Monday, April 13

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Roman Polanski 1970s sexual assault lawsuit dismissed – lawyer
World News

Roman Polanski 1970s sexual assault lawsuit dismissed – lawyer

Polanski admitted to the statutory rape of 13-year-old Samantha Geimer in a plea bargain in 1977 Photo: AP / Francois Mori Content warning: This story contains details about sexual assault. French-Polish director Roman Polanski, who fled the United States decades ago after admitting to the statutory rape of a 13-year-old, will no longer face trial over an alleged assault of another minor after reaching a settlement, his lawyer said Tuesday. The latest case against the director of "The Pianist," which concerned an alleged sexual attack in 1973, had been due in civil court in Los Angeles next August, but has now been withdrawn, Polanski's US attorney told AFP. The case was "settled in the summer to the parties' mutual satisfaction and has now been formally dismissed," Alexander Rufus-Isaa...
McDonald’s shares fall after CDC says E. coli outbreak linked to Quarter Pounders
Business

McDonald’s shares fall after CDC says E. coli outbreak linked to Quarter Pounders

A McDonald's located on Route 66 in Azusa, California, on April 1, 2024.Robert Gauthier | Los Angeles Times | Getty ImagesMcDonald's shares dropped in extended trading Tuesday after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said an E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald's Quarter Pounder burgers has led to 10 hospitalizations and one death.The agency said 49 cases have been reported in 10 states between Sept. 27 and Oct. 11, with most of the illnesses in Colorado and Nebraska. "Most" sick people reported eating a McDonald's Quarter Pounder, the CDC added.One of the patients developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, which is a serious condition that can cause kidney failure. An older adult in Colorado died. McDonald's shares dropped about 7% in after-hours trading Tuesday.In a statement Tuesda...
‘Playing loose with the truth’: Fact-checking key in Pacific’s heightened geopolitical landscape
World News

‘Playing loose with the truth’: Fact-checking key in Pacific’s heightened geopolitical landscape

Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, right, and Fiji High Commissioner to New Zealand Ratu Inoke Kubuabola, right. The man pictured in the middle is a serving officer of the NZ Police's Dignitary Protection Service. Photo: RNZ Pacific/ Lydia Lewis The intensification of geopolitics between China and the United States is fueling existing xenophobic rhetoric, an expert in Pacific geopolitics says. This follows the Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka's recent visit to Aotearoa from 18-19 October, during which he met with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and attended a Fiji Day celebration in Mangere. In pictures shared by Rabuka's team from the event on Saturday, he was seen with Kiwi-Asian men who were part of his security detail. However, a well-known Pacific journalist shared those ...
Stocks making the biggest moves after hours: MCD, STX, CSGP
Business

Stocks making the biggest moves after hours: MCD, STX, CSGP

Check out the companies making headlines in extended trading: Texas Instruments — The semiconductor company added 2%. Third-quarter results topped analysts' estimates, as Texas Instruments reported earnings of $1.47 per share on revenue of $4.15 billion. Analysts sought earnings of $1.38 per share and revenue of $4.12 billion, per LSEG. Seagate Technology — The data storage company slipped 3.6%. Seagate's guidance for $2.3 billion in revenue for the fiscal second quarter was about in line with the Street's estimate for $2.29 billion, per LSEG. The company topped analysts' estimates on the top and bottom lines in the first quarter, however. Manhattan Associates — The supply chain software company declined nearly 7%. Manhattan Associates forecast full-year revenue in the range of $1.039 bill...
Rock legend Springsteen and Obama to hit campaign trail for Harris
World News

Rock legend Springsteen and Obama to hit campaign trail for Harris

By Jarrett Renshaw, Reuters Bruce Springsteen performing at an event in New York City in 2021. Photo: AFP / Getty Images Rock legend Bruce Springsteen will hold a concert and rally with former president Barack Obama in Atlanta and Philadelphia in the coming days as part of a series of get-out-the-vote events for Vice President Kamala Harris's campaign in battleground states, a senior campaign official said on Tuesday. With early voting under way, the Harris campaign was betting these surrogate rallies would help drive enthusiasm and turn out voters in states that would decide November's tightly contested election between Democrat Harris and Republican rival Donald Trump. The 75-year-old rock star is expected to play some of his most popular songs such as 'Born to Run' on Thursday in...
Giuliani can’t pay election workers he defamed. So they get his NY penthouse – National
Politics

