DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

Christopher Luxon, Leader of the National Party waves to supporters at his election party after winning the general election to become New Zealand’s next prime minister in Auckland, New Zealand, October 14, 2023. He said he had spoken with the leader of the conservative ACT New Zealand, David Seymour, twice on Saturday and believed the two parties would work constructively. National "will be coalescing with the ACT party and also with New Zealand First and we just don't know yet what dynamic that's going to bring." National's campaign manager Chris Bishop warned the party might lose at least one seat when the special votes are counted. If National and ACT lose a seat, they would need to reach an agreement with the populist New Zealand First.

Persons: Christopher Luxon, David Rowland, ” Luxon, David Seymour, Bryce Edwards, Edwards, Chris Bishop, Luxon, Winston Peters, Peters, Anthony Albanese, Lucy Craymer, Mark Potter, Chizu Nomiyama, William Mallard Organizations: National Party, New, REUTERS, Rights, ACT New Zealand, National, ACT, Electoral, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, Labour, Thomson Locations: Auckland , New Zealand, Auckland, Australia

☆ Voting closes in New Zealand election, counting set to begin
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-14 | by ( Lucy Craymer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/3] People head to the polls to vote in the general election in Auckland, New Zealand October 14, 2023. REUTERS/David Rowland Acquire Licensing RightsWELLINGTON, Oct 14 (Reuters) - Voting closed in New Zealand’s general election at 7:00 p.m. (0600 GMT) on Saturday and counting was set to start, with provisional results due later this evening. Polls predict that the nationalist New Zealand First Party will hold the balance of power. The party was Labour's coalition partner in 2017 but has said it will not work with Labour again. In the 2023 election a party or coalition needs 61 of Parliament's 120 seats to form a government.

Persons: David Rowland, Lucy Craymer, John Mair Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, ACT Party, New Zealand First Party, Labour, New, Thomson Locations: Auckland , New Zealand, New, New Zealand

[1/2] A UnitedHealth Group health insurance card is seen in a wallet in this picture illustration October 14, 2019. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 13 (Reuters) - UnitedHealth (UNH.N) reported a third-quarter profit on Friday ahead of analysts' estimates, helped by a lower-than-feared rise in medical costs at the company's health insurance unit. UnitedHealth's profit beat and slight raise in annual forecast set the stage for other insurers in the industry that suffered a nearly $60-billion wipeout in market value in June, on fears of a spike in medical costs. UnitedHealth said in July it expects quarterly medical costs to be "a little bit lower" sequentially. In the third quarter, the company's medical loss ratio, the percentage of spend on claims compared to premiums collected, was 82.3%, versus 83.2% in the second quarter.

Persons: Lucy Nicholson, Stephens, Scott Fidel, UnitedHealth, Mariam Sunny, Bhanvi, Shounak Dasgupta Organizations: REUTERS, Humana, Thomson Locations: COVID, Bengaluru

☆ UnitedHealth beats quarterly profit estimates on easing medical costs
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 13 (Reuters) - UnitedHealth (UNH.N) reported a third-quarter profit on Friday that beat analysts' estimates, helped by lower-than-expected medical costs for the healthcare conglomerate. UnitedHealth said in July it expects medical costs for the third quarter to be "a little bit lower" compared with the second quarter. The company's medical loss ratio for the quarter, the percentage of spend on claims compared to premiums collected, was 82.3%, compared with analysts' estimates of 82.82%, according to LSEG data. UnitedHealth reported an adjusted profit of $6.56 per share for the third quarter, compared with estimates of $6.32. The company now expects an adjusted profit between $24.85 and $25.00 per share, compared with its previous outlook of $24.70 to $25.00.

Persons: Lucy Nicholson, UnitedHealth, Mariam Sunny, Bhanvi, Shounak Dasgupta Organizations: REUTERS, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru

☆ New Zealand election campaign winds down with Labour facing defeat
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Lucy Craymer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Prime Minister and Labour Party Leader Chris Hipkins speaks at the New Zealand Labour Party’s election campaign launch event in Auckland, New Zealand, September 2, 2023. However, Hipkins, 45 said Labour was starting to see momentum build in the final hours of campaigning. “We are expecting a really huge turnout ... and we’re expecting a really strong result tomorrow night," Hipkins, 45, told reporters. Polls predict that the nationalist New Zealand First Party will hold the balance of power. The party was Labour’s coalition partner in 2017 but has said it will not work with Labour again.

