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☆ Should the U.S. Expand the H-1B Visa Program?
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-06 | by ( Bart Ziegler | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Some companies say they never get enough H-1B visas. Some economists say companies abuse the program. U.S. companies have benefited for decades from a type of visa called H-1B, which allows employers to sponsor workers from abroad who have specialized skills when Americans with similar capabilities can’t be found. But the program is contentious.

BAMBERG, S.C. — Pamela Pinckney was in the hospital, bruised and in pain from several broken bones, when a lawyer named Alex Murdaugh offered his help. Pinckney estimates Murdaugh and his alleged co-conspirators pocketed $1 million owed to her family. Pamela Pinckney remained hospitalized as she endured several operations. Alex Murdaugh told me and my entire Pinckney family that he has our best interests, we don’t have anything to worry about and we’re like family to him,” Pinckney said. Alex Murdaugh is escorted out of the Collation County Courthouse in Walterboro, S.C., on July 20, 2022.

☆ Time to finalise Sweden's and Finland's entry to NATO, Stoltenberg says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

ISTANBUL, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Sweden and Finland have delivered on the demands Turkey has set for their accession to NATO and time has come to welcome them to the alliance, NATO's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday. "It's time to welcome Finland and Sweden as full members of NATO," Stoltenberg said at a news conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu in Istanbul. "In these dangerous times it is even more important to finalise their accession, to prevent any misunderstanding or miscalculation in Moscow." Reporting by Bart Meijer Editing by Peter GraffOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ ECB's next rate move likely between 50 and 75 bps, Knot says
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

AMSTERDAM, Oct 30 (Reuters) - The European Central Bank (ECB) could hike its interest rates by 75 basis points again at its next policy meeting in December, ECB governing council member Klaas Knot said on Sunday. The central bank for the 19 countries that share the euro raised the interest rate it pays on bank deposits by 75 basis points last week, taking it 1.5%, its highest level since 2009. "We will take a significant interest step again in December," Knot said in an interview with Dutch TV programme Buitenhof, adding that is was likely that the next raise would be between 50 and 75 basis points. "We are still returning interest rates towards their neutral level, for which we will also need the December meeting." "From 2023 we will play the second half, with smaller interest rate steps and by shrinking our balance sheet," the Dutch central bank president said.

☆ In-wheel motors could be the future of electric cars
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-26 | by ( Nell Lewis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Mounted in the rim of an electric vehicle’s wheels, the motors increase efficiency by delivering power directly to where it’s needed most. Supercars and pickup trucksElaphe, which was founded in 2006 by Gorazd Lampič and quantum physicist Andrej Detela, has designed in-wheel motors for a range of electric vehicles. In-wheel motors are far more exposed to the elements as well as impacts and vibrations from the road. The report notes that as electric vehicles become more popular, automakers are looking towards in-wheel motors for their space-saving abilities and improved power efficiency. Another major player is Protean Electric, which was acquired by British electric vehicle maker Bedeo in 2021.

☆ Philips to cut 5% of its workforce after medical equipment recall
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

AMSTERDAM, Oct 24 (Reuters) - Dutch medical equipment maker Philips (PHG.AS) said on Monday it expected to scrap around 4,000 jobs as it tried to streamline its organisation after a massive recall slashed around 70% off its market value in the past year. "My immediate priority is to improve execution so that we can start rebuilding the trust of patients, consumers and customers," Jakobs said in a statement. The cuts represent just over 5% of the company's workforce based on last year's total of 78,000. The company said it expected the reorganisation to cost around 300 million euros ($295.41 million) in the coming quarters. As flagged in a profit warning earlier this month, Philips said its adjusted earnings before interest, taxes and amortisation (EBITA) had tumbled 60% in the third quarter, to 209 million euros.

