Monday, May 30, 2016

Samsung C&T to appeal against ruling on Cheil deal price

SEOUL, May 31 (Reuters) - South Korea's Samsung C&T Corp

said it plans to appeal against a court ruling

ordering it to pay a higher price for a share buyback offer made

during a merger last year that consolidated stakes in key

Samsung Group affiliates.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Viacom's independent directors vow to fight ouster attempt

NEW YORK, May 30 (Reuters) - Viacom Inc's six

independent directors will fight any attempt to oust them from

the U.S. media company's 11-member board, Lead Independent

Director Fred Salerno said in a letter to shareholders on

Monday.

Read more

Viacom Director Salerno says board will contest removal attempt

NEW YORK, May 30 (Reuters) - Viacom Inc's

independent directors will fight any attempt to remove them from

the media company's board, Lead Independent Director Fred

Salerno said in a letter to shareholders on Monday.

Read more

Egypt journalist union chiefs charged with harbouring wanted colleagues

CAIRO, May 30 (Reuters) - The head of Egypt's journalists'

union and two of its board members were in police detention on

Monday on charges of harbouring colleagues wanted by the law and

spreading lies, their lawyer and a fellow union official said.

Read more

Outrage mounts over gorilla killing in boy's rescue at Ohio zoo

CINCINNATI, May 30 (Reuters) - Animal lovers mobilized on

Monday as outrage mounted over the Cincinnati Zoo's killing of a

gorilla to rescue a 4-year-old boy who fell into the animal's

enclosure.

Read more

LVMH appoints Luxottica executive as Loro Piana CEO

MILAN, May 30 (Reuters) - French luxury goods group LVMH

has appointed Fabio d'Angelantonio as the next chief

executive of high-end textile and clothing company Loro Piana,

it said on Monday.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Kuka investor Voith says positive stance on Midea bid premature

FRANKFURT, May 30 (Reuters) - Kuka management's

positive stance towards a 4.5 billion euro ($5 billion) takeover

bid by China's Midea is premature, the chief

executive of the German firm's major shareholder Voith

said on Monday.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Strong Jaguar Land Rover sales drive tripling of profit at India'a Tata Motors

* Jaguar Land Rover capex for FY 2016-17 raised to 3.75 bln

pounds

Read more

REUTERS SUMMIT-Bulgaria targets 20 pct rise in FDI this year to S2.1 bln -inward investment agency

* For other news from Reuters Eastern Europe Investment

Summit, click on http://www.reuters.com/summit/EasternEuropeInvestment16

Read more

UPDATE 1-Eataly to list 30 pct stake in next two years -chairman

* Eataly to open 3 new food stores in U.S. by March '17

(Adds quotes by Eataly founder, Autogrill)

Read more

Peugeot family to meet French govt over stake in carmaker - source

PARIS, May 30 (Reuters) - The Peugeot family plans to hold

informal talks with the government on Tuesday to discuss the

future of its stake in the French carmaker Peugeot PSA Citroen

, a source familiar with plans for the discussions said

on Monday.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Verizon, union agree pay raises, new jobs to end strike

May 30 (Reuters) - A tentative agreement between Verizon

Communications Inc and unions to end a nearly seven-week

strike includes 1,400 new jobs and pay raises topping 10

percent, the company and unions representing about 40,000

workers said on Monday.

Read more

Cool, cheap and green: Polystyrene homes catch on in Kenya

KAJIADO, Kenya, May 30 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Justus

Opiyo lives in one of around 50 polystyrene houses in a new

development in Kajiado County, southeast of Nairobi, and says it

has a major advantage over his previous homes.

Read more

MIDEAST STOCKS-Bourses fall in broad sell-off after oil dips below $50

* Saudi shares closes at pre-economic reform announcement

levels

Read more

Finland's Kesko has considered Russian grocery exit, but no talks

HELSINKI/MOSCOW, May 30 (Reuters) - Finland's second-biggest

retailer Kesko has examined selling its grocery

operations in Russia after just four years, but said on Monday

this had not resulted in any negotiations.

Read more

UPDATE 1-India's Mahindra net profit rises on new SUVs, truck sales

MUMBAI, May 30 (Reuters) - Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd

, India's top-selling utility vehicle maker, expects

its automotive and tractor units to grow faster than the

industry this fiscal year, an executive said after the company

posted a rise in quarterly profit.

Read more

After long boom, Canada's housing shows some cooling signs

VANCOUVER/TORONTO, May 30 (Reuters) - Seven years into a

Canadian housing boom that many have warned will end in a bust,

there are signs of a sales slowdown in the two hottest cities,

with some economists and real estate agents saying the peak has

passed.

Read more

Alibaba tells vendors to halt drug sales online, cites government rule change

SHANGHAI, May 30 (Reuters) - Chinese e-commerce firm Alibaba

Group Holding Ltd has told vendors on its Tmall website

to stop selling medicine, saying a local regulator has issued an

"urgent" directive halting drug sales via third-party platforms.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Turkey's Erdogan accuses Russia of arming PKK militants -newspaper

* Turkey Deputy PM says ties can be "fixed in short while"

(Recasts with government officials, adds Deputy PM comment)

Read more

UPDATE 1-China hails brotherly Africa relations after "racist" ad outcry

BEIJING, May 30 (Reuters) - China and Africa are "good

brothers" and China respects all people regardless of race, the

government said on Monday after a detergent maker apologised for

an advert showing a black man bundled into a washing machine

that many called racist.

Read more

Turkey's Erdogan: No Muslim family should engage in birth control

ISTANBUL, May 30 (Reuters) - No Muslim family should engage

in birth control or family planning, Turkish President Tayyip

Erdogan said on Monday, calling again on pious Muslims to have

more children.

Read more

Australia miners merge, hope to boost lithium sales

SYDNEY, May 30 (Reuters) - Galaxy Resources and

General Mining on Monday agreed to a A$216 million

($155 million) merger to consolidate their lithium mines in

Australia, Canada and Argentina, with prices for the metal

soaring on growing demand for electric vehicles.

Read more

Audi halts production at German plant due to flooding

BERLIN, May 30 (Reuters) - German luxury carmaker Audi

said it has stopped production at its second-biggest

plant in southwestern Germany because of flooding.

Read more

Vivendi controls more than 50 pct of Gameloft's shares-Les Echos

PARIS, May 30 (Reuters) - French media group Vivendi

controls more than 50 percent of Gameloft's

shares following the unsolicited bid it launched for the mobile

video games maker in February, French business daily Les Echos

reported on Monday.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Indian minister: discussing Apple's request for FDI rules waiver

NEW DELHI, May 30 (Reuters) - The Indian government on

Monday said it was discussing Apple Inc's foreign

direct investment application that seeks a waiver from a local

sourcing rule.

Read more

Chinese detergent maker apologises for "racist" TV ad

BEIJING, May 30 (Reuters) - A Chinese detergent maker has

apologised for a television advertisement that many in China and

around the world called racist, but also blamed the media for

causing the public outcry.

Read more

Global treaty "only realistic way" to stop supply chain abuse: rights group

LONDON, May 30 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - A new

international treaty is needed to compel businesses to stamp out

abuses such as child labour and modern-day slavery in their

supply chains, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Monday at the

start of a global labour summit in Geneva.

Read more

Sunday, May 29, 2016

S.Korea won falls to near 1-wk low on Yellen remarks, stocks edge down

* Won falls by near 1 pct on high possibility of Fed rate

hike

* KOSPI pares losses on offshore monetary income

SEOUL, May 30 (Reuters) - The South Korean won fell

sharply on Monday morning after U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Janet

Yellen's speech on Friday signalled a growing likelihood of an

interest rate hike in June or July.

The won stood at 1,190.2 per dollar as of 0220

GMT, down 0.9 percent compared to Friday's close of 1,179.3, and

the lowest since May 24.

Yellen said t

Read more

S.Korea April dept store sales growth at 3-mth high

SEOUL, May 30 (Reuters) - South Korea's department store

sales in April rose at their fastest pace in three months, final

government data showed on Monday, as warmer weather and more

holidays in the month pried open consumers' wallets.

Read more

RPT-China bets on duty-free paradise to keep luxury spenders at home

SANYA, China, May 30 (Reuters) - China's efforts to lift

local consumption, spur domestic tourism and keep within its

borders citizens that splurge in Milan or Seoul have spawned a

duty-free paradise on the southern island of Hainan that it

hopes will satisfy a lust for luxury.

Read more

China bets on duty-free paradise to keep luxury spenders at home

SANYA, China, May 30 (Reuters) - China's efforts to lift

local consumption, spur domestic tourism and keep within its

borders citizens that splurge in Milan or Seoul have spawned a

duty-free paradise on the southern island of Hainan that it

hopes will satisfy a lust for luxury.

Read more

Australia new homes sales fall in April -industry survey

SYDNEY, May 30 (Reuters) - Sales of new homes in Australia

fell in April after a surprisingly strong surge the previous

month, an industry survey showed on Monday, an outcome that

still pointed to healthy home construction.

Read more

RPT-Australian TV station sacks producer over Lebanon child recovery bungle

SYDNEY, May 27 (Reuters) - A producer of Australian current

affairs programme "60 Minutes" has been sacked after a bid to

snatch two children off a busy Beirut street went awry, landing

a mother and a television crew in prison, the broadcaster said

on Friday.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Killing of gorilla to save boy at Ohio zoo sparks outrage

May 29 (Reuters) - The killing of a gorilla at the

Cincinnati Zoo after a 4-year-old boy tumbled into the ape's

enclosure triggered outrage and questions about safety, but zoo

officials called the decision to use lethal force a tough but

necessary choice.

Read more

Killing of gorilla to save boy at Ohio zoo sparks outrage

May 29 (Reuters) - The killing of a gorilla at the

Cincinnati Zoo after a 4-year-old boy tumbled into the ape's

enclosure triggered outrage and questions about safety, but zoo

officials called the decision to use lethal force a tough but

necessary choice.

Read more

Iran orders social media sites to store data inside country

DUBAI, May 29 (Reuters) - Iran has given foreign messaging

apps a year to move data they hold about Iranian users onto

servers inside the country, prompting privacy and security

concerns on social media.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Georg Fischer has several internal candidates for CEO - SonntagsZeitung

ZURICH, May 29 (Reuters) - Machinery, pipes and car-parts

maker Georg Fischer is grooming several internal

candidates to replace Chief Executive Yves Serra when he turns

65 in two years, the Swiss company's chairman, Andreas Koopmann,

told the weekly SonntagsZeitung.

