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LoyaltyExpress Acquires Lending Manager

WOBURN, Mass., Jan. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- LoyaltyExpress, a provider of marketing automation and cloud-based CRM solutions for mortgage companies and banks, today announced the acquisition of Lending Manager, a leading point-of-sale and website creator for lenders of all sizes. The acquisition and integration of both companies' technologies will help automate lead flow and associated marketing for all aspects of the loan process. The combined company services 115 lenders with over 15,000 loan officers across all platforms. "The ever-increasing expectation of consumers during the lending process led us to this merger," said Wayne Steagall, Founder of Lending Manager. "We are thrilled to partner with LoyaltyExpress. We look forward extending our solutions backed with the power of the LoyaltyExpress creative and fulfillment teams." "After extensive due diligence and market research, it became immediately apparent that Lending Manager delivers incredibly efficient and automated lead capture systems and attractive corporate and loan officer websites," said Jeff Doyle, Chief Executive Officer of LoyaltyExpress. "Wayne and his team have developed integrations with over 75 CRM, loan origination, lead management, and point-of-sale systems which is a growing requirement of any solution in the mortgage industry. We look forward to integrating CustomerManager with Lending Manager." About LoyaltyExpress LoyaltyExpress simplifies CRM and marketing automation for banks and mortgage companies, including one of the top three retail lenders in the nation. Its flagship solution, CustomerManager, is an enterprise-wide, Software-as-a-Service platform that combines lead management, email and direct mail campaigns with a 360-degree view of each loan officer's customers, partners and prospects. The MarketingCentral service delivers a web-based, sales collateral store powered by custom content creation and integrated print fulfillment. LoyaltyExpress eliminates the need to share sensitive customer data with multiple vendors and has a team of world-class marketing and branding experts with extensive experience in the mortgage industry. LoyaltyExpress is backed by New Capital Partners. For more information, visit www.loyaltyexpress.com . About Lending Manager Lending Manager builds custom corporate and loan officer websites for lenders of all sizes. The Company delivers world-class flexible point-of-sale solutions with over 75 integrations with the leading mortgage technology providers. Lending Manager is based in Newark, Delaware. For more information, visit www.lendingmanager.com . About New Capital Partners New Capital Partners is focused on building great companies by investing in high-growth businesses and partnering with management teams in the healthcare, financial services, and business services industries. New Capital Partners is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama and has an office in Dallas, Texas. For more information, visit www.newcapitalpartners.com . View original content with multimedia: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/loyaltyexpress-acquires-lending-manager-300579100.html SOURCE LoyaltyExpress

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/08/pr-newswire-loyaltyexpress-acquires-lending-manager.html

Career advice: 7 jobs that are incredibly underpaid

We live in a world where not all jobs — or salaries — are created equal. While some jobs are glamorous and come with equally glamorous paychecks, others offer more humble salaries — and some of them just might surprise you. According to a recent article on Glassdoor.com , the average American worker is underpaid by approximately $7,500 — this translates to salaries that are roughly 13 percent less than their potential market values. This is attributable to a variety of factors, from job market conditions and supply vs. demand of available talent to the tendency of some new employees to not negotiate for higher salaries when starting new jobs. More from TheJobNetwork: 5 ways to help your teen's career path 7 leaders share their best insights about work-life balance How to keep Your New Year's resolutions Let's take a closer look at seven jobs that are incredibly underpaid, often despite having very important responsibilities. 1. Medical assistant Medical assistants work directly under the guidance of doctors and nurses, and have a host of important responsibilities including maintaining medical records, prepping patients for exams, and administering medications. That said, they don't typically command large salaries. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean average wage for medical assistants is $32,850. show chapters Here are the highest paying jobs with the fastest growth 8:14 AM ET Tue, 23 May 2017 | 00:54 2. Web developer If you're looking to break into the web developer profession, you may find a wealth of opportunities across industries, and even across borders as international projects abound. That said, the growing supply of talented web developers both around the United States and abroad has adversely impacted salaries. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean average wage for web developers is $72,150. 3. Social worker Social workers are typically dedicated and qualified individuals who provide important support services to populations in need. Despite being a rewarding and commendable profession, the average social worker is not earning a huge payday. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean average wage for social workers is approximately $59,410. 4. Licensed practical nurse (LPN) Nurses are incredibly important professionals who handle a wide array of critical tasks in a variety of healthcare settings, and are essential personnel for handling patient needs. That said, they typically make far less than their colleagues who are doctors or registered nurses (RNs). According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean average wage for LPNs is $44,840. 5. Pharmacy technician When you're purchasing prescription medications at your local pharmacy, you're likely to encounter a pharmacy tech at the front lines. These workers mix, measure, count out, and label medications as well as interact directly with customers. However, pharmacy techs don't command the same salaries as the pharmacists they work beside. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean average wage for pharmacy techs is $32,170. 6. Veterinary technician When your pet needs a checkup or isn't feeling well, you can count on a vet tech to help you out when you first arrive at the veterinarian's office. They're responsible for a host of things that help keep veterinarian practices running smoothly, including performing medical tests, preparing serums and vaccines, taking and preparing samples, and maintaining charts and medical equipment. Vet techs likely aren't in the field to get rich quick; the mean average wage according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics is $33,870. show chapters Highest-paying jobs for women 12:33 PM ET Wed, 2 Nov 2016 | 00:50 7. Emergency medical technician (EMT) Few can argue about the importance of EMTs — when an accident or medical emergency occurs, they are often the first on the scene, and assess injuries, administer aid, and transport individuals to hospitals and medical facilities. Despite their incredible importance in saving lives, they just don't command big salaries. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean average wage for EMTs is $36,110. As you can see, not all employees are compensated equally. The seven jobs listed here may offer professional fulfillment and satisfaction, depending on one's job-related goals, but they will probably not set you on a road to riches. If you're on the hunt for a new job and salary is a big factor for you, use this information to help guide you towards — and away — from certain positions. Like this story? Like CNBC Make It on Facebook ! Don't miss: The top 10 highest-paying jobs in America right now This article originally appeared on TheJobNetwork. show chapters These are the best and worst paying jobs in America ranked by state 1:48 PM ET Fri, 2 June 2017 | 01:00

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/05/career-advice-7-jobs-that-are-incredibly-underpaid.html

Baxter to import IV saline bags from Mexico to ease U.S. shortage

(This version of the Jan. 24 story corrects the number of Baxter plants in Puerto Rico making small IV bags to two from three in paragraph five) By Julie Steenhuysen CHICAGO (Reuters) - Baxter International informed customers on Wednesday that it has been given approval by U.S. regulators to import large saline bags from its plant in Mexico in an effort to ease hospital shortages of the product as the nation faces a severe flu season. Supply issues related to Baxter’s small-volume saline bags - which are produced in the U.S. market in Puerto Rico - have begun to ease as production there improves, Scott Luce, general manager of Baxter’s U.S. Hospital products division, wrote in a letter addressed to customers and seen by Reuters. Drugmakers including Baxter have been scrambling to meet demand for essential hospital products including IV saline and smaller IV bags, which have been disrupted by prolonged power outages in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria pummeled the Caribbean island on Sept. 20. “Overall, we are making progress on product supply,” Luce wrote. Both of Baxter’s two plants in Puerto Rico that make small IV bags - used to mix and deliver a host of medicines to hospital patients - are now connected to the commercial electric grid, the company said. The company has maintained diesel generators to handle intermittent power outages and has installed backup satellite communications to support plant operations. Baxter only makes the smaller volume IV products in Puerto Rico; it manufactures larger IV bags elsewhere in the United States. Shortages of the smaller bags in the wake of the hurricane caused many hospital pharmacists to turn to larger IV bags to deliver medications. Now, with the United States in the throes of one of the worst flu seasons in several years, demand for the larger volume bags - used to hydrate flu patients - has increased dramatically. “We’ve been producing as much as we can, but we’re not the only one in the market,” said Baxter spokesman William Rader. The market for the larger bags had been constrained even before the hurricane. In August, B. Braun Medical warned customers that production interruptions had caused decreases in supply of the company’s small- and large-volume products. In a statement issued earlier this month, U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said the agency had given B. Braun and Baxter temporary approval to import products from some of their overseas operations, including allowing Baxter to import product from Brazil. At that time, Gottlieb said he believed the IV fluid shortage would improve shortly. The FDA has also been working with companies to extend expiration dates on products, when it can be done safely. It recently approved two additional companies - Fresenius Kabi, a unit of Germany’s Fresenius, and Spain’s Laboratorios Grifols - to supply saline to the U.S. market. In its letter to customers, Baxter said the FDA has now granted it permanent approval to bring larger IV bags manufactured in Mexico into the U.S. market. “The news is very good,” said Christi Guess, senior director of contract services for Vizient, which negotiates with medical companies on behalf of its member hospitals. She said with the addition of the products from the Mexico plant, Baxter is now up to 100 percent allocation for most saline products, which means clients can order 100 percent of what they have historically ordered in the past, but no more. Erin Fox, who tracks nationwide drug shortages and heads the University of Utah health system’s drug information and support services, said saline supply issues remain. “We’re not even close to getting what we used to,” she said. Hospital pharmacists have turned to a number of workarounds to address the shortages. For example, hospitals have used syringes to deliver some medications but that has resulted in shortages of syringes, Fox said. “It’s a house of cards,” Fox said. “Each solution you come up with has resulted in some kind of a roadblock.” Reporting by Julie Steenhuysen; Editing by Cynthia Osterman, Leslie Adler and Frances Kerry

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-baxter-intl-saline/baxter-to-import-iv-saline-bags-from-mexico-to-ease-u-s-shortage-idUSKBN1FD36W

Qatar National Bank's loan growth seen slipping to 7-9 pct in 2018 -analysts

DUBAI, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Qatar National Bank’s (QNB) loan growth is expected to fall back to between 7 and 9 percent in 2018, analysts said after an investor relations conference call with executives of the Middle East’s largest lender. The analysts speculated that the drop in lending growth, from around 12 percent in 2017, would likely be because of a fall in state spending on new projects in the Gulf state. QNB is the top lender to the public sector and has for years benefitted from government spending on infrastructure, including preparations for the soccer World Cup in 2022. QNB estimates around $177.4 billion of projects will be delivered across oil and gas, transport and construction between 2018 and 2028. But the government is projected to grow total spending only slightly in 2018, it announced in its budget plan last month. QNB, which earlier this week announced 6 percent growth in annual profit, is forecasting profit growth of between 6 and 7 percent in 2018, the analysts said after the call. A QNB spokesman declined to comment, saying information discussed on the call was not for media circulation. Qatar’s economy has largely recovered from a boycott imposed by other Arab states in June 2017 and is again growing at one of the fastest rates in the region. But the small size of the domestic economy means Qatari companies have increasingly been looking at expanding their footprints abroad. QNB, the largest lender in the Middle East and Africa by assets, in 2016 completed the takeover of Turkey’s Finansbank and also owns a business in Egypt and a 23.5 percent stake in pan-African lender Ecobank International. The bank will not change its growth strategy and will continue to assess opportunities as they arise, the analysts said, citing the executives. The bank’s board recommended a cash dividend of 6 riyals per share for 2017, up from the proposal for the previous year of 3.5 riyals per share plus a bonus share dividend which would award one free share for every 10 shares currently owned. The reason for the dividend hike was to reward investors who stayed with the bank after the boycott, the analysts said. (Additional reporting by Saeed Azhar; Editing by Andrew Torchia)

https://www.reuters.com/article/qatar-natl-bank-outlook/qatar-national-banks-loan-growth-seen-slipping-to-7-9-pct-in-2018-analysts-idUSL8N1PD1Y7

NordLB confirms to keep Deutsche Hypo

BERLIN, Jan 18 (Reuters) - German state-backed lender NordLB and its owners have decided not to sell property lender Deutsche Hypothekenbank after all, a spokesman for NordLB said on Thursday, confirming a Reuters report. “Analysis has shown that the future earnings potential of Deutsche Hypo is still high and stable, so the long-term benefits of keeping it outweigh the short-term advantages of a sale for the capital ratio,” the spokesman said. For months, NordLB had been weighing a possible sale as it sought to repair its balance sheet following heavy writedowns related to its exposure to bad shipping loans. A person familiar with the matter had told Reuters on Friday that NordLB decided in the end to hold on to the unit as it promises regular profits. (Reporting by Klaus Lauer; Writing by Maria Sheahan; Editing by Ludwig Burger)

https://www.reuters.com/article/nordlb-deutsche-hypo/nordlb-confirms-to-keep-deutsche-hypo-idUSF9N1OE00V

Friends of detained Reuters reporter pray for his release

January 7, 2018 / 4:29 PM / Updated 5 hours ago Friends of detained Reuters reporter pray for his release Reuters Staff 2 Min Read YANGON (Reuters) - Friends of Reuters reporter Wa Lone gathered on Sunday at one of the main Buddhist pagodas in Myanmar’s commercial capital Yangon to pray for his release from prison, where he has been held with a colleague on suspicion of violating the Official Secrets Act. FILE PHOTO: Reuters journalists Wa Lone (L) and Kyaw Soe Oo, who are based in Myanmar, pose for a picture at the Reuters office in Yangon, Myanmar December 11, 2017. REUTERS/Antoni Slodkowski/File Photo Journalists Wa Lone, 31, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 27, were detained on Dec. 12. They had worked on Reuters coverage of a crisis in the western state of Rakhine, where an estimated 655,000 Rohingya Muslims have fled from a fierce military crackdown on militants. The two are due to appear in court on Wednesday. It will be their second appearance in court and the prosecutor could request that charges are filed against them. “We miss him and want him to be free,” said Thant Zin Soe, among a group of about a dozen of Wa Lone’s friends who knelt beneath the Sule Pagoda’s towering golden stupa, hands clasped before then, to chant a special Buddhist mantra. A friend of arrested Reuters journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo lights candles at Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon, Myanmar, January 7, 2018. REUTERS/Stringer “We believe that this mantra will set them free, that’s why we’re reciting it.” In Myanmar, which is still in transition after almost half a century of strict military rule, shows of support for journalists and others who run afoul of the authorities are not common. Slideshow (3 Images) Last week, a government spokesman, when asked about a campaign of support for the two reporters on social media, said people should not undertake such efforts while a case was being heard in court. Thant Zin Soe said he did not want to comment on the circumstances of the reporters’ arrest, except to say: ”It’s not a good thing to hear that a reporter got arrested when he was doing his job. “We’re marching towards democracy, it’s not a good thing for the democratisation process.” Reporting by Reuters Television; Writing by Robert Birsel; Editing by Alex Richardson

https://in.reuters.com/article/myanmar-journalists/friends-of-detained-reuters-reporter-pray-for-his-release-idINKBN1EW0OX

Western Digital Announces Financial Results for Second Fiscal Quarter 2018

Achieves Record Quarterly Revenue of $5.3 Billion SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Western Digital Corp. (NASDAQ: WDC) today reported record revenue of $5.3 billion for its second fiscal quarter ended Dec. 29, 2017. Operating income was $955 million with a net loss of $823 million, or ($2.78) per share. The GAAP net loss for the period includes a provisional net tax charge of $1.6 billion primarily due to the repatriation tax as a result of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Excluding this charge and after other non-GAAP adjustments, the company achieved record non-GAAP operating income of $1.4 billion and non-GAAP net income of $1.2 billion, or $3.95 per share. In the year-ago quarter, the company reported revenue of $4.9 billion, operating income of $545 million and net income of $235 million, or $0.80 per share. Non-GAAP operating income in the year-ago quarter was $995 million and non-GAAP net income was $675 million, or $2.30 per share. The company generated approximately $1.2 billion in cash from operations during the second fiscal quarter of 2018, ending with $6.4 billion of total cash, cash equivalents and available-for-sale securities. On Nov. 1, 2017, the company declared a cash dividend of $0.50 per share of its common stock, which was paid to shareholders on Jan. 16, 2018. “We continued our strong financial performance in the December quarter, with nine percent year-over-year revenue growth, driven by each of our major end-market categories and solid execution by our team,” said Steve Milligan, chief executive officer. “We once again generated strong operating cash flow, reflecting continued healthy demand in our end markets, most notably for our capacity enterprise hard drives and flash-based products. “I am very pleased with our technology and product development execution. The deployment of our 64-layer 3D flash technology continued across our product portfolio and we will be ramping our 96-layer technology later this calendar year. We continue to lead the industry with our high-capacity helium HDD platform in 10, 12 and 14 terabyte capacities and we remain on plan to sample our MAMR-based capacity enterprise drives in the second half of calendar 2018. I am also pleased that we resolved our negotiations with our JV partner Toshiba in December and ensured our long-term access to flash.” The investment community conference call to discuss these results, the company’s guidance for the third fiscal quarter 2018 and an accompanying presentation will be webcast live over the Internet today at 2:30 p.m. Pacific/5:30 p.m. Eastern. The live and archived conference call/webcast can be accessed online at investor.wdc.com . Supplemental financial information, including the company’s guidance for the third fiscal quarter and the earnings presentation will also be posted on the same website. The telephone replay number in the U.S. is 1(855) 859-2056 or +1(404) 537-3406 for international callers. The required passcode is 9563377. About Western Digital ® Western Digital creates environments for data to thrive. The company is driving the innovation needed to help customers capture, preserve, access and transform an ever-increasing diversity of data. Everywhere data lives, from advanced data centers to mobile sensors to personal devices, our industry-leading solutions deliver the possibilities of data. Western Digital data-centric solutions are marketed under the G-Technology™, HGST, SanDisk ® , Tegile™, Upthere™ and WD ® brands. Financial and investor information is available on the company's Investor Relations website at investor.wdc.com . Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements concerning the company’s preliminary financial results for its second fiscal quarter ended Dec. 29, 2017; technology and product development; market positioning; product portfolio; growth strategy; market demand for our products; and our long-term access to flash. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. The preliminary financial results for the company’s second fiscal quarter ended Dec. 29, 2017 included in this press release represent the most current information available to management. The company’s actual results when disclosed in its Form 10-Q may differ from these preliminary results as a result of the completion of the company’s financial closing procedures; final adjustments; completion of the review by the company’s independent registered accounting firm and other developments that may arise between now and the disclosure of the final results. Other risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements include: volatility in global economic conditions; uncertainties with respect to the company’s business ventures with Toshiba; business conditions and growth in the storage ecosystem; impact of competitive products and pricing; market acceptance and cost of commodity materials and specialized product components; actions by competitors; unexpected advances in competing technologies; our development and introduction of products based on new technologies and expansion into new data storage markets; risks associated with acquisitions, mergers and joint ventures; difficulties or delays in manufacturing; impacts of new tax legislation; and other risks and uncertainties listed in the company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), including the company’s Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on Nov. 7, 2017, to which your attention is directed. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof, and the company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect new information or events. Western Digital, the Western Digital logo, G-Technology, HGST, SanDisk, Tegile, Upthere and WD are registered trademarks or trademarks of Western Digital Corporation or its affiliates in the US and/or other countries. WESTERN DIGITAL CORPORATION PRELIMINARY CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (in millions; unaudited; on a US GAAP basis) Dec. 29, June 30, 2017 2017 ASSETS Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 6,272 $ 6,354 Short-term investments 23 24 Accounts receivable, net 2,052 1,948 Inventories 2,281 2,341 Other current assets 485 389 Total current assets 11,113 11,056 Property, plant and equipment, net 3,054 3,033 Notes receivable and investments in Flash Ventures 1,845 1,340 Goodwill 10,076 10,014 Other intangible assets, net 3,230 3,823 Other non-current assets 522 594 Total assets $ 29,840 $ 29,860 LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 1,921 $ 2,144 Accounts payable to related parties 250 206 Accrued expenses 1,191 1,069 Accrued compensation 523 506 Accrued warranty 194 186 Current portion of long-term debt 274 233 Total current liabilities 4,353 4,344 Long-term debt 11,777 12,918 Other liabilities 2,438 1,180 Total liabilities 18,568 18,442 Total shareholders' equity 11,272 11,418 Total liabilities and shareholders' equity $ 29,840 $ 29,860 WESTERN DIGITAL CORPORATION PRELIMINARY CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (in millions, except per share amounts; unaudited; on a US GAAP basis) Three Months Ended Six Months Ended Dec. 29, Dec. 30, Dec. 29, Dec. 30, 2017 2016 2017 2016 Revenue, net $ 5,336 $ 4,888 $ 10,517 $ 9,602 Cost of revenue 3,323 3,355 6,591 6,734 Gross profit 2,013 1,533 3,926 2,868 Operating expenses: Research and development 629 585 1,221 1,224 Selling, general and administrative 381 358 745 754 Employee termination, asset impairment and other charges 48 45 100 113 Total operating expenses 1,058 988 2,066 2,091 Operating income 955 545 1,860 777 Interest and other expense, net (181 ) (224 ) (376 ) (727 ) Income before taxes 774 321 1,484 50 Income tax expense 1,597 86 1,626 181 Net income (loss) $ (823 ) $ 235 $ (142 ) $ (131 ) Income (loss) per common share: Basic $ (2.78 ) $ 0.82 $ (0.48 ) $ (0.46 ) Diluted $ (2.78 ) $ 0.80 $ (0.48 ) $ (0.46 ) Weighted average shares outstanding: Basic 296 286 295 285 Diluted 296 294 295 285 WESTERN DIGITAL CORPORATION PRELIMINARY CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (in millions; unaudited; on a US GAAP basis) Three Months Ended Six Months Ended Dec. 29, Dec. 30, Dec. 29, Dec. 30, 2017 2016 2017 2016 Operating Activities Net income (loss) $ (823 ) $ 235 $ (142 ) $ (131 ) Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operations: Depreciation and amortization 535 514 1,068 1,022 Stock-based compensation 99 102 196 201 Deferred income taxes 129 (30 ) 165 117 Loss on disposal of assets 11 6 12 10 Write-off of issuance costs and amortization of debt discounts 13 11 23 258 Other non-cash operating activities, net 5 54 16 60 Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net 1,213 168 977 (37 ) Net cash provided by operating activities 1,182 1,060 2,315 1,500 Investing Activities Purchases of property, plant and equipment, net (251 ) (146 ) (406 ) (329 ) Activity related to Flash Ventures, net (378 ) (43 ) (509 ) (70 ) Acquisitions, net of cash acquired (6 ) - (99 ) - Other 6 75 7 83 Net cash used in investing activities (629 ) (114 ) (1,007 ) (316 ) Financing Activities Employee stock plans, net 73 80 32 106 Proceeds from acquired call option - - - 61 Dividends paid to shareholders (148 ) (142 ) (295 ) (284 ) Settlement of debt hedge contracts 2 - 28 - Proceeds from debt, net of issuance costs 2,958 - 2,958 3,985 Repayment of debt (4,052 ) (12 ) (4,114 ) (8,254 ) Net cash used in financing activities (1,167 ) (74 ) (1,391 ) (4,386 ) Effect of exchange rate changes on cash - (9 ) 1 (9 ) Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents (614 ) 863 (82 ) (3,211 ) Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 6,886 4,077 6,354 8,151 Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 6,272 $ 4,940 $ 6,272 $ 4,940 WESTERN DIGITAL CORPORATION PRELIMINARY RECONCILIATION OF GAAP TO NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES (in millions, except per share amounts; unaudited) Three Months Ended Six Months Ended Dec. 29, Dec. 30, Dec. 29, Dec. 30, 2017 2016 2017 2016 GAAP cost of revenue $ 3,323 $ 3,355 $ 6,591 $ 6,734 Amortization of acquired intangible assets (274 ) (238 ) (553 ) (440 ) Stock-based compensation expense (13 ) (11 ) (26 ) (24 ) Acquisition-related charges - (1 ) - (18 ) Charges related to cost saving initiatives (6 ) (8 ) 7 (38 ) Other - (1 ) - (3 ) Non-GAAP cost of revenue $ 3,030 $ 3,096 $ 6,019 $ 6,211 GAAP gross profit $ 2,013 $ 1,533 $ 3,926 $ 2,868 Amortization of acquired intangible assets 274 238 553 440 Stock-based compensation expense 13 11 26 24 Acquisition-related charges - 1 - 18 Charges related to cost saving initiatives 6 8 (7 ) 38 Other - 1 - 3 Non-GAAP gross profit $ 2,306 $ 1,792 $ 4,498 $ 3,391 GAAP operating expenses $ 1,058 $ 988 $ 2,066 $ 2,091 Amortization of acquired intangible assets (41 ) (39 ) (81 ) (79 ) Stock-based compensation expense (86 ) (85 ) (170 ) (171 ) Employee termination, asset impairment and other charges (48 ) (45 ) (100 ) (113 ) Acquisition-related charges (6 ) (5 ) (10 ) (15 ) Charges related to cost saving initiatives (12 ) (15 ) (21 ) (48 ) Other - (2 ) - (5 ) Non-GAAP operating expenses $ 865 $ 797 $ 1,684 $ 1,660 GAAP operating income $ 955 $ 545 $ 1,860 $ 777 Cost of revenue adjustments 293 259 572 523 Operating expense adjustments 193 191 382 431 Non-GAAP operating income $ 1,441 $ 995 $ 2,814 $ 1,731 GAAP interest and other expense, net $ (181 ) $ (224 ) $ (376 ) $ (727 ) Convertible debt activity, net - 1 - 6 Debt extinguishment costs 2 - 2 267 Other (1 ) 2 (6 ) 6 Non-GAAP interest and other expense, net $ (180 ) $ (221 ) $ (380 ) $ (448 ) GAAP income tax expense $ 1,597 $ 86 $ 1,626 $ 181 Income tax adjustments (1,544 ) 13 (1,489 ) (21 ) Non-GAAP income tax expense $ 53 $ 99 $ 137 $ 160 GAAP net income (loss) $ (823 ) $ 235 $ (142 ) $ (131 ) Amortization of acquired intangible assets 315 277 634 519 Stock-based compensation expense 99 96 196 195 Employee termination, asset impairment and other charges 48 45 100 113 Acquisition-related charges 6 6 10 33 Charges related to cost saving initiatives 18 23 14 86 Convertible debt activity, net - 1 - 6 Debt extinguishment costs 2 - 2 267 Other (1 ) 5 (6 ) 14 Income tax adjustments 1,544 (13 ) 1,489 21 Non-GAAP net income $ 1,208 $ 675 $ 2,297 $ 1,123 Diluted income (loss) per common share: GAAP $ (2.78 ) $ 0.80 $ (0.48 ) $ (0.46 ) Non-GAAP $ 3.95 $ 2.30 $ 7.51 $ 3.85 Diluted weighted average shares outstanding: GAAP 296 294 295 285 Non-GAAP 306 294 306 292 To supplement the condensed consolidated financial statements presented in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), the table above sets forth non-GAAP cost of revenue; non-GAAP gross profit; non-GAAP operating expenses; non-GAAP operating income; non-GAAP interest and other expense, net; non-GAAP income tax expense; non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP diluted income per common share (“Non-GAAP measures”). These Non-GAAP measures are not in accordance with, or an alternative for, measures prepared in accordance with GAAP and may be different from Non-GAAP measures used by other companies. The company believes the presentation of these Non-GAAP measures, when shown in conjunction with the corresponding GAAP measures, provides useful information to investors for measuring the company’s earnings performance and comparing it against prior periods. Specifically, the company believes these Non-GAAP measures provide useful information to both management and investors as they exclude certain expenses, gains and losses that the company believes are not indicative of its core operating results or because they are consistent with the financial models and estimates published by many analysts who follow the company and its peers. As discussed further below, these Non-GAAP measures exclude the amortization of acquired intangible assets, stock-based compensation expense, employee termination, asset impairment and other charges, acquisition-related charges, charges related to cost saving initiatives, convertible debt activity, debt extinguishment costs, other charges, and income tax adjustments, and the company believes these measures along with the related reconciliations to the GAAP measures provide additional detail and comparability for assessing the company's results. These Non-GAAP measures are some of the primary indicators management uses for assessing the company's performance and planning and forecasting future periods. These measures should be considered in addition to results prepared in accordance with GAAP, but should not be considered a substitute for, or superior to, GAAP results. As described above, the company excludes the following items from its Non-GAAP measures: Amortization of acquired intangible assets. The company incurs expenses from the amortization of acquired intangible assets over their economic lives. Such charges are significantly impacted by the timing and magnitude of the company's acquisitions and any related impairment charges. Stock-based compensation expense. Because of the variety of equity awards used by companies, the varying methodologies for determining stock-based compensation expense, the subjective assumptions involved in those determinations, and the volatility in valuations that can be driven by market conditions outside the company's control, the company believes excluding stock-based compensation expense enhances the ability of management and investors to understand and assess the underlying performance of its business over time and compare it against the company's peers, a majority of whom also exclude stock-based compensation expense from their non-GAAP results. Employee termination, asset impairment and other charges. From time-to-time, in order to realign the company's operations with anticipated market demand or to achieve cost synergies from the integration of acquisitions, the company may terminate employees and/or restructure its operations. From time-to-time, the company may also incur charges from the impairment of intangible assets and other long-lived assets. These charges (including any reversals of charges recorded in prior periods) are inconsistent in amount and frequency, and the company believes are not indicative of the underlying performance of its business. Acquisition-related charges. In connection with the company's business combinations, the company incurs expenses which it would not have otherwise incurred as part of its business operations. These expenses include third-party professional service and legal fees, third-party integration services, severance costs, non-cash adjustments to the fair value of acquired inventory, contract termination costs, and retention bonuses. The company may also experience other accounting impacts in connection with these transactions. These charges and impacts are related to acquisitions, are inconsistent in amount and frequency, and the company believes are not indicative of the underlying performance of its business. Charges related to cost saving initiatives. In connection with the transformation of the company's business, the company has incurred charges related to cost saving initiatives which do not qualify for special accounting treatment as exit or disposal activities. These charges, which the company believes are not indicative of the underlying performance of its business, primarily relate to costs associated with rationalizing the company's channel partners or vendors, transforming the company's information systems infrastructure, integrating the company's product roadmap, and accelerated depreciation on assets. Convertible debt activity, net. The company excludes non-cash economic interest expense associated with the convertible senior notes, the gains and losses on the conversion of the convertible senior notes and call option, and unrealized gains and losses related to the change in fair value of the exercise option and call option. These charges and gains and losses do not reflect the company's operating results, and the company believes are not indicative of the underlying performance of its business. Debt extinguishment costs. From time-to-time, the company replaces its existing debt with new financing at more favorable interest rates or utilize available capital to settle debt early, both of which generate interest savings in future periods. The company incurs debt extinguishment charges consisting of the costs to call the existing debt and/or the write-off of any related unamortized debt issuance costs. These gains and losses do not reflect the company's operating results, and the company believes are not indicative of the underlying performance of its business. Other charges. From time-to-time, the company sells or impairs investments or other assets which are not considered necessary to its business operations; is a party to legal or arbitration proceedings, which could result in an expense or benefit due to settlements, final judgments, or accruals for loss contingencies; or incurs other charges or gains which the company believes are not a part of the ongoing operation of its business. The resulting expense or benefit is inconsistent in amount and frequency. Income tax adjustments. Income tax adjustments include the difference between income taxes based on a forecasted annual non-GAAP tax rate and a forecasted annual GAAP tax rate as a result of the timing of certain non-GAAP pre-tax adjustments. Additionally, as a result of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the three and six months ended December 29, 2017 income tax adjustments include a provisional income tax expense of $1.66 billion for the one-time mandatory deemed repatriation tax and a provisional income tax benefit of $88 million related to the re-measurement of deferred tax assets and liabilities. View source version on businesswire.com : http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180125006260/en/ Company contacts: Western Digital Corp. Investor Contact: Bob Blair 949.672.7834 robert.blair@wdc.com or Media Contact: Jim Pascoe 408.717.6999 jim.pascoe@wdc.com Source: Western Digital Corp.

