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[1/2] A general view of ADNOC headquarters in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates May 29, 2019. ADNOC and Covestro declined to comment. The OMV deal would indirectly also increase ADNOC's holding in both European petrochemicals maker Borealis and Abu Dhabi-listed petrochemicals company Borouge (BOROUGE.AD). SABIC (2020.SE), also of Saudi Arabia, in the same year purchased a stake of almost 25% in Swiss chemicals maker Clariant (CLN.S). Thanks to a 2007 deal to buy GE's plastics unit, SABIC competes with Covestro in polycarbonate plastics.

Persons: Christopher Pike, Abu Dhabi's, ADNOC, Sultan, Jaber, Lanxess, SABIC, Ludwig Burger, Patricia Weiss, Christoph Steitz, Hadeel Al, Greg Roumeliotis, Louise Heavens, Sharon Singleton, Elisa Martinuzzi, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: United, United Arab Emirates, REUTERS, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, Covestro, Alexandra Hudson Our, Thomson Locations: Abu Dhabi, United Arab, Covestro, Europe, Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia, Swiss, Frankfurt, Hadeel Al Sayegh, Dubai

[1/2] A general view of ADNOC headquarters in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates May 29, 2019. REUTERS/Christopher Pike/File PhotoJune 20 (Reuters) - Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) has approached German plastics and chemicals maker Covestro AG (1COV.DE) with a takeover proposal worth more than 10 billion euros ($10.9 billion), two people familiar with the matter said on Tuesday. The OMV deal would indirectly also increase ADNOC's holding in both European petrochemicals maker Borealis and Abu Dhabi-listed petrochemicals company Borouge (BOROUGE.AD). SABIC (2020.SE), also of Saudi Arabia, in the same year purchased a stake of almost 25% in Swiss chemicals maker Clariant (CLN.S). Thanks to a 2007 deal to buy GE's plastics unit, SABIC competes with Covestro in polycarbonate plastics.

The World Bank estimates Ukraine's reconstruction will cost $411 billion, three times the country's gross domestic product. Since Russia's invasion in February 2022, external backers have poured $59 billion into Ukraine for financing needs. "If you have to rebuild, it is logical to rebuild green in line with new technologies... Our vision is to build a 50 million tonnes green steel industry in Ukraine," he told Reuters. To help raise $20-$40 billion in initial funding, Ukraine plans a coalition of industry, public and private sector stakeholders to develop the plan, including doing initial scoping work on projects. "Ukraine's bravery on the battlefield must be matched by the vision of the private sector to help the country rebuild and recover," Sunak will say.

Persons: Pavel Klimov, Rostyslav, Volodymyr Zelenskiy's, Shurma, Rishi Sunak, Matteo Patrone, Ayomide Mejabi, Elisa Martinuzzi, Frances Kerry Organizations: Bank, Reuters, British, Ukraine, Ukrainian Development Fund, BlackRock, European Bank for Reconstruction, London, Republican, Democratic, Russia, NATO, JPMorgan, Jorgelina, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Mariupol, Europe, Ukrainian, London, Britain, Rosario

CNN —Robert Bowers, the gunman who killed 11 worshippers at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue in 2018, was convicted by a federal jury Friday on all 63 charges against him. Bowers was also convicted of 11 counts of hate crimes resulting in death. The shooting unfolded on a day when the synagogue was hosting three congregations, Tree of Life, Dor Hadash and New Light, for weekly Shabbat services. In addition to the 11 killed, two worshippers and four responding police officers were wounded. Before the shooting, Bowers spent years posting about attacks on immigrants and Jewish people on Gab, a small social media platform used by far-right extremists.