Persons: Chris Hipkins, David Rowland, Hipkins, Jacinda Ardern, we’re, Christopher Luxon, you've, ” Luxon, walkabouts, ”, Kelly Eckhold, Lucy Craymer, Stephen Coates Organizations: Labour Party, New Zealand Labour, REUTERS, Rights, Zealand, Labour, ACT Party, New Zealand First Party, National Party, MMP, Zealanders, “, Westpac, Thomson Locations: Auckland , New Zealand, Hipkins

☆ New Zealand National Party's Luxon to lead new government
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Lucy Craymer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/4] Christopher Luxon, Leader of the National Party waves to supporters at his election party after winning the general election to become New Zealand’s next prime minister in Auckland, New Zealand, October 14, 2023. REUTERS/David Rowland Acquire Licensing RightsWELLINGTON, Oct 14 (Reuters) - New Zealand's centre-right National Party led by Christopher Luxon will form a new government with its preferred coalition party ACT, as Prime Minister Chris Hipkins conceded his Labour Party could not form a government after Saturday's general election. The National Party, now in opposition, had 39% of the votes with 92% counted, while the ACT party had 9%. "On the numbers tonight National will be in the position to lead the next government," Luxon, a former executive who once ran Air New Zealand and entered politics just three years ago, told supporters in Auckland. The National-ACT majority is slim and the two parties may need support from the populist New Zealand First Party to form a government.

Persons: Christopher Luxon, David Rowland, Chris Hipkins, Ben Thomas, Jacinda Ardern, Hipkins, Maori's, Gareth Hughes, Nanaia Mahuta, Lucy Craymer, Edmund Klamann Organizations: National Party, New, REUTERS, Rights, ACT, Labour Party, Electoral, Air New, National, Zealanders, Labour, New Zealand First Party, Coalition, Green Party, New Zealand, Thomson Locations: Auckland , New Zealand, Air New Zealand, Auckland, New Zealand, New Zealanders

☆ NASA launches spacecraft to explore metal-rich asteroid Psyche
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Steve Gorman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The spacecraft, roughly the size of a small van, is due to reach the asteroid in August 2029. Asteroid Psyche measures roughly 173 miles (279 km) across at its widest point and resides on the outer fringes of the main asteroid belt between the planets Mars and Jupiter. After reaching the asteroid, the spacecraft would then orbit it for 26 months, scanning Psyche with instruments built to measure its gravity, magnetic proprieties and composition. 'OUTER SPACE TO EXPLORE INNER SPACE'[1/4]A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket lifts off carrying a NASA spacecraft to investigate the Psyche asteroid from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, U.S., October 13, 2023. It also marks the first dedicated NASA launch on a Falcon Heavy rocket furnished by Elon Musk's SpaceX company, and the first interplanetary mission flown by the Falcon Heavy.

Persons: Lindy Elkins, Tanton, Lucy, Steve Gorman, Will Dunham Organizations: NASA, SpaceX, NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, JPL, Kennedy Space Center, Arizona State University, Elon Musk's SpaceX, Thomson Locations: Florida, NASA's, Cape Canaveral, Los Angeles, Cape Canaveral , Florida, U.S

☆ ‘We’re all secretly embarrassed about something’: Inside the world of artist Sarah Lucas
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Ananda Pellerin | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —The world of Sarah Lucas is crowded with body parts. “Chicken Knickers”, a photo from 1997, is one of over 75 works on display as part of “Happy Gas” a major retrospective of Lucas’ work at the Tate Britain gallery in London. Lucy Dawkins/Tate BritainHow you respond to the work implies something about you as much the art, Lucas said during an interview with CNN on the day of the exhibition preview. It probably depends on what you’re bringing to it; whether you’re secretly embarrassed about something. Max Colson/Courtesy the artist/Sadie Coles HQ London/Tate BritainLike a well-executed joke, Lucas’ work provokes as it draws audiences in, which might have to do with where people encounter it, she says.