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/25/business-wire-western-digital-announces-financial-results-for-second-fiscal-quarter-2018.html

Beverly A. Huss Joins Accuray Board of Directors

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Accuray Incorporated (NASDAQ: ARAY) announced today the appointment of Beverly A. Huss to the company's Board of Directors, effective January 7, 2018. Ms. Huss also currently serves on the boards of Qool Therapeutics, Inc., Surefire Medical, Inc., and Madorra. Her prior public company board experience includes Artes Medical, Wright Medical Group, and Dade Behring, Inc. Ms. Huss is an accomplished chief executive officer who brings more than 22 years of management experience in the medical device industry. Since 2013 she has served as president and chief executive officer of Qool Therapeutics, formerly Thermocure, Inc., a development stage company focused on creating a novel non-invasive device for the preservation of tissue following a heart attack, stroke, traumatic brain injury and other medical conditions. Prior to joining Qool, Ms. Huss was President and Chief Executive Officer at start-up medical device company Vibrynt, Inc., and held multiple senior level leadership positions at Guidant Corporation, including, most recently President, Endovascular Solutions, and Vice President, Global Marketing, Vascular Intervention and Vice President of the Stent Business Unit. "We are extremely pleased to welcome Beverly Huss to the Accuray Board of Directors. Beverly has a strong reputation in the medical device industry as a very effective leader with a track record for achieving operational excellence resulting in business growth. The combination of her business leadership and public company governance experience, across both large and small companies, make her an ideal choice to join our board," said Joshua H. Levine, President and Chief Executive Officer. "I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to join Accuray's Board of Directors and be a part of a company that is using its innovative, industry-leading technologies to provide real hope to cancer patients and their families. The commitment and passion shared by the global Accuray team is inspiring," said Beverly Huss. With the appointment of Ms. Huss, Accuray's Board consists of seven members. About Accuray Accuray Incorporated (NASDAQ: ARAY) is a radiation oncology company that develops, manufactures, and sells precise, innovative tumor treatment solutions that set the standard of care with the aim of helping patients live longer, better lives. The company's leading-edge technologies deliver the full range of radiation therapy and radiosurgery treatments. For more information, please visit www.accuray.com . Investor Contact: Doug Sherk EVC Group +1 (646) 445-4800 dsherk@evcgroup.com Media Contact: Beth Kaplan Accuray +1 (408) 789-4426 bkaplan@accuray.com View original content with multimedia: releases/beverly-a-huss-joins-accuray-board-of-directors-300581654.html SOURCE Accuray Incorporated

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/11/pr-newswire-beverly-a-huss-joins-accuray-board-of-directors.html

Here's What You Need To Know About That 'Nationalized 5G' Proposal | Fortune

By David Meyer 8:24 AM EST Sunday brought a big surprise in the form of a leaked proposal to create a secure, government-controlled “5G” network in the U.S. that would keep out the Chinese (in more ways than one). The document , leaked to Axios and largely verified by Reuters, was the product of a “senior National Security Council official” who recently presented it to senior officials from other agencies. The proposal may or may not already be dead in the water, but it looks like the White House will continue to push for certain elements of what was in there. That means it’s worth taking a deeper look at what the memo called for. Hold up. What’s 5G? Right now you probably use fourth-generation (4G) mobile broadband through your phone and other mobile devices. It’s really fast, but fifth-generation (5G) wireless broadband should be able to provide even better connections. And that will make it useful as a substitute for fixed-line broadband in places like the rural U.S., where the economics of fixed-line rollouts have proven unattractive to cable companies. If it lives up to the industry’s promises, 5G will also be much better suited than 4G to handling the data from the “internet of things”—from connected cars to smart vending machines—and it will allow telecom companies to run their networks more efficiently. Gotcha. So what did the memo say? There’s a lot to unpack here, but here’s the headline for the presentation: “The Eisenhower National Highway System for the Information Age”—a secure, nationwide 5G network that would reflect American values and counter China’s “dominant position in the manufacture and operation of network infrastructure,” along with China’s position as the “dominant malicious actor in the Information Domain.” Here are the key details: China, where the state owns the big mobile operators, reserves up to 70% of its mobile infrastructure market for its top equipment vendors, Huawei and ZTE, effectively funding them through protectionism. Meanwhile, U.S. vendors are mostly out of the picture these days. So the U.S. should push back. That means the American government building a nationwide 5G network within just three years—a timespan that includes the recreation of a “telecommunications manufacturing base in the U.S.” There would need to be new national standards for deploying the infrastructure, in order to speed up the process. There would also need to be new security standards for this version of 5G, in order to “build a network that is inherently secure” against Chinese cyberattacks. The network would make it possible to fight back against those who “steal intellectual property and private data, sow division and obscure bad behavior, slander and defame the innocent, prey on the weak and plans the seeds for total darkness in the event of all-out war.” To make the 5G network a better defensive tool, anonymity would not be allowed on it. Friendly countries might choose to partner with the U.S. on this—attracted by U.S.-developed security capabilities. This would create a “democratic counter” to China’s Belt and Road soft-power initiative. Rural broadband would “guarantee a revenue stream” while the government figures out other business models that could pay for all this. The 5G network would “provide 100 Mbps speeds to approximately 80% of rural customers.” The network’s development would also allow the U.S. to avoid losing the “AI arms race” to China, where “complete elimination of privacy standards” allows the authorities to mine people’s data freely. So what’s the political reaction? Brutal. Once it went public, the proposal quickly met stiff resistance on many fronts. Ajit Pai, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) said he opposed the “costly and counterproductive distraction” from the policies needed to put the U.S. at the forefront of 5G—the upcoming new generation of wireless broadband technology. (It’s worth noting that U.S. carriers are already preparing to roll out 5G , based on already-agreed standards, this year.) Politicians from both parties rushed to condemn the proposal —”We’re not Venezuela,” said House Energy & Commerce Committee chair Greg Walden—as did telecom companies. Within a day of the original leak, Recode reported White House officials as saying the leaked document was “outdated” and the nationalized 5G network plan “probably might never be.” “There are a lot of things on the table,” White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said. “Again, these are the very earliest stages of the discussion period, and there’s been absolutely no decision made other than…the need for a secure network.” But how much of the proposal actually makes sense? According to experts, some elements aren’t actually so out there. But others are. The economic case “I’ve been wondering what the U.S. government was going to do,” said Joe Madden, a Mobile Experts analyst who has been fretting about China’s protectionist telecoms strategy. China did indeed invest huge amounts of money in building out its 4G networks, and over a decade that took Huawei and ZTE to the number one and two spots when it comes to the number of radio transceivers that are sold to telecoms companies. However, Madden said, those companies still had to rely on U.S. firms’ semiconductors for that equipment. And this time China is planning to build out its own semiconductor capabilities for the 5G rollout. “That puts the U.S. at a big disadvantage from an economic point of view,” said Madden. “The national security implications are secondary—I think this is a trade thing.” But what about the idea of funding the network through revenue from rural broadband rollouts? That’s where it really makes no sense. “It’s a safe bet that if you put broadband out in rural areas, you will get some revenue, from ranchers [and so on],” said Madden. “There’s just not a lot of those people out there. The revenue stream is fairly risk-free, but it’s small.” How about the proposed timescale then? Disruptive Analysis’s Dean Bubley is deeply sceptical about the three-years thing. “It would likely take a decade-plus to roll out genuine national coverage, including in rural areas. The U.S. probably doesn’t have the manpower,” he said. The security aspect As Sanders said, the one thing the White House is sure about right now is that it wants a secure network. But would what was proposed actually provide that? According to Madden, there is a “valid concern” about using network equipment from an unfriendly country, particularly if they make everything down to the processing chips (a concern that has of course been animating the Chinese when it comes to American chips). “There is a danger that there could be a back door that could open a security hole in the system,” he said. However, as Bubley noted, the proposal does not mention radio spectrum that would be useful for giving people connectivity indoors. So users’ devices would constantly need to switch over to other connections that aren’t part of some government-controlled network. “Which sort of blows up the idea of a completely firewalled separate Internet,” he said. The cybersecurity expert Alan Woodward, a professor at the University of Surrey in England, said the proposed network would not “protect anyone more than the current Internet” because it would presumably have to connect to the regular Internet. “If the U.S. government were talking about building a standalone 5G network then maybe they could secure it from certain threats but I don’t see what use such a network would be,” he said. However, Woodward added, there are some reasons why it might make sense to build a 5G network under government control. Firstly, it would make it easier to demand that equipment suppliers—such as Huawei—allow the authorities to strip down the equipment and check it for flaws that might aid a foreign government. Secondly, it would make it possible for the government to “flip the appropriate switches in an emergency and use it for essential use only.” “Third, again if you build, own and operate a 5G network, and you assume that it will be the mobile network of choice in your country, then you can conduct surveillance operations much more easily,” Woodward added. However, he noted, it would be difficult for the government to stop companies from rolling out competing networks. “Assuming the U.S. didn’t government didn’t give itself a monopoly on 5G, then it’s difficult to see how their network would be the preferred network for consumers in a few years’ time. Other countries do it, but they typically are much smaller and have maybe one state owned telecommunications company running their infrastructure already.” “All in all I would be very surprised if the U.S. government progressed with this idea, but I can fully understand why it might be considered,” Woodward said. 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http://fortune.com/2018/01/30/national-security-council-nationalized-5g-proposal/

Trump administration expands access to opioid medication

January 23, 2018 / 6:44 PM / Updated 26 minutes ago U.S. lets more healthcare workers prescribe opioid addiction treatment WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration said on Tuesday it had changed a regulation to allow more healthcare professionals to prescribe a medication used to treat opioid addiction, opening up access in rural America where there are few doctors. Prior to 2000, only physicians could treat those with opioid addiction and had to register with the DEA as both physicians and operators of narcotic treatment programs. The latest change is part of a 2016 law that added categories of practitioners who may prescribe the narcotic drug buprenorphine for maintenance or detoxification treatment, the DEA said in a statement. A 2017 study published by the National Rural Health Association found that 53 percent of rural counties had no physician able to prescribe medication to those addicted to opioids, the DEA said. About 90 percent of physicians allowed to prescribe such medication live in urban counties, and 30 million people live in areas where treatment is unavailable. About 5,000 mid-level practitioners can now prescribe the medication, and nearly 43,000 practitioners may qualify to do so, the DEA said. Rural America has more drug overdose deaths than urban areas, a 2017 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed. Prescription drug abuse is a leading cause of death, with opioids killing more than 42,000 people in 2016, the highest U.S. death toll of any year on record, CDC said. “This action reflects this work and the ongoing need to further expand access to the most effective treatment for opioid use disorder,” said David Fiellin, professor of medicine, emergency medicine and public health at Yale School of Medicine, in an email. Reporting by Yasmeen Abutaleb; Editing by Richard Chang

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-healthcare-opioids/trump-administration-expands-access-to-opioid-medication-idUSKBN1FC2NB

UN says Syrian forces killed 85 civilians in besieged zone

January 10, 2018 / 12:02 PM / Updated 13 minutes ago UN says Syrian forces killed 85 civilians in besieged zone Reuters Staff 2 Min Read GENEVA (Reuters) - Syrian government forces and their allies have killed at least 85 civilians since Dec. 31 in stepped-up attacks against the besieged rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta, the U.N. human rights chief said on Wednesday. FILE PHOTO - Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights arrives at the 36th Session of the Human Rights Council at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland September 11, 2017. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse Conditions in the enclave, the last major rebel-held zone near Damascus and where at least 390,000 civilians have been besieged for four years, amount to a humanitarian catastrophe, Zeid Ra‘ad al-Hussein said. “Residential areas are being hit day and night by strikes from the ground and from the air, forcing civilians to hide in basements,” he said in a statement. Zeid said warring parties were obliged by law to distinguish between civilians and lawful military targets, and reports from Eastern Ghouta suggested of the attackers were flouting those principles, “raising concerns that war crimes may have been committed.” Among the dead civilians were 21 women and 30 children, Zeid said. Backed by Russian strikes, Syrian government forces have escalated military operations against Eastern Ghouta in recent months. Russia rejects accusations that its jets have been targeting civilians. Zeid said failure to evacuate urgent medical cases from the enclave was also against international humanitarian law. Armed opposition groups holed up in Eastern Ghouta had also continued to fire rockets into residential areas of Damascus, which he said caused terror among the population. A rocket landed near a bakery in Old Damascus on Jan. 4, killing a woman and injuring 13 other civilians, he said. Reporting by Tom Miles; Editing by Robin Pomeroy and John Stonestreet

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-mideast-crisis-syria-zeid/un-says-syrian-forces-killed-85-civilians-in-besieged-zone-idUKKBN1EZ19H

Pimco doubts U.S. will enact infrastructure spending, welfare reform in 2018

NEW YORK, Jan 16 (Reuters) - Investment firm Pimco thinks it is unlikely that Washington will enact welfare reform or a major spending plan to improve bridges, roads and other infrastructure in 2018, Libby Cantrill, Pimco’s head of public policy, said on Tuesday. “While infrastructure was a key theme during the 2016 campaign and has strong support among Democrats on Capitol Hill, as of now, we do not see significant traction being made in 2018,” Cantrill wrote in a blog post. “We are similarly skeptical we will see anything meaningful passed on welfare reform,” she added. Reporting by Richard Leong; Editing by Cynthia Osterman

https://www.reuters.com/article/funds-pimco/pimco-doubts-u-s-will-enact-infrastructure-spending-welfare-reform-in-2018-idUSL1N1PB1RL

Patrick Meehan, others won't run in 2018 midterms because of sexual misconduct

Updated 7 Mins Ago CNBC.com When Rep. Patrick Meehan declined to seek re-election this week , he became only the latest in a string of lawmakers to decide not to run following sexual misconduct accusations. The resignations and retirements come amid a national reckoning over workplace harassment and have sparked efforts to overhaul the secretive harassment reporting and settlement process in Congress . A bipartisan bill proposed this month would require lawmakers to personally pay harassment settlements rather than using taxpayer funds, as Meehan reportedly did . The wave of harassment claims could also have an effect on which party controls the House after November's midterm elections. Parties generally have an easier time holding seats with an incumbent running, and the departures have put one or more competitive House elections up for grabs. The revelation about the Republican Meehan and his decision not to run again suddenly make his southeastern Pennsylvania district more competitive. Even when disgraced or unpopular lawmakers leave office, negative public perception can sometimes track new candidates from their parties. Republicans hold a 238 to 193 seat majority in the House, with four current vacancies. Here are the lawmakers who chose to leave Congress after harassment allegations, and the state of the races for their seats: Rep. Patrick Meehan, R-Pa. Mitchell Layton | NHLI | Getty Images Meehan settled a harassment claim with taxpayer funds last year, The New York Times first reported Saturday. The lawmaker reportedly expressed romantic interest in an aide and "grew hostile" when she did not reciprocate. Reports emerged Thursday that Meehan, 62, would not run again. In letter to his campaign manager reported by The Philadelphia Inquirer , Meehan wrote about the need to "own it because it is my own conduct that fueled the matter." Meehan's 7th District in Pennsylvania will likely become a more serious target for Democrats. Democrat Hillary Clinton narrowly beat Republican President Donald Trump there in the 2016 presidential election. After the settlement revelation but before Meehan decided not to run, the Cook Political Report rated the race as a "toss up." Meehan won re-election in 2016 with nearly 60 percent of the vote. At least five Democrats and a Republican will vie for his seat. The parties' nominees will be decided in the May primaries. Rep. Ruben Kihuen, D-Nev. Rep. Ruben Kihuen, a freshman Democratic congressman from Nevada, said in December that he will seek re-election after an aide on his 2016 campaign and a lobbyist accused him of harassment. Kihuen, who denies the claims, said the accusations would be a distraction during a campaign. The House Ethics Committee had opened an investigation into the 37-year-old's conduct. Kihuen's 4th District could be competitive this year. He won the seat by about 4 percentage points in 2016. The district leans Democratic as of now, according to Cook's ratings. June primary elections will determine the candidates for November's contest. Rep. Blake Farenthold, R-Texas Also in December, Rep. Blake Farenthold, R-Texas, said he would not seek re-election after reports of a taxpayer funded sexual discrimination settlement and a toxic office environment. While Farenthold denied specific allegations that he talked about having "sexual fantasies" about a former aide, he acknowledged issues in his office. "I allowed a workplace culture to take root in my office that was too permissive and decidedly unprofessional," the 56-year-old said in a video at the time of his announcement. His seat appears to have little chance of going to the Democrats. Farenthold won his 2016 re-election bid with nearly 62 percent of the vote. Cook rates his 27th District as "solid" Republican. Multiple GOP candidates will push to replace Farenthold. Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz. Aaron P. Bernstein | Reuters Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ) testifying before a House Judiciary Committee hearing in Washington, DC Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., announced his resignation in December after he acknowledged that he discussed with two female staffers his desire to find a surrogate mother . The House Ethics Committee was investigating the 60-year-old's conduct. Franks' 8th District appears safe for Republicans. Franks won re-election in 2016 with nearly 70 percent of the vote. Trump carried the district by more than 20 points, according to NBC News. Cook rates the seat as solid Republican. A special primary election will take place in February, while Franks' successor in Congress will be chosen by an April special election. Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich. Conyers, who had been the longest-serving House member, announced his immediate retirement in December as he faced a House Ethics Committee investigation over harassment claims by former staffers. Conyers, 88, denied the allegations and cited his health in his decision to step down. No special election will be held to replace him, so the next member of Congress from Conyers' 13th District will not take office until next January. Democrats likely have little fear of losing the seat. Conyers won about 77 percent of the vote in the district in 2016. Cook rates the district as "solid" Democrat. Others not running Two other House members said they either would resign or not run for re-election this year after scandals in their personal lives. Rep. Tim Murphy, R-Pa., announced his resignation in October after reports that the pro-life lawmaker asked his mistress to get an abortion. In March, Republican Rick Saccone and Democrat Conor Lamb will vie for the 18th District seat in a special election. That race appears to favor Republicans. While little polling on the race has surfaced so far, it leans Republican, according to Cook. Murphy won it uncontested in 2016. In November, Rep. Joe Barton, R-Texas, announced that he would not run for re-election. A nude photo of the lawmaker and lewd message he had written surfaced on the internet. Barton expressed regret for the incident, and said a woman with whom he had a consensual relationship had threatened to share photos of him. His 6th District appears safe for Republicans. In the Senate, Minnesota Democrat Al Franken resigned at the start of the year amid accusations of sexual misconduct before he was in Congress. While Franken either denied the incidents or said he remembered them differently, he admitted that he could no longer serve effectively. Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., replaced Franken after getting appointed by Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton. She will have to face an election this year. Cook rates the race as a toss up. Clinton narrowly won Minnesota in 2016.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/26/patrick-meehan-others-wont-run-in-2018-midterms-because-of-sexual-misconduct.html

Newell cuts 2018 forecasts, says exploring strategic options for some assets

50 PM / in 9 minutes Newell cuts 2018 forecasts, says exploring strategic options for some assets Reuters Staff 1 Min Read Jan 25 (Reuters) - Sharpie pen maker Newell Brands said on Thursday it is exploring strategic options for some of its assets that could halve its number of factories and warehouses as well as customer base. Shares of the company fell 4 percent in premarket trade after Newell cut its full-year sales and profit forecasts. The company is exploring strategic options for its businesses including Waddington, Rubbermaid Commercial Products and Mapa, Rawlings, Goody and Rubbermaid Outdoor. The execution of these options would result in a significant reduction in operational complexity, the company said. Reporting by Vibhuti Sharma in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur

https://www.reuters.com/article/newellbrands-restructuring/newell-cuts-2018-forecasts-says-exploring-strategic-options-for-some-assets-idUSL4N1PK4M1

Petrobras to pay $2.95 bln to settle U.S. class action over corruption

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Petroleo Brasileiro SA ( PETR4.SA ), Brazil’s state-controlled oil company, said on Wednesday it has agreed to pay $2.95 billion to settle a U.S. class action brought by investors who claim they lost money as a result of a corruption scandal. Petrobras, as the company is known, denied any wrongdoing under the deal, which is one of the largest securities class action settlements in the United States. U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff in Manhattan must approve the accord. The settlement was smaller than what many analysts anticipated and was seen as a net positive for the scandal-plagued company. Preferred shares ticked up 0.3 percent to 16.60 reais by midday, roughly in line with the country's Bovespa .BVSP equities index. U.S.-traded shares ( PBR.N ) were unchanged at $10.70. Analysts at Brazilian bank BTG Pactual said the market had expected a settlement of $5 billion to $10 billion. Moody’s said in a note that if approved the fine “would remove the uncertainty related to the amount to be paid to plaintiffs.” The plaintiffs were upbeat, too. “Simply put, this litigation and its ultimate resolution has yielded an excellent result for the class,” said Jeremy Lieberman, an attorney for the investors. He called the deal “historic” and said it was the largest ever involving a foreign securities issuer. Investors had sued Petrobras after prosecutors in Brazil accused executives of accepting more than $2 billion in bribes over a decade, mainly from construction and engineering companies. Petrobras claimed it was itself a victim and denied wrongdoing in a securities filing on Wednesday. But its market value has plunged as its central role in a massive corruption scheme continues to be unwound by investigators. For the past four years, Brazil has been rocked by the so-called “Car Wash” investigation, which has exposed billions of dollars in kickbacks to executives of state-run companies and politicians who appointed them to their jobs. Petrobras said it hoped the settlement would resolve all investor claims in the United States. The deal does not include investors who bought non U.S.-based Petrobras securities outside the United States, according to the company. The deal came days after Brazil’s securities regulator CVM formally accused eight former Petrobras executives of corruption. The accusations relate to possible irregularities in the contracting process for three drilling ships, according to a legal filing by the regulator last Friday. Among the accused in CVM’s filing are former Petrobras Chief Executives Officers Maria das Gracas Foster and Jose Sergio Gabrielli. Neither could be reached for comment. The largest securities fraud settlements in U.S. history include $7.2 billion stemming from the collapse of Enron, $6.2 billion over an accounting scandal at WorldCom and $3.2 billion over an accounting scandal at Tyco International, according to Stanford Law School’s Securities Class Action Clearinghouse. Reporting by Brendan Pierson in New York; Additional reporting by Gram Slattery and Flavia Bohone in Sao Paulo; Editing by Jason Neely, Susan Fenton and Jeffrey Benkoe

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-petrobras-classaction/petrobras-to-pay-2-95-billion-to-settle-u-s-class-action-over-corruption-idUSKBN1ES0L2

Unconvincing Juve keep up the pressure on Napoli

January 22, 2018 / 10:58 PM / Updated 7 minutes ago Unconvincing Juve keep up the pressure on Napoli Reuters Staff 2 Min Read MILAN (Reuters) - Juventus moved back within a point of Serie A leaders Napoli with a 1-0 win at home to Genoa on Monday although it was hardly a convincing display from the defending champions. Douglas Costa scored in the 16th minute, ending Genoa keeper Mattia Perin’s run of four successive clean sheets in the league, to keep his second-placed team on Napoli’s heels. Napoli and Juve have each won their last five Serie A games, to reach 54 and 53 points respectively, with Lazio and Inter Milan now trailing the Turin side by 10 points. Slideshow (8 Images) Costa found Mario Mandzukic on the left and he wrong-footed the Genoa defence with a neat pass back to the Brazilian who was left unmarked to slip the ball past Perin from close range. Genoa were penned into their half for most of the opening period although Diego Laxalt threatened with a long-range drive which fizzed over Wojciech Szczesny’s crossbar. Juventus continued to dominate possession after halftime but could not to find the killer second goal. Genoa grew in confidence and pushed forward near the end, causing rare panic in the Juve area before Giorgio Chiellini cleared the ball, but they never looked truly threatening. Writing by Brian Homewood; editing by Ken Ferris

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-soccer-italy-juv-gen/unconvincing-juve-keep-up-the-pressure-on-napoli-idUKKBN1FB34E

Trump vows to stop 'scourge' of opioid epidemic

lauded a New Mexico police officer who stopped a pregnant woman from injecting heroin — and then adopted her child — as he called for a crackdown on "drug dealers and pushers" to stem the massive opioid epidemic. Trump, during a State of the Union address that recognized Officer Ryan Holets sitting in the audience, said reforms pushed by his administration will "support our response to the terrible crisis of opioid and drug addiction." "In 2016, we lost 64,000 Americans to drug overdoses: 174 deaths per day. Seven per hour. We must get much tougher on drug dealers and pushers if we are going to succeed in stopping this scourge," Trump said. "For those who have been so terribly hurt." "My administration is committed to fighting the drug epidemic and helping get treatment for those in need. The struggle will be long and difficult — but, as Americans always do, we will prevail." "As we have seen tonight, the most difficult challenges bring out the best in America," Trump said. "We see a vivid expression of this truth in the story of the Holets family of New Mexico," the president said. "Ryan Holets is 27 years old, and an officer with the Albuquerque Police Department. He is here tonight with his wife, Rebecca. Last year, Ryan was on duty when he saw a pregnant, homeless woman preparing to inject heroin. When Ryan told her she was going to harm her unborn child, she began to weep. She told him she did not know where to turn, but badly wanted a safe home for her baby." CNBC First Lady Melania Trump, Albuquerque Police Office Ryan Holets, Rebecca Holets, and their adopted daughter Hope, whose mother was a homeless heroin addict. "In that moment, Ryan said he felt God speak to him: 'You will do it — because you can.' He heard those words." "He took out a picture of his wife and their four kids. Then, he went home to tell his wife, Rebecca. In an instant, she agreed to adopt. The Holets named their new daughter Hope." Trump, speaking directly to the Holets, said, "You embody the goodness of our nation. Thank you, and congratulations."

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/30/trump-vows-to-stop-scourge-of-opioid-epidemic.html

Noble Energy Announces Tamar Sell-Down

Houston, Jan. 29, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Noble Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NBL ) (“Noble Energy” or “the Company”) today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to divest a 7.5 percent working interest in the Tamar field, offshore Israel, to Tamar Petroleum Ltd. (TASE: TMRP) (“Tamar Petroleum”) for cash proceeds of approximately $560 million and 38.5 million shares of Tamar Petroleum. Based upon today's closing price of Tamar Petroleum, total consideration of this transaction is approximately $800 million. This follows an initial divestment of 3.5 percent of the Tamar field in mid-2016. Combined proceeds from both transactions total nearly $1.25 billion, including almost $1 billion in cash. David L. Stover, Noble Energy’s Chairman, President and CEO, commented, “This transaction supports our commitment to sell down our Tamar interest in accordance with the government of Israel’s Natural Gas Regulatory Framework. It highlights the strong value of our world-class Levant Basin assets, while providing additional upside exposure from our equity interest in Tamar Petroleum. These assets are some of the world’s most attractive energy investment opportunities, with margins competitive to the best U.S. onshore oil plays and a stable, long-term cash flow profile. Our team is doing an excellent job operating Tamar reliably at capacity while developing Leviathan which is on track to deliver first gas sales by the end of 2019.” The effective date of the transaction is January 1, 2018. Closing of the transaction is expected by the end of the first quarter of 2018, subject to Tamar Petroleum’s debt financing and customary approvals, terms and conditions. Cash proceeds from the transaction will be utilized to support the capital investment in the Company’s Leviathan development. Noble Energy expects to incur capital gains tax of approximately 23 percent, paid upon the receipt of cash consideration at closing and as shares are divested. The Company intends to divest shares held in Tamar Petroleum over the next several years. As a shareholder of Tamar Petroleum, Noble Energy anticipates receiving dividend income. Noble Energy operates the Tamar field with a 32.5 percent working interest. Following closing of the transaction, the Company will retain a 25 percent working interest and will remain the operator. The divested working interest represents approximately 62 million cubic feet equivalent per day of 2017 production and proved reserves of approximately 500 billion cubic feet equivalent as of year-end 2017. Noble Energy (NYSE: NBL) is an independent oil and natural gas exploration and production company with a diversified high-quality portfolio of both U.S. unconventional and global offshore conventional assets. Founded more than 85 years ago, the company is committed to safely and responsibly delivering our purpose: Energizing the World, Bettering People’s Lives®. For more information, visit http://www.nblenergy.com . Tamar Petroleum (TASE: TMRP) is a publicly traded yield company founded in July 2017 that held a 9.25 percent working interest in the Tamar field prior to the announced transaction. Pro forma for this transaction, Tamar Petroleum will hold a 16.75 percent working interest in the Tamar field. Forward Looking Statements This news release contains certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of federal securities laws. Words such as "anticipates", "believes", "expects", "intends", "will", "should", "may", and similar expressions may be used to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not statements of historical fact and reflect Noble Energy's current views about future events. Such forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, future financial and operating results, and other statements that are not historical facts, including estimates of oil and natural gas reserves and resources, estimates of future production, assumptions regarding future oil and natural gas pricing, planned drilling activity, future results of operations, projected cash flow and liquidity, business strategy and other plans and objectives for future operations. No assurances can be given that the forward-looking statements contained in this news release will occur as projected and actual results may differ materially from those projected. Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates and assumptions that involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, the volatility in commodity prices for crude oil and natural gas, the presence or recoverability of estimated reserves, the ability to replace reserves, environmental risks, drilling and operating risks, exploration and development risks, competition, government regulation or other actions, the ability of management to execute its plans to meet its goals and other risks inherent in Noble Energy's businesses that are discussed in Noble Energy's most recent annual reports on Form 10-K, respectively, and in other Noble Energy reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). These reports are also available from the sources described above. Forward-looking statements are based on the estimates and opinions of management at the time the statements are made. Noble Energy does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements should circumstances or management’s estimates or opinions change. Investor Contacts Brad Whitmarsh (281) 943-1670 Brad.Whitmarsh@nblenergy.com Megan Dolezal (281) 943-1861 Megan.Dolezal@nblenergy.com Lauren Brown (281) 872-3208 Lauren.Brown@nblenergy.com Media Contacts Reba Reid (713) 412-8441 media@nblenergy.com Paula Beasley (281) 876-6133 media@nblenergy.com Source:Noble Energy Inc.

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/29/globe-newswire-noble-energy-announces-tamar-sell-down.html

Palestinian gunman killed in Israeli raid in West Bank

JENIN, West Bank (Reuters) - Israeli police killed a Palestinian gunman and captured another in a clash in the occupied West Bank on Thursday, saying they were part of a cell responsible for an ambush in which a Jewish settler was shot dead. Two police commandos were wounded in the raid in the city of Jenin, a spokesman said. Such flare-ups have been rare in the West Bank, where Palestinian security forces last year resumed cooperation with Israel despite the stalling of negotiations on statehood. An official of the Palestinian health ministry said it had been informed by the Israelis the dead man was Ahmed Jarrar, a Hamas gunman and the son of a senior commander of the Islamist group, Naser Jarrar, who was killed by Israeli forces in 2002. But the official said the Palestinian side had not seen the body, and his family could not confirm the death. Three other Palestinians were wounded, the official said. Witnesses said the Israeli forces had bulldozed at least one building as they closed in on their targets, and that it was possible another gunman was buried under the rubble. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said the commandos had gone after the suspected killers of Rabbi Raziel Shevah, a resident of a settlement outpost near the Palestinian town of Nablus who was shot in his car in a drive-by attack on Jan. 9. “We will reach anybody who will try to harm Israel’s citizens and we will bring them to justice,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, commenting on the operation, said during a visit to India. Members of Israeli armed forces aim their weapons during a raid in the West Bank city of Jenin, January 18, 2018. REUTERS/Mohamad Torokman Tensions in the region have risen since U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement on Dec. 6 recognizing disputed Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, and at least 18 Palestinians and one Israeli have been killed since. “The cell in Jenin is not the first and will not be the last,” Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri said in a statement. Slideshow (3 Images) “The criminal role of (Palestinian) security coordination (with Israel) will not succeed in preventing the resistance from confronting Trump’s decision and protecting Jerusalem.” Hamas opposes coexistence with Israel. Trump’s reversal of decades of U.S. policy has enraged Palestinians, who want to create an independent state including Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Israel captured those areas in the 1967 Middle East War and annexed East Jerusalem in a move not recognized internationally. It says the entire city is its eternal, indivisible capital. U.S.-led peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians broke down in 2014. A bid by Trump’s administration to restart them has shown no real signs of progress. Vice President Mike Pence is due to visit the region from Jan 20 to 23. Reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi; Writing by Ori Lewis; Editing by Matthew Lewis and Andrew Roche

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-palestinians-violence/palestinian-gunman-killed-in-israeli-raid-in-west-bank-idUSKBN1F701L

Russian energy minister says U.S. sanctions against his officials 'unlawful' - agencies

MOSCOW, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Newly-imposed U.S. sanctions against two Russian energy ministry officials are “unlawful” and Moscow will seek explanations from Washington, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said on Saturday, according to local news agencies. The United States added Russian officials and energy firms to a sanctions blacklist on Friday, days before details of further possible penalties against Moscow are due to be released. One person added to the list was Russian Deputy Energy Minister Andrey Cherezov, who was put under sanctions by the European Union over his role in the delivery of turbines to Crimea last year. (Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin; Editing by Mark Potter)

https://www.reuters.com/article/russia-usa-sanctions-energy/russian-energy-minister-says-u-s-sanctions-against-his-officials-unlawful-agencies-idUSL8N1PM0F3

South Africa's new political certainty boosting rand -cenbank governor

DAVOS, Switzerland Jan 24 (Reuters) - The appointment of a new leader of South Africa’s ruling party has removed political uncertainty that contributed to the depreciation of the rand currency and has been welcomed by investors, the country’s central bank governor said on Wednesday. The new leader of the ruling African National Congress (ANC), Cyril Ramaphosa, narrowly won the race to succeed President Jacob Zuma as party leader in December. South Africa’s rand currency has surged since Ramaphosa - the deputy president - won the contest. It steadied against the dollar early on Wednesday, holding at a two-and-a-half-year high. At 0645 GMT it traded at 12.0300 per dollar. “The depreciation of the rand last year was overdone and it was overdone because there was so much political uncertainty,” said South Africa Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago. “High frequency indicators in South Africa do show that the South African economy is demonstrating a resurgence,” he told Reuters speaking on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum meeting of business and political leaders in Davos. “For a long time we had spelled out that the exchange rate is sensitive to the political uncertainty. The uncertainty is gone,” he added. (Writing by Alexis Akwagyiram; Editing by Toby Chopra)

https://www.reuters.com/article/davos-meeting-safrica/south-africas-new-political-certainty-boosting-rand-cenbank-governor-idUSL8N1PI7K1

