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☆ Arsenal in better position than City, says Guardiola ahead of Community Shield
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

City, who won their first Champions League title in June, will kick off their 2023-24 season against runners-up Arsenal on Sunday in the traditional curtain-raiser to the Premier League season. "The situation that we are in, we finished (last season) two weeks later than Arsenal and we start (this season) two weeks later. Arsenal have bought a really good player," Guardiola said. Guardiola reiterated his desire to keep England defender Kyle Walker, who has a year left on his City contract, amid interest from German giants Bayern Munich. Guardiola said Croatia defender Josko Gvardiol, who is set to join City from Bundesliga club RB Leipzig, is undergoing his medical test.

Persons: Pep Guardiola, Manchester City's Mateo Kovacic, Jack Grealish, Kim Kyung, Mikel Arteta's, Guardiola, Declan Rice, Kai Havertz, Rice, Kyle Walker, Bernardo Silva, Kyle, Bernardo, Silva, Josko Gvardiol, Pearl Josephine Nazare, Christian Radnedge Organizations: Soccer Football, Yokohama F Marinos, Manchester City, Japan, Manchester, Arsenal, Community, City, Champions League, FA, Premier League, Mikel Arteta's Arsenal, West Ham United, Chelsea, Ajax Amsterdam, England, Bayern Munich, LaLiga, Barcelona, Croatia, Bundesliga, RB Leipzig, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, London, West, Portuguese, Bengaluru

☆ ‘A Nice Bike, When It Works’: Riders Fret After E-Bike Maker Goes Bust
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( Claire Moses | More About Claire Moses | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

It’s easy to spot VanMoof electric bikes on Amsterdam’s streets. The riders are often young professionals who are barely pedaling as they whiz past fellow cyclists. “If I break it, or something else happens, I don’t know where to go,” said Gideon Sutaman, 28, who lives in Amsterdam and has been riding his VanMoof e-bike since December. As the e-bike market boomed, the company sold about 200,000 bikes and opened stores across Europe, the United States and Japan. In the e-bike world, VanMoof was often likened to Apple or Tesla, given its elegant designs, heavy use of custom materials and premium prices.

Persons: ”, Gideon Sutaman, VanMoof Organizations: Apple Locations: Amsterdam, Europe, United States, Japan

Sterling initially dropped, reflecting disappointment after traders had priced in a 30% chance of another 50 bp hike. Longer-term gilt yields, more responsive to investors' perceptions about the economic growth trajectory, rose by the most in a month. Governor of the Bank of England Andrew Bailey attends a press conference for the Monetary Policy Report August 2023, at the Bank of England in London, Britain, August 3, 2023. Two-year gilt yields have risen by more than 120 basis points this year, more than double the increase of their U.S. equivalent. On Thursday, two-year gilt yields were down 5 bps in late trade, while those on 30-year debt rose 10 bps, the most in a month, to 4.66%.

Persons: BoE, Andy Burgess, Andrew Bailey, Sterling, we've, Bank of England Andrew Bailey, Alastair Grant, Jeremy Hunt, Carl Shepherd, they'll, juicier, Peter Goves, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: Bank, Bank of England, Monetary, REUTERS, Conservative, Newton Investment Management, Swiss, MFS Investment Management, Reuters Graphics, Thomson Locations: AMSTERDAM, LGIM, London, Britain, U.S

☆ Lizzo is ‘hurt’ by suit filed by former dancers
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( Lisa Respers France | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Lizzo is addressing a lawsuit filed against her by three of her former dancers. On Thursday, Lizzo addressed the complaint publicly for the first time in a statement on her verified social media. “These sensationalized stories are coming from former employees who have already publicly admitted that they were told their behavior on tour was inappropriate and unprofessional,” Lizzo wrote in her response. I know what it feels like to be body shamed on a daily basis, and would absolutely never criticize or terminate an employee because of their weight,” Lizzo continued. “I am hurt, but I will not let the good work I’ve done in the world be overshadowed by this.