Read more

Box Office: 'X-Men: Apocalypse' Hits $65 Million, 'Alice Through the Looking Glass' Flops

LOS ANGELES, May 29 (Variety.com) - Fox's "X-Men:

Apocalypse" and Disney's "Alice Through the Looking Glass"

squared off over Memorial Day weekend, but both blockbuster

hopefuls emerged bruised from this box office clash of the

titans.

Read more

Switzerland's Fischer grooms CEO candidates - SonntagsZeitung

ZURICH, May 29 (Reuters) - Machinery, pipes and car-parts

maker Georg Fischer is grooming several internal

candidates to replace Chief Executive Yves Serra when he turns

65 in two years, the Swiss company's chairman, Andreas Koopmann,

told the weekly SonntagsZeitung.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Iran says its pilgrims will not attend haj in Saudi

DUBAI, May 29 (Reuters) - Iran said on Sunday its pilgrims

would not attend the annual Muslim haj pilgrimage, blaming

regional rival Saudi Arabia for "sabotage" and failing to

guarantee the safety of pilgrims.

Read more

Data analysis from Paris raid on Google will take months, possibly years -prosecutor

PARIS, May 29 (Reuters) - Analysis of data seized by

investigators in last week's raid of Google's Paris

headquarters could possibly take years, French financial

prosecutor Eliane Houlette said on Sunday.

Read more

Iran says its pilgrims will not attend haj in Saudi Arabia

DUBAI, May 29 (Reuters) - Iran's Haj and Pilgrimage

Organisation said on Sunday the country's pilgrims would not

attend the annual Muslim haj pilgrimage, blaming regional rival

Saudi Arabia for "sabotage" and failing to guarantee the safety

of pilgrims.

Read more

Japan's Aso calls for lower house elections if tax hike is delayed -Kyodo

TOKYO, May 29 (Reuters) - Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso

said the lower house of the parliament should be dissolved

followed by a general election if the increase in the

consumption tax is delayed, the Kyodo news agency reported on

Sunday.

Read more

French finmin rules out Google tax deal, more firms could be targeted

PARIS, May 29 (Reuters) - France will "go all the way" to

ensure that multinationals operating on its soil pay their taxes

and more cases could follow after Google and McDonald's were

targeted by tax raids, Finance Minister Michel Sapin said.

Read more

Saturday, May 28, 2016

Cincinnati gorilla killed after boy falls into zoo enclosure

May 28 (Reuters) - A male gorilla in the Cincinnati Zoo was

killed by keepers on Saturday after he dragged around a

4-year-old boy who fell into the enclosure, a zoo official said.

Read more

German Protestant bishop wants Islam classes in all state schools

BERLIN, May 28 (Reuters) - The head of the Protestant Church

in Germany has called for Islam to be taught in state schools

across the country as a way to make young Muslims impervious to

the "temptation of fundamentalists".

Read more

Pakistan bans airing of 'undesired' contraceptive advertisements

ISLAMABAD, May 28 (Reuters) - Pakistan has banned

advertisements for contraceptive products on television and

radio over concern that they expose inquisitive children to the

subject of sex, local media reported on Saturday.

Read more

At G7, Cameron keeps lid on press pack's "Brexit" probing

ISE-SHIMA, Japan, May 28 (Reuters) - In Japan, ostensibly to

cover Prime Minister David Cameron's talks with other G7

leaders, travelling reporters had other things on their minds --

mainly next month's vote on whether Britain should ditch its

membership of the European Union.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Colombia's ELN rebels free three kidnapped journalists

BOGOTA, May 27 (Reuters) - Three journalists held by

Colombia's Marxist ELN rebels were freed on Friday after going

missing over the past six days in the restive Norte de Santander

province.

Read more

Friday, May 27, 2016

Spanish journalist held in Colombia freed, two others to be liberated soon

BOGOTA, May 27 (Reuters) - A Spanish journalist kidnapped by

Colombia's ELN rebels said on Friday she is safe after going

missing six days ago in restive Norte de Santander province, but

declined to give details on her disappearance.

Read more

Gawker privacy lawsuit evolves into battle of tech billionaires

SAN FRANCISCO, May 27 (Reuters) - Billionaire media owner

Pierre Omidyar is backing news and entertainment web site Gawker

Media in its lawsuit against wrestler Hulk Hogan, adding a new

twist to a case pitting technology money against press freedom.

Read more

Trump rules out U.S. presidential debate with Sanders

FRESNO, Calif., May 27 (Reuters) - U.S. Republican

presidential candidate Donald Trump on Friday ruled out a

one-on-one debate with second-place Democratic hopeful Bernie

Sanders, killing off a potentially high-ratings television

spectacle.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Sumner Redstone suggests he could oust Viacom board, CEO

May 27 (Reuters) - Sumner Redstone made clear on Friday that

he is considering ousting Viacom's chief executive and

the company's board of directors in the fierce power struggle

between Redstone's family and company executives over control of

the media empire.

Read more

UPDATE 1-U.S. drivers logging record miles in 2016

WASHINGTON, May 27 (Reuters) - American drivers logged a

record number of miles in the first three months of the year, as

travel rose 4.2 percent to 746 billion miles, the U.S.

Transportation Department said on Friday.

Read more

Court sets June 7 hearing on Viacom CEO's removal from Redstone trust

May 27 (Reuters) - A Massachusetts court has scheduled a

June 7 hearing on Viacom Chief Executive Philippe

Dauman's removal from the trust that will control the media

company when Sumner Redstone dies or is deemed incapacitated.

Read more

U.S. drivers logging record miles in 2016

WASHINGTON, May 27 (Reuters) - The U.S. Transportation

Department said Friday that American drivers logged a record

number of miles in the first three months of the year, as travel

rose 4.2 percent to 746 billion miles.

Read more

WHO guidance on infant milk formulas gets lukewarm backing

GENEVA, May 27 (Reuters) - National health officials stopped

short on Friday of fully endorsing World Health Organization

(WHO) guidelines to end the aggressive marketing of breast milk

substitutes and baby foods for newborn and older infants.

Read more

Motor racing-Kanaan fastest in Indy 500 final practice

INDIANAPOLIS, May 27 (Reuters) - Tony Kanaan set the pace in final practice on Friday for the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500, putting him in the hunt for a second win at the Brickyard.

Read more

Germany investigates publisher planning new edition of 'Mein Kampf'

BERLIN, May 27 (Reuters) - Public prosecutors in Germany are

investigating a publisher's plans to print a new edition of

Hitler's "Mein Kampf" without critical notes - a move that risks

violating laws against spreading Nazi propaganda.

Read more

Swedish crown princess' son Oscar christened in Stockholm

STOCKHOLM, May 27 (Reuters) - Swedish Crown Princess

Victoria's son was christened Oscar Carl Olof at a ceremony at

the royal palace chapel in Stockholm on Friday.

Read more

UPDATE 1-UK competition watchdog investigates Sainsbury-Home Retail deal

May 27 (Reuters) - Britain's competition watchdog said it

was launching an inquiry into supermarket chain J Sainsbury

Plc's 1.4 billion pound ($2 billion) takeover of Home

Retail Plc.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Five jailed for life in Uganda for al Shabaab World Cup bombings

KAMPALA, May 27 (Reuters) - Five men were jailed for life in

Uganda on Friday for their role in two al Shabaab bombings that

killed 76 people among crowds watching the World Cup soccer

final in July 2010.

Read more

INVESTMENT FOCUS-History suggests Volkswagen shares may struggle to bounce higher

* BP, Olympus remained well below pre-crisis levels, one

year on

Read more

Ugandan court sentences five men to life for 2010 bombings that killed 76 - Judge

KAMPALA, May 27 (Reuters) - A Ugandan High court sentenced

five people to life in prison on Friday for involvement in 2010

bombings that killed 76 people assembled to watch a soccer match

on television.

Read more

Syrian president denies media report of new Russian-drafted constitution

BEIRUT, May 27 (Reuters) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad

denied media reports on Friday that his ally Russia had drawn up

a new constitution for his country and presented it to his

government as part of international efforts to end the long

conflict.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Turkey tourist arrivals see biggest drop in 17 years

* Russian arrivals tumble 80 percent

(Recasts, adds comment and details)

Read more

WIDER IMAGE-Fishing for crabs: Venice's culinary Moeche delicacy

VENICE, Italy, May 27 (Reuters) - For a few days every

spring and autumn, the lagoon of canal-laced Venice yields a

very particular kind of catch and culinary treat.

Read more

Sydney landmarks light up for annual festival

SYDNEY, May 27 (Reuters) - The Sydney Opera House was among

a number of landmarks illuminated in colour as the annual Vivid

Sydney festival opened on Friday with more than 90 light

installations dotted across the Australian city.

Read more

Italians need convincing as well as connecting to join digital drive

* But weak demand puts returns for network investments at

risk

Read more

UPDATE 1-Automakers recall 12 million U.S. vehicles over Takata air bags

WASHINGTON, May 27 (Reuters) - Eight automakers announced a

recall affecting more than 12 million vehicles on Friday related

to defective Takata air bags, documents posted by U.S.

government regulators showed.

Read more

Florence fines Uffizi Gallery director for ticket tout warning

FLORENCE, Italy, May 27 (Reuters) - The city of Florence has

fined the head of the Uffizi Gallery for broadcasting publicity

without authorisation after he aired a recording warning

visitors not to buy entry to one of the world's most famous art

museums from ticket touts.

Read more

Automakers recall 12 million U.S. vehicles over Takata air bags

WASHINGTON, May 27 (Reuters) - Eight automakers said on

Friday they are recalling more than 12 million vehicles in new

recalls related to defective Takata air bags, according

to documents posted by U.S. government regulators.

Read more

Push for encryption law falters despite Apple case spotlight

WASHINGTON/ SAN FRANCISCO, May 27 (Reuters) - After a

rampage that left 14 people dead in San Bernardino, key U.S.

lawmakers pledged to seek a law requiring technology companies

to give law enforcement agencies a "back door" to encrypted

communications and electronic devices, such as the iPhone used

by one of the shooters.

Read more

UPDATE 7-Trump, Sanders explore staging unusual presidential debate

BISMARCK, N.D., May 26 (Reuters) - Republican Donald Trump

and Democrat Bernie Sanders on Thursday explored staging an

unconventional U.S. presidential debate that would sideline

Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton and create a television

spectacle that could attract huge ratings.

Read more

REFILE-Soccer-Manchester United appoint Mourinho as manager - club

LONDON, May 27 (Reuters) - Manchester United have appointed Jose Mourinho as their manager, the Premier League club said on Friday.

