reaching out to classmates who graduated last year or the year before that." Once you have reached out to your closest connections , be sure to take advantage of your school's career services. Career centers often have extensive data about alumni, offer mock interviews and can help you polish off your resume. "Ask them to run a list for you of alumni who work in the company and/or industry you want to pursue," says Salemi. "While you're at the career center, make an appointment to schedule a mock interview, because while you're actively networking, you should also make sure your interview skills are sharp." 3. Job alerts One of the most underrated job search hacks is to set up alerts that inform you about opportunities that interest you . Monster, LinkedIn and Google all offer services that will send you emails or notifications indicating that a role you are interested has opened up. Once you receive news about a job you are interested in, get your application in as soon as possible. "When opportunities land in your inbox, apply immediately, don't wait. If you see a job, you should apply that day," says Salemi. "You should never assume it will be posted for a long time." 4. Chase your dream company If you have scanned the career page of your ideal company and do not see any open positions, do not be deterred says Salemi. "If your dream employer doesn't have any openings, you should still reach out to them because you never know when they will have an opening and you want to be top of mind," she explains. By contacting the company early on in the semester, you make sure that your name is the first one they think of when an opportunity opens up. show chapters This is how much education you need to land a job at the world's biggest tech companies 1:26 PM ET Wed, 26 July 2017 | 00:56 5. Sharpen your soft skills One of the most fun things you can do now to prepare yourself for a job in May is to strengthen your soft skills. Students can "polish their soft skills by going out of their comfort zone — go to a wrestling match or theater event — it's all about small talk, introducing yourself with an elevator pitch," says Salemi. This is a fun way that young people can make sure they can have in-person conversations with people outside of their typical social circles. Salemi argues, "Since the graduating class is digital native, it's even more important to be able to interact in real-time and be able to hold a good conversation." Meeting new people and trying new things is also a great way to spend your last few months as a student. Like this story? Like CNBC Make It on Facebook Don't miss: The royal family is hiring—here's what the job entails The 10 best jobs in America according to Glassdoor The 10 most and least educated states in 2018 show chapters These are the 10 best cities for finding a job in 2018 5:49 PM ET Mon, 8 Jan 2018 | 01:12

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/26/5-things-students-can-do-now-to-get-hired-in-may.html

Rubenstein: 'When people are happy and confident, something wrong happens'

Debt, geopolitics, unexpected world events and a widespread sense of general happiness: these are the things that worry private equity billionaire David Rubenstein the most. The co-founder of global private equity firm Carlyle Group detailed his concerns while speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, during a panel on Tuesday entitled "The Next Financial Crisis." "Right now, the biggest concern I have is that most people think there is no problem of a likely recession this year or even maybe early next year. Generally when people are very happy and confident, something wrong happens," Rubenstein cautioned at the Bloomberg-moderated panel. "I am nervous that the conventional wisdom is that we have no recession problems around the world, that everybody's doing quite well ... The conventional wisdom is usually wrong, and it might be in this case." The American businessman and philanthropist went on to explain why debt and geopolitics are further sources of concern. show chapters David Rubenstein: I think we'd be lucky and happy to get close to 3 percent GDP 10:17 AM ET Tue, 23 Jan 2018 | 01:00 "I do worry that governments have a little bit too much debt, and maybe they have too many entitlement programs they're ultimately not going to be able to honor. At some point, people are going to wake up and say the U.S. government has $20 trillion dollars of debt and unfunded liabilities that are hard to fathom." Trepidation over mounting global debt is not new; numerous CEOs and finance officials have cited greater leverage across both emerging and advanced economies as among the greatest threats to global economic stability. Rubenstein continued, "I worry about geopolitical things we can't anticipate, the so-called black swans," suggesting a slew of potential threats from a "9/11 type event" to pandemics and conflicts involving Iran, Russia and China. Meanwhile, the CEO of Bank Pekao, Poland's second-largest bank, made a similar warning about what he believed to be a sort of oblivious optimism. "Obviously there are many reasons to be optimistic -- the U.S. economy is growing fast, positive IMF outlook, emerging markets are growing fast," Pekao's Michal Krupinski told CNBC Wednesday. "The problem is that once you're not able to find an imbalance in the global economy, you should always be aware of what is the weakest link. This makes me worried." "Secondly, we have unprecedented actions from central banks," he added, referring to central banks' prolonged quantitative easing policies. "The drug will be cut one day, and we're facing lots of structural problems." A common theme at Davos, and indeed over the past several months among investors, is whether the current skyrocketing growth of market valuations and increased capital flows are a harbinger of the next crash . David Rubenstein seems to think so. "I think when everybody is complacent, that's usually when you have to be nervous," he said. show chapters What is Davos? 12:34 AM ET Tue, 23 Jan 2018 | 03:12

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/24/rubenstein-generally-when-people-are-happy-something-wrong-happens.html

Hong Kong stocks hit a fresh record, helped by Chinese money inflows

36 AM / in 36 minutes Hong Kong stocks hit a fresh record, helped by Chinese money inflows Reuters Staff * Hang Seng index ends up 1.7 pct * China Enterprises index HSCE rises 2.2 pct * HSI financial sector sub-index is 2 pct higher; property sector up 1.3 percent. Jan 23 (Reuters) - Hong Kong stocks hit another fresh record on Tuesday, aided by continuous inflows of mainland money, and strength in IT and financial stocks. ** At close of trade, the Hang Seng index was up 537.29 points or 1.66 percent at 32,930.70. The Hang Seng China Enterprises index rose 2.16 percent to 13,490.45. **The sub-index of the Hang Seng tracking energy shares rose 1 percent while the IT sector rose 2.47 percent, the financial sector was 1.98 percent higher and property sector rose 1.28 percent. ** The top gainer on Hang Seng was Geely Automobile Holdings Ltd , up 5.67 percent, while the biggest loser was China Resources Power Holdings Co Ltd, down 0.98 percent. ** China’s main Shanghai Composite index closed up 1.3 percent at 3,546.9816 points while its blue-chip CSI300 index ended up 1.08 percent. ** Around the region, MSCI’s Asia ex-Japan stock index was firmer by 0.87 percent while Japan’s Nikkei index closed up 1.29 percent. ** The yuan was quoted at 6.4035 per U.S. dollar at 08:12 GMT, 0.02 percent firmer than the previous close of 6.405. ** So far this year, the Hang Seng index is up 10.1 percent, while China’s H-share index is up 15 percent. ** The top gainers among H-shares were China Citic Bank Corp Ltd up 5.71 percent, followed by China Merchants Bank Co Ltd gaining 4.76 percent and China Minsheng Banking Corp Ltd up by 4.17 percent. ** The three biggest H-shares percentage decliners were Zhuzhou CRRC Times Electric Co Ltd which was down 1.28 percent, Huatai Securities Co Ltd which fell 1.3 percent and China Communications Construction Co Ltd down by 0.9 percent. ** About 4.08 billion Hang Seng index shares were traded, roughly 196.6 percent of the market’s 30-day moving average of 2.07 billion shares a day. The volume traded in the previous trading session was 2.97 billion. ** At close, China’s A-shares were trading at a premium of 28.57 percent over the Hong Kong-listed H-shares. ** The price-to-earnings ratio of the Hang Seng index was 14.76 as of the last full trading day while the dividend yield was 2.7 percent. ** So far this week, the market capitalisation of the Hang Seng index has risen by 0.63 percent to HK$21.30 trillion. (Reporting by the Shanghai Newsroom; Editing by Richard Borsuk)

https://www.reuters.com/article/china-stocks-hongkong-close/hong-kong-stocks-hit-a-fresh-record-helped-by-chinese-money-inflows-idUSZZN2N7O00

UPDATE 1-Hays posts higher quarterly net fees on strong international business

(Adds details on results, background) Jan 11 (Reuters) - British staffing company Hays Plc reported higher second-quarter net fees on Thursday, helped by strong performance in its international businesses. The company said it continues to see vigorous trading conditions in the majority of its international markets, reporting a 16 percent rise in net fee growth in its Asia Pacific business. The company, which places workers in areas such as finance and IT, reported a 13 percent rise in second-quarter group net fees at constant currencies in the three months ended Dec. 31. Net fees from its UK and Ireland operations rose 1 percent and the company said business in the UK remained stable. Most British staffing companies are relying on their overseas business to drive growth as uncertainty following Britain’s June 2016 vote to leave the European Union curbs domestic demand. The company, which has operations in 33 countries, said 24 of those markets grew in excess of 10 percent in the period. (Reporting by Radhika Rukmangadhan in Bengaluru; Editing by Bernard Orr) Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

https://www.reuters.com/article/hays-outlook/update-1-hays-posts-higher-quarterly-net-fees-on-strong-international-business-idUSL4N1P62L1

Factbox: U.S. 'strong dollar' policy in question

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The dollar hit fresh lows on Wednesday after U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said he welcomed a weakening of the U.S. currency, which some investors interpreted as a departure from traditional U.S. policy. “Obviously a weaker dollar is good for us as it related to trade and opportunities,” Mnuchin told the World Economic Forum in Davos a day before a speech by U.S. President Donald Trump in the Swiss ski resort. Mnuchin added: “Longer term, the strength of the dollar is a reflection of the strength of the U.S. economy and the fact that it is and it continues to be the primary currency in terms of the reserve currency.” IS IT A BREAK FROM POLICY? While some analysts argue that Mnuchin’s comments do not break with the U.S. “strong dollar” policy, his remarks caused concern among investors because they come days after the Trump administration slapped steep tariffs on foreign-made washing machines and solar panels. The remarks came as the Trump administration has warned that it is preparing a package of trade actions against China, which could spark a trade war between the world’s two largest economies. HISTORY OF ‘STRONG DOLLAR’ POLICY U.S. Treasury secretaries have been repeating that the strong dollar is in U.S. national interests since the late 1990s, when Robert Rubin held the job in the Clinton administration. That phrasing lost its weight and credibility when it was overused by the Bush administration, although the Obama administration tried to persuade the world that the policy was for real as it sought to borrow $2 trillion to revive the U.S. economy after its worst crisis in decades. WHY DID THE UNITED STATES ADOPT THE POLICY? The strong dollar policy was seen as a way to assure investors that Washington would not intervene in exchange markets to debase the currency. The policy, however, has lost some of its relevance given the role of the Federal Reserve in financial markets. The U.S. central bank’s purchases and sales of securities are major drivers in the value of the dollar and Fed policymakers say they follow foreign exchange rates closely, even though U.S. central bankers defer to the U.S. Treasury for comments about dollar policy. Reporting by Lesley Wroughton and Jason Lange; Editing by Richard Chang

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-global-forex-dollar-factbox/factbox-u-s-strong-dollar-policy-in-question-idUSKBN1FD39B

Murray pulls out of Brisbane event with hip injury

January 2, 2018 / 8:04 AM / Updated 9 hours ago Murray fears for Melbourne after Brisbane withdrawal Reuters Staff 3 Former world number one Andy Murray’s lingering hip issues forced him to withdraw from the Brisbane International on Tuesday with the Briton admitting he was unsure whether he could recover in time for the Australian Open later this month. Tennis - ATP World Tour Finals Preview - The O2 Arena, London, Britain - November 11, 2017 Great Britain's Andy Murray stands during a minutes silence as part of remembrance commemorations during practice Action Images via Reuters/Tony O'Brien Murray has not played a competitive match since a Wimbledon quarter-final loss last July due to the complaint and despite coming through a one-set exhibition in Abu Dhabi last week, he was unable to train on Tuesday and announced his withdrawal. “I‘m very disappointed to be withdrawing from the Brisbane International,” Murray, seeded second in Brisbane, told tournament organisers before going into further detail of his predicament in an emotional post on social media. “Having been recommended to treat my hip conservatively since the U.S. Open, I have done everything asked of me from a rehab perspective and worked extremely hard to try get back on the court competing,” Murray said on his Instagram account. ”Having played practice sets here in Brisbane with some top players unfortunately this hasn’t worked yet to get me to the level I would like so I have to reassess my options. Continuing rehab is one option and giving my hip more time to recover. “Surgery is also an option but the chances of a successful outcome are not as high as I would like which has made this my secondary option and my hope has been to avoid that. However, this is something I may have to consider but let’s hope not.” The world number 16 had been due to play his first tournament match of the season on Thursday with a second-round encounter against American Ryan Harrison at Pat Rafter Arena. He will be replaced by German lucky loser Yannick Hanfmann. Murray, who said on Sunday that he planned to trim his schedule in 2018 to prevent a recurrence of his injury issues, will remain in Brisbane for the rest of the week before planning his next move. “In the short term I‘m going to be staying in Australia for the next couple of days to see if my hip settles down a bit and will decide by the weekend whether to stay out here or fly home to assess what I do next,” the 30-year-old added. “Sorry for the long post but I wanted to keep everyone in the loop and get this off my chest as it’s really hurting inside.” Brisbane tournament director Cameron Pearson wished the three-times grand slam winner well. “I‘m really disappointed for Andy, as I know how much he was looking forward to getting his season started in Brisbane,” he said. “As a two-time former champion, he has great memories of playing on Pat Rafter Arena and thrilling his fans. I wish him all the best to be ready to play the Australian Open.” Murray’s latest injury setback will also come as a blow to Australian Open organisers ahead of the year’s first major in Melbourne starting on Jan. 15, along with those of fellow “Big Four” members Rafael Nadal (back) and Novak Djokovic (elbow). Writing by John O'Brien in Singapore; Editing by Sudipto Ganguly

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-tennis-brisbane-men-murray/murray-pulls-out-of-brisbane-event-with-hip-injury-idUKKBN1ER0G4

France welcomes Chinese investment, not 'looting': minister

BEIJING (Reuters) - France welcomes long-term investments from China, but only after screening deals to ensure French assets are not “looted”, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Tuesday in Beijing. In China on a three-day state visit, French President Emmanuel Macron is pushing for a more balanced trade relationship, hoping in particular to reduce France’s 30 billion euro ($35.8 billion) trade shortfall with the country. Le Maire said more balance would mean better access to Chinese markets while protecting French technologies and setting limits on Chinese investments in France. Asked if his ministry would from now on screen Chinese investments, Le Maire said: “Yes, and I reject many.” He added that he would announce plans on Jan. 15 to boost a 2014 decree requiring foreign companies to get permission from the French state before taking control of French firms in the energy, telecoms, transport, water and the health sectors “We accept long-term investments but not looting,” he added. Reporting by Michel Rose; writing by Leigh Thomas

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-france-trade-lemaire/france-welcomes-chinese-investment-not-looting-minister-idUSKBN1EY13D

AGS Commences Initial Public Offering

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- PlayAGS, Inc. ("AGS" or the "Company"), a leading designer and supplier of electronic gaming machines and other products and services for the gaming industry, today announced the commencement of its initial public offering of 10,250,000 shares of its common stock. The Company has also granted the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 1,537,500 shares of its common stock. The price range for the initial public offering is currently estimated to be between $16.00 and $18.00 per share. The Company has applied to list its shares of common stock on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "AGS." Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank Securities, Jefferies and Macquarie Capital are acting as joint book-running managers and as representatives of the underwriters for the proposed offering. BofA Merrill Lynch, Citigroup, Nomura, Stifel and SunTrust Robinson Humphrey are acting as joint book-running managers for the proposed offering. Roth Capital Partners, Union Gaming, The Williams Capital Group, L.P. and Apollo Global Securities are acting as co-managers for the proposed offering. The offering will be made only by means of a prospectus. A copy of the preliminary prospectus relating to this offering, when available, may be obtained from any of the following sources: Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, Attention: Prospectus Department, One Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10010, or by telephone at (800) 221-1037 or by email at newyork.prospectus@credit-suisse.com ; Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Attention: Prospectus Group, 60 Wall Street, New York, NY 10005, or by telephone at (800) 503-4611, or by email at prospectus.CPDG@db.com ; Jefferies LLC, Attention: Prospectus Department, 520 Madison Avenue, 2 nd Floor, New York, NY 10022, or by telephone at (877) 821-7388 or by email at Prospectus_Department@Jefferies.com ; or Macquarie Capital (USA) Inc., Attention: Syndicate Department, 125 West 55 th Street, L-22, New York, NY 10019, or by telephone at (212) 231-0440 or by email at MacquarieEquitySyndicateUSA@macquarie.com A registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission but has not yet become effective. These securities may not be sold, nor may offers to buy be accepted, prior to the time the registration statement becomes effective. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or 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 jurisdiction. About AGS AGS is a leading designer and supplier of electronic gaming machines ("EGMs") and other products and services for the gaming industry. Historically we have focused on supplying Class II EGMs to the Native American gaming market. We have recently expanded our product line-up to include: (i) Class III EGMs for commercial and Native American casinos, (ii) video bingo machines for select international markets, (iii) table game products, and (iv) interactive social casino products. Forward-Looking and Cautionary Language This press release contains, and oral statements made from time to time by our representatives may contain, forward-looking statements based on management's current expectations and projections, which are intended to qualify for the safe harbor of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding the proposed public offering and other statements identified by words such as "believe," "will," "may," "might," "likely," "expect," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "seeks," "estimates," "believes," "continues," "projects" and similar references to future periods, or by the inclusion of forecasts or projections. All forward-looking statements are based on current expectations and projections of future events. These forward-looking statements reflect the current views, models, and assumptions of AGS, and are subject to various risks and uncertainties that cannot be predicted or qualified and could cause actual results in AGS's performance to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the ability of AGS to maintain strategic alliances, unit placements or installations, grow revenue, garner new market share, secure new licenses in new jurisdictions, successfully develop or place proprietary product, comply with regulations, have its games approved by relevant jurisdictions and other factors set forth under "Risk Factors" in the registration statement on Form S-1. All forward-looking statements made herein are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements and there can be no assurance that the actual results, events or developments referenced herein will occur or be realized. Readers are cautioned that all forward-looking statements speak only to the facts and circumstances present as of the date of this press release. AGS expressly disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Contact Julia Boguslawski, Chief Marketing Officer, AGS o: 702-724-1125 e: jboguslawski@PlayAGS.com All ® notices signify marks registered in the United States. View original content with multimedia: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ags-commences-initial-public-offering-300582869.html SOURCE AGS

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/16/pr-newswire-ags-commences-initial-public-offering.html

Russian bank CEOs, metals magnates and gas chief named on U.S. "oligarchs' list"

January 30, 2018 / 6:07 AM / in 3 minutes Russia's elite dismiss U.S. list as 'telephone book' of the wealthy Polina Devitt , Katya Golubkova 6 Min Read MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia’s elite on Tuesday shrugged off U.S. publication of a sweeping list of oligarchs close to the Kremlin as simply a “telephone directory” of the rich, though a Kremlin spokesman said it could even harm the image of Russia’s political leaders. One Western businessman said it could create uncertainty in dealings with sectors of Russian business. One Russian energy executive feared for future dealings with foreign banks. The U.S. Treasury Department named top businessmen including the heads of the two of Russia’s biggest banks, metals magnates and the boss of the state gas monopoly on a list of oligarchs close to Russian power. The list of 210 people, including 96 ‘oligarchs’ with wealth of $1 billion or more, was drawn up as part of a sanctions package signed into law in August last year. The document said inclusion did not mean those named were likely to be sanctioned, although it seemed it would cast the shadow of potential sanctions over a wide circle of wealthy Russians. “Publication of such a wide list of everything and everyone could potentially damage the image and reputation of our firms, our businessmen, our politicians, and of members of the leadership,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, himself included on the list, told reporters. Shares in some of the big metals companies - Norilsk Nickel and aluminum giant Rusal, whose owners were named - initially fell, though Russian stock in general recovered later. President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle is already subject to personal U.S. sanctions imposed over Russia’s 2014 annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea region. The White House said on Monday it would not immediately impose new sanctions on Russia. “All this looks more like a book, ‘Who’s Who in Russian Politics’. I as a member of the government am obliged to be on this list,” Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich, one of 114 government officials named, told Reuters. THE LIST The 2017 sanctions package leading to the list being drawn up was prompted partly by Washington’s belief that Russia meddled in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The Kremlin denies these allegations. The list reached deep into the business elite and government. Officials and others named said it amounted to little more than a copy of last year’s Forbes list of Russia’s wealthiest people - with some factual mistakes thrown in. “It seems no-one decided to look too deeply. They just copied Forbes list,” said one oligarch whose name is on the list but who had distanced himself from Russian investments and Putin’s inner circle. FILE PHOTO - German Gref, chief executive of Russia's Sberbank, speaks during a session of the Gaidar Forum 2018 "Russia and the World: values and virtues" in Moscow, Russia, January 17, 2018. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin Last year’s list in Forbes magazine estimated the total wealth of the oligarchs listed at almost $400 billion. A senior executive on a major energy company described it as a “telephone directory”, adding sarcastically: “This was really Titanic work.” The list also mentions Oleg Budargin as the chief executive of the state utility company Rosseti - though he was replaced in that post last September. “UNCERTAINTY” CREATED A Western banker who is currently involved in a deal with a person named on the list said it was unclear what inclusion meant. “If all these people were banned, 80 percent of deals (with Russian firms) would stall,” he said. Slideshow (2 Images) Another banker who works for a U.S. bank in Moscow described the list as ‘harmful.’“It creates uncertainty around all more or less known people. Even without sanctions,” he said. Another state energy executive said he believed inclusion could complicate dealings with the foreign banks and raising financing for the companies whose owners were named. The list was sweeping though some names of people known to be closely associated with Putin were absent. Some Putin loyalists suggested that being named amounted to a badge of honor - while being left off was cause for suspicion. Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, who was named, said being left off was “a basis for considering resignation”. Another U.S. report outlining potential restrictions on investment by foreigners in Russian government debt was not published on Tuesday as many had expected. Related Coverage

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-russia-sanctions-list/russian-bank-ceos-metals-magnates-and-gas-chief-named-on-u-s-oligarchs-list-idUSKBN1FJ0K7

UK grocer Sainsbury's has record Christmas week as online sales grow

U.K. grocer Sainsbury 's says it has experienced a record week of trading during the Christmas period with "excellent" operations across the whole group. "We think it's a good performance in what of course continues to be a challenging market," Mike Coupe, chief executive officer of Sainsbury's, told CNBC Wednesday. The second largest U.K. grocer reported an increase in like-for-like sales of 1.1 percent during its third quarter, which includes the Christmas period. Analysts had forecast a 0.9 percent increase, according to Reuters. A key contributor to these results was Argos, the electricals retailer it acquired in 2016 and now has located within its stores. The number of collections using its fast track service, which allows customers to get their items within four hours of purchasing them, rose by 39 percent and deliveries rose by 25 percent in the three-month period. Sainsbury's said in a statement that such services "were particularly popular" during Black Friday and the last few days leading up to Christmas. show chapters Sainsbury’s Argos acquisition makes Amazon much bigger competitor: Pro 12 Hours Ago | 02:08 "We are actually over-delivering against the synergies that we promised the markets when we actually acquired the Argos business," Coupe told CNBC. "The Argos business really sets us up for our future, because one of the big stories of this Christmas is how much more growth has been online and as we see here today something like 20 percent of Sainsbury's sales are now online, a big part of that is Argos," he added. However, the retailer warned that market conditions remain challenging due to an increase in inflation. "We've seen a rise in inflation in the U.K. over the last year or so on the back of the Brexit vote and on the back of the devaluation of the pound and that means that customers' disposable income has, at its best, flattened and probably slightly declining and that has an effect on deferral purchases," Coupe explained. Scott Barbour, Getty Images News, Getty Images The grocer has so far covered this impact of inflation itself, according to the CEO, and said it will do what it can to reduce the impact of higher prices on its customers. "We are, broadly speaking, covering the cost of inflation in our business with our own efficiency initiatives," he said. Coupe also told CNBC that he expects shareholder dividends to continue to rise slightly year-after-year. show chapters Sainsbury’s CEO: Customer income at best flat, at worst falling 11 Hours Ago | 03:07

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/10/j-sainsbury-says-its-had-a-record-christmas-week-driven-by-excellent-operations-across-the-group.html

EU mergers and takeovers (Jan 30)

BRUSSELS, Jan 30 (Reuters) - The following are mergers under review by the European Commission and a brief guide to the EU merger process: APPROVALS AND WITHDRAWALS -- German renewable energy producer BayWa r.e. to acquire all of the shares in and control over C.E.T. Clean Energy Trading GmbH (approved Jan. 29) NEW LISTINGS -- French private equity firm Pai Partners to acquire French packaging group Albea (notified Jan. 29/deadline March 5/simplified) EXTENSIONS AND OTHER CHANGES None FIRST-STAGE REVIEWS BY DEADLINE JAN 30 -- U.S. insulation and roofing company Owens Corning Finland to acquire financial services provider Parry 1 Holding (notified Dec. 15/deadline Jan. 30) FEB 6 -- Italian EDF unit Edison to buy Gas Natural’s unit Gas Natural Vendita Italia (notified Nov. 22/deadline Feb. 6/simplified) -- German engineering group Hochtief to take sole control of Spanish peer Abertis (notified Dec 22/deadline Feb 6.) -- U.S. television network Discovery Communications to acquire U.S. peer Scripps Networks Interactive Inc (notified Dec. 8/ deadline extended to Feb. 6 after Discovery offered concessions) FEB 12 -- Swiss logistics group Kuehne + Nagel to acquire sole control of the drinks distribution joint venture Kuehne + Nagel Drinkflow Logistics Holdings Limited (notified Jan. 8/deadline Feb. 12/simplified) -- Ireland’s Toohil Telecom to acquire Eircom Holdco SA from a group of investors. (notified Jan. 8/deadline Feb. 12/simplified) FEB 13 -- Private Equity Fund Nordic Capital VIII Limited to buy Alloheim Senioren-Residenzen Holding SE (notified Jan. 9/ deadline Feb. 13/ simplified) -- EDF unit EDF ENR PWT and Canadian Solar to set up a joint venture (notified Jan. 9/ deadline Feb. 13/ simplified) FEB 14 -- Car rental company Avis Budget Group and Turkey’s Koc Holding to acquire Avis’ Greek franchisee (notified Jan. 10/deadline Feb. 14/simplified) -- Units of Ivanhoe Cambridge and QuadReal Property to set up joint venture to invest in Indian real estate projects, particularly logistics parks (notified Jan. 10/ deadline Feb. 14/ simplified) FEB 15 -- Private equity firm Waterland to acquire Dutch energy provider De Nederlandse Energie Maatschappij (notified Jan. 11/deadline Feb. 15/simplified) FEB 16 -- German industrial gases group Linde to merge with U.S. peer Praxair (notified Jan. 12/ deadline Feb. 16) -- Shipping terminal investment holding PSA International to transfer sole control over PSA Panama International Terminal to joint control by PSA International and Terminal Investment Limited (notified Jan. 12/ deadline Feb. 16/ simplified) FEB 20 -- Swiss Bell Food, part of Coop-Group, to buy all of Stoffel Holding AG and indirectly obtaint 50.22 pct of the capital and 65.01 pct of the voting right of food producer Huegli Holding (notified Jan. 16/ deadline Feb. 20/ simplified) -- Macquarie Super Core Infrastructure Fund and Allianz Infrastructure Luxembourg to jointly acquire Lakeside Network Investments, an investor in Finnish electricity and district heating networks (notified Jan. 16/ deadline Feb. 20/ simplified) -- Goldman Sachs and Riverstone Investment Group to jointly acquire Lucid Energy Group II, a provider of natural gas processing and gathering in the United States (notified Jan. 16/ deadline Feb. 20/ simplified) FEB 21 -- U.S. car parts supplier Key Safety Systems, which is a unit of China’s Ningbo Joyson Electronic Corp, to acquire Japanese car parts maker Takata Corp (notified Jan. 17/deadline Feb. 21) FEB 22 -- Czech energy utility EPH to acquire a stake in power plant Matrai Eromu (notified Jan. 18/deadline Feb. 22/simplified) -- Aerospace and defence group Northrop Grumman to buy launch vehicle maker Orbital ATK (notified Jan. 18/ deadline Feb. 22/ simplified) -- Spanish insurer Mapfre to promote renewal of guarantee insurance policies in Spain through a joint venture with France’s Euler Hermes (notified Jan. 18/ deadline Feb. 22/ simplified) FEB 23 -- Votorantim Geracao de Energia, which is a unit of Votorantimand Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, to acquire several windfarm companies (notified Jan. 19/deadline Feb. 23/simplified) FEB 26 -- Baking products maker the Oetker-Gruppe to acquire Belgian bakery goods supplier Diversi Foods (notified Jan. 22/deadline Feb. 26/simplified) -- Anglo-Dutch oil group Royal Dutch Shell plc to acquire retail energy supplier Impello Limited (notified Jan. 22/deadline Feb. 26/simplified) FEB 27 -- Private equity firm PAI and Canadian institutional investor British Columbia Investment Management Corp to jointly acquire fruit juice maker Refresco (notified Jan. 23/deadline Feb. 27/simplified) FEB 28 -- Spanish energy company Repsol and South Korean carmaker KIA Motors to set up a car-sharing joint venture (notified Jan. 24/deadline Feb. 28/simplified) -- Chinese car parts maker Hasco and Canadian peer Magna to set up a joint venture (notified Jan. 24/deadline Feb. 28/simplified) -- Private equity firm Bain Capital to acquire Italian paper company Fedrigoni (notified Jan. 24/deadline Feb. 28/simplified) MARCH 2 -- Private equity firm TA Associates to aquire a minority stake in software company Flexera Holdings (notified Jan. 26/deadline March 2/simplified) -- Insurer ReAssure, which is part of Swiss Re, to acquire UK insurer Legal & General Group’s Actaeon insurance business (notified Jan. 26/deadline March 2/simplified) MARCH 12 -- German industrial group Bayer to acquire U.S. seeds company Monsanto (notified June 30/deadline extended to March 12 from March 5) MARCH 22 -- Italian eyewear maker Luxottica and French lens manufacturer Essilor to merge (notified Aug. 22/deadline extended to March 22 from March 8) MARCH 26 -- U.S. specialty material company Celanese and private equity firm Blackstone to combine their cellulose acetate tow units under a new joint venture (notified Sept. 9/deadline extended to March 26 from March 19) APRIL 4 -- Luxembourg-based steelmaker ArcelorMittal to acquire Italian steel plant (notified Sept. 21/deadline extended to April 4 from March 23 after the companies asked for more time) MAY 30 -- South African chemicals company Tronox to acquire the titanium dioxide business of Cristal, a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia’s Tasnee (notified Nov. 15/deadline extended to May 30 from mAY 15) GUIDE TO EU MERGER PROCESS DEADLINES: The European Commission has 25 working days after a deal is filed for a first-stage review. It may extend that by 10 working days to 35 working days, to consider either a company’s proposed remedies or an EU member state’s request to handle the case. Most mergers win approval but occasionally the Commission opens a detailed second-stage investigation for up to 90 additional working days, which it may extend to 105 working days. SIMPLIFIED: Under the simplified procedure, the Commission announces the clearance of uncontroversial first-stage mergers without giving any reason for its decision. Cases may be reclassified as non-simplified - that is, ordinary first-stage reviews - until they are approved. (Reporting by Foo Yun Chee)

https://www.reuters.com/article/eu-ma/eu-mergers-and-takeovers-idUSL8N1PP6R7

The deadly flu strain hits every U.S. state

The deadly flu strain hits every U.S. state 4:37am IST - 01:04 This year’s seasonal flu epidemic is especially severe, according to the Centers for Disease Control, which says the deadly virus is now in every U.S. state. Jillian Kitchener reports. ▲ Hide Transcript ▶ View Transcript This year’s seasonal flu epidemic is especially severe, according to the Centers for Disease Control, which says the deadly virus is now in every U.S. state. Jillian Kitchener reports. Press CTRL+C (Windows), CMD+C (Mac), or long-press the URL below on your mobile device to copy the code https://reut.rs/2DzuGou

https://in.reuters.com/video/2018/01/23/the-deadly-flu-strain-hits-every-us-stat?videoId=388250172

