Popular News From Popular Sites: July 2014

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Ukrainian army suffers losses in attack by separatists

KIEV (Reuters) - Ukrainian television said on Friday up to 20 servicemen had been killed in an attack by pro-Russian separatists in east Ukraine during the night, but a military source said the death toll was likely to be lower. Military officials said a paratrooper unit had come under mortar and tank fire near the town of Shakhtarsk, in the region where a Malaysian airliner was brought down on July 17, and the number of casualties was being checked. (Reporting by Pavel Polityuk, Editing by Timothy Heritage) Read More http://ift.tt/1uNsxuo

Woodside shareholders reject Shell share buyback plan

Employees arrive at a Shell oil plant in Moerdijk, the Netherlands, on June 4, 2014

Gaza 72-hour ceasefire period begins

GAZA/JERUSALEM (Reuters) - A 72-hour Gaza ceasefire period began on Friday, the most ambitious attempt so far to end more than three weeks of fighting between Israel and Palestinian militants in the Hamas Islamist-dominated enclave. The humanitarian truce, brokered by the United Nations and the United States, went into effect at 1 a.m. EDT (0500 GMT), and was to be lead to talks in Egypt on a longer-term solution. (Writing by Ori Lewis,; