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☆ Blackstone, Thomson Reuters consortium looks to sell further $3 bln in LSEG shares
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The accelerated stock offering, unveiled after the market close, includes some 28 million shares representing a voting interest of approximately 5.5% in the market infrastructure group. The news follows an earlier sale of more than $2 billion shares in March by Blackstone and Thomson Reuters, which became LSEG shareholders when they sold financial data firm Refinitiv to the bourse operator in 2021. As of April 30, Thomson Reuters owned 47.4 million shares of LSEG, worth $5 billion, which it had indicated it would begin selling in tranches this year. It also follows the publication of LSEG's first-quarter earnings at the end of April, which showed an almost 14% jump in gross profit to 1.8 billion pounds ($2.27 billion) from a year ago. LSEG has separately committed to buy up to 750 billion pounds of shares from the consortium through a targeted buy-back programme expected to be completed by April 2024.

☆ Memphis Grizzlies Suspend Ja Morant After a Second Gun Video Surfaces
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-14 | by ( Robert O Connell | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The Memphis Grizzlies suspended Ja Morant from all team activities. Photo: Petre Thomas/USA TODAY Sports via Reuters ConWhen the Memphis Grizzlies’ superstar point guard Ja Morant stepped away from the team in March after video circulated online of him dancing with a handgun at a strip club, the team didn’t use the word “suspension” in announcing the news. On Sunday morning, the club took a different tack after another Instagram Live video went viral—this one seeming to show the 23-year-old Morant posing with a gun near his face in the passenger seat of a car. “We are aware of the social media video involving Ja Morant,” a statement from the Grizzlies said. “He is suspended from all team activities pending League review.

☆ Sons of Mexican drug lord 'El Chapo' deny trafficking fentanyl in rare letter
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MEXICO CITY, May 4 (Reuters) - Sons of former Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman denied U.S. allegations that they were major traffickers flooding the United States with synthetic opioid fentanyl, addressing the claims against them in a rare letter. The U.S. Justice Department last month charged leaders of the Sinaloa Cartel with trafficking fentanyl and other drugs, including four sons of El Chapo, the cartel's one time leader who is now imprisoned in the U.S. "We have never produced, manufactured or marketed fentanyl or any of its derivatives," the sons wrote in the letter, published by Mexican news outlet Milenio late on Wednesday. They also singled out Los Chapitos as key figures in the Sinaloa Cartel, blaming them for worsening the U.S. opioid epidemic. Mexico and the United States agreed last month to ramp up efforts to stop the trafficking of fentanyl, which has driven a surge in overdose deaths in the United States.

☆ Washington says Chinese airlines can increase flights to America
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Michelle Toh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The US Department of Transportation confirmed to CNN that it had issued an order permitting Chinese airlines to increase their number of weekly round-trip flights to 12. That’s up from the eight weekly round-trip flights currently allowed for Chinese carriers. Currently, three US airlines American Airlines (AAL), Delta Air Lines (DAL) and United Airlines (UAL) fly routes between the two countries. Chinese operators Air China, China Southern Airlines, China Eastern Airlines and Xiamen Airlines also serve the two markets. Chinese carriers have not been subject to the restrictions, as the relationship between Moscow and Beijing remains intact, leading to calls in the United States and Britain for bans on Chinese flights that use Russian airspace.

☆ Lamar Jackson’s Record-Breaking Contract, Early QBs Dominate NFL Draft
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Andrew Beaton | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Panthers No. 1 pick Bryce Young poses for a photo with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Photo: Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports via Reuters ConThe biggest news on the day of the NFL draft arrived a few hours before the selections began: The Ravens and star quarterback Lamar Jackson agreed to a record-breaking contract, keeping him in Baltimore for the long haul after he had asked to be traded. The deal is worth $260 million over five years, a person familiar with the matter said. The $52 million annual value marks a new high-water mark in the league and comes after tensions had mounted to the point where Jackson posted on social media a couple months ago that he wanted to play elsewhere.

☆ The Milwaukee Bucks Squander a Dominant Season With a First-Round Playoff Collapse
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Robert O Connell | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Giannis Antetokounmpo stands in the center of the court after a 128-126 loss to the Miami Heat in Game 5 of a first-round series. Photo: Michael McLoone/USA TODAY Sports via Reuters ConOver the six-month span of the regular season, the Milwaukee Bucks built the best record in the NBA with a formula featuring a two-time MVP pacing their attack and an airtight defense complementing it. But in the first round of the NBA playoffs, nothing was straightforward. During the fourth quarter of the must-win Game 5 of their opening-round playoff series against the Miami Heat, the Bucks failed time and again to press the advantages that had powered them to a league-leading 58 victories—or even that had let them enter Wednesday’s final period holding a 16-point lead on their home floor.

