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☆ 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 Household flows into bank deposits with an agreed maturitySPREAD SEEN WIDENINGCheck24 and competing platforms do not publish figures about their volumes of business so it is hard to tell how much money Germans have deposited abroad.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.

☆ ECB must keep raising rate despite public sacrifice, Vujcic says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Balazs Koranyi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Euro zone core inflation could drop below headline price gorwth in 2023Still, that is not a signal that the ECB's job is done, the Croatian argued. "There is a possibility that headline inflation will fall to 2% much sooner than expected due to various factors ... (that) bring the headline figure down sharply, below core inflation," Vujcic said. Dutch central bank chief Klaas Knot has also warned that headline inflation could fall below underlying prices. Economists call sacrifice ratio the loss suffered in order to achieve a reduction in the long-run inflation rate. "We would have to explain to public why we are keeping restrictive monetary policy stance if headline inflation already fell," Vujcic said.

☆ Shunned by the US, Turkey is preparing to launch its first aircraft carrier — but it will come with a twist
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Benjamin Brimelow | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

Turkey will instead operate the Anadolu with drones, using them to project power across the region. The US kicked Turkey out of the F-35 program in 2019, leaving Ankara without fighter jets for its new carrier. Strictly speaking, Anadolu is not a dedicated aircraft carrier but an amphibious assault ship — specifically a landing helicopter dock, or LHD. Turkey was a Level III partner in the US-led F-35 program, with Turkish companies making about 900 parts for the aircraft. Turkish carrier dronesTCG Anadolu in Istanbul in September 2022.

☆ Canadian groundhog Fred la marmotte found dead before Groundhog Day
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Ismail Shakil | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

OTTAWA, Feb 2 (Reuters) - A beloved Canadian groundhog, Fred la marmotte, was found dead before he could complete a North American tradition of predicting the onset of spring on Groundhog Day on Thursday. "In life, the only thing that's certain is that nothing is certain," Blondin said at la Jour de Fred, or Fred's day, event. In North American folklore, if the solitary rodent sees his shadow on Groundhog Day, then frigid, winter weather will persist for six weeks. Groundhog Day, which falls on Feb. 2, evolved from an ancient ritual brought to the United States by German immigrants who settled in what is now the state of Pennsylvania. The first official celebration of Groundhog Day was in 1886, according to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club.

☆ President of NATO member state says Crimea will 'never again' be part of Ukraine, argues against sending more weapons
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Sinéad Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Croatia's president said that Russian-annexed Crimea will never rejoin Ukraine, breaking from NATO. "It is clear that Crimea will never again be part of Ukraine," Zoran Milanovic said, according to Reuters. Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in December that giving Ukraine better weaponry would help to end the war. In recent months Ukraine has pushed Russian forces back in the east, thwarting its efforts to conquer vast tracts of the country. Croatia's president has repeatedly criticized Western help for Ukraine, Reuters noted.

☆ How US Navy SEALs train new special-operations units to make the seas into 'our playground'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

US Navy SEALs travel around the world to train with other countries' special-operations forces. In 2022, SEALs in Europe trained with Croatia's ZSS, a relatively new special-operations unit. Through these training deployments, US Navy SEALs help new special-operations units to become proficient in new missions and skill sets. When it comes to progression of training, SEALs use the same "crawl, walk, run" approach they employ in their own training. These relationships with foreign special-operations units give US special operators access to almost any region of the world.

☆ How to find a job in the one tech market that is not seeing layoffs: Cybersecurity
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Kaitlin Balasaygun | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Sakorn Sukkasemsakorn | Istock | Getty ImagesStrong demand for cybersecurity workers is continuing even as big technology companies lay off thousands of employees. But with a supply-demand ratio currently at 68 workers per 100 job openings, the nearly 530,000 more cybersecurity workers need in the U.S. went up year over year. The total number of employed cybersecurity workers was estimated at 1.1 million, steady year over year. Lightcast says that public sector job demand trend isn't a one-year phenomenon, growing by 58% over the past three years in all. Related to that, the Washington, D.C. metro area accounted for 19% of all public sector domestic cybersecurity job listings.

