Thursday, June 30, 2016

UPDATE 3-U.S. opens investigation in Tesla after fatal crash in Autopilot mode

WASHINGTON, June 30 (Reuters) - A fatal accident in which

the driver of a Tesla Motors Inc Model S car operating

in Autopilot mode was killed in a collision with a truck has

prompted an investigation by federal highway safety regulators,

the U.S. government and Tesla disclosed on Thursday.

Read more

Indonesia's foreign tourist arrivals rise almost 12 pct y/y in May

JAKARTA, July 1 (Reuters) - Foreign tourist arrivals in

Indonesia rose 11.99 percent in May from a year ago, slowing

from April's 14.45 percent growth, the statistics bureau said on

Friday.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Disney to buy stake in MLB's video unit, valuing unit at $3.5 bln -Bloomberg

June 30 (Reuters) - Walt Disney Co has agreed to buy

a 33 percent stake in the video unit of Major League Baseball's

digital arm, MLB Advanced Media, in a deal that values the

business at about $3.5 billion, Bloomberg reported, citing a

person familiar with the matter.

Read more

Australia home prices rise for 6th month in June-CoreLogic

SYDNEY, July 1 (Reuters) - Home prices across Australia's

major cities rose for a sixth straight month in June as falling

mortgage rates kept demand hot in Sydney and Melbourne, a

potential red flag for policy makers worried about the risk of a

borrowing-fuelled bubble.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Google's diversity efforts show scant progress

SAN FRANCISCO, June 30 (Reuters) - Alphabet's Google

on Thursday released data on its two-year-old

initiative to create a more diverse U.S. workforce, saying it

had more black, Latino and female employees but still lagged its

goal of mirroring the population.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Volkswagen believes it can fix 85,000 polluting U.S. vehicles

SAN FRANCISCO/WASHINGTON, June 30 (Reuters) - A lawyer for

Volkswagen AG said at a court hearing Thursday the

German automaker believed it could fix 85,000 polluting

3.0-liter VW, Audi and Porsche diesel cars and SUVs, a move that

could help the company avoid a second pricey vehicle buyback.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Dick's wins auction for Sports Authority brand

June 30 (Reuters) - Dick's Sporting Goods Inc, the

largest U.S. sporting goods retailer, said on Thursday it was

the successful bidder in the auction for the intellectual

property of bankrupt competitor Sports Authority with a bid of

$15 million.

Read more

Tarzan swings again in screen tale of rescue and revenge

LOS ANGELES, June 30 (Reuters) - Tarzan may have left the

jungle, but the call of the wild proves too irresistible for the

rope-swinging hero as he is lured back to the African forests,

only to find himself racing to save his kidnapped wife and the

Congolese people in a new film.

Read more

Turkish court frees 2 press-freedom campaigners, third still in jail

ISTANBUL, June 30 (Reuters) - Turkey released two prominent

press-freedom activists from prison on Thursday following

international condemnation of their detention, but their

prosecution on terrorism-related charges will proceed, a lawyer

said.

Read more

UPDATE 3-Visa, MasterCard $7.25 bln settlement with retailers is rejected

NEW YORK, June 30 (Reuters) - A federal appeals court on

Thursday threw out a $7.25 billion antitrust settlement that

Visa Inc and MasterCard Inc had reached with

millions of retailers that accused the card networks of

improperly fixing credit and debit card fees.

Read more

US STOCKS-Wall St rallies for 3rd day, healing Brexit wounds

* Indexes up: Dow 1.24 pct, S&P 1.21 pct, Nasdaq 1.05 pct

(Updates to late afternoon)

Read more

US STOCKS-Wall St rallies after BoE governor hints at stimulus

* Indexes up: Dow 0.95 pct, S&P 0.87 pct, Nasdaq 0.83 pct

(Updates to early afternoon)

Read more

UPDATE 1-U.S. calls for urgent repairs of 300,000 recalled Honda vehicles

WASHINGTON, June 30 (Reuters) - U.S. auto safety regulators

warned on Thursday that Takata air bag inflators on more than

300,000 unrepaired recalled Honda vehicles show a substantial

risk of rupturing, and urged owners to stop driving the "unsafe"

cars until they have been fixed.

Read more

Starbucks workers petition for more hours amid labor cuts

LOS ANGELES, June 30 (Reuters) - Nearly 9,000 Starbucks Corp

workers and supporters have signed an online petition

saying that the company has made "extreme labor cuts" at U.S.

cafes, hurting employee morale as well as customer service.

Read more

UPDATE 2-News Corp bolsters UK soccer line-up with talkSPORT deal

LONDON, June 30 (Reuters) - Rupert Murdoch's News Corp

has agreed to buy the owner of Britain's talkSPORT in a

$292 million deal that unites The Sun newspaper's sports

coverage with the commercial radio network that broadcasts

Premier League and FA Cup soccer.

Read more

TEXT-Bank of England's Carney speaks on need for stimulus after Brexit shock

LONDON, June 30 (Reuters) - Bank of England Governor Mark

Carney said on Thursday the central bank would probably need to

pump more stimulus into Britain's economy over the summer after

the shock of last week's decision by voters to leave the

European Union.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Soccer-Ibrahimovic says he is joining Manchester United

LONDON, June 30 (Reuters) - Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic is joining Premier League club Manchester United, he said on Twitter on Thursday.

Read more

Visa, MasterCard antitrust settlement with merchants is voided

NEW YORK, June 30 (Reuters) - A federal appeals court on

Thursday threw out a $7.25 billion antitrust settlement among

Visa Inc, MasterCard Inc and millions of retailers

over credit card fees.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Darden Restaurants quarterly sales disappoint, shares slide

June 30 (Reuters) - Darden Restaurants Inc reported

lower-than-expected quarterly sales as fewer customers visited

its flagship Olive Garden restaurants, and shares tumbled as

much as 5 percent.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Germany's strong domestic economy seen cushioning Brexit fallout

* VDMA sees no Brexit impact on engineering output before Q4

(Adds comments from labour minister)

Read more

US STOCKS-Wall St rally falters as oil prices skid

* Indexes up: Dow 0.19 pct, S&P 0.05 pct, Nasdaq 0.04 pct

(Updates to open)

Read more

UPDATE 1-Film studio Lions Gate to buy Starz for $4.4 bln

June 30 (Reuters) - Lions Gate Entertainment Corp,

the film studio behind the Hunger Games movie franchise, said it

would buy premium television network Starz for $4.4

billion in cash and stock, in a deal that would unite two media

companies with ties to cable mogul John Malone.

Read more

Olive Garden owner Darden's sales miss estimates

June 30 (Reuters) - Darden Restaurants Inc reported

lower-than-expected quarterly sales as fewer customers visited

its Olive Garden restaurants.

Read more

Evidence points to Islamic State in Istanbul attack that killed 43 -minister

ANKARA, June 30 (Reuters) - Evidence gathered so far points

to Islamic State responsibility for a triple suicide bombing at

Istanbul's main airport this week, Turkish Interior Minister

Efkan Ala told parliament on Thursday.

Read more

Michelle Obama campaigns for girls' education in Madrid

MADRID, June 30 (Reuters) - U.S. first lady Michelle Obama

was joined by Spain's Queen Letizia in Madrid on Thursday on the

last leg of a trip to promote girls' education in poorer

countries and raise awareness of gender inequalities.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Britain's Gove to run for PM, shakes Conservative leadership race

* Interior minister May bids for Cameron's job

(Adds Gove, May comments)

Read more

UPDATE 1-Leoni to cut 1,100 jobs at car wiring systems division

* Cuts hit operations in United States, Europe, South Korea

(Adds costs of job cuts and background)

Read more

UPDATE 2-Japan automakers recall 1.3 mln cars at home over Takata air bags

* Mitsubishi recalls 520,000 cars, Fuji Heavy 290,000

(Adds recalls by Mercedes Benz, UD Trucks)

Read more

Hong Kong May retail sales fall for 15th straight month

June 30 (Reuters) - May retail sales data

(percent change from a year earlier):

2016 2015

May Apr Mar Feb Jan Dec Nov

Value -8.4 -7.5 -9.8 -20.6 -6.6 -8.5 -7.8

Volume -9.0 -7.7^ -8.8 -19.5 -5.2 -6.1 -6.0



^ Revised

CONTEXT:

-- In the three months through May, the volume of sales rose

by 0.3 percent, seasonally adjusted, from the preceding three

months.



COMMENTARY:

A

Read more

Fashion meets technology at new Berlin exhibition

BERLIN, June 30 (Reuters) - German curators are encouraging

the fashion and technology industries to merge by setting up

"Fashion Fusion", a new exhibition offering innovative young

designers cash prizes for the best high-tech apparel.

Read more

Motoring group AA to sell Irish business to Carlyle arms

June 30 (Reuters) - Motoring group AA Plc said it

had agreed to sell its Irish business to a Carlyle Group

fund and financial services buyout team for 156.6 million euros

($173.7 million).

Read more

German retail sales bounce back in May, beating expectations

BERLIN, June 30 (Reuters) - German retail sales bounced back

in May after falling for two consecutive months, data showed on

Thursday, giving some reassurance that consumer spending will

continue to propel growth in Europe's largest economy as foreign

demand weakens.

Read more

Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Clothing retailer Esprit says Brexit may hit consumer sentiment

HONG KONG, June 30 (Reuters) - Esprit Holdings Ltd

said Britain's vote to leave the European Union could affect

consumer sentiment in its key markets in Europe, as global

businesses and political leaders grapple with the fall-out of

last week's "Brexit".

Read more

Lions Gate Entertainment nears deal to buy Starz - source

June 30 (Reuters) - Lions Gate Entertainment Corp,

the film studio behind the Hunger Games movie franchise, is in

advanced talks to buy premium television network Starz

, in a deal that would unite two media companies with

ties to cable mogul John Malone, according to a source familiar

with the matter.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Regulator probing Canon on $6.5 bln Toshiba unit purchase -source

* The way Toshiba structured the deal was unorthodox

(Add details, comments from Toshiba)

Read more

UPDATE 1-China's 'left field' buyers shake up global M&A

* Boom in due diligence industry as little-known firms make

bids

Read more

UPDATE 4-Toyota recalls 3.37 mln cars over air bags, emissions control

* Autoliv says it supplied air bag inflators

(Adds recalls by geographic region for emissions defect; 90 pct

of recalled air bag inflators in Prius models, updates share

price)

Read more

Oscars organizers invite new members in diversity push

LOS ANGELES, June 29 (Reuters) - Organizers of the Oscars,

facing an outcry over the lack of diversity on its voting board

for the film awards, said on Wednesday it has invited nearly 700

new members with a focus on female and minority talent.

