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☆ European e-scooter operator TIER Mobility explores merger - Sky News
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

May 1 (Reuters) - Berlin-based e-scooter operator TIER Mobility is working with bankers at Qatalyst Partners for a potential merger or sale with a rival, Sky News reported on Monday. The talks, however, did not produce satisfactory terms for TIER, the report said, citing industry sources. TIER Mobility and Qatalyst Partners did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment. In 2021, the Softbank-backed TIER bought bike-sharing firm Nextbike to create Europe's largest provider of shared lightweight vehicles. TIER Mobility operates in 10 countries and employs about 900 people, according to its website.

☆ Gas leak in India's Punjab kills 11 people, state lawmaker says
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

April 30 (Reuters) - Eleven people died and nine were hospitalised after a gas leak in Ludhiana in the northern Indian state of Punjab, a state lawmaker said on Sunday. Police officials were seen patrolling wearing masks and asking locals to keep out of a cordoned area, according to ANI news agency's video feed on Twitter. "The incident happened near a milk shop and a doctor's clinic although we cannot say for sure where the leak began," Chhina told Reuters by phone. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann tweeted the leak was from a factory, without providing further details. Three bodies had "turned blue," local resident Anjan Kumar said in ANI's video feed on Twitter.

☆ Mystery Gas Leak in India Leaves at Least 11 Dead
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-30 | by ( Sameer Yasir | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

At least 11 people were killed and almost as many injured after a gas leaked in the northern Indian state of Punjab on Sunday. Officials had sealed off a section of in the city of Ludhiana and were evacuating residents as they tried to identify the gas and determine the source of the leak. All the victims were found near three businesses in the Giaspura industrial district — a dairy store, a grocery store and a clinic. Among the dead were two children, local news media reported. She said she saw about half a dozen people lying unconscious on the street near the dairy store.

It’s time for practice: a two-mile run, a couple hours of batting, bowling and catching drills, and lots of giggles. The girls, including his own daughter, all refer to him as “veera,” meaning elder brother in Punjabi. Mr. Shergill’s wife, Kamaldeep Kaur, helps coordinate with the 20-odd families through the team’s WhatsApp group. For the girls, the daily routine is an escape from the boredom of village life. After each practice, they lie in a circle, their backs to the grass, their faces to the sky’s fading light.

☆ 'Lilo & Stitch' live-action remake raises concerns about colorism
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( Harmeet Kaur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Disney’s animated hit “Lilo & Stitch” is getting the live-action treatment, but a reported casting decision has set off a new conversation about colorism in Hollywood. Why some feel Nani’s skin color is relevantThe new “Lilo & Stitch” is based on an animated film and Nani is a fictional, animated character. But unlike “The Little Mermaid,” which is rooted in mythology despite receiving racist backlash over Halle Bailey’s casting in the live-action remake, “Lilo & Stitch” draws from a very real culture and people. The live-action “Lilo & Stitch” is only the latest in a long line of projects that have faced accusations of colorism. Though Connor is disappointed, she hopes the “Lilo & Stitch” remake will otherwise stay true to the original, which she loved so much growing up.

☆ Wrong-place, wrong-time shootings: What's going on?
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Zachary B. Wolf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

► Outside Austin, Texas, on April 18, two cheerleaders were shot in a grocery store parking lot just after midnight. Yarl and Andrew Lester, the 84-year-old homeowner accused of opening fire, both told police that Lester almost immediately shot Yarl upon opening his front door. What we know about why Lester shot Yarl is what he has told police. ‘Everything to do with race’Lucas doesn’t buy that, noting that Lester said Yarl was six feet tall, when he’s actually 5’8”. That’s another thing that appears to tie these recent shootings together – loaded guns at the ready.

☆ One Climber Dies and Another Is Missing on Himalayan Mountain
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Bhadra Sharma | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

An experienced alpinist from Northern Ireland was found dead and another climber from India went missing on the same mountain in central Nepal on Tuesday. The Northern Irish climber, Noel Hanna, who had scaled Mount Everest 10 times, was found dead inside his tent at Camp 4 of Annapurna after scaling the 26,545-foot-tall mountain without supplemental oxygen on Monday, officials said. Yubaraj Khatiwada, a tourism official in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, said the cause of Mr. Hanna’s death was unclear. The climber had just descended from Annapurna, the world’s 10th-highest peak, according to his expedition agency, Seven Summit Treks. Mr. Khatiwada also said that two Indian mountaineers went missing on Monday after losing radio contact with the base.

