Datasets:

Lettria

/

financial-articles

like 3

PRECIOUS-Gold hits over 4-mth high as dollar index slumps to 3-yr lows

* Spot gold may rise to $1,357.54/oz - technicals * Speculators raise net longs in COMEX gold in the week to Jan. 9. * Palladium hits new record highs (Updates prices) By Sethuraman N R Jan 15 (Reuters) - Gold prices touched their highest in more than four months on Monday, buoyed by a weaker U.S. dollar, which slumped to three-year lows against a basket of currencies. Spot gold was up 0.3 percent at $1,342.50 an ounce by 0718 GMT after touching its strongest since Sept. 8 at $1,344.44. Spot gold rose for a fifth straight week last week, gaining 1.4 percent. U.S. gold futures were up 0.5 percent at $1,341.90 an ounce. "While the weaker dollar remained gold's primary driver, investors are keeping an eye on the simmering geopolitical hot spot in the Middle East," said Stephen Innes, APAC head of trading at OANDA. "Iran remains among the most poignant of geopolitical risks this year following President Trump's decision not to ratify Iran's compliance on the nuclear deal ... Gold investors are likely under-positioned for a significant escalation which could lead to considerable price increase." Iran's president said on Sunday the United States had failed to undermine a nuclear deal between Tehran and major powers, and hailed the accord as a "long-lasting victory" for Iran, state television reported. U.S. on Friday delivered an ultimatum to European signatories of the deal to fix the "terrible flaws" of the agreement with Iran, or the United States would pull out. The dollar index dropped 0.2 percent to 90.810. Earlier in the session, it hit a low of 90.622 , its worst since Jan. 2015. The recent drop in U.S. unemployment could spark a surge in inflation that, given the Federal Reserve's current policy framework, could trigger interest-rate hikes that bring on a recession, Boston Federal Reserve President Eric Rosengren warned on Friday. Higher rates could dent demand for non-interest-paying gold. Adding a touch of bullishness to gold was the data from U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) on Friday, which showed that hedge funds and money managers raised their net long positions in COMEX gold and silver contracts in the week to Jan. 9. Spot gold may break a resistance at $1,341 per ounce and rise to the Sept. 8, 2017 high of $1,357.54, as suggested by a retracement analysis, according to Reuters technical analyst Wang Tao. Among other precious metals, palladium rose 1 percent to $1,135 on Monday, after hitting a record high of $1,138 early in the session. The metal has seen a sustained rally from high demand in the auto industry amid a supply deficit, analysts said. Spot silver rose 0.7 percent to $17.26 an ounce, after touching a near three-month high at $17.42. Platinum was up 0.3 percent at $996.95, after touching its highest since Sept. 11 at $1,001.40 on Monday. (Reporting by Nallur Sethuraman in Bengaluru; Editing by Sunil Nair and Biju Dwarakanath)

https://www.reuters.com/article/global-precious/precious-gold-hits-4-mth-high-as-dollar-index-slumps-to-3-yr-lows-idUSL3N1PA1CS

www.reuters.com

Greeley and Hansen Appoints Two New Principals

CHICAGO, Jan. 23, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Greeley and Hansen, a leading global civil and environmental engineering, architectural, and management consulting firm, has named Joseph Dinkel and Michael J. Hope as principals. Both are accomplished engineers and leaders that exemplify Greeley and Hansen's core values of client commitment and dedication to providing quality service. Dinkel is the Manager of the firm's Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, and Instrumentation & Control (MEPIC) Group with overall responsibility for directing staff and providing high-level project delivery oversight. He has broad experience in management, engineering, construction, and project execution for a wide range of water, wastewater, and other infrastructure projects with special expertise in complex HVAC, plumbing, and fire protection systems. Hope currently serves as Co-Managing Director of the North Atlantic Operating Group, leading the firm's day-to-day business operations as well as business development and strategic growth efforts in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and New Jersey. He has extensive experience in managing a diverse range of large, complex water and wastewater programs and facility projects for utility clients in the northeast. "In addition to their depth of technical experience, Joe and Mike have consistently demonstrated the strong leadership and management skills that will help us advance our long-range business goals," said Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Andy Richardson . "Greeley and Hansen is focused on achieving sustained future growth, and Joe and Mike are both highly qualified and motivated professionals who can help accelerate the firm's ongoing efforts to achieve our growth objectives." Dinkel is a registered professional engineer with a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Michigan Technological University. He is Certified in Plumbing Design (CPD) and is also a member of the American Society of Plumbing Engineers and the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers. Hope is a registered professional engineer and a New Jersey Certified Municipal Engineer with a B.S. in civil engineering from Widener University. He is actively involved in a number of professional organizations, including the American Water Works Association, American Society of Civil Engineers, and New Jersey Water Environment Association. He is a Past President of the New Jersey Society of Professional Engineers and has served in officer and committee roles for other organizations, including the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Advisory Committee for Standards for Individual Subsurface Disposal Systems. About Greeley and Hansen Greeley and Hansen is a leader in developing innovative engineering, architecture, and management solutions for a wide array of complex water, wastewater, and related infrastructure challenges. The firm has built upon over 100 years of proven civil and environmental engineering experience in all phases of project development and implementation to become a premier global provider of comprehensive services in the water sector. Greeley and Hansen is dedicated to designing better urban environments worldwide. http://www.greeley-hansen.com/new.htm For more information, contact: Nancy Stankus 312-558-9000 nstankus@greeley-hansen.com View original content with multimedia: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/greeley-and-hansen-appoints-two-new-principals-300586324.html SOURCE Greeley and Hansen

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/23/pr-newswire-greeley-and-hansen-appoints-two-new-principals.html

www.cnbc.com

Netflix Q4 earnings preview

Analysts expect Netflix to post a big quarter after the bell on Monday, bolstered by subscriber growth ahead of Netflix's previously announced estimate of 6.3 million. The company's stock rose 2.5 percent in early trading Monday. GBH Insights chief strategy officer and head of technology Daniel Ives believes Netflix's subscription addition estimate was low, and expects that price increases did not drive that many people away, while the movie "Bright" and new seasons of "The Crown" and "Stranger Things" kept users around. Through surveys, GBH Insights believes net ads this quarter will approach 7 million. "They were a little conservative on guidance on domestic given the price increase, but we didn't see any chinks in the armor," Ives said, adding that he expects the company to have a more profitable trajectory relative to the past two years. show chapters Even at this stage of the game, it may not be too late to buy Netflix 2:41 AM ET Fri, 19 Jan 2018 | 01:30 Forrester principal analyst Jim Nail said the holidays tend to be a strong quarter for Netflix, leading him to believe it will post large subscriber ads this quarter than projected. And while it is spending up to $8 billion on content this year, the large figure is a "necessary evil" to remain competitive against other services, Ives said. "We're just continuing to see the cord cutting phenomenon going into Netflix's lap," he said. There are some questions going forward about the negative impact of Disney removing its content from Netflix in 2019 and Disney's larger ownership stake in Hulu due to the Disney- Fox deal , Ives said, but he expects to see the impact more in the latter half of 2018. "If [CEO Reed] Hastings wakes up at night with a nightmare, it's Iger and Disney," Ives said. "Going into this earnings it needs to be a beat and raise type of outlook. The stock has had a huge run. We still think it's in its fifth or sixth inning." It's also questionable whether Netflix can sustain subscriber interest at the current pricing level, and Forrester's Nail expects more price increases to come. While the company doesn't have to have a hit with each show because it's not dependent on advertising, it still has to have enough hits to ensure people will be willing to pay for the service each month. "They redefine what is good and crap," Nail said. "Their business is no longer defined by, 'Does the show generate a big enough audience for advertisers?' What you and I may think is crap, somebody may watch it and like it. They'll see a $12 charge on their credit card bill, but will that show be enough to pay $12 for Netflix?" Analysts expect Netflix to post EPS of 41 cents on revenue of $3.28 billion, according to Thomson Reuters.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/22/netflix-q4-earnings-preview.html

www.cnbc.com

BRIEF-Endeavour Silver Provides 2018 Production And Cost Guidance

January 25, 2018 / 11:57 AM / in 9 minutes BRIEF-Endeavour Silver Provides 2018 Production And Cost Guidance Reuters Staff 2 Min Read Jan 25 (Reuters) - Endeavour Silver Corp: * ENDEAVOUR SILVER PROVIDES 2018 PRODUCTION AND COST GUIDANCE, TARGETING 20% INCREASE IN PRODUCTION TO 5.8-6.4 MILLION OZ SILVER AND 58-64,000 OZ GOLD FOR 10.2-11.2 MILLION OZ SILVER EQUIVALENT * ENDEAVOUR SILVER - IN 2018, PLANS TO INVEST $48.4 MILLION ON CAPITAL PROJECTS INCLUDING $41.1 MILLION IN SUSTAINING CAPITAL AT FOUR OPERATING MINES * ENDEAVOUR SILVER CORP - AT CURRENT METAL PRICES, SUSTAINING CAPITAL INVESTMENTS WILL BE COVERED BY OPERATING CASH FLOW IN 2018 * ENDEAVOUR SILVER - EXPECTS TO BRING ITS FOURTH MINE INTO COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION IN Q3 AS EL COMPAS CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM NEARS COMPLETION * ENDEAVOUR SILVER CORP - WITH HIGHER FORECAST PRODUCTION, CASH COSTS AND ALL-IN SUSTAINING COSTS ARE EXPECTED TO DECLINE IN 2018 COMPARED TO 2017 * ENDEAVOUR SILVER - CASH COSTS, NET OF GOLD BY-PRODUCT CREDITS, ARE EXPECTED TO BE $6.00-$7.00 PER OZ OF SILVER PRODUCED IN 2018 * ENDEAVOUR SILVER CORP - 2018 CAPITAL BUDGET WILL INCREASE FROM 2017 DUE TO DEVELOPMENT OF NEW EL COMPAS MINE * ENDEAVOUR SILVER - AISC, NET OF GOLD BY-PRODUCT CREDITS, ESTIMATED TO BE $15.00-$16.00 PER OZ OF SILVER PRODUCED IN 2018 Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage:

https://www.reuters.com/article/brief-endeavour-silver-provides-2018-pro/brief-endeavour-silver-provides-2018-production-and-cost-guidance-idUSASB0C2AH

www.reuters.com

Apple, Google and Microsoft top list of the most innovative companies in 2018

For the second consecutive year, Apple and Google topped the list of the 50 most innovative companies, according to the Boston Consulting Group . The companies at the top of the list shifted just slightly from last year . Microsoft jumped up by one spot to take third place, while electric-car company Tesla fell from No. 3 to sixth place. Retail giant Amazon climbed from fifth place to fourth place, and Netflix , which made the top 10 in 2017, fell to No. 13. In the most recent report, two new companies managed to push their way into the top 10: ride-hailing app Uber and e-commerce site Alibaba . Geographically, North America produced the most innovative companies, with 27 featured on the list. Europe produced 16 entrants, up from 10 last year. The travel and transportation sector also expanded its showing on the 2018 list, with companies such as Uber, Tesla , SpaceX and Airbnb included. The firm found that the most innovative companies have been fueled by digital technologies. For example, they prioritize mobile products, digital design, big data and also quickly adapt to technological advances. They also tend to develop and test new products faster and more cheaply than other companies. According to the research, the biggest difference between the most innovative companies and the companies that appear much lower on the list is how heavily they have incorporated these digital processes into their businesses. "While 79 percent of strong innovators reported that they had properly digitized innovation processes, only 29 percent of weak innovators make the same claim," the study reports. Drew Angerer | Getty Images Last year, the most innovative companies were those that brought in new ideas from outside sources such as social media and had open and collaborative work environments. Finally, the research notes that business leaders at the most innovative companies do five key things that set them apart from their competition: 1. Leaders dedicate resources: They realize the importance of digital and invest accordingly. 2. Leaders invest in speed: They test ideas earlier and launch products quickly. 3. Leaders take smart risks: They make big bets that are high-risk but also high-reward. 4. Leaders invest in data: They mine and analyze data to glean insight for their products. 5. Leaders secure top talent: They acquire and develop talent across the company. Like this story? Like CNBC Make It on Facebook . See also: 3 reasons millennials want to work for Google and Amazon so badly 75% of senior execs say they'd leave their company for one that values diversity Many of your employees probably don't like their jobs show chapters This tech start-up lets you try out for your job, before you get an offer 3:50 PM ET Thu, 6 Oct 2016 | 01:09

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/18/apple-google-and-microsoft-top-list-of-the-most-innovative-companies-in-2018.html

www.cnbc.com

McLaren and CNBC announce new multi-year partnership

Davos, Switzerland. McLaren and CNBC, the leading global business news network, announced today an exciting new multi-year partnership that will highlight both brands' reputations for innovation and leadership through content and commercial activity. Announced in Davos, McLaren will use the partnership with CNBC to unlock the potential of the network's powerful audience of business leaders and investors. McLaren is one of the world's most famous sports and technology brands, synonymous with the highest levels of performance. Since its foundation in 1963, McLaren has been a pioneer and innovator, forging a formidable reputation as one of the most successful teams in Formula 1, having won 20 world championships and more than 180 races. CNBC is the number one business and financial news network worldwide, with a renowned reputation among the world's business elite. Its content is consumed by 301 million people per month. Zak Brown, Executive Director, McLaren Technology Group, commented: "CNBC is a world-class, industry-leading brand and a superb fit for McLaren. This partnership will greatly enhance our ability to reach a global business target audience while enabling both CNBC and McLaren to highlight shared attributes and values." Brown continued: "Formula 1 is a sport undergoing exciting change at multiple levels and bringing that story to a global business will help raise the profile not only of McLaren and CNBC but the sport of Formula 1 too." KC Sullivan, President and Managing Director, CNBC International said: "With a shared passion for sporting excellence, CNBC is looking forward to working with the McLaren family of brands to tell the story of cutting edge innovation." ENDS For more information contact: Lee Thompson Head of Communications, CNBC Lee.Thompson@CNBC.com / +44 (0)7880 088314 About CNBC International CNBC International is the leading international business and financial news network. Its mission is to help the influential and aspirational to make astute decisions to get ahead. With international headquarters in London, Singapore and Abu Dhabi, CNBC International provides consumers with a 24-hour global business briefing. In addition to its global TV channel, available in more than 409 million homes worldwide, CNBC.com provides users with video, real-time market analysis, web-exclusive live video and analytical financial tools. CNBC International's award winning content can also be found on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn. CNBC International is a division of NBCUniversal. For more information, visit www.cnbc.com.