Read more

UPDATE 2-UK parties head for leadership battles amid Brexit fallout

* Conservative candidates to Cameron start to emerge

(Recasts, combines earlier stories, adds union statement)

Read more

Body parts wash ashore next to Rio Olympic venue

RIO DE JANEIRO, June 29 (Reuters) - Parts of a mutilated body washed up on the sands of Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday, police said, just meters (yards) from where beach volleyball athletes will compete in the upcoming Olympics.

Read more

Obama urges Venezuela to respect democratic process

OTTAWA, June 29 (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama on

Wednesday urged the Venezuelan government to respect the

democratic process and the rule of law, including allowing the

release of political prisoners.

Read more

UPDATE 3-Alcoa spins off smelting business; aero, auto unit now 'Arconic'

CHICAGO, June 29 (Reuters) - Metals company Alcoa Inc

said on Wednesday it will spin off its traditional aluminum

smelting business as part of its planned company split, with up

to 19.9 percent of the new company owned by its business that

serves aerospace and transportation industries.

Read more

Slim majority of French think Brexit bad for the EU - poll

PARIS, June 29 (Reuters) - Only a narrow majority of French

people think Britain's decision to leave the European Union is

bad for the bloc, but two thirds of them consider that EU

leaders are not up to the task of dealing with Brexit, an

opinion poll showed on Wednesday.

Read more

Riyadh's new listing L'azurde to double number of shops by 2018

RIYADH, June 29 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's L'azurde Company

for Jewellery, which surged on its trading debut in

Riyadh on Wednesday, plans to almost double the number of its

branches in the Middle East and North Africa by 2018.

Read more

EU commissioner urges VW to compensate drivers for diesel scandal

BRUSSELS/BERLIN, June 29 (Reuters) - Europe's Industry

Commissioner Elzbieta Bienkowska has called on Volkswagen

to also compensate European drivers after the

company agreed to pay out up to $15.3 billion in the United

States to settle claims over the diesel emissions scandal.

Read more

RPT-INSIGHT-Under Armour leads Olympic marketing shake-up after "rule 40" changes

June 29 (Reuters) - Against a backdrop of the iconic five rings, legendary swimmer Michael Phelps sat on a United States Olympic Committee stage at a March media event in Los Angeles, telling reporters why he had arrived fashionably late.

Read more

Housebuilder McCarthy & Stone warns on Brexit impact

June 29 (Reuters) - Retirement housebuilder McCarthy & Stone

Plc raised concerns about its ability to meet its

full-year sales volume growth target of 20 percent as UK's

decision to leave the European Union clouded the residential

market.

Read more

Kering ordered to pay $13 mln to former YSL designer in contract

PARIS, June 29 (Reuters) - Luxury goods group Kering

was ordered on Wednesday to pay $13 million to a

former fashion designer Hedi Slimane in a provisional court

ruling on the way his departure from the company was handled,

his lawyer said.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Daimler's pension fund gets 1.8 bln euro Renault Nissan stake

* Daimler had been concerned over French intervention at

Renault

(Adds background on Renault Nissan ownership changes)

Read more

INSIGHT-Under Armour leads Olympic marketing shake-up after "rule 40" changes

June 29(Reuters) - Against a backdrop of the iconic five

rings, legendary swimmer Michael Phelps sat on a United States

Olympic Committee stage at a March media event in Los Angeles,

telling reporters why he had arrived fashionably late.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Apollo Global to buy Diamond Resorts for $2.2 bln

June 29 (Reuters) - Diamond Resorts International Inc

said it agreed to be bought by private equity firm

Apollo Global Management LLC for about $2.2 billion

deal.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Renault may raise UK car prices to weather Brexit storm

PARIS, June 29 (Reuters) - French carmaker Renault

is considering UK price rises to counter the pound's slump since

Britain voted to leave the European Union, two company sources

told Reuters on Wednesday after a briefing by senior management.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Adidas agrees long-term partnership with Kanye West

* Marketing push drives Adidas recovery in U.S.

(Adds detail, background)

Read more

UPDATE 1-Tibetan director detained, hospitalised in China -film guild

BEIJING, June 29 (Reuters) - An award-winning Tibetan film

director has been detained and suffered serious injury while in

police custody, a Chinese film directors' guild said on

Wednesday, though police said he was only lightly injured being

taken away from a luggage dispute.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Islamic State prime suspect after suicide bombers kill 41 at Istanbul airport

* Turkish PM, U.S. officials suspect Islamic State

(Updates death toll, details on nationalities)

Read more

UK car industry: demand not hit by Brexit vote yet, forecast unchanged

LONDON, June 29 (Reuters) - UK car dealerships saw the same

number of customers over the weekend as before Britons voted for

Brexit last week, Britain's car industry association said on

Wednesday, noting that it would not change its forecast for

record sales this year.

Read more

VW owners say core business still strong

STUTTGART, June 29 (Reuters) - Volkswagen's top

shareholders said the group's core business is still robust,

after the carmaker agreed a record $15.3 billion settlement in

its emissions-cheating scandal in the United States.

Read more

INSIGHT-For one UK firm, Brexit vote means expansion abroad, not at home

HUNTINGDON, England, June 29 (Reuters) - Britain and the

European Union are likely to take years to rewrite the rules

that govern their business ties after the UK voted to leave the

bloc.

Read more

Islamic State prime suspect after suicide bombers kill 36 at Istanbul airport

ISTANBUL, June 29 (Reuters) - Turkish investigators pored

over video footage and witness statements on Wednesday after

three suspected Islamic State suicide bombers opened fire and

blew themselves up in Istanbul's main airport, killing 36 people

and wounding almost 150.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Dixons Carphone says Brexit vote won't dent its growth

LONDON, June 29 (Reuters) - British consumer electricals and

mobile phone retailer Dixons Carphone said on Wednesday

it was confident it would continue to grow despite Britain's

vote to leave the European Union.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Pub firm Greene King cautions Brexit to weigh on consumer spending

June 29 (Reuters) - Greene King Plc cautioned that

uncertainty arising from the UK's decision to exit the EU would

weigh on consumer sentiment, tacking on pressure on pub

companies already grappling with intense competition for every

pound in consumers' pockets.

Read more

Pakistan's cotton imports to hold near record highs as output dwindles -industry

* Area under cotton down 15 pct despite efforts to boost

output

Read more

Pub firm Greene King cautions Brexit to weigh on consumer spending

June 29 (Reuters) - Greene King Plc cautioned that

uncertainty arising from the UK's decision to exit the EU would

weigh on consumer sentiment, tacking on pressure on pub

companies already grappling with intense competition for every

pound in consumers' pockets.

Read more

Tuesday, June 28, 2016

UPDATE 1-Sony lifts revenue target for games, but cuts outlook for image sensors

* Images sensor outlook hit by weaker demand for smartphones

(Adds target for gaming business, more background)

Read more

S.Korea dept, discount store sales both decline in May

SEOUL, June 29 (Reuters) - Sales at top South Korean

department and discount stores in May both fell and were worse

than initially expected, finalised government data showed on

Wednesday, backing policymakers' concerns over consumption

softening in Asia's fourth-largest economy.

Read more

Australia new homes sales slip for 2nd month in May-HIA

SYDNEY, June 29 (Reuters) - Sales of new homes in Australia

fell in May, a second month of declines that hinted at some

slowdown in the economically important housing market.

Read more

UPDATE 1-CJ Group says submitted letter of intent to buy McDonald's S.Korean unit

SEOUL, June 29 (Reuters) - South Korea's CJ Group, a

food-to-entertainment conglomerate, said on Wednesday it has

submitted a letter of intent to buy McDonald's Corp's

South Korean unit, adding that details have not been decided.

Read more

Sony cuts FY2017 revenue target for devices unit on weaker smartphone demand

TOKYO, June 29 (Reuters) - Japan's Sony Corp said

on Wednesday it expects its image sensor business will miss its

revenue target for the 2017 fiscal year because of weakening

global demand for smartphones.

Read more

Toyota recalling 1.43 million hybrids worldwide for air bag issue

WASHINGTON, June 28 (Reuters) - Toyota Motor Corp

said late on Tuesday it is recalling 1.43 million hybrid Prius

and Lexus CT200h cars worldwide because of a possible airbag

inflator defect.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Noodles & Co reports possible data security incident

June 28 (Reuters) - Fast-casual restaurant chain operator

Noodles & Co said on Tuesday a recent data security

incident may have compromised the security of payment

information of some its customers.

Read more

Tesla investor group wants more independent board, cites Musk ties

SAN FRANCISCO, June 28 (Reuters) - An investor group called

on Tesla Motors Corp on Tuesday to add two independent

directors to its board and separate the roles of chairman and

chief executive as it highlighted founder and CEO Elon Musk's

dominance of the board in the wake of Tesla's proposed bid for

SolarCity.

Read more

UPDATE 6-VW agrees to buy back diesel vehicles, fund clean air efforts

WASHINGTON, June 28 (Reuters) - German automaker Volkswagen

AG will pay as much as $15.3 billion after admitting

it cheated on U.S. diesel emissions tests for years, agreeing to

buy back vehicles from consumers and provide funding that could

benefit makers of cleaner technologies.

Read more

UPDATE 3-Ten killed, many wounded in suicide attack at Istanbul airport

* No immediate claim of responsibility for attack

(Adds number of wounded, details)

Read more

UPDATE 1-Airbnb seeks funds valuing it at $30 bln - source

June 28 (Reuters) - Apartment-sharing startup Airbnb is in

talks for a new round of funding that would value the company at

$30 billion, a source close to the company said on Tuesday.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Singapore's sovereign fund in talks to buy Yes Communities - WSJ

June 28 (Reuters) - Singapore's sovereign-wealth fund GIC is

in talks to buy Denver-based Yes Communities, an owner of

manufactured-housing communities, in a $2 billion deal, the Wall

Street Journal reported.

Read more

Airbnb seeking funding valuing it at $30 bln - source

June 28 (Reuters) - Apartment-sharing startup Airbnb is in

talks for a new round of funding that would value the company at

$30 billion, a source close to the company said.

Read more

Katzenberg sued over 'side deal' to Comcast-DreamWorks merger

WILMINGTON, Del., June 28 (Reuters) - Jeffrey Katzenberg,

DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc's chief executive, has been

hit with a proposed class action lawsuit over what a minority

shareholder called an "extraordinarily valuable" side deal he

struck as part of the $3.8 billion sale of the studio to Comcast

Corp.