Cramer's guide to investing in the stock market's winning sectors

CNBC's Jim Cramer firmly believes that this kind of bull market — the kind where the averages rally to all-time highs amid a government shutdown — requires the utmost insight and analysis. "What's been working now is very different from what was working even a year ago," the " Mad Money " host said on Monday. "This is the kind of story where a picture is indeed worth a thousand words. So tonight, we're going chart by chart, examining the winning groups in this new era to show you the true magnitude of this amazing transformation." 1. Banks Cramer started with the newly revitalized bank stocks, many of which investors avoided for months in favor of financial technology stocks or payment processors. "Why? Primarily because long-term and short-term interest rates were so low that ... [the banks] couldn't get the margins they needed on their loans or on your deposits," Cramer said. As a result, investors flocked to steady growth stocks like Visa and Mastercard , shying away from traditional bank equities altogether. Other than Visa, Mastercard, Discover , PayPal and ancillary plays like Moody's and Morningstar , "it was simply too risky to go deep into the actual deposit institutions," Cramer said. "As long as the banks' net interest margins — that's the difference between what they pay you for deposits and what they charge you for your loans — stayed low, there was no reason to embrace either the big banks or the regionals, for that matter," he continued. But since the Federal Reserve came to a consensus on the economy's well-being and began to raise interest rates, the bank stocks kicked back into high gear on Wall Street. Coupled with loan growth and deregulation from Washington, rising rates paint a rosier picture for the big banks' prospects. Many of the banks have also upped their share buyback programs, which tend to boost stock prices. "The banks are just getting back to where they were before the Bush and Obama administrations forced [them to issue] that ton of equity during the great recession," Cramer said. "In fact, the banks are now overcapitalized and they've got a much larger share of the lending pie than would've been permissible 10 years ago, especially the big dogs: J.P. Morgan , Wells Fargo , Bank of America , Citigroup . All but Wells now behave like growth stocks, and Wells is joining that." 2. Tech The leadership of the FANG stocks, Cramer's acronym for Facebook , Amazon , Netflix and Google, now Alphabet , has defined the tech sector for years. Recently, however, Cramer has watched the internet of things become the rising tide that lifts all (or most) boats for the tech sector, injecting a new secular growth story into many formerly cyclical names. "With the rise of the internet of things, not to mention the ascendancy of the data center thanks to a new cloud-based software model, as well as the connected car [and] the connected home, the whole tech sector has been roaring," the "Mad Money" host said. Cramer focused on three winning cohorts: the internet of things stocks like Texas Instruments , Analog Devices and Cramer-fave Nvidia ; the cloud plays like Adobe , Amazon, VMware and Microsoft ; and the communications names, Qualcomm , Xilinx and Broadcom . Companies that help companies move to the cloud are also working, Cramer said, pointing to Workday , ServiceNow , Salesforce.com and Accenture as his top picks. He added that in the cybersecurity space, Fortinet and Proofpoint are standing out as good buys. 3. Health care Cramer has been utterly surprised by the strength in the health care stocks, from drug distributors to insurers to hospital operators. "This is all about a peculiar backlash from Washington," he said. "After the Republicans took over the White House and Congress, we figured they would be hellbent on making this sector smaller [and] less lucrative, because a lot of it relies on the government. But when the GOP failed to obliterate Obamacare last year, investors rushed back into a sector that many people had shorted." A booming economy usually brings poor tidings for the health care stocks, but this time, it has incited a resurgence in drug distributors like McKesson , AmerisourceBergen and Cardinal ; drugmakers AbbVie and Abbott ; and pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson , Cramer said. Other unexpected leaders include medical device and life science plays like Danaher , Thermo Fischer and Illumina . Cramer called the biotech group largely "underrepresented" except for Amgen , and labeled one of his favorite health stocks, UnitedHealth , a "must-buy" winner. 4. Retail It's been years since Wall Street saw the retailers as anything but dead meat. "The only merchant that mattered was Amazon, the so-called Death Star destroying everything in its path as part of its never-ending quest for market share," Cramer said. "We all figured this had become a zero-sum situation." But after an uptick in consumer spending that kicked off during 2017's robust holiday season, retailers are gaining momentum, implementing better plans to push back against Amazon's influence and developing their own e-commerce strategies. All of this has come together to drive stocks like Target , Kohl's and Walmart higher, as well as shares of direct e-commerce beneficiaries like shippers FedEx and UPS . At the same time, home improvement names Lowe's , Home Depot , Stanley Black & Decker and Best Buy are gaining momentum as people invest in their homes. "I think it's too early to crown individual leaders within retail outside of home goods, but I've got to tell you, Walmart, Burlington Stores , Dollar Tree , Dollar General , they stand out because they can beat Amazon on price," Cramer said. "Throw in Costco and you may have all you need." With renewed control over their inventories and no need to spend heavily on advertising, Cramer said that even apparel plays like PVH , VF Corp and Michael Kors seemed "nigh unstoppable." 5. Experiential Consumer spending is also lifting shares of travel and leisure companies like the airline, hotel and casino operators, the "Mad Money" host said. "The cruise lines are roaring as there's really a dearth of ships and a plethora of younger people who've discovered that cruises make great backgrounds" for photos on social media, he said. "Don't rule out a Thor Industries because RVs are red-hot, again for the experience, for the selfie. Needless to say, you need Estee Lauder to make it all work. That stock won't quit. It's obviously the cameras." 6. Industrials A slew of positive business cycles have ignited a resurgence in industrial stocks, from the oil drillers and refiners to the manufacturing and machinery plays. OPEC's production cuts and geopolitical turmoil in Venezuela have made the United States a central oil and gas producer, spurring expansion in areas like Texas' Permian Basin. "We went from being in a deficit with natural gas to being the cheapest and world's largest producer," Cramer said. "That has triggered a building boom for the chemical industry, as they use this stuff as their main feedstock." This trend, combined with rising oil prices , has also paved the way for construction of new pipelines, factories and shipping terminals. To Cramer, that translates into "the need for more horsepower in every form you can get it," which pushes stocks like Cummins , Caterpillar , Eaton and Parker-Hannifin higher. One area that doesn't need extra horsepower is aerospace, in which America is the "practically unchallenged" leader, Cramer said, dubbing Boeing , Honeywell and United Technologies his top picks. Finally, Cramer noted that defense contractors Raytheon , Northrop Grumman , General Dynamics , Lockheed Martin , as well as smaller players Leidos , L3 and Harris , are benefiting from the Republican control of Washington. Final thoughts All things (and stocks) considered, Cramer determined that traditionally "safe" investments like the PepsiCos and Colgates of the world will not give investors the gains they want in this environment. "Bottom line? You've just been given the only guide you need to pick among the winners for the best choices," Cramer said. "Don't let the astounding nature of this rally blind you: it's very much for real and it's based on the fundamentals, ... which have only gotten even stronger now that tax reform is finally kicking in." WATCH: Cramer's deep dive into the market's top sectors show chapters Cramer's guide to investing in the stock market's winning sectors 21 Hours Ago | 21:56 Disclosure: Cramer's charitable trust owns shares of J.P. Morgan, Citigroup, Facebook, Alphabet, Nvidia, Microsoft, Broadcom, Abbott Laboratories, Danaher, Honeywell and PepsiCo. Questions for Cramer? Call Cramer: 1-800-743-CNBC Want to take a deep dive into Cramer's world? Hit him up! Mad Money Twitter - Jim Cramer Twitter - Facebook - Instagram - Vine Questions, comments, suggestions for the "Mad Money" website? madcap@cnbc.com

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/22/cramers-guide-to-investing-in-the-stock-markets-winning-sectors.html

Sri Lankan rupee ends steady in dull trade

January 3, 2018 / 11:45 AM / Updated 27 minutes ago Sri Lankan rupee ends steady in dull trade Reuters Staff 2 Min Read COLOMBO, Jan 3 (Reuters) - The Sri Lankan rupee closed steady on Wednesday in dull trade, as demand for dollars from importers and banks offset conversion of the U.S. currency by exporters, dealers said. The spot rupee, which traded at 153.80 per dollar during the day, ended at 153.70/80 per dollar, unchanged from Tuesday’s close. The currency fell 2.5 percent last year and dropped 3.9 percent in 2016. “It was a dull day. There were not many importers in the market and the exporters are also reluctant to come as they are awaiting the central bank’s directive on derivatives,” said a currency dealer. The central bank, while announcing its key economic policies for this year, said the conduct of monetary policy is dependent on an effective and prudent exchange rate policy. “It has allowed more flexibility in determining the exchange rate based on the market conditions and has intervened only to smoothen volatility and to build up reserves,” the central bank said in its policy statement. “It is noteworthy that there has been a build-up of non-debt creating international reserves during 2017, with minimal impact on the exchange rate.” It also said that foreign exchange intervention policies will be adopted consistent with a flexible exchange rate regime and supportive of improving foreign exchange market functionality, and maintaining a competitive exchange rate will be an important objective. Dealers said the import pressure will be seen until the central bank sorts out the new derivatives regulations, which has slowed forward trading in the currency. (Reporting by Ranga Sirilal and Shihar Aneez; Editing by Biju Dwarakanath)

https://www.reuters.com/article/sri-lanka-forex/sri-lankan-rupee-ends-steady-in-dull-trade-idUSL4N1OY2RG

German economy to end 2017 "with a bang" as industrial output surges

BERLIN (Reuters) - Industrial production and exports from Germany rose more than expected in November, prompting the government to raise its estimate of growth for 2017 and signalling that its expansion would carry on this year. Industrial output jumped 3.4 percent for the month, the biggest increase since September 2009, the Federal Statistics Office reported on Tuesday, overshooting a 1.8 percent forecast in a Reuters poll. Seasonally adjusted exports for November rose 4.1 percent on the month and domestic demand pushed imports up 2.3 percent. Both figures beat Reuters forecasts, and they widened the trade surplus to 22.3 billion euros ($26.61 billion) from 19.9 billion euros in October. The figures and buoyant business sentiments suggest “that the German economy ended 2017 with a bang after the third quarter’s impressive 0.8 percent expansion,” Jennifer McKeown of Capital Economics wrote in a note. Soon after the data, the government raised its 2017 growth forecast to 2.2 percent from a previous estimate of 2.0 percent. “The economy is stable,” Deputy Economy Minister Matthias Machnig said. “And we assume that it will continue at about the same level.” A construction site at the river Spree is pictured in Berlin, Germany, November 27, 2017. REUTERS/Hannibal Hanschke/Files A BRIGHT 2018 The economy has expanded every year for the past eight years, and it has continued to surge even though Chancellor Angela Merkel has failed to form a new coalition government after September’s national election, creating a political deadlock. A container ship is seen at a shipping terminal in the port of Hamburg, Germany November 6, 2017. REUTERS/Fabian Bimmer/Files The rise in November’s output confirmed economists’ assumption that a 1.2 percent drop in October was caused by limited factors, namely two public holidays. A breakdown of the output data showed the main drivers were capital and consumer goods spending as well as construction. The Statistics Office will publish on Thursday full-year gross domestic product figures for 2017, which are forecast to show 2.4 percent growth. Some analysts expect it to do better. “German GDP looks set to have risen by slightly more than our above-consensus forecast of 2.5 percent in 2017 and we expect a similarly strong pace of growth this year,” McKeown said. ($1 = 0.8379 euros) Additional reporting by Rene Wagner and Gernot Heller, writing by Joseph Nasr,; editing by Larry King

https://in.reuters.com/article/germany-economy-output/german-economy-to-end-2017-with-a-bang-as-industrial-output-surges-idINKBN1EY13K

Russian student injures six in an ax attack at his school

January 19, 2018 / 10:34 AM / Updated 6 hours ago Russian student injures six in an ax attack at his school Reuters Staff 1 Min Read MOSCOW (Reuters) - A Russian teenager attacked a group of younger students with an ax, injuring six people, before setting his school on fire, investigators said on Friday. Russia’s Investigative Committee said the attacker, a ninth-grader, attacked a group of seventh-grade students with an ax at a school just outside the Siberian city of Ulan-Ude, then set the room ablaze. Five students and one teacher were injured in the attack, the committee said. The attacker was detained and was now hospitalized after a suicide attempt, the committee said. Earlier this week, investigators opened a criminal case into a knife attack that injured 15 people at a school in the city of Perm. The case was initially reported as an assault by two masked men, but authorities later said it grew out of a knife fight between two students. Reporting by Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber, editing by Larry King

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-attack-school/russian-student-injures-six-in-an-ax-attack-at-his-school-idUSKBN1F811L

CBRE Promotes Bill Concannon to Global Group President with Responsibility for Occupier Outsourcing Business Line

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE:CBG) today announced the promotion of Bill Concannon to the position of Global Group President. Mr. Concannon, who leads CBRE’s occupier outsourcing business (called Global Workplace Solutions), is one of three senior CBRE executives with the Global Group President title. This designation is reserved for CBRE’s most senior leaders with global, market-facing responsibilities. It reflects outstanding leadership within their areas of responsibility, and significant contributions to the company’s success – and the success of its clients – across the entire enterprise. “Bill has made exceptional, ongoing contributions to our company over three decades,” said Bob Sulentic, CBRE’s president and chief executive officer. “He pioneered the occupier outsourcing concept in our sector in the early 1990s. Through a passionate commitment to excellence, leadership by example and strategic thinking, he has built our Global Workplace Solutions offering into a $6.4 billion revenue business – one that is known for generating exceptional results for our clients.” The other senior CBRE executives with the Global Group President title are Cal Frese and Mike Lafitte, who share responsibility with Mr. Concannon for all of CBRE’s geographic and services business line operations. About CBRE Group, Inc. CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE: CBG), a Fortune 500 and S&P 500 company headquartered in Los Angeles, is the world’s largest commercial real estate services and investment firm (based on 2016 revenue). The company has more than 75,000 employees (excluding affiliates), and serves real estate investors and occupiers through approximately 450 offices (excluding affiliates) worldwide. CBRE offers a broad range of integrated services, including facilities, transaction and project management; property management; investment management; appraisal and valuation; property leasing; strategic consulting; property sales; mortgage services and development services. Please visit our website at www.cbre.com . View source version on businesswire.com : http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180118005916/en/ CBRE Group, Inc. Robert McGrath Media Relations 212.984.8267 robert.mcgrath@cbre.com or Brad Burke Investor Relations 215-921-7436 brad.burke@cbre.com Source: CBRE Group, Inc.

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/18/business-wire-cbre-promotes-bill-concannon-to-global-group-president-with-responsibility-for-occupier-outsourcing-business-line.html

Bonds and fixed income: US Treasury yields fall ahead of data deluge, ECB decision

U.S. government debt prices rose Thursday as the U.S. dollar pared earlier losses after President Donald Trump said he wants to see a stronger dollar. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note fell two basis points to 2.624 percent at 2:28 p.m. ET, while the yield on the 30-year Treasury bond slipped to 2.887 percent. Bond yields move inversely to prices. Earlier, the yield on the 10-year note hit 2.676 percent, its highest level since Jul. 2014, when the 10-year yielded as high as 2.692 percent. The yield on the 2-year note hit 2.104 percent, its highest level since Sept. 2008. The dollar rebounded against the euro Thursday afternoon after President Trump told CNBC that he would like see a stronger dollar. The president's comment come a day after the dollar fell the most in 10 months to three-year lows Wednesday. "The dollar is going to get stronger and stronger, and ultimately I want to see a strong dollar," Trump said in an exclusive interview from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. "Our country is becoming so economically strong again and strong in other ways, too." Symbol Yield Change %Change US 3-MO --- US 1-YR --- US 2-YR --- US 5-YR --- US 10-YR --- US 30-YR --- The dollar had been falling after Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said a weak dollar is good for the United States. "Obviously a weaker dollar is good for us as it relates to trade and opportunities," Mnuchin told reporters, according to Bloomberg, adding that the currency's short-term value is "not a concern of ours at all." His comments reinforced statements from President Donald Trump , who previously stated that the dollar was "too strong" and that U.S. exporters can't compete because of the exchange rate. But when the dollar depreciates, the price of foreign goods increase relative to domestically priced goods, making imports more expensive, leading to an increase in inflation in the U.S. Increasing inflation, in turn, undermines the real value of each coupon payment from holding debt, forcing the price of bonds down while simultaneously raising yields to attract buyers. The euro also got a boost Thursday after European Central Bank (ECB) President Mario Draghi failed to convince investors that the central bank's easy monetary policies will last much longer. The European currency has been trending northward over the past few weeks as the region's economy strengthens and national politics stabilize. A stronger euro could eventually hamstring European exports and weaken inflation. The Treasury Department auctioned $28 billion in 7-year notes at a high yield of 2.565 percent. The bid-to-cover ratio, an indicator of demand, was 2.73. Indirect bidders, which include major central banks, were awarded 78.1 percent. Direct bidders, which includes domestic money managers, bought 10.2 percent. —CNBC's Patti Domm contributed to this report.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/25/bonds-and-fixed-income-data-auctions-bonds-on-the-agenda-for-investors.html

Apple: EU fines Qualcomm 997 million euros for exclusive deals

European Union (EU) antitrust regulators slapped a 997 million euro ($1.23 billion) fine on U.S. chipmaker Qualcomm on Wednesday for paying Apple so that the iPhone maker only used its chips. The European Commission, which launched an investigation into the matter in 2015, said the exclusivity payments began in 2011. "Qualcomm illegally shut out rivals from the market for LTE baseband chipsets for over five years, thereby cementing its market dominance. Qualcomm paid billions of U.S. dollars to a key customer, Apple, so that it would not buy from rival," European Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager said in a statement. "This meant that no rival could effectively challenge Qualcomm in this market, no matter how good their products were. Qualcomm's behavior denied consumers and other companies more choice and innovation - and this in a sector with a huge demand and potential for innovative technologies," she continued. Qualcomm confirmed to CNBC that it had received the decision, which applies to an expired agreement with Apple that ran through 2016. The chip company said the decision has no impact on ongoing operations. "We are confident this agreement did not violate EU competition rules or adversely affect market competition or European consumers," Qualcomm general counsel Don Rosenberg said in a statement. "We have a strong case for judicial review and we will immediately commence that process." — CNBC's Anita Balakrishnan contributed to this report.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/24/apple-eu-fines-qualcomm-997-million-euros-for-exclusive-deals.html

MedMen's 'largest marijuana marketing campaign’ hits Los Angeles

January 1 saw the official legalization of recreational marijuana in California, and with it a potential huge boost to an industry that one research company estimated could be worth $6 billion by 2021 . And those living in and around Los Angeles should get set for trucks driving around the city wrapped in advertising for MedMen, one of the stores "mainstreaming marijuana," and a company that has spent more than $500,000 on marketing already. But the ads — which have already run on billboards around LA's wider metropolitan area — won't feature any buds, blunts or bongs. Instead, the posters will show close-ups of people's faces with phrases such as "Heal. It's legal," and "Relax. It's legal." MedMen An ad for marijuana store MedMen They are real MedMen customers, said Daniel Yi, the firm's vice president of corporate communications. "This is not about marijuana," he told CNBC in an email. "This is about the people who use cannabis for all the reasons people have used cannabis for hundreds of years. Yes for recreation, just like alcohol, but also for wellness." MedMen lists six stores in Southern California and three in New York on its website, and Yi added that each has more than 1,000 different products. "Many of them have nothing to do with 'getting high'… This is about giving choice and a safe and inviting environment for adults who want to make cannabis a part of their lives," he said. Bloomberg | Getty Images A MedMen store in West Hollywood, California, on 2 January 2018. As well as the pure product itself, stores will sell skin creams, bath bombs and teas infused with cannabidiol (known as CBD), one of the active elements of cannabis. MedMen's "Faces" ads have featured on billboards around the Whisky a Go Go nightclub on Sunset Boulevard and the company has also run print and digital ads in what Yi claims is the "largest marijuana marketing campaign in history." It's an adspend that MedMen will be hoping will keep sending people into its shops. CEO Adam Bierman told CNBC's " The Profit " in August 2017 that each customer spends $85 on average. With about 180 customers a day, that would equate to $15,000 takings per store. show chapters A hi-tech high 6:52 PM ET Mon, 7 Aug 2017 | 01:08 Until 2018, marijuana use was allowed only for medicinal purposes and not recreational purposes in California. But, as of January 1, not all businesses have yet received state licenses to sell it . Delivery business Eaze, for example, sells vaporizers, drinks and mouth sprays, among other products, and expects to be able to deliver in San Francisco from January 5. Rules will operate in the state, governing opening hours and advertising — for example, cannabis must not be marketed to those under 21.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/04/medmens-largest-marijuana-marketing-campaign-hits-los-angeles.html

UPDATE 1-Insurance Australia Group cuts catastrophe reinsurance coverage

January 2, 2018 / 11:12 PM / Updated 24 minutes ago UPDATE 1-Insurance Australia Group cuts catastrophe reinsurance coverage Reuters Staff 2 Min Read (Adds details on coverage and payouts, background) Jan 3 (Reuters) - Insurance Australia Group Ltd said on Wednesday it has finalised its catastrophe reinsurance program for the 2018 calendar year, cutting its catastrophe coverage on a net of quota share basis. The new program means IAG’s gross main cover for a so-called “first catastrophe event” drops by A$970 million ($759.32 million) to A$5.23 billion. However, the insurer will only pay up to A$169 million in losses for such an event, instead of the A$200 million losses it paid out previously. IAG said the amount placed under the program was 67.5 percent, compared to 80 percent for the prior year, due to new quota share agreements which came into effect on Jan. 1. On Dec. 8, 2017, one of Australia’s biggest general insurers said it would share 12.5 percent of its premiums and costs with Munich Re, Swiss Re and Hannover Re , to help release capital. The firm, whose entities sell insurance in Australia, New Zealand and countries in Southeast Asia, added it experienced “modest upwards pressure” on reinsurance rates during the renewal process. $1 = 1.2775 Australian dollars Reporting by Aaron Saldanha Cynthia Osterman and Tom Brown

https://www.reuters.com/article/iag-au-reinsurance/update-1-insurance-australia-group-cuts-catastrophe-reinsurance-coverage-idUSL4N1OX3CG

Meridian Waste Solutions Names Scott Bradshaw as Area President

24-Year Industry Veteran to Lead Missouri Operations ATLANTA, GA, Jan. 11, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: MRDN ) (“Meridian” or the “Company”), an integrated, non-hazardous solid waste services and innovative technology company, is pleased to name Scott Bradshaw as area president overseeing the company’s Missouri operations including three hauling companies and one landfill. Bradshaw has 24 years of waste industry experience most recently serving as general manager for Advanced Disposal leading their Indiana operations. His team will include former owners Chuck Barcom, who will assume the role of area municipal and business development manager and Patrick McLaughlin, who will serve as area sales manager. “Scott has proven to be an outstanding leader in our industry with an unwavering commitment to safety and creating a culture of trust and accountability,” said Walter “Wally” Hall, COO of Meridian Waste. “We believe wholeheartedly that we have the right team in place in Missouri to provide high quality service to the communities we serve currently and plan to serve in the future.” Bradshaw was most recently responsible for the operations, employees and financials for two hauling locations, one transfer station and one landfill in Southern Indiana and Northwest Kentucky. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Kentucky in environmental geology. About Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc. Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: MRDN ) is a company defined by our commitment to servicing our customers with unwavering respect, fairness and care. We are focused on finding and implementing solutions for the resource needs and challenges of our customers with a fundamental objective to seek rewarding environmental solutions through technology and innovation. Our core waste business is centered on residential and commercial waste collection and disposal. Currently, the company operates in St. Louis, Missouri and Richmond, Virginia servicing over 130,000 residential, commercial, industrial and governmental customers. In addition to a fleet of commercial, residential and roll off trucks, the Company operates three transfer stations, one recycling facility and three municipal solid waste landfills. The technology division centers on creating community-based synergies through healthcare collaborations and software solutions. Our innovation division ( http://attisinnovations.com ) strives to create value from recovered resources, through advanced byproduct technologies and assets found in downstream production. For more information, visit www.MWSinc.com . Forward-Looking Statements Any statements contained in this press release that do not describe historical facts may constitute forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements include, among other thing, statements regarding the offering, the expected gross proceeds, the expected use of proceeds and the expected closing of the offering. Any forward-looking statements contained herein are based on current expectations, but are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. The factors that could cause actual future results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties relating to the Company's ability to develop, market and sell products based on its technology; the expected benefits and efficacy of the Company's products and technology; the availability of substantial additional funding for the Company to continue its operations and to conduct research and development, clinical studies and future product commercialization; and, the Company's business, research, product development, regulatory approval, marketing and distribution plans and strategies. These and other factors are identified and described in more detail in our filings with the SEC, including, our current reports on Form 8-K. Media and Investors Contact: Hayden IR ir@meridianwastesolutions.com (917) 658-7878 Source:Meridian Waste Solutions, Inc

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/11/globe-newswire-meridian-waste-solutions-names-scott-bradshaw-as-area-president.html

China invites Latin America to take part in One Belt, One Road

SANTIAGO (Reuters) - China invited Latin American and Caribbean countries to join its “One Belt, One Road” initiative on Monday, according to a draft statement seen by Reuters, as Beijing continues to diverge from the United States’ increasingly protectionist tack. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the region was a natural fit for the initiative, which China has leveraged to deepen economic and financial cooperation with developing nations worldwide. “China will always stay committed to the path of peaceful development and the win-win strategy of opening up and stands ready to share development dividends with all countries,” Wang said in opening remarks on Monday at a meeting between China and 33 members of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC). Representatives from China and CELAC are expected to sign a declaration later on Monday in the second time China has met with CELAC - a bloc formed in Venezuela in 2011 that does not include the United States or Canada. The “One Belt, One Road” initiative, proposed in 2013 by Chinese President Xi Jinping, promotes a vision of expanding links between Asia, Africa and Europe, with billions of dollars in infrastructure investment. China has sought a bigger role overseas since U.S. President Donald Trump was elected, presenting its Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership trade agreement as an alternative to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which the United States has abandoned. The country is already testing U.S. dominance in Latin America, offering the region $250 billion in investment over the next decade. It is the top trading partner of many countries in the region, including Brazil, Chile and Argentina. Still, Wang played down the idea of a race for influence. “It has nothing to do with geopolitical competition. It follows the principle of achieving shared growth through discussion and collaboration,” Wang said in his remarks. “It is nothing like zero sum game.” Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, whose government updated its bilateral trade deal with China a few months ago, said the forum would give “strength to the political and strategic dialogue that provides mutual benefits and contributes to a new world order.” Wang highlighted several areas of cooperation under a potential agreement with Latin American and Caribbean nations, including better connectivity between land and sea, and cited the need to jointly build “logistic, electricity and information pathways.” In recent years, Chinese companies have moved away from merely buying Latin American raw materials and are diversifying into sectors such as auto manufacturing, e-commerce and even technology businesses such as car-hailing services. Additional reporting by Felipe Iturrieta; Editing by Susan Thomas

