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☆ Exclusive: Iran to start revamp at Venezuela's largest refining complex within weeks - sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Mircely Guanipa | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

The companies are now expected to sign in the coming weeks a 460-million-euro contract to revamp the 955,000-bpd Paraguana refinery complex on the coast of western Venezuela, according to the sources. Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian arrived in Caracas on Friday and met Venezuela's oil minister Tareck El Aissami, according to tweets from the Iranian embassy in Caracas and Venezuela's oil ministry. PDVSA, NIORDC and Venezuela's oil ministry did not reply to requests for comment. A QUARTER OF CAPACITYA project to restore the complex's dilapidated power supply is also planned as part of the revamp, according to the sources. During the El Palito revamp, PDVSA sent home hundreds of Venezuelan workers to make way for the Iranian technicians, which triggered protests.

☆ Lisa Marie Presley remembered at Graceland memorial service
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

Some mourners held flowers as they waited for the service to begin under the tall trees on the lawn of Graceland, the home in Memphis where Lisa Marie lived as a child with her father. She was delicate, but was filled with life,” Priscilla Presley read. She then grew a family of her own.”After reading the poem, Priscilla Presley said: “Our heart is broken. After her father died, she became the sole heir of the Elvis Presley Trust, which — along with Elvis Presley Enterprises — managed Graceland and other assets until she sold her majority interest in 2005. A representative from Elvis Presley Enterprises has told The Associated Press that the mansion is in a trust that will go to the benefit of her children.

☆ Cozy Classic: A Fast Fish Recipe With a Ritz-Cracker Crust
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Kitty Greenwald | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

AMERICAN CLASSIC The buttery crust on this flaky roasted haddock gets its distinctive crunch from Ritz crackers. Photo: Jenny Huang for The Wall Street Journal, Food Styling by Tyna Hoang, Prop Styling by Sophie Leng

LONDON, Jan 10 (Reuters) - British fund manager Terry Smith accused Unilever (ULVR.L) on Tuesday of "virtue signalling" with its ethically-focused marketing, in his latest salvo against the consumer goods giant. Yet the company had recently added activist investor Nelson Peltz to its board. On Tuesday, Smith reiterated "we don’t know how well it (Hellmann's) would have grown without the (virtue signalling) 'purpose’", adding that "maybe Hellmann’s would be growing as fast or even faster without its ‘purpose'". The words virtue signalling were struck through in Smith's letter. "Shouldn’t we have some idea how Unilever and its management have performed before they are allowed to do any more acquisitions?

☆ Final farewell: From Sidney Poitier to Pope Emeritus Benedict a look back at the influential figures who died in 2022
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-01 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +55 min

Other world leaders who died in 2022 include former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who died in August. The final days of 2022 saw the loss of some exceptionally notable figures, including Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. Here is a roll call of some influential figures who died in 2022 (cause of death cited for younger people, if available):___JANUARY___Dan Reeves, 77. A Cuban-born artist whose radiant color palette and geometric paintings were overlooked for decades before the art world took notice. A prolific character actor best known for playing villains and tough guys in “The Manchurian Candidate,” “Ocean’s Eleven” and other films.

[1/5] Drivers wait in line to get gasoline amid repeated outages at refineries operated by state oil company PDVSA and a lack of imports of diesel and gasoline, in Maracay, Venezuela, December 9, 2022. In 2020 and again in 2021, drivers had to line up for days to get gasoline and farmers halted work because of insufficient diesel. Right after midnight, the station ran out of gasoline," said Ramon Blanco, a 32-year-old who filled up the next day at another station. But lines also have reappeared in Falcon state, home of PDVSA's largest oil refineries. "We are trying our best because we are under pressure to restart some plants for producing gasoline," said a worker from Amuay.

