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☆ Susan Sarandon was dropped by her talent agency in the wake of comments about the Israel-Hamas war
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Polly Thompson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The oscar-winning actress Susan Sarandon has been dropped by United Talent Agency. She drew criticism for comments made at a pro-Palestinian rally in New York City. AdvertisementSusan Sarandon has been dropped by her talent agency over comments she made at a pro-Palestinian rally in New York last week, a spokesperson from the agency told Deadline. The Oscar-winning actress, who has been represented by United Talent Agency (UTA) since 2014, has attended several rallies about the Israel-Hamas war, but drew criticism for comments she made during a speech at Union Square. In another clip of the rally Sarandon says being anti-Palestinian is the result of "brainwashing and conditioning for years and years."

Persons: Susan Sarandon, they've, —, Sarandon, Pink, Roger Waters, He's, Aaron Sorkin, William Morris, William Morris Endeavor Entertainmnet, she's, Melissa Barrera Organizations: United Talent Agency, Service, UTA, The New, The New York Post, Aviva, UN, Guardian, Israel, New York Times, Palestine, Pacific Press, CAA, William Morris Endeavor Locations: New York City, Hollywood, Israel, New York, The New York, Manhattan

☆ Walgreens pharmacy employees plan walkout at US stores, CNN reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Signage is seen outside of a Walgreens, owned by the Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc., in Manhattan, New York City, U.S., November 26, 2021. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc FollowOct 6 (Reuters) - Pharmacy employees at some U.S. Walgreens (WBA.O) stores, including pharmacists, technicians and support staff, plan a walkout between Monday and Wednesday, CNN reported on Friday, citing an organizer. Some employees plan to walk out for one day, while others expect to close their pharmacies for all three, the network said, citing employees in three states. The walkout is in response to what pharmacy employees call burdensome prescription and vaccination expectations placed on pharmacists, the report said. Walgreens said in an emailed response it was engaged and listening to concerns raised by some of its team members.

Persons: Andrew Kelly, Walgreens, Kaiser, Dimpal, Devika Nair, Rishabh, Sandra Maler, Rosalba O'Brien, William Mallard Organizations: Walgreens, Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc, REUTERS, CNN, Reuters, Kaiser Permanente, Thomson Locations: Manhattan , New York City, U.S, Bengaluru

☆ Walgreens pharmacy employees plan walkout at US stores - CNN
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

☆ Walgreens considers former Cigna exec. Tim Wentworth as next CEO - Bloomberg News
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Sept 29 (Reuters) - Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (WBA.O) is considering former Cigna Group (CI.N) executive Tim Wentworth to be its next chief executive, Bloomberg News reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter. The pharmacy giant has been searching for a new CEO after it announced the abrupt departure of Rosalind Brewer from the position earlier this month. A final decision has not been made and Wentworth may not wind up in the job, the report said. Wentworth was CEO of Cigna's Evernorth unit till he retired at the end of 2021. Reporting by Leroy Leo in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini GanguliOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Tim Wentworth, Rosalind Brewer, Wentworth, Cigna's, Leroy Leo, Shinjini Organizations: Walgreens, Alliance, Cigna, Bloomberg, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

☆ Western sanctions on Russia could push the BRICS alliance closer
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( Lee Ying Shan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Michele Spatari | Afp | Getty ImagesSINGAPORE — Sanctions imposed by the West on Russia are pushing the BRICS nations closer, said oil executives at the recent APPEC conference in Singapore. "Looking at the oil markets today ... the Western sanctions on Russia are working. The BRICS alliance includes Russia, as well as Brazil, India, China and South Africa. The BRICS nations have had different brushes in their relationships with the West. BRICS is the candidate," Fereidun Fesharaki, chairman of energy consultancy Facts Global Energy, said at a panel discussion during the event.

Persons: Michele Spatari, Russell Hardy, Hardy, Argentina —, Fereidun Fesharaki, Moscow leapfrogging, Fesharaki Organizations: Afp, Getty, SINGAPORE —, West, European Union, UAE, U.S ., U.S, Treasury, Global Energy Locations: South Africa, Brazil, Russia, India, China, Sandton, Johannesburg, SINGAPORE, Singapore, Ukraine, European, Western, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, Argentina, Moscow

☆ Exclusive: Canada oil sands carbon capture project struggles to get key contract
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( Steve Scherer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The mechanism gives investors in CCS certainty about their future revenue by setting a minimum price for their carbon credits. Oil companies in the country's highest-emitting sector are counting on CCS to help dramatically cut emissions while continuing to pump oil and gas. Carbon credits represent reduced or avoided carbon emissions, and companies use them to mitigate greenhouse gases they generate. The government has told Pathways that the Growth Fund may not be equipped to handle some projects, said the Pathways representative who asked not to be named. Canada set up the Growth Fund last year, which is run through the Public Sector Pension Investment Board, a federal Crown corporation.