Persons: Sarah Lucas, Lucas ’, Florian, Kevin, Lucas, Lucy Dawkins, Tate, I’m, you’re, ” Lucas, Tracey Emin, Damien Hirst, Max Colson, Sadie Coles, ”, — Lucas, “, Sarah Lucas Mumum, Mike Bruce, Doris ”, Doris, Robert Glowacki, “ I’m, it’s, Tim Toms, “ William Hambling ”, “ Florian ”, Kevin ” Organizations: CNN, London -, Tate, Young British Artists, Goldsmith University, MTV, Sunday Sport, London, Britain Locations: London, Tate Britain, British, Suffolk

☆ What's the Latest on the Hostages in Gaza?
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

What's the Latest on the Hostages in Gaza? Sharone Lifschitz, wearing glasses, spoke about a relative being held hostage in Gaza by Hamas, at a press conference in London on Thursday. (Lucy North/Zuma Press)How many people were taken hostage? Israel says it has so far identified 97 people held hostage by Hamas in Gaza after the militant group carried out a lightning raid over the border into Israel on Saturday.

Persons: Lucy North Organizations: Zuma Press Locations: Gaza, London, Israel

☆ I missed Beyoncé’s European tour, so I flew 4,600 miles to New Orleans to see her in concert — by myself
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Lucy Handley | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

Afterward, I listened to "Summer Renaissance," Beyoncé's reworking of one of my favorite songs, Donna Summer's 1977 disco hit "I Feel Love," on repeat. Beyoncé's daughter, Blue Ivy, dances, as her mother sings behind her on the London, U.K. leg of the Renaissance World Tour in May 2023. Virgin Hotels New Orleans, where I stayed, is only a half-mile from the Superdome stadium, and was well-prepared to host the many concertgoers who stayed there. Members of Beyoncé's Renaissance World Tour band perform at jazz club Snug Harbor in New Orleans, led by saxophonist Kat Rodriguez (second from right). Caesars Superdome stadium in New Orleans is illuminated by thousands of lights attached to audience members' wristbands during Beyoncé's Renaissance World Tour.

Persons: Beyoncé, Kevin Mazur, WireImage, Alexander McQueen, Roksanda, Roksanda Ilincic, Annie Macmanus, Donna Summer's, Blue Ivy, Beyoncé I've, I've, Redmond —, Honey Dijon, Laveau Contraire, Kat Rodriguez, Lucy Handley, Crystal Torres, Tayler Green, Danny Laurino, John Coletti, Hurricane Katrina, Willa Jean, diamante Organizations: Tottenham Hotspur, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Parkwood, London, Caesar's, British Airways, Southbank, Virgin Hotels, Preservation Hall, Bank, Getty, Garden, Uptown, Plantations, New, New Orleans police, Vue Orleans, Caesars Locations: London —, Instagram, London, U.K, British, Amsterdam, New Orleans , Louisiana, YOLO, New Orleans, Orleans, Virgin Hotels New Orleans, Bey, Preservation Hall , New Orleans, Snug, Faubourg Marigny, U.S, Mississippi, Louisiana, Beyoncé's

REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 11 (Reuters) - A divided federal appeals court is allowing California's ban on magazines that hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition to remain in effect while the state appeals a judge's ruling finding it unconstitutionally violated the rights of firearms owners. The ruling came in a long-running lawsuit by the California Rifle & Pistol Association and gun owners challenging the ban. The court said that federal judges nationally had largely upheld large-capacity magazine restrictions since the Supreme Court ruled and that a decision to the contrary could threaten public safety. Chuck Michel, the president of the California Rifle & Pistol Association, in a statement expressed disappointment and vowed to "defend the rights of gun owners in California all the way to the Supreme Court." The Supreme Court vacated the appeals court ruling and ordered new proceedings consistent with the Bruen decision.

