The group - subject to intense speculation in recent months about its $6.8bn (€5.8bn) debt pile and how it would be addressed -embarked yesterday on a $3bn (€2.58bn) bond swap, aiming to give it more breathing room to show it can deliver a revenue boost as customers migrate to fast data and smartphones across its markets. The group operates in 31 markets in the Caribbean, Central America and Asia Pacific. Although Digicel's bonds have been trading deeply below par value, the company's subsidiaries are offering to swap those existing bonds at 95pc of their face value, with an early tender premium bringing the total to 100pc. The decision to offer the bond swap effectively at par value is likely to have caught some investors off guard. More-complicated solutions, and even a big haircut on the existing bonds, were speculated to be among the likely outcomes. In a process being managed by Citi, Digicel has offered to exchange $2bn (€1.72bn) of outstanding bonds that fall … [Read more...] about O’Brien’s Digicel bets on data with $3bn refinance
New day refinance
A brand new festival for Norfolk promises delicious treats for foodies
PUBLISHED: 18:56 31 August 2018 | UPDATED: 18:56 31 August 2018 Stacia Briggs Richard Hughes of The Assembly House in Norwich launches a new food festival (C) Chris Taylor Copyright christaylorphoto.co.uk A new food festival in Norfolk will include a one-man show from top restaurant critic Jay Rayner, a chocolate-themed high tea, visits from celebrated chefs, a parade of puddings, a food writing workshop and The School of Chocolate. Karl Goward of Shepherd's,Westminster (C) Assembly HouseFood fans can rejoice: there’s a brand new festival bringing a fresh flavour to autumn in the east.The Assembly House Food Festival will be hosting a glut of delicious events throughout September, October and November which includes a return of the much-loved Noverre Cinema for a one-night pop-up to show Chocolat (complete with a themed chocolate High Tea served in the restaurant), a visit from feared and revered food critic Jay Rayner and guest chef appearances … [Read more...] about A brand new festival for Norfolk promises delicious treats for foodies
Bloomberg: U.S. imposes new sanctions on Russia after nerve agent poisoning
Friday's sanctions highlight the erosion of U.S.-Russian ties. REUTERS The U.S. announced details of limited new sanctions against Russia over the March poisoning in the U.K. of a former Russian agent and his daughter, the latest sign relations between the former Cold War foes continue to deteriorate. Restrictions released by the State Department on Friday target remaining sources of foreign assistance and arms sales to Russia, and deny any U.S. credit to Russia, including through the Export-Import Bank, Bloomberg said. The announcement follows the Trump administration's decision in March to expel 60 Russian diplomats and shutter a consulate in Seattle. The latest measures appear far less stringent, though, than proposals being considered in Congress, where lawmakers from both parties have urged the administration to take a tougher stance against Moscow. Friday's announcement also said that waivers to the new sanctions, which are to take effect upon publication in the Federal … [Read more...] about Bloomberg: U.S. imposes new sanctions on Russia after nerve agent poisoning
Breakfast is the worst time of the day to eat carbohydrates
It feels like the best breakfast foods are all based around carbohydrates - avocado on toast, porridge, a fat stack of pancakes, the list goes on. But a dietician has dropped a brekkie bombshell, telling Popsugar you may be doing more harm than good by munching all your carbohydrates first thing in the morning. Five surprising reasons you might be bloated Are you eating right for your unique body? According to Shauna Sacco, a US dietician and personal trainer, eating refined carbohydrates like white bread and pastries for breakfast is a bad idea for your blood sugar levels. "The most important time to eat a balanced meal is at breakfast, so you fuel up for the day and maintain steady blood sugar," Sacco says. "It can be hard to find good breakfast options because we're often on the go or indulging in sweeter options like pancakes." So if you go by the 'eat it early and burn it off approach', you may actually be negatively affecting your energy levels for the rest … [Read more...] about Breakfast is the worst time of the day to eat carbohydrates
New AI MRI scans could take just five minutes instead of 90
Facebook artificial intelligence (AI) is working alongside radiologists to create MRI scans that last as little as five minutes, new research suggests. Current MRI scans require patients, who are often in pain, sit perfectly still for up to an hour-and-a-half while a scan is completed. This is due to such scans taking a series of 2D images of a person's insides, which are combined to create a 3D picture. Known as the FastMRI project, the new technique involves taking just a few 2D images, before AI that has been trained on millions of other scans 'fills in the gaps'. Early results show the technique may be feasible, however, such projects take time. Therefore, to give the innovation a boost, the researchers recruited AI specialists from Facebook. Dr Daniel Sodickson, from New York University, said: 'We have some great physicists here and even some hot-stuff mathematicians, but Facebook has some of the leading AI scientists in the world'. Although the project started three years … [Read more...] about New AI MRI scans could take just five minutes instead of 90