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-chile-china/china-invites-latin-america-to-take-part-in-one-belt-one-road-idUSKBN1FB2CN

UPDATE 4-U.S. official backs weak dollar amid fears of trade war

* U.S. officials set aggressive tone on America First * Deliver riposte to concerns about protectionism * Say more America First steps to come * Ross sees “inappropriate behaviour” by trade partners (Adds White House comment in paragraphs 7-8) By Paritosh Bansal, Noah Barkin and Yara Bayoumy DAVOS, Switzerland, Jan 24 (Reuters) - U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin welcomed a weaker dollar on Wednesday, sending the greenback reeling and underlining concerns that U.S. President Donald Trump is stepping up his attack on China and other big trading partners as part of his America First agenda. Mnuchin made the remark, seen by markets as a departure from traditional U.S. currency policy, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where other world leaders have made swipes at what they see as U.S. protectionism. Tough U.S. talk on trade, on the eve of Trump’s arrival at the Swiss ski resort on Thursday, contrasted sharply with a chorus of government leaders, from India and Brazil to Germany and Canada, who urged cooperation and criticised protectionism. “Obviously a weaker dollar is good for us as it relates to trade and opportunities,” Mnuchin told a press briefing. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross later told CNBC that his colleague was “not advocating for a weaker dollar”, but he also struck a combative tone. Asked if he was concerned about sparking a trade war, Ross said: ”Trade war has been in place for quite a little while, the difference is the U.S. troops are now coming to the ramparts.” Pressed about Mnuchin’s remarks, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said at a daily briefing in Washington: “We believe in a free-floating currency. The president has always believed in that.” “We have ... a very stable dollar, in large part due to how well the U.S. economy is doing right now,” she added. The annual Davos gathering of world leaders, chief executives and non-governmental agencies has long embraced globalisation, free trade and liberal values. Trump, the first sitting U.S. president to attend the forum since Bill Clinton in 2000, has questioned that world view. He has threatened to withdraw from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), disavowed the global climate change accord and criticised institutions such as the United Nations and NATO. With Trump expected to address the summit on Friday, world leaders here have raised concerns about a return to greater economic protectionism. Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni, asked what his message to Trump was, offered a defence of multilateral cooperation and warned against undermining that. Germany’s Angela Merkel, in an address to the forum, evoked the two World Wars and questioned whether the world had learned from them. French President Emmanuel Macron opened his well-attended speech by joking that the conference “obviously and fortunately didn’t invite anyone sceptical” about global warming. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Canada’s Justin Trudeau and Brazilian President Michel Temer have also embraced the idea of globalisation and cooperation. Mnuchin defended Trump’s agenda. “This is about an America First agenda. But America First does mean working with the rest of the world,” Mnuchin said. “It just means that President Trump is looking out for American workers and American interests no different than he expects other leaders would look out for their own.” Ross said U.S. trade actions were provoked by “inappropriate behaviour on the part of our trading counterparties”. AMERICAN JOBS On Tuesday, the United States slapped steep import tariffs on washing machines and solar panels, moves billed as a way to protect American jobs. China and South Korea condemned the tariffs, with Seoul set to complain to the World Trade Organization over the “excessive” move. “Many countries are very good at the rhetoric of free trade but in fact actually practice extreme protectionism,” Ross said. The Commerce Secretary also said U.S. trade authorities are investigating whether there is a case for taking action against China for infringing intellectual property, calling Beijing’s 2025 technology strategy a threat. A slide in the U.S. dollar should help U.S. exporters, but Mnuchin also added a nuanced outlook: “Longer term, the strength of the dollar is a reflection of the strength of the U.S. economy and the fact that it is and it continues to be the primary currency in terms of the reserve currency.” The U.S. delegation is the largest ever to come to Davos, with 10 members of Trump’s cabinet and senior White House staff, Mnuchin said. Delegates include Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and adviser. Mnuchin said American involvement in a new Asia-Pacific trade pact between 11 countries was “not off the table”, despite Washington pulling out of early talks on the deal last year. But he added, “We are fans of bilateral trading agreements.” Earlier on Tuesday, Canada’s Trudeau called the new trade agreement, expected to be signed in Chile in March, the “right deal”. Ross said Trudeau’s comments needed to be taken in the context of the latest round of talks on NAFTA. Perhaps there was some inclination to use that to “put pressure on the U.S. in the NAFTA talks,” Ross said. (Reporting by Paritosh Bansal, Noah Barkin and Yara Bayoumy; Additional reporting by Roberta Rampton in Washington, Editing by William Maclean, Simon Robinson, Peter Graff and Chizu Nomiyama)

https://www.reuters.com/article/davos-meeting-mnuchin/update-1-u-s-defends-america-first-agenda-ahead-of-trump-visit-to-davos-idUSL8N1PJ32N

Killer of Alabama policeman seeks execution reprieve due to memory loss

(Reuters) - Attorneys for an Alabama man convicted of murdering a police officer in 1985 are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to halt his execution on Thursday because they said several strokes had left him unable to remember committing the crime. Vernon Madison, 67, has spent more than three decades on death row for killing Mobile police officer Julius Schulte. His lethal injection would be the second in the United States this year if carried out at 6 p.m. CST at the William C. Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore. In an appeal this week to the U.S. Supreme Court, Madison’s lawyers said he should not be executed because he is legally blind, cannot walk without assistance and is unable to recall the murder or understand his punishment. “His mind and body are failing,” lawyers wrote in the petition seeking a stay. The court has not yet ruled. In 2016, the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Madison was no longer legally eligible to be executed because of his memory loss. But the U.S. Supreme Court in November reversed that decision, saying court precedent had not established “that a prisoner is incompetent to be executed because of a failure to remember his commission of the crime.” Madison’s attorneys have asked justices to reconsider the case. They said in their petition that the state failed to disclose that a court-appointed psychologist who evaluated the inmate was addicted to narcotics and had been suspended from his practice for forging prescriptions, making his findings invalid. Lawyers for Alabama argue that Madison’s own expert witness has testified that he understands what he was tried for and “the meaning of a death sentence.” According to court records, Madison killed Schulte during a domestic dispute that Madison was having with his girlfriend. Madison appeared to leave his girlfriend’s home after retrieving his belongings, but then crept up behind Schulte as he sat in his patrol car and shot him twice in the back of the head with a .32-caliber pistol. Madison, who is black, was sentenced to death in 1994 in his third trial after his first two convictions were thrown out on appeal for racial discrimination in jury selection and other prosecutorial misconduct. Reporting by David Beasley in Atlanta; Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Peter Cooney

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-alabama-execution/killer-of-alabama-policeman-seeks-execution-reprieve-due-to-memory-loss-idUSKBN1FE1DP

Amazon could see a huge move on earnings next week, and it’s making some investors nervous

Amazon is set to report earnings next Thursday after the market closes, and the options market is implying a relatively large post-earnings move for the stock. One derivative strategist said the move is expected to be quite notable. "Investors are really nervous about this stock, just in terms of how big the movement could be," Stacey Gilbert, head of derivative strategy at Susquehanna, told CNBC's " Trading Nation " on Friday. Here are her reasons. • The options market is implying a move of about 7 to 8 percent on its earnings report. This is high relative to its average post-earnings move of around 5 percent. Amazon's last earnings report , in October, saw an initial move higher of over 7 percent. • The move is likely to be bullish, but investors are bracing for the sheer magnitude of the options market's implied move. • The bullish options buying is driving up this volatility, but the sentiment continues to appear positive despite the rather volatile expectations. • As the stock is already up a hefty 20 percent year to date, it's not entirely surprising to see investors utilizing options to express their opinions heading into this earnings report. Bottom line: Investors are expecting a significant move post-earnings for Amazon shares. Vote Vote to see results Total Votes: Not a Scientific Survey. Results may not total 100% due to rounding. Disclaimer

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/26/amazon-could-see-a-huge-move-on-earnings-next-week-and-its-making-some-investors-nervous.html

Daily Briefing: UK-France summit - entente cordiale with limits

January 18, 2018 / 8:30 AM / Updated 33 minutes ago Daily Briefing: UK-France summit - entente cordiale with limits Reuters Staff 7 Brexit is officially off the agenda when France's Emmanuel Macron meets Theresa May in London today but British media are wondering whether his loan of the some 950-year-old Bayeux Tapestry to the UK isn’t his idea of a clever anti-Brexit gag. The artwork recalls the Norman invasion of Britain, which ultimately gave the host country a proper court system, reshaped its language and boosted the local economy - in short, a shining example of the benefits of immigration (albeit by the sword in this case..) The more serious purpose of the summit is to nurture some UK-French goodwill and demonstrate that ties between the two will continue to function despite Brexit - hence the UK decision to send helicopters to Mali to help in counter-insurgency efforts there. Yet there are suggestions that Brexit has nonetheless curtailed the scope of what Macron and May can announce today: the FT reports that Britain tried ahead of the summit to win a public assurance it could remain close to the EU’s new defence cooperation framework but Paris declined to play ball. Romania's prime minister-designate Viorica Dancila starts work today on forming her new cabinet , which will be judged abroad almost entirely on whether it will help or hamper the effort to stamp out high-level corruption. Dancila in particular has to prove that she is more than just a proxy for Liviu Dragnea, the leader of the ruling PSD party who faces trial on graft charges. According to Romanian law, Dancila has 10 days to ask parliament for a vote of confidence for her cabinet, which she should win easily given the PSD majority. The leader of Germany's Social Democrats is sounding more optimistic on whether his party will this weekend give the green light for formal talks with Angela Merkel's conservatives on a new grand coalition. Martin Schulz said he was upbeat after a meeting SPD members in the southern state of Bavaria and taking the temperature in the large western state of North Rhine-Westphalia, which will send about a quarter of the delegates to Sunday’s vote in Bonn. The party’s youth wing has other ideas - it is pursuing its “No Grand Coalition” tour to rally delegates to reject the talks. MARKETS Romania's prime minister designate Viorica Dancila delivers a speech in Bucharest, January 17, 2018 Underlining the sheer momentum of the world economic expansion into the back end of last year and how synchronised it has become, Chinese fourth-quarter growth of 6.8 percent beat forecasts, and industrial output growth of 6.2 percent last month was also ahead of expectations. Together with a U.S. tax-cut-fuelled New Year rally on Wall St, where underlying fourth-quarter earnings so far are coming in ahead of the already pretty punchy consensus annual growth of 12 percent, then it’s clear that many investors see a head of steam building. Another surge in the major U.S. stock indices saw another round of record closing highs, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average closing above 26,000 for the first time. MSCI’s all-country world index hit a new lifetime high late Wednesday too, before ebbing slightly today as Japan’s Nikkei underperformed a generally buoyant session elsewhere in Asia. Unusually, the latest rise in stock markets is being accompanied by a rising Vix volatility gauge – which closed just below 12 percent on Wednesday, at its highest since mid-November – as stock indices show signs of accelerating rather than just eking out new highs on thin daily moves. The resulting pressure on the bond is evident too, with 10-year Treasury yields hitting 2.60 percent for the first time since March early on Thursday and 2-year yields hitting another near 10-year high. European stocks are expected to follow suit, aided by Wednesday’s sharp peak-to-trough retreat in euro/dollar back below $1.22, about which it’s hovering early on Thursday. The dollar’s modest recovery more generally on Wall St’s new found bullishness comes in tandem with a series of European Central Bank speeches insisting the bank won’t rush into any change of policy guidance and will stay accommodative unless there’s some change in the still-benign inflation picture. Some concerns about what a higher euro does to the latter also provided a shot across the bow of the currency market. ECB policymakers Coeure, Weidmann and Villeroy speak at various stages through Thursday. Sterling has pushed higher against both the dollar and the euro, meantime, as Bank of England policymaker Saunders on Wednesday sounded a relatively upbeat and hawkish note about wages, inflation and future interest rate rises . The pound is also eyeing the positive signals surrounding the resumption of Brexit talks later this month, with French President Macron in London for talks with UK PM May on Thursday. Bitcoin steadied just above $11,000 , meantime, after a withering two-day slide of more than 25 percent took it below $10,000 for a period on Wednesday amid rising regulatory crackdown fears. In emerging markets, both Turkish and South African central banks meet today. The lira was 0.3 percent firmer ahead of the meeting at which a Reuters poll expects the key rate to stay on hold at 12.75 percent. The rand was a touch weaker, giving back some of the gains that lifted it to 2-1/2 year highs earlier in the week against a generally weaker dollar. Deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa has welcomed moves taken by prosecutors against companies accused of corruption, saying he wants to “deal with the rot” in some of his toughest comments yet about graft .

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-europe-view-thursday/daily-briefing-uk-france-summit-entente-cordiale-with-limits-idUKKBN1F70V5

Flex Reports Third Quarter Fiscal 2018 Results

SAN JOSE, Calif., Jan. 25, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Flex (NASDAQ: FLEX), the Sketch-to-Scale™ solutions provider that designs and builds Intelligent Products for a Connected World™, today announced results for its third quarter ended December 31, 2017. "Our third quarter displayed continued revenue growth acceleration and the advancement of our portfolio evolution," said Mike McNamara, CEO at Flex. "This marked our fourth straight quarter of accelerating year-over-year revenue growth, with all four of our business groups beating the mid-point of their revenue guidance ranges. In addition, both our HRS and IEI businesses set new records for quarterly revenue and adjusted operating profits." (US$ in millions, except EPS) Three-Month Periods Ended December 31, 2017 December 31, 2016 Net sales $ 6,752 $ 6,115 GAAP income before income taxes 141 140 Adjusted operating income 220 223 GAAP net income 118 129 Adjusted net income 164 183 GAAP EPS 0.22 0.24 Adjusted EPS 0.31 0.34 An explanation and reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures to GAAP financial measures is presented in Schedule II attached to this press release. Third Quarter Fiscal 2018 Results of Operations Net sales for the third quarter ended December 31, 2017 were $6.75 billion, growing 10% year-over-year and above the high end of the guidance range of $6.3 to $6.7 billion. GAAP income before income taxes was $141 million for the quarter and adjusted operating income was $220 million, at the mid-point of the guidance range of $205 million to $235 million. GAAP net income was approximately $118 million and adjusted net income for the quarter was $164 million. GAAP EPS was $0.22 for the quarter and non-GAAP EPS was $0.31 for the quarter. Cash Flow and Balance Sheet Flex generated cash from operations of $150 million and $431 million for the three and nine-month periods ended December 31, 2017, respectively. The Company remains committed to return over 50% of annual free cash flow to its shareholders as it repurchased ordinary shares for approximately $35 million and $180 million during the three and nine-month periods ended December 31, 2017, respectively. Flex ended the quarter with approximately $1.3 billion of cash on hand and total debt of approximately $2.9 billion. The balance sheet remains strong and is well-positioned to support the business over the long-term. Fourth Quarter Fiscal Year 2018 Guidance The Company plans to initiate targeted restructuring activities during its fourth quarter of fiscal 2018. The objective of the activities is to make Flex a faster, more responsive company, and one that will continuously adapt to the incredible marketplace opportunities ahead. While a detailed action plan has not been finalized, the Company expects to incur a minimum charge of $50 million in the fourth quarter and will substantially complete all the associated activities by the end of this fiscal year. For the fourth quarter ending March 31, 2018, revenue is expected to be in the range of $6.1 to $6.5 billion. Adjusted EPS is expected to be in the range of $0.28 to $0.32 per diluted share. GAAP EPS is expected to be in the range of $0.10 to $0.15 and includes stock-based compensation expense, intangible amortization, and restructuring charges. Webcast and Conference Call Flex management team will host a conference call today at 2:00 PM (PT) / 5:00 PM (ET), to review third quarter fiscal 2018 results. A live webcast of the event and slides will be available on the Flex Investor Relations website at http://investors.flex.com . An audio replay and transcript will also be available after the event on the Flex Investor Relations website. About Flex Flex Ltd. (Reg. No. 199002645H) is the Sketch-to-Scale™ solutions provider that designs and builds Intelligent Products for a Connected World™. With approximately 200,000 professionals across 30 countries, Flex provides innovative design, engineering, manufacturing, real-time supply chain insight and logistics services to companies of all sizes in various industries and end-markets. For more information, visit flex.com or follow us on Twitter @Flexintl. Flex – Live Smarter™ Contacts Investors & Analysts Kevin Kessel (408) 576-7985 kevin.kessel@flex.com Media & Press Paul Brunato (408) 576-7534 paul.brunato@flex.com Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of U.S. securities laws including statements related to future expected revenues and earnings per share. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to those anticipated by these forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. These risks include: that future revenues and earnings may not be achieved as expected; the challenges of effectively managing our operations, including our ability to control costs and manage changes in our operations; compliance with legal and regulatory requirements; the possibility that benefits of the Company's restructuring actions may not materialize as expected; that the expected revenue and margins from recently launched programs may not be realized; our dependence on a small number of customers; geopolitical risk, including the termination and renegotiation of international trade agreements; that recently proposed changes or future changes in tax laws in certain jurisdictions where we operate could materially impact our tax expense; and the effects that the current macroeconomic environment could have on our business and demand for our products as well as the effects that current credit and market conditions could have on the liquidity and financial condition of our customers and suppliers, including any impact on their ability to meet their contractual obligations. Additional information concerning these and other risks is described under "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in our reports on Forms 10-K and 10-Q that we file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based on current expectations and Flex assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements. Our share repurchase program does not obligate the Company to repurchase a specific number of shares and may be suspended or terminated at any time without prior notice. SCHEDULE I FLEX UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (In thousands, except per share amounts) Three-Month Periods Ended December 31, 2017 December 31, 2016 GAAP: Net sales $ 6,751,552 $ 6,114,999 Cost of sales 6,305,224 5,698,544 Gross profit 446,328 416,455 Selling, general and administrative expenses 247,365 231,551 Intangible amortization 19,588 18,734 Interest and other, net 31,350 22,838 Other charges, net 6,865 3,090 Income before income taxes 141,160 140,242 Provision for income taxes 22,827 10,773 Net income $ 118,333 $ 129,469 Earnings per share: GAAP $ 0.22 $ 0.24 Non-GAAP $ 0.31 $ 0.34 Diluted shares used in computing per share amounts 534,352 545,022 See Schedule II for the reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP financial measures. See the accompanying notes on Schedule V attached to this press release. FLEX UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (In thousands, except per share amounts) Nine-Month Periods Ended December 31, 2017 December 31, 2016 GAAP: Net sales $ 19,030,244 $ 18,000,337 Cost of sales 17,783,659 16,864,196 Gross profit 1,246,585 1,136,141 Selling, general and administrative expenses 772,325 715,040 Intangible amortization 55,865 62,318 Interest and other, net 85,780 71,869 Other charges (income), net (172,467) 15,007 Income before income taxes 505,082 271,907 Provision for income taxes 56,953 39,217 Net income $ 448,129 $ 232,690 Earnings per share: GAAP $ 0.84 $ 0.42 Non-GAAP $ 0.81 $ 0.88 Diluted shares used in computing per share amounts 535,972 548,372 See Schedule II for the reconciliation of GAAP to non-GAAP financial measures. See the accompanying notes on Schedule V attached to this press release. SCHEDULE II FLEX RECONCILIATION OF GAAP TO NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES (1) (In thousands, except per share amounts) Three-Month Periods Ended December 31, 2017 December 31, 2016 GAAP gross profit $ 446,328 $ 416,455 Stock-based compensation expense 5,358 2,437 Contingencies and other (3) - 14,968 Non-GAAP gross profit $ 451,686 $ 433,860 GAAP income before income taxes $ 141,160 $ 140,242 Intangible amortization 19,588 18,734 Stock-based compensation expense 20,758 20,781 Contingencies and other (3) - 17,421 Other charges, interest and other, net (4) 38,215 25,928 Non-GAAP operating income $ 219,721 $ 223,106 GAAP provision for income taxes $ 22,827 $ 10,773 Intangible amortization benefit 2,185 1,776 Tax benefit on contingencies and other - 1,684 Non-GAAP provision for income taxes $ 25,012 $ 14,233 GAAP net income $ 118,333 $ 129,469 Intangible amortization 19,588 18,734 Stock-based compensation expense 20,758 20,781 Contingencies and other (3) - 17,421 Other charges, interest and other, net (4) 7,892 - Adjustments for taxes (2,185) (3,460) Non-GAAP net income $ 164,386 $ 182,945 Diluted earnings per share: GAAP $ 0.22 $ 0.24 Non-GAAP $ 0.31 $ 0.34 FLEX RECONCILIATION OF GAAP TO NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES (1) (In thousands, except per share amounts) Nine-Month Periods Ended December 31, 2017 December 31, 2016 GAAP gross profit $ 1,246,585 $ 1,136,141 Stock-based compensation expense 13,662 7,506 Distressed customers asset impairments (2) - 92,915 Contingencies and other (3) 18,933 21,792 Non-GAAP gross profit $ 1,279,180 $ 1,258,354 GAAP income before income taxes $ 505,082 $ 271,907 Intangible amortization 55,865 62,318 Stock-based compensation expense 63,018 67,311 Distressed customers asset impairments (2) 4,753 92,915 Contingencies and other (3) 43,933 28,960 Other charges (income), interest and other, net (4) (86,687) 86,876 Non-GAAP operating income $ 585,964 $ 610,287 GAAP provision for income taxes $ 56,953 $ 39,217 Intangible amortization benefit 6,201 5,451 Tax benefit on contingencies and other 2,738 1,880 Tax benefit on intangible assets - 638 Non-GAAP provision for income taxes $ 65,892 $ 47,186 GAAP net income $ 448,129 $ 232,690 Intangible amortization 55,865 62,318 Stock-based compensation expense 63,018 67,311 Distressed customers asset impairments (2) 4,753 92,915 Contingencies and other (3) 43,933 28,960 Other charges (income), interest and other, net (4) (171,440) 7,388 Adjustments for taxes (8,939) (7,969) Non-GAAP net income $ 435,319 $ 483,613 Diluted earnings per share: GAAP $ 0.84 $ 0.42 Non-GAAP $ 0.81 $ 0.88 SCHEDULE III FLEX UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (In thousands) As of December 31, 2017 As of March 31, 2017 ASSETS Current Assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 1,291,183 $ 1,830,675 Accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts 3,100,808 2,192,704 Inventories 3,725,643 3,396,462 Other current assets 965,470 967,935 Total current assets 9,083,104 8,387,776 Property and equipment, net 2,443,050 2,317,026 Goodwill 1,104,770 984,867 Other intangible assets, net 438,552 362,181 Other assets 770,834 541,513 Total assets $ 13,840,310 $ 12,593,363 LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY Current Liabilities: Bank borrowings and current portion of long-term debt $ 42,954 $ 61,534 Accounts payable 5,406,512 4,484,908 Accrued payroll 385,985 344,245 Other current liabilities 1,580,618 1,613,940 Total current liabilities 7,416,069 6,504,627 Long-term debt, net of current portion 2,901,720 2,890,609 Other liabilities 542,541 519,851 Total shareholders' equity 2,979,980 2,678,276 Total liabilities and shareholders' equity $ 13,840,310 $ 12,593,363 SCHEDULE IV FLEX UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (In thousands) Nine-Month Periods Ended December 31, 2017 December 31, 2016 CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES: Net income $ 448,129 $ 232,690 Depreciation, amortization and other impairment charges 400,015 466,813 Gain from deconsolidation of a subsidiary entity (151,574) - Changes in working capital and other (265,552) 313,685 Net cash provided by operating activities 431,018 1,013,188 CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES: Purchases of property and equipment (432,897) (413,596) Proceeds from the disposition of property and equipment 43,653 28,056 Acquisition of businesses, net of cash acquired (269,724) (180,259) Other investing activities, net (123,883) (13,631) Net cash used in investing activities (782,851) (579,430) CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES: Proceeds from bank borrowings and long-term debt 866,000 205,518 Repayments of bank borrowings and long-term debt (907,930) (115,089) Payments for repurchases of ordinary shares (180,050) (259,658) Net proceeds from issuance of ordinary shares 2,063 11,978 Other financing activities, net 46,482 (47,302) Net cash used in financing activities (173,435) (204,553) Effect of exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents (14,224) 20,321 Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents (539,492) 249,526 Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 1,830,675 1,607,570 Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 1,291,183 $ 1,857,096 SCHEDULE V FLEX AND SUBSIDIARIES NOTES TO SCHEDULES I, II, III, & IV (1) To supplement Flex's unaudited selected financial data presented consistent with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("GAAP"), the Company discloses certain non-GAAP financial measures that exclude certain charges, including non-GAAP gross profit, non-GAAP operating income, non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP net income per diluted share. These supplemental measures exclude stock-based compensation expense, intangible amortization, other discrete events as applicable and the related tax effects. These non-GAAP measures are not in accordance with or an alternative for GAAP, and may be different from non-GAAP measures used by other companies. We believe that these non-GAAP measures have limitations in that they do not reflect all of the amounts associated with Flex's results of operations as determined in accordance with GAAP and that these measures should only be used to evaluate Flex's results of operations in conjunction with the corresponding GAAP measures. The presentation of this additional information is not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the most directly comparable GAAP measures. We compensate for the limitations of non-GAAP financial measures by relying upon GAAP results to gain a complete picture of the Company's performance. In calculating non-GAAP financial measures, we exclude certain items to facilitate a review of the comparability of the Company's operating performance on a period-to-period basis because such items are not, in our view, related to the Company's ongoing operational performance. We use non-GAAP measures to evaluate the operating performance of our business, for comparison with forecasts and strategic plans, for calculating return on investment, and for benchmarking performance externally against competitors. In addition, management's incentive compensation is determined using certain non-GAAP measures. Also, when evaluating potential acquisitions, we exclude certain of the items described below from consideration of the target's performance and valuation. Since we find these measures to be useful, we believe that investors benefit from seeing results "through the eyes" of management in addition to seeing GAAP results. We believe that these non-GAAP measures, when read in conjunction with the Company's GAAP financials, provide useful information to investors by offering: • the ability to make more meaningful period-to-period comparisons of the Company's on-going operating results; • the ability to better identify trends in the Company's underlying business and perform related trend analyses; • a better understanding of how management plans and measures the Company's underlying business; and • an easier way to compare the Company's operating results against analyst financial models and operating results of competitors that supplement their GAAP results with non-GAAP financial measures. The following are explanations of each of the adjustments that we incorporate into non-GAAP measures, as well as the reasons for excluding each of these individual items in the reconciliations of these non-GAAP financial measures: Stock-based compensation expense consists of non-cash charges for the estimated fair value of stock options and unvested restricted share unit awards granted to employees and assumed in business acquisitions. The Company believes that the exclusion of these charges provides for more accurate comparisons of its operating results to peer companies due to the varying available valuation methodologies, subjective assumptions and the variety of award types. In addition, the Company believes it is useful to investors to understand the specific impact stock-based compensation expense has on its operating results. Intangible amortization consists primarily of non-cash charges that can be impacted by, among other things, the timing and magnitude of acquisitions. The Company considers its operating results without these charges when evaluating its ongoing performance and forecasting its earnings trends, and therefore excludes such charges when presenting non-GAAP financial measures. The Company believes that the assessment of its operations excluding these costs is relevant to its assessment of internal operations and comparisons to the performance of its competitors. Distressed customers asset impairments consist primarily of non-cash inventory impairments of certain inventory on hand to net realizable value as well as additional provisions for doubtful accounts receivable for customers that are experiencing significant financial difficulties. These costs are excluded by the Company's management in assessing current operating performance and forecasting its earnings trends and are therefore excluded by the Company from its non-GAAP measures. See additional description related to the specific period charge as applicable below. Contingencies and other consists primarily of charges in connection with certain legal matters of which loss contingencies are believed to be probable and estimable. It also includes certain targeted site restructuring costs and damages incurred from natural disasters which are not directly related to ongoing or core business results, and do not reflect expected future operating expense. These costs are excluded by the Company's management in assessing current operating performance and forecasting its earnings trends and are therefore excluded by the Company from its non-GAAP measures. Adjustment for taxes relates to the tax effects of the various adjustments that we incorporate into non-GAAP measures in order to provide a more meaningful measure on non-GAAP net income and certain adjustments related to non-recurring settlements of tax contingencies when applicable. Other charges (income), net consists of various other types of items that are not directly related to ongoing or core business results, such as the gain or loss from certain divestitures and impairment charges associated with non-core investments. We exclude these items because they are not related to the Company's ongoing operating performance or do not affect core operations. Excluding these amounts provide investors with a basis to compare Company performance against the performance of other companies without this variability. (2) Distressed customers asset impairments for the nine-month period ended December 31, 2017 relate to additional provision for doubtful accounts receivable for a customer experiencing significant financial difficulties. During the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2016, the Company accepted return of previously shipped inventory from a former customer, SunEdison, Inc. ("SunEdison"), of approximately $90 million. On April 21, 2016, SunEdison filed a petition for reorganization under bankruptcy law, and as a result, the Company recognized a bad debt reserve of $61 million as of March 31, 2016, associated with its outstanding SunEdison receivables. During the second quarter of fiscal year 2017, prices for solar panel modules declined significantly. The Company determined that certain solar panel inventory on hand as of September 30, 2016, was not fully recoverable and recorded a charge of $60 million to reduce the carrying costs to market in the nine-month period ended December 31, 2016. The Company also recognized a $16 million impairment charge for solar module equipment and $16.9 million primarily related to negative margin sales and other associated solar panel direct costs. The total charge of $92.9 million is included in cost of sales for the nine-month period ended December 31, 2016. (3) Contingencies and other during the nine-month period ended December 31, 2017 consists of charges in connection with certain legal matters of which loss contingencies are believed to be probable and estimable. Additionally, the Company incurred various other charges predominantly related to damages incurred from a typhoon that impacted one of its China facilities. During fiscal year 2017, the Company initiated a plan to rationalize the current footprint at existing sites including corporate SG&A functions and recognized approximately $17.4 million in the quarter ended December 31, 2016 and $29.0 million was recognized for the nine-month period ending December 31, 2016. The plan was finalized and completed during fiscal year 2017. (4) During the second quarter of fiscal year 2018, the Company and other minority shareholders of Elementum amended certain agreements and as a result, the Company concluded it no longer had majority control and accordingly, deconsolidated the entity. As part of the deconsolidation, we recognized a gain of approximately $151.6 million with no related tax impact, which is included in other charges (income), net for the nine-month period ended December 31, 2017. In addition, the company sold its Wink business during first quarter of fiscal year 2018 to an unrelated third-party venture backed company in exchange for contingent consideration fair valued at $59 million and recognized a gain on sale of $38.7 million, which is recorded in other charges (income), net for the nine-month ended December 31, 2017. The contingent consideration is expected to be settled in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2018. The nine-month period ended December 31, 2016 includes a $7.4 million loss attributable to a non-strategic facility sold during the second quarter of fiscal year 2017. View original content with multimedia: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/flex-reports-third-quarter-fiscal-2018-results-300588530.html SOURCE Flex