Read more

UPDATE 1-UK's KCOM expects lower full-year core earnings as costs rise

May 27 (Reuters) - KCOM Group Plc said on Friday it

expected core earnings for the current financial year to be

slightly lower than a year earlier, as the telecoms services

provider ramps up investments in its Hull and East Yorkshire

market to accelerate growth.

Read more

UK'S KCOM sees lower full-year EBITDA as costs rise

May 27 (Reuters) - KCOM Group Plc on Friday said

its core earnings for the current financial year would be lower,

as the telecoms services provider ramps up investments in its

Hull and East Yorkshire markets to accelerate growth.

Read more

Australian TV station sacks producer over Lebanon child recovery bungle

SYDNEY, May 27 (Reuters) - A producer of Australian current

affairs programme "60 Minutes" has been sacked after a bid to

snatch two children off a busy Beirut street went awry, landing

a mother and a television crew in prison, the broadcaster said

on Friday.

Read more

Thursday, May 26, 2016

Push for encryption law falters despite Apple case spotlight

WASHINGTON/ SAN FRANCISCO, May 27 (Reuters) - After a

rampage that left 14 people dead in San Bernardino, key U.S.

lawmakers pledged to seek a law requiring technology companies

to give law enforcement agencies a "back door" to encrypted

communications and electronic devices, such as the iPhone used

by one of the shooters.

Read more

REFILE-China eyes turning South China Sea islands into Maldives-style resorts

BEIJING, May 27 (Reuters) - China aims to turn some of the

islands in the disputed South China Sea into Maldives-style

resorts catering for weddings with new developments on areas

that don't need a military presence, a state-run newspaper

quoted a top official on Friday as saying.

Read more

UPDATE 3-U.S. panel launches trade secret theft probe into China steel

WASHINGTON/SHANGHAI, May 27 (Reuters) - U.S. regulators on

Thursday launched an investigation into complaints by United

States Steel Corp that Chinese competitors stole its

secrets and fixed prices, in the latest trade spat between the

two countries.

Read more

Shenzhen bourse queries Wanda Cinema's planned purchase of movie affiliate

HONG KONG, May 27 (Reuters) - China's Wanda Cinema Line Corp

said it has been asked by the Shenzhen stock

exchange to provide more information about its proposed $6

billion acquisition of a sister company that owns U.S. film

studio Legendary Entertainment.

Read more

China regulator to launch drug pricing probe in June

SHANGHAI, May 27 (Reuters) - China will carry out

wide-ranging pricing inspections on drug firms, hospitals and

procurement bodies from June 1, the country's top watchdog said

on Friday, extending a tough cost-cutting campaign to reduce the

price of healthcare.

Read more

China says "resolutely opposes" US trade secret theft probe over steel

SHANGHAI, May 27 (Reuters) - China resolutely opposes a

probe by the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) into

complaints of trade secret thefts by Chinese steel companies and

will encourage its firms to legally defend themselves, China's

commerce ministry said on Friday.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Missing journalists held captive by Colombia's ELN rebels -gov't

BOGOTA, May 26 (Reuters) - The Colombian Marxist rebel

group, the National Liberation Army, has kidnapped three

journalists, including one from Spain, who disappeared in recent

days near the border with Venezuela, government officials said

on Thursday.

Read more

Justin Bieber is sued over riff in smash hit 'Sorry'

May 26 (Reuters) - Canadian pop star Justin Bieber and the

co-writers of his 2015 smash hit "Sorry" are being sued for

allegedly stealing a vocal riff from another artist who said she

used it on her own song a year earlier.

Read more

Three missing journalists being held by Colombia's ELN rebels -gov't

BOGOTA, May 26 (Reuters) - The Colombian Marxist rebel

group, the National Liberation Army, is responsible for the

disappearance of three journalists who disappeared in recent

days near the border with Venezuela, Colombia's defense minister

said on Thursday.

Read more

US STOCKS-Wall Street hits 'pause' after two-day surge

* Abercrombie slumps after sales fall for 13th straight

quarter

Read more

UPDATE 3-Viacom CEO Dauman seeks trial by end-Sept over Redstone trust

May 26 (Reuters) - Viacom Inc Chief Executive

Officer Philippe Dauman has asked a Massachusetts court to

expedite a legal challenge to his removal from a trust that will

determine the entertainment company's future after controlling

shareholder Sumner Redstone dies or is deemed incapacitated.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Philips Lighting unit valued at 3.0 billion euros in IPO

AMSTERDAM, May 26 (Reuters) - Philips said on

Thursday it has set pricing in the initial public offering of

its lighting division at 20 euros per share.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Oops! Senator's article tells of phantom meeting with Obama nominee

WASHINGTON, May 26 (Reuters) - Republican U.S. Senator Orrin

Hatch wrote in an opinion piece published on Thursday that his

meeting with Merrick Garland failed to change his view that the

Senate should not act on President Barack Obama's U.S. Supreme

Court nominee.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Microsoft, Facebook to build transatlantic subsea cable

May 26 (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp and Facebook Inc

have agreed to jointly build a subsea cable across the

Atlantic Ocean to meet growing demand for high-speed cloud and

online services.

Read more

UPDATE 3-Dollar stores buck sluggish retail trend

* Dollar General, Dollar Tree shares hit record high

(Adds details from conference call, analyst comment; updates

shares)

Read more

Viacom CEO Dauman asks court to schedule trial over trust in Sept

May 26 (Reuters) - Viacom Inc Chief Executive

Officer Philippe Dauman asked a Massachusetts court to expedite

the legal challenge to his removal from the trust that will

determine the media conglomerate's future after controlling

shareholder Sumner Redstone dies or is deemed incapacitated,

according to a filing dated Wednesday.

Read more

WRAPUP 2-U.S. business spending mired in weakness, but economy picking up

WASHINGTON, May 26 (Reuters) - U.S. business spending

intentions weakened in April for a third straight month amid

soft demand for machinery, but a surge in contracts to purchase

previously owned homes to a 10-year high supported views

economic growth was gaining speed.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Gawker hires bank, makes "contingency" plans after Hogan lawsuit

May 26 (Reuters) - Gawker Media, the New York-based owner of

online news and gossip website Gawker.com, is exploring a sale

following a court ruling that it pay $140 million to wrestler

Hulk Hogan over the publication of a sex tape, according to two

sources familiar with the matter.

Read more

Workers protest at McDonald's shareholder meeting for second day

OAK BROOK, Ill., May 26 (Reuters) - Hundreds of protesters

rallied outside McDonald's Corp headquarters as

shareholders on Thursday approved executive compensation and

voted down a slate of shareholder resolutions, including those

involving political contributions and antibiotic use in meat

production.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Turning 90, Winnie-the-Pooh meets Britain's queen in new story

LONDON, May 26 (Reuters) - Winnie-the-Pooh turns 90 this

year and the much-loved children's character returns for a new

adventure in which he meets someone else celebrating the same

significant birthday -- Britain's Queen Elizabeth.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Sears explores options for two businesses; loss widens

May 26 (Reuters) - Sears Holdings Corp on Thursday

said it would seek partnerships or other arrangements to expand

its home-improvement service business and some of its best-known

brands, sending its shares up 6 percent.

Read more

UPDATE 1-South African retailer Foschini posts 18 pct profit jump

JOHANNESBURG, May 26 (Reuters) - South African clothing

retailer Foschini Group reported an 18 percent rise in

full-year profit on Thursday, boosted by last year's acquisition

of British chain Phase Eight.

Read more

BMW CEO poised to shake up top team - report

BERLIN, May 26 (Reuters) - BMW plans to appoint

new finance and purchasing chiefs as Chief Executive Harald

Krueger builds a younger management team to lead the German

carmaker into the future, a monthly magazine reported on

Thursday.

Read more

MIDEAST STOCKS-Saudi shares drop despite oil over $50 but Dubai lifted

* Saudi bourse falls as investors lack encouragement to

build positions

Read more

Winnie-the-Pooh turns 90, meets Britain's queen in new book

LONDON, May 26 (Reuters) - Winnie-the-Pooh turns 90 this

year and the much-loved children's character returns for a new

adventure in which he meets someone else celebrating the same

significant birthday -- Britain's Queen Elizabeth.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Apparel retailer Abercrombie's sales fall for 13th straight qtr

May 26 (Reuters) - Teen apparel retailer Abercrombie & Fitch

Co's sales fell for the 13th straight quarter as

customer traffic to its stores dropped, mainly in markets

outside the United States.

Read more

U.S. durable goods surge on transportation, but business spending weak

WASHINGTON, May 26 (Reuters) - Orders for long-lasting U.S.

manufactured goods surged in April on strong demand for

transportation equipment and a range of other products, but

continued weakness in business spending plans suggested the

manufacturing rout was far from over.

Read more

U.S. women get creative in fighting abortion stigma

NEW YORK, May 26 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - For Amelia

Bonow, having an abortion left her relieved that she was not

forced to become a mother but, still, she kept her story mostly

to herself.

Read more

Dollar General quarterly sales jump 7 pct

May 26 (Reuters) - Discount retailer Dollar General Corp

reported a 7 percent rise in quarterly net sales as more

customers came through the door and spent more on average.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Deteriorating advertising markets hit Britain's Daily Mail

* Media industry suffers from falling advertising income

(Adds details on industry, shares, analyst reaction)

Read more

UPDATE 1-Iran's Khamenei calls for vigilance against West's 'soft war' - state TV

ANKARA, May 26 (Reuters) - Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah

Ali Khamenei called for vigilance against what he called a "soft

war" mounted by the West and aimed at weakening the clerical

establishment, state television reported on Thursday.

Read more

Big Guards-owned company may lose out as Iran economy, politics shift

DUBAI, May 26 (Reuters) - Long used to lucrative state

contracts, Iran's biggest construction company faces leaner

times, as overseas firms better able to attract financing push

for orders in an economy trying to open to the world after years

of sanctions.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Takata committee in rescue talks with KKR, other investors-sources

* Sources: Takata committee in talks with KKR, other

investors

Read more

For world records, Indian man removes teeth and gets over 500 tattoos

NEW DELHI, May 26 (Reuters) - An Indian man obsessed with

setting Guinness world records got 366 flags tattooed on his

body and had all his teeth removed so he could put nearly 500

drinking straws and more than 50 burning candles in his mouth.

Read more

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Thai trading firm Berli to raise $6 bln via equity, bond issues

BANGKOK, May 26 (Reuters) - Thailand's Berli Jucker Pcl

said it planned to sell bonds and new shares via a

rights issue and a private placement to raise up to 214 billion

baht ($6.02 billion) and pay debt used to fund its acquisition

of Big C Supercenter Pcl.