Persons: Lucy Nicholson, Roger Benitez, Rob Bonta, Bonta, Patrick Bumatay, Chuck Michel, Benitez, Nate Raymond, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: Foods, REUTERS, Circuit, U.S, California, Association, District, Supreme, , New York, Democrat, Thomson Locations: Los Angeles , California, U.S, San Francisco, San Diego, ,, California, Boston

☆ New Zealand election winner will face defence spending decisions
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Lucy Craymer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWELLINGTON, Oct 11 (Reuters) - Whoever wins New Zealand’s election on Saturday is going to have to make some difficult decisions on investment and staffing for a defence force struggling with aging equipment and personnel shortages. The centre-right National Party led by Christopher Luxon is expected to emerge as the largest party in the Saturday vote with Prime Minister Chris Hipkin’s Labour Party coming second. Both Labour and the National Party have said they'd like to increase defence spending but have not promised to do so. Underspending on the military and the challenges it faces are well documented and it is becoming increasingly difficult to postpone costly decisions, defence analysts say. The Labour Party has campaigned on a policy of introducing an authority to set pay rates.

Persons: Te, Romeo Ranoco, Christopher Luxon, Chris Hipkin’s, “, ”, Anna Powles, Lucy Craymer, Robert Birsel Organizations: Royal New Zealand Navy, REUTERS, Rights, New Zealand Defence Force, National Party, Chris Hipkin’s Labour Party, Labour, National, ACT, Gross, Centre for Defence, Security, Massey University, New Zealand, Labour Party, Thomson Locations: Manila, Philippines, New Zealand, Pacific, South Pacific

☆ New Zealand's economy poses challenge for election victor
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Lucy Craymer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/2] Christopher Luxon, Leader of the National Party, speaks at the New Zealand National Party’s election campaign launch in Auckland, New Zealand, September 3, 2023. That will stiffen the challenge for the nation's two major parties, the centre-left Labour Party and the centre-right National Party, to deliver its agenda where rising prices and government debt have been hot-button election issues. At the same time government borrowing costs are increasing and the country’s ballooning current account deficit poses a risk to the country’s credit rating. Kelly Eckhold, chief economist at Westpac New Zealand said tough fiscal choices face an incoming government. ($1 = 1.6551 New Zealand dollars)Reporting by Lucy Craymer Editing by Shri NavaratnamOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Christopher Luxon, David Rowland, won’t, Kelly Eckhold, ”, Lucy Craymer, Shri Navaratnam Organizations: National Party, New Zealand National, REUTERS, Rights, Labour Party, Bank, Bank of New, National, Statistics New Zealand, Reserve Bank of New, Labour, NZ, Westpac New Zealand, Zealand, Thomson Locations: Auckland , New Zealand, Bank of New Zealand, New Zealand, Zealanders, Reserve Bank of New Zealand

☆ New Zealand Labour party support rises, NZ First remains kingmaker, polls show
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( Lucy Craymer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Christopher Luxon, leader of the New Zealand National Party, holds a media conference after casting his vote in the general election in Auckland, New Zealand, October 2, 2023. In the Oct. 14 vote, the centre-right National Party, led by Christopher Luxon, is expected to emerge as the largest party with 34% of the vote, while Chris Hipkins' Labour Party is sitting on 30% of the vote, the Guardian Essential poll showed. A Newshub-Reid Research poll also released on Wednesday similarly found the populist party set to play kingmaker come election day. The poll also recorded a slight jump in support for Labour and a dip for the Nationals, who polled at 27.5% and 34.5%, respectively. Earlier polls gave the centre-right bloc of National and the ACT Party a larger proportion of the vote, although most recent polls put NZ First in position of kingmaker.

Persons: Christopher Luxon, David Rowland, Chris Hipkins, Te Pati, Reid, kingmaker, Luxon, Chris Bishop, Lucy Craymer, Sharon Singleton, Stephen Coates, Gerry Doyle Organizations: New Zealand National Party, REUTERS, Rights, New Zealand First Party, Labour Party, National Party, Guardian, National, ACT, Labour, Greens, Te, New Zealand, Reid Research, Nationals, New, ACT Party, NZ, Thomson Locations: Auckland , New Zealand, New Zealand

☆ New Zealand's Economy Poses Challenge for Election Victor
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( Oct. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

That will stiffen the challenge for the nation's two major parties, the centre-left Labour Party and the centre-right National Party, to deliver its agenda where rising prices and government debt have been hot-button election issues. “The Reserve Bank will need the government to do its bit if it is to cap the cash rate at the 5.5% it currently suggests,” analysts at Bank of New Zealand said in a note. DEBT, AND MORE DEBTThe biggest challenge for many New Zealanders is mortgage rates. At the same time government borrowing costs are increasing and the country’s ballooning current account deficit poses a risk to the country’s credit rating. Kelly Eckhold, chief economist at Westpac New Zealand said tough fiscal choices face an incoming government.

