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☆ Vekic plays twice, beats sixth-seed Sakkari to reach German Open final
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The 26-year-old had first beaten lucky loser Elina Avanesyan in straight sets in their quarter-final on Saturday morning after play was cancelled due to heavy rain on Friday. Vekic made it two wins from her Saturday matches on her fourth match point with another forehand winner flying past her opponent, who also had to play twice in a day, having earlier beaten Marketa Vondrousova in her last-eight match. Sakkari has now lost all five of her semi-finals this season. Vekic will face either Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova or Czech Petra Kvitova in Sunday's final. Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Ken FerrisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Donna Vekic, Greece's Maria Sakkari, Lisi Niesner BERLIN, Maria Sakkari, Elina Avanesyan, Sakkari, Vekic, Marketa Vondrousova, Ekaterina Alexandrova, Czech Petra Kvitova, Karolos Grohmann, Ken Ferris Organizations: Tennis Club, Thomson Locations: Berlin, Germany, Greece, Czech

They are to be built on some of the 33,000 hectares (330 square km) of former coal mines in Lusatia by 2030. The plans are emblematic of the drive by Chancellor Olaf Scholz's government to accelerate the phase-out of coal power towards a carbon neutral economy by as early as 2030 versus the agreed target of 2038. Many of LEAG's 8,000 coal workers are expected to retire by 2030 or retrain in renewable energy. Only 18% of locals believe politicians are doing enough to counteract the consequences of the coal phase-out, a survey published in May by broadcaster rbb showed, while 70% worry electricity could become expensive. "It is fundamentally unrealistic that the coal phase-out can be achieved in 2030," Christine Herntier, mayor of the town of Spremberg, told Reuters.

Persons: LEAG, Chancellor Olaf Scholz's, Ute Liebsch, Liebsch, Knut Abraham, Abraham, rbb, Christine Herntier, Rainer Schiller, Schiller, Ben Schueppel, Ingolf Arnold, Matthias Williams Organizations: Green, Reuters, Park, Thomson Locations: Berlin, FORST, Germany, Czech, Lusatia, Brandenburg, Saxony, Spremberg, Herntier

☆ Longevity pioneer Peter Attia explains why the quest to live longer is constrained by the US healthcare system
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( Blake Dodge | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The ultra-wealthy are betting on tech and science breakthroughs to live longer. Longevity expert Dr. Peter Attia explained why preventative care like that still isn't widespread. The ultra wealthy have been shelling out to live longer for some time. In his view, there's a key obstacle standing in the way of your long-term health, ironically: the U.S. healthcare system. Attia's definition of longevity is a function of lifespan, the number of years you live, and healthspan, how well you can live them.

Persons: Peter Attia, There's, podcaster Rich, Attia, Rich —, Bryan Johnson's, Jeff Bezos, Peter Thiel, OpenAI's Sam Altman, we'll, it's, Rich Roll, Stefanie Keenan, Roll Organizations: Morning, Aetna, Tech, IWC Schaffhausen, behemoth Locations: U.S, Los Angeles, Canada

☆ Croatia's experience might provide edge in final, Perisic says
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

ROTTERDAM, June 17 (Reuters) - Croatia’s experience might prove key when they go up against a youthful Spain in Sunday’s Nations League final in the Netherlands, midfielder Ivan Perisic said on the eve of the game. Yes, we do have more experience than they do, having been runners-up at the 2018 World Cup and then third in Qatar. We had a great experience from Russia and from Qatar. “We had a great World Cup in Qatar, where we were a team that have played great matches and put together great results. He's one of our greatest strengths.”The highly rated 21-year-old pulled out of the Nations League finals because of injury.

Persons: Ivan Perisic, “, we're, ” Perisic, Zlatko Dalic, Josko, I'm, Dalic, Mark Gleeson, Hugh Lawson Organizations: Sunday’s Nations League, Croatia, Nations League, Feyenoord, Spanish, Italy, Thomson Locations: ROTTERDAM, Spain, Netherlands, Rotterdam, Wednesday’s, Qatar, Russia, ” Spain, Enschede, Croatia

☆ ATP roundup: Jannik Sinner reaches quarters in Netherlands
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/3] Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - June 1, 2023 Italy's Jannik Sinner in action during his second round match against Germany's Daniel Altmaier REUTERS/Lisi Niesner/File PhotoJune 14 - No. 2 seed Jannik Sinner defeated Alexander Bublik of Kazakhstan 6-4, 6-2 on Wednesday to advance to the quarterfinals at the Libema Open in 's-Hertogenbosch, Netherlands. 3 seed, lost to American Mackenzie McDonald 6-4, 6-4, and Emil Ruusuvuori of Finland, defeated No. Sonego's fellow Italian, sixth-seeded Lorenzo Musetti, had no trouble against Gregoire Barrere of France in a 6-3, 6-3 win. 3 seed Frances Tiafoe, who saved all three break points in a 7-6 (2), 6-4 defeat of Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic.

