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[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-29T06:51:55 | null | 2016-08-29T06:03:56 | Erytech Pharma SA | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2FidUSFWN1B803D%3Ftype%3DcompanyNews%26feedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DcompanyNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FcompanyNews%2B%2528News%2B%252F%2BUS%2B%252F%2BCompany%2BNews%2529.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources_v2/images/rcom-default.png | en | null | BRIEF-Erytech Pharma completes patient enrollment phase 2b trial for eryaspase | null | null | www.reuters.com | Australia's Woolworths says hardware JV partner Lowe's takes it to court
SYDNEY, Aug 29 Woolworths Ltd said on Monday the U.S. company with which it had a hardware retail joint venture had started legal proceedings, five days after Australia's No.1 grocery chain said it was exiting the business. | http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSFWN1B803D?type=companyNews&feedType=RSS&feedName=companyNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FcompanyNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Company+News%29 | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/91113382c9574eec44fbb3f0434a325c0793c08a1be57d1d06cce113db305478.json |
[
"Chris Taylor"
] | 2016-08-30T16:54:47 | null | 2016-08-30T16:15:21 | Sharon Kotzen is a 73-year-old retiree, but she is hardly taking it easy. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-retirement-savings-family-idUSKCN11524G%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DPersonalFinance%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Bnews%252Fwealth%2B%2528Reuters%2BWealth%2BNews%2529.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources_v2/images/rcom-default.png | en | null | Your Money: 'Super Grandparents' need to rescue themselves first | null | null | www.reuters.com | NEW YORK Sharon Kotzen is a 73-year-old retiree, but she is hardly taking it easy.
The former guidance counselor from Wallingford, Pennsylvania spends her days helping look after her three grandkids (including toddler twins), taking music and history classes at a local college, and whisking her extended family away for vacations.
Kotzen is part of a new generation of hard-driving "Super Grandparents" that is spending their golden years looking after everyone around them, financially and otherwise.
"I love it, but it is exhausting," said Kotzen.
It is not surprising that Super Grandparents are pitching in so much, since baby boomers are America's wealthiest generation.
By 2020, the wealth of those currently 52 to 70 will peak at more than 50 percent of the nation's assets, according to the Deloitte Center for Financial Services.
While Kotzen and her peers do it all with a smile, the burdens can take their toll. There are questions about whether we are overloading this generation with responsibilities, just as bodies and minds tend to start slowing down.
Indeed, some 61 percent of grandparents financially supported adult children in the previous year, according to the "Family Support in Graying Societies" report of the Washington, D.C.-based Pew Research Center.
During the same time frame, 39 percent helped with errands, housework and home repairs, and 33 percent pitched in to look after the grandkids.
"We found all kinds of support flowing across generations," said Kim Parker, Pew's director of social trends research. "The numbers are high - and they get even higher in difficult economic times."
The vast majority of those surveyed say it is "rewarding" to be helping out their kids and grandkids in myriad ways. Still, 30 percent said providing so much help was "stressful," and 14 percent said they were being asked to do "too much."
"I'm seeing way too many cases where grandparents are being asked to shoulder the burdens of their adult children," said Edward Vargo, a financial planner in Westlake, Ohio.
Keeping that in mind, here are some coping tips for stressed-out grandparents:
PRACTICE SAYING 'NO'
It is okay to say it, and in fact, your adult children would want to know if you are getting overwhelmed. After all, if you go bust supporting various family members, who will have to support you in the years to come? Those same family members.
"They never give their children any indication they are stressed or the burden is too great," said Vargo.
AVOID RECURRING COSTS
There are different ways to help, some more punishing to your 401(k) than others. Try to avoid "recurring" expenses, things like covering the monthly mortgage, which 38 percent of grandparents report in the Pew survey.
Instead, make occasional contributions depending on your financial capacity. If your investments have had a good run in 2016, for instance, decide over the coming holidays whether you have more breathing room to be generous.
RETAIN ASSET CONTROL
If you want to make sure your financial contributions are going to the right place, set up college savings plans for the grandkids. In fact grandparents are the account owners of 13 percent of the almost 13 million 529 accounts as of June 2016, according to research firm Strategic Insight. As the account owner, you also have discretion over which investment options to select within those funds.
NON-FINANCIAL HELP
If your retirement savings are a little skinny, work on preserving those but assist in other ways.
"Some grandparents may be able to do more in terms of contributing financially, and others might be able to help with things like carpools and homework," said Marguerita Cheng, a financial planner in Potomac, Maryland.
As for Sharon Kotzen, her words of advice for other Super Grandparents like herself are about attitude: "Number one, you need to be in good health, because it is physically stressful," she says.
"Number two, you have to want to do it. If you do it resentfully, it is not going to work."
(Editing by Beth Pinsker and Bernadette Baum) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-retirement-savings-family-idUSKCN11524G?feedType=RSS&feedName=PersonalFinance&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+news%2Fwealth+%28Reuters+Wealth+News%29 | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/0b887637ed9dd23f5eedc601185f22222c57e93874dc1dfc6686787b0eec18d0.json |
[
"Simon Cambers"
] | 2016-08-30T05:00:05 | null | 2016-08-30T03:47:42 | John McEnroe may not be on hand to offer advice this fortnight but Milos Raonic believes he is ready to go one better than Wimbledon and claim his first grand slam title. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-tennis-open-raonic-idUSKCN11508D%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DsportsNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FsportsNews%2B%2528Reuters%2BSports%2BNews%2529.json | http://s2.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160830&t=2&i=1151524288&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7T03E | en | null | Raonic confident he has learned from Wimbledon final defeat | null | null | www.reuters.com | Aug 29, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Milos Raonic of Canada returns a shot to Dustin Brown of Germany on day one of the 2016 U.S. Open tennis tournament at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
New York John McEnroe may not be on hand to offer advice this fortnight but Milos Raonic believes he is ready to go one better than Wimbledon and claim his first grand slam title.
The Canadian, beaten by Andy Murray in what was his first grand slam final last month, confirmed on Monday that he would not be working with McEnroe for the duration of the U.S. Open because of the American’s television commitments.
But Raonic, who eased into round two with a 7-5 6-3 6-4 win over Dustin Brown of Germany, said he felt he had learned from his defeat at Wimbledon.
“It was great to put myself in that situation, to have a chance to be one match away from winning a grand slam,” said Raonic, who now plays American Ryan Harrison.
“But at the same time, the negative side of it was I wish I played with a little bit more intensity and stepped up a little bit better, which I would try (to do) if I could put myself back in the situation, which I believe I can.”
Raonic, one of the more studious players on Tour, said he had not realized how he had played against Murray until he examined the footage later.
“I thought I was doing it, that's the different aspect of it,” he said. “I know that everything I had I did put into that match, into that final, because I knew the importance of it.
“But I think I could have expressed it more externally to get a little bit of pressure off myself and get a little energy out and convert it and use it in a better way.”
Raonic worked with McEnroe in the days leading up to the tournament and the fifth seed said he understood the former world number one’s reasons.
“I believe it was just too many things going on throughout this period of time,” he said.
“He felt like that was the right decision. At the end of the day, it's a decision we're both OK with. We spoke about it, were up front, and there's no ill feelings over it.”
But Raonic said McEnroe’s influence would still be evident in his play over the next two weeks.
“There's certain things I'm trying to bring awareness to in my game,” he said. “I'm trying to improve what I feel I need to do better.
"We've had some good matches to reflect on over the last little while. Hopefully I can implement those things I'm working on."
(Editing by Steve Keating.) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-tennis-open-raonic-idUSKCN11508D?feedType=RSS&feedName=sportsNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FsportsNews+%28Reuters+Sports+News%29 | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/57410bdfc8044c100111853f5d3c4919229629f175fa7346ec47b644322b0939.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-30T05:04:54 | null | 2016-08-30T02:59:36 | North Korea publicly executed two officials in early August for disobeying leader Kim Jong Un, a South Korean newspaper reported on Tuesday, in what would be the latest in a series of high-level purges under the young leader's rule, if confirmed. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-northkorea-execution-idUSKCN11506J%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DworldNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2BReuters%252FworldNews%2B%2528Reuters%2BWorld%2BNews%2529.json | http://s3.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160830&t=2&i=1151521506&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7T02N | en | null | North Korea publicly executes two officials: South Korean newspaper | null | null | www.reuters.com | FILE PHOTO - A North Korean flag flies on a mast at the Permanent Mission of North Korea in Geneva October 2, 2014. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File Photo
SEOUL North Korea publicly executed two officials in early August for disobeying leader Kim Jong Un, a South Korean newspaper reported on Tuesday, in what would be the latest in a series of high-level purges under the young leader's rule, if confirmed.
Kim took power in 2011 after the death of his father, Kim Jong Il, and his consolidation of power has included purges and executions of top officials, South Korean officials have said.
Citing an unidentified source familiar with the North, the JoongAng Ilbo daily said former agriculture minister Hwang Min and Ri Yong Jin, a senior official at the education ministry, had been executed.
The report could not be independently verified, and South Korea's Unification Ministry, which handles North Korea-related matters, did not have immediate comment.
Some previous media reports of executions and purges in the reclusive state later proved inaccurate.
The report of the executions comes soon after the South said North Korea's deputy ambassador in London had defected and arrived in the South with his family, dealing an embarrassing blow to Kim's regime.
North Korea rarely announces purges or executions, although state media confirmed execution of Kim's uncle and the man widely considered the second most powerful man in the country, Jang Song Thaek, in 2012 for factionalism and crimes damaging to the economy.
A former defense minister, Hyun Yong Chol, is also believed to have been executed last year for treason, according to the South's spy agency.
The JoongAng Ilbo said the two men were executed by anti-aircraft gun at a military academy in Pyongyang.
North Korean state media described Hwang, one of the officials named, as agriculture minister in 2012, and referred to him as a vice minister of agriculture in 2014.
Hwang was killed because his policy proposals were seen as a challenge to Kim Jong Un, JoongAng Ilbo said. Ri was caught nodding off during a meeting with Kim and later investigated for corruption and showing disrespect to the leader, it added.
(Reporting by Ju-min Park; Additional reporting by James Pearson; Editing by Tony Munroe and Clarence Fernandez) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-execution-idUSKCN11506J?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Reuters%2FworldNews+%28Reuters+World+News%29 | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/2fb1f09b993a87833be50c77223955d2b15800caf170ab7f43aa16cda20eba83.json |
[
"Svea Herbst-Bayliss"
] | 2016-08-28T21:02:46 | null | 2016-08-28T20:36:10 | Bayliss | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-herbalife-shortseller-idUSKCN1130V0%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DtopNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FtopNews%2B%2528News%2B%252F%2BUS%2B%252F%2BTop%2BNews%2529.json | http://s2.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160828&t=2&i=1151373073&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7R0KC | en | null | Herbalife may have misled investors, SEC on impact of FTC deal, one short-seller says | null | null | www.reuters.com | An Herbalife logo is shown on a poster at a clinic in the Mission District in San Francisco, California April 29, 2013. REUTERS/Robert Galbraith/File Photo
BOSTON After U.S. multi-level marketing company Herbalife (HLF.N) settled a probe of its sales practices with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission last month, top executives assured investors that the company would be able to thrive under the new rules.
The consumer protection agency had questioned the company's sales methods.
Billionaire investor William Ackman in 2012 claimed the company was running a pyramid scheme, recruiting members with a promise of payment for enrolling others in distribution, rather than depending on the actual sale of its nutritional supplements and weight management products.
In its July 15 settlement Herbalife agreed to restructure its U.S. business so distributors are rewarded for sales rather than for recruitment of sales agents and it agreed to pay a $200 million fine.
But Herbalife's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission painted a much less optimistic picture than its presentation to analysts and investors, according to a private investor who flagged the differences to the SEC this month.
Matthew Handley, an investor based in Lakewood Ranch, Florida alleged Herbalife made "purposefully deceptive statements" in its Aug. 3 quarterly earnings conference call and regulatory filings.
Handley, who is betting Herbalife's stock price will fall, told Reuters about his outreach to the SEC and provided a copy of his letter to its whistleblower office.
"The transcript of the conference call, when compared directly against the actual language the company issued in their 10Q, depict a clear pattern of purposeful intent to deceive investors and the market," Handley wrote in the Aug. 16 letter.
"The things you say on the call and write in the filing have to match up, and I thought they just didn't," he later said in an interview with Reuters.
Because Herbalife's conference call transcript and its SEC filings are publicly available, securities law experts said the company probably did not violate the SEC's disclosure rules such as Regulation FD.
Corporate filings are often more legalistic and technical than what executives say during presentations to analysts and investors, when they may sound optimistic about the company's outlook, law professors and private lawyers noted.
But such presentations are usually highly scripted, with companies trying to ensure oral statements are not inconsistent with their filings, and the difference in tone and substance in Herbalife's case is noteworthy, securities lawyers said.
"Securities laws say that you cannot lie," said Yale law professor Jonathan Macey. "Reading these two documents (the filing and transcript of the conference call), would suggest they've changed their point of view," he added.
Herbalife spokesman Alan Hoffman declined repeated requests from Reuters for comment. Brian Lane, a partner at law firm Gibson Dunn, which vets Herbalife's disclosures, did not respond to a call or email seeking comment. Herbalife has disclosed inquiries from the SEC and other government authorities in the past.
SEC spokesman John Nester also declined to comment.
COMPLYING WITH THE FTC
Herbalife hailed the FTC settlement as a victory for its business model as the FTC said the company may have deceived hundreds of thousands of people but stopped short of calling it a pyramid scheme.
In August executives assured analysts and investors on a conference call that Herbalife would suffer little financial damage from the settlement.
Chief Executive Michael Johnson said, "We have the greatest confidence in our ability to comply with the agreement and continue to grow our business in the U.S. and around the world."
Chief Financial Officer John DeSimone saw "minimal disruption to the business" and President Desmond Walsh also struck an optimistic tone, saying, "The most important thing is that we don't see any long-term impact in our business."
Herbalife's SEC filing was more circumspect though, saying the company does not currently expect the settlement to have a "long-term and materially adverse impact."
However, the filing also noted "there is no guarantee that we will be able to fully comply with the consent order" and that "the company's business and its member base, particularly in the United States, may be negatively impacted."
If Herbalife cannot comply with the consent order, "this could result in a material and adverse impact to the company's results of operations and financial condition," the filing said.
Herbalife also noted the settlement's effect "could be significant."
BILLIONAIRES' TARGET
Herbalife has until next year to comply with the July 15 order from the Federal Trade Commission to restructure its U.S. business.
It is not clear whether other short sellers and investors will respond to Handley's accusations on inconsistency between the company's verbal optimism and its more cautious SEC filings, some experts said.
"If you invest in this company, you will want to know what the odds are of this FTC ruling screwing up their business," Yale Law School professor Macey added.
Herbalife's stock price has gone on a wild ride over the last four years when two billionaires began squaring off over its future. After seeing a high around $81.00 in January 2014, the stock fell to a low around $30.26 in January 2015 before recovering to close at $60.50 on Friday.
Hedge fund manager William Ackman, who called Herbalife a pyramid scheme, placed a $1 billion short bet but so far has suffered some losses as the stock climbed.
On Friday in a letter to investors, Ackman also noted differences between presentations to investors by Herbalife executives and the company's official quarterly filing. In his letter, Ackman wrote "management's latest commentary is a continuation of prior misrepresentations."
Ackman and Handley, who registered his complaints about Herbalife's communications with the SEC, both said they have never spoken to each other and reached their conclusions independently.
By contrast, in 2013 billionaire Carl Icahn expressed confidence in Herbalife, becoming its biggest shareholder and named directors to the board.
This week, Ackman and Icahn tangled anew when Ackman said an investment bank approached him to try and sell some of Icahn's shares, but on Friday, Icahn said he was buying shares, not selling.
A key institutional owner, Fidelity, sold some of Herbalife's shares in August, it said in a filing. Fidelity declined to make the fund manager available for an interview.
(Reporting by Svea Herbst-Bayliss; editing by Lauren Tara LaCapra, Nick Zieminski and Clive McKeef.) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-herbalife-shortseller-idUSKCN1130V0?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FtopNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Top+News%29 | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/de99bf19fbb25f9378f532a50e8ad13c21408ca9e2d92b7c2d0c30f476ecec8f.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-27T22:59:43 | null | 2016-08-27T22:37:51 | Rickie Fowler sank a four-foot birdie putt at the final hole to earn a one-shot lead over fellow American Patrick Reed after the third round of The Barclays on Saturday. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-golf-pga-idUSKCN1120U4%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DsportsNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FsportsNews%2B%2528Reuters%2BSports%2BNews%2529.json | http://s2.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160827&t=2&i=1151306436&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7Q0MG | en | null | Fowler leads Reed by one at Barclays as Ryder race hots up | null | null | www.reuters.com | Aug 27, 2016; Farmingdale, NY, USA; Rickie Fowler watches his tee shot on the 16th hole during the third round of The Barclays golf tournament at Bethpage State Park - Black Course. Mandatory Credit: Eric Sucar-USA TODAY Sports
NEW YORK Rickie Fowler sank a four-foot birdie putt at the final hole to earn a one-shot lead over fellow American Patrick Reed after the third round of The Barclays on Saturday.
Fowler edged ahead with a three-under 68 on the tough Bethpage Black course in Farmingdale in the first of the PGA Tour's four FedExCup playoff events.
He posted a nine-under 204 total while overnight pacesetter Reed carded a 71 to take second place. Australian Adam Scott (65) was a further stroke adrift on seven-under.
Fowler and Reed are vying for Ryder Cup selection. The top eight on the points list after the final round on Sunday make the team for next month's matches against holders Europe automatically.
Reed is now eighth with Fowler 12th.
(Reporting by Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-golf-pga-idUSKCN1120U4?feedType=RSS&feedName=sportsNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FsportsNews+%28Reuters+Sports+News%29 | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/6f3d6103edc10d6543d611cbb7972ae7696661c40d6ab3810212a9ccab5e7978.json |
[
"Roberta Rampton",
"David Brunnstrom"
] | 2016-08-30T01:02:56 | null | 2016-08-29T23:12:16 | When President Barack Obama travels to Asia next week, he will try to reassure leaders in the region that he still has the clout to deliver U.S. approval for the sweeping Trans-Pacific Partnership, even though the two candidates vying to succeed him and a congressional leader have said the 12-nation trade deal should not move forward. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-g20-china-obama-trade-idUSKCN1142GR%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DtopNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FtopNews%2B%2528News%2B%252F%2BUS%2B%252F%2BTop%2BNews%2529.json | http://s3.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160829&t=2&i=1151505717&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7S1DL | en | null | In Asia, Obama faces trade pact test amid U.S. opposition | null | null | www.reuters.com | U.S. President Barack Obama pauses while hosting a conversation on community policing and criminal justice at the White House in Washington July 13, 2016. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
WASHINGTON When President Barack Obama travels to Asia next week, he will try to reassure leaders in the region that he still has the clout to deliver U.S. approval for the sweeping Trans-Pacific Partnership, even though the two candidates vying to succeed him and a congressional leader have said the 12-nation trade deal should not move forward.
The trade pact is the economic pillar of Obama's broader plan to shift U.S. foreign policy toward Asia and counter the rising economic and military might of China.
"It would be a real setback for Obama's legacy and for the rebalance strategy if TPP were not to be ratified," said Matthew Goodman, a former Obama foreign policy adviser now at the CSIS think-tank in Washington.
Domestic politics have put the deal's future in doubt. U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Thursday the Senate would not vote on the pact this year, punting it to the next president, who will take office on Jan. 20.
Both Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton have said they oppose the TPP, citing past trade deals that have cost Americans jobs. As Obama's Secretary of State, Clinton backed the Pacific trade deal.
Obama has said the TPP will boost labor and environmental standards - fixing some of the problems seen in past trade deals like the North American Free Trade Agreement - and give both large and small U.S. companies access to the world's fastest-growing markets.
The White House said failure to approve the TPP would hurt U.S. interests in Asia, where some leaders made politically tough decisions to advance the deal.
"In this part of the world, which is the largest emerging market in the world, TPP is seen as a litmus test for U.S. leadership," Ben Rhodes, Obama's deputy national security adviser, told reporters on Monday.
"We would be stepping back from that leadership role, we would be ceding the region to countries like China who do not set the same types of high standards for trade agreements were we to not follow through with TPP," Rhodes said.
Estimates of the potential economic impact of TPP vary, but most show little meaningful growth for the U.S. economy. Estimates from the Peterson Institute, an economic think-tank in Washington, suggest that TPP would raise growth by 0.5 percent after 15 years.
Even those estimates, which amount to a rounding error in U.S. economic output, have been criticized as being too optimistic due to their treatment of so-called non-trade measures that are included in the analysis.
But White House spokesman Josh Earnest said polls shows most Americans support the deal, creating "a path for us to get this done" before Jan. 20.
In an interview, Former U.S. Trade Representative Susan Schwab described the odds of the TPP passing as slim, but not impossible.
"There’s history of candidates criticizing previous administrations’ policies on trade and then having to figure out how to live with them in office, and they include presidents Obama and (former Democratic president Bill) Clinton,” said Schwab, who served as trade representative under former Republican President George W. Bush.
Obama arrives in China on Saturday where he will meet President Xi Jinping and attend the G20, and then travel to Laos for two additional regional summits, returning to Washington on Sept. 9.
(Additional reporting by Timothy Gardner, Alana Wise and Timothy Ahmann; Editing by Andrew Hay) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-g20-china-obama-trade-idUSKCN1142GR?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FtopNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Top+News%29 | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/012c1d98f63a245853c3d71abaa891c417e1e6adde007d9454315803b8063fac.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-30T06:52:13 | null | 2016-08-30T06:37:19 | Britain's FTSE 100 index is expected to open13-18 points or 0.2-0.3 percent lower on Tuesday with futures tradingdown 0.3 percent ahead of the cash market open, according to financialbookmakers. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fbritain-stocks-factors-idUSL3N1BB27Z%3Ftype%3DcompanyNews%26feedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DcompanyNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FcompanyNews%2B%2528News%2B%252F%2BUS%2B%252F%2BCompany%2BNews%2529.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources_v2/images/rcom-default.png | en | null | UPDATE 1-UK Stocks-Factors to watch on Aug 30 | null | null | www.reuters.com | (Adds company news items, futures)
Aug 30 Britain's FTSE 100 index is expected to open 13-18 points or 0.2-0.3 percent lower on Tuesday with futures trading down 0.3 percent ahead of the cash market open, according to financial bookmakers.
* The UK blue chip index closed up 21.15 points, or 0.3 percent on Friday at 6,838.05, after Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen indicated that a U.S. interest rate rise could come later this year, a relief for investors after last week's hawkish comments from some Fed policymakers.
* GLENCORE: Glencore Plc, the world's biggest thermal coal exporter, said on Tuesday a 55-year-old contract worker had died at its Newlands coal mine in Australia and it had suspended production at the mine.
* BHP BILLITON: The deadly collapse of a tailings dam last November at the Samarco mine, owned by Vale SA and BHP Billiton, was caused by drainage and design flaws, a report into Brazil's worst-ever environmental disaster showed on Monday.
* BP: BP has begun shutting in production at its Thunder Horse, Na Kika and Atlantis platforms in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico as a precaution against Tropical Depression Nine, according to a notification on the company's website.
* BUNZL: British business supplies distributor Bunzl Plc said on Tuesday it did not expect Britain's vote to leave the European Union to have a significant impact, after a string of deals helped it post a better-than-expected first-half profit.
* SHELL: Royal Dutch Shell Plc's North Sea assets that are being sold have attracted bidders such as Carlyle Group-funded Neptune and Siccar Point Energy. The companies are looking at a package of the assets offered by Shell as a part of the $30 billion disposal programme, the Financial Times reported. (on.ft.com/2c3O5wx)
Separately, Shell said it has agreed to sell certain assets in the Gulf of Mexico to independent oil and gas company EnVen Energy Corp for $425 million, plus royalty interests.
* UK SKILLS: Global accountant Deloitte has called on Britain's government not to clamp down on skilled migrants following Brexit, saying it could backfire on the economy.
* BREXIT: British Prime Minister Theresa May will not hold a parliamentary vote on Brexit before formally triggering Britain's withdrawal from the European Union, The Daily Telegraph reported on Saturday, without specifying sources.
* COPPER: London copper edged up from a nine-week low on Tuesday after falling for the last six sessions in a row, as the market waits on U.S. non-farm payrolls data later this week for further clues on the timing of any U.S. rate hike.
* OIL: Oil futures edged up on Tuesday as the U.S. dollar erased earlier gains, but doubts that producers would be able to agree to an output freeze continued to drag on prices.
* For more on the factors affecting European stocks, please click on: cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageId=livemarkets
TODAY'S UK PAPERS
> Financial Times
> Other business headlines Multimedia versions of Reuters Top News are now available for: * 3000 Xtra : visit topnews.session.rservices.com * For Top News : topnews.reuters.com (Reporting by Noor Zainab Hussain in Bengaluru; Editing by Amrutha Gayathri and Vyas Mohan) | http://www.reuters.com/article/britain-stocks-factors-idUSL3N1BB27Z?type=companyNews&feedType=RSS&feedName=companyNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FcompanyNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Company+News%29 | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/8d7516cb279e92750f40cd004608b357e5704f62c5719d79adefa9457cefc141.json |
[
"Amantha Perera"
] | 2016-08-30T09:04:50 | null | 2016-08-30T08:02:33 | By Amantha PereraARANAYAKE, Sri Lanka (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Sri Lanka is planning to begin testing its first web-based disaster damage and | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-srilanka-disaster-monitoring-idUSKCN1150OL%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DworldNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2BReuters%252FworldNews%2B%2528Reuters%2BWorld%2BNews%2529.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources_v2/images/rcom-default.png | en | null | As disaster losses mount, Sri Lanka develops tool to track them | null | null | www.reuters.com | ARANAYAKE, Sri Lanka (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Sri Lanka is planning to begin testing its first web-based disaster damage and loss reporting system by the end of the year, authorities say.
The Disaster Management Center (DMC) is developing the program and training public officials on its use, said Srimal Samansiri, the DMC assistant director.
The program will enlist at least one government official from each district – or a representative of a non-governmental organizations in some cases – who is linked to disaster management and who will be tasked with uploading information.
The data then will be fed to a national data base maintained by the Treasury at the Finance Ministry.
“For example, if it is the road sector, we would have the district engineer who would upload data on affected or closed roads, damages and closures,” Samansiri said.
The DMC official said that the request for such a program had come from the Treasury in mid-2015.
"They were very keen to get precise up-to-date information so that they could plan relief efforts,” he said.
Right now, information about losses and damage from problems such as flooding, landslides and drought is collected in a less-coordinated way. Administrative officials in affected districts collect data and send it to their district offices, which then send it to the DMC or other government bodies coordinating relief.
“There is no uniform system to report the damages or calculate losses, which is hampering disaster planning measures,” Samansiri said.
A clear example came during heavy floods in May. The Disaster Management Center said that 691 houses had been destroyed while 4,888 had been damaged between May 15 and May 22.
However, Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake said the government expected housing damages to be higher. He said around 128,000 likely were damaged and at least a sixth of those would need complete rebuilding.
There have also been discrepancies in the number of fatalities and people missing reported by the DMC and the Sri Lanka Red Cross. The DMC data shows 89 deaths and 102 missing from May's disaster, while the Red Cross says the missing could be above 200, citing available population records.
“The problem arises because untrained personnel are collecting data for various departments. There is no uniformity in the collection or in the reporting,” said Jagath Mahedra, the DMC head for Kegalle District, one of those worst affected by the floods. He said a uniform reporting tool would minimize errors in data collection.
The new reporting tool is being funded as part of a $110 million World Bank Climate Resilience Program.
GROWING FINANCIAL RISK
The bank recently released a disaster risk assessment for Sri Lanka and said that a robust damage and loss reporting system was vital for future planning, particularly in the face of growing climate change pressures.
“The biggest short-term challenges facing the government of Sri Lanka are twofold: the lack of a centralized damage and loss data collection system able to report information related to the damage and losses borne by different sectors, and the lack of disaster risk assessment tools,” the report said.
The report also said that the island frequently faced extreme weather, which was having a recurring impact on the economy.
“Over the long term, the combined average annual loss … from natural disasters is estimated at Rs 50 billion ($380 million),” the report said. In particular, Sri Lanka was likely to see an “annual expected loss” of $240 million from flooding and $80 million from cyclones and high winds.
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization assessed that the May floods increased food prices by 4.3 percent within a month of the disaster. In particular, “fresh vegetables prices increased nonstop on reduced output,” it said in an August update warning of more expected price escalations.
“With such recurring losses we need a properly developed reporting mechanism,” Samansiri said. The new tool will be partially unveiled by December, after which there is likely to be a year of testing.
“After we have an idea how it works, it would go public,” Samansiri said.
(Editing by Laurie Goering :; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, climate change, women's rights, trafficking and property rights. Visit news.trust.org/climate) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-srilanka-disaster-monitoring-idUSKCN1150OL?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Reuters%2FworldNews+%28Reuters+World+News%29 | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/e3ba157e259c7641e0da84822230ae49a925f7dd91fc4b59f13530635bfda945.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-26T16:51:39 | null | 2016-08-26T15:34:27 | Over four thousand people participated in a largest-scale earthquake drill in the center of Tokyo on Friday (August 26), simulating a 7.2 magnitude earthquak | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-japan-quake-drill-idUSKCN1111US%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DenvironmentNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252Fenvironment%2B%2528News%2B%252F%2BUS%2B%252F%2BEnvironment%2529.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160826&t=2&i=1151189227&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7P14Z | en | null | Japan holds largest quake drill | null | null | www.reuters.com | A man role-playing as an injured person takes part in a drill simulating a 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Tokyo, Japan, August 26, 2016. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon
People wearing and holding helmets take part in a drill simulating a 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Tokyo, Japan, August 26, 2016. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon
People wearing and holding helmets take part in a drill simulating a 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Tokyo, Japan, August 26, 2016. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon
A fire worker in a crane rescues a man role-playing as a person who is isolated atop of a building in a drill simulating a 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Tokyo, Japan, August 26, 2016. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon
People carry a man role-playing as an injured person on a stretcher in a drill simulating a 7.2 magnitude earthquake in Tokyo, Japan, August 26, 2016. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon
Over four thousand people participated in a largest-scale earthquake drill in the center of Tokyo on Friday (August 26), simulating a 7.2 magnitude earthquake hitting the nation's capital.
The drill was held in Ginza, a high-end shopping and business district, and held ahead of the 93rd anniversary of the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 which claimed at least 100,000 casualties.
It was one of the largest natural disasters in recorded history and since 1960, September 1st, and the period around that date has been declared as national disaster prevention awareness period.
On Friday, Ginza streets were blocked off as fire trucks raced by, and cranes rose to the help evacuate citizens participating in the drills that also featured fire extinguishing, emergency first-aid, rescue and transporting victims to safe shelters.
The drill began with an earthquake alarm sounding throughout the streets and participants crouching down with their hands covering their heads. Some wore helmets.
Members of the fire department, police and self-defense forces demonstrated how to carry out emergency first-aid rescue operations while organizing people into groups for effective escape.
Some participants said they felt the drill emphasized the importance of keeping calm in the event of an earthquake.
"It's about staying calm while evacuating," said Yuji Ida, a 40-year old pastry chef working in Ginza. "Even though today's experience was only a drill, I'm really glad I took part because it is very important to be able to experience something like this at least once."
Another said they felt more prepared after the drill.
"The biggest thing I took away from today is I learnt the method of how to evacuate in this specific district. I feel more prepared now," said Atsushi Iwatani, a building administrator in Ginza.
The drill has been held annually for the past 35 years, with more and more participants taking part each year.
The head of Ginza's Disaster Prevention Unit and the organizer of the drill, Ren Mori, said he wanted to keep appealing to people the importance of preparation.
"I wanted everyone here to know how best to minimize the amount of damage in the event of an earthquake," said Mori.
The government reckons there is a 70 percent chance a magnitude 7 earthquake will hit directly under the nation's capital in the next 30 year. With the current infrastructure, this quake is likely to kill 23,000 people, according to government forecasts, and causing 95 trillion yen (248 billion U.S. dollars) worth in damages to the economy.
