Reported by FT.com 6 hours ago.

WhatsApp has been fined over $3.3 million in Italy for ‘forcing’ users to share their personal data with its parent company Facebook. The popular chat app has been asked by all of the 28 European Union data protection authorities to stop sharing users’ data with Facebook as there were doubts over the validity of users’ consent, Express.co.uk reported. “We’re reviewing the decision and we look forward to responding to officials,” the report quoted a WhatsApp spokesman as saying. Facebook took over WhatsApp in 2014 and in August 2016, it changed its privacy policy to allow the transfer of its users’ personal information to the parent company for processing — a move that also created a furore in India. The Indian government told the Supreme Reported by BGR India 5 hours ago.

DGAP-News: SHOP APOTHEKE EUROPE N.V. / Key word(s): Interim Report

15.05.2017 / 07:30
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
--------------------

*NOT FOR RELEASE OR DISTRIBUTION IN THE USA, CANADA, AUSTRALIA OR JAPAN.*
 

*SHOP APOTHEKE EUROPE optimistic after strong first quarter: Growth accelerated, *
*gross margin increased.*

*- *First quarter company revenues increased to 63.8 million Euros compared to
41.0 million Euros a year earlier.

- Growth rate further accelerated: plus 56 % percent in Q1 2017, following a plus
of 52 % in Q4 2016) and 41 % for the 2016 fiscal year.

- Profitable growth of 33 % in the company's biggest market, Germany, simultaneously boosts gross margin and segment EBITDA.

- International revenues more than tripled while the segment's gross margin significantly increased.

- Guidance for the 2017 fiscal year confirmed.

*SHOP APOTHEKE EUROPE N.V., Europe's leading online OTC pharmacy (OTC = over the counter = non-prescription medications), has started the 2017 fiscal year dynamically, posting significant revenue growth. The company's first quarter revenues climbed to 63.8 million Euros compared to 41 million Euros during the same period the previous year. This corresponds to a 56 % increase which represents a further acceleration of growth compared to the previous quarter (Q4/2016) when SHOP APOTHEKE EUROPE had increased its revenues by 52 %. The growth rate for the 2016 fiscal year had been 41 %.*

While first quarter revenues in the core segment Germany rose by 33 % year-to-year, revenues outside of Germany - consolidated in the segment International - more than tripled during the reporting period. We were able to further boost the company's strong growth rate due to the consistent acceleration of our international expansion, particularly through the successful integration of the online pharmacy FARMALINE, which was acquired in September 2016. The segment Germany services, which comprises web shop services, posted revenues of 0.3 million Euros after adjusting for intracompany services (Q1 2016: 0.4 million Euros).

As a result of the company's successful growth initiatives, the number of active customers rose substantially, from 1.4 million at the end of Q1 2016 to 2.1 million at the end of Q1 2017. In line with this increase, the number of orders grew alongside revenues by 55 % to 1.4 million (Q1 2016: 0.9 million). The rate of repeat orders remained at a consistently high level with 71% with a continuing minimal return rate of just 0.8 % while the number of site visits rose significantly, which confirms the leading online presence. Furthermore, the ratio of mobile site visits climbed by 49 % in Q1 2017.

In Q1 2017, SHOP APOTHEKE EUROPE increased its consolidated gross profit from 8.4 million Euros during the first three months of fiscal year 2016 to 13.2 million Euros in Q1 2017, an increase of 57 %. Considering the company's accelerated growth rate, the gross margin increased especially strongly in the rapidly growing International segment compared to the same reporting period last year. Whereas expenditures for the acquisition of new customers had a negative impact on segment profitability, the gross margin grew by 0.3 percentage points to 20.7 % in the segment Germany, and by even more impressive 2.9 percentage points to 20.1 % in the second core segment, International.

Economies of scale resulted in a relative decrease of administrative costs from 1.5 million Euros in Q1 2016 to 1.9 million Euros during the same period this year. In line with the expansion strategy plan, marketing expenditures (particularly for TV advertising) and extra costs related to warehouse expansion and automation affected the company's first quarter results with more than 2.0 million Euros. As a result, consolidated EBITDA decreased to -3.6 million Euros compared to -2.3 million Euros the previous year while EBIT amounted to -4.9 million Euros compared to -3.0 million Euros.

*Increase in customer numbers and high rate of repeat orders drive profitable growth in Germany. *

Germany, SHOP APOTHEKE EUROPE's core segment, posted profitable growth of 33 % during the first three months of 2017 compared to the corresponding time period 2016. First-quarter revenues increased to 47.5 million Euros after 35.6 million Euros the previous year. In the same period, gross profit grew 35 % from 7.3 million Euros to 9.8 million Euros. The corresponding gross margin increased by 0.3 percentage points to 20.7 % during the reporting period compared to 20.4 % a year earlier. Segment EBITDA was positive at 442K Euros during the first three months 2017 after standing at -24K Euros a year earlier.

The segment Germany Services, which comprises in- and external web shop services, also developed in a positive manner with Q1 2017 gross revenues of 1.7 million Euros compared to 1.0 million Euros in the same period last year. Gross profit for the period under review was 1.6 million Euros compared to 0.9 million Euros the previous year. Adjusted for intracompany services, the gross profit for the reporting period was at a similar level to the past year at 0.2 million Euros.

*International segment continues to grow rapidly, gross profit substantially improved.*

Thanks to the significantly higher number of orders, the International segment contributed strongly to the rise in revenues. 2017 first quarter International segment revenues more than tripled year-to-year, to 16.0 million Euros compared to 5.0 million Euros in Q1 2016 (+221 %). The significant increase in gross profit of 275 %, from 0.9 million Euros in Q1 2016 to 3.2 million Euros in Q1 2017 is the result of a gross margin increase of 2.9 %, from 17.2 % last year to 20.1 % in Q1 2017.

In consideration of the company's dynamic first quarter growth, the Board of Management has confirmed its forecast for the 2017 fiscal year, i.e. a 45-55 % increase in consolidated revenues, driven primarily by the strong growth in international business. Management also expects a positive impact from the overall positive market environment. A recent market research study by SEMPORA revised the expected 2016-2020 annual growth rate of the online pharmacy market upwards, from 23.7 % to 24.7 %. While SHOP APOTHEKE EUROPE'S growth strategy is focused on further extending its market leadership in the relevant European markets, the Board also expects a significant increase in profitability for the 2017 fiscal year due to economies of scale, improvements in efficiency and further automation. The consolidated gross margin is expected to increase in line with the projected growth. Furthermore, management expects an improvement of the company-level EBITDA margin to around -2 % to -3 %.
 

*ABOUT SHOP APOTHEKE EUROPE.*

SHOP APOTHEKE EUROPE is Continental Europe's leading online OTC pharmacy with a portfolio that focuses on OTC medication and pharmacy-related beauty and care products (BPC). The Company operates online pharmacies in Germany, Austria, France, Belgium, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands. In Germany, the TÜV-certified shop-apotheke.com is market leader. SHOP APOTHEKE EUROPE delivers a broad range of more than 100,000 original products to 2.1 million active customers quickly and at attractive prices. In addition, SHOP APOTHEKE EUROPE provides comprehensive and consistent pharmaceutical services.

SHOP APOTHEKE EUROPE generated EUR 177 million in revenues in the financial year of
2016. Headquartered in Venlo (the Netherlands), SHOP APOTHEKE EUROPE also has offices
in Cologne, Düsseldorf, Paris and Tongeren, Belgium. The online pharmacy has been listed
on the regulated market of the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (Prime Standard) since
13 October 2016.*FINANCIAL CALENDAR 2017*

May 16, 2017 Annual General Meeting
July 26, 2017 Publication of the Half-Year Report 2017
November 13, 2017 Publication of the Third Quarter Results 2017

 

*CONFERENCES 2017*

May 17-18, 2017 Citi's European Internet and Digital Conference, London
May 22-24, 2017 Berenberg European Conference USA 2017, Tarrytown, NY
August 29-31, 2017 Commerzbank Conference, Frankfurt
September 6-8, 2017 Citi Global Technology Conference, New York
September 18-20, 2017 Berenberg & Goldman Sachs German Corporate Conference, Munich
December 04-07, 2017 Berenberg European Conference, London*MEDIA CONTACTS.*

Trade and public media:
Sven Schirmer
Mobile: +49 152 28 50 63 61
E-Mail: presse@shop-apotheke.com

Financial media:
Thomas Schnorrenberg
Mobile: +49 151 46 53 13 17
E-Mail: presse@shop-apotheke.com

Investor Relations:
Dr. Ulrich Wandel
Phone: +31 77 850 6117
E-Mail: ulrich.wandel@shop-apotheke.com

 