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/23/mclaren-and-cnbc-announce-new-multi-year-partnership.html

www.cnbc.com

SSLJ.com Limited Announces Effective Registration Statement and Pricing for the Company's Initial Public Offering on NASDAQ

WUHAN, China, Jan. 3, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- SSLJ.com Limited (the "Company"), a vertically integrated O2O home decoration service and product provider in China, today announced that its registration statement relating to the Company's initial public offering ("IPO") was declared effective today by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. The offering will be sold on a best efforts basis. Boustead Securities, LLC is acting as the sole underwriter for the offering. In its IPO, the Company is offering a minimum of 2,000,000 Class A ordinary shares and a maximum of 4,000,000 Class A ordinary shares at a price to the public of $5.00 per share. The Company expects to raise aggregate gross proceeds of between USD$10,000,000 and USD$20,000,000, before commissions and expenses. Upon closing of the offering, the total number of ordinary shares outstanding will be between 42,000,000 and 44,000,000 shares, as described in the prospectus. In addition, the underwriter has been granted an over-subscription option pursuant to which the Company may sell up to an additional 600,000 Class A ordinary shares for additional gross proceeds of up to $3,000,000 if the maximum number of 4,000,000 Class A ordinary shares are sold. The Class A ordinary shares of the Company are expected to begin trading on The NASDAQ Capital Market following the closing of the IPO under the ticker symbol "SSLJ." The offering of the Company's Class A ordinary shares may only be made by means of a prospectus. An electronic copy of the prospectus may be obtained from the SEC website at www.sec.gov . A copy of the prospectus may also be obtained, upon written request, from Boustead Securities, LLC, Attention: Equity Capital Markets, 6 Venture, Suite 325, Irvine, CA 92618 USA, offerings@boustead1828.com , or by telephone at +1 949 502 4409. Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP is acting as counsel to the Company. Sole underwriter Boustead Securities, LLC is being represented by Ortolio Rosenstadt LLP. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any of the Company's securities, nor shall such securities be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration, nor shall there be any offer, solicitation or sale of any of the Company's securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such state or jurisdiction. About SSLJ.com Limited SSLJ.com Limited is a pioneer in the vertically integrated O2O home decoration service and product market with one of the largest market shares in China. The Company provides customers with a convenient, full-service, one-stop solution for their homes' interior decoration and improvement needs by offering consulting, design, construction, and furnishing services as well as modern, high-quality and high-tech products. The Company has 9 branch companies and 12 sales offices in 10 cities, which are Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Wuhan, Suzhou, Hefei, Zhengzhou, Tianjin, Chengdu, Xi'an. For more information, please visit http://www.sslj.com/ . About Boustead Securities, LLC Boustead Securities, LLC ("Boustead") is an investment banking firm that executes and advises on IPOs, mergers and acquisitions, capital raises and restructuring assignments in a wide array of industries, geographies and transactions, for a broad client base. Boustead's core value proposition is the ability to create opportunity through innovative solutions and tenacious execution. With experienced professionals in the United States and around the world, Boustead's team moves quickly and provides a broad spectrum of sophisticated financial advice and services. For more information, visit http://www.boustead1828.com/ . Forward-Looking Statements This announcement contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements other than statements of historical fact in this announcement are forward-looking statements, including but not limited to, the Company's proposed IPO. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and are based on current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that the Company believes may affect its financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs, including the expectation that the IPO will be successfully completed. Investors can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as "may," "will," "expect," "anticipate," "aim," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "believe," "potential," "continue," "is/are likely to" or other similar expressions. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent occurring events or circumstances, or changes in its expectations, except as may be required by law. Although the Company believes that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot assure you that such expectations will turn out to be correct, and the Company cautions investors that actual results may differ materially from the anticipated results. For more information, please contact: SSLJ.com Limited Contact: Ms. Wing Chuen Rhoda Lau, CFO Phone: +8627-8366-8638 Email: ir@sslj.com Investor Contact: Ms. Tina Xiao, President Ascent Investor Relations LLC Phone: +1-917-609-0333 Email: tina.xiao@ascent-ir.com Boustead Securities, LLC Contact: Dan McClory, Managing Director, Head of China, and Head of Equity Capital Markets Phone: +1 (949) 502-4408 Email: dan@boustead1828.com View original content: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ssljcom-limited-announces-effective-registration-statement-and-pricing-for-the-companys-initial-public-offering-on-nasdaq-300577122.html SOURCE SSLJ.com Limited

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/03/pr-newswire-sslj-com-limited-announces-effective-registration-statement-and-pricing-for-the-companys-initial-public-offering-on-nasdaq.html

www.cnbc.com

UPDATE 3-Intel results beat estimates, warns of potential security flaw fallout

fallout@ (Adds more information from CFO about security risk disclosure, adds additional analyst quote) Jan 25 (Reuters) - Intel Corp on Thursday gave a bullish forecast and blew past Wall Street profit and revenue expectations for the fourth quarter on the strength of data center sales, the business it sees as key to its transformation from a PC supplier. Intel stock rose 3.8 percent to $47.06, boosted by a dividend hike and relief that recently disclosed security flaws in some of its widely used chips had little impact. But Intel did acknowledge, for the first time, that the fallout could hurt future results, a concern analysts brushed off. Intel also boosted its full-year forecast for 2018 above Wall Street expectations, saying it would boost dividends 10 percent to $1.20 on a yearly basis despite taking a $5.4 billion charge related to recent changes in U.S. tax law. Intel Chief Executive Brian Krzanich said the company would start shipping chips later this year with "silicon-based changes" to protect against the so-called Spectre and Meltdown security threats. Revenue from the company's higher-margin data center business rose about 20 percent to $5.58 billion, beating the average analyst estimate of $5.13 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. Revenue from Intel's PC group hit $9 billion for the quarter, a 2 percent decline from the year before, but ticked up 3 percent for the year to $34 billion. Intel predicted $65 billion in revenue for 2018, well above expectations of a $63.7 billion forecast. In an interview ahead of Intel's earnings call with investors, Chief Financial Officer Bob Swan said the company sees no "meaningful impact" on corporate earnings as a result of the security vulnerabilities, reiterating an assessment the company made on Jan. 3. The improved dividend and forecasts are important because they are the first signal of how much success Intel has had in containing fallout from the so-called Spectre and Meltdown security flaws that could allow hackers to steal data from computers. The flaws were disclosed after the close of the currently reported quarter. The problems affect most modern computing chips but analysts believe that Intel, the No.1 maker of microprocessors, is at greater risk because all the variants of the flaws affect its chips, which have a dominant market position in data centers. Data center revenue growth was twice Wall Street expectations, coming at 20 percent from the year-ago quarter versus investor targets of 10 percent, said Kevin Cassidy, an analyst at Stifel. Intel warned in its earnings release that fallout from the discovery of Spectre and Meltdown could hurt future results, as well as customer relationships and the company's reputation. It added that publicity over the two vulnerabilities could prompt outside parties to look for other security flaws, which could also harm the company's business. Still, GBH Insights analyst Daniel Ives said that Intel investors would heave a sigh of relief. "The chip vulnerability situation was an overhang over Intels shares and this robust quarter, healthy guidance, and underlying business metrics should help investors sleep a bit easier at night." Due to the tax charge, the company posted a loss of $687 million, or 15 cents per share, in the fourth quarter ended Dec. 30. Excluding items, the chipmaker earned $1.08 per share. Total revenue rose 4.1 percent to $17.05 billion. Analysts on average were expecting a profit of 86 cents per share on a revenue of $16.34 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. (Reporting by Laharee Chatterjee in Bengaluru, Stephen Nellis in San Francisco and Jim Finkle in Toronto; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty and Lisa Shumaker)

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/25/reuters-america-update-3-intel-results-beat-estimates-warns-of-potential-security-flaw-fallout.html

www.cnbc.com

Corus Entertainment Announces Fiscal 2018 First Quarter Results

Free cash flow (1) of $83.2 million for the quarter, up from $33.9 million last year Consolidated revenues decreased 2% for the quarter Consolidated segment profit (1) decreased 7% for the quarter Consolidated segment profit margin (1) of 39% for the quarter Net income attributable to shareholders of $77.7 million ($0.38 per share basic) for the quarter TORONTO, Jan. 10, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - Corus Entertainment Inc. (TSX: CJR.B) announced its first quarter financial results today. "Our first quarter results were below expectations, as gains in local Radio advertising and our Nelvana content business combined with better than expected subscriber revenues were more than offset by weak television advertising market conditions", said Doug Murphy, President and Chief Executive Officer. "We remain committed to advancing our strategic priorities as Canada's only pure play media and content company. Our ongoing financial discipline balanced with strategic growth investments in content and advanced advertising initiatives position us well over the longer term in a rapidly evolving media and content marketplace." Financial Highlights Three months ended November 30, (in thousands of Canadian dollars except per share amounts) 2017 2016 Revenues Television 415,464 425,564 Radio 41,924 42,417 457,388 467,981 Segment profit (1) Television 168,602 184,421 Radio 13,521 13,286 Corporate (4,236) (5,721) 177,887 191,986 Net income attributable to shareholders 77,673 71,146 Adjusted net income attributable to shareholders (1) (2) 78,885 80,826 Basic earnings per share $0.38 $0.36 Adjusted basic earnings per share (1) (2) $0.38 $0.41 Diluted earnings per share $0.38 $0.36 Free cash flow (1) 83,215 33,909 (1) Segment profit, segment profit margin, adjusted net income attributable to shareholders, adjusted basic earnings per share, and free cash flow do not have standardized meanings prescribed by IFRS. The Company believes these non-IFRS measures are frequently used as key measures to evaluate performance. For definitions and explanations, see discussion under the Key Performance Indicators section of the First Quarter 2018 Report to Shareholders. (2) Refer to page 10 of this press release for details of adjustments to arrive at adjusted net income attributable to shareholders and adjusted basic earnings per share. Consolidated Results from Operations Consolidated revenues for the three months ended November 30, 2017 were $457.4 million, down 2% from $468.0 million last year and consolidated segment profit was $177.9 million, down 7% from $192.0 million last year. Net income attributable to shareholders for the quarter ended November 30, 2017 was $77.7 million ($0.38 per share basic and diluted), as compared to $71.1 million ($0.36 per share basic and diluted) last year. Net income attributable to shareholders for the first quarter of fiscal 2018 includes business acquisition, integration and restructuring costs of $1.6 million ($nil per share, net of income taxes). Adjusting for the impact of this item results in an adjusted net income attributable to shareholders of $78.9 million ($0.38 per share basic) in the quarter. Net income attributable to shareholders for the prior year quarter includes business acquisition, integration and restructuring costs of $13.2 million ($0.05 per share, net of income taxes). Adjusting for the impact of this item results in an adjusted net income attributable to shareholders of $80.8 million ($0.41 per share basic) for the prior year quarter. Operational Results - Highlights Television Segment revenues were down 2% in Q1 2018 Advertising revenues decreased 4% in Q1 2018 Subscriber revenues were flat in Q1 2018 Merchandising, distribution and other revenues increased 7% in Q1 2018 Segment profit (1) decreased 9% in Q1 2018 Segment profit margin (1) of 41% in Q1 2018 compared to 43% in the prior year Radio Segment revenues were relatively flat in Q1 2018 Advertising revenues were down 1% in Q1 2018 Segment profit (1) increased 2% in Q1 2018 Segment profit margin (1) of 32% in Q1 2018 compared to 31% the prior year Corporate Free cash flow (1) of $83.2 million for the year, up from $33.9 million in the prior year Net debt to segment profit (1) leverage at 3.5 times Consolidated segment profit margin in Q1 of 39%, down from 41% in the prior year (1) Segment profit, segment profit margin, and free cash flow do not have standardized meanings prescribed by IFRS. The Company reports on these because they are key measures used to evaluate performance. For definitions and explanations, see discussion under the Key Performance Indicators section of the 2018 Report to Shareholders. Corus Entertainment Inc. reports in Canadian dollars. The unaudited consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes for the three months ended November 30, 2017 and Management's Discussion and Analysis are available on the Company's website at www.corusent.com in the Investor Relations section. A conference call with Corus senior management is scheduled for January 10, 2018 at 9:00 a.m. ET. While this call is directed at analysts and investors, members of the media are welcome to listen in. The dial-in number for the conference call for local and international callers is 1.416.981.9027 and for North America is 1.800.734.8582. More information can be found on the Corus Entertainment website at www.corusent.com in the Investor Relations section. Use of Non-IFRS Financial Measures This press release includes the non-IFRS financial measures of adjusted net income, adjusted basic earnings per share and free cash flow that are not in accordance with, nor an alternate to, generally accepted accounting principles ("IFRS") and may be different from non-IFRS measures used by other companies. In addition, these non-IFRS measures are not based on any comprehensive set of accounting rules or principles. Non-IFRS financial measures should not be considered as a substitute for, or superior to, measures of financial performance prepared in accordance with IFRS. They are limited in value because they exclude charges that have a material effect on the Company's reported results and, therefore, should not be relied upon as the sole financial measures to evaluate the Company's financial results. The non-IFRS financial measures are meant to supplement, and to be viewed in conjunction with, IFRS financial results. A reconciliation of the Company's non-IFRS measures is included in the Company's most recent Report to Shareholders which is available on Corus' website at www.corusent.com as well as on SEDAR. Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Information This press release contains forward-looking information and should be read subject to the following cautionary language: To the extent any statements made in this report contain information that is not historical, these statements are forward-looking statements and may be forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws (collectively, "forward-looking information"). These forward-looking statements relate to, among other things, our objectives, goals, strategies, intentions, plans, estimates and outlook, including advertising, distribution, merchandise and subscription revenues, operating costs and tariff

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/10/pr-newswire-corus-entertainment-announces-fiscal-2018-first-quarter-results.html

www.cnbc.com

Paul Hanly of Simmons Hanly Conroy to Co-Lead Legal Team in Federal Opioid Litigation