Persons: Lucy Craymer WELLINGTON, won’t, Kelly Eckhold, ”, Lucy Craymer, Shri Navaratnam Organizations: Reuters, Labour Party, National Party, Bank, Bank of New, National, Statistics New Zealand, Reserve Bank of New, Labour, NZ, Westpac New Zealand, Zealand Locations: Bank of New Zealand, New Zealand, Zealanders, Reserve Bank of New Zealand

"The recent decline in European luxury stocks reflects the uncertainty over the European economy and also the uneven growth outlook for the Chinese economy," Garnry said. Reuters GraphicsTHE LUXURY GAPAlthough luxury valuations have come down, they are still well above the rest of the market. The end of the French luxury group's 2-1/2 year-long reign was widely put down to investors losing appetite for luxury stocks as well as the growth of Novo's anti-obesity drug Wegovy. Some analysts have turned cautious on the luxury sector, with UBS last week reducing its estimates to account for the risk of slowing Chinese consumption. Gerry Fowler, head of European equity strategy and global derivative strategy at UBS, said risks in luxury stocks started to become more apparent in May.

Persons: Louis, Stephanie Lecocq, Bernard Ahkong, Peter Garnry, Garnry, LVMH, Morgan Stanley, Gerry Fowler, Bernstein, Gilles Guibout, Lucy Raitano, Mimosa Spencer, Amanda Cooper, Alexander Smith Organizations: REUTERS, Paris Fashion, U.S, UBS O'Connor Global, Alpha, Saxo Bank, Reuters Graphics, GAP, Novo Nordisk, UBS, Bank of America, AXA Investment Mangers, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, PARIS, Europe, U.S, China, United States

☆ Cricket, flag football among five sports given LA28 nod - reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

An LA2028 sign is seen at the Los Angeles Coliseum to celebrate Los Angeles being awarded the 2028 Olympic Games, in Los Angeles, California, U.S., September 13, 2017. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNEW YORK, Oct 9 (Reuters) - Organisers of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics want cricket, flag football, lacrosse, squash, as well as baseball and softball added to their Games programme, according to media reports on Monday. LA28 organisers are expected to make public their recommendations in the next day, according to the Guardian. Flag football, an appealing option for the U.S.-based Games given the overwhelming popularity of the National Football League (NFL), squash and lacrosse would make their Olympic debut, if approved. Cricket, which enjoys enormous global appeal, would return after appearing once before at the 1900 Games, after the tremendous success for women's cricket at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Persons: Lucy Nicholson, Amy Tennery, Karolos, Amlan, Christian Radnedge, Pritha Organizations: Los Angeles Coliseum, REUTERS, Olympics, International Olympic Committee, Los Angeles Times, IOC, Guardian, Flag, U.S, National Football League, Cricket, Games, International Cricket Council, Paris Games, Summer, Thomson Locations: Los Angeles, Los Angeles , California, U.S, Mumbai, Tokyo, Paris, New York

☆ I'm a 16-Year-Old Founder Who Raised $450K for My AI Startup
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( Ashley Couto | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Pranjali Awasthi, 16, came up with her startup while interning in university research labs. Because of the pandemic, my high school had gone virtual, so I was able to intern for about 20 hours a week. In 2020, OpenAI released its ChatGPT-3 beta, and I knew we could use it to make extracting and summarizing research data easier. My parents told me I should take the opportunity – the network alone would be worth it, so I took an absence from high school. I wanted to get a GED, but we compromised on me finishing my high school credits online, which I completed in June 2023.

Persons: Pranjali Awasthi, —, OpenAI, Delv.AI, Lucy Guo, Dave Fontenot, I'd, Hunt, We've, We're, it's, I'm, I've Organizations: Service, Florida Internal University, Miami Locations: Florida, India, San Francisco, Miami, Deck

☆ Corona beer-maker Constellation Brands lifts profit forecast on higher pricing
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Bottles of the beer, Corona, a brand of Constellation Brands Inc., sit on a supermarket shelf in Los Angeles, California April 1, 2015. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 5 (Reuters) - Constellation Brands (STZ.N) raised its annual profit target on Thursday after topping sales expectations for the second quarter, riding on higher prices and strong demand for its beers and spirits. Constellation, like peer Brown-Forman (BFb.N), has benefited from increasing prices in a bid to offset steeper input costs. The company now expects fiscal 2024 comparable earnings per share between $12.00 and $12.20, as against its previous forecast of profit between $11.70 and $12.00 per share. Constellation's quarterly sales rose 7%, to $2.84 billion, compared with analysts' average estimate of $2.82 billion, as per IBES data from LSEG.