☆ Ava DuVernay becomes the first Black woman featured on Ben & Jerry's pint
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

Ava DuVernay has become the first Black woman to have her image on a Ben & Jerry’s pint. directed by Ava DuVernay,” which will feature a mix of vanilla ice cream with salted caramel swirls, graham cracker swirls and gobs of chocolate chip cookie dough. DuVernay personally curated the flavor creation, which will be available in both milk-based and non-dairy versions. “Partnering with Ben & Jerry’s, a company that I’ve long admired for their commitment to social justice, has been a thrill ride. “Framing this up as a new flavor for the first Black woman to be a featured partner on our pints doesn’t do Ava justice,” Matthew McCarthy, Ben & Jerry’s CEO, said in a statement.

☆ Venezuela's biggest refinery halts gasoline production -sources
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

CARACAS, Dec 2 (Reuters) - A refining unit that turns crude oil into fuel at Venezuela's largest crude processing facility has broken down, three people familiar with the operations told Reuters on Friday, halting production at the key gasoline producing plant. The breakdown of the fluid catalytic cracker (FCC) caused the country's largest refinery, 645,000 barrel per day (bpd) Amuay on the Paraguana peninsula, to halt gasoline production on Thursday, one of the sources said. Venezuela's refineries suffer frequent outages leading to production losses due to system failures and lack of supplies. Amuay, together with the nearby Cardon refinery, make up the Paraguana Refining Center (CRP) in Venezuela's western Falcon state, with a combined crude processing capacity of 955,000 bpd. Cardon's catalytic cracker, which can process up to 45,000 bpd, was still operational on Friday, the sources said.

☆ Cracker Barrel’s Rude Guest Doesn’t Have the Answers
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Spencer Jakab | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store has long welcomed instant geniuses—just not this one. A fixture along America’s interstates for half a century, the homey chain known for its wooden “country genius” peg puzzles faced repeated proxy fights over 11 years from abrasive Warren Buffett imitator Sardar Biglari . The major shareholder’s criticism of the company is over—at least for now—following a truce and standstill agreement inked in September that saw an 11th board seat created for the handpicked nominee of his investment vehicle, Biglari Holdings .

☆ Stocks finish higher as the Street awaits key inflation data next week
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Stocks finished higher on this holiday-shortened trading week, with all the major U.S. averages posting gains. Under the hood, all sectors closed higher for the week, led by utilities, materials and financials. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio. The U.S. Federal Reserve, alongside global central banks, has been trying to get a handle on soaring inflation.

☆ The November jobs report and the Fed matter most to markets in the week ahead
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-25 | by ( Patti Domm | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

November's jobs report is the big event for markets in the week ahead, and it could provide important insight into the path of Federal Reserve interest rate hikes. The labor market has cooled only slightly, as other parts of the economy have slowed. But the labor market has been more resilient than expected, challenging the Fed's efforts to tame inflation by slowing economic activity. Besides the jobs report, there is the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) report Wednesday, as well as the Fed's beige book on economic activity. "Holding above 4,000, as we await the jobs report and those other economic reports would be constructive for one more move before Christmas," he said.

☆ Saudi Aramco to pump $7 bln into biggest petchem investment in South Korea
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Joyce Lee | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SEOUL, Nov 17 (Reuters) - Saudi Aramco (2222.SE) plans a $7-billion investment at a South Korean affiliate's factory in the port city of Ulsan to turn out more high-value petrochemical products, the company said on Thursday. The project, named Shaheen, is the Saudi firm's biggest investment in the Asian nation to develop one of the world's largest refinery-integrated petrochemical steam crackers, Aramco said in a statement. Saudi Aramco owns more than 63% of South Korean refiner S-Oil Corp (010950.KS). It will have production capacity of up to 3.2 million tonnes a year, along with a facility to produce high-value polymers, Aramco said. The news came in conjunction with Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's visit to South Korea on Thursday.