NEW YORK, Jan. 4, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- A federal judge has appointed Simmons Hanly Conroy Shareholder Paul J. Hanly Jr. as co-lead counsel in the national multidistrict litigation pending against pharmaceutical companies involved in the marketing of prescription opioid painkillers. U.S. District Court Judge Dan Aaron Polster, of the Northern District of Ohio, issued an order today naming Hanly and attorneys Joseph F. Rice and Paul T. Farrell Jr. as co-lead counsels for the plaintiffs in the federal litigation alleging pharmaceutical companies and physicians engaged in fraudulent marketing of prescription opioid painkillers, leading to the current nationwide epidemic. Hanly, with extensive experience in litigation against opioid manufacturers going back more than a decade, will work with his co-lead counsels to manage the federal litigation and oversee nearly 100 other law firms representing plaintiffs in more than 200 docketed opioid cases. "I am honored to have been appointed by Judge Polster to such a significant position in this litigation, which involves so many issues that are critical to the public health of our communities nationwide," said Hanly. "It is vital we hold the pharmaceutical companies accountable for their roles in the nation's ongoing drug crisis and epidemic." Hanly is a founding member of Simmons Hanly Conroy, headquartered in Alton, Illinois. Based in the firm's New York City office, he has extensive experience in mass torts litigation including representing more than 5,000 clients who sued Purdue Pharma in 2003, the maker of OxyContin, and winning a significant settlement in 2006. Rice is a founding partner of Motley Rice LLC, based in Mount Pleasant, S.C. Farrell is a partner at Green, Ketchum, Farrell, Bailey & Tweel, LLP, based in Huntington, W.V. Both, as well as many of the other lawyers involved, are viewed as the top mass torts litigators in the country. The defendants in the MDL lawsuit include dozens of parties with diverse roles in the pharmaceutical industry, including manufacturers Purdue Pharma L.P.; Purdue Pharma, Inc.; The Purdue Frederick Company, Inc.; Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc.; Cephalon, Inc.; Johnson& Johnson; Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Ortho-McNeil-Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Janssen Pharmaceutica, Inc.; Endo Health Solutions Inc.; and Endo Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Simmons Hanly Conroy and its attorneys have held multiple national positions of note in pharmaceutical mass torts litigations. Federal judges have appointed the firm's attorneys to serve on multiple plaintiff executive and steering committees in mass tort litigations including DePuy Pinnacle hip implants, Volkswagen emission scandal, testosterone replacement therapy, transvaginal mesh, Lipitor, Yaz and more. Their work has resulted in millions of dollars secured on behalf of clients injured by dangerous drugs and defective medical devices. The case is In Re: National Prescription Opiate Litigation, MDL No. 2804, Case No. 17-md-02804. About Simmons Hanly Conroy, LLC Simmons Hanly Conroy is one of the nation's largest mass tort law firms. Primary areas of litigation include asbestos and mesothelioma, pharmaceutical, consumer protection, environmental and personal injury. The firm's attorneys have been appointed to leadership in numerous national multidistrict litigations, including Vioxx, Toyota Unintended Acceleration, BP Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, DePuy Pinnacle and the Volkswagen Emission Scandal. The firm also represents small and mid-size corporations, inventors and entrepreneurs in matters involving business litigation. Offices are located in Alton, Ill.; Chicago; Los Angeles; New York City; San Francisco; and St. Louis. Read more at www.simmonsfirm.com . View original content: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/paul-hanly-of-simmons-hanly-conroy-to-co-lead-legal-team-in-federal-opioid-litigation-300577918.html SOURCE Simmons Hanly Conroy

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/04/pr-newswire-paul-hanly-of-simmons-hanly-conroy-to-co-lead-legal-team-in-federal-opioid-litigation.html

www.cnbc.com

Chris Lydon and Chris Tecu join Avison Young in Chicago

Highly regarded industry veterans become Principals, will work as a team while focusing on their industrial brokerage specialty CHICAGO, Danny Nikitas , Avison Young Principal and Managing Director of the firm's Chicago office, announced today the strategic hiring of highly regarded commercial real estate industry veterans Chris Lydon and Chris Tecu . Effective immediately, Lydon and Tecu become Principals of Avison Young and will work as a team while focusing on industrial brokerage services. Both will be based in the firm's Rosemont, IL office. Lydon was most recently a senior director with Cushman & Wakefield in Chicago while Tecu most recently served as a vice-president with CenterPoint Properties in Chicago. Lydon and Tecu previously worked together at Trammell Crow Company in Chicago. "We're thrilled that Chris Lydon and Chris Tecu have joined us in Chicago," comments Nikitas. "We have known them for many years as strong industrial brokerage professionals who have held various positions within the industrial real estate sector. Between them, they have more than 40 years of experience, and their reputations are impeccable in the industry. They are known for honest and intelligent representation of their clients, and have elevated themselves to a very high level of respect in our business. They will also enhance our capital markets capabilities with their experience on the investment side." Nikitas adds: "Their move to Avison Young is actually a reunion because they previously worked together at another firm. Both have adopted a collaborative approach to each transaction and, therefore, will fit seamlessly into Avison Young's culture and client-first business model. They will also play important roles as we expand our industrial service line throughout Chicagoland and further Avison Young's ongoing expansion program." Lydon brings 25 years of industry experience to Avison Young. During his career, he has been involved in transactions covering more than 100 million square feet (msf) with an aggregate value in excess of $950 million. A consistent top producer, he has represented institutional owners and users on both a local and national level while serving in the roles of broker, owner and developer. Lydon's past and current clients include Sears Holding Corporation, Seefried Properties, Liberty Property Trust, Panattoni Development, Wirtz Realty Corp., Invesco, 3D Exhibits, Prologis and Morgan Stanley, among others. Prior to joining Cushman & Wakefield, Lydon was a senior vice-president and industrial brokerage leader at Grubb & Ellis Company in Chicago. Before moving to Grubb & Ellis, he was a vice-president and marketing director at AMB Property Corporation, where he oversaw the leasing of the company's 14-msf Chicago industrial-building portfolio. He began his career as a vice-president with Trammell Crow Company, providing brokerage services and brokerage management for the Chicago-area office's industrial brokerage division while working in partnership with Tecu. Lydon is a member of the Society of Industrial and Office Realtors (SIOR) and the Chicago chapter of the Association of Industrial Real Estate Brokers (AIRE). "We look forward to our new venture here at Avison Young, and to leveraging the company's full-service platform," notes Lydon. "The Principal-based ownership model was highly attractive to us, as it allows us to participate in the company's overall decision-making process. We were very familiar with some of the existing industrial brokerage professionals and felt that we shared a similar vision in relation to the overall industry. The client-first attitude that exists at Avison Young will continue to be our emphasis moving forward." Tecu brings 19 years of commercial real estate experience to Avison Young. During his career, he has negotiated more than 80 msf of industrial real estate acquisitions, dispositions and leasing transactions. From 2010 to 2017, he managed CenterPoint Properties' acquisitions in the Gulf Coast region, particularly in the Houston marketplace. From 2008 to 2017, he was responsible for the purchase of more than $1 billion of industrial properties nationally. Prior to joining CenterPoint in 2008, Tecu was an industrial broker in the O'Hare submarket for CBRE. He entered the commercial real estate industry in 1999 with Trammell Crow Company in Chicago, where he originally partnered with Lydon. Tecu's past and current clients include AMB, Prologis, CenterPoint, Duke Realty, First Industrial Realty Trust and Sitex Realty Group. He is an active member of NAIOP and AIRE. He holds a bachelor's degree in business from the University of Kansas. Tecu adds: "We feel that the in-house resources here at Avison Young will enable us to even better service existing customers and help us expand our client base. There seems to be great entrepreneurial spirit within the firm, and we look forward to continuing with the overall collaboration within the industrial brokerage group. The firm is in a global growth mode and we are pleased to be part of its expansion here in Chicago. We look forward to collaborating with our new colleagues across the globe while serving local, national and international clients." Over the past nine years, Avison Young has grown from 11 to 82 offices and from 300 to more than 2,600 real estate professionals in Canada, the U.S., Mexico and Europe. Avison Young is the world's fastest-growing commercial real estate services firm. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Avison Young is a collaborative, global firm owned and operated by its principals. Founded in 1978, the company comprises 2,600 real estate professionals in 82 offices, providing value-added, client-centric investment sales, leasing, advisory, management, financing and mortgage placement services to owners and occupiers of office, retail, industrial, multi-family and hospitality properties. For further information/comment/photos: Sherry Quan , Principal, Global Director of Communications & Media Relations, Avison Young: 604.647.5098; cell: 604.726.0959 sherry.quan@avisonyoung.com Danny Nikitas , Principal and Managing Director, Chicago, Avison Young: 312.940.8797 danny.nikitas@avisonyoung.com Chris Lydon , Principal, Avison Young: 847.232.8610 chris.lydon@avisonyoung.com Chris Tecu , Principal, Avison Young: 847.232.8611 chris.tecu@avisonyoung.com Earl Webb , President, U.S. Operations, Avison Young: 312.957.7610 Mark Rose, Chair and CEO, Avison Young: 416.673.4028 www.avisonyoung.com Avison Young was a winner of Canada's Best Managed Companies program in 2011 and requalified in 2017 to maintain its status as a Best Managed Gold Standard company. Follow Avison Young on Twitter: For industry news, press releases and market reports: www.twitter.com/avisonyoung For Avison Young listings and deals: www.twitter.com/AYListingsDeals Follow Avison Young Bloggers : http://blog.avisonyoung.com Follow Avison Young on LinkedIn : www.linkedin.com/company/avison-young-commercial-real-estate Follow Avison Young on YouTube : www.youtube.com/user/AvisonYoungRE Follow Avison Young on Instagram: www.instagram.com/avison_young_global Editors/Reporters Please click on links to view and download photos of Chris Lydon and Chris Tecu: http://www.avisonyoung.com/documents/20342/2631393/Chris_Lydon.jpg http://www.avisonyoung.com/documents/20342/2631393/Chris_Tecu.jpg SOURCE Avison Young Commercial Real Estate (BC)

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/10/pr-newswire-chris-lydon-and-chris-tecu-join-avison-young-in-chicago.html

www.cnbc.com

Mack-Cali Strengthens Executive Management Team

JERSEY CITY, N.J., Jan. 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Mack-Cali Realty Corporation (NYSE: CLI) today announced changes to its executive management team with the appointments of Mr. David J. Smetana as chief financial officer and Mr. Nicholas Hilton as executive vice president of leasing. Mr. Smetana will begin to perform his duties as chief financial officer upon the departure of Mr. Anthony Krug, who will be leaving Mack-Cali to pursue other opportunities. Mr. Krug will continue to serve as chief financial officer during the transition period in the first quarter of 2018. Mr. Hilton will start in February 2018 and Mr. Chris DeLorenzo will also depart after a transition period. Mr. Smetana has over 20 years of real estate experience across a variety of roles. Most recently, he was a managing director and REIT securities analyst on Morgan Stanley Investment Management's Global REIT Securities Team from 2001 to 2017. Previously, Mr. Smetana was a REIT investment banker at Morgan Stanley and was part of Morgan Stanley's Real Estate Special Situations Fund from 1997 to 2001. Mr. Smetana received his Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and holds a CPA certificate in Virginia. Mr. Hilton was most recently a senior vice president at CBRE, where he had been for over 13 years and worked with firms like Mack-Cali, Bentall Kennedy, Royal Bank of Canada, Ernst & Young and The Boston Consulting Group. Mr. Hilton received his Bachelor of Arts in English from Rutgers University. Michael J. DeMarco, Mack-Cali's chief executive officer, stated, "We are excited to add further depth to our executive management team. David's extensive knowledge of the real estate industry includes over twenty years of REIT experience, and we believe that he will bring significant experience and leadership in his new role as chief financial officer. Nicholas, who we've had the opportunity to work with while he was at CBRE, is one of the most talented brokers I've had the pleasure of working with. He is extremely knowledgeable about the waterfront and the New Jersey office markets and will help lead and enhance our leasing efforts across all of our office markets as we work to increase occupancy." Mr. DeMarco continued, "I would like to thank Tony and Chris for their tremendous hard work and contributions to the strategic repositioning of Mack-Cali. Our success to date has been a team effort in which they played an integral part. They will both remain not only colleagues but close friends, and I wish them all the best in their future endeavors." About Mack-Cali Realty Corporation One of the country's leading real estate investment trusts (REITs), Mack-Cali Realty Corporation is an owner, manager and developer of premier office and multifamily properties in select waterfront and transit-oriented markets throughout the Northeast. Mack-Cali is headquartered in Jersey City, New Jersey, and is the visionary behind the city's flourishing waterfront, where the company is leading development, improvement and place-making initiatives for Harborside, a master-planned destination comprised of class A office, luxury apartments, diverse retail and restaurants, and public spaces. A fully-integrated and self-managed company, Mack-Cali has provided world-class management, leasing, and development services throughout New Jersey and the surrounding region for two decades. By regularly investing in its properties and innovative lifestyle amenity packages, Mack-Cali creates environments that empower tenants and residents to reimagine the way they work and live. For more information on Mack-Cali Realty Corporation and its properties, visit www.mack-cali.com . Statements made in this press release may be forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "may," "will," "plan," "potential," "projected," "should," "expect," "anticipate," "estimate," "target," "continue," or comparable terminology. Such forward-looking statements are inherently subject to certain risks, trends and uncertainties, many of which the Company cannot predict with accuracy and some of which the Company might not even anticipate, and involve factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or suggested. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements and are advised to consider the factors listed above together with the additional factors under the heading "Disclosure Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" and "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Reports on Form 10-K, as may be supplemented or amended by the Company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, which are incorporated herein by reference. The Company assumes no obligation to update or supplement forward-looking statements that become untrue because of subsequent events, new information or otherwise. Contacts: Michael J. DeMarco Deidre Crockett Mack-Cali Realty Corporation Mack-Cali Realty Corporation Chief Executive Officer Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications (732) 590-1589 and Investor Relations mdemarco@mack-cali.com (732) 590-1025 dcrockett@mack-cali.com View original content with multimedia: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mack-cali-strengthens-executive-management-team-300589402.html SOURCE Mack-Cali Realty Corporation

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/29/pr-newswire-mack-cali-strengthens-executive-management-team.html

www.cnbc.com

Water main break at JFK airport adds to travelers' misery after winter storm flight delays