Persons: Roland Garros, Germany's Daniel Altmaier, Lisi Niesner, Jannik Sinner, Alexander Bublik, Borna Coric, Mackenzie McDonald, Emil Ruusuvuori, Ugo Humbert of France, Rinky, Marc, Andrea Huesler, Hubert Hurkacz of, Japan's Yosuke, Hurkacz, he'll, Christopher O'Connell of Australia, Lorenzo Sonego, Sonego's, Lorenzo Musetti, Gregoire Barrere of, Musetti, Frances Tiafoe, Jiri Lehecka Organizations: Thomson Locations: Paris, France, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Finland, Switzerland, Hubert Hurkacz of Poland, Stuttgart, Germany, Watanuki, Gregoire Barrere of France, Czech Republic

☆ Croatia's little-visited coastline above Dubrovnik
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Mary Novakovich | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

There’s even Kornati National Park, one of Croatia’s most compelling natural spaces, spread over 89 islands. Meanwhile, Trogir – whose old town occupies its own little island – is a magical place protected by UNESCO World Heritage status. In just one square within the walled old town you’ll be immersed in centuries of history. Primošten’s old town is on its own little island connected to the newer town by a causeway. Look out for a little promontory just to the north of the old town, where you’ll see pebbly beaches backed by pine trees.

Persons: Trogir, Anastasia, Danny Lehman, –, you’ll, Trg, Mary’s, Boonchet, Nikola Bašić, you’ve, Nin, Veli, it’s, Anton Petrus, there’s, Jakov, Ivan Coric, You’ll, George, Andrey Omelyanchuk, Mary Novakovich, “ Organizations: CNN, Dalmatia, UNESCO World, Kolovare, Getty, Yugoslav, UNESCO Locations: Split, Dubrovnik, Croatian, Croatia’s, Zadar, Trogir, You’ll, Šibenik, Zadar's, Donat’s, St, Mary’s, you’re, Kolovare, Bibinje, Nin, –, Sakarun, Dugi, Murter, Sibenik's, Lawrence’s, Krka, Skradin, Primošten, Čiovo, Riva

☆ BA, BBC and Boots caught up in file transfer hack
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BA, the BBC and Boots said the breach occurred at their payroll provider, Zellis. The provincial government of Nova Scotia, in Canada, was also hit by the breach. The data from Zellis and the Nova Scotia government was exposed through their use of the MOVEit file transfer software, both organizations said in separate statements. The Nova Scotia government did not immediate return a request for comment. Boots, part of Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA.O), said the attack had included some of its employees' personal details.

Persons: Boots, Zellis, Nova, Colton LeBlanc, MOVEit, extortionists, Raphael Satter, Sarah Young, Muvija, Eva Mathews, Paul Sandle, Bill Berkrot Organizations: British Airways, BBC, Nova, Security, Digital Solutions, IAG, Walgreens Boots Alliance, Progress Software, Microsoft, Reuters, Britain . British Airways, Thomson Locations: Nova Scotia, Canada, Zellis, Britain, Washington, London, Bengaluru

☆ Nova Scotia: Why are wildfires raging in Canada's eastern province?
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Nia Williams | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/2] Smoke rises from a wildfire in Hammonds Plains, Nova Scotia, Canada, May 28, 2023 in this screengrab obtained from a social media video. HOW UNUSUAL ARE WILDFIRES IN NOVA SCOTIA? Atlantic Canada received low snowfall this winter, followed by an exceptionally dry spring. Weather forecasts show a period of cooler, wetter air is moving into Atlantic Canada on Friday, providing much-needed relief. The Weather Network's longer-term forecast expects Nova Scotia temperatures to be slightly warmer than normal for the rest of the summer.