Read more

Ikea recalls 36 mln chests, dressers after six deaths

WASHINGTON, June 28 (Reuters) - Swedish furniture retailer

IKEA Group is recalling almost 36 million chests and

dressers in the United States and Canada that have been linked

to the deaths of six children, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety

Commission said on Tuesday.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Zambian police charge newspaper editors in tax row

LUSAKA, June 28 (Reuters) - Zambian police on Tuesday

charged three people including two editors of a newspaper

critical of the government that was shut down last week, as

tensions rose in the run up to elections in August.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Saudi Arabia in talks with Six Flags to build theme parks in kingdom

DUBAI, June 28 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia has begun talks with

Six Flags Entertainment Corp to build theme parks, the

company said on Tuesday, as part of the kingdom's efforts to

expand its tourism sector and diversify the economy.

Read more

MIDEAST STOCKS-Gulf mixed in quiet trade, IMF hopes don't aid Egypt much

DUBAI, June 28 (Reuters) - Gulf stocks were mixed in quiet

trade on Tuesday as global markets regained some strength after

the shock of the British vote to leave the European Union. Signs

of progress toward an International Monetary Fund loan failed to

lift Egypt much.

Read more

Q&A-U.S. Volkswagen owners: Your compensation from scandal settlement

SAN FRANCISCO, June 28 (Reuters) - Volkswagen AG

has agreed to offer nearly 500,000 owners of diesel vehicles it

sold in the United States a choice between selling their cars

back to VW, or waiting to see if the company can develop

technology that brings the vehicles into compliance with

pollution standards. The deal also includes cash compensation.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Higher ticket prices help Carnival Corp beat revenue estimates

June 28 (Reuters) - Carnival Corp, the world's

largest cruise operator, reported a better-than-expected rise

in quarterly revenue as it gained from higher ticket prices and

onboard spending.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Vehicles in Fiat Chrysler rollaway recall linked to 68 injuries

DETROIT, June 28 (Reuters) - U.S. safety regulators said on

Tuesday there were 68 reported injuries and 266 reported crashes

in vehicles, including 2014-2015 Fiat Chrysler

Jeep Cherokee models that have a type of gear-shifting

control that has confused some consumers and led to roll-away

incidents.

Read more

Hapag-Lloyd has agreed on merger terms with UASC

FRANKFURT, June 28 (Reuters) - German container shipping

line Hapag Lloyd AG on Tuesday said it has reached an

agreement on terms and conditions of a business combination

agreement with Arab peer United Arab Shipping Company (UASC).

Read more

Clinton rolls out wide-ranging technology agenda

June 28 (Reuters) - Presumptive Democratic presidential

nominee Hillary Clinton on Tuesday laid out a technology and

innovation agenda ranging from connecting every U.S. household

to high-speed internet by 2020 to beefing up cyber security and

reducing regulatory barriers.

Read more

Former pope Benedict makes rare appearance with successor Francis

VATICAN CITY, June 28 (Reuters) - Former pope Benedict made

one of his rare public appearances on Tuesday to be feted by his

successor Pope Francis, two days after Francis denied reports

that Benedict was still exercising influence in the Vatican.

Read more

U.S. files VW settlement, details buybacks

WASHINGTON, June 28 (Reuters) - Volkswagen AG has agreed to

a settlement worth more than $15.3 billion, according to a court

document filed Tuesday and a source briefed on the matter.

Read more

Afghan media groups decry rise in violence against journalists

Kabul, June 28 (Reuters) - Violence and intimidation against

journalists in Afghanistan has spiked sharply this month, with

much of it coming from government security forces, the main

journalists' right groups said on Tuesday.

Read more

Singapore's sovereign fund in talks to buy Yes Communities - WSJ

June 28 (Reuters) - Singapore's sovereign-wealth fund GIC is

in talks to buy Denver-based Yes Communities, an owner of

manufactured-housing communities, in a $2 billion deal, the Wall

Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Ocado says sliding pound could help it win overseas licensing deals

* Shares rise up to 15.3 pct, down 47 pct year-on-year

(Recasts with CEO comment, shares)

Read more

Young Turks: e-commerce start-ups bet on enviable demographics

ISTANBUL, June 28 (Reuters) - When Demet Mutlu dropped out

of Harvard six years ago to found an online fashion retailer in

her native Turkey, friends thought she was crazy to leave the

world's top business school for a leap into the unknown.

Read more

Lady Gaga caught in bad romance with China after meeting Dalai Lama

BEIJING, June 28 (Reuters) - China said on Tuesday U.S. pop

star Lady Gaga's meeting with exiled Tibetan spiritual leader

the Dalai Lama had unleashed "anger" in the country, as internet

users criticised her for meeting a man China condemns as a

separatist.

Read more

Taiwan chip firm ASE adds to calls for Taipei to ease China investment policy

TAIPEI, June 28 (Reuters) - Taiwan's semiconductor industry

needs be open to all kinds of capital, including investment from

China, to ensure it is funded well enough to compete with global

business rivals, the island's largest chip test and packaging

company said on Tuesday.

Read more

UPDATE 1-U.S. prosecutors link Chinese officials to U.N. bribe case

NEW YORK, June 27 (Reuters) - A U.S. prosecutor said on

Monday that Chinese officials were involved in developing a

United Nations-focused news outlet that was used to funnel

bribes from a Macau billionaire to a former U.N. General

Assembly president who died last week.

Read more

"We won war, now win peace": UKIP's Farage seeks good Europe ties

BRUSSELS, June 28 (Reuters) - Nigel Farage, the head of

Britain's anti-EU UK Independence Party, said on Tuesday he

wanted to be good friends and trading partners with the

remaining EU nations after Britain exits the bloc.

Read more

Ocado profit rises, talks with potential overseas partners continue

LONDON, June 28 (Reuters) - British online grocer Ocado

reported a 5.7 percent rise in first-half core earnings

and said talks to secure a long awaited overseas deal were

continuing.

Read more

Uber, Lyft resolve litigation involving top executives

SAN FRANCISCO, June 27 (Reuters) - Lyft and its former chief

operating officer Travis VanderZanden have settled litigation in

California, court filings show, in which Lyft accused

VanderZanden of breaking his confidentiality pledges when he

went to work for rival ride service Uber.

Read more

Monday, June 27, 2016

Takata CEO offers to step down after new regime in place

TOKYO, June 28 (Reuters) - Takata Corp CEO

Shigehisa Takada on Tuesday offered to step down after a new

regime is decided for the auto parts supplier, which is

searching for a financial backer to help it deal with a massive

global recall of potentially deadly air bags.

Read more

S.Korea antitrust regulator says investigating Apple on 'some matters'

SEOUL, June 28 (Reuters) - South Korea's Fair Trade

Commission (FTC) is investigating "some matters" relating to

tech giant Apple Inc, the head of the anticompetition

body said during a parliamentary hearing, without disclosing

further details.

Read more

UPDATE 6-Preparing for Brexit, Britain may see new PM by early September

* Media name cabinet's Crabb, Hunt as challengers

(Adds finance minister Osborne withdrawing from race)

Read more

U.S. interest in U.K. travel soars after Brexit

June 27 (Reuters) - Several online travel sites have seen a

jump in queries from Americans about travel to the United

Kingdom since it voted to leave the European Union, a sign

so-called "Brexit" and the resulting drop in the value of the

pound currency may spur U.S. visits to Britain.

Read more

Italian Actor Bud Spencer dies at age 86

MILAN, June 27 (Reuters) - Italian actor and filmmaker Bud

Spencer died on Monday at age 86, national media reported.

Read more

South China Sea reefs "decimated" as giant clams harvested in bulk

TANMEN, China, June 28 (Reuters) - Ornaments made from the

shells of endangered giant clams, renowned in China for having

auspicious powers and the lustre of ivory, have become coveted

luxuries, a trend which has wreaked havoc on the ecosystem of

the South China Sea.

Read more

Cuban hotel becomes first to operate under U.S. brand

HAVANA, June 27 (Reuters) - A large "Four Points by

Sheraton" sign has gone up outside the Havana hotel that this

week becomes the first in Cuba to operate under a U.S. brand

since the 1959 revolution.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Volkswagen's U.S. diesel emissions settlement to cost $15 bln -source

WASHINGTON, June 27 (Reuters) - Volkswagen AG's

settlement with nearly 500,000 U.S. diesel owners and government

regulators over polluting vehicles is valued at more than $15

billion cash, a source briefed on the matter said on Monday.

Read more

REFILE-Allergy Therapeutics says study fails to find hay fever therapy dose range

June 27 (Reuters) - Drug developer Allergy Therapeutics Plc

said a study on suitable doses of its therapy to treat

grass allergic rhinitis, or hay fever, did not find a

recommended dose for a late-stage trial.

Read more

"No special treatment" for Britain in EU exit - Merkel ally

BERLIN, June 27 (Reuters) - Britain should not receive any

special treatment in negotiating its exit from the European

Union after last week's referendum vote, the parliamentary

leader of German Chancellor's conservative Christian Democrats

(CDU) said on Monday.

Read more

Sunday, June 26, 2016

Another death in Malaysia linked to airbag rupture in Honda car -media

KUALA LUMPUR, June 27 (Reuters) - The driver of a Honda City

in Malaysia possibly died from a ruptured airbag after her car

was involved in a "minor accident" over the weekend, local daily

The Star reported on Monday.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Anbang plans to convert most of Waldorf Astoria to apartments -WSJ

NEW YORK, June 26 (Reuters) - China's Anbang Insurance Group

Co plans to convert as much as three-quarters of the

rooms at New York's landmark Waldorf Astoria hotel into

apartments, the Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday, citing

people familiar with the matter.

Read more

Anbang plans to convert most of Waldorf Astoria to apartments -WSJ

NEW YORK, June 26 (Reuters) - China's Anbang Insurance Group

Co plans to convert as much as three-quarters of the rooms at

the landmark Waldorf Astoria hotel into apartments, the Wall

Street Journal reported on Sunday, citing people familiar with

the matter.

Read more

Spain's Ciudadanos says ready to talk to People's Party over govt

MADRID, June 26 (Reuters) - Spain's newcomer liberal party,

Ciudadanos, is ready to immediately open talks with the People's

Party (PP) of caretaker Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy to form a

government after Sunday's general election, Ciudadanos leader

Albert Rivera said.

Read more

UPDATE 4-Spain's leftist parties could clinch majority -exit polls

* First official results due at 2030 GMT

(Recasts with exit polls)

Read more

Lithuanian village crowns prettiest goat in annual pageant

RAMYGALA, Lithuania, June 26 (Reuters) - The Lithuanian

village of Ramygala held its annual beauty pageant on Sunday,

the top prize going to a 16-month-old female goat called Demyte,

or "Little Spot".

Read more

Box Office: 'Finding Dory' Drowns Out Disappointing 'Independence Day: Resurgence'

LOS ANGELES, June 26 (Variety.com) - "Finding Dory" showed

plenty of box office staying power with $73.2 million in an

otherwise modest weekend at the North America box office as

"Independence Day: Resurgence" invaded with a disappointing

$41.6 million.