Flooding from a water main break forced the temporary suspension of some flights at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport on Sunday, adding to the misery of travelers after a winter storm canceled or delayed hundreds of flights in recent days. Water poured from the ceiling onto a check-in counter and covered large areas of the floor of Terminal 4, video on CNN showed. The disruption occurred while the U.S. Northeast continued to endure bone-chilling weather with the New York temperature at 17 degrees Fahrenheit (-8 Celsius). International flights to Terminal 4 were temporarily suspended and passengers who had already arrived there were diverted to other terminals, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the airport. The Port Authority said the water pipe break appears to be weather-related. Flights later resumed but with delays, it said. Mohammed Elshamy | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images A passenger and her luggage are seen during the weather-related cancellation at the John F. Kennedy Airport in New York, United States on January 08, 2017. "What happened at JFK Airport is unacceptable, and travelers expect and deserve better," Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton said in a statement. The authority said a water pipe that feeds the terminal's sprinkler system broke, which caused flooding and a led to a temporary power cut in some areas as a safety measure. The airport on Twitter advised travelers to check with their airlines before arriving. There were about 3 inches (7.5 cm) of water inside the west end of Terminal 4, Scott Ladd, a spokesman for the Port Authority, said in an email. The flooding hit just as the airport was crawling back to normal after a winter storm labeled a "bomb cyclone" forced the airport to close on Thursday. When operations resumed on Friday, the backlog led to hundreds more delays or cancellations, crowding the terminals with stranded passengers. Mohammed Elshamy | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images Passengers with their luggage are seen during the weather-related cancellation at the John F. Kennedy Airport in New York, United States on January 08, 2017. More than 500 flights into or out of JFK were canceled and nearly 1,400 delayed from Friday morning to Sunday afternoon, according to the flight-tracking website FlightAware. The extreme cold and recovery from Thursday's snowstorm created a "cascading series of issues for the airlines and terminal operators," the Port Authority said. Equipment froze and baggage handling was delayed, which was compounded by staff shortages and heavier than normal passenger loads, the Port Authority said. The backlog left passengers stuck on planes for long stretches while waiting for other aircraft to get in and out of gates.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/08/flooding-at-jfk-airport-adds-to-misery-after-flight-delays.html

www.cnbc.com

UK Stocks-Factors to watch on Jan 10

Jan 10 (Reuters) - Britain's FTSE 100 index is seen opening down 4 points on Wednesday, according to financial bookmakers. * IAG: The administrator of Niki said he would press ahead with an agreed sale of the insolvent Austrian airline to British Airways owner IAG after a German court ruling fanned concern that the deal could unravel. * GSK: GlaxoSmithKline's new chief executive said on Tuesday that the British drugmaker would have a look at Pfizer Inc's consumer products business, but would not overpay for the asset. * NOBLE GROUP: Noble Group is closing down its London oil desk and winding down its Asia oil operations, sources familiar with the matter said, as heavy losses and high debt force what was once Asia's biggest commodities trader to restructure. * UK ECONOMY: Britain's economy looks set for an underwhelming 2018, according to a major survey on Wednesday that showed businesses are in a subdued mood ahead of Brexit. * OIL: Oil prices hit their highest levels since 2014 on Wednesday due to ongoing production cuts led by OPEC as well as healthy demand, although analysts cautioned that markets may be overheating. * The UK blue chip index closed 0.45 percent higher at 7,731 points on Tuesday, as Morrisons led a buoyant retail sector on the back of a well-received Christmas trading update. * For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on: cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageId=livemarkets * UK CORPORATE DIARY: Shoe Zone Plc Full Year 2017 Earnings Release Taylor Wimpey Plc Trading Statement Release Tullow Oil Plc Trading Statement Release Big Yellow Group Q3 2017 Interim Plc Management Statement Release Superdry Plc Half Year 2018 Earnings Release J Sainsbury Plc Q3 2017/18 Trading Statement Release Pagegroup Plc Q4 2017 Trading Statement Release TODAY'S UK PAPERS > Financial Times > Other business headlines Multimedia versions of Reuters Top News are now available for: * 3000 Xtra : visit topnews.session.rservices.com * For Top News : topnews.reuters.com (Reporting by Radhika Rukmangadhan in Bengaluru)

https://www.reuters.com/article/britain-stocks-factors/uk-stocks-factors-to-watch-on-jan-10-idUSL4N1P521F

www.reuters.com

Doug Wenners Joins Privia Health at the Helm as Acting CEO

ARLINGTON, Va., Jan. 4, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Privia Health, LLC ("Privia") announced today that Doug Wenners, Executive Vice President of Brighton Health Group and former Senior Executive for Anthem, Inc., has assumed the role of acting Chief Executive Officer for Privia Health. Wenners will lead the company in its next phase of growth partnership with the doctors and patients that they serve, with a focus on optimizing patient outcomes. Wenners brings a depth of experience from different facets of healthcare and is a nationally recognized leader in value-based payment and payer/provider partnership models. At Anthem, Wenners led the design and implementation of the largest commercial pay-for-value program in the country. He is also a graduate of The Dartmouth Institute at Dartmouth College, making him an internationally recognized leader in health outcomes research and policy. "Doug is the right leader to guide Privia during this transformative period in the company's evolution and during this pivotal moment in healthcare," said Bill Sullivan, Chairman of Brighton Health Group. "Doug's experience, vision, passion and human-centered leadership approach to the culture and mission will strengthen Privia as a driving force in changing healthcare for the better." As Privia has just surpassed its four-year milestone, it is in an advantageous position to accelerate its proven model of physician partnership and patient care to more providers across markets, continuing its rapid growth nationwide. In recent months, Privia has launched virtual visit capabilities to improve patient access and has plans to launch several new clinical innovations in 2018. "As a 25-year survivor of Hodgkin's Disease, driving positive change in healthcare is a lifelong passion that is extremely personal to me," said Wenners. "I am honored to lead a company that is a national leader in quality, innovation and thought-leadership within the healthcare industry. I am committed to the success of Privia, its physicians, and the patients we serve, and I believe that our best days as a company are ahead of us." About Privia Health Privia Health LLC, based in Arlington, VA, is a national physician practice management and population health technology company that partners with leading doctors to keep people healthy, better manage disease, and to reward providers for delivering high value care. Through its high-performance physician groups, accountable care organizations (Privia Quality Network), and population health management programs, Privia works in close partnership with forward-thinking health plans, national payers, and employees to better align reimbursements to quality and outcomes. Privia's proprietary technology platform, combined with an innovative approach to patient engagement and physician-driven wellness, focuses on building a better healthcare delivery system and a healthier patient population. For More Information: www.priviahealth.com . View original content with multimedia: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/doug-wenners-joins-privia-health-at-the-helm-as-acting-ceo-300577909.html SOURCE Privia Health, LLC

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/04/pr-newswire-doug-wenners-joins-privia-health-at-the-helm-as-acting-ceo.html

www.cnbc.com

PRESS DIGEST- New York Times business news - Jan 17

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

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

www.reuters.com

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

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

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

www.cnbc.com

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

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

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

www.cnbc.com

United Community Financial Corp. Announces Fourth Quarter Earnings Conference Call

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

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

www.cnbc.com

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

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

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

www.cnbc.com

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

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

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

www.cnbc.com

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

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

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

www.reuters.com

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

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

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

www.cnbc.com

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

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

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

www.cnbc.com

EMERGING MARKETS-Currencies jump as dollar dips; Argentina's Merval breaches 35,000

EMERGING MARKETS-Currencies jump as dollar dips; Argentina's Merval breaches 35,000 Rodrigo Campos Published 11:05 AM 35,000@ (Updates with final prices, Mexico details) NEW YORK, Jan 25 (Reuters) - The Mexican peso touched its strongest against the dollar in nearly four months on Thursday as the U.S. currency continued to weaken, while Argentina's Merval stock index briefly broke above the 35,000-point mark for the first time. Many emerging currencies hit multi-year highs against the greenback, with the dollar index languishing at more than three-year lows after U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin departed from traditional U.S. currency policy, saying "obviously a weaker dollar is good for us." Colombia's peso added to Wednesday's 1.4 percent gain against the dollar to reach its strongest since July 2015, while the Chilean peso could close under 600 per dollar for the first time since May 2015. Brazilian markets were closed for the Sao Paulo anniversary holiday but are expected to soon extend a rally that boosted the benchmark Bovespa stock index to an all-time high above 83,000 points on Wednesday. That advance came after an appeals court upheld a corruption conviction of former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Although the conviction could derail his plans to run again for the presidency, Lula, who is leading opinion polls for the October election, said on Thursday he would appeal the decision. Brazilian and Argentine shares have led a Latin American equities rally to start the year that has MSCI's gauge of the region's stocks set for its largest January gains since 2006. Key Latin American stock indexes and currencies at 1545 GMT: Stock indexes daily % YTD % Latest change change MSCI Emerging Markets 1262.45 0.29 8.66 MSCI LatAm 3198.99 0.92 12.09 Brazil Bovespa 9.53 Mexico IPC 50881.41 0.27 3.09 Chile IPSA 5824.19 0.45 4.67 Chile IGPA 29265.95 0.4 4.59 Argentina Merval 34773.14 -0.5 15.66 Colombia IGBC 12262.79 -0.42 7.85 Currencies daily % YTD % change change Latest Brazil real 3.1470 0.35 5.28 Mexico peso 18.4500 0.29 6.77 Chile peso 598.68 0.62 2.67 Colombia peso 2790.37 0.73 6.87 Peru sol 3.209 0.12 0.87 Argentina peso (interbank) 19.5400 0.67 -4.81 Argentina peso (parallel) 19.9 0.65 -3.37 (Reporting by Rodrigo Campos; Editing by Bernadette Baum)

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/25/reuters-america-emerging-markets-currencies-jump-as-dollar-dips-argentinas-merval-breaches-35000.html

www.cnbc.com

Simmons' triple-double leads Sixers past Bulls

EditorsNote: minor edits Ben Simmons posted a triple-double consisting of 19 points, 17 rebounds and 14 assists in leading the Philadelphia 76ers past the visiting Chicago Bulls 115-101 Wednesday night at the Wells Fargo Center. Simmons registered his fifth career triple-double in just his 43rd NBA game. Only Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (14) and Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (seven) have more triple-doubles than Simmons this season. Joel Embiid scored 22 points, Dario Saric added 21 points and 10 rebounds and Robert Covington contributed 16 points for the Sixers, who moved two games above .500. Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot and Justin Anderson had 12 apiece. For Embiid, it was his 26th game of at least 20 points this season. The Sixers were short-handed without guards T.J. McConnell (personal reasons), JJ Redick (leg) and Jerryd Bayless (wrist). Philadelphia never trailed and led by as many as 25 points as it has won eight of its last 10 games. The Bulls were led by Bobby Portis with 22 points and 11 rebounds. Zach LaVine scored 21 points, Nikola Mirotic added 15 and Lauri Markkanen had 12. David Nwaba contributed 10. The Sixers were hot from beyond the arc, going 16 of 32. The Bulls, however, hit just 11 of 37 from 3-point territory after starting 4 of 24. Chicago made a brief push in the fourth with an 8-0 run, but the Sixers responded with a jumper by Covington and a three-point play by Embiid for a 108-88 advantage with 4:35 left. It was more than enough of a cushion. Embiid knocked down a 3-pointer for a 25-point bulge, 79-54, with 4:24 remaining in the third. The Bulls did run off eight in a row to close within 79-62, but Philadelphia was still able to end the third up 85-67. Simmons nearly compiled his triple-double by halftime with 11 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists, and the Sixers held a 55-41 lead at the break. Simmons swept 11 rebounds in the first quarter alone and nearly tied a franchise record for rebounds in a quarter held by Hall of Fame center Wilt Chamberlain. --Field Level Media

https://www.reuters.com/article/basketball-nba-phi-chi-recap/simmons-triple-double-leads-sixers-past-bulls-idUSMTZEE1P3AYRY6

www.reuters.com

UPDATE 1-U.S. urges railroads to quickly install anti-crash safety system

(Adds details from letter, background) WASHINGTON, Jan 2 (Reuters) - U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao urged the nation's railroads and transit agencies to take all possible measures to meet deadlines to install a safety system called positive train control (PTC) to prevent crashes. Letters dated Dec. 27, which were made public on Tuesday, said Chao wanted railroads to "greatly accelerate" efforts to meet congressional deadlines. A deadly Amtrak crash last month near Seattle that killed three occurred on a section of track that did not have the PTC system operating. The system is designed to prevent derailments caused by excessive speed. Investigators have said several deadly U.S. train crashes in recent years could have been prevented if the system was in place. In 2008, Congress mandated the implementation of PTC nationwide by the end of 2015, then extended that deadline until the end of 2018 when its installation became more complex than anticipated. The government can extend the deadline to 2020 to complete some aspects of the system. The National Transportation Safety Board said last month the Amtrak train that derailed onto a highway near Seattle was going 78 miles per hour (125.5 km per hour) in a 30-mph zone. The letters went to the chief executives of railroads, including Amtrak, BNSF Railway Co, Canadian National Railway , CSX Corp, Norfolk Southern Corp, Union Pacific Corp and transit systems in Chicago, Boston, New York, Boston, Newark, Seattle and Los Angeles. Amtrak said last month it was "imperative that the rail industry urgently work together to get PTC activated on the national network as soon as possible - and certainly by the December 2018 federal deadline, if not before." The Transportation Department said 12 of 41 railroads covered by the requirements report having installed less than 50 percent of the hardware required for their PTC systems as of Sept. 30. The government said the systems are in operation on 45 percent of route miles owned by freight railroads and just 24 percent of passenger railroads Chao's letter said the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) leadership plans to work with railroads "to help create an increased level of urgency to underscore the imperative of meeting existing timeline expectations for rolling out this critical rail-safety technology." The Association of American Railroads said on Tuesday that railroads are making progress on installing and testing PTC technology and freight railroads are on track to meet the deadlines established by Congress. Separately, the Transportation Department wrote to U.S. senators on Tuesday asking them to approve the nomination of Ronald Batory to head the FRA. Batory, a former Conrail president, was approved unanimously by a committee but has been held up due to a dispute over a New York area infrastructure project. (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Tom Brown and Susan Thomas)

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/02/reuters-america-update-1-u-s-urges-railroads-to-quickly-install-anti-crash-safety-system.html

www.cnbc.com

How to use the new Google app that matches your face with paintings

How to use the new Google app that matches your face with famous paintings SHARES Published 50 Mins Ago A new Arts & Culture app from Google can analyze your face and match it with well-known paintings. The results might vary depending on your hair or if you have glasses on and off It's a pretty fun way to discover a famous painting that looks at least somewhat like you. A new app from Google attempts to accurately match your face to one in a famous painting, and it's getting a lot of attention. The Google Arts & Culture app went viral over the weekend as people discovered the funny results it can provide. Some are accurate while others aren't so much. Here's show you how to use it. First, download the Google Arts & Culture App from the App Store. Todd Haselton | CNBC Here's the link to the Google Play Store if you use Android. Open the app and you'll see this screen Todd Haselton | CNBC Scroll down until you see this: "Is your portrait in a museum?" Tap "Get started." Todd Haselton | CNBC Take a picture of yourself Todd Haselton | CNBC Now see your matches! Todd Haselton | CNBC It says my mug matches most with Franklin Knight Lane by Ivan Olinksky, but also with the anonymous Portrait of a Man, and Jan gerrits van Egmond. Todd Haselton | CNBC Without my glasses I look like the child Master Robert Chase by William Merritt Chase. Go ahead and try it for yourself!

