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☆ US appeals court upholds Illinois assault weapons ban
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-04 | by ( Steve Gorman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Cheney Orr/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 3 (Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court on Friday upheld an Illinois state ban on assault-style weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines enacted after a 2022 mass shooting in Chicago's Highland Park suburb that left seven people dead and dozens more wounded. The Democratic-backed state measure bans the sale and distribution of many kinds of high-powered semiautomatic "assault weapons," including AK-47 and AR-15 rifles, and large-capacity magazines. In one notable aspect of its reasoning in upholding the Illinois law, the appellate panel cited a U.S. Supreme Court opinion last year that struck down New York state's limits on carrying concealed handguns outside the home. In August, a divided Illinois Supreme Court upheld the assault weapons ban in a separate case brought at the state court level, rejecting arguments that the law violated the state constitution by not applying the ban equally to all citizens. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that California's assault weapons ban would remain in force while the state attorney general appealed a lower-court decision declaring that 30-year-old measure unconstitutional.

Persons: Cheney Orr, Diane Wood, Bill Clinton, Wood, Judge Frank Easterbook, Ronald Reagan, Michael Brennan, Donald Trump, Steve Gorman, Nate Raymond, Jamie Freed Organizations: REUTERS, U.S, Circuit, Democratic, AK, District of Columbia, Appeals, Thomson Locations: Chicago, Highland Park , Illinois, U.S, Illinois, Highland, New York, District, Los Angeles, Boston

☆ Chiefs QB Mahomes says he 'definitely' wants to play flag football at 2028 Games
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LOS ANGELES, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes said he is eager to suit up for Team USA when flag football makes its Olympic debut at the 2028 Games in Los Angeles. "I definitely want to but I've seen some of those guys play the flag football and they are a little faster than I am," Mahomes told reporters on Friday in Munich, where the Chiefs are set to play the Miami Dolphins on Sunday. Flag football looks similar to tackle football, with passing and receiving, but requires little protective equipment, with play stopping when a defender pulls a cloth flag from the waist of an opponent. With the backing of the NFL it was among five sports added to the program for the 2028 Games alongside cricket, lacrosse, squash and baseball-softball. Flag football's governing body, the International Federation of American Football, has the final say over who makes the cut to play for their country.

Persons: Patrick Mahomes, Mahomes, Andy, Reid, Brett, Veach, Rory Carroll, Jamie Freed Organizations: ANGELES, Kansas City, Team USA, Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, NFL, NFL Players Association, Games, International Federation of American Football, Thomson Locations: Los Angeles, Munich, LA

Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chair Lina Khan testifies before a House Judiciary Committee hearing on "Oversight of the Federal Trade Commission," on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., July 13, 2023. Surrounded by tech workers and VC investors in San Francisco, Khan reiterated her focus on artificial intelligence, an area her agency has been tasked with looking into by President Joe Biden's executive order this week. "We’re very much focused on using our laws to protect everybody: Consumers, but also workers," she said in a standing-room-only nightcap appearance in San Francisco on Thursday. Big Tech companies, particularly Amazon (AMZN.O) and Meta, view Khan, who rose to prominence after publishing a 2017 academic article pointing to Amazon’s practices as anticompetitive, as an impediment. Reporting by Krystal Hu and Greg Bensinger in San Francisco; Editing by Jamie FreedOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Lina Khan, Kevin Wurm, Khan, Kahn, Joe Biden's, he'd, “, Krystal Hu, Greg Bensinger, Jamie Freed Organizations: Federal Trade Commission, REUTERS, FRANCISCO, Federal Trade, Big Tech, D.C, Mission, Stanford University, Meta, Republican, Activision, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Silicon, New York, San Francisco