Persons: Bill Blair, Michael Carter, Ellen Whitman, Whitman, Nia Williams, Michael Perry Organizations: REUTERS, Public Safety, Atlantic Canada, Halifax, Weather Network, Canadian Forest Service, Atlantic, Thomson Locations: Hammonds Plains , Nova Scotia, Canada, Nova Scotia, Nova, Acadian, Nova Scotia's, Halifax, Hurricane, Atlantic Canada, North America

☆ Explainer: Why are wildfires raging in Canada's eastern Nova Scotia province?
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-02 | by ( Nia Williams | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

☆ Tyro Payments ends buyout discussions with Potentia after rejecting A$875 mln bid
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

May 22 (Reuters) - Australia's Tyro Payments (TYR.AX) said on Monday it has ended deal discussions with suitor Potentia Capital, months after the payment terminals firm rejected the private equity group's A$875 million ($593.5 million) buyout proposal. Potentia's decision to withdraw the offer follows Tyro granting it due diligence and engaging in "extensive negotiation" of material commercial terms, Tyro said in a statement. "Tyro also worked with Potentia to develop processes that could potentially address regulatory requirements to reduce risk to Tyro by providing increased confidence of completion in a reasonable timeframe," it added. Potentia had first offered to buy Tyro for A$1.27 per share in September, then improved its offer to A$1.60 in December. Tyro rejected both offers, saying they undervalued the company.

☆ I'm a volunteer firefighter — not a fireman. Here's what my job is like and why gender doesn't matter when saving lives.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( Melissa Petro | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Thompson hates when people call her a fireman, because "gender doesn't matter" when saving lives. I got to visit her fire department, as well as the fire school, and this experience sparked an interest in volunteer firefighting. When I first joined the fire service, an acquaintance joked: "I'm surprised they let women join the fire service. People will sometimes refer to me as a 'fireman,' which I absolutely hate"I'm not a fireman," I say in response. I've done a lot of training, and I've had to work extremely hard to get where I am today.

☆ Alcaraz stunned by Hungarian qualifier Marozsan in Rome
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Alcaraz raced to a 4-1 lead but Marozsan hit back in superb style to reel off six points and hand the world number two only his second defeat on clay in 22 matches this season. "It's not easy to say something," Marozsan said immediately after the biggest win of his career. World number three Daniil Medvedev earned a hard-fought 3-6 6-1 6-3 win over Spain's Bernabe Zapata Miralles to reach the last 16 in Rome for the first time. In the women's draw, Elena Rybakina saw off Marketa Vondrousova 6-3 6-3 to reach her first claycourt WTA 1000 quarter-final, where she will face either top-ranked Iga Swiatek, the twice defending champion, or Croatia's Donna Vekic. Tsitsipas had taken the first set 6-3 against Sonego while Zverev leads 6-4 3-3 against Wolf.

☆ Swedish singer Loreen wins Eurovision Song Contest for 2nd time at event feting Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-14 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Swedish singer Loreen won the Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday night with her power ballad "Tattoo," at a colorful, eclectic music competition clouded for a second year running by the war in Ukraine. Loreen, 39, previously won Eurovision in 2012 and is only the second performer to take the prize twice, after Ireland's Johnny Logan in the 1980s. Under the slogan "united by music," Eurovision final fused the soul of the English port city that birthed The Beatles with the spirit of war-battered Ukraine. Now in its 67th year, Eurovision bills itself as the world's biggest music contest — an Olympiad of party-friendly pop. "Now, the music industry, the world, knows that if you appear at Eurovision, you could be in for a great thing," said Steve Holden, host of the official Eurovision Song Contest podcast.

☆ Birthday boy Alcaraz beats Coric to reach Madrid final
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] Tennis - Madrid Open - Park Manzanares, Madrid, Spain - May 5, 2023 Spain's Carlos Alcaraz in action during his semi final match against Croatia's Borna Coric REUTERS/Juan MedinaMADRID, May 5 (Reuters) - Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz celebrated his 20th birthday by storming into the Madrid Open final with a 6-4 6-3 victory over Borna Coric on Friday to stay on track for his fourth title of the season. "It means a lot to me, playing a final again here in Madrid. I have great memories since I came here to play Under-12s," Alcaraz said. After wrapping up the first set on serve, Alcaraz grabbed an early break and raced to a 4-2 lead in the next, dictating terms against a fading Coric. Russia's Karatsev later plays German Struff 10 days after easing past him in the final round of qualifying.