Read more

KKR interested in becoming financial sponsor to Takata - Nikkei

TOKYO, May 26 (Reuters) - U.S. investment fund Kohlberg

Kravis Roberts (KKR) is interested in offering financial

support to embattled air bag maker Takata Corp, Japan's

Nikkei reported on Thursday.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Costco posts flat comparable U.S. sales for first time in 6 yrs

May 25 (Reuters) - Warehouse club retailer Costco Wholesale

Corp on Wednesday reported no growth in quarterly

comparable sales at U.S. stores for the first time in more than

six years, hurt by weak sales in April.

Read more

Costco's comparable sales miss estimates on weak sales in April

May 25 (Reuters) - Warehouse club retailer Costco Wholesale

Corp on Wednesday reported lower-than-expected

quarterly comparable sales, hurt by weak sales in April.

Read more

UPDATE 4-Takata hires Lazard, seeks cash infusion after air bag deaths

May 25 (Reuters) - Takata Corp confirmed on

Wednesday it has hired investment bank Lazard Ltd to lead a

financial restructuring in an effort to resolve costs stemming

from its recall of tens of millions of faulty air bags linked to

at least 13 deaths and more than 100 injuries worldwide.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Azerbaijan frees journalist whose case raised outcry in West

BAKU, May 25 (Reuters) - Azerbaijan on Wednesday released

investigative journalist Khadija Ismayilova from jail, where she

was serving a seven-and-a-half year sentence, in an apparent

move to deflect Western criticism of the ex-Soviet republic's

human rights record.

Read more

U.S. hails release of journalist by Azerbaijan -State Department

WASHINGTON, May 25 (Reuters) - The U.S. government welcomed

the release on Wednesday of Radio Free Europe journalist Khadija

Ismayilova from a prison in Azerbaijan, the State Department

said.

Read more

UPDATE 1-McDonald's closes headquarters due to expected worker protests

CHICAGO/LOS ANGELES, May 25 (Reuters) - McDonald's Corp

said on Wednesday it temporarily closed its suburban

Chicago headquarters for a third year in a row as fast-food

workers plan to protest at the company's annual shareholders

meeting with calls for wages of at least $15 an hour and union

rights.

Read more

COLUMN-Billionaire backing of Hogan won't upend $140 mln Gawker verdict: Frankel

NEW YORK May 25 (Reuters) - Eight hundred years ago, the

Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel might have been guilty of

crime for allegedly funding a privacy suit by the pro wrestler

Hulk Hogan.

Read more

Chilean retailer Cencosud sees big yearly jump in 1st qtr profit

SANTIAGO, May 25 (Reuters) - Chilean retailer Cencosud

reported a net profit of 107.7 billion pesos ($159.5

million) in the first quarter of 2016, a significant jump from a

net profit of 22.059 billion pesos the same period last year.

Read more

U.S. shopping mall REITs hurt by department store woes

NEW YORK, May 25 (Reuters) - After a spate of disappointing

quarterly results from big-name retailers, mall real estate

investment trusts (REITs) have come under pressure.

Read more

For some U.S. companies, millennials are giving way to Generation Z

NEW YORK, May 25 (Reuters) - A small but growing number of

companies are starting to target Generation Z - the 69 million

high school-age kids and younger who will soon outnumber the

millennials before them - and they are not just pitching typical

teen products such as acne creams and video games.

Read more

CORRECTED-Dollar stores' results may shelter battered retail shareholders

SAN FRANCISCO, May 25 (Reuters) - Investors shell-shocked by

dismal quarterly reports from department stores will look for

new signs of hope for brick-and-mortar retailers on Thursday as

discount sellers Dollar General Corp and Dollar Tree Inc

hand in their results.

Read more

Takata hires Lazard Ltd as financial advisor to consider restructuring alternatives

May 25 (Reuters) - Air bag manufacturer Takata Corp

hired investment bank Lazard to lead efforts to seek new

investment and help resolve financial issues stemming from its

record-setting recall of tens of millions of inflators that can

rupture, sources said Wednesday.

Read more

Court strikes down U.S. FCC broadcaster sales rules

WASHINGTON, May 25 (Reuters) - A U.S. federal appeals court

on Wednesday struck down regulations aimed at cracking down on

joint sales agreements by local broadcasters, saying an overall

review of media ownership rules was long overdue and needed to

be completed first.

Read more

REFILE-McDonald's headquarters closed due to worker wage protests

LOS ANGELES, May 25 (Reuters) - McDonald's Corp has

temporarily closed its headquarters for the third year in a row

as worker wage protests targeted the fast-food company's annual

meeting, it said on Wednesday.

Read more

Britain's FTSE climbs as banks and oil companies rise, M&S slumps

* M&S slumps after warning of short-term profit hit

(Adds detail and updates prices)

Read more

UPDATE 2-Cringin': British youth unimpressed with pro-EU campaign video

LONDON, May 25 (Reuters) - A campaign video urging young

Britons to "make sure you're #VOTIN" to stay in the European

Union in a June 23 referendum backfired on Wednesday, with some

young people denouncing it as patronising.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Luxury jeweler Tiffany reports steepest sales drop in 6 qtrs

May 25 (Reuters) - Tiffany & Co reported its

steepest sales drop in six quarters, missing analysts'

estimates, as a strong dollar discouraged tourists from buying

its high-end jewelry and ate into revenue from markets outside

the United States.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Mitsubishi Motors brings in new R&D chief, restates results after scandal

* Restates past year's net profit to 72.6 bln yen, from 89

bln

Read more

Radio Free Europe journalist freed from jail in Azerbaijan

BAKU, May 25 (Reuters) - Radio Free Europe journalist

Khadija Ismayilova has been freed from jail in Azerbaijan on

Wednesday after the country's Supreme Court amended her

imprisonment to 3 1/2 years of suspended sentence.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Swedish court upholds Assange arrest warrant

STOCKHOLM, May 25 (Reuters) - A Swedish lower court upheld

on Wednesday the arrest warrant for Wikileaks founder Julian

Assange, saying the stay at Ecuador's London embassy did not

equal detention.

Read more

EU seeks to make buying online abroad easier, postage cheaper

* EU to ban online discrimination based on country of

residence

Read more

UPDATE 1-Strong German business morale boosts growth hopes

* Ifo says companies not worried about Brexit vote

(Adds analysts)

Read more

Germany's Merkel says not worried about EU-Turkey migrant deal

BERLIN, May 25 (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel

said on Wednesday she was not worried about the migrant pact

between the European Union and Turkey, but more time was needed

to address sticking points on visa liberalisation for Ankara.

Read more

RPT-Investors bank on bookies for Brexit trends as pollsters sow confusion

LONDON, May 24 (Reuters) - Investors seeking guidance on

whether Britons will vote to leave the European Union are

relying as much on bookmakers and punters as the established

trackers of political trends, opinion pollsters.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Outsourcing firm Serco forecasts higher full-year profit

* Hikes FY profit est to at least 65 mln stg from c.50 mln

stg

Read more

Cringin': British youth unimpressed with pro-EU campaign video

LONDON, May 25 (Reuters) - A campaign video urging young

Britons to vote to stay in the European Union in a June 23

referendum backfired on Wednesday, with young people taking to

Twitter in droves to denounce it as patronising.

Read more

UPDATE 1-M&S says turnaround plan to hit profit in short term

LONDON, May 25 (Reuters) - British retailer Marks & Spencer

said on Wednesday its new boss's plan to turn around the

firm's underperforming clothing and homewares business would

impact short-term profit.

Read more

Outsourcing firm Serco forecasts higher full-year profit

May 25 (Reuters) - British outsourcing firm Serco Group Plc

forecast 2016 profit ahead of current market

expectations, citing the benefits of several contracts running

longer than previous anticipated and others being more

profitable.

Read more

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Mitsubishi Motors restates earnings due to special loss from mileage scandal

TOKYO, May 25 (Reuters) - Mitsubishi Motors Corp on

Wednesday restated its financial results for the past business

year to reflect a special loss of 19.1 billion yen ($173.73

million) related to its manipulation of fuel economy data.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Bidders fail to reach minimums for two rare US coins at auction

NEW YORK, May 24 (Reuters) - Two legendary U.S. coins, one

of them more than 200 years old, that were on the auction block

on Tuesday in New York City did not sell after bidders failed to

reach minimum reserved prices, according to Sotheby's.

Read more

Smucker takes on supermarkets with bold coffee price cut

NEW YORK, May 25 (Reuters) - When J.M. Smucker Co,

the biggest U.S. coffee roaster, changes prices of its popular

retail brands, it usually follows big swings up or down in

benchmark bean prices.

Read more

Australia shares rebound 1.7 pct, energy, resources firms lead

SYDNEY/WELLINGTON, May 25 (Reuters) - Australian shares

bounced sharply off a two-week low on Wednesday, led by gains in

the energy and resources sectors as strong data in the United

States boosted commodity prices and Wall Street stocks.

Read more

Toyota says all Japan car plants to operate between May 30-June 4

TOKYO, May 25 (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp said on

Wednesday all production lines at its domestic factories would

operate between May 30 and June 4, after output was partially

suspended following earthquakes in southern Japan last month.

Read more

War on terrier: Australia deputy PM dogs Depp with 'Hannibal Lecter' jibe

SYDNEY, May 25 (Reuters) - Australian Deputy Prime Minister

Barnaby Joyce on Wednesday billed himself as Hollywood star

Johnny Depp's Hannibal Lecter, playing mind games in his head

and escalating a "war on terrier".

Read more

Childhood goes up in smoke for Indonesian tobacco farm workers

PROBOLINGGO, Indonesia, May 25 (Reuters) - Thirteen-year-old

Siti Maryam says she suffers headaches and nausea after

harvesting tobacco leaves with her bare hands during four years

of working on her family's farm in Indonesia.

Read more

Trump, aiming to offset money disadvantage, escalates Clinton attacks

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK, May 24 (Reuters) - Donald Trump this

week took his use of sordid accusations against Democrat Hillary

Clinton to levels unprecedented in modern U.S. presidential

campaigns, in the latest example of the Republican's unorthodox

playbook.

Read more

Strong overseas demand boosts UK car production in April

LONDON, May 25 (Reuters) - British car production rose 16.4

percent year-on-year in April, boosted by strong demand from

overseas, an industry body said on Wednesday.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Australia's Wesfarmers signals $1.6 bln hit on Target, coal

SYDNEY, May 25 (Reuters) - Wesfarmers Ltd,

Australia's biggest company by sales, on Wednesday said it will

take impairment charges totalling up to A$2.2 billion ($1.6

billion) in fiscal 2016 due to poor coal prices and market

conditions at department store Target.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Daughter of detained Hong Kong bookseller appeals for U.S. help

WASHINGTON, May 24 (Reuters) - The daughter of a Hong

Kong-based bookseller detained in China appealed on Tuesday for

U.S. help in pressing China for information about his status and

securing his release.