Read more

UPDATE 1-French PM: Europe must stop being finicky and intrusive

PARIS, June 26 (Reuters) - The European Union must stop

being nit-picky and intrusive, French Prime Minister Manuel

Valls said on Sunday as the bloc scrambled to handle the

aftermath of Britain's vote to leave.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Roller coaster carriage derails injuring seven at Scottish theme park - Daily Record

LONDON, June 26 (Reuters) - A roller coaster carriage at a

theme park in Scotland came off its rails on Sunday and fell

30ft (10 metres) onto a children's ride below injuring around

seven people, the Daily Record newspaper reported.

Read more

MIDEAST STOCKS-Gulf sinks on Brexit but comes off lows; Egypt hardest hit

DUBAI, June 26 (Reuters) - Middle East stocks fell sharply

on Sunday because of Britain's vote to leave the European Union

but Gulf bourses came well off their lows. Egypt was hardest hit

because of concern that fund inflows into the country could

shrink further.

Read more

Roller coaster carriage derails at Scottish theme park - Daily Record

LONDON, June 26 (Reuters) - A roller coaster carriage at a

theme park in Scotland came off its rails on Sunday and fell on

a children's ride below, the Daily Record newspaper reported.

Read more

Kuka nears deal with Chinese bidder - source

BERLIN/FRANKFURT, June 26 (Reuters) - German robotics maker

Kuka is on the brink of agreeing to an investor

agreement with Chinese bidder Midea that includes a

long-term commitment to existing headquarters, factories and

jobs, a source close to the negotiations said.

Read more

TUI says Brexit to hit profit, not travel patterns

BERLIN, June 26 (Reuters) - European travel group TUI

, which makes about a third of its turnover in Britain,

expects a dent to its profits because of the fall in the pound

after Britain's decision to leave the European Union but does

not see a big change in travel habits.

Read more

UPDATE 1-China's Alipay could take stake in Germany's Wirecard - report

BERLIN, June 26 (Reuters) - Wirecard AG is

negotiating with representatives of Alipay, a unit of Chinese

e-commerce giant Alibaba, about it taking a stake of up

to 25 percent in the German banking software company, a

newspaper reported on Sunday.

Read more

China bus fire kills 35

BEIJING, June 26 (Reuters) - At least 35 people, including

two children, died after a tour bus crashed and caught fire in

central China, state media reported on Sunday.

Read more

VW should pay Europeans same compensation as US drivers-EU commissioner

BERLIN, June 26 (Reuters) - Volkswagen AG should

offer European drivers similar compensation to what the German

carmaker is expected to pay U.S. customers, Europe's Industry

Commissioner Elzbieta Bienkowska told a newspaper on Sunday.

Read more

Saturday, June 25, 2016

UK opposition leader Corbyn sacks shadow foreign secretary amid party coup report-media

June 26 (Reuters) - British Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn

sacked his shadow foreign secretary, Hilary Benn, on Sunday, The

Observer newspaper said, after it revealed he was preparing to

lead a coup against the party boss.

Read more

UPDATE 2-New York Times fashion photographer Bill Cunningham dies at 87

NEW YORK, June 25 (Reuters) - Bill Cunningham, the

celebrated New York Times fashion photographer known for his

shots of emerging trends on the streets of New York City, died

on Saturday at age of 87 after being hospitalized for a stroke.

Read more

New York Times fashion photographer Bill Cunningham dies at 87

June 25 (Reuters) - Bill Cunningham, the New York Times

fashion photographer known for his shots of emerging trends on

the streets of New York City, died on Saturday at age of 87

after being hospitalized for a stroke, the newspaper said.

Read more

Alipay could take stake in Wirecard - report

BERLIN, June 26 (Reuters) - Wirecard AG is

negotiating with representatives of Alipay, a unit of Chinese

e-commerce giant Alibaba, about it taking a stake of up

to 25 percent in the German banking software company, a

newspaper reported on Sunday.

Read more

Muddy Glastonbury mourns Brexit but awaits British pride, Adele

GLASTONBURY, England, June 25 (Reuters) - Mud-covered

revellers at Britain's Glastonbury festival were in high spirits

as the second day of music got under way on Saturday, with

British star Adele's performance keenly awaited though many were

still mourning Britain's vote to leave the European Union.

Read more

Argentina says reaches car trade deal with main buyer Brazil

BUENOS AIRES, June 25 (Reuters) - Argentina and Brazil have

agreed to extend a bilateral deal on automobile exports for

another four years, the Argentine government announced on

Saturday after a round of trade talks in Brasilia.

Read more

Bernie Worrell, P-Funk keyboardist known as 'Wizard of Woo,' dies at 72

NEW YORK, June 25 (Reuters) - Bernie Worrell, the

keyboardist and founding member of Parliament-Funkadelic known

as the "Wizard of Woo," died on Friday at the age of 72,

according to his website.

Read more

INSIGHT-As Cameron loses biggest gamble, Johnson looks biggest winner

LONDON, June 24 (Reuters) - It was David Cameron's biggest

gamble and he was convinced he would win. Now, the British

leader's closest rival - in the EU referendum, in the

Conservative Party and in the country - is the frontrunner to

take his job.

Read more

UPDATE 1-China tightens controls on paid-for internet search ads

BEIJING, June 25 (Reuters) - China's internet regulator said

on Saturday that search engines should tighten management of

paid-for ads in search results, making clear which results are

paid-for and limiting their numbers.

Read more

Friday, June 24, 2016

China tightens controls on paid-for internet search ads

BEIJING, June 25 (Reuters) - China's internet regulator said

on Saturday that search engines should tighten management of

paid-for ads in search results, making clear which results are

paid-for and limiting their numbers.

Read more

China media snidely criticise Brexit vote, but upbeat on UK ties

BEIJING, June 25 (Reuters) - Chinese state media on Saturday

offered snide criticism of the negative consequences of

democracy after Britain voted to leave the European Union, but

vowed to stand by the "golden age" of Sino-British ties.

Read more

One in seven women in Bengaluru garment factories face sexual violence, report says

CHENNAI, India, June 25 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - She

was 20 when the abuse started. Her supervisor at the garment

factory where she worked would grope and pinch her, sometimes

leaving bruises. Her complaints were ignored and her abuser went

unpunished.

Read more

Dick's Sporting Goods bids on 17 Sports Authority stores -source

NEW YORK, June 23 (Reuters) - Dick's Sporting Goods

submitted a bid for 17 Sports Authority stores, with other

retailers making offers for only single locations of the

bankrupt sporting goods retailer, according to a person familiar

with the matter.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Russell reconstitution adds to U.S. market's volume, volatility

NEW YORK, June 24 (Reuters) - FTSE Russell reconfigured its

indexes at the close in an annual event that triggered the

highest trading volume for any session in almost five years and

added to Friday's high volatility in the U.S. stock market.

Read more

HBO says Brexit won't hurt 'Game of Thrones' production

LOS ANGELES, June 24 (Reuters) - "Game of Thrones," the hit

HBO cable TV series that is partly filmed in Northern Ireland,

will not suffer due to Britain's decision to leave the European

Union, the cable network said on Friday, aiming to quash

speculation that the lavishly produced show would lose EU

funding.

Read more

Former wrestler Hulk Hogan to serve on Gawker creditor committee

NEW YORK, June 24 (Reuters) - Former professional wrestler

Hulk Hogan, whose lawsuit against Gawker Media LLC precipitated

its bankruptcy, will serve on the committee of unsecured

creditors, according to a court filing.

Read more

Russell reconstitution adds to U.S. market's volume, volatility

NEW YORK, June 24 (Reuters) - FTSE Russell reconfigured its

indexes at the close in an annual event that triggered the

highest trading volume for any session in almost five years and

added to Friday's high volatility in the U.S. share market.

Read more

U.S. states, Rockefellers clash with U.S. House panel on Exxon climate probes

HOUSTON, June 24 (Reuters) - With many U.S. states

proceeding with investigations of Exxon Mobil Corp's

record on climate change, the attorney general of Massachusetts

and investment funds of the Rockefeller family on Friday told a

Congressional committee it lacked powers to oversee those

probes.

Read more

Obama stands by warning on British trade deal after EU vote -W. House

ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE, June 24 (Reuters) - President Barack

Obama stands by his comment that Britain would move to the back

of the queue when it comes to trade deals with the United States

if it left the European Union, the White House said on Friday.

Read more

Lindsay Lohan fumes over #Brexit, Elizabeth Hurley sleeps soundly

NEW YORK, June 24 (Reuters) - Lindsay Lohan went viral on

social media in the early hours of Friday. Only this time, it

wasn't about her transgressions.

Read more

UPDATE 1-UK 'Leave' vote deflates hopes for U.S.-EU trade deal

WASHINGTON, June 24 (Reuters) - Britain's looming exit from

the European Union is another huge setback for negotiations on a

massive U.S.-EU free trade deal that were already stalled by

deeply entrenched differences and growing anti-trade sentiment

on both sides of the Atlantic.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Amid 'Brexit' selloff, some fund managers are bargain shopping

NEW YORK, June 24 (Reuters) - Britain's unexpected decision

to leave the European Union spurred a global stock market

selloff that has inspired some opportunistic U.S. investors to

move in the opposite direction.

Read more

Brexit seen hurting UK property market, London the most

LONDON, June 24 (Reuters) - Britain's decision to quit the

European Union led to sharp falls in property-related stocks on

Friday on the expectation the recent cooling of both residential

and commercial markets, a major driving force of the economy for

years, will deepen.

Read more

Ad firms join forces to publicize global U.N. poverty goals

NEW YORK, June 24 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - The world's

6 largest advertising firms are putting rivalry aside to help

get the word out on the United Nations' agenda to combat global

ills with a major pro bono publicity campaign, U.N.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced on Friday.

Read more

British retailers battered by vote for Brexit

LONDON, June 24 (Reuters) - Shares in British retailers were

hammered on Friday as the country's decision to quit the

European Union hit sterling and raised the prospect of another

recession.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Sinn Fein calls for Irish unity poll as Brexit fallout begins

* Banks, UK-exposed companies lead stock market rout

(Adds Irish Prime Minister Kenny comments)

Read more

India's new deal for textile workers could add to risks, campaigners say

CHENNAI, India, June 24 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - An

Indian government initiative to create millions of jobs and

increase exports in the textile and garment industries could put

vulnerable workers at greater risk, activists said, calling for

better enforcement of existing labour laws.