Cast member Matthew Perry poses at the premiere of the television series "The Kennedys After Camelot" at The Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills, California U.S., March 15, 2017. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 3 (Reuters) - Actor Matthew Perry, who died on Saturday at age 54, was laid to rest on Friday at a Los Angeles cemetery in a service attended by relatives and castmates from the hit 1990s television sitcom "Friends," show business media reported, citing photographs. Mourners gathered at the Forest Lawn cemetery in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles, less than a mile from the Warner Brothers studio where the show was filmed. The cause and manner of Perry's death are to be determined by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office, following completion of an autopsy with toxicology tests. Reporting by Daniel Trotta in Carlsbad, California, and Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; Editing by Jamie FreedOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Matthew Perry, Mario Anzuoni, Michael Jackson, Lucille Ball, Elizabeth Taylor, Perry, Chandler Bing, York Post's, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer, TMZ, John Bennett Perry, Keith Morrison, that's, Daniel Trotta, Steve Gorman, Jamie Freed Organizations: The Paley Center for Media, Beverly Hills , California U.S, REUTERS, Warner Brothers, Media, TMZ, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County Medical, Thomson Locations: Beverly Hills , California, Los Angeles, Hollywood, York, Los Angeles County, Carlsbad , California

☆ Militants attack air force base in central Pakistan, says military
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-04 | by ( Gibran Naiyyar Peshimam | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

ISLAMABAD, Nov 4 (Reuters) - Nine Islamist militants attacked an air force training base in the central Pakistani area of Mianwali on Saturday damaging three "non-operational" aircraft, the military said, adding that all assailants had been killed by security forces. Three militants were killed before they entered the base while the others had been cornered before the clearance operation began, the military said in a statement. The military said nine militants had been killed in the attack on the Pakistan Air Force Training Airbase Mianwali. "No damage has been done to any of the Pakistan Air Force's functional operational assets, while only some damage was done to three already phased out non-operational aircraft during the attack," the military statement said. Islamist militant group Tehreek-e-Jihad Pakistan (TJP) claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement sent to journalists by its spokesperson.

Persons: Zeeshan Niazi, TJP, Gibran Peshimam, Saud Mehsud, Dera Ismail Khan, Mubasher Bukhari, William Mallard, Jamie Freed Organizations: Nine, Reuters, Pakistan Air Force Training, Pakistan Air, Jihad, Thomson Locations: ISLAMABAD, Mianwali, Jihad Pakistan, Balochistan, Lahore

☆ Elon Musk and Rishi Sunak chat China, killer robots and the meaning of life
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Alistair Smout | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Musk backed China's inclusion in the first AI Safety Summit, hosted at Bletchley Park, England, which has drawn leading companies and nations together to agree initial steps on how to manage the risks of cutting-edge AI models. Musk, who was in May given royal-like treatment during a visit to China, welcomed that Beijing had participated in AI safety talks at the event. Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak attends an in-conversation event with Tesla and SpaceX's CEO Elon Musk in London, Britain, Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023. Kirsty Wigglesworth/Pool via REUTERS Acquire Licensing Rights"We very much have a tax system that supports that," Sunak said. Reporting by Alistair Smout; Writing by William James; Editing by Paul Sandle and Jamie FreedOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Billionaire Elon Musk, Rishi Sunak, Musk, they're, Sunak, Tesla, Elon Musk, Kirsty Wigglesworth, Alistair Smout, William James, Paul Sandle, Jamie Freed Organizations: Billionaire, British, Safety, Bletchley, Britain, SpaceX, Britain's, REUTERS Acquire, Thomson Locations: Beijing, Britain, United States, London, Bletchley Park, England, China, London's

☆ US lawmakers press Biden for plans on Chinese use of open chip technology
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( Stephen Nellis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

RISC-V, pronounced "risk five," is a free open-source technology that competes with costly proprietary technology from British semiconductor and software design company Arm Holdings (O9Ty.F), and Intel Corp (INTC.O). It can be used as a key part of anything from a smartphone chip to advanced processors for artificial intelligence. U.S. firms such as Qualcomm (QCOM.O) and Alphabet's (GOOGL.O) Google have embraced RISC-V, but so too have many Chinese companies. Reuters last month reported that at least four influential U.S. lawmakers view Chinese use of the technology as a potential national security threat because RISC-V is not captured by the sweeping export controls the U.S. has imposed on sending chip technology to China. They also asked the Biden administration about how it might apply an existing executive order to require U.S. companies to get an export license before working with Chinese companies on RISC-V technology.