China pork output edges up in 2017 from year before

* Beef output hits highest in records going back 20 yrs * Poultry, lamb output also climb BEIJING, Jan 18 (Reuters) - China’s 2017 pork output rose 0.8 percent from the year before to 53.4 million tonnes, the National Statistics Bureau said on Thursday, increasing supply in the world’s top consumer of the meat. Pork output had dropped to its lowest level in five years in 2016, after farmers shrank their herds following financial losses in previous years. But even as herds began to recover during 2017, growing 0.4 percent to 433 million head, Thursday’s data showed, a crackdown on farm pollution across the country forced many small farms to close, pushing up slaughter rates. Some analysts said they had expected the pork output number to be higher, given prices fell by around 20 percent during the year and imports also dropped. “I think output for 2017 could have been higher,” said Pan Chenjun, an executive director at Rabobank. Beef production in 2017 reached its highest level in records going back 20 years. It came in at 7.26 million tonnes, up 1.3 percent on the year. Beef output has risen in recent years as low milk prices prompted farmers to slaughter more dairy cattle and as the country’s growing middle class developed a taste for steak and hamburgers. Poultry output climbed 0.5 percent to 18.97 million tonnes in 2017, while lamb production was up 1.8 percent at 4.68 million tonnes, the data showed. Reporting by Dominique Patton; Editing by Joseph Radford

https://www.reuters.com/article/china-economy-output-meat/china-pork-output-edges-up-in-2017-from-year-before-idUSL3N1PD1Q4

Philippines to protest to China over apparent airbase on manmade island

30 AM / Updated 30 minutes ago Philippines to protest to China over apparent airbase on manmade island Reuters Staff 3 Min Read MANILA (Reuters) - The Philippines will make a diplomatic protest to China, which it described as reneging on a promise not to militarise artificial islands in the busy South China Sea waterway, the southeast Asian nation’s defence minister said on Monday. FILE PHOTO: Construction is shown on Fiery Cross Reef, in the Spratly Islands, the disputed South China Sea in this June 16, 2017 satellite image released by CSIS Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) to Reuters on June 29, 2017. MANDATORY CREDIT CSIS/AMTI DigitalGlobe/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo The United States has criticized China’s build-up of military facilities on the artificial islands and is concerned they could be used to restrict free movement through the key trade route. Philippine Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana’s comment followed a Dec. 30 broadcast of aerial footage by the official China Central Television (CCTV) showing Fiery Cross Reef, which appeared to have been transformed into an airbase. “The Chinese government said some time ago that they were not going to militarise those reclaimed islands,” Lorenzana told reporters, adding that the protest would be made through the foreign ministry. “If it is true and we can prove that they have been putting soldiers and even weapons systems, that will be a violation of what they said.” There was no immediate comment from Chinese officials. China and the Philippines have long sparred over the South China Sea, but relations have improved considerably under President Rodrigo Duterte, who has been courting Beijing in hopes of winning business and investment. China has assured the Philippines it will not occupy new features or territory in the South China Sea, under a new “status quo” brokered by Manila as both sides try to strengthen their relations. Reports about China militarising reclaimed islands were not new, presidential spokesman Harry Roque told a regular news briefing. “We have always been against the militarization of the area,” he added. “It is certainly not OK, because it constitutes a further threat to peace and security in area.” China is holding to a commitment not to reclaim more islands, Roque added, however. “There is still no breach of the good faith obligation for as long as China has not embarked on new reclamation,” he said, when asked about the situation on the reef. China has denied U.S. charges that it is militarising the South China Sea, which also is claimed by Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. The reef has a hospital with more than 50 doctors, high-speed mobile connections and an airport with a runway of 3,160 meters (3,456 yards) to serve what Beijing calls a “weather station” equipped with radar, Chinese state media say. In the last 27 years, China’s navy has sent more than 1,000 soldiers to guard the reef, state media have said. Reporting by Karen Lema; Additional reporting by Christian Shepherd in BEIJING; Editing by Clarence Fernandez

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-southchinasea-philippines-china/philippines-to-protest-to-china-over-apparent-airbase-on-manmade-island-idUKKBN1EY0HS

White House is cracking down on personal cell phone use

The White House will bar staff and guests from using personal phones in the White House starting next week. The devices will no longer be allowed because "the security and integrity of the technology systems at the White House is a top priority for the Trump administration," press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement Thursday. Some White House aides expressed concerns about being able to text family members during busy days, as their work phones cannot text, Bloomberg reported. "Staff will be able to conduct business on their government-issued devices and continue working hard on behalf of the American people," Sanders said. President Donald Trump and other White House officials have repeatedly decried leaks of information from the administration to journalists. The decision was "not about leaks," Sanders added, according to The Associated Press. The press secretary said that individuals would have a place to store phones at the West Wing entrance. The statement didn't address whether Trump would be exempt from doing so. Personal cellphones are barred in many sensitive areas across the U.S. government.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/04/white-house-is-cracking-down-on-personal-cell-phone-use.html

Account-Based Marketing Leader Terminus Acquires BrightFunnel

Terminus Adds Marketing Analytics and Multi-Touch Attribution to Build Modern B2B Platform for Executing and Measuring Go-to-Market Initiatives ATLANTA & SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Terminus , the leader of the account-based marketing (ABM) movement, today announced that it has acquired BrightFunnel , the pioneer in B2B marketing analytics and attribution. The acquisition accelerates Terminus’ vision of building a platform that unifies B2B go-to-market teams as they create, measure, and operationalize account engagement in support of efficient growth and exceptional buyer experiences. Terminus is proud to welcome 40 new “Terminators,” who will continue to be based in the office BrightFunnel established in the heart of San Francisco. “We are excited to help solve one of the top challenges our customers face — how to measure and optimize the impact of marketing and sales initiatives on revenue,” said Eric Spett, CEO and co-founder of Terminus. “Our customers want to understand the influence of campaigns throughout the buyer’s journey, create a 360-degree view of engagement that supports one revenue team, and close the loop on measuring account-based marketing and advertising. Together, Terminus and BrightFunnel deliver best-in-class account-based execution and B2B analytics for today’s unified revenue team.” The Terminus ABM platform is used by marketing teams at more than 400 companies to orchestrate account-based advertising, operationalize account web engagement, and report on target account progression through the funnel. BrightFunnel helps nearly 100 companies connect marketing to revenue through market-leading B2B analytics, including AI-powered multi-touch attribution, account-based measurement, and revenue funnel analytics. The combined solution will help customers execute and measure go-to-market initiatives, whether they are account-based or a mix of ABM and inbound. “Terminus and BrightFunnel are essential tools for efficiently growing a business,” said Chris Mann, CEO of BrightFunnel. “These products should be at the foundation of every modern B2B marketing tech stack. I’m thrilled for our customers, who will have the best-in-class solution that both creates account engagement and delivers deep intelligence into contact activity, account activity, and which marketing programs drive revenue.” “The BrightFunnel acquisition accelerates our product vision by at least two years,” said Bryan Brown, chief product officer of Terminus. “We are adding more engineers to support the combined vision of making marketing analytics and attribution more accessible to all B2B teams, and more focused on account-based practices as we continue to build Terminus, the most widely used ABM platform.” Since the launch of its ABM platform in 2015, Terminus has experienced incredible growth and has been recognized as Atlanta’s fastest-growing software company and the #1 account-based execution software on G2 Crowd. Terminus has scaled from three co-founders to more than 150 full-time “Terminators.” The company has been named one of the Top 50 Best Workplaces in America by Inc. Magazine, the #1 Best Place to Work by the Atlanta Business Chronicle, and #1 in Employee Appreciation by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Additionally, Sangram Vajre, CMO and co-founder of Terminus, has spearheaded the ABM community’s growth through the #FlipMyFunnel movement and by authoring the first-ever book on ABM . To learn more about the Terminus acquisition of BrightFunnel, read Terminus CEO Eric Spett’s blog post here . About Terminus Terminus is the leading account-based marketing (ABM) platform that enables B2B marketers to target key accounts, engage decision-makers, and accelerate marketing and sales pipeline velocity at scale. Enterprise and fast-growing companies such as Salesforce, NetSuite, Rosetta Stone, and Pendo use Terminus to increase awareness and engagement with their most valuable accounts. For more information, visit www.terminus.com . About BrightFunnel BrightFunnel is the pioneer of B2B marketing analytics and attribution, offering revenue intelligence for marketers that is powered by its patent-pending multi-touch attribution platform. Companies such as Cloudera, Concur, Equinix, and Ellie Mae use BrightFunnel to connect marketing to revenue. For more information, visit www.brightfunnel.com . //www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180103005279/en/ Terminus Lauren Patrick lauren.patrick@terminus.com Source: Terminus

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/03/business-wire-account-based-marketing-leader-terminus-acquires-brightfunnel.html

One surprising reason for more positive pregnancy tests this month

January 18, 2018 / 10:19 PM / Updated 7 hours ago One surprising reason for more positive pregnancy tests this month Lisa Rapaport 5 Min Read (Reuters Health) - - Lots of couples in predominantly Christian countries may be looking at positive pregnancy tests this month at least in part because of cultural forces that encourage mating around major holidays like Christmas, suggests a recent study. Certain surges in baby deliveries - like the September baby boom nine months after December 25 - have long been documented. But previous research hasn’t offered a clear picture of whether this is explained by the cultural effects of the holidays or by biological adaptations to the shifting seasons and changes in daylight, temperature or food availability. To investigate this question, researchers examined data from 130 countries, including records of sex-related Google searches from 2004 to 2014 and an analysis of collective moods revealed in public Twitter posts from 2010 to 2014. The study included data from both the southern and northern hemispheres and from majority Muslim nations as well as predominantly Christian countries that celebrate a December 25 Christmas. Analysis of the Google searches found that online interest in sex peaks in both hemispheres during major cultural and religious celebrations: Christmas in predominantly Christian countries and Eid al-Fitr, the celebration that marks the end of Ramadan, in Muslim majority nations. The collective mood during these periods is relaxed and loving, an analysis of Twitter posts found. Births peak nine months after Christmas or Eid al-Fitr, regardless of what hemisphere people lived in or how close their country was to the equator, which researchers believe means biological responses to changing seasons are not what’s driving reproductive urges. “The findings suggest that cultural events can induce collective moods with biological repercussions at the individual level,” said senior study author Luis Rocha of Indiana University in Bloomington. “The observed ‘relaxed and loving’ collective mood is universally correlated with greater interest in sex,” Rocha said by email. Adding to the evidence for a cultural explanation, the dates of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr shift each year, and the mini baby boom associated with the holiday appeared nine months afterwards, regardless of when the holiday occurred that year, the researchers note in Scientific Reports. Most of the Google searches related to sex were associated with either a direct interest in sexual activity or pornography, the study found. Twitter posts revealed the collective mood based on sentiments expressed in word choices used in public posts that researchers scored as indicating feelings like happiness, sadness, calm and excitement. When collective moods of happiness and relaxation appeared throughout the year, there also tended to be an increase in online interest in sex, the study found. Thanksgiving and Easter didn’t appear to spark this happy, relaxed collective mood or an increased interest in sex online. And there also wasn’t a spike in births nine months after these holidays. The study wasn’t a controlled experiment designed to prove whether or how people’s activities online or on social media might directly influence the urge to procreate. It’s also possible that online searches for sex aren’t a reliable measure of the human reproductive cycle, said Christian Joyal, a psychology researcher at the University of Quebec at Trois-Rivieres who wasn’t involved in the study. “Not only the word ‘sex’ is rarely used as a keyword in internet searches for porn, but these searches are mostly done by men,” Joyal said by email. “So the link between say, a single man having the time to search for porn during his Christmas vacations and the human reproductive cycle is very loose in my opinion.” The peaks in sexual interest and birth rates might reflect when people in different cultures have more time to think about sex and have intercourse, Joyal said. Previous research suggests that Sunday is the day people are most likely to watch porn, he added. “Does that mean that our culture or religion allows us to watch porn on Sundays, or simply that we have more time to do so,” Joyal said. “In my opinion these peaks are simply due to the fact that we have more time.” SOURCE: go.nature.com/2DpTPSE Scientific Reports, online December 21, 2017.

https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-health-holidays-sex-culture/one-surprising-reason-for-more-positive-pregnancy-tests-this-month-idUKKBN1F737L

Irish property price growth cools in November - official data

Jan 11 (Reuters) - Growth in Irish residential property prices cooled slightly to a four-month low in annual terms in November, data from the country’s central statistics office showed on Thursday. A recovery in prices that began in 2013 accelerated sharply in 2017. But growth in the year to the end of November slowed to 11.6 percent from 11.8 percent in October. On the month, house prices rose by 1.1 percent, after a 0.4 percent rise in October. A long-standing lack of supply combined with surging demand has boosted prices. Still, prices are now 23 percent below the peak hit at the height of a property bubble a decade ago. (Reporting by Andy Bruce; Editing by William Schomberg) Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

https://www.reuters.com/article/ireland-economy-houseprices/irish-property-price-growth-cools-in-november-official-data-idUSL9N1O5002

Google gets into audiobooks as rivalry with Amazon heats up

January 23, 2018 / 5:34 PM / Updated an hour ago Google gets into audiobooks as rivalry with Amazon heats up Paresh Dave 3 Min Read SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Alphabet Inc’s ( GOOGL.O ) Google introduced audiobooks to its online store on Tuesday, making its smart speakers and virtual assistant more competitive with Amazon.com Inc’s ( AMZN.O ) Echo devices and Alexa voice assistant. Listening to audiobooks is among the most popular nighttime uses for smart speakers, a burgeoning type of home appliance that provides audio streams of music, news and other data based on user commands to an embedded virtual assistant. But Google’s Home speakers have lagged Amazon Echo in terms of audiobook features. Amazon-owned Audible, the top provider of audiobooks, has not been supported on Home and other speakers with Google Assistant. Google launching an audiobooks store widens the battle, which has also seen Google’s YouTube unit stop supporting an Amazon product. Greg Hartrell, head of product management for Google Play Books, listed subscription-less buying as the top selling point for the new audiobooks store. “You can buy a single audiobook at an affordable price, with no commitments,” he said in a blog post on Tuesday. Audible offers one-off purchases, but promotes a $14.95 monthly subscription that includes one free download and 30 percent off further purchases. Amazon and Audible did not respond to requests to comment. Google began selling ebooks in 2010. Hartrell told Reuters in a statement that audiobooks are being added because “our users are asking for them.” About 16 percent of U.S. adults own a smart speaker, according to an Edison Research survey conducted in late 2017. The firm in conjunction with Triton Digital also found last spring that 30 percent of frequent audiobook listeners had used a smart speaker to take in an audiobook in the previous 12 months. Audiobook sales surged nearly 20 percent annually for three consecutive years, reaching $2.1 billion in 2016, according to the latest Audio Publishers Assn. data. Thad McIlroy, an online book industry consultant, said audiobooks represent the only publishing category with “strong growth” so it makes sense for Google to challenge Amazon despite having a weak ebooks business. Google-purchased audiobooks can be accessed through Google Play Books on the web, apps for Android and iOS devices or through Google Assistant in speakers, Android smartphones and “soon” cars with Android Auto, Hartrell wrote. Reporting by Paresh Dave; Editing by Susan Thomas

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-alphabet-audiobooks/google-gets-into-audiobooks-as-rivalry-with-amazon-heats-up-idUKKBN1FC2H4

German TV director denies sexual harassment allegations

BERLIN (Reuters) - German TV director Dieter Wedel has denied accusations of sexual harassment and assault in Germany’s first such case since a scandal involving Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein unleashed a global wave of abuse allegations in the entertainment and media worlds. The 75-year-old Wedel, who made several hit German TV series, was accused in the magazine of Die Zeit weekly by actresses Patricia Thielemann and Jany Tempel of sexual assault in separate incidents in his hotel rooms in 1991 and 1996. Wedel denied the allegations in a statement issued by his lawyers and published on the website of the Bad Hersfeld theater festival that he has run since 2015. “The allegations made against him by several actresses are inaccurate and unjustified. He has never been violent in any way to these or any other women,” the lawyers’ statement said. The lawyers said he regretted that he had sometimes subjected actors and actresses to tough and even insulting criticism on set, but said that this never had any connection to the alleged attacks. As many women around the world and some men shared accounts of harassment in the wake of abuse allegations against Weinstein, Wedel said in November he himself had been harassed by gay directors and actors as a young man but had resisted. Weinstein, accused of sexual harassment by more than 50 women, has denied having non-consensual sex with anyone. Reporting by Emma Thomasson; editing by Mark Heinrich

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-germany-harassment/german-tv-director-denies-sexual-harassment-allegations-idUSKBN1ET254

Hip fractures on the rise in older U.S. women

January 15, 2018 / 5:35 PM / Updated 3 hours ago Hip fractures on the rise in older U.S. women Cheryl Platzman Weinstock 4 Min Read (Reuters Health) - The incidence of hip fractures in older women in the U.S. is rising after more than a decade of decline, according to a large new study of Medicare recipients. Hip fracture rates declined each year from 2002 to 2012, the researchers found. But starting in 2013, hip fracture rates leveled off and were higher than expected. These injuries can cause serious disability, loss of independence and death. The researchers were especially alarmed at fracture rates in women ages 65 to 69, which had risen by 2.5 percent, and in women ages 70 to 74, which had risen by 3.8 percent, from 2014 through 2015. Overall, the authors reported in Osteoporosis International, “the plateau in age-adjusted hip fracture incidence rate resulted in more than 11,000 additional estimated hip fractures over the time periods 2013, 2014, and 2015.” The cost associated with those extra fractures was nearly $460 million, assuming a cost $40,000 per hip fracture, the research team calculated. “I find the trend very disturbing. When we first analyzed the data we were uncertain whether it was real or not,” Dr. E. Michael Lewiecki, one of the study authors, told Reuters Health by phone. “Most hip fracture patients, who almost always have osteoporosis and are at very high risk of having more fractures, are currently not being evaluated and treated to reduce fracture risk,” said Lewiecki, director of the New Mexico Clinical Research & Osteoporosis Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Osteoporosis, a disease that weakens bones, causes more than 8.9 million fractures annually, according to the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF). For the new study, researchers analyzed Medicare claims data from 2002 to 2015, from more than 2 million women age 65 or older. Dr. Joan McGowan, director of the division of Musculoskeletal Diseases at the U.S. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases in Bethesda, Maryland, told Reuters Health by phone that she hopes the new study “gets the kind of attention that it needs and deserves. Having fractures is not a normal part of aging.” The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends that women age 65 or older get screened for osteoporosis with a type of X-ray called a DXA scan to measure bone loss. Postmenopausal women under age 65, with risk factors for osteoporosis, should also be screened. Risk factors include a family history of osteoporosis, diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, the use of certain medications, and smoking and drinking alcohol. The study wasn’t designed to identify why hip fracture rates are leveling off instead of continuing to decline. Lewiecki and his colleagues can only speculate on the reasons. One possible explanation, they say, is that use of DXA testing has steadily declined. Because DXA is used to diagnose osteoporosis before the first fracture occurs and to monitor the skeletal effects of treatment, a decline in its use could be related to a rise in hip fracture rates, they suggest. Another factor causing hip fracture rates to rise, they say, could be a decrease in osteoporosis treatment – partly because fewer women are being screened and diagnosed, and partly because patients may fear the rare but severe side effects that have been linked with osteoporosis drugs called bisphosphonates. McGowan said that for patients at risk of fractures, the benefits of medication far outweigh the risks. Worries about side effects “are overblown,” she said. “They’re quite rare.” “We had success in reducing hip fractures in the past. There’s loads of opportunities to change the curve,” said McGowan.

https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-health-osteoporosis-hip-fracture/hip-fractures-on-the-rise-in-older-u-s-women-idUKKBN1F42BC

Swiss see no quick deal on new EU treaty

January 31, 2018 / 6:44 PM / Updated 33 minutes ago Swiss see no quick deal on new EU treaty Michael Shields 3 Min Read ZURICH (Reuters) - Switzerland will not meet the European Commission’s deadline for a deal in the early part of this year on a new treaty that would bind the neutral country more closely to its biggest trading partner, new Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis said. The Bern government still needs to clarify exactly what it wants from an accord that would replace the current patchwork of bilateral sectoral agreements, Cassis told reporters after a meeting of a cabinet sharply divided over European policy. Cassis, of the pro-business Free Democrats, won fans among the right-wing Swiss People’s Party by promising last year to hit the “reset” button in ties with the EU, but has since said he would like to see a deal on a new treaty within months. Asked on Wednesday about European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker’s demand to see progress on a treaty by spring, Cassis said: “That was never a decision of Switzerland. This was a communication of the European Union ... We will not have a market access treaty wrapped up by April.” Brussels has heaped pressure on Bern to sign a treaty under which non-EU member Switzerland would adopt EU laws governing the single market as the price of enhanced access. It would have the European Court of Justice help settle any disputes. This is anathema to the anti-immigration People’s Party, which is the largest in parliament and has two of seven cabinet seats. Many Swiss conservatives are also wary of giving “foreign judges” such power and are keen to see what kind of EU deal Britain can swing after its vote in 2016 to leave the EU. Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis arrives before a news conference in Bern, Switzerland January 31, 2018. REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth Brussels played hardball last year by putting Switzerland on a watch list of tax havens and granting for only one year Swiss stock exchange access to the single market, with any extension linked to agreeing a treaty. It falls now to Cassis to help forge a compromise. Slideshow (3 Images) “The quality is more important than the timing. The cabinet will never agree something that damages Switzerland, even in the next 40 years,” he said. Cassis named a new team to handle the Europe portfolio, appointing veteran diplomat Roberto Balzaretti as state secretary in charge of European affairs and the point man for coordinating EU negotiations. Cassis said Bern was reviewing new approaches to settling disputes that arise under a treaty. He was not more specific, but sources close to the talks have said the EU proposed letting a special arbitration court handle some disputes. The treaty issue is politically fraught ahead of elections in both Switzerland and the EU in 2019, which in effect means any deal has to be done this year. “We have around 10 months ahead of us to review the blockade,” Cassis said, referring to the logjam in talks with the EU. “If it works, it works. If not, then it doesn‘t. Then we have to go back over the books and see how it will go. It is clear not much will happen in 2019.” Editing by Mark Heinrich

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-swiss-eu/swiss-see-no-quick-deal-on-new-eu-treaty-idUKKBN1FK2SQ

Niger jails nine soldiers accused of coup attempt

January 26, 2018 / 6:33 PM / Updated 35 minutes ago Niger jails nine soldiers accused of coup attempt Reuters Staff 2 Min Read NIAMEY (Reuters) - A Nigerien court jailed nine soldiers for between five and 15 years on Friday for an attempted coup against President Mahamadou Issoufou two years ago, a court document showed. In December 2015, the government said it had foiled a coup and arrested people planning to use aerial firepower to seize control of Niger, a largely desert West African nation, a major uranium producer and Western ally against Saharan jihadists. In the judgement read out by Judge Ibrahim Daoudika, the suspected ringleader, General Salou Souleymane, got 15 years, as did two others. Six co-conspirators received sentences ranging from five to 10 years, and another three accused were acquitted. Issoufou was elected in 2011, one year after a coup. He was re-elected in February 2016 with 92.5 percent of the vote, after the opposition coalition boycotted the polls. “This is not what we expected, but the court is sovereign and it judged that they conspired against the state,” lawyer Nabara Ycouba told a news conference. “The law does not allow for an appeal. I will discuss with my clients what to do.” Reporting by Boureima Balima; Writing by Tim Cocks; Editing by Gareth Jones

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-niger-coup/niger-jails-nine-soldiers-accused-of-coup-attempt-idUKKBN1FF2GW

Trump to travel to WEF; Davos says dialogue is key

Trump to travel to WEF; Davos says dialogue is key 8:46pm IST - 01:46 Representatives of the World Economic Forum have welcomed the opportunity for dialogue with the U.S. President Trump’s, who’s attending the annual meet-up of global political and business leaders next week. But, as David Pollard reports, many are wondering how his “America First” message will go down in Davos. Representatives of the World Economic Forum have welcomed the opportunity for dialogue with the U.S. President Trump’s, who’s attending the annual meet-up of global political and business leaders next week. But, as David Pollard reports, many are wondering how his “America First” message will go down in Davos. //reut.rs/2Dir0Y9

https://in.reuters.com/video/2018/01/17/trump-to-travel-to-wef-davos-says-dialog?videoId=386697863

No. 20 Clemson posts rare win over No. 19 UNC

No. 20 Clemson bolted to a 16-point halftime lead and held on for an 82-78 victory against No. 19 North Carolina in Atlantic Coast Conference play Tuesday night at Littlejohn Coliseum in Clemson, S.C. The Tigers (18-4, 7-3 ACC) snapped a 10-game losing streak against North Carolina that dated to the 2010 season. Clemson moved into a tie for third place in the league standings with preseason favorite Duke. The Tigers were picked to finish 13th in the ACC preseason poll. North Carolina, the defending national champion and picked second in the preseason, fell to 16-7 overall, 5-5 in ACC play after its third consecutive loss. It marked the first time the Tar Heels dropped three games in a row since January 2014. North Carolina forward Theo Pinson sustained a shoulder strain a few minutes into the game and did not return. Playing its third game since losing senior forward Donte Grantham to a season-ending knee injury on Jan. 20, Clemson took control early with a hot shooting touch from long range. Clemson jumped out to a 21-9 lead, with all of its points coming on 3-pointers, and the Tar Heels never drew closer than seven points the remainder of the half. Clemson made 10 of 19 shots from 3-point range before the break, including a buzzer-beater by freshman Clyde Trapp that gave the Tigers their largest lead of the game, 44-28. The Tigers led by as many as 15 early in the second half, but the Tar Heels methodically cut into the deficit and eventually tied the game at 74 with 2:04 remaining. Clemson’s Marcquise Reed, who played 37 minutes without a turnover in the game and led the team in scoring (20), rebounds (eight) and assists (five), made a 3-pointer with 1:41 left to put the Tigers ahead for good. Shelton Mitchell, who scored 14 points, sealed the win with three free throws in the final 16 seconds. Guard Gabe DeVoe added 17 points for Clemson while forward Elijah Thomas had 11 points and six blocked shots. Guard Cam Johnson led North Carolina with 32 points, shooting 6 of 10 from 3-point range, and guard Joel Berry II added 27 points, including 19 in the second half. --Field Level Media

https://www.reuters.com/article/basketball-ncaa-cle-unc-recap/no-20-clemson-posts-rare-win-over-no-19-unc-idUSMTZEE1VEENI5K

Bill Gates: Here's why you should feel optimistic right now

Bill Gates can add a new accomplishment to his resume: serving as the first-ever guest editor of Time Magazine. According to Gates, the issue he oversaw is all about optimism. "We've been working for the past few months on an issue that's all about something that seems to be sorely lacking these days: reasons to be optimistic about the future," he writes on his blog . In one of his articles for Time , he shares his explanation for why the world seems to be down in the dumps. "Reading the news today does not exactly leave you feeling optimistic. Hurricanes in the Americas. Horrific mass shootings. Global tensions over nuclear arms, crisis in Myanmar, bloody civil wars in Syria and Yemen. Your heart breaks for every person who is touched by these tragedies," he writes. "Even for those of us lucky enough not to be directly affected, it may feel like the world is falling apart." However, Gates argues that the world is actually stronger than ever before. "These events — as awful as they are — have happened in the context of a bigger, positive trend," says Gates. "On the whole, the world is getting better." show chapters Why this entrepreneur swears by unreasonable optimism 9:41 AM ET Fri, 12 Aug 2016 | 01:48 The billionaire explains that statistics actually suggest that there are many reasons to be hopeful. "This is not some naively optimistic view; it's backed by data," he writes. "Look at the number of children who die before their fifth birthday. Since 1990, that figure has been cut in half. That means 122 million children have been saved in a quarter-century, and countless families have been spared the heartbreak of losing a child." Gates also points to other indicators of progress including decreasing poverty rates, improved human rights for LGBTQ people and increasing representation of women in governments around the globe. "I'm not trying to downplay the work that remains. Being an optimist doesn't mean you ignore tragedy and injustice," he explains. "It means you're inspired to look for people making progress on those fronts, and to help spread that progress." show chapters The plan for Bill and Melinda Gates' $1.7 billion investment in America's public education system 10:21 AM ET Mon, 30 Oct 2017 | 01:16 According to Gates, news coverage and cultural shifts are to blame for the disconnect between pessimistic sentiments and evidence for hope. "So why does it feel like the world is in decline? I think it is partly the nature of news coverage. Bad news arrives as drama, while good news is incremental — and not usually deemed newsworthy," he writes. "A video of a building on fire generates lots of views, but not many people would click on the headline 'Fewer buildings burned down this year.'" "To some extent, it is good that bad news gets attention. If you want to improve the world, you need something to be mad about," he writes. "But it has to be balanced by upsides." Like this story? Like CNBC Make It on Facebook ! Don't miss: 5 tricks for paying for college in 2018 What to do if you win the lottery in 2018 3 ways Bill Gates is spending billions to change the world show chapters How optimism breeds success 7:11 AM ET Fri, 3 June 2016 | 01:39

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/08/bill-gates-heres-why-you-should-feel-optimistic-right-now.html

Goldman Sachs upgrades United Technologies, sees 30% rally this year

United Technologies shares are ready to outperform the Dow Jones industrial average mightily this year after the aerospace leader trailed the benchmark the previous 12 months, Goldman Sachs believes. Goldman upgraded United Technologies to buy from neutral to start the week. The firm's new 12-month price target of $173 represents a gain of 31.5 percent from the stock's closing price Friday. Manufacturing issues with a new type of engine in its Pratt Whitney unit — the Geared TurboFan engine — are close to an end, the firm believes. "UTX trades near all time low valuation discounts to all of Multi-Industry, Aerospace and Elevator comp groups when stripping out the current GTF loss (but still assigning no value to positive out-year contributions)," analyst Noah Poponak wrote in a note late Sunday to clients. "We think the market will increasingly look at the stock through that lens as 2018 progresses." United Technologies shares are up 17 percent in the last 12 months, far less than the 27 percent gain for the Dow, of which it is a component. Outside of resolution to the engine troubles, Goldman sees other reasons to be positive on the new year, including tax reform. United Technologies is in the process of acquiring Rockwell Collins, an aviation technology leader. "The pending Collins acquisition has its risks, but our analysis suggests the deal will be cash flow accretive in 2019. We expect US tax reform to lower the UTX rate significantly, and UTX is a repatriation beneficiary given its large overseas cash balance." — CNBC's Michael Bloom contributed to this story.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/08/goldman-sachs-upgrades-united-technologies-sees-30-percent-rally-this-year.html

Foreign fund managers untroubled by Russian "oligarch list"

January 30, 2018 / 5:45 PM / Updated 26 minutes ago Foreign fund managers untroubled by Russian "oligarch list" Karin Strohecker 5 Min Read LONDON, Jan 30 (Reuters) - International asset managers appear unfazed by Washington’s move to name a group of business “oligarchs” as close to the Kremlin, with many saying on Tuesday that they were seeking an opportunity to add to their Russia exposure. The list compiled as part of a sanctions package signed into law in August named 210 people close to the Kremlin. The names include the heads of Russia’s top two lenders Sberbank and VTB, metals magnates from Norilsk Nickel , Rusal and Severstal and the boss of the state gas monopoly Gazprom. Bonds and stocks of many of the companies linked to the list are mainstays for portfolio investors outside Russia. “We have holdings in some of these oil companies, metals companies and bank,” said Kathy Collins, EM corporate debt fund manager at Aberdeen Standard Investments. “If you take away the politics for a second, fundamentally these are good companies - they have survived lower oil prices, they have very low leverage, and we have been happy to hold them.” Buoyed by synchronised global growth and low borrowing costs, emerging markets have enjoyed a stellar start to 2018, and oil prices near multi-year highs have provided additional support for Russia. Moody’s said on Tuesday that Russia’s economy has gained enough resilience to withstand new Western sanctions and may see its sovereign rating upgraded by year-end. Collins said she had hoped the list’s publication would yield buying opportunities but these had failed to materialise. Russian corporate dollar-denominated debt listed in JPMorgan’s CEMBI index which reflects the premium demanded by investors had widened by as much as 27 basis points in late-2017, while the broader index added 23 bps. Equity fund managers such as Jupiter Asset Management’s Colin Croft said markets had priced in bad news ahead of time. “History suggests that sanctions are not being terribly important for Russia or for the investment case - nonetheless, everyone is worrying about it,” said Croft. He increased holdings of Sberbank shares last year when they came under pressure by Washington’s decision to tighten the sanctions regime. “There is just a very big contrast between people’s worries and unnecessary panic and the fundamentals that are extremely healthy. Russia is one of those markets that tends to throw up those opportunities when people worry excessively,” he added. Fund managers’ reactions are in sharp contrast to last summer, when the U.S. signed new sanctions into law, pushing Russian dollar-denominated stocks to multi-month lows. The index ended 2017 flat, compared to MSCI’s wider emerging markets benchmark which soared 34 percent. The first sanctions round in 2014 cause an even bigger reaction, triggering huge selloffs across Russia’s currency, bonds and stocks. So far year-to-date, Russian stocks have outperformed wider emerging markets, with Sberbank hitting an all-time high on Tuesday. The “oligarchs’ list” document made clear it was not a sanctions list and inclusion should “in no way” be interpreted to mean those named were likely to be sanctioned. Looking at past measures, Manulife senior EM credit analyst Richard Segal said sanctioning individuals rather than companies had no practical implications. “This was a hurdle for investors to get over – but it seemed more like it was going to have a diplomatic impact than a market impact,” he said. Markets were still awaiting another U.S. report outlining potential restrictions on foreign investment in Moscow’s government debt or OFZs. The absence of the report helped push 10-year OFZs yields to 7.3 percent - its lowest since 2013 - with foreign buying credited for the move. “Although we cannot fully dismiss the chances of restrictive measures against Russian sovereign financial instruments being introduced in the future, we believe that the current U.S. approach significantly diminishes the risk of harsh measures against Russian sovereign debt over the short-term,” Societe Generale wrote in a note to clients. “We are re-instating a long position in OFZs.” (Reporting by Karin Strohecker, additional reporting by Claire Milhench; Editing by Richard Balmforth)

https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-russia-funds/foreign-fund-managers-untroubled-by-russian-oligarch-list-idUSL8N1PP5XR