☆ LSEG affirms 2023 targets, seeks shareholder nod for buyback
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

April 27 (Reuters) - London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG.L) on Thursday reaffirmed financial targets for the year before it seeks shareholder approval for a previously announced buyback of shares from the Blackstone/Thomson Reuters (TRI.TO) consortium. LSEG bought data and analytics company Refinitiv for $27 billion from the consortium in January 2021. LSEG said that first-quarter income from data and analytics rose 14.6% year on year to 1.3 billion pounds. Total income excluding recoveries rose 14.6% to 2 billion pounds, 1% ahead of consensus according to Jefferies research. "In data & analytics, we saw a further acceleration in annual subscription value (ASV) growth, reflecting the investments we have made in our services and stronger customer engagement," Schwimmer said.

☆ MLB Suspends Max Scherzer Over Use of ‘Sticky Stuff’
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( Lindsey Adler | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Mets pitcher Max Scherzer was ejected by umpire Phil Cuzzi during Wednesday’s game. Photo: Kirby Lee/USA TODAY Sports via Reuters ConMajor League Baseball has issued its highest-profile punishment to date for the use of “sticky stuff” by a pitcher. Three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer of the New York Mets was given a 10-game suspension following his ejection from Wednesday’s Mets-Dodgers game in Los Angeles. Scherzer was tossed after an umpire checked his hands three times and determined that he was in violation of league policy.

☆ French prosecutors accuse Lebanon central bank chief of hiding fraud
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

BEIRUT/PARIS, April 21 (Reuters) - French prosecutors have told Lebanon's central bank governor Riad Salameh they plan to press preliminary fraud and money laundering charges against him, partly based on allegedly forged bank statements used to conceal his wealth, according to French court documents seen by Reuters. During that hearing, French prosecutors intend to press the preliminary charges and formally name him a suspect. As part of his response to accusations, Salameh sent French prosecutors a 65-page memo supplied by Marwan Kheireddine, the chairman of Lebanon's AM Bank. But according to the French court documents seen by Reuters, French investigators have reached the conclusion the bank statements were fake. Salameh "used fake records of bank accounts at AM Bank… provided by Marwan Kheireddine, to justify in a deceitful manner the origin of his properties or revenues," French prosecutors say in the court documents.

☆ UK inflation rate surprises again with March figure holding above 10%
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

City workers in Paternoster Square, where the headquarters of the London Stock Exchange is based, in the City of London, UK, on Thursday, March 2, 2023. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesU.K. inflation unexpectedly remained in double-digits in March as households continued to grapple with soaring food and energy bills. The consumer price index rose by an annual 10.1%, according to the Office for National Statistics, above a consensus projection of 9.8% in a Reuters poll of economists. On a monthly basis, CPI inflation was 0.8%, above a Reuters consensus of 0.5% and down from the 1.1% of February. U.K. Finance Minister Jeremy Hunt said the Wednesday figures reaffirm why the government must continue efforts to drive down inflation.

☆ The New Baseball Rule That Has Turned Pickoff Moves Into Game Theory
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Lindsey Adler | Andrew Beaton | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The New Baseball Rule That Has Turned Pickoff Moves Into Game Theory Pitchers are now allowed a total of just three pick-off attempts per at-bat, which has launched a radical re-evaluation of how and when to use themRoyals outfielder Kyle Isbel dives back to first base ahead of a pickoff throw to Giants first baseman LaMonte Wade Jr. D. Ross Cameron/USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con

☆ Fact Check-Michael Rapaport added audio to video of Marjorie Taylor Greene, duping some
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

In the video, Greene is called a “filthy animal” and a “QAnon lunatic.” A search for the video shows an April 4 tweet by Rapaport with more than six million views at the time of writing (here). Rapaport shared the clip on his other social media accounts (here), (here) and (here). “As far as I can tell, [Rapaport] added the audio,” Mack said, adding that he shot it with his phone as Greene was leaving Collect Pond Park. The video shared on social media includes edited audio of Michael Rapaport and was originally shot by a BuzzFeed reporter. Read more about our work to fact-check social media posts (here).

To report this story, Reuters contacted more than 300 former Tesla employees who had worked at the company over the past nine years and were involved in developing its self-driving system. The company requires car owners to grant permission on the cars’ touchscreens before Tesla collects their vehicles’ data. Reuters found that Tesla employees shared clips that captured sensitive and embarrassing personal moments. Tesla’s own data labelers initially worked in the San Francisco Bay area, including the office in San Mateo. According to several ex-employees, some labelers shared screenshots, sometimes marked up using Adobe Photoshop, in private group chats on Mattermost, Tesla’s internal messaging system.

