All posts published in August 2013
LONDON (Reuters) – Singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding hit the top of the British singles charts for the first time on Sunday with her song “Burn”, the Official Charts Company said. Goulding, 26, who performed at the wedding reception of the Duke and Duchess of C... More »
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Usain Bolt, already enshrined as one of the greatest Olympians of all time, became the most successful athlete in world championship history when he anchored Jamaica to victory in the 4×100 meters relay on Sunday. Bolt followed up the 100 an... More »
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Unlike triple sprint champion Usain Bolt, the Moscow world championships were a slow starter and earned the verdict of seven out of 10, could try harder from the Jamaican. “It’s been a different championships, not the best but I think over t... More »
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce signed off from the Moscow world championships by claiming their third gold medals with the two 100m and 200m sprint champions anchoring Jamaica to victory in the 4x100m relays on Sunday. Bolt’s task wa... More »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A growing bipartisan chorus of U.S. lawmakers said on Sunday that the United States should suspend its $1.5 billion in military and economic aid to Egypt following a violent crackdown on protesters that has left nearly 800 dead. Senator ... More »
NEW YORK (Reuters) – The origins of a vitriolic battle that has pitted billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman against rivals such as Carl Icahn, Dan Loeb and George Soros can be traced back to a routine event in the world of investor activism: The unveilin... More »
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Union will review its relationship with Egypt in the coming days, the 28-member bloc said on Sunday. In a statement, the President of the European Council Herman Van Rompuy and the President of the European Commission Jose Man... More »
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – R&B singer Chris Brown had his probation reinstated by a judge in Los Angeles on Friday after the Grammy winner agreed to complete an additional 1,000 hours of community labor stemming from his 2009 sentence for assaulting singer Rihann... More »
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba Group, which is preparing for an initial public offering in Hong Kong, has bought a minority stake in online shopping company ShopRunner, the Financial Times reported on Friday. The acquisition is part of... More »
LONDON/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – London police are actively investigating Rupert Murdoch’s British newspaper business for possible criminal violations over allegations of phone-hacking and illegal payments to public officials by its journalists, a source familiar... More »
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – After a summer dominated by superheroes fighting evil and winning over audiences at the box office, “Kick-Ass 2” aims to show the violent underside of being a costumed vigilante. “The sequel is set up to deal with the consequences,” dir... More »
WILMINGTON, Delaware (Reuters) – Activist investor Carl Icahn’s legal effort to derail a $25 billion takeover of Dell Inc stalled after a judge refused to fast-track his lawsuit against the personal computer maker, blunting an integral part of his months-long ... More »
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Yahoo Inc said it appointed veteran technology executive and Silicon Valley investor Maynard Webb as chairman, replacing Fred Amoroso at the company, which is struggling to jumpstart its advertising business. Webb, who has served as i... More »
BOSTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Republican party resolved on Friday to boycott any 2016 presidential debates sponsored by CNN and NBC if the networks go ahead with plans to make special programs on Hillary Clinton, who is widely expected to seek the Democratic nom... More »
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The composers of the hit song “Blurred Lines” have preemptively sued the owners of songs by late soul singer Marvin Gaye and funk band Funkadelic, asking a California federal court to rule that the chart-topping track does not violate a... More »
NEW YORK (Reuters) – New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said on Friday that fingerprint technology should be used to admit residents to city-run housing projects as a way of increasing security. “What we really should have is fingerprinting to get in,” Bloo... More »
(Reuters) – AOL Inc said on Friday that it would cut a substantial number of jobs at its money-losing Patch local news site business, and a source close to the company said about half of the staff of 1,000 was being laid off. Job cuts will reduce 10 percent of... More »
ATLANTA (Reuters) – Bert Lance, a Georgia banker and long-time friend of former President Jimmy Carter who served as Carter’s budget chief until being forced to resign in 1977 amid bank fraud allegations over which he was later cleared, has died at age 82. Lan... More »
SHANGHAI (Reuters) – China’s Ministry of Public Security and a cabinet-level research center are preparing to investigate IBM Corp, Oracle Corp and EMC Corp over security issues, the official Shanghai Securities News said on Friday. The report follows revelati... More »
TORONTO (Reuters) – Canada’s three biggest wireless companies plan to attack Verizon Communications Inc’s role in the U.S. government’s electronic spying scandal, as they scramble to force Ottawa to rethink rules that encourage Verizon to set up in Canada, acc... More »