☆ JPMorgan's dealmaking flurry being scrutinized by US regulator - FT
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

JPMorgan had sued Javice and Olivier Amar, who was Frank's chief growth officer, in Delaware federal court in December. The OCC audit was scheduled before JPMorgan's lawsuit, the report said. Javice filed counterclaims in February, accusing JPMorgan of having "compromised her reputation" and wrongfully withheld $28 million of retention payments and equity. JPMorgan and the OCC did not immediately respond to Reuters request for comment. Reporting by Baranjot Kaur in Bengaluru; Editing by Jamie FreedOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Icelandair orders 25 Airbus A321XLR as it replaces Boeing 757s
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

April 7 (Reuters) - Icelandair Group HF (ICEAIR.IC) said on Friday it secured a deal to purchase about 25 of European planemaker Airbus SE's (AIR.PA) latest A321XLR single-aisle jet, with deliveries slated to begin in 2029. Icelandair, however, said it plans to start using the world's largest planemaker's aircraft from 2025, and is currently in advanced negotiations to lease four Airbus A321LR planes for this purpose. "With the acquisition of the Airbus aircraft, Icelandair will complete the replacement of the Boeing 757," the company said in a statement. Icelandair said it would continue to operate a full Boeing fleet until 2025, after which a mixed fleet of both Airbus and Boeing planes will be in operation following the first deliveries from Airbus. But whereas this makes up some 12% of market forecasts for Boeing's 2023 deliveries, Airbus has secured just 9% of its 2023 target of 720 jets, below the trend for this time of year.

☆ Starbucks illegally refused to bargain with union on Zoom - Bloomberg News
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The general counsel of the NLRB determined that the coffee chain violated labor law by refusing to participate in collective bargaining sessions if some workers were present via video-conference, the report said. "Now that it's clear we have the right to bargain using a virtual component, we hope Starbucks is ready, too," Tyler Keeling, a Starbucks' union leader from California said in a statement. Starbucks and the NLRB did not immediately respond to Reuters request for comment. Employees at more than 280 out of Starbucks' roughly 9,000 company-operated U.S. locations have voted to join a labor union since 2021. The union is seeking better pay and benefits, improved health and safety conditions and protections against unfair dismissal and discipline.

☆ Starbucks, union at odds over hybrid negotiations
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

March 28 (Reuters) - Starbucks Corp (SBUX.O), which has faced criticism over its opposition to union organizing, said the labor union representing some of its stores has rejected in-person bargaining sessions and is insisting on hybrid negotiations. Starbucks Workers United, which represents thousands of U.S. baristas at about 200 cafes, conducted unauthorized virtual broadcasts of bargaining sessions without prior agreement from all parties, Starbucks said in a statement to Reuters on Monday. "Workers United is asking for a seat at the table, we're simply encouraging them take their seat in-person at the negotiating table, as required, to move the bargaining process forward," the company said. This comes after National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) prosecutors alleged that Starbucks violated labor law by refusing to engage in bargaining if some workers were attending remotely via videoconference, according to a Bloomberg report. "Now that it's clear we have the right to bargain using a virtual component, we hope Starbucks is ready, too," Tyler Keeling, a leader of the Starbucks Workers United in California said.

☆ Softbank-owned Arm seeks to raise prices ahead of U.S. IPO - FT
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

March 23 (Reuters) - Arm Ltd, owned by Japan's SoftBank Group Corp (9984.T), is seeking to raise prices for its chip designs, as it aims to boost revenue ahead of an initial public offering in New York, the Financial Times reported on Thursday. The British chip designer recently notified several of its customers of a "significant shift" to its business model, the newspaper said, citing several industry executives and former employees. Arm intends to alter its royalty program, ceasing to charge chipmakers royalties for using its designs based on a chip's value, and instead charge device makers based on the value of the device, the report said. As a result of this change, Arm anticipates generating multiple times more revenue for each design it sells, since the value of an average smartphone far exceeds that of a single chip. Reporting by Baranjot Kaur and Shubhendu Deshmukh in Bengaluru; Editing by Sonia Cheema and Varun H KOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Bitcoin, USDC stablecoin rally after U.S. intervenes on SVB
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

SINGAPORE, March 13 (Reuters) - Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies rallied on Monday after U.S. authorities announced plans to limit the fallout from the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and as cryptocurrency firm Circle assured investors its peg was secure. The moves came as authorities took possession of New York-based Signature Bank (SBNY.O), the second bank failure in a matter of days. Stablecoin USD Coin (USDC) recovered to $0.9917, closer to its par and up from last week's lows around $0.88. Over the weekend, USDC had lost its 1:1 dollar peg and hit a record low on Saturday on concerns over the exposure of Circle — the firm behind USDC — to Silicon Valley Bank. Circle CEO Jeremy Allaire said in a tweet its $3.3 billion USDC reserve deposit held at the collapsed Silicon Valley Bank (SIVB.O) will be fully available when U.S. banks open Monday.