Persons: Robert Bowers, Bowers, David Klug Diane Rosenthal, Cecil, David Rosenthal, ‘, ’, Rabbi Jeffrey Myers, ” Myers, ” “, ”, Jonathan Greenblatt, that’s, ” Greenblatt, Dan Frankel, “, Frankel, ” Bowers, Robert Bowers David Klug, Robert Colville, Elisa Long, ” Long, Eric Olshan, ” Olshan, Dor Hadash, Andrea Wedner, Rose Mallinger, ’ ”, Mary Hahn, – Organizations: CNN, U.S, Attorney, Defamation League, Pennsylvania, Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, Police, Immigrant Aid Society Locations: Maryland, New York

☆ Valentino returns to Milan Fashion Week with flowery menswear show
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/5] Models present creations by designer Pierpaolo Piccioli as part of his Spring/Summer 2024 collection show for fashion house Valentino during Men's Fashion Week in Milan, Italy, June 16, 2023. REUTERS/Claudia GrecoMILAN, June 16 (Reuters) - Italian luxury house Valentino kicked off Milan Fashion Week's menswear shows on Friday with a lineup combining blazers and coats with shorts, as creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli sought to redefine the meaning of the masculine identity. Valentino, which is controlled by Qatari investment vehicle Mayhoola, presented its menswear collection for spring and summer 2024 in the arched courtyard of Milan's state university. Valentino ditched the co-ed show model - the mixing of men's and women's shows - which it had adopted for the last three years and returned to Milan, where founder Valentino Garavani staged the first Valentino menswear show in 1985. Milan Fashion Week includes 72 events and presentations of menswear collections.

Persons: Pierpaolo Piccioli, Valentino, Claudia Greco MILAN, Valentino Garavani, Giorgio Armani, Prada, Ermenegildo, Elisa Anzolin, Valentina Za Organizations: REUTERS, Milan, Gabbana, Thomson Locations: Milan, Italy

A spokesperson for the hedge fund declined further comment on Thursday. Big banks typically agree terms with hedge funds that allow them to cut ties at short notice, five sources from prime brokerages and hedge funds told Reuters. Prime brokerages may now refine due diligence processes and perform more thorough background checks on hedge funds, said Jim Neumann, chief investment officer of Sussex Partners, which advises investors on how they give their money to hedge funds. But many of these agreements mainly focus on the financial viability of the hedge fund, two of the sources said. One hedge fund manager said he was asked in his due diligence with the bank if he was approved by the UK regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority.

Persons: Banks, Crispin Odey, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, MS.N, Odey, Epstein, Michael Oliver Weinberg, JPMorgan Chase, JPM.N, Jeffrey Epstein, Bill Hwang, brokerages, Jim Neumann, Neumann, Archegos, Erika Kelton, Phillips, Cohen, Nell Mackenzie, Kirstin Ridley, Carolina Mandl, Dhara Ranasinghe, Elisa Martinuzzi, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Wall, Odey, Management, Financial Times, Tortoise Media, JPMorgan, Odey Asset Management, Reuters, CMT, Archegos Capital Management, Sussex Partners, UBS, Financial, Authority, Thomson Locations: London, New York

Liberty Global could retain a stake in the merged entity, which would comprise ITV Studios and All3Media, the person said. Spokespeople for ITV, All3Media, Warner Bros. and Liberty Global declined to comment. Discovery and Liberty Global bought All3Media in 2014 for an enterprise value of about 550 million pounds. In a potential deal, ITV would combine All3Media with the Studios business it has built to offset more volatile revenue from its advertising-dependent TV channels and new ITVX streaming service. ITV Studios, which makes reality show "Love Island", grew revenue by 19% to 2.1 billion pounds and adjusted earnings by 22% to 259 million pounds in 2022.

Persons: Spokespeople, Amy, Jo Crowley, Paul Sandle, Elisa Martinuzzi, Hugh Lawson Organizations: ITV, Warner Bros Discovery Inc, Liberty Global, Warner Brothers, . Liberty Global, ITV Studios, All3Media, Reuters, Liberty, Warner Bros, JPMorgan, Discovery, Thomson

The SEC also sued Binance.US' operating company, BAM Trading, alleging that it misled investors about "non-existent trading" controls over its platform. A day later, the SEC asked a federal court to freeze Binance.US' assets, including more than $2.2 billion held in crypto and some $377 million in U.S. dollar bank accounts. 'ROUND OF LAYOFFS'Two Binance.US employees said on LinkedIn on Wednesday they were leaving the company, with one citing a "round of layoffs." Binance.US had avoided layoffs over the past year, Shroder wrote in the message. In a court filing on Monday, Binance.US' operator, BAM Trading, said the SEC's asset freeze request would "effectively put BAM out of business."