Earthquakes are common in Japan, one of the world's most seismically active areas, which accounts for a fifth of the world's earthquakes of magnitude 6 or larger.
Japan's strongest quake on record was one of magnitude 9 that struck the northeast coast on March 11, 2011, unleashing a massive tsunami and killing nearly 20,000 people, besides setting off the world's worst nuclear crisis since Chernobyl.
A magnitude 7.3 earthquake hit southern Japan in April this year, killing at least 49 people and destroying thousands of homes. | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-japan-quake-drill-idUSKCN1111US?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2Fenvironment+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Environment%29 | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/e9bf895e254cd99ad326913cede8b0bda2e8803e5bb20805eceaddf1784a1f30.json |
[
"Jeffrey Dastin"
] | 2016-08-31T04:52:19 | null | 2016-08-31T04:03:50 | The first regularly scheduled commercial flight between the United States and Cuba in more than half a century is set to depart on Wednesday, starting a new chapter in the Obama administration's bid to open trade and travel with the former Cold War foe. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-cuba-usa-flights-idUSKCN1160BK.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources_v2/images/rcom-default.png | en | null | First U.S.-Cuba scheduled flight in decades set to depart | null | null | www.reuters.com | FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. The first regularly scheduled commercial flight between the United States and Cuba in more than half a century is set to depart on Wednesday, starting a new chapter in the Obama administration's bid to open trade and travel with the former Cold War foe.
The first of several U.S. carriers to begin serving Cuba in the coming months, JetBlue Airways Corp will fly from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Santa Clara, a city in the center of Cuba known for its monument to revolutionary Che Guevara.
Among the passengers on the 150-seat Airbus A320 will be U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, JetBlue Chief Executive Officer Robin Hayes, news reporters and photographers and other officials. Regular travelers, including some of Cuban descent, will occupy nearly half the seats on a route that may be a commercial challenge, at least initially.
Cuba and the United States began normalizing relations in December 2014 after 18 months of secret talks. The countries had been hostile for more than five decades, since Fidel Castro ousted U.S.-backed dictator Fulgencio Batista in a revolution that steered the island on a communist course and made it a close ally of the Soviet Union.
Since Obama has been unable to persuade the U.S. Congress to lift a longstanding trade embargo, U.S. citizens are still prohibited from visiting Cuba as tourists. The U.S. government has approved exceptions to the ban, ranging from cultural, religious and educational travel to business and visiting family.
Despite those limitations, U.S. airlines have rushed to start flights - adding a lot of capacity and setting themselves up to lose money on the trips in the short run, said industry consultant Robert Mann.
"Most carriers look at international markets that have been restricted and are just opening up as an investment," Mann said. "You need to get your foot in the door."
Services on regional carrier Silver Airways and American Airlines Group Inc from the Miami-Fort Lauderdale area to Cuba's outlying provinces are the next to start, in September. Three other carriers will follow.
Mann said the companies probably offered to fly to Cuban cities unknown to many American travelers, so that U.S. officials would look favorably on their applications to fly to Havana.
A memorandum of understanding between Cuba and the United States will limit Havana flights to 20 round trips per day. U.S. officials have yet to announce a final decision on which companies will get those coveted routes.
(Reporting By Jeffrey Dastin in Fort Lauderdale; Editing by Christian Plumb and Jonathan Oatis) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-cuba-usa-flights-idUSKCN1160BK | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/65f102cb0eed18c02b8c75401f14cb03903f14a3bddbfcdb0229feee573f4511.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-30T14:59:44 | null | 2016-08-30T14:12:55 | Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid is calling on the FBI to conduct a quick and thorough investigation into concerns the Russian government is trying to undermine the U.S. presidential election, including by tampering with official election results. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-usa-election-cybersecurity-russia-idUSKCN1151TQ%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DpoliticsNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2BReuters%252FPoliticsNews%2B%2528Reuters%2BPolitics%2BNews%2529.json | http://s3.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160830&t=2&i=1151588398&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7T10O | en | null | Top Democrat urges FBI probe of allegations Russia seeking to influence U.S. vote | null | null | www.reuters.com | Democratic U.S. presidential nominee Hillary Clinton waves after being introduced by Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) during a rally at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), Local 357, union hall in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. Thursday, August 4,... REUTERS/Steve Marcus
WASHINGTON Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid is calling on the FBI to conduct a quick and thorough investigation into concerns the Russian government is trying to undermine the U.S. presidential election, including by tampering with official election results.
"The prospect of a hostile government actively seeking to undermine our free and fair elections represents one of the gravest threats to our democracy since the Cold War," Reid said in a letter to FBI Director James Comey.
"It is critical for the Federal Bureau of Investigation to use every resource available to investigate this matter thoroughly and in a timely fashion," Reid added. The letter, dated Aug. 27, was obtained by The New York Times and posted on its website on Monday.
Comey, speaking at a cyber security conference on Tuesday, declined to give details about what the FBI was investigating in connection with the political hacking but indicated the agency was closely watching what foreign countries are doing.
"We take very seriously any effort by any actor, ... especially nation states, that moves beyond the collection of information ... and offers the prospect of an effort to influence the conduct of affairs in our country, whether that is an election or something else," he said.
Reid's letter follows a spate of hacking attacks targeting U.S. political databases, including some that officials and cyber security experts have blamed on hackers with links to the Russian government.
The FBI discovered breaches in voter registration databases in Illinois and Arizona but did not specify who might have been behind it.
Officials and cyber security experts say recent breaches at the Democratic National Committee and elsewhere in the Democratic Party were likely carried out by people within the Russian government. Kremlin officials have denied that.
Reid, a Democrat, said that the threat of Russian government tampering in the election was "more extensive than widely known and may include the intent to falsify official election results."
He also voiced concerns about possible Russian government efforts to manipulate Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's campaign ahead of the Nov. 8 election, and to use it as a vehicle to advance the interests of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
(Reporting by Dustin Volz and David Alexander; Editing by Frances Kerry) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-cybersecurity-russia-idUSKCN1151TQ?feedType=RSS&feedName=politicsNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Reuters%2FPoliticsNews+%28Reuters+Politics+News%29 | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/8b97734112b8839bcaf788e3a4d67ac4264c26c24831fbe8d770aaa0ed664267.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-31T07:00:14 | null | 2016-08-31T06:07:49 | Czech gymnast Vera Caslavska, whose seven gold medals made her the country's most decorated Olympic athlete, has died at the age of 74 after a long illness, according to text messages sent by the head of the Czech Olympic Committee to co-workers. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-people-czech-caslavska-idUSKCN1160HY%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DsportsNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FsportsNews%2B%2528Reuters%2BSports%2BNews%2529.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources_v2/images/rcom-default.png | en | null | Czech Olympic champion gymnast Vera Caslavska dies aged 74 | null | null | www.reuters.com | PRAGUE Czech gymnast Vera Caslavska, whose seven gold medals made her the country's most decorated Olympic athlete, has died at the age of 74 after a long illness, according to text messages sent by the head of the Czech Olympic Committee to co-workers. | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-people-czech-caslavska-idUSKCN1160HY?feedType=RSS&feedName=sportsNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FsportsNews+%28Reuters+Sports+News%29 | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/f1ec36a4612983cd2686361f9e3caed691185090d0c9fc025f781bc216d34fcb.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-27T10:51:45 | null | 2016-08-27T09:46:16 | Tropical Storm Gaston is expected to become a hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean on Saturday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in an advisory. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-storm-gaston-idUSKCN11209E%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DenvironmentNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252Fenvironment%2B%2528News%2B%252F%2BUS%2B%252F%2BEnvironment%2529.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources_v2/images/rcom-default.png | en | null | Tropical Storm Gaston expected to become hurricane Saturday: NHC | null | null | www.reuters.com | Tropical Storm Gaston is expected to become a hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean on Saturday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in an advisory.
The system, with maximum sustained winds of 65 miles per hour (100 km per hour), is located about 820 miles (1,325 km) east-southeast of Bermuda, the Miami-based weather forecaster said.
NHC said a turn toward the west-northwest and a decrease in forward speed are expected during the next couple of days.
There were no coastal watches or warnings in effect for the storm, the NHC said.
(Reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee; editing by David Clarke) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-storm-gaston-idUSKCN11209E?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2Fenvironment+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Environment%29 | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/516ed0899820fdb4f89ebf7a7651125717fb01b24501d72e2f2807d200b00bb9.json |
[
"Katie Paul"
] | 2016-08-29T17:02:53 | null | 2016-08-29T15:53:52 | Yemeni Houthi forces are again firing rockets at this corner of southern Saudi Arabia, ending a lull of several weeks and complicating efforts to revive talks on ending Yemen's 18-month-old civil war. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-yemen-security-saudi-idUSKCN1141QG%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DtopNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FtopNews%2B%2528News%2B%252F%2BUS%2B%252F%2BTop%2BNews%2529.json | http://s2.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160829&t=2&i=1151461471&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7S0YH | en | null | Rockets hit Saudi border town as Yemen war flares anew | null | null | www.reuters.com | Armed men loyal to the Houthi movement ride on a vehicle during a protest against the Saudi-backed exiled government deciding to cut off the Yemeni central bank from the outside world, in the capital Sanaa, Yemen August 25, 2016. REUTERS/Mohamed al-Sayaghi
NAJRAN, Saudi Arabia Yemeni Houthi forces are again firing rockets at this corner of southern Saudi Arabia, ending a lull of several weeks and complicating efforts to revive talks on ending Yemen's 18-month-old civil war.
This month's collapse of negotiations on the Yemen conflict - which like the Syrian civil war pits allies of Saudi Arabia against those of its regional rival Iran - is taking a toll in the Saudi city of Najran, albeit on a much smaller scale than in Yemen itself.
Last week, one rocket fired by the Iranian-allied Houthi movement from northern Yemen landed in Najran, which lies 30 km (20 miles) from the border. It hit a car scrap yard, killing five Saudis and two Yemenis as they were driving past.
Another hit a Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) power station in Najran on Friday, spilling diesel from a punctured tank into acrid black lakes coating the surrounding streets.
On Saturday, nine-year-old Mahdi Saleh Abbas sat lying in a hospital bed with bandages over his eyes and shrapnel wounds pockmarked on his face. His cousin Yehyia, 3, had died that morning after a Katyusha rocket landed outside their home.
"They were playing. They're kids. It was normal," said Mahdi's father, Saleh, standing over his son's bed.
ROCKETS
Saudi Arabia and its Sunni Muslim allies view the Houthis, who hail from a branch of Shi'ite Islam, as proxies of Iran. The Houthis deny this, saying the exiled Yemeni government and the Saudis are Western pawns bent on dominating Yemen and excluding them from power.
The Houthi attacks on Saudi territory started anew in early August, which is also when a Saudi-led coalition resumed air strikes in Yemen against the Houthis and their local allies.
Saudi authorities say the latest wave of shelling has killed 29 civilians and injured around 300 in Najran, a city framed by jagged brown mountains that separate Saudi Arabia from Yemen.
Those figures are much smaller than the number of civilians killed by the coalition air strikes in support of the internationally-recognised government, for which the Saudi military has come under increasing criticism.
The United Nations human rights office said on Thursday that the coalition was responsible for 60 percent of the 3,799 civilians killed in Yemen's war. The coalition says it does not target civilians.
Still, the Najran casualties point to the Saudis' difficulties in securing their border against the more mobile Houthi forces and allies loyal to former Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh, even as the Houthis lob mostly unsophisticated Katyusha rockets into their territory.
The shelling had trailed off for several months as the peace talks held in Kuwait pushed forward. But in the last three weeks, after the negotiations crumbled, the rockets resumed.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said last week he had agreed with Gulf Arab states and the U.N. on a plan to restart the talks.
However, he said the Houthis must cease shelling across the border, pull back from the Yemeni capital Sanaa which they took control of two years ago, cede their weapons and enter into a unity government with their domestic foes.
Yemen's Houthi-run governing council said on Sunday it was ready to restart the talks, provided the coalition stopped attacking and besieging Houthi-held territories.
That same night, another rocket fell in Najran and killed two young girls, said the civil defence department.
NO MILITARY SITES
On Saturday, the Saudi information ministry escorted foreign journalists on a tour of parts of Najran city directly affected by the shelling, highlighting civilian suffering.
"They've hit schools, hospitals, civilian government buildings, markets," said Colonel Ali Omeer al-Shahrani, a spokesman for Najran's Civil Defence department, showing reporters photos of damage caused by the about 10,000 rockets launched on Najran since the start of the war.
There were no military sites within the city of Najran, he said, "just civilian and residential areas".
Najran residents interviewed at the city's King Khaled Hospital likewise decried the attacks, using government-approved terminology to describe the Houthis and their allies.
"A Houthi is an untrustworthy person. He lies. He targets civilians," said Manea al-Ghobari, a 39-year-old teacher in Najran. "They can't hit our army or our soldiers at the border, so they're hitting civilians in their homes instead."
A Saudi government official followed the group of journalists throughout the day, filming the interviews.
STABLE SERVICES
Still, even as the attacks accelerate, life appears to carry on as normal for much of Najran. There were no signs of militarisation inside the city on Saturday: no checkpoints, no tanks, no heavily-guarded ammunition depots.
Instead, on the main road through town, the shops were open and active. Down the block from a man selling water melons off the back of a pickup truck, a Paris Hilton store advertised luxury handbags and accessories.
Although Houthi rockets have hit both water and electrical facilities, service provision to residents there was never interrupted, said Shahrani.
In the industrial eastern part of town, the most frequent target of attacks, the damage was more evident.
Pools of black diesel covered the streets, leaked from the SEC power station that had been struck the day before. Machines lay mangled and blackened by a fire that swept the plant after the strike.
An SEC spokesman said its service to the city was "solid and reliable". Asked about the financial effect of the damage to the facility, he said that neither the company nor its customers had experienced any impact.
(Reporting by Katie Paul, Editing by William Maclean and David Stamp) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-yemen-security-saudi-idUSKCN1141QG?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FtopNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Top+News%29 | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/013b8d59c86f0d8cf59fd42de1c09e84ba20b2c7795101a47fb307f4f6fa4c5e.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-30T20:52:15 | null | 2016-08-30T20:41:25 | Fei Co | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2FidUSASC094WZ%3Ftype%3DcompanyNews%26feedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DcompanyNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FcompanyNews%2B%2528News%2B%252F%2BUS%2B%252F%2BCompany%2BNews%2529.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources_v2/images/rcom-default.png | en | null | BRIEF-FEI shareholders approve acquisition by Thermo Fisher Scientific | null | null | www.reuters.com | Aug 30 Fei Co
* Fei shareholders approve acquisition by Thermo Fisher Scientific
* Transaction is expected to be completed by end of 2016 Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage: | http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSASC094WZ?type=companyNews&feedType=RSS&feedName=companyNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FcompanyNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Company+News%29 | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/0d0578d3b7ebbe43ba1955875a43270659d6132b4a351f10230887e777127aa8.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-31T02:52:15 | null | 2016-08-31T01:02:58 | Twin Butte Energy Ltd | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2FidUSFWN1BB0NY%3Ftype%3DcompanyNews%26feedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DcompanyNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FcompanyNews%2B%2528News%2B%252F%2BUS%2B%252F%2BCompany%2BNews%2529.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources_v2/images/rcom-default.png | en | null | BRIEF-Twin Butte Energy announces receipt of notice of intention to enforce security and receivership application | null | null | www.reuters.com | Aug 30 Twin Butte Energy Ltd
* Announces receipt of notice of intention to enforce security and receivership application
* Received notice from Toronto Stock Exchange that TSX is reviewing eligibility of continued listing of Twin Butte's common shares
* Company has been granted 30 days in which to regain compliance with requirements
* Debentureholders did not approve proposed plan of arrangement in respect of twin butte and its securityholders
* Lenders under senior credit facilities issued demand letter whereby lenders to enforce security for repayment of about $205.4 million
* FTI Consulting Canada expected to be appointed receiver and manager over assets, undertakings and property of co
* Upon appointment of receiver, it is expected that all of Twin Butte's directors will resign Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage: | http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSFWN1BB0NY?type=companyNews&feedType=RSS&feedName=companyNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FcompanyNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Company+News%29 | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/f7ca2368b64fa0d3a94333c074cbbeab48d9c7ca0027b3e7b2fa98c9a3b253e7.json |
[
"Gerauds Wilfried Obangome"
] | 2016-08-28T01:02:35 | null | 2016-08-28T00:45:56 | Gabon voted on Saturday amid discontent over its failure to raise living standards despite oil wealth, in a poll posing the biggest challenge yet to President Ali Bongo, whose family has run the central African nation for half a century. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-gabon-election-idUSKCN112096%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DtopNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FtopNews%2B%2528News%2B%252F%2BUS%2B%252F%2BTop%2BNews%2529.json | http://s1.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160828&t=2&i=1151312173&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7Q0E1 | en | null | Bongo aims to extend 50-year family rule in Gabon election | null | null | www.reuters.com | LIBREVILLE Gabon voted on Saturday amid discontent over its failure to raise living standards despite oil wealth, in a poll posing the biggest challenge yet to President Ali Bongo, whose family has run the central African nation for half a century.
With state machinery and entrenched patronage networks behind him, Bongo, 57, is likely to be returned, seven years after winning his first election following the death of his father Omar, who ruled for 42 years.
Polls closed at 7 p.m. (2.00 p.m ET), an hour late to allow people were still waiting to vote to do so. Voting was mostly calm, although witnesses said a few scuffles broke out in one area as tempers flared in long queues to cast ballots.
Results are not expected until Monday or Tuesday, although partial results may start trickling out on Sunday. Land and sea borders were shut on Saturday until 8 p.m. (1900 GMT).
Bongo faced nine other candidates - compared with 22 in the last poll - but his main rival was veteran diplomat Jean Ping.
"The day of glory has arrived and we are preparing as you can see to celebrate victory," Ping, 73, said shortly after voting in Martine Oulabou school, in the capital Libreville.
Ping faces an uphill struggle, not least because Gabon's one-round system means the winner doesn't need a majority, just more votes than any other candidate.
In 2009, Bongo won with 41.73 percent.
"I have laid out the change achieved and the change to come in the future. For that reason, I'm confident," Bongo, wearing a blue suit, said after voting.
Bongo has made saving Gabon's unique wildlife, including pristine equatorial rainforest and elephants, a priority, but voters complain they have more pressing worries.
Ping meanwhile has harnessed discontent over the lack of a significant rise in living standards in the population of just under two million, despite its oil riches.
"The Gabonese are suffering. We are not well paid, our children don't live in good conditions. That's why I voted for change," Marie Ange N'no, 40, a civil servant, said outside a polling station in Libreville.
She declined to say for whom she had voted.
POVERTY DESPITE OIL WEALTH
Gabon has just rejoined OPEC after two decades and has a GDP per capita of $10,000 a year, making it one of Africa's richest countries, yet much of that wealth is concentrated in the hands of the elite.
About a fifth of Gabonese live on less than $2 a day and nearly a third live below its own national poverty line, according to the latest available data, from 2005.
Bongo on Thursday promised "a merciless fight against poverty".
But Gabon faces a financial squeeze owing to a long-term decline in oil output -- which shrunk GDP per capita by nearly a fifth between 1980 and 2014, according to the United Nations Development Program -- and a sharp fall in the price of crude over the past two years. Efforts to diversify into agriculture and tourism have yet to bear much fruit.
Oil wealth has flowed mostly to the elite - for a period Gabon was the world's top per capita importer of champagne - and has trickled down slightly only via its bloated civil service.
During his father's rule, Gabon was a pillar of "La Francafrique", an intricate, shadowy web of diplomacy, commerce and French military might that kept African autocrats in power and gave French companies privileged access to them.
Bongo has tried to shake off this legacy by presenting a modern face with a development program run by technocrats.
"As (Omar Bongo's) son, it is difficult to present yourself as something new and technocratic when the whiff of corruption hangs over from the last administration," said Anthony Goldman, head of West Africa-focused PM Consulting.
The mixed-race son of a wealthy Chinese trader, Ping is a former foreign minister and African Union Commission chairman who was once close to Omar Bongo and even had a relationship with his daughter, Pascaline, fathering two children by her.
That limits how much leverage he can get out of dissatisfaction with the Bongo family. Ping fell out with "Bongo Junior", as Gabonese call the president, leaving the ruling party in 2014 to become an outspoken critic.
Opposition campaigners have questioned whether Bongo is really Gabonese or an adopted child from eastern Nigeria, something he denies. Tensions between the two camps could yet boil over into unrest.
(Writing and additional reporting by Tim Cocks in Dakar, editing by Ros Russell) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-gabon-election-idUSKCN112096?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FtopNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Top+News%29 | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/687df20cb7f1b971d826a393280afd82178edacba82b81aa06c4584c679b8814.json |
[
"David Lawder"
] | 2016-08-26T13:20:13 | null | 2016-08-25T20:42:57 | U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Thursday that the Senate will not vote on President Barack Obama's signature Asian trade deal this year, punting it to the next president for changes and consideration. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-usa-trade-tpp-mcconnell-idUSKCN1102CM%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DpoliticsNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2BReuters%252FPoliticsNews%2B%2528Reuters%2BPolitics%2BNews%2529.json | http://s3.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160825&t=2&i=1151072384&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7O1IK | en | null | Obama's TPP deal won't get Senate vote this year: McConnell | null | null | www.reuters.com | U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell speaks at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. July 19, 2016. REUTERS/Mike Segar
WASHINGTON U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Thursday that the Senate will not vote on President Barack Obama's signature Asian trade deal this year, punting it to the next president for changes and consideration.
The statement appeared to dash White House hopes for a vote to approve the 12-country Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement after the Nov. 8 election and before Obama leaves office in January.
McConnell, a Kentucky Republican who controls the Senate's voting agenda, has previously said that chances for a TPP "lame duck session" vote were "slim" or "bleak."
"The current agreement, the Trans-Pacific (Partnership) agreement, which has some serious flaws, will not be acted upon this year," McConnell told a Kentucky State Farm Bureau breakfast in Louisville.
"But it will still be around. It can be massaged, changed, worked on during the next administration. So, I hope America will stay in the trade business," McConnell said.
The Obama administration is in the midst of a major push to promote the TPP deal, with cabinet officials holding dozens of events this month across the United States to try to build political support. Obama is expected to tout the TPP in the next two weeks at summits of the Group of 20 major economies in China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Laos.
A spokesman for the U.S. Trade Representative's office could not immediately be reached for comment on McConnell's statement.
A number of senators in recent weeks have declared their opposition to the TPP deal in its current form, including Democrat Tim Kaine of Virginia, who is now the party's vice presidential candidate alongside Hillary Clinton.
Republican Senator Patrick Toomey of Pennsylvania, who is in a tough re-election race in a state hit by manufacturing job losses, has also said he cannot support the deal.
Support for the TPP deal has been stronger in farming states, where proponents argue that it would boost exports of agricultural products.
Clinton has said she would seek to renegotiate the trade deal if elected and has criticized its lack of enforceable provisions to prevent currency manipulation. Her Republican opponent, Donald Trump, has said that he will not pursue multilateral trade deals, only bilateral deals.
McConnell said that he hopes the United States will continue its tradition as a trading nation since its founding, adding: "To do that, it's going to have to be done on a bipartisan basis."
Earlier this month, House Speaker Paul Ryan, a Republican, said he saw no point in bringing up the TPP deal for a vote in any "lame duck" session of Congress later this year because "we don't have the votes."
(Reporting by David Lawder and Tim Ahmann; editing by Chizu Nomiyama and G Crosse) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trade-tpp-mcconnell-idUSKCN1102CM?feedType=RSS&feedName=politicsNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Reuters%2FPoliticsNews+%28Reuters+Politics+News%29 | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/e03097ef068c18a1e73a2b87325ae3c07383979adf81586f89aee9e992622e68.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-30T16:58:04 | null | 2016-08-30T14:57:52 | Disgraced Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte is joining the "Dancing With the Stars" cast, ABC television announced on Tuesday, as the gold medalist said he thought reaction to his tale about being held up at a Rio de Janeiro gas station had been blown out of proportion. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-people-ryanlochte-idUSKCN1151X6%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DpeopleNews.json | http://s2.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160830&t=2&i=1151592979&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7T13D | en | null | Ryan Lochte to dance with stars, says Rio scandal overblown | null | null | www.reuters.com | In this still image from video Olympic gold medallist swimmer Ryan Lochte of the U.S. gives an interview to Globo TV at their studios in New York City, August 20, 2016. Courtesy Globo TV via REUTERS
NEW YORK Disgraced Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte is joining the "Dancing With the Stars" cast, ABC television announced on Tuesday, as the gold medalist said he thought reaction to his tale about being held up at a Rio de Janeiro gas station had been blown out of proportion.
Lochte, 32, was dropped by four of his major sponsors after admitting he "overexaggerated" a tale about being robbed and held at gunpoint with three other swimmers after a party during the Rio Olympics. Brazilian authorities say the group destroyed a bathroom and urinated in public, and have recommended that Lochte be charged with falsely reporting a crime.
The swimmer, who was also vilified in the media over the incident, did not say whether he planned to return to Brazil to face the charges.
"I think it’s everyone blowing this way out of proportion. I think that’s what happened," Lochte told ABC television's "Good Morning America" on Tuesday, when asked whether he had embarrassed the United States with his actions.
"Like I said, I did lie about that one part," said Lochte, referring to his claim that a gun was held to his head. "I take full responsibility. I’m human. I made a mistake. A very big mistake."
"Everyone has got to be sick and tired about hearing about this. I just want to move forward," added Lochte, his silver-dyed hair now returned to a more natural brown.
The 12-time Olympic medalist said his appearance on the 23rd season of "Dancing With the Stars," was under discussion before he went to the Rio games. After the London Olympics in 2012 he was given his own, short-lived, TV reality show "What Would Ryan Lochte Do?"
Other "Dancing With the Stars" contestants in the season starting on Sept. 12 will include 16 year-old U.S. Olympic gymnast Laurie Hernandez, former Texas governor Rick Perry, and rapper Vanilla Ice.
"Dancing With the Stars," in which celebrities are paired with professional ballroom dancers and voted off by the public, has been a popular venue for those seeking a comeback or trying to change their public image. Past contestants have included Bristol Palin, daughter of the 2008 Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, singer Donny Osmond, and retired Olympic speed skater Apolo Ohno.
(Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-people-ryanlochte-idUSKCN1151X6?feedType=RSS&feedName=peopleNews | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/3344109c26cda6b5d57e4df2c4308f56a58874da13b3023c1b3a4d7c1c3db795.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-29T09:01:52 | null | 2016-08-29T08:13:43 | A truck transporting Takata Corp (7312.T) air bag inflators and propellants that are at the center of a global recall exploded in Texas earlier this month, resulting in one death and four injuries, the embattled auto parts supplier said on Monday. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-autos-takata-blast-idUSKCN1140NJ%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DdomesticNews.json | http://s3.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160829&t=2&i=1151418023&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7S0BO | en | null | Truck carrying Takata air bag inflators causes blast in U.S., one killed | null | null | www.reuters.com | The logo of Takata Corp is seen on its display through a vehicle at a showroom for vehicles in Tokyo, Japan, May 11, 2016. REUTERS/Toru Hanai/File Photo
TOKYO A truck transporting Takata Corp (7312.T) air bag inflators and propellants that are at the center of a global recall exploded in Texas earlier this month, resulting in one death and four injuries, the embattled auto parts supplier said on Monday.
The truck operated by a subcontractor was traveling to a Takata plant in Eagle Pass, Texas, on Aug. 22 when the accident occurred, causing an explosion which incinerated one home, local media reported.
A Takata spokesman in Tokyo was unable to confirm the date and location of the accident, but said the truck was carrying air bag inflators and propellants containing ammonium nitrate, the volatile chemical compound linked to the supplier's exploding air bags, and that the blast killed one woman.
"Takata immediately deployed personnel to the site and has been working closely with the subcontractor and the appropriate authorities to investigate this incident," the company said in a statement.
The spokesman said Takata has a warehouse in Eagle Pass which stocks inflators manufactured across the U.S.-Mexico border at its plant in Monclova, which has been confirmed as one of the sources of its defective air bags.
These air bags have been linked to the deaths of at least 14 people and have sparked the global auto industry's biggest-ever recall. Prolonged exposure of the inflators to hot conditions can cause air bags to explode with excessive force, spraying shrapnel into passenger compartments.
More than 100 million vehicles worldwide have been slated for recall to replace Takata inflators, which in addition to the deaths, are linked to more than 150 injuries - mostly in the United States and involving Honda Motor Co Ltd (7267.T) cars.
Takata is looking for a financial sponsor to help overhaul its business and carry ballooning costs as it faces potentially billions of dollars worth of liabilities over the sometimes deadly defects in its inflators.
(Reporting by Naomi Tajitsu; Editing by Christopher Cushing) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-autos-takata-blast-idUSKCN1140NJ?feedType=RSS&feedName=domesticNews | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/21d302635bbc7782c20eb0583b67e49614f21307a1ced27d0dd0acf6c4431e02.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-30T06:53:45 | null | 2016-08-30T06:24:57 | Predominately Buddhist Thailand has opened its first halal hotel as hopes to attract more Muslim visitors and boost one of the few bright spots in its economy. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-thailand-hotel-halal-idUSKCN1150GB%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DlifestyleMolt.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources_v2/images/rcom-default.png | en | null | Thailand's first halal hotel hopes to help boost Muslim arrivals | null | null | www.reuters.com | BANGKOK Predominately Buddhist Thailand has opened its first halal hotel as hopes to attract more Muslim visitors and boost one of the few bright spots in its economy.
Nearly 30 million foreign tourists came to Thailand last year but only about 658,000 were from the Middle East, according to industry data.
The four-star Al Meroz hotel in Bangkok, which opened in November, hopes to play its part in changing that, and to cash in.
"There are 1.6 billion Muslims in the world. It's a huge market," said the hotel's general manager, Sanya Saengboon.
"Just one percent of that market is enough for us to thrive."
The Al Meroz, which boasts mosque-like architecture, has two prayer rooms and three halal dining halls.
Rooms cost from 4,000 baht all the way up to 50,000 baht ($116 to $1,445) a night, said Sanya.
A guest at the hotel, Aamir Fazal, 28, a security officer from Australia, said access to a halal hotel was a comfort to Muslim travelers in Thailand where halal food can be hard to find.
"It's a really nice experience. It's the first halal hotel here and I find that amazing," said Fazal.
Eager to tap into a growing Muslim tourist market, Thailand launched a mobile application last year which helps tourists search for halal eateries and Muslim-friendly attractions.
Parts of Thailand's south, near the border with Muslim Malaysia, are majority Muslim.
Many Malaysians pop over the border for short visits but a low-level separatist insurgency in the far south, that has included bomb attacks in border towns frequented by Malaysian tourists, has dented business there.
A series of bomb attacks in more mainstream tourist towns south of Bangkok this month, in which four people were killed and dozens wounded, has led to fears the insurgency is spreading.
Thailand saw a 10 percent increase in arrivals from the Middle East in 2015 compared with 2014, data from the Department of Tourism showed.
(Reporting by Patpicha Tanakasempipat and Prapan Chankaew; Writing by Patpicha Tanakasempipat; Editing by Amy Sawitta Lefevre and Robert Birsel) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-thailand-hotel-halal-idUSKCN1150GB?feedType=RSS&feedName=lifestyleMolt | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/4b02cca3d027bf1b0cf617d30e5133779ffdd6288686ece910f6e1c691104118.json |
[
"Charlotte Greenfield"
] | 2016-08-29T07:02:21 | null | 2016-08-29T06:02:29 | An appeal by flamboyant German tech entrepreneur Kim Dotcom over a decision to extradite him to the United States began in New Zealand on Monday, with the Megaupload founder's legal team arguing the hearing should be live streamed on YouTube. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-newzealand-internet-dotcom-idUSKCN1140DR%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DtechnologyNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FtechnologyNews%2B%2528Reuters%2BTechnology%2BNews%2529.json | http://s3.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160829&t=2&i=1151407536&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7S06K | en | null | Megaupload's Dotcom argues extradition appeal should be live streamed | null | null | www.reuters.com | WELLINGTON An appeal by flamboyant German tech entrepreneur Kim Dotcom over a decision to extradite him to the United States began in New Zealand on Monday, with the Megaupload founder's legal team arguing the hearing should be live streamed on YouTube.