[1/2] A notice hangs on the door of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) located in San Francisco, California, U.S. March 10, 2023. "Silicon Valley Bank cannot be allowed to fail given the vital community it serves," Bank of London co-founder and CEO Anthony Watson said. But an executive at a major UK bank said it was unlikely a high street lender would buy SVB UK because its credit products would not be a good fit for a mainstream bank. EXISTENTIAL THREATMore than 250 UK tech firm executives signed a letter addressed to Hunt on Saturday calling for government intervention and warned of an "existential threat" to the UK tech sector, a copy seen by Reuters shows. Sunak has said he wants to turn Britain into the "next Silicon Valley".

☆ UK races to minimise SVB fallout amid reports of potential buyers
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-12 | by ( Andrew Macaskill | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

[1/2] A notice hangs on the door of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) located in San Francisco, California, U.S. March 10, 2023. SoftBank-owned lender OakNorth Bank is weighing a bid to buy Silicon Valley Bank UK Ltd, a person with knowledge of the talks told Reuters, confirming a Sky News report. EXISTENTIAL THREATMore than 250 UK tech firm executives signed a letter addressed to Hunt on Saturday calling for government intervention and warned of an "existential threat" to the UK tech sector, a copy seen by Reuters shows. Hunt reiterated comments by the BoE that overall, Silicon Valley Bank had a limited presence in Britain and did not perform functions critical to the financial system. Sunak has said he wants to turn Britain into the "next Silicon Valley".

☆ India's Adani prepays $2.15 billion share-backed loans
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

March 12 (Reuters) - Adani Group said it had completed full prepayment of margin-linked share-backed financing worth $2.15 billion as part of its debt prepayment plan, before its deadline of March 31. Adani Group last year acquired Holcim AG's (HOLN.S) cement businesses in India – Ambuja Cements and ACC Ltd – for $10.5 billion, its largest-ever acquisition. Hindenburg's report alleged stock manipulation and improper use of tax havens, and flagged "substantial" debt levels, which the group has denied. Gautam Adani and his family have prepaid all borrowings backed by his conglomerate Adani Group's shares, senior executives told investors at a meeting in London, Bloomberg News reported last week. Reporting by Baranjot Kaur and Jahnavi Nidumolu in Bengaluru; Editing by David HolmesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Adani seeks to sell stake in Ambuja Cement for $450 mln to reduce debt - FT
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

March 10 (Reuters) - Gautam Adani is seeking to sell a stake in Ambuja Cement (ABUJ.NS) for about $450 million, the Financial Times reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter. Adani on Thursday made a formal request to international lenders to sell 4% to 5% in Ambuja, his cement business, the report said. The Adani Group did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. The embattled Adani Group last year acquired Holcim AG's (HOLN.S) cement businesses in India – Ambuja Cements and ACC Ltd (ACC.NS) – for $10.5 billion, its largest-ever acquisition. Ambuja Cements closed down 1.7%, while ACC ended down 0.7% on Friday.

☆ Representation is a catalyst to encourage women to invest: Girls That Invest director
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailRepresentation is a catalyst to encourage women to invest: Girls That Invest directorSimran Kaur, founder and director of Girls That Invest, discusses how to bridge the gender gap and how to empower women to take charge of their finances.

☆ Earthquake of magnitude 5.7 hits Romania – EMSC
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

Feb 14 (Reuters) - An earthquake of magnitude 5.7 struck Romania on Tuesday, the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre said. The quake was at a depth of 40 km (24.85 miles) and the epicentre was 56 km northeast of Drobeta-Turnu Severin, Romania, the EMSC said. Reporting by Baranjot Kaur in Bengaluru; Editing by Alex RichardsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Nikki Haley is expected to announce her 2024 run for president. Meet her family.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-13 | by ( Talia Lakritz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Haley's parents, Ajit Singh Randhawa and Raj Kaur Randhawa, are Indian immigrants from Punjab who both worked as teachers and owned a clothing boutique. Nikki Haley hugs her mother, Raj Kaur Randhawa, in 2010. Her father, Ajit Singh Randhawa, stands in the background. Chris Keane/Getty ImagesHaley's mother, Raj, studied law at the University of New Delhi. Born Nimrata Nikki Randhawa, Haley has three siblings: two brothers, Mitti and Charan, and a sister, Simran.