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 1 (Reuters) - Malaysian state energy firm Petronas said on Tuesday it was studying the damage to interconnecting pipes caused by a fire last week at its refinery and petrochemical joint venture with Saudi Aramco. Petronas said last Thursday a fire and explosion occurred at the Pengerang Integrated Complex (PIC) located in the southern Malaysian state of Johor. "The damage to the interconnecting pipes caused by the recent incident at Pengerang Integrated Complex is currently being further assessed for rectification," the company said in an emailed statement to Reuters. A spokesperson at Pengerang Refining Company and Pengerang Petrochemical, collectively known as PrefChem, said the affected portion of the plant is currently shut down because of a disruption in nitrogen supply. On Monday, Petronas Chemicals Group (PCGB.KL) said in a statement that the interconnecting pipes in the incident were not within the petrochemical facilities in which PCG has 50% direct equity.

☆ The Happy Meal inventor says McDonald’s didn’t want it at first
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-29 | by ( Nathaniel Meyersohn | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

But four decades ago, when the first Happy Meal debuted, the company didn’t quite get it. They didn’t immediately embrace it,” Bob Bernstein, an advertising executive who created the Happy Meal in the late 1970s, said in a video interview from his Kansas City office, which is decked out with Happy Meal memorabilia and original art. The meal’s name was an offshoot of a 1960s McDonald’s jingle, in which it called itself the “happy place.” “It’s such a happy place / Hap, hap, hap, happy place,” it went. For some reason, the company’s corporate offices outside Chicago were reluctant to roll out the Happy Meal nationally. Mario Anzuoni/ReutersIn the 1990s, Beanie Babies, Transformers and Power Rangers Happy Meal toys were massive hits for McDonald’s.

Along with other consumer goods companies, Unilever has faced a surge in labor, freight and ingredients costs. Billionaire Peltz in recent weeks met two possible contenders to replace Jope, one of the sources said. FLORIDA TALKSEven before Jope announced his departure, Peltz met with a former consumer goods CEO in Florida, one of the sources said. In the last month, Peltz and his team also approached another former consumer packaged goods CEO about the Unilever job, the source said. Peltz supports Unilever's sustainability strategy, including a plan to decarbonize the company's business units, Unilever has said.

Venerable Scottish actor Robbie Coltrane, best known as the dragon-loving half-giant Hagrid from the "Harry Potter" film franchise, died on Friday, his managers said. "We are hugely saddened to hear of the passing of the magnificent Robbie Coltrane who played Hagrid with such kindness, heart and humour in the Harry Potter films," the “Harry Potter” film franchise said in statement. Robbie Coltrane as Hagrid in the "Harry Potter" series. He was an incredible actor and a lovely man.”And fellow “Harry Potter” actor James Phelps, who played one of the Weasely twins, recalled being a fresh-faced 14-year-old, nervous on first day on the set in September 2020. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said "Ftiz" was one her favorite TV characters and called Coltrane a "Scottish entertainment legend."

☆ Robbie Coltrane, Hagrid in ‘Harry Potter’ films, dead at 72
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-14 | by ( Sandra Gonzalez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Robbie Coltrane, the actor who brought to life the lovable gamekeeper Hagrid in the Harry Potter film franchise, died on Friday, according to his agent, Scott Henderson. “I first met Robbie Coltrane almost exactly 40 years ago. Robbie Coltrane in "The World Is Not Enough" in 1999. Robbie Coltrane in "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone." Appearing in the HBO Max special “Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts,” Coltrane recalled his time on the films and Hagrid’s impact.

☆ Harry Potter actor Robbie Coltrane dies aged 72
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Actor Robbie Coltrane talks during a media preview of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter-Diagon Alley at the Universal Orlando Resort in Orlando, Florida June 19, 2014. REUTERS/David Manning/FilesLONDON, Oct 14 (Reuters) - Robbie Coltrane, the larger-than-life Scottish actor who played Hagrid in the Harry Potter films, died on Friday at the age of 72, his agent said. Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling led the tributes on Twitter, writing: "I'll never know anyone remotely like Robbie again. "Robbie Coltrane, Scottish entertainment legend - you will be hugely missed," she wrote. British actor and broadcaster Stephen Fry - who narrated the British version of the Harry Potter audio books - wrote that he had met Coltrane almost exactly 40 years ago.