*DISCLAIMER. *

This announcement contains forward-looking statements that relate to the future course of business and future financial performance, as well as future transactions or developments concerning SHOP APOTHEKE EUROPE. The bases of these statements are current expectations and assumptions of SHOP APOTHEKE EUROPE's management, of which a large number are outside SHOPE APOTHEKE EUROPE's sphere of influence. These statements are therefore subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties. If such risks and uncertainties occur, or if the underlying expectations do not materialize or the assumptions made are not correct, the actual events, both positive and negative, may differ materially from those events contained in the forward-looking statements. SHOP APOTHEKE EUROPE assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements or to correct them in the event of occurrences or developments other than those anticipated. Such updates or corrections are not intended.
--------------------

15.05.2017 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG.
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases.
Archive at www.dgap.de --------------------

Language: English
Company: SHOP APOTHEKE EUROPE N.V.
Dirk Hartogweg 14
5928 LV Venlo
Netherlands
Phone: 0800 - 200 800 300
Fax: 0800 - 90 70 90 20
E-mail: ulrich.wandel@shop-apotheke.com
Internet: www.shop-apotheke-europe.com
ISIN: NL0012044747
WKN: A2AR94
Listed: Regulated Market in Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Regulated Unofficial Market in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Hanover, Munich, Stuttgart, Tradegate Exchange
 
End of News DGAP News Service Reported by EQS Group 5 hours ago.

The German and Italian interior ministers have called for an EU mission to be installed on the border between Libya and Niger to stem migrant crossings to Europe. Reported by EurActiv 5 hours ago.

*THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY AND IS NOT AN OFFER TO PURCHASE OR A SOLICITATION OF OFFERS TO SELL ANY SECURITIES.*

*Montrouge 15 May 2017*

*Crédit Agricole S.A. Launches Tender Offers for Perpetual Notes*

____________________
Crédit Agricole S.A. today announced the launch of simultaneous tender offers to purchase for cash six series of its outstanding perpetual notes:

· An offer to purchase any and all of its two series of outstanding notes listed in Table I below (the " *Any and All Offers* "); and
· An offer to purchase up to EUR1.5bn euro equivalent (less the euro equivalent of the amount purchased in the Any and All Offers) (the " *Maximum Waterfall Tender Amount* ") in nominal amount of its four series of notes listed in Table II below, subject to the Acceptance Priority Levels set forth in Table II below (such offer, the " *Waterfall Offers* " and together with the Any and All Offers, the " *Tender* *Offers* ").

The Tender Offers are made upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth in the Offer to Purchase dated 15 May 2017 relating to the Any and All Offers (the " *Any and All Offer to Purchase* ") and the Offer to Purchase dated 15 May 2017 relating to the Waterfall Offers (the " *Waterfall Offer to Purchase* " and together with the Any and All Offer to Purchase, the " *Offers to Purchase* ").   Capitalized terms used in this announcement but not defined herein have the meanings given to them in the related Offers to Purchase.

Copies of the Offers to Purchase and other documentation are available at http://gbsc-usa.com/Credit-Agricole/ .

*
**Context and rationale of the Offers*

The purpose of the Tender Offers is to allow Crédit Agricole S.A. and the Crédit Agricole Group to optimize its capital base and debt management while offering liquidity to investors, as described in the press release of 17 March 2017 announcing the contemplated Tender Offers.

*Description of the Any and All Offers*

*Table I: Notes subject to the Any and All Offers (the "Any and All Notes")*

* Title of Notes * * CUSIP / ISIN No. * * Principal Amount Outstanding * * Offer Price * ^(1)
USD 6.637% Undated Deeply Subordinated Notes CUSIP :
225313AA3 (Rule 144A) / F22797FJ2 (Reg S)

ISIN :
US225313AA37 (Rule 144A) / USF22797FJ25 (Reg S) USD889,928,000 USD950.00
EUR CMS Floater Undated Deeply Subordinated Notes ISIN :
FR0010161026 EUR371,232,000 EUR780.00

^(1) Per USD1,000 or EUR1,000, as applicable, in principal amount of Any and All Notes purchased pursuant to the Any and All Offers.

The Any and All Offers are being made upon and are subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Any and All Offer to Purchase.  The expiration date for the Any and All Offers is 5:00 p.m., New York City time/11:00 p.m., Central European time, on 19 May 2017 (the " *Any and All Expiration Date* ") and the deadline for withdrawing tenders in the Any and All Offers is 5:00 p.m., New York City time/11:00 p.m., Central European time, on 19 May 2017 (in each case subject to extension).

Subject to the terms of the Any and All Offers and upon satisfaction or waiver of the conditions set forth in the Any and All Offer To Purchase, Crédit Agricole S.A. will purchase all Any and All Notes validly tendered and not validly withdrawn.

The Offer Price for each series of Any and All Notes subject to the Any and All Offers is set forth in Table I above. In addition to the Offer Price, holders whose Any and All Notes are accepted for purchase will also be eligible to receive a cash payment representing accrued and unpaid interest from, and including, the last interest payment date for the Any and All Notes up to, but excluding, the Any and All Settlement Date (as defined below).  The " *Any and All Settlement* *Date* " will occur promptly following the Any and All Expiration Date and is expected to be on or about 24 May 2017 (subject to extension).  The Guaranteed Delivery Settlement Date for Any and All Notes tendered using guaranteed delivery procedures is expected to be on or about 24 May 2017 (subject to extension).

Crédit Agricole S.A.'s obligation to accept for purchase and pay for validly tendered Any and All Notes is subject to, and conditioned upon, satisfaction or waiver of certain customary conditions described in the Any and All Offer To Purchase.

For further details about the terms and conditions of the Any and All Offers and the procedures for tendering the Any and All Notes, please refer to the Any and All Offer To Purchase.

*Description of the Waterfall Offers*

*Table II: Notes subject to the Waterfall Offers (the "Waterfall Notes")*

* Title of Notes * * CUSIP / ISIN No. * * Principal Amount Outstanding * * Acceptance Priority
Level * * Early Participation Amount * ^(1) * Reference Benchmark * * Bloomberg Reference Page/Screen * * Fixed Spread *
GBP 7.589% Undated Deeply Subordinated Notes ISIN :
FR0010575654 GBP171,850,000 1 GBP30.00 4.75% UK Treasury due 7 March 2020 DM02 +300bps
GBP 8.125% Undated Deeply Subordinated Notes

ISIN :
FR0010814418 GBP291,050,000 2 GBP30.00 3.75% UK Treasury due 7 September 2019 DM02 +235bps
USD 8.375% Undated Deeply Subordinated Notes CUSIP :
225313AB1 (Rule 144A) / F22797FK9 (Reg S)

ISIN :
US225313AB10 (Rule 144A) / USF22797FK97 (Reg S) USD1,000,000,000 3 USD30.00 1.250% U.S. Treasury due 30 April 2019 FIT1 +200bps
EUR 7.875% Undated Deeply Subordinated Notes ISIN :
FR0010814434 EUR450,000,000 4 EUR30.00 Interpolated Mid-swap Rate ICAE1 +100bps

^(1) The Waterfall Total Consideration (as defined below) payable for each Waterfall Note will be a price per GBP1,000, USD1,000 or EUR1,000, as applicable, in principal amount of such Waterfall Note validly tendered at or prior to the Early Participation Date (as defined below) and accepted for purchase by Crédit Agricole S.A., and will include the Early Participation Amount.

The Waterfall Offers are being made upon and are subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Waterfall Offer to Purchase.  The early participation date for the Waterfall Offers is 8:00 a.m., New York City time/2:00 p.m., Central European time, on 30 May 2017 (the " *Early Participation Date* ") and the expiration date for the Waterfall Offers is 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on 13 June 2017/5:59 a.m., Central European time, on 14 June 2017 (the " *Waterfall Expiration Date* ") (in each case, subject to extension). * * Tenders of Waterfall Notes pursuant to the Waterfall Offers may be validly withdrawn at any time on or prior to 8:00 a.m., New York City time/2:00 p.m. Central European time, on 30 May 2017 (subject to extension).

Subject to the Maximum Waterfall Tender Amount, the Acceptance Priority Levels set forth in Table II above and proration, and other terms and conditions of the Waterfall Offers and upon satisfaction or waiver of the conditions set forth in the Waterfall Offer To Purchase, Crédit Agricole S.A. will purchase all Waterfall Notes validly tendered and not validly withdrawn. If the Waterfall Offers are oversubscribed, Waterfall Notes will be accepted in accordance with their Acceptance Priority Levels as set forth in Table II above, with 1 being the highest Acceptance Priority Level and 4 being the lowest.