The High Court hearing opened in Auckland nine months after a lower court ruled Dotcom could be sent to the United States to face copyright infringement and money-laundering charges over the operation of file-sharing website Megaupload.
"US defends mass surveillance programs with 'If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear' but opposes live streaming of my hearing," Dotcom, who attended some of the hearing, said on Twitter.
Dotcom's lawyer, Ira Rothken, said a request to stream a video of the hearing on the internet was made in court on Monday.
A major issue in the case was whether a government could hold storage providers liable for users' acts and the issue was of widespread global interest, he said.
"We hope the court finds in favor of Livestreaming so the global community from Silicon Valley to Wellington, New Zealand, can access the courtroom in a case that can impact the entire internet community," Rothken told Reuters in an email.
Rothken said he expected the judge to make a decision on live streaming on Tuesday.
A spokeswoman for New Zealand government prosecutors, who are representing the United States, said it was not appropriate to comment while the matter was before the courts.
Lawyers representing the United States had previously argued that Megaupload's practices, such as paying rewards to repeat copyright infringers, were evidence that Megaupload was made with the aim of providing access to pirated files.
U.S. authorities say Dotcom and three co-accused Megaupload executives cost film studios and record companies more than $500 million and generated more than $175 million by encouraging paying users to store and share copyrighted material, such as movies and TV shows.
Years of legal wrangling followed Dotcom's arrest in New Zealand police raid in 2012, and it emerged that the Government Communications Security Bureau had illegally spied on him before the raid.
The case has been watched by the media industry and developers in the file-sharing business for signs of how far the United States is willing to go to protect U.S. copyright holders.
Megaupload accounted for about 4 percent of total traffic on the Internet in its heyday as users stored and shared files containing everything from wedding videos to Hollywood films.
(Reporting by Charlotte Greenfield; Editing by Robert Birsel) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-newzealand-internet-dotcom-idUSKCN1140DR?feedType=RSS&feedName=technologyNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FtechnologyNews+%28Reuters+Technology+News%29 | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/d9d637dcc25ac9823816c607f4d23bf747d87ee3a2af16dbd56e30d7f5cf1b3a.json |
[
"Christophe Van Der Perre",
"Edgar Su"
] | 2016-08-29T09:02:48 | null | 2016-08-29T08:55:08 | Officials sprayed insecticide and cleared drains of stagnant water in residential areas of Singapore at high risk of further Zika infections on Monday after 41 locally transmitted cases were confirmed in the city state. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-health-zika-singapore-idUSKCN1140LL%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DtopNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FtopNews%2B%2528News%2B%252F%2BUS%2B%252F%2BTop%2BNews%2529.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160829&t=2&i=1151416628&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7S0AU | en | null | Singapore mass sprays residences as Zika expected to spread | null | null | www.reuters.com | A National Environment Agency officer informs residents as a worker fogs the corridor of a public housing estate in the vicinity where a locally transmitted Zika virus case was discovered, in Singapore August 29, 2016. REUTERS/Edgar Su
A general view of the Sims Urban Oasis condominium construction site where work has stopped after 37 workers there were tested positive for Zika virus since May, in Singapore August 29, 2016. REUTERS/Edgar Su
A National Environment Agency officer and a worker fogs the corridor of a public housing estate in the vicinity where a locally transmitted Zika virus case was discovered, in Singapore August 29, 2016. REUTERS/Edgar Su
A worker fogs the corridor of a public housing estate in the vicinity where a locally transmitted Zika virus case was discovered, in Singapore August 29, 2016. REUTERS/Edgar Su
A worker fogs the corridor of a public housing estate in the vicinity where a locally transmitted Zika virus case was discovered, in Singapore August 29, 2016. REUTERS/Edgar Su
SINGAPORE Officials sprayed insecticide and cleared drains of stagnant water in residential areas of Singapore at high risk of further Zika infections on Monday after 41 locally transmitted cases were confirmed in the city state.
Workers wearing fumigation masks traveled methodically through high-rise public housing estates in seven separate areas of the island, inspecting plant pots closely as they sprayed insecticide via thermal fogging machines.
The health ministry on Saturday confirmed Singapore's first locally-transmitted case of Zika, with the tally rising to 41 just a day later. All of the infected people were either residents of the Aljunied district or workers at a construction site owned by GuocoLand in the area.
"We expect to identify more positive cases," the ministry said on Monday in its latest update on the outbreak.
"Given that the majority of Zika cases are asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic, and mosquitoes in the affected areas may already have been infected, isolation of positive cases may have limited effect to managing the spread," it added.
Singapore, a major regional financial center and busy transit hub, which maintains a constant vigil against the mosquito-borne dengue virus, reported its first case of the Zika virus in May, brought in by a middle-aged man who had been to Brazil.
GuocoLand, which is headquartered in Singapore and has developments across Asia, was ordered on Saturday to stop work on the building site where 36 of the infected people worked. It will remain closed until the company rectifies the conditions that allowed mosquitoes to breed and steps up preventative measures, the health ministry said.
The Zika virus, carried by mosquitoes, was detected in Brazil last year and has since spread across the Americas. It poses a risk to pregnant women because it can cause severe birth defects. It has been linked in Brazil to more than 1,600 cases of microcephaly, where babies are born with abnormally small heads and brains.
The World Health Organization said on Sunday it did not know "which lineage of Zika is circulating" in Singapore or "what the level of population immunity is to this lineage of Zika in Asia."
Singapore's health ministry said some 19 mosquito breeding habitats were detected and destroyed in its first sweep of the Aljunied area on Sunday when it fumigated around a third of the 6,000 homes.
"I feel afraid," said Ng Kai Yee, an 18-year-old female student who lives near the construction site believed to be a source of the outbreak. "I heard quite a lot about how harmful Zika virus is to girls, especially pregnant women."
Authorities have urged those living and working in the risk areas, especially pregnant women, to monitor their health and seek medical attention if they are unwell.
Of the 41 people known to have been infected, 34 have already fully recovered. Only the first case reported was a woman.
(Writing and additional reporting by Marius Zaharia; Editing by Jane Wardell; Graphic by Jessica Wang) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-zika-singapore-idUSKCN1140LL?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FtopNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Top+News%29 | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/f81fe65b7d0c3a8fae505ed8929f3332a35217db51895ca2a784565d5bcf4244.json |
[
"Noel Randewich"
] | 2016-08-26T20:51:09 | null | 2016-08-26T20:40:31 | Wall Street will fixate on a wave of U.S. economic data next week, crested by payrolls data on Friday that could sway expectations about the timing of future interest rate hikes and spark volatility in record-high stock prices. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-usa-stocks-weekahead-idUSKCN1112CP.json | http://s2.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160826&t=2&i=1151220191&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7P1FI | en | null | Jobs data to be a big deal for record-high stocks | null | null | www.reuters.com | Job seekers fill out applications during the 11th annual Skid Row Career Fair the Los Angeles Mission in Los Angeles, California, U.S. on May 31, 2012. REUTERS/David McNew/File Photo
SAN FRANCISCO Wall Street will fixate on a wave of U.S. economic data next week, crested by payrolls data on Friday that could sway expectations about the timing of future interest rate hikes and spark volatility in record-high stock prices.
Fresh data about employment and consumer confidence could help investors solidify expectations for a December interest rate hike from the U.S. Federal Reserve, or lend weight to a minority of strategists predicting a rate rise as early as next month.
Fed Chair Janet Yellen said the case for a rate hike is strengthening, but she left open the timing of what would be the first increase since December 2015.
"She did put the market on notice that she'd like to raise rates, which means the payrolls data out on Friday is very important. The wage component, length of the workweek and types of jobs, all are crucial in order to extrapolate to inflation,” said Quincy Krosby, market strategist at Prudential Financial in Newark, New Jersey.
Following Yellen's speech, prices for fed funds futures implied investors see roughly a 60 percent chance of a December hike, up from just above 50 percent on Thursday. Investors see chances of a September hike at 36 percent, up from 21 percent.
Almost a decade of ultra-low interest rates has helped propel stock prices to record highs, even as the economy expands at a lukewarm rate and U.S. largecaps struggle with over a year of declining earnings.
Expectations for higher interest rates would likely continue a recent trend of investors selling high-dividend payers like utilities and telecoms, in favor of sectors tied to economic expansion like financials and industrials.
Underscoring the importance of the upcoming jobs report, Yellen pointed to a recent rebound in employment and said in her speech at a symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming that the Fed expects the economy to continue expanding.
"Chairwoman Yellen put a magnifying glass on next Friday’s jobs report. That really I do believe is going to be a determining factor of the market’s direction for its next leg," said David Schiegoleit, managing director at U.S. Bank Private Client Reserve in Los Angeles.
The August jobs report is expected to show the U.S. economy created 180,000 jobs this month after rising by 255,000 in July, according to a Reuters poll. The forecast is for the unemployment rate to dip one-tenth of a percentage point to 4.8 percent.
Other data in investors' crosshairs next week include personal consumption on Monday, consumer confidence on Tuesday, and car sales and factory activity on Thursday.
The S&P 500 fell Friday for the fifth time in six sessions, but is just 1 percent below its record high set earlier this month.
"Any potential strength in consumer and jobs data could be very helpful to support equity prices where they are right now," said Jon Adams, senior investment strategist at BMO Global Asset Management in Chicago.
(Reporting by Noel Randewich, additional reporting by Chuck Mikolajczak; editing by Rodrigo Campos and Chizu Nomiyama) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-stocks-weekahead-idUSKCN1112CP | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/1dbd3bc6450661fa4511afd064b783a1f1cb4dc4a769f26a9921e37474c9b5c7.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-28T14:59:48 | null | 2016-08-28T12:57:00 | The French Tennis Federation (FFT) has provisionally suspended Benoit Paire, Kristina Mladenovic and Caroline Garcia for "damaging" the organization's image by their behavior at this month's Rio Olympics. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-tennis-france-idUSKCN1130IM%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DsportsNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FsportsNews%2B%2528Reuters%2BSports%2BNews%2529.json | http://s3.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160828&t=2&i=1151347097&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7R09P | en | null | French players suspended over behavior at Olympics | null | null | www.reuters.com | 2016 Rio Olympics - Tennis - Preliminary - Men's Singles Second Round - Olympic Tennis Centre - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 09/08/2016. Benoit Paire (FRA) of France in action against Fabio Fognini (ITA) of Italy. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
2016 Rio Olympics - Tennis - Preliminary - Women's Singles Second Round - Olympic Tennis Centre - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 08/08/2016. Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) of France in action against Madison Keys (USA) of USA. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
2016 Rio Olympics - Tennis - Preliminary - Women's Singles Second Round - Olympic Tennis Centre - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 08/08/2016. Caroline Garcia (FRA) of France in action against Johanna Konta (GBR) of United Kingdom. REUTERS/Toby Melville
PARIS The French Tennis Federation (FFT) has provisionally suspended Benoit Paire, Kristina Mladenovic and Caroline Garcia for "damaging" the organization's image by their behavior at this month's Rio Olympics.
"Following the Rio Olympics, the Committee of the French Tennis Federation met at length about the case of the players who violated the federation and damaged the image of tennis," the FFT said in a statement.
Paire, seeded 16th at the Games, lost to Fabio Fognini of Italy in the second round. The 27-year-old was kicked out of his country's Olympic team for spending too much time away from the athletes' village, local media reported.
Mladenovic and Garcia were suspended for "strongly criticising" the FFT following a mix-up over their clothing.
They said they had not been told to wear the same colored kit for the women's doubles event in Rio and had to change shortly before their first-round loss to Japan's Misaki Doi and Eri Hozumi.
The pair won the French Open women's doubles title in June and are key players in the country's Fed Cup team which has reached this year's final against the Czech Republic in November.
The three players, who the FFT said showed an "unacceptable attitude", will not be selected to represent their country pending a final decision on Sept. 24.
(Reporting by Ian Rodricks in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-tennis-france-idUSKCN1130IM?feedType=RSS&feedName=sportsNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FsportsNews+%28Reuters+Sports+News%29 | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/d4a92b33a49660f6ea8f6b5cca42c5dd7c060f1d62682a17450e2c3d579f6081.json |
[
"Amanda Becker"
] | 2016-08-29T16:57:54 | null | 2016-08-29T16:30:39 | Huma Abedin, one of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's top aides, said on Monday that she was separating from her husband, Anthony Weiner, after a sex scandal similar to an earlier incident that led him to resign from the U.S. Congress. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-people-weiner-idUSKCN1141QT%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DpeopleNews.json | http://s2.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160829&t=2&i=1151461945&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7S0YG | en | null | Clinton aide Abedin leaves husband Weiner after sexting report | null | null | www.reuters.com | Huma Abedin, longtime aide to Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, attends a Clinton campaign rally in Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S., July 5, 2016. REUTERS/Brian Snyder/File Photo
New York mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner and his wife Huma Abedin attend a news conference in New York, July 23, 2013. REUTERS/Eric Thayer/File Photo
WASHINGTON Huma Abedin, one of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's top aides, said on Monday that she was separating from her husband, Anthony Weiner, after a sex scandal similar to an earlier incident that led him to resign from the U.S. Congress.
"After long and painful consideration and work on my marriage, I have made the decision to separate from my husband," Huma Abedin said in a statement.
"Anthony and I remain devoted to doing what is best for our son, who is the light of our life. During this difficult time, I ask for respect for our privacy," Abedin added.
Abedin’s announcement follows a New York Post report late Sunday that Weiner recently sent photos of his boxer-brief-clad genitals – one while he was in bed with their toddler son – via Twitter to another woman.
The photos were part of a months-long exchange between Weiner and the woman and many of the messages were sexual in nature, according to the Post report.
Weiner resigned in June 2011 from Congress, where he represented New York, followed a sexting scandal in which he accidentally posted an explicit photo of himself on his public Twitter timeline instead of via a direct message to a woman, as he had intended.
When Weiner made a second unsuccessful run for New York City mayor, explicit photos surfaced in July 2013 that he had recently sent under the pseudonym "Carlos Danger" to a young woman in Indiana.
Weiner said he had undergone therapy after the first sexting scandal, according to media reports. In recent months, he has taken care of the couple's toddler son. Abedin often travels with the Clinton campaign.
Abedin is the vice chair of Clinton's presidential campaign and served as her deputy chief of staff at the U.S. State Department. Weiner served in the U.S. Congress, representing his district in New York City from 1999 to 2011. His first unsuccessful run for New York City mayor was in 2005.
(Reporting by Amanda Becker; Editing by Caren Bohan and Jonathan Oatis) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-people-weiner-idUSKCN1141QT?feedType=RSS&feedName=peopleNews | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/189f6e44b3831bf16bf0a909aca7596bada670505bdb178e8d69d6c54f831b09.json |
[
"Mark Lamport-Stokes"
] | 2016-08-29T21:00:04 | null | 2016-08-29T20:02:05 | Stokes | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-golf-ryder-love-idUSKCN11424P%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DsportsNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FsportsNews%2B%2528Reuters%2BSports%2BNews%2529.json | http://s2.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160829&t=2&i=1151488100&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7S17F | en | null | Love to follow Azinger's lead with captain's Cup picks | null | null | www.reuters.com | Apr 10, 2016; Augusta, GA, USA; Davis Love III hits out of a bunker on the 2nd hole during the final round of the 2016 The Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports
United States Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III says he will take a leaf out of 2008 skipper Paul Azinger's book before he announces his four wildcard picks for this year's competition against holders Europe.
Azinger, the most recent U.S. captain to achieve success against Europe, wanted his players to have "a vested interest" in their team at Valhalla eight years ago and he relied on the input of the automatic qualifiers for his wildcard selections.
Love, who will choose three of his captain's picks after the BMW Championship on Sept. 11 and his final selection two weeks later after the Tour Championship, plans to follow suit for the three-day event at Hazeltine, Minnesota that starts on Sept. 30.
"Paul (Azinger) has been a great help," Love said on a conference call on Monday. "He was successful (in 2008). There's guys that played for him, like Phil Mickelson, that knows what went on.
"That's what I did in 2012 is I went down the list with everybody that made it (as automatic qualifiers) on points and I said, 'What do you think, who do you like, who do you think you would pair well with?'
"I can't say it enough: It's their team. Golf is different than other sports. Mental side of it is huge."
This will be the second time Love, 52, has led the team in the biennial event as he guided the U.S. to a 10-6 lead heading into the final day in 2012 but lost by 14-1/2 points to 13-1/2 in what is known to European fans as the "Miracle at Medinah."
"If they (the U.S. players) go in there believing in what we are telling them, that they have the best team, and that they are ready to go, then they are going to play well," said Love.
"We need to give these guys a feeling of security. If Patrick Reed says, 'I want you to pick this guy, I want to play with him, we won't lose a match,' then we're going to take that into account."
Love's eight automatic qualifiers, confirmed after The Barclays ended on Sunday, are: U.S. Open champion Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth, Mickelson, Reed, PGA Championship winner Jimmy Walker, Brooks Koepka, Brandt Snedeker and Zach Johnson.
Among those in contention for captain's picks to round out the 12-man team are twice Masters champion Bubba Watson, J.B. Holmes, Rickie Fowler, Matt Kuchar, Jim Furyk and Justin Thomas.
"Guys that get hot the next two weeks are who we are looking at," said Love, who is bidding to end a dominant run by the Europeans who have won three consecutive Ryder Cups and eight of the last 10.
"Anybody in the top 100 has to be on our radar, because a guy could get hot the next two weeks and move himself to the (season-ending) Tour Championship and be in the running for the FedExCup and I get to pick him on that Sunday night.
"A guy could move up 60, 70 spots by winning ... we call it the "Billy Horschel rule" ... for that Sunday night after the Tour Championship. If somebody gets hot, Billy Horschel wins the FedExCup again, we can take him."
A change in the U.S. selection policy was made to ensure a player on a hot streak does not miss out on the team. Two years ago, Horschel won the BMW Championship and the Tour Championship but missed the Ryder Cup as the team had already been finalised.
(Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by Frank Pingue) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-golf-ryder-love-idUSKCN11424P?feedType=RSS&feedName=sportsNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FsportsNews+%28Reuters+Sports+News%29 | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/697b7a12e2e8a4dc084ccae086bc0c3fd967b082e6e44dd10bcb436231538d3e.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-29T22:50:48 | null | 2016-08-29T21:42:17 | United Continental Holdings Inc (UAL.N) has hired the No. 2 executive at rival American Airlines Group Inc (AAL.O), Scott Kirby, to be its president, the companies said on Monday. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-ual-president-idUSKCN1142D2%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DbusinessNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FbusinessNews%2B%2528Business%2BNews%2529.json | http://s1.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160829&t=2&i=1151498378&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7S1C0 | en | null | United Airlines hires No. 2 at American to be its president | null | null | www.reuters.com | U.S. Airways President Scott Kirby speaks at the Reuters Aerospace and Defense Summit in Washington December 5, 2006. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas
United Continental Holdings Inc (UAL.N) has hired the No. 2 executive at rival American Airlines Group Inc (AAL.O), Scott Kirby, to be its president, the companies said on Monday.
The move, effective immediately, is the latest attempt by United's reshuffled board and new Chief Executive Officer Oscar Munoz to shape a new strategy and boost the airline's stock price. United has lagged other U.S. carriers in on-time arrivals and profit margins, though its results have recently improved.
American's Chief Operating Officer Robert Isom will replace Kirby as that company's president, American said in a news release.
"United got themselves a star player. There's no question about it," said travel industry analyst Henry Harteveldt.
Earlier this month, United appointed a new chief financial officer and new chief commercial officer, each with airline industry expertise. The company came under pressure from activist investors in the spring to name airline veterans to its board of directors who could guide Munoz, a former railroad executive who took the helm of United in September 2015.
(Reporting by Supantha Mukherjee in Bengaluru and Jeffrey Dastin in New York; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta and Tom Brown) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-ual-president-idUSKCN1142D2?feedType=RSS&feedName=businessNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FbusinessNews+%28Business+News%29 | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/9517221154b57b3696c117cd51e5d633f45829509730f87c209fcf59de5a1742.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-31T08:52:58 | null | 2016-08-31T07:22:33 | Norway's $888 billion sovereignwealth fund, the world's biggest, has bought stakes worth $453million in two office properties in San Francisco, the fund'smanager said on Wednesday. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fnorway-swf-usa-idUSO9N18G01N%3Ftype%3DcompanyNews%26feedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DcompanyNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FcompanyNews%2B%2528News%2B%252F%2BUS%2B%252F%2BCompany%2BNews%2529.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources_v2/images/rcom-default.png | en | null | Norway fund pays $453 mln for stakes in San Francisco office buildings | null | null | www.reuters.com | OSLO Aug 31 Norway's $888 billion sovereign wealth fund, the world's biggest, has bought stakes worth $453 million in two office properties in San Francisco, the fund's manager said on Wednesday.
Norges Bank Real Estate Management said it was buying the stakes, of 44 percent, in companies owned by Kilroy Realty Corporation. Kilroy, which previously fully owned the properties, will keep 56 percent, it added.
(Reporting by Terje Solsvik) | http://www.reuters.com/article/norway-swf-usa-idUSO9N18G01N?type=companyNews&feedType=RSS&feedName=companyNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FcompanyNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Company+News%29 | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/37b16d8ca31850b42976ccf4f3e15f723f3bf4e9ad6564d8fe30a14e00ee0262.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-30T22:52:24 | null | 2016-08-30T22:08:50 | Onconova Therapeutics | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2FidUSFWN1BB0NK%3Ftype%3DcompanyNews%26feedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DcompanyNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FcompanyNews%2B%2528News%2B%252F%2BUS%2B%252F%2BCompany%2BNews%2529.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources_v2/images/rcom-default.png | en | null | BRIEF-Onconova Therapeutics announces plan of termination to reduce a number of positions | null | null | www.reuters.com | Aug 30 Onconova Therapeutics
* On August 30, communicated to certain employees its plan of termination to reduce a number of positions effective as of August 30
* Estimates net reduction to be about 6 employees, which represents about 21 percent of its workforce - SEC filing
* As a result of workforce reduction, estimates will have annual net savings of about $1.4 million Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage: | http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSFWN1BB0NK?type=companyNews&feedType=RSS&feedName=companyNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FcompanyNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Company+News%29 | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/fea90fdfd8c787633d70eafb85e0290277e0da36f0813c09ddf41bd4543241db.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-26T13:18:28 | null | 2016-08-25T16:01:20 | Jetpack pilot Eric Scott shot out of the water and navigated his jet pack above a remote Colorado lake before landing safely, all the while strapped to an 800-horsepower rocket. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-usa-jetpack-idUSKCN1101X9%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DentertainmentNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252Fentertainment%2B%2528News%2B%252F%2BUS%2B%252F%2BEntertainment%2529.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources_v2/images/rcom-default.png | en | null | Jetpack pilot rockets out of Colorado Lake in stunt | null | null | www.reuters.com | LAKE SAN CRISTOBAL, COLORADO Jetpack pilot Eric Scott shot out of the water and navigated his jet pack above a remote Colorado lake before landing safely, all the while strapped to an 800-horsepower rocket.
Scott, also known as "Rocket Man," performed the 21-second-long feat at Lake San Cristobal in southern Colorado on Tuesday.
Although jet packs have existed for decades now, Scott's stunt highlights how the gadget's technology has evolved.
In 2011, Scott used a rocket pack powered by hydrogen peroxide to deliver the game ball at a University of Michigan football game in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Scott labeled his most recent stunt as the "coolest thing" he has ever experienced.
"The best way I can describe it is to imagine the dramatic change in environment - from water, to air, to land, all while strapped to an insanely powerful machine," said Scott. "It was awesome."
(Reporting by Reuters TV) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-jetpack-idUSKCN1101X9?feedType=RSS&feedName=entertainmentNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2Fentertainment+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Entertainment%29 | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/90a195369d83f8bc61115c16c8d06ef76ef1ee2072fc47731d5021df40812eb0.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-29T20:50:52 | null | 2016-08-29T19:26:27 | The White House said on Monday it could still win congressional approval of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact before President Barack Obama leaves office, and warned that failing to do so would undermine U.S. leadership in the region. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-usa-trade-idUSKCN11423V%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DbusinessNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FbusinessNews%2B%2528Business%2BNews%2529.json | http://s3.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160829&t=2&i=1151484677&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7S175 | en | null | White House says it sees a path to approval of Pacific trade deal | null | null | www.reuters.com | Former U.S. Secretaries of State meet with President Barack Obama to discuss the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) at the White House in Washington, November 13, 2015. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
WASHINGTON The White House said on Monday it could still win congressional approval of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact before President Barack Obama leaves office, and warned that failing to do so would undermine U.S. leadership in the region.
"The president is going to make a strong case that we have made progress and there is a path for us to get this done before the president leaves office," White House spokesman Josh Earnest told a news briefing ahead of Obama's trip to Asia this week.
Obama has made the 12-nation free trade deal the centerpiece of a diplomatic "pivot" to Asia, but the prospects for congressional approval have looked increasingly dim, with both major presidential candidates - Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump - standing opposed.
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Thursday the Senate would not vote on the pact this year, punting it to the next president, who will take office in January.
The White House said on Monday that Obama would make the case for the TPP during his visit to Asia, including in a speech he has scheduled in Laos on Sept. 6.
Administration officials argue a failure to approve the trade pact would cede ground to China in the region and allow it to increasingly set the terms of world trade.
"It would be seen as a significant setback, I think, for American leadership if we don't move forward," Ben Rhodes, the White House deputy national security adviser, told the briefing.
(Reporting by Roberta Rampton; Writing by Tim Ahmann; Editing by James Dalgleish and Peter Cooney) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trade-idUSKCN11423V?feedType=RSS&feedName=businessNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FbusinessNews+%28Business+News%29 | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/51e5dbe200e7cbbe477f5537c21fed5c46517ca8c6a74f1de7703795484eca32.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-26T13:20:43 | null | 2016-08-12T16:48:47 | A clutch of around 200 rare Montserrat tarantulas have successfully hatched at a British zoo in what keepers hailed on Friday as a first in breeding such spiders. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-britain-zoo-spiders-idUSKCN10N1XR%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DscienceNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FscienceNews%2B%2528Reuters%2BScience%2BNews%2529.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources_v2/images/rcom-default.png | en | null | Rare tarantulas hatch at British zoo | null | null | www.reuters.com | A clutch of around 200 rare Montserrat tarantulas have successfully hatched at a British zoo in what keepers hailed on Friday as a first in breeding such spiders.
"Invertebrate keepers at the zoo are the first in the world to successfully breed the Montserrat tarantulas, marking a crucial step towards discovering more about the mysterious species," Chester Zoo said in a statement.
Little is known about the spiders, which are native to the Montserrat island in the Caribbean. Experts had observed the adult tarantulas for three years and now hope to uncover more about the species.
(Reporting By Reuters Television) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-zoo-spiders-idUSKCN10N1XR?feedType=RSS&feedName=scienceNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FscienceNews+%28Reuters+Science+News%29 | en | 2016-08-12T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/086b5dd58fb4f34c711f8e93388134f7777fea35d6543c6abdbc3b72aa302c64.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-29T22:52:30 | null | 2016-08-29T22:25:11 | The man who shot and killed John Lennon in New York City nearly 36 years ago has again failed to persuade a state parole board to release him from prison on parole, officials said on Monday. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-new-york-lennon-parole-idUSKCN1142EM%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DentertainmentNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252Fentertainment%2B%2528News%2B%252F%2BUS%2B%252F%2BEntertainment%2529.json | http://s3.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160829&t=2&i=1151501577&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7S1CO | en | null | John Lennon's killer denied parole for ninth time | null | null | www.reuters.com | A mug-shot of Mark David Chapman, who shot and killed John Lennon, is displayed on the 25th anniversary of Lennon's death at the NYPD in New York December 8, 2005.
NEW YORK The man who shot and killed John Lennon in New York City nearly 36 years ago has again failed to persuade a state parole board to release him from prison on parole, officials said on Monday.
Mark David Chapman, 61, will remain behind bars at a maximum-security prison in Erie County near Buffalo, New York, after his request for parole was rejected for the ninth time since 2000.
Chapman, an obsessed fan of the musician and his former group the Beatles, was convicted of shooting Lennon as he arrived with his wife, Yoko Ono, at his apartment building on Manhattan's Upper West Side on Dec. 8, 1980.
Chapman received a sentence of 20 years to life after pleading guilty to a second-degree murder charge. His petition for parole has come up every two years since 2000.
"In spite of many favorable factors, we find all to be outweighed by the premeditated and celebrity seeking nature of the crime," the New York Board of Parole said in a statement on Monday rejecting Chapman's request.
"From our interview and review of your records, we find that your release would be incompatible with the welfare of society and would so deprecate that seriousness of the crime as to undermine respect for the law."
Chapman will next appear for a parole hearing in August 2018, according to online state records.
(Reporting by Chris Prentice; Editing by Jonathan Oatis) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-new-york-lennon-parole-idUSKCN1142EM?feedType=RSS&feedName=entertainmentNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2Fentertainment+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Entertainment%29 | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/8b92fc43cc6f996e90b9c220992644bdaf207b0b06b77b68f4bf7cb4bb4989f9.json |
[
"Jim Finkle"
] | 2016-08-26T20:52:15 | null | 2016-08-26T20:11:29 | Medical device manufacturer St. Jude Medical Inc (STJ.N) said on Friday that a report by short-selling firm Muddy Waters and a cyber-security researcher alleging its heart devices were riddled with bugs was "false and misleading." | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-st-jude-medical-cyber-idUSKCN11129K%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DhealthNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FhealthNews%2B%2528Reuters%2BHealth%2BNews%2529.json | http://s3.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160826&t=2&i=1151216040&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7P1E7 | en | null | St. Jude says report by short sellers 'false and misleading' | null | null | www.reuters.com | The ticker and trading information for St. Jude Medical is displayed where the stock is traded on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., April 28, 2016. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid
Medical device manufacturer St. Jude Medical Inc (STJ.N) said on Friday that a report by short-selling firm Muddy Waters and a cyber-security researcher alleging its heart devices were riddled with bugs was "false and misleading."
The report, which caused St Jude shares to decline after its release on Thursday, alleged there were significant security bugs in the company's Merlin@home device for monitoring implanted heart devices.
St. Jude initially responded on Thursday with a terse statement from its chief technology officer, Phil Ebeling, who said "the allegations are absolutely untrue." But he did not provide specific examples of errors.
St. Jude on Friday issued a longer analysis, saying the majority of the observations in the report applied to older versions of its Merlin@home devices, which had not been patched with security upgrades that the company automatically pushes out to customers.
"We want to reassure our patients that our systems meet the highest international security requirements, as required by regulatory authorities and international standards organizations," St Jude said.
Muddy Waters founder Carson Block and MedSec executives could not be reached for comment, but Block told CNBC cable television network: "If the deal were to break, I think that we could be $55 or lower," implying a drop of more than 27 percent from St. Jude's current share price.
A spokeswoman for Muddy Waters said he had no immediate response to St Jude's claim that the testing was done on older versions of its devices with unpatched software.
He said his only comment was that "We continue to stand by the report and are pleased the company has actually decided to respond to the allegations."
St Jude shares were little changed at $77.80 after the company released its statement following a halt in trading. Earlier they had traded as low as $75.34 in heavy trade.
Block said on Thursday he decided to short the stock after MedSec approached Muddy Waters about three months ago with results of research it had conducted into its medical device security.
The two struck a deal under which Block agreed to hire the cyber security firm as a consultant, pay it a licensing fee for the research and a percentage of any profits from the investment, Block said.
In its rebuttal on Friday, St Jude said the researchers used a "flawed test methodology on outdated software," demonstrating "lack of understanding of medical device technology."
