Latest news with #BernadetteBaum
CTV News
09-07-2025
- Business
- CTV News
EU Court rules ‘I love' sign cannot be trademarked for clothing
I Love NY merchandise is on display for sale at a gift shop in Lower Manhattan, Thursday, Nov. 12, 2020. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) BRUSSELS — The European General Court on Wednesday ruled against German company in its bid to trademark the 'I love' sign, with a heart symbolizing 'love,' for clothing items such as t-shirts, sweatshirts, and pullovers. The Court upheld the European Union Intellectual Property Office's (EUIPO) 2022 rejection of trademark applications. The company had sought to register the 'I love' sign, featuring a red heart, in specific positions on garments, including the left chest, the back of the neck and the inside label. EUIPO originally rejected the applications on the grounds that the mark lacked distinctiveness. According to the office, the 'I love' expression is immediately understood as a general message of affection and not a sign capable of distinguishing the clothing as originating from a particular brand. The Court, the EU's second-highest, agreed. 'The sign in question is commonly used and universally recognized as meaning 'I love',' the Court said. 'Its placement does not give it a distinctive character that would allow consumers to identify it as originating from a particular business.' did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. --- Reporting by Charlotte Van Campenhout; Editing by Bernadette Baum
Zawya
07-07-2025
- Business
- Zawya
World bank expects Syria's GDP to grow 1% in 2025
The World Bank said on Monday that Syria's gross domestic product is expected to grow modestly by 1% in 2025, following a contraction of 1.5% in 2024. "The easing of sanctions provides some upside potential; however, progress remains limited as frozen assets and restricted access to international banking continue to hinder energy supply, foreign assistance, humanitarian support, and trade and investment," the World Bank said in a statement. (Reporting by Mrinmay Dey in Bengaluru Editing by Bernadette Baum)
Zawya
29-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Morocco's Bank of Africa reports 26% rise in first-quarter profit
Bank of Africa, Morocco's third-largest lender, reported a 26% increase in profit attributable to shareholders to 920 million dirhams ($99.5 million) in the first quarter, driven by a rise in net banking income. Net banking income rose 11% to 5 billion dirhams, the bank said, noting an improvement in interest and fee margins. (Reporting by Ahmed Eljechtimi Editing by Bernadette Baum)
Zawya
22-04-2025
- Business
- Zawya
IMF cuts Saudi 2025 growth forecast, flags slower oil rebound as a drag on region
The International Monetary Fund on Tuesday lowered its 2025 GDP growth forecast for Saudi Arabia, while flagging headwinds for the broader region, including a more gradual resumption of oil production. Oil-dependent governments are coming under pressure from the lowest crude prices since the COVID-19 pandemic, with officials preparing policy responses for a drop in revenue such as issuing more debt and reducing spending. In its World Economic Outlook, the IMF cut the forecast for Saudi Arabia's GDP growth in 2025 to 3% versus a January estimate of a 3.3% increase. IMF also reduced the projection for growth in 2026 by 0.4 percentage point to 3.7%. Meanwhile, the growth projection for the broader Middle East and Central Asia region was lowered to 3% this year versus a 3.6% estimate earlier. "Compared with that in January, the projection is revised downward, reflecting a more gradual resumption of oil production, persistent spillovers from conflicts, and slower-than-expected progress on structural reforms," the report said. Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter and a G20 economy, had been expected to see a sharp growth rebound in 2025 on the back of higher crude output, with an October Reuters poll forecasting expansion of 4.4%. But market volatility, weaker prices, and mounting global risks now threaten to weigh on the recovery, even as the kingdom pushes to diversify its economy beyond oil. Still, Gulf oil exporters are seen as relatively well insulated from oil market volatility thanks to higher reserves, lower debt and ongoing diversification efforts, economists say. S&P raised Saudi Arabia's long-term sovereign credit rating to 'A+' in March, citing stronger institutions and solid non-oil growth under Vision 2030, while cautioning that weaker oil revenue could widen fiscal deficits and lead to delays or cutbacks in major infrastructure projects. (Reporting by Manya Saini in Dubai Editing by Bernadette Baum)
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Russia says Ukraine violated moratorium on energy infrastructure strikes six times in past day
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's defence ministry said in a statement on Wednesday that Ukraine had carried out six attacks on Russian energy infrastructure over the past day, in violation of a U.S.-brokered moratorium on hitting energy infrastructure targets. Ukraine and Russia agreed to pause strikes on each other's energy facilities last month, but both sides have repeatedly accused each other of breaking the moratorium. In statements published on the Telegram messenger app, the ministry said that Kyiv had damaged energy infrastructure in Russia's Rostov and Kursk regions, as well as in the Russian-controlled part of Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region. It also said that Ukraine had mounted two failed strikes in Russia's Krasnodar region, including on a compressor station serving the TurkStream pipeline, which sends gas from Russia to Turkey via the Black Sea. Reuters was unable to verify the battlefield reports. (Writing by Felix Light; Editing by Bernadette Baum/Guy Faulconbridge)