All Waterfall Notes validly tendered and not validly withdrawn before the Early Participation Date having a higher Acceptance Priority Level will be accepted before any tendered Waterfall Notes having a lower Acceptance Priority Level, and all Waterfall Notes validly tendered after the Early Participation Date having a higher Acceptance Priority Level will be accepted before any Waterfall Notes tendered after the Early Participation Date having a lower Acceptance Priority Level. However, Waterfall Notes validly tendered and not validly withdrawn on or before the Early Participation Date will be accepted for purchase in priority to other Waterfall Notes tendered after the Early Participation Date even if such Waterfall Notes tendered after the Early Participation Date have a higher Acceptance Priority Level than Waterfall Notes tendered prior to the Early Participation Date.

Holders of Waterfall Notes accepted for purchase that are validly tendered and not validly withdrawn at or prior to the Early Participation Date will be eligible to receive the Waterfall Total Consideration (as defined below) for their Waterfall Notes. Holders of Waterfall Notes accepted for purchase that are validly tendered after the Early Participation Date but at or prior to the Waterfall Expiration Date will be eligible to receive an amount equal to the Waterfall Total Consideration (as defined below) less the applicable Early Participation Amount (the " *Waterfall Tender Consideration* ").

The " *Waterfall* *Total Consideration* " for Waterfall Notes will be equal to an amount in the currency in which the applicable Waterfall Notes are denominated that would reflect, as of the Early Settlement Date, a yield to the applicable first call date of such Waterfall Notes equal to the sum (annualized where applicable) of the applicable reference yield plus the applicable Fixed Spread as described in Table II and as described more fully in the Waterfall Offer to Purchase.  The Waterfall Total Consideration also includes the Early Participation Amount for the applicable series of Waterfall Notes shown in Table II.  The reference yields will be determined at 9:00 a.m., New York City time/3:00 p.m., Central European time, on 31 May 2017, subject to extension.

In addition to the Waterfall Total Consideration or the Waterfall Tender Consideration, as applicable, holders whose Waterfall Notes are accepted for purchase pursuant to the Waterfall Offers will also be eligible to receive a cash payment representing accrued and unpaid interest from, and including, the last interest payment date for the Waterfall Notes to, but excluding, the applicable settlement date.

The " *Early Settlement Date* " for Waterfall Notes tendered on or prior to the Early Participation Date is expected to be 2 June 2017.  The Final Settlement Date for the Waterfall Notes tendered after the Early Participation Date and prior to the Waterfall Expiration Date is expected to be on or about 16 June 2017.

For further details about the terms and conditions of the Waterfall Offers and the procedures for tendering Notes in the Waterfall Offers, please refer to the Waterfall Offer To Purchase.

*Further Information*

Questions and requests for assistance in connection with the Offers may be directed to:

* The Sole Structuring Bank and Sole Dealer Manager for the Tender Offers *

*Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank*

12, place des Etats-Unis, CS 70052
92547 Montrouge Cedex
France
Attn: Liability Management
Tel: +44 207 214 5733
Email: liability.management@ca-cib.com

Credit Agricole Securities (USA) Inc.
Attn: Debt Capital Markets/Liability Management
1301 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10019
Collect: 212-261-7802
U.S. Toll Free: (866) 807-6030

Questions and requests for assistance in connection with the tenders of Notes including requests for a copy of the relevant Offer to Purchase may be directed to:

* The Tender Agents and the Information Agents for the Tender Offers *

In respect of USD Notes

*Global Bondholder Services Corporation*
65 Broadway - Suite 404
New York, New York 10006
Attn: Corporate Actions

Banks and Brokers call: (212) 430-3774
Toll free (866)-794-2200

By facsimile:
(For Eligible Institutions only):
(212) 430-3775/3779

Confirmation:
(212) 430-3774 In respect of GBP or EUR Notes

*CACEIS Corporate Trust S.A.*
1-3, Place Valhubert
75013 Paris
Attn: Charlotte HUGO
Tel: +33 (1) 57 78 34 10
Email: charlotte.hugo@caceis.com /
LD-F-CT-OST-MARCHE-PRIMAIR@caceis.com

 

 

 

 

*Disclaimer*

Holders must make their own decision as to whether to tender any of their Notes pursuant to the Tender Offers, and if so, the principal amount of Notes to tender.  Holders should consult their own tax, accounting, financial and legal advisors as they deem appropriate regarding the suitability of the tax, accounting, financial and legal consequences of participating or declining to participate in the Tender Offers. 

This announcement is not an offer to purchase or a solicitation of offers to sell any securities.

This announcement is not an invitation to participate in the Tender Offers. Such an invitation will only be extended by means of documents (the Offers to Purchase) that will be provided only to those investors to whom such an invitation may be legally addressed. The distribution of this announcement in certain countries may be prohibited by law.

*Offer Restrictions*
* United Kingdom.  * The communication of this announcement, the Offers to Purchase and any other documents or materials relating to the Tender Offers are not being made, and such documents and/or materials have not been approved, by an authorised person for the purposes of section 21 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (the " *FSMA* "). Accordingly, such documents and/or materials are not being distributed to, and must not be passed on to, the general public in the United Kingdom. The communication of such documents and/or materials is exempt from the restriction on financial promotions under section 21 of the FSMA on the basis that it is only directed at and may be communicated to (1) persons who have professional experience in matters relating to investments, being investment professionals as defined in Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the " *FPO* "); (2) persons who fall within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) of the FPO ("high net worth companies, unincorporated associations etc."); or (3) any other persons to whom these documents and/or materials may lawfully be communicated. Any investment or investment activity to which the Offers to Purchase relate is available only to such persons or will be engaged only with such persons and other persons should not rely on it.

* France. * The Tender Offers are not being made, directly or indirectly, to the public in the Republic of France. Neither this announcement, the Offers to Purchase nor any other documents or offering materials relating to the Tender Offers have been or shall be distributed to the public in the Republic of France and only (i) providers of investment services relating to portfolio management for the account of third parties (personnes fournissant le service d'investissement de gestion de portefeuille pour compte de tiers) and/or (ii) qualified investors (investisseurs qualifiés) acting for their own account, with the exception of individuals, within the meaning ascribed to them in, and in accordance with, Articles L.411-1, L.411-2 and D.411-1 of the French Code monétaire et financier and applicable regulations thereunder, are eligible to participate in the Tender Offers. Neither this announcement, the Offers to Purchase nor any other such offering material has been submitted for clearance to the Autorité des marchés financiers.

* Italy. *  None of the Tender Offers, this announcement, the Offers to Purchase or any other documents or materials relating to the Tender Offers have been or will be submitted to the clearance procedure of the Commissione Nazionale per le Società e la Borsa (" *CONSOB* ") pursuant to applicable Italian laws and regulations.

The Tender Offers are being carried out in the Republic of Italy (" *Italy* ") as exempted offers pursuant to Article 101-bis, paragraph 3-bis of Legislative Decree No. 58 of February 24, 1998, as amended (the " *Consolidated Financial Act* ") and article 35-bis, paragraph 4 of CONSOB Regulation No. 11971 of May 14, 1999, as amended.

Holders or beneficial owners of the Notes (as defined in the Offers to Purchase) that are resident and/or located in Italy can tender the Notes for purchase through authorized persons (such as investment firms, banks or financial intermediaries permitted to conduct such activities in Italy in accordance with the Consolidated Financial Act, CONSOB Regulation No. 16190 of October 29, 2007, as amended, and Legislative Decree No. 385 of September 1, 1993, as amended) and in compliance with any other applicable laws and regulations and with any requirements imposed by CONSOB or any other Italian authority.  Each intermediary must comply with the applicable laws and regulations concerning information duties vis-à-vis its clients in connection with the Notes or the Offers.

* European Economic Area.  * In any European Economic Area (" *EEA* ") Member State, this announcement and the Offers to Purchase are only addressed to and is only directed at qualified investors in that Member State within the meaning of Directive 2010/73/EU, together with any applicable implementing measures in any Member State, the " *Prospectus Directive.* "

Press release ENG
--------------------This announcement is distributed by NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions on behalf of NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions clients.

The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.

Source: CREDIT AGRICOLE SA via GlobeNewswire

HUG#2104054 Reported by GlobeNewswire 5 hours ago.

NEW YORK, May 15, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --  FXCM Group, LLC  ("FXCM Group"), a leading international provider of online foreign exchange trading, CFD trading, spread betting and related services, today announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Brendan Callan as Chief Executive Officer of FXCM Group.  Mr. Callan, who joined FXCM Group in 2001, has been FXCM Group's interim CEO since February 21, 2017.

"Leucadia National Corporation (NYSE:LUK) ("Leucadia") and the FXCM Group board believe that Brendan is ideally suited to be FXCM's CEO," said Jimmy Hallac, chairman of the board of FXCM Group and Managing Director of Leucadia.  "He combines deep knowledge of FXCM and its customers with the values that have served Leucadia's investee companies so well: putting clients first, building a culture of transparency, communication and support among employees, and being responsive to all stakeholders."