Persons: ”, Lizzo, ” Lizzo, “, it’s Organizations: CNN, Los Angeles Superior Court, Light Locations: Los Angeles

☆ Ukraine investigating attacks on grain ports as potential war crimes
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

View of the damage at a grain port facility after a reported attack by Russian military drones in the Odesa region, Ukraine August 2, 2023. Prosecutor General's Office via Telegram/Handout via REUTERSAMSTERDAM, Aug 3 (Reuters) - Ukraine's prosecutor general is investigating Russian attacks on its agriculture infrastructure since July as potential war crimes, the office told Reuters on Thursday. "Ukraine is investigating these acts as potential war crimes," it said. Ukrainian authorities are already reviewing more than 97,000 reports of suspected war crimes and have filed charges against 220 suspects in domestic courts. It has described recent attacks on Ukraine's grain infrastructure as retaliation for a Ukrainian strike on a bridge across the Kerch Strait to Crimea used to supply its troops in southern Ukraine.

Persons: general's, RIA, Anthony Deutsch, Alex Richardson, Alison Williams Organizations: General's, REUTERS, Grain Initiative, International Criminal, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Russian, Odesa, Ukraine, REUTERS AMSTERDAM, Russia, The Hague, Kherson, Moscow, Kerch, Crimea, Izmail

☆ Singer Lizzo denies creating hostile environment for dancers
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Lizzo's response on the social media platform X comes two days after the dancers filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court. The lawsuit also claims that Davis was pressured to participate in a nude photo shoot to stay in a dance competition despite her discomfort. The lawsuit also alleges that Quigley harassed the dancers by subjecting them to her religious beliefs against their will. The plaintiffs also claimed that Quigley forced the topic of Davis' virginity into conversations and interviews. Davis and Williams were eventually dismissed while Rodriguez resigned over the behavior, the lawsuit said.

Persons: Karl Lagerfeld, Lizzo, Shirlene Quigley, Melissa Viviane Jefferson, Arianna Davis, Crystal Williams, Noelle Rodriguez, Davis, Lizzo's, Ron Zambrano, Quigley, Williams, Rodriguez, Brendan O'Brien, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Metropolitan Museum, Art's, Court, Touring Inc, Thomson Locations: New York City , New York, U.S, Los Angeles, Amsterdam, Chicago

CNN —Beyoncé appeared to skip over Lizzo’s name as she performed “Break My Soul (Queen’s Remix)” at a concert in Boston on Tuesday, following the news that Lizzo is being sued by three former dancers alleging harassment and hostile work environment. Normally, Lizzo’s name appears in the lyrics of “Break My Soul (Queen’s Remix),” alongside the likes of Nina Simone, Lauryn Hill and Nicki Minaj, as part of Beyoncé’s song celebrating black women in the entertainment industry. Lizzo is facing a lawsuit from three former dancers. Lizzo had posted a video of herself on Instagram in June watching the same set at a previous show on Beyoncé’s “Renaissance” tour, saying, “I think of what we all mean to people and how cyclical it is. We are all so infinitesimally and maximally connected and significant.

Persons: CNN — Beyoncé, Nina Simone, Lauryn Hill, Nicki Minaj, Paras Griffin, Lizzo, “, ” Organizations: CNN, Los Angeles Superior Court, ” CNN, Lizzo Locations: Boston, Los Angeles

☆ Ukrainians forced to become Russian citizens, US-backed research finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( Anthony Deutsch | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Gleb GaranichAMSTERDAM, Aug 2 (Reuters) - Ukrainians living in Russian-occupied territory are being forced to assume Russian citizenship or face harsh retaliation, including possible deportation or detention, U.S.-backed research published on Wednesday said. A series of decrees signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin compel Ukrainians to get Russian passports, in violation of international humanitarian law, the report said. Ukrainians in occupied territory who do not seek Russian citizenship "are subjected to threats, intimidation, restrictions on humanitarian aid and basic necessities, and possible detention or deportation – all designed to force them to become Russian citizens," the report said. "What is concerning here is that it represents, basically, a violation of the Hague and Geneva Conventions," said Executive Director Nathaniel Raymond of the Humanitarian Research Lab at the Yale School of Public Health. The report was released as part of the Conflict Observatory program, with the support of the U.S. State Department and conducted by research partner the Yale School of Public Health's Humanitarian Research Lab.