Bought from McLaren by private equity firm Greybull Capital in 2021, McLaren Applied has adapted an efficient inverter developed for F1 racing for EVs. Fry says McLaren Applied is working with around 20 carmakers and suppliers, and the inverter will appear in high-volume luxury EV models starting January 2025. NO TIME TO LOSESome suppliers like Cambridge, Massachusetts-based Actnano have had long relationships with EV pioneer Tesla (TSLA.O). Coakley said CelLink was working with U.S. and European carmakers, and with a European battery maker on battery wiring. But it has now also developed battery packs, electric powertrains, e-axles and is working with around 20 customers, including carmakers and an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft maker.

REUTERS/Eva Plevier/File PhotoWINNIPEG, Manitoba, Jan 11 (Reuters) - Netherlands-based Rabobank NA (RABOVR.UL) is aiming to grab 10-15% of the Canadian farm lending market within 15 years, as it aims to shake up a sector dominated by government and domestic banks, its new Canadian agricultural head told Reuters on Wednesday. It took Rabobank a decade before deciding to expand into Canadian farm lending, taking a methodical approach, Lieverse said. Rabobank expects Canadian farm lending to be profitable from the start and plans to announce hiring plans shortly, she said. Rabobank did not release its estimate of the value of the Canadian farm lending market, but government agency Statistics Canada pegged 2021 farm debt at a record-high C$129 billion ($96.1 billion), with chartered banks accounting for 37%. Farm Credit Canada, owned by the Canadian government, is the biggest agricultural lender, controlling a market share of about one-third, Lieverse said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy mocked previous Wagner claims to have seized part of Soledar but made no immediate comment on the latest assertions. In a statement on Facebook, the Ukrainian military general staff said Russian forces were suffering heavy losses as they tried to take Soledar and sever Ukrainian supply lines. [1/21] A satellite view shows a smoldering building, in Soledar, Ukraine, January 3, 2023. One prominent military blogger who posts on the Telegram messaging app under the name of Rybar said Surovikin was being made the fall guy for recent Russian military debacles. Wagner separately said its forces found the body of one of two British voluntary aid workers reported missing in eastern Ukraine.

☆ Historic new year for Croatia as it joins euro, Schengen area
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A police member stands guard while the border opens as Croatia enters the EU's control-free Schengen area, in Bregana, Croatia, January 1, 2023. "Today Croatia joins the Schengen Area and the eurozone, two immense achievements for the youngest member state of the European Union and both reached on the very same day. Plenkovic and von der Leyen later toured the capital Zagreb where they bought coffee in a cafe using euros, which replaced Croatia's kuna currency. After a server brought their coffees to an outdoor table, Plenkovic paid with a handful of euro notes, while von der Leyen, seated next to him, applauded. It becomes the 27th country to join the Schengen area, and the 20th to adopt the euro currency.

☆ Nitro rejects Potentia's alternative offer, seeks nod for KKR-backed firm's bid
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Dec 28 (Reuters) - Australia's Nitro Software (NTO.AX) rejected an alternative takeover offer from private-equity (PE) firm Potentia Capital, which gave Nitro shareholders the choice of an all-cash, stock, or a combination of both, at the same offer price. The company also said on Wednesday it would recommend shareholders to vote for KKR Inc-backed (KKR.N) Alludo's all-cash, sweetened takeover offer of A$526.9 million ($354.55 million) and an off-market takeover. read moreAlludo's proposal of A$2.15 per share outbids top shareholder Potentia's A$2 per share for the PDF and e-signature software signing company. Alludo's offer is alongside a simultaneous off-market takeover offer for the software company. Alludo's offer requires 75% support from Nitro shareholders, while the off-market takeover offer needs a nod from 50.1% investors.

☆ Croatia's Modric wants to play Nations League, unsure about Euro 2024
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Dec 18 (Reuters) - Croatia midfielder Luka Modric said he intends to play for the Balkan nation until the Nations League finals in June next year but has yet to decide about his participation at the Euro 2024 tournament. I do not know if I will play until the Euros in Germany. I need to go step by step," Modric told beIN Sports. Now it is (to) go step by step and continue at least until Nations League and then we will see." "With this medal, we confirm that Croatia is playing an important role in world football.

☆ REVIEW Soccer-Whatever the ending, Qatar World Cup duly delivered
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-17 | by ( Martyn Herman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Both scenarios would be an appropriate final act to the first World Cup staged in an Arab country. But for a month the so-called beautiful game did, in the words of FIFA president Gianni Infantino, spread some joy. The marquee names of Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo delivered storylines. In five second-half minutes Saleh Al-Shehri and Salem Al-Dawsari wrote themselves into Saudi sporting folklore by scoring the goals to overturn a Messi penalty and seal the biggest statistical shock in World Cup history. Messi, channelling his inner-Maradona, inspired Argentina to beat Croatia and few would begrudge the diminutive number 10's record-breaking 26th World Cup appearance ending with him holding aloft the gleaming trophy.

