Americas
Headlines
Venezuela’s dictator vows to block deliveries of American aid
CORNFLOUR, HIGH-ENERGY biscuits, nappies and toilet paper are among the provisions packed into white plastic bags and piled on the floor of a customs warehouse near Cúcuta, on Colombia’s side of its border with Venezuela. Medical supplies such as syringes are stored nearby. On February 23rd, promises Juan Guaidó, whom Venezuela’s legislature...
Brazil’s most famous graft-buster, Sérgio Moro, is now justice minister
HE IS ONLY ten minutes late, which by the norms of Brazil’s capital amounts to being early. Yet Sérgio Moro apologises profusely, explaining that he was called to a meeting with congressmen. The politeness and an occasional boyish smile are trademarks he deployed as Brazil’s most media-adept judge. They should not be misread. There is a quiet...
Latin America is losing its battle against teen pregnancy
“MY BODY GOT really big.” That was a shock to Radhaisis Martínez Nuñez, who was just 15 when she got pregnant. As she reminisces, a naked two-year-old streaks into her kitchen. His grandmother whisks him away. Ms Martínez, now 18, has not been back to school. She hopes to return, but now her body is changing again. She is seven months pregnant...
Property crime rates test San Franciscans’ values
TWO SURPRISES greet first-time visitors to California’s Bay Area. The first is that Silicon Valley is not a specific place but a booming mini-region, with no sign advertising when one has arrived or left. The second is that despite its beauty and wealth, San Francisco is one of America’s grittiest cities. In some neighbourhoods people openly...
Arkansas puts work requirements on Medicaid
CASEY COPELAND’S addiction to heroin landed him in jail, but he came out scared straight. Without a job, he signed up for health insurance through Medicaid, the government health-insurance programme for the poorest, and took up volunteering at a charity that helps the homeless. Mr Copeland thought that was that. He was unaware of the work requirement...
Finance
Pendo Systems name Ruth Wandhöfer, a globally recognized banking expert, to their Board of Directors
Pendo Systems is proud to announce that Ruth Wandhöfer, Global Head of Regulatory and Market Strategy at Citi, has joined their board. Ms. Wandhöfer is a banking regulatory expert and one of the foremost authorities on transaction banking regulatory matters. Her reputation has been built around her ability to drive regulatory and industry dialogue...
Implications of the money laundering law reform
The amendment to the money laundering law approved in the first debate requires accountants, lawyers and real estate agents to report suspicious transactions made by their clients.Bill 19.951 reforming the Law on Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances, Drugs of Unauthorized Use, Related Activities, Legalization of Capital and Financing of Terrorism...
Wall Street finishes flat ahead of earnings season, key US-China meeting
It was a fairly flat session on Wall Street overnight, as investors exercised caution ahead of the first-quarter earnings season and a meeting between the US and Chinese presidents later this week. Investors will be focussed on the potentially tense meeting between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping on Thursday and Friday, after Mr Trump held out the possibility...
GLC Advisors Strengthens Advisory and M&A Expertise with Addition of Senior Bankers
Addition of Several Industry Bankers Including Former St. Charles Capital Professionals Deepens Firm’s Expertise and Relationships Across Technology, FIG, Consumer, Retail and Energy IndustriesGLC Advisors & Co., LLC (“GLC Advisors”) is pleased to welcome nine seasoned M&A professionals, including former Partners and professionals of Denver based...
Columbia Threadneedle opens office in Chile
Columbia Threadneedle Investments has opened its first Latin American office in Santiago, Chile. As its first proprietary distribution hub for the Andes (Chile, Peru and Colombia), the new office will serve the asset manager’s institutional and wholesale clients in the region. Columbia Threadneedle has also appointed Santiago Zarauza Riestra...
Legal
Butterfly Conservationists Lose Case Against Border Wall
The Trump Administration claimed victory against opponents of the border wall -- butterflies. In North American Butterfly Association v. Nielsen, a federal judge said there was "little refuge" for the plaintiff's claims in the case. The National Butterfly Center claimed the government violated its Fourth Amendment...
Startup Makes It Easy to Publish Videos on Multiple Platforms
A new startup, StayTuned Digital, promises to be the "best friend" of video content creators. This is because the company offers this emerging market of small-to-big business creators the ability to publish online videos on multiple platforms at the same time, while also allowing you to track all the relevant...