Persons: Florence Lo, Biden, Raimondo, Stephen Nellis, Jamie Freed Organizations: REUTERS, FRANCISCO, Reuters, Arm Holdings, Intel Corp, Qualcomm, Google, Republican, Representatives, Commerce, Thomson Locations: U.S, China, New Jersey , Florida , Michigan, Indiana, San Francisco

☆ Stellantis to give big raises, invest billions in UAW deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Stellantis declined to comment, saying it would wait for workers to vote first before discussing the deal. Stellantis will also offer $50,000 buyouts in 2024 and 2026 to UAW production workers, allowing it to cut costs by hiring fresh workers who start at lower wages. The UAW said the Stellantis investment commitments total about $19 billion, but that includes some previously announced plans. Stellantis has slightly longer than rival Ford to convert current temporary workers to permanent employees. That is on top of the $5,000 bonus hourly workers will get on ratification along with an 11% immediate pay hike.

Persons: Shawn Fain, Joe Biden, Stellantis, Ford, David Shepardson, Paul Lienert, Chris Reese, Diane Craft, Jamie Freed Organizations: United Auto Workers, UAW, Chrysler, U.S, Ford, Toledo Jeep, EV, Dodge, Jeep, General Motors, Thomson Locations: Belleville, Wayne County , Michigan, U.S, Illinois, Belvidere , Illinois, Belvidere, Toledo, Michigan, Detroit, Dodge Durango, North America, Washington

He said the UAW's new contracts were so good they had even led to nonunion auto workers getting raises. Honda (7267.T) told Reuters it was evaluating the recent UAW deals with the Detroit Three automakers and would remain competitive. "If (Toyota workers) come calling, which they have, we're going to educate them and be there for them," Smith told Reuters. Toyota's move earlier this week to raise wages is in line with the strategy the Japanese automaker and other nonunion automakers have used to keep UAW organizers at bay. Nonunion automakers have kept hourly wages close to the UAW rates at the Detroit Three.

Persons: Shawn Fain, Fain, It'll, Tim Smith, Smith, Elon Musk, Toyota's, Joseph White, David Shepardson, Lisa Baertlein, Ben Klayman, Matthew Lewis, Jamie Freed Organizations: DETROIT, United Auto Workers, Detroit, Toyota, UAW, nonunion, Honda, Reuters, Detroit Three, General Motors, Ford, Louisville Assembly, GM, National Labor Relations Board, NLRB, Tesla, Thomson Locations: WASHINGTON, U.S, United States, Georgetown , Kentucky, Louisville, Tesla's Fremont , California, Fremont, Detroit, Washington, Los Angeles

The Sydney-based financial conglomerate has not had a steeper first-half profit drop in more than a decade. The results capped a run of "exceptional conditions" last year in the company's commodity trading and asset management segments, buoyed by energy market volatility and ripe conditions for asset sales, respectively, Chief Financial Officer Alex Harvey told Reuters. Macquarie said the asset management division's income should rebound in the second half to about the A$940 million it reported in the same period last year. The company said fees and commissions at investment banking arm Macquarie Capital were in line with the previous comparable period. Profit fell 28% to A$430 million.