BOSTON (Reuters) – In the world of cyber fraud, a fake fan on Instagram can be worth five times more than a stolen credit card number. As social media has become increasingly influential in shaping reputations, hackers have used their computer skills to create... More »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Obesity levels among adults appear to be holding steady across the United States, adding to recent evidence that the growth rate for U.S. waistlines is slowing, according to an analysis released on Friday. But within the holding pattern ... More »
(Reuters) – Actor August Schellenberg, best known for playing Native American roles in films such as “Free Willy” and “The New World,” has died after battling lung cancer, his manager said on Friday. He was 77. Schellenberg died at his home in Dallas on Thursd... More »
BERLIN (Reuters) – The European Union asked its members on Friday to consider “appropriate measures” it could take in reaction to violence in Egypt, while European leaders stressed the importance of a united response. Around 50 people were killed in Cairo alon... More »
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – The musician famous for the Twist dance style can sue Hewlett Packard Co over allegations that the tech company used his trademarked name “Chubby Checker” on a software app that purports to measure a man’s genitals. In a ruling on Thu... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – British Prime Minister David Cameron on Friday asked European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso to “urgently” send monitors to Gibraltar’s border with Spain where tightened security checks are fuelling a row between the two countries.... More »
NEW YORK (Reuters) – In the world of dating, there is one common assumption: That a fancy car, a pricey dress, and a willingness to splurge are all things that will help you impress and snare your ideal partner. “You would think that spending would be more att... More »
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said on Friday she had asked EU governments to discuss “appropriate measures” that the bloc could take in reaction to the violence in Egypt. “I have been in constant touch with European ... More »
BERLIN (Reuters) – German Chancellor Angela Merkel said after speaking with French President Francois Hollande by phone on Friday that Germany would review its ties with Egypt, and both she and Hollande felt the European Union should do the same. A statement r... More »
PARIS/HONG KONG (Reuters) – L’Oreal SA (OREP.PA ) has offered to buy Chinese facial mask maker Magic Holdings International Ltd (1633.HK ), a move that would put the world’s largest cosmetics group in the lead of the fastest growing sector in China’s $15 billi... More »
HONG KONG (Reuters) – Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs (GS.N ) and Morgan Stanley have held talks with China’s Huarong Asset Management Corp to invest in its $1.5 billion stake sale ahead of the company’s expected initial public offering next year, the Financial T... More »
SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea said on Friday that at least one bid came in under budget for its 8.3 trillion Korean won ($7.42 billion) purchase of 60 next generation fighter jets, the country’s biggest-ever defense import program to replace its ageing fleet. ... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – British police said on Friday they would not launch a criminal investigation into allegations the publicly funded BBC broadcaster broke the law by giving departing executives huge pay-offs. Last week, fraud squad detectives announced they we... More »
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – The European Union has asked the World Trade Organisation to rule in a dispute over Chinese anti-dumping duties on imports of high-performance stainless steel seamless tubes from the EU. The EU lodged a complaint at the WTO over the duties... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – Global shares headed for their biggest weekly fall in almost two months on Friday, with markets setting aside evidence of a broad economic upturn to focus on signs the Federal Reserve’s stimulus program will soon end. Expectations the U.S. c... More »
CAIRO (Reuters) – The Egyptian military is deploying to guard “vital installations”, state media reported, ahead of protests called on Friday by supporters of deposed president Mohamed Mursi. (Writing by Tom Perry- Editing by Janet Lawrence) SOURCE: http://www... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – British Prime Minister David Cameron may be close to pulling off one of the most significant feats of his premiership: delivering a solid economic recovery ahead of a 2015 election. Two consecutive quarters of growth have shifted the sands o... More »
COLOMBO (Reuters) – A Sri Lankan court on Friday issued an order preventing the sale, distribution and advertising of all Fonterra milk products for two weeks, a lawyer who appeared on behalf of the petitioner said. “An enjoining order was issued preventing Fo... More »
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian pole vault queen Yelena Isinbayeva said on Friday she is opposed to sexual discrimination, and that her English comments in support of her country’s anti-gay propaganda law may have been misconstrued. “English is not my first languag... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – British Prime Minister David Cameron may be close to pulling off one of the most significant feats of his premiership: delivering a solid economic recovery ahead of a 2015 election. Two consecutive quarters of growth have shifted the sands o... More »