Persons: Gleb Garanich AMSTERDAM, Vladimir Putin, Mikhail Mishustin, Nathaniel Raymond, Raymond, Putin, Anthony Deutsch, Giles Elgood, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: Moscow, REUTERS, Yale University, Russian, Hague, Yale School of Public Health, Kremlin, International Criminal Court, U.S . State Department, Yale School of Public, Research, Thomson Locations: Mayorsk, Ukraine, Moscow, Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Russia, Russian, Ukraine's Donetsk, Geneva

☆ Dutchman running from Amsterdam to Kyiv to buy ambulances for Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Piroschka Van De Wouw | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

He will run from Amsterdam to Kyiv to raise money for Ukraine. REUTERS/Piroschka van de WouwAMSTERDAM, Aug 1 (Reuters) - A Dutch ultrarunner is running from Amsterdam to Kyiv to raise funds for charity and demonstrate how close the Ukraine war zone is to Western Europe. The aim is to raise money to buy ambulances that Dutch charity Zeilen van Vrijheid (Sails of Freedom) will take to Ukraine. So far - after 10 days and about 500 km of running - Kragtwijk has raised 22,000 euros via his Ultra4Ukraine GoFundMe page, nearly enough for one ambulance, which costs 30,000 euros. Running towards the east, Kragtwijk will pass through Berlin and Warsaw and hopes to reach Kyiv in September.

Persons: Boas Kragtwijk, van, Piroschka van de Wouw, Christian Levaux, Geert De Clercq, Alison Williams Organizations: Reuters, Ukraine, REUTERS, AMSTERDAM, Kyiv, Thomson Locations: Amsterdam, Netherlands, Kyiv, Ukraine, Western Europe, Kragtwijk, Germany, Berlin, Warsaw

☆ Lizzo sued by three former dancers alleging harassment and hostile work environment
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Alli Rosenbloom | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Lizzo has been sued by three former dancers who claim they were subjected to a hostile work environment and harassment while they were members of the Grammy-winner’s dance team. The complaint, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday and obtained by CNN through an attorney for the plaintiffs, also names her production company Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc. (BGBT) and a person described as “dance cast captain” as defendants in the suit. Fearing retaliation, the suit states the plaintiff eventually “acquiesced” despite having expressed numerous times she had no desire to touch the performers. The suit alleges that this comment from the the accountant was “charged with “racial and fat-phobic animus.”Lizzo is known for her uplifting messages and advocacy for body positivity as an integral part of her work. CNN has reached out to a representative for Lizzo and Big Grrrl Big Touring, Inc. seeking comment on the complaint.

Persons: CNN — Lizzo, ”, “, Lizzo Organizations: CNN, Los Angeles Superior Court, Light, Lizzo, Inc Locations: Los Angeles

☆ Torture, sexual violence commonly used by Russian forces in Ukraine, say experts
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( Anthony Deutsch | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Ukrainian authorities are reviewing more than 97,000 reports of war crimes and have filed charges against 220 suspects in domestic courts. The Kremlin has consistently denied allegations of war crimes in Ukraine by forces taking part in a "special military operation" it says was launched to "de-Nazify" its neighbour and protect Russia. In June, Ukrainian prosecutors brought their first case over the alleged deportation of dozens of orphans from Kherson, charging a Russian politician and two suspected Ukrainian collaborators with war crimes. "The true scale of Russia’s war crimes remains unknown," Anna Mykytenko, senior legal adviser at Global Rights Compliance, said of the latest findings on torture. The torture techniques most commonly used were suffocation, waterboarding, severe beatings and threats of rape, it found.