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/16/how-to-use-the-new-google-app-that-matches-your-face-with-paintings.html

www.cnbc.com

TUNE Taps Brian Marcus as Vice President of Global Marketing

SEATTLE, Jan. 23, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- TUNE , the global leaders in marketing and advertising measurement, announced the promotion of Brian Marcus to Vice President of Global Marketing. Brian brings more than two decades of digital marketing leadership and expertise to the company, including 10 years building and managing high-performance teams at Google, Ebay and Teespring. In this new role, he will focus on extending TUNE's market leading position within the Fortune 1,000, where TUNE's suite of performance marketing solutions help companies find and win new customers at scale. In addition, Brian will oversee the global expansion of the TUNE brand, narrative and go-to-market activities. "Brian is an outstanding leader who knows the marketing world inside and out, and in fact helped create several of the largest and most successful performance marketing programs to date," said Ryan Buma, Chief Commercial Officer at TUNE. "He's played a pivotal role in the creation, execution and expansion of enterprise-focused marketing initiatives that enable us to drive new sales around the world. Not only is he a world-class marketer, but he's also one of the most passionate competitors I've ever met. Brian is the perfect person to lead TUNE marketing efforts." Prior to TUNE, Brian served as Global Director of the eBay Partner Network, eBay's largest paid acquisition channel at the time. At eBay, Brian and his team drove double-digit growth and marketing efficiency gains while simplifying the program for thousands of affiliate publishers. Prior to his work at eBay, Brian was a leader at Google, where his team launched Google's first full-scale affiliate network, Google Affiliate Network (GAN). Under Brian's leadership, GAN managed thousands of affiliate programs that ranged from the world's largest retailers and credit card issuers to self-service advertisers, and launched the original beta platform for what has evolved into Google's Product Listing Ads. While at Google, his team helped grow top-line revenue more than 30 percent year over year, and drove over $1B in online retail sales through the platform annually. Most recently, Brian served as Vice President of Marketing and General Manager at Teespring, a venture-funded custom apparel company. While in this role he was responsible for building and marketing the industry's best e-commerce platform to talented creators and performance marketers. "Over the course of my career, I've had a chance to meet and work with many amazing people in the performance marketing space," said Brian Marcus, VP of Marketing at TUNE. "I've always admired the TUNE team for its inventiveness and persistence in the creation of the first SaaS performance marketing and mobile attribution platform. As mobile and performance intersect to create new channels of revenue for CMOs and digital marketers, TUNE is poised to continue shaping the industry. I'm thrilled to play an important role in this mission." About TUNE TUNE delivers innovative measurement solutions that help marketers and their partners effectively manage campaigns, engage the right audiences, optimize ad performance, and grow their business. TUNE's solutions are trusted by innovative mobile marketers, the largest advertising platforms, and the world's most iconic brands. Headquartered in Seattle, Washington with over 300 employees in nine offices worldwide, TUNE solutions are used by Expedia, CVS, Subway, The New York Times, Line Corporation and more. For more information visit: www.tune.com . View original content with multimedia: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tune-taps-brian-marcus-as-vice-president-of-global-marketing-300586427.html SOURCE TUNE

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/23/pr-newswire-tune-taps-brian-marcus-as-vice-president-of-global-marketing.html

www.cnbc.com

SHAREHOLDER ALERT: Purcell Julie & Lefkowitz LLP Is Investigating Versum Materials, Inc. for Potential Breaches Of Fiduciary Duty By Its Board of Directors

NEW YORK, Jan. 3, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Purcell Julie & Lefkowitz LLP, a class action law firm dedicated to representing shareholders nationwide, is investigating a potential breach of fiduciary duty claim involving the board of directors of Versum Materials, Inc. (NYSE: VSM). If you are a shareholder of Versum Materials, Inc. and are interested in obtaining additional information regarding this investigation, free of charge, please visit us at: http://pjlfirm.com/versum-materials-inc/ You may also contact Robert H. Lefkowitz, Esq. either via email at rl@pjlfirm.com or by telephone at 212-725-1000. One of our attorneys will personally speak with you about the case at no cost or obligation. Purcell Julie & Lefkowitz LLP is a law firm exclusively committed to representing shareholders nationwide who are victims of securities fraud, breaches of fiduciary duty and other types of corporate misconduct. For more information about the firm and its attorneys, please visit http://pjlfirm.com . Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. View original content: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/shareholder-alert-purcell-julie--lefkowitz-llp-is-investigating-versum-materials-inc-for-potential-breaches-of-fiduciary-duty-by-its-board-of-directors-300576961.html SOURCE Purcell Julie & Lefkowitz LLP

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/03/pr-newswire-shareholder-alert-purcell-julie-lefkowitz-llp-is-investigating-versum-materials-inc-for-potential-breaches-of-fiduciary-duty.html

www.cnbc.com

Amtrak engineer misread signal before fatal crash near Seattle: U.S. agency

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Amtrak engineer aboard a passenger train that derailed last month in Washington state has told the National Transportation Safety Board he misread a signal and tried to brake before the crash that killed three people, the agency said on Thursday. All 12 cars and one of two engines jumped the tracks at a curve on Dec. 18, sending some cars tumbling from a bridge onto an interstate highway near Seattle. The NTSB this month said the crash, which also injured 70 people, could have been prevented if a safety technology system known as positive train control had been operational. It said the train was traveling at 79 miles per hour (126 km per hour) when it derailed, far above the 30 mph speed limit. The agency said it was not able to interview the engineer and the qualifying conductor, who were in the lead locomotive, until last week because both had suffered serious injuries in the crash. The engineer told investigators he was aware that the curve with a 30 mph (48 kph) speed restriction was at milepost 19.8 of the track, and that he had planned to start braking about one mile (1.6 km) prior to the curve, the agency said. The engineer said he did not recall seeing milepost 18 or the 30 mph advance speed sign that was posted two miles (3.2 km) ahead of the speed-restricted curve, the NTSB said. The engineer also mistook another signal at the accident curve for another signal located to the north, it said. The train was on its inaugural run on a faster route from Seattle to Portland, Oregon. The agency reported last month that six seconds before the derailment, the engineer remarked that it was speeding, and that he then applied the brakes but apparently not the emergency brake. The NTSB did not disclose the name of the engineer, 55, who was hired by Amtrak in 2004. It said he had completed about seven to 10 observational trips in the locomotive as well as three trips operating the equipment in the weeks before the accident. The agency said the engineers reported being well rested and that the qualifying conductor was not a distraction. Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Will Dunham

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-washington-train/amtrak-engineer-misread-signal-before-fatal-crash-near-seattle-u-s-agency-idUSKBN1FE2NH

www.reuters.com

Columbia Banking System Announces Fourth Quarter and Full-Year 2017 Earnings Release and Conference Call Date

TACOMA, Wash., Jan. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Columbia Banking System, Inc. ("Columbia" NASDAQ: COLB) expects to report fourth quarter and full-year 2017 financial results before the market opens on Thursday, January 25, 2018. Management will discuss these results on a conference call scheduled for that afternoon at 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time (4:00 p.m. ET). Interested parties may listen to this discussion by joining one of two ways: Option 1: Live-streamed event Join the call through a web-based live streamed-event. If you choose this option, it is recommended that you listen through your phone or computer speakers and not dial into the conference number listed below in option 2. Click here to register and save the event to your calendar: https://engage.vevent.com/rt/columbiabankingsystemincao~9288084 Please test your connection prior to joining to ensure a successful user experience. Connection Test: Click Here For system requirements, visit our FAQ Option 2: Dial-in only Join the call on the day of the event using the toll-free number: 888-286-8956 Conference ID: 9288084 A replay of the call can be accessed beginning Friday, January 26, 2018 using the link below: https://engage.vevent.com/rt/columbiabankingsystemincao~9288084 About Columbia Headquartered in Tacoma, Washington, Columbia Banking System, Inc. is the holding company of Columbia Bank, a Washington state-chartered full-service commercial bank with locations throughout Washington, Oregon and Idaho. For the eleventh consecutive year, the bank was named in 2017 as one of Puget Sound Business Journal's "Washington's Best Workplaces." Columbia ranked in the top 30 on the 2017 Forbes list of best banks. More information about Columbia can be found on its website at www.columbiabank.com . Investor Relations Contact: InvestorRelations@columbiabank.com 253-305-1921 Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements This news release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which can be identified by words such as "may," "expected," "anticipate," "continue," or other comparable words. In addition, all statements other than statements of historical facts that address activities that Columbia expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Readers are encouraged to read the SEC reports of Columbia, particularly its form 10-K for the Fiscal Year ended December 31, 2016, for meaningful cautionary language discussing why actual results may vary materially from those anticipated by management. View original content with multimedia: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/columbia-banking-system-announces-fourth-quarter-and-full-year-2017-earnings-release-and-conference-call-date-300579425.html SOURCE Columbia Banking System, Inc.

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/08/pr-newswire-columbia-banking-system-announces-fourth-quarter-and-full-year-2017-earnings-release-and-conference-call-date.html

www.cnbc.com

UPDATE 10-Government still shut down on Monday as U.S. Senate fails to clinch deal

deal@ (New throughout with no deal on Sunday) WASHINGTON, Jan 21 (Reuters) - A U.S. government shutdown will enter its third day on Monday as Senate negotiators failed to reach agreement late on Sunday to restore federal spending authority and deal with demands from Democrats that young "Dreamers" be protected from deportation. The Senate set a vote for 12 p.m. (1700 GMT) on Monday on advancing a measure to provide temporary government funding through Feb. 8, end the shutdown and allow hundreds of thousands of federal employees to return to work. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell offered an olive branch to Democrats late on Sunday, pledging on the Senate floor to bring immigration legislation up for debate in February if the issue is still unresolved by then. At the core of Democrats' demands is the fate of young people, known as Dreamers, who were brought to the country illegally as children. Former Democratic President Barack Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program extended legal protections to about 700,000 of them, shielding them from being deported. "It would be my intention to proceed to legislation that would address DACA, border security and related issues," McConnell said, adding: "It is also my intention take up legislation on increased defense spending, disaster relief and other important matters" then. It was unclear whether there would be enough Democratic votes on Monday to advance a temporary spending bill. Funding for federal agencies ran out at midnight on Friday amid an impasse between President Donald Trump, congressional Republicans and Democrats over DACA and other immigration issues. Democrats want Trump, who last year ordered an end to DACA in March, to live up to an earlier agreement to protect the Dreamers. Democrats refused last week to support another short-term government funding extension. Republican Senator Jeff Flake, part of a bipartisan working group pushing for legislation to replace DACA, told reporters that McConnell was still six or seven Democratic votes short of breaking the impasse that led to the shutdown. Flake said negotiations would resume early on Monday leading up to the midday vote on the Senate floor. 'BITE PRETTY HARD' While public reaction to the shutdown may have been muted over the weekend, Flake said Republicans would suffer politically in the long run. "If it comes back to bite, it comes back to bite pretty hard," the Arizona senator predicted. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer objected to a move by McConnell to speed up the vote on a temporary funding bill that had been set for 1 a.m. (0600 GMT) on Monday, signaling that a deal was still not in hand. In vowing to bring immigration legislation to the Senate floor next month, McConnell shifted from an earlier position, saying earlier he would do that this month only if there were a bipartisan deal backed by Trump. The Republican president has vacillated on what sort of legislation he supports and McConnell now seems willing to let the Senate craft a deal on legal protections for Dreamers and beefing up immigration enforcement at U.S. borders. The hope is that if the Senate passes an immigration bill, Trump would not only support it but help sell it to the more conservative House of Representatives. "We will not negotiate on the status of unlawful immigrants while Senator Schumer and the Democrats hold the government for millions of Americans and our troops hostage," White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said. Despite that statement, it was clear that senators were seeking paths both to reopen the government and address border security and the Dreamers. Last September, Trump said he was terminating DACA and challenged Congress to come up with a legislative replacement by March 5. If Congress fails, the Dreamers, many from Mexico and Central America, could face deportation. Many have spent most of their lives in the United States. FIRST SHUTDOWN SINCE 2013 The shutdown is the first since a 16-day closure in October 2013 and its effects will be more visible on Monday, when financial markets and federal offices open. The White House said Trump's planned trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, this week was in flux because of the standoff on Capitol Hill. With elections set for November for a third of U.S. Senate seats and the entire House of Representatives, both sides are maneuvering to blame the other for the shutdown. In a Senate floor speech on Sunday, McConnell accused Schumer of imperiling children's healthcare, military training, veterans' care and other programs. Schumer and his colleagues accused Trump of being an unreliable negotiating partner, saying the two sides came close to a deal on immigration several times, only to have Trump back out under pressure from anti-immigration conservatives. Since Democratic votes are needed in the Senate to pass spending bills, they are in a position to make demands on immigration before signing off on such a spending increase. (Additional reporting by Susan Cornwell, Howard Schneider, Patrick Rucker and Makini Brice in Washington and Megan Davies in New York; Writing by Warren Strobel, Matt Spetalnick and Richard Cowan; Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh and Peter Cooney)

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/21/reuters-america-update-10-government-still-shut-down-on-monday-as-u-s-senate-fails-to-clinch-deal.html

www.cnbc.com

JPMorgan, Goldman to lead Dropbox in U.S. - Bloomberg

Jan 11 (Reuters) - Data-sharing business Dropbox Inc has filed confidentially for a U.S. initial public offering led by Goldman Sachs Group Inc and JPMorgan Chase & Co, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter. Dropbox is in talks with other banks to fill additional roles on the IPO and is aiming to be listed in the first half of 2018, the report said. The company, valued at almost $10 billion in a private fundraising round in 2014, was seeking to hire underwriters for an IPO, Reuters had reported in June. Dropbox could not be immediately reached for comment. (Reporting by Shariq Khan in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel)

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/11/reuters-america-jpmorgan-goldman-to-lead-dropbox-in-u-s-ipo--bloomberg.html

www.cnbc.com

Engineering Services Network (ESN) Promotes Douglas R. Lopez to President

WOODBRIDGE, Va., Jan. 30, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Engineering Services Network, Inc.(ESN) , a leading provider of professional engineering and IT services for military and government customers, named Douglas "Doug" R. Lopez as its new President. As President, Lopez, 46, will be responsible for implementing IT, program management, cyber engineering and logistic solutions and services that deliver the right capabilities at the right cost to ESN's customers in the Defense Department and federal government marketplace. "Doug brings significant leadership, a rich military background, and a wealth of experience in engineering, IT and cyber engineering to ESN," said Chairman and CEO Raymond F. Lopez, Jr., the founder of ESN, a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business based in Woodbridge, Va. "He will continue to lead the future of ESN's growth strategy and as a service-disabled veteran, he will ensure ESN's continued success as a Service Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business." Doug Lopez's ascent began in 1998 when he joined ESN as a system analyst. Lopez advanced to Program Manager, then Director of Operations before becoming COO, and now President. "I'm honored to take the day-to-day helm at ESN and focus on assisting our military and government customers," Lopez said. "As a small business leader in the Washington, DC, area since 1995, ESN and our advanced teams are always ready to provide the most cost-effective, leading-edge IT solutions to our growing list of customers. Technology and cyber capabilities are driving the changes today at the DoD, and we want to continue as a small business leader in that arena." Engineering Services Network, Inc. ESN is a trusted leader in engineering and technology solutions. Founded in 1995, ESN is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business with military and government customers, delivering professional management & systems engineering services; cyber security & information/mission assurance services ; network design, integration, & data center consolidation services ; enterprise IT ITIL & ITSM services ; systems development & life-cycle services ; health IT services ; and acquisition services . ESN customer experience includes U.S. Navy, Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, Military Sealift Command, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, HHS and agencies. Based in Woodbridge, VA, ESN has offices in U.S./worldwide. ESN is ISO 9001:2008 certified and has achieved Software Engineering Institute's Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) Maturity Level 3 for Services v 1.3. ESN: esncc.com . Company: Al Desmarais, Business Development 678-967-1424; ADesmarais@esncc.com Media: Carol Castaneda for ESN 703-863-9960 Castaneda@cgcprmedia.com View original content: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/engineering-services-network-esn-promotes-douglas-r-lopez-to-president-300590005.html SOURCE Engineering Services Network, Inc. (ESN)