☆ Croatia beats Morocco 2-1 to take 3rd place at the World Cup
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-17 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Croatia's Luka Modric, front, kicks the ball during the World Cup third-place playoff soccer match between Croatia and Morocco at Khalifa International Stadium in Doha, Qatar, Saturday, Dec. 17, 2022. Luka Modric led Croatia to third place in what was likely the midfield great's last appearance at the World Cup. The runners-up from four years ago secured another medal by beating Morocco 2-1 in the third-place match on Saturday. After becoming the first African team to reach the World Cup semifinals, Morocco's tournament ended in two losses. The World Cup final between defending champion France and Argentina is scheduled for Sunday at Lusail Stadium.

☆ Croatia edge Morocco 2-1 to clinch third spot at World Cup
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-17 | by ( Rohith Nair | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Despite defeat, Morocco also leave with heads aloft after becoming the first African side to reach a World Cup semi-final. We won a tough game," said Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic, who also led the nation of four million people to runners-up in Russia four years ago. But the African side lacked the killer instinct in front of goal, the final pass or touch always found wanting. By the 67th minute, Morocco had made all five of their substitutions. We're still happy, we're among the four best teams in the world," Regragui said.

☆ Orisic gives Croatia halftime lead against Morocco
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-17 | by ( Mitch Phillips | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

DOHA, Dec 17 (Reuters) - Mislav Orsic curled in a brilliant goal in the 42nd minute to give Croatia 2-1 lead over Morocco at halftime in an open and entertaining World Cup third-place play-off on Saturday. Croatia went ahead after seven minutes with a clever free kick routine as Ivan Perisic peeled away then headed the ball back across goal for the masked Josko Gvardiol to meet it with a diving header from 13 yards out. The lead lasted less than two minutes as a Moroccan free kick looped up off the head of Lovro Majer and Achraf Dari bravely followed it to head in from close range. Both teams created some good chances before Orsic struck with a brilliant shot over and beyond goalkeeper Yassine Bounou and in off the post to restore Croatia's lead. Reporting by Mitch Phillips; Editing by Hugh LawsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Factbox: 10 memorable impressions from the Qatar World Cup
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

SAUDI ARABIA STUN ARGENTINAArgentina were cruising in their opening Group C game after Lionel Messi scored a first-half penalty. RONALDO EXITS FINAL WORLD CUP IN TEARSPortugal's talisman became the first male player to score in five World Cups with a penalty against Ghana. FIRST FEMALE REFEREE AT A MEN'S WORLD CUPFrenchwoman Stephanie Frappart was handed control of Germany's final Group E clash against Costa Rica, becoming the first female referee to officiate at a men's World Cup. Costa Rica coach Luis Fernando Suarez described it as a big step forward in 'sexist sport' and the 39-year-old Frappart produced a calm and assured display in Germany's victory. Germany needed a win over Costa Rica and for Spain to beat Japan to go through as runners-up, and at halftime that was exactly what was happening.

☆ From bloody Balkan war to World Cup heavyweight: the making of Croatia as a soccer nation
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Ben Morse | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

Croatia’s World Cup pedigree is an altogether different story. Štimac challenges Clarence Seedorf of the Netherlands during the 1998 World Cup third place playoff match, which Croatia won 2-1. The Croatia players celebrate a goal against France in the 1998 World Cup semifinals. Having been appointed after the team’s qualification for the 2018 World Cup, Dalić came with pressure on his shoulders. Antonio Bronic/Reuters“There is no place in the national team dressing room of Croatia for big egos, and everyone knows that.

☆ The US may have lost in the World Cup, but soccer is more popular than ever in America
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Harry Enten | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +36 min

The Atlas Lions made history as the first African team to reach a World Cup semifinal. They made history as the first all-female refereeing crew for a men's World Cup match. It was Morocco's first World Cup win since 1998 — and its third-ever at the tournament. Less spoken about is that they also rate better on television than the men do in the World Cup. We’ll just have to wait and see, though with the US, Canada and Mexico hosting the 2026 World Cup, soccer isn’t going away anytime soon.

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