Updated - Squid Business

Britain approves $19 billion Vodafone-Three mobile merger

By Paul Sandle LONDON (Reuters) -Britain on Thursday approved Vodafone’s $19 billion merger with Hutchison’s Three UK to create the country’s biggest mobile operator after their investment promises outweighed concerns about higher customer bills. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said the combined group’s network investment plan would drive competition in the long term, dropping …

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Exclusive-Slim Jim maker Conagra exploring sale of Chef Boyardee, sources say

By Abigail Summerville NEW YORK (Reuters) – Conagra Brands, the maker of Slim Jim beef jerky and Healthy Choice frozen meals, is looking to sell its popular canned pasta brand Chef Boyardee, according to people familiar with the matter. The Chicago, Illinois-based packaged food company tapped investment bank Centerview Partners to gauge interest in the …

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Citi M&A veteran Cary Kochman to retire, sources say

By Svea Herbst-Bayliss NEW YORK (Reuters) -Cary Kochman, one of Citigroup’s top dealmakers, is retiring after spending nearly 14 years at the helm of the Wall Street bank’s mergers and acquisitions group, people familiar with the matter told Reuters on Thursday. Kevin Cox, who earlier this year took over as the interim head of global …

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UN chief Guterres urges end to bloodshed in Syria

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) – There is an urgent need for immediate humanitarian access to all civilians in need in Syria and a return to a U.N.-facilitated political process to end the bloodshed, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Thursday. He urged “all those with influence to do their part for the long-suffering people” of …

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McKinsey Africa to pay $122 million in South Africa bribery scheme, US Justice Department says

By Doina Chiacu and Luc Cohen WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) -McKinsey and Company Africa Ltd, a subsidiary of McKinsey & Company, will pay more than $122 million to resolve a U.S. investigation into a bribery scheme in South Africa, the Justice Department said on Thursday. Privately owned McKinsey Africa was charged with one count of conspiracy …

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Gold slips as higher yields weigh; focus turns to US payrolls

By Sherin Elizabeth Varghese (Reuters) – Gold prices dipped on Thursday as U.S. Treasury yields firmed after the release of weekly jobless claims data, while markets awaited U.S. non-farm payrolls figures for fresh insights into the Federal Reserve’s stance on interest rate cuts. Spot gold was down 0.7% at $2,630.30 per ounce, as of 02:03 …

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Exclusive-US defense secretary scraps South Korea trip after martial law attempt

By Idrees Ali and Phil Stewart WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin no longer plans to travel to South Korea, two U.S. officials told Reuters on Thursday, following South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s botched attempt this week to impose martial law. One official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said planning had been underway …

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Trump, RFK Jr. met with Pfizer, Lilly executives, Axios reports

(Reuters) -President-elect Donald Trump met with the chief executives of U.S. drugmakers Pfizer and Eli Lilly as well as industry lobbying group PhRMA on Wednesday night, Axios reported on Thursday. Anti-vaccine activist Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump’s pick to lead the United States’ top health agency, was also present at the meeting, according to the …

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Meta partners with James Cameron’s tech venture to boost mixed reality content

(Reuters) – Meta Platforms said on Thursday it has partnered with film director James Cameron’s technology venture Lightstorm Vision to enhance the creation of 3D entertainment, including live sports, concerts and TV series, for the Meta Quest. The Quest headset will be Lightstorm Vision’s exclusive mixed reality hardware platform, the Facebook-parent said. The partnership underscores …

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Mali issues arrest warrant for Barrick Gold CEO, document shows

By Fadimata Kontao, Portia Crowe and David Lewis BAMAKO (Reuters) -Mali, one of Africa’s biggest gold producers, has issued an arrest warrant for Barrick Gold Chief Executive Mark Bristow, a warrant document seen on Thursday by Reuters showed, escalating a dispute with the Canadian mining company. The West African country’s junta-led government is seeking more …

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