As interim CEO of FXCM Group, Mr. Callan successfully led the company after its withdrawal from the retail foreign exchange business in the U.S.  Mr. Callan was previously the CEO and President of European Operations of FXCM Group since 2010, a period during which Mr. Callan developed Forex Capital Markets Limited ("FXCM UK") into FXCM Group's largest operating subsidiary.

"I am extremely excited for the opportunity to continue building upon FXCM's global platform," said Mr. Callan.  "We will continue to work diligently to establish FXCM as the leading online retail FX and CFD trading venue in each of the regions we operate.  We intend to do so by addressing the needs and goals of our customers, employees, regulators, business partners and equity owners."

Rich Handler, Chief Executive Officer, and Brian Friedman, President of Leucadia, both of whom also serve as board members of FXCM Group, stated: "We have been impressed by Brendan's leadership and steady hands over these last few months and reaffirm our long-term commitment to FXCM.  We believe that, together, Leucadia and FXCM can further strengthen FXCM's platform and are excited about FXCM's prospects for success."

*About FXCM Group, LLC*

FXCM Group  is a leading provider of online foreign exchange (FX) trading, CFD trading, spread betting and related services. The company's mission is to provide global traders with access to the world's largest and most liquid market by offering innovative trading tools, hiring excellent trading educators, meeting strict financial standards and striving for the best online trading experience in the market.   FXCM Group is a holding company of Forex Capital Markets Limited, inclusive of all EU branches (FXCM UK), FXCM Australia Pty. Limited (FXCM AU), and all affiliates of aforementioned firms.

*About Leucadia National Corporation*

Leucadia is the majority economic owner of FXCM Group.  Leucadia, with a $46 billion balance sheet as of March 31, 2017, is a diversified holding company that invests in a broad array of businesses. Leucadia's financial services businesses and investments include investment banking and capital markets (Jefferies), asset management (Leucadia Asset Management), foreign exchange trading services (FXCM), real estate (HomeFed), commercial mortgage banking and servicing (Berkadia), and vehicle finance (Foursight). Leucadia's merchant banking businesses and investments include beef processing (National Beef), a diversified holding company (HRG), oil and gas exploration and production (Vitesse Energy and Juneau Energy), automobile dealerships (Garcadia), manufacturing (Idaho Timber), telecommunication services in Italy (Linkem), and a gold and silver mine (Golden Queen). 

This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other federal securities laws that are subject to the safe harbor created by such laws and other legal protections. Caution should be taken not to place undue reliance on any such forward-looking statements because actual results may differ materially from the results suggested by these statements. These forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this presentation. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. In addition, forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from our historical experience and present expectations or projections. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, those described in Part I, "Item 1A. Risk Factors" and elsewhere in Leucadia's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2015 and those described from time to time in our periodic and other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Jaclyn Sales, 646-432-2463
Vice-President, Corporate Communications
jsales@fxcm.com

--------------------This announcement is distributed by NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions on behalf of NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions clients.

The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.

Source: FXCM, Inc. via GlobeNewswire

HUG#2104569 Reported by GlobeNewswire 3 hours ago.

Po Valley Energy (ASX:PVE) is starting commercial gas production from the Bezzecca well east of Milan in Italy, following the testing of the primary production layers. The company is planning to start production at 20,000-25,000 cubic meters per day up to the end of June, with production levels increasing to 30,000-35,000 from early July. The Bezzecca gas field is within the prolific gas producing Po Valley region in northern Italy. Gas from the now-producing Bezzecca 1 well is processed at the Vitalba processing plant and directly connected to the national grid. Po Valley’s Italian subsidiary Saffron Energy (LON:SRON) recently extended its offtake contract with Shell Energy Italia to supply natural gas from Saffron’s Italian gas fields. Saffron has been supplying Shell Energy Italia with natural gas for the last four years. The new contract has been extended to October 2018, with an option to extend it for a further year to October 2019. Po Valley had spun out its northern Italian gas assets to Saffron Energy by listing it on the London Stock Exchange Alternative Investment Market (LSE AIM). Po Valley had a cash balance of $1.63 million as at 31 March 2017. Subsequently, it raised $1.18 million from a private placement in April. The company’s share price increased circa 30% in the past one month, last trading at $0.03.   Reported by Proactive Investors 5 hours ago.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Kara McCullough, a scientist working for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, has been crowned Miss USA. McCullough, who represented the District of Columbia in the decades-old pageant, was born in Naples, Italy, and raised in Virginia Beach, Virginia. She said she wants to inspire children to pursue careers in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. "I love science," McCullough said after the Sunday event. "I look at this as a great... Reported by WorldNews 3 hours ago.

Changing the game in waterproof backpacks world wide

Minot, North Dakota (PRWEB) May 15, 2017

INTRODUCING Floodtide Worldwide a sports recreation company specializing in waterproof backpacks and dry bags. The company announced today that it will be sailing its maiden voyage in mid-May with release of its LCV1 line of lightweight waterproof backpacks. Floodtide prides itself on its ability to evolve its products and mindset alongside modern travelers and thrill seekers, and focuses on adaptability and practicality in the field. Floodtide dry bags will soon be making a splash world wide. The company's state-of-the-art dry bags are currently being tested, both in the field and for every day use, on four continents. From Seoul to Seattle, from Hanama to Havana, Tokyo to Texas, Venice, Italy to Venice Beach, CA; Floodtide's premier line of waterproof backpacks are subject to regular usage, as well as rigorous torture tests to ensure that the company's core values are met consistently with every dry bag. The company is driven to position itself at the core of every adventure, whether in the backcountry or every day wandering. For this reason the LCV1 line of dry bags has been designed to be versatile, rugged, and technically advanced in order to meet the needs of various sports and recreation communities, and to endure the harshest conditions in the field.

Whether you are kayaking, standup paddle boarding, canoeing, fly-fishing, waterfowl hunting, snorkeling, spelunking, whitewater rafting, canyoneering, or anything in between, Floodtides are designed for practical use while doing almost any water related activity. These bags will withstand anything, including snowy conditions, and are also designed for use on the mountain during the winter season. Not only are these waterproof backpacks practical and stylish, they also surpass most every other dry bag that is currently on the market. Most of the dry bags that are currently available are only splash resistant, but Floodtides are rated IPX7, which means they are 100% waterproof when submerged down to one meter. They are comparable to professional grade dry bags, but can be obtained for a fraction of the price. More detailed information about the company's products can be found on its website and on Amazon

As part of its initial launch, Floodtide will also be offering its MPU1, an IPX8 rated waterproof phone case (retail $12.97) as a free gift with each purchase of an LCV1 for a limited time only, when purchased on Amazon. Check out Floodtide's website and follow them on social media for updates on new products, and promotions, and sign up on the company website for the chance to win a free LCV1 dry bag. Happy Trails. Reported by PRWeb 2 hours ago.

by Graham Pierrepoint -

The Eurovision Song Contest is usually home to some dramatic moments when it comes to the final few minutes of voting between countries – and while many of those regularly taking part may have clinched the hallowed top spot in the decades that have come before, it had taken Portugal over half a century to win over their fellow Europeans. On Saturday night, however, that all changed in Kiev, Ukraine – as the Salvador Sobral’s ballad won over both the voting public and the judging panels in a barnstorming sweep to victory. It will be the first time that Portugal will be home to the contest in its long history, meaning that next year will promise to be a very interesting affair for all involved.

Sobral’s tender love song, written by his sister, stuck out among a sea of pop ballads and 90s-esque Europop tunes to blow much of the competition out of the water – with presumed favorite Italy failing to reach the top five after all votes were collated. Moldova claimed a surprise third place, with Bulgaria clinching second as one of the contest’s major favorites. Sobral’s journey to Eurovision victory has not been so smooth, however, as he was diagnosed with a heart condition ahead of his performance and could not fly to attend a rehearsal – his sister, who penned the song – ‘Amar Pelos Dois’ – attended in his stead. Luckily, Sobral was well enough to attend further rehearsals and, of course, claim outright victory in Europe on Saturday night.

Recent changes to voting and points dispersal have largely helped to remove much of the political aspect which allegedly dogged much of the contest’s rankings in the past twenty years – Spain, Portugal’s closest neighbor, finished in last place – indicating that such changes may finally have removed much of the political aspect from the final voting.

Sobral’s victory is being hailed as something of an antidote to much similarity between songs which have been brought to the competition – but big ballads and poppy tunes also fared well on the evening. The losers, sadly, were Spain and Germany – who, despite being two of Eurovision’s ‘big five’ – filled in the bottom two slots of the roster. However, it was a fairly successful year for the UK and for France, who have struggled in recent years towards the bottom of the table – this year finishing up in the middle of the pack. Hosts Ukraine, however, couldn’t replicate last year’s success – with a final placing of 24th out of 26.