China takes aim at hip-hop, saying 'low-taste content' must stop

January 22, 2018 / 10:15 AM / Updated 11 hours ago China takes aim at hip-hop, saying 'low-taste content' must stop Pei Li , Adam Jourdan 4 Min Read BEIJING/SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China’s censors have a new target in a widespread clamp-down on popular culture: the country’s nascent hip-hop scene, which resonated with Chinese youth last year on hugely popular television show “Rap of China.” Hip hop artists Wang Hao, known as “PG One” and Zhou Yan, known as “GAI” - the two winners of the show - have been sanctioned in recent weeks for bad behavior or content at odds with Communist Party values. GAI was pulled from hit show “The Singer” last week. The crackdown on hip-hop, still very much a new genre in China, reflects a broader squeeze on popular culture as the country’s stability-focused leadership looks to rein in potential platforms for youthful dissent. Beijing is eager to use popular culture to shape public opinion, including co-opting rap artists ahead of its five-yearly congress last year. With state support comes the insistence that Party values must take center stage in the artists’ work. The latest cleanup started when PG One was forced to apologize for lewd lyrics, which critics said were insulting to women and encouraged the use of recreational drugs. The official Xinhua news agency wrote that PG One “does not deserve the stage,” and that “we should say ‘no’ to whoever provides a platform for low-taste content.” Other official media and companies quickly followed suit; the rapper’s tracks were soon pulled from most online sites. GAI, who had been in third place on The Singer, broadcast by Hunan TV, was cut from the program last week with no reason given. Rapper Vava was hastily edited out of the same station’s flagship variety show “Happy Camp” because of her association with hip-hop culture. “Hip-hop’s prospects in China seem dim after Chinese rappers removed from TV shows,” read one headline from influential state-run tabloid Global Times on Sunday. The same paper this month said hip-hop - which it called a “tool for people to vent their anger, misery, complaints” - did not suit China and “cannot thrive” here. Chinese rap singer Zhou Yan, better known by his stage name GAI, performs during a New Year concert in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, China December 31, 2017. Picture taken December 31, 2017. REUTERS/Stringer The campaign underscores a broader clean-up of cultural content from video games, online streaming and even performance art amid a drive to make cultural products adhere to mainstream socialist core values. PG One, Vava and Hunan TV could not immediately be reached for comment. GAI, who had tried to make his act more Party-friendly - including an impromptu performance in which he sang the words “long live the motherland” - did not respond to requests for comment. Chinese news portal Sina reported on Friday that China’s broadcasting watchdog had said immoral and vulgar content should be kept off the air, including hip-hop - and even tattoos. The State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television did not respond to a telephone request for comment from Reuters on Monday. This is not the first time Chinese musicians have run afoul of local censors. In 2015, China’s culture ministry banned 120 songs - mostly rap - for “promoting obscenity, violence, crime or threatening public morality.” In July last year, Beijing’s Municipal Bureau of Culture said it was “not appropriate” for Justin Bieber to tour in China because previous performances there had created “public dissatisfaction.” A month later, organizers aiming to bring Grammy Award-winning artists to China said they would only “promote artists with a positive and healthy image.” Li Yijie, a patriotic rapper with government-backed band Tianfu Shibian, said that regulators weren’t blacklisting the genre as a whole, but that recent scandals meant “some institutions, firms, TV stations and the public had lost confidence in hip-hop.” “Maybe local television stations think it is too sensitive to run hip-hop shows now,” he added. Reporting by Pei Li and Adam Jourdan; Editing by Gerry Doyle

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-censorship-hiphop/china-takes-aim-at-hip-hop-saying-low-taste-content-must-stop-idUSKBN1FB139

World in 2014: China overtakes US, Hong Kong protest, ISIS, bitcoin, Donald Trump

Trump's post: In the end, you're measured not by how much you undertake but by what you finally accomplish. The box office Brent crude futures last traded at roughly Monday's levels on Dec. 2, 2014, while the WTI crude futures last reached current levels on Dec. 5, 2014. In the weekend that followed, Dec. 6 and 7, the movie "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1" topped the global box office by taking in $22 million worldwide, according to an online database run by IMDb. "Penguins of Madagascar" was a distant second at $10.9 million of gross earnings that weekend. Neither film was nominated for an Academy Award. Hong Kong's 'Umbrella Revolution' The 2014 protest, dubbed the "Umbrella Revolution" as student activists used umbrellas to protect themselves from police pepper stray, erupted over mounting frustrations about Beijing's meddling in Hong Kong politics. Protesters were unhappy that China would pre-approve candidates for the elections of a new chief executive — the head of government in Hong Kong — in 2017. The movement started on Sept. 28, 2014 and, at its peak, rallies drew more than 100,000 attendees and protesters occupied central areas such as Mong Kok and Admiralty — bringing traffic into those sites to a halt. Clashes between protesters and the police escalated and the movement fell in the middle of December 2014 after police moved in to clear the last of the protest sites. Getty Images Umbrellas are opened as tens of thousands come to the main protest site one month after the Hong Kong police used tear gas to disperse protesters October 28, 2014 in Hong Kong, Hong Kong. Rise of the Islamic State By December 2014, the jihadist group controlled large swathes of territory in Syria and Iraq . In June of that year it had adopted the name "Islamic State" to reflect its ambitions to expand beyond the two countries. The group would later add parts of Nigeria, Pakistan and Egypt to its territory. The year 2014 also saw the U.S. launching its first airstrikes against the group. The U.S. and its Arab allies bombed Syria in September that year, killing at least 70 Islamic State fighters during the first strikes. Bitcoin was just above $300 Bitcoin came into the limelight at the end of 2013 when its price rose above $1,000. But 2014 was a rough period for the cryptocurrency: It plunged 58 percent during that time to close the year at $319.70, according to Coindesk's Bitcoin Price Index, which tracks prices from major digital currency exchanges. Notable developments around that time in the cryptocurrency space included Microsoft's acceptance of bitcoin as a form of payment, joining the likes of PayPal, Dell and Expedia. Volatility in the price of bitcoin slowed down the public's acceptance of cryptocurrencies. But bitcoin would later stage a comeback to trade above $19,000 — its all-time high thus far — in December 2017. A win for same-sex couples Getty Images Scotland's new law on same-sex marriages came into effect in December 2014. The legislation allowed civil partnerships to be converted to marriages, and was used for the first time by Douglas Pretsell from Edinburgh and his Australian partner Peter Gloster, the BBC reported. The law came about after a 2014 survey revealed that 68 percent of Scots agreed that same-sex couples should have the right to marry, compared to 41 percent who thought the same in 2002.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/16/world-in-2014-china-overtakes-us-hong-kong-protest-isis-bitcoin-donald-trump.html

Bond guru Bill Gross signals end of bull era for Treasury markets

The bond bear market is finally upon us after more than 25 years, bond guru Bill Gross said Tuesday. Thought to be triggered by the Bank of Japan's tapering of bond purchases, his claim is making waves in the investment community and coincides with central banks increasingly moving away from global bond markets. The call was released in a tweet from the account of Janus Henderson Group, Gross's investment firm, saying: "Bond bear market confirmed today. 25 year long-term trendlines broken in 5 (year) and 10 (year) maturity Treasuries." Tweet1 The benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury yield rose to its highest level since March Tuesday, surpassing 2.55 percent as an incipient bond sell-off gathers pace. It was trading close to 2.5788 percent on Wednesday afternoon. Gross's sentiment is not universally shared, however, with many investors warning it's too early to call an end to the near three-decade bull run for bonds. Others still suggest that climbing yields might actually help stocks. Double Line Capital CEO Jeffrey Gundlach didn't join Gross's claim on the timing of the bear market, but signaled it's on the horizon, predicting on Twitter that a rise above 3.22 percent on the 30-year Treasury yield "would end the bond bull market for good." The 30-year Treasury yield hovered around 2.9225 Wednesday afternoon, representing a steady upward climb from its historic low of 2.11 percent in July 2016, according to Trading Economics. Bond yields move inversely to prices. The billionaire bond investor also said it would be a "big deal" if 10-year yields rise above 2.63 percent. Gundlach said the Federal Reserve's tightening would leave the S&P 500 in negative territory for 2018. Bond yields have been falling for decades. To give you an idea, the average yield on a 10-year Treasury bond in 1981 was higher than 15%. The downward trend had continued reliably since then, which explains why many investors are alarmed at the prospect of a change in course. Now, as bond supply rises across all major markets and the main buyers of bonds — central banks — pull back from quantitative easing and set in on rate hikes, investors like Gross and Gundlach are confidently calling an end to the bull run. Still, others in the bond world don't see cause for concern. Legendary bond investor Bill Miller told rising yields will give a further boost to stocks, which have been hitting record highs for the past year. "Those 10-year yields go through 2.6 percent and head towards 3 percent, I think we could have the kind of melt-up we had in 2013, where we had the market go up 30 percent," Miller told CNBC's " Closing Bell ". "If we can get the 10-year towards that 3 percent level, you'll see the same thing."

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/10/bond-guru-bill-gross-signals-end-of-bull-era-for-treasury-markets.html

Steinhoff says notified Dutch Authority on delaying 2017 results

January 30, 2018 / 11:24 AM / Updated 10 minutes ago Steinhoff says notified Dutch Authority on delaying 2017 results Reuters Staff 1 Min Read JOHANNESBURG, Jan 30 (Reuters) - Steinhoff International said on Tuesday it has informed the Dutch Authority for the Financial Markets that it will not publish its audited 2017 consolidated financial statements by Jan. 31. Steinhoff said it would only do so “as soon as it is able to do so”. Steinhoff, owner of more than 40 retail brands globally, has admitted “accounting irregularities”, triggering an 85 percent share slide. (Reporting by Nqobile Dludla; Editing by James Macharia)

https://www.reuters.com/article/steinhoff-intlnl-accounts/steinhoff-says-notified-dutch-authority-on-delaying-2017-results-idUSL8N1PP3I2

BRIEF-Ontex FY Revenue 2.35 Billion Euros

January 30, 2018 / 6:08 PM / in 23 minutes BRIEF-Ontex FY Revenue 2.35 Billion Euros Reuters Staff Jan 30 (Reuters) - Ontex Group Nv: * ONTEX 2017 TRADING UPDATE * SEES FY REVENUE EUR 2.35 BILLION * SEES Q4 LIKE-FOR-LIKE REVENUE GROWTH OF 7.2%​ * FULL YEAR REVENUE IS EXPECTED TO BE EUR 2.35 BILLION, WITH LFL REVENUE GROWTH OF 5.5%. * ‍ONTEX BUSINESS EXCLUDING BRAZIL HAD AN ADJUSTED EBITDA MARGIN OF C.12.0% FOR FULL YEAR 2017​ * SAYS IN BRAZILIAN BUSINESS ADJUSTMENT ESTIMATED AT EUR 15 MILLION CHARGED TO REVENUE AND ADJUSTED. EBITDA IN DEC​ * ‍BRAZILIAN BUSINESS: NEGATIVE ADJUSTED EBITDA MARGIN FOR BRAZILIAN BUSINESS IN Q4 2017​ * ‍BRAZILIAN BUSINESS: EBITDA MARGIN OF 3.8% FOR PERIOD MARCH TO DECEMBER 2017​ * ‍ONTEX GROUP ADJUSTED EBITDA FOR FY 2017 IS AN ESTIMATED EUR 266 MILLION​ * SEES ONTEX GROUP ADJUSTED EBITDA MARGIN FOR FY 2017 OF APPROXIMATELY 11.3%​ * ‍SEES Q4 2017 ADJUSTED. EBITDA MARGIN OF 9.1%, WHICH IS BELOW OUTLOOK​ * ‍FOR FULL YEAR 2018, WE EXPECT FURTHER LFL REVENUE GROWTH IN HIGHLY COMPETITIVE MARKETS​ * ‍COMMODITY HEADWINDS AND INCREASED SUPPLY CHAIN COSTS WILL CONTINUE TO NEGATIVELY IMPACT H1 2018​ * ‍EFFECT OF ACTIONS, INCLUDING BRAZIL, EXPECTED TO BECOME INCREASINGLY VISIBLE IN PROFITABILITY IN H22018​ Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage: (Gdynia Newsroom)

https://www.reuters.com/article/brief-ontex-fy-revenue-235-billion-euros/brief-ontex-fy-revenue-2-35-billion-euros-idUSASB0C31F

S&P expects positive credit boost for Amazon 'HQ2' winner

(Reuters) - The winning location for Amazon.com’s $5 billion second headquarters project and its promise of up to 50,000 new jobs will likely receive a credit boost, S&P Global Ratings said on Thursday. The largest e-commerce retailer announced last week that it had pared the list of 238 proposals for its so-called HQ2 project down to 19 metropolitan areas in the United States and one in Canada. “We think the arrival of HQ2 could have significant and sustained positive effects on the chosen community’s economic characteristics, which could affect local government credit quality in a variety of ways under our local government general obligation (GO) criteria, particularly for communities with relatively low economic scores,” S&P said in a report. Short-listed candidates for the headquarters include several with AAA ratings, such as Boston and Virginia’s Fairfax County, ranging down to BBB-plus-rated Chicago. The credit rating agency said that the incentive packages Amazon is seeking from the governments for the project could offset local gains as a result of direct costs or foregone revenue. S&P said that taxpayer and employment concentration from the new Amazon headquarters, although unlikely, could pose a long-term risk to the winning government’s credit quality. Amazon has said it expects to pick a location this year. Reporting By Karen Pierog; Editing by Daniel Bases and Grant McCool

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-ratings-amazon-com/sp-expects-positive-credit-boost-for-amazon-hq2-winner-idUSKBN1FE350

FutureWeld and Frontier Techni-Kote Industries Announce Merger

PHOENIX, Jan. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- FutureWeld Co., Inc. ("FutureWeld") and Frontier Techni-Kote Industries, LLC ("FTK") today announced that the companies have agreed to merge and form Frontier Group, Inc. ("Frontier Group" or the "Company"). The merger represents the combination of two leading companies in the southwestern U.S. aerospace metal finishing industry. Founded in 1979 and based in Phoenix, Arizona, FutureWeld has been one of the few independent aerospace metal finishing companies to be Nadcap accredited to offer chemical processing, non-destructive testing and welding services. Founded in 1994 and based in Chino Valley, Arizona, FTK has had a long-standing reputation for providing best-in-class chemical processing services to aerospace and other customers throughout Arizona and the southwestern U.S. Andrew Furrer, President of Frontier Group, commented, "The combination of FutureWeld and FTK to form Frontier Group marks the coming together of two market leaders who together have more than 60 years of experience serving the aerospace and other industries. We're thrilled to offer our joint customers more capabilities, faster delivery and a higher level of expertise as a result of the merger. We will continue to make investments in our own business to ensure that we continue providing the highest levels of service in the industry." Furrer continued, "No other metal finishing supplier in Arizona can match Frontier Group's breadth of comprehensive services, including anodize, chem film, paint, passivation, phosphate, non-destructive testing, welding and more. As one of the few independent metal finishing providers in Arizona, our only focus is to provide the best service to our customers. We look forward to adding additional services and expertise to support our current and future customers." Key highlights of the combination include: Two facilities (Phoenix and Chino Valley, Arizona) with more than 40,000 square feet of capacity and two complete anodize and other chemical processing lines More than 70 experienced employees The ability to service customers throughout all of Arizona, southern California and other states in the southwestern U.S. The most comprehensive service offering of any metal finishing provider based in Arizona Frontier Group's management will own a significant portion of the Company alongside Montage Partners, a private equity firm based in Scottsdale, Arizona, focused on investments in the western U.S. About Frontier Group Frontier Group is the leading Arizona-based provider of metal finishing services to the aerospace & defense and other industries including medical, commercial, industrial, and automotive. Since its founding in 1979, Frontier Group has delivered unrivaled quality and service to its long-standing customers across the southwestern U.S. Frontier Group is uniquely qualified as Arizona's only independent metal finishing service provider that is Nadcap accredited to offer chemical processing, non-destructive testing, and welding services. Contact Andrew Furrer President afurrer@frontiergroupco.com www.frontiergroupco.com View original content: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/futureweld-and-frontier-techni-kote-industries-announce-merger-300582414.html SOURCE Frontier Group, Inc.

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/15/pr-newswire-futureweld-and-frontier-techni-kote-industries-announce-merger.html

It's a buy-the-dip story in the oil markets, says RBC's Helima Croft

Oil's run to multiyear highs may soon run out of fuel. But that bearish turn will likely be short-lived, according to RBC Capital Markets' Helima Croft. Even though the oil markets are entering a period of seasonal softness, she sees geopolitical trends supporting pricier oil. Croft, RBC's head of commodity strategy, says the floor has risen to the mid-to-high $50 a barrel price range. "We're constructive on oil," she said Wednesday on CNBC's " Trading Nation ." "I f we do move lower, we think that's a buying opportunity." In April, Croft predicted on CNBC that oil would surge nearly 20 percent — trading in the low $60s a barrel within months. That's exactly what happened about nine months later. Just last week, WTI crude pushed above $65 a barrel for the first time since December 2014. It has now rallied nearly 40 percent in the last six months. Brent crude is also seeing a breakout to more than three-year highs — with the commodity hitting above $70 a barrel on Monday. Croft, who's confident that OPEC's 2018 production cut extension will stick, lists Mideast tensions as a bullish catalyst for oil prices. "I've been amazed that we've had multiple ballistic missiles fired from Yemen into Saudi Arabia, and the market shrugs that off," she said. "One of the big geopolitical stories for this year is to really watch what happens in Yemen. If one of those missiles hits a civilian target in Saudi Arabia, the entire region will be on a war footing." Venezuela is also high on Croft's watch list. "They need more revenue. But they just don't have the barrels to do so. Their production is going in one direction, and that's down," she said. "Same thing with Nigeria. They look pretty tapped out. In fact, you have reports out there that militant groups are threatening to take more production offline." And if any of those scenarios materialize, she said, it will create a tighter demand picture against a vibrant environment. "We are still very conservative on the U.S. production especially in this price environment for this year. But again, it's against a backdrop or a very, very healthy demand picture," Croft said. Vote Vote to see results Total Votes: Not a Scientific Survey. Results may not total 100% due to rounding. show chapters Top commodity strategist says the outlook for crude is constructive 20 Hours Ago | 04:49 Disclaimer

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/18/its-a-buy-the-dip-story-in-the-oil-markets-says-rbcs-helima-croft.html

AbbVie to Host Fourth-Quarter 2017 Earnings Conference Call

NORTH CHICAGO, Ill., Jan. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) will announce its fourth-quarter 2017 financial results on Friday, Jan. 26, 2018, before the market opens. AbbVie will host a live webcast of the earnings conference call at 8 a.m. Central time (9 a.m. Eastern). It will be accessible through AbbVie's Investor Relations website investors.abbvie.com . An archived edition of the session will be available later that day. About AbbVie AbbVie is a global, research-driven biopharmaceutical company committed to developing innovative advanced therapies for some of the world's most complex and critical conditions. The company's mission is to use its expertise, dedicated people and unique approach to innovation to markedly improve treatments across four primary therapeutic areas: immunology, oncology, virology and neuroscience. In more than 75 countries, AbbVie employees are working every day to advance health solutions for people around the world. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com . Follow @abbvie on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn . View original content with multimedia: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/abbvie-to-host-fourth-quarter-2017-earnings-conference-call-300581775.html SOURCE AbbVie

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/12/pr-newswire-abbvie-to-host-fourth-quarter-2017-earnings-conference-call.html

No. 25 Miami wins at North Carolina State

Bruce Brown Jr. scored 19 points and contributed to No. 25 Miami’s 10-for-19 shooting from 3-point range in an 86-81 road victory against North Carolina State on Sunday afternoon at PNC Arena in Raleigh, N.C. Anthony Lawrence II and Ebuka Izundu both scored 15 points and Lonnie Walker IV added 12 points for Miami (14-4, 3-3 Atlantic Coast Conference). Brown shot 3-for-3 on 3-pointers and also distributed nine assists. The Hurricanes recovered after failing to protect a double-digit, second-half lead in Monday night’s loss to fifth-ranked Duke. N.C. State’s Omer Yurtseven racked up 28 points, shooting 12-for-16 from the field. Torin Dorn and Allerik Freeman both scored 13 points and Braxton Beverly poured in 10 for the Wolfpack (13-7, 3-4), which lost for the first time in four ACC home games. The second half was played at a rapid clip considering both teams scored 27 points in the first eight minutes after halftime. Miami gained separation with a 9-0 run for a 77-65 edge with 6:11 to play. N.C. State responded with the next seven points in less than 80 seconds. Twice within five points and with possession, the Wolfpack failed to convert. But back-to-back offensive rebounds for N.C. State led to Yurtseven’s two free throws at the 1:41 mark, closing the gap to 81-78. Brown answered with a basket for Miami. Yurtseven reached the 20-point mark less than six minutes into the second half, making 10 of his first 13 shots. Freeman wasn’t in the starting lineup for the first time this season after posting a total of five points in the past two games. N.C. State guard Markell Johnson made his first start in more than a month. He was scoreless with 14 assists in his third game back after a suspension. Miami led 36-32 at halftime, aided by making half of its eight 3-point attempts. Reserves combined to score 15 first-half points for the Wolfpack. N.C. State erased an eight-point deficit to pull even at 25-25 when Miami went more than two minutes without scoring. -- Field Level Media

https://www.reuters.com/article/basketball-ncaa-ncs-mia-recap/no-25-miami-wins-at-north-carolina-state-idUSMTZEE1LX70TKI

UPDATE 2-Big Bash League Scoreboard

January 13, 2018 / 11:14 AM / Updated 2 hours ago UPDATE 2-Big Bash League Scoreboard Reuters Staff 3 Min Read Jan 13 (OPTA) - Scoreboard at close of play on the first day of match 28 between Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder on Saturday at Sydney, Australia Sydney Sixers win by 8 wickets Sydney Thunder 1st innings Usman Khawaja lbw Carlos Brathwaite 8 James Vince c Nic Maddinson b Nathan Lyon 34 Shane Watson b Sean Abbott 3 Callum Ferguson c Joe Denly b Moises Henriques 7 Chris Green Run Out Moises Henriques 49 Arjun Nair c Jordan Silk b Moises Henriques 17 Ben Rohrer Not Out 7 Jay Lenton Not Out 18 Extras 4b 4lb 0nb 0pen 5w 13 Total (20.0 overs) 156-6 Fall of Wickets : 1-39 Khawaja, 2-48 Watson, 3-58 Vince, 4-63 Ferguson, 5-122 Nair, 6-129 Green Did Not Bat : McClenaghan, Sandhu, Ahmed Bowling Ov Md Rn Wk Econ Ex Ben Dwarshuis 3 0 21 0 7.00 4w Carlos Brathwaite 4 0 31 1 7.75 Nathan Lyon 4 0 24 1 6.00 Sean Abbott 3 0 25 1 8.33 1w Johan Botha 3 0 22 0 7.33 Moises Henriques 3 0 25 2 8.33 Sydney Sixers 1st innings Joe Denly b Fawad Ahmed 43 Daniel Hughes Not Out 66 Nic Maddinson c Ben Rohrer b Arjun Nair 28 Moises Henriques Not Out 18 Extras 0b 1lb 0nb 0pen 1w 2 Total (20.0 overs) 157-2 Fall of Wickets : 1-69 Denly, 2-127 Maddinson Did Not Bat : Silk, Brathwaite, Botha, Nevill, Abbott, Dwarshuis, Lyon Bowling Ov Md Rn Wk Econ Ex Gurinder Sandhu 2 0 26 0 13.00 1w Mitchell McClenaghan 4 0 34 0 8.50 Chris Green 4 0 22 0 5.50 Shane Watson 2 0 26 0 13.00 Fawad Ahmed 4 0 22 1 5.50 Arjun Nair 4 0 26 1 6.50 Umpire Greg Davidson Umpire Simon Lightbody Video Claire Polosak Match Referee Peter Marshall

https://in.reuters.com/article/cricket-australia-scoreboard/big-bash-league-scoreboard-idINMTZXEE1DHR1TTS

U.S. jobless claims increase less than expected

WASHINGTON, Jan 25 (Reuters) - The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits rose less than expected last week, pointing to tightening labor market conditions. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits increased 17,000 to a seasonally adjusted 233,000, for the week ended Jan. 20, the Labor Department said on Thursday. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast claims rising to 240,000 in the latest week. Claims have been volatile in recent weeks because of difficulties adjusting the data for seasonal fluctuations around year-end and the start of a new year. Unseasonably cold temperatures also had an impact on the data. (Reporting By Lucia Mutikani Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)

https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-economy-unemployment/u-s-jobless-claims-increase-less-than-expected-idUSL2N1PJ1W4

Beware the ‘black hole’ that is GE, market watcher warns

4:29 PM ET Wed, 17 Jan 2018 | 02:59 The stock market is in the midst of one of the hottest bull run's ever, but General Electric is being left out in the cold. The Dow 's oldest component has had a rough go at it. On Wednesday, it suffered its worst three-day decline since mid-November. For one market watcher, the reason for the sell-off is clear: GE's opaque finances across its portfolio of businesses. "I would not be rushing to go buy it simply because of the black hole of the financials side," Boris Schlossberg of BK Asset Management told CNBC's " Trading Nation " on Wednesday. To Schlossberg, the uncertainty of what liabilities hide on its balance sheet is worrisome. GE's troubled finances were made a little more transparent to investors on Tuesday after the company announced plans to book a $6.2 billion after-tax charge for its insurance business in its fourth quarter. John Flannery, CEO of GE since August, told investors he was "disappointed" in the charge stemming from its "legacy portfolio." "There's still a lot of unknowns right now and, if anything, these write-offs actually highlight just how much wasn't known up until now," said Gina Sanchez of Chantico Global, who also holds a pessimistic outlook on GE. The GE Capital subsidiary said it will suspend its dividend to GE for the foreseeable future. GE's financials businesses are expected to be a red mark on GE's balance sheet over the next few years. Analysts forecast a drop in year-over-year revenue and earnings in the GE Capital core segment in 2017 and 2018. Even a recent surge in crude oil is not enough for Sanchez to change her view on GE shares. Oil's gains, which should be "wind in their sails" for GE's oil and gas operations, will not give enough of a lift to the company as a whole, Sanchez said. GE's oil and gas operations make up roughly one-tenth of the company's total revenue and earnings. GE's recent operational performance should become a little clearer when the company reports earnings. Fourth-quarter earnings are expected to dip for the third year in a row, falling to 30 cents a share, roughly one-third lower than in 2016. Sales are expected to rise by 2 percent. GE is set to report on its fourth quarter on Wednesday. Until then, GE shares are taking a hit — over the past three days, its stock has plummeted almost 9 percent. GE's shares have not seen such a weak performance since mid-November with news the company would cut its dividend shocked markets. That marked just its second dividend cut since the Great Depression. The majority of brokers surveyed by FactSet have a hold rating on the stock and a price target average of $20.71 a share, implying nearly 20 percent upside from Wednesday's levels. Morningstar Equity Research has one of the highest price targets at $26 and Deutsche Bank one of the lowest at $15.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/18/beware-the-black-hole-that-is-general-electric-market-watcher-warns.html

Aurora Cannabis teams up with Danish tomato producer to sell pot in Europe

January 4, 2018 / 12:56 PM / Updated 3 minutes ago Aurora Cannabis teams up with Danish tomato producer to sell pot in Europe Reuters Staff 1 Min Read Jan 4 (Reuters) - Canadian marijuana company Aurora Cannabis Inc on Thursday decided to partner with Danish tomato and pepper producer Alfred Pedersen & Son to produce and sell cannabis in Europe. Aurora’s growth plan comes at a time when Canada is set to legalize the sale of recreational marijuana by July, becoming the second country in the world to do so after Uruguay. Tomato and pepper - often grown in greenhouses - are the most common choices to convert to weed as they have similar growth requirements. The joint venture, which is majority owned by Aurora Cannabis, will focus on selling cannabis in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland, through Aurora’s German unit. The newly formed company, Aurora Nordic Cannabis A/S, will set up a production facility, which can produce up to 120,000 kg of cannabis per year, Aurora said. Aurora’s partner received its license to cultivate cannabis from Denmark’s Medicines Agency on January 1. (Reporting by John Benny in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur)

https://www.reuters.com/article/aurora-cannabis-alfredpedersen/aurora-cannabis-teams-up-with-danish-tomato-producer-to-sell-pot-in-europe-idUSL4N1OZ3JS

CommerceWest Bank Announces Record Profitability, Loan, Deposit and Asset Levels for the Year