Persons: Suncor, Todd Korol, Justin Trudeau, Jessica Eritou, Adam Auer, Steve Scherer, Denny Thomas, Josie Kao Organizations: Rights, Pathways Alliance, Reuters, Finance Ministry, U.S, Alliance CCS, Canadian Natural Resources, Suncor Energy, Cenovus Energy, ConocoPhillips, MEG Energy, Public Sector Pension Investment Board, Crown, Cement Association of Canada, Thomson Locations: Fort McMurray , Alberta, Canada, U.S, ConocoPhillips Canada

Thailand has been under a caretaker government since March and its new parliament has been deadlocked for weeks after anti-establishment election winners Move Forward were blocked by conservative lawmakers, leaving populist heavyweight Pheu Thai to lead a new effort. Srettha said on Monday Pheu Thai had failed to secure the outright majority it had targeted, so its only chance of governing was in partnership with some rivals it had vowed not to work with. Still, he seems determined and confident to follow through this time, however, with widespread speculation that Pheu Thai's alliance with its enemies is part of a behind-the-scenes deal Thaksin may have struck to allow his return. Pheu Thai has denied Thaksin's involvement in its bid to form a government and the former leader has for months denied conspiring with the generals who led coups against him and sister Yingluck Shinawatra in 2006 and 2014. "Tomorrow, at 9 a.m., I want permission to come back to live on Thai soil and breathe the air with other Thai people," Thaksin said on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.

Persons: Srettha Thavisin, Athit, Pheu, Thaksin, Thaksin Shinawatra, Srettha, Thai, upstarts, Yingluck Shinawatra, Martin Petty, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: REUTERS, Ex, Thai Party, English Premier League football, Thaksin, Thomson Locations: Bangkok, Thailand, BANGKOK

The former prime minister then left on a police truck, headed to the Supreme Court. The Thaksin-backed Pheu Thai party, which came second in the May election, will nominate its choice for the country’s next leader Tuesday: real estate mogul Srettha Thavisin. Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra while flanked by his son Panthongtae Shinawatra and daughter Paetongtarn Shinawatra at Don Mueang airport in Bangkok, Thailand on August 22. Pheu Thai Party leader Cholnan Srikaew said in a statement Monday that the coalition would not include Move Forward Party, which won the most votes in the election. In 2006, Thaksin was ousted and, facing a potential prison sentence over corruption charges, went into self-imposed exile.

Persons: Thaksin Shinawatra, Thaksin, Thaksin’s, Yingluck Shinawatra, Paetongtarn, Srettha Thavisin, Palang Pracharath, Prayut Chan, Yingluck, Panthongtae Shinawatra, Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Athit, Thais, Cholnan Srikaew, –, ”, Thitinan Pongsudhirak, Prayut, “, “ We’ve, ” Thitinan Organizations: CNN, Manchester City Football Club, UN, Mueang International, Supreme, Thaksin, United Thai Nation Party, Thai, Thai Party, Party, National Institute of Development Administration, Reuters, Facebook, Institute of Security, Studies, Chulalongkorn University, Forward Party Locations: Thailand, New York, Singapore, Bangkok’s, Thai, Don Mueang, Bangkok

☆ Russia's near-mutiny just cratered its currency against the dollar
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-27 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The near-mutiny in Russia this weekend had some unexpected consequences for currencies — more on that below. And yet — the Russian ruble still plunged 3% to a 15-month low on Monday, trading at one point near 87 per dollar. The Kremlin said there was a huge uptick in foreign currency demand across 15 regions in Russia, per Reuters. During the mutiny, Russian banks had cut their ruble exchange rates to over 100 per dollar, though they've since eased prices. What's your outlook for the Russian ruble by year-end?