Persons: Lucy Nicholson, Brown, Forman, Juveria Tabassum, Pooja Desai Organizations: Constellation Brands Inc, REUTERS, Constellation Brands, LSEG, Thomson Locations: Corona, Los Angeles , California, U.S

NEW YORK (AP) — D’Wayne Wiggins and Timothy Christian Riley didn’t realize that Raphael Saadiq was planting the seeds for a Tony! “We have to be us first before we could talk to anybody because that’s what happened the last time.”Cut to last month, when Tony! “I think it’s been really cool to hear younger kids sample our music and make new songs with our music,” Riley said. “We did always feel the love from our peers and fans and people just in general — it felt really good,” he said. He remembers a younger Beyoncé asking to hear some of the music he was working on.

Persons: — D’Wayne Wiggins, Timothy Christian Riley didn’t, Raphael Saadiq, Tony, Toni, “, ”, Wiggins, ” Saadiq, …, Saadiq, Riley, Toné, Raphael Saddiq, Tone, It’s, that’s, “ There’s, Little Walter, Jack Swing, DJ Quik, ” “, “ I’ve, Nat King Cole, Tonyies, ‘, We’d, ” Wiggins, Amar Khalil, Will Smith, Alicia Keys, Badu’s, Lady ”, Whitney Houston, Mary J, Blige, Dawn Robinson, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, Lucy Pearl, it’s, ” Riley, ” RAPHAEL SAADIQ, Raphael Saadiq's, D’Wayne Wiggins, Beyoncé, who’s, Knowles, Solange’s, she’s, Oscar, ’ ” Saadiq, Gary Gerard Hamilton Organizations: Music, TLC, En, Associated Press Locations: Oakland, Oakland , California, Southern California, @GaryGHamilton

☆ New Zealand PM returns to campaign trail after recovering from COVID
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-05 | by ( Lucy Craymer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Prime Minister and Labour Party Leader Chris Hipkins speaks at the New Zealand Labour Party's election campaign launch event in Auckland, New Zealand, September 2, 2023. REUTERS/David Rowland/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWELLINGTON, Oct 6 (Reuters) - New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins on Friday said he was back on the election campaign trail, after he tested negative for COVID-19 earlier in the day. New Zealand is just a week out from the Oct. 14 general election, which the ruling Labour party is unlikely to win. Labour faced a new challenge on Sunday when Hipkins tested positive for COVID and had to work remotely while isolating. "But I'm very much looking forward to getting back on the campaign trail."

Persons: Chris Hipkins, David Rowland, Hipkins, TVNZ's 1News, I'm, Lucy Craymer, Tom Hogue Organizations: Labour Party, New Zealand Labour, REUTERS, Rights, Zealand, Labour, Thomson Locations: Auckland , New Zealand, New Zealand

☆ Corona beer maker Constellation Brands bets on higher pricing to lift profit view
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Bottles of the beer, Corona, a brand of Constellation Brands Inc., sit on a supermarket shelf in Los Angeles, California April 1, 2015. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 5 (Reuters) - Constellation Brands (STZ.N) raised its annual profit target on Thursday after higher prices and strong demand for its beers and spirits drove a sales and profit beat in the second quarter. Alcohol producers such as Constellation and peer Brown-Forman (BFb.N) have benefited from increasing prices, helping offset steeper raw material costs. Constellation also raised the annual sales forecast for its beer business. Constellation now expects fiscal 2024 comparable earnings per share between $12.00 and $12.20, as against its previous forecast of profit between $11.70 and $12.00 per share.