MARIKANA, South Africa (Reuters) – South Africa’s government and ruling African National Congress (ANC) party said they were staying away from one-year anniversary commemorations on Friday to mark the killings of 34 striking platinum miners shot dead by police... More »
CAIRO (Reuters) – Deeply polarized Egypt braced for renewed confrontation on Friday after the Muslim Brotherhood called for a nationwide march of millions to show anger at a ferocious security crackdown on Islamists in which hundreds were killed. Defying criti... More »
BOSTON (Reuters) – Delegates to a summer meeting of the Republican National Committee are scheduled to vote Friday on a possible boycott of 2016 presidential debates sponsored by CNN and NBC if the networks go ahead with plans for special programs on Democrat ... More »
ZURICH (Reuters) – Roche Holding AG has decided not to pursue a patent application for its breast cancer drug Herceptin in India, the Swiss company said on Friday, as Western drugmakers come under pressure over high prices in the fast-growing market. The Kolka... More »
BEIRUT (Reuters) – The death toll from a car bomb which ripped through the southern Beirut stronghold of Lebanon’s militant group Hezbollah rose on Friday to 24, and the government said it was investigating whether the blast was a suicide attack. Interior Mini... More »
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – It was nearly midnight on Wednesday when Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Adrian Gonzalez sent a pitch from Pedro Feliciano into left field for a double, producing a come-from-behind 5-4 victory over the New York Mets in what has becom... More »
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s exports are forecast to have grown in July at the fastest pace in almost three years, according to a Reuters poll, suggesting the benefits of a weak yen are finally starting to take hold. However, the trade balance is forecast to be i... More »
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – The Netherlands, outspoken advocate of fiscal pain as a cure for euro zone ills, found itself in unwelcome company this week as the bloc’s economic recovery left it among a handful of laggards still in recession. Policymakers in southern ... More »
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Usain Bolt stretched, stifled a yawn and, almost apologetically, extracted his giant frame from his blocks before strolling through his heat as he began his bid for a third successive world 200 meters title on Friday. Bolt, never a fan of mo... More »
BEIJING (Reuters) – Two years after its high-quality, budget smartphone won over millions of Chinese fans, domestic tech firm Xiaomi Tech wants to make more money from online shopping and games than it does from selling its handsets. Xiaomi is better known glo... More »
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Indonesia’s President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said he was concerned by growing religious intolerance in the country with world’s largest Muslim population, which many analysts say his administration has failed to contain. Indonesia has rec... More »
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – – India’s navy said on Friday divers had found the bodies of three sailors who were on board a submarine badly damaged by a fire and explosions and that it was unlikely any of 15 other missing crew members would be found alive. Eighteen s... More »
SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea said on Friday that at least one bid came in under budget for its 8.3 trillion Korean won ($7.42 billion) purchase of 60 next generation fighter jets, the country’s biggest-ever defense import program. A spokesman at the governmen... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – The dollar rose against a basket of currencies on Friday, drawing support from a rise in U.S. Treasury yields on expectations that the Federal Reserve may start withdrawing stimulus next month. Ten-year Treasury yields rose to their highest ... More »
WELLINGTON (Reuters) – A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck south of New Zealand’s capital on Friday, sending panicked Wellington workers and residents into the streets, but caused little major damage just weeks after a similar size quake shook the harbourside ci... More »
SHANGHAI (Reuters) – The Chinese government is set to issue a formal proposal to prompt consolidation among domestic infant formula firms, a state-run newspaper said on Friday, naming Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group (600887.SS ) as one of the likely benef... More »
COPENHAGEN (Reuters) – Danish shipping and oil group A.P. Moller-Maersk (MAERSKb.CO ) reported a smaller-than-expected drop in second-quarter net profit on Friday aided by a sharp improvement in its container shipping unit and costs. Operator of the world’s bi... More »
PRAGUE (Reuters) – Czech President Milos Zeman will call an early election for October 25-26 if the lower house of parliament votes to dissolve itself on Tuesday, his office said on Friday, to try to end political gridlock that has stalled policymaking. The lo... More »
PARIS (Reuters) – France’s foreign minister said on Friday the escalating tension in Egypt risked playing into the hands of radical groups and urged all sides to do their utmost to defuse the tension. Defying criticism from major Western allies, Egypt’s army-b... More »
ZURICH (Reuters) – The Swiss National Bank (SNB) said on Friday the stabilization fund it set up five years ago to bail out Swiss bank UBS (UBSN.VX ) had repaid the loan granted by the SNB, allowing UBS to go ahead with its plan to repurchase the once-toxic as... More »