Persons: Binance, Changpeng Zhao, Binance.US, Brian Shroder, Shroder, Angus Berwick, Tom Wilson, Elisa Martinuzzi, Richard Chang, Louise Heavens Organizations: U.S, Reuters, SEC, BAM, Management, LinkedIn, Thomson

☆ Factbox: Who are Crispin Odey and hedge fund Odey Asset Management?
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Here are some key facts about Odey, London-based OAM, the allegations, and their fallout:WHO ARE CRISPIN ODEY AND ODEY ASSET MANAGEMENT? Odey, 64, founded the asset management firm which bears his name in 1991. HOW BIG IS ODEY ASSET MANAGEMENT? Schroders and Canada Life last week moved to cut back their dealings with asset management businesses with links to Odey. It is looking increasingly unlikely, even though larger funds such as Odey Asset Management Group are made up of many funds with different trading strategies.

Persons: Crispin Odey, OAM, Odey, CRISPIN ODEY, Kwasi Kwarteng, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, James Hanbury, Hanbury, Peter Martin, Carolina Mandl, Nell Mackenzie, Elisa Martinuzzi, Dhara Ranasinghe, Alexander Smith Organizations: Odey, Management, Reuters, Financial Times, WHO, Asset Management, Conservative Party, Securities and Exchange Commission, Financial, Authority, Lawmakers, JPMorgan, UBS, CAN, Odey Asset Management, Inc, Carolina, Thomson Locations: London, Schroders, New York

Employees in Binance.US' legal, compliance and risk departments were among those dismissed, the people told Reuters, requesting anonymity because the matter is private. The SEC also sued Binance.US' operating company, BAM Trading, alleging that it misled investors about "non-existent trading" controls over its platform. A day later, the SEC asked a federal court to freeze Binance.US' assets, including more than $2.2 billion held in crypto and some $377 million in U.S. dollar bank accounts. Two Binance.US employees said on LinkedIn on Wednesday they were leaving the company, with one citing a "round of layoffs." Reporting by Angus Berwick and Tom Wilson; edited by Elisa Martinuzzi and Richard ChangOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Binance, Changpeng Zhao, Binance.US, Angus Berwick, Tom Wilson, Elisa Martinuzzi, Richard Chang Organizations: U.S, Reuters, SEC, BAM, LinkedIn, Thomson

☆ Odey Asset Management freezes funds as clients pull money, prime brokers flee
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-13 | by ( Nell Mackenzie | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

LONDON, June 13 (Reuters) - Odey Asset Management (OAM) is closing one fund and restricting money clients can pull from another, two investor letters showed, just as the hedge fund was scrambling on Tuesday to keep its prime brokers from ending vital relationships with the firm. Odey Asset Management has closed its Odey Swan Fund and is restricting the money clients can pull from its Brook Developed Markets Fund, according to investor letters seen by Reuters. An OAM spokesperson declined to comment but confirmed the letter about the Brook Developed Markets Fund and was not immediately available to respond to a request about the closure of the Swan Fund. He did not respond when contacted by Reuters on Tuesday about either the Brook or Swan fund. Brook Developed Markets Fund is open to retail investors and had about $216 million, as of the end of February, the latest data from Morningstar showed.