Giuliani can’t pay election workers he defamed. So they get his NY penthouse – National

Former Donald Trump attorney and New York mayor Rudy Giuliani must turn over control of his Manhattan penthouse apartment and a number of valuable possessions to two election workers to whom he owes a nearly US$150-million defamation judgment, a U.S. judge ruled Tuesday. Judge Lewis Liman of the South District of New York federal court in Manhattan said Giuliani has seven days to put the Madison Avenue apartment and a list of luxury items — including several watches, jewelry, furniture, sports memorabilia and a vintage Mercedes — into a receivership that will be controlled by Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss.The two women will also be entitled to legal fees Giuliani says he’s still owed by Trump’s 2020 campaign, estimated to total around US$2 million, the judge ruled.Control of the Manhattan pe...
Starbucks shares slide after preliminary results show sales fell again
Business

Starbucks shares slide after preliminary results show sales fell again

Starbucks cups are pictured on a counter in Manhattan, New York, on Feb. 16, 2022.Carlo Allegri | ReutersStarbucks on Tuesday posted preliminary quarterly results, which showed its sales fell again.The company's preliminary net sales fell 3% to $9.1 billion. It reported preliminary adjusted earnings per share of 80 cents.Analysts surveyed by LSEG were expecting the company to report fiscal-fourth quarter earnings per share of $1.03 and revenue of $9.38 billion.Starbucks' same-store sales fell for its third consecutive quarter. Worldwide, its same-store sales slid 7%.Nearly two months ago, CEO Brian Niccol took the helm of the coffee giant after two quarters of same-store sales declines.He aims to reverse slowing demand for Starbucks' drinks, particularly in its two largest markets: the Uni...
Post-weaning depression ‘taking women by surprise’ when breastfeeding ends
World News

Post-weaning depression ‘taking women by surprise’ when breastfeeding ends

By Kellie Scott, ABC Lifestyle Post-weaning depression needs more research and awareness, experts say. (file image) Photo: Unsplash Mariana is the first person in her family for four generations to breastfeed. "In Mexico, everyone got pushed formula early on," the 36-year-old from Australia's Djilang/Geelong says. "So for me, it was important to get to at least six months." Mariana exceeded her goal, and just before her son turned two, she decided to stop. "I was getting really touched out … we managed to go down to one night feed, then just stopped." Weaning her son was easier than Mariana expected, but she wasn't prepared for how she would feel afterwards. "I was just so sad all the time. "I remember crying, asking, 'Why am I so sad?' We all thought it was delayed postpartum depres...
As Trudeau faces caucus ire, cabinet ministers double down on support – National
Politics

As Trudeau faces caucus ire, cabinet ministers double down on support – National

The Liberal cabinet is doubling down on support for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as he faces scrutiny over his leadership amid a growing internal party revolt to push him to step down. Up to 30 Liberal MPs have signed an internal document calling on Trudeau to step aside, which is expected to be raised at the next caucus meeting on Wednesday.Several ministers put up a united front ahead of a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, saying they back Trudeau in leading the Liberal Party and the country.“It’s a large tent and people are entitled to their opinions … and mine is that I support this prime minister unequivocally,” said Marci Ien, minister for women and gender equality and youth“He says that he is staying, he says he’s not going anywhere. But again, I leave that up to him. What I will tell yo...
Spotify is ready to follow Netflix and be the next breakout streaming stock, according to the charts
Business

Spotify is ready to follow Netflix and be the next breakout streaming stock, according to the charts

Spotify (SPOT) has been unofficially crowned the winner of the streaming music wars, besting much bigger brother mega-caps Apple Music and Amazon, as well as Sirius XM, and others. The stock is consolidating just below all-time highs and if Netflix's move after earnings is any indication, I think SPOT should punch through to new all-time highs. I hold SPOT in the Tactical Alpha Growth (TAG) portfolio as well as the Active Opportunities portfolio. If we see strong third-quarter earnings on November 12, I will look to increase my holdings. I first wrote about SPOT in July as the stock was trading at $343. We're currently trading at $386, just below the all-time highs of $387 set back in 2021. Looking at the weekly chart of SPOT on the approach of all-time highs looking at the trend channel (...