Persons: Phil Rosen, You'll, Vladimir Putin, GAVRIIL, Yevgeny Prigozhin's, Wagner, Prigozhin, Andrei Belousov, Putin hasn't, Spencer Platt, Morgan Stanley, Billionaire Ron Baron, Warren, there's, Goldman Sachs, Elon, Max Adams, Hallam Bullock Organizations: SPUTNIK, Getty, Reuters, Wall Street Journal, Manchester United, Walgreens, Alliance Inc, Billionaire, Dow, Harvard, Bank of America, Elon Musk's Locations: New York, Russia, Moscow, Ukraine, —, Voronezh, Rostov, Lipetsk, London

State and local officials have touted the settlements as providing desperately needed relief to communities hit hard by the crisis. But when the money will be paid out, and who will get it, remains far from clear, Reuters has found. Among the states where money is already reaching organizations on the ground are Massachusetts, Kentucky and Arizona. Most states share a significant portion of their total settlement funds with their city and county governments, which make their own independent decisions about how to spend. But in May, the board overseeing the state’s opioid settlement denied a joint application by Challenges and a county health department to fund harm reduction efforts, without explaining its decision.

Persons: Johnson, ”, Brandon Marshall, Julie Burns, Chris Bryan, Glenn Hegar, Lisa Ruzicka, “, Ruzicka, “ I’ve, drugmakers Johnson, Lauren Kestner, Tricia Christensen, –, we’re, ” Marc Burrows, Brendan Pierson, Disha, Alexia Garamfalvi, Claudia Parsons Organizations: Johnson, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Reuters, District of Columbia, Reuters Graphics Reuters Graphics Reuters, Brown University School of Public Health, Rhode, Texas, Hope Foundation, Walgreens, Alliance, state’s Department of Health, Human Services, Prevention Services, Community Education Group, Alabama Attorney, University of Mississippi Medical, Inc, Thomson, & $ Locations: Massachusetts, Texas, United States, Maryland, Illinois, . Arkansas, Kentucky, Arizona, Rhode, RIZE Massachusetts, RIZE, Kansas, North Carolina, Charlotte, Appalachia, Mississippi, Alabama, New York

☆ OPEC+ prepares for weekend meeting after Saudi warns speculators to 'watch out'
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Ruxandra Iordache | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Led by Saudi Arabia and Russia, OPEC+ agreed in early October to reduce production by 2 million barrels per day from November. After convening remotely throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, OPEC+ has returned to in-person meetings and will gather in Vienna on June 4. The OPEC ministers gather for a separate meeting unlikely to address output on June 3. Ministers face an oil market rattled by supply volatility, demand uncertainty, and a prospective recession, which could throttle transport fuel consumption. Two OPEC+ delegates, who did not want to be named due to the market sensitivity of the meeting, told CNBC that further output cuts were unlikely this weekend.

Persons: Saudi Arabia —, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, …, Alexander Novak, Prince Faisal bin Farhan al, Saud, Sergey Lavrov Organizations: Ministers, Russia, CNBC, Saudi Foreign, Brent Locations: Saudi Arabia, Russia, OPEC, Vienna, Saudi, Moscow, Riyadh, Cape Town, China, London, Washington

☆ OPEC excludes some WSJ, Reuters and Bloomberg reporters from meeting
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( Ruxandra Iordache | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

OPEC reporters from three large news organizations have not been invited to the oil producing alliance's meetings this weekend, sources told CNBC. The OPEC Secretariat, which oversees media accreditation, on Tuesday issued invitations to some journalists to cover the June 3-4 meetings on-site. Two Wall Street Journal reporters who do not regularly cover OPEC received invitations. Spokespeople for the OPEC Secretariat and Wall Street Journal did not immediately respond to a request for comment. OPEC+ ministerial meetings often see news agencies such as Reuters, Bloomberg and the Wall Street Journal compete to break the results of the meetings before they have been concluded.

Persons: —, Russia —, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, Alexander Novak Organizations: CNBC, OPEC Secretariat, Reuters, Bloomberg, Wall Street, Street, CNBC —, Financial Times, OPEC, Wall Locations: OPEC, Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, Saudi

☆ Turkey election 2023: What's at stake in the runoff?
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

The election takes place three months after earthquakes in southeast Turkey killed more than 50,000 people. WHAT'S AT STAKE FOR TURKEY ... [1/2] People walk next to posters of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, ahead of the May 28 presidential runoff vote, in Istanbul, Turkey, May 25, 2023. Seeking a runoff boost from nationalist voters, Kilicdaroglu has in the last two weeks sharpened his anti-immigrant tone and promised to repatriate migrants. Pollsters later pointed to an unexpected surge in nationalist support at the ballot box to explain the result.