Persons: Crispin Odey, Odey, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Swan, Nell Mackenzie, Dhara Ranasinghe, Elisa Martinuzzi, Susan Fenton Organizations: Odey, Management, Financial Times, Tortoise Media, Reuters, JPMorgan, Swan, Swan Fund, Morningstar, Thomson

THE SWISS BANKPossibly the first hurdle is a politically fraught decision on Credit Suisse's "crown jewel", its domestic business. But UBS will have to weigh that against public pressure to keep the Credit Suisse business separate with its own brand, identity and, critically, workforce. However, insiders talk of rivals aggressively wooing Credit Suisse clients and employees. Clients who would typically bank both with UBS and Credit Suisse to spread their risk, might now take some of that business elsewhere. One potential risk stems from legal challenges to the decision by Swiss authorities to write off special AT1 bonds issued by Credit Suisse.

Persons: Sergio Ermotti, Ermotti, Colm Kelleher, Alan Mudie, Arturo Bris, Kelleher, Lars Schweizer, John Revill, Oliver Hirt, Noele Illien, Tomasz Janowski, Elisa Martinuzzi, Alexander Smith Organizations: Credit Suisse, UBS, Suisse, Woodman Asset Management, Finance, International Institute for Management Development, Reuters Graphics, Credit, Frankfurt University, Barclays, Thomson Locations: ZURICH, Switzerland, Swiss, Lausanne

NEW YORK/LONDON, June 10 (Reuters) - Crispin Odey, one of Britain's best-known hedge fund managers, will be leaving the company he founded, Odey Asset Management, following allegations of sexual misconduct, the firm's executive committee said on Saturday. Odey and Duncan Lamont, a consultant at law firm Charles Russell Speechlys, which represents Odey Asset Management (OAM), did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment about the hedge fund manager's departure. OAM will continue to operate without him and his partners will control and manage the asset management firm, the company said. It added it has been investigating allegations concerning Odey, but cannot comment in detail because it is bound by legal obligations of confidentiality. Odey told the FT on Saturday that he had been notified of the firm's position, adding: "You have to have (a) willing buyer, willing seller."

Persons: Crispin Odey, Odey, Duncan Lamont, Charles Russell Speechlys, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Goldman, Carolina Mandl, Nell Mackenzie, Kirstin Ridley, Elisa Martinuzzi, Daniel Wallis Organizations: Odey Asset Management, Financial Times, Management, JPMorgan, Reuters, UBS, Conservative Party, Securities and Exchange Commission, Financial, Authority, Carolina, Thomson Locations: Brexit, British, New York, London

☆ JPMorgan and Morgan Stanley review prime broking ties with Odey Asset Management -sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Nell Mackenzie | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, June 8 (Reuters) - JPMorgan (JPM.N) and Morgan Stanley (MS.N) are reviewing their prime broking relationships with Odey Asset Management after allegations of sexual misconduct and bullying by Crispin Odey reported by the Financial Times and Tortoise Media on Thursday, sources familiar with the matter said. A source familiar with the matter told Reuters JPMorgan was also reviewing its relationship with Odey Asset Management. A source at one of the banks said the allegations of misconduct at Odey Asset Management conflicted with their standards. Morgan Stanley and JPMorgan declined to comment. Odey Asset Management did not respond immediately to a phone call and email requesting comment.

Persons: Morgan Stanley, Crispin Odey, Odey, Morgan Stanley's, Nell Mackenzie, Elisa Martinuzzi, Dhara Ranasinghe, Catherine Evans Organizations: JPMorgan, Odey, Management, Financial Times, Tortoise Media, FT, Reuters, Odey Asset Management, Thomson Locations: Brexit

After receiving $145 million from Binance.US's operator by 2021, Sigma Chain spent $11 million on buying a yacht, the SEC complaint said, without elaborating. It is unclear from the SEC complaint how much money Zhao is alleged to have drawn from Merit Peak and Sigma Chain. The SEC also said Zhao used Merit Peak to direct more than $16 million to fund Binance's purportedly independent U.S. affiliate Binance.US. Binance used its BUSD holdings to meet customer withdrawals by selling them for dollars as needed, Reuters reported in May. The SEC complaint also identified Binance Labs, a venture capital arm of Binance, as part of the exchange's plan to increase demand for BNB.