Reported by One News Page Staff 2 hours ago.

ROME (dpa-AFX) - Italy's consumer price inflation accelerated more than initially estimated in April, latest figures from the statistical office Istat showed Monday.The consumer price index climbe... Reported by FinanzNachrichten.de 55 minutes ago.

With Nice having secured a Champions League spot for next season, could the Italy international be moving on but remaining in Ligue 1? Reported by Goal.com 29 minutes ago.

Italy has cracked open a mafia ring accused of infiltrating one of the country's largest migrant reception centres and capitalising on asylum seekers with the help of a Catholic association, police said today. Reported by DNA 41 minutes ago.

*Business Wire India*The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) announced today that top executives from JD.com, China’s largest retailer (both online and offline), will deliver a keynote address at the upcoming CES Asia 2017 in Shanghai. JD.com’s chief technology officer (CTO) Mr. Zhang Chen, and vice president, Dr. Li Kefeng, will take the keynote stage at 4 PM, Thursday, June 8, in the Kerry Hotel, Level 3, Shanghai Ballrooms 2-3.   Mr. Zhang and Dr. Li will discuss how JD.com is leveraging artificial intelligence (AI), smart devices, augmented/virtual reality and big data to make e-commerce smarter and more interconnected. The two executives will share the company’s vision for making e-commerce easier and more efficient, as well as its ability to provide customers a better user experience. As part of the presentation, they will unveil the company’s new initiatives and programs for the future.   “JD.com is a pioneer in the e-commerce landscape in China. JD.com has succeeded in extending its innovative vision globally, and is now one of the biggest and fastest-growing companies in the world,” said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO, CTA. “It is my pleasure to welcome Mr. Zhang Chen and Dr. Li Kefeng to the CES Asia keynote stage. I look forward to their discussion of how integrating groundbreaking technologies can enhance consumer experiences and change our lives for the better.”   Mr. Zhang Chen is the CTO of JD.com, in charge of driving research and development growth in big data and cloud computing, as well as technical support for the daily operation of JD Mall. Mr. Zhang has more than 20 years of experience in software development and management. Prior to joining JD.com, he worked at Yahoo for 18 years and at one point was responsible for the development of Yahoo Messenger. More recently he worked at DEC and Oracle Corporation as head of technology. In addition, he headed the global R&D center at Yahoo Beijing. He holds a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from Indiana University Bloomington.   As Vice President at JD.com, Dr. Li Kefeng is responsible for the business lines of mobile products, e-commerce open platform, smart devices and AR/VR. He leads the team in strategic planning, product innovation and ecosystem development. He is focused on creating a next generation e-commerce shopping experience by leveraging cutting-edge technologies. Before joining JD.com, Dr. Li worked for Samsung, Baidu and Ping An Insurance (Group) of China, with senior management positions at each. Dr. Li holds a Ph.D. Degree from Beihang University.   More than 400 companies are already slated to exhibit including 3M, Audio-Technica, Baidu, BMW, BYD, Carl Zeiss, Changhong Electric, China Mobile, Continental, Digital China, DJI, Dynaudio, Fossil/Misfit, Garmin, Gibson Brands, Goertek, Haier, Harman, Hisense, Honda, Huawei, Hyundai, JD.com, Konka Group, Mercedes-Benz, Monster, NavInfo, NEVS, Onkyo, OnStar, OtterBox, Pioneer, PPTV, Samsung, Scosche, Segway, Suning, Tencent, United States Postal Service, UPS, Valeo, Volvo, Voxx, Wacom and Yuneec. Ultimately, CES Asia 2017 is expected to draw more than 30,000 attendees and more than 1,100 global media to cover the latest tech innovation across 19 product categories, including major growth areas such as drones, the Internet of Things (IoT) and virtual reality.   For more information on how to attend or exhibit, visit CESAsia.com. All CES Asia industry affiliated attendees may access the keynotes with a valid show badge.   *Note to Editors:**Journalists traveling from outside of China will require a **J-1 or J-2 visa**. For questions about exhibiting at CES Asia, contact Brian Moon at **bmoon@CTA.tech** or +1 703-907-4351.*   *About CES Asia:*   Owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)^TM and co-produced by Shanghai Intex Exhibition Co., Ltd (Shanghai Intex), CES Asia is the premier event for the consumer technology industry, showcasing the full breadth and depth of the innovation value-chain in the Asian marketplace. Key global businesses come to this new event to grow and reinforce their brand by showcasing the latest products and technologies to consumer tech industry executives, foreign buyers, international media and a limited number of consumers from China. Attendees have exclusive access to some of the largest brands from China and around the world, while celebrating the innovation that defines the consumer technology sector.   *About Consumer Technology Association:*   Consumer Technology Association (CTA) is the trade association representing the $292 billion U.S. consumer technology industry, which supports more than 15 million U.S. jobs. More than 2,200 companies – 80 percent are small businesses and startups; others are among the world’s best known brands – enjoy the benefits of CTA membership including policy advocacy, market research, technical education, industry promotion, standards development and the fostering of business and strategic relationships. CTA also owns and produces CES^® – the world’s gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technologies. Profits from CES are reinvested into CTA’s industry services.   *About Shanghai Intex:*   Shanghai Intex Exhibition Co., Ltd was originally the exhibition organizing business of Shanghai Intex, a pioneering exhibition organizer established in 1995. Shanghai Intex is jointly overseen by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) Shanghai and PNO Exhibition Investment (Dubai) Limited. Starting in 1998, Shanghai Intex has organized over 100 trade shows and conferences with a sum total exhibition space in excess of 2 million sqm. Shanghai Intex is comprised of professional teams with a wealth of experience in organizing major international events, covering the creative industry, healthcare, lifestyle, advanced manufacturing and consumer electronics.   *UPCOMING EVENTS*  

· *CES Asia 2017 – **Register*
June 7-9, Shanghai, China

· *CEO Summit*
June 21-24, Amalfi Coast, Italy

· *Innovate! and Celebrate*
October 9-11, San Francisco, CA

· *CES 2018*
January 9-12, Las Vegas, NV

   
  View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170517005405/en/ Reported by Business Wire India 4 hours ago.

The EU executive has announced it's taking legal action against Italy. It accused authorities in Rome of failing to investigate whether carmaker Fiat-Chrysler installed devices that helped manipulate emissions tests. Reported by Deutsche Welle 4 hours ago.

*Pukekohe (New Zealand):* Indian senior womens hockey team here on Wednesday went down fighting 2-3 to New Zealand in their third clash of the five-match series.

For New Zealand, Ella Gunson (13th minute), Deanna Ritchie (15th) and Shiloh Gloyn (39th) scored the goals while Deep Grace Ekka (9th) and Monika (59th) found the back of the net for India.

On a losing streak in the series so far -- having gone down 1-4 in the series opener and suffering a 2-8 loss in their second game, the Indian eves looked a dangerous unit initially on Wednesday.

They put up a structured performance with good attack, strong long drives, cross-field passes that put the hosts on the backfoot and constantly kept them in the hunt. The visitors played aggressively right from the word go and their strategy paid off in the first quarter when they found an early 1-0 lead in the ninth minute.

Deep Grace Ekka converted a hard-hit penalty corner in the ninth minute after her first attempt found the foot of a New Zealand defender.

The hosts, however, were quick to equalise with Ella Gunson converting a penalty stroke in the 13th minute.

The Black Sticks ended the first quarter with a 2-1 lead with Deanna Ritchie scoring a 15th minute field goal. She was well assisted by captain Stacey Michelsen in scoring New Zealand's second goal.

India found two good opportunities in the second quarter to score an equaliser when they earned back-to-back penalty corners in the 26th minute -- but both went abegging.

The higher-ranked New Zealand came up with textbook defence strategy to clear Indian skipper Rani's strike on both occasions.

Rani played a crucial role for India as she made space in the striking circle on several occasions, going for her trademark reverse-hit on goal but New Zealand keeper Sally Rutherford denied the Indian skipper success.

New Zealand scored their third goal through Shiloh Gloyn in the 39th minute and India keeper Savita was kept busy by Kiwi strikers throughout the third quarter.

Savita did well to keep the New Zealand strikers from taking further lead. With three minutes remaining in the third quarter, Savita made a crucial save when New Zealand bagged a penalty corner.

Unlike their second match against New Zealand on Tuesday when maximum goals were scored by the hosts in the last quarter, the Indian defence was rock solid to deny any goal in the final 15 minutes of the match.

With little less than two minutes remaining for the final hooter, India won a penalty corner in the 59th minute.