IRVINE, Calif., Jan. 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- CommerceWest Bank (OTCBB: CWBK) The Bank took a charge to tax expense of $528,000 in the fourth quarter of 2017 for the impact of the change in tax rates resulting from the enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act ("TCJA") on December 22, 2017. Net income for the three months ended December 31, 2017 excluding this charge was $1,601,000 or $0.40 per common share, compared with net income of $1,319,000 or $0.32 per common share for the three months ended December 31, 2016, an EPS increase of 25%. Net income for the twelve months ended December 31, 2017 excluding this charge was $5,533,000 or $1.36 per common share, compared with net income of $4,830,000 or $1.16 per common share for the twelve months ended December 31, 2016, an EPS increase of 17%. The Bank reported net income for the three months ended December 31, 2017 including the charge for the impact of the change in tax rates of $1,073,000 or $0.27 per common share, compared with net income of $1,319,000 or $0.32 per common share for the three months ended December 31, 2016, an EPS decrease of 16%. Net income for the twelve months ended December 31, 2017, including the charge for the impact of the change in tax rates, was $5,005,000 or $1.23 per common share, compared with net income of $4,830,000 or $1.16 per common share for the twelve months ended December 31, 2016, an EPS increase of 6%. Key Financial Results for the three months ended December 31, 2017: Interest income up 8% Non-interest income up 8% Net income up 21% excluding impact of change in tax law EPS up 27% excluding impact of change in tax law Efficiency ratio of 56.20% 28% deposit growth year over year 25% asset growth year over year Key Financial Results for the twelve months ended December 31, 2017: Interest income up 9% Net interest income up 6% Non-interest expense down 2% Net income up 15% excluding impact of change in tax law EPS up 17% excluding impact of change in tax law Return on Equity up 14% excluding impact of change in tax law Efficiency ratio of 54.26% Mr. Ivo Tjan, Chairman and CEO commented on the financial results, "The Bank had solid financial performance in 2017. We achieved record profitability, deposit, loan and asset growth for the year. We demonstrated our commitment to long term shareholder value by returning millions of dollars in capital through stock repurchases and dividends." Mr. Tjan commented further, "The economic backdrop is favorable, and tax reform legislation enacted late last year has provided us with an opportunity to accelerate investments in our business, our people, and our communities; which will result in creating strong shareholder value. We are optimistic about our future and the momentum going into 2018. The Bank has assembled the most talented group of individuals in the history of our company and our future is bright." Total assets increased $152.9 million as of December 31, 2017, an increase of 25% as compared to the same period one year ago. Total loans increased $10.3 million as of December 31, 2017, an increase of 3% over the prior year. While loan production has been solid, the Bank has experienced a heightened level of loan prepayments during 2017. Cash and due from banks increased $113.6 million or 61% from the prior year. Total investment securities increased $27.2 million, an increase of 66% from the prior year. Total deposits increased $152.6 million as of December 31, 2017, an increase of 28% from December 31, 2016. Non-interest-bearing deposits increased $79.0 million as of December 31, 2017, an increase of 31% over the prior year. Interest bearing deposits increased $73.5 million as of December 31, 2017, an increase of 25% over the prior period. Stockholders' equity on December 31, 2017 was $60.2 million, a decrease of 2% as compared to stockholders' equity of $61.1 million a year ago. Interest income was $5,452,000 for the three months ended December 31, 2017 as compared to $5,070,000 for the three months ended December 31, 2016, an increase of 8%. Interest income was $20,844,000 for the twelve months ended December 31, 2017 as compared to $19,139,000 for the twelve months ended December 31, 2016, an increase of 9%. Interest expense was $570,000 for the three months ended December 31, 2017 as compared to $294,000 for the three months ended December 31, 2016, an increase of 94%. Interest expense was $1,742,000 for the twelve months ended December 31, 2017 as compared to $1,124,000 for the twelve months ended December 31, 2016, an increase of 55%. Net interest income for the three months ended December 31, 2017 was $4,882,000 as compared to $4,776,000 for the three months ended December 31, 2016, an increase of 2%. Net interest income for the twelve months ended December 31, 2017 was $19,102,000 as compared to $18,015,000 for the twelve months ended December 31, 2016, an increase of 6%. The net interest margin decreased for the three months ended December 31, 2017. It decreased from 4.08% in 2016 to 3.68% in 2017, a decrease of 10%. The net interest margin decreased for the twelve months ended December 31, 2017. It decreased from 4.14% in 2016 to 3.93% in 2017, a decrease of 5%. Provision for loan losses for the three months ended December 31, 2017 was $225,000 compared to $50,000 for the three months ended December 31, 2016, an increase of 350%. Provision for loan losses for the twelve months ended December 31, 2017 was $1,255,000 compared to $225,000 for the twelve months ended December 31, 2016, an increase of 458%. Non-interest income for the three months ended December 31, 2017 was $686,000 compared to $636,000 for the same period last year, an increase of 8%. Non-interest income for the twelve months ended December 31, 2017 was $2,832,000 compared to $2,399,000 for the same period last year, an increase of 18%. The Bank collected approximately $784,000 in prepayment penalty fee income on loans during the twelve months ended December 31, 2017 as compared to $155,000 for the twelve months ended December 31, 2016. Non-interest expense for the three months ended December 31, 2017 was $3,205,000 compared to $3,218,000 for the same period last year, a decrease of less than one percent. Non-interest expense for the twelve months ended December 31, 2017 was $12,162,000 compared to $12,360,000 for the same period last year, a decrease of 2%. The Bank's efficiency ratio for the three months ended December 31, 2017 was 56.20% compared to 59.91% in 2016, which represents a decrease of 6%. The Bank's efficiency ratio for the twelve months ended December 31, 2017 was 54.26% compared to 60.00% in 2016, which represents a decrease of 10%. The efficiency ratio illustrates, that for every dollar the Bank made for the twelve-month period ending December 31, 2017, the Bank spent $0.54 to make it, as compared to $0.60 one year ago. Capital ratios for the Bank remain well above the levels required for a "well capitalized" institution as designated by regulatory agencies. As of December 31, 2017, the tier 1 leverage ratio was 9.87%, the common equity tier 1 capital ratio was 12.53%, the tier 1 risk based capital ratio was 12.53%, and the total risk-based capital ratio was 13.48%. CommerceWest Bank is a California based full service commercial bank with a unique vision and culture of focusing exclusively on the business community. Founded in 2001 and headquartered in Irvine, California. The Bank serves businesses throughout the state with an emphasis on clients in Orange County, San Diego, Los Angeles, and Riverside Counties. We are a full service business bank and offer a wide range of commercial banking services, including concierge services, remote deposit solution, online banking , mobile banking , lines of credit , working capital loans, commercial real estate loans, SBA loans, and cash management services . Mission Statement: CommerceWest Bank will create a complete banking experience for each client, catering to businesses and their specific banking needs, while accommodating our clients and providing them high-quality, low stress and personally tailored banking and financial services. Please visit www.cwbk.com to learn more about the bank. "BANK ON THE DIFFERENCE" Statements concerning future performance, developments or events, expectations for growth and income forecasts, and any other guidance on future periods, constitute forward-looking statements that are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from stated expectations. Specific factors include, but are not limited to, loan production, balance sheet management, expanded net interest margin, the ability to control costs and expenses, interest rate changes, financial policies of the United States government and general economic conditions. The Company disclaims any obligation to update any such factors or to publicly announce the results of any revisions to any forward-looking statements contained in this release to reflect future events or developments. FOURTH QUARTER REPORT - DECEMBER 31, 2017 (Unaudited) BALANCE SHEET Increase (dollars in thousands) December 31, 2017 December 31, 2016 (Decrease) ASSETS Cash and due from banks $ 301,277 $ 187,683 61% Investments - available for sale 68,319 41,133 66% Loans 385,338 374,993 3% Less allowance for loan losses (4,092) (4,689) -13% Loans, net 381,246 370,304 3% Bank premises and equipment, net 472 372 27% Other assets 18,190 17,137 6% Total assets $ 769,504 $ 616,629 25% LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY Non-interest bearing deposits $ 331,315 $ 252,298 31% Interest bearing deposits 373,086 299,540 25% Total deposits 704,401 551,838 28% Other liabilities 4,930 3,677 34% 709,331 555,515 28% Stockholders' equity 60,173 61,114 -2% Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 769,504 $ 616,629 25% Shares outstanding at end of period 3,751,960 3,869,819 Book value per share $ 15.87 $ 15.68 Allowance for loan losses to total loans 1.06% 1.25% Non-performing assets (non-accrual loans & OREO) $ 884 $ - CAPITAL RATIOS: Tier 1 leverage ratio 9.87% 11.72% Common equity tier 1 capital ratio 12.53% 13.98% Tier 1 risk-based capital ratio 12.53% 13.98% Total risk-based capital ratio 13.48% 15.18% STATEMENT OF EARNINGS Three Months Ended Increase Twelve Months Ended Increase (dollars in thousands except share and per share data) Dec 31, 2017 Dec 31, 2016 (Decrease) Dec 31, 2017 Dec 31, 2016 (Decrease) INTEREST INCOME Loans $ 4,599 $ 4,581 0% $ 18,221 $ 17,309 5% Investments - available for sale 412 311 32% 1,391 1,242 12% Fed funds sold and other 441 178 148% 1,232 588 110% Total interest income 5,452 5,070 8% 20,844 19,139 9% INTEREST EXPENSE Deposits 570 293 95% 1,737 1,122 55% Other borrowed money - 1 -100% 5 2 150% Total interest expense 570 294 94% 1,742 1,124 55% NET INTEREST INCOME BEFORE LOAN LOSS PROVISION 4,882 4,776 2% 19,102 18,015 6% PROVISION FOR LOAN LOSSES 225 50 350% 1,255 225 458% NET INTEREST INCOME AFTER LOAN LOSS PROVISION 4,657 4,726 -1% 17,847 17,790 0% NON-INTEREST INCOME 686 636 8% 2,832 2,399 18% NON-INTEREST EXPENSE 3,205 3,218 0% 12,162 12,360 -2% EARNINGS BEFORE INCOME TAXES 2,138 2,144 0% 8,517 7,829 9% INCOME TAXES - Current Year Income Taxes 537 825 -35% 2,984 2,999 -1% INCOME TAXES - Impact of change in tax law 528 - 0% 528 - 0% NET INCOME $ 1,073 $ 1,319 -19% $ 5,005 $ 4,830 4% Basic earnings per share $ 0.28 $ 0.33 -15% $ 1.31 $ 1.21 8% Diluted earnings per share $ 0.27 $ 0.32 -16% $ 1.23 $ 1.16 6% Return on Assets 0.75% 1.07% -30% 0.95% 1.03% -8% Return on Equity 6.96% 8.49% -18% 8.10% 7.87% 3% Efficiency Ratio 56.20% 59.91% -6% 54.26% 60.00% -10% Net Interest Margin 3.68% 4.08% -10% 3.93% 4.14% -5% View original content with multimedia: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/commercewest-bank-announces-record-profitability-loan-deposit-and-asset-levels-for-the-year-300589889.html SOURCE CommerceWest Bank

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/29/pr-newswire-commercewest-bank-announces-record-profitability-loan-deposit-and-asset-levels-for-the-year.html

BRIEF-Amper Board Approves Share Capital Increase Of 5.0 Mln Euros

Jan 10 (Reuters) - AMPER SA: * SAID ON TUESDAY THE BOARD HAD APPROVED A SHARE CAPITAL INCREASE WITH PREFERENTIAL SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS FOR A MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF 5.0 MILLION EUROS * THE CAPITAL INCREASE THROUGH THE ISSUANCE OF 49.7 MILLION SHARES, NOMINAL VALUE OF 0.05 EURO PER SHARE AND SHARE PREMIUM OF 0.05 EURO PER SHARE * SAID 20 PREFERENTIAL SUBSCRIPTION RIGHTS WOULD ENTITLE THE HOLDERS TO SUBSCRIBE ONE NEW SHARE * THE CAPITAL INCREASE IS AIMED AT OPTIMIZING THE STRUCTURE COSTS AND FINANCING POSSIBLE INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage: (Gdynia Newsroom) Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSL8N1P50M4

Pope Francis says fake news is satanic

Pope Francis says fake news is satanic 5:13pm GMT - 02:01 Pope Francis on Wednesday condemned fake news as satanic, saying journalists and social media users should shun and unmask manipulative ''snake tactics'' that foment division to serve political and economic interests. ▲ Hide Transcript ▶ View Transcript Pope Francis on Wednesday condemned fake news as satanic, saying journalists and social media users should shun and unmask manipulative "snake tactics" that foment division to serve political and economic interests. Press CTRL+C (Windows), CMD+C (Mac), or long-press the URL below on your mobile device to copy the code https://uk.reuters.com/video/2018/01/24/pope-francis-says-fake-news-is-satanic?videoId=388421046&videoChannel=13422

https://uk.reuters.com/video/2018/01/24/pope-francis-says-fake-news-is-satanic?videoId=388421046

BRIEF-Marinemax Reports Q1 Earnings Per Share $0.19

January 24, 2018 / 11:50 AM / in 30 minutes BRIEF-Marinemax Reports Q1 Earnings Per Share $0.19 Reuters Staff Jan 24 (Reuters) - Marinemax Inc: * MARINEMAX REPORTS RECORD 2018 FIRST QUARTER RESULTS * Q1 EARNINGS PER SHARE $0.19 * RAISES FY 2018 EARNINGS PER SHARE VIEW TO $1.30 TO $1.40 * Q1 EARNINGS PER SHARE VIEW $0.00 -- THOMSON REUTERS I/B/E/S * FULL FISCAL YEAR 2018 GUIDANCE RAISED * FY2018 EARNINGS PER SHARE VIEW $1.19 -- THOMSON REUTERS I/B/E/S * ‍REVENUE GREW OVER $10 MILLION, OR 4.4% TO $236.9 MILLION FOR QUARTER ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2017 FROM $226.9 MILLION IN COMPARABLE PERIOD LAST YEAR​ * ‍QTRLY SAME-STORE SALES WERE FLAT AS COMPARED TO 28% SAME-STORE SALES GROWTH IN SAME PERIOD LAST YEAR * SAYS “TRENDS IN THE QUARTER WERE GENERALLY ENCOURAGING” Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage:

https://www.reuters.com/article/brief-marinemax-reports-q1-earnings-per/brief-marinemax-reports-q1-earnings-per-share-0-19-idUSASB0C225

Briton Konta pushed to the brink again in Brisbane

January 2, 2018 / 12:40 PM / Updated 7 hours ago Briton Konta pushed to the brink again in Brisbane Reuters Staff 2 Britain’s Johanna Konta was pushed to the brink for the second time in as many rounds before advancing to the quarter-finals while world number two Garbine Muguruza of Spain succumbed to leg cramps in her opening clash at the Brisbane International on Tuesday. FILE PHOTO - Tennis - US Open - New York, U.S. - August 28, 2017 - Johanna Konta of England walks off the court after losing her first round match to Aleksandra Krunic of Serbia. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton Konta, who overcame local hope Ajla Tomljanovic 4-6 6-1 6-4 in two hours and 26 minutes at the Pat Rafter Arena, set up a meeting with the winner of the match between Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina and Croatia’s Ana Konjuh. The Briton faced 13 break points in the first set and struggled with her rhythm as the big-hitting Tomljanovic stormed into an early lead. Konta, who had similar struggles with her serve in her opening match against American Madison Keys, a U.S. Open finalist, on Monday, responded with a better performance to level the contest. The world number nine raced to a 5-2 lead in the deciding set before Tomljanovic showed signs of fighting back. However, Konta held on to finish the job. ”She made that very difficult, so that’s a credit to her and she played incredibly freely at the end of the third set,“ Konta said after the match. ”There wasn’t a lot in it so I‘m very happy to have just stayed tough and just come through that. “To be honest, it’s a great thing to have two tough matches early on. It’s a boost, the match fitness, and it boosts a lot of the competitive scenarios that we’re going to face the whole year. I‘m sure my next match will be the same.” Muguruza’s wretched run of injury problems at Brisbane extended to a fourth consecutive year with the Spaniard unable to continue while leading 2-1 in the deciding third set against Serbia’s Aleksandra Krunic. Meanwhile, France’s Alize Cornet defeated Croatia’s Mirjana Lucic-Baroni 6-1 7-5 to move into the quarter-finals and was joined by seventh seed Anastasija Sevastova of Latvia who beat Romania’s Sorana Cirstea 6-2 6-1. Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru Editing by Jeremy Gaunt

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-tennis-brisbane-women/briton-konta-pushed-to-the-brink-again-in-brisbane-idUKKBN1ER0XY

Cranberries singer Dolores O'Riordan laid to rest in home town

January 23, 2018 / 1:09 PM / Updated 4 hours ago Cranberries singer Dolores O'Riordan laid to rest in home town Clodagh Kilcoyne 2 Min Read BALLYBRICKEN, Ireland (Reuters) - Cranberries lead singer Dolores O‘Riordan was laid to rest at a private funeral in her home town on Tuesday, remembered as someone who rescued people from “the darkness of depression”. O‘Riordan, 46, whose distinctive and powerful Irish voice helped fuel The Cranberries’ rapid rise in the early 1990s, was found dead in a London hotel last week during a recording trip ahead of a planned tour. No cause of death has yet been established. Her mother, three children and bandmates Noel Hogan, Mike Hogan and Fergal Lawler attended the service at Saint Ailbe’s Church in the small rural County Limerick town of Ballybricken in the south-west of Ireland. “No words are adequate to describe Dolores or to accurately state the influence for good she has been over the years,” Canon Liam McNamara, a family friend who first met O‘Riordan when she was a teenager, told the mourners. Slideshow (10 Images) “The numbers she rescued from the darkness of depression are impossible to count.” Candles lit the streets of Ballybricken late on Monday, as her coffin was brought to the church where McNamara said she once sang and played keyboard in the local choir. The mass began with a recording of Ave Maria sung by O‘Riordan and Italian opera star Luciano Pavarotti. A guitar and a platinum disc award - symbols from a musical career that saw The Cranberries sell over 40 million records, second only to U2 among Irish acts - were brought to the alter. O‘Riordan, whose hits with The Cranberries such as “Linger” and “Zombie” catapulted her to fame as a shy 22-year-old, was the “voice of her generation,” Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said last week. Writing by Padraic Halpin Editing by Jeremy Gaunt

https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-people-doloresoriordan/cranberries-singer-dolores-oriordan-laid-to-rest-in-home-town-idUKKBN1FC1NM

CORRECTING and REPLACING -- Riverview Bancorp Announces CEO Succession Plan

VANCOUVER, Wash., Jan. 12, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In a release issued under the same headline earlier today by Riverview Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq:RVSB), please note that the dateline city of the release has been corrected to VANCOUVER, Wash. The complete corrected release follows: Riverview Bancorp, Inc. (Nasdaq:RVSB) (the “Company”), the holding company for Riverview Community Bank (the “Bank” and collectively “Riverview”), today announced that, effective April 2, 2018, Patrick Sheaffer will be retiring as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and the Bank. Mr. Sheaffer will continue to serve as Chairman of the Board of both the Company and the Bank. Kevin Lycklama, currently Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, will succeed him as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company and the Bank. With the transition, Mr. Lycklama will join the Board of Directors. Patrick Sheaffer joined the Bank in 1963 and became its Chief Executive Officer in 1976, a director in 1979 and Chairman of the Board in 1993. Mr. Sheaffer served as Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company since its inception in 1997. “Pat’s leadership and dedication are evident in the success Riverview has experienced during his tenure. He is responsible for taking the Company public in 1997, guiding us through multiple recessions and contributing to the growth of Riverview from seven employees and $6.5 million in assets at December 31, 1963 to $1.1 billion in assets and over 250 employees at September 30, 2017,” stated Mr. Lycklama. “I look forward to continuing Pat’s efforts in the successful operation of the Company and moving forward with our established strategic plan.” “It has been an honor to have served Riverview for almost 55 years,” said Sheaffer. “Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to work with an outstanding group of banking professionals, and I am extremely proud of what we have accomplished together. Riverview has always maintained a strong commitment to serve our customers, communities, shareholders and employees.” “As CEO, Pat has been an inspirational leader, built a terrific executive management team and guided the Company successfully through the worst economic crisis in recent history,” said Gerald L. Nies, Vice-Chairman of the Board. “On behalf of the Board of Directors, I want to express our sincere appreciation to Pat for the leadership and guidance that he has provided. We will continue to look for his expertise as Chairman of the Board.” “As we look to the future, the Board’s focus has been to identify the right leader to build on Riverview’s strong foundation, and Kevin is clearly that person,” said Sheaffer. “Kevin has been a driving force of our executive management team for the past decade and has been instrumental in the Company's growth and success. His commitment to our customers, employees and the community are totally aligned with our values and approach to doing business. I am confident that Kevin’s talent, energy, and banking experience, along with the strong management team we have built, will lead Riverview to new levels of success. I’m excited to provide my support from the Board Room and watch Kevin continue his strong leadership of our organization.” Kevin Lycklama, age 40, joined the Bank in 2006 and served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Company from February 2008 to July 2017 and Chief Operating Officer since July 2017. Prior to joining Riverview, Kevin was an audit manager for an Oregon CPA firm. Mr. Lycklama has been a key part of our investor relations team, led the recent transaction with MBank and assisted in the Company’s secondary public offering. He holds a Bachelor degree from Washington State University, is a graduate of the Pacific Coast Banking School and is a certified public accountant. About Riverview Riverview Bancorp, Inc. ( www.riverviewbank.com ) is headquartered in Vancouver, Washington – just north of Portland, Oregon on the I-5 corridor. With assets of $1.15 billion at September 30, 2017, it is the parent company of the 94 year-old Riverview Community Bank, as well as Riverview Trust Company. The Bank offers true community banking services, focusing on providing the highest quality service and financial products to commercial and retail customers. There are 19 branches, including 14 in the Portland-Vancouver area and three lending centers. This press release contains statements that the Company believes are “forward-looking statements.” These statements relate to the Company’s financial condition, results of operations, plans, objectives, future performance or business. You should not place undue reliance on these statements, as they are subject to risks and uncertainties. When considering these forward-looking statements, you should keep in mind these risks and uncertainties, as well as any cautionary statements the Company may make. Moreover, you should treat these statements as speaking only as of the date they are made and based only on information then actually known to the Company. Contacts: Pat Sheaffer or Kevin Lycklama Riverview Bancorp, Inc. 360-693-6650 Source:Riverview Bancorp Inc

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/12/globe-newswire-correcting-and-replacing--riverview-bancorp-announces-ceo-succession-plan.html

BRIEF-Stanley Furniture Sees Q4 2017 Sales About $11.9 Million

January 23, 2018 / 2:31 PM / Updated 23 minutes ago BRIEF-Stanley Furniture Sees Q4 2017 Sales About $11.9 Million Reuters Staff 2 Min Read Jan 23 (Reuters) - Stanley Furniture Company Inc: * STANLEY FURNITURE ANNOUNCES PRELIMINARY FOURTH QUARTER SALES AND NET LOSS; AMENDMENT TO AGREEMENT TO SELL SUBSTANTIALLY ALL OF ITS ASSETS * SEES Q4 2017 SALES ABOUT $11.9 MILLION * STANLEY FURNITURE COMPANY - ENTERED INTO AMENDMENT TO AGREEMENT TO SELL SUBSTANTIALLY ASSETS TO CHURCHILL DOWNS PROVIDING FOR REVISED PURCHASE PRICE * ‍ AMENDED AGREEMENT CONTINUES TO PROVIDE FOR CHURCHILL DOWNS TO ASSUME SUBSTANTIALLY ALL THE COMPANY‘S LIABILITIES​ * STANLEY FURNITURE COMPANY - AMENDMENT PROVIDES CO WITH A GO-SHOP PERIOD DURING WHICH IT WILL ACTIVELY SOLICIT ALTERNATIVE PROPOSALS FROM THIRD PARTIES * STANLEY FURNITURE COMPANY - AMENDMENT PROVIDES CO WITH A GO-SHOP PERIOD FOR NEXT 14 DAYS CONCLUDING ON FEBRUARY 5, 2018 * SEES Q4 2017 NET LOSS OF APPROXIMATELY $6.7 MILLION * STANLEY- AGREEMENT WITH CHURCHILL PROVIDES FOR PURCHASE PRICE TOTALING $18.4 MILLION & 5% EQUITY INTEREST IN BUYER‘S POST-CLOSING ULTIMATE PARENT COMPANY Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage:

https://www.reuters.com/article/brief-stanley-furniture-sees-q4-2017-sal/brief-stanley-furniture-sees-q4-2017-sales-about-11-9-million-idUSASB0C1X0

Two Koreas' 'one flag' emblematic of once better ties

SEOUL (Reuters) - North and South Korea’s plan to march together under the same blue-and-white Korean peninsula flag at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics next month marks the revival of an emblem of warmer ties between the old foes from years past. The two countries will be hoping for some of the same sort of “feel good factor” they enjoyed at the Olympics in 2000, when they were greeted by a standing ovation in Sydney’s Olympic Stadium after marching in under the unified flag for the first time. The “Korean Unification Flag,” showing the Korean peninsula in blue against a white background, traces its origin to 1989, when North and South Korea agreed to use a new flag for a possible joint team in the 1990 Asian Games. While plans for a joint team at those games fell apart, the flag made its first public appearance in 1991 when Seoul and Pyongyang formed a unified team to contest the world table tennis championship in Japan. When the unified Korean women’s team won gold there, the flag was raised in triumph, accompanied by “Arirang”, a traditional Korean folk song played in lieu of the national anthem of either of the two. The emotional scene later formed the basis of a popular movie in the South. During the South’s “Sunshine” policy era of engaging North Korea between 1998 and 2008, athletes from both countries used the single flag to march together at several major games, including the 2004 Athens Summer Olympics and the 2006 Torino Winter Olympics in Italy, as well as the Sydney Olympics. FILE PHOTO: For the first time in Olympic history athletes from North and South Korea joined hands and marched together under one flag during the opening ceremony of the XXVII Summer Olympic Games, Sydney, Australia September 15, 2000. REUTERS/David Gray/File Photo The two Koreas competed separately in the 2000 games with their own flags and national anthems, as well as in the subsequent Olympics. In 2007, a large “unification” flag was displayed at the border when then-South Korean president Roh Moo-hyun walked into North Korea for a summit with former North Korean leader Kim Jong Il. However, the flag has not been seen at a high-profile public event since 2008, when South Korea’s conservative Lee Myung-bak administration took power. Relations chilled dramatically in 2010 after the sinking of a South Korean warship that the South blamed on the North. Pyongyang denied any involvement, but the relationship has continued to suffer as the North accelerated its nuclear and missile programs in defiance of U.N. sanctions. Although the two Koreas have agreed to compete together and use the single flag at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, the matter has not been finalised, an official from the games’ organizing committee told Reuters. South and North Korean representatives will discuss the matter with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) when they meet on Saturday in Lausanne, Switzerland. Although some South Koreans oppose using the flag instead of South Korea’s “Taegukgi” flag at the Pyeongchang Olympics, the flag is still a powerful symbol of peace, said Jang Man-jae, the owner of a company that makes the unification flag. “Although ideologies are different, the flag can give us a sense of unity, which is a good thing,” said Jang. “I would feel uncomfortable making North Korea’s national flag but this flag, I can definitely keep making it.” Editing by Soyoung Kim and Lincoln Feast

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-olympics-2018-northkorea-flag/two-koreas-one-flag-emblematic-of-once-better-ties-idUSKBN1F70RP

South Korea's President: We will not give up goal of denuclearization

Taxes South Korea's President: We can never give up goal of denuclearizing Korean Peninsula South Korean President Moon Jae-in said that denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula remains an aim that will not be abandoned North and South Korea have agreed to resolve inter-Korean matters through dialogue after the first formal talks in more than two years Published 19 Hours Ago SHARES South Korean Presidential Blue House | Getty Images South Korean President Moon Jae-in a meeting at the National Security Council on November 29, 2017. South Korean President Moon Jae-in said on Wednesday denuclearizing the Korean peninsula is an aim that cannot be abandoned, but also that he did not want the immediate reunification of North and South Korea. "The denuclearization of the Korean peninsula the two Koreas agreed upon jointly (in the past) is our basic stance that will never be given up," Moon said in an address during his New Year's news conference. North and South Korea agreed at their first formal talks in more than two years on Tuesday to resolve all inter-Korean matters through dialogue and to revive military talks to avert accidental conflict. Tensions have risen on the Korean Peninsula over the North's missile and nuclear weapons programs.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/09/south-koreas-president-we-will-not-give-up-goal-of-denuclearization.html

Hutton, Blues hold off Canadiens

Ivan Barbashev, Patrik Berglund and Alexander Steen provided the scoring as the St. Louis Blues maintained their momentum in the first game back from the All-Star break, posting a 3-1 victory over the visiting Montreal Canadiens on Tuesday night. The Blues have won three consecutive games and are making a push to take over first place in the Central Division. Goalie Carter Hutton, who started his sixth straight game, finished with 34 saves and was just 1 minute, 7 seconds away from his third shutout of the year. St. Louis was outshot 34-31 but made the most of its chances. The Blues won 34 of 58 faceoffs to dictate the run of play. Carey Price had 28 saves and took the hard-luck loss for the Canadiens, who have lost three of their past four games. Montreal sits near the bottom of the Atlantic Division, and its playoff hopes are fading. St. Louis also beat the Canadiens 4-3 on Dec. 5 and have now won four straight in the series. The Blues took the lead 4:38 into the second period on an unassisted goal by Barbashev. He picked up a loose puck and took a shot around three Montreal defenseman that appeared to screen Price. Canadiens right winger Logan Shaw was penalized for holding with 12:36 left in the second period, giving the Blues their first power play of the night. However, St. Louis could not capitalize on several opportunities. Montreal increased the pressure in the final period to try and find a game-tying goal. That opened up opportunities for the Blues to mount effective counterattacks. The Canadiens committed a costly penalty for too many players on the ice, and Berglund made them pay with a close-range goal with 14:46 left in the game. Montreal never recovered, and Steen scored a short-handed goal in an empty net to increase the lead to 3-0. Charles Hudon’s late power-play goal allowed the Canadiens to avoid their seventh shutout defeat of the season. --Field Level Media

https://www.reuters.com/article/icehockey-nhl-stl-mtl-recap/hutton-blues-hold-off-canadiens-idUSMTZEE1VEJB0K2

Chinese investment in Cambodian province pushes up crime rate, says governor

January 26, 2018 / 8:48 AM / Updated 12 minutes ago Chinese investment in Cambodian province pushes up crime rate, says governor Prak Chan Thul 3 Min Read PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - China’s growing presence and investment in a fast-developing Cambodian port and province have pushed up the crime rate and brought instability, its governor said in a letter to the government. Anti-China comments are rare in a country that has welcomed Chinese investment with open arms. Prime Minister Hun Sen is a close Beijing ally and China is Cambodia’s biggest source of foreign direct investment by far. Preah Sihanoukville province in the southwest has seen a construction boom in recent years supported by a steady stream of Chinese money into building hotels, casinos and thousands of apartments. Govenor Yun Min said in a three-page letter sent to the interior minister that the Chinese influx had “created opportunities for Chinese mafia to come in and commit various crimes and kidnap Chinese investors, causing insecurity in the province”. Reuters obtained the letter on Friday and confirmed its authenticity with Yun Min and the Interior Ministry. Sihanoukville is an illustration of how China’s money has transformed a sleepy backpacker town into an economic hub, binding Cambodia’s economy even closer to China. China’s support has allowed Hun Sen to defy Western criticism of a crackdown on his opponents. The opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party was dissolved by Cambodia’s Supreme Court at the request of Hun Sen’s government. That followed a crackdown on opposition figures, independent media and civil society groups. In his letter to the government, Yun Min also complained about drunk Chinese getting into fights in restaurants and about rising hotel prices as a result of Chinese interest in Sihanoukville. Not all his comments were negative, however. Yun Min said Chinese investment had created jobs and pushed up real estate prices in the province. Khieu Sopheak, a spokesman for the interior ministry, said he had not yet seen the letter but added that Cambodia would not be controlled by the Chinese. “We still keep our sovereignty, the Chinese can’t control us,” Khieu Sopheak told Reuters. “If they come as proper investors and respect our laws, it’s fine.” Editing by Amy Sawitta Lefevre and Nick Macfie

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-cambodia-china/chinese-investment-in-cambodian-province-pushes-up-crime-rate-says-governor-idUKKBN1FF0W9

Germany's conservatives, SPD want tax relief for high earners: source

BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives and the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) have agreed to provide income tax relief for high earners, a source said on Monday, signaling progress in their talks on forming a coalition government. Tax relief was an election promise by Merkel’s conservatives, and the initial agreement to raise the bar for a top income tax rate to an annual income of 60,000 euros indicates that the SPD are willing to compromise. Sealing a deal with the SPD on renewing the coalition with the conservatives that has governed Germany since 2013 is Merkel’s best chance at securing a fourth term in office after an election in September that weakened both parties. The compromise on taxation is only a small step in the talks between the would-be partners who have to bridge major differences on immigration, the future of the European Union and the economy. The source said the SPD, Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU) and their Christian Social Union (CSU) Bavarian allies want to raise a top tax rate of 42 percent that at the moment applies for those who earn 53,700 euros and above ($64,375.56) annually. SECOND TIME LUCKY? Merkel, who in November failed to form a coalition with the Greens and the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP), said on Sunday at the start of five days of talks with the SPD that the negotiations could succeed. Members of her conservative party sounded similarly upbeat on Monday. “Yesterday, we worked very factually and we did well,” said Julia Kloeckner, a senior member of the CDU. “We are aware of the fiscal limitations and we are optimistic.” SPD leader Martin Schulz has vowed to put any agreement with the conservatives up for a vote by party members, many of whom are opposed to a so-called ‘grand coalition’ of the two largest parties in parliament. The SPD want to improve the right of workers and scrap Germany’s dual healthcare system of premium private care and more widely accessible public care to replace it with a single “citizen’s insurance”. They also oppose a plan by the conservatives to extend a ban that expires in March on family reunifications for some asylum seekers. Writing by Joseph Nasr, Editing by William Maclean

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-germany-politics/germanys-conservatives-spd-want-tax-relief-for-high-earners-source-idUSKBN1EX0OU

ShiftPixy Appoints Patrice H. Launay as Chief Financial Officer

IRVINE, Calif., Jan. 24, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ShiftPixy, Inc. (NASDAQ:PIXY), a developing, proprietary next-gen technology platform for workforce engagement and management, today announced the appointment of Patrice H. Launay as Chief Financial Officer, effective immediately. Mr. Launay succeeds Stephen DeSantis who resigned from the Company as reported on October 5, 2017. Scott W. Absher, Chief Executive Officer of ShiftPixy stated, “The Board and I are very excited about Patrice joining ShiftPixy as our new CFO. His exemplary skills and deep experience in accounting along with his astute business acumen make him the right person to lead our finance team.” Mr. Launay comes to ShiftPixy with an extensive accounting background, having served as an audit manager for various large regional and multinational accounting firms. He began his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) where he spent six years in Paris and Los Angeles. He then spent two years at Groupe Roullier as Corporate Controller, and the following two years as an audit Manager for the City Auditor Office of the City of Long Beach, California, where he led several audits to help prevent and deter fraud within the city’s programs. From 2011 to 2016 Mr. Launay worked for BDO USA and was involved in the audits of several listed and non-listed companies in the US and Australia. Immediately before joining ShiftPixy, he served as a financial and accounting manager for RxSight, Inc., providing month-end close assistance, designing and implementing effective controls, and drafting accounting procedures. Mr. Launay holds a master’s degree from the Business School of Tours (ESCEM) France with a major in Finance and Accounting, is a Certified Public Accountant (Active) and a Certified Fraud Examiner (Inactive), and holds a Series 65 securities license. Mr. Launay stated, “The ShiftPixy story is one of rapid growth and incredible potential, and I am excited to join the Company at this early stage in its evolution. I look forward to applying my skillset to help Scott and the team as we create a world-class operation.” About ShiftPixy ShiftPixy is a disruptive human capital management (HCM) services provider, revolutionizing employment in the Gig Economy by delivering a next-gen platform for workforce management that helps businesses with shift-based employees navigate regulatory mandates, minimize administrative burdens and better connect with a ready-for-hire workforce. With expertise rooted in management’s nearly 25 years of workers’ compensation and compliance programs experience, ShiftPixy adds a needed layer for addressing compliance and continued demands for equitable employment practices in the growing Gig Economy. ShiftPixy’s complete HCM ecosystem is designed to manage regulatory requirements and compliance in such required areas as paid time off (PTO) laws, insurance and workers’ compensation, minimum wage increases, and the Affordable Care Act (ACA) compliance. ShiftPixy Cautionary Statement The information provided in this release includes forward-looking statements, the achievement or success of which involves risks, uncertainties, and assumptions. Although such forward-looking statements are based upon what management of the Company believes are reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate. If any of the risks or uncertainties, including those set forth below, materialize or if any of the assumptions proves incorrect, the results of ShiftPixy, Inc., could differ materially from the results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements we make. The risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, risks associated with the nature of our business model; our ability to execute the Company's vision and growth strategy; our ability to attract and retain clients; our ability to assess and manage risks; changes in the law that affect our business and our ability to respond to such changes and incorporate them into our business model, as necessary; our ability to insure against and otherwise effectively manage risks that affect our business; competition; reliance on third-party systems and software; our ability to protect and maintain our intellectual property; and general developments in the economy and financial markets. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances or management's estimates or opinions should change, except as required by applicable securities laws. The information in this press release shall not be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section, and will not be deemed an admission as to the materiality of any information that is required to be disclosed solely by Regulation FD. Further information on these and other factors that could affect the financial results of ShiftPixy, Inc., is included in the filings on Forms 1-A and 10-K and in other filings we make with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. These documents are available on the "SEC Filings" subsection of the "Investor Information" section of our website at https://ir.shiftpixy.com/financial-information/sec-filings . Consistent with the SEC’s April 2013 guidance on using social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter to make corporate disclosures and announce key information in compliance with Regulation FD, ShiftPixy is alerting investors and other members of the general public that ShiftPixy will provide updates on operations and progress required to be disclosed under Regulation FD through its social media on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. Investors, potential investors, shareholders and individuals interested in our Company are encouraged to keep informed by following us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. CONTACT: Media: Sam Eisele Sam.Eisele@icrinc.com (646) 277-1271 Investors : InvestorRelations@shiftpixy.com (800) 475-3655 Source:ShiftPixy, Inc.