Persons: David Gray, Alex Harvey, Macquarie, Shemara Wikramanayake, Wikramanayake, Barrenjoey, Lewis Jackson, Roushni Nair, Rishav Chatterjee, Jamie Freed Organizations: Macquarie Group Ltd, REUTERS, Macquarie, Reuters, Citi, Investment, Thomson Locations: Sydney, Australia, SYDNEY, Ukraine, North America, Israel, Bengaluru

SummaryCompanies Funding round led by Just ClimateMetal-light motor 10% to 65% more efficientAims to produce 150,000 motors by end of 2024SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 1 (Reuters) - Climate technology firm Infinitum, which develops high efficiency industrial motors, said on Wednesday it had raised $185 million in a funding round led by venture capital investor Just Climate. The Infinitum motors can also work at variable speeds, helping account for a drop in energy consumption of about 10% to 65%, and the motors are relatively easy to fix and recycle, Schuler said. Just Climate Investment Partner Benoit Grobon said about half of the power from electric generation in the world goes into electric motors, and increasing their efficiency would save a lot of energy. Moreover, electric motors used as generators could make windmills more efficient and improve the range of electric cars, he added. Reporting by Simon Jessop and Peter Henderson; Editing by Jamie FreedOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Ben Schuler, Schuler, Benoit Grobon, PwC, Simon Jessop, Peter Henderson, Jamie Freed Organizations: FRANCISCO, Reuters, Climate, Thomson Locations: Dubai, Monterrey, Mexico, Texas

An aerial view shows an oil factory of Idemitsu Kosan Co. in Ichihara, east of Tokyo, Japan November 12, 2021, in this photo taken by Kyodo. Brent January crude futures rose 0.3%, or 28 cents, to $85.30 a barrel by 0330 GMT, after falling more than 1% on Tuesday. Brent December futures settled 4 cents lower at $87.41 a barrel at the contract's expiry on Tuesday. Interest rate hikes aimed at taming inflation can slow economic growth and reduce oil demand, while rate cuts to spur spending could increase oil consumption. The Fed, which will end its meeting on Wednesday, is expected to hold rates steady, according to a poll by CME's Fedwatch tool.

Persons: Brent, Edward Moya, CME's, Goldman Sachs, Antony Blinken, Mohi Narayan, Emily Chow, Jamie Freed Organizations: Kyodo, U.S . Federal Reserve, . West Texas, Treasury, Federal, Market, American Petroleum Institute, Central Bank, Bank of England, Israel, Thomson Locations: Idemitsu, Ichihara, Tokyo, Japan, DELHI, Israel, ., U.S, Europe, China, East, Gaza, New Delhi, Singapore

"AustralianSuper believes Origin has a highly strategic portfolio of assets to participate in, and benefit from, the energy transition," a spokesperson said. Origin shares plunged as much as 5.6% to A$8.565 in high-volume trading following the news, as AustralianSuper's 13.68% holding could scupper a deal that requires approval from 75% of the register if not all investors vote. Should the deal fail at the shareholder vote scheduled for Nov. 23, a revised agreement allows the consortium to make a subsequent off-market bid if it buys 5% or more of Origin shares. "If it gets voted down, Brookfield aren't obligated to come back with an off-market takeover offer, but they may be inclined to," he said. Should the deal close, Brookfield and its partners GIC and Temasek will own Origin's Energy Markets business, which includes power generation and retailing.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, AustralianSuper, Canada's Brookfield, Brookfield, Jamie Hannah, Simon Mawhinney, Allan Gray, Stewart Upson, Scott Murdoch, Lewis Jackson, Sameer Manekar, Jamie Freed Organizations: Brookfield, REUTERS, SYDNEY, bourse, Brookfield Asia, Energy Markets, Saudi Arabia's Aramco, Australia Pacific LNG, Thomson Locations: VanEck, Brookfield, Temasek, Saudi, Australia, Sydney, Bengaluru

[1/2] A smartphone with displayed "Disney" logo is seen on the keyboard in this illustration taken March 24, 2020. Disney said it expected to pay NBCUniversal (NBCU) parent Comcast about $8.61 billion by Dec. 1. Hulu had 48.3 million subscribers at the end of Disney's third quarter, compared with 28 million paid subscribers for Comcast's Peacock streaming service at the end of Comcast's third quarter. Disney+ had 146.1 million global subscribers at the end of Disney's third quarter. If the value is determined to be greater than the guaranteed floor value, Disney will pay NBCU the difference.