Persons: Zhao, Binance, Benoit Tessier LONDON, Changpeng Zhao, John Reed Stark, Stark, Binance's, Angus Berwick, Tom Wilson, Lisa Barrington, Hadeel Al, Elisa Martinuzzi, Alexander Smith Organizations: Viva Technology, Porte de, REUTERS, Binance, Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC, Swiss, Sigma Chain, Reuters, Silicon, Internet, Futures Trading Commission, U.S . Justice, Reuters Graphics, Silvergate Bank, Merit, Sigma, Binance Labs, Thomson Locations: Porte, Paris, France, Binance, U.S, Virgin Islands, Dubai, London, Hadeel Al Sayegh

☆ Armani tests sustainable cotton production in Italy
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] The logo of Italian fashion company Giorgio Armani is seen at a shop in Zurich, Switzerland July 8, 2021. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File PhotoMILAN, June 5 (Reuters) - Luxury fashion house Armani Group has started an experimental agroforestry plantation in southern Italy to test new ways to produce cotton sustainably, it said on Monday. Armani said cotton planting started last month over one hectare of land - to be expanded to five hectares - in the southern region of Apulia. "Over five years, this farm site will be among the first field experiments in Europe testing agroforestry cotton with alternative tree species and regenerative practices," Armani said in a statement. The project is in collaboration with the Sustainable Markets Initiative’s Fashion Task Force and the Circular Bioeconomy Alliance, both founded by Britain's King Charles in his former role as the Prince of Wales, Armani Group said.

Persons: Giorgio Armani, Arnd, MILAN, Armani, Britain's King Charles, Prince of, Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Kering, Elisa Anzolin, Alvise Armellini, Jan Harvey Organizations: REUTERS, Armani, Sustainable, Force, Alliance, Armani Group, Sustainability, Thomson Locations: Zurich, Switzerland, Italy, Apulia, Agroforestry, Europe, Prince of Wales

☆ New details emerge about Amazon's Ring staff spying on customers, and also reveals that 55,000 were hacked in 2019
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-01 | by ( Caroline Haskins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

It also revealed new details about incidents of Ring employees and contractors spying on customers. The FTC complaint revealed that in between June and August 2017, a male Ring employee viewed "thousands" of videos captured on Ring cameras belonging to "at least 81" women, including Ring customers and employees. More than 55,000 hack victimsPrior to the publication of Wednesday's complaint, public knowledge about Ring employees spying on customers has been known, but vague. The complaint also reveals how many people were the victims of a series of 2019 hacks, which targeted Ring customers in several high profile incidents. Between January 2019 and March 2020, the FTC said in its Wednesday complaint, "more than 55,000 U.S. customers" were the victims of hackers targeting Ring accounts.

Persons: Yarger, Ring, Elisa Jillson, Jillson Organizations: FTC, Morning, Federal Trade Commission, FTC's, Consumer Locations: Ukraine, U.S, Washington ,

☆ 2,500-year-old toilets reveal that the people of ancient Jerusalem were afflicted by painful stomach cramps and diarrhea
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-27 | by ( Isobel Van Hagen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Archeologists excavated the cesspits below two toilets from Iron Age Jerusalem. At the time, Jerusalem was the capital of Judah — a vassal state under the control of the Assyrian Empire. "Toilets with cesspits from this time are relatively rare and were usually made only for the elite," Mitchell said. The study suggests the "long-term presence" of the disease across the Near East. Indeed, medical texts from the first and second millennium BC describe diarrhea afflicting the Near and Middle East populations.

Deutsche swapped billions of euros in securities for cash and government bonds, the sources told Reuters, which count towards its liquidity coverage ratio (LCR). This is meant to determine the extent of a bank's access to ready cash to fund outflows such as depositor withdrawals. The trades caught the attention of European Central Bank (ECB) supervisors, who questioned Germany's largest lender about them during routine exchanges, the sources said. Even without the trades, Deutsche would have far exceeded a 100% LCR regulatory requirement and overshot its own target, the sources said, adding that its liquidity is not a concern. Deutsche's trades helped it raise its LCR to 143% at March 31, its first-quarter earnings report published in April showed.