Persons: Anna Voitenko, Vladimir Putin, Team's, Anna Mykytenko, Wayne Jordash, Anthony Deutsch, Alex Richardson Organizations: REUTERS, Mobile Justice Team, Global Rights, Criminal Court, ICC, The Mobile, European Union, Survivors, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Kherson, The Hague, Russia, Britain, United States, Russian

☆ She bought an airplane ticket she thought was a scam. Then her future husband was on board
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Francesca Street | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +17 min

Like Martina, Leslie was skeptical – the price seemed too good to be true. There was a seat next to Martina, but Leslie didn’t want to overstep any boundaries by inviting himself to sit there. Martina Johnson and Leslie JohnsonOver the next week, Martina and Leslie enjoyed their respective adventures in and around Nairobi. Leslie JohnsonA few days later, once Martina and Leslie were both home in the US, Martina sent him a text. Around a year and a half after their airplane meeting, in December 2016, Leslie and Martina traveled to London together.

Persons: Martina Jones, Martina, “, ”, Leslie Johnson, Leslie, who’d, They’d, Leslie –, –, he’d, ” Leslie, He’d, Martina Jones Johnson, Leslie didn’t, nudging Martina, Martina Johnson, ’ ” Leslie, fretting Leslie, she’d, Martina's, DeRonn Kidd, Leslie texted, She’d, they’d, ” Martina, Daniel Johnson, Will, Holly, Leslie’s Organizations: CNN, Washington D.C, CNN Travel, Schiphol Airport, Familia, Newark Airport, San, Leslie Johnson Travel, Martina, Black Locations: Washington, New York City, Nairobi, Kenya, London, South Korea, Southeast Asia, New Jersey, Hudson, Amsterdam, Barcelona, he’d, ”, African, Midtown, Newark, Ohio, Michigan, San Francisco, Delaware, Costa Rica, Maldives, “ London, Columbus , Ohio

☆ Micromobility submits bid for Dutch e-bike maker VanMoof
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

PARIS, July 31 (Reuters) - Nasdaq-listed Micromobility.com (MCOM.O) said on Monday it had submitted a non-binding bid to acquire bankrupt Dutch electric bike maker VanMoof Amsterdam for an undisclosed sum. Its initial non-binding bid was positively received and the company is now preparing to present its binding offer, it said in a statement. It has said that administrators are now considering whether it can sell assets and restructure to save the business. VanMoof sold around 200,000 bikes for more than 2,000 euros ($2,250) each before going bankrupt, partly due to high maintenance costs. Reporting by Anthony Deutsch and Geert De Clercq; Editing by Angus MacSwanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: VanMoof, Anthony Deutsch, Geert De Clercq, Angus MacSwan Organizations: Nasdaq, Thomson Locations: Amsterdam

☆ Burning car carrier towed to temporary location off Dutch coast
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

AMSTERDAM, July 31 (Reuters) - A burning car carrier off the Dutch coast has been towed to a new location away from shipping lanes as part of an operation to salvage the ship, the Dutch public works and water management ministry and local media said on Monday. The freighter, which was travelling from Germany to Egypt when the blaze broke out on July 26, was towed to a location north of the Dutch islands Ameland and Schiermonnikoog, the Rijkswaterstaat ministry said in a statement. A Rijkswaterstaat spokeswoman told the Dutch ANP press agency that at the new temporary location, the ship would be further removed from shipping routes and more sheltered from wind. Dutch Coastguard/Handout via REUTERSThe relocation is an intermediate step in the difficult salvage operation, the spokeswoman said. The company declined to say anything about the car brands, including whether they included any cars from Japanese manufacturers.