A cleverly planned and executed variation saw Rani pass the ball to Monika who made no mistake in sending the ball inside the goal.

The dying minutes of the match saw Indian women make desperate attempts to find space and go for a draw but with time ticking away, they had to settle for a 2-3 result.

Hosts New Zealand are 3-0 up in the Series.

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A majority of players who will turn out for their national teams in the ICC Champions Trophy have been playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL), so they will need to make a few rapid changes in terms of both adjustment and attitude as they switch from the 20-over format to the 50-over one.

There are a couple of things that will be different in England and Wales from the IPL. One is, of course, the heat, and going from India to the UK will be a bit of a relief! The other, obviously, is time on the feet — from an hour-and-a-half to three-and-a-half hours. All the players have been training and are in good shape physically, so this adjustment shouldn't be particularly demanding, but the issue of bowling workloads is another matter altogether.

*Unique challenge*
Because of the condensed schedules in the IPL, and the heat and the travel, the bowlers haven't been bowling a lot in the nets. Going into the ICC Champions Trophy, where the top bowlers will be expected to bowl their quota of 10 overs, will pose a unique kind of challenge in terms of the bowlers not having had enough of a workload. It is important that it is not just your skills that are up to speed, you need to have had miles in the legs as well.

The one thing I can vouch for from Mumbai Indians' perspective is that we have given the batsmen plenty of time to train in terms of hitting the gym, running, and having sufficient net bowlers. That's why I believe the challenge going from 20-over cricket to 50-over cricket is more for the bowler. There are a couple of Kiwis in our franchise — Tim Southee and Mitchell McClenaghan — who are in the ICC Champions Trophy squad.

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The last time Sunrisers Hyderabad were here at the Chinnaswamy Stadium, there was no match. And when Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), their opponents in the IPL Eliminator, scheduled for this evening, came over, there was no contest.*Sunil Narine has dazzled with bat and ball for KKR*

However, the no-result for Hyderabad and the overwhelming win for KKR was perhaps what ensured their presence, the former sneaking through, thanks to that one point from the washed out game and the latter boosting their net run-rate in that game and thus having their nose ahead at all times.

But should it have been thus for either team, both of whom possess two of the more all-round sides in the competition? Let's put it down to the nature of T20 cricket shall we, wherein anything can happen on a given day, which basically boils down to three and a half hours only.

They are here though, by hook or crook, with a promise of delivering big in a game where the loser goes home, wherever that is for the respective players.

By any yardstick, David Warner against Nathan Coulter-Nile or Chris Lynn vs Bhuvneshwar Kumar is an exciting match-up. Throw in the local lads Robin Uthappa and Manish Pandey, both right-handers, and match them up against the two left-handers Shikhar Dhawan and Yuvraj Singh (fitness permitting) and even the slowish nature of this venue's pitches for this season may not be a factor.

*Pitch-ure this!*
And should the surface come into the picture, two spinners, one from either side, will get into the action. While Sunil Narine has been there and done it all, Rashid Khan has been a revelation. Who thought a man from Afghanistan would bowl teams and fans over, and that too with his googlies.

But if Rashid has left opponents dazzled with his bowling, Narine has done so with his batting too, ever since he was promoted as an opener. It's time though for Gautam Gambhir to revisit that part and get himself back on top alongside Lynn. It's not because the experiment with Narine has failed, but more due to the rest of the batting not quite fitting into their roles thereafter.

*Eye on the weather*
Whoever plays for either team will have to keep an eye out for the weather too, with rains predicted. The good news is that the weathermen are not renowned for getting it right. So let's hope runs, rather than rains, prevail tonight.

*Live Today*

*Eliminator:* SRH vs KKR

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India's first World Cup-winning skipper Kapil Dev on Wednesday said it all depends on current captain Virat Kohli to use and utilise his predecessor Mahendra Singh Dhoni's sharp cricketing acumen when the 28-year-old leads India for the first time in a global event -- the ICC Champions Trophy -- starting June 1 in England.

Earlier this year, Kohli took over as the full-time skipper after Dhoni had surprisingly announced he was stepping down ahead of the three-match One-day International (ODI) series against England.

Despite India winning the series 2-1 in January, Kohli did not have any more matches to prove his leadership credentials in the 50-over format as the team was engaged in a four-match gruelling Test rubber against Australia before the Indian Premier League (IPL) set in.

As India head to England to defend their Champions Trophy crown with Kohli at the helm, Kapil feels it is up to the Delhi batsman to get the best out of Dhoni, who led the men-in-blue to the title four years ago in the same country.

"It all depends on Kohli on how he wants to use his former captain's experience. I don't think Dhoni will be the one who will keep on jumping and keep on advising Kohli. It's upto Kohli to get the best out of Dhoni and take his advice whenever its required," Kapil said in an interaction arranged by event broadcasters Star Sports and digital platform Hotstar here.

Hailing Dhoni as an all-rounder in the true sense, Kapil who led underdogs India to an unforgettable World Cup triumph in 1983, said it is not only the bowling or batting skills that makes a cricketer an all-round option for a team.

"Don't forget Dhoni, he is a true all-rounder. All-round abilities are not only about batting and bowling, its also about wicketkeeping and batting.

"He is the most important player at that key position of No.5 or 6, wherever the captain wants him to bat," said Kapil on the Ranchi stumper.

The former captain also heaped praises on the all-rounder duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, rating them better than most of yesteryear cricketers.

"Its very difficult to compare somebody. Ashwin, Jadeja have done far better job than anybody of us during our time. We have to believe in their abilities, after all they have proved and done so well in all forms," he said.

India will start their Champions Trophy campaign with the much-awaited group clash against arch-rivals Pakistan on June 4 at Edgbaston in Birmingham.

Though India have had the upper hand in World Cups (20 and 50 overs), having beaten Pakistan every time in the 11 matches they have met, the Champions Trophy has been a different story.

Pakistan lead India 2-1 in head-to-head in the 50-over showpiece event with the first two games going in their favour.

The first time the two teams met in the Champions Trophy was in 2004 when India lost by three wickets in the group phase, in a match that was also played at Edgbaston. Five years down the line, Pakistan again catapulted to victory by defeating India by 54 runs at SuperSport Park in Centurion.

However, the Dhoni-led side came out on top the last time around when India beat their arch rivals by eight wickets at Edgbaston in what was a rain-curtailed game.

Ask Kapil if the head-to-head record against Pakistan will have any effect on the upcoming clash, the 58-year-old said: "Don't think there will be any such pressure on India. If I am batting against Pakistan it doesn't matter what is our track record."

"I will play the ball to its merit. These are good things for the media to talk but when a player goes in, they don't think like that. They just want to play and win it on that day," he added.

With the conditions in England favouring the pacers, Kapil said the bowlers must focus on moving the ball rather than attempting too many variety during their campaign.

"The bowlers just need to stick to their line and length, which is the most important thing while bowling in English conditions. In England, you don't need to try too many variety and just focus on moving the ball. It doesn't matter how good the batsman is, if you can move the ball you are always going to dominate," he said.

"In England, it is all about swinging the ball unlike our subcontinent conditions, where a perfect length ball can be easily dealt by the batsmen. But there in England if you have the ability to move the ball, it gets very difficult for the batsmen.

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*Berlin*: Facing his farewell after a 22-year playing career, Bayern Munich's star footballer Philipp Lahm admitted the last game is going to be one of the most emotional moments of his life.

The 33-year-old will play his last game in the German Bundesliga on Saturday when Bayern face SC Freiburg, reports Xinhua news agency.

With World Cup, Champions League, eight national and six Cup trophies, the defender and midfielder can look back more than two decades of incredible success as one of the greatest footballers in German history.

The 33-year-old started as a ball boy for Bayern when still making his first steps in football at the FT Gern club in Munich in 1995.

Entirely scandal-free, Lahm has created a gleaming reputation as a reliable world class player with unique passing and tackling skills in nearly 130 Champions League games, around 370 in the Bundesliga and 113 for Germany.

Only a few footballers managed like Lahm to provide such variability to their team as right back, left back, midfield's center or along the right flank.

He always tried to understand the different positions and what is needed to do the job, as he told Xinhua in a recent interview.

"Maybe it was an advantage to have played several different positions and not be restricted to only one. I had to adapt to different roles. I always tried to understand each and every position and its specific needs," Lahm said.

The facts that he has collected more titles than yellow cards, and never received a red card, are astonishing.

He replaced Michael Ballack as the captain of the German national team ahead of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. It was a step that was supported by his teammates and the German coach Joachim Loew.

In 2008, Spanish giants FC Barcelona were eager to sign a footballer that would have enriched Barca's dominant passing game. Lahm said he seriously thought about moving and talked to Barcelona.

In the end though he decided to stay -- a decision he said he has never regretted.

