BATM Advanced Communications Posts Strong FY20 Results

BATM Advanced Communications (BVC.L) reported full-year 2020 earnings of 2.22¢ per share compared to 0.93¢ per share last year.

Operating profit soared 218% to $14.2 million from $4.5 million in the previous year. Adjusted operating profit amounted to $15.0 million, a jump of 183%, compared to the prior year’s $5.3 million.

Revenue for the year 2020 totaled $183.6 million, an increase of 49%, compared to $123.4 million generated a year ago.

Dr Zvi Marom, Chief Executive Officer of BATM, said: “This was an outstanding year for BATM. We delivered substantial financial growth, which was driven by our Bio-Medical division that was able to respond rapidly to the outbreak of the pandemic to develop COVID-19 diagnostic tests and manufacture critical care ventilators while also continuing its regular activity.”

French boat maker Beneteau's shares fall after cyberattack

PARIS (Reuters) – The shares of yachtmaker and boats company Beneteau fell on Monday after Beneteau became the latest entity to fall victim to a cyberattack.

Beneteau shares were down 2.1% in early session trading.

Beneteau said late on Sunday that a malware intrusion had affected some services during the night of Feb. 18-Feb. 19, and that the impact of this would result in several production units either having to slow down or stop for a few days.

Dechra Pharma H1 Profit Up On Strong Revenue Growth

Dechra Pharmaceuticals plc (DPH.L) reported underlying earnings of 54.28p per share for the six-months ended December 31, 2020, higher than the previous year’s earnings of 43.46p per share.

Reported earnings surged 66.7% at constant exchange rate or CER to 21.44p per share from 12.80p per share in the prior year period.

Revenue for the period rose 21.8% at CER to £299.8 million from £248.5 million generated a year ago.

In addition, the company’s Board declared an interim dividend of 11.11 pence per share, which represents a growth of 8.0% on the prior period. The dividend will be payable on 7 April 2021 to shareholders on the Register at 5 March 2021.

Further, the company noted that trading in the second half remains robust, “although we are starting to see the pre-Brexit inventory build unwind and, therefore, we expect the balance of trading to be first half weighted. Overall the outlook for the full year remains positive and in line with our January trading update. We expect the strong favourable market conditions to remain, our recent acquisitions to perform well and our supply chain improvement to continue.”

A Town of Afro-descendants, in the Northern Region of Libya

Basketry — the intricate interlacing, tying and braiding of dyed and dried palm leaves into baskets, trays, carpets and wall decor, is a thousand-year-old tradition in Tuareg. The amount of basketwork in Tauareg is unknown and it appears that the craft is starting to disappear. Nevertheless, a workshop organised by the International Organisation for Migration and a local association, basketry artists like Halima have perfected their techniques.

Oil Rises As US Output Begins Slow Return

Oil prices rose on Monday as the slow return of U.S. crude output that was cut by frigid conditions raised concerns about supply.

Benchmark Brent crude climbed 46 cents, or 0.7 percent, to $62.60 a barrel, after rising nearly 1 percent last week. U.S. oil prices were up 34 cents, or 0.6 percent, at $59.50, after having ended 0.4 percent lower last week.

U.S. crude stocks data will determine the direction for oil prices this week as production returns slowly from last week’s severe cold snap.

Abnormally cold weather in Texas and the Plains states forced the shutdown of up to 4 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude production along with 21 billion cubic feet of natural gas output, analysts said.

It will take several days for oilfield crews to deice valves, restart systems and begin oil and gas production.

Analysts at Goldman Sachs have raised their Brent oil price forecast for the second quarter by $10 to $70 and to $75 in the following three months.

Goldman sees the rally accelerating as demand outpaces supply from OPEC+, shale and Iran. The investment banking giant sees oil as an inflation hedge and doesn’t expect Iran’s export to recover anytime soon.

The international benchmark is already up more than two-thirds since the end of October to above $63 per barrel.

Celebrate Your Milestones with this Trip

G Adventures’ and National Geographic Journeys’ 12-day Explore Southern Africa itinerary kicks off with tours of Cape Town’s colourful Bo-Kaap neighbourhood and the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden before bouncing down to the Cape of Good Hope, where you can check out the penguin colony at Boulders Beach. Next up: Johannesburg, where you’ll see Nelson Mandela’s home in Soweto, and then head out to Kruger National Park and Karongwe Private Game Reserve to search for the Big Five. Your final photo op is a memorable one: Zimbabwe’s stunning Victoria Falls.

Egypt Initiative to Encourage Domestic Tourism

A photo series captures the unusual rock formations scattered across the landscape of Egypt’s White desert, about 300 miles from Cairo. White inselbergs (island mountains) are captured by the setting sun in the White desert.

Data center firm Cyxtera to go public via $3.4 billion deal with Starboard SPAC

(Reuters) – Private equity-backed data center provider Cyxtera Technologies Inc said on Monday it has agreed to go public through a merger with blank-check firm Starboard Value Acquisition Corp, in a deal valuing the combined entity at $3.4 billion.

Ted Cruz’s Flimsy Excuse For His Cancun Beach Vacation Just Fell Apart

Sen. Ted Cruz’s (R-Texas) already-flimsy excuse for jetting off to Cancun while his state suffered from one of its worst disasters continues to fall apart. 

Cruz initially blamed his daughters, saying they asked to go away with friends since there was no power and school was out and he just “wanted to be a good dad.” Cruz claimed he planned to return home immediately after dropping them off, then admitted he had actually intended to stay through the weekend while his constituents were suffering from freezing temperatures, massive power outages and unsafe drinking water. 

On Sunday, Axios reported that Cruz invited one of his own friends along for the trip. The website said David Panton, who was Cruz’s roommate at Princeton and Harvard Law, joined the family at the Ritz-Carlton in Cancun. 

Cruz hurried home when word got out about his trip. Panton, however, stayed in Cancun, Axios reported.

Cruz has been trying to save face since the ill-fated trip by making a series of TV appearances and belatedly turning up at relief events. Yet the pressure on Cruz is growing: The Houston Chronicle on Friday called on him to resign for his “foolish, callous and sadly telling of his approach to the job over the past eight years.”