Persons: Lucy Nicholson, Brown, Forman, Kim Crawford, Busch, Bud Light, Bump Williams, Garrett Nelson, Juveria Tabassum, Pooja Desai Organizations: Constellation Brands Inc, REUTERS, Constellation Brands, Constellation, Modelo Especial, Corona, Modelo, Anheuser, LSEG, Thomson Locations: Corona, Los Angeles , California, U.S, Rochester , New York

☆ NZ central bank holds rates, signals higher hurdle to further hikes; kiwi tumbles
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | by ( Lucy Craymer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

View of an entrance to the Reserve Bank of New Zealand in Wellington, New Zealand November 10, 2022. “Interest rates are constraining economic activity and reducing inflationary pressure as required,” the central bank said in a statement. The past RBNZ rate hikes have sharply slowed New Zealand’s economy but recent data showed it was tracking above central bank expectations at 0.9% quarterly growth. The central bank releases a comprehensive update of economic indicators and the forecast official cash rate track when it publishes its quarterly Monetary Policy Statement (MPS), which is due on Nov. 29. “The Bank appears content to wait for restrictive policy settings to fully feed through to the real economy,” analysts at Capital Economics in a note.

Persons: Lucy Craymer, ”, Kelly Eckhold, “ Organizations: WELLINGTON, Reuters, Reserve Bank of New, REUTERS, Bank of New Zealand, New Zealand, Westpac NZ, U.S . Federal Reserve, Capital Economics Locations: Reserve Bank of New Zealand, Wellington , New Zealand, Global, New Zealand

☆ UN-Mandated Investigation Into Ethiopia Atrocities Lapses
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | by ( Oct. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

GENEVA (Reuters) - A U.N.-mandated investigation into continuing atrocities in Ethiopia faces closure after a U.N. website on Wednesday showed that no motion has been received to renew it. Both sides accused each other of atrocities, including massacres, rape and arbitrary detentions, but each denied responsibility for systemic abuses. The International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia, created by the U.N. Human Rights Council in 2021 after a motion submitted by the European Union, said last month that war crimes and crimes against humanity were still being committed in Ethiopia. "Having no resolution is scandalous in the face of the report of the experts that was just published," said Lucy McKernan from Human Rights Watch, responsible for advocacy work at the Human Rights Council and other UN human rights mechanisms. Ethiopia, which denies committing widespread abuses, has strongly opposed the probe and tried to cut its work short.

Persons: Lucy McKernan, Emma Farge, Aaron Ross, William Maclean Organizations: International Commission of Human, Human Rights, European Union, Human Rights Watch Locations: GENEVA, Ethiopia, Tigray, Amhara

A scientist who studies the airborne transmission of diseases, a master hula dancer and cultural preservationist, and the sitting U.S. poet laureate were among the 20 new recipients of the prestigious fellowships from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, known as “genius grants,” announced on Wednesday. MacArthur fellows receive a grant of $800,000 over five years to spend however they want. Fellows are nominated and endorsed by their peers and communities through an often yearslong process that the foundation oversees. Many past fellows like Octavia Butler, Paul Farmer and Twyla Tharp are luminaries in their fields and Marlies Carruth, who directs the MacArthur Fellows program, emphasized that they hope fellows will support and inspire each other. "To think that I’ve actually been selected as one is really mind-blowing,” she said, of the MacArthur fellows.

Persons: John D, Catherine T, ”, MacArthur, it’s, Ada Limón, Allamay Barker, “, Limón, ” Limón, Octavia Butler, Paul Farmer, Twyla Tharp, Carruth, Andrea Armstrong, Patrick Makuakāne, Imani Perry, Linsey Marr, Marr, Ian Bassin, Bassin, Tendayi, Rina Foygel Barber, Courtney Bryan, Jason D, María Magdalena Campos, Pons, Raven Chacon, Diana Greene Foster, Lucy Hutyra, Carolyn Lazard, Lester Mackey, Manuel Muñoz, Williams, Amber Wutich Organizations: MacArthur Foundation, University of Montevallo, NASA, Marlies Carruth, MacArthur Fellows, Loyola University New Orleans, College of Law, Black, Virginia Tech, Protect Democracy, MacArthur, Mexican American, Associated, Lilly Endowment Inc, AP Locations: Lexington , Kentucky, Alabama, Louisiana, Caribbean, Americas, Mexican, Central

Search resuls for: "Lucy"

25 mentions found