(Reporting by Jim Finkle in Toronto; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe and James Dalgleish) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-st-jude-medical-cyber-idUSKCN11129K?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FhealthNews+%28Reuters+Health+News%29 | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/3828a04d953a1e7b1c8ec9c484a8f4e4704bb44bbaaaa7ebfa7e9e55e1235281.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-30T11:00:08 | null | 2016-08-30T10:34:05 | Barcelona and coach Luis Enrique have agreed to put off talks on a contract extension until early next year, club President Josep Maria Bartomeu said. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-soccer-spain-fcb-enrique-idUSKCN11514J%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DsportsNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FsportsNews%2B%2528Reuters%2BSports%2BNews%2529.json | http://s3.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160830&t=2&i=1151559049&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7T0IN | en | null | Barcelona, Luis Enrique agree to delay new contract talks | null | null | www.reuters.com | MADRID Barcelona and coach Luis Enrique have agreed to put off talks on a contract extension until early next year, club President Josep Maria Bartomeu said.
Luis Enrique is in his third season in charge of Barca and recently said he would only consider his future at the end of the campaign when his current deal runs out.
Barca are determined to keep the 46-year-old, who has won eight trophies out of a possible 10 in his two years as coach, beyond next year.
"We will not discuss Luis Enrique's renewal now or at Christmas," Bartomeu told local radio station Catalunya radio.
"The right time will be in February or March as he said that he didn't want to talk about it until the end of the season.
"Now we are thinking about the domestic league and the Champions League."
Luis Enrique, a former Barca player, won the treble in his first season at the Nou Camp and in his second they successfully defended the La Liga title and retained the King's Cup.
Barca are also planning to offer new deals to forwards Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, and midfielder Ivan Rakitic before the end of the year.
Croatian Rakitic is under contract until June 2019, just like Uruguayan Suarez, who scored 40 goals in La Liga last season to win golden boot as Europe's leading scorer for the second time in his career.
Messi is Barca's all-time top scorer and his deal expires in June 2018.
"We will speak to Messi just as we will talk to Suarez and Rakitic," Bartomeu said. "We will do so in the next few months because we want them to renew their contracts."
No player is more precious for Barca than the 29-year-old Messi, who is under contract until June 2018.
"Leo is the world number one," Bartomeu said. "Leo is very strong, he is a winner and he has come back better than ever.
"He is looking forward to making the fans happy."
(Reporting by Adriana Garcia, editing by Ed Osmond) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-soccer-spain-fcb-enrique-idUSKCN11514J?feedType=RSS&feedName=sportsNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FsportsNews+%28Reuters+Sports+News%29 | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/d016ef9586acb0c22a4be544f01e27b186e2c30526479e1b1277d97441932ba0.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-31T11:03:19 | null | 2016-08-31T10:38:53 | Forecasters issued a tropical storm warning on Wednesday for the Florida Gulf Coast, where preparations were being made for life-threatening flooding and fierce winds, while residents of Hawaii's Big Island were warned of an encroaching hurricane. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-storm-atlantic-idUSKCN11618M%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DtopNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FtopNews%2B%2528News%2B%252F%2BUS%2B%252F%2BTop%2BNews%2529.json | http://s3.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160831&t=2&i=1151705959&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7U0ML | en | null | Storm bears down on Florida, hurricane threatens Hawaii | null | null | www.reuters.com | Three storm systems are shown (L TO R) Tropical Depression Nine to the southeast of Florida, Tropical Depression Eight just off the coast of the Carolinas and Hurricane Gaston in the central Atlantic Ocean are shown in this GOES East satellite image captured August 29, 2016.... REUTERS
Forecasters issued a tropical storm warning on Wednesday for the Florida Gulf Coast, where preparations were being made for life-threatening flooding and fierce winds, while residents of Hawaii's Big Island were warned of an encroaching hurricane.
Some local governments in Florida have begun distributing sandbags as the unnamed tropical depression heads toward the state's Gulf Coast where as much as 15 inches of rain could fall from Indian Pass on the panhandle along the Gulf of Mexico to north of Tampa, the National Hurricane Center said in an early morning advisory.
"Persons located within these areas should be prepared to take all necessary actions to protect life and property from rising water," the center said.
The center also issued a hurricane watch for the coast, saying the system, which is currently packing 35 mph (55 kph) with higher gusts, is expected to strengthen as it heads east.
Flooding, storm surge, fierce winds and tornadoes were all threats to the region, which could begin feeling the storm late on Wednesday, Florida Governor Rick Scott said in a statement.
On its current path, the system could make landfall on Florida's north-central Gulf Coast on Thursday, bringing storms into Georgia and the eastern Carolinas on its way to the Atlantic Ocean.
Florida raised the activation status of its State Emergency Operations Center on Tuesday to begin preparing.
Another unnamed tropical depression was turning out to sea on Wednesday after threatening the North Carolina coast, according to the hurricane center.
On Hawaii's Big Island, residents were warned on Tuesday of an encroaching hurricane expected to bring strong winds and heavy rains.
The National Weather Service (NWS) tracked Hurricane Madeline swirling about 235 miles (380 km) east of the town of Hilo around 11 p.m. local time on Tuesday. The storm was forecast to "pass dangerously close" on Wednesday, prompting the NWS to issue a hurricane warning for the island.
Madeline was ranked as a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 90 mph (150 kph), the weather service said.
The County of Hawaii sent residents an alert about the hurricane's dangers, including heavy rains that could lead to mudslides, as well as possibly damaging ocean swells.
"Preparations to protect life and property should be completed by nightfall today," the alert said.
(Reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee; Editing by Richard Balmforth) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-storm-atlantic-idUSKCN11618M?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FtopNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Top+News%29 | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/755da18f7d10168324e1fb9720ba5a7098fc1efa5265d9a0381353646ede454a.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-26T13:20:23 | null | 2016-08-26T12:20:20 | Manchester United will come up against their former striker Robin van Persie after being drawn in a tough Europa League group on Friday alongside Fenerbahce, Feyenoord and Zorya Luhansk. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-soccer-europe-europaleague-idUSKCN1111DQ%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DsportsNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FsportsNews%2B%2528Reuters%2BSports%2BNews%2529.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160826&t=2&i=1151166428&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7P0S9 | en | null | Man United meet Fenerbahce, Feyenoord in tough Europa League group | null | null | www.reuters.com | Manchester United's Zlatan Ibrahimovic celebrates with team mates after scoring their first goal. Manchester United v Southampton - Premier League - Old Trafford - 19/8/16. Reuters / Darren Staples
Manchester United will come up against their former striker Robin van Persie after being drawn in a tough Europa League group on Friday alongside Fenerbahce, Feyenoord and Zorya Luhansk.
Three-times European champions United must negotiate a competitive group if they are to win one of the few titles that has eluded them.
The Premier League side will face 19-times Turkish champions Fenerbahce, who missed out on the Champions League group stage after a 4-3 aggregate defeat by AS Monaco in the third qualifying round.
They are managed by former Netherlands coach Dick Advocaat and include ex-United forward Van Persie who began his career with Feyenoord.
The Dutch Cup holders finished third in the Eredivisie last season. Zorya qualified as Ukraine's fourth-placed team.
Southampton, the Premier League's other representatives, have been drawn alongside Inter Milan, Sparta Prague and Hapoel Be'er Sheva.
Villarreal, beaten semi-finalists last season, meet former European champions Steaua Bucharest, FC Zurich and Osmanlispor.
Group-stage first-timers Dundalk of Ireland meet AZ Alkmaar, Maccabi Tel Aviv and Zenit St. Petersburg, who reached the Champions League round of 16 last season.
The top two teams from each of the 12 groups advance to the round of 32 where they will be joined by the eight third-placed teams from the Champions League group stage.
The final will be played in Stockholm on May 24.
(Reporting by Ed Dove, editing by Ed Osmond) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-soccer-europe-europaleague-idUSKCN1111DQ?feedType=RSS&feedName=sportsNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FsportsNews+%28Reuters+Sports+News%29 | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/3a945ebe6f1de387c6837cc20bf8c0d86778eefd276017569009623225437cf8.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-29T09:04:44 | null | 2016-08-29T08:03:05 | A suicide bomber killed at least 15 people at a wedding party near the southern Shi'ite city of Kerbala late on Sunday, an Iraqi police statement said on Monday. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-mideast-crisis-iraq-blast-idUSKCN1140MM%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DworldNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2BReuters%252FworldNews%2B%2528Reuters%2BWorld%2BNews%2529.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources_v2/images/rcom-default.png | en | null | Suicide bomber kills at least 15 at wedding party in southern Iraq | null | null | www.reuters.com | Options sought as Merkel's radio silence complicates path to soft Brexit landing
BERLIN Triggering the procedure for Britain to exit the European Union is like turning off the engines on an airplane, a top European diplomat says: best only do it if you can see a landing strip. Otherwise, all parties risk a messy outcome. | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-iraq-blast-idUSKCN1140MM?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Reuters%2FworldNews+%28Reuters+World+News%29 | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/8783090a0740da393f11967c93e6bd678953de01ce994355b2f022619f5df07d.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-26T14:50:58 | null | 2016-08-26T14:13:20 | Ppl Corp | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2FidUSFWN1B70GG%3Ftype%3DcompanyNews%26feedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DcompanyNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FcompanyNews%2B%2528News%2B%252F%2BUS%2B%252F%2BCompany%2BNews%2529.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources_v2/images/rcom-default.png | en | null | BRIEF-PPL Corp sets quarterly dividend of $0.38 per share | null | null | www.reuters.com | LPC: Private equity firms put more capital, less debt into LBOs
NEW YORK, Aug 26 Higher company valuations and lenders wary of risky investments are pushing private equity firms to increase the size of equity contributions, or checks, for leveraged buyouts near historic highs in the face of fierce competition from cash-rich corporate buyers. | http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSFWN1B70GG?type=companyNews&feedType=RSS&feedName=companyNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FcompanyNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Company+News%29 | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/dfacd816032f819d5b863fee6b6be368f113df4dce204c4a0dcc39c2cba3bac3.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-30T02:52:22 | null | 2016-08-30T00:36:16 | Biotelemetry Inc | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2FidUSFWN1BA0BC%3Ftype%3DcompanyNews%26feedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DcompanyNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FcompanyNews%2B%2528News%2B%252F%2BUS%2B%252F%2BCompany%2BNews%2529.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources_v2/images/rcom-default.png | en | null | BRIEF-Biotelemetry gets CE mark approval of Holter analysis software | null | null | www.reuters.com | GLOBAL MARKETS-Asia stocks bounce, dollar dips on Fed hike doubts
SYDNEY, Aug 30 Asian shares bounced on Tuesday as doubts the Federal Reserve really would hike rates as soon as September undermined the dollar, while investors continued to count on more policy stimulus elsewhere in the world. | http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSFWN1BA0BC?type=companyNews&feedType=RSS&feedName=companyNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FcompanyNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Company+News%29 | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/3031bdedfc16f0394c3a735e03246a917b95bc2466a65fa5027b3e12fd732846.json |
[
"Gina Cherelus"
] | 2016-08-26T13:16:14 | null | 2016-08-26T02:01:13 | The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is investigating a new incident involving actress Leslie Jones, who has been targeted by online abusers, after hackers posted nude photos and personal information on the "Ghostbusters" star's website. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-people-lesliejones-idUSKCN1102MP%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DpeopleNews.json | http://s3.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160826&t=2&i=1151110373&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7O1N5 | en | null | U.S. Homeland Security probes hacking of actress Leslie Jones' website | null | null | www.reuters.com | Cast member Leslie Jones poses at the premiere of the film ''Ghostbusters'' in Hollywood, California U.S., July 9, 2016. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/File Photo
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is investigating a new incident involving actress Leslie Jones, who has been targeted by online abusers, after hackers posted nude photos and personal information on the "Ghostbusters" star's website.
"The investigation is currently ongoing. In order to protect the integrity of the case, no further details are available at this time," Rachel Yong You, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said on Thursday in an email to Reuters.
ICE, as the agency is known, is a branch of the Department of Homeland Security. Representatives for Jones did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
On Wednesday, Jones' website, www.JustLeslie.com, was taken offline after nude photos and photos of the comedian's passport and driver's license were posted, reportedly accessed through her personal cellphone or iCloud account.
The hackers also juxtaposed images of the actress with photos of Harambe, a deceased gorilla.
Jones became a top trending topic on social media where many Twitter users including celebrities showed support for her.
Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton was among those expressing encouragement on Twitter for the NBC Saturday Night Live co-star.
"@Lesdoggg, no one deserves this—least of all someone who brings us so much joy. I'm with you. -H," Clinton wrote online.
Jones, who was a target of cyber bullying on Twitter in July, briefly quit the micro-blogging platform because she was bombarded by racist and abusive comments after starring in the female-led reboot of "Ghostbusters" this summer.
Jones almost quit Twitter last month after receiving a barrage of sexist and racist abuse and harassment from a number of users.
After Twitter Inc (TWTR.N) interjected and permanently suspended numerous users accounts for harassment, Jones returned to Twitter, where her humorous live tweets during the Olympics earned her an on-air contributor role in Rio de Janeiro for NBC.
(Reporting by Gina Cherelus; Editing by Piya Sinha-Roy and Tom Brown) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-people-lesliejones-idUSKCN1102MP?feedType=RSS&feedName=peopleNews | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/88e452098e8ebc6260322c583419b66c8e40a8a15b9988065a53c8dce40406ba.json |
[
"Julia Edwards"
] | 2016-08-29T18:52:06 | null | 2016-08-29T17:47:06 | Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson announced on Monday that he directed his advisory council to evaluate whether the agency should continue to contract with private prisons, news that hit shares of private prison operators. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-usa-prisons-immigration-idUSKCN1141W7.json | http://s2.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160829&t=2&i=1151468804&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7S11E | en | null | U.S. immigration agency to review private prison deals; shares slide | null | null | www.reuters.com | U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson testifies before a House Homeland Security Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S. July 14, 2016. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
WASHINGTON Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson announced on Monday that he directed his advisory council to evaluate whether the agency should continue to contract with private prisons, news that hit shares of private prison operators.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a division of DHS, currently uses private prison groups like Corrections Corp of America and The GEO Group to run some detention facilities for migrants.
Corrections Corp of America's stock slid 9.4 percent and The GEO Group's stock fell 6 percent immediately after news of the review broke.
The announcement followed the U.S. Justice Department's decision to phase out the Bureau of Prison's contracts with private prisons on Aug. 18.
Johnson said he directed DHS's Homeland Security Advisory Council on Friday "to evaluate whether the immigration detention operations conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement should move in the same direction" as the Bureau of Prisons.
Corrections Corp of America gained $689 million from ICE contracts since, 23 percent of its total revenue from federal contracts, according to the website SmartProcure that tracks government contracts. The company currently manages a facility for Central American women and children in Dilley, Texas.
The GEO Group has earned $1.18 billion from contracts with ICE since 2008, about 60 percent of its total revenue from federal contracts, according SmartProcure data.
Both companies also contract with state and local prison systems.
The GEO Group said in a statement that it welcomed the review by DHS.
"GEO's facilities under contract with ICE are highly rated and provide high-quality, cost-effective services in safe, secure, and humane residential environments pursuant to strict
contractual requirements and the federal government's national standards," the statement said.
Corrections Corp of America could not immediately be reached for comment.
(Reporting by Julia Edwards, additional reporting by Mica Rosenberg; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and David Gregorio) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-prisons-immigration-idUSKCN1141W7 | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/1c93e57a822e5b14ad932058190796f4e6239dead5384bbc2139cc0973d202a6.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-29T00:51:42 | null | 2016-08-28T23:07:41 | Ocean Link: | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2FidUSASC094ML%3Ftype%3DcompanyNews%26feedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DcompanyNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FcompanyNews%2B%2528News%2B%252F%2BUS%2B%252F%2BCompany%2BNews%2529.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources_v2/images/rcom-default.png | en | null | BRIEF-Ocean Link announces strategic partnership with Ctrip and General Atlantic | null | null | www.reuters.com | Aug 28 Ocean Link:
* Ocean link, the first private equity firm focused on China's travel and tourism sector, announces strategic partnership with Ctrip and General Atlantic
* Ctrip and General Atlantic both have right to appoint a director to board of Ocean Link Source text: nPnbtfxFwa | http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSASC094ML?type=companyNews&feedType=RSS&feedName=companyNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FcompanyNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Company+News%29 | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/e42119674ad98f80bfc315a278a5201ff1840ec45d6b6328ebdfcd0ddd2e47dc.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-28T11:04:36 | null | 2016-08-28T09:37:58 | Iraq's foreign ministry has asked Saudi Arabia to replace its ambassador in Baghdad, Thamer al-Sabhan, Iraqi state TV said on Sunday. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-mideast-crisis-iraq-saudi-idUSKCN113095%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DworldNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2BReuters%252FworldNews%2B%2528Reuters%2BWorld%2BNews%2529.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources_v2/images/rcom-default.png | en | null | Iraq asks Saudi Arabia to replace Saudi ambassador: Iraqi state TV | null | null | www.reuters.com | BAGHDAD Iraq's foreign ministry has asked Saudi Arabia to replace its ambassador in Baghdad, Thamer al-Sabhan, Iraqi state TV said on Sunday.
Iraqi Shi'ite politicians have made persistent requests that Sabhan be expelled in reaction to comments he has made about Iran's involvement in Iraq and claims that Iranian-backed Shi'ite militias were exacerbating tensions with Sunnis.
The Iraqi foreign ministry on Monday denied media reports of plot to kill Sabhan, the first Saudi ambassador appointed after reopening the Saudi embassy in the Iraqi capital in December.
(Reporting by Maher Chmaytelli; Editing by Louise Ireland) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-iraq-saudi-idUSKCN113095?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Reuters%2FworldNews+%28Reuters+World+News%29 | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/382f991aa7fe2282bf114bbf14246d59c7e4515a30081378154d6858f85ebf54.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-31T00:52:21 | null | 2016-08-31T00:21:27 | The following are the top stories on the business pages ofBritish newspapers. Reuters has not verified these stories anddoes not vouch for their accuracy. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fbritain-press-business-idUSL3N1BC033%3Ftype%3DcompanyNews%26feedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DcompanyNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FcompanyNews%2B%2528News%2B%252F%2BUS%2B%252F%2BCompany%2BNews%2529.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources_v2/images/rcom-default.png | en | null | PRESS DIGEST- British Business - Aug 31 | null | null | www.reuters.com | The following are the top stories on the business pages of British newspapers. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
The Times
- Shareholders approved a 24 billion euro ($26.75 billion)takeover of Britain's biggest technology company, Arm Holdings, by Japan's SoftBank. bit.ly/2bYGLoJ
The Guardian
- Train operator Southern will restore more than 100 cancelled services next Monday, bringing some relief after a summer of misery for passengers. The operator, owned by Govia Thameslink Railway, said 119 services, more than a third of the 341 cancelled in July, would be reinstated. bit.ly/2bYH2HZ
- France's trade minister has increased the pressure on the proposed EU-U.S. trade deal by calling for the talks to be called off. Matthias Fekl, the French minister for foreign trade, tweeted that his government demanded that negotiations on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership should cease. bit.ly/2bYGCSg
The Telegraph
- - Investment in the UK boomed last year as firms from around the world backed a record 2,213 British projects, including infrastructure developments, manufacturing plants and life sciences projects. The number of foreign-backed projects increased 11 percent, creating 82,650 jobs. bit.ly/2bYHAO4
Sky News
- Co-op Group will announce this week the appointment of Rufus Olins to the new role of chief membership officer - a crucial element of a revival plan drawn up after a governance crisis in 2013 which cast a shadow over the entire movement's future. bit.ly/2bYHeac
- U.S. technology giant Apple Inc has been ordered to pay up to 13 billion euros ($14.49 billion) in back taxes to Ireland after a European probe. Apple faces the record bill after the European Commission ruled that a special scheme to route profits through Ireland was illegal state aid. bit.ly/2bYHLcs
The Independent
- Downing Street has signalled it would "welcome any company" to the UK, just hours after an unprecedented EU tax-decision left a question mark over Apple's future in Ireland. ind.pn/2bYHsyh
- Theresa May has ruled out a second referendum or a general election on the terms of Britain's exit from the European Union. A spokesman for May said, "The Prime Minister is very clear there will be no second referendum." ind.pn/2bYHmqd
($1 = 0.8971 euros) (Compiled by Sangameswaran S in Bengaluru) | http://www.reuters.com/article/britain-press-business-idUSL3N1BC033?type=companyNews&feedType=RSS&feedName=companyNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FcompanyNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Company+News%29 | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/345686ff5a41d73ad76ec362fbcd70ba9601002b54964ba3101dcf810d164bf4.json |
[
"Hilary Russ"
] | 2016-08-26T16:50:46 | null | 2016-08-26T16:33:21 | U.S. equities gave up early gains on Friday, hurt by a surging U.S. dollar after Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said that the case for raising U.S. interest rates has strengthened in recent months. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-global-markets-idUSKCN11101N.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160826&t=2&i=1151157908&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7P0O8 | en | null | Yellen's case for rate hike boosts dollar; stocks surrender gains | null | null | www.reuters.com | A man looks at an electronic board showing the Japanese yen's exchange rate against Euro outside a brokerage in Tokyo, Japan, July 6, 2016. REUTERS/Issei Kato
Traders work at their desks in front of the German share price index, DAX board, at the stock exchange in Frankfurt, Germany, August 24, 2016. REUTERS/Staff/Remote
NEW YORK U.S. equities gave up early gains on Friday, hurt by a surging U.S. dollar after Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said that the case for raising U.S. interest rates has strengthened in recent months.
European stocks advanced, however, while oil and Treasury prices came off highs as investors across asset classes parsed the details of Yellen's presentation, markets' central focus of the week.
In her much-awaited speech during an international gathering of central bankers in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Yellen did not indicate when the U.S. might hike rates, but her comments reinforced the view that such a move could come later this year. The Fed has policy meetings scheduled in September, November and December.
"The dollar's reaction was almost instantaneous - it rallied pretty quickly off her hawkish comments," said Minh Trang, senior FX trader at Silicon Valley Bank in Santa Clara, California.
"The overall takeaway, not just from Yellen but for the week, is that all the Fed officials - the voter and no-voter alike - have all taken a hawkish bent. The only downside I see is that there are only three meetings left this year and time is running out. Given the Fed's history, it's difficult to see them hiking more than once this year."
The greenback .DXY hit 1-week highs against the euro and yen and was last up 0.5 percent at $95.232 versus a basket of major currencies.
Recent comments from other Fed officials have raised expectations of a U.S. rate hike this year, though markets are not fully pricing one in until 2017.
On Thursday, San Francisco Fed President John Williams and Kansas City Fed President Esther George defended the need to raise rates, albeit gradually, to keep the U.S. economy from overheating.
With the dollar's advance, oil prices turned marginally lower despite reports of Yemeni missiles hitting Saudi Arabia's oil facilities.
Brent crude futures LCOc1 was trading at $49.58 a barrel. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude CLc1 dipped slightly to $47.31 per barrel.
The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI fell 75.4 points, or 0.41 percent, to 18,373.01, the S&P 500 .SPX lost 6.11 points, or 0.28 percent, to 2,166.36 and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC dropped 11.83 points, or 0.23 percent, to 5,200.38nL3N1B7485]
European stocks closed higher with a late boost from Yellen's remarks. The pan-European STOXX 600 closed up 0.56 percent.
Euro zone government bond yields, including Germany's 10-year bond DE10YT=TWEB, fell after Yellen remained vague on timing and were down overall on the day.
U.S. Treasuries extended price gains as investors saw the Fed as unlikely to raise rates at its September meeting, with yields on the 30-year bonds US30YT=RR falling to 2.22 percent.
(Additional reporting by Atul Prakash, Dhara Ranasinghe and Abhinav Ramnarayan in London, Jason Lange and Ann Saphir in Jackson Hole, Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss and Devika Krishna Kumar in New York; Editing by Nick Zieminski; For Reuters new Live Markets blog on European and UK stock markets see reuters://realtime/verb=Open/url=http://emea1.apps.cp.extranet.thomsonreuters.biz/cms/?pageId=livemarkets) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-global-markets-idUSKCN11101N | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/4bd1f36c61c01612ed6100242e00d500754776892b84d72409dcf7fe0abb864c.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-30T14:51:26 | null | 2016-08-30T14:42:14 | Canadian fertilizer companies Agrium Inc and Potash Corp of Saskatchewan Inc are in talks to merge, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday, in what would be tie-up of the world's biggest crop nutrient company by capacity and North America's largest farm retailer. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-agrium-m-a-potashcorp-idUSKCN1151UT%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DbusinessNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FbusinessNews%2B%2528Business%2BNews%2529.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160830&t=2&i=1151592254&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7T12R | en | null | Agrium, Potash Corp in merger talks- Bloomberg | null | null | www.reuters.com | Jochen Tilk, who takes over as Potash Corp's chief executive officer in July, attends the company's annual general meeting in Saskatoon, May 15, 2014. REUTERS/Derek Mortensen (CANADA - Tags: BUSINESS AGRICULTURE) - RTR3PD1I
Canadian fertilizer companies Agrium Inc and Potash Corp of Saskatchewan Inc are in talks to merge, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday, in what would be tie-up of the world's biggest crop nutrient company by capacity and North America's largest farm retailer.
U.S.-listed shares of Potash and Agrium rocketed up 12 and 7 percent respectively, and were briefly halted.
The combination could be announced as soon as next week, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter. (bloom.bg/2bG8Gav)
No final decisions have been made and the companies could decide against a deal, Bloomberg said.
Spokespeople for the companies could not be immediately reached.
Fertilizer companies have suffered lower profits as prices of crop nutrients, especially potash, have tumbled to multi-year lows due to excessive supply and weak demand, tied partly to softer currencies in buyer markets such as Brazil.
"I think (a merger) will make them a better force to compete on a global scale," said Mohsin Bashir, portfolio manager at Stone Asset Management Ltd, which owns Agrium shares, adding however that regulator approval may be difficult to gain.
Shares of Potash Corp, which had a market valuation of about C$17.54 billion ($13.43 billion) as of Monday's close, were up 11.5 percent at C$23.30 in morning trading.
Agrium, which had market valuation of about C$16.10 billion, were up 7 percent at C$124.81.
($1 = 1.3064 Canadian dollars)
(Reporting by Ankur Banerjee in Bengaluru and Rod Nickel in Winnipeg; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty and Marguerita Choy) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-agrium-m-a-potashcorp-idUSKCN1151UT?feedType=RSS&feedName=businessNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FbusinessNews+%28Business+News%29 | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/ff4945c819223bfb209c1b4b01d223c05e3e8dd7068dabb23cf06db4d4726b6a.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-28T17:01:45 | null | 2016-08-28T16:14:40 | Two United Airlines pilots were arrested on suspicion of being under the influence of alcohol in Scotland on Saturday as they were about to fly to the United States, police and the airline said. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-ual-pilots-arrested-idUSKCN1130QS%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DdomesticNews.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources_v2/images/rcom-default.png | en | null | Two United Airlines pilots held on alcohol charge in Scotland | null | null | www.reuters.com | LONDON Two United Airlines pilots were arrested on suspicion of being under the influence of alcohol in Scotland on Saturday as they were about to fly to the United States, police and the airline said.
Police Scotland said the two men, aged 35 and 45 years, were detained under a section of the Railways and Transport Safety Act which covers carrying out pilot function or activity whilst exceeding the prescribed limit of alcohol.
The men are expected to appear in court in Paisley, near Glasgow, on Monday.
The flight from Glasgow to Newark Airport, New Jersey, carrying 141 passengers, eventually took off nearly 10 hours late on Saturday evening with a new crew, the airline said.
United said two pilots had been removed from service and their flying duties.
"We're collaborating with the authorities and will conduct our own investigation," said spokeswoman Erin Benson.
"The safety of our customers is our highest priority."
The pilots were arrested in the cockpit shortly before the 0800 GMT flight to the New Jersey airport was due to depart, the BBC reported.
(Reporting by Paul Sandle in London and Chris Prentice in New York; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-ual-pilots-arrested-idUSKCN1130QS?feedType=RSS&feedName=domesticNews | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/35ca2fcb7f9d95a564ad11c0ca60721077a816a7b03822d3b319762c05bf5edb.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-29T02:51:42 | null | 2016-08-29T01:47:48 | The billionaire owner of Australia's Crown Resorts Ltd (CWN.AX) has trimmed his stake to less than half, the latest step in cutting down his involvement in the country's top casino company. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-crown-resorts-equity-idUSKCN11404F.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources_v2/images/rcom-default.png | en | null | Australian casino billionaire sells down Crown Resorts stake below half | null | null | www.reuters.com | SYDNEY The billionaire owner of Australia's Crown Resorts Ltd (CWN.AX) has trimmed his stake to less than half, the latest step in cutting down his involvement in the country's top casino company.
Former chairman James Packer's private company Consolidated Press Holdings Pty Ltd said in a letter to Crown that it has sold about 4.8 percent for A$450 million ($340 million) to third party investors, cutting its stake to 48 percent from 53 percent.
Consolidated Press said the move was made as part of its financing strategy and that it remained committed to Crown. It did not elaborate on the reason for the sale or identify the buyers.
Over the past year, Packer has reduced his involvement in Crown, the media company he inherited from his late father and turned into a global gambling conglomerate. He quit as chairman in August 2015 and as a director in December.
He has also quit as chairman of Melco Crown Entertainment Ltd (MPEL.O), a joint venture between Crown and Macau-based Melco International Development, as Crown sold down its stake in that company to 27 percent from 34 percent.
Packer has said previously that he wants to concentrate on a new Crown casino development in Sydney and an IT venture capital business in Israel.
The shares were sold at A$12.80 each. On Monday, the stock was down 1.1 percent at A$13.37.
Crown has said it plans to spin off its international business and pay out 100 percent of its profit in dividends.
($1 = 1.3266 Australian dollars)
(Reporting by Byron Kaye; Editing by Edwina Gibbs) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-crown-resorts-equity-idUSKCN11404F | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/1e28b5714fae48edd9f5a41e281ee7ffc82f89ef0145ed46fcfda9bd9e83f870.json |
[
"Tracy Rucinski"
] | 2016-08-29T14:50:40 | null | 2016-08-29T14:42:08 | Shares in Caesars Entertainment Corp (CZR.O) shed 16 percent on Monday after a U.S. judge cleared the way for $11.4 billion in lawsuits against the casino group, which Caesars had warned could plunge it into bankruptcy alongside its operating unit. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-caesars-bankruptcy-idUSKCN1141J6%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DbusinessNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FbusinessNews%2B%2528Business%2BNews%2529.json | http://s3.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160829&t=2&i=1151454364&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7S0TN | en | null | Caesars shares plummet as it faces $11 billion in lawsuits | null | null | www.reuters.com | The marquee sign at Caesars Palace hotel is seen on the strip in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. February 16, 2011. REUTERS/Steve Marcus/File Photo
CHICAGO Shares in Caesars Entertainment Corp (CZR.O) shed 16 percent on Monday after a U.S. judge cleared the way for $11.4 billion in lawsuits against the casino group, which Caesars had warned could plunge it into bankruptcy alongside its operating unit.
On Friday, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Benjamin Goldgar in Chicago declined to renew a stay on litigation by bondholders who allege Caesars reneged on guarantees of bonds issued by unit Caesars Entertainment Operating Co. The operating unit filed for bankruptcy in January 2015 with $18 billion in debt.
Shares of the Nevada-based gaming company were trading at $6.28 by 9:58 a.m. ET (1358 GMT), recovering from a year low of $5.39 hit in initial trading.
The Caesars unit was asking Goldgar to extend the protection against the lawsuits, which has been in effect since February. The operating unit said the lawsuits threaten a multibillion-dollar contribution that its parent has agreed to make to the operating unit's reorganization plan.
Caesars filed an appeal against Goldgar's decision on Friday. The current injunction expires on Monday. On Tuesday, Caesars faces a potential ruling in New York.