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/25/pr-newswire-flex-reports-third-quarter-fiscal-2018-results.html

Afghanistan says Taliban will have to be defeated, after Trump rejects talks

January 30, 2018 / 8:13 AM / Updated 25 minutes ago U.S. still aims to push Taliban into Afghan peace talks: official Robert Birsel , Jibran Ahmad 4 Min Read KABUL/PESHAWAR, Pakistan (Reuters) - The United States aims to press the Taliban on the battlefield to convince them that they will have to negotiate peace, a senior U.S. diplomat said on Tuesday, a day after President Donald Trump rejected talks following a series of attacks. Speaking to reporters at the White House on Monday, Trump condemned the Taliban for recent carnage in the Afghan capital Kabul, and said the United States was not prepared to talk now. He pledged to “finish what we have to finish”. Trump’s comments suggested he sees a military victory over the Taliban, an outcome that U.S. military and diplomatic officials say cannot be achieved with the resources and manpower he has authorized. But U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan told a news conference in Kabul there was no change in the U.S. policy of forcing the Taliban through military pressure into talks. Trump’s comments were a reflection of the violence over recent days which indicated “at least some members of the Taliban are not interested in having a discussion about a peaceful future”, Sullivan said. “That doesn’t change the long-range strategy of our policy which it to be firm militarily to convince the Taliban, or significant elements of the Taliban, that there isn’t a military solution to the security situation here, that ultimately peace and security of Afghanistan will be determined by peace talks.” Trump last year ordered an increase in U.S. troops, air strikes and other assistance to Afghan forces. The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said this month the strategy was working and pushing the insurgents closer to talks. That was before a suicide bomber penetrated the highly guarded center of Kabul on Saturday and detonated an ambulance laden with explosives, killing more than 100 people and wounding at least 235. That attack followed a brazen Taliban assault on the city’s Intercontinental Hotel on Jan. 20, in which more than 20 people, including four Americans, were killed. The Taliban said the attacks were a message to Trump that his policy of aggression would not work. ‘WAR-MONGERING’ Earlier, a spokesman for Afghan President Ashraf Ghani said the Taliban had crossed a “red line” with attacks in Kabul and lost the chance for peace, and had to be defeated. “We have to look for peace on the battlefield,” said the spokesman, Shah Hussain Murtazawi. The surge of violence has also raised new questions about U.S. relations with Pakistan, weeks after Trump denounced it for what he said was its failure to crack down on Taliban safe havens on its soil, and ordered big cuts in security aid. Pakistan denies accusations that it fosters the Afghan war, and has condemned the recent attacks in Afghanistan. A spokesman for the Taliban, fighting to oust foreign forces and defeat the U.S.-backed government, said earlier they never wanted to talk to the United States anyway. “Their main strategy is to continue war and occupation,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said in a statement. “Donald Trump and his war-mongering supporters must understand that every action has an equal and opposite reaction. If you insist upon war, our mujahideen will not welcome you with roses,” he said. The United States believes the Haqqani network, a faction within the Taliban, was behind Saturday’s bomb blast in Kabul. It and Afghanistan have long accused Pakistan of supporting the Taliban, and the Haqqani network in particular, as assets to be used in its bid to limit the influence of old rival India in Afghanistan. Pakistani officials were not immediately available for comment on Trump’s rejection of peace talks but its embassy in Kabul cited Pakistani clerics as declaring suicide attacks unIslamic. Additional reporting by Mirwais Harooni; Editing by Clarence Fernandez and Gareth Jones

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-afghanistan-blast-trump/afghanistan-says-taliban-will-have-to-be-defeated-after-trump-rejects-talks-idUSKBN1FJ0WV

These Extremely Limited-Edition Luxury Sneakers Are Designed for You | Fortune

sneakers These Extremely Limited-Edition Luxury Sneakers Are Designed Just for You Jimmy Gorecki and Gregory Lucci attend the Young Jeezy and Gourmet Footwear branding partnership launch at Wish Shoe Store on June 13, 2013 in Atlanta, Georgia. Prince Williams FilmMagic By Bloomberg 11:59 AM EST As an alternative to customers lining up at sneaker stores fighting for the chance to buy a designer shoe that only a few people have, Mark Gainor and Jimmy Gorecki are offering something even more exclusive: a kick designed for you, and you alone. A post shared by @ no_one_system on Dec 21, 2017 at 5:08pm PST Gainor, the former creative director of Native Shoes, and Gorecki, a onetime pro skateboarder, founded No.One in February 2017 in Venice, Calif. The luxury startup creates custom-made and extremely limited-edition sneakers using traditional shoemaking techniques. No.One employs a crew of four cobblers in the company’s small studio—a size that allows for creative flexibility and attention to bespoke commissions, which in recent months have included sneakers made from impala fur, as well as a waterproof pair reconstructed from a Gore-Tex military jacket. Gainor and Gorecki have found fans among a steady flow of actors, musicians, and sports icons, including 2017 NBA Finals MVP Kevin Durant. A post shared by @ no_one_system on Nov 21, 2017 at 5:34pm PST Alongside these unique creations, the team also works on small batches of production-run models, producing from 14 to 17 pairs in three classic silhouettes, with prices starting at $575 a pair. The process of creating each run takes roughly two weeks, and with each release, typically only a couple of pairs in each size are made available. “To us, No.One is very much a post-skateboarding shoe,” says Gainor. “Not only in the physical sense, but in the larger sense of finding a home and platform for the DIY values and culture from growing up in skateboarding.” In a sneaker market so focused on high-tech fabrics, and new and innovative manufacturing processes, the idea of a handcrafted, customized sneaker stands out. Each pair of No.One sneakers is hand-lasted, a process that’s identical to what John Lobb or any other classic bespoke shoemaker would use—and one that can’t be rivaled by more modern, mass-production slip lasting or machine lasting. A post shared by @ no_one_system on Nov 8, 2017 at 5:48pm PST For its premium materials, No.One works with a small group of luxury tanneries, each specialized in a specific product, and most often family-owned. For its sneaker linings, plongé lambskin is sourced from a Chanel-owned tannery in the south of France—the same skin that lines many of the luxury brand’s handbags. Gainor points to the leather counters (a piece near the heel) as indicative of the attention to detail that ensures a pair of No.Ones will long outlast any trendy pair of Yeezys exposed to the same amount of wear. “These leather supports are never seen, but we hand-cut, hand-skive, and wet-mold them out of Italian vegetable-tanned leather,” he says. “That’s hours of detailed craft for each pair of shoes for something that will never be seen, but will be felt for the life of the sneaker.” So far the brand has created three distinct silhouettes—the Alpha desert boot, the Bravo low sneaker, and most recently the cap-toed Charlie. No.One’s plan is to create a comprehensive line that runs 26 models strong, one for each letter of the alphabet, while still satisfying the ever-growing demand for fully customized service. WWD fashion director Alex Badia says No.One has figured out how to sell a personalized experience to consumers who’ve grown tired of settling for the immediacy of an off-the-shelf purchase. “The modern menswear consumer has become much more savvy in recent years,” she says. “We’re seeing a growing appreciation for the process that comes with commissioning bespoke fashion, and a better understanding of the time and costs involved.” SPONSORED FINANCIAL CONTENT

http://fortune.com/2018/01/04/noone-luxury-sneakers/

Bank says executive is gone; no comment on harassment probe

NEW YORK (AP) — Bank of America has confirmed that a high-profile senior executive has left the company, but it would not comment on reports of an internal investigation into sexual harassment allegations. Omeed Malik is no longer a bank employee, spokesman Bill Halldin said Saturday in an email. Malik's departure was effective the week of Jan. 8, Halldin said, declining to comment further. The New York Times reported Friday that Malik, who was a managing director and helped to run the brokerage business that raises money for investment funds, left after a female analyst complained of inappropriate sexual conduct in the past few weeks. The human resources office for Bank of America Corp., which is based in Charlotte, North Carolina, began investigating and interviewed as many as a dozen people who worked with Malik, the newspaper said, citing unidentified people at the bank who were briefed on the investigation but were not authorized to speak publicly. Malik's departure comes as sexual harassment and assault allegations have rolled through media companies, Hollywood and Silicon Valley. The newspaper said Malik and his lawyer, Mark Lerner, did not respond to requests for comment. The Associated Press left messages Saturday for an attorney named Mark Lerner, who specializes in employment law in New York. Malik was a speaker at a conference founded in part by former White House communications chief Anthony Scaramucci. A biography for the conference said Malik was the global head of capital strategy for Bank of America, selecting hedge funds for the firm to partner with. Malik also was a corporate lawyer and had worked in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, the biography said. Information from: The New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/20/the-associated-press-bank-says-executive-is-gone-no-comment-on-harassment-probe.html

Ford has not done enough to be 'fit' says CEO Jim Hackett

Ford still has work to do to be a truly "fit" company, said CEO Jim Hackett on Wednesday. The second-largest automaker said it is not yet fit enough to offset headwinds from higher commodity prices, which the company expects to continue to affect finances in 2018. "Ford is a strong company," Hackett said on a conference call Wednesday, after the company released earnings for the fourth quarter and full year of 2017 . "I am proud of it, but we have not done enough to be fit today." In particular, it is less fit than its peers, who have said they are not feeling the same pressure from commodity prices. Higher commodities and unfavorable foreign exchange rates have hindered Ford in recent quarters. The company is attempting a turnaround under Hackett, who was appointed CEO in early 2017. Ford spends about $10 billion in commodities annually, and about two-thirds of that go to steel and aluminum. The company benefited from falling prices in 2015 and 2016. But the market began to turn in late 2016 and prices are expected to continue their climb through 2018. Ford uses a larger amount of aluminum than competitors in some of its vehicles, particularly in its trucks and SUVs. But aluminum is not the primary problem, said CFO Bob Shanks on Wednesday's conference call. Steel is the real issue, he said. Ford expects revenues in 2018 to be flat or modestly higher over 2017, and is expecting flat to lower profits from its automotive business. It is also expecting lower profits from its Ford Credit business. At the same time, Ford plans to spend about $7.5 billion in capital in 2018. The company is plowing profits into investments in new mobility initiatives, such as developing self-driving cars. Ford is battling a perception that it is behind rivals and tech firms on mobility technologies. Ford has a plan to improve fitness, Hackett said, but he did not disclose many details on what action the firm plans to take, saying he wanted to discuss plans within the company first.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/24/ford-has-not-done-enough-to-be-fit-says-ceo-jim-hackett.html

Congolese police fire teargas on churchgoers' protest

KINSHASA (Reuters) - Congolese police fired teargas on Friday to disperse dozens of churchgoers who had gathered in the capital Kinshasa to mourn seven people killed in protests against President Joseph Kabila two weeks ago. A Reuters cameraman who was filming the church service said police fired a volley of teargas outside, apparently to prevent the gathering turning into another political demonstration. Scores have been killed in protests over Kabila’s future in the past two years and militia violence has destabilized swathes of Congo, stoking fears the vast central African country will slide back into civil wars. Security forces in Democratic Republic of Congo killed at least seven people in the capital on New Year’s Eve during demonstrations that Catholic activists organized to protest Kabila’s refusal to step down, the United Nations said. [nL8N1OV044]. The head of the Roman Catholic Church in Congo, Pierrot Mwanamputu, two days later condemned that repression as “nothing more, nothing less than barbarism”. [nL8N1OX34U] The police, which admit killing only four people, described those killed as militants and gangsters. The Catholic church, an institution that enjoys broad credibility in Congo, has emerged as a lightning rod for opposition to Kabila’s efforts to stay in power with no mandate, while his political opposition remains weak and fragmented. It brokered a deal between Kabila and the opposition at the end of 2016 under which an election would be held by early this year, but it has slipped again and is now loosely scheduled for the end of this year. This has fueled suspicion that Kabila may try to remove constitutional term limits on continuing in office. “Our brothers and sisters died because they took a decision to remind us that (this) ... agreement must be respected,” Donation Bafuidinsoni, the Auxiliary Bishop of Kinshasa told mourners at the service. Its bishops are making ever louder criticism of human rights abuses by the government and alleged plans by Kabila to remove term limits stopping him from running for re-election -- Kabila has declined to comment on whether that is his intention. In power since his father was killed in office in 2001, Kabila blames delays on the logistics of voter registration. “I don’t know why they fired teargas at us. Truly, this government has to go,” said a mourner fleeing the cloud of teargas who gave only her first name of Florence. Writing by Tim Cocks; Editing by Richard Balmforth

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-congo-protests/congolese-police-fire-teargas-on-churchgoers-protest-idUSKBN1F1213

Danish inventor's killing of journalist on submarine was planned: police

COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Danish prosecutors will seek to have inventor Peter Madsen jailed for life for killing Swedish journalist Kim Wall on his homebuilt submarine in a premeditated murder, possibly by either cutting her throat or strangling her, police said on Tuesday. Wall, a 30-year-old freelance journalist who was researching a story on the entrepreneur and aerospace engineer, went missing after Madsen took her out to sea in his 17-metre (56-foot) submarine in August last year. Later that month, police identified a headless female torso washed ashore in Copenhagen as that of Wall, but the cause of death has not yet been established. Madsen has been charged with the murder and dismembering of Wall along with a charge of sexual assault without intercourse of a particularly dangerous nature, police said Tuesday. Police said in October investigators had found 14 interior and exterior stab wounds to the journalist’s genitals. Madsen has admitted to dismembering Wall on board his submarine and dumping her body parts in the sea, but he denies murdering or sexually assaulting her. A police statement said that, according to the prosecution’s indictment, the murder had taken place “with prior planning and preparation”. “This is a very unusual and extremely brutal case which has had tragic consequences for Kim Wall and her relatives,” said Special Prosecutor Jakob Buch-Jepsen, according to the statement. Prosecutors would ask for a life sentence to be passed on Madsen, which in Denmark is typically around 15 years without parole. They also called for him to be held in “safe custody”, which can imply indefinite imprisonment. The prosecutor also sought the confiscation and destruction of Madsen’s submarine, one of three the inventor built and one of the largest privately built in the world. It can carry eight people and weighs 40 tonnes fully equipped. The prosecutor has asked for Madsen to be held in custody until his trial begins on March 8. On October 5, police said they found images “which we presume to be real” of women being strangled and decapitated on the hard drive on Madsen’s computer in a laboratory he ran. Reporting by Julie Astrid Thomsen; Editing by Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen and Richard Balmforth

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-denmark-submarine/danish-inventor-could-face-life-sentence-in-submarine-killing-case-idUSKBN1F51FV

England in Australia 2017/18 Scoreboard

18 AM / Updated 33 minutes ago England in Australia 2017/18 Scoreboard Jan 14 (OPTA) - Scoreboard at close of play on the first day of 1st odi between Australia and England on Sunday at Melbourne, Australia England win by 5 wickets Australia 1st innings Aaron Finch c Jonny Bairstow b Moeen Ali 107 David Warner c Joe Root b Mark Wood 2 Steven Smith c Jos Buttler b Adil Rashid 23 Travis Head b Liam Plunkett 5 Mitchell Marsh b Adil Rashid 50 Marcus Stoinis c Joe Root b Chris Woakes 60 Tim Paine c Moeen Ali b Liam Plunkett 27 Pat Cummins c Jason Roy b Liam Plunkett 12 Andrew Tye Not Out 4 Extras 0b 7lb 0nb 0pen 7w 14 Total (50.0 overs) 304-8 Fall of Wickets : 1-10 Warner, 2-58 Smith, 3-78 Head, 4-196 Finch, 5-205 Marsh, 6-285 Stoinis, 7-296 Paine, 8-300 Cummins Did Not Bat : Starc, Zampa Bowling Ov Md Rn Wk Econ Ex Chris Woakes 10 0 65 1 6.50 1w Mark Wood 10 0 49 1 4.90 Liam Plunkett 10 0 71 3 7.10 3w Adil Rashid 10 0 73 2 7.30 2w Moeen Ali 10 0 39 1 3.90 England 1st innings Jason Roy c (Sub) b Mitchell Starc 180 Jonny Bairstow c Tim Paine b Mitchell Starc 14 Alex Hales c Marcus Stoinis b Pat Cummins 4 Joe Root Not Out 91 Eoin Morgan c Steven Smith b Pat Cummins 1 Jos Buttler c Mitchell Starc b Marcus Stoinis 4 Moeen Ali Not Out 5 Extras 0b 5lb 0nb 0pen 4w 9 Total (48.5 overs) 308-5 Fall of Wickets : 1-53 Bairstow, 2-60 Hales, 3-281 Roy, 4-288 Morgan, 5-302 Buttler Did Not Bat : Woakes, Rashid, Plunkett, Wood Bowling Ov Md Rn Wk Econ Ex Mitchell Starc 10 0 71 2 7.10 2w Pat Cummins 10 0 63 2 6.30 1w Andrew Tye 10 0 43 0 4.30 Marcus Stoinis 6 0 33 1 5.50 Adam Zampa 10 0 72 0 7.20 1w Mitchell Marsh 2 0 15 0 7.50 Travis Head 0.5 0 6 0 7.20 Umpire Simon Fry Umpire Christopher Gaffaney Video Handunnettige Dharmasena Match Referee Ranjan Madugalle

https://uk.reuters.com/article/cricket-odi-scoreboard/england-in-australia-2017-18-scoreboard-idUKMTZXEE1EJLY66K

Exclusive: Trump's EPA aims to replace Obama-era climate, water regulations in 2018

47 AM / Updated 18 minutes ago Exclusive: Trump's EPA aims to replace Obama-era climate, water regulations in 2018 Valerie Volcovici , David Shepardson 5 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will replace Obama-era carbon and clean water regulations and open up a national debate on climate change in 2018, part of a list of priorities for the year that also includes fighting lead contamination in public drinking water. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt speaks during an interview with Reuters journalists in Washington, U.S., January 9, 2018. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque The agenda, laid out by EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt in an exclusive interview with Reuters on Tuesday, marks an extension of the agency’s efforts under President Donald Trump to weaken or kill regulations the administration believes are too broad and harm economic growth, but which environmentalists say are critical to human health. ”The climate is changing. That’s not the debate. The debate is how do we know what the ideal surface temperature is in 2100?... I think the American people deserve an open honest transparent discussion about those things,” said Pruitt, who has frequently cast doubt on the causes and implications of global warming. Pruitt reaffirmed plans for the EPA to host a public debate on climate science sometime this year that would pit climate change doubters against other climate scientists, but he provided no further details on timing or which scientists would be involved. Pruitt said among the EPA’s top priorities for 2018 will be to replace the Clean Power Plan, former President Barack Obama’s centrepiece climate change regulation which would have slashed carbon emissions from power plants. The EPA began the process of rescinding the regulation last year and is taking input on what should replace it. “A proposed rule will come out this year and then a final rule will come out sometime this year,” he said. He did not give any details on what the rule could look like, saying the agency was still soliciting comments from stakeholders. He said the agency was also planning to rewrite the Waters of the United States rule, another Obama-era regulation, this one defining which U.S. waterways are protected under federal law. Pruitt and Trump have said the rule marked an overreach by including streams that are shallow, narrow, or sometimes completely dry - and was choking off energy development. Pruitt said that in both cases, former President Barack Obama had made the rules by executive order, and without Congress. “We only have the authority that Congress gives us,” Pruitt said. Pruitt’s plans to replace the Clean Power Plan have raised concerns by attorneys general of states like California and New York, who said in comments submitted to the EPA on Tuesday that the administrator should recuse himself because as Oklahoma attorney general he led legal challenges against it. BIOFUELS AND STAFF CUTS Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt sits down for an interview with Reuters journalists in Washington, U.S., January 9, 2018. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque Pruitt said he hoped for legislative reform of the U.S. biofuels policy this year, calling it “substantially needed and important” because of the costs the regulation imposes on oil refiners. The Renewable Fuel Standard, ushered in by former President George W. Bush as a way to help U.S. farmers, requires refiners to blend increasing amounts of biofuels like corn-based ethanol into the nation’s fuel supply every year. Refining companies say the EPA-administered policy costs them hundreds of millions of dollars annually and threatens to put some plants out of business. But their proposals to change the programme have so far been rejected by the Trump administration under pressure from the corn lobby. The EPA in November slightly raised biofuels volumes mandates for 2018, after previously opening the door to cuts. The White House is now mediating talks on the issue between representatives of both sides, with input from EPA, and some Republican senators from states representing refineries are working on possible legislation to overhaul the programme. Pruitt said he also hoped Congress could produce an infrastructure package this year that would include replacing municipal water pipes, as a way of combating high lead levels in certain parts of the United States. “That to me is something very tangible very important that we can achieve for the American people,” he said. Pruitt added that EPA also continuing its review of automobile fuel efficiency rules, and would be headed to California soon for more meetings with the California Air Resources Board to discuss them. California in 2011 agreed to adopt the federal vehicle emission rules through 2025, but has signalled it would opt out of the standards if they are weakened – a move that would complicate matters for automakers serving the huge California market. In the meantime, Pruitt said EPA is continuing to reduce the size of its staff, which fell to 14,162 employees as of Jan. 3, the lowest it has been since 1998, under Ronald Reagan when the employment level was 14,400. The EPA employed about 15,000 when Obama left office. Nearly 50 percent of the EPA will be eligible to retire within the next five years, according to the agency. Reporting by Valerie Volcovici and David Shepardson; Editing by Richard Valdmanis and Lisa Shumaker

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-usa-epa-pruitt/exclusive-trumps-epa-aims-to-replace-obama-era-climate-water-regulations-in-2018-idUKKBN1EZ07H

United Community Financial Corp. Announces Fourth Quarter Earnings Conference Call

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- United Community Financial Corp., (Nasdaq: UCFC) holding company of Home Savings Bank, announced today there will be an earnings conference call on Wednesday, January 24, 2018 at 10:00 a.m. ET., to provide an overview of the Company's fourth quarter 2017 results. The earnings release will be made available at ir.ucfconline.com at the close of business on January 23, 2018. Important User Information: Webcast: To access the live webcast, go to ir.ucfconline.com and click on Fourth Quarter 2017 Earnings Call on our corporate profile page. Participants are asked to access the webcast approximately 10 minutes prior to the beginning of the discussion. Conference Call: To participate in the conference call, dial 1.877.272.7661 10 minutes prior to the start time. Please ask to be joined into the United Community Financial Corp. (UCFC) call. After the live presentation, the webcast will be archived on this website for at least 90 days. A replay of the call will also be available for two weeks by dialing 1.877.344.7529; the Conference Access code is 10115412. To Ask Questions: Participants who call in via phone will have the opportunity to ask questions. Instructions will be given on the call. As a wholly-owned subsidiary of United Community Financial Corp., Home Savings operates 35 banking offices, 13 loan production offices and 3 wealth management offices throughout Ohio, western Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Additional information on UCFC and Home Savings may be found at ir.ucfconline.com . View source version on businesswire.com : http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180103005691/en/ Media Contact: Home Savings Kathy Bushway, 330-742-0638 SVP, Director of Marketing KBushway@homesavings.com or Investor Contact: Home Savings Troy Adair, 330-742-0472 Treasurer TAdair@homesavings.com Source: United Community Financial Corp.