Read more

Triumph for "Brexiteer" Nigel Farage, British scourge of the EU

LONDON, June 24 (Reuters) - Britain's vote to leave the

European Union is a triumph for Nigel Farage, the abrasive

anti-immigration politician who tapped into a deep well of

popular anger that rivals failed to understand.

Read more

Weak U.S. core capital goods orders point to subdued business spending

WASHINGTON, June 24 (Reuters) - New orders for U.S.

manufactured capital goods unexpectedly fell in May as demand

declined across the board, suggesting business spending will

remain a drag on economic growth in the second quarter.

Read more

WRAPUP 1-Weak U.S. core capital goods orders point to subdued business spending

WASHINGTON, June 24 (Reuters) - New orders for U.S.

manufactured capital goods unexpectedly fell in May as demand

declined broadly, suggesting business spending will remain a

drag on economic growth in the second quarter.

Read more

UPDATE 1-From beer to drugs to cars: Global business laments EU vote

LONDON, June 24 (Reuters) - Chief executives from Tokyo to

Denver woke up on Friday to currency turmoil, plunging share

prices and tough decisions after Britain's vote to leave the

European Union raised widespread fears over economic growth.

Read more

London gold dealers report surge in coin, bar demand on Brexit vote

LONDON, June 24 (Reuters) - Gold dealers in London reported

surging demand for coins and bars on Friday, with some saying

stocks were tight, after a shock vote for Britain to leave the

European Union sent financial markets into meltdown and drove

the pound lower.

Read more

Scotland "highly likely" to hold 2nd independence vote after EU vote -Sturgeon

LONDON, June 24 (Reuters) - Scotland is highly likely to

hold a second independence referendum, Scottish First Minister

Nicola Sturgeon said on Friday, adding she would do what was

necessary to secure the country's place in the European Union

after Britain voted to leave the bloc.

Read more

Sri Lanka enacts right to information bill after successive delays

COLOMBO, June 24 (Reuters) - Sri Lanka's parliament enacted

a right to information bill on Friday, in a move to curb

corruption and provide timely information to the public.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Nissan sues S. Korea govt over accusations of emissions cheating

SEOUL, June 24 (Reuters) - Nissan Motor Co Ltd's

South Korean unit said it has filed a lawsuit over claims by the

government that the automaker had cheated on emissions with its

Qashqai diesel sport utility vehicle.

Read more

Leading Brexit figure Johnson jeered as departs London home

LONDON, June 24 (Reuters) - Ex-London mayor Boris Johnson, a

leading Brexit campaigner and the bookmakers' favourite to

replace David Cameron as prime minister, was booed and jeered as

he left his London home on Friday.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Asian car makers may slow investments in UK after Brexit

* Brexit raises risk of automakers moving plants to EU

(Adds Tata comment, Ghosn)

Read more

HIGHLIGHTS-UK's Cameron says to stand down

LONDON, June 24 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister David

Cameron said he would stand down by October after voters decided

Britain should leave the European Union, something Cameron had

campaigned against.

Read more

TEXT-Bank of England's Carney speaks after UK votes for Brexit

LONDON, June 24 (Reuters) - Bank of England Governor Mark

Carney made a statement after voters decided in a referendum

that Britain should leave the European Union.

Read more

From beer to drugs to cars: Global business laments EU vote

LONDON, June 24 (Reuters) - Shocked chief executives from

Mumbai to Denver woke up on Friday to face tough decisions over

how to respond to Britain's vote to leave the European Union.

Read more

UK opposition leader says Brexit vote is due to anger at governments

LONDON, June 24 (Reuters) - The leader of the UK's

opposition Labour party Jeremy Corbyn said Britons voted to

leave the EU because they were angry about their treatment by

successive governments.

Read more

Thursday, June 23, 2016

Ireland calls emergency cabinet meeting, says Brexit has "very significant" implications

DUBLIN, June 24 (Reuters) - Britain's vote to leave the

European Union has very significant implications for Ireland and

the European Union as a whole, the Irish government said ahead

of an emergency cabinet meeting on Friday.

Read more

Asian car makers fret over uncertainty ahead after Brexit vote



Read more

Ralph Stanley, U.S. bluegrass music pioneer, dies at 89

June 23 (Reuters) - U.S. bluegrass pioneer Ralph Stanley,

who with his brother Carter helped popularize the Appalachian

music and gained late career fame through the movie "O Brother,

Where Art Thou?," died on Thursday, the family said. He was 89.

Read more

UPDATE 1-S.Korea issues arrest warrant for VW exec in emissions probe

SEOUL, June 24 (Reuters) - A South Korean court on Friday

issued the first warrant for the arrest of a Volkswagen AG

executive in connection with its cheating of vehicle

emissions tests, in another blow to the German automaker's

efforts to move on from the scandal.

Read more

Sharp shares dive 16.5 pct on downgrade to Tokyo bourse's 2nd section

TOKYO, June 24 (Reuters) - Shares in Japanese electronics

maker Sharp Corp fell as much as 16.5 percent on Friday

after the company said it would be demoted to the Tokyo Stock

Exchange's second section from the first section as of August 1.

Read more

WRAPUP 2-Leave camp leads in early UK referendum count

* For full coverage click on cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageId=brexit

(Updates results, reaction)

Read more

FEATURE-Fears for poor as Brazil cuts 'Minha Casa, Minha Vida' housing plan

RIO DE JANEIRO, June 24 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) -

G overnment cutbacks to Brazil's pioneering social housing

program, which has provided homes for several million people,

will undermine property rights and increase inequality in South

America's largest economy, analysts warn.

Read more

UPDATE 3-Tears of joy as rebels sign ceasefire with Colombian government

HAVANA/BOGOTA, June 23 (Reuters) - Colombia's government and

leftist FARC rebels signed a historic ceasefire deal on Thursday

that brings them tantalizingly close to ending the longest

running conflict in the Americas.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Fiat Chrysler accused of concealing defect in Jeep Grand Cherokee

LOS ANGELES, June 23 (Reuters) - Jeep Grand Cherokee owners

on Thursday filed suit in California against Fiat Chrysler

, accusing the automaker of concealing a shifter design

defect linked to driverless rollaway accidents, including this

week's death of "Star Trek" actor Anton Yelchin.

Read more

New app asks users to fight sex trafficking by snapping photos

NEW YORK, June 23 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Smartphone

users in the United States can try to help catch sex traffickers

with a newly introduced app designed to identify hotel rooms

where victims are held.

Read more

Democrat gun control sit-in sparks social media sensation

June 23 (Reuters) - A blackout of television cameras in the

U.S. House Representatives during the Democrats' gun control

sit-in may have spurred public interest in the protest as it

forced the demonstrators to use social media to broadcast their

message.

Read more

Fiat Chrysler accused of concealing defect in Jeep Grand Cherokee

LOS ANGELES, June 23 (Reuters) - Jeep Grand Cherokee owners

on Thursday filed suit in California against Fiat Chrysler

, accusing the automaker of concealing and failing to

fix a shifter design defect linked to driverless rollaway

accidents, including the death this week of "Star Trek" actor

Anton Yelchin.

Read more

UPDATE 5-Longtime Macy's CEO Lundgren to step down next year

* Shares rise as much as 5 pct

(Adds details on Gennette, analyst quote, updates shares)

Read more

VW's U.S. emissions settlement nearly $10.3 billion -source

June 23 (Reuters) - Volkswagen AG's diesel

emissions settlement with U.S. regulators is valued at nearly

$10.3 billion, a source briefed on the agreement said on

Thursday.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Led Zeppelin did not steal 'Stairway' riff, jurors say

LOS ANGELES, June 23 (Reuters) - The guitar riff Led

Zeppelin used in the 1971 classic "Stairway to Heaven" differed

substantially from one the English band was accused of stealing

from the U.S. group Spirit, a jury found on Thursday in a

copyright infringement trial in Los Angeles.

Read more

Pay TV firms make billing changes after Senate report

WASHINGTON, June 23 (Reuters) - Cable TV companies Time

Warner Cable and Charter Communications Inc agreed to provide

billing credits and make other changes after a U.S. Senate

committee found overbilling to thousands of consumers.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Kuka investor tenders stake to Chinese bidder - sources

* Voith looks set to double its investment by tendering

shares

Read more

Self-driving shuttles take to streets of Swiss city

SION, Switzerland, June 23 (Reuters) - Residents and

visitors to Sion can now get around parts of the Swiss city in a

new type of shuttle -- a self-driving one -- in what bus company

PostBus said was a first for the country.

Read more

REFILE-SPECIAL REPORT-Is Donald Trump struggling to find the green with his golf investments?

TURNBERRY, Scotland, June 23 (Reuters) - When Donald Trump

officially re-opens his Turnberry golf resort this week, he will

be unveiling his most prestigious golf project yet. The seaside

course has hosted The Open - Europe's only golf major - four

times and is regularly listed as one of the world's top courses.

It's also one of the biggest golf investments by the Republican

party's presumptive presidential nominee.

Read more

U.S. top court split 4-4 over in Native American tribal court dispute

WASHINGTON, June 23 (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on

Thursday allowed a child sexual molestation lawsuit against

discount retailer Dollar General Corp to move forward in a

Native American tribal court in Mississippi.

Read more

MIDEAST STOCKS-Gulf nudges up in thin trade; Egypt bounces

DUBAI, June 23 (Reuters) - Most stock markets in the Gulf

made small gains on Thursday, but trading volumes were thin

because of uncertainty over the result of Britain's vote on

whether to stay in the European Union.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Canada creates working group to study booming housing market

TORONTO, June 23 (Reuters) - The Canadian government is

creating a working group of federal, provincial and municipal

officials that will study the country's booming housing market

and provide possible policy changes, the finance minister said

on Thursday.

Read more

Briton revives Czech "pig" scooters from communist times

PRAGUE, June 23 (Reuters) - Neil Eamonn Smith fell in love

while attending a wedding in the Czech Republic shortly after

moving to the central European country from his native Britain

almost two decades ago.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Qunar Cayman Islands receives go-private offer

June 23 (Reuters) - Chinese online travel company Qunar

Cayman Islands Ltd said a unit of private equity fund

Ocean Imagination LP offered to acquire the company.

Read more

HKEx, Thomson Reuters launch series of renminbi indexes

HONG KONG, June 23 (Reuters) - The Hong Kong Exchanges and

Clearing Limited (HKEx) and Thomson Reuters on

Thursday launched a series of renminbi indexes which measure the

intraday performance of the yuan against a basket of

currencies.

Read more

Jurors in Led Zeppelin copyright trial to deliberate for 2nd day

LOS ANGELES, June 23 (Reuters) - Jurors in Led Zeppelin's

copyright infringement trial were due to begin a second day of

deliberations on Thursday to decide whether the English rock

band ripped off the opening chords of "Stairway to Heaven" from

an American group.