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/30/pr-newswire-engineering-services-network-esn-promotes-douglas-r-lopez-to-president.html

www.cnbc.com

UnitedCorp Subsidiary Blockchain Data Centers Inc Acquires First Dedicated Blockchain Mining Data Center

MIAMI, Jan. 09, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via OTC PR WIRE -- Miami-based United Blockchain Corp a wholly owned subsidiary United American Corp ("UnitedCorp"), (OTC:UAMA) announced today that it has acquired its first data center facility in the Mile End neighbourhood of Montreal, Quebec Canada which it will operate through a newly created mining division; Blockchain Data Centers Inc. The leased facility which has capacity for 50 mining rigs is fully built out and will be ready to start hosting GPU-based mining servers within the following weeks. UnitedCorp recently completed experimental testing on its own custom designed and built, 13 GPU-based Ethereum mining rig, and successfully completed a full 30 day uninterrupted hashing rate of 400 Mega Hash per second (400 MHash/s) in precise over clock calibration. The total amount of Ether (Ethereum or ETH) tokens mined using an independent third party mining pool, was 2 ETHER TOKENS over a 31 continuous days with current Ethereum network difficulty during the period of November 21 to December 22, 2017. The total revenue in USD is estimated at US$2,225 based on the current value of an ETH. The power draw of the rig was on average 1,492 watts or 1.492 kW/h resulting in an estimated cost of electricity of approximately US$50 per month based on undiscounted power rates. The total cost of each rig including assembly is estimated at US$8,000 and the company is currently evaluating options for the financing of a suite of rigs for the facility. About United American Corp Established in 1992, United American Corp is a Florida-based development and management company focusing on telecommunications technologies. The company currently holds the rights to manage and develop projects based on a portfolio of patent and proprietary technology in telecommunications, social media and more recently in Blockchain PSTN technology. This includes patent pending Smartphone-over-IP technology as well as the Canada and US patented iFramed social media posting gateway. iFramed is currently the subject of enforcement action against Snap Inc. which UnitedCorp alleges is the underlying technology for Snap's "Geofilters". For more information, visit: www.unitedcorp.com . This news release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to various risks and uncertainties. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of numerous factors that may be beyond the Company's control. Forward-looking statements are based on the expectations and opinions of the Company's management on the date the statements are made, and the Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements should circumstances in management's expectations or opinions change. Source: United American Corp Contact: Jenna Trevor-Deutsch Investor Relations investorrelations@unitedcorp.com 604 398 5000 ext: 109 Source:United American Corp.

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/09/globe-newswire-unitedcorp-subsidiary-blockchain-data-centers-inc-acquires-first-dedicated-blockchain-mining-data-center.html

www.cnbc.com

Drop Announces $21M (USD) Series A Raise; Hires Former Airbnb Exec to Lead Engineering Team

Drop, the first truly flexible mobile rewards program, to use cash infusion and addition of Ian Logan, former lead of Airbnb Payments, to make major innovation push in 2018 TORONTO, Jan. 30, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - Drop , a fast-growing, millennial-focused rewards program, announced today it has raised $21 million (USD) in Series A funding, led by top venture capital firm New Enterprise Associates (NEA). The round also features continuing participation from firms including Sierra Ventures, White Star Capital, ff Venture Capital, Portag3 Ventures and Silicon Valley Bank. Drop's $21M USD Series A round is one of the largest Series A raises in Canadian Fintech. The cash infusion will support the company's rapid growth in 2018. This includes an upcoming engineering push directed by Drop's new executive hire, Ian Logan, formerly Director of Engineering at Airbnb, where he led the charge on all of Airbnb Payments. This announcement comes on the heels of massive growth for the company, reaching 1 million users soon after launching in the United States in October 2017. "We've invested in some exciting Canadian tech companies in the past, and Drop is a prime example of the growing talent and innovation emerging from Toronto," said Rick Yang, partner at NEA. "Drop's mobile-first, direct-to-consumer approach, and focus on the millennial demographic have proven to fill a large demand in the market for consumers and brands alike. We're thrilled to partner with the Drop team as they continue to disrupt the massive loyalty market." In conjunction with the closing of their Series A, Drop is also thrilled to be bringing on Ian Logan as its Vice President of Engineering. Logan will be responsible for the vision for the technology design behind the Drop platform and the growth and management of its engineering team. He plans to recruit and build a top-tier, diverse technical team across multiple areas such as frontend engineering, backend engineering, data infrastructure, data science, and machine learning." Logan describes the choice to leave the steady, rapidly booming Silicon Valley bubble to return to Canada as the "easiest difficult decision" he's ever made. In 2017, Toronto was named one of the top 10 cities in North America for tech jobs, demonstrating its vast potential to be a major hub for tech innovation. "I was inspired by the possibility of influencing the growing tech community in Canada. I saw the opportunity to cross-pollinate my own experience and knowledge in scaling companies. I wanted to make as big of an impact as possible in helping local innovation. I am now on a mission to contribute to Canada's startup ecosystem by helping make globally focused companies that are locally headquartered a success." Originally from Canada, Logan moved to the US to pursue a career in tech in Silicon Valley. Joining Airbnb in 2011 as one of its early engineers, Ian built a multitude of systems, helping grow the engineering team from less than 10 engineers to over 800. His expertise ranges from team culture building to advanced payments engineering and leading groups with high team engagement scores and consistency in delivering outsized business impact. The app is available for iOS and Android . For more information about Drop, visit http://www.earnwithdrop.com . About Drop: Drop is a personalized rewards program focused on bringing value to millennials by making their every day more rewarding. Drop enables the consumer to earn rewards easily by simply spending with the debit and credit cards they link to the app, eliminating the need to scan receipts, enter promo codes or sign up for additional loyalty programs. This intelligent mobile app surfaces relevant offers and rewards based on what users are spending, creating a highly personalized, seamless experience for the consumer. Founded in 2015, Drop has built up a base of over one million millennials while reaching No.2 in the App Store. For brands featured on the platform like Sephora, Bloomingdales, The Body Shop, Amazon, Under Armour, Casper and Boxed, Drop helps them gain unique insights about consumers that they haven't had access to before. For more information visit: www.earnwithdrop.com . SOURCE Drop

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/30/pr-newswire-drop-announces-21m-usd-series-a-raise-hires-former-airbnb-exec-to-lead-engineering-team.html

www.cnbc.com

UPDATE 5-Oil strengthens after record stockpile draw at U.S. crude hub

* U.S. crude inventories fall 6.9 mln barrels last week - EIA * Cushing crude stockpiles drop by largest amount on record -EIA * OPEC forecasts higher output from U.S., other non-OPEC * Nigeria's Niger Delta Avengers threaten oil sector attacks (Adds U.S. inventory data, updates prices, changes dateline, previously LONDON) NEW YORK, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Oil rebounded after slipping below $69 a barrel on Thursday, supported by a record drawdown of U.S. crude stockpiles at the Cushing, Oklahoma delivery hub, despite concerns that OPEC-led output cuts will increase supply from the United States. Crude is just below its highest price since December 2014, supported by supply cuts led by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and concern that unrest in producer nations such as Nigeria could further curb output. U.S. crude inventories fell 6.9 million barrels last week, compared with forecasts for a 3.5 million-barrel draw, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said. Crude supplies at the Cushing, Oklahoma delivery hub for U.S. crude futures fell 4.2 million barrels in the week, the largest draw since at least 2004. After falling the previous week due to cold weather, U.S. crude production rose to 9.75 million barrels per day last week. OPEC's monthly report on Thursday raised its forecast for oil supply from non-members in 2018. "Higher oil prices are bringing more supply to the market, particularly in North America and specifically tight oil," OPEC said in the report, using another term for shale. Brent crude, the global benchmark, pared losses, trading at $69.30, down 8 cents a barrel, by 11:26 a.m. EST (1626 GMT), after earlier slipping to $68.80 a barrel earlier in the session. On Monday it touched $70.37, the highest since December 2014. U.S. crude was up 1 cent at $63.98, having hit its highest since December 2014 on Tuesday. Brent has risen from $61 a barrel in early December and some analysts say the rally may be about to run out of steam. "The upside is now limited for oil prices," said Fawad Razaqzada, market analyst at brokerage Forex.com . "U.S. oil producers will ramp up production in the coming months." OPEC's report follows a forecast from the EIA on Tuesday that it expects U.S. oil output to continue to rise in February with production from shale increasing by 111,000 bpd. The agency previously said U.S. output could reach 10 million bpd in February and 11 million bpd in 2019. Even so, traders said prices were unlikely to fall far due to the OPEC-led curbs and the risk of further disruptions. Militant group Niger Delta Avengers threatened to attack Nigeria's oil sector in the next few days, potentially hampering supplies in Africa's largest exporter. "The impact of such a threat, if carried out, would be significant on the global supply and demand balance," said Tamas Varga of oil broker PVM. "The market is still sensitive to geopolitical developments." (Additional reporting by Henning Gloystein in Singapore and Alex Lawler in London; Editing by Dale Hudson and Marguerita Choy)

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/18/reuters-america-update-5-oil-strengthens-after-record-stockpile-draw-at-u-s-crude-hub.html

www.cnbc.com

Mylan to Complete $1 Billion Share Repurchase Plan

HERTFORDSHIRE, England and PITTSBURGH, Jan. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Global pharmaceutical leader Mylan N.V. (NASDAQ, TASE: MYL) today announced that it is completing its previously-approved $1 billion share repurchase plan. Mylan's Chairman Robert J. Coury commented, "We are very pleased to announce that Mylan is completing the $1 billion share repurchase plan previously approved by the Mylan N.V. Board of Directors. This return of capital to our shareholders comes at a time of positive momentum for Mylan, with the recent launches and approvals of several key products, our strong future growth expectations, and our belief that the diversified and unique platform we have built is substantially undervalued. "In addition and pursuant to its agreement with Abbott related to the Abbott EPD acquisition, Mylan has received notification from Abbott that it has sold its remaining 20.3 million shares of Mylan prior to year-end, removing a potential share overhang and consistent with Abbott's stated position that it did not intend to be a long-term shareholder." Coury continued, "Following our 2017 Annual General Meeting, we initiated an extensive outreach program to better understand shareholders' perspectives and increase their awareness of and appreciation for the unmatched strength and breadth of Mylan's global platform. We are committed to continuing our dialogue with shareholders and the larger investor community in an effort to continue to optimize Mylan's valuation." Mylan CFO Ken Parks added, "Our continued strong adjusted free cash flow generation, even after taking into account the completion of our $1 billion share buy-back program, allows us to continue to execute on our business strategies, while effectively deploying our capital and maintaining our commitment to an investment grade credit rating." This press release includes statements that constitute "forward-looking statements," including with regard to: Mylan completing its $1 billion share repurchase plan; this return of capital to our shareholders coming at a time of positive momentum for Mylan, with the recent launches and approvals of several key products, our strong future growth expectations, and our belief that the diversified and unique platform we have built is substantially undervalued; that Mylan is committed to continuing its dialogue with shareholders and the larger investor community in an effort to continue to optimize Mylan's valuation; and that Mylan's continued strong adjusted free cash flow generation, even after taking into account the completion of our $1 billion share buy-back program, allows us to continue to execute on our business strategies, while effectively deploying our capital and maintaining our commitment to an investment grade credit rating. These statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Because such statements inherently involve risks and uncertainties, actual future results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to: success of clinical trials and our or our partners' ability to execute on new product opportunities; any regulatory, legal or other impediments to our or our partners' ability to bring products to market; other risks inherent in product development; the scope, timing, and outcome of any ongoing legal proceedings, including government investigations, and the impact of any such proceedings on our or our partners' businesses; actions and decisions of healthcare and pharmaceutical regulators, and changes in healthcare and pharmaceutical laws and regulations, in the United States and abroad; the impact of competition; strategies by competitors or other third parties to delay or prevent product introductions; the effect of any changes in our or our partners' customer and supplier relationships and customer purchasing patterns; any other changes in third-party relationships; changes in the economic and financial conditions of the businesses of Mylan or its partners; uncertainties and matters beyond the control of management; and the other risks detailed in Mylan's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Mylan undertakes no obligation to update these statements for revisions or changes after the date of this release. About Mylan Mylan is a global pharmaceutical company committed to setting new standards in healthcare. Working together around the world to provide 7 billion people access to high quality medicine, we innovate to satisfy unmet needs; make reliability and service excellence a habit; do what's right, not what's easy; and impact the future through passionate global leadership. We offer a growing portfolio of more than 7,500 marketed products around the world, including antiretroviral therapies on which more than 40% of people being treated for HIV/AIDS globally depend. We market our products in more than 165 countries and territories. We are one of the world's largest producers of active pharmaceutical ingredients. Every member of our more than 35,000-strong workforce is dedicated to creating better health for a better world, one person at a time. Learn more at Mylan.com . We routinely post information that may be important to investors on our website at investor.mylan.com . View original content with multimedia: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mylan-to-complete-1-billion-share-repurchase-plan-300578694.html SOURCE Mylan N.V.