☆ A downed US jet, a bombed embassy, and 25 years of rumors about how China built its first stealth fighter
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

China continues to expand its fleet of J-20 stealth jets and to operate them farther from home. On March 24, 1999, NATO began airstrikes against Serbian military targets in response to Serbian atrocities in Kosovo. On May 7, 1999, US B-2 stealth bombers hit the Chinese embassy in the Serbian capital of Belgrade, killing three Chinese citizens. ReutersUnder the circumstances, there would seem to be little connection between the destruction of an American warplane and the bombing of the Chinese embassy. The US detected signals from the debris and bombed the embassy but failed to destroy the F-117 wreckage there, the articles claimed.

[1/2] Zsolt Hernadi, Executive Chairman of Hungarian oil and gas group MOL poses during an interview with Reuters in Budapest, Hungary, April 27, 2023. Hernadi said MOL was fighting to prevent a hike in oil transit fees in Ukraine and also in Croatia. The BTC pipeline transports crude oil from offshore oil fields in the Caspian Sea to the Turkish coast. He said MOL would pay Ukraine's pipeline operator Ukrtransnafta directly for the transit of Russian oil but there was still a dispute over a Ukrainian hike in fees. "There are still disputes, discussions ongoing about the transit fee, as a multi-fold increase has been flagged (by Ukraine)."

☆ Croatia clears mystery clumps of oil from beaches before tourists arrive
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Antonio Bronic | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

No official explanation has been given for the pollution, which has stuck, in small patches, to the rocks and wild limestone beaches near the town of Pula. This is not the first time oil had drifted ashore in the area, she said, and people deserve to know the cause. "We cannot just wait and fear each year that wind will bring us a new oil spill," Buttignoni told Reuters. "There will be a problem because this (oil) constantly keeps coming though in smaller quantities," said villager Giuliano. "There will be a problem with tourism, when guests arrive and probably step on it.

☆ ISS urges Pitney Bowes shareholders to back 4 dissident directors in proxy fight
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Svea Herbst-Bayliss | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"Substantial board change is still necessary," ISS wrote in its report to investors which was seen by Reuters. Still, it is not enough, ISS wrote, adding Pitney Bowes has a "history of failing to deliver on important self-established expectations." "We strongly disagree with the recommendation of ISS that shareholders vote for such an extreme and destabilizing level of change at Pitney Bowes," company spokesman Bill Hughes said. Pitney Bowes is valued at $624 million, down from its peak of $2 billion when CEO Marc Lautenbach joined in 2012. "Shareholders have endured a decade of underperformance and disappointment, there are unanswered questions and serious concerns about the path forward," ISS wrote.

☆ ChatGPT course instruction is the newest side hustle on the market. Meet the teachers making thousands from the lucrative gig.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Aaron Mok | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

ChatGPT course instructors told Insider they have made between $10,000 to $52,000 in a few months. In late December, he launched a ChatGPT course on online education platform Udemy called "ChatGPT Masterclass: A Complete ChatGPT Guide for Beginners." But some struggle to integrate ChatGPT into their workflow, three ChatGPT course instructors told Insider. Skillshare, another online learning platform, offers 61 ChatGPT courses, while online course provider Coursera offers 10, according to searches made at the time this story was published. ChatGPT instructors aren't necessarily AI expertsThe ChatGPT course instructors who spoke to Insider are all self-taught.

☆ Exclusive: Germans shun deposits abroad on fear of new crisis
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Francesco Canepa | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

By contrast, German banks, which are perceived as safer because of their government's high credit rating and two separate safety nets on deposits, saw an increase in demand, both platforms said. Sibylle Miller-Trach of the German consumer association in Bavaria said "term deposits aren't necessarily safe" and savers should gather information about the creditworthiness of the bank and its country. Household flows into bank deposits with an agreed maturitySPREAD SEEN WIDENINGCheck24 and competing platforms do not publish figures about their volumes of business so it is hard to tell how much money Germans have deposited abroad. By contrast, the most that savers could get from a German bank was 2.55% from online lender SWK Bank. "The current crisis is leading customers to keep their deposits with their local bank," said Christian van Beek, a director at the Scope Ratings agency.