SHANGHAI (Reuters) – China’s Ministry of Public Security and a cabinet-level research center are preparing to probe IBM Corp, Oracle Corp and EMC Corp over security issues, the official Shanghai Securities News said on Friday. The report follows revelations by... More »
CINCINNATI (Reuters) – As the tennis world took stock of Marion Bartoli’s shock decision to retire, Victoria Azarenka tried to put the focus back on court with a controlled display against Magdalena Rybarikova at the Western and Southern Open on Thursday. The ... More »
COLOMBO (Reuters) – Sri Lanka’s central bank kept its key monetary policy rate unchanged on Friday, as expected, adding that with inflation expected to remain in single digits for the rest of the year, there was room for market lending rates to fall. The Centr... More »
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Children who drink soda tend to score slightly higher on scales that measure aggressive behavior than kids who don’t drink the carbonated beverages, according to a new study. The study’s lead author cautioned, however, that the incr... More »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The National Security Agency has broken privacy rules or overstepped its legal authority thousands of times each year since 2008, the Washington Post reported on Thursday, citing an internal audit and other top-secret documents. Most of ... More »
CINCINNATI (Reuters) – Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer all picked up third round wins at the Western and Southern Open on Thursday to set up a star-studded last eight in Cincinnati. The ATP Tour’s big four were joined in the quarter-f... More »
SAN DIEGO (Reuters) – A 67-year-old great-grandmother became the latest of 16 women to publicly accuse San Diego Mayor Bob Filner of sexual harassment, as city officials calling for him to resign sought to turn up the pressure on the embattled politician. Pegg... More »
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Wanted: aggressive go-getter to join high-profile foundation advocating for women’s rights in a male-dominated corporate world. Must work for free. LeanIn.org, the nonprofit created by wealthy Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl S... More »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – By canceling a military exercise with Egypt but not cutting off U.S. aid, President Barack Obama sought on Thursday to show his displeasure at the Egyptian army’s violent crackdown on protesters – without totally alienating the generals.... More »
CHILMARK/VINEYARD HAVEN, Massachusetts (Reuters) – President Barack Obama announced on Thursday that the United States is cancelling joint military exercises with Egypt next month, saying normal U.S. cooperation cannot continue in light of the armed forces’ bl... More »
GREENSBORO, North Carolina (Reuters) – Sergio Garcia’s love-affair with Greensboro shows no sign of waning, as he proved in Thursday’s first round at the $5.3 million Wyndham Championship. Back at the site of his American coming-out-party 15 years ago, the Spa... More »
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Usain Bolt starts his quest for a second world track gold in Moscow but American sprinting great Allyson Felix looks set to steal the limelight as she goes for a fourth world 200 meters title on Friday. Briton Mo Farah should also rubber-sta... More »
GREENSBORO, North Carolina (Reuters) – Former world number two Sergio Garcia says he fully understands why the European Tour is having trouble keeping pace with the richer U.S. circuit, but he does not blame his home tour’s leadership. Some players on the Euro... More »
SYDNEY (Reuters) – The dollar was nursing heavy losses in Asia on Friday after wild swings overnight left dealers struggling to find a pattern amid all the noise, setting the scene for a defensive session into the weekend. There was a complete breakdown of cor... More »
(Reuters) – The U.S. securities regulator on Thursday banned former press baron Conrad Black from acting as a director of a U.S. company and said he must pay $4.1 million in restitution in a settlement that ends a long-standing lawsuit over Black’s dealings as... More »
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Michael Jackson’s ex-wife said in a Los Angeles court on Thursday that their daughter Paris is “devastated” over her father’s death and “doesn’t feel like she has a life.” Debbie Rowe, 54, broke into tears and sobbed loudly while answer... More »
CAIRO (Reuters) – Egypt said U.S. President Barack Obama’s remarks condemning a violent crackdown on Islamist protesters, were not based on “facts” and will strengthen and encourage violent groups, the presidency said in a statement on Friday. It said Egypt wa... More »
CINCINNATI (Reuters) – The tennis world reacted with stunned disbelief on Thursday as word of Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli’s retirement spread, leaving the sport without one of its most popular champions and intriguing personalities. Following a second ro... More »
(Reuters) – Sony Corp is close to striking a deal to secure content from media company Viacom for a new Internet-based TV service, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday. Sony is working on a service that can stream live television over the Internet and ... More »
DETROIT (Reuters) – Detroit’s two public pension funds will file an objection on Monday to the city’s bankruptcy filing on Michigan constitutional grounds, a representative of the pension boards said on Thursday. The challenge expected from the pension funds i... More »