☆ Ancient toilets unearthed in Jerusalem reveal a debilitating and sometimes fatal disease
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-25 | by ( Katie Hunt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The Iron Age users of two ancient toilets in Jerusalem were not a healthy bunch, according to an analysis of poop samples from the 2,500-year-old latrines. Ancient poop contains a trove of fascinating informationA stone toilet seat was excavated in 2019 south of Jerusalem in the neighborhood of Armon ha-Natziv. Archaeologists excavating the latrines took samples from sediment in the cesspit beneath each toilet seat. They found one seat south of Jerusalem in the neighborhood of Armon ha-Natziv at a mansion excavated in 2019. Cities such as Jerusalem likely would have been hot spots for disease outbreaks, and illnesses would have spread easily by traders and during military expeditions, according to the study.

LONDON/LISBON, May 19 (Reuters) - Portuguese insurer Fidelidade is exploring a potential stock market listing of its private healthcare subsidiary Luz Saude, six people familiar with the matter told Reuters. Luz Saude reported operating income of 599 million euros in 2022, a 10.6% jump from the year before, driven by growth in private healthcare services. They come after Fidelidade acquired the remaining 49% of Luz Saude it did not already own from parent Fosun in September. An IPO would mark a return of Luz Saude to the stock market after the healthcare group stopped trading on Euronext Lisbon in 2018. It could also awaken Europe's IPO market, after activity levels plunged last year on the back of soaring interest rates and economic uncertainty.

☆ Pent-up demand promises record tourist season for southern Europe
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-19 | by ( Giselda Vagnoni | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

What's more, there appears to be growing demand for the luxury end of the spectrum. Portugal registered more than 2.8 million of foreign visitors from January to March, the best first quarter on record, according to official data. Airlines such as Lufthansa, easyJet and Ryanair have confirmed robust summer bookings while Ryanair, in anticipation of strong demand, has just ordered 150 new 737 Max-10s and optioned another 150. Italian travel and tourism company Alpitour forecasts turnover 30% higher this year. "We already see a very strong demand to book Christmas holidays in 2023.

☆ Italian Design Brands shares rise on first day of trading
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

MILAN, May 18 (Reuters) - Shares in Italy's Italian Design Brands (IDB) (IDB.MI), a hub of Italian furniture and lighting companies, jumped more than 3% on their Milan bourse debut on Thursday. At around 1000 GMT IDB's shares were up 3.3% from the fixed price set in its initial public offering. The group, which offered newly issued shares worth 70 million euros ($77 million), is aiming to use part of the IPO proceedings for new acquisitions. "We hope to bring in another company by year-end," IDB's Chief Executive Andrea Sasso told journalists. Citigroup and Equita acted as joint global coordinators and joint bookrunners for the IPO.

LONDON, May 17 (Reuters) - Planisware is working with investment bankers on strategic options, including a stock market listing of the French software group, four people familiar with the matter told Reuters. Rothschild (ROTH.PA) is acting as financial adviser to Planisware, two of the people, who declined to be named, said. BNP Paribas (BNPP.PA) and Citigroup (C.N) have been lined up to arrange a possible initial public offering (IPO), one person added. Private equity group Ardian, which holds an undisclosed stake in Planisware through its growth capital arm, declined to comment. In France, IPO volumes plunged in 2022 to levels similar to the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Shareholders of Credit Suisse and UBS were not granted a vote on the deal that was sealed over one weekend in March. Officials for QIA, UBS, the Swiss finance ministry and Credit Suisse declined to comment. QIA's investment in Credit Suisse dates back to the global financial crisis of 2008. The sovereign wealth fund had increased its stake in Credit Suisse to just under 7%, only trailing largest shareholder Saudi National Bank's roughly 10% stake, according to a January filing. Among them, Middle Eastern backers which own more than 20% of Credit Suisse face the largest hit.

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