Between 2003 and 2005 he played for VfB Stuttgart on loan.

"But obviously Bayern were sure of my qualities and did not sell me but took me back," Lahm remembered.

In Stuttgart, Lahm had his breakthrough with his first Champions League games in the Stuttgart jersey. From that time he knew he has the class to make it and faced the challenge of returning to Munich's squad of world class talents.

Lahm loved making decisions only a few saw coming. After the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, he retired from the German team even though he was one of the team's cornerstones and one of its top performers.

Though Lahm has worked with famous coaches such as Jupp Heynckes, Felix Magath, Louis van Gaal, Pep Guardiola and Carlo Ancelotti, he at present cannot imagine taking over a team as a coach.

Instead he needs to take time away from football and start up on another career.

Lahm has prepared intensively for a life after football as he is shareholder of several companies producing care products and nutrition for athletes.

Despite his emotional ties with Bayern Munich, Lahm rejected an offer to join the club as a managing director right after his retirement.

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*Madrid*: Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane has said that forward Gareth Bale has started training and is making a positive recovery.

Bale will continue with the plan to recover from the injury to his left leg so that he can play in the Champions League final against Juventus on June 3, reports Efe news agency.

During a press conference on Tuesday, Zidane pointed out that it was not the time to talk about the final of the Champions League, noting that the absence of the Welshman from the Celta Vigo game does not imply that his recovery was not going well nor does it reduce the chances of him playing against Juventus.

"He's much better and has already been out training on the field, but not with the team," Zidane said.

"We're happy with that, but we're only thinking about tomorrow's match and he'll not travel to Vigo," the former France star added.

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*Rome*: Defending champion Andy Murray was eliminated from the 2017 Italian Open, losing 6-2, 6-4 to Fabio Fognini in a second round match.

The Scotsman and current world No. 1 took the title in Rome last year without losing a set, but has yet to return to top form after coming back from an elbow injury, reports Efe news agency.

Italy's Fognini, who is ranked 29th in the world, was the clear favorite among the crowd at the Campo Centrale on Tuesday.

The 29-year-old underdog broke Murray's serve early and jumped out to a 4-0 lead on the way to winning the first set 6-2.

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Seasoned Bengal cricketer Manoj Tiwary hailed charismatic Mahendra Singh Dhoni for providing the much-needed impetus to the Rising Pune Supergiant innings that proved decisive in the outcome of the Qualifier 1 against Mumbai Indians.

Dhoni smashed five sixes in his 40-run knock that propelled Supergiant to 162 four four. Supergiant reached the final with a 20-run win.

"The momentum shifted during the last two overs. We were struggling to get that until the 18th, 19th and 20th over where Mahi bhai played some outstanding shots. It was not easy against Bumrah, but he showed why he is such a highly-talented player," said Tiwary who played a crucial knock of 58 in 48 balls before being run out.

"He has so much of ability to hit the best bowlers in the IPL. Those sixes in the crucial overs helped us to put up a good total," said Tiwary who also put on 73 runs with Dhoni for the fourth wicket.

Tiwary said captain Steve Smith and coach Stephen Fleming told him and Ajinkya Rahane during the strategic time-out that a score of 160 was reachable. "Our bowlers executed the plans very well. They lost a couple of wickets in the Powerplay and we never looked back from thereon," added Tiwary referring to rookie bowler Washington Sunder's three-wicket haul, two of which were in one over, which stymied MI's run-chase.

Sundar grabbed the wickets of two-time title winners' captain Rohit Sharma, Ambati Rayudu and Kieron Pollard in his second and third overs to finish with 3 for 16 and walk away with the man of the match award, the youngest to do so in IPL history.

Tiwary said his role in the team was well-defined, go in early and steady the ship if early wickets fall or bat lower down if a partnership gets built early on.

"My role was like if couple of wickets fall in Powerplay, then I have to go. If a partnership builds then I had to come down because (England all rounder) Ben Stokes was there. MS bhai was there. So, mentally I was prepared. Before coming to the IPL, I had a plan to strike at a very high strike rate.

But coming here, I was given this role. "I have always planned myself that I will bat according to the situation. Luckily, everything is coming of well except a couple of bad scores prior to this game. I am happy with the way I have contributed. They have given me the confidence and it helps for a player like me who missed the last IPL due to injury."

Tiwary said it has been a team effort even in giving input to Smith, and in this he singled out Dhoni for helping the Australia skipper in setting the right fields.

"He (Smith) is doing a good job, but the kind of results that we are getting it cannot be only credited to only one person. Each and every one has played their part whether it is on the field or off the field by giving suggestions to him as he is not from India. He does not completely know the Indian domestic players and other teams as well, so we share our ideas.

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Mumbai Indians had things well in control before losing the plot in the last two overs that cost them 41 overs but opener Parthiv Patel refused suggestions that it affected their chances in the Qualifier 1 of the IPL.

"These kinds of things can happen in this format when someone like (Mahendra Singh) Dhoni is batting. Obviously we were in control, but I won't say it (loss) was just because of those two overs," said wicket-keeper Patel in the post-match media conference at the Wankhede Stadium.

Dhoni smashed five sixes, taking Mitchell McClenaghan and Jasprit Bumrah to the cleaners. Patel defended Bumrah for bowling short of a length instead of yorkers in the first four balls of the last over. "If you see the last couple of games or even last year, he had been successful against Dhoni with the kind of length he was bowling. He obviously is a good player and has been bowling brilliantly throughout the tournament. You got to sometimes give credit to the batsman.

"(After) one odd game like this, you have to give credit to someone (Dhoni) who has played so many knocks like this." Bumrah bowled successive dot-ball yorkers to Dhoni to end the over and the innings.

Patel did not agree to the suggestion that resting some key players in the previous game, which was MI's last of the round-robin phase, had taken away some edge off their intensity as he felt the break was needed for all to recharge.

"Not really. I had niggle and stayed back. I played with niggles in the last three or four games. It (break) was needed and rightly so and we were sure of the first or second position," said the pint-sized `keeper-batsman who top-scored for his side with a 52-run knock.

Patel was of the opinion that the 160-odd that the Supergiant scored was "par score" on the Wankhede track.

"We were thinking 160, but we lost too many wickets after six overs," he said referring to Supergiant rookie slow bowler, Washinton Sundar's triple strike early on that had Mumbai stuttering 51 for 4 after 8 overs. Sundar's victims included MI captain Rohit Sharma and two other seasoned players ' Ambati Rayudu and Kieron Pollard.

Patel also backed the team management's decision to drop MI's highly successful and experienced off-spinner Harbhajan Singh from the game.

"You can look at it in both ways. Seeing all right-handers it was decided to go in with two away going (spinning) bowlers," said Patel on the decision to leave out Harbhajan and include leggie Karn Sharma and left arm Krunal Pandya.

All is not lost for MI in their quest for the title, pointed out Patel and said the key now ahead of the Eliminator in Bengaluru on May 19 was to put the loss to Supergiant on the back burner.

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Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Kolkata, four teams that are now through to the playoffs. While the group stage is over, the chatter around it hasn’t quite stopped. Players have set the stage alight with their performances on the field, and off the field, fans have spoken for them. The result? A Season 10 Twitter XI!

Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina and Zaheer Khan surprisingly caught the attention of their fans in Indian Premier League despite their respective teams, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Gujarat Lions and Delhi Daredevils unable to make it to the IPL playoffs.*IPL 2017 Twitter Dream XI*

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Indian cricketers are currently playing at the ongoing Indian Premier League 2017 edition which will end on May 21st.

Team India, led by Virat Kohli, will then head to England for the upcoming Champions Trophy 2017 edition.

However, on Wikipedia's *Champions Trophy 2017* page, the Indian team was met with huge hatred by an anonymous online entity.

Under the Group B scheduled matches, India was named 'Country Data India G***u in the match vs Pakistan. For India's match against Sri Lanka later, the team was named as 'Country Data India Di P** Di L**'.

*Pic Courtesy/ A screen grab of the Champions Trophy 2017 Wikipedia page*

It is unclear as to whether this was a serious glitch on the online encyclopedia page or if it was met by an anonymous Indian team hater.

*Virat Kohli* & Co are scheduled to lock horns with arch-rivals Pakistan on 4th June, play Sri Lanka on 8th June and finally South Africa on 11th June.

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Two left-handers, both openers, also captains of their respective teams, facing off in the Eliminator, can't get more eerie you would think. There is more, as Tom Moody, the coach of Sun Risers Hyderabad put it, "both are captains who like to lead from the front and do it successfully."

However, while David Warner's headaches for this evening's game centres more on fitness worries (Ashish Nehra is out while Yuvraj Singh has to pass a fitness test), with Gautam Gambhir, it is more a case of making a tactical call, something he normally does very well.