Read more

Germany embraces glitzy offices to shake up corporate culture

MUNICH/HERZOGENAURACH, Germany, June 23 (Reuters) - Major

German companies are investing in ambitious new buildings

designed to attract top staff and encourage innovation, seeking

to create a more dynamic corporate culture and keep pace with

U.S. rivals despite investor concerns about the cost.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Britain votes on EU membership after tight and bitter campaign

* For full coverage click on cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageId=brexit

(Adds details)

Read more

Indie pop group has babies dancing with "HandClap" song

LOS ANGELES, June 23 (Reuters) - High-energy indie pop group

Fitz and the Tantrums has babies dancing along to their music,

their single, "HandClap", has figured in film and television

trailers, and their self-titled album has debuted on the

Billboard 200 album chart at number 17.

Read more

Hong Kong democracy activist "Long Hair" charged as elections loom

HONG KONG, June 23 (Reuters) - Hong Kong pro-democracy

lawmaker "Long Hair" Leung Kwok-hung has been charged with

failing to declare a donation of HK$250,000 ($32,000) from a

media tycoon and outspoken critic of China, the Chinese-ruled

city's corruption watchdog said on Thursday.

Read more

JAC Motors considers electric car production in Bulgaria

SOFIA, June 23 (Reuters) - Chinese automaker JAC Motors

is exploring opportunities to start making electric

cars in Bulgaria, the Balkan country's economy ministry said.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Britain votes on EU membership after tight and bitter campaign

* For full coverage click on cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageId=brexit

on Eikon

(Updates with polls open, S&P warning, G7 plan, newspaper

headlines)

Read more

RPT-INSIGHT-Conflict among U.S. allies in northern Syria clouds war on Islamic State

* Syrian FSA rebel leader sees "deepening divide" with

Kurdish YPG

Read more

Supporters of global sustainability ask businesses to step up

NEW YORK, June 23 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Advocates

of sustainable development called on the world's most powerful

companies to build the United Nations' agenda combating global

ills into their business plans, pitches to shareholders and

messages to consumers.

Read more

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Honda recalls nearly 150,000 vehicles in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR, June 23 (Reuters) - Honda Malaysia said on

Thursday it was recalling 147,894 vehicles to replace the front

passenger airbag inflator.

Read more

UPDATE 1-U.S. House Democrats broadcast 'sit-in' on social media after cameras shut down

June 22 (Reuters) - Democrats demanding action on gun

control turned to Twitter's Periscope and Facebook's

live video platform to broadcast their "sit-in" on the

floor of the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday after

the chamber's cameras shut down.

Read more

Britain votes on EU membership after tight and bitter campaign

LONDON, June 23 (Reuters) - Britons will decide the future

of their country and Europe on Thursday in a vote on European

Union membership after a bitter campaign that appeared to divide

the nation down the middle.

Read more

China's Sanpower confirms joint bid for McDonald's HK, China assets

HONG KONG, June 23 (Reuters) - China's Sanpower Group said

it has submitted a joint bid with Beijing Tourism Group for

McDonald's Hong Kong and China businesses, confirming

information provided by people familiar with the matter a day

earlier.

Read more

Virtual vintners have legs in China, toppling traditional importers

* Recovery in China wine market driven by online, logistics

firms

Read more

Nose job: smells are smart sensors' last frontier

SINGAPORE, June 23 (Reuters) - Phones or watches may be

smart enough to detect sound, light, motion, touch, direction,

acceleration and even the weather, but they can't smell.

Read more

TheCityUK lists 'demands' in case of Brexit -the Telegraph

June 22 (Reuters) - Finance industry lobby group TheCityUK

has itemised a list of "demands" for politicians if Britain

votes to leave the European Union in Thursday's referendum, the

Daily Telegraph reported on Wednesday.

Read more

U.S. House Democrats broadcast 'sit-in' on social media after cameras shut down

June 22 (Reuters) - Democrats demanding action on gun

control turned to Twitter's Periscope and Facebook's

live video platform to broadcast their "sit-in" on the

floor of the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday after

the chamber's cameras shut down.

Read more

WRAPUP 1-Investors see trouble in Musk's dream for Tesla-SolarCity tie-up

June 22 (Reuters) - Investors questioned a plan by Silicon

Valley heavyweight Elon Musk for his electric car company Tesla

Motors to buy his rooftop solar company SolarCity for up to $2.8

billion, sending Tesla's shares down more than 10 percent on

concerns the two would not fit together and a deal would

distract Tesla from making cars.

Read more

FAA proposes two new fines against Amazon.com over hazardous shipments

WASHINGTON, June 22 (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Aviation

Administration said on Wednesday it is proposing $130,000 in

civil fines against Amazon.com Inc for two new

violations of shipping products that allegedly violated

hazardous materials regulations.

Read more

CarMax turns to online financing as used-car sales hit a bump

June 22 (Reuters) - CarMax Inc, the biggest U.S.

used-car dealer, is banking on a new online financing process to

help offset sluggish demand as cheaper gas prices and a stronger

job market drive sales of new cars.

Read more

U.S. policymakers, companies see a Brexit hurting investment, profits

WASHINGTON, June 22 (Reuters) - A vote by Britons to leave

the European Union on Thursday may not drag the United States

into recession, but its effects on U.S. monetary policy, trade

and corporate profits are causing concern in Washington D.C. and

boardrooms alike.

Read more

Zambia shuts down newspaper in tax dispute

LUSAKA, June 22 (Reuters) - Zambia's tax authorities have

shut down a newspaper critical of the government, accusing it of

failing to pay taxes, its managing editor said on Wednesday.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Killing of British lawmaker was "an act of terror", says husband

LONDON, June 22 (Reuters) - The widower of murdered British

lawmaker Jo Cox said her killing was an act of terror as he paid

tribute to his late wife on Wednesday alongside hundreds of

mourners at an emotional memorial in London's Trafalgar Square.

Read more

Slain Americans' parents urge Obama to bring home missing reporter

WASHINGTON, June 22 (Reuters) - The families of four

Americans killed by Islamic State on Wednesday urged U.S.

President Barack Obama to do everything possible to bring home

the only U.S. journalist known to be held in war-torn Syria.

Read more

Qatar fund Mayhoola buys French fashion brand Balmain

PARIS, June 22 (Reuters) - Qatari private investment company

Mayhoola investment fund, owner of the Valentino brand,

confirmed that it is set to acquire French luxury fashion label

Balmain, the company said in a statement on Wednesday.

Read more

Jimmy John's to stop non-compete agreements at other sandwich shops

June 22 (Reuters) - Fast-food franchisor Jimmy John's will

not enforce agreements signed by low-wage employees that barred

them from working at other sandwich shops, the New York attorney

general's office said.

Read more

U.S. existing home sales hit nine-year high

WASHINGTON, June 22 (Reuters) - U.S. home resales rose in

May to a more than nine-year high as improving supply increased

choice for buyers, suggesting the economy remains on solid

footing despite a sharp slowdown in job growth last month.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Tesla's Musk says has "zero doubt" about buying SolarCity

June 22 (Reuters) - Tesla Motors Inc Chief

Executive Elon Musk said he has "zero doubt" about buying solar

installation firm SolarCity Corp and that he should

have done it sooner.

Read more

Airport planned for Israel-Jordan border clouds neighbourly ties

JERUSALEM/AMMAN, June 22 (Reuters) - A new airport planned

by Israel near its border with Jordan is clouding the usually

businesslike relationship the two neighbours have built since

making peace in 1994.

Read more

UPDATE 2-On eve of fateful British EU referendum, rivals race for final votes

* Bitter campaign dominated by immigration and economy

(Adds Johnson, Farage quotes, background)

Read more

UPDATE 1-VW leaders struggle to appease shareholders at meeting

HANOVER, Germany, June 22 (Reuters) - Volkswagen

executives apologised for the diesel emissions scandal to try to

placate angry shareholders at a meeting on Wednesday and pledged

change to haul the carmaker out of its worst business crisis.

Read more

Wet weather, traffic clog up Glastonbury Festival arrivals

GLASTONBURY, England, June 22 (Reuters) - Grey skies and

rain greeted revellers arriving for Britain's Glastonbury

Festival on Wednesday, with organisers asking drivers to delay

their journey due to heavy traffic.

Read more

Trump to detour from campaign to visit Scotland golf properties

WASHINGTON, June 22 (Reuters) - Facing slumping poll numbers

and a shakeup of his team, U.S. Republican presidential

candidate Donald Trump takes a detour from the campaign trail

this week to visit his golf resorts in Scotland.

Read more

Foxconn to close some of Sharp's overseas ops, hasten patents to market

TAIPEI, June 22 (Reuters) - Foxconn plans to close costly

and redundant overseas operations of new acquisition Sharp Corp

, and bring to market products using Sharp's valuable

patents and technology as quickly as possible, said the chief of

the world's largest electronics manufacturer.

Read more

Thailand's PTT plans to invest in budget hotels business

BANGKOK, June 22 (Reuters) - Thailand's largest energy firm

PTT Pcl is in talks with three to four hotel chain

operators about plans to build budget hotels at its oil service

stations in a bid to boost revenue from its retail business, an

executive said on Wednesday.

Read more

Young Syrians get 100 pct praise at 'Refugees Got Talent' contest in Iraq camp

SULAYMANIYAH, Iraq, June 21 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) -

B elting out an emotional song in honour of Kurdish military

forces under a full moon, Syrian refugee Mizzgin Rumi's shyness

transformed to confidence as he captivated his audience.

Read more

UPDATE 2-H&M caught out by cold spring weather and strong dollar

* High inventories likely to mean more markdowns

(Adds details, background)

Read more

China weighs on 2015 global industrial robot sales growth

MUNICH, Germany, June 22 (Reuters) - Global industrial robot

sales growth slowed to 12 percent in 2015 weighed by a sharp

fall in top buyer China, data from the International Federation

of Robotics (IFR) showed on Wednesday.

Read more

UPDATE 1-H&M results slammed by strong dollar, weak demand

STOCKHOLM, June 22 (Reuters) - Swedish fashion retailer

Hennes & Mauritz reported a 17 percent drop in

second-quarter profit as weak demand for its spring clothes

added to high costs.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Debenhams like-for-like sales fall 0.2 pct in third quarter

LONDON, June 22 (Reuters) - Debenhams, Britain's

second-largest department store group, reported a 0.2 percent

fall in like-for-like sales in the 15 weeks to June 11, its

fiscal third quarter, saying trading conditions had become more

uncertain, particularly in clothing.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Toymaker Hornby announces turnaround plan, reports FY pretax loss

June 22 (Reuters) - British toymaker Hornby Plc said

it would decrease its product lines by 40 percent and exit a

majority of its concession agreements in the UK in a turnaround

plan aimed at boosting its gross margins.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Norway oil drilling rig workers agree wage deal, avoid strike

* Those being laid off will have the right to be rehired

(Adds quotes, wage details)

Read more

Cars vs Autobots: Disney sues China firms in copyright dispute

SHANGHAI, June 22 (Reuters) - Walt Disney Co has

taken three Chinese firms to court over concerns local animation

"The Autobots" copied elements from Disney's own hit movie

"Cars", as the U.S. firm looks to protect its drive into the

world's second-largest economy.

