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From a broader national perspective, a combined Kroger and Albertsons does not pose any major threat to the competitive dynamics of the market." Kroger said it expects to reinvest about half a billion dollars of cost savings from deal synergies to reduce prices for customers. "The merger will accelerate our position as a more compelling alternative to larger and non-union competitors," Kroger Chief Executive Officer Rodney McMullen said. Goldman Sachs and Credit Suisse were the financial advisors to Albertsons, while Citigroup and Wells Fargo advised Kroger. Kroger will have to pay Albertsons $600 million if the deal is terminated.

☆ Kroger has to win over Wall Street and Washington on its Albertsons deal – here's how it plans to do that
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-14 | by ( Melissa Repko | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

In this article ACIKR Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNTA customer shops for eggs in a Kroger grocery store on August 15, 2022 in Houston, Texas. Brandon Bell | Getty ImagesKroger knows it needs the blessing of investors and federal regulators to pull off its $24.6 billion deal to buy rival grocery company Albertsons . If approved, the grocers would become a more formidable second place in terms of grocery market share behind Walmart . Together, the companies would capture nearly 16% of the U.S. grocery market, according to market researcher Numerator. That's because Wall Street has already seen a spree of grocer acquisitions — including some by Kroger and Albertsons — but no meaningful changes in profit margins.

A rare protest calling for Chinese President Xi Jinping’s overthrow was staged in the country’s capital Thursday, days before the start of the Communist Party congress, which is expected to cement his rule for an unprecedented third term. Small protests and confrontations with authorities have taken place in the past, in several cities where lockdowns have been enforced. Scorched pavement is seen on a highway overpass where social media videos earlier appeared to show smoke and protest banners in Beijing on Thursday. Posts containing the hashtags Beijing or Haidian were quickly blocked on Weibo, China's popular microblogging site similar to Twitter. Security across Beijing is extremely tight ahead of the ruling Communist Party’s five-yearly congress, which is set to open Sunday.

The intersection near a bridge where social-media videos earlier appeared to show smoke and protest banners in Beijing Thursday. BEIJING—Police rushed to a highway bridge in Beijing after a column of dark smoke appeared above protest banners condemning Chinese leader Xi Jinping by name—a rare display of defiance in the capital that came as top Communist Party officials arrived to attend a closely watched political gathering. Video footage and photographs of the smoke and two banners—one of which had “Depose the Traitorous Dictator Xi Jinping” scrawled on it in red—circulated widely on Chinese social-media platforms Thursday.

BEIJING—Police rushed to a highway bridge in Beijing after a column of dark smoke appeared above protest banners condemning Chinese leader Xi Jinping by name—a rare display of defiance in the capital that came as top Communist Party officials arrived to attend a closely watched political gathering. Video footage and photographs of the smoke and two banners—one of which had “Depose the Traitorous Dictator Xi Jinping” scrawled on it in red—circulated widely on Chinese social-media platforms Thursday.

☆ Video shows rare protest in China against Xi Jinping days before Communist Party Congress
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: 1 min

Two banners hung on an overpass of a major thoroughfare in the northwest of Beijing in a rare protest against Chinese leader Xi Jinping and his authoritarian rule. CNN's Selina Wang reports.

☆ Kroger deal to buy rival grocery company Albertsons could be announced this week
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Melissa Repko | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Kroger could announce a deal to buy rival grocery company Albertsons this week, sources told CNBC's David Faber. The companies could announce the all-cash deal as soon as Friday morning, sources told Faber. Albertsons' market cap is about $14.9 billion. Its stores, which now include Amazon Fresh, still command a small percentage of the overall U.S. grocery market, but sparked a wave of investment. Kroger, for example, struck a deal with British online grocer Ocado to build huge robot-powered fulfillment centers to pick and pack online grocery orders.