Companies Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc FollowMay 17 (Reuters) - Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (WBA.O) has reached a $230 million settlement with San Francisco over its alleged role in that city's opioid epidemic, city attorney David Chiu said on Wednesday. Chiu said the accord followed a trial where the court found Walgreens substantially contributed to the epidemic and created a public nuisance. U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer had ruled last August that the drugstore chain failed to properly investigate suspicious opioid orders for nearly 15 years. Walgreens had been the only remaining defendant, after several drugmakers and distributors had settled with the city. San Francisco subsequently estimated it might cost $8.1 billion to abate the opioid crisis, and said Walgreens was legally liable for the entire amount.

☆ Walgreens reaches $230 million opioid settlement with San Francisco
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-17 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

San Francisco said on Wednesday it reached a $230 million settlement with Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc over its role in the city’s opioid epidemic. Breyer faulted Walgreens for its “15-year failure” to properly scrutinize opioid prescriptions and flag possible misuse of the sometimes highly addictive drugs. At a press conference, San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu called Walgreens’ settlement the largest awarded to a local government in years of opioid litigation nationwide. Breyer found that Walgreens’ San Francisco pharmacies had received more than 1.2 million opioid prescriptions with “red flags” from 2006 to 2020, yet performed due diligence on less than 5% before dispensing them. Last May, Walgreens reached a $683 million opioid settlement with Florida, paying more than three-quarters of the $878 million that four other companies, including rival CVS Health Corp, agreed to pay in similar, earlier settlements.

[1/5] Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan greets supporters at the AK Party headquarters in Ankara, Turkey May 15, 2023. His six-party alliance did not attract as many nationalist voters as expected, partly due to support for Kilicdaroglu's candidacy from a large pro-Kurdish party, the officials said. Both Erdogan and Kilicdaroglu are expected to meet Ogan in person in the coming days. Given their conservative views, Erdogan and Ogan are seen as easier allies, even though the president's alliance includes a small Islamist Kurdish party that Ogan also opposes. "His motto will be: if you vote for Kilicdaroglu he will be a lame duck," said another senior opposition official who acknowledged a tough road ahead.

Long stuck in the shadow of Erdogan and his Islamist-rooted AK Party (AKP), opposition leader Kilicdaroglu has flourished on the campaign trail with polls showing he has a slight lead. Kilicdaroglu said a fundamental problem of Turkey's foreign policy during the tenure of Erdogan's AKP was the exclusion of the foreign ministry in the policy making process. 'PEACE-ORIENTED FOREIGN POLICY'"We would pursue a peace-oriented foreign policy that prioritises Turkey's national interest. Before entering politics, Kilicdaroglu worked in the finance ministry and then chaired Turkey's Social Insurance Institution for most of the 1990s. A year after losing a mayoral run in Istanbul, he was elected unopposed as party leader in 2010.

☆ Turkey's Kilicdaroglu exits Erdogan's shadow in election race
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( Daren Butler | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

I know the cost of living and the hopelessness of young people," Kilicdaroglu told a rally last week. Many wonder whether Kilicdaroglu can defeat Erdogan, the country's longest-serving leader, whose campaigning charisma has helped deliver more than a dozen election victories. The opposition has stressed that Erdogan's drive to slash interest rates set off the inflationary crisis that devastated household budgets. HEALING OLD WOUNDSBefore entering politics, Kilicdaroglu worked in the finance ministry and then chaired Turkey's Social Insurance Institution for most of the 1990s. "I have been boycotting the elections since 2018 but I will vote for Kemal Kilicdaroglu this time.

☆ Turkey's Kilicdaroglu exits Erodogan's shadow in election race
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( Daren Butler | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

I know the cost of living and the hopelessness of young people," Kilicdaroglu told a rally last week. Even if he prevails, Kilicdaroglu faces challenges keeping an opposition alliance including nationalists, Islamists, secularists and liberals united. Many wonder whether Kilicdaroglu can defeat Erdogan, the country's longest-serving leader, whose campaigning charisma has helped deliver more than a dozen election victories. HEALING OLD WOUNDSBefore entering politics, Kilicdaroglu worked in the finance ministry and then chaired Turkey's Social Insurance Institution for most of the 1990s. "I have been boycotting the elections since 2018 but I will vote for Kemal Kilicdaroglu this time.

