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☆ The claim by a discredited journalist that the US secretly blew up the Nord Stream pipeline is proving a gift to Putin
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Once-celebrated journalist Seymour Hersh made unproven claims the US blew up the Nord Stream pipelines. In Russia, Hersh's story was immediately greeted with a sense of vindication. Biden had said he opposed opening the Nord Stream 2 pipeline and saying the US could "bring an end to" it if Russia invaded Ukraine. The invasion did take place, and officials in Germany — where the pipeline was due to pump its gas — axed the project before Nord Stream 2 moved any gas. Nord Stream 1 kept pumping until the explosion.

☆ Factbox: Prize-winning reporter Seymour Hersh no stranger to controversy
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Journalist Seymour Hersh speaks at the Al Jazeera Forum "Media and the Middle East - Beyond the Headlines" in Doha April 1, 2007. REUTERS/Fadi Al-AssaadFeb 9 (Reuters) - Pulitzer Prize-winning U.S. reporter Seymour Hersh said this week that U.S. Navy divers, in a CIA operation ordered by President Joe Biden, planted explosives that destroyed three Russian gas pipelines under the Baltic Sea last September. The White House dismissed Hersh's report, which relied on a single source to support its claim about the destruction of the Nordstream pipelines, as "utterly false and complete fiction." Here are some key events in Hersh's career:- Hersh in 1969 exposed the massacre of South Vietnamese villagers by U.S. troops in the hamlet of My Lai. Both governments denied Hersh's allegations that Pakistan had been holding bin Laden prisoner and knew about the raid in advance.

"We share Congresswoman Sewell's view that the use of child labor is unacceptable," Hyundai said. Sewell's comments are the first from a high-ranking Alabama official on child labor problems in Hyundai's supply chain. The new actions by Hyundai and its discussions with regulators and lawmakers come after Reuters documented child labor in various Alabama auto plants making parts for Hyundai or Kia. The child labor reports have put a spotlight on Hyundai's growing operations in the United States. Regulatory fines for child labor, by contrast, can be relatively small.

☆ The Paradox of Prosecuting Domestic Terrorism
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( James Verini | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +52 min

The preventive approach to domestic terrorism goes back even further than the 1990s and it begins with the basic police work and surveillance of the joint terrorism task forces. In fact, there is no section of the U.S. Criminal Code that criminalizes domestic terrorism as such. The absence of clear law around domestic terrorism, and the imperatives of prevention, mean that investigators and prosecutors who work domestic terrorism cases must focus on more common charges: weapons violations, illegal drug possession, burglary, aiding and abetting and so forth. But this was not enough to overrule the fear of domestic terrorism that was gripping the nation and that hung in the courtroom. It reflected the legal paradoxes of the case and domestic terrorism law in general or, maybe more accurately, the absence of it.

☆ White House says blog post on Nord Stream explosion 'utterly false'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, Feb 8 (Reuters) - The White House on Wednesday dismissed a blog post by a U.S. investigative journalist alleging the United States was behind explosions of the Nord Stream gas pipelines as "utterly false and complete fiction." "This is utterly false and complete fiction," said Adrienne Watson, a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council. The pipelines are multibillion-dollar infrastructure projects designed to carry Russian gas to Germany under the Baltic Sea. The United States and NATO have called the incident "an act of sabotage." On Wednesday, Russia's foreign ministry said the United States had questions to answer over its role in explosions on the pipelines.

CDP is seeking to finalise its bid after U.S. investment firm KKR (KKR.N) last week filed its own offer for the same Telecom Italia (TIM) asset. Two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters KKR's approach valued the venture at about 20 billion euros ($21.4 billion). Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni repeatedly said her government wants to secure public control of TIM's network. But there is no common ground yet within her administration on how to reach such a goal and it was no clear whether a CDP bid would receive the blessing of the Treasury. Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti believes Rome has "multiple options" to put TIM's network under strategic government control, a separate source said, without elaborating.

☆ Berkshire stock is trading at 20% discount, a level where Buffett typically ramps up buyback, UBS says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Yun Li | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Shares of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway are now trading at a significant discount to the conglomerate's intrinsic value, which may prompt the "Oracle of Omaha" to buy back more of his stock, according to UBS. "BRK's shares are trading at more than a 20% discount to its intrinsic value based on the methodology outlined in BRK's 2018 Annual Letter to Shareholders," UBS' Berkshire analyst Brian Meredith said in a note. The conglomerate's stock held up well in 2022 with a 4% gain as investors favored more stable pockets of the market. The fifth grove of Berkshire is its insurance operations, which are not included in the calculation. Meanwhile, Berkshire suffered a $63.9 billion loss on its investments last year through September amid the broader market selloff.