☆ Kroger and Albertsons are reportedly in talks over a proposed merger that would swell the combined chain to a footprint of 5,000 stores
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Áine Cain | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Kroger and Albertsons are engaged in talks around a potential merger, Bloomberg reported. A merger would boost the joint chain to a store footprint of over 5,000 locations. Albertsons' latest annual SEC filing listed 2,276 stores as of February 26, 2022, under a total of 24 different banners. The merger alone would not make the combined chain the largest in the United States, however. The company's total retail units around the globe comes out to 10,593, as of January 31, 2022.

A view of Chinese national flags in a street of an old neighbourhood as the city prepares for the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, in Beijing, China October 11, 2022. Smoke could be seen emanating from the roadway above where the banners were hung in Beijing's northwestern Haidian district, according to the images. China's zero-COVID policy, which has led to frequent lockdowns and caused heavy economic damage, has fuelled widespread frustration in Chinese cities. "There was a brave person in Beijing today," one Chinese social media user wrote, adding several thumbs up and roses of support. In Beijing there is no public dissatisfaction caused by epidemic control as in some other remote places in China."

☆ China's 20th Communist Party Congress: What you need to know
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A view of Chinese national flags in a street of an old neighbourhood as the city prepares for the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, in Beijing, China October 11, 2022. REUTERS/Thomas PeterOct 13 (Reuters) - China's 20th Communist Party Congress kicks off on Sunday, with Xi Jinping widely expected to clinch his third five-year stint in charge - a mandate that would secure his stature as the country's most powerful ruler since founding leader Mao Zedong. * Little is known about who will be promoted into which key roles on the Politburo and its seven-member Standing Committee. Here are some of the leading contenders and some scenarios to look out for. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterCompiled by Lincoln FeastOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Security, red banners and COVID curbs: Beijing readies for 20th Congress
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( Eduardo Baptista | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

REUTERS/Thomas PeterBEIJING, Oct 11 (Reuters) - Beijing has stepped up security and COVID curbs and decorated the capital Beijing with red political banners as it gears up for a Communist Party congress where President Xi Jinping is poised to become China's most powerful leader since Mao Zedong. The 20th party congress, which opens on Oct. 16, occurs every five years and brings together 2,300 party members, mostly behind closed doors, at the vast Great Hall of the People on Tiananmen Square. One hashtag about Beijing "pop-up windows" started on Oct. 5 and generated over 12 million views by Tuesday. A lockdown in Beijing during Congress would be an even larger dent on Xi and the Party's unwavering commitment to zero-COVID. Besides the COVID "pop-up windows", Beijing authorities recently introduced a series of measures to show their commitment to keeping the Congress virus-free, from reinforcing COVID monitoring teams at key airports and railway stations to increasing the frequency of COVID testing for office workers.

☆ Only one city has foiled Blackstone's $320 billion real estate empire
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-01 | by ( Dan Latu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Danish parliament even passed a "Blackstone law," which prevents new landlords from raising rents. Blackstone has one of the largest real estate portfolios in the world, with $320 billion invested in commercial and residential properties spanning the US, Spain, and, at one time, Sweden. In the Guardian, reporter Hettie O'Brien details how a Copenhagen tenants group thwarted Blackstone's expansion, aided by a national political mood wary of international investors. Blackstone's journey to becoming a worldwide player in residential real estate began after it seriously invested in American properties following the 2008 housing and stock-market crash. Blackstone's involvement in the Copenhagen housing market angered locals for two reasons, according to the Guardian.

☆ Factbox: Russia's annexation plan in Ukraine: what happens now?
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Banners read: "Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson. - Donetsk People's Republic (DPR): 99.23% for joining Russia, 0.62% against. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register- Luhansk People's Republic (LNR): 98.42% for joining Russia. A tribune with giant video screens had been set up on Moscow's Red Square, with billboards proclaiming "Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson - Russia!" That could prompt some sort of ultimatum from Russia to Ukraine and the West.