☆ Italy's Atlantia becomes Mundys, Blackstone ready to support M&A
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] A logo of the Atlantia Group is seen outside its headquarters in Rome, Italy August 31, 2018. REUTERS/Alessandro BianchiMILAN, March 15 (Reuters) - Italy's Atlantia will change its name to Mundys, as it aims to become the biggest infrastructure group globally, co-owner Edizione's chairman Alessandro Benetton said on Wednesday. Last year, the Benetton family's holding company Edizione and U.S. investment fund Blackstone (BX.N) launched a buyout offer for Atlantia and took it private. Blackstone, together with Edizione, aim to strengthen Atlantia's leadership in the world of sustainable integrated mobility, said Andrea Valeri, chairman of Blackstone Italy. He added that Blackstone had committed to bringing additional capital to Atlantia, together with Edizione, if it were needed for future acquisitions.

☆ Melinda Gates' venture fund just bet on hot women's health startup Tia. Here's the presentation it used to raise $100 million in 2021 to rebuild after COVID shutdowns.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Megan Hernbroth | Rebecca Torrence | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The women's healthcare startup Tia just landed funding from Melinda Gates' Pivotal Ventures. See the 30-slide presentation Tia used to raise $100 million in just three weeks in 2021. As gaps in reproductive healthcare worsen in the US post-Roe v. Wade, women's healthcare startup Tia wants to elevate the standards for women's physical, mental, and reproductive care. Before the pandemic, Tia was building in-person healthcare clinics for women without the virtual component. Here is the 30-slide presentation Witte used to raise Tia's $100 million Series B funding in just three weeks in 2021.

☆ Australia's Nitro Software recommends $360 mln Potentia offer
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

March 2 (Reuters) - Australia's Nitro Software Ltd (NTO.AX) on Thursday recommended its shareholders accept private equity firm Potentia Capital's sweetened takeover offer of A$532.3 million ($359.78 million), weeks after they rejected a A$526.9 million offer from Alludo. Nitro shareholders early last month rejected Alludo's A$2.15 per-share bid, after which Potentia hinted at hiking its offer, securing access to the software company's books and making a A$2.17 apiece offer last week. Nitro said it now considers Potentia's latest offer to be "superior" to Alludo's, and unanimously recommends shareholders accept it in the absence of any other better offer. Potentia, which has a 19.31% stake in Nitro, also said its offer could go as high as A$2.25 per share if it obtained a 75% stake in Nitro by March-end and if at least 25% of total Nitro shareholders accepted a scrip offer, Nitro added. Shares of Nitro rose as much as 0.5% to A$2.190, while the broader market was slightly down.

☆ Potentia hikes bid for Australia's Nitro Software to $364 mln, trumping Alludo
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 23 (Reuters) - Australia's Nitro Software Ltd (NTO.AX) said on Thursday that private equity firm Potentia Capital raised its takeover offer for the software maker to A$532.3 million (about $364 million), trumping a rival offer by KKR Inc (KKR.N)-backed Alludo. In the latest salvo, Potentia, which has a 19.31% stake in Nitro, offered A$2.17-per-share, trumping Alludo's offer of A$2.15, which Nitro shareholders rejected a few weeks back. Potentia's latest offer was superior to Alludo's, Nitro's board said, despite it being at the lower end of the A$2.20- to A$2.30-per-share bid that had been signaled earlier. Potentia's offer is conditional on Nitro's board unanimously recommending its shareholders accept the latest offer, in the absence of a superior proposal. If the offer is declared unconditional, Nitro shareholders that accept the current bid will receive any subsequent increase in the offer price to A$2.20 or A$2.25, Potentia said.

☆ Perfect Valentine: Part of Croatia's heart-shaped island up for sale
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

GALESNJAK, Croatia, Feb 13 (Reuters) - Part of Croatia's unique heart-shaped Adriatic islet nicknamed by tourists the Island of Love is up for sale. There are no hotels, villas, or restaurants on the islet, but many celebrities and their yachts frequent Galesnjak every summer. Proceeds from the sale would be invested elsewhere in the local community, he said. "The island has an area of 142,000 square meters and slightly over 40,000 square meters is up for sale for the price of 13 million euros," he said, adding that potential buyers are calling every day. In 2019, scientists from the Department of Archaeology of Croatia's University of Zadar discovered traces of human habitation dating back 7,000 years ago.

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