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/08/pr-newswire-mylan-to-complete-1-billion-share-repurchase-plan.html

www.cnbc.com

What Terrell Owens learned from making and losing $80 million

Terrell Owens may be best remembered for his controversial antics. His 15-season career in the NFL was characterized by spats with teammates and unrestrained showmanship . But Owens was also immensely talented. Throughout his career he scored 156 touchdowns, which is the fifth most all-time of any NFL player and which makes him a strong contender for entry into the Hall of Fame one day. He has recently been snubbed because of his controversies . His talent, however, was formally recognized by the five teams he played for. Throughout his career, he earned an estimated $80 million . And, in a 2012 interview, he told GQ that almost all of that was gone . show chapters 3 strategies for success from the NFL's first female coach Jen Welter 9:25 AM ET Mon, 30 Oct 2017 | 01:07 Owens recently sat down with NerdWallet to discuss his financial struggle in detail to help current players avoid making the same mistakes. Despite the fact that NFL players make an average of $1.9 million a year, 15 percent declare bankruptcy, while Sports Illustrated estimates that 78 percent end up coming close and/or experience significant financial stress. Owens' insights boil down to a few key points, and they're valuable for anyone looking to become more financially secure, not just pro athletes. First off, don't overdo it. "My advice to any fan or athlete out there: Just don't live beyond your means," says Owens. "At that time I got sucked into wanting to be like everybody else, the guys with the Mercedes and all the flashy cars and the jewelry. I think those are some of the most idiotic purchases I think players can do, especially when they don't have that money in the bank account to really pay for that stuff." show chapters This simple plan helped an ex-NFL star pivot to become an investor 9:20 AM ET Mon, 25 Sept 2017 | 01:17 Second, don't trust just anyone with your money, including financial advisers, because not everyone is looking out for your best interest. If you do get help, make sure to stay in the loop and understand what's happening. "The best thing to do is ask questions before it's too late," says Owens. As GQ reports , "[Owens] says his financial advisers... put him in a series of risky, highly leveraged ventures that he didn't discover until autumn 2010, when he finally demanded a full accounting." And finally, Owens tells NerdWallet , sometimes splurging on a big purchase is okay. The wide receiver collected a total of $150,000 in fines for "excessive" celebration after his touchdowns. Most infamously, as a San Francisco 49er back in 2000, he posed with his arms spread wide while standing on the star in the middle of the Dallas Cowboys' stadium, which is directly under the hole in the roof through which it is rumored among zealous fans that " God looks down to watch his team play ." He actually did it twice. Asked if he regrets that lost $150,000, he responds: "It was worth it. That's the least of my worries." Like this story? Like CNBC Make It on Facebook ! Don't miss: NFL star Kirk Cousins earns $24 million a year and spends summers in his parents' basement show chapters From an NFL star to a techie: Patrick Willis opens up about his new life 10:57 AM ET Fri, 9 Sept 2016 | 01:44

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/12/what-terrell-owens-learned-from-making-and-losing-80-million.html

www.cnbc.com

In replacing Dudley, New York Fed aims to avoid political pitfalls

Taxes In replacing Dudley, New York Fed aims to avoid political pitfalls Unions and groups advocating for retirees, teachers, housing, and workers' benefits are lobbying for a less conventional New York Fed president. New York Fed directors are leading a search for a successor to chief William Dudley. The branch executes the Fed's policy decisions and manages its trillions of dollars of assets. Published 1 Hour Ago Scott Eells | Bloomberg | Getty Images The New York Federal Reserve building in New York. Unions and groups advocating for retirees, teachers, housing, and workers' benefits are among those visiting the ornate conference rooms of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York to lobby for a less conventional candidate to serve as its next president. New York Fed directors leading the search for a successor to chief William Dudley , seen as the second most influential policymaker at the U.S. central bank, invited the guests to last week's meeting to seek their advice. According to attendees and others familiar with the search, the directors are close to a "long list" of candidates and appear set to begin formal interviews within weeks. Until then, directors Sara Horowitz and Glenn Hutchins are taking steps intended to head off any criticisms of opacity and lack of diversity that, in recent years, have stung presidential searches at other district Fed banks. The afternoon meeting with 11 advocacy groups last week marked what one attendee called an unprecedented gesture of public outreach. "I got the impression they wanted candidates at least at the (initial) interview stage to have diversity of background, race, ideology. But they played it close to the vest ... and it's hard to say who they might ultimately pick," said Marcus Stanley, who attended the meeting and who is a policy director at Americans for Financial Reform, which wants the New York Fed to resist deregulation momentum in Washington. The New York branch executes the Fed's policy decisions and manages its trillions of dollars of assets. Its president is the only one among the 12 districts to have a permanent vote on policy and, historically, has tended to be a banker or market economist with Wall Street or Treasury experience. The Jan. 10 meeting was one of at least seven since November with members of small businesses and banks, as well as large investment funds and industry groups, as the New York Fed continues to canvass for candidates, according to published notices of the meetings and people familiar with them. Dudley announced on Nov. 6 he would step down a bit early, in mid-2018. Since then national interest in the search has grown and taken increasingly political tones given the New York Fed sits at the center of U.S. monetary policy, financial markets and the policing of Wall Street. Upping the ante in New York is a historical Fed leadership overhaul in which U.S. President Donald Trump decided to replace Chair Janet Yellen with Jerome Powell , a Fed governor, and a Republican push to loosen bank rules. Liberal groups do not want a former banker or Fed insider, and point out that Dudley and his predecessors were all white and male. Horowitz and Hutchins invited the advocacy groups and unions and asked for potential candidate names, according to two people at the meeting and one briefed on it. They said that while no names were offered at the time, a few attendees aim to submit them before month's end. The New York Fed declined to comment. Atlanta's example Four New York Fed directors will choose the candidate, though he or she must be approved by the Fed Board of Governors in Washington. Neither Congress nor the White House play a role. Reuters reported in December that directors were considering candidates with a range of professional, racial and gender backgrounds including Peter Blair Henry, the just-retired dean of New York University's Stern School of Business. Last week's 90-minute meeting included New York and New Jersey housing and community-development groups, the American Federation of Teachers, the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York, and the American Association of Retired Persons, among others. Horowitz, founder of the Freelancers Union which advocates for independent workers, told attendees that last year's selection of Raphael Bostic as Atlanta Fed president set a good example of looking beyond the traditional mold given his economic expertise in housing policy, according to two attendees. Bostic is the first black district president in the Fed's 104-year history. Three of six new Fed presidents in the last five years were white men and two of those, Philadelphia Fed President Patrick Harker and Thomas Barkin of the Richmond Fed, were former district directors. "Bostic really fits the profile of not coming from the typical Wall Street or internal Fed sources, and yet he is eminently qualified," said Shawn Sebastian, director of the Center for Popular Democracy's "Fed Up" campaign, and who also attended the meeting. Horowitz and Hutchins, a tech investor and noted public-policy philanthropist, indicated it would be "a matter of weeks, not months" before they began face-to-face interviews with candidates, Sebastian said. "This invitation is unprecedented," he added, noting search committees at Fed branches declined requests for such meetings in recent years. "It's a very important step."

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/17/in-replacing-dudley-new-york-fed-aims-to-avoid-political-pitfalls.html

www.cnbc.com

SLI Global Solutions Names Steven Esposito as Chief Executive Officer

SILVER SPRING, Md., Jan. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- SLI Global Solutions, LLC has appointed Steven Esposito as President and Chief Executive Officer. Esposito will be responsible for SLI's corporate strategy and execution and will lead the company's growth in systems development oversight markets and in its children and family services program and policy improvement arena. Esposito will report to President and CEO of the GLI Group, James Maida. He replaces Mark Phillips, who announced his retirement earlier last year. "Steven's knowledge of the challenges facing government program and experience in taking and executing a strategic vision will strengthen SLI Global Solutions' position as an industry leader. With a proven track record for successfully directing large public-sector initiatives and driving innovation, Steven's leadership skills are well suited to drive SLI's efforts as we continue in our mission to help government entities improve service delivery," Maida said. "We are grateful to Mark Phillips for the tireless service gave to SLI. His leadership has created a positive situation for the smoothest possible transition." Esposito brings more than 30 years of experience in leading IT and program operations to SLI Global Solutions. Most recently, he served as President of the Government Solutions Division of SLI. Prior to SLI, he was Senior Vice President at MAXIMUS where he was responsible for managing the Systems Integrity Division in the Consulting Segment of the firm. He also worked for the State of Arizona's Department of Economic Security for 10 years, where he led the Systems and Automation Administration for the Division of Child Support Enforcement. Esposito received his Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration/Marketing from Arizona State University. He is a PMI-certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC) by ISACA. About SLI Global Solutions SLI Global Solutions (SLI) is headquartered in Silver Spring, Maryland, with project locations in over a dozen capital cities across the US. SLI is committed to helping state agencies build quality and innovation into their system implementations and program improvement initiatives. SLI is committed to the use of a standards-based quality management methodology that has been proven effective in a wide range of system implementations and process improvement projects. SLI's SQM3 methodology is ISO 9001:2015 certified. For more information, visit www.sliglobalsolutions.com . Contact: Mark Joyce, Director of Business Development 307-220-8855, mjoyce@sliglobalsolutions.com View original content with multimedia: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sli-global-solutions-names-steven-esposito-as-chief-executive-officer-300576693.html SOURCE SLI Global Solutions

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/02/pr-newswire-sli-global-solutions-names-steven-esposito-as-chief-executive-officer.html

www.cnbc.com

WRAPUP 2-Cold weather chills U.S. homebuilding; at 45-year low

(Adds details from reports, analyst comments, updates markets) * Housing starts fall 8.2 percent in December * Single-family starts drop 11.8 percent * Building permits slip 0.1 percent * Weekly jobless claims tumble 41,000 WASHINGTON, Jan 18 (Reuters) - U.S. homebuilding fell more than expected in December, recording its biggest drop in just over a year, likely as unseasonably cold weather at the end of the month disrupted the construction of single-family housing units. The steep drop in groundbreaking activity probably will be temporary against the backdrop of a tightening labor market. Other data on Thursday showed the number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits dropped to a 45-year low last week. "Housing starts were held down by the cold winter weather but should bounce back quickly in coming months as the country warms up from this recent cold spell," said Chris Rupkey, chief economist at MUFG in New York. Housing starts decreased 8.2 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.192 million units last month, the Commerce Department said. November's sales pace was revised up to 1.299 million units from the previously reported 1.297 million units. The percentage drop for housing starts in December was the largest since November 2016. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast housing starts declining to a pace of 1.275 million units last month. Homebuilding increased 2.4 percent to 1.202 million units in 2017, the highest level since 2007. Building permits edged down 0.1 percent to a rate of 1.302 million units in December, outpacing starts, which suggests a rebound in groundbreaking in the coming months. Building permits increased 4.7 percent to 1.263 million units in 2017, also the highest level since 2007. The PHLX housing index was trading higher after the data, outperforming a weaker U.S. stock market. Shares of Lennar Corp rose 0.4 percent and those of PulteGroup gained 1 percent. But shares of D.R. Horton, the nation's largest homebuilder, fell 1.2 percent. The dollar was little changed against a basket of currencies and prices of U.S. Treasuries were trading lower. Despite December's drop in housing starts, economists continued to believe that investment in homebuilding contributed to gross domestic product growth in the fourth quarter after being a drag for two straight quarters. Last month, single-family homebuilding, which accounts for the largest share of the housing market, tumbled 11.8 percent to a rate of 836,000 units as construction fell in the South, the Northeast and Midwest regions. Homebuilding was unchanged in the West. Single-family home permits advanced 1.8 percent in December to their highest level since August 2007, suggesting an acceleration in groundbreaking on that segment of the housing sector was likely. Starts for the volatile multi-family segment rose 1.4 percent to a rate of 356,000 units. Single-family home completions surged 4.3 percent to a five-month high. The number of single-family units under construction was the highest since June 2008, which should help ease an acute shortage of properties on the market that is pushing up prices. There were 794,000 single-family housing units completed in 2017, the most in nine years. "The increase in completions signals some relief for the supply shortage," said Mark Fleming, chief economist at First American in Washington. CLAIMS FALL SHARPLY In a separate report on Thursday, the Labor Department said initial 1973. Economists had risen over the previous four weeks, with analysts the cold seven states and one territory were estimated last week. Last "Employers are increasingly facing a mismatch between their hiring needs and the availability of qualified candidates to fill those needs," said Jim Baird, chief investment officer at Plante Moran Financial Advisors in Kalamazoo, Michigan. (Reporting by Lucia Mutikani; Editing by Paul Simao)

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/18/reuters-america-wrapup-2-cold-weather-chills-u-s-homebuilding-jobless-claims-at-45-year-low.html

www.cnbc.com

Merchants Completes Acquisition of Joy State Bank

CARMEL, Ind., Jan. 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Merchants Bancorp ("Merchants") (Nasdaq: MBIN), parent company of Merchants Bank of Indiana announced today it has received all necessary regulatory approvals and closed on its acquisition of Joy State Bank ("Joy"), an Illinois chartered bank located in Joy, Illinois, effective January 2, 2018. "The completion of this acquisition will mean the continuation of our growth strategy into new products and markets in Illinois, and enable us to further strengthen Merchants long-term financial position," said Michael Petrie, Chairman and CEO of Merchants. The acquisition of Joy, adds $43 million in assets and $38 million in total deposits to Merchants. About Merchants Bancorp Merchants Bancorp is a diversified bank holding company headquartered in Carmel, Indiana operating multiple lines of business with a focus on Federal Housing Administration ("FHA") multi-family housing and healthcare facility financing and servicing, mortgage warehouse financing, retail and correspondent residential mortgage banking, agricultural lending and traditional community banking. Merchants Bancorp, with $3.2 billion in assets and $2.9 billion in deposits as of September 30, 2017, conducts its business through its direct and indirect subsidiaries, Merchants Bank of Indiana, P/R Mortgage and Investment Corp., RICHMAC Funding LLC and Merchants Mortgage, a division of Merchants Bank of Indiana. For more information and financial data, please visit Merchants' Investor Relations page at investors.merchantsbankofindiana.com . Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements which reflect our current views with respect to, among other things, future events and our financial performance. These statements are often, but not always, made through the use of words or phrases such as "may," "might," "should," "could," "predict," "potential," "believe," "expect," "continue," "will," "anticipate," "seek," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "projection," "goal," "target," "outlook," "aim," "would," "annualized" and "outlook," or the negative version of those words or other comparable words or phrases of a future or forward-looking nature. These forward-looking statements are not historical facts, and are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about our industry, management's beliefs and certain assumptions made by management, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and beyond our control. Accordingly, we caution you that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, assumptions, estimates and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable as of the date made, actual results may prove to be materially different from the results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. A number of important factors could cause our actual results to differ materially from those indicated in these forward-looking statements, including those factors identified in "Risk Factors" or "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in our prospectus dated October 26, 2017 that was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commissions (the "SEC") on October 30, 2017 in connection with our initial public offering and in our subsequent filings with the SEC. Any forward-looking statements presented herein are made only as of the date of this press release, and we do not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect changes in assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events, or otherwise. View original content with multimedia: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/merchants-completes-acquisition-of-joy-state-bank-300576619.html SOURCE Merchants Bancorp