☆ Thousands of Czechs protest government's handling of energy crisis
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Demonstrators take part in an anti-government protest rally in reaction to the energy crisis and soaring prices in Prague, Czech Republic, September 28, 2022. REUTERS/David W CernyPRAGUE, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Thousands of Czechs protested in Prague on Wednesday against the government's handling of soaring energy prices which have cut into pocketbooks as winter approaches. The organising group "Czech Republic First!" Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterThe Czech Republic is a member of both the EU and NATO. High energy prices, fuelled by the war in Ukraine, have piled pressure on governments across Europe to cushion the blow of mounting energy costs for consumers and businesses.

☆ Canopy Growth to divest Canadian retail operations
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Sept 27 (Reuters) - Canopy Growth Corp (WEED.TO) said on Tuesday it will divest its retail business across Canada, as the pot producer steps up efforts to turn profitable. The business includes stores operating under the Tweed and Tokyo Smoke retail banners. Canopy has been focusing on premium high-potency offerings and has undertaken cost cuts through layoffs, exits from some international markets and store closures in its bid to turn profitable. The master license deal between Canopy and Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc (ATD.TO) related to the use of the Tweed brand for brick-and-mortar retail stores operating in Ontario has also been terminated, it added. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Arunima Kumar in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh KuberOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Putin likely to announce accession of occupied regions of Ukraine on Sept. 30, UK says
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterA young man walks past banners informing about a referendum on the joining of Russian-controlled regions of Ukraine to Russia, in the Russian-controlled city of Melitopol in the Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine September 26, 2022. REUTERS/Alexander ErmochenkoSept 27 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin is likely to announce the accession of occupied regions of Ukraine to the Russian Federation during his address to parliament on Sept. 30, the British Ministry of Defence said on Tuesday. The referendums currently underway within these territories are scheduled to conclude on Sept. 27, the Defence Ministry said in its daily briefing on Twitter. loading"Russia's leaders almost certainly hope that any accession announcement will be seen as a vindication of the special military operation and will consolidate patriotic support for the conflict", it said. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Jose Joseph in Bengaluru; Editing by Andrew HeavensOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

The Justice Department on Monday filed a revised inventory of items seized from former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort last month, in addition to a declaration supporting the accuracy of the new list. A federal appeals court recently ordered that the classified documents should not be included in the special master’s review. In some instances, the Justice Department's revised inventory adds documents, while in other places it subtracts. While the original inventory list noted two empty folders with “CLASSIFIED” banners in the box, a revised entry removes those folders; similar empty folders are still listed for other boxes. His lawyers can also note any items they say were seized but not itemized in the inventory.

☆ Ukraine annexation votes to end amid Russian mobilisation exodus
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-26 | by ( Tom Balmforth | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

A man walks with his bicycle past banners informing about a referendum on the joining of Russian-controlled regions of Ukraine to Russia, in the Russian-controlled city of Melitopol in the Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine September 26, 2022. The mobilisation has also seen the first sustained criticism of the authorities within state-controlled media since the war began. Over the weekend, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia would defend any territory it annexes using any weapons in its arsenal. Even traditional Russian allies such as Serbia and Kazakhstan have said they will not recognise the annexation votes. When it held a referendum in Crimea after seizing that peninsula in 2014, it declared 97% of people had voted for annexation.

☆ Kroger is doubling down on its subscription delivery business as it weans itself off of Instacart. Here's a rundown of its other initiatives, from ghost kitchens to smart carts
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-26 | by ( Alex Bitter | Nancy Luna | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Here are Kroger's biggest e-commerce and technology initiatives:A ClusterTruck ghost kitchen inside a Kroger in the Midwest. ClusterTruckGhost kitchensIn December 2019, Kroger began improving its prepared meals offering by partnering with ghost kitchen startup ClusterTruck. The delivery-focused ghost kitchen touts a Cheesecake Factory-inspired menu of 80 to 100 food items. Over the last few years, ClusterTruck opened locations inside Kroger stores in Indiana and Ohio. But the firm, which tracks where consumers shop, said Kroger stores with the ghost kitchens are seeing an uptick in visits compared to neighboring Kroger branches.