Persons: Dado, Walt Disney, Disney, Bob Iger, Goldman Sachs, Brian Roberts, Dawn Chmielewski, Helen Coster, Sriraj Kalluvila, Sayantani Ghosh, Jamie Freed Organizations: REUTERS, ANGELES, Wednesday, Disney, Comcast, Hulu, Goldman, Thomson Locations: Hulu, Burbank , California, U.S, Los Angeles, New York

The company logo is seen on the headquarters of China Evergrande Group in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China September 26, 2021. Evergrande was also banned from issuing new dollar bonds, a key part of its original restructuring plan, while its flagship mainland unit was being investigated by regulators. The biggest challenge ahead for Evergrande will be convincing its creditors and shareholders in the two Hong Kong-listed units that the new proposal is worthwhile, industry experts said. The ad hoc group of bondholders is unhappy about the revised terms offering equity in the Hong Kong-listed subsidiaries, according to sources. ($1 = 7.8239 Hong Kong dollars)Reporting by Xie Yu and Julie Zhu in Hong Kong; Additional reporting by Clare Jim; Editing by Scott Murdoch and Jamie FreedOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Aly, Evergrande, Hui Ka Yan, Xie Yu, Julie Zhu, Clare Jim, Scott Murdoch, Jamie Freed Organizations: China Evergrande Group, REUTERS, HK, Evergrande Property Services, New Energy Vehicle Group, Thomson Locations: China, Shenzhen, Guangdong province, HONG KONG, Hong Kong, Guangdong

A Boeing logo is seen at the 54th International Paris Airshow at Le Bourget Airport near Paris, France, June 18, 2023. The Lockbit threat was no longer on the gang's website as of Wednesday, and it didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. Boeing declined to comment on whether Lockbit was behind the cyber incident it disclosed. It's unclear what data Lockbit may have stolen from the company. "Paying the ransom would simply elicit a pinky promise from LockBit that they will destroy whatever data they obtained," Callow said.

Persons: Benoit Tessier, didn't, Lockbit, Brett Callow, Emsisoft, Callow, Valerie Insinna, Chris Reese, Lisa Shumaker, Jamie Freed Organizations: Boeing, Paris, REUTERS, Rights, Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Security Agency, Global Services, Services, Thomson Locations: Le Bourget, Paris, France

☆ China's smog-covered north on highest pollution alert as visibility drops
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Liz Lee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Northern province Hebei launched an anti-pollution emergency response, listing traffic safety controls for when necessary including suspending flight takeoffs and landings, temporarily closing highways and suspending ferries, China's meteorological bureau said in a notice. Authorities also warned road users to stop in safe parking areas when conditions required and asked people to stay indoors. Beijing said it would implement traffic control measures if the capital activates its highest air pollution warning. Experts said weak cold air currents from the north pole were a key factor behind the unusual weather. Cold air currents are forecast to stream in the north from Thursday night, creating conditions that could weaken and dissipate the haze, the weather forecaster said.

Persons: Liz Lee, Jamie Freed Organizations: Authorities, National Meteorological Center, NMC, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, China, Northern, Hebei, Beijing, Tianjin, Henan province, Shandong, Jiangsu province, China's, Shanghai

☆ Taiwan's Powerchip chooses northern Japan for planned $5.4 bln fab
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Sam Nussey | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The logo of Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp's Japanese business in pictured in Tokyo, Japan July 21 2023. "Japan has to have its own supply chain," Powerchip founder and Chairman Frank Huang told reporters. Powerchip said it aimed to manufacture micro-controllers and power chips, which are needed for power management in electric vehicles, along with chips for artificial intelligence. The second phase, planned for two years later, aims to introduce 28-nanometre technology with targeted monthly output of 40,000 wafers. They aim to cut costs by making reference to plans for a Powerchip fab being built in Taiwan, and discussions are already taking place with construction firms.