Read more

UPDATE 2-California sues Johnson & Johnson over marketing for pelvic mesh

NEW YORK, May 24 (Reuters) - California has accused Johnson

& Johnson of failing to warn doctors and patients about

the severity and frequency of complications associated with its

pelvic mesh devices.

Read more

COLUMN-In defense of Ben Rhodes, Obama's foreign policy supremo

May 24 (Reuters) - Until earlier this month, relatively few

people outside the U.S. foreign policy community knew the name

Ben Rhodes. I suspect he wishes that were still the case.

Read more

Rare U.S. coins expected to fetch up to $27 million at New York auction

NEW YORK, May 24 (Reuters) - Two legendary U.S. coins, one

of them more than 200 years old, were expected to bring a total

as high as $27 million when they hit the auction block on

Tuesday in New York City, according to Sotheby's.

Read more

WRAPUP 2-U.S. new homes sales hit 8-year high, point to firming economy

WASHINGTON, May 24 (Reuters) - New U.S. single-family home

sales recorded their biggest gain in 24 years in April, touching

a more than eight-year high as purchases increased broadly, a

sign of growing confidence in the economy's prospects.

Read more

Hacker who exposed Hillary Clinton's email server expected to plead guilty

WASHINGTON, May 24 (Reuters) - A Romanian computer hacker

who revealed the existence of a private email server used by

Hillary Clinton when she was secretary of state is expected to

plead guilty to hacking-related offenses, a U.S. law enforcement

official said on Tuesday.

Read more

Britain's FTSE 100 hits three-week high as banks rally

* Coca-Cola HBC hit by stake sale

(Updates prices at close)

Read more

Herbalife shares volatile amid conflicting FTC settlement reports

May 24 (Reuters) - Shares of Herbalife Ltd jumped as

much as 8.5 percent amid conflicting reports on whether the

company had reached an agreement in principle with the U.S.

Federal Trade Commission to settle a probe into whether it runs

a pyramid scheme.

Read more

Google offers new features to local search ads

May 24 (Reuters) - Google Maps will soon carry promotional

offers from nearby businesses along with ads and allow users to

browse product inventories and menus.

Read more

Sumner Redstone appoints two new members to his trust

NEW YORK, May 24 (Reuters) - Sumner Redstone, chairman

emeritus of Viacom Inc said on Tuesday he has appointed

two new trustees to a trust that will determine the direction

of the media conglomerate and CBS.

Read more

U.S. new home sales race to eight-year high, prices soar

WASHINGTON, May 24 (Reuters) - New U.S. single-family home

sales surged to a more than eight-year high in April and prices

hit a record high, offering further evidence of a pick-up in

economic growth early in the second quarter.

Read more

Saudi Arabia's rulers adapt message for social media age

DUBAI/RIYADH, May 24 (Reuters) - The participation of tens

of thousands of young Saudis in a social media debate over plans

to reform the kingdom's oil-reliant economy last month marked a

shift in how Riyadh's conservative rulers interact with their

subjects.

Read more

Solid Kingfisher, banks lift Britain's FTSE 100

* Coca-Cola HBC hit by stake sale

(Adds detail and quote, updates prices)

Read more

Barington launches proxy fight against apparel retailer Chico's

May 24 (Reuters) - Barington Capital said on Tuesday it

nominated two directors to the board of Chico's FAS Inc,

launching a proxy fight over expenses at the women's apparel

retailer.

Read more

Video gaming makes cautious return to TV with new league

May 24 (Reuters) - Sean Gares has played video games in

sold-out arenas and for millions more fans online, but soon he

will be playing in front of a new audience: U.S. television

viewers.

Read more

Private collectors display their Banksy art in Rome

ROME, May 24 (Reuters) - The mysterious British street

artist known as Banksy has stencilled on surfaces from London to

Gaza, but now a large collection of his work is going on display

in a much more conventional setting - a museum in Rome.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Toll Brothers' profit, revenue beat on higher home sales

May 24 (Reuters) - Toll Brothers Inc's quarterly

revenue rose nearly 31 percent, beating analysts' estimates, as

the company sold more luxury homes at higher prices, mainly in

the West market and California.

Read more

UPDATE 3-Sony sees weaker-than-expected annual profit on quake damage

* Cancels development of some high-end camera modules

(Adds graphic)

Read more

Booker International Prize winner urges fellow Koreans to read more

SEOUL, May 24 (Reuters) - South Korean author Han Kang,

whose novel "The Vegetarian" had sold just 20,000 copies in her

home country before it became a candidate for Britain's

prestigious Man Booker International Prize, urged Koreans on

Tuesday to read more.

Read more

More challenges than cheer for Apple chief on Asia tour

* Challenge of being high-end phone seller in low-income

market

Read more

Hardliner elected as head of Iran's top clerical body

DUBAI, May 24 (Reuters) - A powerful anti-Western cleric was

chosen on Tuesday as the head of Iran's new Assembly of Experts,

in a sign that hardliners are still in firm control of the body

in charge of choosing the next supreme leader.

Read more

UPDATE 1-EU's Timmermans to meet Polish PM on governance on Tuesday

BRUSSELS, May 24 (Reuters) - The deputy head of the European

Commission, Frans Timmermans, will meet Polish Prime Minister

Beata Szydlo on Tuesday to discuss government moves on the

judiciary that have raised EU concerns about the rule of law.

Read more

Kingfisher says sales growth driven by UK, Poland

LONDON, May 24 (Reuters) - Kingfisher, Europe's

largest home improvement retailer, said on Tuesday it had made a

solid start to its new financial year, with sales growth driven

by its markets in Britain and Poland.

Read more

Monday, May 23, 2016

RPT-Indonesia eases foreign ownership rules for retail, port sectors

JAKARTA, May 24 (Reuters) - Indonesia has eased foreign

ownership rules in the retail sector and port services as part

of efforts to liberalise its economy, Southeast Asia's largest.

Read more

Climate change takes center stage at Exxon, Chevron annual meetings

HOUSTON, May 24 (Reuters) - Exxon Mobil Corp and

Chevron Corp will face their toughest-ever push by

shareholders concerned about a warming world at annual meetings

on Wednesday, as the Paris accord to tackle climate change

ratchets up investor pressure on two of the world's largest oil

companies.

Read more

Australia shares hit by stumble in energy firms, NZ at 2-wk lows

SYDNEY/WELLINGTON, May 24 (Reuters) - Australian shares were

down for a second day in subdued trade on Tuesday, as falling

oil prices pressured energy firms although miners proved

resilient to more weakness in iron ore.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Nissan mulls sale of stake in auto parts supplier Calsonic Kansei -Nikkei

* Nissan: considering various options for Calsonic Kansei

(Adds Nissan comment, share moves, background)

Read more

UPDATE 1-Facebook says found no political bias on Trending Topics

SAN FRANCISCO, May 23 (Reuters) - Facebook Inc will

no longer rely on a top-10 list of websites to help choose items

for its Trending Topics section, even though an internal probe

showed no evidence of political bias in the selection process,

the company said on Monday.

Read more

Clinton turns down Fox News offer to debate Sanders again

WASHINGTON, May 23 (Reuters) - Hillary Clinton, the

front-runner in the race for the Democratic presidential

nomination, turned down on Monday an invitation by Fox News to

debate rival Bernie Sanders in California, despite having agreed

previously to a debate in May.

Read more

Bangladesh Bank heist trail goes cold in Manila as probes falter

MANILA, May 24 (Reuters) - More than three months have

passed since $81 million was stolen in a brazen cyber-heist from

Bangladesh's central bank and sent to Manila - yet authorities

in the Philippines appear no closer to nabbing those who

laundered most of the money through a bank and casinos here.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Toyota recalls 1.6 million U.S. vehicles for Takata air bags

WASHINGTON, May 23 (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp

said on Monday it will recall almost 1.6 million additional U.S.

vehicles for front passenger side Takata air bag inflators that

could rupture.

Read more

Facebook says no evidence of political bias found on 'Trending Topics'

May 23 (Reuters) - Facebook Inc said on Monday that

an investigation into its editorial practices had found no

evidence of political bias in the selection or prominence of

stories shown on its Trending Topics feature.

Read more

CORRECTED-Groupe SEB buys Germany's WMF for 1.02 bln euros

FRANKFURT, May 23 (Reuters) - French household equipment

manufacturer Groupe SEB said on Monday it agreed to

buy German peer WMF for 1.02 billion euros ($1.14 billion) from

private equity firm KKR.

Read more

COLUMN-Can Donald Trump buzz his way to the White House?

May 23 (Reuters) - Creating buzz -- that curious mixture of

baloney and authenticity that generates excitement -- is not

exactly new as a campaign strategy. But Donald Trump is taking

it to new heights.

Read more

Soccer-Manchester United sack manager Van Gaal

May 23 (Reuters) - Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has left the Premier League club, he said in a statement on Monday.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Soccer-Manchester United sack manager Van Gaal

May 23 (Reuters) - Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has left the Premier League club, he said in a statement on Monday.

Read more

Drake holds off Beyonce for top spot on Billboard album chart

LOS ANGELES, May 23 (Reuters) - R&B artist Drake held his

spot atop the weekly U.S. Billboard 200 album chart on Monday,

keeping Beyonce from the coveted No. 1 position.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Versace names former head of Alexander McQueen as new CEO

MILAN, May 23 (Reuters) - Italian fashion house Versace

named the former head of British brand Alexander McQueen as its

new chief executive, in an unexpected move ahead of a planned

stock market listing against a backdrop of slowing luxury

industry growth.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Viacom CEO Dauman sues over removal from Sumner Redstone trust

May 23 (Reuters) - Viacom Inc Chief Executive Officer

Philippe Dauman and a longtime Viacom director went to court on

Monday to stop a move that would remove them from a trust that

will determine the direction of the media conglomerate and CBS.

Read more

MIDEAST STOCKS-Saudi slumps over 3 pct, other bourses mixed

DUBAI, May 23 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's stock index

sank 3.1 percent on Monday as investors sold shares

indiscriminately, while the United Arab Emirates and Qatar held

onto small gains. Egypt fell as foreign funds exited the market.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Germany's Merkel tells Erdogan Turkey needs strong parliament

ISTANBUL, May 23 (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel

said on Monday she had told Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan

that his country needed a strong parliament and voiced concern

over the Turkish parliament's decision to strip lawmakers of

immunity.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Investor groups call for new probe of VW scandal

* VW declines to comment

(Adds comment from Hermes Investment Management and Deminor)

Read more

U.S. consumers buck investors' rush to self-driving cars -study

DETROIT, May 23 (Reuters) - U.S. consumers still resist the

notion of self-driving cars, according to a University of

Michigan study released on Monday, the latest sign that

investors and automakers may be rushing into a business where

demand is limited at best.