Read more

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Twilio looks to brave Brexit jitters with U.S. IPO

June 22 (Reuters) - Communications software provider Twilio

Inc is expected to price its $140 million U.S. initial

public offering on Wednesday, a rare technology stock market

debut, one day before Britain holds a referendum on its European

Union membership.

Read more

HIGHLIGHTS-Thomson Reuters/INSEAD Q2 Asian Business Sentiment Survey -by sector

BENGALURU, June 22 (Reuters) - Business sentiment at

Asia-Pacific's biggest companies rose in the second quarter of

2016 to its highest in a year, but firms were wary about risks

stemming from rising corporate debt in China and volatile oil

prices, a Thomson Reuters/INSEAD survey showed.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Mitsubishi Motors sees annual net loss of $1.4 bln on mileage scandal

* Mitsubishi plans compensation costs of more than $600 mln

(Recasts with company announcement)

Read more

China internet regulator to crack down on online comments

BEIJING, June 22 (Reuters) - China's internet regulator has

launched a new campaign to clean up the comments sections on

websites to prevent the spread of what it calls harmful

information and to encourage what it considers more helpful,

well-intentioned comments to appear.

Read more

HIGHLIGHTS-Thomson Reuters/INSEAD Q2 Asian Business Sentiment Survey -by economy

BENGALURU, June 22 (Reuters) - Business sentiment at

Asia-Pacific's biggest companies rose in the second quarter of

2016 to its highest in a year, but firms were wary about risks

stemming from rising corporate debt in China and volatile oil

prices, a Thomson Reuters/INSEAD survey showed.

Read more

Moscow explores Hyperloop commuter transportation system

SAN FRANCISCO, June 21 (Reuters) - Moscow on Tuesday signed

an agreement with Los Angeles-based company Hyperloop One to

explore building a futuristic, high-speed transportation system

known as a Hyperloop in the Russian capital.

Read more

'Star Trek' actor's death prompts new calls for auto recall fix

WASHINGTON, June 21 (Reuters) - "Star Trek" actor Anton

Yelchin's fatal accident involving a recalled 2015 Jeep Grand

Cherokee is renewing calls from safety advocates to fix flaws in

the U.S. recall system.

Read more

UPDATE 3-Tesla offers $2.8 bln for SolarCity in 'no brainer' deal for Musk

LOS ANGELES/DETROIT, June 21 (Reuters) - Elon Musk on

Tuesday sought to build a clean energy powerhouse as his

electric car maker, Tesla Motors Inc, made an offer to

buy his solar installation firm SolarCity Corp in a

stock deal worth as much as $2.8 billion.

Read more

British landmarks lit up for 'Remain' campaign

LONDON, June 21 (Reuters) - Landmarks across Britain were

lit up on Tuesday night with Union Jack colours and projections

of the "Vote Remain" message as campaigning for Thursday's

referendum on the UK's membership of the European Union entered

its final day.

Read more

Samsung takes fight to Apple with mobile wallet strategy

* Samsung takes no fee, hopes the service to boost hardware

sales

Read more

UPDATE 1-VW supervisory board backs endorsement of former top managers -source

BERLIN, June 21 (Reuters) - Volkswagen's

supervisory board on Tuesday stood by its recommendation that

top management's actions be endorsed by shareholders, a person

familiar with the matter said, even as German prosecutors

launched a new probe against a current and a former top

executive.

Read more

Britain's Daily Mail backs 'Leave' in EU referendum

LONDON, June 21 (Reuters) - Britain's right-leaning Daily

Mail newspaper has come out in support of leaving the European

Union, an emailed copy of the front page of its Wednesday

edition showed.

Read more

Tesla offers to buy solar panel maker SolarCity

June 21 (Reuters) - Electric car maker Tesla Motors Inc

said it had made an offer to acquire solar panel maker

SolarCity Corp in an all-stock deal.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Tesla rival Faraday approved to test self-driving cars on California roads

DETROIT, June 21 (Reuters) - Faraday Future plans to begin

testing prototype self-driving electric vehicles on California

roads later this year after winning approval from the state, an

industry source said on Tuesday.

Read more

Uber close to settling U.S. lawsuit over tips for drivers -filing

SAN FRANCISCO, June 21 (Reuters) - Ride service Uber is

close to settling a class-action lawsuit over allegations it

misled customers on how it shares gratuities with drivers,

according to a court filing on Tuesday.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Trump shrugs off campaign funding lag, cites personal wealth

WASHINGTON, June 21 (Reuters) - U.S. Republican Donald Trump

said on Tuesday his "unlimited" trove of personal wealth would

help compensate for his poor presidential campaign fundraising,

even as he took steps to court new donors to help win the White

House.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Trader Joe's to cut greenhouse gases, pay fine in U.S. settlement

June 21 (Reuters) - The popular U.S. grocery chain Trader

Joe's Co agreed to spend $2 million to reduce refrigerator

coolant leaks at 453 stores, to settle federal claims it failed

to promptly repair leaks that deplete the ozone layer and

contribute to global warming.

Read more

Spain's NH Hotels ousts board members appointed by Chinese stakeholder HNA

MADRID, June 21 (Reuters) - Shareholders in Spain's NH

Hotels voted on Tuesday to oust one of its co-chairman

and three other board members appointed by the company's largest

stakeholder, China's HNA Group, over a potential

conflict of interest.

Read more

Britain's FTSE supported by commodity stock rebound

* Circassia Pharmaceuticals rises after sharp slump

(ADVISORY- Follow European and UK stock markets in real time on

the Reuters Live Markets blog on Eikon, see cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageId=livemarkets)

Read more

PIX-Young Syrians get 100 pct praise at 'Refugees Got Talent' contest in Iraq camp

SULAYMANIYAH, Iraq, June 21 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) -

B elting out an emotional song in honour of Kurdish military

forces under a full moon, Syrian refugee Mizzgin Rumi's shyness

transformed to confidence as he captivated his audience.

Read more

British lawmaker Cox was killed because of her political views -husband

LONDON, June 21 (Reuters) - British lawmaker Jo Cox, who was

shot dead in the street last week, died because of her strong

political views, her husband said on Tuesday.

Read more

Qatar fund set to buy French fashion brand Balmain

PARIS, June 21 (Reuters) - Valentino owners, the Qatari

Mayhoola investment fund, are set to acquire the French luxury

fashion label Balmain this week for more than 460 million euros

($522 million), three sources with first-hand knowledge of the

matter said.

Read more

UPDATE 2-German watchdog urges prosecutors to probe entire former VW board

* Prosecutors probing time taken to disclose emissions cheat

(Adds analyst comment, detail and background)

Read more

British Airways cancels Sharm al-Sheikh winter flights

June 21 (Reuters) - British Airways has extended

its suspension of flights to the Egyptian resort of Sharm

al-Sheikh indefinitely, becoming the first major UK airline to

cancel departures for the crucial winter season in Egypt.

Read more

COLUMN-Global oil demand shows no sign of peaking: Kemp

LONDON, June 21 (Reuters) - "Peak oil demand" has become a

fashionable concept among climate campaigners but the evidence

suggests oil consumption is growing at the fastest rate for a

decade and shows no sign of letting up.

Read more

Caesars amends restructuring agreement with senior debtors

June 21 (Reuters) - Caesars Entertainment Corp said

on Tuesday it had agreed with its senior creditors to amend a

restructuring agreement that would allow it to go through with a

bankruptcy exit plan for its operating unit.

Read more

Altice says seeks more U.S. growth after Cablevision deal

June 21 (Reuters) - Altice could target more U.S.

growth through acquisitions, a top executive said, after the

European telecoms group completed a $17.7 billion deal to buy

Cablevision Systems, its second U.S. multi-billion cable

purchase in under a year.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Philippines' Duterte to review projects as environmentalist gets mining post

DAVAO, Philippines June 21 (Reuters) - Incoming Philippine

President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday warned he would cancel

mining projects causing environmental harm as an anti-mining

advocate accepted his offer to head the agency overseeing the

country's natural resources.

Read more

EU needs significant fall in road pollution to meet targets

BRUSSELS, June 21 (Reuters) - European Union greenhouse gas

emissions fell in 2014 to their lowest level since 1990,

although the bloc said more diesel vehicles had increased carbon

dioxide on its roads and significant cuts were needed.

Read more

"More Europe, not less" needed for security challenges - Airports body

BERLIN, June 21 (Reuters) - More European cooperation, not

less, is needed for Europe to face up to security threats, the

head of airports association ACI Europe said on Tuesday with an

eye to Britain's referendum on European Union membership on

Thursday.

Read more

Campaigns for "Out" in British EU vote beat rivals in race to raise funds

LONDON, June 21 (Reuters) - Groups campaigning for Britain

to leave the European Union outperformed those campaigning for

an "In" vote in terms of donations received in the four weeks to

June 9, the Electoral Commission watchdog said on Tuesday.

Read more

Lawyers for Volkswagen shareholders file claim in Germany

LONDON, June 21 (Reuters) - Law firm Quinn Emanuel has filed

one of two lawsuits in Germany against Volkswagen on

behalf of institutional funds over an emissions scandal in

claims that could run into the billions of euros, litigation

funder Bentham Europe said on Tuesday.

Read more

RPT-UK factory orders defy Brexit nerves, improve in June-CBI

LONDON, June 21 (Reuters) - British factory orders improved

in the three months to June, according to an industry survey

published on Tuesday, a latest sign that a slowdown in the

economy before Thursday's European Union referendum might not be

as sharp as some forecasts.

Read more

VW sup board may back away from 2015 management endorsement -source

BERLIN, June 21 (Reuters) - Volkswagen's

supervisory board may on Tuesday back away from its

recommendation that top management's actions be endorsed by

shareholders after German prosecutors launched a new probe

against executives including VW brand chief Herbert Diess, a

person familiar with the matter said.

Read more

Whitbread rises as Costa sales recover, hotel growth continues

LONDON, June 21 (Reuters) - Whitbread said

underlying sales at its Costa Coffee chain recovered over the

last three months and its Premier Inn hotel brand continued to

grow, sending shares in the company three percent higher.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Swiss watch exports fall again in May

ZURICH, June 21 (Reuters) - Switzerland's watch industry

exports fell nearly 10 percent in May as watchmakers struggle

with the effects of last year's Islamist attacks in Europe and a

prolonged slowdown in Asia.