(Reporting by Tracy Rucinski; Editing by Tom Hals and Meredith Mazzilli) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-caesars-bankruptcy-idUSKCN1141J6?feedType=RSS&feedName=businessNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FbusinessNews+%28Business+News%29 | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/728c0fe07a9b85b070b55a7a7e1ed8543e396e7efebda141c164f9ec4d0ac504.json |
[
"Amanda Becker"
] | 2016-08-29T17:02:56 | null | 2016-08-29T16:30:39 | Huma Abedin, one of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's top aides, said on Monday that she was separating from her husband, Anthony Weiner, after a sex scandal similar to an earlier incident that led him to resign from the U.S. Congress. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-people-weiner-idUSKCN1141QT%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DtopNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FtopNews%2B%2528News%2B%252F%2BUS%2B%252F%2BTop%2BNews%2529.json | http://s2.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160829&t=2&i=1151461945&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7S0YG | en | null | Clinton aide Abedin leaves husband Weiner after sexting report | null | null | www.reuters.com | Huma Abedin, longtime aide to Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, attends a Clinton campaign rally in Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S., July 5, 2016. REUTERS/Brian Snyder/File Photo
New York mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner and his wife Huma Abedin attend a news conference in New York, July 23, 2013. REUTERS/Eric Thayer/File Photo
WASHINGTON Huma Abedin, one of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's top aides, said on Monday that she was separating from her husband, Anthony Weiner, after a sex scandal similar to an earlier incident that led him to resign from the U.S. Congress.
"After long and painful consideration and work on my marriage, I have made the decision to separate from my husband," Huma Abedin said in a statement.
"Anthony and I remain devoted to doing what is best for our son, who is the light of our life. During this difficult time, I ask for respect for our privacy," Abedin added.
Abedin’s announcement follows a New York Post report late Sunday that Weiner recently sent photos of his boxer-brief-clad genitals – one while he was in bed with their toddler son – via Twitter to another woman.
The photos were part of a months-long exchange between Weiner and the woman and many of the messages were sexual in nature, according to the Post report.
Weiner resigned in June 2011 from Congress, where he represented New York, followed a sexting scandal in which he accidentally posted an explicit photo of himself on his public Twitter timeline instead of via a direct message to a woman, as he had intended.
When Weiner made a second unsuccessful run for New York City mayor, explicit photos surfaced in July 2013 that he had recently sent under the pseudonym "Carlos Danger" to a young woman in Indiana.
Weiner said he had undergone therapy after the first sexting scandal, according to media reports. In recent months, he has taken care of the couple's toddler son. Abedin often travels with the Clinton campaign.
Abedin is the vice chair of Clinton's presidential campaign and served as her deputy chief of staff at the U.S. State Department. Weiner served in the U.S. Congress, representing his district in New York City from 1999 to 2011. His first unsuccessful run for New York City mayor was in 2005.
(Reporting by Amanda Becker; Editing by Caren Bohan and Jonathan Oatis) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-people-weiner-idUSKCN1141QT?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FtopNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Top+News%29 | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/aad5b91dccf79a6a7bbcb496cac06ab572383983fcd9005b5ca0db52fede5bf2.json |
[
"Ayesha Rascoe"
] | 2016-08-26T13:19:27 | null | 2016-08-25T17:27:13 | The Obama administration on Thursday issued rules aimed at helping states that set up retirement savings programs for workers by clarifying that the plans are not preempted by federal law. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-usa-whitehouse-retirement-idUSKCN1101SO%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DPersonalFinance%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Bnews%252Fwealth%2B%2528Reuters%2BWealth%2BNews%2529.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160825&t=2&i=1151060291&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7O1FR | en | null | U.S. Labor Dept issues new rules on state retirement savings programs | null | null | www.reuters.com | Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez speaks during a Plenary session on ''Training Your Skilled Workforce'' at the SelectUSA Investment Summit at National Harbor, Maryland, March 24, 2015. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas
WASHINGTON The Obama administration on Thursday issued rules aimed at helping states that set up retirement savings programs for workers by clarifying that the plans are not preempted by federal law.
Under the new rules finalized by the Labor Department, state retirement programs are not preempted by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) as long as they meet certain criteria, the White House said in a statement.
ERISA sets minimum standards for private pensions and health plans.
There had been some concern that having employers involved in these state plans might open states up to lawsuits under ERISA, Labor Secretary Thomas Perez said.
"We believe that this final rule goes a long way to mitigating that litigation risk, because we believe that states who comply with this rule will be on very sound legal footing," Perez said on a call with reporters.
A state savings program will not be considered an ERISA plan if it is administered by the state, includes a limited role for employers and is voluntary for workers, the administration said.
U.S. President Barack Obama has sought to expand retirement savings during his time in office, but his proposals to automatically enroll workers in Individual Retirement Accounts have not made it through Congress.
Eight states have moved to set up their own retirement plans for private sector workers, including California, Connecticut and Illinois.
The Labor Department also proposed rules on Thursday that would allow some large cities to set up retirement plans if they choose.
(Reporting by Ayesha Rascoe; Editing by Phil Berlowitz) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-whitehouse-retirement-idUSKCN1101SO?feedType=RSS&feedName=PersonalFinance&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+news%2Fwealth+%28Reuters+Wealth+News%29 | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/d1727294d27417d6b2fa2435a707128ccdef017cf60e6d051f48d6e47b4fe058.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-26T17:04:17 | null | 2016-08-26T15:41:07 | The impeachment trial of suspended Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff in the Senate descended into a shouting match between her political supporters and opponents during its second day on Friday, forcing a halt in proceedings. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-brazil-impeachment-idUSKCN1111UE%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DworldNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2BReuters%252FworldNews%2B%2528Reuters%2BWorld%2BNews%2529.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160826&t=2&i=1151188496&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7P14R | en | null | Brazil chief justice suspends Rousseff trial amid senators' row | null | null | www.reuters.com | Jurist Janaina Paschoal (C), co-author of the complaint that originated the impeachment process against suspended president Dilma Rousseff, gestures during the final session of debate and voting on Rousseff's impeachment trial in Brasilia, Brazil August 26, 2016. REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino
Jurist Janaina Paschoal (C), co-author of the complaint that originated the impeachment process against suspended president Dilma Rousseff, speaks with senators during the final session of debate and voting on Rousseff's impeachment trial in Brasilia, Brazil August 26, 2016. REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino
Brazil's Senator Aecio Neves (L) speaks with Suspended Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff's attorney in the impeachment proceedings, Jose Eduardo Cardozo (R) during the final session of debate and voting on suspended President Dilma Rousseff's impeachment trial in Brasilia, Brazil August 26, 2016. REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino
Jurist Janaina Paschoal (C), co-author of the complaint that originated the impeachment process against suspended president Dilma Rousseff, speaks with senators during the final session of debate and voting on Rousseff's impeachment trial in Brasilia, Brazil August 26, 2016. REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino
Jurist Janaina Paschoal, co-author of the complaint that originated the impeachment process against suspended president Dilma Rousseff, gestures during the final session of debate and voting on Rousseff's impeachment trial in Brasilia, Brazil August 26, 2016. REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino
Brazil's Senate President Renan Calheiros (3rd L) gestures to Senator Gleisi Hoffmann during the final session of debate and voting on suspended President Dilma Rousseff's impeachment trial in Brasilia, Brazil August 26, 2016. REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino
Brazil's Senate President Renan Calheiros looks on during the final session of debate and voting on suspended President Dilma Rousseff's impeachment trial in Brasilia, Brazil, August 26, 2016. REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino
Brazil's Senate President Renan Calheiros (top R) speaks with senators during the final session of debate and voting on suspended President Dilma Rousseff's impeachment trial in Brasilia, Brazil August 26, 2016. REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino
BRASILIA The impeachment trial of suspended Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff in the Senate descended into a shouting match between her political supporters and opponents during its second day on Friday, forcing a halt in proceedings.
Supreme Court Chief Justice Ricardo Lewandowski was obliged to intervene and suspend the session after Senate President Renan Calheiros was unable to stop the arguments, in a sign that the build up to a final vote expected on Wednesday morning will be fraught with tensions.
Lewandowski adjourned early for lunch and will restart the session at 1 p.m. local (1600 GMT)
(Reporting by Anthony Boadle; Editing by Daniel Flynn) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-brazil-impeachment-idUSKCN1111UE?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Reuters%2FworldNews+%28Reuters+World+News%29 | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/3e7f995dc0bae46ecdab367516fa5b5dd3ef427547b0f8bdf4fea63670110a4c.json |
[
"Tracy Rucinski"
] | 2016-08-30T18:52:28 | null | 2016-08-30T18:15:26 | A federal judge on Tuesday gave Caesars Entertainment Corp (CZR.O) a five-week shield from $13 billion in lawsuits, capping a week of frantic court hearings as the casino group struggles to salvage a high-stakes debt-cutting plan for its bankrupt subsidiary. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-caesars-bankruptcy-idUSKCN1152GA.json | http://s1.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160830&t=2&i=1151621412&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7T1G0 | en | null | Caesars wins lawsuit shield to pursue 'uphill' appeal | null | null | www.reuters.com | The marquee sign at Caesars Palace hotel is seen on the strip in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. February 16, 2011. REUTERS/Steve Marcus/File Photo
CHICAGO A federal judge on Tuesday gave Caesars Entertainment Corp (CZR.O) a five-week shield from $13 billion in lawsuits, capping a week of frantic court hearings as the casino group struggles to salvage a high-stakes debt-cutting plan for its bankrupt subsidiary.
Judge Robert Gettleman said at an emergency court hearing in Chicago that he will decide on Oct. 5 whether he should overturn a U.S. Bankruptcy Court ruling from Friday that cleared the way for bondholders to sue Caesars.
"It's an uphill appeal," Gettleman said. Bondholders are pressing to have their cases decided in New York and Delaware by early next year.
In January, Caesars will seek to confirm a plan of reorganization that would slash the $18 billion of debt held at its bankrupt Caesars Entertainment Operating Co Inc, subsidiary. It is desperate to keep bondholders at bay until then.
Shares of Caesars plummeted on Monday after a federal judge in Chicago ruled the company must face lawsuits that lawyers on Tuesday said were worth more than $13 billion. Previously, they had said those cases were worth $11.4 billion, but the amount continues to inflate with interest.
Gettleman's ruling by will put on hold a summary judgment hearing in New York federal court originally scheduled for Tuesday. Caesars had warned a ruling in favor of bondholders in that case could force it into bankruptcy.
Shares of Nevada-based Caesars rose less than 1 percent in Nasdaq trading on Tuesday, to $6.38.
The lawsuits were brought by investors who allege that Caesars reneged on guarantees of bonds issued by its subsidiary, known as CEOC, which filed for Chapter 11 protection in January 2015.
The bondholders have also alleged that Caesars stripped CEOC of its best hotels and casinos, such as the Linq Hotel & Casino complex in Las Vegas, leaving the subsidiary unable to pay its debts.
Caesars, which is controlled by Apollo Global Management (APO.N) and TPG Capital Management [TPG.UL], has denied those allegations.
CEOC has argued its parent should be shielded from litigation because Caesars has committed to contributing billions of dollars to CEOC's reorganization plan.
(Writing by Tom Hals in Wilmington, Delaware; Editing by Meredith Mazzilli and Dan Grebler) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-caesars-bankruptcy-idUSKCN1152GA | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/be4a118dda0ea0bc11ea79e8d436a5ca325d60b4c6aeca09dbac260c6418c9df.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-29T09:04:48 | null | 2016-08-29T08:33:58 | Two Turkish soldiers were killed in clashes in the largely Kurdish southeastern Hakkari province near the border with Iraq on Monday, Dogan news agency said. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-turkey-security-kurds-idUSKCN1140OU%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DworldNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2BReuters%252FworldNews%2B%2528Reuters%2BWorld%2BNews%2529.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources_v2/images/rcom-default.png | en | null | Two Turkish soldiers killed in clashes in southeast -Dogan news | null | null | www.reuters.com | ISTANBUL Two Turkish soldiers were killed in clashes in the largely Kurdish southeastern Hakkari province near the border with Iraq on Monday, Dogan news agency said.
No further details were immediately available. Violence in Turkey's largely Kurdish southeast has flared since a 2-1/2-year-old ceasefire between the state and the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) fell apart in July 2015.
(Reporting by Asli Kandemir; Writing by David Dolan; Editing by Nick Tattersall) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-turkey-security-kurds-idUSKCN1140OU?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Reuters%2FworldNews+%28Reuters+World+News%29 | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/2012d50e20d546b963e0b79e8283d9c4a75a1f34629909bae30ea311f9ac2707.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-29T16:52:03 | null | 2016-08-29T16:41:03 | Inotek Pharmaceuticals Corp | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2FidUSFWN1BA0DX%3Ftype%3DcompanyNews%26feedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DcompanyNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FcompanyNews%2B%2528News%2B%252F%2BUS%2B%252F%2BCompany%2BNews%2529.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources_v2/images/rcom-default.png | en | null | BRIEF-Citadel Advisors LLC reports 6.5 pct passive stake in Inotek Pharmaceuticals Corp | null | null | www.reuters.com | UPDATE 2-S.African rand weakens as U.S. rate hike expectations strengthen
JOHANNESBURG, Aug 29 South Africa's rand weakened against the dollar on Monday as the greenback rose on expectations that U.S. interest rates would rise soon, adding pressure on the currency which has been knocked by concerns over the finance minister's future. | http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSFWN1BA0DX?type=companyNews&feedType=RSS&feedName=companyNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FcompanyNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Company+News%29 | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/b1050ed0748398ce64d31ae76498d95042019e40ab320bdb36c79bf48403aa54.json |
[
"Hilary Russ"
] | 2016-08-30T21:02:12 | null | 2016-08-30T19:02:20 | New Jersey Governor Chris Christie on Tuesday vetoed a bill to raise the state's minimum wage to $15 per hour over the next five years. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-new-jersey-wages-idUSKCN1152JA%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DdomesticNews.json | http://s3.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160830&t=2&i=1151626261&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7T1HN | en | null | New Jersey Governor Christie vetoes minimum wage hike to $15/hr | null | null | www.reuters.com | Former Republican U.S. presidential candidate and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie waves as he departs after speaking during the second session at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. July 19, 2016. REUTERS/Jim Young
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie on Tuesday vetoed a bill to raise the state's minimum wage to $15 per hour over the next five years.
The legislation would have made New Jersey the third state to adopt a $15 per hour minimum wage, Christie said in a statement.
State voters agreed to a previous wage hike in 2013, to $8.25 from $7.25. New Jersey's rate is tied to the consumer price index and is now at $8.38, according to a database from the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL).
"Despite having a constitutional mandate in place, the legislature now wants to increase the minimum wage by almost 80 percent just three years later," Christie said in a statement about his veto.
Christie, a close ally of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, said the wage bill passed by Democrats, who control both houses of state legislature, failed to consider the ability of businesses to absorb the increased labor costs.
Neighboring New York State, as well as California, became the first states to lift the minimum wage toward $15 earlier this year.
While California's higher rate will be in effect statewide by 2022, New York created a two-speed system, with different timetables for New York City and nearby counties, versus the "upstate" regions where incomes are lower and labor markets less robust.
Some cities are also stepping up to higher wage levels. Washington, D.C.'s minimum wage will reach $15 per hour by July 1, 2020, after it enacted a law this year. The city's current level is $10.50.
Washington and 29 states have set minimum wages above the federal rate of $7.25 an hour, according to the NCSL.
Michele Siekerka, president of the New Jersey Business & Industry Association, praised Christie's veto, saying the increase was "too much too fast."
"Had this bill been signed, it would not only have hurt the New Jersey economy, but it would have hurt the exact workers the proponents of this policy are trying to help," she said in a statement.
Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto, lead sponsor of the bill, said in a statement the wage increase is a key component to Democrats' strategy to combat poverty.
"A substantial minimum wage increase will help lift countless families out of poverty, decrease government dependency and boost commerce by pumping more dollars back into the economy," he said.
(Reporting by Hilary Russ in New York; Editing by Chris Reese) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-new-jersey-wages-idUSKCN1152JA?feedType=RSS&feedName=domesticNews | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/281c5470d071b1161e7e11364e2a3ae937316f7718dd796d0fb9b6e0d68cc0b9.json |
[
"Shwe Yee Saw Myint",
"Antoni Slodkowski"
] | 2016-08-31T09:05:16 | null | 2016-08-31T08:36:56 | Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi launched a major push to end decades of fighting between the military and myriad rebel groups with an appeal on Wednesday to the country's ethnic minorities to overcome their differences to achieve peace. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-myanmar-politics-peace-idUSKCN1160RF%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DworldNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2BReuters%252FworldNews%2B%2528Reuters%2BWorld%2BNews%2529.json | http://s2.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160831&t=2&i=1151693847&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7U0FG | en | null | Myanmar's Suu Kyi kicks off peace conference with appeal for unity | null | null | www.reuters.com | Myanmar military commander in chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Speaker of upper house of parliament Mahn Win Khaing Than and Vice President Henry Van Thio chat next to State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi after the opening ceremony of the 21st Century Panglong Conference in Naypyitaw, Myanmar August 31, 2016. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun
State Counsellor of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi leaves after attending the opening ceremony of the 21st Century Panglong Conference in Naypyitaw, Myanmar August 31, 2016. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun
Myanmar's Foreign Minister Aung San Suu Kyi talks to reporters during the joint press conference with Ban Ki-moon (not pictured), Secretary General of the United Nations, at Myanmar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Naypyitaw, Myanmar August 30, 2016. REUTERS/Stringer
State Counsellor of Myanmar Aung San Suu Kyi addresses the opening ceremony of the 21st Century Panglong Conference in Naypyitaw, Myanmar August 31, 2016. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun
Ethnics leaders and Myanmar government officials attend the opening ceremony of the 21st Century Panglong Conference in Naypyitaw, Myanmar August 31, 2016. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun
(Front row L-R) Myanmar's Military Commander in Chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Speaker of the Upper House of Parliament Mahn Win Khaing Than, Vice President Henry Van Thio, State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, President Htin Kyaw, Vice President Myint Swe and former vice president Sai Mauk Kham pose for a photo with ethnic leaders after the opening ceremony of the 21st Century Panglong Conference in Naypyitaw, Myanmar August 31, 2016. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun
NAYPYITAW Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi launched a major push to end decades of fighting between the military and myriad rebel groups with an appeal on Wednesday to the country's ethnic minorities to overcome their differences to achieve peace.
Suu Kyi has made the peace process a priority for her administration, which faces sky-high expectations at home and abroad after sweeping to power in an election last November to end more than half a century of military-backed rule.
Delegates in elaborate ethnic costumes, sporting silver necklaces and hats adorned with peacock feathers, mingled and took photographs with military officers, mainstream majority Bamar politicians and diplomats at the start of the conference.
"If all those who play a part ... in the peace process cultivate the wisdom to reconcile differing views for the good of the people ... we will surely be able to build the democratic federal union of our dreams," said Suu Kyi in her opening remarks.
"Only if we are all united, our country will be at peace. Only if our country is at peace, will we be able to stand on equal footing with other countries in our region and across the world."
Myanmar has been torn by fighting between the military, which seized power in a 1962 coup, and ethnic armed groups almost without a break since the end of the Second World War.
The focus on Wednesday was on the symbolic, with few concrete proposals likely to emerge from this week's talks.
Delegates expect to meet every six months to discuss issues ranging from security, political representation, language and culture to control of Myanmar's rich mineral resources.
"It's the Tatmadaw [military] members and our brethren members of ethnic armed groups, who have been directly suffering from ... the lack of peace in the country, sacrificing their limbs and lives," said army chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.
"I firmly believe that we will be able to accomplish this great process with our unity and efforts."
ETHNIC TENSIONS
Myanmar is home to more than a hundred ethnic groups with distinct traditions and cultures, and some representative performed a folk dance on the conference stage celebrating the Southeast Asian nation's ethnic diversity.
Among those absent from the conference, however, were any representatives of Myanmar's 1.1 million Rohingya Muslims, who face persecution and human rights abuses at the hands of their Buddhist neighbors in northwestern Rakhine State.
A day before the conference started, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called on Myanmar to improve the living conditions of the Rohingya, underscoring the challenges facing Suu Kyi in tackling all the country's ethnic divisions. [L3N1BB44S]
But the fact that Suu Kyi has been able to bring the vast majority of the rebel groups to the negotiating table only five months after taking power is a sign of progress, experts say.
Powerful armed groups from regions bordering China, including the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), who refused to sign a ceasefire last October under the previous military-backed government, are now taking part, partly owing to China's tacit support for the talks, observers say.
As Myanmar's economy opens up, China is vying for influence with the United States. President Xi Jinping pledged his country would play a "constructive role" in the peace process when Suu Kyi visited China this month.
Casting a shadow over the talks is a recent flare-up in fighting in northernmost Kachin State and clashes in northeastern Shan State, which is home to several large groups operating close to borders with China and Thailand.
(Additional reporting by Aung Hla Tun, Aye Win Myint and Timothhy Mclaughin; Editing by Alex Richardson) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-myanmar-politics-peace-idUSKCN1160RF?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Reuters%2FworldNews+%28Reuters+World+News%29 | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/c020a27b4470fd55d21892cd997f367b32d056d25ac11f1e89fbc1832ba50e76.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-28T21:02:44 | null | 2016-08-28T19:38:42 | A law banning the full-body "burkini" swimsuit in France would stoke tensions between communities and would be both unconstitutional and ineffective, Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said in an interview published on Sunday. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-religion-burqa-france-idUSKCN1130TW%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DtopNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FtopNews%2B%2528News%2B%252F%2BUS%2B%252F%2BTop%2BNews%2529.json | http://s3.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160828&t=2&i=1151370183&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7R0JP | en | null | Anti-burkini law in France would worsen tension: interior minister | null | null | www.reuters.com | Protesters demonstrate against France's ban of the burkini, outside the French Embassy in London, Britain August 25, 2016. REUTERS/Neil Hall
PARIS A law banning the full-body "burkini" swimsuit in France would stoke tensions between communities and would be both unconstitutional and ineffective, Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said in an interview published on Sunday.
France's highest administrative court, the Council of State, ruled on Friday against a decision to ban the burkini by the mayor of the resort town of Villeneuve-Loubet.
The ruling may set a precedent for the dozens of French towns that have also ordered burkini bans.
The issue has become politically charged at the start of party primaries ahead of next year's presidential election in France, with several leaders on the right and far-right calling for a law prohibiting the full-body swimming costume worn by some Muslim women.
Former President Nicolas Sarkozy who is staging a political comeback and is seeking the ticket of the conservative Les Republicains in primaries set for November, has called for a law allowing mayors to ban the burkini.
But Cazeneuve told La Croix newspaper that such a law was unlikely under the current socialist government.
"The government ... refuses to legislate on this because a law would be unconstitutional, ineffective and likely to create antagonism and irreparable tensions," he said.
"We do not need a new law. Current laws clearly lay out France's secularism."
The debate was fueled by footage of police trying to enforce the ban on a woman on a beach in Nice.
The controversy, coupled with several Islamist militant attacks in France since January 2015, has filtered into early campaigning for the presidential election in April 2017, making French cultural identity and security highly-charged issues in the political debates.
"France needs healing and people coming together, not divisive outbursts by those contesting in primaries," Cazeneuve said.
(Reporting by Bate Felix; Editing by Andrew Bolton) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-religion-burqa-france-idUSKCN1130TW?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FtopNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Top+News%29 | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/f1fb4a94abe2846e511d6c51a4b7c47c2d5ef6d86935ff81e8ffe5ea8a8ff867.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-29T12:52:05 | null | 2016-08-29T12:28:47 | Aleris Corp | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2FidUSASC094NR%3Ftype%3DcompanyNews%26feedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DcompanyNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FcompanyNews%2B%2528News%2B%252F%2BUS%2B%252F%2BCompany%2BNews%2529.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources_v2/images/rcom-default.png | en | null | BRIEF-Aleris to be acquired by Zhongwang USA LLC | null | null | www.reuters.com | Aug 29 Aleris Corp
* Aleris to be acquired by Zhongwang USA LLC
* Aggregate value of Aleris amounts to $2.33 billion, comprising $1.11 billion in cash for equity to be paid by Zhongwang USA, plus $1.22 billion in net debt
* Will retain its name and continue to serve its customers with no changes to current operations, contracts or commitments Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage: | http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSASC094NR?type=companyNews&feedType=RSS&feedName=companyNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FcompanyNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Company+News%29 | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/ead2cbead4244789db0bf6728c6cb8abf3e71059da2167de012362b2c3b52c4f.json |
[
"Padraic Halpin",
"Foo Yun Chee"
] | 2016-08-30T08:52:15 | null | 2016-08-30T08:34:55 | The European Commission will rule against Ireland's tax dealings with Apple Inc (AAPL.O) on Tuesday, sources familiar with the decision told Reuters, likely resulting in a multi-billion dollar tax bill for the U.S.-based tech company. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-eu-apple-taxavoidance-idUSKCN114211.json | http://s2.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160830&t=2&i=1151546202&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7S15H | en | null | EU to hand Apple multi-billion dollar Irish tax bill: sources | null | null | www.reuters.com | A customer enters the new Apple store, which is the world's largest, on its opening day at Covent Garden in London August 7, 2010. REUTERS/Suzanne Plunkett/File Photo
DUBLIN/BRUSSELS The European Commission will rule against Ireland's tax dealings with Apple Inc (AAPL.O) on Tuesday, sources familiar with the decision told Reuters, likely resulting in a multi-billion dollar tax bill for the U.S.-based tech company.
Commissioner Margrethe Vestager will hold a news conference on an antitrust case at noon (1000 GMT) in Brussels, whose subject has not been given but which is expected to detail her verdict on why a deal that encouraged the iPhone maker to route vast profits through Ireland had breached EU state aid laws.
The ruling is likely to anger Washington, which has accused Brussels of campaigning against U.S. corporate successes and of distorting global efforts to curb corporate tax avoidance.
Online retailer Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O) and hamburger group McDonald's Corp (MCD.N) face similar probes over taxes in Luxembourg, while coffee chain Starbucks Corp (SBUX.O) has been ordered to pay up to 30 million euros ($33 million) to the Dutch state.
For Apple, whose earnings of $18 billion last year were the biggest ever reported by a corporation, finding several billion dollars should not be an insurmountable problem, even if the bill ranks as the largest-ever such order. But both the company and Irish government say they will appeal such a ruling.
As of June, Apple reported it had cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities of $231.5 billion, of which 92.8 percent, or $214.9 billion, were held in foreign subsidiaries. It paid $2.67 billion in taxes during its latest quarter, leaving it with net income of $7.8 billion, an effective tax rate of 25.5 percent, according to company filings.
The European Commission in 2014 accused Ireland of dodging international tax rules by letting Apple shelter profits worth tens of billions of dollars from tax collectors in return for maintaining jobs. Apple and Ireland rejected the accusation.
The source said the Commission will recommend a figure in back taxes that it expects to be collected, but it will be up to Irish authorities to calculate exactly what is owed.
Any bill in excess of 1 billion euros would be far more than the 30 million euros each the Commission ordered Dutch authorities to recover from Starbucks and Luxembourg from Fiat Chrysler (FCHA.MI) for tax deals. Both companies and countries have appealed those decisions.
A bill of 300 million euros this year for Swedish engineer Atlas Copco AB (ATCOa.ST) to pay Belgian tax is the current record.
"REVERSE ENGINEERING"
When it opened the Apple investigation in 2014, the Commission told the Irish government that tax rulings it agreed in 1991 and 2007 with the company amounted to state aid and might have broken EU laws.
The Commission said the rulings were "reverse engineered" to ensure Apple had a minimal Irish bill and that minutes of meetings between Apple representatives and Irish tax officials showed the company's tax treatment had been "motivated by employment considerations."
Apple employs 5,500, or about a quarter of its Europe-based staff, in the Irish city of Cork, where it is the largest private sector employer. It has said it paid Ireland's 12.5 percent rate on all the income that it generates in the country.
Ireland's low corporate tax rate has been a cornerstone of economic policy for 20 years, drawing investors from multinational companies whose staff account for almost one in 10 workers in Ireland.
Some opposition Irish lawmakers have urged Dublin to collect whatever tax the Commission orders it to. But the main opposition party Fianna Fail, whose support the minority administration relies on to pass laws, said it would support an appeal based on reassurances it had been given by the government.
The U.S. Treasury Department published a white paper last week that said the EU executive's tax investigations departed from international taxation norms and would have an outsized impact on U.S. companies. The Commission said it treated all companies equally.
(Additional reporting by Robin Emmott, Philip Blenkinsop, Robert-Jan Bartunek and Alastair Macdonald in Brussels, with Eric Auchard in Frankfurt; Editing by David Holmes) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-eu-apple-taxavoidance-idUSKCN114211 | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/d896dfc06b8ad298f3bbb5efbf4586561e9e4139568f12d54b255458e222ade7.json |
[
"Richard Martin"
] | 2016-08-29T21:00:10 | null | 2016-08-29T20:01:44 | Fernando Alonso's imminent retirement from Formula One is a real possibility, world champion Lewis Hamilton said, adding that he hoped the Spaniard would decide to carry on. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-motor-racing-alonso-hamilton-idUSKCN11425R%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DsportsNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FsportsNews%2B%2528Reuters%2BSports%2BNews%2529.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160829&t=2&i=1151488099&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7S17Y | en | null | Hamilton says Alonso retirement is a real possibility | null | null | www.reuters.com | BARCELONA Fernando Alonso's imminent retirement from Formula One is a real possibility, world champion Lewis Hamilton said, adding that he hoped the Spaniard would decide to carry on.
Former double champion Alonso produced one of the surprises in Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix by jumping from 22nd on the grid to finish seventh but on the whole has endured another miserable campaign since returning to McLaren.
In an interview with Spanish newspaper AS published on Monday, Hamilton called Alonso "one of the best drivers of all time" but admitted his former team mate could quit the sport.
Asked if the Spaniard retiring was a "real possibility", Hamilton said: "Of course it is. He's 35 and he's already earned enough money. He has won enough races, he has enough experience and he doesn't need Formula One to be someone anymore."
Nevertheless, Hamilton said he hoped the Spaniard would go on. His contract with McLaren expires at the end of the 2017 campaign.
"If he quit next year and I couldn't race against him again, that would be a shame, a real shame," Hamilton said.
"It wouldn't be good for this sport and it would send out the wrong message. Formula One would not be the same if Alonso didn't continue.
"I still think he is one of the best drivers around, I've always said that," added Hamilton, who is bidding to win a third consecutive world title this season to add to his first triumph in 2008.
"I really hope McLaren can make him a car that would allow him to win again, and so I can compete against him again."
Alonso is 11th in the drivers' standings on 30 points, 202 behind current leader Hamilton and has not achieved a podium finish since 2014. He had a serious crash in the Australian Grand Prix in March.
Alonso has previously brushed off suggestions that he could retire and in April reacted angrily to Sky Sports Formula One pundit Johnny Herbert telling him he should quit.
Last Thursday in Spa, however, the Spaniard floated the idea of ending his 15-year career in the sport next year due to recent changes in the sport's regulations.
"I think if the cars are fun to drive, I will probably stay longer and drive more years in Formula One, and if the cars are still giving me the feeling that I have in the last couple of years probably I will stop," Alonso said.