☆ Is Beyond Meat beyond saving?
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-28 | by ( Paul R. La Monica | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Companies like Beyond Meat, rival Impossible and plant-based milk producer Oatly are still doing big deals with supermarket chains and restaurants to get their products on store shelves and menus. But in the company’s most recent earnings call, Beyond Meat CEO Ethan Brown conceded that the company (and the industry) faces challenges. Inflation is a problem for plant-based food biz too“We went from a pandemic into record inflation,” Brown said. “After years of growth, plant-based meat sales in the United States are stagnating,” said consulting firm Deloitte in a recent report. So there is nothing fake about Wall Street’s concerns regarding the big drop in demand for “fake” meat and milk.

☆ Cracker Barrel Profit Falls as Inflation Weighs on Customers
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-27 | by ( Will Feuer | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Inc. saw a rapid rise in costs tied to wages and raw materials this year, as did much of the restaurant industry. Cracker Barrel Old Country Store said profits fell in the recently ended quarter as growing labor and commodity costs outpaced the restaurant chain’s price increases. Like much of the restaurant industry, the Lebanon, Tenn.-based company saw a rapid rise in costs tied to wages and raw materials this year. The chain has raised prices to offset some of those higher costs. Still, pricing hasn’t kept pace with costs as the company tries to retain its value-friendly reputation, which the company said helped it retain inflation-battered customers amid higher-than-expected gas prices during the quarter.

Stocks took a beating this week as the Federal Reserve raised interest rates by another 75 basis points, the third consecutive hike of that magnitude. It wasn't the rate move — which was anticipated by the market — but Fed Chair Jerome Powell's hawkish comments on Wednesday that hurt stocks. It was the fifth losing week out of the last six for all the major stock averages, capped by another painful drop on Friday. Also Wednesday, the Federal Reserve raised the federal funds rate by another 75 basis points while maintaining its hawkish tone. ET: Personal Spending and Income (See here for a full list of the stocks in Jim Cramer's Charitable Trust is long.)

☆ Stocks could continue skittish trading until interest rate move calms down
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( Patti Domm | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

The S & P 500, Dow and Nasdaq were all down sharply for the week. The S & P was down 4.6%, ending the week at 3,693. Fed Vice Chair Lael Brainard , St. Louis Fed President James Bullard , San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly and Fed Governor Michelle Bowman are among the speakers. Other global central banks joined the Fed in raising rates, and interest rates around the world rose in tandem. If those levels break, the S & P could touch 3,385 before the selling is over, he said.

☆ How political candidates are targeting you on social media based on your music tastes, shopping habits and favorite TV shows
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( Casey Tolan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

(CNN) Marco Rubio hopes to sway voters interested in Chick-fil-A, Ram trucks, and Duck Dynasty. "Political campaigns are using that to their advantage." Rogan, a controversial figure who's popular on the right, attracted more attention from campaigns targeting Facebook ads than any other interest topic in the period analyzed by CNN. The targeting data shows a wide variety of approaches. But most people likely have no idea that they're seeing certain political ads because of their interests in a band or TV show, Woolley noted.

☆ Indian shares tipped to open lower on subdued global sentiment
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas/FilesRegister now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterBENGALURU, Sept 23 (Reuters) - Indian shares are expected to open slightly lower on Friday as global risk sentiment remained subdued amid renewed worries over economic growth that was amplified by Russia's threat to use nuclear weapons. The NSE Nifty 50 index (.NSEI) ended 0.5% lower at 17,629.80 on Thursday, while the S&P BSE Sensex (.BSESN) dropped 0.57% to 59,119.72. read more** Tata Steel (TISC.NS) on Thursday approved the amalgamation of Tata Steel Long Products, Tinplate Co, Tata Metaliks, TRF, Indian Steel & Wire Products, Tata Steel Mining with the company. ** Bombay Dyeing And Mfg Co (BDYN.NS) approved raising of funds worth up to 9.40 billion Indian rupees on rights basis. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Nallur Sethuraman in Bengaluru; Editing by Savio D'SouzaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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