☆ White House plans support for drugstores, pharma in abortion pill battle
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-09 | by ( Nandita Bose | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"We are discussing ways to offer them legal support," one of the sources said of manufacturers and retail pharmacies. Major U.S. manufacturers of abortion pills include GenBioPro Inc and Danco Laboratories. Walgreens said in March it would not dispense abortion pills in the 20 states where it risked breaking the law. Discussions between the Biden administration and pill manufacturers and pharmacies over the issue have been ongoing for months, sources said, but Friday's decision brings fresh urgency. It is unclear whether the administration is considering following in California Governor Gavin Newsom's footsteps by withholding federal contracts from chains that suspend abortion pill sales.

☆ Walgreens Earnings Fall on Fewer Covid Tests, Payroll Investments
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Sabela Ojea | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. is slowly restoring full operations to its pharmacies, but hundreds continue to operate at reduced hours because of a continuing staff shortage. Company executives said Tuesday that the second-biggest drugstore chain in the U.S. likely won’t return to full regular pharmacy hours through the end of August and that some may remain open for fewer hours based on competition.

March 28 (Reuters) - Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (WBA.O) said on Tuesday it does not plan to increase wages further, as a shortage of pharmacists eases after the company doubled down on hiring and pay raises last year. A labor shortage during the pandemic prompted Walgreens and other U.S. drugstore operators, including CVS Health Corp (CVS.N) and Walmart Inc (WMT.N), to raise minimum wages to $15 per hour to attract pharmacists. Shares of the company rose 4.3% to $34.37 in midday trading. The health segment saw a sharp increase in revenue to $1.6 billion, driven by the deals. Reporting by Leroy Leo and Khushi Mandowara in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel and Rashmi AichOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Bank shares rebounded sharply on Monday after First Citizens BancShares Inc (FCNCA.O) said it would acquire the deposits and loans of Silicon Valley Bank, whose collapse earlier this month sparked a selloff in the sector. "The fact that we've got answers on Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank and Credit Suisse means that we have more answers than questions," said Art Hogan, chief market strategist at B Riley Wealth in Boston. Lawmakers are expected to put U.S. bank regulators on the defensive over the unexpected failures of regional lenders Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank when they testify before Congress later on Tuesday. The S&P 500 and Dow rose on Monday after the SVB deal was announced, while the Nasdaq Composite closed lower, led by a decline in technology-related stocks. The S&P index recorded five new 52-week highs and no new low, while the Nasdaq recorded 13 new highs and 40 new lows.

SummarySummary Companies Futures down: Dow 0.10%, S&P 0.17%, Nasdaq 0.22%March 28 (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures slipped on Tuesday as Treasury yields rose amid easing worries about a banking crisis following First Citizens BancShares' U.S. regulator-backed deal for failed Silicon Valley Bank. Shares of First Citizens BancShares Inc (FCNCA.O) fell 1% in premarket trading after surging more than 50% on Monday following its deal to acquire the deposits and loans of failed Silicon Valley Bank. Regional banks also rose, led by First Republic Bank's (FRC.N) 2.2% gain after a 12% rally on Monday. Later in the day, Fed Vice Chair for Supervision Michael Barr will testify before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs on "bank oversight" in the first of several hearings on the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank. ET, Dow e-minis were down 31 points, or 0.1%, S&P 500 e-minis were down 6.75 points, or 0.17%, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were down 27.75 points, or 0.22%.

☆ European arms imports climb, U.S. dominance in exports grows, think tank says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/File PhotoSTOCKHOLM, March 13 (Reuters) - European states increased their imports of major weaponry by 47% in the five years to 2022, while the United States' share of global arms exports rose to 40% from 33%, a leading conflict think-tank said on Monday. European states in the U.S.-led NATO alliance increased their arms imports by 65% from the previous five-year period. The United States and Russia have been the world's largest and second-largest arms exporters for the past three decades. U.S. arms exports increased by 14% from 2013-17, and the U.S. accounted for 40% of global arms exports. "It is likely that the invasion of Ukraine will further limit Russia's arms exports," SIPRI's Siemon T. Wezeman said.

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