☆ Britain considers allowing foreign students to work longer hours -The Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] A cyclist rides past a sign on the side of a delivery lorry advertising for jobs, in London, Britain, October 13, 2021. REUTERS/Toby MelvilleJan 27 (Reuters) - The British government is looking at plans to allow foreign students to work longer hours to boost the economy by plugging vacancies, The Times reported on Thursday. Discussions have begun within the government about either raising the cap on paid work hours on foreign students to 30 hours per week from 20 hours currently or removing it entirely, the report added. Government sources told The Times that ministers were looking at "what more we can do to remove barriers and encourage students to work" and lifting the cap on foreign students' hours was "part of a swathe of ideas being considered". The idea is at an early stage and has yet to be agreed across government, the report said.

☆ Daniel Dae Kim says success of ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ has inadvertently hampered Asian-led films
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Brahmjot Kaur | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

The blockbuster hit “Crazy Rich Asians” has raised unrealistic expectations for other Asian-led film projects, the actor Daniel Dae Kim said this week at a panel discussion at the Sundance Film Festival. “One of the collateral damage effects of ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ was that everyone wanted to do more Asian projects as long as they were just ‘Crazy Rich Asians,’” Kim said at the Variety-sponsored panel. “If you had a project that spoke to something other than people being super rich and super wealthy and super happy, then they weren’t interested," he said. Inclusive storytelling shouldn't just be "a category or a checkbox and say, ‘We have our Asian project, we have our Black project, and so we’re good. In 2022, it was announced that a sequel to “Crazy Rich Asians” was officially underway.

☆ Exclusive: 3 of Carta's top executives filed complaints about gender discrimination and retaliation in a matter of months
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( Darius Rafieyan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Three former employees filed complaints alleging gender discrimination at Carta. In a statement she told Insider that she was not fired and did not leave the company due to any gender discrimination issues. "I do not feel that I experienced any gender discrimination or any unfair or sexist treatment during my employment at Carta," she said in the statement. Shortly after Johnson's firing, Carta's chief technology officer, Jerry Talton, filed a complaint with Carta's board expressing concerns about her termination and about larger issues of gender discrimination and retaliation at the company. Carta's internal investigationFollowing Talton's complaint, Carta hired the white-shoe law firm Paul, Weiss to investigate the claims, a person familiar with the matter said.

☆ Asian actors and filmmakers dominate Oscar nominations
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Brahmjot Kaur | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Asian American-led projects have been the standouts at this year’s award shows, and the Academy Awards nominations, which were announced Tuesday, were no different. Golden Globe-winning stars Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan were also nominated for best actress and best supporting actor, respectively. Stephanie Hsu, who played Yeoh’s daughter, Joy, and Jamie Lee Curtis, who played Deirdre, an IRS inspector, were also nominated for best supporting actress. The film was also nominated for best picture, best costume design, best original screenplay, best original score, best film editing and best original song. “Then along came the best gift: ‘Everything, Everywhere All at Once.’”Hong Chau, who plays Liz in A24’s “The Whale” with Brendan Fraser, was also nominated for best supporting actress.

☆ Barclays names former Credit Suisse dealmaker Deasy as investment banking co-head
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Jan 24 (Reuters) - Barclays (BARC.L) has appointed former Credit Suisse (CSGN.S) dealmaker Cathal Deasy as co-head of investment banking, the lender said on Tuesday, as Chief Executive C.S. Deasy left Credit Suisse a few weeks ago, just months after being promoted to regional co-head of its investment banking & capital markets (IBCM) unit. JF Astier and John Miller, who currently lead investment banking, are in "active dialogue" with Barclays about what roles they might now take, a Barclays spokesperson said. Astier and Miller were promoted in 2021 to lead investment banking as part of a new management team. Barclays' investment bank has had a strong performance in recent quarters, thanks in part to a boom in fixed income trading, which has traditionally been one of its core strengths.

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