Read more

Famed Italian photographer Berengo Gardin looks back on his changing world

ROME, May 23 (Reuters) - Italy's most famous photo reporter,

Gianni Berengo Gardin, has spent more than half a century

documenting a disappearing world and now recognises that even

his own profession is fading fast.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Tribune gets $70.5 mln investment from billionaire Soon-Shiong

May 23 (Reuters) - Tribune Publishing Co, the owner

of the Los Angeles Times and the Chicago Tribune, said

billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong invested $70.5 million in the

company, becoming its second largest shareholder.

Read more

Bata Zivojinovic, famed film star in old Yugoslavia, dies at 82

BELGRADE, May 23 (Reuters) - Velimir "Bata" Zivojinovic, one

of old Yugoslavia's best known and prolific film stars who often

played partisans fighting Nazi occupation in World War Two, died

on Monday at 82 of multiple illnesses, Tanjug news agency

reported.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Toshiba moves to slash capital base to enable payout, get fresh funds

TOKYO, May 23 (Reuters) - Japan's Toshiba Corp

plans to more than halve its capital base, a move that may

enable it to resume paying dividends quicker and get a fresh

capital injection as it aims to recover from a $1.3 billion

accounting scandal last year.

Read more

Tribune rejects Gannett's latest offer, gets $70.5 mln investment

May 23 (Reuters) - Tribune Publishing Co, the owner

of the Los Angeles Times and the Chicago Tribune, rejected

Gannett Co Inc's latest takeover offer but said it would

allow Gannett to access some confidential corporate information.

Read more

German investor group calls for independent probe of VW scandal

FRANKFURT, May 23 (Reuters) - German investors' association

DSW called on Monday for an independent audit of Volkswagen's

emissions test-rigging scandal in addition to the

carmaker's internal probe.

Read more

Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse, animation trove up for auction

LOS ANGELES, May 23 (Reuters) - From Walt Disney's

hand-signed Mickey Mouse doll to his animator's desk and chairs,

a trove of the late animation entrepreneur's memorabilia will go

up for auction next month and offers a glimpse into the origins

of the "mouse house."

Read more

Croatia offers for sale electrical concern Koncar and hoteliers

ZAGREB, May 23 (Reuters) - The Croatian privatisation agency

CERP invited investors on Monday to express interest in a stake

in electrical concern Koncar, part if a move to reduce

public debt.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Fiat Chrysler shares fall on report of German sales ban threat

MILAN, May 23 (Reuters) - Shares in Fiat Chrysler

fell more than 5 percent on Monday after Germany's Bild

newspaper reported that the carmaker could be prohibited from

selling cars in Germany if evidence of disregard of emissions

rules was found.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Australia's Flight Centre issues profit warning, blames Brexit poll

* Blames price war, poll on Brexit, Zika virus

(Recasts throughout, adds comment)

Read more

UPDATE 1-Multiple blasts hit two Syrian coastal cities

BEIRUT, May 23 (Reuters) - Multiple explosions hit the

Syrian coastal cities of Jableh and Tartous on Monday, killing

and wounding a number of people in an area that has up to now

escaped the worst of the conflict, monitors and state-run TV

said.

Read more

BUZZ-Burberry: falls as Deutsche Bank cuts target

** Burberry falls 1 pct, one of the top FTSE 100

faller as Deutsche Bank cuts PT to 1250p from 1350p,

rating "hold"

Read more

Sunday, May 22, 2016

Uber deal shows divide in labor's drive for role in "gig economy"

May 23 (Reuters) - The International Association of

Machinists and Aerospace Workers trumpeted an agreement reached

earlier this month to represent New York Uber drivers, saying it

"gives organized labor an opportunity to shape the new economy

in a way that supports and values workers and their families."

Read more

As Obama begins Vietnam visit, BBC reporter says been banned

HANOI, May 23 (Reuters) - A BBC correspondent in Vietnam for

U.S. President Barack Obama's visit to the country said on

Monday he had been ordered by the Vietnamese authorities to stop

reporting apparently because they suspected he had met one of

the government's sharpest critics.

Read more

CORRECTED-To halt smartphone slide, Samsung rewrites playbook

SEOUL, May 23 (Reuters) - From the way it chooses

smartphone components to the models it brings to market, Samsung

Electronics has undergone a painful process of

breaking from its past to reverse a slide in its handset

business.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Singer The Weeknd dedicates Billboard music award to Prince

May 22 (Reuters) - Canadian singer The Weeknd dedicated the

first trophy of the 2016 Billboard Music Awards to Prince on

Sunday to open a night that was also expected to include a

tribute to the "Purple Rain" superstar by Madonna and a

much-awaited performance by Kesha.

Read more

Spanish journalist feared kidnapped by Colombian rebels

BOGOTA, May 22 (Reuters) - A Spanish journalist working in

Colombia for almost two decades has disappeared while reporting

a story on the illegal drugs industry and is feared kidnapped by

Marxist rebels operating in the area, military sources said on

Sunday.

Read more

UK advisers struggling with Chinese stock listings - survey

LONDON, May 23 (Reuters) - Almost two-thirds of the advisory

firms who assist in stock exchange listings in London say they

are struggling to guide Chinese firms through the process, a

survey showed, in the latest sign of problems with such initial

public offerings.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Japan April exports suffer biggest drop in 3 months, bode ill for growth

(Adds MOF official comment, detail)

* April exports -10.1 pct yr/yr in line with f'cast, Mar

-6.8 pct

* Yen gains, emerging mkt slowdown weigh on shipments

* Imports -23.3 pct yr/yr vs f'cast -19.0 pct, Mar -14.9

* Trade balance logs third straight month of surplus

* Kumamoto quakes hurt U.S.-bound car shipments

By Tetsushi Kajimoto

TOKYO, May 23 (Reuters) - Japan's exports fell in April at

the fastest pace in three months as a stronger yen and weakness

in China a

Read more

Billboard Music Awards to feature performances by Madonna, Celine Dion

May 22 (Reuters) - The 2016 Billboard Music Awards were

expected to deliver a note of melancholy along with the

celebration on Sunday as Madonna pays tribute to Prince and

Celine Dion gives her first televised performance since the

death of her husband.

Read more

To halt smartphone slide, Samsung rewrites playbook

SEOUL, May 23 (Reuters) - From the way it chooses

smartphone components to the models it brings to market, Samsung

Electronics has undergone a painful process of

breaking from its past to reverse a slide in its handset

business.

Read more

Egypt sends robot submarine to help plane crash search

CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt has sent a robot submarine to join the hunt for an EgyptAir plane which crashed in some of the deepest waters of the Mediterranean Sea with 66 people on board, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Sunday.

Read more

Pakistan says U.S. drone strike violated its sovereignty

KABUL/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Pakistan accused the United States on Sunday of violating its sovereignty with a drone strike against the leader of the Afghan Taliban, in perhaps the most high-profile U.S. incursion into Pakistani territory since the 2011 raid to kill Osama bin Laden.

Read more

Ken Loach's "I, Daniel Blake" wins Palme d'Or at Cannes Film Festival

CANNES, France, May 22 (Reuters) - "I, Daniel Blake" by

British director Ken Loach won the Palme d'Or for Best Picture

at the 69th Cannes Film Festival on Sunday.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Box Office: 'Angry Birds' Soars in U.S. Debut, 'Captain America' Stays Powerful

LOS ANGELES, May 22 (Variety.com) - "The Angry Birds Movie"

has flown to victory at the U.S. box office with a $39 million

opening weekend at 3,932 locations, handily topping "Captain

America: Civil War" and "Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising."

Read more

Box Office: 'Angry Birds' Soars in U.S. Debut, 'Captain America' Stays Powerful

LOS ANGELES, May 22 (Variety.com) - "The Angry Birds Movie"

has flown to victory at the U.S. box office with a $39 million

opening weekend at 3,932 locations, handily topping "Captain

America: Civil War" and "Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising."

Read more

MIDEAST STOCKS-Gulf markets fall as investors take profits; Egypt sags

DUBAI, May 22 (Reuters) - Stock markets in the Gulf fell on

Sunday as investors took profits, taking their cue from a dip in

Brent oil futures at the end of last week, while

concerns over security risks put pressure on Egyptian shares.

Read more

UPDATE 1-UK's Cameron warns Brexit would drive up food prices

LONDON, May 22 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister David

Cameron warned voters on Sunday that they would face higher

grocery bills if the country decides to leave the European Union

at a June 23 referendum, citing a potential drop in the value of

sterling.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Australian climber dies while descending from Everest summit

* Strydom belonged to same group as Dutch climber who died

on Friday

(Adds comments from local climbing company)

Read more

UK's Cameron says Trump comments on Muslim ban "very dangerous"

LONDON, May 22 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister David

Cameron said on Sunday U.S. presidential candidate Donald

Trump's comments on banning Muslims from entering the United

States were "very dangerous", adding to his criticism of the

presumptive Republican nominee.

Read more

UK's Cameron warns Brexit would drive up food prices

LONDON, May 22 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister David

Cameron warned voters on Sunday that they would face higher

grocery bills if the country decides to leave the European Union

at a June 23 referendum, citing a potential drop in the value of

sterling.

Read more

RPT-No pain, no gain: M&S boss to map out rocky road to recovery

LONDON, May 19 (Reuters) - The new boss of British retailer

Marks & Spencer will deliver some uncomfortable truths

to investors next week: turning around its clothing business

will require yet more costly change and could squeeze short-term

profits.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Soccer-Mourinho set for United, Van Gaal won't discuss leaving

LONDON, May 21 (Reuters) - Jose Mourinho will be appointed Manchester United manager next week to replace Louis van Gaal despite Saturday's FA Cup final victory over Crystal Palace, British media have reported.

Read more

Saturday, May 21, 2016

H&M says working to improve labour conditions in India, Cambodia factories

NEW DELHI, May 22 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Swedish

fashion retailer Hennes & Mauritz (H&M) said it was

collaborating with trade unions, government as well as the U.N.

to improve workers' conditions after a study found violations in

supplying garment factories in India and Cambodia.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Soccer-Sublime Lingard volley seals Man United FA Cup win

LONDON, May 21 (Reuters) - Manchester United substitute Jesse Lingard's superb volley in extra time secured a 2-1 win over Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium on Saturday for their first major trophy in three years.