Read more

GE seeks to sell remaining Hyundai Capital stake - Hyundai Motor

SEOUL, June 21 (Reuters) - South Korean car maker Hyundai

Motor Co said on Tuesday General Electric

seeks to sell out of its 20 percent stake in their joint

venture, unlisted lender Hyundai Capital, to a third party.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Tele2 to buy TDC Sweden for $352 million

STOCKHOLM, June 21 (Reuters) - Swedish telecoms firm Tele2

said on Tuesday it was buying the local subsidiary of

rival TDC for 2.9 billion Swedish crowns ($352 million)

to strengthen its position in the business telecoms market.

Read more

RPT-Soros says pound fall after Brexit would be bigger, more disruptive than 'Black Wednesday'

* Soros: pound could fall to below $1.15 from $1.46 after

Brexit

Read more

UPDATE 1-Mitsubishi expects annual loss due to mileage cheating scandal - Kyodo

TOKYO, June 21 (Reuters) - Mitsubishi Motors Corp

expects to post a net loss this financial year over its mileage

cheating scandal, hurt by compensation costs and a slide in

vehicle sales, Kyodo news agency reported on Tuesday.

Read more

Rent rises, online competition squeeze London's diamond district

LONDON, June 21 (Reuters) - When thieves made off with

millions of pounds of jewels from an underground vault in Hatton

Garden last year, it shone an unwelcome spotlight on the

historic centre of London's jewellery trade just as it fights

for survival.

Read more

Monday, June 20, 2016

Japan govt says Mitsubishi can resume sales of cars in mileage cheating scandal

TOKYO, June 21 (Reuters) - Japan's transport ministry said

on Tuesday that government tests of Mitsubishi Motors Corp

minivehicles with overstated mileages showed that their

fuel economy was on average 11 percent lower than advertised.

Read more

China state shipping line to launch cruise route in disputed South China Sea

SHANGHAI, June 21 (Reuters) - State-owned China COSCO

Shipping Corp plans to launch cruise trips in the South China

Sea next month, with the first route to travel from Sanya city

in the country's southeast to the disputed Paracel Islands,

state media reported on Tuesday.

Read more

Bondholders file proposed class action against Volkswagen AG

June 20 (Reuters) - Boston Retirement System, the public

pension fund for Boston municipal employees, filed the first

bondholders proposed class action against Volkswagen AG

related to the company's diesel emissions scandal,

law firm Labaton Sucharow LLP said.

Read more

UPDATE 6-Trump fires campaign manager in shakeup for election push

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON, June 20 (Reuters) - Donald Trump fired

Corey Lewandowski, the campaign manager who helped him win

Republican presidential nominating contests but clashed with

other advisers on how to appeal to the broader general

electorate, several people with knowledge of the decision said

on Monday.

Read more

Mitsubishi Motors sees annual net loss due to mileage scandal - Kyodo

TOKYO, June 21 (Reuters) - Mitsubishi Motors Corp

expects to post a net loss for the current financial year over

its mileage cheating scandal, Kyodo news agency reported on

Tuesday.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Sumner Redstone calls Viacom CEO claims 'offensive' -filing

June 20 (Reuters) - Viacom Inc controlling

stockholder Sumner Redstone called it "offensive and untrue" to

suggest that he was unduly influenced by his daughter to remove

Viacom Chief Executive Officer Philippe Dauman from a trust

overseeing his shares, according to a court filing.

Read more

Sports Direct, Modell's discuss joint bid for Sports Authority -WSJ

June 20 (Reuters) - British retailer Sports Direct

and New York City-based Modell's Sporting Goods are in talks for

a potential deal to buy as many as 200 stores of bankrupt

retailer Sports Authority, the Wall Street Journal reported on

Monday, citing people familiar with the situation.

Read more

Sumner Redstone calls Viacom CEO claims 'offensive' -filing

June 20 (Reuters) - Viacom Inc controlling

stockholder Sumner Redstone called it "offensive and untrue" to

suggest that he was unduly influenced by his daughter to remove

Viacom Chief Executive Officer Philippe Dauman from a trust

overseeing his shares, according to a court filing.

Read more

Britain's Telegraph newspaper backs leaving EU

LONDON, June 20 (Reuters) - Britain's Daily Telegraph

newspaper came out in favour of quitting the European Union on

Monday, urging voters to tick the "Leave" box in a referendum on

Thursday.

Read more

Drake's 'Views' spends 7th straight week atop Billboard chart

LOS ANGELES, June 20 (Reuters) - Canadian R&B singer Drake

held onto the top spot of the weekly U.S. Billboard 200 album

chart for a seventh consecutive week on Monday, becoming the

first male artist in more than a decade to achieve the feat,

according to Billboard.

Read more

UPDATE 3-Fiat Chrysler to investigate crash that killed 'Star Trek' actor

WASHINGTON/LOS ANGELES June 20 (Reuters) - Fiat Chrysler

Automobiles NV said on Monday it would investigate a

crash that killed "Star Trek" actor Anton Yelchin in his

recalled 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Read more

CORRECTED-Brazil's GPA denies top holder Casino plans to delist company

SAO PAULO, June 20 (Reuters) - GPA SA, Brazil's largest

diversified retailer, said on Monday that controlling

shareholder Casino Guichard Perrachon & Cie has no plans to

delist the company in Brazil or carry out a reorganization of

the business.

Read more

Xi welcomes Chinese freight train to "strategic partner" Poland

WARSAW, June 20 (Reuters) - Chinese and Polish leaders

welcomed a freight train arriving in Warsaw from China on Monday

in a ceremony marking a trade co-operation deal that they said

showed the European country's importance as a gateway for

Chinese exports.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Britain's pro-EU camp regains momentum, lifting shares and sterling

* Tributes paid to murdered lawmaker Jo Cox

(Adds tribute to Cox, further details)

Read more

UPDATE 1-Nissan to take legal action against Brexit campaign for logo use

LONDON, June 20 (Reuters) - Nissan said it would take legal

action against the official campaign for Britain to leave the

European Union after the group used the Japanese carmaker's logo

in leaflets calling for voters to back Brexit on June 23.

Read more

US STOCKS-Wall St jumps at the open as Brexit worries ebb

* Indexes up: Dow 1.29 pct, S&P 1.16 pct, Nasdaq 1.24 pct

(Updates to open)

Read more

UPDATE 1-Wal-Mart in talks to sell China e-commerce unit to JD.com-WSJ

June 20 (Reuters) - Wal-Mart Stores Inc is in talks

to sell its Chinese e-commerce business, Yihaodian, to JD.com

Inc, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people

familiar with the situation.

Read more

India opens the door for Apple retail with new foreign investment rules

* Foreign retailers exempt from 30 pct local sourcing for 3

yrs

Read more

REFILE-UPDATE 1-N.Korea says not to free U.S. citizens until former detainee stops 'babbling'

* Since then Bae has given interviews, made public

appearances

Read more

U.S. Latino voter group to get free ad space on Telemundo boxing program

NEW YORK, June 20 (Reuters) - A leading U.S. promoter of

Latino boxing, All Star Boxing Inc, will give free television

advertising space to Hispanic civic group Mi Familia Vota, which

openly criticizes Donald Trump's anti-immigration stance, in an

effort to encourage Latino Americans to vote in November's

presidential election.

Read more

China outbound M&A beats 2015 record with 6 months to spare

* Biggest is China National Chemical's $43 bln bid for

Syngenta

Read more

Britain's FTSE rallies as EU membership 'Remain' camp regains ground

LONDON, June 20 (Reuters) - UK shares paced by banks and

housebuilding rose on Monday, boosted by polls suggesting the

campaign for Britain to remain in the European Union was

regaining a narrow edge over the "Out" camp.

Read more

Zegona in deal with Telia to buy Yoigo, needs smaller investor approval

LONDON, June 20 (Reuters) - British investment firm Zegona

said it would push ahead with talks to buy Yoigo after

reaching agreement with the Spanish budget mobile operator's

biggest shareholder Telia.

Read more

Toyota to build artificial intelligence-based driving systems in 5 years

* TRI CEO Pratt: AI to enable cars to anticipate, avoid

obstacles

Read more

RPT-Out of fashion: how men could fall off the catwalk

MILAN, June 19 (Reuters) - Men are in danger of falling off

the catwalk in Europe.

Read more

Sunday, June 19, 2016

Visa launches Olympics campaign, undeterred by woes in Brazil

June 19 (Reuters) - Visa Inc, one of the Olympics' top global sponsors, kicks off its global advertising campaign for the Summer Games on Sunday with no plans to cut back on its Olympic presence despite difficulties in host country Brazil.

Read more

Mobile Internet ad spend to exceed desktop in 2017 - ZenithOptimedia

June 20 (Reuters) - Businesses are set to spend more on

mobile Internet advertising than for ads seen via desktop

computers for the first time in 2017, forecaster ZenithOptimedia

said on Monday, a year earlier than it had previously predicted.

Read more

Actor Leslie Odom Jr. to exit hit Broadway show "Hamilton"

June 19 (Reuters) - Leslie Odom Jr., winner of the 2016 Tony

Award for best leading actor in a musical for his role in the

smash Broadway hit "Hamilton," became on Sunday the latest

member of the cast to announce his departure.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Actor Anton Yelchin of 'Star Trek' killed in freak accident

June 19 (Reuters) - Anton Yelchin, a 27-year-old actor best

known for playing the character Chekov in two "Star Trek"

movies, was killed early on Sunday when his car rolled and

pinned him against a wall in his driveway, police said.

Read more

Box Office: 'Finding Dory' Scores Record $136.2 Million Opening

LOS ANGELES, June 19 (Variety.com) - Family audiences turned

out in droves over the weekend, propelling "Finding Dory" to a

massive $136.2 million debut and establishing a new record for

an animated film opening.

Read more

Italy's Ferragamo CEO sees no let-up in luxury sector slowdown

MILAN, June 19 (Reuters) - Salvatore Ferragamo

will focus on boosting profits this year to combat lower growth

in the luxury industry as a whole, its outgoing chief executive

said on Sunday.

Read more

Out of fashion: how men could fall off the catwalk

MILAN, June 19 (Reuters) - Men are in danger of falling off

the catwalk in Europe.

Read more

Algeria blocks Facebook, Twitter to stop exam cheats - state media

ALGIERS, June 19 (Reuters) - Algerian authorities have

temporarily blocked access to Facebook, Twitter and other social

media sites to try to stop cheats posting high school exam

papers online, state media reported on Sunday.

Read more