☆ Fact Check-No evidence Karine Jean-Pierre was involved in a drunk driving accident in March 2023, posts use unrelated photos
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

There is no evidence for claims that White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was involved in an accident for drunk driving in March 2023, despite posts retweeted at least 18,000 times. “DC METRO POLICE REFUSING TO RELEASE BODYCAM FOOTAGE OF KARINE JEAN-PIERRE ACCIDENT,” reads part of the text. White House spokesperson Michael Kikukawa said the claim “is not true.”Outlets (here ) (here) have reported that Jean-Pierre lives in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. DC Metro Police said there is no record of White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre being involved in an accident for drunk driving. The White House called the allegation false, and photos used to illustrate the claims show unrelated events.

☆ Fact Check-Video purporting to show post-election clash in Lagos, Nigeria, dates to at least October 2022
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-31 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

“It seems Ndigbo have waken up to defend themselves from Tinubu's APC thugs in Lagos,” wrote one person who shared the video on Twitter. However, another online search of keyframes also revealed that the clip was shared online as early as October 2022 (here ) (here ) (here ). TVC News Nigeria reported that a clash broke out between traders and road transport workers at Alaba International market on Oct. 19 (here ). Corroborating videos said to show the market has been shared online (here ) and other local outlets reported on the clashes (here ) (here ). Video showing clashes in Alaba International Market in Lagos, Nigeria dates to at least October 2022.

☆ Student who shot 2 high school administrators was on probation for weapons charge
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Keith Coffman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

DENVER, March 23 (Reuters) - The student who shot and wounded two Denver high school administrators and later took his own life was on probation at the time for a previous firearms offense, Reuters confirmed through a source with knowledge of the case on Thursday. As new details emerged about the youth's troubled past, education officials confirmed earlier media reports that Lyle had been expelled from Overland High School in Aurora before he was enrolled this year in Denver's East High School. In November of 2022, according to the source, Lyle was sentenced to 12 months of probation for the large-magazine possession charge, while the dangerous weapon charge was dismissed. The Denver school board had voted in 2020 to eliminate its program of assigning armed city police officers to its campuses, relying instead on the school district's own security team. Amid a public furor over Wednesday's shooting, the school board voted in emergency session on Thursday to allow armed police officers back on the grounds of East High School.

☆ Mexico launches appeal in suit against U.S. gun makers
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Sarah Morland | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MEXICO CITY, March 15 (Reuters) - Mexico has filed an appeal in a civil lawsuit against U.S.-based gun manufacturers, it said on Wednesday, looking to crack down on the trafficking of weapons to powerful drug cartels. A U.S. judge in September dismissed the $10 billion lawsuit seeking to hold U.S. gun makers responsible for facilitating the trafficking of deadly weapons across the border. The issue of gun violence in Mexico has drawn new scrutiny on both sides of the border in recent days following the cartel-linked kidnapping of four Americans in the northern state of Tamaulipas, during which two of them and a Mexican bystander were killed. Mexico is not the only country in the region to be plagued by gun violence. Reporting by Sarah Morland; Editing by Robert BirselOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

"Until now, the ministry has taken the defence companies for granted," said Masahisa Sato, an influential ruling party lawmaker and former deputy defence minister. Three of them, Mitsubishi Heavy, Mitsubishi Electric and IHI Corp (7013.T), which makes jet engines, bridges and heavy machinery, confirmed they had also taken part in other lower-level discussions. Reuters asked 10 of Japan's military suppliers, including Toshiba, Mitsubishi Electric, Daikin and Subaru, for interviews with their defence unit managers. Despite diplomatic tensions, China is Japan's top trade partner and a major manufacturing base for many Japanese companies. Even so, Japanese companies often refer to their military products as "special equipment," the government official said.

☆ Companies that give up stock buybacks for 5 years will get preferential treatment in $52 billion CHIPS program, Commerce Secretary Raimondo says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( Chelsey Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON — U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said companies that voluntarily agree to forgo stock buybacks for five years will get preferential treatment when the agency doles out $52 billion authorized under the CHIPS and Science Act. Raimondo said stock buybacks is one factor being taken into consideration as part of a $39 billion manufacturing subsidy program. The law also creates a 25% investment tax credit for building chip plants, estimated to be worth $24 billion. Beyond that, we're giving a preference to companies who voluntarily say they won't do a buyback for five years," Raimondo told CNBC's Sara Eisen on Monday. The Commerce Department began accepting applications for CHIPS funding at the end of February.