☆ Paddle your own pumpkin: racers descend on Belgian pond
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( Charlotte Campenhout | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Contestants compete during the Pumpkin Regatta, an annual pumpkin boat relay race, in the Belgian town of Kasterlee, Belgium October 23, 2022. REUTERS/Bart BiesemansKASTERLEE, Belgium, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Hundreds of competitors, many dressed up as pirates, nuns, animals or vegetables, climbed into carved-out pumpkins and paddled them around a pond in northern Belgium, in an annual relay race. Racing the huge vegetables takes some skill - "when you paddle, it doesn't move forward but starts spinning", local competitor Jonas Verbruggen said - and this year some fell in the water after their pumpkins took too much water. Racer Oscar Guell, a Spaniard living in Brussels, called the experience "dirty, sticky and oily" - before gleefully adding that he'd definitely be back next year. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Charlotte Van Campenhout; editing by John StonestreetOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Philips to cut 5% of workforce as new CEO acts to counter falling sales
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( Tosterling Bart H. Meijer | Bart H. Meijer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

AMSTERDAM, Oct 24 (Reuters) - Philips' (PHG.AS) new CEO announced plans on Monday to cut around 4,000 jobs following falling sales and after a massive recall slashed around 70% off the Dutch medical equipment maker's market value in the past year. The company said it expected the reorganisation to cost around 300 million euros ($295.41 million) in the coming quarters. Philips is in talks with the U.S. Department of Justice on a settlement following the recall. Comparable sales dropped 6% to 4.3 billion euros in July-September as Philips said supply chain problems were worse than anticipated and would continue to weigh on sales in the last months of 2022. Jakobs said his top priorities were repairing the company's reputation by ensuring the recall is completed as soon as possible, and resolving the supply chain problems.

☆ EU agrees on new Iran sanctions over drone deliveries to Russia -EU presidency
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

BRUSSELS, Oct 20 (Reuters) - European Union members have agreed on new measures against Iran over its supply of drones to Russia, the Czech presidency of the EU said on Thursday. "EU ambassadors agreed on measures against entities supplying Iranian drones that hit Ukraine," the Czech EU presidency said in a tweet. "EU states decided to freeze the assets of three individuals and one entity responsible for drone deliveries (and) is also prepared to extend sanctions to four more Iranian entities that already featured in a previous sanctions list." Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Bart Meijer, Editing by Charlotte Van CampenhoutOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ EU leaders will discuss gas price cap for power generation, Michel says
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, Oct 18 (Reuters) - European Union leaders will discuss putting a cap for the price of gas used to generate electricity - over which member states are divided - when they meet for a summit at the end of this week, European Council President Charles Michel said on Tuesday. "We must intensify our three lines of action: reducing demand, ensuring security of supply and containing prices," Michel said in his invitation letter to leaders for the Thursday-Friday meeting in Brussels. "This includes: jointly purchasing gas, developing a new benchmark that more accurately reflects conditions on the gas market, and examining a temporary dynamic price limit," Michel said. "I also expect us to address other short and long-term market interventions, such as an EU framework to cap the price of gas for electricity generation." Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Bart Meijer and John ChalmersOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Dutch crown princess Amalia under heightened security
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

AMSTERDAM, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Dutch Crown Princess Catharina-Amalia is under heightened security due to concern that she could be targeted by criminals, Dutch news agency ANP reported on Thursday, citing her parents. "She can hardly leave the house," ANP quoted Queen Maxima as saying during a state visit to Sweden with her husband King Willem-Alexander. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterLast month, several Dutch media outlets reported that the princess, whose formal title is Princess of Orange, was under heightened security due to fears that criminal gangs may target her for kidnapping or an attack. Dutch police and the country's secret service have declined to discuss security arrangements around the Royal House. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Thursday evening said he could not specify the details of the threats.

☆ Philips shares slump on profit warning and sleep apnea device writedown
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Bart H. Meijer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Shares were down 9% at 0750 GMT at 14.13 euros, hitting their lowest level since June 2012. In its second profit warning of the year, Philips said third-quarter core profit would drop around 60%, as ongoing supply chain problems had pushed down comparable sales by around 5%. This was expected to have limited adjusted earnings before interest, taxes and amortisation (EBITA) to 210 million euros in the third quarter, down from 512 million euros a year before. RECALL HITS SLEEP BUSINESSPhilips last year shocked investors by recalling 5.5 million ventilators used to treat sleep apnoea, over worries that foam used in the machines could become toxic. "Details of the consent decree have not been fully negotiated at this time," Van Houten said in a call with analysts.