Read more

Viacom says its board has not had access to Redstone

NEW YORK, May 21 (Reuters) - Viacom Inc said on

Saturday its board members have been unable to meet with

controlling shareholder Sumner Redstone because his daughter

Shari is blocking access to the media mogul.

Read more

UPDATE 2-UK "Remain" camp gains ground in EU poll, bookmakers lengthen Brexit odds

* "Remain" takes 4-point lead in latest Opinium/Observer

poll

Read more

Denmark's Refn targets teens with cannibal horror film

CANNES, France, May 21 (Reuters) - Some critics stood up and

booed at cannibalistic horror movie "The Neon Demon" when it

screened at Cannes Film Festival this week, but they weren't its

target audience, said Danish director Winding Refn.

Read more

Soccer-Barcelona agree kit deal extension with Nike

MADRID, May 21 (Reuters) - Barcelona have agreed an extension to their kit-manufacturing deal with Nike which Spanish media reported was the most lucrative arrangement of its kind in the world.

Read more

Apple boss Cook meets PM Modi to plot India strategy

NEW DELHI/MUMBAI, May 21 (Reuters) - Apple Inc

chief Tim Cook met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on

Saturday, concluding a four-day trip to India that could set the

stage for Apple's expansion plans in one of the world's fastest

growing smartphone markets.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Sumner Redstone removes Viacom CEO and board member from trust

May 20 (Reuters) - Media mogul Sumner Redstone has removed

Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman and Viacom board member

George Abrams from the seven-person trust that will determine

the fate of both Viacom and CBS in the event of his

incapacitation or death, two people familiar with the situation

told Reuters Friday.

Read more

Friday, May 20, 2016

Sumner Redstone removes Viacom CEO and board member from trust

May 20 (Reuters) - Media mogul Sumner Redstone has removed

Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman and Viacom board member

George Abrams from the seven-person trust that will determine

the fate of both Viacom and CBS in the event of his

incapacitation or death, two people familiar with the situation

told Reuters Friday.

Read more

Microsoft to crack down on content promoting extremist acts

SAN FRANCISCO, May 20 (Reuters) - With the world growing

more concerned about attacks by militant groups on civilians,

Microsoft Corp on Friday outlined new policies to crack

down what it called "terrorist content" on some of its consumer

services.

Read more

Actor Alan Young, human star of horse sitcom 'Mister Ed,' dies at 96

May 20 (Reuters) - Emmy award-winning actor Alan Young, who

rode to enduring TV fame alongside a talking horse on the

popular 1960s sitcom "Mister Ed" and co-starred in the classic

sci-fi film "The Time Machine," has died at age 96, his manager

said on Friday.

Read more

U.S. moves to unseal Islamic State defector's case

NEW YORK, May 20 (Reuters) - U.S. prosecutors on Friday

sought to unseal the to-date secret criminal case of an Islamic

State defector after NBC News broadcast an interview with the

New York man in which he spoke out against the militant Islamist

group.

Read more

Restaurant chain O'Charley's says payment card network breached

May 20 (Reuters) - O'Charley's Inc said the payment card

network at its restaurants had been breached, possibly affecting

cards used between March 8 and April 18.

Read more

Dean Foods' Davis said he threw phone in creek to hinder FBI

NEW YORK, May 20 (Reuters) - Dean Foods Co's former chairman Thomas Davis said he threw his cellphone into a Dallas creek to hide his role in an insider-trading scheme after FBI agents visited his home, according to a transcript of his guilty plea.

Read more

SunEdison agrees to withdraw request for independent examiner

NEW YORK, May 20 (Reuters) - SunEdison Inc has

tentatively agreed to withdraw a request for an independent

examiner for the renewable energy company's bankruptcy, its

attorneys said in court on Friday, enabling its creditors to

pursue their own investigation.

Read more

J. Walter Thompson, ex-CEO reject accuser's bias claims

NEW YORK, May 20 (Reuters) - Lawyers for former J. Walter

Thompson chief executive Gustavo Martinez on Friday struck back

against a high-ranking colleague who accused him of sexist and

racist behavior, saying her high-profile lawsuit failed to show

a hostile work environment at the advertising agency.

Read more

UPDATE 1-GM SUV compensation program will cost about $100 mln - source

WASHINGTON, May 20 (Reuters) - General Motors Co said

on Friday it will give debit cards or extended warranties to

146,000 North American owners of new sport utility vehicles to

compensate them because the automaker overstated the vehicles'

fuel efficiency.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Indicted Congolese opposition leader to fly to South Africa for treatment

KINSHASA, May 20 (Reuters) - An opposition presidential

candidate in Democratic Republic of Congo, indicted on Thursday

for allegedly hiring mercenaries in a plot against the state,

will leave the country on Friday night to receive medical

treatment in South Africa, his lawyer said.

Read more

European shares boosted by banks and mining stocks

* FTSEurofirst 300 index ends up 1.3 percent



* Italian bank UniCredit lifted by asset sale talk



* Cartier owner Richemont slumps on cautious outlook



* Firmer copper prices boost mining stocks



Read more

Beyonce's Ivy Park apparel has `rigorous ethical' programme, retailer says

MUMBAI, May 20 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Ivy Park, the

sportswear brand that is a joint venture between singer Beyonce

and Topshop tycoon Philip Green, has defended itself against a

Sun newspaper report that says its supplier in Sri Lanka uses

"sweatshop slaves" to produce the clothing.

Read more

Coca-Cola HBC leads Britain's FTSE share index higher

LONDON, May 20 (Reuters) - Britain's top share index ended

sharply higher on Friday, with bottling company Coca-Cola HBC

rallying on the prospects of a margin recovery and

commodities stocks partially recovering after slumping in the

previous two straight sessions.

Read more

UPDATE 1-FDA to modify food label guidelines to include added sugar details

May 20 (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration

said it would update guidelines for nutritional labels on

packaged food and beverages to include information on added

sugar and to prominently display calorie count and servings.

Read more

UPDATE 1-U.S. existing home sales rise for second straight month, inventory still tight

* Supply increases from March, still 3.6 pct below last year

(Adds market reaction)

Read more

Tears, catharsis and a standing ovation in Cannes for Anspach's last film

CANNES, France, May 20 (Reuters) - Solveig Anspach's "The

Together Project" (L'Effet Aquatique) got a long standing

ovation at a Cannes Film Festival "Directors Fortnight" showing,

described by her co-writer as cathartic after the director's

death last year.

Read more

Apple boss to meet India's Modi and his gold iPhone

MUMBAI, May 20 (Reuters) - When Apple Inc CEO Tim

Cook meets Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi this weekend as

part of an Asian tour aimed at boosting sales, he will sit down

with a man whose penchant for a selfie - often using his gold

iPhone - can get him into trouble.

Read more

REFILE-British celebrities back remaining in EU in letter to newspaper

LONDON, May 20 (Reuters) - British actors Benedict

Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Helena Bonham

Carter are among more than 250 celebrities from the arts world

who have signed a letter urging Britons to vote to remain in the

European Union.

Read more

Unsold U.S. retail inventory a challenge after dismal earnings season

CHICAGO, May 20 (Reuters) - A pile-up of unsold inventory

across U.S. retail chains is likely to squeeze profits further

as stores struggle to make up for a weak first quarter marred by

weak sales and share declines.

Read more

CORRECTED-World's largest cruise ship, Harmony of Seas, docks at UK port

SOUTHAMPTON, England, May 17 (Reuters) - The world's largest

cruise ship, Harmony of the Seas, arrived in the British port of

Southampton on Tuesday ahead of its maiden cruise later this

month.

Read more

French firms tweak CEO pay guidelines in bid to avoid new law

PARIS, May 20 (Reuters) - Companies like Renault

will have to pay more attention to shareholder votes against

executive pay awards, France's two main business organisations

said on Friday, as they tightened guidelines in the hope of

avoiding threatened legislation.

Read more

BUZZ-Ladbrokes: hits 2-month high on regulator's merger review

** British bookmaker Ladbrokes jumps as much as 12

pct to its highest since March 2, top FTSE midcap gainer

Read more

BUZZ-Thomas Cook: hits 3 yr low on multiple broker cuts

** Tour operator Thomas Cook falls for a 2nd

session, down as much as 3 pct

Read more

REFILE-Britain's FTSE led higher by Coca-Cola HBC and miners

LONDON, May 20 (Reuters) - UK shares rose on Friday, set for

their biggest daily gain in more than a month after a rise in

bottling company Coca-Cola HBC and a rally in mining

stocks.

Read more

UPDATE 1-German construction boom extends into 2016, supports growth

* Sector also boosted by state spending on refugees

(Adds details on data, background)

Read more

VW, IG Metall union reach deal in pay talks for German plants

HAMBURG, May 20 (Reuters) - Volkswagen and

Germany's powerful IG Metall labour union have agreed a pay

increase for around 120,000 workers at the carmaker's western

German plants, the union said on Friday, without providing

further details.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Richemont sees no improvement in trading as Asia stays weak

ZURICH, May 20 (Reuters) - Cartier owner Richemont

expects no improvement in the trading environment after

underlying sales growth slowed further in the final quarter of

its fiscal year and April sales fell 15 percent, hit by weak

demand for watches in Hong Kong and Europe.

Read more

Thursday, May 19, 2016

Australia shares rebound, set for weekly gain; NZ more subdued

SYDNEY/WELLINGTON, May 20 (Reuters) - Australian shares

staged a modest rebound on Friday after two sessions of declines

led by gains in the mining sector and some of the major banks,

setting the market on track to end the week a touch higher.

Read more

S.Korea won bounces after sharp losses, stocks set for 4th weekly loss

* Won, KOSPI set to mark another losing week

* KOSPI wobbles amid thin trading

SEOUL, May 20 (Reuters) - The South Korean won

rebounded on Friday after a recent sharp decline that was

fuelled by expectations that the U.S. central bank will raise

interest rates in the next few months.

The won stood at 1,187.7 to the dollar as of 0221

GMT, up 0.3 percent compared with the previous close of 1,191.7.

New York Federal Reserve President William Dudley's comments

overnight added to ex

Read more

U.S., Europeans promise to clarify doing business with Iran

WASHINGTON, May 19 (Reuters) - The United States and

European powers will work to clear up any confusion companies

may have about doing business with Iran following Tehran's

acceptance of a deal to curb its nuclear program, the countries

said in a statement on Thursday.