Persons: Shoei, Charlotte Van Campenhout, Robert Birsel, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: Panamanian, Fremantle Highway, Dutch ANP, Dutch Coastguard, Ship, Thomson Locations: AMSTERDAM, Germany, Egypt, Dutch, Netherlands

☆ Burning car carrier off Dutch coast being towed away from shipping lanes
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

AMSTERDAM, July 31 (Reuters) - A burning car carrier off the Dutch coast is being towed to a new location away from shipping routes as part of a difficult operation to salvage the ship, the Dutch water board Rijkswaterstaat and media said. The ship will be towed to a location 16 km north of the Dutch islands Ameland and Schiermonnikoog, Rijkswaterstaat said in a statement on Sunday. A Rijkswaterstaat spokeswoman told to the ANP Dutch press agency that at the temporary location, the ship would be further away from shipping routes and slightly out of the wind. The relocation is an intermediate step in the difficult salvage operation, the spokeswoman said. The company declined to say anything about the car brands, including whether it included any cars from Japanese manufacturers.

Persons: Rijkswaterstaat, Shoei, Charlotte Van Campenhout, Robert Birsel Organizations: Panamanian, Fremantle Highway, ANP Dutch, Ship, Thomson Locations: AMSTERDAM, Germany, Egypt

☆ Heineken’s profit hit by drop in beer sales in Asia
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-31 | by ( Michelle Toh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Hong Kong CNN —People in Asia aren’t guzzling as much beer as they used to. Best known for its eponymous beer label, Heineken is home to more than 300 brands, including Tiger beer, Amstel Lager and Strongbow cider. Heineken branded beer did continue to see growth in the first half, both overall and within Asia Pacific. The brewer also blamed a drop in premium beer sales on a decline in Russia, a market the company has said it’s trying to exit. Heineken now expects “stable to mid-single-digit” growth in operating profit for the full year, compared with the “mid- to high-single-digit” growth it outlined in April.

Persons: Dolf van den Brink, Strongbow, ” Heineken, Vladimir Putin’s, Heineken, “ Organizations: Hong Kong CNN —, Asia aren’t, Heineken, Asia Pacific, Lager, Yale, CNN Locations: Hong Kong, Asia, Dutch, Asia Pacific, Vietnam, Korean, Nigeria, Amsterdam, Russia, Ukraine

☆ Three injured in shooting in Dutch city Rotterdam
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

AMSTERDAM, July 29 (Reuters) - Three people were injured in a shooting Saturday night during a summer carnival in the Dutch port city of Rotterdam, police said in a statement. Police fired several shots at a shooter, it said. The victims and the shooter were taken to hospital. A shooting took place earlier in the day during the same event, police said in a separate statement. Reporting by Anthony Deutsch; Editing by Daniel WallisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Anthony Deutsch, Daniel Wallis Organizations: Police, Thomson Locations: AMSTERDAM, Rotterdam

☆ How to Create the Perfect Nonalcoholic Home Bar
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Oliver Strand | Monica Khemsurov | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

It’s no secret that nonalcoholic cocktails are suddenly ubiquitous. Whereas until a few years ago, nondrinkers had to make do with cranberry-splashed club soda, now seemingly every noteworthy bar offers a phony Negroni or a margarita-inspired mocktail. Today, the best bitter aperitifs (the term for nonalcoholic alternatives to spirits like Campari and Aperol) have all the complexity and layered flavors of their boozy counterparts. — Oliver StrandVideo Credit Credit... For our 2023 Summer Entertaining Issue , T stops by dinner parties from Ibiza to Long Island — and shares recipes for the best warm-weather snacks and spritzes. - Host Gift Guide: What T’s editors and contributors are bringing to thank their hosts this summer, including surreal serving spoons and cozy quilts.

Persons: nondrinkers, margarita, ”, Stacey Swenson, Nicholas Bodkins, They’re, —, — Oliver, Yann Nury Organizations: Boisson, distillers, Video Credit Locations: Manhattan, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, Ibiza, Long, French, Amsterdam

Meanwhile, the black market for smuggled subsidised Nigerian fuel in Togo and neighbouring Benin and Cameroon has collapsed, further reducing demand for shipments via Nigeria. Average monthly West African (WAF) gasoline imports fell by 56% in the second quarter compared with the first, according to Refinitiv Eikon data. "The key point is demand from West Africa is drying up," said Refinitiv Lead Oil Analyst Raj Rajendran. There may simply be a baseline decrease in demand," said Sparta Commodities gasoline market analyst Philip Jones-Lux. The challenge is coming from the new refineries in the Middle East that are expanding from their traditional East Africa market to now include West Africa and beyond even to the Americas," Rajendran said.