☆ London Stock Exchange Group posts steady 2022 earnings, eyes buyback on Blackstone/TR stake
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LSEG reported total income, including recoveries, of 7.743 billion pounds ($9.28 billion) in preliminary results for 2022, just above analysts' consensus of 7.733 billion pounds. It reported a basic earnings per share of 141.8 pence and a dividend per share of 107 pence, both above analysts' forecasts. It said 300 million pounds of a separate 750 million pound share buyback was executed in 2022, with the remainder to be completed by July 2023. Thomson Reuters, the parent company of Reuters News, owned about $5.6 billion worth of LSEG shares as of Jan 31. Schwimmer said the integration of Refinitiv and a strategic $2 billion partnership announced with Microsoft in December meant the group is "shifting from integration to transformation".

☆ LSE Group targets Blackstone/Thomson Reuters stake buyback as raises outlook
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Huw Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"In addition to our existing share buyback, we are today announcing plans to seek shareholder approval for a buyback directed towards the Blackstone/Thomson Reuters consortium's stake, which will benefit all shareholders," LSEG Chief Executive David Schwimmer said in a statement. The directed buyback is expected to be up to 750 million pounds by April 2024, LSEG said. LSEG said 300 million pounds of a separate, broader 750 million pound share buyback was carried out in 2022, with the remainder to be completed by July 2023. TARGETSLSEG's total income, including recoveries, of 7.743 billion pounds ($9.28 billion) in preliminary results for 2022, was just above analysts' consensus of 7.733 billion pounds, and up from 6.535 billion in 2021. LSEG also raised its guidance on revenue synergies from 225 million pounds by 2025 to 350-400 million pounds.

☆ LSE Group targets Blackstone/Thomson Reuters stake buyback as it raises outlook
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

"In addition to our existing share buyback, we are today announcing plans to seek shareholder approval for a buyback directed towards the Blackstone/Thomson Reuters consortium's stake, which will benefit all shareholders," LSEG Chief Executive David Schwimmer said in a statement. The directed buyback is expected to be up to 750 million pounds by April 2024, LSEG said. Schwimmer said the consortium owned just over 30% of LSEG shares when the Refinitiv deal was completed. Thomson Reuters, the parent company of Reuters News, owned about $5.6 billion worth of LSEG shares as of Jan 31. LSEG said 300 million pounds of a separate, broader 750 million pound share buyback was carried out in 2022, with the remainder to be completed by July 2023.

☆ IAEA report says pressing Iran on enrichment to near bomb-grade
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Diplomats said last week that the agency had found the traces at the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant (FFEP), where Iran is enriching uranium to up to 60% purity. The International Atomic Energy Agency chided Iran in an earlier report for making substantial changes to those cascades without informing it. The report also said Iran's stock of uranium enriched to up to 60%, which is being produced at two sites, had grown by 25.2 kg to 87.5 kg since the last quarterly report. The total stockpile of uranium enriched to that and lower levels is estimated at 3,760.8 kg, the report said. Iran denies ever having sought nuclear weapons and says it only wants to master nuclear technology for civil uses.

☆ Israel cenbank to hike rates but analysts split on 25 or 50 bps
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-19 | by ( Steven Scheer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The rate has jumped from 0.1% in what the central bank called a "front loading" cycle. But higher than expected inflation and growth data issued last week has analysts believing a stronger dose of 50 basis points was now possible. The annual inflation rate rose to a more than 14-year high of 5.4% in January, slightly above a Reuters consensus and December's rate of 5.3%. Of the 15 economists polled by Reuters, nine project a 25 basis points hike while six foresee 50 basis points when the central bank announces its decision on Monday at 4 pm (1400 GMT). "Apprehension regarding the negative impact on mortgage borrowers is the only factor that may moderate the increase in interest rates," said Bank Hapoalim economist Victor Bahar.

LONDON/WASHINGTON, Feb 7 (Reuters) - A global ransomware outbreak has scrambled servers belonging to Florida's Supreme Court and several universities in the U.S. and Central Europe, according to a Reuters analysis of ransom notes posted online to stricken servers. The Florida Supreme Court didn't respond to messages. Reuters contacted the hackers via an account advertised on their ransom notes but only received a payment demand in return. Because internet-facing servers were affected, researchers and tracking services like Ransomwhere or Onyphe could easily follow the criminals' trail. Reporting by James Pearson in London and Raphael Satter in Washington; Editing by Anna DriverOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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