☆ Perfect Storm for Some Companies: Fewer Interest Deductions, Rising Rates
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Mark Maurer | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +9 min

For some firms, the move shrank the amount of taxable income that can be offset by interest expenses. Higher interest rates generally lead to higher interest expenses tied to companies’ variable-rate debt, new borrowings and refinancings. The cap can hit companies’ cash flows immediately, though not necessarily their financial statements, due to timing differences in claiming the deductions. Aluminum maker and recycler Novelis plans to allocate less cash toward its venture-capital arm due to the higher interest expenses. Leveraged loans have variable rates that typically reset every one to three months, based on short-term interest rates.

☆ As US planes bombed Japan in World War II, the Japanese sent balloons across the ocean to try to set the US on fire
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Benjamin Brimelow | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

During World War II, Japan used balloons to strike the US as US troops advanced across the Pacific. They were the first and only victims of a Japanese Fu-Go balloon bomb, and the only Americans killed by enemy action in the continental US during the war. A complex weapon with a simple missionAn exploding fuse releases a sandbag from a "chandelier" on a Japanese Fu-Go balloon bomb. A strange legacyA Japanese Fu-Go balloon inflated for testing at a California base after it was recovered in Alturas, California, on January 10, 1945. Since it traveled over 5,000 miles, the Fu-Go balloon is the first weapon system ever to have intercontinental range.

☆ Premarket stocks: The bear market could make a comeback
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

New York CNN —Investors who believe the bear market is over are “ignorant,” Lisa Shalett, chief investment officer of Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, told CNN. She believes a bigger drop is on its way as the Fed’s rapid interest rate hikes reduce economic growth down the road. Investors, she said, haven’t yet priced that hit to the economy into stock prices. They do, however, see increased interest rates as a long-term positive. How do you grow when you already have such a large percentage of the market share?

☆ Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan martial ruler in 9/11 wars, dies
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-05 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +12 min

Pakistan's former military ruler Pervez Musharraf has died in Dubai aged 79 after a long illness, the army said on February 5, 2023. By Sept. 12, then-U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell told Musharraf that Pakistan would either be "with us or against us." They regrouped and the offshoot Pakistani Taliban emerged, beginning a yearslong insurgency in the mountainous border region between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Though Pakistan under Musharraf launched these operations, the militants still thrived as billions of American dollars flowed into the nation. Born Aug. 11, 1943, in New Delhi, India, Musharraf was the middle son of a diplomat.

☆ Liberian warlord's trial concludes in Switzerland
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Emma Farge | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

If Kosiah is found guilty of crimes against humanity, this could extend his sentence to life. The Kosiah hearings were often laden with emotion, with some Liberian witnesses and victims confronting him for the first time since the country's civil wars. They all asked for anonymity because of the risk of reprisals back home where former warlords still hold prominent roles. In another, a witness who had been held as a sex slave by a soldier described how Kosiah had stabbed one of the Liberian plaintiffs present in the back. "I want him in jail," she told Reuters on the opening day of the appeals trial on Jan. 11.

☆ More heavy rain expected for New Zealand's flood-ravaged Auckland
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Lucy Craymer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Four people lost their lives in flash floods and landslides that hit Auckland over the last three days amid record downpours. Auckland has already received record levels of rain in the past four days and sodden ground and full rivers mean new rainfall brings increased risks. Beaches around the city of 1.6 million are off limits due to contaminated water, several main roads remain closed, and all Auckland schools will remain shut until Feb. 7. Kelleher said Auckland domestic airport was now running at full capacity and Auckland International Airport was operating at near capacity and hoped to return to normal operations soon. The insurance industry expects the costs associated with the flood to top the NZ$97 million spent following the 2021 floods on New Zealand’s West Coast.

☆ From boom to bottom and now big change: Renault and Nissan reshape alliance
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

It gave Nissan a 15% stake in Renault, on a par with the French state, but no voting rights. The alliance was thrown into turmoil following Ghosn's arrest on financial misconduct charges in late 2018 and his subsequent ouster as alliance chairman. 2002 Nissan announces its "Nissan 180" three-year plan, targeting an increase of 1 million vehicles in global sales by 2005. 2017 Both Nissan and Renault post record operating profits, though Nissan still falls short on some targets. Alliance Chairman Senard rules out any merger of the carmaking partners, saying they don't need to combine to be efficient.