Persons: Bola Tinubu, Jeremy Parker, Raj, naira, Philip Jones, Jones, Lux, Rajendran, Shadia, Barbara Lewis Organizations: Nigeria's, West, ARA, Reuters Graphics, Sparta Commodities, Thomson Locations: Africa, Nigeria, North America, West Africa, Europe, United States, Asia, Ukraine, Togo, Benin, Cameroon, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Antwerp, Sparta, Mideast, Russia, European, East Africa

☆ Carrier ablaze off Dutch coast carrying almost 500 electric cars
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

AMSTERDAM, July 28 (Reuters) - The car carrier burning off the Dutch coast since Tuesday night is carrying nearly 500 electric vehicles, ship charter company "K" Line said on Friday, significantly more than the 25 initially reported by the coastguard. There were 3,783 vehicles on board, including 498 battery electric vehicles, a Tokyo-based spokesperson for K Line (Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha), which had chartered the vessel, said. He declined to say anything about the car brands, including whether or not it included any cars from Japanese manufacturers. An investigation has been launched by the Panama Maritime Authority and the Netherlands is assisting the inquiry, the Dutch Safety Board has said. The 199-metre (653 ft) Fremantle, which is still burning, is drifting about 17 km from the northernmost Dutch coast, the coastguard said.

Persons: Miranda Murry, Daniel Leussink, Marine Strauss, Anthony Deutsch, Tassilo Hummel, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: coastguard, Panamanian, Fremantle Highway, K Line, Kawasaki, RTL, Panama Maritime Authority, Dutch Safety, Fremantle, Thomson Locations: AMSTERDAM, Tokyo, Dutch, Netherlands, Germany, Egypt, Wadden, Denmark

☆ Fire on car carrier ablaze off Dutch coast now less intense
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

AMSTERDAM, July 28 (Reuters) - The fire which has been burning on a car carrier off the Dutch coast has lessened in intensity and salvagers have been able to board the ship to secure stronger tow lines, authorities said on Friday. Smoke rises as a fire broke out on the cargo ship Fremantle Highway, at sea on July 26, 2023. The Dutch coastguard said on its website on Thursday that the cause of the fire was unknown, but an emergency responder is heard in a recording released by Dutch broadcaster RTL saying, "The fire started in the battery of an electric car". An investigation has been launched by the Panama Maritime Authority and the Netherlands is assisting the inquiry, the Dutch Safety Board has said. The 199-metre (653-ft) Fremantle is drifting about 17 km from the northernmost Dutch coast, the coastguard said.

Persons: Miranda Murry, Daniel Leussink, Geert De Clercq, Marine Strauss, Anthony Deutsch, Tassilo Hummel, Philippa Fletcher, Leslie Adler Organizations: Panamanian, Fremantle Highway, Fremantle, Ship, Coastguard, REUTERS, K Line, Kawasaki, Dutch coastguard, RTL, Panama Maritime Authority, Dutch Safety, coastguard, Thomson Locations: AMSTERDAM, Coastguard Netherlands, Dutch, Netherlands, Fremantle, Germany, Egypt, Wadden, Denmark

☆ Airlines report soaring profits amid travel demands
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-28 | by ( Eva Rothenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —International airlines have reported significant profits this year, boosted by strong demand for leisure travel – and events, such as the World Cup, which gave Qatar Airlines an enormous lift. On Thursday, International Airlines Group, which includes Aer Lingus and British Airways, announced a record profit of about $1.4 billion for the first half of the year. “Customer demand remains strong across the Group, particularly for leisure travel, with around 80% of passenger revenue for the third quarter already booked. Qatar Airways reported a $1.2 billion profit for the past fiscal year, ascribing its strong performance to December’s FIFA World Cup. In its report, Qatar Airways said that, throughout the 2022 World Cup, the company operated around 140,000 flights to bring more than 1.4 million people to Qatar.