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/24/globe-newswire-shiftpixy-appoints-patrice-h-launay-as-chief-financial-officer.html

Collapse of Colombian bridge kills nine workers, injures five

BOGOTA (Reuters) - At least nine construction workers were killed and five injured when a partially-constructed bridge collapsed in central Colombia on Monday, an official from the disaster response agency said. The bridge, located in Chirajara on the border of Cundinamarca and Meta provinces, was to be part of the highway that connects the capital Bogota and the city of Villavicencio, and was not yet in public use. The cause of the collapse, which sent pieces of the bridge down into a canyon below, is under investigation, Reinaldo Romero, head of disaster response for Meta province, told Reuters. “Up to now there are nine dead and five injured,” Romero said. “We are doing a check to rule out other victims.” Reporting by Bogota newsroom; Editing by Nick Zieminski

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-colombia-accident/collapse-of-colombian-bridge-kills-nine-workers-injures-five-idUSKBN1F42JS

Veolia North America’s Sells Its U.S. Industrial Cleaning Services Division to Clean Harbors

PARIS & BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Regulatory News: Veolia Environmental (Paris:VIE) Services North America, LLC, a subsidiary of Veolia North America, Inc. (“Veolia”) and Clean Harbors, Inc. (“Clean Harbors”) (NYSE: CLH) today announced the signing of a definitive agreement whereby Clean Harbors will acquire Veolia North America’s U.S. Industrial Cleaning Services Division for $120 million in an all-cash transaction. The acquisition is expected to close in the first quarter of 2018, subject to approval by U.S. regulators and other customary closing conditions. Veolia North America’s U.S. Industrial Cleaning Services Division includes Industrial Vacuuming, Hydro-Blasting, Tank Cleaning & Separations and many other cleaning and maintenance services for industrial customers. William “Bill” DiCroce, President and CEO of Veolia North America, said, “Clean Harbors is an ideal acquirer for our U.S. Industrial Cleaning Services Division. In divesting this business, we sought a partner that would provide a seamless transition and great continuity for our customers and our employees in that business.” “All of our businesses across North America – water, energy, waste and regeneration – are poised for growth,” added DiCroce. “The proceeds of this sale will help fuel and accelerate that growth.” The sale does not affect industrial cleaning operations in Canada or any other region of the world. Veolia group is the global leader in optimized resource management. With over 163 000 employees worldwide, the Group designs and provides water, waste and energy management solutions that contribute to the sustainable development of communities and industries. Through its three complementary business activities, Veolia helps to develop access to resources, preserve available resources, and to replenish them. In 2016, the Veolia group supplied 100 million people with drinking water and 61 million people with wastewater service, produced 54 million megawatt hours of energy and converted 30 million metric tons of waste into new materials and energy. Veolia Environnement (listed on Paris Euronext: VIE) recorded consolidated revenue of €24.39 billion in 2016. www.veolia.com Clean Harbors (NYSE: CLH) is North America’s leading provider of environmental, energy and industrial services. The Company serves a diverse customer base, including a majority of the Fortune 500, across the chemical, energy, manufacturing and additional markets, as well as numerous government agencies. These customers rely on Clean Harbors to deliver a broad range of services such as end-to-end hazardous waste management, emergency spill response, industrial cleaning and maintenance, and recycling services. Through its Safety-Kleen subsidiary, Clean Harbors also is North America’s largest re-refiner and recycler of used oil and a leading provider of parts washers and environmental services to commercial, industrial and automotive customers. Founded in 1980 and based in Massachusetts, Clean Harbors operates throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico. For more information, visit www.cleanharbors.com View source version on businesswire.com : http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180123006122/en/ Veolia Environmental Group Media Relations Laurent Obadia - Sandrine Guendoul Stéphane Galfré Tel.+ 33 1 85 57 42 16 sandrine.guendoul@veolia.com or Veolia North America Media Relations Alethea Harvey, Tel. +1 617 849 6638 alethea.harvey@veolia.com or Analysts & Investor Relations Ronald Wasylec - Ariane de Lamaze Tel. + 33 1 85 57 84 76 / 84 80 or Terri Anne Powers (USA) Tel. +1 630 218 1627 Source: VEOLIA ENVIRONMENTAL

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/23/business-wire-veolia-north-americaas-sells-its-u-s-industrial-cleaning-services-division-to-clean-harbors.html

Apple CEO Tim Cook: ‘Education is a great equalizing force’

CNBC.com Courtesy of Apple Apple CEO Tim Cook and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai visit with Lebanese and Syrian students in Beirut, Lebanon. SHARES Apple CEO and philanthropist Tim Cook announced today a partnership with Nobel Peace Prize-winner Malala Yousafzai and her Malala Fund as part of the tech company's latest efforts to support global education initiatives. "We believe that education is a great equalizing force and we share Malala Fund's commitment to give every girl an opportunity to go to school," Cook said in a news release. Yousafzai was shot in 2012 by a Taliban gunman for advocating women's education. Since then, she has become a renowned activist for equal rights. As of fall 2017, the 20-year-old is studying at the University of Oxford. "My dream is for every girl to choose her own future," Yousafzai said in a statement. "Through both their innovations and philanthropy, Apple has helped educate and empower people around the world." The partnership between Apple and the Malala Fund will help over 100,000 girls in India and Latin America receive access to secondary education. Furthermore, the Malala Fund expects to double the number of grants awarded by its Gulmakai Network, which supports programs in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Lebanon, Turkey and Nigeria. tweet "I am grateful that Apple knows the value of investing in girls and is joining Malala Fund in the fight to ensure all girls can learn and lead without fear," Yousafzai added. Apple said it will also provide technology, curriculum and research into policy changes to reduce the barriers for girls attending school. "Malala is a courageous advocate for equality," Cook said. "She's one of the most inspiring figures of our time, and we are honored to help her extend the important work she is doing to empower girls around the world." This isn't the first time Cook supports educational causes while at Apple. Just last week, Apple announced 70 colleges and universities in Europe were adopting the company's Everyone Can Code program. Apple's proprietary year-long curriculum for students in kindergarten through college teaches students computing skills to prepare them for future careers in app development. tweet In 2015, along with dozens of tech companies, Apple participated in former President Barack Obama's "ConnectED Initiative." As part of the effort to provide technology for disadvantaged U.S. schools, Apple provided $100 million in iPads, MacBooks and other products, as well as professional development tools. "I think technology has to be a key part," Cook told ABC's Good Morning America in 2015. "I wouldn't be where I am today without a good public education." "Inclusion in diversity inspires innovation," Cook said. He added his three tips for the children now receiving the technology is to "explore, discover, create." Cook is among other tech billionaires, including Microsoft founder Bill Gates and Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who are committing to the advancement of children's' education in the field. Through his largest donation in 17 years, Gates reaffirmed his commitment to education in August of 2017 when Bloomberg reported he was pledging $4.6 billion to his personal foundation. Gates has prioritized education reform and, more specifically, educational technology through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation —which received a $3.17 billion pledge from Warren Buffett in July of 2017 — for years. Notably, he's been outspoken in the past that software companies must do more to help children learn more effectively with technology's aid. "It's amazing how little the typical classroom has changed over the years," Gates writes on his blog in 2016. In fact, he addressed the education-technology gap five years ago before an audience of top professors and researchers at the 2013 Microsoft Research Faculty Summit. As for Zuckerberg, improving education is one of the challenges he is focusing on with his wife Priscilla Chan through their philanthropic organization, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. One solution to scaling this challenge is technology, Zuckerberg wrote a Facebook post in December of 2017. "It's hard to overstate how important education is for our children's future," Zuckerberg said. "If you take a long-term view, most economic issues today can be solved for our children and the next generation by dramatically improving our education system."

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/22/apple-ceo-tim-cook-education-is-a-great-equalizing-force.html

Yemen seeks Saudi cash as plunging currency deepens war woes

January 16, 2018 / 10:56 AM / Updated 19 minutes ago Yemen seeks Saudi cash as plunging currency deepens war woes Reuters Staff 3 Min Read ADEN (Reuters) - War-torn Yemen said it needs a $2 billion (£1.45 billion) deposit pledged by key ally Saudi Arabia in November to stabilise a currency that hit new lows this week, pushing its impoverished people closer to starvation. FILE PHOTO - Yemen's President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi holds his hat during a visit to the country's northern province of Marib July 10, 2016. REUTERS/ Ali Owidha Yemen has been divided by nearly three years of civil war between the internationally recognised government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, backed by Saudi Arabia, and the Iran-aligned Houthis. The conflict has unleashed the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, including one of the most deadly cholera epidemics in modern times and economic collapse, which has spread hunger. Authorities sought to boost liquidity by printing money, but the rial plunged from 250 to the dollar to 350 after the first batch of newly printed notes was rolled out last year. The rial traded for 440 to the dollar by year’s end and this week crashed to around 500. “Government action in this regard is done on several tracks, according to the limited options available, including intensifying communication ... to expedite the completion of the Saudi depository procedures,” state news agency Saba quoted government spokesman Rajeh Badi as saying on Monday. Saudi officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the allegedly promised funds. President Hadi announced on Nov. 11 that Riyadh had agreed to deposit $2 billion into Yemen’s central bank to shore up the rial and secure shipments of badly needed fuel. Hadi’s government moved the central bank in 2016 from the Houthi-controlled capital Sanaa to the southern port city of Aden, where the government is currently based. Both the central bank in Aden and the one in Sanaa suffer from depleted reserves, but they have played a key role in mitigating widespread economic pain by paying some public sector salaries, as soaring prices threaten to push basic commodities out of reach for many Yemenis. The Aden authorities accuse the Houthis of plundering the bank’s foreign reserves to fund their war effort when it was based in the capital, charges the group and the Sanaa bank deny. Reporting By Mohammed Ghobari and Noah Browning, editing by Larry King

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-yemen-security-currency/yemen-seeks-saudi-cash-as-plunging-currency-deepens-war-woes-idUKKBN1F5154

Capitec's CFO dismisses research report as bank shares fall

January 30, 2018 / 9:03 AM / in 43 minutes Capitec's CFO dismisses research report as bank shares fall Reuters Staff 1 Min Read JOHANNESBURG, Jan 30 (Reuters) - Capitec’s Chief Financial Officer Andre du Plessis on Tuesday dismissed a report by U.S. firm Viceroy Research accusing the South African lender of overstating its income and assets, saying the allegations were “totally unfounded.” “It’s very surprising that someone writes a report who knows nothing about us. There’s a total lack of understanding of what we do,” du Plessis told Bloomberg TV. (Reporting by Tiisetso Motsoeneng and James Macharia)

https://www.reuters.com/article/capitec-accounts-cfo/capitecs-cfo-dismisses-research-report-as-bank-shares-fall-idUSL8N1PP23V

South Africa's Ramaphosa piles pressure on Zuma with anti-graft call

January 18, 2018 / 6:41 AM / Updated 20 minutes ago South Africa's Ramaphosa piles pressure on Zuma with anti-graft call Mfuneko Toyana 4 Min Read JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South African Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday called on prosecutors to act urgently in pursuit of a firm owned by friends of scandal-plagued President Jacob Zuma, as pressure mounted on him to step down. Ramaphosa succeeded Zuma as head of the ruling African National Congress last month, making him likely to replace Zuma as the country’s next president in 2019 - or even earlier, if Zuma resigns. In recent days he has gone on the offensive against companies controlled by the Gupta family, businessmen friends of Zuma accused of unduly using political connections to win work with the state. “We want to deal with the rot. It is unacceptable, totally unacceptable, that companies owned by the nation and set up to benefit the people have been hijacked,” Ramaphosa said at a meeting of business leaders and cabinet ministers. The rand currency has rallied around 16 percent since Ramaphosa’s ANC leadership victory as investors bet he will crack down on corruption and implement policy reforms. The Gupta family and Zuma have denied wrongdoing and say they are victims of a politically-motivated witchhunt. A spokesman for Zuma and a lawyer for the Gupta family did not respond to requests for comment on Thursday. South Africa’s state prosecutor said on Wednesday it would serve a court order on McKinsey relating to a 1.6 billion-rand ($130 million) contract with state utility Eskom that the global consultancy worked on with Trillian, a local firm that was then controlled by Gupta family associates. “We welcome the actions they are beginning to take and we encourage them to act with urgency,” Ramaphosa said. International firms being probed by South African authorities over work done with the Guptas include German software maker SAP, auditor KPMG and consultancy McKinsey. ESKOM IN TURMOIL McKinsey has apologised for working with Trillian at Eskom in 2016 without a contract and is offering to pay back its fee, but denies doing anything illegal. Parliament is carrying out a wide-ranging investigation into Eskom, Africa’s biggest power utility. The firm’s financial turmoil and allegations of mismanagement and corruption are a major concern for investors and ratings agencies. Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba said on Thursday the Treasury could not afford to bail out Eskom. Separately, South Africa’s companies registry office is pursuing criminal complaints against SAP, KPMG and McKinsey in relation to Gupta-controlled companies. SAP, KPMG and McKinsey all said on Wednesday they were happy to cooperate with any police enquiries. KPMG cleared out its South African leadership in September last year after an internal investigation found work done for Gupta family firms “fell considerably short of KPMG’s standards”. KPMG denied it had done anything illegal. SAP, Europe’s biggest technology company, said last year it had “let down South Africa” by paying $7.7 million in commissions to Gupta-related companies between December 2014 and November 2016. Zuma, who has denied numerous corruption allegations since taking office in 2009, said last week he would set up a commission of inquiry into allegations of influence-peddling in the government. In last month’s ANC vote, Ramaphosa edged out Zuma’s ex-wife, and his preferred successor, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma. Reporting by Mfuneko Toyana; Ed Stoddard; Writing by Joe Brock; Editing by Andrew Roche

https://in.reuters.com/article/safrica-politics/south-africas-ramaphosa-talks-tough-on-state-graft-talks-up-economy-idINKBN1F70MV

Gold edges higher on easier U.S. dollar

January 29, 2018 / 1:22 AM / Updated 13 hours ago PRECIOUS-Gold edges higher on easier U.S. dollar Reuters Staff 3 Min Read Jan 29 (Reuters) - Gold prices inched higher early on Monday as the U.S. dollar hovered around three-year lows, trading not far off more than 17-month highs hit last week. FUNDAMENTALS * Spot gold rose 0.1 percent to $1,350.99 per ounce at 0101 GMT. It rose about 1.4 percent last week. * U.S. gold futures for February delivery fell 0.2 percent to $1,349.50 per ounce. * The dollar wobbled near three-year lows against a basket of major currencies on Monday, struggling to pull ahead from six straight weeks of losses amid its evaporating yield advantage and doubts about Washington's commitment to a strong currency. * Asian shares looked to extend their recent bull run amid upbeat corporate earnings and strong global economic growth, while more rumblings from the White House about "unfair" trade practices kept the U.S. dollar on the defensive. * U.S. economic growth unexpectedly slowed in the fourth quarter as the strongest pace of consumer spending in three years resulted in a surge in imports. * Attempts to target exchange rates risk setting off a currency war, a top European Central Bank executive argued on Friday, just days after U.S. officials made their case for a weaker dollar to boost trade. * The euro zone's economy could prove to be a shining star again this year, but persistently tepid inflation will probably keep the European Central Bank from following its peers and tightening monetary policy anytime soon. * U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer is hopeful about talks to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement but realizes a great deal of work remains, Republican U.S. Congressman Dave Reichert said on Sunday after a briefing. DATA AHEAD (GMT) 1330 U.S. Personal consumption Dec 1530 U.S. Dallas Fed manufacturing index Jan (Reporting by Nithin Prasad in Bengaluru; editing by Richard Pullin)

https://uk.reuters.com/article/global-precious/precious-gold-edges-higher-on-easier-u-s-dollar-idUKL4N1PO0LM

Ineos’ plan to build British 4X4s started as a pub chat

January 19, 2018 / 1:28 PM / Updated 8 hours ago Ineos’ plan to build British 4X4s started as a pub chat Susanna Twidale 3 Min Read LONDON (Reuters) - What started as a discussion in a pub could end up creating as many as 1,500 jobs in Britain by late 2020 as privately-owned Ineos moves ahead with plans to build a new 4x4 vehicle, one of its directors told Reuters. Ineos, better known as a chemical manufacturer, wants to build an offroader along the lines of Land Rover’s iconic Defender which ceased full production in 2016 after 68 years. “Jim (Ratcliffe, Ineos’ CEO) was a big fan of the Land Rover Defender,” Tom Crotty said in an interview, talking of the British billionaire’s disappointment when production ended. “It was initially a pub conversation. Why don’t we make one? But we are extremely serious about it and have around 200 engineers working on the product.” Ineos plans to make around 25,000 vehicles a year, starting production in 2020, and has said it will make a decision this year on where they will be built. The engineers, currently based in Germany, and the company would prefer to make them in a new factory in Britain, which could create 1,000-1,500 direct jobs, Crotty said. “Jim has a long held view that the decline of UK manufacturing needs to be reversed,” he said. Ratcliffe has previously said he could invest 600 million pounds in a new British plant, but Crotty said this would also depend on the company receiving support from the government. Without giving specifics he said several sites could be considered in Britain, while other options include setting up at an existing factory with spare capacity, likely in continental Europe, or manufacturing through a third party. In an effort to boost Britain’s output and cope with upheaval caused by leaving the European Union, the government last year launched an industrial strategy. But support for the automotive industry has so far focused on development of electric and automated vehicles. Crotty said the company planned to make petrol, diesel and hybrid versions of the 4x4 but that current battery technology was unsuitable for making a full electric version due to the weight involved. Britain and parts of Europe are seeking to phase out traditional combustion engines, but Crotty said for some markets, such as sub-Saharan Africa, where electricity supplies are scarce, diesel is the only option. Reporting by Susanna Twidale; Editing by Mark Potter

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-ineos-autos/ineos-plan-to-build-british-4x4s-started-as-a-pub-chat-idUKKBN1F81IG

BRIEF-Massmart Holdings Says ‍For 53 Weeks To Dec 31 Total Sales Increased To 93.7 Bln​ Rand

Jan 18 (Reuters) - Massmart Holdings Ltd: * ‍FOR 53 WEEKS TO 31 DECEMBER 2017 MASSMART‘S TOTAL SALES INCREASED TO R93.7 BILLION, REPRESENTING 2.7% GROWTH​ * ‍TOTAL SALES FOR 2017 52-WEEK PERIOD OF R92.1 BILLION REPRESENTS GROWTH OF 1.0 PERCENT​ * H2 2017 SAW IMPROVED COMPARABLE SALES PERFORMANCES IN BOTH MASSBUILD AND MASSWAREHOUSE IN SOUTH AFRICA (SA) AND IN ALL DIVISIONS’ EX-SA STORES​ * ‍TOTAL SALES FROM EX-SA STORES MEASURED IN CONSTANT CURRENCIES FOR 52-WEEK PERIOD GREW BY 3.5% WITH COMPARABLE STORE SALES GROWTH OF 0.8%​ * ‍TOTAL SALES FROM SA STORES FOR 52-WEEK PERIOD GREW BY 1.5%, WHILE COMPARABLE SA STORE SALES DECLINED BY 0.2%.​ Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage: (Bangalore.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com)

https://www.reuters.com/article/brief-massmart-holdings-says-for-53-week/brief-massmart-holdings-says-for-53-weeks-to-dec-31-total-sales-increased-to-93-7-bln-rand-idUSFWN1PC1DW

FOREX-Dollar slumps, euro lifted by hawkish ECB minutes

* ECB minutes say policymakers could revisit message soon * Yen on track for steep weekly gain after BOJ bond tweak * Bitcoin pressured by South Korean cryptocurrency ban plan By Lisa Twaronite TOKYO, Jan 12 (Reuters) - The dollar slumped against rivals on Friday on the back of weak factory inflation data, while the euro enjoyed solid support after the European Central Bank hinted that it could be gearing up to trim its massive monetary stimulus. The dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of six major rival currencies, edged down 0.1 percent to 91.798. A move below the Jan. 2 low of 91.751 would put it at its weakest since Sept. 20. The index was on track to shed 0.3 percent for the week, pressured by data on Thursday that showed U.S. producer prices fell for the first time in nearly 1-1/2 years in December, which could temper expectations that inflation will accelerate in 2018. Against the yen, the dollar gave up 0.1 percent to 111.14 after plumbing a six-week low of 111.05 yen on Thursday. It was down a steep 1.7 percent for the week in which the Japanese currency soared as a routine operational reduction in bond purchases by the Bank of Japan triggered speculation that the central bank would unwind its massive stimulus. “Yen short positions had been building, and investors seem to be looking for opportunities to trim them,” said Yutaka Miura, a senior technical analyst at Mizuho Securities. The euro was up 0.3 percent at $1.2062, approaching its nearly four-month high of $1.2089 set last week. It was up 0.3 percent for the week. The single currency rallied on Thursday, after ECB policymakers said in minutes of the bank’s December meeting that they could revisit their communication stance in early 2018, boosting expectations that they are preparing to reduce their vast monetary stimulus programme. Investors took the relatively hawkish statement as a further signal that the ECB will wind down its 2.55 trillion euro ($3.07 trillion) bond purchase scheme this year if Europe’s economy continues to hum along. Bitcoin was down 2.6 percent at $12,903.33 on the Luxembourg-based Bitstamp exchange. It skidded over 11 percent in the previous session after the government of South Korea, a crucial source of global demand for cryptocurrency, said it is considering a plan to ban cryptocurrency trading. ($1 = 0.8295 euros) (Reporting by Lisa Twaronite; Editing by Shri Navaratnam) Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

https://www.reuters.com/article/global-forex/forex-dollar-slumps-euro-lifted-by-hawkish-ecb-minutes-idUSL4N1P705O

Figureskating: From Hanyu's shadow, Uno leaps eagerly to the attack

January 13, 2018 / 1:18 PM / in 6 hours Figureskating: From Hanyu's shadow, Uno leaps eagerly to the attack Elaine Lies 4 Min Read TOKYO (Reuters) - Shoma Uno first stepped on the ice at five, but it was the rough-and-tumble of hockey he had his eyes on - until a chance meeting with a Japanese figure skater changed everything. The skater was Mao Asada, now a Japanese household name and two-time Olympian who retired earlier this year. She told Uno he was cute, and asked if he’d ever thought of figure skating. Now Uno, at 20, is known as a phenomenal jumper who in 2016 became the first to successfully land a quadruple flip in competition and is hard on the heels of compatriot and Olympic champion Yuzuru Hanyu for a rising number of podium finishes. “There he was, learning hockey, and Mao was on the ice nearby. She suggested he try figure skating,” Uno’s grandfather Fujio told weekly magazine Shukan Shincho in April 2017. “If he hadn’t been living that close to a rink, he might never have gone or gotten that invitation.” Some 13 years after that meeting, Uno was world junior champion. In April 2017, he won silver at the world senior championships, finishing just points behind Hanyu. “I haven’t really felt I’ve met that many obstacles up to now,” Uno said after taking silver at the Grand Prix Final last year, after Hanyu withdrew with an injury. ”If at first I‘m nervous and think something is a big barrier, then I just do the same thing every day and what I’d thought was an obstacle, a wall, just becomes normal. “So far I’ve been able to come along doing what I like, what I can only do at this age.” His narrow loss to Hanyu at the world championships made him start to believe that he might actually be beatable. “The general image is that Hanyu is first, and then there are a lot of skaters right after him,” Uno told the Nikkan Sports daily in October. FILE PHOTO: Figure Ice Skating - ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final - Men Free Skating - Nagoya, Japan - December 8, 2017. Ê Japan's Shoma Uno is seen in action. REUTERS/Issei Kato/File Photo “I want to become good enough to line up there with him.” “POCKET ROCKET” Known in some circles as the “Pocket Rocket” for his diminutive height - he stands only 1.59 metres tall, compared to Hanyu’s 1.72m - and his jumping ability, Uno is charging into his first Olympic season. Ahead of the Grand Prix series, he told a news conference his motto for the year is “attack” - and apart from the Grand Prix silver, he also set a personal best in September’s Lombardia Trophy. Uno, however, has tried to downplay the significance of his form this season heading into next month’s Winter Olympics in Pyeonchang. “If you ask me how I feel about the season so far, I’d say I‘m unhappy with more competitions than I am happy,” he said at the Grand Prix Final. “As for my goals for the season, not making mistakes isn’t everything. I want to grow, I want to make this a growing year, so I‘m always challenging myself.” While Uno has his own fans, he remains somewhat stuck in the shadow of Hanyu, whose presence is so ubiquitous in Japan that his face adorns advertisements ranging from chocolate to mattresses. Uno has said at the moment prefers to remain in Hanyu’s shadow because he it reduces his stress, but he still has that burning desire to beat everyone, including his compatriot. “I don’t really like the word ‘rival,'” Uno told Nikkan Sports in August 2017, referring to Hanyu. “But I do want to beat him.” Editing by Greg Stutchbury

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-olympics-2018-figs-uno/figureskating-from-hanyus-shadow-uno-leaps-eagerly-to-the-attack-idUSKBN1F20H5

Group Asks FEC, DOJ to Investigate Trump Lawyer’s Payment to Adult-Film Star

Published: Jan 22, 2018 6:58 p.m. ET Share Common Cause says Trump campaign may have violated the law Getty Images Michael Cohen, a personal attorney for President Trump, reportedly arranged for the payment. By Michael Rothfeld Joe Palazzolo A government-watchdog group filed complaints Monday with the Federal Election Commission and the Justice Department asking the agencies to investigate a $130,000 payment arranged by President Donald Trump’s lawyer to a former adult-film star before the 2016 presidential election. Common Cause, based in Washington, D.C., said the payment, revealed in a Wall Street Journal report earlier this month, may have violated reporting requirements and exceeded contribution limits under the Federal Election Campaign Act. The group asked the Justice Department to investigate whether President Trump may have violated a criminal law against making a false statement to the FEC by omitting the transaction from campaign filings. The Journal reported that lawyer Michael Cohen arranged for the payment to Stephanie Clifford in return for signing a nondisclosure agreement that prevented her from publicly discussing an alleged sexual encounter with Trump, citing people familiar with the matter.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/group-asks-fec-doj-to-investigate-trump-lawyers-payment-to-adult-film-star-1516663508

GRAPHIC-New capacity, restarts to plug aluminium supply gap

* Aluminium stocks in China at record highs * China to add 4.4 million tonnes of capacity this year * Signs of China ramping up already coming through By Pratima Desai LONDON, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Shortages of aluminium created by cutbacks in China are expected to be filled by new Chinese capacity and restarts in the United States, which means prices are likely to have peaked for now. Benchmark aluminium on the London Metal Exchange hit $2,290.50 a tonne in December, its highest since March 2012. Attempts to go higher have failed mainly due to stock data suggesting oversupply in China. Inventories of aluminium in warehouses monitored by the Shanghai Futures Exchange stand at record highs of 783,759 tonnes compared with around 100,000 tonnes a year ago. AL-STX-SGH “Last year China saw a surplus of one million tonnes and the world ex-China a 1.6 million tonne deficit, so the global market was in deficit,” said Wood Mackenzie analyst Ami Shivkar. “We’re expecting a balanced market this year.” Wood Mackenzie expects new capacity in China and restarts “could be a catalyst for a correction in the aluminium price - a correction not a price collapse”. U.S.-based Alcoa is planning to restart more than 161,000 tonnes of capacity in Indiana in the second quarter, analysts say, while Century Aluminium is considering the restart of about 100,000 tonnes in South Carolina. China accounts for more than half of global production estimated at around 65 million tonnes this year. An environmental crackdown last year on polluting industries such as aluminium smelting and a clampdown on unauthorised capacity meant China’s surplus fell short of the amounts needed to cover the deficit in the rest of the world. Consultants AZ China estimate China will add around 4.4 million tonnes of new capacity this year, though much of that will be replacing older polluting plants. They estimate China’s output will total 38.7 million tonnes this year Additionally, output cuts during the winter months starting in November will also be unwound from the middle of March, creating surpluses which are likely to mean higher stocks in exchange warehouses or rising Chinese exports. China’s exports are also expected to be boosted by higher aluminium prices on the LME versus those on ShFE. “(The differential) has certainly opened the window for Chinese semis exports, which we would expect to rise over the first quarter,” BMO Capital Markets analysts said in a note. Signs of China ramping up are already coming through in data. The National Bureau of Statistics recently reported that China churned out 2.71 million tonnes in December, up 15.3 percent from November. “Output cuts for the winter season were meant to be 1.5 million tonnes, but only about 600,000 to 700,000 tonnes was delivered,” said Paul Adkins, managing director of AZ China. “The environmental push is affecting the demand side; a lot of industrial activity has been closed because of pollution.” AZ China expects a recovery in industrial activity this year to boost demand to 38.4 million tonnes. Reporting by Pratima Desai; editing by Jason Neely

https://www.reuters.com/article/china-us-aluminium/graphic-new-capacity-restarts-to-plug-aluminium-supply-gap-idUSL8N1PJ4D1

Myanmar Military Admits Part in Killings of Muslims Found in Mass Grave - WSJ

Myanmar’s military said it was involved in the killings of 10 Muslims found in a mass grave last month in restive Rakhine state, its first admission of wrongdoing in a conflict that the U.S. labeled ethnic cleansing and which displaced hundreds of thousands of people. A statement posted Wednesday on the Facebook page of military commander Sr. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing described the 10 men as armed Bengali terrorists who had been arrested when about 200 armed attackers tried to assault security forces in early September. ... RELATED VIDEO Myanmar's Rohingya Crisis: The Making of a Humanitarian Disaster More than 600,000 Rohingya refugees are stranded in Bangladesh after fleeing violence in Myanmar. Their fate is uncertain and the world is watching to see whether Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi will take action on the humanitarian crisis. Video: Karan Deep Singh / Photo: Getty Images

https://www.wsj.com/articles/myanmar-military-admits-part-in-killings-of-muslims-found-in-mass-grave-1515669961

UK'S CROWN PROSECUTION SERVICES SAYS ENGLAND CRICKETER BEN STOKES TO BE CHARGED WITH AFFRAY FOLLOWING INCIDENT IN BRISTOL LAST SEPTEMBER

LONDON (Reuters) - England cricketer Ben Stokes has been charged with affray following an incident in the city of Bristol last September, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said on Monday. FILE PHOTO: Cricket - England Nets - Brightside Ground, Bristol, Britain - September 23, 2017 England's Ben Stokes during nets Action Images via Reuters/Peter Cziborra/File Photo Stokes, 26, and two other men are due to appear before Bristol Magistrates’ Court at a date to be fixed. The Durham all-rounder has not played for England since the incident outside a nightclub, missing out on the Ashes tour to Australia. He did play in six domestic matches in New Zealand in December. The England and Wales Cricket Board has also given Stokes permission to play in the Indian Premier League, which starts in April. The CPS said Avon and Somerset police had passed on a file of evidence on Nov. 29 in relation to the incident, which left a 27-year-old man with a fractured eye socket, and further material was received in late December. The other two men charged were named as Ryan Ali, 28, and Ryan Hale, 26. Stokes was named last week in England’s Twenty20 squad for a Tri-series against Australia and New Zealand next month but his participation was dependent on whether he was charged. Stokes issued a statement thanking those who had continued to support him. “I gave a full and detailed account of my actions to the police on day one - the same day as the incident - and have cooperated at each step of the police inquiry,” he said on Twitter. ”I am keen to have an opportunity to clear my name but, on advice, the appropriate time to do this is when the case comes to trial. “The CPS’ decision to charge me, as well as Ryan Ali and Ryan Hale, at least means that my account of what happened that night can come out in court and be made public. Until then, my focus is very much on cricket.” Reporting by Keith Weir/Alan Baldwin, editing by Ed Osmond

https://in.reuters.com/article/cricket-england-stokes/cricket-englands-stokes-charged-with-affray-idINKBN1F41U2

Canada's Conservatives expel senator over indigenous comments

January 5, 2018 / 4:27 AM / Updated 15 hours ago Canada's Conservatives expel senator over indigenous comments Anna Mehler Paperny 2 Min Read TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada’s opposition Conservatives kicked a lawmaker out of the party after she posted letters on her official government website that derided indigenous people and then refused to take them down from the site. Conservative Party leader Andrew Scheer said Thursday evening that he ejected Senator Lynn Beyak over the letters posted on her website. The letters claimed that indigenous Canadians were “pampered” in abusive residential schools and that they were looking for government handouts. “Promoting this comment is offensive and unacceptable for a Conservative Parliamentarian,” Scheer said in a statement. “To suggest that indigenous Canadians are lazy compared to other Canadians is simply racist.” Canadian Senators are appointed for life, though they can be expelled from political parties. Some people have called for Beyak’s resignation since she last year defended residential schools. Some 150,000 children were taken from their families and sent to assimilationist schools where they were physically and sexually abused. A government commission that investigated the schools determined that their treatment of indigenous children amounted to “cultural genocide.” Former Prime Minister Stephen Harper formally apologized for the schools in 2008 and Canada has provided billions of dollars in compensation to victims. Aboriginal people continue to be over-represented among Canada’s poor, victims of violence and its prison population. People on reserves often lack clean drinking water and education for indigenous children is under-funded. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in November told the United Nations General Assembly that his government would do better to improve the lives of aboriginals and achieve reconciliation. By Anna Mehler Paperny in Toronto; Editing by Jim Finkle and Michael Perry