Persons: Sam Nussey, Taiwan's TSMC, Frank Huang, Powerchip, David Dolan, Jamie Freed Organizations: Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing, REUTERS, Rights, Powerchip Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp, SBI Holdings, Reuters, Powerchip, SBI, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, Miyagi, Taiwan, Sendai, Hokkaido, Kyushu, chipmaking

☆ Regulator imposes trading halt on Canada hedge fund after founder's death
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The regulator said it was informed on Saturday that Christopher Callahan, the sole director, officer and shareholder of Traynor, was dead. His death leaves Traynor without a director or officer in charge of the firm. "As a result, the three dealers have potential losses totalling approximately C$85 million ($61.27 million) to C$95 million," the regulator added, without naming the dealers. The firm and one of Callahan's colleagues listed on its website did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A Toronto police spokesperson said Callahan's death was not considered suspicious and they were not investigating.

Persons: Traynor, Christopher Callahan, Nia Williams, Jamie Freed Organizations: The Ontario Securities Commission, Inc, OSC, CIBC, Markets Inc, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, TR1, Thomson Locations: Toronto, British Columbia

☆ China EV maker BYD reports record quarterly profit of $1.42 bln in Q3
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BYD electric vehicles are seen at a BYD dealership in Brasilia, Brazil October 24, 2023. Net profit for the third quarter reached 10.41 billion yuan ($1.42 billion), a 82.2% increase from a year earlier, on a 38.5% rise in revenue to 162.2 billion yuan, BYD said in a market filing. It flagged earlier this month that third-quarter net profit could as much as double. That was a smaller increase than the second quarter when profit was up 145%. The third-quarter earnings was within its forecast range of between 9.55 billion yuan and 11.55 billion yuan.

Persons: Adriano Machado, BYD, Qiaoyi Li, Zhang Yan, Brenda Goh, Jamie Freed, Louise Heavens Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Thomson Locations: Brasilia, Brazil, Rights BEIJING, SHANGHAI

☆ Highlights of UAW deal with Ford
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A United Auto Workers On Strike sign is seen outside the Ford Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, Michigan U.S. October 25, 2023. The following are issues highlighted by UAW leaders:* Ford will invest $8.1 billion in renovating factories and adding new models. * Raises of 33% or more for many workers over the life of the contract, including cost-of-living adjustments that push up wages in line with inflation. At the top end, workers will see an extra $70,000 in pay over the contract. * Lowest-paid temporary workers could see wages rise 150%* Pathway for battery and electric vehicle plants to come under the union agreement at commensurate pay rates.

Persons: Rebecca Cook, David Shepardson, Joseph White, Peter Henderson, Jamie Freed Organizations: United Auto Workers, Ford Michigan Assembly Plant, Wayne , Michigan U.S, REUTERS, Ford Motor, UAW, Ford, Thomson Locations: Wayne , Michigan

☆ Australia's Treasury Wine to buy US-based DAOU Vineyards for $900 mln
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Roushni Nair | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Bottles of Penfolds Grange, made by Australian wine maker Penfolds and owned by Australia's Treasury Wine Estates, sit on a shelf for sale at a wine shop in central Sydney, Australia, August 4, 2014. The wine producer has been resetting its strategy in an attempt to diversify outside of China, which used to contribute a third of its profits, after Beijing imposed tariffs on Australian wine in 2021 when Canberra called for an inquiry into the origins of COVID-19. The winemaker's combined premium and luxury portfolios delivered double-digit gross profit growth in fiscal 2023, according to its annual report. Including cost synergies of more than $20 million, the acquisition is expected to be mid to high-single-digit earnings per share (EPS) accretive in fiscal 2025, the first year of Treasury owning DAOU. Treasury said it would also issue A$157 million of new shares to the existing owners of DAOU.