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/03/business-wire-united-community-financial-corp-announces-fourth-quarter-earnings-conference-call.html

The Wall Street Journal: Fiat Chrysler CEO says Jeep, Ram truck brands are not on the block

Published: Jan 15, 2018 4:30 p.m. ET Share Sergio Marchionne says he’ll unveil new strategy June 1 Jeep By Chester Dawson DETROIT—Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV’s chief executive said Monday he has no plans to sell its Jeep business or split up the company, cooling speculation but leaving the company’s long-term strategy unclear. CEO Sergio Marchionne last year sparked talk that the auto maker might be willing to part with its Jeep sports utility and Ram truck brands, and he has courted rivals with talk of merger. But he backed away from both those options as he prepares to step down next year “We have no intention of breaking it up” and selling parts of the business to Chinese or other buyers, Marchionne said at a news conference at the Detroit auto show. The outspoken CEO, who once touted the idea of joining forces with General Motors Co. to boost profitability and cut excess production, said that is no longer something he is interested in pursuing. “The merger [talk] is done. That’s history, that’s three years ago,” he said. The about-face leaves Fiat Chrysler’s FCAU, -0.13% future unclear, though he promised Monday to unveil a new strategic plan on June 1 ahead of his resignation early next year.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/fiat-chrysler-ceo-rules-out-selling-brands-or-splitting-up-company-1516048463

Italian postman never rings once, hoards mail instead

January 30, 2018 / 12:04 PM / Updated an hour ago Italian postman never rings once, hoards mail instead Reuters Staff 1 Min Read ROME (Reuters) - Italian police have arrested a postman from the northern town of Vicenza after finding more than half a tonne (1,100 lb) of undelivered mail stashed away in his garage. Police were called in when workers from a recycling plant were sent to empty the garage and found 43 yellow plastic postal containers stuffed full of letters, bills, bank statements and even electoral pamphlets dating back to 2010. The postman, who was not named, was 56 and came from the southern city of Naples, police said. They added that it was the largest ever haul of undelivered mail in Italy. The Vicenza postal service has promised to deliver the huge pile of post, albeit several years late. Writing by Crispian Balmer; Editing by Janet Lawrence

https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-italy-postman/italian-postman-never-rings-once-hoards-mail-instead-idUKKBN1FJ1KH

Artesian Resources Corporation Declares Common Stock Dividend

NEWARK, Del., Jan. 17, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Artesian Resources Corporation (NASDAQ:ARTNA) announced today that its Board of Directors has declared a regular quarterly dividend on the company’s Class A and Class B Common Stock. The quarterly dividend of $0.2352 is payable February 23, 2018 to shareholders of record at the close of business on February 9, 2018. About Artesian Resources Artesian Resources Corporation operates as a holding company of wholly-owned subsidiaries offering water, wastewater services and related services on the Delmarva Peninsula. Artesian Water Company, the principal subsidiary, is the oldest and largest regulated water utility on the Delmarva Peninsula and has been providing water service since 1905. Artesian supplies 7.6 billion gallons of water per year through 1,260 miles of water main to approximately 301,000 people. Contact: Nicki Taylor Investor Relations (302) 453-6900 ntaylor@artesianwater.com Source:Artesian Resources Corporation

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/17/globe-newswire-artesian-resources-corporation-declares-common-stock-dividend.html

More layoffs at Indiana factory Trump made deal to keep open

INDIANAPOLIS (Reuters) - More than 200 workers clocked in for their final shifts on Thursday at Carrier Corp. in Indianapolis in the latest round of layoffs at a plant President Donald Trump toured in December 2016 to trumpet a deal to save jobs and prevent its closure. Under pressure from the newly-elected Trump, Carrier and its parent company United Technologies Corp, dropped its plan in late 2016 to close the plant and move 1,400 factory jobs to Mexico. In return, the company received $7 million in state tax breaks to stay in Indiana. Trump praised the deal, under which he said 1,100 jobs would be saved, as a model of how he would push American companies to keep jobs in the country. It undoubtedly saved hundreds of positions at Carrier, but manufacturing workers who now face unemployment say they feel let down by a deal that started out as a presidential campaign rallying cry but turned out to be less than it appeared. Carrier said this week that 1,100 workers will remain at the factory, upholding its deal with Trump. They include 730 manufacturing jobs and about 300 engineering and administrative positions that were never slated to move. But Carrier also laid off 338 manufacturing workers in July and another 215 this week. Those jobs are going to the company’s plant in Monterrey, Mexico, where workers make about $3 an hour, according to Indiana union officials. “Yes he (Trump) saved jobs, yes he did. But he didn’t save mine, he didn’t save manufacturing jobs. He saved office personnel, okay?” said Renee Elliott, 45, who supported Trump in the 2016 election and was among those being laid off on Thursday. Elliott began working at Carrier in 2013 as a seasonal employee making $13 per hour. She currently makes $18 per hour, taking advantage of overtime shifts, and sometimes works seven days a week. DISAPPOINTED BY DEAL She does not know what she will do next and said she is disappointed that Trump did not make a better deal for factory-floor workers. During his visit, Trump strode through the furnace factory, with TV cameras rolling, and shook hands with workers, telling them the deal with the company was “very exciting.” “Companies are not going to leave the United States any more without consequences. Not going to happen,” Trump said. A worker exits the Carrier Corporation HVAC manufacturing plant ahead of an expected second-round of layoffs in Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S., January 10, 2018. Photo taken January 10, 2018. REUTERS/Chris Bergin Elliott said Trump’s visit raised hopes among the entire workforce but it became clear later that some workers would lose their jobs anyway. “It was like royalty coming here, we knew the world was watching,” Elliott said. “He’s walking through and we’re in awe, like ‘Savior!'. That’s the way we’re looking at it. He led us to believe that we were all going to be saved.” Trump repeatedly criticized Carrier during the presidential campaign, as he pledged to rip up bad trade deals and save American jobs. Carrier workers now also question why their factory, which will continue making furnaces after fan coil operations move to Monterrey, was singled out by Trump when hundreds of steelworkers in Indiana are in a similar predicament. Slideshow (7 Images) United Technologies Electronic Controls, another United Technologies facility two hours away in Huntington, Indiana, is closing in 2018, also sending its operations to Monterrey. About 400 workers were laid off in 2017 and another 230 will be this year, a company spokeswoman said. Rexnord Corp., just down the road from Carrier, closed in November, laying off 300 workers represented by the same local steelworkers union as the Carrier employees. Trump wrote on Twitter shortly after touring Carrier that Rexnord, which also relocated operations to Mexico, was “rather viciously firing” its workers. “This is happening all over our country. No more!” Trump wrote. “Don’t get me wrong, me and the people here that work for Carrier are very grateful for it but when he was running during the election he stated that these things wouldn’t happen anymore,” said Robert James, president of the local United Steelworkers union. “How do you save 730 jobs at Carrier and not give a damn about the 700 jobs in Huntington? Both owned by the same company. Why would you leave them out of the equation?” James asked. Indiana’s unemployment rate was 3.7 percent in November 2017, lower than the national rate of 4.1 percent. But the U.S. steel industry, in particular, has struggled over the past decade. Chuck Jones, the former president of the local United Steelworkers union, said that while some laid-off Rexnord and Carrier workers have been able to find comparable union jobs, others are in warehouse jobs paying about half the $25 per hour they used to make. Reporting by Amanda Becker; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh and Alistair Bell

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-carrier/more-layoffs-at-indiana-factory-trump-made-deal-to-keep-open-idUSKBN1F02TL

Trump is likely to keep Iran deal in place — for now. Here's what could happen if he doesn't

President Donald Trump is expected to announce this week whether the U.S. will remain committed to the Iran nuclear pact, the abandonment of which could trigger a diplomatic crisis and jolt oil markets. Sources close to the administration cited by the Associated Press predict that Trump will leave the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in place for the time being and waive nuclear sanctions on the Islamic republic as he did on October 13, despite his well-known opposition to the agreement. During his campaign, Trump promised to dump it, calling the it "the worst deal ever." The JCPOA, enacted in 2015 by Iran, the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and Germany, allowed the lifting of international sanctions on Iran in exchange for compliance with restrictions on its nuclear program. Between January 12 and 17, sanctions on foreign oil purchases, insurance, shipping, banking, and oil and gas investment are due for waiver. Oil markets at risk Any U.S. disruption to the deal could shake oil markets, according to a report by Citigroup's global commodities team published Tuesday. A snap-back on sanctions would cause the "dislocation of at least 500,000 barrels a day of Iranian crude oil exports, especially those going to Korea and Japan as well as to some European countries." show chapters Iran and Venezuela present biggest risk to oil in 2018: ClearView Energy Partners 8:13 AM ET Wed, 10 Jan 2018 | 03:35 This would trigger an initial $5 per barrel rise in crude oil prices, Citi wrote, "as customers losing oil under U.S. pressure scramble for replacements at a time when OPEC and other producers have put a lid on their output." In October, Trump left the deal's fate to Congress after refusing to certify Iran's compliance, despite the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reporting in November that the country was "operating within the essential limits on its nuclear activities" imposed by the JCPOA. The U.S. president is required to recertify Iran's compliance to its terms once every 90 days. This time around, Trump is likely to concede that Iran is complying with the deal but that it's not in the U.S.'s national security interest, said Richard Nephew, a former coordinator for sanctions policy at the U.S. State Department and senior fellow at the Brookings Institute. Congress then has a following 60 days to either re-impose sanctions on Iran or do nothing. Non-nuclear sanctions "The only real outstanding question is what Donald Trump thinks and will choose to do. Contacts within his administration ... have reported that the decision is effectively a 'coin flip' now," Nephew wrote in a commentary for Columbia University's Center on Global Energy Policy on Tuesday. Voices in both Congress and the national security establishment have been urging the president to safeguard the deal, according to several reports, although new non-nuclear sanctions appear likely. show chapters Iran and Saudi Arabia are going through a 'parallel' process. Here's why: NYT's Tom Friedman 7:40 AM ET Tue, 9 Jan 2018 | 03:32 "Any deal that comes out of Congress is likely to include tougher sanctions or other punitive measures against Iran given bipartisan support for such measures," Ryan Turner, lead risk analyst at Protection Group International, told CNBC on Wednesday. However, he noted, the U.S. is only one of six international signatories to the deal. "Lawmakers can amend the domestic legislation but cannot change the deal itself without the backing of other parties, which is unlikely to materialize." New sanctions would likely be aimed both at Iran's missile program and its activities in the region, despite opposition from other deal signatories, the Citi report said. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Shia militant group Hezbollah, which the U.S. designates as a terrorist organization, are the predominant targets. "The not-so-subtle threat is one that could materialize in a worst case scenario, which could see Iran use Trump's decision as justification to pull out of the agreement and restart its nuclear program." -Ryan Turner, lead risk analyst at Protection Group International "Although too small to directly impact the economy, [the sanctions] will serve to further damage much needed investor sentiment towards Iran," Pat Thaker, regional director for the Middle East and Africa at the Economist Intelligence Unit, told CNBC Thursday. Iran remains mired in deficit, and while the country's economy grew more than 7 percent in the year following the JCPOA's enactment, foreign investment flows are far from reaching government targets. Thaker expects the state to bunker down and financial sector reform "to go into reverse" in the event of an abrogation of the deal. Still, she said, "I expect the nuclear deal to largely remain intact, with the U.S. instead focusing on increasing non-nuclear sanctions." Potential for backfire International bodies are urging the president to tread carefully, as moves to punish Iran could backfire. Iran's Atomic Energy Agency said Wednesday that "a reimposition of sanctions by the United States would be a violation of Tehran's nuclear deal with world powers," and that Iran could greatly increase its enrichment of uranium, according to Reuters. show chapters Jefferies: China demand, OPEC action to keep oil market undersupplied 13 Hours Ago | 02:03 "The not-so-subtle threat is one that could materialize in a worst case scenario, which could see Iran use Trump's decision as justification to pull out of the agreement and restart its nuclear program," Turner said. The foreign ministers of Germany, France and the U.K. on Thursday issued statements urging the U.S. to remain faithful to the JCPOA, insisting that the agreement was essential to international security. Federica Mogherini, the EU's top diplomat, said that it "made the world safer and prevented a potential nuclear arms race in the region." Still, opponents of the deal argue that a continued suspension of sanctions would only reward a regime that has ramped up its missile testing in recent months and continues to violate human rights. Thousands of Iranians have been arrested at the hands of security forces following more than a week of anti-government protests all over the country, and at least 21 have died. The protests introduce an unexpected dynamic to the Trump administration's deliberations, providing a potential excuse to re-impose sanctions. Atta Kenare | AFP | Getty Images Pro-government demonstrators hold a poster of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during a march following the weekly Muslim Friday prayers in Tehran on January 5, 2018. The Tea Party Patriots Citizens Fund, a right-wing political action committee, has long pushed for termination of the deal, issuing a statement Thursday saying: "Iran has failed to live up to its obligations under the deal and continues to pursue the development of ballistic missile technology in defiance of UN resolutions." The 'spirit of the deal' The Trump administration has described Iran as living up to the "letter" but not the "spirit of the deal." Robert Litwak, director of international security studies at the Wilson Center and a National Security Council member during the Clinton administration, explained what this meant. "The letter is the deal, while the spirit refers to everything outside the deal, such as Iran's support

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/11/us-president-trump-could-pull-out-of-iran-nuclear-deal.html

Up to 15 percent market correction in 2018: Julius Baer CEO

A market correction is well overdue and investors should expect a price drop of up to 15 percent this year, Julius Baer Chief Executive Bernhard Hodler told CNBC Wednesday. "Generally I think we will see sooner or later a correction — hopefully it will be like a 5, 10, 15 percent correction, another very large one, but I think that will happen sometime in 2018," Hodler said, sounding not in the least perplexed at the prospect. The private Swiss banking group manages more than 388 billion Swiss francs ($416 billion) in assets. Hodler acknowledged the current rosy picture for the global economy, saying, "We are actually comfortable with the underlyings, corporate earnings, balance sheet quality, the GDP (gross domestic product) growth is predicted to be quite nice in 2018." He did note at the same time that "there are some political risks and threats from protectionism." A market correction is a backtrack of at least 10 percent in a stock, an index or other security to account for an overvaluation in price, interrupting the market's upward trajectory. Valentin Flauraud | Bloomberg | Getty Images A sign sits on a wall outside the offices of Julius Baer Group Ltd. in Geneva, Switzerland. The CEO's forecast is the latest of several such comments from investors and banking executives, who warn that the combination of highly overvalued markets and historically low volatility is simply not sustainable. During the World Economic Forum at Davos last week, Allianz CEO Oliver Bate echoed the same sentiment, albeit with more concern in his delivery, warning that markets are "very dangerous" and that the certainty of an impending market correction is "absolutely clear." Prominent market commentators have noted that today's stock market is the most overvalued on record — more so than in 1929, 2000 and 2007. The benchmark Dow Jones and S&P 500 indexes repeatedly hit record highs for the past several months until Monday, when the markets saw their first significant dips since the summer. Julius Baer on Wednesday reported it would increase its dividend after seeing double-digit growth for its net profits for 2017. Net profits rose 14 percent on 2016, reaching 705 million Swiss francs. The bank is the third-largest in Switzerland. show chapters Julius Baer CEO: We are largest independent wealth manager in Brazil 12 Hours Ago | 01:55

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/31/up-to-15-percent-market-correction-in-2018-julius-baer-ceo.html

Blizzard pounds U.S. Northeast as snow sweeps across South

January 4, 2018 / 10:22 AM / in an hour Blizzard wallops U.S. Northeast, knocks out power, snarls travel Scott Malone , Jonathan Allen 5 Min Read BOSTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - A powerful blizzard battered the Northeast on Thursday, knocking out power for tens of thousands of people and snarling travel amid a long cold snap that has gripped much of the United States for more than a week and killed more than a dozen people. Thousands of flights were canceled, firefighters scrambled to rescue motorists from flooded streets in Boston, snow plows and salt trucks rumbled along roads and highways, and New York City’s two main airports halted flights due to whiteout conditions. Commuters who braved the storm worried that they could be stranded later in the day. “I don’t know where I’ll stay tonight if I get stuck, probably with my boss,” said Ran Richardson, 55, of Malden, Massachusetts, as he waited for a Boston subway to take him to training for his job as a Chinese-English translator. Schools were closed through much of the region, and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh said schools in his city would remain closed on Friday. Blizzard warnings were in effect along the East Coast from North Carolina to Maine. The National Weather Service forecast winds up to 70 miles per hour (113 km per hour), which downed power lines. Almost 80,000 homes and businesses in the Northeast and Southeast, where the storm struck on Wednesday, were without power. Up to 18 inches (46 cm) of snow was forecast for Boston and coastal areas of northern New England. Officials feared fast-dropping temperatures after the storm passed would turn remaining snow on roadways to ice. The storm was powered by a rapid plunge in barometric pressure that some weather forecasters were referring to as bombogenesis or a “bomb cyclone” and which brought high winds and swift, heavy snowfall. The wintry weather has been blamed for at least 14 deaths in the past few days, including four fatalities in North Carolina traffic accidents and three in Texas due to cold. TRAVEL WOES Nearly 5,000 U.S. airline flights were canceled. New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport temporarily halted all flights due to whiteout conditions, the Federal Aviation Administration said. A pedestrian walks through blinding snow across the Brooklyn Bridge during Storm Grayson in New York City, U.S., January 4, 2018. REUTERS/Darren Ornitz At those airports, the metropolitan area’s third major airport in Newark, New Jersey, and Boston’s Logan International Airport, as many as three out of four flights were called off, according to tracking service FlightAware.com. Passenger train operator Amtrak ran reduced service in the Northeast. Sporadic delays were reported on transit systems, including New York state’s Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North commuter lines, as well as the Boston area’s Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority system. “Years of Band-Aid solutions create nightmare situations when storm damage occurs,” said Joseph Schwieterman, a professor of public policy and specialist in transportation systems at DePaul University in Chicago. “Replacement parts are tough to find and maintenance process turns into major headache.” In New York’s Fort Greene neighborhood, Mohammed Farid Khan, said his morning commute took three times as long as usual due to train woes. Slideshow (20 Images) “There were only local trains, no express,” Khan, 30, said as he hunched with an electric drill trying to fix the handle of his snow shovel inside the convenience store where he works. There were few customers to disturb with the noise, Khan added, saying, “It’s very slow.” ICY RESCUES A 3-foot (0.9-meter) tidal surge flooded the area around Boston’s historic Long Wharf with icy seawater, prompting a massive response by emergency vehicles. Firefighters used an inflatable raft to rescue one motorist from a car surrounded by water up to its door handles, Boston Fire Commissioner Joseph Finn told reporters. The flooding tied a 40-year record, the National Weather Service said. “It’s dangerous,” Walsh said, adding that Boston officials briefly thought they would need to a evacuate a shelter near the flooded areas. “We’re keeping an eye on all those different floodings.” Officials reported traffic accidents throughout the Northeast, including in Manchester, New Hampshire, where a 32-year-old woman crashed a vehicle through the wall of a nursing home, according to police. No one was injured. The storm’s impact extended to eastern Canada. The same storm brought historic cities in the southeastern United States their heaviest snowfall in three decades on Wednesday. Additional reporting by Colleen Jenkins in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Brian Snyder in Boston, Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee and Gina Cherelus and Scott DiSavino in New York; Editing by Bernadette Baum and Jonathan Oatis

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-weather/blizzard-pounds-u-s-northeast-as-snow-sweeps-across-south-idUSKBN1ET11E

Yemen government bans protests in Aden ahead of separatist deadline

ADEN (Reuters) - Yemen’s internationally-recognized government said on Saturday it had banned public gatherings in Aden ahead of a deadline given by southern separatists to President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to dismiss the cabinet. Tensions have risen in the southern port city since the United Arab Emirates-allied Southern Transitional Council vowed to overthrow the government of Ahmed bin Daghr unless Hadi dismissed his cabinet within a week. The Southern Transitional Council has accused bin Daghr’s government of starving Yemenis and pushing the impoverished country to the verge of famine. The crisis could jeopardize a rare opportunity offered by the death of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh last month that had given a Saudi-led coalition the chance to isolate Iran-aligned Houthi fighters and end a devastating war that began in 2015. In a statement carried by the state-run Saba news agency, the Yemeni Interior Ministry said it had ”decided to ban any gatherings, sit-ins or marches in the interim capital, Aden. “These actions will be considered acts that target stability and calm,” the statement said, adding that all armed groups will also be banned from entering Aden. Trying to head off any protests, Bin Daghr’s office said the prime minister met with senior commanders of the Saudi-led coalition in Aden. “The meeting expressed its utter opposition to any call for chaos, violence or vandalism in the interim capital, Aden,” bin Daghr’s office said in a statement. GATHERING EXPECTED ON SUNDAY Residents said they had not seen any extra security in Aden, where armed forces loyal to Hadi’s government, the Southern Transitional Council and the Saudi-led coalition are all present. But witnesses said government forces were deployed on roads leading to the presidential palace in Aden’s al-Maasheeq district, where the government is based. Witnesses also said that thousands of people had arrived in Aden from across the former South Yemen, which merged with North Yemen in 1990, to participate in a gathering expected to be held on Sunday. Yemen has been torn by armed conflict since the Houthis captured the capital Sanaa in 2014 before they marched south towards Aden the following year in a military campaign that culminated in Hadi fleeing into exile. The Saudi-led coalition that entered the war after Hadi sought refuge in Saudi Arabia in March 2015 has helped local fighters free Aden from Houthi control and made other military gains in different parts of the country. But the Houthis continue to control most of northern Yemen, including Sanaa. The Southern Transitional Council was formed last year to push for a split between the former South Yemen and North Yemen. Southern forces have previously clashed with Hadi supporters, including members of the Islamist Islah party, over control of strategic areas, such as Aden airport and oil facilities. Writing by Sami Aboudi; Editing by Andrew Bolton and Louise Heavens

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-yemen-security-southerners/yemen-government-bans-protests-in-aden-ahead-of-separatist-deadline-idUSKBN1FG0FU

EU ministers clash again over reforming asylum system

January 25, 2018 / 2:12 PM / Updated an hour ago EU ministers clash again over reforming asylum system Reuters Staff 3 Min Read SOFIA (Reuters) - European Union interior ministers grappled on Thursday with the politically charged issue of reforming the bloc’s broken asylum system, which the bloc wants to fix by June. For more than two years ex-communist states led by Poland and Hungary have defied pressure from other EU capitals to accept refugees at times of high immigration across the Mediterranean to help ease the burden on frontline states such as Greece and wealthy destination nations such as Germany. Poland, Hungary and others are reluctant to take in more refugees, who are mostly from Muslim nations in the Middle East and northern Africa, under a quota system. Germany and others say it is a question of EU solidarity. “We cannot leave it all to the countries at the external borders (of the EU),” Luxembourg’s Jean Asselborn said ahead of talks with other interior ministers in Sofia, capital of Bulgaria, which holds the EU’s rotating six-month presidency. “We need relocation in times of crisis... so every country knows which burdens it will take on,” he said of plans to oblige each EU state to host a certain number of people when arrivals jump. “If we do not manage this, we will choke on it.” The EU asylum system collapsed in 2015 as a million refugees and migrants arrived across the sea, overwhelming Greece and Italy. Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic refused to take some of the people in. FILE PHOTO: Interior ministers and ministry representives pose for the family photo after the 'V4 Plus' Visegrad Group meeting in Warsaw, Poland November 21, 2016. First row (L-R): Czech Deputy Interior Minister Jiri Novacek, Slovakian Interior Minister Robert Kalinak, Polish Interior Minister Mariusz Blaszczak and Hungarian Interior Minister Sandor Pinter, second row (L-R): Secretary of state in the Slovenian Interior Ministry Andrej Spenga, Croatian Interior Minister Vlaho Orepic, Austrian Interior Minister Wolfgang Sobotka, Bulgarian Deputy Interior Minister Philip Gounev, Polish Deputy Interior Minister Jakub Skiba and Secretary of state of Migration and Asylum of the Belgian Interior Ministry Theo Francken. Agencja Gazeta/Slawomir Kaminski/via REUTERS The dispute ended up in the courts and weakened the bloc’s unity, spilling over to many other policy areas. “The quota is not a good thing. But we still have other solutions,” said Slovak Interior Minister Robert Kalinak, referring to a proposal by the eastern states to contribute money, experts and equipment instead of accepting people. The EU has given itself until June to find a compromise acceptable to all, though there are no signs yet of progress. The bloc could then defeat the reluctant easterners in a majority vote, but this would cause even more bad blood between EU states. The EU’s migration chief, Dimitris Avramopoulos, said the “stalemate” had much to do with populist politicians stoking up immigration fears among voters. “It’s a question of how you think politically addressing... your domestic audience,” he said on entering the talks. Reporting by Tsvetelia Tsolova in Sofia, Gabriela Baczynska, Robert-Jan Bartunek and Peter Maushagen in Brussels, Writing by Gabriela Baczynska; Editing by Gareth Jones

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-europe-migrants-asylum/eu-ministers-clash-again-over-reforming-asylum-system-idUKKBN1FE1Z9

Denver mayor: Trump administration 'out of step' on marijuana

In wake of Attorney General Jeff Sessions ' repeal of Obama era guidance on legal marijuana, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock is more worried about the marijuana business than he is about a law enforcement crackdown on weed. "When we see an industry, that is dependent upon investors, people who are putting their hard-earned money into the industry, this sort of move does not help whatsoever," Hancock, a Democrat, said Friday on CNBC's "Closing Bell." "All this move does is demonstrate how out of step the attorney general sessions is and the administration is with the rest of the country." Sessions, a longtime opponent of marijuana legalization, on Thursday moved to rescind the Cole Memo, a document which de-prioritized the use of federal funds to enforce cannabis prohibition. The memo effectively handed control of marijuana enforcement and regulation to the states, except in certain circumstances. Sessions' decision sent pot stocks tumbling Thursday , fueling fears it would damage burgeoning marijuana industries in many states. "We've already had conversations with our attorney general, as well as our acting U.S. attorney, who clearly have said they're not going to change anything with regards to the industry here in Colorado," Hanckock said. Colorado, where recreational cannabis has been legal since 2012 and medical for much longer , has a lot more to lose than some states. In 2016, the state topped $1 billion in legal weed revenues , allowing the government to bring in more than $193 million in fees and tax revenues, according to Department of Revenue data. Hancock said Denver reaps about $18 million to $20 million in tax revenue just from recreational marijuana. That money goes toward implementing marijuana regulation, including inspections, law enforcement and public education, all of which Hancock worries might disappear following Sessions' decision. "Cities also fall into this uncertain category, when you have the attorney general acting as irresponsible as he has acted with regards to the memo," Hancock said. Investment and taxes aside, the ground-level industry is very cash heavy. Even with the Cole Memo, banks and credit unions operating under federal charters had little incentive to help cannabis businesses, which are still federally illegal, according to a representative from the Colorado Bankers Association. "W hat we would hope our attorney general would do to work with Congress, begin the process of working on a pathway to banking for this industry," Hancock said. Hancock is part of a growing chorus of prominent voices against Sessions' decision. On Thursday, Colorado Republican Sen. Cory Gardner vowed to hold up Justice Department nominations until Sessions changes his marijuana policy .

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/05/denver-mayor-trump-administration-out-of-step-on-marijuana.html

Lowe's names two directors after talks with activist investor DE Shaw

Lowe's has appointed two new board members following talks with activist hedge fund D.E. Shaw, which recently built a stake in the home improvement chain. The company's shares were up 1.8 percent in premarket trading on Friday. D.E. Shaw had built up about a $1 billion stake amid approaching the company about changing the board, sources tell CNBC. The firm, which was looking to close Lowe's gap in revenue-per-store, margin, and valuation multiple versus Home Depot, had had a 50-page presentation that was shared with the Lowe's board, those sources added. David Batchelder, co-founder of Relational Investors, and Lisa Wardell, CEO of Adtalem Global Education, were named to the board after "constructive discussions" with D.E. Shaw, Lowe's said. The retailer also said it would nominate Brian Rogers, chairman of T. Rowe Price Group and its former chief investment officer, for board election at its annual shareholder meeting. Batchelder was recommended by D.E. Shaw, while Wardell and Rogers were the company's candidates, a source close to the matter said. The appointments of Batchelder, who will serve on the board's compensation committee, and Wardell, who will sit on the audit committee, are effective March 22. Last week, CNBC reported that D.E. Shaw had built an activist stake in Lowe's, concerned about the home improvement retailer's performance, but was not planning to push for consolidation with another home retailer at this time. —CNBC's Leslie Picker contributed to this report.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/19/lowes-names-two-directors-after-talks-with-activist-investor-de-shaw.html

Speculative U.S. 10-year T-note net shorts fall -CFTC

Jan 19 (Reuters) - Speculators' net bearish bets on U.S. 10-year Treasury note futures fell earlier this week as the benchmark 10-year yield was heading for three straight weeks of increases, according to Commodity Futures Trading Commission data released on Friday. The amount of speculators' bearish, or short, positions in 10-year Treasury futures exceeded bullish, or long, positions by 89,259 contracts on Jan. 16, according to the CFTC's latest Commitments of Traders data. Last week, speculators held 196,853 net short positions in 10-year T-note futures. Below is a table of the speculative positions in Treasury futures on the Chicago Board of Trade and in Eurodollar futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange in the latest week: U.S. 2-year T-notes (Contracts of $200,000) 16 Jan 2018 Prior week week Long 413,792 414,419 Short 704,434 682,041 Net -290,642 -267,622 U.S. 5-year T-notes (Contracts of $100,000) 16 Jan 2018 Prior week week Long 562,812 598,720 Short 1,049,072 1,042,485 Net -486,260 -443,765 U.S. 10-year T-notes (Contracts of $100,000) 16 Jan 2018 Prior week week Long 650,652 561,307 Short 739,911 758,160 Net -89,259 -196,853 U.S. T-bonds (Contracts of $100,000) 16 Jan 2018 Prior week week Long 193,344 184,034 Short 126,243 117,297 Net 67,101 66,737 U.S. Ultra T-bonds (Contracts of $100,000) 16 Jan 2018 Prior week week Long 54,978 64,293 Short 178,893 171,080 Net -123,915 -106,787 Eurodollar (Contracts of $1,000,000) 16 Jan 2018 Prior week week Long 787,709 991,778 Short 3,459,896 3,533,032 Net -2,672,187 -2,541,254 Fed funds (Contracts of $1,000,000) 16 Jan 2018 Prior week week Long 163,640 115,417 Short 172,969 187,992 Net -9,329 -72,575 (Reporting by Richard Leong; Editing by James Dalgleish)

https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-bonds-cftc/speculative-u-s-10-year-t-note-net-shorts-fall-cftc-idUSEMNI1F0U9

Merck Announces Second-Quarter 2018 Dividend

KENILWORTH, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, today announced that the Board of Directors has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.48 per share of the company’s common stock for the second quarter of 2018. Payment will be made on April 6, 2018 to shareholders of record at the close of business on March 15, 2018. About Merck For more than a century, Merck, a leading global biopharmaceutical company known as MSD outside of the United States and Canada, has been inventing for life, bringing forward medicines and vaccines for many of the world’s most challenging diseases. Through our prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies and animal health products, we work with customers and operate in more than 140 countries to deliver innovative health solutions. We also demonstrate our commitment to increasing access to health care through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships. Today, Merck continues to be at the forefront of research to advance the prevention and treatment of diseases that threaten people and communities around the world - including cancer, cardio-metabolic diseases, emerging animal diseases, Alzheimer’s disease and infectious diseases including HIV and Ebola. For more information, visit www.merck.com and connect with us on Twitter , Facebook , Instagram , YouTube and LinkedIn . Forward-Looking Statement of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA This news release of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA (the “company”) includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the company’s management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to, general industry conditions and competition; general economic factors, including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and health care legislation in the United States and internationally; global trends toward health care cost containment; technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in new product development, including obtaining regulatory approval; the company’s ability to accurately predict future market conditions; manufacturing difficulties or delays; financial instability of international economies and sovereign risk; dependence on the effectiveness of the company’s patents and other protections for innovative products; and the exposure to litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in the company’s 2016 Annual Report on Form 10-K and the company’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) available at the SEC’s Internet site ( www.sec.gov ). ### View source version on businesswire.com : http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180123006393/en/ Merck Media: Tracy Ogden, 908-740-1747 or Claire Gillespie, 267-305-0932 or Investor: Teri Loxam, 908-740-1986 or Amy Klug, 908-740-1898 Source: Merck

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/23/business-wire-merck-announces-second-quarter-2018-dividend.html

Wings Over the Rockies Announces Unique to the Nation Campus at Centennial Airport