Persons: Luis Gallego, Benjamin Smith, Akbar Al Baker, Michael O’Leary, – CNN’s Mostafa Salem, Pierre Meilhan Organizations: CNN — International, Qatar, International Airlines Group, Aer Lingus, British Airways, KLM Group, Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, Olympic, Paralympic Games, Air, Qatar Airways, KLM, FIFA, Ryanair, Europe’s Locations: AirFrance, Amsterdam, France, Air France, Qatar

That risk has been put under the spotlight by the burning car carrier drifting off the Dutch coast. While all logistics companies deal with the risk of EV lithium-ion batteries burning with twice the energy of a normal fire, the maritime industry hasn't kept up with the developing technology and how it creates greater risk, maritime officials and insurers said. There were 209 ship fires reported during 2022, the highest number in a decade and 17% more than in 2021, according to a report from insurer Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS) (ALVG.DE). The European Maritime Safety Agency said in a March report the main cargo types identified as responsible for "a large share of cargo fire accidents included ... lithium-ion batteries." Firemen typically put out EV battery fires on roadsides by clearing the area around the burning vehicle and flooding the underside with water, something difficult to do on a RoRo, Dillon said.

Persons: hasn't, EVs, Shoei, Nathan Habers, Douglas Dillon, John Frazee, Marsh, Dillon, Frazee, KVNR's Habers, Joe Biden's, Lisa Baertlein, Anthony Deutsch, Victoria Waldersee, Ben Klayman, Diane Craft Organizations: Allianz, ANGELES, Dutch coastguard, RTL, Allianz Global Corporate, Specialty, Maritime Safety Agency, Royal Association of Netherlands, Tri, Maritime Safety Association, Auto, Firemen, EV, International Maritime Organization, Reuters, Thomson Locations: AMSTERDAM, Dutch, EVs, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, China, Europe, Los Angeles, Amsterdam, Berlin

☆ ECB mulled raising banks' mandatory reserves in inflation fight -sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The ECB raised interest rates for the ninth consecutive time on Thursday in its year-long effort to bring down inflation. It also decided to stop remunerating banks' minimum reserves to contain the amount it pays in interest and the losses it is likely to make. The ECB is currently remunerating lenders' mandatory reserves in the same way as their deposits, which are reserves held above the minimum. On Thursday it increased the deposit rate to 3.75%, in a widely expected decision, while cutting to zero the rate on minimum reserves. "Since then, the efficiency aspect has risen in relevance, in line with the higher level of the key ECB interest rates," it said.

Persons: Arne Petimezas, Petimezas, Francesco Canepa, Balazs Koranyi, Valentina Za, Christina Fincher, Catherine Evans Organizations: Central Bank, Reuters, ECB, AFS Group, Thomson Locations: FRANKFURT, Amsterdam

☆ On Ibiza, a Celebration of Summer Love
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-27 | by ( Sophie Bew | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Video Credit Credit... For our 2023 Summer Entertaining Issue , T stops by dinner parties from Ibiza to Long Island — and shares recipes for the best warm-weather snacks and spritzes. - Three Easy Summer Dishes: The French chef Yann Nury elevates classic seasonal recipes with fresh flavor combinations and a few luxurious additions. - Host Gift Guide: What T’s editors and contributors are bringing to thank their hosts this summer, including surreal serving spoons and cozy quilts. The attendees: “It was about bringing our love for the island, love for each other, love for our friends and the business all together,” Rajani, 37, said. He and Shapiro, 42, invited friends including the publicists Nan Richards, 62, and Bruno Busson, 34; the stylist Rahi Chadda, 30; and the magazine editor Tobias Frericks, 45.

Persons: Yann Nury, ” Rajani, Shapiro, Nan Richards, Bruno Busson, Rahi Chadda, Tobias Frericks, Patrick Cox, Johanna Carlsson, Daniela Agnelli Organizations: Credit Locations: Ibiza, Long, French, Amsterdam

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