Persons: David Gray, Penfolds Grange, Frank Family, Phillip Kimber, Roushni Nair, Shailesh Kuber, Krishna Chandra Eluri, Jamie Freed Organizations: Australia's Treasury Wine Estates, REUTERS, China Deal, Wine Estates, Treasury, P Capital, Thomson Locations: Australian, Sydney, Australia, China, Beijing, Canberra, Americas, Bengaluru

☆ From Spider-Verse to Argentina: Fans aim to break record for biggest Spider-Man gathering
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Candelaria Grimberg | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] People dressed as Spider-Man point at each other at a Spider-Man cosplayers' gathering, organised in an attempt to set a Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of people dressed as Spider-Man, in Buenos Aires, Argentina October 29, 2023. Argentine influencer Uki Deane organized the gathering via Instagram, aiming to outdo an event in June in Malaysia where 685 people dressed as Spider-Man. The organizers asked participants to provide signatures and have their photo taken as documentation to provide to the record-keeping group. The superhero look-alikes dressed as the character created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko clapped and sang with good cheer during the sunny afternoon. Juan Menchon, a 25-year-old soccer coach, said he felt empowered by the Spider-Man outfit.

Persons: Cristina Sille, Uki Deane, Deane, Stan Lee, Steve Ditko clapped, Juan Menchon, Matias, Candelaria Grinberg, Lucila Sigal, Beth Solomon, Jamie Freed Organizations: REUTERS, Marvel, Guinness World Records, Thomson Locations: Buenos Aires, Argentina, BUENOS AIRES, Malaysia, Argentine

☆ Asia stocks mull over Middle East, central bank meetings
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Wayne Cole | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The earnings season also continues with Apple, Airbnb, McDonald's, Moderna and Eli Lilly & Co among the many reporting this week. Early on Monday, S&P 500 futures had edged up 0.3% to 4,151, while Nasdaq futures added 0.5%. Japan's Nikkei (.N225) fell 1.1% amid speculation the Bank of Japan (BOJ) might tweak its yield curve control (YCC) policy after its two-day policy meeting wraps up on Tuesday. The Bank of England is also expected to stay on hold this week, with markets pricing around a 70% chance it is done tightening altogether. Oil prices eased as worries about demand outweighed risks to Middle East supplies, at least for the moment.

Persons: Issei Kato, BoE, BOJ, Eli Lilly, China Evergrande, Treasuries, Goldman Sachs, reacceleration, Brent, Wayne Cole, Jamie Freed Organizations: REUTERS, Nikkei, Apple, Moderna, Nasdaq, HK, Japan's Nikkei, Bank of Japan, Barclays, Treasury, NatWest, Federal Reserve, Bank of England, Capital, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, U.S, Gaza, payrolls SYDNEY, United States, Britain, McDonald's, Gaza's, Iranian, Asia, Pacific, China, Israel, East

A man walks past a logo of HSBC at its headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia August 6, 2019. The results from Europe's biggest bank showed the pressure it is under to deliver returns to long-suffering investors now that interest rates worldwide are rising. In the third-quarter results, the lender booked a $500 million impairment related to the commercial real estate sector in mainland China. HSBC's Asia-focused competitor Standard Chartered (STAN.L) reported last week an unexpected one-third plunge in third-quarter profit due to a nearly $1 billion combined hit from its exposure to China's real estate and banking sectors. Reporting by Selena Li in Hong Kong and Lawrence White in London; Editing by Jamie FreedOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Lim Huey Teng, Jefferies, Joe Dickerson, Selena Li, Lawrence White, Jamie Freed Organizations: HSBC, REUTERS, Barclays, Europe's, Global Banking, Markets, Standard Chartered, Thomson Locations: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, HONG KONG, London, Hong Kong, Asia, China

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