☆ Philips expects profit to drop with $1.3 bln hit to sleep business
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

AMSTERDAM, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Dutch health technology company Philips (PHG.AS) said on Wednesday its third-quarter core profit would drop around 60%, and it flagged a charge of 1.3 billion euros ($1.26 billion) on the value of its plagued sleep and respiratory care business. In a trade update, Philips said its comparable sales fell around 5% in the third quarter, as supply chain problems remained bigger than the company had anticipated. This was expected to have pushed adjusted earnings before interest, taxes and amortisation (EBITA) down to 210 million euros, or around 5% of sales, Philips said. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterAdjusted EBITA was 512 million euros in the third quarter of 2021. Philips will publish its full third-quarter results on Oct. 24.

☆ Is it time to buy gold? Wall Street pros weigh in as prices fall
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( Zavier Ong | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

The precious metal has come under pressure this year, with the dollar's big gain weighing on gold prices. I think inflation is going to win. Higher real rates imply a higher cost of carry for gold, due to increased competition from higher-yielding investments. "They are something you keep in your portfolio, because when you need them, they work and that's the history of gold and gold equities. He added that he continues to see a "very strong" market for gold and gold equities over the longer-term.

☆ Melek: Crude is likely to meet some resistance around the $90/barrel level
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-29 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailMelek: Crude is likely to meet some resistance around the $90/barrel levelBart Melek, global head of commodity strategy at TD Securities, says if OPEC+ comes through with a meaningful cut to output when it meets next week, that could provide a major catalyst to oil prices.

Gas bubbles from the Nord Stream 2 leak reaching surface of the Baltic Sea in the area shows disturbance of well over one kilometre diameter near Bornholm, Denmark, September 27, 2022. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said he discussed the "sabotage" of the pipelines at a meeting with Danish Defence Minister Morten Bødskov in Brussels. "We addressed the protection of critical infrastructure in NATO countries," the chief of the Western military alliance that also includes most EU countries said on Twitter. The EU, meanwhile, issued a strong warning to anybody attempting to attack the energy backbones of the 27-nation bloc. Borrell announced the bloc would step up the protection of its energy infrastructure following the incidents.

☆ NATO calls Nord Stream leaks acts of sabotage
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

BRUSSELS, Sept 28 (Reuters) - NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Wednesday attributed the leaks on the Nord Stream pipelines to acts of sabotage and said he had discussed the protection of critical infrastructure in NATO countries with the Danish defence minister. "Discussed the sabotage on the NorthStream pipelines with Defence Minister Morten Bødskov," he said on Twitter. "We addressed the protection of critical infrastructure in NATO countries." Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Sabine Siebold and Bart MeijerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ NATO warns Russia of "severe consequences" in case of a nuclear strike
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Any use of nuclear weapons by Russia is unacceptable and would have severe consequences, NATO said on Tuesday after an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin issued another stark nuclear warning to Ukraine and the West. "Any use of nuclear weapons is absolutely unacceptable, it will totally change the nature of the conflict, and Russia must know that a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said. "When we see that kind of nuclear rhetoric again and again from Russia, from President Putin, it is something that we have to take seriously - and therefore we are conveying the clear message that this will have severe consequences for Russia." Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Sabine Siebold and Bart MeijerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Italy's election result is cause for concern, Dutch PM says
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Netherlands’ Prime Minister Mark Rutte addresses the 77th United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York City, New York, U.S., September 23, 2022. REUTERS/Caitlin OchsAMSTERDAM, Sept 26 (Reuters) - The election victory of the right-wing coalition led by Giorgia Meloni is cause for concern over developments in Italy, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Monday. "Italy of course is a cause for concern. This relates to Russia, and to financial and economic issues," Rutte said in an interview on Dutch TV. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Bart Meijer Editing by Chris ReeseOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Russia's mobilisation is a sign of the Kremlin's panic, Dutch PM says
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte attends a joint news briefing with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskiy (not seen), as Russia's attack on Ukraine continues, in Kyiv, Ukraine July 11, 2022. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko/File PhotoAMSTERDAM, Sept 21 (Reuters) - Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Wednesday said Russia's mobilisation order is a sign of panic at the Kremlin, that should not be taken as a direct threat of full-out war with the West. "The mobilisation, calling for referenda in the Donetsk, it is all a sign of panic. His rhetoric on nuclear weapons is something we have heard many times before, and it leaves us cold," Rutte told Dutch broadcaster NOS. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Bart Meijer; Editing by Andrew CawthorneOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Tech leaders dish on how asinine it is to try to describe their companies, products, and worth to Congress
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-21 | by ( Hanna Kang | Kayla Gallagher | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +24 min

