Americas

Headlines

America’s first opioid court is working well

“YOU got to be selfish. You got to do what’s best for you,” says Craig Hannah, a judge in Buffalo, New York, to the young man standing before the bench. “Yeah, I know,” replies Patrick Bruno, “It’s so hard.” Mr Hannah runs the country’s first opioid court. Mr Bruno, who has appeared before him regularly since the court opened...

Two white-shoe Republican candidates go full Breitbart

EVER since Donald Trump’s victory emboldened the Republican Party’s nativist wing, the dirtiest words with which a Republican can be tarred have not four letters, but 8 and 13: “moderate” and “establishment”. Unfortunately, those accurately describe the two Republican candidates for governors’ mansions this year. In New Jersey, Kim...

The story of Puerto Rico’s power grid is the story of Puerto Rico

Elon, where are you? IN A room beneath the smokestacks of the Aguirre steam plant in south-eastern Puerto Rico, an engineer points to a colourful poster entitled “How Electricity Arrives at Your Home”. In normal circumstances, explains Alexis Torres, burning oil turns water to steam, which spins mechanical turbines and sends energy out through...

Counties that voted for the president get more in disaster relief

“NOBODY could have done what I’ve done for Puerto Rico with so little appreciation,” President Donald Trump announced on October 8th. Boricuas, as denizens of the island are known, have yet to display the gratitude their president seeks. The islanders have been particularly galled by the contrast between his perceived slights to Puerto Rico...

The president’s indecision on health care is costly for middle-earners

INSURANCE is supposed to be about the careful management of risk. Recently, for America’s health insurers, it has had a lot to do with keeping track of President Donald Trump’s Twitter feed. On October 12th the White House announced that it would cut off payments to insurers that underpin parts of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), better known...

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

Posner Back on Track in Pro Se Case

Richard Posner, now a retired and controversial jurist, is back in court.When Posner suddenly quit the federal court of appeals, court watchers wondered why. Then he self-published a book that left no question: he was disillusioned with the judiciary.One critic called it a trainwreck, but whatever. Now the judge is back on track and on a mission."Advisory...

Who Wins in Politics v. Prosecutor?

Keri Borzilleri, a Baltimore prosecutor, was a loyal public servant.She had worked for the city for nine years and had been a champion for the people and her employer. When her boss ran for another term, Borzilleri had his back like a soldier. But he lost, and she got fired.Borzilleri sued in Borzilleri v. Mosby; however, she learned loyalty is in the...

Maritime Law Protects Sailors From Asbestos

Maritime law applies to a different world, one where ships and sailors live.But if the "special solicitude for the safety and protection of sailors" goes further ashore, machine makers may have a problem. In re. Asbestos Products Liability Litigation, a federal appeals court said manufacturers may be liable for injuries from parts added to their products...

Improve Your Legal Career With a Sponsor

In the final scene of the last Star Wars movie, a promising Rey holds out a light saber to Luke Skywalker like a protege reaching for her master.Moviegoers won't know how that relationship turns out until "The Last Jedi" is released in December, but it will definitely balance the forces of good and evil. Will the relationship go toward the Force or...

Bribing the Judge Didn't Pay

Sometimes, a routine traffic stop turns into something more serious. One day in Puerto Rico, it led to the end of a judicial career and 10 years to think about it.Judge Manuel Acevedo-Hernandez wasn't even driving when police pulled over the car. His friend was driving.The problem was the officers recognized his friend from a negligent homicide case....

Deals

Rebecca Kaden joins Union Square Ventures as GP

Union Square Ventures has added Rebecca Kaden as a general partner. Kaden joins New York-based USV from Maveron in Seattle, where she was also a general partner. Kaden posted in a USV blog that she is excited to return to her hometown of New York and the local entrepreneurial ecosystem. "Coming home is fun for many reasons, but coming home to such a...

MPL pulls in funding from AECOM Capial

AECOM Capital has made an investment in Mexico Pacific Limited, the owner and developer of a liquefied natural gas project on the Gulf of California in Mexico. No financial terms were disclosed. MPL is a joint venture of DKRW Energy Sonora Holding LLC and AECOM Capital.Read More

Smart textiles firm Pireta nets funding

UK-based Pireta, a smart textiles company, has raised an undisclosed amount of seed funding. The investor was Rainbow Seed Fund.Read More

Haystack Partners collects $38 mln for debut venture fund

New York City-based Haystack Partners has raised $38 million for its initial venture fund, according to an SEC filing. The target is $50 million.Read More

TVV Capital amasses $30.2 mln for fourth fund

Nashville-based TVV Capital Partners, a lower-middle market private equity firm, has raised $30.2 million for its fourth fund, according to an SEC filing. The target is $50 million.Read More

Acq Lite

Locals may have helped Islamic State ambush Green Berets in Niger

Oct. 20 (UPI) -- The 12-man team of Green Berets ambushed in Niger were delayed as they left a meeting with local leaders -- which may have been part of the plan to attack them, Army officials told UPI.Officials suspect that some people in the Oct. 4 Tongo Tongo meeting may have been working with the Islamic State. Some people from the town have been...

Lockheed Martin to develop missile defense tools with Defense Department deal

Oct. 20 (UPI) -- Lockheed Martin will develop lower-tier air and missile defense sensor prototypes under a Department of Defense contract.The award is from the Department's Ordnance Technology Consortium, an initiative to facilitate collaboration between the government, industry and academia for technology development. Lockheed Martin did not disclose...

Report: Japan eyeing SM-6 missiles for defense program

Oct. 20 (UPI) -- Japan may add SM-6 missiles to the country's future ground-based defense system to intercept missiles, Yomiuri Shimbun reported.The SM-6 missiles would be in addition to SM-3 Block 2A missiles for defense against ballistic missiles, the Japan News, a Yomiuri Simbun publication, reported. It's all part of the planned Aegis Ashore system,...

Schlumberger sees clear signs of balance

Oct. 20 (UPI) -- There are clear signs the global oil market is balanced, which would support higher oil prices and investments if sustained, the head of Schlumberger said."The reduction in global oil inventories in the third quarter is clearly showing that the oil market is now in balance, which is reflected in the upward movement in oil prices over...

Iran reaches agreement on gas with Italian power company

Oct. 20 (UPI) -- Iranian oil and gas companies said they've signed agreements with an Italian power company to capture flared gas at one of the world's largest natural fields.Pars Oil and Gas Co., the National Iranian South Oil Co. and a handful of others said they signed a memorandum of understanding with Italian power company Ansaldo Energia to collect...