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/02/pr-newswire-merchants-completes-acquisition-of-joy-state-bank.html

www.cnbc.com

Pingtan Marine Enterprise Declares Quarterly Cash Dividend

FUZHOU, China, Jan. 24, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Pingtan Marine Enterprise Ltd. (Nasdaq: PME) ("Pingtan" or the "Company") , a global fishing company based in the People's Republic of China (PRC), today announced that the Company has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.01 per share of common stock outstanding, payable in cash on or about February 15, 2018 to shareholders of record on February 6, 2018. This marks the thirteenth consecutive quarterly dividend paid by Pingtan. The Company intends to continue paying a cash dividend on a quarterly basis, and expects to adjust its quarterly dividend rate in accordance with its earnings performance. About Pingtan Pingtan is a global fishing company engaging in ocean fishing through its subsidiary, Fujian Provincial Pingtan County Ocean Fishing Group Co., Ltd., or Pingtan Fishing. Business Risks and Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to the safe harbors created under the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including statements about the Company's expectation that it currently intends to continue paying dividends on a quarterly basis. Although forward-looking statements reflect the good faith judgment of our management, such statements can only be based on facts and factors currently known by us. Consequently, forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties and actual results and outcomes may differ materially from the results and outcomes discussed in or anticipated by the forward-looking statements. Risks include anticipated growth and growth strategies; need for additional capital and the availability of financing; our ability to successfully manage relationships with customers, distributors and other important relationships; technological changes; competition; demand for our products and services; the deterioration of general economic conditions, whether internationally, nationally or in the local markets in which we operate; operational, mechanical, climatic or other unanticipated issues that adversely affect the production capacity of the Company's fishing vessels and their ability to generate expected annual revenue and net income; legislative or regulatory changes that may adversely affect our business; and other risk factors contained in Pingtan's SEC filings available at www.sec.gov , including Pingtan's most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. Pingtan undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements for any reason. COMPANY CONTACT: Roy Yu Chief Financial Officer Pingtan Marine Enterprise Ltd. Tel: +86 591 8727 1753 ryu@ptmarine.net Johnny Zhang IR Manager Pingtan Marine Enterprise Ltd. Tel: +86 591 8727 1753 jzhang@ptmarine.net Maggie Li IR Deputy Manager Pingtan Marine Enterprise Ltd. Tel: +86 591 8727 1753 mli@ptmarine.net INVESTOR RELATIONS COUNSEL: The Equity Group Inc. Katherine Yao, Senior Associate Tel: +86 10 6587 6435 kyao@equityny.com View original content: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/pingtan-marine-enterprise-declares-quarterly-cash-dividend-300587365.html SOURCE Pingtan Marine Enterprise Ltd.

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/24/pr-newswire-pingtan-marine-enterprise-declares-quarterly-cash-dividend.html

www.cnbc.com

Liberty Health Sciences Inc. Announces Proposed Acquisition of a 387 Acre Parcel of Land in Gainesville Including 200,000 Square Feet of Greenhouse and Processing Facilities

TORONTO, Jan. 4, 2018 /PRNewswire/ - Liberty Health Sciences Inc. (CSE: LHS) (OTCQX: LHSIF) ("Liberty" or the "Company") announced today that it has entered into a binding term sheet to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of 242 Cannabis Canada Ltd. (the "242 Shares"), whose wholly-owned subsidiary 242 Cannabis, LLC, has agreed to purchase a 387 acre parcel of land in Gainesville, Florida (the "Property"). The Property includes over 200,000 square feet of state-of-art greenhouses, head houses, tissue culture lab and processing facilities. The Company plans to retrofit the facilities over the coming months which will enable Liberty to expand their production capacity a year sooner than projected in order to meet the growing patient demand in Florida. Patient count continues to increase and at the end of 2017, approximately 64,000 patients had registered with the state, an almost 300% increase in total patients since June 30, 2017. Upon completion of the retrofit, Liberty will be one of the leading medical cannabis providers in the Florida market with an expected annual capacity of 12,000 Kgs of high quality, affordable, medical cannabis. Use of the facilities as an approved cultivation facility for Liberty under its MMTC license is subject to inspections and/or approvals from the Florida Department of Health, Office of Medical Marijuana Use. "This acquisition of nearly 400 acres of property shows Liberty's commitment to provide patients with a consistent supply of high-quality cannabis to meet their medical needs," said George Scorsis, Director and CEO of Liberty. "Our state of the art facilities will be equipped with the latest in industry leading lighting technology and process automation." The proposed acquisition will be completed through a series of transactions. The Company expects 242 Cannabis, LLC's purchase of the Property and the subsequent purchase by the Company of the 242 Shares to close on or prior to February 9,2018, and closing is subject to standard due diligence including title, environmental assessments and surveys as well as the satisfaction of conditions precedent in accordance with the purchase and sale contract. As consideration for the 242 Shares, the Company will issue 18,815,322 units of the Company, with each unit being comprised of one common share of the Company and one-half common share purchase warrant, with each whole warrant exercisable at $2.07 for a period of three years from the closing date. Until such time that the retrofit is completed at the new facility, Liberty will continue to operate their existing 36 acre facility, also in Gainesville. Since acquiring the existing facility, Liberty has made a number of process and automation improvements and expects to complete an increase in growing capacity to 24,000 square feet in early 2018. For more information on Liberty please visit www.libertyhealthsciences.com . About Liberty Health Sciences Inc. Liberty Health Sciences Inc. ("Liberty") is an investor and operator in the medical cannabis market, capitalizing on new and existing opportunities in U.S. states where medical cannabis is legal. Liberty's stringent investment criteria for expansion maximizes returns to shareholders, while focusing on significant near- and mid-term opportunities. Liberty has an extensive background in highly regulated industries, with expertise in becoming a low-cost producer. Liberty leverages commercial greenhouse knowledge to deliver high-quality, clean and safe pharmaceutical grade cannabis to patients. CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: Certain information in this news release constitutes forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws. Any statements that are contained in this news release that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as "may", "should", "anticipate", "expect", "believe", "plan", "intend" or the negative of these terms and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, expectations related to the Company's future expansion and growth strategies, the completion of 242 Cannabis, LLC's purchase of the Property and the subsequent purchase of the 242 Shares by the Company, the Company's expectations in respect of the future growth of medical cannabis as a treatment option in Florida, the planned retrofitting and equipping of the facilities at the Property and the Company's expectations regarding market position. Forward-looking statements necessarily involve known and unknown risks, including, without limitation, risks associated with general economic conditions; adverse industry events; marketing costs; loss of markets; future legislative and regulatory developments involving medical marijuana; inability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources, and/or inability to access sufficient capital on favourable terms; the medical marijuana industry in the United States generally, income tax and regulatory matters; the ability of Liberty to implement its business strategies; competition; crop failure; currency and interest rate fluctuations and other risks. Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list is not exhaustive. Readers are further cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as there can be no assurance that the plans, intentions or expectations upon which they are placed will occur. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. SOURCE Liberty Health Sciences Inc.

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/04/pr-newswire-liberty-health-sciences-inc-announces-proposed-acquisition-of-a-387-acre-parcel-of-land-in-gainesville-including-200000-square.html

www.cnbc.com

LIVE MARKETS-Early afternoon snapshot: STOXX 600 turns flat on the week

17 PM / in an hour LIVE MARKETS-Early afternoon snapshot: STOXX 600 turns flat on the week Reuters Staff 10 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 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-early-afternoon-snapshot-stoxx-600-turns-flat-on-the-week-idUSL8N1PL43Q

www.reuters.com

India's Kotak Mahindra Bank Q3 profit up 20 pct

Jan 19 (Reuters) - Indian private sector lender Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd posted a nearly 20 percent increase in third-quarter profit on Friday, helped by higher interest and fee income and as bad loans dropped. Net profit rose to 10.53 billion rupees ($165.11 million) in the quarter ended Dec. 31, from 8.80 billion rupees a year earlier, the country's fourth-largest private bank by assets said in a statement. bit.ly/2Dqnk5V Analysts on average had expected a net profit of 10.69 billion rupees, according to Thomson Reuters data. Gross bad loans as a percentage of total loans stood at 2.31 percent at end-December, compared with 2.47 percent in the previous quarter and 2.42 percent in the same period a year ago. Net interest income rose about 17 percent to 23.94 billion rupees. ($1 = 63.7750 Indian rupees) (Reporting by Vishal Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Biju Dwarakanath)

https://www.reuters.com/article/kotak-mah-bk-results/indias-kotak-mahindra-bank-q3-profit-up-20-pct-idUSL3N1PE2I6

www.reuters.com

Koreas to form unified ice hockey team, march together in Winter Olympics

The two Koreas will field a combined women's ice hockey team and march together under one flag at next month's Winter Olympics in the South, Seoul said on Wednesday, after a new round of talks amid a thaw in cross-border ties. North and South Korea have been talking since last week - for the first time in more than two years - about the Olympics, offering a respite from a months-long standoff over Pyongyang's pursuit of nuclear and missile programmes, although Japan urged caution over the North's "charm offensive". Handout: South Korean Ministry of Unification Officials from South Korea and North Korea meet to discuss the North's participation in the 2018 Winter Olympics. The two Koreas will compete as a unified team in the Olympics for the first time, though they have joined forces at other international sports events before. North Korea will send a delegation of more than 400, including 230 cheerleaders, 140 artists and 30 Taekwondo players for a demonstration, a joint press statement released by Seoul's unification ministry said, adding the precise number of athletes will be hammered out after discussions with the IOC. Prior to the Games, the sides will carry out joint training for skiers at the North's Masik Pass resort and a cultural event at the Mount Kumgang resort, for which Seoul officials plan to visit the sites next week. The delegation is expected to begin arriving in South Korea on Jan. 25, the statement said. The North will separately send a 150-strong delegation to the Paralympics. Twenty nations meeting in the Canadian city of Vancouver agreed on Tuesday to consider tougher sanctions to press North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons and U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson warned the North it could trigger a military response if it did not choose dialogue. Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono said the world should not be naive about North Korea's "charm offensive" over the Olympics. "It is not the time to ease pressure, or to reward North Korea," Kono said. "The fact that North Korea is engaging in dialogue could be interpreted as proof that the sanctions are working." The Kim dynasty: North Korea's secretive rulers Getty Images | JIJI Press | AFP North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has refused to give up development of nuclear missiles capable of hitting the United States in spite of increasingly severe U.N. sanctions, raising fears of a new war on the Korean peninsula. The North has fired test-fired missiles over Japan. In state media this week, the North warned the South of spoiling inter-Korean ties by insisting it gives up its nuclear weapons. "We will work actively to improve North-South Korean relations but will not stand still to actions that are against unification," the North's Rodong Sinmun newspaper said. The South's Unification Ministry said the two sides exchanged opinions on several issues, including the size of the North Korean athletics team and joint cultural events. Icy reception Seoul has proposed a joint ice hockey team, which triggered an angry response from athletes in the South suddenly being told they may have to play alongside total strangers. "I don't know if it will happen, but a joint team will be a good opportunity for ice hockey to shed its sorrow as a less-preferred sport as many Koreans will take interest," South Korean President Moon Jae-in told players during a visit to a training centre. The number of petitions to the presidential Blue House's website opposing a unified team climbed to more than 100 this week, with the most popular petition gaining more than 11,000 votes. "This isn't the same as gluing a broken plate together," said one of the signers. Paik Hak-soon, the director of the Centre for North Korean studies at Sejong Institute in South Korea, said North Korea was using the cheering squad to draw attention to its apparent cooperative spirit. "Seeing good results in competitions thanks to the cheering squad would enable the North Koreans to say they contributed to a successful Olympics and the South Korean government would likely agree," said Paik. "In the end, they are using this old tactic to get to Washington through Seoul." Vote Vote to see results Total Votes: Not a Scientific Survey. Results may not total 100% due to rounding. On Tuesday, officials from North and South agreed a 140-person North Korean orchestra would perform in South Korea during the Games. Pyongyang is also planning to send a large delegation in addition to the athletes and orchestra. Reclusive North Korea and the rich, democratic South are technically still at war because their 1950-53 conflict ended in a truce, not a peace treaty. The North regularly threatens to destroy the South, Japan and their major ally, the United States. China, which did not attend the Vancouver meeting, said on Wednesday the gathering showed a Cold War mentality and would only undermine a settlement of the North Korea problem.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/17/koreas-to-form-unified-ice-hockey-team-march-together-in-winter-olympics.html

www.cnbc.com

Ray Himmel Joins VUV Analytics as Senior Vice President of Sales

AUSTIN, Texas, VUV Analytics Inc., the leader in vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) absorption spectroscopy, has announced the addition of Ray Himmel as senior vice president of sales. Mr. Himmel has an extensive track record of leading sales teams, including 15 years at Waters Corporation in U.S. and international sales executive roles. A former U.S. Marine, he studied marketing at Northeastern University. "Ray's breadth and depth of experience in selling instrumentation across diverse industry segments will be an asset to our company as we build upon our increasing footprint in fuels and chemicals and our early traction in foods, life science and other key markets," said Clark Jernigan, CEO of VUV Analytics. "We expect that his expertise in growing mainstream customer acceptance of disruptive technology will lead to the type of sales success for VUV that he drove with the Acquity UPLC product at Waters." "We are excited about Ray's experience leading international teams and focusing them on serving the most impactful markets," said Sean Jameson, senior vice president of business development. "His work will be critical in sustaining our growth in Europe, the Middle East and Asia." "I could not be more enthusiastic about joining VUV Analytics and driving their next level of sales growth," stated Ray Himmel, senior vice president of sales. "I look forward to leveraging their prior success and helping them to redefine the gas chromatography detector category by building widespread adoption of VUV." About VUV Analytics VUV Analytics manufactures universal vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) spectroscopic detectors that provide a new dimension of chemical analysis accuracy. VUV light creates unique spectral signatures in the gas phase that result in unambiguous compound identification and quantitative analysis across a wide spectrum of complex applications. Unlike legacy GC detectors, VUV detection delivers scalable data analysis automation with reduced analytical error and higher analytical throughput. For more information, visit www.vuvanalytics.com or contact VUV Analytics directly at (512) 333-0860. Media Contact: Paul Johnson 512-333-0860 paul.johnson@vuvanalytics.com Related Links VUV Analytics Website with multimedia: releases/ray-himmel-joins-vuv-analytics-as-senior-vice-president-of-sales-300589255.html SOURCE VUV Analytics Inc.

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/29/pr-newswire-ray-himmel-joins-vuv-analytics-as-senior-vice-president-of-sales.html

www.cnbc.com