How and When Not to Write a Brief
They say two wrongs don't make a right, and that explains how and when not to write a brief. Attorney Dennis McCoobery learned that lesson the hard way. First he failed to file a brief, then he drafted a fake one to cover up the mistake. That's not how you write a brief, and there is a point when it's just too...
California to Sue Over Trump's Border Emergency
President Trump declared a national emergency to fund his border wall, but he's facing another wall in California. In a speech at the White House, President Trump called illegal immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border "an invasion of our country." Soon after, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said the state will sue...
As Talc Lawsuits Rise, J&J Supplier Seeks Bankruptcy
Following a multi-billion verdict in a talc case, a key supplier for Johnson & Johnson's baby powder filed for bankruptcy. Imerys Talc America said it could not afford to defend itself from nearly 15,000 lawsuits over its talc mineral product. Last year, a jury awarded $4.69 billion to 22 women who said...
Deals
Rockbridge raises $355 mln after selling stakes in four portfolio companies
Rockbridge Growth Equity has raised $355 million after selling stakes in four portfolio companies to a consortium of investors that included StepStone Group, Aberdeen Standard Investments, HSBC, Lexington Partners and LGT Capital Partners. Rockbridge Growth Equity will continue to manage the portfolio companies via a new continuation fund, RB Equity...
Apollo to buy Cox TV stations in broadcast push: Reuters
Buyout firm Apollo Global Management LLC has agreed to acquire a majority stake in 14 television stations from privately held Cox Media Group, the company said on Friday, a move that sets up Apollo to become a player in broadcasting, an industry it has sought deals in for some time.Read More
BPOC invests in Health-E Commerce
Beecken Petty O'Keefe & Company has made a majority investment in Health-E Commerce, a parent company of pre-tax health and wellness shopping sites. No financial terms were disclosed. Financo provided financial advice to Health-E Commerce while O’Melveney & Myers LLP acted as legal adviser. And, Paul Hastings LLP served as legal adviser to...
Steve Jurvetson’s Future Ventures raises $200 mln inaugural venture fund
Steve Jurvetson's Future Ventures said Friday it has raised a $200 million inaugural venture-capital fund, according to a press release.Read More
EIP backs Palmetto Clean Technology
Energy Impact Partners has provided up to $20 million in financing to Palmetto Clean Technology. Based in Charleston, South Carolina, Palmetto is a clean technology software and fulfillment platform company.Read More
Acq Lite
Eni deal a testament to Abu Dhabi's attraction
March 12 (UPI) -- In what's nearly a $1 billion commitment, Italian energy company Eni said it made its Emirati debut in an agreement with the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company.Eni signed agreements to acquire minority shares in the Lower Zakum, Umm Shaif and Nasr offshore fields from state-run ADNOC for a total fee of $875 million."The stakes in the two...
Statoil using mega-rig to tap frontier North Sea area
March 12 (UPI) -- Norwegian energy company Statoil will move a deepwater drilling rig to the North Sea to tap a prospect awarded more than 30 years ago, a regulator said Monday.The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate gave Statoil consent to move the Deepsea Atlantic drilling rig to a section of the North Sea to tap into a prospect awarded to the company...
German green energy segment Innogy divvied up
March 12 (UPI) -- German utility company E.ON is now in control of the renewable energy segment created by its rival, RWE, in a landmark, multi-billion dollar deal, they said.In a joint statement, E.ON said it reached an agreement in principle with RWE to acquire more than three quarters of the stakes in renewable energy entity Innogy, an offshoot from...
Russia test-fires Kinzhal hypersonic missile
March 11 (UPI) -- A Russian jet successfully test-lauched a hypersonic missile Sunday, the Russian Defense Ministry said.The Kinzhal hypersonic missile was launched from an MiG-31 interceptor jet, which departed from an airfield in the Southern Military District, Russia's TASS News Agency reported."A MiG-31 fighter crew of the Russian Aerospace Forces...
Huntington Ingalls contracted for further repairs on USS Fitzgerald
March 9 (UPI) -- Huntington Ingalls was awarded a contract from the U.S. Navy to continue repairs on the USS Fitzgerald.The deal, announced Thursday by the Department of Defense, is valued at more than $77.5 million under the terms of a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract, which is a modification to a previous award.The modified contract between the U.S. Navy...