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-canada-politics-senator/canadas-conservatives-expel-senator-over-indigenous-comments-idUSKBN1EU0D1

GLOBAL MARKETS-Asia stocks slip as high bond yields weigh on equities

* MSCI Asia-Pacific index pulls back further from record * Sharp drop in U.S. shares weigh on Asian equities * Broader equities weighed by recent rapid rise in yields * Crude oil extends losses amid risk aversion By Shinichi Saoshiro TOKYO, Jan 31 (Reuters) - Asia stocks eased on Wednesday, pulling further back from record highs, as the recent rise in global bond yields weighed on equities. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan added to the previous day’s losses and dipped 0.1 percent, after reaching a record high on Monday. Australian stocks shed 0.4 percent, South Korea’s KOSPI lost 0.3 percent and Japan’s Nikkei dropped 0.3 percent. Wall Street, which has recently hit a succession of record peaks, has led a global equities rally over the past year thanks to strong world growth fuelling higher corporate earnings and stock valuations. But the recent surge in U.S. long-term bond yields to near four-year highs have poured cold water on the rally. U.S. stocks fell for a second straight day on Tuesday, with the Dow registering its biggest two-day drop since September 2016, pressured by healthcare stocks and rising bond yields. “The key point is the speed of the latest rise in yields, which has been very rapid. Until recently the yield rise helped the financial sector, but the pace of the rise is now too rapid and raising worries about corporate borrowing costs,” said Junichi Ishikawa, senior FX strategist at IG Securities in Tokyo. Higher yields are seen hurting equities as they increase borrowing costs by companies and reduce their risk appetite. Higher yields also present a fresh alternative to investors, who may choose to allocate some of their money from equities to bonds. The U.S. Treasury 10-year note yield touched its highest in nearly four years overnight at 2.733 percent, while 30-year bond yield climbed to its highest since May 2017. Yields rose after the start of the Federal Reserve’s two-day meeting on Tuesday, which could offer more clues on the central bank’s economic and rate hike outlook. Caution ahead of President Donald Trump’s first State of the Union address on Wednesday also nudged yields higher. The dollar failed to draw much support from higher Treasury yields as the risk-averse mood favoured its peers like the yen. The dollar was little changed at 108.810 yen after going as high as 109.205 the previous day. The euro was flat at $1.2408 after gaining 0.15 percent overnight. The dollar index against a basket of six major currencies was at 89.153, having crawled away from a three-year low of 88.438 set on Friday. The risk aversion in the broader markets also took a toll on recently bullish crude oil. U.S. crude futures stretched overnight losses to slide 1 percent to $63.86 per barrel. Underpinned by the dollar’s recent slide, prices had risen to $66.66 per barrel on Thursday, the highest since December 2014. Editing by Kim Coghill

https://www.reuters.com/article/global-markets/global-markets-asia-stocks-slip-as-high-bond-yields-weigh-on-equities-idUSL4N1PQ051

Trump's growth plan depends on a healthy dose of international trade

Economic data reveal a trend President Donald Trump and his advisers need to keep in mind as they work toward cementing their growth agenda. The final reading on third quarter U.S. GDP, released near the end of December, showed annualized real growth of 3.2 percent following a 3.1 percent reading for the second quarter. If these figures hold after revisions, they represent the best one-two punch of growth since the second and third quarters of 2014, when the economy grew at annual rates of 4.6 percent and 5.2 percent, respectively. So, things are off to a good start, and the president and his supporters are understandably excited. The economy barely grew at 1.5 percent during 2016, only 1.2 percent during the first quarter of 2017 and 2.2 percent since the end of the great recession. Two consecutive quarters of growth at rates at which President Trump and his team insist are sustainable on the condition that his policies are fully implemented are a great segway to the wonderful possibilities ahead. But the team, especially in the Department of Commerce, the U.S. Trade Representative's Office, and the Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy, should look at the following: When it came to aggregated economic activity purely from within the U.S., or "real final sales to domestic purchasers" including the government, the third quarter growth rate was only 1.9 percent on an annualized basis. This was considerably slower than the 2.6 percent pace of the second quarter and the 2.4 percent pace of the first quarter, and it was approximately 0.2 percent lower than the average growth rate since the end of the great recession. So, if overall economic growth and that of purely domestic demand have been moving in-step since mid-2009 (both roughly 2.15 percent), but that of domestic demand has weakened since the beginning of 2017, then what explains the pickup in overall growth that we are experiencing today? Two factors: inventory accumulation and international trade. Inventory accumulation is wildly volatile from quarter to quarter. While a big buildup like the one during the third quarter can represent confidence on the part of businesses for future orders, they can also represent a short-term miscalculation of present demand that would have to be unwound in the future. We will have to wait and see on that point. International trade however, is an entirely different animal. Combined exports and imports represented roughly 27 percent of GDP in the third quarter and have averaged 28.5 percent over the past five years. Moreover, it has been in a steady uptrend since the early 1970s, when it represented barely 10 percent of U.S. overall economic activity. Trade was a net positive contributor to economic growth in five of the six quarters through the first three quarters of 2017, and barring a significant slowdown in the final three months of 2017, it is likely to be additive for the whole year, and for the first time since 2013. In fact, 2017 could be the strongest year for net exports contributions to growth since 2009 and one of the best in the last 30 non-recessionary years. And all of this happened with the backdrop of the U.S. withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, its potential withdrawals from the North American Free Trade Agreement and KORUS (a free trade agreement with South Korea), and a probable indefinite hold on many of the free-trade deals in the works. Just imagine what growth could have been if such dark clouds were not on the horizon of possibilities? An economic growth profile of 3.0 percent even in the short-run will likely be unattainable without positive contributions from trade. The message should be clear to the president, Secretary Wilbur Ross, Ambassador Robert Lighthizer, and Director Peter Navarro. Tame the rhetoric around protectionism and don't rock the boat on trade if you want to be anywhere near your 3.0 percent growth target. Ardavan Mobasheri, is Managing Director and Chief Investment Officer of ACIMA Private Wealth and Adjunct Professor at the Robins School of Business at the University of Richmond. He is the former Chief Economist at the American International Group (AIG). Follow him on Twitter @TheBizCyclist.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/11/trumps-growth-plan-depends-on-a-healthy-dose-of-international-trade.html

Commentary: Golden Globe 2018 Snubs Show Hollywood's Diversity Problem | Fortune

By Nicholas Pearce January 4, 2018 Sunday’s 75th Golden Globe Awards ceremony shines a well-deserved spotlight on those being honored for excellence in film and television, but perhaps an even brighter one on some of those who are being overlooked: women directors. There are no women among this year’s five nominees in the prestigious Best Director category. Providing access and opportunity to diverse talent is not just a feel-good way to manage optics in a precarious societal moment. Making room at the table for diverse talent and creating space for their voices to matter is a proven way to drive differentiated results. This is particularly important in industries like entertainment that rely on creativity, collaboration, and innovation. According to the Creative Artists Agency, at every level of budget, films with diverse casts outperform those that are more homogeneous. The UCLA Bunche Center’s 2017 Hollywood Diversity Report found that films with diverse casts enjoyed above-average returns on investment and global box office receipts. These findings underscore decades of social and behavioral science that unambiguously reveal that social diversity (e.g., gender, race. etc.) when leveraged can enhance team functionality and bottom-line organizational performance. While this is certainly not the first year in which no women were nominated in this category, Hollywood’s glaring gender achievement gap is especially notable at this moment, given that this industry is the very epicenter of the national #MeToo conversation. And it still sits in the shadow cast by the #OscarsSoWhite boycott protesting the lack of racial diversity among the Academy Awards’ lead and supporting acting nominees. Rather ironically, the Golden Globes’ ignoring of female directors comes before the ink has dried on 2017, a year that The African American Film Critics Association proudly hailed as “ the year of the woman in cinema ,” in recognition of unprecedented opportunities and successes for women filmmakers. Several deserving female directors were overlooked, including Patty Jenkins for Wonder Woman , Dee Rees for Mudbound , and Greta Gerwig for Lady Bird . (Perhaps Ava DuVernay will be nominated next year for directing A Wrinkle in Time .) Therefore, it cannot be said there were no women whose directorial prowess was worthy of at least garnering a nomination for recognition this year. To be sure, there are notable snubs every year in every awards show—but this is not about individual snubs. Since 1944, only four women have ever been nominated for a Golden Globe in the Best Director category. And only four women have ever been nominated for a Best Director Oscar since the Academy Awards began in 1929. Historically, a paucity of directors in top-grossing films have been female, and many industry executives have operated with a “think director, think male” mindset. The evidence suggests that this phenomenon is about far more than isolated individual snubs—this is about pervasive, industry-level collective bias, discriminatory hiring practices, and a sustained pattern of systemic inequality. A recent investigation by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission agrees. The commitment to advocating for diverse talent must be matched by a commitment to advancing diverse talent. As a Hollywood insider recently tweeted , “The main thing the Golden Globes gives a nominee is visibility.” Advocating for more diverse directors in Hollywood is indeed necessary, but insufficient. When diverse talent is not sponsored into career-accelerating leadership opportunities and find themselves perennially shut out from the opportunity to gain organization-wide or industry-wide visibility, it is a recipe for sustained systemic inequality. The false narrative that diversity and excellence are mutually exclusive must be rejected. Advocacy must be matched with action. As Frederick Douglass said, “Power concedes nothing without a demand.” The long road to achieving equity requires authentic allyship and sponsorship. The Golden Globes will reportedly be the setting for a blackout : Several women are planning to dress in black as an act of protest against sexual harassment and violence, and many men are expected to dress in black as a show of solidarity. However, true allyship must extend beyond marches, hashtags, and minimally inconvenient wardrobe choices. Such moments of embodied solidarity may often originate from a sincere desire to be helpful and may provide meaningful socioemotional support, but often do little to remedy the structural inequality that precipitated these moments of protest in the first place. While diversity and inclusion may benefit individual careers, the heavier lift of equity and social justice can influence organizations, industries, and societies for generations to come. Nicholas Pearce serves as an award-winning clinical professor of management & organizations at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and CEO of The Vocati Group. SPONSORED FINANCIAL CONTENT

http://fortune.com/2018/01/04/golden-globes-2018-snubs-diversity/

LIVE MARKETS-U.S. Tax cuts-Value-hunting in unrevised European estimates

January 26, 2018 / 3:37 PM / in 21 minutes LIVE MARKETS-U.S. Tax cuts-Value-hunting in unrevised European estimates Reuters Staff 11 Min Read * European shares recover from 1-week low * STOXX 600 set to end week flat * Trump says wants a strong dollar Jan 26 (Reuters) - Welcome to the home for real time coverage of European equity markets brought to you by Reuters stocks reporters and anchored today by Danilo Masoni. Reach him on Messenger to share your thoughts on market moves: danilo.masoni.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net U.S. TAX CUTS-VALUE-HUNTING IN UNREVISED EUROPEAN ESTIMATES (1525 GMT) Estimates for European companies which have a large chunk of their revenues in the U.S. have not been properly revised in light of Donald Trump's tax cuts, and there could be some hidden value in that, argues the president of French asset management Wise AM. As an example, François Jubin notes that the consensus for France's eyewear group Essilor (43 percent of sales in the U.S. according to him) has not changed since the announcement of the tax overhaul. (Our data shows its has been revised up by meagre 1.3 percent in the mast 30 days) If you go hunting, take a look first at Alasdair Pal's Dec. 21 article and his chart (below), naming European companies with substantial revenues in the U.S. (Julien Ponthus and Alasdair Pal) EARLY AFTERNOON SNAPSHOT: STOXX 600 TURNS FLAT ON THE WEEK (1402 GMT) Trump has spoken in Davos and data has shown U.S. economic growth unexpectedly slowed in the fourth quarter . These two potentially market moving events however had little impact on financial markets and European shares continue to trade well in positive territory. Perhaps worth of notice is that the STOXX 600 has hit a fresh day high, up 0.6 percent, turning flat on the week. The euro zone index is also rising but still on track for its first weekly loss of 2018 as the surging euro has raised worries over exporters. The FTSE is also down on the week and set for its second straight week of losses. In the snapshot the STOXX 600's weekly moves and the euro/dollar: (Danilo Masoni) A PSYCHOLOGICAL SWITCH: BEARS SURRENDER, GREED TAKES OVER (1305 GMT) Are we in a melt up? Is FoMO (fear of missing out) driving the markets? Here's the take of Mark Dowding, a portfolio manager at BlueBay Asset Management, on how markets underwent a psychological switch in the last few months: "The investor psychology has switched more towards greed. We've seen an equity market that for a number of years has climbed a wall of worry. Investors have been fearful of valuations, fearful of geopolitical risks, but it feels like in the last few months, investor fears have been dissipating and greed has come to the fore." "That's why you see in equities a capitulation of part of the bears and something of an intensification of bull-market stocks. Having risen gradually for a number of years, the move looks likes it's turning more parabolic in nature as greed takes over." (Dhara Ranasinghe and Julien Ponthus) BANKS ARE HOT, SURE, BUT ACHTUNG! (1210 GMT) Investing in European banks has been one of the best trades of the year so far, with the sector up close to 7 percent in barely a month, more than double the gain of the pan-European STOXX 600. With rising yields, a buoyant euro zone economy and cash flowing towards cyclical stocks, it could seem like a no-brainer but here's a word of caution from S&P: don't expect a dramatic turnaround among underperformers, especially two German ones. The rating agency has identified six major banks which "continue to undergo significant strategic and operational adjustment" and expects them "to make some progress during 2018, but not to improve significantly". Within these six banks the outlook is broadly improving for RBS, Barclays, Credit Suisse, and Standard Chartered. But things are not so rosy in Germany and for Deutsche Bank which "is likely to remain a sustained relative underperformer in its core businesses." For Commerzbank, the outlook is negative with the "risk that the bank won't build and then sustain capitalization". On the upside, Commerzbank's woes are fuelling M&A speculation. Here's what the performance of the two German banks looks like when compared to their peers since the financial crisis: (Julien Ponthus) ANOTHER BUMPER YEAR SEEN FOR ITALIAN SMALL CAPS (1133 GMT) Italian stocks have shown resilience to uncertainty surrounding the outcome of a national election in March and one of the reasons cited for that is a wave of inflows generated by tax breaks granted to investments into small and mid caps. Even though the so-called PIR scheme, which is running into its second year has raised worries of a possible bubble forming, it looks that the bonanza is set to continue. In a research note today, Equita estimates PIR inflows at 9.1 billion euros this year after attracting 11 billion in 2017 in a market dominated by Banca Mediolanum and Intesa Sanpaolo. They note that Italian small caps trade at 18.3 times 2018 estimated earnings, a 29 percent premium to the Italian market and above the 5-year average of 20 percent. Here some past Reuters stories on the PIR effect and below a chart showing how Italian small/mid caps have outperformed their peers in Europe over the last 12 months: BUZZ-Italian real estate stocks rise on PIR inclusion rumours BUZZ-Equita drops expectation of Italy small-caps correction BRIEF-Banca Mediolanum confirms target of 3 bln euro PIR inflows in 2017 Bubble risks loom for Italy's small caps as new fund scheme sparks rally (Danilo Masoni) TIME TO RE-ENGAGE WITH DEFENSIVES? (1030 GMT) According to Deutsche Bank strategists, it is. In their latest update they affirm their overweight stance on defensives versus cyclicals and upgrade utilities from benchmark to overweight: "Defensives have sold off by more than would have been suggested by the rise in bond yields". That being said they point to property firms Vonovia and Deutsche Wohnen, tobacco group Imperial Brands and beer company Heineken as buy-rating stocks that are beneficiaries of a renewed fall in bond yields. For those who instead believe yields should continue to rise, they highlight BNP Paribas , Credit Suisse, Saint Gobain and AXA. (Danilo Masoni) OPENING SNAPSHOT: EUROPE BOUNCES BACK (0835) European shares have opened higher this morning, bouncing back from a one-week low hit in the previous session, as the euro pulled back from a 3-year high. In corporate news, a well-received update from LVMH a dividend increase at Telia and upbeat broker notes for Michelin and Thales are helping the STOXX 600 index rise 0.3 percent. Here's your opening snapshot: (Danilo Masoni) WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE EUROPE OPENS (0744 GMT) European shares are expected to bounce back on Friday with main stock index futures pointing to gains of around 0.3 percent. Such gains however would not be enough to prevent the STOXX 600 from scoring its first weekly loss this year. Luxury goods makers will be in focus after LVMH said it had made a favourable start to 2018 after a revival in Chinese demand boosted sales last year and spurred on some of its major brands like Louis Vuitton. Its Q4 like-for-like sales were higher than forecast. There were strong results and a bullish forecast from Intel, which could help ease market jitters about semiconductor demand, while Commerzbank could be supported after Handelsblatt reported that Goldman, Barclays and SocGen are interested in buying its EMC division. Eyes also on Zalando and Ocado after big price target increases by RBC. Other stock movers: Telecom Italia deputy chairman gives up operational powers - sources Nestle to cut 400 jobs in France CFM says LEAP engine output 4-5 weeks behind schedule Telia Q4 core profit matches forecasts SSAB Q4 operating profit lags forecast, proposes first dividend since 2012 Givaudan confirms targets after double-digit profit rise BRIEF-Autoliv announces goodwill impairment in Autoliv Nissin Brake (Danilo Masoni and Tom Pfeiffer) EUROPE STOCK FUTURES EDGE UP (0715 GMT) The euro is rising again this morning but remains below the fresh three-year peak of $1.25 hit yesterday, with the dollar recovering following U.S. President Donald Trump's Davos forex "coup de theatre". Just one day after his Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin sent the dollar plunging, Trump surprised markets by saying in a CNBC interview he "ultimately" wanted a strong dollar. You can watch the interview here: goo.gl/iyNhLt The euro pull-back is set to help European shares this morning, with futures on main regional benchmarks all rising around 0.3 percent. (Danilo Masoni) LUXURY GOODS MAKERS IN FOCUS AS LVMH SOUNDS UPBEAT (0643 GMT) Luxury goods makers could be among the stocks to watch today after LVMH said it had made a favourable start to 2018 after a revival in Chinese demand boosted sales last year and spurred on some of its major brands like Louis Vuitton. Here in bullets the key highlights from results at the world's biggest luxury goods maker. * Operating profit up 18 pct in 2017, as expected * Q4 like-for-like sales higher than forecast * Chinese demand continues to boost luxury goods market (Danilo Masoni)

https://www.reuters.com/article/europe-stocks/live-markets-u-s-tax-cuts-value-hunting-in-unrevised-european-estimates-idUSL8N1PL4JQ

Incorta Expands Executive Roster with Two New Hires

SAN MATEO, Calif., Jan. 03, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Incorta , the enterprise analytics platform that bypasses data modeling to deliver real-time insights straight from operational data, today announced two new executive hires: Karl Meyer as vice president of business development and Aran Nathanson as vice president of product. “2017 truly was a pivotal year for Incorta, and I’m happy to see that momentum carry into 2018 with these critical additions to our executive team,” said Osama Elkady, chief executive officer (CEO) of Incorta. “Karl’s straightforward, down-to-earth approach and broad experience with Silicon Valley startups already are paying dividends for our business development efforts. And, with Aran and his adventurous spirit, we gain a credible, influential product leader our engineers trust to task them with interesting, pertinent analytics challenges and also equip them with whatever means they need to overcome them.” Meyer is a recognized leader in driving transformational change at Fortune 100 companies, possessing more than 20 years of experience with corporate strategy, business development, and product management at global technology firms as well as venture-backed startups. In this new role at Incorta, Meyer is focused on building a robust, multi-faceted partner ecosystem comprised of technology partners—hardware platforms, existing analytics players, and other large-scale enterprise applications—with whom Incorta’s technology will integrate; system integrators interested in embedding Incorta’s technology within their own solutions; and traditional go-to-market partners, such as resellers and distributors. Immediately prior to Incorta, Meyer founded and grew the enterprise business development function at leading venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins, and before that drove the strategy behind Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s hybrid cloud and advanced analytics transformation areas. “I’ve always believed business users know what they need to do—they just don’t have the data access or tools needed to do it,” said Meyer. “I ran one of the largest strategy teams at Hewlett Packard Enterprise, and one-third of my team’s time was wasted on rudimentary, non-strategic tasks related to locating, accessing, and attempting to understand key business data. Unfortunately, not much has changed since then. Even so-called data analytics innovations pitched to us when I was with Kleiner Perkins were merely companies finding new ways to copy data or hiring flocks of data scientists for increased manpower—they weren’t actually innovating a new concept. Incorta, on the other hand, is true advancement that will make possible a whole new set of analytics capabilities not even envisioned before. I’m excited to help Incorta’s experienced enterprise team develop a robust partner network that more quickly brings Incorta’s unique, game-changing analytics platform to a wider, global audience.” As vice president of product, Nathanson is responsible for managing and translating stakeholder product requirements into manageable “chunks” that guide Incorta engineers on the strategic iteration of the analytics platform. Before Incorta, Nathanson co-founded, bootstrapped, and built to $5 million in annual revenue the advanced report generation, distribution, and scheduling application Vizubi, which sold for a substantial profit to data analytics platform Qlik in 2014. Post-acquisition, Nathanson led product strategy for the former Vizubi product (renamed QlikView NPrinting), increasing its annual revenue by more than five times in its first year. “I wanted to join a small, dynamic company that solves an interesting business problem, and Incorta met those requirements in spades,” said Nathanson. “The speed at which Incorta users can arrive at interesting insights is simply unheard of in the traditional enterprise analytics space. As an engineering organization, Incorta needs to match that kind of speed and agility via a structured, repeatable development process that efficiently delivers ongoing innovation and ever-expanding ease of use to Incorta customers. I’m extremely pleased to join Incorta’s experienced leadership team and look forward to working with its very talented engineers.” Meyer holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematical Economics from Pomona College and also studied British Economic Policy at Oxford University. Nathanson holds a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Master of Business Administration in Finance and International Business from the NYU Stern School of Business. About Incorta Incorta’s enterprise analytics platform aggregates complex business data in real-time, augmenting—or bypassing—the need for a traditional data warehouse. Powered by the industry’s first Direct Data Mapping TM engine, Incorta provides unprecedented query performance and eliminates costly join operations altogether. Incorta’s powerful software engine allows companies to go from transactional data directly to business analytics at speeds unheard of in the current analytics environment. Incorta reduces from months to days the time required to roll out new analytics applications, and reduces query and reporting times from hours to seconds. Innovative, fast-growth companies—including one of the three largest consumer electronics companies, one of the largest global social media companies, a top 10 private university , Broadcom , Shutterfly, and Toast —rely on Incorta to gain secure, sub-second access to meaningful business insight. Backed by GV (formerly Google Ventures) and Kleiner Perkins, Incorta is deployed in the Fortune 10, and powers analytics for some of the world’s largest and fastest-growing companies. To learn the fastest way to what matters, visit www.incorta.com or join the conversation on Twitter @incorta. Media Contact Emily Lewis emily.lewis@incorta.com Source:Incorta, Inc.

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/03/globe-newswire-incorta-expands-executive-roster-with-two-new-hires.html

Latest budget showdown worries Pentagon, risks delaying Trump's military buildup

U.S. Air Force | Reuters An unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile launches during an operational test. One year after President Donald Trump took office, the possibility of a government shutdown remains, with defense one of the areas that would feel the impact. It also comes a month before the White House is expected to submit its defense budget request for fiscal 2019. Defense Secretary James Mattis said back in June the budget for fiscal 2019 will start the much-awaited military buildup Trump promised during his campaign, although now it looks more like 2020. "This is the ninth straight year with a continuing resolution," Marine Corps Gen. Joseph Dunford, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Monday. "This lack of predictability and that lack of stability in the budget has not allowed us to most efficiently plan and use the resources available to us." There is still a possibility the House and Senate could approve, by midnight Friday, the fourth fiscal 2018 continuing resolution, which would fund the government into mid-February. Indeed, the GOP-controlled House appears to be trying to avoid the shutdown by proposing a stopgap funding measure , but it still would need to be approved by the Senate and get at least nine Democratic votes to pass. The latest shutdown threat is over a border security deal and DACA, the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Trump is insisting on funding for the border wall he promised to build. Democrats are demanding that DACA be fixed through legislation, to protect so-called dreamers, undocumented immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children, from deportation. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, argued Wednesday that the GOP needs to agree to the immigration deal if it wants more money to be spent on defense. "For a Republican to believe that we will get all of the defense funding that we desperately want and need, and we'll deal with the Dreamers later, how naive can you be?" Graham told an audience at the American Enterprise Institute , a conservative Washington think tank. If there is a shutdown, Department of Defense workers — military or civilian — could end up going without paychecks. Experts say this could be detrimental to troop morale and also place a hardship on families of men and women in uniform, especially if the shutdown is long-lasting. "On a day-to-day basis, (troops) are focused on the mission," said Dunford, the nation's top military officer. "But the budget is very much on their minds." A prolonged shutdown could also hit other workers, including those providing support services to bases as well as defense contractors and other businesses that rely on the Pentagon for revenue, and ultimately lead to furloughs. "It's not easy for the Pentagon to make long-term decisions when you're living in a constant state of flux," said Laicie Heeley, a budget analyst at the Stimson Center, a Washington think tank. "Starting new programs is harder when you're living under the threat of a full-year CR as we have in so many past years," Heeley said. "On the other hand, this is sort of the 'new normal' that we live in." Jefferies analyst Sheila Kahyaoglu agrees, saying in a research note Wednesday that the Pentagon has become used to operating under the stress of a continuing resolution and also delayed some defense contracts as a result. "This could also have some impact on the FY'19 budget, which is typically released in February," wrote Kahyaoglu. Among the programs delayed is the $16 billion T-X Trainer jet, with Boeing , Lockheed Martin and Leonardo DRS vying for the contract for 350 aircraft to replace the Air Force's aging T-38 trainers, which have been around since the 1960s. The award for the Air Force's next-generation trainer jet isn't expected to be decided until July. On the Navy side, up to six conceptual design contracts could be awarded for the so-called FFG(X), or guided-missile frigate replacement program, by the end of the first quarter, and the service is expected to pick one vendor in 2020. Advanced combatant shipbuilders General Dynamics and Huntington Ingalls are among the companies expected to participate. Frederico Bartels, a policy analyst for defense budgeting in conservative think tank Heritage Foundation's Center for National Defense, said one of the things he'd like to see in the fiscal 2019 budget is a focus on Army modernization programs. "With all the cancellations they've had for Army modernization, we're stuck with the same platforms that we had since the 1970s and 1980s," he said. "And there's no replacement in the pipeline, so we might end up with tanks that are as old as the granddads of the service members that are operating them." Dunford said the reliance on continuing resolutions is harmful to American taxpayers. He also indicated that another CR would mean the DOD would go four months into the new fiscal year at a lower spending level than it had in fiscal 2017. "We want to be good stewards of the taxpayers' dollars, and in order to do that you have to lay out a plan. And sometimes, when you are forced to spend all of the money in a compressed period of time at the end of the fiscal year, it isn't as efficient a use of the resources as you would want it to be." Even so, the Pentagon is moving forward to modernize the nation's aging nuclear arsenal. In August, the Air Force awarded Boeing and Northrop Grumman three-year contracts for the preliminary design phase of the Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent intercontinental ballistic missile weapon system program, essentially to replace America's 1970s-era Minuteman III missiles. The GBSD is one leg of the nation's nuclear triad — land, sea and air-based capabilities. And, last week it was learned after the leak of a draft of the administration's Nuclear Posture Review by the Huffington Post that new low-yield nuclear warheads launched by submarine are being proposed as a way of "enhancing deterrence." The document also reveals that Russia has a "new intercontinental nuclear-armed undersea autonomous torpedo." Money for the new low-yield nuclear warheads could be included in the fiscal 2019 or 2020 budget. Many analysts expect growth in the defense budget from fiscal 2018 to fiscal 2019, but they still say it won't represent the big military buildup anticipated in the early days of the administration. During the campaign, Trump promised more ships, more troops and more aircraft in a military buildup program some experts predicted at the time could add $250 billion or more to U.S. military spending over the next four years. Among other things, Trump's defense plan outlined in September 2016 called for up to 350 surface ships and submarines, up from 280 today and above the Pentagon's recent target of 308 ships over the next 10 years. "I do think the '19 budget is going to be a critical document for the trajectory that this administration's military buildup is going to take," said Andrew Hunter, direct

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/17/looming-shutdown-.html

Namibia reports first cholera case after deadly outbreak in Zambia

January 31, 2018 / 6:06 PM / Updated an hour ago Namibia reports first cholera case after deadly outbreak in Zambia Reuters Staff 2 Min Read WINDHOEK (Reuters) - A 10-year old schoolboy has become the first person diagnosed with cholera in Namibia for four years, the health ministry said on Wednesday, raising fears of an outbreak similar to one that killed dozens last month in neighbouring Zambia. Two other boys who attend the same school as the child who contracted the disease and shared food with him were also suffering from vomiting and diarrhoea, the Ministry of Health and Social Services said in a statement. The school is in Katutura, an the impoverished suburb of the capital Windhoek. The ministry said further investigation is ongoing and health workers have been alerted to be on the lookout for cholera cases. The case comes three weeks after the Namibian government provisionally banned the import of all perishable food and water from Zambia, which was at that time struggling under the weight of a cholera outbreak that claimed 78 lives. Zambia says it now has the situation under control. Cholera is transmitted through eating or drinking contaminated food or water. It causes severe watery diarrhoea, which can lead to dehydration and even death if untreated. Reporting by Nyasha Nyaungwa; Editing by Joe Brock and Andrew Heavens

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-health-cholera-namibia/namibia-reports-first-cholera-case-after-deadly-outbreak-in-zambia-idUKKBN1FK2OV

Heavy casualties after overnight battle at Kabul hotel

Heavy casualties after overnight battle at Kabul hotel 00 Gunmen in army uniforms who stormed Kabul's Intercontinental Hotel late on Saturday and battled Afghan Special Forces through the night killed more than 30 people and wounded many more, although the final toll of dead and wounded may still be higher. Grace Lee Gunmen in army uniforms who stormed Kabul's Intercontinental Hotel late on Saturday and battled Afghan Special Forces through the night killed more than 30 people and wounded many more, although the final toll of dead and wounded may still be higher. Grace Lee //reut.rs/2n06rVr

https://in.reuters.com/video/2018/01/22/heavy-casualties-after-overnight-battle?videoId=387883680

Whisky and waders as fishermen welcome salmon season in Scotland

KENMORE, Scotland (Reuters) - On the banks of the River Tay in the Scottish highlands, a parade of pipers and a whisky-based blessing helped mark the start of the country’s salmon fishing season on Monday. The village of Kenmore has been the traditional starting place for the Scottish salmon fishing for over 70 years, with the Tay being the first of the scores of river systems on which the season takes place. Monday’s event saw dozens of anglers, many sipping glasses of whisky, cast lines in a bid to bag a big fish but, as of late in the afternoon, one participant said that he had seen only one salmon actually caught by anyone - a fact that neither surprised nor bothered him. “It’s kinda the highlight of the season. You know you’re coming here not really to catch any fish. At the end of the day you’re coming to savor the atmosphere,” fisherman Leigh Kelly, 36, told Reuters. ”If you’re gonna catch a few fish, you need to be nearer the sea to get at any, you know? The estuary here is right at the top of the river, so that’s difficult. But it’s good to be on the bank.” The event kicked off with a parade by the Vale of Atholl pipe band, who marched the anglers to the river, which was then blessed with the contents of a quaich - a traditional drinking vessel - of whisky being thrown into the river. The salmon season on the Tay runs from Jan. 15 to Oct. 15. On other Scottish rivers it runs as late as Nov. 30. Writing by Mark Hanrahan in London Editing by Jeremy Gaunt

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-salmonfishing-tay/whisky-and-waders-as-fishermen-welcome-salmon-season-in-scotland-idUSKBN1F426C

'Our business is truth' - China editor tells BBC to open up on women's pay

January 31, 2018 / 4:00 PM / Updated 13 minutes ago 'Our business is truth' - China editor tells BBC to open up on women's pay Estelle Shirbon 4 Min Read LONDON (Reuters) - The BBC is failing to live up to its own editorial mission to report the truth by denying it has a problem with gender discrimination on pay, its former China editor Carrie Gracie told the British parliament’s media committee on Wednesday. Gracie quit her post earlier this month in protest at the discrepancy between her pay and that of male counterparts, going public with her grievances to try to jolt the public broadcaster into addressing unequal pay. “Our business is truth,” an emotional Gracie told the committee of lawmakers, who are conducting an investigation into BBC pay. “If we’re not prepared to look at ourselves honestly, how can we be trusted to look at anything else in our reporting honestly?” Gracie’s revolt laid bare tensions that had been simmering within the BBC since it was forced last July to name its best paid on-air staff and disclose their pay bands, revealing that two-thirds of them were men of whom several were far better paid than female peers. Reaching 95 percent of British adults every week through its many outlets, the BBC is a pillar of national life but as such is held to high standards by the public and rival media. The pay controversy has been a major news story in Britain. BBC managers deny there is systemic gender discrimination on pay at the corporation, which is funded by a licence fee levied on TV viewers in Britain. Director-General Tony Hall and other senior executives are due to appear before the committee later on Wednesday. On Tuesday, the BBC published a review of on-air staff conducted by PwC which found no evidence of gender bias in decision-making on pay. BBC Women, a group of 170 staff, said it had no confidence in the PwC review. “AS WELL AS ANY MAN” Gracie, who has reported on China for three decades and speaks fluent Mandarin, said she explicitly demanded equal pay with male peers when she was appointed to the job of China editor in late 2013. She was given assurances that her demand had been met. “I knew I would do the job at least as well as any man,” she said. Given that background, it came as a shock to her last July when she discovered that she was paid significantly less than her two direct male counterparts. Gracie told the lawmakers she had been offered a hefty pay rise but had turned it down because her fight was not about money, it was about ensuring the BBC changed its practices and delivered equal pay for equal work for all men and women. She said that in the five months following the pay disclosures, she had sought redress internally but had run up against obfuscation from management. She said that having spent much of her career standing up to censorship, harassment and intimidation by the Chinese state, she could not live with herself if she did not stand up for the truth within the BBC. “The profoundest sense I have of who I am as a BBC journalist is to report the truth as I find it. If they don’t report the truth how can we?” she said. “None of these things would stand as a piece of BBC journalism. We have standards, and it really pains me and hurts me that the corporate machine is not living up to our values.” Editing by Stephen Addison