(Editing by Clare Fallon) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-motor-racing-alonso-hamilton-idUSKCN11425R?feedType=RSS&feedName=sportsNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FsportsNews+%28Reuters+Sports+News%29 | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/2121bc6cb57b986e1efe52f5de0561dee671625088fcf0384299a01c38ca773c.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-26T16:50:30 | null | 2016-08-26T16:13:42 | Scotts Miracle-Gro Co | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2FidUSFWN1B70KG%3Ftype%3DcompanyNews%26feedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DcompanyNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FcompanyNews%2B%2528News%2B%252F%2BUS%2B%252F%2BCompany%2BNews%2529.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources_v2/images/rcom-default.png | en | null | BRIEF-Scotts Miracle-Gro - Co, unit entered second amendment to Master Accounts Receivable Purchase agreement | null | null | www.reuters.com | Aug 26 Scotts Miracle-Gro Co
* Scotts Miracle-Gro Co - Co, unit entered second amendment to amended,restated Master Accounts Receivable Purchase agreement, dated as of Sept 25, 2015
* Says amendment extends the stated termination date of agreement through October 14, 2016 - SEC Filing Source - bit.ly/2bFNAYF Further company coverage: | http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSFWN1B70KG?type=companyNews&feedType=RSS&feedName=companyNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FcompanyNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Company+News%29 | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/cc5d450b6e5aae080a500c308dd596a3e7cb808165f90d589967a28d36657715.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-29T18:59:40 | null | 2016-08-29T18:40:01 | The United States and India have signed an agreement to share military logistics, they said in a joint statement on Monday, a step toward building defense ties as both countries seek to counter the growing maritime assertiveness of China. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-india-usa-military-idUSKCN114241%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DpoliticsNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2BReuters%252FPoliticsNews%2B%2528Reuters%2BPolitics%2BNews%2529.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160829&t=2&i=1151480756&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7S178 | en | null | U.S., India sign military logistics agreement | null | null | www.reuters.com | An employee ties threads on a kite, with portraits of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (L) and U.S. President Barack Obama, ahead of Obama's visit, in Mumbai January 23, 2015. REUTERS/Danish Siddiqui
WASHINGTON The United States and India have signed an agreement to share military logistics, they said in a joint statement on Monday, a step toward building defense ties as both countries seek to counter the growing maritime assertiveness of China.
The accord allows the two militaries to use each other's land, air and naval bases for resupplies, repairs and rest.
U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar reached an agreement "in principle" in April, but had yet to finalize the details.
(Reporting by Yeganeh Torbati; Editing by Alan Crosby) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-india-usa-military-idUSKCN114241?feedType=RSS&feedName=politicsNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Reuters%2FPoliticsNews+%28Reuters+Politics+News%29 | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/a8a24fd5877249afdb9fa4877f5d7045e92601343b0fd23dcddbadd68190d10b.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-30T00:52:09 | null | 2016-08-30T00:04:29 | Great Lakes Graphite Inc | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2FidUSFWN1BA09P%3Ftype%3DcompanyNews%26feedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DcompanyNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FcompanyNews%2B%2528News%2B%252F%2BUS%2B%252F%2BCompany%2BNews%2529.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources_v2/images/rcom-default.png | en | null | BRIEF-Great Lakes Graphite gets $4 mln commitment | null | null | www.reuters.com | UPDATE 2-United Airlines hires No. 2 at American to be its president
Aug 29 United Continental Holdings Inc has hired the No. 2 executive at rival American Airlines Group Inc, Scott Kirby, to be its president, the companies said on Monday. | http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSFWN1BA09P?type=companyNews&feedType=RSS&feedName=companyNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FcompanyNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Company+News%29 | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/18c5698cda37aa7f3806d3cc9ec87e2fe759c6bfd4e034d7158440747f39277f.json |
[
"Mariel Cristaldo"
] | 2016-08-28T11:04:38 | null | 2016-08-28T10:44:17 | An ambush in the north of Paraguay killed eight soldiers, authorities said on Saturday, adding that the attack bore the hallmarks of the guerrilla group known as the Paraguayan People's Army. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-paraguay-attacks-idUSKCN1130CY%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DworldNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2BReuters%252FworldNews%2B%2528Reuters%2BWorld%2BNews%2529.json | http://s3.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160828&t=2&i=1151339569&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7R067 | en | null | Paraguay says eight troops killed in ambush | null | null | www.reuters.com | ASUNCION An ambush in the north of Paraguay killed eight soldiers, authorities said on Saturday, adding that the attack bore the hallmarks of the guerrilla group known as the Paraguayan People's Army.
The Paraguayan People's Army, known locally by its Spanish initials EPP, is a small leftist group formed just over a decade ago.
It is loosely modeled on the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, which has said in recent days that it will lay down its arms after half a century of war.
The security forces who officials said were attacked on Saturday belong to a unit created by the government in 2013 to combat the EPP.
"At about 9am this morning a routine patrol was the object of an attack on a country road in the Arroyito district ... the attackers detonated explosives as the truck passed and then carried out a cowardly armed attack on the wounded soldiers," said the Interior Ministry in a statement.
The government said it is investigating the attack, which took place in a rural part of Concepcion, about 450 kilometers (280 miles) north of capital Asuncion, in an area where the EPP is known to operate.
The shadowy EPP sometimes leave pamphlets at the site of attacks. Authorities have not said if anything like that has been found.
Interior Minister Francisco de Vargas told a local radio station that the manner of the attack - explosive artifacts by a road - was typical of the EPP. "It is very probable that that is what happened," he said.
The EPP has been blamed by authorities for a string of kidnappings, murders and attacks in the remote north of Paraguay, an area of cattle ranches, poor rural laborers, and illegal marijuana plantations.
In 2013 it carried out an attack in which five people died, its bloodiest to date.
The group is believed to hold three people captive at present: a police agent who has been held for over two years, and two Mennonites, members of a religious sect of European background who have significant dairy farming communities in Paraguay.
(Reporting by Mariel Cristaldo; Writing by Rosalba O'Brien; Editing by Matthew Lewis) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-paraguay-attacks-idUSKCN1130CY?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Reuters%2FworldNews+%28Reuters+World+News%29 | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/455ec492f335a9be1ae152bef3e6db07edc7d32421c9024b5a58c700991e39d1.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-29T16:52:39 | null | 2016-08-29T15:13:17 | Tropical Depression Nine, located about 125 miles (200 kilometers) west-northwest of Havana, Cuba, is expected to become a tropical storm later on Monday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-storm-atlantic-nhc-idUSKCN1141NF%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DenvironmentNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252Fenvironment%2B%2528News%2B%252F%2BUS%2B%252F%2BEnvironment%2529.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources_v2/images/rcom-default.png | en | null | NHC: Tropical Depression Nine could strengthen into cyclone | null | null | www.reuters.com | Tropical Depression Nine, located about 125 miles (200 kilometers) west-northwest of Havana, Cuba, is expected to become a tropical storm later on Monday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.
The center of the depression is expected to pass north of the north coast of west Cuba, and move farther into the southeastern Gulf of Mexico through Monday and Tuesday, the Miami-based weather forecaster said in its latest advisory.
Another storm system, tropical depression eight, located about 180 miles (290 kilometers) southeast of Cape Hatteras in North Carolina is also expected to become a tropical storm by early Tuesday, the NHC said.
(Reporting by Vijaykumar Vedala in Bengaluru; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-storm-atlantic-nhc-idUSKCN1141NF?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2Fenvironment+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Environment%29 | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/d1c15d984b1664e8738b6f17639c815cb4d73f4b03ef823531fb1d978873c786.json |
[
"Tracy Rucinski"
] | 2016-08-26T23:01:37 | null | 2016-08-26T22:34:17 | Caesars Entertainment Corp (CZR.O) must face lawsuits from bondholders seeking some $11 billion in claims, a U.S. judge ruled on Friday in a decision the casino company had warned could plunge it into bankruptcy alongside its operating unit. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-caesars-bankruptcy-idUSKCN1112CD%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DdomesticNews.json | http://s3.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160826&t=2&i=1151220833&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7P1FK | en | null | Caesars must face $11 billion in lawsuits: U.S. judge | null | null | www.reuters.com | Las Vegas Strip casinos are seen from the 550 foot-tall (167.6 m) High Roller observation wheel, the tallest in the world, in Las Vegas, Nevada April 9, 2014. REUTERS/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus
CHICAGO Caesars Entertainment Corp (CZR.O) must face lawsuits from bondholders seeking some $11 billion in claims, a U.S. judge ruled on Friday in a decision the casino company had warned could plunge it into bankruptcy alongside its operating unit.
Shares of the Nevada-based gaming company fell 12 percent after-hours.
Caesars Entertainment Operating Co (CEOC), which filed for Chapter 11 protection in January 2015, was asking for a third court shield from lawsuits against its parent to protect a multibillion-dollar contribution to its reorganization plan.
The high-stakes CEOC bankruptcy has been plagued by a complex web of litigation pitting some of the most aggressive investors on Wall Street against each other.
A current injunction expires on Aug. 29, a day before Caesars faces a potential ruling in New York on lawsuits from bondholders alleging it reneged on guarantees from bonds issued by CEOC prior to the unit's $18 billion bankruptcy.
CEOC had argued that another halt to a decision on those lawsuits was critical to securing a settlement with holdout creditors before its reorganization plan heads to a confirmation trial in January.
"I can't find that an injunction is likely to enhance the prospects for negotiation," U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Benjamin Goldgar in Chicago said in his courtroom ruling.
Bitter creditors accuse Caesars and its private equity sponsors Apollo Global Management LLC (APO.N) and TPG Capital Management LP [TPG.UL] of stripping the unit of choice assets such as the LINQ Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas and leaving it bankrupt.
Caesars, Apollo and TPG have denied any wrongdoing, though a court-appointed examiner found they could be on the hook for up to $5.1 billion in claims.
To settle the allegations Caesars has offered to pitch about $4 billion into CEOC's reorganization in exchange for releases from the claims. Goldgar asked on Friday why Apollo and TPG were not also contributing, saying the injunctions to date had provided them "a comfortable free ride" on CEOC's "coattails".
Both Caesars and CEOC said they were disappointed by the decision. The court's refusal to extend the shield puts Caesars' "substantial contribution" to CEOC's reorganization plan "at serious risk," a Caesars spokesman said in an email.
CEOC lawyers said they planned to appeal the ruling.
"It would be hard to reverse Goldgar without dramatically expanding the availability of third-party releases, something that would be out of step with the standards in other circuits," said Douglas Baird, a professor at the University of Chicago Law School.
(Editing by Meredith Mazzilli and Matthew Lewis) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-caesars-bankruptcy-idUSKCN1112CD?feedType=RSS&feedName=domesticNews | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/d2c830d3e247c06917b4505c425f94e970694321c43a2a7ab107580045e2ceab.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-30T14:51:25 | null | 2016-08-30T14:35:27 | U.S. banks saw their net income increase $584 million, or 1.4 percent, compared to the second quarter of last year in a sign of strength for the sector, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-usa-banks-income-idUSKCN1151VO%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DbusinessNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FbusinessNews%2B%2528Business%2BNews%2529.json | http://s2.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160830&t=2&i=1151591012&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7T12E | en | null | U.S. banks see higher net income, expand lending in second quarter - FDIC | null | null | www.reuters.com | The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp (FDIC) logo is seen at the FDIC headquarters as Chairman Sheila Bair announces the bank and thrift industry earnings for the fourth quarter 2010, in Washington, February 23, 2011. The banking industry continues to recover from the 2007-2009... REUTERS/Jason Reed (UNITED STATES - Tags: POLITICS BUSINESS) - RTR2IZZ5
WASHINGTON U.S. banks saw their net income increase $584 million, or 1.4 percent, compared to the second quarter of last year in a sign of strength for the sector, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
Total credits increased 1.5 percent, $241 billion, in the second quarter driven largely by new home loans and real estate credits, the regulator said on Tuesday. Credit card balances and loans to non-banks also increased.
"Income and revenue both increased from a year ago," FDIC Chairman Martin Gruenberg said in a statement. "Loan growth remained strong, the number of unprofitable banks was at an 18-year low."
Low prices for fossil fuels continue to put pressure on the energy sector and banks that offered credit to that industry may face further stress, Gruenberg said.
"We likely have not yet seen the full impact of low energy prices on the banking industry," he said in a statement.
In a separate announcement, the FDIC said the largest U.S. banks would begin contributing more to the insurance fund to comply with the Dodd Frank Wall Street reform legislation.
(Reporting by Patrick Rucker; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-banks-income-idUSKCN1151VO?feedType=RSS&feedName=businessNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FbusinessNews+%28Business+News%29 | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/1c8b053a4cd46c313d84255275e2dd7150008d8b7c05cf99879fc93f976617b9.json |
[
"Lesley Wroughton"
] | 2016-08-30T13:03:04 | null | 2016-08-30T12:55:11 | The United States and India pledged on Tuesday to deepen security and commercial ties at the start of an annual U.S.-India strategic dialogue in which tension with Pakistan over the disputed Kashmir region will also be discussed. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-india-usa-idUSKCN1150CP%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DtopNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FtopNews%2B%2528News%2B%252F%2BUS%2B%252F%2BTop%2BNews%2529.json | http://s1.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160830&t=2&i=1151577919&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7T0UA | en | null | U.S., India pledge deeper security and commercial ties | null | null | www.reuters.com | U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (L) meets Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj before the start of their meeting in New Delh, India, August 30, 2016. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (L) meets Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj before the start of their meeting in New Delh, India, August 30, 2016. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (L) meets Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj before the start of their meeting in New Delh, India, August 30, 2016. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (L) shakes hands with India's Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj before the start of their meeting in New Delhi, India, August 30, 2016. REUTERS/Adnan Abidi
NEW DELHI The United States and India pledged on Tuesday to deepen security and commercial ties at the start of an annual U.S.-India strategic dialogue in which tension with Pakistan over the disputed Kashmir region will also be discussed.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker led the U.S. delegation in talks with senior Indian government officials in the capital New Delhi.
"It couldn't come at a more important moment," Kerry said in his opening remarks.
"In both sectors, security and economics, we have room to be able to further grow, and to expand our two-way trade and investment, but also to resolve our security problems in doing that."
Kerry cited cyber-security and energy as areas where both countries could expand cooperation. He said the sides had reached an understanding on financing to help India meet its ambitious renewable energy targets.
"Our plate between our two nations is as full now as it has ever been," added Kerry, who was attending the second Strategic and Commercial Dialogue that will also be the last of the Barack Obama presidency.
India's Minister of External Affairs, Sushma Swaraj, said she hoped the next U.S. president would continue the dialogue that also seeks inputs from companies, which this year included e-commerce giant Amazon and wireless technology firm Qualcomm.
India is keen to attract foreign investment to back Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Make in India" initiative while foreign investors are keen for reassurance that Asia's third-largest economy is becoming an easier place to do business.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley briefed U.S. CEOs on a planned Goods and Services Tax that the government hopes to introduce next year and would transform the market of 1.3 billion people into a single market for the first time.
KASHMIR TENSIONS
In a meeting with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval earlier, Kerry discussed regional security challenges in South Asia, as well counter-terrorism efforts, said U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner.
A senior U.S. official said Kerry would urge Modi in a meeting on Wednesday to open talks with neighbouring Pakistan to resolve tension over Indian-ruled Kashmir.
Kashmir is at the centre of a decades-old rivalry between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan, which also rules its northern part and backed an insurgency in the late 1980s and 1990s that Indian security forces largely crushed.
Dozens of people have been killed in violent protests in Kashmir since July 8, when security forces killed a field commander of Pakistan-based Islamist militant group who enjoyed widespread support in the Muslim-majority region.
Modi has said India will not bow to terrorism and accused Pakistan of glorifying it in his annual Independence Day speech on Aug. 15, in which he also raised the rhetorical stakes by highlighting concerns about human rights in restive regions of Pakistan.
New Delhi has rejected Pakistan's invitation to hold talks on the future of Jammu and Kashmir, India's northernmost state, saying it is an integral part of the nation. It also says any talks should address cross-border terrorism in Indian-ruled Kashmir - something Pakistan denies any role in.
"We have a long-standing policy of encouraging and advocating for great dialogue between the two countries on addressing areas of difference, and that continues to be our position," a senior U.S. official said before the talks.
"But we have also underscored that combating terrorism is a high priority for the United States in its bilateral relations with all of the countries in the region," the official added.
Afghanistan would also be discussed, the official said, amid closer ties between India and Afghanistan, which is likely to aggravate fears in Pakistan of being wedged between two hostile neighbours.
India has provided a little over $2 billion in economic assistance to Afghanistan in the last 15 years and said recently it would deliver more arms to Afghanistan.
(Editing by Douglas Busvine and Simon Cameron-Moore) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-india-usa-idUSKCN1150CP?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FtopNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Top+News%29 | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/4b66ba1c5f6bf94adc2cc17282da7fc8cca4d99fb0cbb75b564c939b88f34ac2.json |
[
"Dan Whitcomb"
] | 2016-08-30T01:01:59 | null | 2016-08-29T23:44:14 | California lawmakers, responding to outrage over the six-month jail term given to a former Stanford University swimmer after his conviction for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman, passed legislation on Monday closing a loophole that allowed the sentence. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-california-rape-bill-idUSKCN1142G9%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DdomesticNews.json | http://s2.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160829&t=2&i=1151505418&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7S1DH | en | null | California lawmakers pass rape bill inspired by Stanford case | null | null | www.reuters.com | A hand-made sign referencing consent in relation to sexual assault lays on the ground at the Stanford University commencement ceremony in Palo Alto, California, U.S. June 12, 2016. REUTERS/Elijah Nouvelage
LOS ANGELES California lawmakers, responding to outrage over the six-month jail term given to a former Stanford University swimmer after his conviction for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman, passed legislation on Monday closing a loophole that allowed the sentence.
The bill now goes to Democratic Governor Jerry Brown for his approval. He has not indicated whether he will sign it into law.
The measure was introduced in response to the sentence given to 20-year-old Brock Turner by Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Aaron Persky in June, which was widely condemned as too lenient.
Prosecutors had asked that Turner be given six years in state prison. He is scheduled to be released on Friday from jail in Northern California.
"Sexually assaulting an unconscious or intoxicated victim is a terrible crime and our laws need to reflect that," Democratic Assemblyman Bill Dodd, a co-author of the legislation, said in a written statement following its passage.
Turner was convicted of assault with intent to commit rape, penetration of an intoxicated person and penetration of an unconscious person in the January 2015 attack. Under California law, those charges are not considered rape because they did not involve penile penetration.
The uproar over the sentence, fueled in part by the victim's harrowing letter in which she detailed the assault in graphic terms, comes amid growing outrage over sexual assault on U.S. college campuses.
“This bill is about more than sentencing, it’s about supporting victims and changing the culture on our college campuses to help prevent future crimes," Dodd said.
The case has also led to efforts to remove Persky from the bench. Earlier this month, the judge asked for a transfer to civil court.
According to the legislators, current California law calls for a mandatory prison term in cases of rape or sexual assault where force is used, but not when the victim is unconscious or severely intoxicated and thus unable to resist.
The bill, which faced no serious opposition in the Democratic-controlled legislature, would eliminate a judge's discretion to sentence defendants convicted of such crimes to probation. Under its provisions, Turner would have faced a minimum of three years behind bars.
(Reporting by Dan Whitcomb; Editing by Leslie Adler and Peter Cooney) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-california-rape-bill-idUSKCN1142G9?feedType=RSS&feedName=domesticNews | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/7eda256786f35c5274b31d9fdb1fb00f6489bc651c58257c953ef329b5e5de53.json |
[
"Lesley Wroughton"
] | 2016-08-30T07:04:52 | null | 2016-08-30T05:25:39 | U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker began two days of talks on Tuesday with the Indian government to boost business ties, and to encourage dialogue with Pakistan over the disputed region of Kashmir. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-india-usa-idUSKCN1150CP%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DworldNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2BReuters%252FworldNews%2B%2528Reuters%2BWorld%2BNews%2529.json | http://s2.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160830&t=2&i=1151530861&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7T05I | en | null | U.S., India to discuss business ties, tensions with Pakistan | null | null | www.reuters.com | U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry attends a news conference after a meeting on Syria with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Geneva, Switzerland, August 26, 2016. REUTERS/Pierre Albouy
NEW DELHI U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker began two days of talks on Tuesday with the Indian government to boost business ties, and to encourage dialogue with Pakistan over the disputed region of Kashmir.
Kerry arrived in New Delhi on Monday night for the annual U.S.-India Strategic and Commercial Dialogue after a one-day stop in Bangladesh where he discussed increased militant attacks.
The situation in Indian-ruled Kashmir and concerns over Afghanistan will be raised in talks on Tuesday with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, and on Wednesday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a senior U.S. official said.
Kashmir is at the center of a decades-old rivalry between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan, which also rules its northern part, and backed an insurgency in the late 1980s and 1990s that Indian security forces largely crushed.
Dozens of people have been killed in violent protests in Kashmir since July 8, when security forces killed a field commander of Pakistan-based Islamist militant group who enjoyed widespread support in the Muslim-majority region.
Modi has said India would not bow to terrorism and accused neighbor and arch-rival Pakistan of glorifying it in his annual Independence Day speech on Aug. 15, in which he also raised the rhetorical stakes by highlighting concerns about human rights in restive regions of Pakistan.
New Delhi has rejected Pakistan's invitation to hold talks on the future of Jammu and Kashmir, India's northernmost state, saying it is an integral part of the nation. It also says any talks should address cross-border terrorism in Indian-ruled Kashmir - something Pakistan denies any role in.
A senior State Department official said Kerry will encourage dialogue between Pakistan and India during the discussions.
"We have a long-standing policy of encouraging and advocating for great dialogue between the two countries on addressing areas of difference, and that continues to be our position," a senior State Department official said.
"But we have also underscored that combating terrorism is a high priority for the United States in its bilateral relations with all of the countries in the region," the official added.
The situation in Afghanistan will also be discussed, the official said, amid closer ties between India and Afghanistan, which is likely to aggravate fears in Pakistan of being wedged between two hostile neighbors.
India has provided a little over $2 billion in economic assistance to Afghanistan in the last 15 years and said recently it will deliver more arms to Afghanistan.
(Editing by Douglas Busvine and Simon Cameron-Moore) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-india-usa-idUSKCN1150CP?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Reuters%2FworldNews+%28Reuters+World+News%29 | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/d488d1d761da7d7b7117058940da769e60ac174c6582858c5b12f849bfe78c1f.json |
[
"Steve Holland",
"John Whitesides"
] | 2016-08-26T13:19:33 | null | 2016-04-01T00:16:48 | Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump made a surprise closed-door visit to the Republican National Committee on Thursday after a tumultuous two days on the campaign trail that included a reversal of his pledge to support the party's nominee. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-usa-election-idUSKCN0WX1V6%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DwtMostRead%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FMostRead%2B%2528News%2B%252F%2BUS%2B%252F%2BMost%2BRead%2BArticles%2529.json | http://s2.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160331&t=2&i=1129251231&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC2U1MD | en | null | Trump meets with Republican leadership; party unity discussed | null | null | www.reuters.com | Ted Cruz greets diners after speaking during a campaign stop at Lindy's Diner in Keene, New Hampshire. REUTERS/Brian Snyder
John Kasich grabs a quick breakfast after speaking at a town hall meeting at Applewood House of Pancakes in Pawleys Island, South Carolina. REUTERS/Randall Hill
Republican U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump turns away from the cameras as he speaks at a town hall event in Appleton, Wisconsin, March 30, 2016. REUTERS/Mark Kauzlarich
U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump waves to onlookers and reporters as he departs through a back door after meetings at Republican National Committee (RNC) headquarters in Washington March 31, 2016. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
WASHINGTON Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump made a surprise closed-door visit to the Republican National Committee on Thursday after a tumultuous two days on the campaign trail that included a reversal of his pledge to support the party's nominee.
Trump, who is also struggling to contain the fallout from his Wednesday comment that women who have abortions should be punished if the procedure is outlawed, said afterward he had a "nice meeting" to talk about party unity with RNC Chairman Reince Priebus.
"Looking forward to bringing the party together," Trump said on Twitter. "And it will happen!"
Priebus said the meeting was scheduled days ago and included a discussion about the process heading into the party's July convention in Cleveland. Trump leads the Republican race, but is at risk of falling short of the 1,237 delegates needed to become the party's nominee in the Nov. 8 election, raising the prospect of a contested convention.
"We did talk about unity and working together and making sure when we go to Cleveland, and come out of Cleveland, that we're working in the same direction," Priebus told the Fox News Channel.
Trump's relationship with the RNC has been contentious at times, and he recently complained the party was not treating him fairly as it prepared for a possible contested convention.
On Tuesday, Trump backed away from the loyalty pledge he signed in September promising to support the party's eventual nominee and not to run an independent campaign for the White House.
The RNC pledge has unraveled as Trump's remaining rivals, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas and Ohio Governor John Kasich, also indicated they were unlikely to observe the pledge if Trump was the nominee.
Priebus refused to say if the discarded loyalty pledge was discussed at the meeting with Trump, which lasted just under an hour.
The billionaire businessman was in Washington for a morning gathering of his newly established foreign policy team. A source who attended said the group discussed threats from Islamic State militants, nuclear proliferation, homeland security assessments and European security levels.
Trump's campaign also announced it was setting up a Washington office to run its convention and delegate operations and work with the RNC and Congress.
"SIMPLE MISSPEAK"
The campaign has been busy trying to dig out from under an avalanche of criticism over Trump's abortion comment, even though he quickly reversed his stance.
Trump pulled back from his initial comments within an hour, first in a statement saying that U.S. states should handle abortion issues and later saying doctors who perform abortions are the ones who should be held responsible.
"You have a presidential candidate that clarified the record not once but twice," Trump spokeswoman Katrina Pierson told CNN, calling the initial comments a "simple misspeak." She said Trump was "pro-life with exceptions" and said his statements after the comments in an MSNBC interview were an accurate depiction of his views.
"We shouldn't make this a 24-hour headline when we have things like terrorism going on in the world."
Trump's latest controversy threatened to further erode his standing with women voters, many of whom have been offended by his use of vulgarities and insulting language to describe women during the campaign.
The abortion flap erupted as Trump campaigned in Wisconsin ahead of the state's primary on Tuesday. The primary will be particularly important because all 42 delegates will be awarded to the winner of the popular vote, rather than distributed proportionate to the vote. Two opinion polls released in the last two days showed Cruz moving ahead of Trump by 10 percentage points in Wisconsin.
Trump's meetings with his new foreign policy advisers follow several controversial statements on national security issues, prompting critics to question his suitability to be commander in chief.
Trump has declared NATO obsolete, said Saudi Arabia is too dependent on the United States and said Japan and South Korea may need to develop their own nuclear programs because the U.S. security umbrella is too costly to maintain.
In the same MSNBC town hall where he made the abortion comments, Trump refused to rule out the potential use of nuclear weapons in Europe or the Middle East to combat Islamic State militants. "I would never take any of my cards off the table," he said.
Trump told the Fox News Channel that the nuclear issue was discussed at his foreign policy meeting "and everybody agrees with me. You don't take it off the table."
Many establishment Republicans have labored to block Trump from getting the nomination at the July convention, worried that he will lead the party to an overwhelming defeat in November.
Trump's Republican rivals said his abortion comments were just another example that raises questions about his suitability for the White House.
"It just shows that he's really not prepared to be president of the United States," Kasich told reporters at a New York news conference, adding that the president should not be constantly rowing back on a series of "wild-eyed suggestions."
"I have to tell you that as commander in chief and leader of the free world, you don't get do-overs. You need to be able to get it right the first time," he said.
(Additional reporting by Doina Chiacu, Susan Heavey, Megan Cassella, Mark Hosenball, Julia Harte; Writing by John Whitesides; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Leslie Adler) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-idUSKCN0WX1V6?feedType=RSS&feedName=wtMostRead&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FMostRead+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Most+Read+Articles%29 | en | 2016-04-01T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/39bc65dea49e66499a03890e5c7b3fe0fdb41ff5c88e36e12ce589ed147e8e94.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-27T04:59:35 | null | 2016-08-27T04:44:44 | Thailand's Ariya Jutanugarn set her sights on a fifth victory this year as she moved to a three-stroke lead after the second round of the Canadian Women’s Open on Friday. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-golf-lpga-idUSKCN112033%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DsportsNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FsportsNews%2B%2528Reuters%2BSports%2BNews%2529.json | http://s2.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160827&t=2&i=1151248773&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7Q01I | en | null | Jutanugarn grabs lead, eyes fifth title of the year | null | null | www.reuters.com | Ariya Jutanugarn (THA) of Thailand watches her tee shot on the 14th hole during second round women's Olympic golf competition. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
Thailand's Ariya Jutanugarn set her sights on a fifth victory this year as she moved to a three-stroke lead after the second round of the Canadian Women’s Open on Friday.
Jutanugarn completed the final two holes of her delayed first round in the morning, where she finished at four-under-par, then fired a bogey-free eight-under-par 64 in the second round to move to 12-under and take command.
South Korea's Chun In-Gee (67) and Northern Ireland's Stephanie Meadow (69) trail her at nine-under.
The second ranked player in the world, Jutanugarn won the Women's British Open in her last event but withdrew from the third round at the Rio Olympics with a knee injury.
The knee didn't appear to bother her on the way to a red-hot second round.
"So I know I hurt my knee, so that's why I didn't play very good on the third round (in the Olympics)," Jutanugarn told reporters.
"And after the draw I just felt OK. I just had to rest and take care of my knee. So after that I feel like just play golf, and it didn't feel like anything changed."
World number one Lydia Ko, seeking her fourth Canadian Women’s Open, is four shots behind at eight-under-par after shooting a three-under 69 in the second round.
(Writing by Jahmal Corner in Los Angeles; editing gy Amlan Chakraborty) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-golf-lpga-idUSKCN112033?feedType=RSS&feedName=sportsNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FsportsNews+%28Reuters+Sports+News%29 | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/29610cf4fc6770eae5f5f130c449d9f71a81a2c1ab836422abe1614dbf8bedb6.json |
[
"Marius Zaharia"
] | 2016-08-28T02:51:19 | null | 2016-08-28T01:44:47 | The secretive communist government of Laos, a country with a population of less than 7 million, rarely causes a ripple on the diplomatic circuit. And yet its sleepy capital will spring to life next week when global leaders arrive for an Asian summit. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-laos-china-vietnam-idUSKCN11300Z.json | http://s3.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160828&t=2&i=1151314699&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7R00J | en | null | As Obama heads to Laos, signs of a tilt away from China | null | null | www.reuters.com | U.S. President Barack Obama takes his jacket off as he walks on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, U.S. after visiting the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, August 26, 2016. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas
VIENTIANE The secretive communist government of Laos, a country with a population of less than 7 million, rarely causes a ripple on the diplomatic circuit. And yet its sleepy capital will spring to life next week when global leaders arrive for an Asian summit.
Barack Obama will be among them, making the last push of his presidency to 'rebalance' Washington's foreign policy toward Asia, a strategy widely seen as a response to China's economic and military muscle-flexing across the region.
The might of Laos' giant neighbor to the north is hard to miss in Vientiane: wealthy Chinese driving SUVs overtake tuk-tuks sputtering along the roads and Chinese-backed hotels sprout from noisy construction sites in one of Asia's most low-rise cities.
But diplomats say Obama could be pushing on an open door in Laos, thanks to a change of government there in April.
They say the country's new leaders appear ready to tilt away from Beijing and lean more closely toward another neighbor, Vietnam, whose dispute with China over the South China Sea has pushed it into a deepening alliance with the United States.
"The new government is more influenced by the Vietnamese than the Chinese," said a Western diplomat in Southeast Asia." "It's never too late for a U.S. president to visit."
Obama will become the first sitting U.S. president to visit landlocked Laos, where the United States waged a "secret war" while fighting in Vietnam, dropping an estimated two million tonnes of bombs on the country. About 30 percent of the ordnance failed to explode, leaving a dangerous and costly legacy.
Laos has strategic importance to both Vietnam and China. Vietnam has a long land border with Laos that gives it access to markets in Thailand and beyond. For China, Laos is a key gateway to Southeast Asia in its "new Silk Road" trade strategy.
Laos, which is developing a series of hydro power plants along one of the world's longest rivers, the Mekong, aims to become "the battery of Asia" by selling power to its neighbors.
SHIFTING POLICY
It is difficult to read policy in Laos because its leaders are so uncommunicative, but Western diplomats have detected some shifts.
First, deputy Prime Minister Somsavat Lengsavad - who ran the steering panel for a $7 billion Chinese rail project - retired. The project is now believed to be on hold because Laos is unhappy with the terms of the deal.
Officials of Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith's new government, many of them educated in Vietnam, have visited Hanoi en masse in recent weeks, their first foreign trip.
At two of the past meetings of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which is currently chaired by Laos, Vientiane has taken a more nuanced stance on Beijing than neighboring Cambodia, which is increasingly seen as a Chinese satellite.