DENVER, Jan. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- After more than a decade of planning and fundraising, Wings Over the Rockies (Wings), an aerospace focused Colorado non-profit, is proud to announce its unique to the nation entertainment and education campus, Exploration of Flight. Designed to incorporate future-focused aviation and space centers, Exploration of Flight is a 15-acre campus located on the south side of Centennial Airport in Englewood, Colorado. The sister facility to Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum in Denver's Lowry neighborhood, Exploration of Flight will be housed at one of the busiest general aviation airports in the nation, offering visitors incredible experiences that focus on aerospace. Slated for completion in summer 2018, phase one of Wings' Exploration of Flight campus, the Boeing Blue Sky Aviation Gallery, will offer a visitor experience unlike any facility before it. Entering a world of active flight, the gallery will be filled with interactive exhibits and activities designed to excite and thrill while educating visitors about aviation. Visitors will have the opportunity to engage with world-class exhibits, experience a thrilling simulator, tour Centennial Airport, witness live takeoffs, landings and even indulge in flight itself. "This facility will be unique to the nation," explained Wings Over the Rockies President & CEO, John Barry. "Our Air & Space Museum in Lowry will concentrate on the past while the Exploration of Flight Campus at Centennial Airport will focus on the present and future. One organization, two locations." For more information about the Boeing Blue Sky Gallery opening or the Exploration of Flight Center, visit ExplorationOfFlight.org . About Wings Over the Rockies: Wings Over the Rockies is a Colorado-based non-profit organization dedicated to educating and inspiring all people about aviation and space endeavors of the past, present and future. By utilizing the Air & Space Museum in Denver's historic Lowry neighborhood to preserve the past and the Exploration of Flight Center at Centennial Airport to focus on the present and future, Wings strives to encourage the future aerospace leaders of tomorrow. For more information about Wings Over the Rockies please visit WingsMuseum.org , ExplorationOfFlight.org or like us on Facebook , follow us on Twitter & Instagram , connect with us on LinkedIn , join us on G+ and subscribe to our YouTube channel. View original content with multimedia: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/wings-over-the-rockies-announces-unique-to-the-nation-campus-at-centennial-airport-300580362.html SOURCE Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/16/pr-newswire-wings-over-the-rockies-announces-unique-to-the-nation-campus-at-centennial-airport.html

Leader of Britain's UKIP splits with girlfriend after 'appalling' Markle comments

January 15, 2018 / 9:08 AM / Updated 4 hours ago Leader of Britain's UKIP splits with girlfriend after 'appalling' Markle comments Michael Holden 3 The leader of Britain’s anti-European Union UKIP Party said he had split with his new girlfriend after a newspaper published derogatory comments she made about Prince Harry’s fiancee Meghan Markle and black people. FILE PHOTO - Meghan Markle visits radio station Reprezent FM, with her fiancee Britain's Prince Harry, in Brixton, London January 9, 2018. REUTERS/Dominic Lipinski/Pool Henry Bolton, 54, who became the ailing UK Independence Party’s fourth leader in a year when he was elected last September, said he had ended his relationship with model Jo Marney after the “appalling” text messages she sent to a friend were published. Marney, 25, who began dating Bolton just after Christmas, had described U.S. actress Markle, whose father is white and mother is African-American, as a “dumb little commoner” and said “her seed with (sic) taint our royal family”, according to the texts printed in the Mail on Sunday newspaper. Marney also described black people as ugly. “The romantic element of the relationship is over,” Bolton told BBC radio, saying they had split up on Sunday night. “However appalling and insulting those comments she made in those direct personal messages were ... I honestly don’t believe those are her core beliefs.” Harry said Markle had been subjected to “outright sexism and racism” on social media when he revealed they were first dating in 2016 and that there had also been racial undertones in newspaper comment pieces. The couple announced in November that they were engaged and will marry in May. Led by the charismatic Nigel Farage, UKIP won nearly four million votes in 2015, 12.6 percent of those cast, on its anti-EU platform, projecting it to the forefront of British politics even though it only managed to win one seat in parliament. Its success helped force former Conservative prime minister David Cameron, who once dismissed the party as being full of “fruitcakes, loonies and closet racists”, to agree to hold the 2016 referendum on whether to leave the EU and played a role in encouraging Britons to vote for Brexit. But UKIP has been riven by internal strife since the referendum as it struggles for direction and a clear purpose and it won just 1.8 percent of the total votes cast in a national election last June. Marney was suspended from UKIP after the texts became public on Sunday and senior party figures called for Bolton, a former army infantry officer who also served in the police, to step down himself. “People have been able to use Jo in order to attack me,” he said. “I have no intention of resigning and indeed the people who have been calling for my resignation are people who for some time have been trying to work to undermine the leadership of the party in any case.” He said there had not been a “cold parting of the ways” but his job had to take priority. “She is utterly devastated. I‘m not defending the comments she made, she’s not defending the comments she made,” he said. “Jo is incredibly upset as am I, I‘m going to stand by her and the family in terms of trying to put her life back together.” Editing by William Maclean

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-politics-ukip/leader-of-britains-ukip-splits-with-girlfriend-after-appalling-markle-comments-idUKKBN1F40XC

Real Madrid stumble against Numancia but reach Cup quarters

January 10, 2018 / 10:48 PM / Updated 13 minutes ago Real Madrid stumble against Numancia but reach Cup quarters Rik Sharma 2 Min Read BARCELONA (Reuters) - Troubled Spanish champions Real Madrid stumbled to a 2-2 draw with third tier Numancia on Wednesday but qualified for the King’s Cup quarter-finals 5-2 on aggregate. With a comfortable first-leg advantage, Zinedine Zidane rested much of his first team, making 10 changes from the line-up that struggled to a disappointing draw at Celta Vigo on Sunday to fall 16 points behind league leaders Barcelona. Madrid opened the scoring in the 11th minute, Vazquez heading home Dani Carvajal’s deep cross when left unmarked at the back post. Numancia hit back in the 45th minute, however, with substitute Guillermo, just on for the injured Higinio Marin, applying the finishing touch to a stunning breakaway goal. Dani Nieto charged into space and fed Marc Mateu on the left, who delivered the perfect low cross for Guillermo to finish and delight the small band of travelling fans at the Santiago Bernabeu. Vazquez, who won two penalties for Madrid in the first leg, slammed home his second from close range in the 59th minute, but Guillermo pegged back Madrid again with a brilliant header to cap a superb display and a fine result for his team. Numancia’s Dani Calvo was sent off in the dying minutes for a cynical foul to stop Isco that earned him a second yellow card. Earlier, Leganes reached the quarter-finals for the first time in their history after losing 2-1 at Villarreal but progressing on away goals after their 1-0 first-leg win at Butarque. Leganes winger Nabil El Zhar scored a delicious chip to break the deadlock, with Dani Raba’s well-taken strike and Denis Cheryshev’s late winner completing a Villarreal comeback that was not enough to send the hosts through. Last season’s King’s Cup runners-up Alaves beat third division Fomentera 2-0 to wrap up a 5-1 aggregate win thanks to second-half goals from Ermedin Demirovic and Alfonso Pedraza. On Thursday, Levante host Espanyol, Cadiz travel to Sevilla and holders Barcelona welcome Celta Vigo to the Nou Camp. Editing by Ed Osmond

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-soccer-spain-cup/real-madrid-stumble-against-numancia-but-reach-cup-quarters-idUKKBN1EZ2X9

Malaysian court says both parents must consent on children's religion

January 29, 2018 / 10:58 AM / Updated 14 minutes ago Malaysian court says both parents must consent on children's religion Reuters Staff 4 Min Read KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - A Malaysian court on Monday said the religion of a minor could only be decided with consent from both parents, a landmark ruling ending a near decade-old case that widened religious and racial divisions. The judgement is seen as a victory for ethnic and religious minorities in the Muslim-majority nation who are pushing for greater recognition of their rights, amid what critics see as growing Islamic conservatism in its government. Five judges of Malaysia’s Federal Court said it was unconstitutional for just one parent to convert a minor to their religion. “Both parents have equal rights,” the Star Online news site quoted one of the judges, Zainun Ali, as saying. “The word ‘parent’ - is a case of being lost in translation,” she added, referring to a Malaysian constitutional provision. The decision upholds a lower court ruling in favour of Indira Gandhi - who challenged the conversion of her three children by her Muslim-convert former husband in 2009. The conversion of her three children was null and void, the judges added. Until now, the unilateral conversion of minors by Muslim converts had left women with little recourse, as their complaints would be referred to a sharia religious court, where non-Muslims have no standing to make claims. “It’s a great victory for many, because finally these unilateral conversions will stop,” said Kulasegaran Murugeson, Indira’s lead lawyer. Muslims make up about 60 percent of a population of about 30 million, although Buddhists, Christians and Hindus account for a significant minority. The ruling leaves police with the responsibility to locate and return Indira’s youngest daughter, taken away by her ex-husband, Muhammad Riduan Abdullah, in 2009, when she was 11 months old, Kulasegaran said. Muhammad Riduan has yet to return the child and is believed to have gone into hiding, despite a 2010 high court order that awarded Indira custody of all three children. However, police have not acted on that order until now, because of a conflict in the jurisdiction of civil and sharia courts. “The police must go aggressively (to retrieve the child),” Kulasegaran said. “Locating Muhammad Riduan is not impossible, and any extra day that goes by will only add to the pain of Indira and her family.” The police will now obey the court order to track down Muhammad Riduan and the girl, media quoted the inspector-general of police, Mohamad Fuzi Harun, as saying. The verdict was a “huge victory for all Malaysians” and for women like Indira who have faced “grave violations” of their rights, said Malaysian rights group the Women’s Aid Organisation. The opposition and civil society groups have criticised Prime Minister Najib Razak’s administration for taking a more conservative tack, such as backing a bill to widen sharia courts’ jurisdiction over Muslims in northern Kelantan state. The government also faced criticism for dropping, as being unconstitutional, a family law change that would have brought cases of unilateral conversion within the purview of civil law. Reporting by Joseph Sipalan; Editing by Clarence Fernandez

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-malaysia-court-conversion/malaysian-court-says-both-parents-must-consent-on-childrens-religion-idUKKBN1FI14J

German parties at odds ahead of coalition talks

January 2, 2018 / 3:07 AM / Updated 8 hours ago German parties at odds ahead of coalition talks Andrea Shalal 5 Min Read BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives and Social Democrats (SPD) traded barbs about migration and tax cuts on Tuesday amid mounting questions about whether they can agree to renew the “grand coalition” that ruled Germany for the past four years. Merkel, under pressure after failing to form a government three months after national elections, hopes to secure a fourth term in office by persuading the center-left SPD to join the government despite punishing losses in September’s election. Party leaders will meet for preliminary talks on Jan. 3 ahead of exploratory talks scheduled for Jan. 7 through Jan. 12, but a growing number of politicians now say Merkel might have to rule with a minority government, or face new elections. SPD deputy leader Thorsten Schaefer-Guembel said recent comments by some conservatives were “counterproductive for every form of government formation” and said they had sparked doubts about the will of conservatives to govern together. He said a deal on a new coalition was far from certain and it was unclear if the talks could develop sufficient trust. “A minority government remains an option, even if Chancellor Angela Merkel doesn’t want to acknowledge that,” he said in an interview published Tuesday in the Passauer Neue Presse newspaper. Schaefer-Guembel cited differences with conservatives on a range of issues and rejected as “absurd” proposals by some conservatives to cut taxes for high-income earners. Conservatives and the SPD are also at odds over healthcare, immigration, Europe, work regulations and pensions. Schaefer-Guembel said he backed calls by SPD parliamentary leader Andrea Nahles to raise taxes for the wealthiest and urge fresh efforts to prevent big companies from evading taxes. Merkel’s Bavarian sister party, the CSU, has distanced itself from the SPD through policy papers calling for corporate tax cuts, reductions in benefits for asylum seekers, higher military spending and limits on immigration. The powerful economic council of Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU) said it will urge CSU party leaders to push for a minority government when they meet this week, arguing that Germany would face “enormous financial burdens for generations” if the SPD pushed through its spending plans in a coalition. “A grand coalition will be more expensive in the long term than a minority government,” Wolfgang Steiger, secretary general of the council told the Augsburger Allgemeine newspaper. The SPD initially wanted to stay in opposition, but agreed to explore the possibility of governing with the conservatives in the interest of political stability after Merkel’s coalition talks with two smaller parties collapsed in November. Experts say new elections could hand more gains to the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party that entered parliament for the first time in September. Merkel says a new coalition would be more stable than minority government. Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann, a CSU negotiator, told the Funke media group his party would insist on limiting immigration levels. It wanted to extend a temporary ban on family reunifications for migrants who were granted “subsidiary protection”, an asylum status for those not officially classed as refugees. He said his party viewed it as a democratic responsibility to negotiate a new coalition if policy gaps could be overcome. “I hope the Social Democrats feel the same sense of responsibility,” he said. “We have an urgent need for action on the legislative front.... We urgently need clear majorities in parliament, we need reliable coalitions.” A top member of the pro-business Free Democrats, which dropped out of coalition talks with conservatives and Greens in November, said such a coalition remained a future possibility. Alexander Lambsdorff, deputy leader of the FDP’s parliamentary group, also told the Heilbronner Stimme newspaper that he did not exclude the possibility of new elections or a minority government. “That would not be nice, but it also would not result in a constitutional crisis,” he said. Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Peter Graff

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-germany-politics/german-parties-at-odds-ahead-of-coalition-talks-idUSKBN1ER04K

Janmark leads Stars in rout of Sabres

Mattias Janmark scored twice and had an assist in the first 26 minutes, as the Dallas Stars ended a four-game road streak by rolling past the hapless Buffalo Sabres 7-1 on Saturday afternoon at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, N.Y. The Stars earned seven of a possible eight points on the road trip and head home in fifth place in the Western Conference standings. Dallas scored early and often against the Sabres’ porous defense and goaltender Robin Lehner, who allowed four goals in the first 30 minutes of play before being lifted for Chad Johnson. The Stars’ Remi Elie got the scoring started with a goal at the 5:03 mark of the first period after assists from Janmark and Jason Spezza. Janmark tallied the next two goals for Dallas, first at the 14:09 mark of the first period off assists by Esa Lindell and Devin Shore and then 6:25 into the second period with John Klingberg and Spezza credited for setting up the score. The Sabres’ Sam Reinhart cut the Dallas lead to 3-1 with 11:06 to play in the second period on a power-play goal that was garnered by assists from Jack Eichel and Rasmus Ristolainen. But the Stars needed just 38 seconds to get that goal back as Jamie Benn lit the light after assists from Klingberg and Lindell. Benn’s goal chased Lehner, and Johnson was greeted with a goal by Lindell less than three minutes later. Alexander Radulov and Benn got the assists on the score. Finally, the Stars pushed their advantage to 6-1 as Radek Faksa tipped in a shot from Stephen Johns after a pass from Antoine Roussel with 2:29 to play in the second period. Dallas’ Tyler Pitlick scored the game’s final goal at the 7:24 mark of the third period after assists by Klingberg and Faksa. Kari Lehtonen started in goal for just the second time in Dallas’ past 15 games and stopped 26 shots to earn the victory. Lehtonen opened the road trip for Dallas on Monday with a 3-2 overtime win against the Boston Bruins. Buffalo has lost seven of its past eight games and is mired in last place in the Eastern Conference with the second-worst record in the league. --Field Level Media

https://www.reuters.com/article/icehockey-nhl-buf-dal-recap/janmark-leads-stars-in-rout-of-sabres-idUSMTZEE1KVGGVZ8

Cranberries Sales and Streams Surge on Apple, Amazon, Spotify | Fortune

By Tom Huddleston Jr. 12:17 PM EST Fans of the 90s rock band The Cranberries are mourning the loss of singer Dolores O’Riordan by streaming and downloading the band’s music on services like Spotify, Apple , and Amazon . Digital music streams and downloads of songs by the group, along with O’Riordan’s solo work, surged over the past day in the wake of the singer’s death on Monday. A Spotify spokesperson told Fortune that, since news broke of O’Riordan’s passing, streams of The Cranberries’ catalogue jumped by a whopping 992%. Among the individual tracks seeing the biggest spikes were 1993’s “Linger” and 1994’s “Zombie,” with the hit singles seeing their global Spotify streams increase by 664% and 320% on Monday compared to the same day a week ago, the company said. Meanwhile, four Cranberries albums currently rank in the top six most-downloaded albums on Apple’s iTunes charts. Stars: The Best Of , a greatest hits album for the band, is second on the iTunes chart behind only the soundtrack for the new 21st Century Fox movie The Greatest Showman . Get Data Sheet , Fortune’s technology newsletter. On Amazon’s Movers & Shakers rankings for digital music sales, The Cranberries’ most recent album, 2017’s Something Else , ranks second among the most-downloaded albums, seeing a sales surge of more than 940,000% over the past 24 hours. Four of the band’s singles rank in the top five most-downloaded digital songs on Amazon’s list, with “Linger” (up more than 150,000%) ranking second behind “I’ve Been Blind” by The Fratellis. The Cranberries and O’Riordan are also dominating Amazon’s ranking of physical CD and vinyl sales, claiming all of the top ten slots, with O’Riordan’s 2009 solo album, No Baggage, ranking fourth with sales up more than 200,000% in the past 24 hours. O’Riordan’s publicist announced on Monday morning that the 46-year-old singer had died in London, though the cause of her death has yet to be made public. Throughout Monday, celebrities and fellow musicians shared their condolences and memories of O’Riordan online. SPONSORED FINANCIAL CONTENT

http://fortune.com/2018/01/16/the-cranberries-sales-and-streams-have-surged-since-dolores-oriordans-death/

Australia inflation stays subdued in fourth quarter, rate hike still distant

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian consumer prices remained subdued last quarter as core inflation ended a second whole year below the central bank’s target, leading investors to widen the odds on a hike in interest rates anytime soon. The local dollar fell a quarter of a U.S. cent as the headline consumer price index (CPI) rose 0.6 percent in the December quarter, missing forecasts for a 0.7 percent rise. Annual CPI inflation ran at 1.9 percent, again under estimates. Key measures of underlying inflation favored by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) averaged around 1.9 percent for the year, dead on expectations. Core inflation has now undershot the RBA’s long-term target band of 2 percent to 3 percent for eight straight quarters, the longest period on record. A major headwind has been wages growth, which slowed to historic lows even as employment boomed, a phenomenon shared with much of the developed world. “Global competition, increased automation, decreased unionization, reduced collective bargaining and the increased casualisation of the workforce have largely contained pay increases,” said Ryan Felsman, a senior economist at CommSec. “There is increasing uncertainty about the size and timing of how wage pressures might eventually pass through to prices.” As a result, the central bank has kept interest rates at an all-time low of 1.5 percent since mid-2016, and appears in no hurry to raise them. Investors assumed the benign inflation result would only add to the patience of policy makers and pushed out the likely timing of a first hike. Interest rate futures imply around a 50-50 chance of a move by August. A hike to 1.75 percent is now not fully priced in until December, compared to November before the data. THE AMAZON EFFECT The Australian Bureau of Statistics reported the main price increases in the fourth quarter were petrol, which jumped more than 10 percent, domestic holidays, fruit and tobacco. Tobacco is a serial offender due to steep annual increases in taxes. Excluding that rise, inflation ran at only 1.5 percent for the year. The main price falls in the quarter were for traveling abroad, telecoms and computers and televisions. A fierce price war has broken out in Australian retail in recent years driven by an influx of foreign chains, with no sign of a cease-fire any time soon. If anything, the struggle is only heating up as online behemoth Amazon launched late last year vowing to beat all the competition - a disinflationary trend that policymakers now refer to as the “Amazon effect”. Adding to downside pressure will be strength in the local dollar, which climbed from as low as $0.7500 in early December to reach a 2-1/2-year peak of $0.8136 last week. If sustained, the rise will lower prices for many imported goods that have already been depressed by globalization and the ascent of industrial giants such as China. Prices for such tradable goods and services edged up 0.5 percent in the December quarter, but were still down 0.3 percent for the year. Reporting by Wayne Cole; Editing by Sam Holmes

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-australia-economy-inflation/australia-inflation-stays-subdued-in-fourth-quarter-rate-hike-still-distant-idUSKBN1FK0E5

Blank Rome Welcomes Consumer Finance Litigation Partner in New York

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Blank Rome LLP is pleased to announce that Scott E. Wortman has joined the Firm as a Partner in the Consumer Finance Litigation group in the New York office. At Blank Rome, Mr. Wortman will serve as a litigator and counselor to clients facing scrutiny under consumer financial protection statutes and regulations at both the federal and state level, including individual and class action defense, regulatory proceedings, and administrative investigations. He joins Blank Rome from Warshaw Burstein LLP. “We are very excited to welcome Scott to Blank Rome,” said Alan J. Hoffman , the Firm’s Chairman and Managing Partner. “Scott’s experience covers a broad spectrum of federal matters related to consumer finance litigation and regulation, bringing valuable perspective to the Firm, particularly in this era of heightened enforcement. Additionally, Scott recognizes the implications of various state regulations placed on consumer financial services companies, and can advise them on everything from licensing rules to requirements set by state attorneys general, as well as codes, structures, and statutes regulating the lending industry.” Mr. Wortman’s experience includes litigating and resolving numerous matters as related to the Truth in Lending Act, Telephone Consumer Protection Act, Fair Credit Reporting Act and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, related consumer torts, associated state consumer protection laws, and administrative and regulatory actions. “Blank Rome’s Consumer Financial Services Industry Team plays an integral role in the regulatory, compliance, litigation, bankruptcy, and government enforcement matters facing our clients,” said Wayne Streibich , Chair of Blank Rome’s Consumer Financial Services Industry Team and Consumer Finance Litigation group. “Scott’s understanding of where current litigation trends and the evolving regulatory structure are taking the consumer financial services market, coupled with his experience in class action, government enforcement, and individual actions, will further enhance and differentiate Blank Rome’s practice in the consumer lending and servicing sector. Scott’s skill set will assist Blank Rome in continuing to provide forward-looking business advantages for our clients.” In addition to providing litigation counsel to his clients, Mr. Wortman helps financial services firms comply with privacy and data security laws, and assists with due diligence for financial services transactions. For example, on the technology side, law firms are now considered by many federal and state regulators to be vendors. The New York State Department of Financial Services (“DFS”) was the first agency to require that vendors of DFS-licensed financial services companies also comply with the cybersecurity rules set for those organizations. Mr. Wortman helps organizations, like law firms, come into compliance with those rules and regulations. “It is truly an honor to join Blank Rome’s Consumer Finance Litigation practice group,” said Mr. Wortman. “Blank Rome has a view for the future and an interest in technology, particularly as it relates to emerging industries like cryptocurrency and FinTech, which is a perfect match for my practice. Furthermore, the Firm’s national presence is extremely important to my clients, many of whom are managing consumer finance regulations across the country. I look forward to starting the New Year at Blank Rome and working with all of my new colleagues across the Firm’s practices to strengthen relationships with our clients, and helping them create compliance solutions for changing regulatory frameworks.” Aligned with Blank Rome’s significant commitment to pro bono and community investment, Mr. Wortman draws on his past experience as the executive director of the Center for Behavior Services, of which he now serves as vice chairman of the board of directors. In this role, Mr. Wortman’s work is dedicated to providing housing relief for individuals who were once incarcerated and are completing work release programs. Through Blank Rome’s pro bono program, Mr. Wortman will continue to make actionable impact in support of marginalized individuals in need of housing. Mr. Wortman earned his J.D. from the New York Law School, and his B.A. from Queens College, City University of New York. About Blank Rome LLP Founded in 1946, Blank Rome is an Am Law 100 firm with 13 offices and over 600 attorneys throughout the United States and in Shanghai who represent businesses and organizations ranging from Fortune 500 companies to start-up entities around the globe. With a strong focus on the key industry sectors of energy, maritime and transportation, real estate, financial services, healthcare and life sciences, chemical, gaming, technology, and manufacturing, Blank Rome advises its clients on a full spectrum of legal matters involving litigation; M&A and securities; finance, business restructuring, and bankruptcy; cybersecurity and data privacy; environment and mass torts; government contracts; insurance coverage; intellectual property; labor and employment; international trade; matrimonial and family law; policy and political law; tax and benefits; and white collar defense and investigations. The Firm also represents pro bono clients in a wide variety of cases and matters. Blank Rome is annually ranked and recognized for its leading middle-market corporate, M&A, real estate, and finance practices, to name a few, and is internationally acclaimed for its global maritime practice and capabilities. For more information, please visit www.blankrome.com . View source version on businesswire.com : http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180105005495/en/ Blank Rome LLP Kate Tavella, 215.988.6988 Tavella@BlankRome.com Source: Blank Rome LLP

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/05/business-wire-blank-rome-welcomes-consumer-finance-litigation-partner-in-new-york.html

Tennis-Sabalenka upsets Zhang in Hobart, Watson advances

January 10, 2018 / 7:12 AM / Updated an hour ago Tennis: Sabalenka upsets Zhang in Hobart, Watson advances Reuters Staff 2 Min Read (Reuters) - Belarus teen Aryna Sabalenka blasted top seed Zhang Shuai out of the Hobart International on Wednesday while former champion Heather Watson had a smooth ride to the quarter-finals with a 6-2 6-2 win over wildcard Jaimee Fourlis. Big-hitting Sabalenka had felled former world number five Eugenie Bouchard in the first round and the Belarusian’s aggressive strategy paid dividends again as she triumphed 7-6(3) 6-4. “It was a really good fight between us,” Sabalenka told reporters after firing 37 winners and committing 39 unforced errors. “This was a match that I really enjoyed. She fights for every point, and it’s always so special when you feel this fight on court.” Broken early, Sabalenka won four games in a row en route to a 5-2 lead in the first set when Zhang staged a comeback to level it at 5-5 before the Belarusian clinched the set. Sabalenka was more in control in the second set when she claimed a decisive break at 4-3 before serving out to set up a quarter-final clash with fifth seed Lesia Tsurenko of Ukraine. “It’s always special when you beat two good players in a row in the same tournament,” Sabalenka said. “It gives me more confidence. You finish the match and you really just think, ‘When is the next one? I want to go back on court, I want to beat someone.'” Briton Watson had little difficulty in beating Australian Fourlis, a victory which moves the 2015 champion into a quarter-final against Donna Vekic, and Alison Riske also advanced after Belgian qualifier Kirsten Flipkens pulled out with a right shoulder injury. Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi; editing by Peter Rutherford

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-tennis-hobart-women/tennis-sabalenka-upsets-zhang-in-hobart-watson-advances-idUKKBN1EZ0JR

Heatwave tests Australia's power grid

SYDNEY, Jan 19 (Reuters) - Sweltering weather across southern Australia sparked power price spikes on Friday and prompted the national grid operator to put emergency generators on standby. Temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius (104°F) represent the first major test of the energy grid this year after nearly 2,000 megawatts of extra capacity were added to prevent blackouts that have previously hit household and industrial users. The extra capacity includes the world’s biggest lithium ion battery built by Tesla Inc, which was switched on last month and provides 120 megawatts. Scorching conditions stretch the grid as people crank up power-hungry air conditioners, while the heat reduces the capacity of transmission wires to carry electricity. The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO), which runs the national electricity market, expected a decline in reserves in the states of Victoria and South Australia on Friday afternoon, but no disruption to supply. It asked generators that feed power into the grid to be on standby to supply extra power in those states. Forecast wholesale spot power prices for dispatch on Friday afternoon in South Australia and Victoria have spiked to the capped level of A$14,200 ($11,366) per megawatt hour (MWh), AEMO said on its website. Last summer was the first in eight years to see power failures in Australia’s southeastern states, including outages that forced BHP Billiton to stop production at its Olympic Dam mine for two weeks and Alcoa Corp to shut one of two potlines at its Portland aluminium smelter. Alcoa, one of the biggest electricity users in Victoria, is one of several industrial customers asked by AEMO to go on standby to reduce electricity demand if necessary on Friday afternoon. “If managed appropriately Portland smelter can be safely curtailed for short time periods (up to one hour) to provide much needed capacity during peak demand periods,” Alcoa said in a statement. A spokeswoman for Nyrstar, operator of the world’s biggest lead refinery at Port Pirie in South Australia said it was running as usual. BHP declined to comment on whether its operations could be impacted. Reporting by Tom Westbrook; Editing by Joseph Radford

https://www.reuters.com/article/australia-power/heatwave-tests-australias-power-grid-idUSL3N1PE1JG

Nigeria's Oando says it is working to resolve disputes

January 22, 2018 / 6:27 PM / Updated an hour ago Nigeria's Oando says it is working to resolve disputes Reuters Staff 1 Min Read ABUJA, Jan 22 (Reuters) - The Nigerian Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has not said whether it is calling off a forensic audit of Oando after the oil company settled a dispute with key shareholder Dahiru Mangal, a company spokesperson told Reuters. Oando said it has been providing information to the regulator since last year and was working on getting all issues resolved this year including lifting a suspension imposed on its share price. The spokesperson said Mangal’s petition to the SEC had to do with understanding the company’s liabilities and that Oando has paid down over half of its debt since its bought ConocoPhillips’ Nigerian assets in 2014 to 209 billion naira as of the third quarter last year. Oando said a second petition was still with the regulator. (Reporting by Chijioke Ohuocha; Editing by Adrian Croft)

https://www.reuters.com/article/nigeria-oando-regulator/nigerias-oando-says-it-is-working-to-resolve-disputes-idUSL8N1PH67H