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-china/our-business-is-truth-china-editor-tells-bbc-to-open-up-on-womens-pay-idUKKBN1FK2BT

ConforMIS Reports Preliminary Fourth Quarter and Year-End 2017 Revenue Results; Provides 2018 Financial Guidance

BILLERICA, Mass., Jan. 08, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ConforMIS, Inc. (NASDAQ:CFMS), a medical technology company that uses its proprietary iFit Image-to-Implant technology platform to develop, manufacture and sell joint replacement implants that are customized to fit each patient's unique anatomy, announced today preliminary, unaudited, revenue results for the fourth quarter and the year ended December 31, 2017. Expected Q4 Summary: Total revenue of approximately $20.8 million, down 4% year-over-year on a reported basis and 5% on a constant currency basis Product revenue of approximately $20.5 million, down 4% year-over-year on a reported basis and 5% on a constant currency basis - U.S. product revenue of approximately $17.7 million, consistent year-over-year - Rest of World product revenue of approximately $2.8 million, down 24% year-over-year on a reported basis and 29% year-over-year on a constant currency basis Expected 2017 Summary: Total revenue of approximately $78.1 million, down 2% year-over-year on a reported and constant currency basis Product revenue of approximately $77.1 million, down 2% year-over-year on a reported and constant currency basis - U.S. product revenue of approximately $64.4 million, up 3% year-over-year - Rest of World product revenue of approximately $12.7 million, down 23% year-over-year on a reported basis and 22% year-over-year on a constant currency basis These preliminary results are being provided in advance of the Company's presentation at the 36th Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference at the Westin St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco. Mark Augusti, the Company’s President and Chief Executive Officer, will present at the conference at 2:00 p.m. PT on Wednesday, January 10, 2018. “We expect to achieve the high end of our revenue guidance and are pleased with the Company’s performance to close out our fiscal year,” said Mr. Augusti. The preliminary unaudited revenue results described in this press release are estimates only and are subject to revision. The Company will report its full financial results, including gross margin, for the fourth quarter and the year ended 2017 on February 7, 2018. 2018 Financial Guidance For the full year 2018, the Company expects total revenue in a range of $79.6 million to $83.6 million. The Company's 2018 revenue guidance assumes the following: Product revenue in a range of $79 million to $83 million, representing year-over-year growth of 2% to 8% on a reported basis and 2% to 7% on a constant currency basis. Royalty revenue of approximately $0.6 million related to ongoing patent license royalty payments. For the full year 2018, the Company expects total gross margin in a range of 44% to 46%. Note on Non-GAAP Financial Measures In addition to disclosing financial measures prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), the Company provides certain information regarding the Company's financial results or projected financial results on a non-GAAP "constant currency basis." This information estimates the impact of changes in foreign currency rates on the translation of the Company's current or projected future period financial results as compared to the applicable comparable period. This impact is derived by taking the adjusted current or projected local currency results and translating them into U.S. Dollars based upon the foreign currency exchange rates for the applicable comparable period. It does not include any other effect of changes in foreign currency rates on the Company's results or business. Non-GAAP information is not a substitute for, and is not superior to, information presented on a GAAP basis. Earnings Conference Call Details The Company will release full results for the fourth quarter and the year ended December 31, 2017 via conference call on Wednesday, February 7, 2018 at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time. The conference call releasing full quarterly and year end results will be hosted by Mark Augusti, President and Chief Executive Officer and Paul Weiner, Chief Financial Officer. To participate in the conference call, please call 877-809-6331 (or 615-247-0224 for international) and use conference ID number 4065099 or listen to the webcast in the investor relations section of the Company's website at ir.conformis.com . The online archive of the webcast will be available on the Company's website for 30 days. About ConforMIS, Inc. ConforMIS is a medical technology company that uses its proprietary iFit Image-to-Implant technology platform to develop, manufacture and sell joint replacement implants that are individually sized and shaped, or customized, to fit each patient's unique anatomy. ConforMIS offers a broad line of customized knee implants and pre-sterilized, single-use instruments delivered in a single package to the hospital. In clinical studies, ConforMIS iTotal CR demonstrated superior clinical outcomes, including better function and greater patient satisfaction, compared to traditional, off-the-shelf implants. ConforMIS owns or exclusively in-licenses approximately 420 issued patents and pending patent applications that cover customized implants and patient-specific instrumentation for all major joints. For more information, visit www.conformis.com . To receive future releases in e-mail alerts, sign up at ir.conformis.com . Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Statements in this press release about our future expectations, plans and prospects, including statements about our financial position and results, total revenue, product revenue, gross margin, as well as other statements containing the words "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "might," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "should," "target," "will," or "would" and similar expressions, constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We may not actually achieve the forecasts disclosed in our forward-looking statements, and you should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. Actual financial results could differ materially from the projections disclosed in the forward-looking statements we make as a result of a variety of risks and uncertainties, including risks related to our estimates and expectations regarding our revenue, gross margin, expenses, revenue growth and other results of operations, and the other risks and uncertainties described in the "Risk Factors" sections of our public filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In addition, the forward-looking statements included in this press release represent our views as of the date hereof. We anticipate that subsequent events and developments may cause our views to change. However, while we may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, we specifically disclaim any obligation to do so. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing our views as of any date subsequent to the date hereof. CONTACT: Investor contact Oksana Bradley ir@conformis.com (781) 374-5598 Source:ConforMIS, Inc.

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/08/globe-newswire-conformis-reports-preliminary-fourth-quarter-and-year-end-2017-revenue-results-provides-2018-financial-guidance.html

Cambodia charges 10 foreigners for producing porn over dance party

12 AM / Updated 2 minutes ago Cambodia charges 10 foreigners for producing porn over dance party Prak Chan Thul 3 Min Read PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - A Cambodian judge is investigating whether to pursue pornography charges against 10 foreigners arrested after organizing a party which featured indecent dancing, a prosecutor said on Tuesday. The 10 were arrested on Jan. 25 along with 77 other foreigners in a raid on the “Pub Crawl or Let’s Get Wet” event in Siem Reap province, home to the ancient Angkor Wat ruins. Siem Reap Provincial Court Prosecutor Keut Vannareth told Reuters the 10 had been charged provisionally on Monday with producing pornography for their role in organizing the party and the case had been sent to the investigating judge on Tuesday. The other 77 foreigners arrested were freed after being educated about their unacceptable behavior. Those charged are five Britons, one Dutch citizen, two Canadians, a New Zealander and a Norwegian, according to Sourng Sophea, an attorney for the group. In his three-page submission to the court, the lawyer said the partygoers had not been naked. “When police arrived, they were wearing underwear and bras as they drank,” Sourng Sophea told Reuters, adding that they could face between one month and one year in prison if convicted. “The charge of producing pornography is a little too harsh,” he said. “Now, they are in prison and this is too much.” He said the accused had not published any pictures of the event and had committed no crime. Prosecutor Keut Vannareth declined further comment. Cambodia has been become a favorite with backpackers and budget travelers over the past decade, but has more recently begun to establish itself as more of a luxury destination. Angkor Wat is Cambodia’s top tourist attraction. The ancient temple complex holds a special place in the country’s history as the former capital of the Khmer Empire and visitors are told to behave with respect at the site. Tourism Minister Thong Khon said he supported the arrests of the tourists. “The law bans this kind of thing and maybe they were warned in advance,” he said. “Siem Reap is a heritage site.” Reporting by Prak Chan Thul; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cambodia-crime/cambodia-charges-10-foreigners-for-producing-porn-over-dance-party-idUSKBN1FJ0QV

'Fast & Furious' star Diesel brings live show to London

'Fast & Furious' star Diesel brings live show to London 2:29pm GMT - 01:49 Fri, 19 Jan, 2018 - (1:25) Featured Videos Thu, 23 Nov, 2017 - (2:18) Follow Reuters: Reuters Plus | Reuters News Agency | Brand Attribution Guidelines | Careers Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters , is the world’s largest international multimedia news provider reaching more than one billion people every day. Reuters provides trusted business, financial, national, and international news to professionals via Thomson Reuters desktops, the world's media organizations, and directly to consumers at Reuters.com and via Reuters TV. Learn more about Thomson Reuters products:

https://uk.reuters.com/video/2018/01/20/fast-furious-star-diesel-brings-live-sho?videoId=387474747

BRIEF-Dechra Pharmaceuticals to acquire Ast Farma and Le Vet

Jan 25 (Reuters) - Dechra Pharmaceuticals Plc: * ‍BOARD OF DECHRA, INTERNATIONAL VETERINARY PHARMACEUTICAL BUSINESS, IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT IT HAS ENTERED INTO A CONDITIONAL ACQUISITION AGREEMENT TO ACQUIRE AST FARMA AND LE VET FOR A TOTAL CONSIDERATION OF EUR 340.0 MILLION ON A DEBT-FREE AND CASH-FREE BASIS​ * ‍TOTAL CONSIDERATION WILL BE SATISFIED APPROXIMATELY 75 PERCENT IN CASH AND 25 PERCENT IN NEW DECHRA SHARES, WHICH ARE SUBJECT TO A TWO YEAR LOCK-IN​ * ‍ACQUISITION STRENGTHENS DECHRA‘S PORTFOLIO IN NETHERLANDS AND ACROSS EUROPE​ * ACQUISITION GIVES ACCESS TO A ROBUST PIPELINE OF PRODUCTS​ * ACQUISITION GIVES ‍SYNERGY BENEFITS PARTICULARLY IN FORM OF REVENUE SYNERGIES​ * ‍CHIEF EXECUTIVE SAYS “ACQUISITION IS A RARE OPPORTUNITY TO STRENGTHEN OUR EU SEGMENT IN ALL MAJOR EUROPEAN COUNTRIES IN WHICH WE OPERATE”.​ * ‍NET PROCEEDS OF PLACING WILL BE USED TO FUND ACQUISITION IN PART. REMAINING ACQUISITION CONSIDERATION IS BEING FUNDED THROUGH ISSUE OF 3,670,625 NEW ORDINARY SHARES TO SELLERS AND DRAWDOWN UNDER A NEW BANKING FACILITY​ Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage: (Reporting by Emma Rumney)

https://www.reuters.com/article/brief-dechra-pharmaceuticals-to-acquire/brief-dechra-pharmaceuticals-to-acquire-ast-farma-and-le-vet-idUSFWN1PK0ER

Quiksilver CEO Pierre Agnes Is Still Missing at Sea

By Natasha Bach 5:19 AM EST Pierre Agnes, CEO of Boardriders, the parent company of surfwear brand Quiksilver, is still missing more than 24 hours after his boat washed up in a town not far from where he departed. Agnes takes his boat out frequently in the mornings off the coast of Capbreton, in southwestern France, where he lives with his family. After setting sail Tuesday morning, Agnes reportedly sent a message to port authorities , explaining that due to thick fog he was delaying his return to shore. Winds were reportedly light, but big waves inhibited visibility. Read: Quiksilver Parent Buys Billabong, Combining Surf Apparel Competitors Not long after Agnes sent the message, his empty boat was found in Hossegor, a town not far from Capbreton. French authorities then deployed four vessels and four helicopters to search for Agnes . The search was suspended Tuesday evening, due to resume Wednesday morning. SPONSORED FINANCIAL CONTENT

http://fortune.com/2018/01/31/quiksilver-ceo-still-missing-at-sea/

J & J Snack Foods Reports First Quarter Sales and Earnings

PENNSAUKEN, N.J., Jan. 29, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- J & J Snack Foods Corp. (NASDAQ:JJSF) today announced sales and earnings for the first quarter ended December 30, 2017. Sales increased 18% to $265.2 million from $225.6 million in last year’s first quarter. Net earnings increased to $36.2 million in the current quarter from $13.6 million last year. Earnings per diluted share increased to $1.93 for the first quarter from $.72 last year. Operating income increased 10% to $21.2 million in the current quarter from $19.3 million in the year ago quarter. Net earnings for the current year quarter benefited from a $20.9 million, or $1.11 per diluted share, gain on the re-measurement of deferred tax liabilities and a $2.0 million, or $0.11 per diluted share, reduction in income taxes related primarily to the lower corporate tax rate enacted under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in December 2017. Net earnings were impacted by a $1.2 million, or $.06 per diluted share, provision for the one-time repatriation tax required under the new tax law. Excluding the deferred tax gain and the one-time repatriation tax, our effective tax rate decreased to 28.6% from 34.0% in the prior year quarter reflecting the reduction in the federal statutory rate to 21% from 35% for the remaining three quarters of fiscal 2018. The gain on the re-measurement of deferred tax liabilities and the one-time repatriation tax are preliminary estimates. Gerald B. Shreiber, J & J’s President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, "Our retail supermarket and frozen beverages segments had strong quarters; however, our food service segment was impacted for various reasons, some of which have passed or been corrected. We continue to focus on improving all of our business groups." J&J Snack Foods Corp. is a leader and innovator in the snack food industry, providing nutritional and affordable branded niche snack foods and beverages to foodservice and retail supermarket outlets. Manufactured and distributed nationwide, our principal products include SUPERPRETZEL, BAVARIAN BAKERY and other soft pretzels, ICEE and SLUSH PUPPIE frozen beverages, LUIGI’S, MINUTE MAID* frozen juice bars and ices, WHOLE FRUIT sorbet and frozen fruit bars, MARY B’S biscuits and dumplings, DADDY RAY’S fig and fruit bars, TIO PEPE’S, CALIFORNIA CHURROS and OREO** Churros, PATIO Burritos and other handheld sandwiches, THE FUNNEL CAKE FACTORY funnel cakes, and several bakery brands within COUNTRY HOME BAKERS and HILL & VALLEY. For more information, please visit http://www.jjsnack.com . *MINUTE MAID is a registered trademark of The Coca-Cola Company. **OREO and the OREO wafer design are registered trademarks of Mondelez International group, used under license. J & J SNACK FOODS CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS (Unaudited) (in thousands, except per share amounts) Three months ended December 30, December 24, 2017 2016 Net Sales $ 265,210 $ 225,570 Cost of goods sold 191,931 159,675 Gross Profit 73,279 65,895 Operating expenses Marketing 21,576 20,335 Distribution 21,159 18,164 Administrative 9,356 8,098 Other general income (40 ) (29 ) Total Operating Expenses 52,051 46,568 Operating Income 21,228 19,327 Other income (expense) Investment income 1,489 1,227 Interest expense & other 509 (26 ) Earnings before income taxes 23,226 20,528 Income tax (benefit) expense (13,023 ) 6,988 NET EARNINGS $ 36,249 $ 13,540 Earnings per diluted share $ 1.93 $ 0.72 Weighted average number of diluted shares 18,778 18,787 Earnings per basic share $ 1.94 $ 0.72 Weighted average number of basic shares 18,666 18,686 J & J SNACK FOODS CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (in thousands, except share amounts) December 30, September 30, 2017 2017 (unaudited) Assets Current assets Cash and cash equivalents $ 81,089 $ 90,962 Marketable securities held to maturity 49,445 59,113 Accounts receivable, net 109,709 124,553 Inventories 113,049 103,268 Prepaid expenses and other 3,800 3,936 Total current assets 357,092 381,832 Property, plant and equipment, at cost Land 2,494 2,482 Buildings 26,582 26,741 Plant machinery and equipment 258,738 257,172 Marketing equipment 277,236 278,860 Transportation equipment 8,438 8,449 Office equipment 25,574 25,302 Improvements 37,999 38,003 Construction in progress 21,997 16,880 Total Property, plant and equipment, at cost 659,058 653,889 Less accumulated depreciation and amortization 429,217 426,308 Property, plant and equipment, net 229,841 227,581 Other assets Goodwill 102,511 102,511 Other intangible assets, net 60,453 61,272 Marketable securities held to maturity 82,066 60,908 Marketable securities available for sale 30,150 30,260 Other 2,904 2,864 Total other assets 278,084 257,815 Total Assets $ 865,017 $ 867,228 Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity Current Liabilities Current obligations under capital leases $ 339 $ 340 Accounts payable 68,033 72,729 Accrued insurance liability 11,215 10,558 Accrued liabilities 10,491 7,753 Accrued compensation expense 11,764 19,826 Dividends payable 8,400 7,838 Total current liabilities 110,242 119,044 Long-term obligations under capital leases 815 904 Deferred income taxes 44,462 62,705 Other long-term liabilities 2,117 2,253 Stockholders' Equity Preferred stock, $1 par value; authorized 10,000,000 shares; none issued - - Common stock, no par value; authorized, 50,000,000 shares; issued and outstanding 18,668,000 and 18,663,000 respectively 18,589 17,382 Accumulated other comprehensive loss (12,872 ) (8,875 ) Retained Earnings 701,664 673,815 Total stockholders' equity 707,381 682,322 Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity $ 865,017 $ 867,228 J & J SNACK FOODS CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (Unaudited) (in thousands) Three months ended December 30, December 24, 2017 2016 Operating activities: Net earnings $ 36,249 $ 13,540 Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to net cash provided by operating activities: Depreciation of fixed assets 11,152 8,728 Amortization of intangibles and deferred costs 834 1,183 Share-based compensation 953 748 Deferred income taxes (18,265 ) (74 ) Loss on sale of marketable securities (8 ) - Other (317 ) 222 Changes in assets and liabilities net of effects from purchase of companies Decrease in accounts receivable 14,547 5,849 Increase in inventories (9,933 ) (6,727 ) Decrease in prepaid expenses 111 5,747 Decrease in accounts payable and accrued liabilities (9,216 ) (2,816 ) Net cash provided by operating activities 26,107 26,400 Investing activities: Purchases of property, plant and equipment (14,623 ) (11,399 ) Purchases of marketable securities (30,865 ) (8,550 ) Proceeds from redemption and sales of marketable securities 19,096 475 Proceeds from disposal of property and equipment 1,046 645 Other 27 (20 ) Net cash used in investing activities (25,319 ) (18,849 ) Financing activities: Payments to repurchase common stock - - Proceeds from issuance of stock 253 980 Payments on capitalized lease obligations (90 ) (90 ) Payment of cash dividend (7,838 ) (7,280 ) Net cash used in financing activities (7,675 ) (6,390 ) Effect of exchange rate on cash and cash equivalents (2,986 ) (847 ) Net (decrease)increase in cash and cash equivalents (9,873 ) 314 Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period 90,962 140,652 Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $ 81,089 $ 140,966 Three months ended December 30, December 24, 2017 2016 (unaudited) (in thousands) Sales to External Customers: Food Service Soft pretzels $ 50,131 $ 41,494 Frozen juices and ices 7,184 7,479 Churros 14,592 14,438 Handhelds 10,252 7,479 Bakery 94,933 75,279 Other 5,172 4,128 Total Food Service $ 182,264 $ 150,297 Retail Supermarket Soft pretzels $ 10,512 $ 8,944 Frozen juices and ices 9,727 9,851 Handhelds 3,026 3,450 Coupon redemption (751 ) (1,259 ) Other 562 633 Total Retail Supermarket $ 23,076 $ 21,619 Frozen Beverages Beverages $ 34,303 $ 28,276 Repair and maintenance service 19,004 18,091 Machines sales 6,313 7,039 Other 250 248 Total Frozen Beverages $ 59,870 $ 53,654 Consolidated Sales $ 265,210 $ 225,570 Depreciation and Amortization: Food Service $ 7,098 $ 5,732 Retail Supermarket 290 278 Frozen Beverages 4,598 3,901 Total Depreciation and Amortization $ 11,986 $ 9,911 Operating Income : Food Service $ 15,900 $ 17,054 Retail Supermarket 2,558 1,046 Frozen Beverages 2,770 1,227 Total Operating Income $ 21,228 $ 19,327 Capital Expenditures: Food Service $ 9,441 $ 6,587 Retail Supermarket - 82 Frozen Beverages 5,182 4,730 Total Capital Expenditures $ 14,623 $ 11,399 Assets: Food Service $ 635,988 $ 594,963 Retail Supermarket 21,531 22,128 Frozen Beverages 207,498 177,082 Total Assets $ 865,017 $ 794,173 Results of Operations Net sales increased $39,640,000 or 18% to $265,210,000 for the three months ended December 30, 2017 compared to the three months ended December 24, 2016. Excluding sales from Hill & Valley, Inc., acquired in January 2017, an ICEE distributor located in the Southeast acquired in June 2017 and Labriola Bakery which was acquired in August 2017, sales increased approximately 7% for the quarter. FOOD SERVICE Sales to food service customers increased $ 31,967,000 or 21% in the first quarter to $182,264,000. Excluding sales of Hill & Valley and Labriola, sales increased $9,569,000 or 6% for the first quarter. Soft pretzel sales to the food service market increased 21% to $50,131,000 in the quarter and about 14% without Labriola sales. In addition to Labriola sales, soft pretzel sales increased significantly to restaurant chains and movie theatres and we had strong sales of our recently introduced BRAUHAUS pretzels. Frozen juices and ices sales decreased 4% to $7,184,000 in the three months with sales increases and decreases across our customer base. Churro sales to food service customers were up 1% in the quarter to $14,592,000. Sales of bakery products increased $19,654,000 or 26% in the first quarter to $94,933,000. Excluding sales of Hill & Valley, bakery sales were essentially flat for the quarter. Sales of handhelds increased $2,773,000 or 37% in the quarter with all of the increase coming from sales to three customers. Sales of funnel cake increased $911,000 or 23% in the quarter to $4,794,000 as we continue to increase sales to school food service. Sales of new products in the first twelve months since their introduction were approximately $8 million in this quarter. Price increases had no impact on sales in the quarter and net volume increases, including new product sales as defined above and Hill & Valley and Labriola sales, accounted for approximately $32 million of sales in the quarter. Operating income in our Food Service segment decreased from $17,054,000 to $15,900,000 in the quarter. Hill & Valley contributed $1,384,000 to operating income in the quarter; however, operating income in the balance of our food service business was impacted by generally higher costs for payroll and insurance, added personnel in the selling function, inefficiencies in our recently acquired Labriola production facility (compounded by the integration of products previously manufactured at other facilities), product mix changes and significantly lower volume concentrated in specific facilities, shutdown costs of our Chambersburg, PA production facility and higher ingredients costs. There was no benefit of pricing to offset these higher costs. RETAIL SUPERMARKETS Sales of products to retail supermarkets increased $1,457,000 or 7% to $23,076,000 in the first quarter. Soft pretzel sales for the first quarter were up 18% to $10,512,000 primarily due to sales of AUNTIE ANNE’S Soft Pretzels*** under a license agreement entered into in 2017. Sales of frozen juices and ices decreased $124,000 or 1% to $9,727,000 in the first quarter. Handheld sales to retail supermarket customers decreased 12% to $3,026,000 in the quarter as the sales of this product line continues their long term decline. Sales of new products in the first quarter were approximately $1.9 million. Price increases had no impact on sales in the quarter and net volume increases, including new product sales as defined above accounted for $1.5 million of sales in the quarter. Operating income in our Retail Supermarkets segment was $2,558,000 in this year’s first quarter compared to $1,046,000 in last year’s quarter, a 145% increase. Lower coupon expense of $508,000 and lower media spending of $543,000 along with the 18% increase in soft pretzel sales were the major reasons for the increase in operating income. FROZEN BEVERAGES Frozen beverage and related product sales increased 12% to $59,870,000 in the first quarter and excluding sales of the acquired ICEE distributor were up about 10%. Beverage related sales alone were up 21% to $34,303,000 in the quarter and were up about 19% without the sales of the acquired ICEE distributor. Gallon sales were up 15% for the three months with higher sales to movie theatres and across our customer base. Service revenue increased 5% to $19,004,000 in the first quarter with sales increases and decreases spread throughout our customer base. Sales of beverage machines, which tend to fluctuate from year to year while following no specific trend, were $6,313,000, a decrease of 10%. Operating income in our Frozen Beverage segment increased to $2,770,000 in this quarter compared to $1,227,000 last year as a result of significantly higher beverage sales. CONSOLIDATED Gross profit as a percentage of sales was 27.63% in the three month period this year and 29.21% last year. About 20% of the gross profit percentage decrease in the quarter resulted from the lower gross profit percentage of the Hill & Valley business. The balance of the decrease was caused by higher costs for payroll and insurance, inefficiencies in our recently acquired Labriola production facility (compounded by the integration of products previously manufactured at other facilities), product mix changes, significantly lower volume concentrated in specific facilities, shutdown costs of our Chambersburg, PA production facility and higher ingredients costs. There was no benefit of pricing to offset these higher costs. Total operating expenses increased $5,483,000 in the first quarter but as a percentage of sales decreased to 19.6% from 20.6% last year. Marketing expenses decreased to 8.14% of sales in this year’s quarter from 9.01% last year primarily because of lower media spending in our retail supermarket business and lower marketing expenses of the acquired Hill & Valley and Labriola businesses. Distribution expenses were 7.98% of sales in this year’s quarter and 8.05% of sales in last year’s quarter. Administrative expenses were 3.53% of sales this quarter compared to 3.59% of sales last year in the first quarter Operating income increased $1,901,000 or 10% to $21,228,000 in the first quarter as a result of the aforementioned items. Investment income increased by $262,000 in the first quarter resulting from higher amounts invested and slightly higher interest rates. Other income this quarter includes a $520,000 gain on a sale of property. Net earnings increased $22,709,000, or 168%, in the current three month period to $36,249,000. Net earnings for the current year quarter benefited from a $20.9 million, or $1.11 per diluted share, gain on the remeasurement of deferred tax liabilities and a $2.0 million, or $0.11 per diluted share, reduction in income taxes related primarily to the lower corporate tax rate enacted under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in December 2017. Net earnings were impacted by a $1.2 million, or $.06 per diluted share, provision for the one time repatriation tax required under the new tax law. Excluding the deferred tax gain and the one time repatriation tax, our effective tax rate decreased to 28.6% from 34.0% in the prior year quarter reflecting the reduction in the federal statutory rate to 21% from 35% for the remaining three quarters of fiscal 2018. Last year’s quarter’s effective tax rate benefitted from an unusually high tax benefit on shared based compensation of $783,000 which compares to this year’s quarter’s tax benefit of $137,000. We are presently estimating an effective tax rate of 28-29% for the last three quarters of our fiscal year 2018 and 26-27% for our fiscal year 2019. There are many factors which can impact our net earnings from year to year and in the long run, among which are the supply and cost of raw materials and labor, insurance costs, factors impacting sales as noted above, the continuing consolidation of our customers, our ability to manage our manufacturing, marketing and distribution activities, our ability to make and integrate acquisitions and changes in tax laws and interest rates. The forward-looking statements contained herein are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which reflect management’s analysis only as of the date hereof. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise or update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date hereof. ***AUNTIE ANNE’S is a registered trademark of Auntie Anne’s LLC Contact: Dennis G. Moore Senior Vice President Chief Financial Officer (856) 532-6603 Source:J & J Snack Foods Corp.

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/29/globe-newswire-j-j-snack-foods-reports-first-quarter-sales-and-earnings.html

COLUMN-Policy tightening? It's real rates that matter for markets: McGeever

(The opinions expressed here are those of the author, a columnist for Reuters.) By Jamie McGeever LONDON, Jan 9 (Reuters) - U.S. and UK interest rates are rising, the European Central Bank is cutting back its bond purchases and even the Bank of Japan is hinting it will turn off the stimulus taps one day. With rates rising and central banks no longer expanding their balance sheets, monetary policy around the world will tighten more in 2018 than any year since the crisis. Yet the real cost of borrowing, taking inflation into account, remains low historically and perhaps dangerously low. Real interest rates across the developed world have been negative since October 2016, and look set to remain so for some time. This is music to investors’ ears. Negative real rates and yields play a huge part in keeping broader financial conditions loose, which in turn is powering the “melt up” in financial assets. According to Goldman Sachs, financial conditions in the United States are looser now than when the Federal Reserve started raising rates in December 2015. Despite the Fed’s five rate hikes in the last two years, real U.S. interest rates remain negative. Depending on which measure of inflation you use, real rates are as low as -0.5 percent. Countrary to the popular perception, Japanese real rates are the highest of all G4 central banks, while real 10-year bond yields in Britain are around the lowest they’ve been for six years. Negative real borrowing costs add fuel to markets that are already on fire, limiting the downward pressure on bonds, keeping corporate spreads on the tight side and pushing stocks to new high after new high. But when compared with real yields, stocks aren’t “particularly expensive”, according to the Bank for International Settlements. The slump in real yields since the crisis means the S&P 500’s near 2.5 percent dividend yield remains tempting to investors. Exchange rates should also be viewed through the prism of real, not nominal, rates and yields. They help explain why the yen has held up well despite the BOJ’s aggressive easing and why sterling is still down more than 10 percent since the 2016 Brexit referendum even though UK rates are rising. BOOM TIME The problem with negative real rates at this current juncture is obvious - the world economy and financial markets are booming. Is that an environment that warrants negative interest rates? Asset price inflation is everywhere but consumer price inflation is pretty much nowhere to be seen, which is why central banks feel comfortable tightening policy so slowly. Even though the global economy is roaring, scars from 2007-09 still run deep, and there’s a clear inclination among policymakers to go slowly and gradually with any rate hikes. This understandable caution is reinforced by the rapid rise in global debt. According to the Institute of International Finance, global debt now exceeds $230 trillion, higher than it was before the crisis and a new all-time high. Rising debt necessitates lower real borrowing costs for consumers to sustain consumption and living standards. But higher interest rates could make high debt levels unsustainable. For investors, it’s a chicken and egg scenario. They’re crying out for policy “normalization” - higher rates and less central bank “interference” in markets - but are enjoying the asset price boom that’s in large part a direct consequence of central bank largesse. It’s clear that a corner has been turned, however, and that the global tightening shift is underway and some increase in real rates is expected, especially if strong growth continues. But it’s hard to see them getting much above zero, especially in the euro zone and Britain. While this remains the case, borrowing will continue to rise and the day of reckoning will inch closer. But as long as investors believe that day is far enough in the future distance, world markets may continue to boom. Reporting by Jamie McGeever; Graphics by Saikat Chaterjee Editing by Jeremy Gaunt

https://www.reuters.com/article/global-markets-realyields/column-policy-tightening-its-real-rates-that-matter-for-markets-mcgeever-idUSL8N1P03NO

BoE's Carney sees 10 billion-pound Brexit hit to UK economy - Times

January 25, 2018 / 10:16 AM / Updated 3 hours ago BoE's Carney sees 10 billion-pound Brexit hit to UK economy - Times Reuters Staff 2 Min Read LONDON (Reuters) - Bank of England Governor Mark Carney told business leaders that the 2016 Brexit vote is costing Britain’s economy around 10 billion pounds a year, the Times newspaper said on Thursday. Carney was asked by an attendee at a meeting on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos to quantify lost economic growth since the referendum, the newspaper said. While Britain’s economy has performed better than the BoE forecast after the June 2016 referendum, it grew at the slowest pace of all Group of Seven rich economies over the first three quarters of 2017. Carney said he thought the loss to economic growth was equivalent to between two-thirds and three-quarters of the weekly 350 million-pound boost to public spending that Brexit supporters said was a key advantage of Brexit, the Times reported. Government statisticians have accused Britain’s foreign minister Boris Johnson of misusing state data by repeating the 350 million-pounds-a-week figure. A spokesman for the BoE declined to comment on the report which was based on comments from people who attended the meeting. Media were not allowed to attend. Carney has been criticised by Brexit supporters for previous public comments he has made on the impact of a vote to leave the bloc on Britain’s economy. Reporting by Andy Bruce; Editing by William Schomberg

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-eu-boe/boes-carney-sees-10-billion-pound-brexit-hit-to-uk-economy-times-idUKKBN1FE16I

UK: jobs data points way up for surging pound

UK: jobs data points way up for surging pound 12:29pm EST - 01:46 The number of people in work in Britain surged unexpectedly in the three months to November and regular wages rose at their fastest rate in almost a year. As David Pollard reports, it's helped sterling rise even further amid renewed confidence over Brexit. The number of people in work in Britain surged unexpectedly in the three months to November and regular wages rose at their fastest rate in almost a year. As David Pollard reports, it's helped sterling rise even further amid renewed confidence over Brexit. //reut.rs/2DCEoXh

https://www.reuters.com/video/2018/01/24/uk-jobs-data-points-way-up-for-surging-p?videoId=388425941