"The U.S. strategic interest in Laos is to see the country be able to exert a certain degree of strategic autonomy because you don't want ... (to) have something akin to the relationship between China and Cambodia," said Phuong Nguyen of the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies think-tank.
A defense official in Washington did not comment on wider strategic issues but described Laos as "an important partner."
A China foreign ministry spokesman said "we welcome any country, including those inside and outside this region, developing constructive relations, as long as these ties are really beneficial to regional peace, stability and prosperity."
LONG-TERM BATTLE
Beijing has invested around $1 billion annually in Laos in 2014 and 2015, a step up from the $4.5 billion invested historically before 2014, according to figures from China's Ministry of Commerce and state-run media.
For the United States, impoverished Laos is not a strong investment draw.
"In Laos, we bring 7-8 companies to the table compared with 30-40 companies that Vietnam brings. But China- that's a totally different ball game," said Anthony Nelson, director of the U.S.-ASEAN business council.
"So there's no coincidence that the countries with the lowest levels of development, Laos and Cambodia, are the most willing to advocate for China's position in international discussions."
But the Lao are closer culturally to Vietnam than they are to China. Their businesses use Lao language signs and mixed Lao-Vietnamese families incorporate local customs, while Lao-Chinese families tend to be isolated.
"We are a bit frustrated with (China). They create their own eco-system," a Lao businessman said.
(Additional reporting by Arshad Mohammed, Idrees Ali, Michael Martina and Ben Blanchard.; Editing by John Chalmers and Bill Tarrant) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-laos-china-vietnam-idUSKCN11300Z | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/81a21f5db89ee7213733b7e2f3f073729be02fb47c035ecfb144a64db9b6ed42.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-30T11:05:06 | null | 2016-08-30T10:29:53 | A car bomb claimed by al Shabaab Islamist militants killed five soldiers outside the president's palace in the Somali capital of Mogadishu and badly damaged two nearby hotels, police said. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-somalia-blast-idUSKCN1150TV%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DworldNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2BReuters%252FworldNews%2B%2528Reuters%2BWorld%2BNews%2529.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources_v2/images/rcom-default.png | en | null | Car bomb kills five soldiers outside Somali president's palace: police | null | null | www.reuters.com | MOGADISHU A car bomb claimed by al Shabaab Islamist militants killed five soldiers outside the president's palace in the Somali capital of Mogadishu and badly damaged two nearby hotels, police said.
Reuters witnesses said gunfire could be heard after the explosion and a huge cloud of smoke could be seen above the president's palace, outside which were the remnants of the car and splattered blood.
"A suicide car bomb exploded outside the presidential palace. So far two hotels opposite the palace are partially destroyed," police officer Major Mohamed Ali told Reuters by phone.
Al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab has claimed responsibility for several recent explosions in Mogadishu, including a car bomb and gun attack last week at a popular beach restaurant in the capital that killed 10 people.
"So far we know five government soldiers died in the blast. It exploded outside the SYL hotel which is also just at the checkpoint outside the palace. We believe the target was SYL which is frequented by officials. The death toll may rise," police officer Colonel Abdikadir Hussein told Reuters.
Al Shabaab's Radio Andaluz said that the group was behind the attack.
In a separate incident, al Shabaab fighters attacked military bases housing government and African Union troops south west of the capital Mogadishu late on Monday, police and the group said on Tuesday.
Military officer Major Bile Farah said a soldier and two al Shabaab fighters were killed in the attack in K-50 and Muri in Lower Shabelle region,
Al Shabaab's military operations spokesman, Abdiasis Abu Musab, said the group's fighters had killed 10 soldiers and commandeered a vehicle from the Somali government soldiers.
The militants were pushed out of Mogadishu by the African Union peacekeeping force AMISOM in 2011 but have remained a serious threat, launching frequent attacks aimed at overthrowing the government.
Seeking to impose its own harsh form of Islam, al Shabaab has also launched attacks in Kenya and Uganda which have contributed troops to the 22,000-strong AMISOM force.
(Reporting by Abdi Sheikh and Feisal Omar; Writing by George Obulutsa) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-somalia-blast-idUSKCN1150TV?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Reuters%2FworldNews+%28Reuters+World+News%29 | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/973161c374eb02e418705fbfcaf7201d1b0a0bde4f6d38e81a712c3fba9eb7bb.json |
[
"Greg Roumeliotis"
] | 2016-08-29T23:02:54 | null | 2016-08-29T22:42:15 | Mondelez International Inc (MDLZ.O), the maker of Oreo cookies and Cadbury chocolates, said it was no longer pursuing the acquisition of Hershey Co (HSY.N), two months after the U.S. chocolate company turned down its $23 billion cash-and-stock bid. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-hershey-m-a-mondelez-intl-idUSKCN1142BE%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DtopNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FtopNews%2B%2528News%2B%252F%2BUS%2B%252F%2BTop%2BNews%2529.json | http://s2.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160829&t=2&i=1151497757&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7S1BB | en | null | Mondelez abandons pursuit for U.S. chocolate maker Hershey | null | null | www.reuters.com | The logo of Mondelez International is pictured at the company's building in Zurich November 14, 2012. REUTERS/Michael Buholzer
Mondelez International Inc (MDLZ.O), the maker of Oreo cookies and Cadbury chocolates, said it was no longer pursuing the acquisition of Hershey Co (HSY.N), two months after the U.S. chocolate company turned down its $23 billion cash-and-stock bid.
The abandoned deal, which would have created the world's largest confectioner, underscores the grip that the charitable trust, set up by the company's founder Milton Hershey over a century ago to fund and run a school for underprivileged children, has on the maker of Hershey's Kisses and Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.
Hershey rejected a $107 per share acquisition offer from Mondelez at the end of June. An unrelated row between the trust and the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office ensued over the trust's governance, which resulted in a reform agreement being announced at the end of July.
The agreement calls for the trust's board to be expanded from 10 members to 13, and for five members to resign in order for 10-year terms to be enforced. One trustee resigned last month, leaving a total of nine openings.
Mondelez's Chief Executive Officer Irene Rosenfeld approached Hershey Chief Executive John Bilbrey again last week, and indicated that Mondelez would be willing to offer up to $115 per share for Hershey, according to a source familiar with the discussions who asked not to be identified because they were confidential.
Hershey responded that the trust would not be able to consider an offer until it is reconstituted next year, the source said. Even then, Hershey would not be willing to enter into deal negotiations for an offer of less than $125 per share, the source added.
Hershey did not respond to a request for comment. Its shares fell 11.4 percent in after hours trading in New York on Monday to $99.00.
"Following additional discussions, and taking into account recent shareholder developments at Hershey, we determined that there is no actionable path forward toward an agreement," Rosenfeld said in a statement.
The Hershey trust holds 81 percent of the company's voting stock, and so a sale is not possible without its approval. About two-thirds of its $12 billion in assets are in Hershey stock.
Mondelez's offer was half in cash and half in stock, sources have said. That means new board members of the trust, which must approve any sale of Hershey, could use such a transaction to substantially reduce its exposure in Hershey by partially cashing out on its stake.
"While we are disappointed in this outcome, we remain disciplined in our approach to creating value, including through acquisitions," Rosenfeld said on Monday.
(Reporting by Greg Roumeliotis in New York; Additional reporting by Gayathree Ganesan and Sruthi Shankar in Bengaluru; Editing by Kirti Pandey and Tom Brown) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-hershey-m-a-mondelez-intl-idUSKCN1142BE?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FtopNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Top+News%29 | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/9305828f8b86ce78775bbd53a92930474c94b6080cf4f4c5683ce9ed5d910875.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-29T10:52:05 | null | 2016-08-29T10:12:50 | Nam Tai Property Inc | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2FidUSASC094MX%3Ftype%3DcompanyNews%26feedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DcompanyNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FcompanyNews%2B%2528News%2B%252F%2BUS%2B%252F%2BCompany%2BNews%2529.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources_v2/images/rcom-default.png | en | null | BRIEF-Nam Tai property announces strategic cooperation agreement with China Construction Bank | null | null | www.reuters.com | BRIEF-Mylan to launch first generic to EpiPen auto-injector at a List Price of $300 per Two-Pack Carton
* To launch first generic to EpiPen auto injector at a list price of $300 per two-pack carton, a more than 50% discount to the brand product | http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSASC094MX?type=companyNews&feedType=RSS&feedName=companyNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FcompanyNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Company+News%29 | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/866c39160234265cb41a6a7c9e64ad74649310417c08863cc7b331e6b0cf74c0.json |
[
"Jim Finkle"
] | 2016-08-31T11:03:23 | null | 2016-08-31T09:57:27 | SWIFT, the global financial messaging system, on Tuesday disclosed new hacking attacks on its member banks as it pressured them to comply with security procedures instituted after February's high-profile $81 million heist at Bangladesh Bank. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-cyber-heist-swift-idUSKCN11600C%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DtopNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FtopNews%2B%2528News%2B%252F%2BUS%2B%252F%2BTop%2BNews%2529.json | http://s2.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160831&t=2&i=1151701794&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7U003 | en | null | Exclusive: SWIFT discloses more cyber thefts, pressures banks on security | null | null | www.reuters.com | The SWIFT logo is pictured in this photo illustration taken April 26, 2016. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri/Illustration/File Photo
SWIFT, the global financial messaging system, on Tuesday disclosed new hacking attacks on its member banks as it pressured them to comply with security procedures instituted after February's high-profile $81 million heist at Bangladesh Bank.
In a private letter to clients, SWIFT said that new cyber-theft attempts - some of them successful - have surfaced since June, when it last updated customers on a string of attacks discovered after the attack on the Bangladesh central bank.
"Customers’ environments have been compromised, and subsequent attempts (were) made to send fraudulent payment instructions," according to a copy of the letter reviewed by Reuters. "The threat is persistent, adaptive and sophisticated - and it is here to stay."
The disclosure suggests that cyber thieves may have ramped up their efforts following the Bangladesh Bank heist, and that they specifically targeted banks with lax security procedures for SWIFT-enabled transfers.
The Brussels-based firm, a member-owned cooperative, indicated in Tuesday's letter that some victims in the new attacks lost money, but did not say how much was taken or how many of the attempted hacks succeeded. It did not identify specific victims, but said the banks varied in size and geography and used different methods for accessing SWIFT.
A SWIFT spokeswoman declined to elaborate on the recently uncovered incidents or the security issues detailed in the letter, saying the firm does not discuss affairs of specific customers.
All the victims shared one thing in common: Weaknesses in local security that attackers exploited to compromise local networks and send fraudulent messages requesting money transfers, according to the letter.
Accounts of the attack on Bangladesh Bank suggest that weak security procedures there made it easier to hack into computers used to send SWIFT messages requesting large money transfers. The bank lacked a firewall and used second-hand, $10 electronic switches to network those computers, according to the Bangladesh police.
SWIFT has repeatedly pushed banks to implement new security measures rolled out after the Bangladesh heist, including stronger systems for authenticating users and updates to its software for sending and receiving messages. But it has been difficult for SWIFT to force banks to comply because the nonprofit cooperative lacks regulatory authority over its members.
SWIFT told banks Tuesday that it might report them to regulators and banking partners if they failed to meet a November 19 deadline for installing the latest version of its software, which includes new security features designed to thwart the type of attacks described in its letter.
The security features include technology for verifying credentials of people accessing a bank's SWIFT system; stronger rules for password management; and better tools for identifying attempts to hack the software.
(For a graphic on how hackers made off with millions, click tmsnrt.rs/29WrMai)
SWIFT is trying coerce members into prioritizing cyber-security by threatening to share confidential information about security lapses that banks want to keep private, said Shane Shook, an independent security consultant who advises central banks.
"That type of information sharing is something that no bank likes to see happen without their direct approval and involvement, because it can affect market confidence," Shook said.
SWIFT disclosed the new hacks after reports of previous incidents prompted regulators in Europe and the United States to urge banks to bolster cyber-security.
Other cases involving fraudulent transfer requests include the theft of more than $12 million from Ecuador's Banco del Austro and a failed attempt later in 2015 to steal money from Vietnam's Tien Phong Bank.
The attacks have prompted regulators globally to press banks to bolster defenses.
The Bank of England in April ordered UK firms to detail actions to secure computers connected to the SWIFT system, while the European Banking Authority in May said domestic authorities should stress test banks for cyber risks.
The Federal Reserve and other U.S. agencies told banks in June to review protections against fraudulent money transfers.
Six U.S. senators on Monday urged the G20 nations to agree when they meet at a summit this weekend on a “coordinated strategy to combat cyber-crime at critical financial institutions.”
(Reporting by Jim Finkle in Boston. Additional reporting by Jonathan Spicer in New York.; Editing by Brian Thevenot.) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-cyber-heist-swift-idUSKCN11600C?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FtopNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Top+News%29 | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/185b69641124c1b2d4bf94e6df89290806a86b449dae2c3e1ee912516752965f.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-30T05:04:53 | null | 2016-08-30T04:39:57 | The group of islands in the East China Sea, called the Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, are historically Japan's territories, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told Reuters on Tuesday in an interview. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-japan-suga-china-idUSKCN1150A6%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DworldNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2BReuters%252FworldNews%2B%2528Reuters%2BWorld%2BNews%2529.json | http://s2.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160830&t=2&i=1151528028&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7T044 | en | null | Japan top spokesman: Senkaku islands historically Japan's territories | null | null | www.reuters.com | The city government of Tokyo's survey staff's boat sails around a group of disputed islands known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China in the East China Sea, in this picture taken by Tokyo Metropolitan Government on September 2, 2012. REUTERS/TOKYO METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT/Handout
TOKYO The group of islands in the East China Sea, called the Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, are historically Japan's territories, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told Reuters on Tuesday in an interview.
Japan hopes to respond calmly to the territorial dispute over the islands, Suga added.
Ties between Asia's two largest economies have long been plagued by arguments over their painful wartime history and a territorial spat over the tiny uninhabited isles in the East China Sea as well as regional rivalry and mutual mistrust.
(Reporting by Minami Funakoshi; Editing by Richard Borsuk) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-japan-suga-china-idUSKCN1150A6?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Reuters%2FworldNews+%28Reuters+World+News%29 | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/86feea0cd3a33045aca1ae33913fe8eb085b15bd758821cedfcbe5f262d20d37.json |
[
"Heather Somerville"
] | 2016-08-26T13:21:05 | null | 2016-08-26T08:47:11 | Chinese powerhouse Didi Chuxing's acquisition of Uber Technologies Inc's China operations marked the biggest move yet toward consolidation in an industry that many investors and Silicon Valley pundits view as a winner-take-all game. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-uber-ridesharing-analysis-idUSKCN1110B2%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DtechnologyNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FtechnologyNews%2B%2528Reuters%2BTechnology%2BNews%2529.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160826&t=2&i=1151139204&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7P05Z | en | null | Economists see ride-hailing industry as ripe for competition | null | null | www.reuters.com | A driver leaves the office of taxi-hailing service Uber Inc during a driver recruitment event in Hong Kong, China December 29, 2015. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu/File Photo
SAN FRANCISCO Chinese powerhouse Didi Chuxing's acquisition of Uber Technologies Inc's China operations marked the biggest move yet toward consolidation in an industry that many investors and Silicon Valley pundits view as a winner-take-all game.
On the day the Didi deal was announced earlier this month, Uber board member Bill Gurley said Uber's rivals in other markets had a slim chance of splitting the market with the dominant player, just as Uber struggled to erode Didi's share in China.
After China, the industry will consolidate in other markets, said Hans Tung, an Asia-focused investor and managing partner at GGV Capital, which backed Didi and Grab, a Singapore-based ride service.
"There will be a dominant No. 1," he said that same day.
The consensus of 11 economists interviewed by Reuters, however, suggests an entirely different scenario, one of perpetual competition in a business with relatively few barriers to entry.
"That one firm wins is a narrow and not accurate way to think about these firms," said David Evans, chairman of the Global Economics Group and co-author of a recent book that included Uber, "Matchmakers: The New Economics of Multisided Platforms."
Ten other economists who have studied ride-hailing agreed that the growing industry, which UBS estimates to be a $40 billion market, has room for at least two successful players, and perhaps a few smaller ones.
The industry, they said, has none of the elements that traditionally have enabled single companies to control a sector. If it is the first of its kind, a company can dominate markets that have huge infrastructure costs, such as putting up cell towers or laying pipes; a large workforce of employees with specialized skills; and customers who get locked into a service and have difficulty leaving for competitors.
Ride-services, by contrast, are relatively cheap to start, depend on contract labor with no inherent loyalty or specialized skills, and have free apps that can be downloaded in seconds.
"You may not want to try a new social networking site if your friends aren't on it," Evans said. "But you don't care what app your friends use for ride-hailing."
The question of whether on-demand ride services will remain open to new players has vexed startups and investors since Uber started the industry seven years ago.
Companies taking on Uber include Lyft in the United States, Grab in Southeast Asia, Ola in India and newer startups like New York City's Juno. In the United States, in particular, part of Uber's attraction to investors is the chance at grabbing the entire industry.
In a statement, Uber said: "The ridesharing industry around the world is highly competitive and innovative. That's good for riders."
Uber investor and board member Gurley argued that any competitor would need to pursue a different strategy - perhaps offering more luxury and high-end services - to successfully battle Uber in its strongest markets.
Didi, Ola and Grab did not respond to requests for comment.
When business magnate Carl Icahn invested $100 million into Lyft in early 2015, he told media outlets he saw "room for two." Chris Sacca, a prominent venture capitalist who invested in Uber, responded "This is a winner-take-all game," on Bloomberg television.
Lyft has hired an M&A firm and recently explored the possibility of acquisitions by several companies, a source familiar with the discussions said, and reports of a possible sale stimulated talk of whether it could compete with Uber.
Lyft says it can. In the United States, it says it more than tripled its drivers to about 315,000 in the last year. Between October and May it nearly doubled its annual gross revenue to $1.9 billion - although that figure does not reflect the many rider discounts and promotions Lyft offers.
Uber has 1.5 million drivers and projected $26 billion in gross revenue globally this year, based on a 2015 presentation for investors.
Last year, Lyft hit another benchmark: the wait time for a ride is three minutes, on par with Uber, said President and Co-Founder John Zimmer. At three minutes or less, a passenger will almost always complete the ride.
"You need a certain level of scale to get to three minutes," Zimmer said, referring to the number of drivers and passengers. "Once you reach that, if someone else has more scale, it doesn't matter."
New York-based Juno has brought on 12,000 drivers since launching earlier this year and already has hit the three-minute wait time in Manhattan, said Co-founder and CEO Talmon Marco.
"This is a fairly local industry," Marco said. "You can be a hero in New York and you can be zero in California, and it's OK."
In India, Uber and Ola are neck and neck around 45 percent of the market each after Uber's market share fell and Ola's rose in 2015, according to market research firm 7Park Data.
The challenge for new startups, however, is that leading companies subsidize their drivers and passengers as they prioritize gaining market share over profit. Both Uber and Lyft have spent heavily on driver bonuses and rider discounts and promotional credits.
"Everything that has happened in this space is completely artificial and funded by a glut of VC money," said Daniel Ramot, CEO and co-founder of startup Via, which completes about 200,000 rides each week in New York.
Economists argue that Lyft can be a profitable company with roughly 20 percent of a market, which would allow it to reduce expenses through economies of scale. Lyft and Uber only release market share statistics selectively, but Lyft maintains it has more than a 20 percent share in the majority of its top 20 regions.
An electric company, by comparison, would need massive scale to achieve enough efficiency to allow for profits, said Stephen Margolis, an economist and anti-trust expert at North Carolina State University.
Max Wolff, an economist at Manhattan Venture Partners, believes competition will thrive mainly because ride-hailing technologies are not overly complicated and drivers aren't earning enough money to be loyal to a single company.
There is room for other players even if Uber is dominant, he said. "They're not as big, but they're there, too. They're not some wheezing, dying remnant."
(Reporting by Heather Somerville; Editing by Peter Henderson and Brian Thevenot) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-uber-ridesharing-analysis-idUSKCN1110B2?feedType=RSS&feedName=technologyNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FtechnologyNews+%28Reuters+Technology+News%29 | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/fc334449466ad957938d17b69db7fc0d41bf9cf57fa3d4ff9374e7077776096c.json |
[
"Karolina Tagaris",
"Phoebe Fronista"
] | 2016-08-26T13:19:14 | null | 2016-08-25T22:48:37 | It is said to be the world's first weather station, to date back more than 2,000 years, and to have been used by merchants to tell the time - even in darkness. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-greece-archaeology-towerofwinds-idUSKCN1101OS%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DlifestyleMolt.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160825&t=2&i=1151031564&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7O138 | en | null | Ancient Greece's restored Tower of Winds keeps its secrets | null | null | www.reuters.com | A guard is seen inside the Tower of the Winds, open to the public for the first time in more than 200 years after being restored, in the Roman Agora, in Plaka, central Athens, Greece, August 23, 2016. Picture taken August 23, 2016. REUTERS/Michalis Karagiannis
The upper part of theTower of Winds, open to the public for the first time in more than 200 years after being restored, in the Roman Agora, in Plaka, central Athens, Greece, August 23, 2016. Picture taken August 23, 2016. REUTERS/Michalis Karagiannis
Tourists visit the Tower of the Winds, open to the public for the first time in more than 200 years after being restored, in the Roman Agora, in Plaka, central Athens, Greece, August 23, 2016. Picture taken August 23, 2016. REUTERS/Michalis Karagiannis
Tourists visit the Tower of the Winds, open to the public for the first time in more than 200 years after being restored, in the Roman Agora, in Plaka, central Athens, Greece, August 23, 2016. Picture taken August 23, 2016. REUTERS/Michalis Karagiannis
ATHENS It is said to be the world's first weather station, to date back more than 2,000 years, and to have been used by merchants to tell the time - even in darkness.
The Tower of the Winds, still standing on a slope on Athens's ancient Acropolis hill despite attempts by Lord Elgin to move it to Britain, has been restored and re-opened to the public for the first time in nearly 200 years.
No one knows who funded its lavish construction - the octagonal monument is made almost entirely of Pentelic marble, the same used for the Parthenon and rarely found in buildings other than temples.
At nearly 14 meters (46 ft) tall, it is credited to the architect and astronomer Andronikos of Cyrrhus, but all these years later no one knows exactly how it worked.
"It is, we believe, the world's first weather station," Stelios Daskalakis, head of conservation, told Reuters.
"It's located in the Roman Agora (market place) as it was of great value for the merchants to read the weather and also tell the time their goods would arrive," he said.
Atop its fully-preserved roof, made of 24 marble slabs, rests a Corinthian capital which possibly served as the base of a bronze wind vane in the form of sea god Triton, Daskalakis said.
Beneath it is a frieze of eight Anemoi - wind gods of Greek mythology - each facing a different direction. And beneath that, lines of a sundial.
The greatest mystery remains how the clock worked at night. Based on the most prominent theory, a hydraulic mechanism powered a water clock device with water flowing from a stream on the Acropolis hill.
"It's unique in that such an important work was not a temple but had a utilitarian use, Daskalakis said. "We don't know who funded it, whether it was private or a high-ranking official. The only thing justifying such a high cost is Athens wanting to upgrade the Roman Agora."
LORD ELGIN AND THE DERVISHES
Its use a clocktower and weather station was short-lived. Its mechanism is believed to have been looted during the Roman period and has never been found, Daskalakis said.
But over the years, the Aerides, as the monument is also known, also served as a church and restorers have discovered fragments of frescoes with Christian subject matter, including an angel and a saint on horseback.
Using a multispectral camera, they also uncovered its fanciful interior and exterior decoration rich in color, such as deep Egyptian Blue for the ceiling and a red and blue meander, or decorative border.
Late in the city's period under Ottoman rule, the monument was also used as a place of worship by Sufi Muslim Whirling Dervishes. A mihrab niche was carved in the direction of Mecca and Ottoman inscriptions decorate its walls.
Its use as a Muslim place of worship saved it from the hands of British diplomat Lord Elgin, who took prized Parthenon marbles from the Acropolis some 200 years ago, Daskalakis said.
"In 1799 he began planning the transfer of the entire monument to Britain. But it was considered a sacred place and they did not allow the monument to be uprooted," he said.
The monument has been largely shut to the public since the Dervishes left in 1828, barring brief use to store antiquities in 1843. The years took their toll, as did natural disasters, and pollution, prompting a full restoration which began in 2014.
While the mysteries surrounding the mechanism have yet to be resolved, its value remains undisputed. "It certainly was a very important building for the era," Daskalakis said.
(Editing by Jeremy Gaunt) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-greece-archaeology-towerofwinds-idUSKCN1101OS?feedType=RSS&feedName=lifestyleMolt | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/3bc8509408f48b3ea8e7c5a3a27a3158244c9a3d89c119ac3bbf563c355f998d.json |
[
"Ross Kerber",
"Jessica Toonkel"
] | 2016-08-26T20:49:44 | null | 2016-08-26T20:29:56 | The granddaughter of Viacom Inc's controlling shareholder Sumner Redstone has agreed to let a Massachusetts court dismiss claims brought by former company leaders, a step that will help end a battle over the fate of the media empire. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-viacom-redstone-idUSKCN1112C6%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DbusinessNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FbusinessNews%2B%2528Business%2BNews%2529.json | http://s2.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160826&t=2&i=1151219207&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7P1F4 | en | null | Redstone granddaughter agrees to case dismissal, helps broader deal | null | null | www.reuters.com | FILE PHOTO: Sumner Redstone, executive chairman of CBS Corp. and Viacom, arrives at the premiere of 'The Guilt Trip' in Los Angeles December 11, 2012. REUTERS/Fred Prouser/File Photo
CANTON, Mass. The granddaughter of Viacom Inc's controlling shareholder Sumner Redstone has agreed to let a Massachusetts court dismiss claims brought by former company leaders, a step that will help end a battle over the fate of the media empire.
Lawyers for Keryn Redstone said at a Massachusetts court hearing on Friday they have also agreed to mediate remaining parts of her family dispute and that she will have an in-person meeting with her 93-year-old grandfather.
"There will be peace in the Redstone valley" said Keryn Redstone's attorney Pierce O'Donnell, speaking to reporters after the hearing at Norfolk County Probate and Family Court in Canton, Massachusetts.
Keryn Redstone's interest in a family trust is worth $1 billion, he said.
While some terms must still be hammered out, Friday's agreements will help end an ongoing legal saga over whether Redstone was mentally competent when he removed former Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman and board member George Abrams from a trust that will determine the fate of his media empire.
On Saturday, Viacom announced that it had come to an agreement with Redstone, and his privately-held National Amusements Inc, which owns 80 percent of the voting shares of Viacom and CBS Corp [nL1N1B10MX}.
Dauman has stepped down as CEO and will receive as much as $90 million in cash and stock-based compensation, according to the agreement.
But Keryn Redstone, who is Shari Redstone's niece and was replaced as a trustee in 2012, had challenged the validity of the settlement agreement because she believes her grandfather is being manipulated by his daughter Shari.
Under the settlement, the board of Viacom added the five directors that National Amusements put forward in June, bringing the board to 15 directors after Dauman departs. Three of those directors are expected to step down after Viacom's annual meeting next year, a source familiar with the situation told Reuters last week.
Despite that settlement, Keryn Redstone filed a cross-complaint in connection to Dauman's lawsuit. In a filing on Thursday she also questioned if Dauman's side did enough to assure themselves that Redstone had the mental capacity to understand the terms.
Friday's court hearing drew about two dozen lawyers representing the various Redstone family members plus Dauman, Abrams and others. A morning session included heated moments as it became clear that most of the family was looking to end the litigation, while O'Donnell sought to raise questions about Redstone's mental capacity.
Sumner Redstone has not spoken on an investor call since 2014 and has not spoken directly about the settlement since it was announced this month.
Attorney Robert Klieger portrayed Sumner Redstone's health as stable, saying the aging media mogul has had "no recent hospitalizations." There is, Klieger said, "No reason to believe that Mr. Redstone will not still be here with us for the duration of this case on any reasonable schedule."
(Reporting by Ross Kerber; Editing by Nick Zieminski) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-viacom-redstone-idUSKCN1112C6?feedType=RSS&feedName=businessNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FbusinessNews+%28Business+News%29 | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/ed537eb2f2cb122e8a9baa86ff106ba5ebb511f0e1800194785bcae44f5a22e8.json |
[
"Richard Lough"
] | 2016-08-26T13:19:02 | null | 2016-08-26T11:14:50 | French Prime Minister Manuel Valls defended a ban on burkinis in more than a dozen coastal towns on Thursday, saying France was locked in a "battle of cultures" and that the full-body swimsuit symbolized the enslavement of women. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-religion-burqa-france-idUSKCN1101K1%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DlifestyleMolt.json | http://s1.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160825&t=2&i=1151024779&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7O10A | en | null | French PM defends burkini ban but some in cabinet wary | null | null | www.reuters.com | Australian Muslim swimming instructor Fadila Chafic wears her full-length 'burkini' swimsuit during a swimming lesson with her children Taaleen (L) and Ibrahim at swimming pool in Sydney, August 23, 2016. REUTERS/Jason Reed
A Muslim woman wears a burkini, a swimsuit that leaves only the face, hands and feet exposed, as she swims in the Mediterranean Sea in Marseille, France, August 17, 2016. REUTERS/Stringer
Protesters demonstrate against France's ban of the burkini, outside the French Embassy in London, Britain August 25, 2016. REUTERS/Neil Hall
Protesters demonstrate against France's ban of the burkini, outside the French Embassy in London, Britain August 25, 2016. REUTERS/Neil Hall
Protesters demonstrate against France's ban of the burkini, outside the French Embassy in London, Britain August 25, 2016. REUTERS/Neil Hall
Protesters demonstrate against France's ban of the burkini, outside the French Embassy in London, Britain August 25, 2016. REUTERS/Neil Hall
A Muslim woman wears a burkini, a swimsuit that leaves only the face, hands and feet exposed, on a beach in Marseille, France, August 17, 2016. REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo
A Muslim woman wears a burkini, a swimsuit that leaves only the face, hands and feet exposed, as she swims in the Mediterranean Sea in Marseille, France, August 17, 2016. REUTERS/Stringer
Protesters demonstrate against France's ban of the burkini, outside the French Embassy in London, Britain August 25, 2016. REUTERS/Neil Hall
Protesters demonstrate against France's ban of the burkini, outside the French Embassy in London, Britain August 25, 2016. REUTERS/Neil Hall
French President Francois Hollande (R) speaks with Prime Minister Manuel Valls before a meeting with European social democratic leaders at the castle of La Celle Saint-Cloud, near Paris, France, August 25, 2016. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes
Protesters demonstrate against France's ban of the burkini, outside the French Embassy in London, Britain August 25, 2016. REUTERS/Neil Hall
PARIS French Prime Minister Manuel Valls defended a ban on burkinis in more than a dozen coastal towns on Thursday, saying France was locked in a "battle of cultures" and that the full-body swimsuit symbolized the enslavement of women.
Photographs of armed police ordering a Muslim woman on a beach in the Mediterranean city of Nice to partially disrobe went viral on social media this week, upsetting many French Muslims and causing global consternation.
In a sign of rifts opening in the socialist government before a presidential election in 2017, France's Moroccan-born education minister said the debate was fanning racist rhetoric and being used for political gain. The health minister said France's secular values did not mean a rejection of religion.
"We have to wage a determined fight against radical Islam, against these religious symbols which are filtering into public spaces," Valls said in an interview on BFM-TV.
Reiterating his stance on the issue, he said: "For me the burkini is a symbol of the enslavement of women."
France's Conseil d'Etat, its highest administrative court, on Thursday began hearing a request by a human rights group for the burkini ban in the Mediterranean town of Villeneuve-Loubet to be overturned.
The debate over the burkini ban encapsulates the difficulties secular France faces as it grapples with a response to homegrown jihadists and foreign militants, following Islamist attacks on Nice and a Normandy church in July, and major deadly attacks in Paris last year. Security and immigration are now central issues in the presidential election campaign.
Former head of state Nicolas Sarkozy, who joined the presidential race on Monday, told the Figaro magazine that France under President Francois Hollande had become too timid.
"The Burkini is a political act, a militant act, a provocation. Women who wear it are testing the Republic," Sarkozy told the magazine in comments to be published on Friday.