2 simple steps you can take if you’re miserable at work

9:19 AM ET Thu, 4 Jan 2018 | 01:14 SHARES For many people, going to work is simply a way to make a living, unhappily trudging through each day to make ends meet. But happiness expert and bestselling author Annie McKee wants people to escape this harmful cycle. "If you have adopted that mindset that says, 'Work is grueling, just be happy you have a job, that you're getting a paycheck, it's a good company,' but you're not actually happy, you don't have to accept that," McKee tells CNBC Make It . "Everyone deserves to be happy at work because if we're not happy at work, we're not happy in life," she adds. show chapters 11:05 AM ET Fri, 15 Dec 2017 | 01:04 As a leadership adviser for Fortune 500 companies and governments around the world, McKee has spent decades researching effectiveness and happiness at work. She details portions of this research in her latest book: " How to Be Happy at Work: The Power of Purpose, Hope, and Friendship ." "There are three ways to tell if things are not well," McKee says. "There are physical clues that tell us something is wrong, emotional clues based on how we feel on a daily basis over time and clues from the health of our relationships." If you have seen your unhappiness at work taking a toll on other areas of your life, such as your sleeping patterns, nutrition or family relationships, McKee recommends that you follow these two steps to regain a sense of purpose and happiness. Step one: Reflect Once you understand you aren't happy at work, the first thing McKee recommends that you do is carve out some time for deep reflection and introspection. Ask yourself, "What is causing me to feel sad or unhappy at work?" "It's far too easy to habitually tell yourself, 'I'm sad because don't like my manager' or 'I'm sad because didn't get promotion'" McKee says. "And while those things might be true, there's almost always something deeper than that." show chapters 1:00 PM ET Tue, 20 Dec 2016 | 01:25 McKee further recommends that you be honest with yourself and ask if there is something about your own mindset and life that may be contributing to your unhappiness at work. "Have you gotten trapped by overwork? Has your ambition gotten out of control? Have you chosen jobs and work projects because you think you should or because you actually want to?" McKee says. "Don't get caught in these traps." Step two: Find a friend Whether it's at work or outside of work, McKee suggests finding a friend to discuss this state of being with. "Find someone who you can really talk with, who can really tell you the truth about what they see in you, whether it's the strengths or some developmental areas they see in you," McKee says. show chapters 12:22 PM ET Tue, 21 Nov 2017 | 00:59 Your friend can help you decide if you seem to fit in with your current workplace or if the job is not the right fit for you. "Talking with a friend as if they were your [career] coach could also help you see your attitude about work from a different perspective," McKee says. "And be open to all possibilities. Maybe you need to change your mindset, maybe you need to change what you do on a daily basis" "We have a lot more freedom than we like to think we do," she adds.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/10/annie-mckee-2-steps-you-can-take-if-youre-miserable-at-work.html

Flare-up with Israel tests Hamas effort to keep Gaza on low boil

ISRAEL-GAZA BORDER (Reuters) - The worst fighting on the Gaza Strip front since 2014 is being calibrated by Hamas, which wants to signal defiance of Israel and the United States while being careful not to trigger a new war for the enclave’s penned-in Palestinians. Since President Donald Trump reversed decades of U.S. policy on Dec. 6 by recognising Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, Palestinians in Gaza have launched 18 cross-border rockets or mortars - a third of all such attacks in 3-1/2 years of relative quiet. For Israel’s part, though residents in the south have raised a clamour for harsh retaliation, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has counselled caution and targeted mostly unmanned Hamas facilities in night-time airstrikes. The careful moves reflect the balancing act maintained both by Hamas, the Islamist group that controls Gaza, and the Israeli government, old foes who share a reluctance to go to war again. Gaza’s neighbourhoods still bear the scars of the destruction caused by Israeli attacks during a seven-week conflict in 2014. In Israel, there is little eagerness to endure the daily sirens warning of rocket strikes. But ordinary Israelis and Palestinians are keenly aware that even a single incident - a rocket causing multiple fatalities in Israel or Israeli forces killing a militant leader - could set off a conflagration that would be beyond their leaders’ control. Two Hamas gunmen have died in retaliatory Israeli air strikes and 15 protesters from Israeli gunfire. “The recent weeks of rockets and Israeli bombardment proved an explosion is possible,” said Gaza political analyst Akram Attalla. “How long will Hamas continue to take Israeli strikes to its positions without a response? And how long will Israel’s Netanyahu tolerate internal criticism? There is no guarantee.” While there have been no Israeli fatalities or serious injuries in the rocket strikes, farmers in communities close to the Gazan border think twice about tilling fields where they might be exposed and children practice duck-and-cover drills should air raid sirens sound. “Lately we do feel that there is more presence of the army. We have been told to be more careful, to clear the bomb shelter just in case. You never know when the next rocket will come,” said Hila Fenlon, resident of the farm collective Nativ Haasara. Hamas has responded to Trump’s move by mobilising mass protests at the border and turning a blind eye to other factions firing into Israel in two weeks of daily attacks, which have tailed off recently. “This saves face for Hamas, as it appears to be the one that stands behind these protests without the need to go to war,” said Attalla. A more violent response was tamped down in debate among Palestinian factions who agreed that an armed confrontation could erode the international support Palestinians have won diplomatically and shift attention from the political process. Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri said no-one should underestimate the potential for hostilities to resume under what he called an Israeli occupation, however. Israel withdrew troops and settlers from the territory in 2005 but remains the conduit for the passage of goods and supplies most of its electricity. Israel and Egypt, citing security concerns, maintain tight restrictions on the passage of Palestinians through their borders with the enclave. FILE PHOTO: A sign displays distances to various cities and sites in Israel and the Gaza Strip, positioned in an observation point in Nativ Haasara, close to the Israeli border with the Gaza Strip, Israel January 8, 2018. REUTERS/Amir Cohen/File Photo “The situation in Gaza is very difficult and is not tolerable and is doomed to explode,” he told Reuters. IRANIAN SUPPORT Israel sees an outside catalyst for the violence - Iran, which both Hamas and its sometime ally Islamic Jihad say has pledged unlimited assistance for them as the Syrian civil war, where Tehran deployed reinforcements for Damascus, winds down. Israel has gone out its way to blame Islamic Jihad and other groups for the rocket and mortar attacks, rather than Hamas, and even gave grudging credit to Hamas for being mindful of Palestinian civilian needs. “Calls to respond with full force against Hamas are irresponsible,” the top Israeli general, Gadi Eizenkot, said in a speech last week. He noted Gaza’s “danger of humanitarian collapse”, which, he said, had forced Hamas to engage with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and secured a renewed power supply to the enclave. Slideshow (3 Images) Israel also has problems elsewhere. Having neutralised much of the rocket threat from Gaza with their Iron Dome interceptor system, and hard at a work on an underground wall that would block guerrilla tunnels from the territory, Israeli defence officials say they worry more about Iran and the combustible northern front with Syria and Lebanon. They also fear that the $1.1 billion sensor-equipped barrier on the 60-km (37-mile) frontier could tempt Gaza militants to use their tunnels to strike Israel before they lose them. A range of economic initiatives have been broached, from the construction of an island off Gaza to handle direct imports by sea to the issuing of more permits for Palestinian labourers or agricultural exports to enter Israel. “There is an effort to help the (Palestinian) population in a way that will not go to the armed wing of Hamas,” said Amos Yadlin, a former Israeli military intelligence chief and head of Tel Aviv University’s Institute for National Security Studies, which has prepared a 180-page memorandum on the Gaza crisis. Israeli concern about worsening Gaza’s internal problems has put it at odds even with the Trump administration, which has threatened to cut U.S. contributions to the U.N. Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) that provides essential aid for Palestinian refugees in the enclave, supporting and administering hundreds of schools and dozens of health facilities. Israel says funds should be cut gradually and UNRWA should ultimately be dismantled and its responsibilities transferred to the United Nations’ global refugee agency. Cutting aid to UNRWA would spell “huge pressures on Gaza’s residents,” said Saleh Naami, another Palestinian political analyst. Peter Lerner, a former Israeli military spokesman, agreed. “While UNRWA is far from perfect, the Israeli defence establishment, and the Israeli government as a whole, have over the years come to the understanding that all alternatives are worse for Israel,” he said. Writing by Dan Williams; Editing by Jeffrey Heller and Sonya Hepinstall

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-palestinians-gaza/flare-up-with-israel-tests-hamas-effort-to-keep-gaza-on-low-boil-idUSKBN1F11M7

NIIT Acquires Eagle Productivity Solutions

ATLANTA, Jan. 3, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- NIIT Limited ("NIIT"), a global skills and talent development company and leading provider of managed training services, announced today that it has acquired Eagle International Institute, Inc. doing business as Eagle Productivity Solutions ("Eagle") through its wholly owned subsidiary, NIIT (USA) Inc. Headquartered in Rochester USA, Eagle is a top-rated global provider that specializes in training solutions for companies adopting sophisticated cloud-based applications in the Pharmaceutical and Life sciences industry. The blending of these two companies will further help NIIT expand its capabilities in global application rollouts of enterprise applications requiring high adoption and deepen its domain expertise in the pharmaceutical and life sciences domain. In turn, Eagle's clients will gain access to more evolved service models, expanded capabilities including a richer variety in training content, and a stable and established global structure. Under the NIIT umbrella, Eagle will continue to exist as an individual practice and maintain its mission to deliver quality, innovation, and above all, results. Eagle also intends to honor all contracts and commitments to all existing customers with no interruption in service. "This is a major event for Eagle. It allows us to expand," said Bob Cannan, majority shareholder and CEO of Eagle since 1994. "We're being purchased as a practice with expertise intact. It's the ideal fit for Eagle. We see this as a major opportunity to support the explosive growth of cloud software - introduced with expertise, maintained with thoughtful attention. No single company will be more capable of this than this new combination. We can service this market extraordinarily well. We have some of the finest methods and a strong track record." "The Life Sciences domain and Software Application Adoption expertise have been of keen interest to NIIT. Learning plays a key role as a key enabler of change in both these areas. Eagle's unique mastery learning pedagogy enables their customers to rapidly achieve greater than 90% adoption of new processes and applications. This is a distinguishing reason why Eagle has a loyal and strong list of customers in the Life Sciences space. The coming together of Eagle's expertise and penetration in the Life Sciences space creates great opportunity for NIIT in both the Life Sciences and the Software Application domains. I am deeply excited by what we can achieve together. I look forward to welcoming the Eagle Team and their customers to the NIIT family," said Sapnesh Lalla, CEO, NIIT Limited. About NIIT Established in 1981, NIIT Limited, a global leader in Skills and Talent Development, offers multi-disciplinary learning management and training delivery solutions to corporations, institutions, and individuals in over 40 countries. NIIT has three main lines of business across the globe- Corporate Learning Group, Skills and Careers Group, and School Learning Group. NIIT's Corporate Learning Group (CLG) offers Managed Training Services (MTS) to market-leading companies in North America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania. Our comprehensive suite of Managed Training Services includes custom Curriculum Design and Content Development, Learning Administration, Learning Delivery, Strategic Sourcing, Learning Technology, and Advisory Services. With a team of some of the world's finest learning professionals, NIIT is dedicated to helping customers increase the business value of learning and development (L&D). Built on the sound principles of 'Running Training like a Business', NIIT's Managed Training Services and best-in-class training processes enable customers to align business goals with L&D, reduce costs, realize measurable value, benefit from rock-solid operations, and increase business impact. Visit us at www.niit.com or write to us at businessimpact@niit.com . Follow us on twitter @NIITMTS . For more information, visit www.niit.com About Eagle Productivity Solutions Founded in 1988, Eagle International (dba Eagle Productivity Solutions) specializes in providing training solutions for companies launching sophisticated cloud-based applications across commercial and medical audiences. Eagle creates custom designs for diverse markets - delivering high-adoption results in over 40 countries, 20 languages. Eagle has offices in Rochester, New York and Malaga, Spain. Eagle is a top-rated global provider specializing in custom training design, development and delivery. Since 1988, we've delivered measurable, high-adoption results to our customers across diverse market segments – government, finance, retail, life sciences – in 40 countries, 20 languages. View original content: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/niit-acquires-eagle-productivity-solutions-300577140.html SOURCE NIIT

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/03/pr-newswire-niit-acquires-eagle-productivity-solutions.html

A Canadian hockey brat drives the women's game in Korea

January 24, 2018 / 1:43 PM / in 8 hours A Canadian hockey brat drives the women's game in Korea Dan Burns 5 Min Read NORTH HAVEN, Connecticut (Reuters) - As the daughter of a former NHL coach and a two-time U.S. collegiate champion in her own right, Sarah Murray knows a thing or two about ice hockey and its culture. She knows you “pinch” the boards with your body to keep a puck in the offensive zone. You jump over the boards for a fast line change. And you hang on to your stick and helmet during the national anthem. What is second nature to a Canadian like her, though, has sometimes been a foreign concept to the players she now coaches on the South Korean women’s hockey team. Murray, hired in 2014 by Stanley Cup winner Jim Paek, now the head of South Korean hockey, recalls her first world championship tournament behind the bench when her players dropped their sticks, helmets, even gloves to the ice as the national anthem started - a major taboo in the hockey world. “No one had taught them to do it differently. There’s a lot of pieces of hockey culture that they weren’t taught,” Murray said during a recent pre-Olympic U.S. tour. “The first year was a lot of learning as we go,” Murray said. “Now it’s a lot better. The team is very professional.” ON THE UP The team is also a lot better at hockey. Under Murray, South Korea has surged six spots to No. 22 in the world rankings. Last year, they won their division’s world title and earned a promotion. When she took over, her main goal was growing the sport in a country that has not taken much to ice hockey, especially not by women and girls. The International Ice Hockey Federation counts just 319 female players in Korea, out of a total fewer than 3000. ”It’s really difficult, the system in Korea,“ Murray said. ”Girls can play youth hockey, but there are no teams once they become teenagers. ”They can practice with the boys teams, but they don’t get to play any games. So that’s not any fun. So then they quit. “Unless they make our team.” The result is a squad with the oldest player, at 30, being roughly twice the age of her youngest teammates, who are 16. “They started with our team when they were 13 because they didn’t have anywhere else to go,” Murray said. ”They were skilled enough that we knew that they had potential. So then we have 13-year-olds and 30-year-olds practicing on the same team. Sarah Murray, head coach of the South Korean women's ice hockey team, leads practice in Hamden, Connecticut, U.S., December 27, 2017. Picture taken December 27, 2017. REUTERS/Brian Snyder “It’s really ... interesting.” FROM HOGWARTS TO SEOUL Murray grew up in an ice hockey household. Her father Andy Murray is an IIHF Hall of Famer who coached the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings and St. Louis Blues and has had stints behind the bench with Canada, She played at Shattuck-St. Mary‘s, a Minnesota prep school broadcaster ESPN once called the “Hogwarts of hockey.” Then she played defense on two national champion teams at the University of Minnesota Duluth. After college she played professionally in Switzerland before deciding to do something with her teaching degree and heading to a school in China. Slideshow (8 Images) Even there, hockey was never far away, and she was soon playing in a men’s “beer league” in Beijing. “I realized I had that fire still,” she said. She headed to her father’s in Michigan, training to return to the Swiss pro ranks. While she was there, her father bumped into Paek at a wedding. He had just been named head of South Korean hockey and needed a women’s team coach. In no time she found herself in an interview at the kitchen table. She did not hear from Paek before returning to Switzerland for the start of her season, so thought she had missed the job before an email appeared. “It was my contract.” The 29-year-old Murray is by far the youngest of the eight head coaches prepping their teams for the Olympics, but her final preparations have been thrown with the International Olympic Committee announcing a unified women’s team with the North would be formed. Murray told Reuters this week that the team had been placed in a “tough situation”, but she would just adapt. The decision came after the team had reset their Olympic goals. Their previous aim was to emerge knowing they had done their utmost and with no regrets. But after some battling performances on a recent U.S. tour, when they won one of their six games, now they have higher ambitions. ”We didn’t talk about who we were going to beat or how many games we’re going to win,“ Murray said. ”We just wanted to advance. “That’s our goal now. So something challenging, that scares us.” Editing by Greg Stutchbury

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-olympics-2018-iceh-murray/a-canadian-hockey-brat-drives-the-womens-game-in-korea-idUSKBN1FD1RT

Skeptics say bitcoin has no value. Here’s why they’re wrong

Bitcoin's price has been on a wild ride since its inception. 2017 alone saw massive gains, starting the year at under $1,000 and, at its peak, breaking $19,000, according to industry site CoinDesk. On Tuesday, it was trading at $11,943 , a decline of 12 percent, according to CoinDesk. As bitcoin's popularity surges and its price rises and falls, more and more people are asking the same question: How does bitcoin , something that's essentially invisible and intangible, have value? Scarcity and utility In economics, something has value if it checks the following two boxes: scarcity and utility. Scarcity just means that something has a finite supply. In the case of bitcoin, the cryptocurrency has a set cap of 21 million bitcoins. Many analysts note that this set cap makes bitcoin more desirable than other assets, even gold. That's because unlike with gold, there's no need to worry about a digital Gold Rush. A treasure trove of bitcoin won't ever be "discovered," causing the crypto's price to crash with an influx in supply. "There are potentially millions of times more gold underground than actually has been extracted," said Tom Lee, head of research at Fundstrat Global Advisors. Lee was chief equity strategist at J.P. Morgan before co-founding Fundstrat in 2014. Ben Yu, a blockchain expert living in San Francisco, says technological advances are also making gold easier to mine. "Today we mine gold at four times the rate that we did just 100 years ago," Yu said. So if bitcoin has scarcity, what about its utility? Chesnot | Getty Images Many believe the cryptocurrency's utility lies in its potential to be a more efficient commodity than we already have. Proponents of bitcoin like it for a number of reasons. First, bitcoin is decentralized, meaning no government, bank or single person has control over it; it can't be toppled by corruption at the top. It's also trivially divisible, meaning you can buy a small item like a doughnut with it as easily as you can buy a house or even a mansion. And finally, the code it's built on is open source, meaning that it's available for anyone to look at, scrutinize and even modify. This means bitcoin is constantly evolving and improving. None of those uses is intrinsic, however. And that's a point bitcoin skeptics often make. Gold, for example, is thought to have intrinsic value because of its applications in industries like dentistry and electronics. Some people even argue that dollar bills have intrinsic value, since they can be used as kindling or to write on. But as you break down either of those claims, it becomes clear that gold and paper money don't have that much intrinsic value either. According to the World Gold Council, in 2016, only 15 percent of gold was used in industries. The majority went toward making jewelry and gold bars and coins — items that have value mainly because they're trusted to be valuable. With paper money, the Federal Reserve says it costs about 16 cents to create a $100 bill. So the rest of that hundred bucks — the remaining $99.84 — comes from the trust people place in it. It can be hard to see the digital currency as having value because you can't hold it in your hand like you can a dollar bill or gold. As a solution, Lee said to think of bitcoin as a digital business. "If you ask a baby boomer, 'Can you justify the value of anything that's a digital business?' they probably don't accept that Facebook, Google, Netflix, Amazon, Apple, these are the largest companies in the S&P 500 and they're primarily digital businesses built almost purely on digital trust," said Lee. "Anyone who thinks digital gold isn't a store value is overlooking the fact that most businesses today are built around digital trust, including the financial system." Valuing the cryptocurrency It's clear that some people believe bitcoin has value. And if it has value, it's hard not to wonder how much a single bitcoin could end up being worth. There are two main theories being used to calculate the potential value of one bitcoin. The first theorizes that bitcoin, which some perceive to be a better asset than gold, could end up replacing either a portion of gold or gold entirely. bodnarchuk | iStock Editorial | Getty Images Bitcoin on a mound of gold. If it were to replace gold entirely, one bitcoin could be worth $357,000. That's calculated by taking the total value of all the gold ever mined in the world, which is about $7.5 trillion, and dividing that number by 21 million — the total bitcoins that can ever exist. Lee told CNBC it's more realistic to assume bitcoin will replace 5 percent of gold within five years, making a single coin worth $25,000. Another theory of Lee's is based on Metcalfe's law, which says that the value of a network is proportional to the square of the number of users on the network. For example, one phone is useless because you can't call anyone else with it. But the value increases exponentially as other people get phones. Studies have shown that Metcalfe's law holds true for Facebook using 10 years of data. It also holds true for Tencent, China's largest social media company. Fundstrat looked at users on the bitcoin network and found that the square of this value explained 94 percent of the variation in bitcoin prices since 2014. Many people think that bitcoin is a bubble, and that's predicted on the concept that bitcoin has no value. But there's reason to believe that that just isn't true. By definition, bitcoin is scarce. And the cryptocurrency may have utility as a superior way to store and exchange wealth. WATCH: Bitcoin's creator may be worth $14 billion show chapters Bitcoin’s origin story remains shrouded in mystery. Here's why it matters 6:30 PM ET Fri, 27 Oct 2017 | 06:23

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/16/skeptics-say-bitcoin-has-no-value-heres-why-theyre-wrong.html

European stocks rally on U.S. shutdown deal, DAX hits record

46 AM / Updated 28 minutes ago European stocks rally on U.S. shutdown deal, DAX hits record Reuters Staff 2 Min Read LONDON, Jan 23 (Reuters) - European shares rose to new highs on Tuesday after U.S. senators struck a deal to end a three-day government shutdown. Euro zone stocks reached their highest in a decade. Germany’s DAX jumped more than 0.9 percent at the open and touched a record 13,596 points. “As the next goal, the bulls have the hurdle of 14,000 points in mind,” said market analyst Milan Cutkovic at trading house AxiTrader. “With the current mood on the stock markets, this is a realistic scenario for the coming weeks.” After a previous session fueled by M&A news, corporate updates maintained the buoyant mood. Easyjet led the STOXX 600, itself on a 2-year and half high, with a 6.4 percent jump after reporting first-quarter results. “A strong performance for new boss Johan Lundgren in his first quarter as easyJet benefited from a combination of Ryanair cancellations and the demise of a trio of peers removing some capacity from the market”, senior ETX market analyst Neil Wilson commented. Investors cheered giant French retailer Carrefour’s new plans to boost sales. The shares jumped 4.8 percent. Shares in computer peripherals and mobile speaker maker Logitech jumped close to 5 pct after it reported better than expected sales and raised its guidance. Online grocery technology provider Ocado lost 5.1 percent after a 27 percent surge on Monday when it unveiled a deal with Canada’s second-largest food supermarket group Sobeys. (Reporting by Julien Ponthus; additional reporting by Danilo Masoni; editing by Tom Pfeiffer)

https://www.reuters.com/article/europe-stocks/european-stocks-rally-on-u-s-shutdown-deal-dax-hits-record-idUSL8N1PI1TY

BRIEF-Tianjin Tianhai Signs Two Strategic Agreements With Partners

Jan 17 (Reuters) - Tianjin Tianhai Investment Co Ltd : * SAYS IT SIGNS STRATEGIC AGREEMENT WITH SHANGHAI-BASED INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT FIRM * SAYS IT AND INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT FIRM PLAN TO WORK ON AREAS INCLUDING ASSET SECURITISATION, STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS AND ASSET ACQUISITIONS, WITH INITIAL SIZE OF UP TO 10 BILLION YUAN ($1.55 billion) * SAYS IT SIGNS STRATEGIC AGREEMENT WITH SHANGHAI DINGFENG ASSET MANAGEMENT CO LTD TO SET UP INVESTMENT FUND WITH INITIAL SIZE OF UP TO 5.0 BILLION YUAN Source text in Chinese: bit.ly/2DkVCZa ; bit.ly/2B8MCQH Further company coverage: ($1 = 6.4338 Chinese yuan renminbi) (Reporting by Hong Kong newsroom)

https://www.reuters.com/article/brief-tianjin-tianhai-signs-two-strategi/brief-tianjin-tianhai-signs-two-strategic-agreements-with-partners-idUSH9N1PA01W

Aviragen Board Of Directors Unanimously Recommends That Stockholders Vote FOR The Proposed Merger With Vaxart

Transaction Creates a Leading Vaccine Company and Maximizes Value for Aviragen Stockholders Updated Investor Presentation Filed with Securities and Exchange Commission and Posted to Aviragen Website ATLANTA, Jan. 11, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Aviragen Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:AVIR) today reiterated its support of the pending merger with Vaxart, Inc., which was unanimously approved by the Aviragen Board of Directors. In reiterating its support for and recommending that Aviragen stockholders vote in favor of the proposed merger with Vaxart at the special meeting of stockholders on February 6, 2018, the Company notes that: The transaction maximizes the value of Aviragen: Based on the valuations of a selected set of publicly traded vaccine companies, Vaxart’s estimated potential valuation prior to the merger is approximately $158 million. Based on the ownership structure in the transaction, this would imply a value of the combined company at $264 million, with the potential value of Aviragen in the merger being $106 million, a significant improvement in value compared to Aviragen’s current market capitalization of approximately $23 million i . Aviragen stockholders will have the opportunity to participate in the significant upside potential of the merger: The combined company will be focused on developing Vaxart’s oral recombinant vaccines and Aviragen’s direct-acting antivirals to treat infections that have limited therapeutic options. Vaxart’s oral tablet vaccines have the potential to become major products in the worldwide vaccine market. In a head-to-head comparison with a leading injectable influenza vaccine, Vaxart’s oral tablet vaccine delivered clinical proof of efficacy and an excellent safety profile that significantly de-risks the platform. Further, the combined company will be well-financed to achieve value creating milestones that include efficacy data from Aviragen’s BTA074 HPV Phase 2 data, Vaxart’s Phase 2 norovirus vaccine data, and the filing of additional INDs for new programs. Together, Aviragen and Vaxart will be poised to create meaningful value for stockholders in the near- and long-term. Aviragen’s Board conducted a thorough process that included an extensive review of strategic alternatives: The Company’s Board formed an independent transactions committee that evaluated a number of options, including a business combination or strategic merger, in-licensing clinical stage programs, acquisitions, liquidation or other transactions that would complement Aviragen’s current assets. Ultimately the Board – at the recommendation of the transactions committee – accepted Vaxart’s offer as Aviragen’s directors unanimously agreed that it was in the best interest of the Company’s stockholders. Aviragen notes that, compared to other unrealistic estimates that have been previously assumed by others, the realistic liquidation value of the Company was estimated at only $22.4 million – or $0.58 per share – as of October 31, 2017. More importantly, in a liquidation, there can be no assurances as to the actual amount or timing of available cash left to distribute to stockholders after paying debts, other obligations and setting aside funds for reserves. EACH VOTE IS IMPORTANT – PLEASE VOTE FOR THE PROPOSED MERGER WITH VAXART TODAY Each vote is extremely important, no matter how many or how few shares are owned. The affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the shares of Aviragen common stock properly cast at the Aviragen special meeting, presuming a quorum is present, is required to approve the proposed merger. Aviragen shareholders of record at the close of business on January 2, 2018 are entitled to vote at the special meeting. Please take a moment to vote FOR the proposals necessary to approve the proposed merger today – by telephone, by Internet or by signing, dating and returning the proxy received with the proxy statement. Stockholders who have any questions or need assistance voting their shares should contact Aviragen’s proxy solicitor, D.F. King & Co., Inc., toll-free at (800)-967-5074. Updated Investor Presentation Filed with SEC and Posted to Aviragen’s Website Aviragen has filed an updated investor presentation with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) in order to provide all stockholders with additional information associated with the proposed merger with Vaxart. The presentation is available on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and the investor relations section of the Company’s website at www.aviragentherapeutics.com . Advisors Stifel, Nicolaus & Company, Incorporated is acting as financial advisor to Aviragen, and Dechert LLP is serving as legal counsel to Aviragen. Cooley LLP is serving as legal counsel to Vaxart. About Aviragen Therapeutics Aviragen Therapeutics is focused on the discovery and development of the next generation of direct-acting antivirals to treat infections that have limited therapeutic options and affect a significant number of patients globally. It has three Phase 2 clinical stage compounds: BTA074 (teslexivir), an antiviral treatment for condyloma caused by human papillomavirus types 6 and 11; vapendavir, a capsid inhibitor for the prevention or treatment of rhinovirus (RV) upper respiratory infections; and BTA585 (enzaplatovir), a fusion protein inhibitor in development for the treatment of respiratory syncytial virus infections. Aviragen also receives royalties from marketed influenza products, Relenza® and Inavir®. For additional information, please visit www.aviragentherapeutics.com . Aviragen Therapeutics® is a registered trademark. Relenza® is a registered trademark of GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals, Ltd., and Inavir® is a registered trademark of Daiichi Sankyo Company, Ltd. About Vaxart Vaxart is a clinical-stage company developing a range of oral recombinant vaccines based on its proprietary delivery platform. Vaxart vaccines are administered using convenient room temperature-stable tablets that can be stored and shipped without refrigeration and eliminate risk of needle-stick injury. Its development programs are oral tablet vaccines designed to protect against norovirus, seasonal influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), as well as a therapeutic vaccine for human papillomavirus (HPV), Vaxart's first immuno-oncology indication. For more information, please visit www.vaxart.com . Forward Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements about Aviragen Therapeutics, Inc. and Vaxart Inc., and their respective businesses, business prospects, strategy and plans, including but not limited to statements regarding the estimated value of the combined company; anticipated preclinical and clinical drug development activities, timelines and market opportunities; the combined company being well-funded to advance its programs; and the combined company’s ability to generate near and long term value for stockholders. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release are forward looking statements. The words “anticipates,” “may,” “can,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “projects,” “intends,” “likely,” “will,” “should,” “to be,” and any similar expressions or other words of similar meaning are intended to identify those assertions as forward looking statements. These forwa