"In a way, KKR have their own headaches," agreed Moody. "The inclusion of (Sunil) Narine upfront has thrown their middle order into a bit of confusion because you've got two players batting at three and four (Gambhir and Robin Uthappa) who are so used to batting at one and two and they have been successful at one and two," said Moody. "But I am more concerned about our balance and their role clarity as opposed to the issues that may concern them," he added.

The coach, understandably, didn't want to make any predictions about the game but was confident of his team's plans. "We have played KKR twice and we have seen how they go about the power play period and so far we have been successful in nullifying that. Yes, they got off to flier here against RCB. We hope we don't bowl quite as inconsistently as that," said Moody.

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The race for the final two tickets to next season's Champions League will go to the wire after Arsenal retained their slim hopes of finishing in the Premier League's top four thanks to a late burst from Alexis Sanchez against Sunderland on Tuesday.

Arsenal's 2-0 win meant that Manchester City, 3-1 winners at home against West Bromwich Albion, will still need a point to be absolutely certain of finishing in the top four.

Pep Guardiola's City moved back into third spot, above Liverpool, thanks to goals by Gabriel Jesus, Kevin de Bruyne and Yaya Toure in their final home game of the season.

City are in third spot with 75 points, Liverpool have 73 and Arsenal 72. City face Watford away in Sunday's final round of fixtures with Arsenal at home to Everton and Liverpool taking on already-relegated Middlesbrough at Anfield.

Arsenal's fourth consecutive victory at least gives them some hope of a 21st successive top-four finish, although matters are not in their own hands.

It could have been even worse for the Gunners on a frustrating night at a sparsely-populated Emirates.

Relegated Sunderland were showing some surprising resilience but Sanchez broke the deadlock in the 72nd minute, finishing off a flowing move by converting Mesut Ozil's pass.

The Chilean then bundled in a second from Olivier Giroud's cut-back to take his league tally for the season to 23 -- just one goal behind the league's leading scorer Romelu Lukaku.

While City need just a point to guarantee finishing above Arsenal, Arsene Wenger's Gunners could potentially take advantage of any Liverpool jitters.

"We made 71 points and were second. We now have 72 and want to go to 75. After that you deal with what happens," Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger said, referring to the fact that his side have more points than they managed as runners-up in 2015-16.

"We've got in on the final day many times. Sunderland fought and you want that in the Premier League -- that's what you want from every team."

Wenger was again asked about his future.

"At the moment let's focus. We have a big game again on Sunday and then an FA Cup final -- let's sort that out first."

City took 27 minutes to break down West Brom but then scored twice in two minutes with Jesus first being set up by De Bruyne and then returning the compliment.

Toure made the points safe before Pablo Zabaleta, playing his last game at the Etihad after nine years with the club, came on to a huge ovation from the home faithful.

City look almost certain to achieve the bare minimum of a top-four place and could only finish below Arsenal if they lost at Watford, Arsenal won and there was a five-goal swing, with Wenger's side scoring more than City on the day.

"We are in third position so it's in our hands," Guardiola, who will finish a season trophy-less as manager for the first time, said. "We go to Watford to win the game."

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The BCCI has congratulated the Indian women's team for their record-breaking spree, including the highest partnership between Deepti Sharma and Poonam Raut against Ireland, in the ongoing Women's Quadrangular Series in South Africa.

Acting Secretary Amitabh Choudhary said: "The Indian women's team are on a record-breaking spree and I congratulate them for their all-round show. It started with Jhulan Goswami becoming the leading wicket taker in Women's ODIs and we have witnessed a plethora of records."

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Sunrisers Hyderabad fast bowler Ashish Nehra has been ruled out of the rest of the IPL, head coach Tom Moody said here yesterday. "Ashish Nehra won't be fit for the remainder of the tournament," Moody said.

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Actress Shraddha Kapoor says getting training from professional coaches from the National Basketball Association (NBA) helped her prepare for the leading role in the forthcoming film Half Girlfriend.

"We had professional coaches from NBA who were flown down to India to guide us through the film. It made a huge difference having them on board. The coaches have been fantastic and extremely patient with both of us," Shraddha said.

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The Andhra Pradesh Legislature yesterday passed a bill to appoint Olympics silver medal-winning shuttler PV Sindhu as a Group-I officer in the government, by amending the state Public Services Act.

Certain provisions in the Andhra Pradesh (Regulation of Appointments to Public Services) Act of 1994 prevented the appointment of Sindhu as any recruitment in public service should only be through the AP Public Service Commission, selection committee or employment exchange.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu announced in the state assembly that his government intended to appoint Sindhu as the state’s sports ambassador. "We will give government jobs to other meritorious sports persons as well," he said. Reported by Mid-Day 4 hours ago.

Reported by RIA Nov. 3 hours ago.

MONTEFALCO, Italy (AP) " Dutch rider Tom Dumoulin dominated an individual time trial through Umbria's winemaking region to take the overall leader's pink jersey after the 10th stage of the Giro d'Italia on Tuesday.Dumoulin, who... Reported by New Zealand Herald 3 hours ago.

MONTEFALCO, Italy (AP) " Results Tuesday in the 10th stage of the Giro d'Italia, a 40-kilometer (25-mile) individual time trial from Foligno to Montefalco1. Tom Dumoulin, Netherlands, Sunweb, 50:37.2. Geraint Thomas, Britain,... Reported by New Zealand Herald 3 hours ago.

Düsseldorf/Verona/Milan, May 17, 2017. Douglas GmbH (“Douglas”), a leading retailer in the European beauty sector, has taken a significant step to further expand its strong position internationally. Profumerie Douglas S.p.A., the Italian subsidiary of Douglas, has signed an agreement to acquire two leading Italian beauty and perfumery chains – Limoni S.p.A. (“Limoni”) and La Gardenia Beauty S.p.A. (“La Gardenia”), together trading as Leading Luxury Group S.r.l. (“LLG”) – from a group of investors led by private equity firm Orlando Italy Management SA (“Orlando Italy”).

Limoni and La Gardenia joined forces in 2013 and form one of the leading beauty and perfumery retailers in Italy. With approximately 500 stores across all regions, LLG runs the most extensive beauty and perfumery network in Italy, which perfectly complements Douglas’ existing 126 stores in the country.

“Following our recent acquisition of Bodybell in Spain, we are now strengthening our business in yet another core market in Europe. By integrating LLG into our pan-European store network, Douglas will now become a leading player in the Italian beauty sector. This transaction is a major step on our journey to becoming the No. 1 or strong No. 2 in every market we serve”, said Isabelle Parize, CEO of Douglas.

Post-transaction, Douglas will operate more than 2,000 perfumeries across Europe, from Portugal to Latvia, combined with a network of online shops in 19 European countries. From its international operations, Douglas has gained industry-leading expertise in providing exclusive shopping experiences to customers looking for beauty products and cosmetics. By transferring best practice from other European markets to Italy, Douglas strives to offer the highest quality service also to the Italian customers.

“Douglas and LLG are a perfect match thanks to their personnel’s dedication and commitment to satisfy customers’ needs. Amongst others Douglas will contribute its own products from its successful ‘Douglas Collection’ range as well as considerable online expertise. Together, we will be able to offer attractive assortments both offline and online, introduce innovative omni-channel solutions and thus accelerate the e-commerce business that LLG has just started”, explained Isabelle Parize.

Dr. Henning Kreke, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Douglas, said: “The acquisition of LLG is an important step in our ambition to expand the reach of Douglas across Europe and particularly in the Italian market. We are delighted that we can combine two of the leading beauty specialists in Italy under the roof of Douglas. We have always strived to assert and expand our position as a pioneer in the industry – and we have done so to a remarkable extent over the past several months.”

Fabio Pampani, CEO of LLG, said: “With Douglas, we have found the ideal partner for LLG. Becoming part of this industry-leading player in Europe will provide us with the financial and operational resources needed to further develop our business and meet today’s customer needs.”

Closing of the transaction is subject to customary conditions including merger control approval. The company is contemplating an add-on term loan financing. Beyond this the companies have agreed not to disclose financial details.

*About Douglas*

With approximately 1,700 stores (prior to closing of the transaction) in 19 European countries, Douglas is a leading company in the beauty care sector in Europe. Its multi-channel offering that is fully integrated across stores, online and mobile, as well as its continually updated selection of more than 35,000 products, make Douglas the frontrunner in the growing sector it operates in. Supported by about 18,000 highly qualified employees, Douglas generated annual sales of approx. €2.7 billion in the financial year 2015/2016.

In Italy, Douglas currently operates 126 perfumeries and online store www.douglas.it. Launched in 1989, the local subsidiary employs about 1,100 employees today. Reported by EQS Group 3 hours ago.