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A judge in Los Angeles on Thursday dismissed a hit-and-run charge against Chris Brown after the R&B singer and the other motorist resolved to have the case dropped, a court spokeswoman said, but Brown still might face jail time. The 24-... More »
DALLAS (Reuters) – Wendy Davis, the Texas state senator who wore pink tennis shoes during a filibuster against tough new abortion restrictions, shows off her more glamorous side in the September issue of Vogue magazine. The magazine’s fall fashion extravaganza... More »
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Dell Inc, the PC maker embroiled in a takeover battle between its founding CEO and activist investor Carl Icahn, on Thursday reported a 72 percent slide in quarterly earnings as PC sales extended their downward spiral. Dell, which onc... More »
NEW YORK (Reuters) – A federal bankruptcy judge rejected a bid by Eastman Kodak Co shareholders to set up a committee to represent their interests, and the company won the backing of creditors for its reorganization plan as it prepares to seek court approval n... More »
NEW YORK (Reuters) – “Ain’t Them Bodies Saints” is the latest in a list of movies celebrating the American outlaw mythology, but the indie film set in rural Texas in the 1970s focuses more on mood and feelings than blazing shoot-outs and daring prison escapes.... More »
CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) – The Kepler space telescope’s planet-hunting days are over because its broken positioning system cannot be fixed, NASA officials said on Thursday. The observatory was launched in 2009 to hunt for Earth-sized worlds suitably p... More »
(James Saft is a Reuters columnist. The opinions expressed are his own) By James Saft (Reuters) – For the first time in more than three decades we may be entering a period of declining faith in the Federal Reserve. If the Fed does begin to taper in coming mont... More »
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Benchmark U.S. Treasuries yields jumped to two-year highs on Thursday as encouraging jobless claims data reinforced the view that the Federal Reserve is close to scaling back its bond purchases, spurring investors to reduce their debt hold... More »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Defense Department on Thursday unveiled steps to combat sexual assaults in the armed forces by increasing protection for victims, beefing up oversight of investigations, and making responses to such crimes more consistent across... More »
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Hip hop magnate and Def Jam co-founder Russell Simmons apologized on Thursday for a controversial sex tape parody of African-American slave-turned-abolitionist Harriet Tubman that appeared on a Def Jam YouTube channel. In an apology pos... More »
(Reuters) – IBM, the world’s biggest technology services company, said on Thursday it has agreed to buy Trusteer, a company that helps businesses fight computer viruses and fraud. A person familiar with the matter said IBM was paying close to $1 billion for Tr... More »
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Credit Suisse Group AG is moving the global co-head of its technology, media and telecom group to San Francisco from New York, bolstering its Silicon Valley investment banking presence in anticipation of more deals in the sector, two sourc... More »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The long-tailed, orange-furred, big-eyed olinguito – said to resemble a cross between a house cat and a teddy bear – is the newest mammal and the first carnivore discovered in the Americas in 35 years, the Smithsonian Institution announc... More »
STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – The European Union should review aid programs to Egypt and the International Monetary Fund should hold off from supporting Cairo after a crackdown on supporters of the ousted Islamist president, Sweden’s foreign minister said on Thursday.... More »
LONDON (Reuters) – The cheery freeze frame of the euro zone economy last quarter is no guarantee of a happy ending to what has been a horror movie for most of the single currency bloc since the onset of the great financial crisis. The return to growth, albeit ... More »
BEIJING (Reuters) – A Chinese property owner has started dismantling an elaborate villa built illegally, complete with a garden, on top of a Beijing apartment block after complaints from his neighbors and a government warning to tear it down. Aerial photos of ... More »
HONG KONG/KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – Energy majors Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM.N ) and Royal Dutch Shell (RDSa.L ) are among the suitors advancing to the next round of bidding for Newfield Exploration Co’s (NFX.N ) Malaysian and Chinese oil and gas fields valued at ab... More »
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Ashton Kutcher may be best known for his goofier comedy roles in “That ’70s Show” and “Two and a Half Men,” but the actor takes a rare dramatic turn in new film “Jobs” as visionary Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. Kutcher, 35, who bears a s... More »
HENLEY-ON-THAMES, England (Reuters) – The bucolic English riverside town of Henley-on-Thames is about to fill up with thousands of people in strange clothes: but not, this time, the boater and blazer brigade that bedecks its world-famous rowing regatta. These ... More »
FRANKFURT (Reuters) – The key Euribor bank-to-bank lending rate was unchanged on Thursday, consolidating gains from the prior session when data showing the euro zone emerged from recession in the second quarter dented hopes for another ECB rate cut. Stronger g... More »