A man runs past banners with photos of presidential candidates, Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro, Ciro Gomes and former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil September 1, 2022. With just days to go until the first-round vote on Oct. 2, Lula is ahead in the polls against President Jair Bolsonaro, a far-right populist who has sought to discredit Brazil's electronic voting system. Critics fear Bolsonaro may follow the example of former U.S. President Donald Trump and refuse to accept an electoral defeat. A third source said many European countries are also planning for swift recognition of Brazil's election results. One of the sources said that in the meeting with Koneff, Lula thanked the United States for having expressed faith in Brazil's voting system.

A man runs past banners with photos of presidential candidates, Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro, Ciro Gomes and former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil September 1, 2022. Faced with that and the likely return of a left-wing government in next month's election, some investors have moved to the sidelines. Despite this year's chaotic news flow, Petrobras has so far vindicated the bulls in the local market. "Petrobras shares are really cheap," said one Sao Paulo fund manager with about 20 billion reais ($3.9 billion) under management. Like many interviewed for this article, he requested anonymity to talk frankly about the state firm amid a heated election.

☆ Energy crisis spurs Britain to end its fracking ban, digging up a long-running debate
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-22 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The derrick is seen behind anti-fracking banners at Cuadrilla's Lancashire fracking site. Christopher Furlong | Getty ImagesLONDON — The U.K. government lifted its ban on fracking Thursday, citing the need to increase domestic energy supply following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The divideA 2020 review by Warwick Business School estimated fracked gas could account for between 17% and 22% of U.K. energy consumption between 2020 and 2050. A past study found that shale gas operations themselves would contribute relatively little to greenhouse gas emissions. A report commissioned by the government in April and published Thursday found it was still not possible to accurately predict geological activity as a result of U.K. fracking operations.

☆ V&A celebrates 'Korean Wave' of popular culture with new exhibition
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Korean Wave" are K-Pop costumes, K-drama props as well as a replica of the bathroom set in Oscar-winning film "Parasite". Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register"'Hallyu' actually means Korean wave and it refers to this meteoric rise of popular culture from South Korea that has taken the world by storm in the past few decades." The exhibition is split into different sections including K-pop and its fans, television drama and cinema, fashion and beauty. The Korean Wave" exhibition at the V&A in London, Britain, September 21, 2022. The Korean Wave" opens on Saturday and runs until June.

☆ 'Never forget': Filipino activists mark 50th anniversary of martial law declaration
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Candles are lit as part of an art installation during an event commemorating the 50th anniversary of martial law declaration by late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, father of the current president, at the University of the Philippines in Quezon City, Philippines, September 21, 2022. REUTERS/Eloisa LopezRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterMANILA, Sept 21 (Reuters) - Hundreds of Filipino activists on Wednesday took to the streets to mark the 50th anniversary of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos Sr's declaration of martial law. Activists chanted "never forget" and held banners condemning the crimes allegedly committed by the regime during martial law including extra-judicial killings, human rights abuses and forced disappearances. His son and namesake, current President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has defended the decision to impose martial law at that time, claiming it was done to protect the country from communist rebels and insurgents. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Jay Ereno; Writing by Neil Jerome Morales; Editing by Kanupriya KapoorOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Thousands march in Turkey to demand ban on LGBTQ groups
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-19 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

ISTANBUL — An anti-LGBTQ group marched Sunday in Istanbul, demanding that LGBTQ associations be shuttered and their activities banned, in the largest demonstration of its kind in Turkey. Ahead of Sunday’s demonstration, the organizers circulated a video using images from past LGBTQ Pride marches in Turkey. The video and the demonstration prompted an outcry from LGBTQ associations and other rights groups. The organizers of Istanbul Pride called on the governor’s office to ban the event and authorities to take down the video, arguing both were hateful. Top Turkish officials have called LGBTQ people “perverts” who aim to hurt traditional family values.

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