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/11/globe-newswire-aviragen-board-of-directors-unanimously-recommends-that-stockholders-vote-for-the-proposed-merger-with-vaxart.html

Mediterranean diet may reduce risk of frailty in old age

(Reuters Health) - The more “Mediterranean” older adults’ diets are, the less likely they are to become frail over time, suggests an analysis of existing research. The study team analyzed data on nearly 6,000 older adults who were part of four studies - three of them done in countries that actually border the Mediterranean Sea and one in Asia. No matter where they lived, people whose diets most closely followed Mediterranean diet principles were less than half as likely as those with the least-Mediterranean diets to become frail as they aged. “The world population is aging with increasing numbers of people living to their 80s and beyond, and there is a lot of attention on how people can stay healthy and independent as they age,” the study’s senior author told Reuters Health in an email. “Some people with accumulating health conditions and aging can become frail – that is, experience symptoms like lack of energy, muscle weakness, low appetite/losing weight and feel generally slowed up, and find it difficult to bounce back or recover when they become ill,” said Kate Walters, a researcher at University College London in the UK. This, in turn, is associated with a risk of being admitted to hospital or becoming dependent on others for your care, Walters said. “We have been looking at ways that this can be prevented, including diet and exercise, amongst other things.” There has been “a lot of research on types of exercise (which show this is good for you) but far less on the role of diet - for example, different types of diet such as the Mediterranean diet,” Walters added. The Mediterranean diet is based on traditional food patterns typical of Greece and southern Italy and includes lots of plant-based foods like fresh vegetables, legumes and nuts, as well as fish and seafood. The primary source of fat is usually olive oil, rather than animal fat, and alcohol, usually wine, is included in low to moderate amounts, she and her coauthors write in Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. The researchers reviewed and re-analyzed data from previously published studies conducted in China, France, Italy and Spain. All the studies had scored the participants’ diets according to how closely they adhered to Mediterranean principles, with a score of 6-9 representing the highest adherence and 0-3 representing the lowest. On average, participants were followed for about four years. People whose diets scored 4-5 had 38 percent lower risk of developing frailty during the follow up period compared to those who scored 0-3, while those with a diet score of 6-9 had 56 percent lower risk. The average age of people in these studies was 70s-80s, so the findings suggest that following this diet as an older adult may have beneficial effects in maintaining health and independence, Walters said. The study cannot prove, however, that adhering to a Mediterranean diet is what prevents frailty, she acknowledged. “The four included studies aren’t interventional studies (where people are assigned to eat a Mediterranean diet and some aren‘t); they’re observational studies comparing people who chose on their own to eat a certain way and their risk of frailty,” Dr. Michael Bogaisky of the Department of Medicine (Geriatrics) at Montefiore Health System in New York, who wasn’t involved in the study, said by email. Any differences seen in risk of frailty may be due to other factors associated with being the type of person who eats a Mediterranean diet rather than the diet itself, he noted. “For example, olive oil, fish, nuts, fresh fruits, and vegetables can be expensive. People who can afford these foods may also afford better access to healthcare, and that might explain why they’re more likely to have better outcomes,” Bogaisky said. They may also be more educated or health conscious and thus more likely to eat healthier foods and more likely to exercise, all of which can influence their risk for becoming frail outside of what foods they eat, he added. Nonetheless, he thinks it’s an “interesting finding” and that there’s strong evidence supporting eating a Mediterranean diet to prevent cardiovascular disease. “Preventing frailty may be another reason to eat this kind of a diet,” he said. SOURCE: bit.ly/2DJnxyF Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, online January 11, 2018.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-frailty-mediterranean-diet/mediterranean-diet-may-reduce-risk-of-frailty-in-old-age-idUSKBN1FJ329

Wal-Mart may have to unload stake in Brazilian unit at discount

SAO PAULO/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc ( WMT.N ) is looking to sell part of its operations in Brazil, where it has struggled for a decade, yet missteps by the U.S. retail giant have narrowed the field of potential buyers and could lower the value of any deal. The world’s largest retailer is shopping a major stake in its Walmart Brasil Ltda unit to buyout firms with Latin American experience, two people with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Sunday. Wal-Mart’s operating losses in Brazil, which began in 2009, will likely attract investors with turnaround plans and modest valuations in mind, according to one of the sources, who spoke anonymously due to the sensitivity of the talks. The company reported almost 30 billion reais ($9.4 billion) of Brazilian revenue from about 500 stores in 2016, but poorly integrated acquisitions, labor disputes and headwinds from Brazil's economic downturn have hurt its bottom line. ( reut.rs/2DWNOtp ) Making matters worse, some stores Wal-Mart opened during Brazil’s economic boom a decade ago are poorly located and have little appeal to rivals. Several retailers passed up the chance last year to make an offer on them, the same source said. To lure buyers with the prospect of robust online growth, Wal-Mart combined its local e-commerce unit with its Brazilian brick-and-mortar operations in December, according to two people with knowledge of the Bentonville, Arkansas-based retailer’s plans. The company declined to comment on the talks with buyout firms or its problems in the Brazilian market. Investors were largely unsurprised by reports of Wal-Mart shopping a stake in the Brazilian unit. Wal-Mart Chief Executive Officer Doug McMillon announced in 2016 that he was planning to review global operations. “If they have decided to pull out of Brazil after being there for as long as they have, they have realized their model is not working,” said Charles Sizemore, founder of Sizemore Capital Management LLC, which owns shares of Wal-Mart. “I can definitely see Wal-Mart making similar decisions about other international businesses going forward,” he added. Wal-Mart shares closed higher on Monday but gave back some of those gains on Tuesday. FOCUSING ELSEWHERE Wal-Mart’s struggles in Brazil are a far cry from its performance in Mexico, the company’s largest market outside the United States. Wal-Mart de Mexico SA de CV ( WALMEX.MX ) is Mexico’s No. 1 retailer. That success is due to Wal-Mart’s decision to partner with Mexican retailer Cifra to launch the operation in the 1990s as well as help from local executives who have kept it attuned to the market, according to Carlos Bernal, an analyst with brokerage Actinver in Mexico. In contrast, Wal-Mart struggled to gain traction from the $1 billion it spent in 2004-2005 on a patchwork of acquisitions in northeast and southern Brazil, two regions with stark economic, geographic and cultural differences. Poor real estate investment decisions, incompatible computer systems and unforeseen tax and labor costs added to the difficulties integrating the disparate network of stores, dragging on the Brazilian unit’s earnings for years. Analysts and former executives in Brazil said one of Wal-Mart’s biggest setbacks in Brazil was losing a bidding match for cash-and-carry wholesaler Atacadão to rival Carrefour SA ( CARR.PA ), which paid $1.1 billion for it in 2007. Atacadão and rival Assaí, which was acquired in the same year by French retailer Casino’s ( CASP.PA ) subsidiary GPA ( PCAR4.SA ), went on to dominate the booming cash-and-carry segment, delivering profits even during the country’s recent recession. Wal-Mart’s entry into the segment was largely a flop. Wal-Mart now looks ready to focus elsewhere while retaining what may be a more passive interest in Brazil, said one of the sources familiar with the conversations between the company and private equity firms. The source added that the details of a partnership have not been clearly established. “They still want to retain a stake there so they can be around and not take attention away from what they must focus on,” said Jack Ablin, chief investment officer at BMO Private Bank in Chicago. “This does fit into the strategy that Doug McMillon laid out a couple of years ago. Wal-Mart is focusing more domestically where they have a dominant share.” One of the funds that Wal-Mart has spoken to, according to one source, is Acon Investments LLC, which bought regional Brazilian retailer GBarbosa in 2005 and resold it two years later to Chile’s Cencosud SA CEN.SN. Another is Advent International Corp, which invested in Brazilian apparel retailer Restoque Comercio e Confeccoes de Roupas SA ( LLIS3.SA ) and home improvement chain Quero Quero. A third, GP Investments Ltd GPIV11.LU, has a stake in sporting goods retailer Lojas Centauro, which recently filed for a Brazilian initial public offering. Reporting by Tatiana Bautzer and Nandita Bose; Additional reporting by Daina Beth Solomon in Mexico City; Writing and additional reporting by Brad Haynes; Editing by Daniel Flynn and Paul Simao

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-walmart-brazil-m-a/wal-mart-may-have-to-unload-stake-in-brazilian-unit-at-discount-idUSKBN1FC222

Big Bash League Standings

January 17, 2018 / 11:53 AM / Updated 26 minutes ago Big Bash League Standings Reuters Staff 1 Min Read Jan 17 (OPTA) - Standings of the Big Bash League on Wednesday P W L T Ded RR PTS Adelaide Strikers 8 6 2 0 0 .886 12 Perth Scorchers 8 6 2 0 0 .103 12 Hobart Hurricanes 8 5 3 0 0 -.269 10 Melbourne Renegades 7 4 3 0 0 .345 8 Brisbane Heat 8 4 4 0 0 .167 8 Sydney Thunder 8 3 5 0 0 -.200 6 Sydney Sixers 8 2 6 0 0 -.233 4 Melbourne Stars 7 1 6 0 0 -.917 2 Note: Ded-Deductions; RR-Net Run Rate

https://uk.reuters.com/article/cricket-australia-standings/big-bash-league-standings-idUKMTZXEE1HP7KO8A

British PM May says honored by French loan of Bayeux Tapestry

12 PM / Updated 17 minutes ago British PM May says honored by French loan of Bayeux Tapestry SANDHURST, England (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Thursday she was honored that France will lend Britain the Bayeux Tapestry, an 11th century treasure that tells the story of William the Conqueror’s invasion of England in 1066. “Our shared history is reflected in the loan of the Bayeux Tapestry to the UK in 2022, the first time it will be on British soil in more than 900 years,” May said in a statement as she welcomed French President Emmanuel Macron on a visit to Britain. “I am honored at the loan of such a precious piece of our shared history which yet again underscores the closeness of the UK-France relationship,” May said. The loan would be part of a wider cultural exchange between Britain and France over the next four years, she said. Slideshow (4 Images) The 70-metre long work, the precise origins of which are obscure and which has not left France in its nearly 950-year known history, is currently on display in the town of Bayeux, in the northwestern French region of Normandy. Macron told reporters that the France and Britain were now fighting wars together, a reference to cooperation between the two former European adversaries against armed Islamist movements including in countries Mali. “We are in a way making a new tapestry together,” he said. A French official said on Wednesday the loan would not take place immediately because work needed to be done on the tapestry to ensure it was safe to move it. Writing by William Schomberg; editing by Guy Faulconbridge

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-france-tapestry/british-pm-may-says-honored-by-french-loan-of-bayeux-tapestry-idUSKBN1F72SJ

Ash-spewing volcano in Papua New Guinea forces villagers to flee

SYDNEY (Reuters) - A remote island volcano in Papua New Guinea has begun spewing ash into the air, forcing the evacuation of more than 500 residents, media and non-profit groups have said. Kadovar Island, a 365-metre (1,197-ft) -tall volcano on the north coast of PNG, was thought to be dormant until it began erupting on January 5. “It’s just a continuous emission of volcanic ash at the moment,” Cheyne O’Brien, a forecaster at the Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre, told Reuters by telephone on Sunday. The ash clouds have been thrown up steadily to a height of 2,133 meters (7,000 feet), forming a plume that is travelling west-northwest, he added. The plume does not yet pose a hazard to aviation, but a change in wind direction could hit operations at PNG’s Wewak airport, O‘Brien said. All residents of the island have been evacuated with no loss of life, U.S.-based charity Samaritan Aviation, which operates seaplanes to remote areas of PNG, said on Facebook. “We do not have any details yet as to where all of the families have gone and hope to have further information in the near future,” the non-profit added. Reuters could not immediately reach authorities in Papua New Guinea by telephone for comment. The population of the island ranges from at least 500 to more than 600, media have estimated. The eruption may become explosive, bringing a risk of tsunamis and landslides, domestic online media Loop PNG Quote: d the Rabaul Volcanological Observatory as saying. There are no confirmed records of a previous eruption of Kadovar, said Chris Firth, a vulcanologist at Macquarie University, but scientists speculate it could have been one of two “burning islands” mentioned in the journals of a 17th-century English pirate and maritime adventurer, William Dampier. Dampier may have recorded the last eruption of Kadovar during a voyage in search of “Terra Australis”, the southern continent once thought to be mythical, Firth said. Vulcanologists are interested to observe its behaviour now, Firth added. “It’s hard to predict what might happen, as there’s nothing to compare it to.” Reporting by Alison Bevege; Editing by Clarence Fernandez

https://in.reuters.com/article/papua-new-guinea-volcano/ash-spewing-volcano-in-papua-new-guinea-forces-villagers-to-flee-idINKBN1EW05H

Tennis - Volatile times ahead as slams plan return to 16 seeds

January 24, 2018 / 8:31 AM / Updated 3 hours ago Tennis - Volatile times ahead as slams plan return to 16 seeds Simon cambers 4 Min Read MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Roger Federer took on Tomas Berdych in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open on Wednesday, a blockbuster clash at the business end of a grand slam event. But from 2019, under plans to reduce the number of seeds from 32 back to 16 at the four major tournaments, the match could happen in the first or second round instead. In June 2001, Wimbledon instigated the change to 32, having been spooked the previous year when a number of players, angry at being bumped from the seedings in favour of grass-court specialists, boycotted the championships. Since then, the top players have often cruised through the opening rounds, especially in the men’s draw, with the number of early shocks significantly lower than before the change. It is a change that has divided players but Federer gave it his tentative support when the plans were first announced last November. ”Having 16 seeds, that might be interesting,“ Federer said during the ATP Finals in London. ”The draw could be more volatile, better matches in the first week. “The top guys have made a habit of not cruising but getting through the first week quite comfortably for a long period of time. Playing against the numbers 17, 19 or 20 in the world is not something I really want to do, but it is what it is.” Statistically, the change reduced the number of defeats for top-16 seeds in the first two rounds at grand slams, but only really in the men’s draw. At the Australian Open, the average number of top-16 seeds losing in either round one or two averaged 7.2 in the five years before the change, falling to 3.63 between then and 2017. At the French Open, the average went from six to four; at Wimbledon, it fell from 6.5 to 4.65 and at the U.S. Open, it dropped from 6.25 to 4.11. In the women’s draw, in three of the four grand slams, the early exits even went up, marginally. At a time when players are talking about receiving a greater share of tournament revenue through increased prize money, the change should allow more players a better chance to earn more by getting further in the grand slams. Some players, though, are not so sure. “I don’t see much the benefit, for the grand slams,” sixth seed Marin Cilic said at Melbourne Park. “The draw is huge, and I think that the draw, the seeding should be the same as now.” Madison Keys, seeded 17th, joked that the women’s event did not need any more excitement, not least since 10 of the top-16 seeds went out before the third round this year, compared to only six in the men’s event. “I think the 16 seeds, I don’t understand the point of it,” Keys said. “I guess we need more drama and more upsets. It will be interesting, to say the least.” Some former players, on the other hand, are in favour. “With 16 seeds you have more interesting matches earlier, more fun, more excitement,” 2001 Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic told Reuters. ”You should have to work to win a grand slam. You get some parts of the draw where some guys walk to the quarter-final without losing a set, so with 16 seeds you know you could play a guy ranked 17 in the first round. “I think it’s a rule change that is good.” Paul Annacone, once ranked number 12 and a former coach of Pete Sampras, Tim Henman and then Federer, sees it from both sides. “My position as a fan is I’d like to see 16 seeds, but if I put my coach’s hat on, or players’ hat on, I get why they don’t want it,” Annacone told Reuters. ”One year I had to play (John) McEnroe first round of the U.S. Open and I was one of the next few seeded, I think, so ... I understand it, it adds for some excitement, but it also adds for some unnecessary heartbreak too. “In many ways, it would make the beginning potentially more exciting and more dangerous, (so the change is) probably better for the game but not as good for the (top players).”

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-tennis-ausopen-seeds/tennis-volatile-times-ahead-as-slams-plan-return-to-16-seeds-idUKKBN1FD0RC

Iran to dominate many Tillerson conversations in Europe next week

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Iran will dominate many of U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s conversations in Europe next week, when he is visiting London, Paris, Warsaw and Davos, Switzerland, a senior U.S. State Department official said on Friday. “Inevitably, Iran will dominate a lot of the conversations that the secretary has with our NATO allies and partners in Europe,” the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told reporters. “We really emphasize close coordination with the British, in particular, and the French in our efforts to close the gaps (in the Iran nuclear deal) and in next steps on how we curtain Iranian malign influence in the (Middle East) region, so I think that will be a very high priority of his conversation.” Reporting By Arshad Mohammed

https://in.reuters.com/article/usa-iran-diplomacy/iran-to-dominate-many-tillerson-conversations-in-europe-next-week-idINKBN1F82A3

CareDx Reports Preliminary Fourth Quarter and FY2017 Financial Results

BRISBANE, Calif., Jan. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CareDx, Inc. (NASDAQ:CDNA), a molecular diagnostics company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of clinically differentiated, high-value diagnostic solutions for transplant patients, today reported preliminary financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2017. Fourth Quarter highlights: AlloSure® commercially launched on October 9, 2017 - As of December 31, 2017, 32 U.S. transplant centers providing AlloSure testing to patients - Preliminary AlloSure testing revenue expected to be $0.5 million, representing 282 test results provided to kidney transplant patients Preliminary fourth quarter total revenue expected to be between $12.3 million and $12.5 million - AlloMap® testing revenue expected to be between $7.9 million and $8.1 million in the quarter, with quarterly test volume increasing 8% year-over-year to 3,840 tests - Product revenue expected to be $3.7 million in the fourth quarter “2017 was a banner year for CareDx. We received Medicare reimbursement for and launched AlloSure, plus the PAMA-related reimbursement increase for our AlloMap test became effective on January 1, 2018,” said Peter Maag, CareDx President and Chief Executive Officer. “We are very pleased with the initial AlloSure interest and traction, with 32 centers offering this high-value diagnostic test to kidney transplant patients across the US as of December 31, 2017. With the AlloSure launch fully underway and our portfolio of core transplantation products delivering steady growth, we believe CareDx is positioned for accelerated growth in 2018 and profitability in the second half of the year.” Preliminary Full Year and Fourth Quarter 2017 Financial Results These financial results for the year and three months ended December 31, 2017 are preliminary and subject to the completion of the audit of the Company’s financial statements as of, and for the year ended, December 31, 2017, and will be updated with the filing of the upcoming annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017. Revenue for the three months ended December 31, 2017 is expected to be between $12.3 million and $12.5 million, an increase of 13%-15% compared with $10.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2016. Testing revenue for the quarter is expected to be $8.4 million to $8.6 million compared with $7.4 million in the same period in 2016. Product revenue in the three months ended December 31, 2017 is expected to be $3.7 million, compared to $3.5 million in the same period of 2016. Revenue for the full year ended December 31, 2017 is expected to be between $48.1 million and $48.3 million, an increase of 18%-19% compared with $40.6 million in 2016. Testing revenue for the year ended December 31, 2017 is expected to be $32.9 million to $33.1 million compared with $29.7 million in 2016. Product revenue for the full year 2017 is expected to be $14.6 million, compared with $10.7 million in 2016. Preliminary total cash was $26.5 million as of December 31, 2017, which consisted of cash and cash equivalents of $16.9 million and restricted cash of $9.6 million. The change in cash and cash equivalents from $6.0 as of September 30, 2017, is due to approximately $19 million net cash received from a public offering of common stock and exercises of common stock warrants and options, approximately $6 million net cash used to repay debt, bank overdraft and deferred purchase obligations, and approximately $2 million net cash used in operating activities. CareDx will report full fourth quarter and full-year 2017 financial results and provide financial guidance on its March 2018 earnings call. About CareDx CareDx, Inc., headquartered in Brisbane, California, is a molecular diagnostics company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of clinically differentiated, high-value diagnostic solutions for transplant recipients. CareDx offers products across the transplant testing continuum, including AlloMap and AlloSure for post-transplant surveillance and Olerup SSP®, Olerup QTYPE®, and Olerup SBT™ for pre-transplant HLA testing. For more information, please visit: www.CareDx.com . Forward Looking Statements This press release includes forward-looking statements, including expectations regarding the Company’s fourth quarter and full-year fiscal 2017 revenue, testing revenue and product revenue, prospects and drive toward future profitability. These forward-looking statements are based upon information that is currently available to CareDx and its current expectations, speak only as of the date hereof, and are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, including completion of the audit of the Company’s financial statements as of, and for the year ended, December 31, 2017, general economic and market factors, among others discussed in CareDx’s filings with the SEC, including the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016 filed by CareDx with the SEC on April 21, 2017 and the periodic reports that CareDx has subsequently filed with the SEC. Any of these may cause CareDx’s actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially and adversely from those anticipated or implied by CareDx’s forward-looking statements. CareDx expressly disclaims any obligation, except as required by law, or undertaking to update or revise any such forward-looking statements. CONTACTS: CareDx, Inc. Sasha King Chief Commercial Officer 415-287-2393 sking@caredx.com Investor Relations David Clair Integrated Corporate Relations, Inc. 646-277-1266 david.clair@icrinc.com Source:CareDx, Inc.

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/08/globe-newswire-caredx-reports-preliminary-fourth-quarter-and-fy2017-financial-results.html

Biogen posts fourth-quarter loss on income tax charge

Jan 25 (Reuters) - U.S. drugmaker Biogen Inc reported a quarterly loss compared with a year-ago profit on Thursday due to a hefty income tax charge for recent changes to the U.S. tax code. The company paid $1.57 billion in income tax in the quarter. Net loss attributable to Biogen was $297.4 million, or $1.40 per share, in the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31. The company had a profit of $649.2 million, or $2.99 per share, a year earlier. Total revenue rose to $3.31 billion from $2.87 billion. Reporting by Tamara Mathias in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur

https://www.reuters.com/article/biogen-results/biogen-posts-fourth-quarter-loss-on-income-tax-charge-idUSL4N1PK44D

A sampling of tracking technologies for traditional stores

Brick-and-mortar retailers are using different tracking technologies to better understand their customers and keep up with e-commerce giant Amazon. Here is a sampling of the different tracking methods available to stores: FLOOR SENSORS Paper-thin tiles developed by Milwaukee-based Scanalytics measure foot compressions to analyze people's movements over time so stores know what products displays draw customers' attention and for how long. That allows businesses to study what sells, know when to schedule staff for busy times, and what store layout is most effective. The technology might still be too pricey for smaller retailers, however. INTELLIGENT VIDEO CAMERAS Companies such as Toronto-based Vendlytics and San Francisco-based Prism use artificial intelligence with video cameras to analyze body motions. That can allow stores to deliver customized coupons to shoppers in real-time on a digital shelf or on their cellphones on an app. MOTION SENSORS Sunglass Hut and fragrance maker Jo Malone are using laser and motion sensors from Perch Interactive to tell when a product is picked up but not bought. The technology can also make recommendations for similar items on an interactive display. WI-FI BEACONS Wi-Fi beacons can track customer movements — as long as they connect to the store's internet. Because not everyone opts in, stores have a smaller sample size to analyze. Another drawback is that it's not possible to tell whether a customer is inches or feet from a product.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/15/the-associated-press-a-sampling-of-tracking-technologies-for-traditional-stores.html

Noble Group nets less than expected from oil unit sale to Vitol

LONDON (Reuters) - Struggling commodities trader Noble Group has completed the sale of its U.S.-focused oil business to the world’s largest oil trader Vitol, but net proceeds from the deal are lower than a previously announced estimate, the company said on Monday. In a statement, Noble Group said net proceeds from the sale of Noble Americas Corp (NAC) to Vitol were expected to be about $400 million. In October, Hong-Kong based Noble said gross proceeds from the deal would be about $1.42 billion and it expected to make about $580 million after repaying loans. Noble said the lower return on the sale that closed on Jan. 12 was “primarily due to operating losses of NAC from Oct. 1 2017 to the closing date.” The Singapore-listed company, which had a market capitalization of $6 billion in early February 2015, was plunged into crisis after a report by blogger Iceberg Research later that month questioning its accounting. Noble stood by its accounts and rejected the report’s allegations but coupled with a major commodities downturn, the firm was unable to recover investor confidence. Its market value has shrunk to around $200 million as it has progressively sold off large parts of its business to stay afloat. Noble also sold U.S. gas and power business to Mercuria for less than previously announced - $168 million compared with $250 million. Paul Brough, a restructuring specialist who oversaw part of the liquidation of Lehman Brothers, was appointed chairman last year and said he was taking steps to avoid insolvency. The company has also been closing what remains of its global oil trading business, returning to its roots as an Asian hard commodities trader. Noble said it had generated about $525 million in net proceeds after the sales to Mercuria and Vitol as well as monetizing what was left of its oil business within UK incorporated Noble Clean Fuels Ltd. On top of the approximately $400 million from the Vitol deal, the trader said it had “generated over $100 million of cash proceeds” from the wind down of working capital balances in NCFL, which was largely concluded in December 2017. Included in the total was $20 million released from escrow to the group from the deal with Mercuria. Reporting by Julia Payne; Editing by Mark Potter

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-noble-grp-vitol-oil/noble-group-nets-less-than-expected-from-oil-unit-sale-to-vitol-idUSKBN1F419E

Eastbridge Consulting Group announces promotions effective January 1, 2018

AVON, Conn., Jan. 03, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gil Lowerre, president of Eastbridge, announces that Nick Rockwell has been promoted to Vice President effective the first of the year. Nick came to Eastbridge at the beginning of 2016 with over 14 years of experience in sales, distribution and marketing strategy development, management, training and business leadership. Immediately prior to joining Eastbridge, Nick brought LifeLock into the voluntary benefits market. At Eastbridge, Nick has been involved in managing and delivering consulting projects for more than two years. He also leads the company’s involvement in working with new forms of voluntary benefits and on distribution-related product development. Nick has developed a growing reputation for knowledge and understanding of the voluntary business and is a frequent speaker at industry events and webinars. Also effective January 1 st , Bonnie Brazzell was promoted to Senior Vice President. Bonnie is in her 19 th year with Eastbridge. In addition to handling numerous consulting projects, she manages the company’s research and marketing areas. She is an industry spokesperson, author and presenter on all aspects of the voluntary industry. “Both Nick and Bonnie have been instrumental in our company’s growth and success over the years,” adds Lowerre. “I am confident they will continue to thrive as they take on their new leadership roles at Eastbridge.” Eastbridge Consulting Group, Inc. is a marketing advisory firm serving insurance and financial services organizations in the United States and Canada. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Jennifer Davis (860-676-9633) Source:Eastbridge Consulting Group, Inc.

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/03/globe-newswire-eastbridge-consulting-group-announces-promotions-effective-january-1-2018.html

An allegedly damning memo about the FBI and DoJ is electrifying Republicans—online and in Congress

SHARES Getty Images Special counsel Robert Mueller (2nd L) leaves after a closed meeting with members of the Senate Judiciary Committee June 21, 2017 at the Capitol in Washington, DC. Republicans are clamoring for the public release of a memo detailing alleged abuses of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) related to the special counsel's investigation of potential Russian influence in the 2016 presidential election. "The House must immediately make public the memo prepared by the Intelligence Committee regarding the FBI and the Department of Justice," Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fl., said . "The facts contained in this memo are jaw-dropping and demand full transparency." The rallying cry to "release the memo" has exploded both online and in Congress. The hashtag #releasethememo went viral on Twitter and other social media sites on Thursday, and Republican members of Congress issued statements of alarm about its contents. "I am shocked to read exactly what has taken place. I would think that it would never happen in a country that loves democracy and freedom," Rep. Mark Meadows , R-N.C., said Thursday on the House floor. "It is time that we become transparent in all of this." While still classified to the public, the four-page memo has become an instant fixation online — thanks in part to Russian propaganda accounts, according to a website claiming to track Russian influence in real time. The website Hamilton 68 , named after one of the Federalist papers authored by founding father Alexander Hamilton, claims to track 600 Twitter accounts "linked to Russian influence operations." The site's analytics show activity for #releasethememo increased in frequency among the tracked accounts by 265,100 percent in the last 48 hours. The push from some Republicans follows the release of intelligence-gathering firm Fusion GPS co-founder Glenn Simpson's testimony to the House Intelligence Committee . The prior week, Simpson's testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee was released by Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein . The memo was disclosed for House members following a party line vote within the House Intelligence Committee. It is currently only available to House members in a classified briefing room called the Congressional Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility. President Donald Trump on Friday signed a reauthorization of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, assuring Americans in a tweet that this version of the bill was "NOT the same FISA law that was so wrongly abused during the election."

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/19/republicans-call-house-intel-committee-to-releasethememo-on-fisa-fbi.html