Tech companies are worried an aging Congress can't meet or even understand their demands. Younger members of Congress are beginning to take the lead in conversations on tech issues. Hawley said younger members are generally more critical of big tech. However, he added, new technologies are more widely used by younger people, and users tend to understand technology better. Meanwhile, major tech companies continue to ramp up their federal lobbying spending, together spending more in 2021 than in any other year in history.

Japanese yen and U.S. dollar banknotes are seen with a currency exchange rate graph in this illustration picture taken June 16, 2022. "Japanese households have a thousand trillion in yen deposits. As of June, households had 1,102 trillion yen ($7.7 trillion) in cash and deposits, while private non-financial companies had 325 trillion yen. "There is a risk of what I call capital flight by Japanese households," said Tohru Sasaki, head of Japan markets research at J.P. Morgan Securities in Tokyo. In January 2006, when spreads between U.S. and Japan were at their widest at roughly 440 bps, Japanese households had 1,631 trillion yen of assets.

☆ Three EU leaders urge calm over Putin's nuclear rhetoric
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-21 | by ( Gabriela Baczynska | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

His rhetoric on nuclear weapons is something we have heard many times before, and it leaves us cold," said Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterHis Belgian peer, Alexander de Croo, also urged a calm response between not provoking Russia, and supporting Ukraine. We must be clear in our position and continue to support Ukraine." The EU leaders' chairman, European Council President Charles Michel, said the bloc would not be scared away from supporting Ukraine. 'RECKLESS'While there have been no immediate comments from the leaders of Germany or France, the EU's executive European Commission said Putin's "reckless" nuclear gamble had to stop.

New York, home of the largest rapid transit system in the country, will install surveillance cameras in every New York City subway car by 2025, Gov. The move is aimed at increasing riders’ confidence in subway safety, Hochul said, as ridership numbers are still lagging behind pre-pandemic levels. But the decision to install cameras on subway cars worries some privacy advocates, who say it will increase the level of surveillance of New Yorkers without necessarily making the subway safer. Subway stations in the city already have surveillance cameras. Instead, Hochul framed the matter of cameras in subway cars as purely one of public safety and rider confidence.

☆ Dutch town takes Twitter to court to remove conspiracy theories
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A promoted tweet on Twitter app is displayed on a mobile phone near a Twitter logo, in this illustration picture taken Sept. 8, 2022. REUTERS/Florence Lo/IllustrationTHE HAGUE, Sept 16 (Reuters) - A small Dutch town took Twitter (TWTR.N) to court on Friday to demand the social media giant takes down all messages relating to a supposed ring of satan-worshipping paedophiles that were alleged to have been active in the town in the 1980s. Twitter's lawyer Jens van den Brink declined to comment before the hearing at The Hague District Court on Friday. But despite their conviction, stories about Bodegraven still circulate on social media as others have continued to echo their story, leading the town to take the matter up with Twitter itself. "If conspiracy theorists don't remove their messages, then the platforms involved need to act," the town of Bodegraven's lawyer Cees van de Zanden was quoted as saying by Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant on Friday.

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