Read more

Apple unveils new store design in San Francisco

May 19 (Reuters) - Apple Inc unveiled a new vision

for its hugely successful retail stores on Thursday, aiming to

give shoppers the experience of setting foot in the headquarters

of the company credited with inventing the smartphone.

Read more

Mail-order catalog company Sundance explores sale -sources

May 19 (Reuters) - Sundance Holdings Group LLC, the U.S.

artisan mail-order catalog company founded by actor Robert

Redford, is working with investment bank Lazard Ltd to

explore a sale of the company, according to people familiar with

the matter.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Gap to close 75 Old Navy, Banana Republic stores outside N.America

May 19 (Reuters) - Gap Inc said it would shut 75 Old

Navy and Banana Republic stores overseas markets, as the

struggling apparel retailer focuses on its North American market

to revive its fortunes.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Netflix, Amazon face EU quota on European works

* EU executive to present overhaul of broadcasting rules on

May 25

Read more

American Eagle's Aerie makes a splash as Victoria's Secret falters

May 19 (Reuters) - American Eagle Outfitters Inc's

lingerie and swimwear brand Aerie is the toast of the season as

it quietly takes away the spotlight from runway favorite

Victoria's Secret.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Cinemark theater chain not liable in 2012 Colorado movie massacre

DENVER, May 19 (Reuters) - The owners of a Colorado movie

theater where a gunman killed 12 people during the screening of

a Batman film in 2012 are not liable for the mass shooting, a

jury ruled on Thursday, in the first civil lawsuit stemming from

the incident.

Read more

SunEdison bankruptcy loan hearing moved to Friday

NEW YORK, May 19 (Reuters) - A scheduled hearing on Thursday

in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York

on a $300 million bankruptcy loan for renewable energy company

SunEdison Inc has been pushed back one day, until

Friday.

Read more

UPDATE 3-CBS newsman Morley Safer dead at age 84, retired days ago

* Cited singer Dolly Parton among his favorite interviews

(Adds died at home, retired in declining health, Safer's final

message on Twitter)

Read more

Cinemark theater chain not liable in 2012 Colorado movie massacre -jury

DENVER, May 19 (Reuters) - The owners of a movie theater

where 12 people were killed during a screening of the Batman

film "The Dark Knight Rises" are not liable for the mass

shooting, a jury ruled on Thursday, in the first civil lawsuit

stemming from the 2012 incident, a court spokesman said.

Read more

Chinese firm's bid for German robot maker poses dilemma for Merkel

* Kuka is poster child for German push in industrial

Internet

Read more

UPDATE 2-UAW chief says union to endorse either Clinton or Sanders 'soon'

DETROIT, May 19 (Reuters) - United Auto Workers President

Dennis Williams said on Thursday the union will endorse either

Democrat Hillary Clinton or Bernie Sanders for U.S. president

"soon," and called for unity among Democrats behind the eventual

nominee.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Golfer Mickelson says returning Dean Foods trading gains

May 19 (Reuters) - Professional golfer Phil Mickelson said on Thursday he has agreed to return gains he made in 2012 from trading in Dean Foods Co stock and said he felt "vindicated" that U.S. authorities have not charged him with violating securities laws.

Read more

Hedge funds share Brexit views while guarding their bets

LONDON, May 19 (Reuters) - Are some of Britain's largest

hedge fund managers putting their money where their mouth is on

Brexit?

Read more

UPDATE 1-Vivendi raises Gameloft bid for the second time

PARIS, May 19 (Reuters) - French media group Vivendi

raised its unsolicited bid for mobile video games maker

Gameloft for the second time on Thursday, adding

pressure on the founding Guillemot family.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Dean Foods ex-chairman, pro gambler charged with insider trading

May 19 (Reuters) - U.S. authorities on Thursday charged a

former chairman of Dean Foods Co and a professional Las

Vegas gambler with engaging in a years-long insider trading

scheme, which included a tip that benefited professional golfer

Phil Mickelson.

Read more

No pain, no gain: M&S boss to map out rocky road to recovery

LONDON, May 19 (Reuters) - The new boss of British retailer

Marks & Spencer will deliver some uncomfortable truths

to investors next week: turning around its clothing business

will require yet more costly change and could squeeze short-term

profits.

Read more

Dean Foods ex-chairman, pro gambler charged with insider trading

May 19 (Reuters) - U.S. prosecutors on Thursday accused a

former chairman of Dean Foods Co and a Las Vegas gambler

of insider trading in a years-long scheme that allegedly

generated tens of millions of dollars of illegal profits.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Wal-Mart profit beats expectations; stock jumps

May 19 (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc on Thursday

reported a higher-than-expected quarterly profit as sales in the

U.S. market rose, an improvement the retailer attributed in part

to its increasing wages, and its shares jumped nearly 8 percent.

Read more

PE firm Cinven considering bid for Restaurant Group - Sky News

May 19 (Reuters) - Private equity firm Cinven is considering

a bid for Restaurant Group Plc, the owner of Mexican

food chains Chiquito and Joe's Kitchen, Sky News reported on

Thursday.

Read more

Peugeot to invest 700 mln euros in Spain until 2020

MADRID, May 19 (Reuters) - French carmaker PSA Peugeot

Citroen is set to invest 700 million euros ($785

million) in Spain over the next four years and will produce a

new car in the country from 2020, a spokesman for the company

said.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Temasek, CIC-KKR advance to 2nd round of Yum China stake sale -sources

* Yum shares have jumped 9.7 pct this year

(Adds China performance, comment, Temasek consumer deals)

Read more

REFILE-Royal Mail beats profit expectations on tight cost controls

May 19 (Reuters) - Britain's Royal Mail Plc reported

a better-than-expected profit for the financial year, as tight

cost controls more than made up for losses due to high

competition in the UK postal market.

Read more

S.Korea's Hotel Lotte says IPO to raise up to $4.8 bln

SEOUL, May 19 (Reuters) - South Korea's Hotel Lotte Co Ltd

said on Thursday its initial public offering (IPO) is expected

to raise up to 5.7 trillion won ($4.79 billion), in what will be

the world's biggest IPO since late 2015.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Mothercare full-year profit jumps on turnaround plan

May 19 (Reuters) - Baby goods retailer Mothercare

said full-year profit jumped 51 percent as the turnaround plan

for its troubled British business made progress, sending its

shares up as much as 9 percent.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Royal Mail turnaround to cost more than market anticipated

May 18 (Reuters) - Britain's Royal Mail Plc forecast

slightly higher costs than the market expected, to modernise and

restructure its UK operation in the face of high competition in

the domestic postal and parcel markets.

Read more

Thomas Cook summer bookings down 5 percent on Turkey slump

LONDON, May 19 (Reuters) - British holiday company Thomas

Cook said its summer bookings were down 5 percent as

tourists shunned Turkey, its second-most popular destination

last year, leading to a lower forecast for full-year earnings.

Read more

Mothercare full-year profit jumps on turnaround plan

May 19 (Reuters) - Baby goods retailer Mothercare

said full-year profit jumped 51 percent as the turnaround plan

for its troubled British business made progress.

Read more

Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Aide of Peru's Fujimori steps down after money laundering report

LIMA, May 18 (Reuters) - Peruvian presidential candidate

Keiko Fujimori announced on Wednesday that a senior aide had

resigned from her center-right party in a bid to calm an uproar

following media reports that linked the two to money laundering.

Read more

Egyptian officials believe missing EgyptAir plane crashed into sea

CAIRO, May 19 (Reuters) - An EgyptAir plane missing with 66

people on board probably crashed into the sea, officials from

the airline and the Egyptian civil aviation said on Thursday.

Read more

Two more people file claims to Prince's estate

May 18 (Reuters) - Two more individuals claiming to be

relatives of the late pop star Prince came forward on Wednesday

to seek a piece of the musician's estate.

Read more

Colorado movie massacre lawsuit goes to the jury

CENTENNIAL, Colo., May 18 (Reuters) - The management of a

Colorado movie theater where 12 patrons were slain in a 2012

shooting rampage could never have foreseen, nor safeguarded

against, such a seemingly random but meticulously planned and

violent attack, its lawyers said on Wednesday.

Read more

UPDATE 1-GM to unveil plan to compensate owners on fuel economy claims

WASHINGTON, May 18 (Reuters) - General Motors Co is expected

to announce plans to compensate about 130,000 individual U.S.

owners of SUVs that had inflated fuel economy labels, sources

briefed on the plans said on Wednesday.

Read more

Billboard awards say Kesha set canceled by record label

LOS ANGELES, May 18 (Reuters) - Pop star Kesha is not

allowed to perform at the Billboard Music Awards after her

record label rescinded its approval, the show's organizers said,

following the singer's failed legal bid to scrap her recording

contract with Sony Music and producer Dr. Luke.

Read more

GM to unveil plan to compensate owners on fuel economy claims

WASHINGTON, May 18 (Reuters) - General Motors Co is expected

to announce plans to compensate about 130,000 individual U.S.

owners of SUVs that had inflated fuel economy labels, sources

briefed on the plans said on Wednesday.

Read more

Puma sees Leicester soccer jersey demand soar after title win

BERLIN, May 19 (Reuters) - German sportswear firm Puma has seen sales of Leicester City soccer jerseys rise fifteen-fold as a result of its winning the English Premier League title, chief executive Bjoern Gulden told a German paper.

Read more

UPDATE 4-Hackers target presidential campaigns -U.S. spy chief

WASHINGTON, May 18 (Reuters) - U.S. presidential campaigns

face threats from hackers bent on espionage and other activity

more nefarious than mere political mischief, the office of the

U.S. National Intelligence Director James Clapper said on

Wednesday, but did not provide details on specific intrusions.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Viacom board votes to stop paying Sumner Redstone

May 18 (Reuters) - Viacom Inc's board voted on

Wednesday to stop paying 92-year-old controlling shareholder and

Chairman Emeritus Sumner Redstone, according to a source

familiar with the matter.

Read more

Tesla Motors plans to raise $2 bln for Model 3

May 18 (Reuters) - Tesla Motors Inc said it

expected to raise about $2 billion through a stock offering to

"accelerate the ramp" of its first mass-market car, the Model 3.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Urban Outfitters reports surprise rise in 1st-qtr comparable sales

May 18 (Reuters) - Apparel retailer Urban Outfitters Inc

reported a surprise rise in quarterly same-store sales

as demand recovered for its Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters

lines of clothing.

Read more

Fiat Chrysler recalls half million Jeep Wrangler SUVs

May 18 (Reuters) - Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

said on Wednesday it will recall 506,420 of its popular

Jeep Wrangler SUVs because off-road driving may cause the

driver-side air bag not to open in a crash.

Read more