☆ Novak Djokovic's run to record 23 Grand Slam titles
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-29 | by ( Shrivathsa Sridhar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

Tally: Federer 13; Nadal 5; Djokovic 12009: Nadal won his first hardcourt Grand Slam title, edging out Federer in five sets in the Australian Open final. Tally: Federer 16; Nadal 10; Djokovic 42012: Djokovic overcame Nadal in the longest Grand Slam final in the Open Era to win his third Australian Open title. Tally: Federer 17; Nadal 14; Djokovic 72015: Djokovic won three majors - the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. Nadal maintained his stranglehold on the French Open, before holding off Daniil Medvedev in the U.S. Open final to move within one of Federer's Grand Slam haul. Tally: Nadal 22; Djokovic 21; Federer 202023: Djokovic won a record-extending 10th Australian Open title by beating Tsitsipas for his 22nd Grand Slam title, equalling Nadal's record.

Persons: Roland Garros, Serbia's Novak Djokovic, Novak Djokovic, Casper Ruud, Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal, Federer, Mark Philippoussis, Tally, Nadal, Mariano Puerta, Djokovic, Jo, Wilfried Tsonga, Pete Sampras, Andy Murray, Stan Wawrinka, Marin Cilic, Tomas Berdych, Margaret Court, Serena Williams, Steffi Graf, Sampras, Daniil Medvedev, Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas, Matteo Berrettini, Nick Kyrgios, Tsitsipas, Carlos Alcaraz, Shrivathsa Sridhar, Hardik Vyas, Jan Harvey Organizations: French, REUTERS, Wimbledon, U.S ., U.S, Nadal, Sampras, Djokovic, Roland Garros . Records, Roland, Federer, Melbourne, Flushing, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, PARIS, Swiss, U.S, New York, Flushing Meadows

☆ Novak Djokovic's run to 22 Grand Slam titles
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

MELBOURNE, Jan 29 (Reuters) - Novak Djokovic beat Stefanos Tsitsipas in the Australian final on Sunday to win a men's record-equalling 22nd Grand Slam title. Tally: Federer 13; Nadal 5; Djokovic 12009: Nadal won his first hardcourt Grand Slam title, edging out Federer in five sets in Australian Open final. Tally: Federer 16; Nadal 10; Djokovic 42012: Djokovic overcame Nadal in the longest Grand Slam final in Open Era to win his third Australian Open title. Nadal maintained his stranglehold on the French Open, before holding off Daniil Medvedev in the U.S. Open final to move within one of Federer's Grand Slam haul. Tally: Nadal 22, Djokovic 21; Federer 202023: Djokovic won a record-extending 10th Australian Open title by beating Tsitsipas for his 22nd Grand Slam title, equalling Nadal's record.

☆ Before a secret raid on an ISIS leader's mountain cave complex, US forces ran the mission at a special recreation of the target area
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

US forces carried out a raid in northern Somalia this week and took out a top ISIS money man. Before the operation, troops ran practice runs on a recreation of the mountainous target area. It's a similar technique to the one used before the 2011 raid that brought down Osama bin Laden. US forces used the mock-up to practice what their ground movements and helicopter approaches would look like during the actual raid. Wednesday's raid in Somalia comes as the US and partner forces continue to track down ISIS fighters in Syria.

Jan 26 (Reuters) - U.S. airlines expect strong travel demand that drove record fourth-quarter revenues to continue into 2023, but economic uncertainty and burgeoning labor and operations costs could cloud their rosy outlooks. On Thursday, American Airlines (AAL.O), JetBlue Airways Corp (JBLU.O) and Alaska Air Group (ALK.N) forecast better-than-expected full-year earnings. JetBlue forecast expenses excluding fuel to rise 1.5% to 4.5% in 2023. China's recent reopening may also boost international travel, but demand remains uncertain and U.S. airlines face challenges toward cashing in. American Airlines forecast an adjusted profit of $2.50 to $3.50 per share for 2023, handily beating analyst expectations of $1.77, according to Refinitiv data.