In a demonstration of how the Burkini controversy has reverberated abroad, British author J. K. Rowling tweeted: "So Sarkozy calls the Burkini a 'provocation'. Whether women cover or uncover their bodies, seems we're always 'asking for it.'"
France is not the only country where restrictions on face and head coverings are back in the spotlight, and debate on assimilation is raging in Western Europe after a wave of militant strikes and an immigration crisis that has forced a rethink of Europe's internal open border policy.
In Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives want a partial ban on the niqab, or face veil, while in Austria right-wing politicians have called for a ban on the burqa, which covers the face and body. In Switzerland there are calls for a popular vote on a ban on the burqa.
On a visit to Paris on Thursday, London's Muslim mayor, Sadiq Khan, condemned the ban, saying no one should tell women what to wear.
"I don't think it's right," Khan told the Evening Standard newspaper. "One of the joys of London is that we don't simply tolerate difference, we respect it, we embrace it."
ISLAMIC STATE AND THE BURKINI
The burkini has been banned by at least 15 French towns from Corsica to the northern coast but most restrictions have been enforced in the southeast, an area where the far-right is strong and which is a gateway and home for many immigrants.
It has also been a fertile zone for Islamist militant networks recruiting would-be jihadists to fight in Syria.
The stigma caused by the ban "would only encourage Islamic State's recruiters", said Abdallah Zekri of the National Observatory against Islamaphobia.
At least two ministers came out in open disagreement with the government's stance on the burkini bans on Thursday.
"To pretend that swimming veiled or bathing on a beach dressed is in itself threatening to public order and the values of the Republic is to forget that those (secular) values are meant to allow each person to safeguard their identity," Health Minister Marisol Touraine wrote on her website.
Education Minister Najat Vallaud-Belkacem said she opposed burkinis but dismissed the argument of Prime Minister Valls that the ban was a useful tool in France's fight against militants.
"There is no link between the terror attacks of Daesh and the dress of a woman on the beach," Vallaud-Belkacem told Europe 1 radio, using the Arabic acronym for Islamic State.
While Valls on Thursday rejected the idea the ban might fuel sympathies for militant groups, some government officials are worried.
One senior French government official warned that missteps would only exacerbate tensions heightened since a Tunisian drove his truck through a crowd in Nice last month, killing 86 people, and youths slit the throat of a Catholic priest in Normandy.
"We have several million Muslims in France who are mostly moderates or non-practicing. If they feel that it is the only subject in public debate they won't feel at home and will be tempted to withdraw to their communities," the official said.
The Conseil d'Etat is expected to rule on the Villeneuve-Lobet ban on Friday at 3 p.m. (1300 GMT).
(Additional reporting by Francois Rosnoblet in Cassis and John Irish and Michel Rose in Paris; editing by Timothy Heritage and Peter Graff) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-religion-burqa-france-idUSKCN1101K1?feedType=RSS&feedName=lifestyleMolt | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/3579d81cb2fd3eda37e2700dbd09dbd67db04b8b750c6a42d38cebc6e12ec1f5.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-27T04:59:33 | null | 2016-08-27T04:42:42 | Top seed Agnieszka Radwanska put on a dominant performance against double defending champion Petra Kvitova to ease into the final of the Connecticut Open with a 6-1 6-1 triumph on Friday. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-tennis-women-connecticut-idUSKCN11202Y%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DsportsNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FsportsNews%2B%2528Reuters%2BSports%2BNews%2529.json | http://s2.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160827&t=2&i=1151248605&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7Q01G | en | null | Radwanska crushes Kvitova to ease into Connecticut final | null | null | www.reuters.com | Aug 18, 2016; Mason, OH, USA; Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) serves against Johanna Konta (GBR) on day six during the Western and Southern tennis tournament at Linder Family Tennis Center. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports - RTX2LYGQ
Top seed Agnieszka Radwanska put on a dominant performance against double defending champion Petra Kvitova to ease into the final of the Connecticut Open with a 6-1 6-1 triumph on Friday.
Kvitova, who also won the event in 2012, was looking to join Venus Williams and Caroline Wozniacki as four-time winners of the tournament but the sixth-seeded Czech was completely overwhelmed by the Polish world number four.
The two-time Wimbledon champion committed 17 unforced errors in the first set and never got into the match, which was completed in 77 minutes.
The fast-starting Radwanska won the first five games of the match and then reeled off the opening four of the second set to stay in control throughout.
The Pole advances to face Ukrainian Elina Svitolina, who overcame Johanna Larsson 6-4 6-2 to reach the final. Larsson enjoyed an improbable run in the tournament after reaching the main draw when other players withdrew, the Swede upsetting Italy's Roberta Vinci in the quarter-finals before coming up short against the 21-year-old Svitolina.
The 10th-seeded Svitolina shocked Serena Williams on her way to a quarter-finals at the Rio Olympics and a victory in this warm-up event for next week's U.S. Open would be her second of the year after she triumphed in Malaysia in May.
(Writing by Jahmal Corner in Los Angeles; Editing by John O'Brien) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-tennis-women-connecticut-idUSKCN11202Y?feedType=RSS&feedName=sportsNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FsportsNews+%28Reuters+Sports+News%29 | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/bdb9fa00db684a3be334f40b9f3e64b05eda939cea76d22ef1d5d48b28d7ea75.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-28T13:04:34 | null | 2016-08-28T12:38:36 | Russia on Sunday lifted its ban on charter flights to Turkey, the government said on its website. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-mideast-crisis-russia-turkey-idUSKCN1130H7%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DworldNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2BReuters%252FworldNews%2B%2528Reuters%2BWorld%2BNews%2529.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources_v2/images/rcom-default.png | en | null | Russia lifts ban on charter flights to Turkey | null | null | www.reuters.com | MOSCOW Russia on Sunday lifted its ban on charter flights to Turkey, the government said on its website.
Russia banned charter flights to Turkey, which was a popular holiday destination for Russians, after the shooting down of a Russian air force jet by Turkey's military last November.
(Reporting by Katya Golubkova; Editing by Louise Ireland) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-russia-turkey-idUSKCN1130H7?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Reuters%2FworldNews+%28Reuters+World+News%29 | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/a8ce7ab318176e8def4bbc482c60742d636b1fa00fbf549f8983a056289aecf1.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-27T21:02:33 | null | 2016-08-27T20:14:04 | Colombia's main rebel group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces, said in a statement on Saturday they will hold their final conference on Sept. 13-19 to ratify a peace accord with the government. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-colombia-rebels-meeting-idUSKCN1120R9%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DtopNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FtopNews%2B%2528News%2B%252F%2BUS%2B%252F%2BTop%2BNews%2529.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160827&t=2&i=1151299229&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7Q0L9 | en | null | Colombia's FARC rebels to hold final conference, peace vote September 13-19 | null | null | www.reuters.com | Carlos, a member of the 51st Front of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), is seen at a camp in Cordillera Oriental, Colombia, August 16, 2016. REUTERS/John Vizcaino
Eduar, a member of the 51st Front of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), is seen wearing a cap with badges showing images of Che Guevara and FARC's late founder Manuel Marulanda at a camp in Cordillera Oriental, Colombia, August 16, 2016. REUTERS/John Vizcaino
A machine gun and a chair are pictured in at a camp of the 51st Front of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) in Cordillera Oriental, Colombia, August 16, 2016. REUTERS/John Vizcaino
A member of the 51st Front of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) walks at a camp in Cordillera Oriental, Colombia, August 16, 2016. REUTERS/John Vizcaino
Leidi, a member of the 51st Front of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), poses for a picture at a camp in Cordillera Oriental, Colombia, August 16, 2016. REUTERS/John Vizcaino
BOGOTA Colombia's main rebel group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces, said in a statement on Saturday they will hold their final conference on Sept. 13-19 to ratify a peace accord with the government.
The deal between the leaders of the leftist guerilla group, referred to as FARC, and the government was announced Wednesday in Havana, after almost four years of talks. The rebels have agreed to lay down arms after half a century of war.
Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos has sent the text of the accord to Congress, where legislators have 30 days to go over it before a national referendum on Oct. 2.
(Reporting by Helen Murphy; Writing by Alden Bentley; Editing by Bernard Orr) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-colombia-rebels-meeting-idUSKCN1120R9?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FtopNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Top+News%29 | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/e3a4e53c699fc9ebc450201ce654b81000b504057f06d4a91931cb30d076d25c.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-29T20:52:08 | null | 2016-08-29T20:34:55 | Amazon.Com Inc | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2FidUSFWN1BA0CY%3Ftype%3DcompanyNews%26feedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DcompanyNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FcompanyNews%2B%2528News%2B%252F%2BUS%2B%252F%2BCompany%2BNews%2529.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources_v2/images/rcom-default.png | en | null | BRIEF-Amazon to open fulfillment center in Monee | null | null | www.reuters.com | BRIEF-Mondelez International no longer pursuing combination with Hershey
* Mondelez International Inc says it has ended discussions with Hershey Company regarding a possible combination of two companies | http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSFWN1BA0CY?type=companyNews&feedType=RSS&feedName=companyNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FcompanyNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Company+News%29 | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/a3eaea193fc171d38f13b430ec1930e2118fa66efb8d59af345ff1612dba074d.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-30T12:52:42 | null | 2016-08-30T12:15:11 | Tropical Depression Eight of the 2016 Atlantic hurricane season is likely to develop into a tropical storm later on Tuesday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-storm-atlantic-nhc-idUSKCN1151FW%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DenvironmentNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252Fenvironment%2B%2528News%2B%252F%2BUS%2B%252F%2BEnvironment%2529.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources_v2/images/rcom-default.png | en | null | Tropical Depression Eight likely to strengthen into storm: NHC | null | null | www.reuters.com | Tropical Depression Eight of the 2016 Atlantic hurricane season is likely to develop into a tropical storm later on Tuesday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.
"Slow strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours," the NHC added.
The system was located about 85 miles (135 kilometers) south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina and with maximum sustained winds of 35 miles per hour (55 km/h), the Miami-based weather forecaster added.
(Reporting by Swati Verma in Bengaluru; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-storm-atlantic-nhc-idUSKCN1151FW?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2Fenvironment+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Environment%29 | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/1e82e0130be810a8147a727e9e1234a48bbeab31db639f39b6fb233c5cb13489.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-30T02:52:07 | null | 2016-08-30T01:08:57 | Eestor Corporation | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2FidUSASC094SI%3Ftype%3DcompanyNews%26feedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DcompanyNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FcompanyNews%2B%2528News%2B%252F%2BUS%2B%252F%2BCompany%2BNews%2529.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources_v2/images/rcom-default.png | en | null | BRIEF-Eestor Corporation qtrly loss per share $0.01 | null | null | www.reuters.com | GLOBAL MARKETS-Asia stocks bounce, dollar dips on Fed hike doubts
SYDNEY, Aug 30 Asian shares bounced on Tuesday as doubts the Federal Reserve really would hike rates as soon as September undermined the dollar, while investors continued to count on more policy stimulus elsewhere in the world. | http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSASC094SI?type=companyNews&feedType=RSS&feedName=companyNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FcompanyNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Company+News%29 | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/653d6782cc4be0e079849907289442478c8128d3ae0ed8d179daad97cf04d509.json |
[
"Irene Klotz"
] | 2016-08-30T21:02:43 | null | 2016-08-30T20:14:04 | Elon Musk's SpaceX has signed its first customer to use a previously flown rocket, with launch planned for later this year, the companies said on Tuesday. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-space-spacex-idUSKCN1152LS%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DtechnologyNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FtechnologyNews%2B%2528Reuters%2BTechnology%2BNews%2529.json | http://s3.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160830&t=2&i=1151633064&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7T1IN | en | null | SpaceX signs first customer for used Falcon rocket | null | null | www.reuters.com | The recovered first stage of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is transported to the SpaceX hangar at launch pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida May 14, 2016. REUTERS/Joe Skipper/File Photo
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. Elon Musk's SpaceX has signed its first customer to use a previously flown rocket, with launch planned for later this year, the companies said on Tuesday.
The launch for Luxembourg-based satellite operator SES SA SESFg.LU will mark the first commercial reuse of a Falcon 9 rocket, which is crucial to efforts by technology entrepreneur Musk's Space Exploration Technologies Corp to reduce the cost of space launches.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed. SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell previously said the company was targeting a 30 percent discount for launches aboard previously flown rockets, which would bring the price down to about $43 million per flight, a fraction of what competitors charge.
SpaceX has so far landed six Falcon 9 rockets and will attempt to land its seventh after Saturday's scheduled launch in Florida of an Israeli communications satellite.
"We believe reusable rockets will open up a new era of spaceflight, and make access to space more efficient in terms of cost and manifest management,” Martin Halliwell, SES chief technology officer, said in a statement.
SES, which in 2013 became SpaceX’s first commercial customer, plans to launch its SES-10 communications satellite on a used Falcon 9 rocket in late 2016.
The rocket previously flew in April to send a cargo ship on its way to the International Space Station for NASA, said SpaceX spokesman John Taylor.
"Re-launching a rocket that has already delivered spacecraft to orbit is an important milestone on the path to complete and rapid reusability,” Shotwell said in the statement.
Musk founded SpaceX in 2002 with the goal of slashing launch costs to make travel to Mars affordable. The company plans to fly its first unmanned spacecraft to Mars in 2018 and send humans to Mars as early as 2024.
Musk is expected to unveil details of his Mars program at the International Astronautical Congress in Guadalajara, Mexico, next month.
SpaceX's major competitors are United Launch Alliance, a partnership of Lockheed Martin and Boeing, and Europe's Arianespace.
(Reporting by Irene Klotz; Editing by Alistair Bell) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-space-spacex-idUSKCN1152LS?feedType=RSS&feedName=technologyNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FtechnologyNews+%28Reuters+Technology+News%29 | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/f384a9847e21e2341cb8b74788b23907091f2f7237e52da08f425249cc53158c.json |
[
"Suzanne Barlyn"
] | 2016-08-26T13:19:16 | null | 2016-08-25T20:39:39 | A Wells Fargo & Co mortgage unit will pay $3.45 million to some customers because of a processing error that delayed the mailing of letters to almost 8,000 homeowners in bankruptcy and shortened their notice period about changes to monthly mortgage payment amounts, according to a court document. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-wells-fargo-fine-idUSKCN1102HU%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DPersonalFinance%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Bnews%252Fwealth%2B%2528Reuters%2BWealth%2BNews%2529.json | http://s3.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160825&t=2&i=1151081366&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7O1KO | en | null | Wells Fargo to pay homeowners $3.45 million over mailing error | null | null | www.reuters.com | The Wells Fargo bank branch is seen in Golden, Colorado in an October 11, 2013 file photo. REUTERS/Rick Wilking/Files
A Wells Fargo & Co mortgage unit will pay $3.45 million to some customers because of a processing error that delayed the mailing of letters to almost 8,000 homeowners in bankruptcy and shortened their notice period about changes to monthly mortgage payment amounts, according to a court document.
The unit, called Wells Fargo Bank NA, agreed on the sum in a pact with the Department of Justice's U.S. Trustee Program, which oversees the country's bankruptcy system, according to a letter from the bank filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Greenbelt, Maryland.
Wells Fargo agreed to fix the mailing error and give credits and refunds worth $3.45 million to affected homeowners.
Inquiries by an independent compliance monitor hired by the bank as part of an $81.6 million settlement with the Justice Department last year uncovered the problem, said Cliff White, director of the U.S. Trustee Program's executive office, in a statement. [L1N13025Y]
In that agreement last year, Wells Fargo settled claims that it denied thousands of homeowners a chance to challenge mortgage payment increases imposed during their bankruptcy proceedings.
The latest $3.45 million deal reached with Wells Fargo supplements that settlement, the U.S. Trustee Program said. The bank also has agreed to expanded compliance monitoring.
A Wells Fargo spokesman said it self-reported the mailing delay to the U.S. Trustee Program upon learning of the problem and that it is providing timely delivery of documents.
(Reporting by Suzanne Barlyn; Editing by Bill Rigby) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-wells-fargo-fine-idUSKCN1102HU?feedType=RSS&feedName=PersonalFinance&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+news%2Fwealth+%28Reuters+Wealth+News%29 | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/a14d17be314cd26a66598051f9b65d90df40b2ab90742b76233a90db72ecf659.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-29T18:52:28 | null | 2016-08-29T18:06:07 | One of the stars of "Ice Road Truckers," a reality TV show about the hazards of driving the frozen highways of northern Canada and Alaska, was killed in a plane crash in Montana over the weekend, a spokeswoman for the History channel said on Monday. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-people-ward-idUSKCN11421F%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DentertainmentNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252Fentertainment%2B%2528News%2B%252F%2BUS%2B%252F%2BEntertainment%2529.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources_v2/images/rcom-default.png | en | null | Star of reality TV's 'Ice Road Truckers' killed in plane crash | null | null | www.reuters.com | NEW YORK One of the stars of "Ice Road Truckers," a reality TV show about the hazards of driving the frozen highways of northern Canada and Alaska, was killed in a plane crash in Montana over the weekend, a spokeswoman for the History channel said on Monday.
Darrell Ward, 52, was flying to Missoula to begin filming a pilot episode about the recovery of plane wrecks for a new documentary-style show, according to his Facebook page.
"We are saddened by the tragic loss of Darrell Ward, a beloved member of the History family," the channel said in a statement. "He will be greatly missed and our thoughts are with his family during this difficult time."
The co-pilot of the Cessna 182, 56-year-old Mark Melotz, was also killed when the plane crashed on the shoulder of Interstate 90 while trying to land at a nearby airstrip, according to local media. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash.
Ward had finished filming the 10th season of "Ice Road Truckers," a show in which drivers haul cargo across dangerous frozen lakes and rivers to remote communities in Canada and Alaska.
(Reporting by Patricia Reaney; Editing by Frank McGurty and Paul Simao) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-people-ward-idUSKCN11421F?feedType=RSS&feedName=entertainmentNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2Fentertainment+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Entertainment%29 | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/925da63ef304cb02fbccb4ee82c97e213b7cef963434bf614bb179de5e0c9f36.json |
[
"Jason Lange",
"Ann Saphir"
] | 2016-08-26T15:02:23 | null | 2016-08-26T14:05:29 | The case for raising U.S. interest rates has strengthened in recent months because of improvements in the labor market and expectations for moderate economic growth, Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said on Friday. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-usa-fed-yellen-idUSKCN1111ND%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DtopNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FtopNews%2B%2528News%2B%252F%2BUS%2B%252F%2BTop%2BNews%2529.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160826&t=2&i=1151177890&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7P0XX | en | null | Fed's Yellen says case for interest rate hike has strengthened | null | null | www.reuters.com | Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen attends a news conference after chairing the second day of a two-day meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee to set interest rates in Washington, DC, U.S. on June 17, 2015. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo
JACKSON HOLE, Wyo. The case for raising U.S. interest rates has strengthened in recent months because of improvements in the labor market and expectations for moderate economic growth, Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said on Friday.
Yellen did not indicate when the U.S. central bank might raise rates, but her comments reinforced the view that such a move could come later this year. The Fed has policy meetings scheduled in September, November and December.
Speaking at a three-day international gathering of central bankers in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Yellen said the "U.S. economy was nearing the Federal Reserve's statutory goals of maximum employment and price stability."
"In light of the continued solid performance of the labor market and our outlook for economic activity and inflation, I believe the case for an increase in the federal funds rate has strengthened in recent months," Yellen said in prepared remarks.
She added that the Fed still thinks future rate increases should be "gradual."
The Fed raised rates in December, its first hike in nearly a decade, but it has held off further increases so far this year due to a global growth slowdown, financial market volatility and generally tepid U.S. inflation data.
Investors currently see an 18 percent probability the Fed will raise rates at its September policy meeting and a 53 percent chance of an increase in December, according to CME Group's FedWatch tool.
Yellen's comments, by failing to lay out a clear roadmap for what the Fed needs to see to raise rates, will likely not convince some investors that a rate increase is imminent, in part because Fed policymakers are seen as sharply divided over whether to increase rates soon or take a more cautious approach.
Yellen was speaking on Friday at a Fed conference on designing new monetary policy frameworks, with central bankers eager to find new ways to stimulate economies even after they have cut rates to near zero and flooded banks with money.
She devoted much of her speech to outlining how the Fed may deal with future recessions now that many economists and Fed officials believe that an aging population and other dynamics appear to be slowing U.S. economic growth over the long term.
Because slower growth means future U.S. interest rates will likely also need to be lower on average, some analysts have suggested that the Fed will have less room to fight future recessions because there will be less room to cut rates.
Such a view is "exaggerated," Yellen said, because the Fed will be able to use bond purchases and forward guidance to ease conditions. It may also want to explore other options, including broadening the range of assets it can purchase, raising the inflation target, or targeting nominal GDP, she said.
(Reporting by Jason Lange and Ann Saphir; Additional reporting by Lindsay Dunsmuir in Washington; Editing by Paul Simao) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-fed-yellen-idUSKCN1111ND?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FtopNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Top+News%29 | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/fe0943a77966eb3d7fa68b3964689ad6ff751b959e12ecb2b4a437f921571812.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-31T04:59:52 | null | 2016-08-31T04:01:01 | Senator John McCain survived a Tea Party challenge when he won Arizona's Republican nominating contest on Tuesday, enabling him to seek a sixth term as U.S. senator from the southwestern state, according to media projections. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-usa-election-mccain-idUSKCN1160BC%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DpoliticsNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2BReuters%252FPoliticsNews%2B%2528Reuters%2BPolitics%2BNews%2529.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160831&t=2&i=1151670395&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7U05Z | en | null | U.S. Senator McCain wins Arizona Republican nominating contest | null | null | www.reuters.com | Wasserman Schultz wins Florida Democratic nod in House race: Miami Herald
WASHINGTON U.S. Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida, who last month lost her job as head of the Democratic National Committee, won a bid on Tuesday to be her party's nominee for a seventh term in the U.S. House of Representatives, the Miami Herald reported. | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-mccain-idUSKCN1160BC?feedType=RSS&feedName=politicsNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Reuters%2FPoliticsNews+%28Reuters+Politics+News%29 | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/df953bde5b1b5856ca0bcf9a3ff380be9fb5d59e9a47a103229e76cbfdd66a36.json |
[
"Reuters Editorial"
] | 2016-08-28T17:04:36 | null | 2016-08-28T16:43:36 | The foreign ministers of Germany, France and Poland agreed on Sunday there should be greater international efforts to end the fighting in eastern Ukraine, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier told reporters. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-ukraine-crisis-germany-idUSKCN1130O1%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DworldNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2BReuters%252FworldNews%2B%2528Reuters%2BWorld%2BNews%2529.json | http://s3.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160828&t=2&i=1151353927&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7R0E7 | en | null | Germany, Poland and France call for more efforts to end Ukraine crisis | null | null | www.reuters.com | German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier (C), Poland's Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski (L) and French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayraultin arrive to the Weimar Triangle meeting in Weimar, Germany, August 28, 2016. REUTERS/Jens Meyer/Pool
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier (C), Poland's Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski (L) and French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayraultin arrive to the Weimar Triangle meeting in Weimar, Germany, August 28, 2016. REUTERS/Jens Meyer/Pool
Poland's Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski (L to R), German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayraultin sign the 'Golden Book' of the city of Weimar besides Bodo Ramelow, governor of the German state of Thuringia, (2nd R), and Stefan Wolf, Lord Mayor of Weimar, (3rd L), during the Weimar Triangle meeting in Weimar, Germany, August 28, 2016. REUTERS/Jens Meyer/Pool
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Poland's Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski and French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayraultin start their working session at the Weimar Triangle meeting in Weimar, Germany, August 28, 2016. REUTERS/Jens Meyer/Pool
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier (C), Poland's Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski (R) and French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayraultin start their working session at the Weimar Triangle meeting in Weimar, Germany, August 28, 2016. REUTERS/Jens Meyer/Pool
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier (R) talks to the Poland's Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski (L) and French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayraultin in Weimar, Germany, August 28, 2016. REUTERS/Jens Meyer/Pool
WEIMAR, Germany The foreign ministers of Germany, France and Poland agreed on Sunday there should be greater international efforts to end the fighting in eastern Ukraine, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier told reporters.
He said there had not been sufficient progress in implementing the Minsk agreement. Western officials were talking with Russia and Ukraine to encourage them to implement measures already agreed in the Minsk process, including communal elections, he said.
"We have to work for a de-escalation of the situation," he said.
(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; editing by Andrew Roche) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-ukraine-crisis-germany-idUSKCN1130O1?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Reuters%2FworldNews+%28Reuters+World+News%29 | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/a7d98f49a729cc547014f7d417f7aaf22276fe7da7343fec7c36d3170784eadd.json |
[
"Tim Kelly",
"Nobuhiro Kubo"
] | 2016-08-31T11:03:22 | null | 2016-08-31T10:27:20 | Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) (7011.T) is in talks with an unidentified U.S. company over a possible partnership to develop an armored vehicle that for the first time could see a Japanese firm build arms for a foreign customer, a senior executive said. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-mhi-defense-usa-idUSKCN1160KX%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DtopNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FtopNews%2B%2528News%2B%252F%2BUS%2B%252F%2BTop%2BNews%2529.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160831&t=2&i=1151704926&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7U0IX | en | null | Mitsubishi Heavy discusses U.S. armored vehicle tie up after losing sub deal | null | null | www.reuters.com | The logo of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is seen at the company's Sagamihara plant in Sagamihara, Japan, July 4, 2016. REUTERS/Maki Shiraki
A Japanese Ground Self-Defense Force Type 10 armoured tank fires during an annual training session near Mount Fuji at Higashifuji training field in Gotemba, west of Tokyo, Japan August 25, 2016. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File Photo
Members of a tank unit of Japan's Self-Defense Forces (SDF) riding on Type-10 armoured tanks take part in a military review during the annual troop review ceremony at Asaka Base in Asaka, near Tokyo October 27, 2013. REUTERS/Issei Kato/File Photo
TOKYO Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) (7011.T) is in talks with an unidentified U.S. company over a possible partnership to develop an armored vehicle that for the first time could see a Japanese firm build arms for a foreign customer, a senior executive said.
MHI is moving forward in the talks in the wake of its failure, as part of a Japanese government bid, to win a $40 billion contract to sell submarines to Australia.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's administration had hoped that the contract would be Japan's first major export deal after ending a decades-old ban on foreign arms sales in April 2014.
A partnership with a U.S. firm may prove an easier route into overseas markets for the globally inexperienced company.
"The U.S. is the easiest overseas market for us to do business in," Hisakazu Mizutani, the head of MHI's Defense and Space Systems business told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday.
Better known as the maker of the World War Two-era Zero fighter, Japan's leading defense contractor has hitherto developed kit exclusively for the nation's Self Defense Forces (SDF), which controls the rights to that technology.
Building arms for foreign customers could give MHI more control of the intellectual property and make it easier for the firm to get approval to sell its products overseas.
Mizutani said MHI was keeping the Japanese government informed of its discussions with the U.S. company. The results of those talks may be known by the year end, he added.
"We are in talks with a U.S. company are also discussing it with Japan's Ministry of Defense," Mizutani said.
"We were approached by the U.S. company," he added.
Since Japan's defeat in 1945 and the start of its close security alliance with the U.S., MHI has built partnerships with big American defense contractors including Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N), Boeing Co (BA.N) and Raytheon Co (RTN.N).
They have partnered on projects for the SDF such as its F-2 fighter, and agreed on licensed production of equipment including Patriot missile batteries, Chinook helicopters and other aircraft.
A partnership in armored vehicles would provide new avenues for MHI, the maker of Japan's main battle tank, to sell its defense technology in overseas markets.
Potential foreign partners could be attracted by MHI's armored vehicle technology, notably its heavy-duty tank engines, its gear technology and water jet propulsion systems that could be used to drive amphibious vehicles.
In its latest budget request on Wednesday, Japan's defense ministry said it will begin research on a new amphibious assault vehicle to replace the AAV7 built by the U.S. unit of BAE Systems Plc (BAES.L). The U.S. Marine Corp is also mulling a replacement for the 40 year old vehicle.
(Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mhi-defense-usa-idUSKCN1160KX?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FtopNews+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Top+News%29 | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/dc424b6d8ff20fe251599b8505c4cb9fda869c93fca84dd3850f61b86e1ccb5e.json |
[
"Huw Jones"
] | 2016-08-31T10:51:33 | null | 2016-08-31T10:03:16 | The financial system's ability to cope with Britain's vote to leave the European Union and with doubts over growth prospects show the benefits of rules introduced since the 2008 collapse of Lehman Brothers bank, a global watchdog said on Wednesday. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reuters.com%2Farticle%2Fus-g20-banks-regulations-idUSKCN11614F%3FfeedType%3DRSS%26feedName%3DbusinessNews%26utm_source%3Dfeedburner%26utm_medium%3Dfeed%26utm_campaign%3DFeed%253A%2Breuters%252FbusinessNews%2B%2528Business%2BNews%2529.json | http://s4.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20160831&t=2&i=1151702454&w=&fh=545px&fw=&ll=&pl=&sq=&r=LYNXNPEC7U0KY | en | null | G20 watchdog says bank rules working well, digs deeper into markets | null | null | www.reuters.com | Mark Carney, Bank of England Governor and the chairman of the Financial Stability Board (FSB), leaves a news conference after FSB plenary session in Tokyo, Japan, March 31, 2016. REUTERS/Yuya Shino/File Photo - RTX2DSFJ
LONDON The financial system's ability to cope with Britain's vote to leave the European Union and with doubts over growth prospects show the benefits of rules introduced since the 2008 collapse of Lehman Brothers bank, a global watchdog said on Wednesday.
The Financial Stability Board (FSB), which coordinates financial regulation across the Group of 20 (G20) economies, has introduced rules forcing lenders to hold more capital since the collapse of Lehman Brothers triggered a financial crisis.
"Events this year have shown that the work to fix the fault lines that led to the financial crisis is paying off and is now helping to support strong, sustainable and balanced growth," FSB chairman Mark Carney said in a letter to G20 leaders who meet in China this weekend.
"As implementation progresses, the financial sector is increasingly absorbing shocks rather than amplifying them."
More work is on the cards.
Carney said the board would make recommendations in early 2017 to reduce misconduct after banks have been fined billions of dollars for attempting to rig interest rate benchmarks and currency markets.
The FSB will also highlight next year regulatory issues that "merit policy attention" in the financial technology or fintech sector.
The FSB has already studied whether rules introduced so far have had unintended effects. Banks have argued they make it uneconomic to hold the inventories of bonds needed to buy or sell at all times to keep markets "liquid".
Carney said there was limited evidence that new rules had harmed liquidity in normal times, but the FSB would dig deeper into the growing use of platforms to trade bonds, and the use of computerized trading.
It will also study the repo or repurchase agreement markets, a form of short-term borrowing backed by government bonds, used for day-to-day funding and a key element of liquidity.
Banks are trying to persuade regulators, who meet on Friday, to water down remaining elements in Basel III, the world's core regulatory response to the financial crisis.
The lenders say that unchanged, these elements amount to a big increase in capital requirements which they dub Basel IV.
Carney, who is also governor of the Bank of England, reiterated that the regulators are committed to not significantly increasing overall capital requirements across the banking sector when they complete the work by year end.
The FSB reforms aim to stop banks from being "too big to fail", but the board said substantial work remained to be done before regulators could close a big cross-border bank in trouble without triggering market upheavals.
Regulators have full cooperation agreements covering only half of the world's 30 top banks and two of the biggest insurers, the FSB said.
Carney said the board would also finalize by year-end recommendations to introduce new liquidity rules for funds by the end of 2017, and develop a "simple and consistent measure of leverage" for funds by the end of 2018.
(Reporting by Huw Jones; Editing by Mark Potter) | http://www.reuters.com/article/us-g20-banks-regulations-idUSKCN11614F?feedType=RSS&feedName=businessNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FbusinessNews+%28Business+News%29 | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | www.reuters.com/355fb0e53949e350076ac7328ea8f8ccbc9dcf03be598fd6870f05a8238d0ccb.json |
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