☆ From boom to bottom and now big change: Renault and Nissan look to reshape alliance
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Jan 26 (Reuters) - U.S. carriers on Thursday gave strong earnings forecasts for the year despite economic worries after buoyant demand for air travel during the crucial holiday season helped lift quarterly results. On Thursday, American Airlines (AAL.O), JetBlue Airways Corp (JBLU.O) and Alaska Air Group (ALK.N) all forecast better-than-expected earnings for the full year. The company's Northeast Alliance partner American Airlines forecast an adjusted profit of $2.50 to $3.50 per share for 2023, handily beating analyst expectations of $1.77, according to Refinitiv data. "As we turn our attention to 2023, we will continue to prioritize reliability, profitability and debt reduction," American Airlines Chief Executive Robert Isom said. read moreBoth American Airlines and JetBlue posted fourth-quarter earnings that beat estimates on Thursday.

☆ S&P 500 closes slightly red as weak corporate guidance fuels recession fears
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Stephen Culp | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Fourth-quarter earnings season has shifted into overdrive, with 95 of the companies in the S&P 500 having reported. Analysts now see aggregate S&P 500 earnings dropping 3.0% year-on-year, nearly double the 1.6% drop seen on Jan. 1, per Refinitiv. Five of the 11 major sectors of the S&P 500 ended lower, with utilities (.SPLRCU) suffering the largest percentage loss. General Dynamics Corp (GD.N) beat quarterly expectations, but a weak 2023 forecast helped send the defense contractor's shares sliding 3.6%. The S&P 500 posted 8 new 52-week highs and 1 new lows; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 61 new highs and 30 new lows.

☆ Wall Street dips as weak corporate guidance fuels recession fears
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Stephen Culp | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Fourth-quarter earnings season has shifted into overdrive, with 95 of the companies in the S&P 500 having reported. Analysts now see aggregate S&P 500 earnings dropping 3.0% year-on-year, nearly double the 1.6% drop seen on Jan. 1, per Refinitiv. Most of the 11 sectors of the S&P 500 were red, utilities (.SPLRCU) suffering the largest percentage loss. General Dynamics Corp (GD.N) beat quarterly expectations, but a weak 2023 forecast helped send the defense contractor's shares sliding 3.2%. The S&P 500 posted 6 new 52-week highs and 1 new lows; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 52 new highs and 26 new lows.

Uber Freight has laid off 150 employees, or about 3% of the segment's total headcount. The layoffs impact the division's Digital Brokerage team, Uber Freight CEO Lior Ron said in a Monday message viewed by CNBC. Uber launched its freight unit in 2017 with a belief that trucking companies and laden goods could be matched using the same concept that underpinned the company's ride-hailing technology. Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said last week at the World Economic Forum in Davos that he isn't planning companywide layoffs. In Nov. 2022, delivery service DoorDash laid off 1,250 workers, or 6% of its headcount, weeks after ride-sharing platform Lyft cut 13% of its headcount.

U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo speaks during a press conference with Iraq's Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein at the State Department in Washington on Aug. 19, 2020. A demonstrator holds a poster with a picture of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi outside the Saudi Arabia consulate in Istanbul, Turkey October 25, 2018. "And as even the New York Times reported, Khashoggi was cozy with the terrorist-supporting Muslim Brotherhood," Pompeo wrote. I confirm it to you," Khashoggi's widow, Hanan Elatr Khashoggi, told NBC News on Monday. Hanan Elatr Khashoggi Widow of journalist Jamal Khashoggi

☆ France now holds over 90% in EDF, allowing for squeeze-out, ministry says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

PARIS, Jan 20 (Reuters) - The French state acquired enough EDF (EDF.PA) shares on the market to start squeeze-out proceedings as it fully nationalises the nuclear energy giant, the finance ministry said on Friday. The government now holds 92.71% of voting rights in EDF, the ministry said, marking the successful end of the full takeover proceedings, launched by President Emmanuel Macron's government last summer, which cost Paris some $10 million. Debt-laden EDF (EDF.PA), Europe's biggest nuclear power operator, runs France's nuclear reactor fleet, some hydropower plants and other production sites and supplies millions of households with electricity. Its de-listing from the Paris stock market will be the end of an era for the utility which was partially privatised in 2005, when a chunk of its share capital was floated at 33 euros ($35.82) a share. ($1 = 0.9213 euros)Reporting by Tassilo Hummel; Editing by Josie KaoOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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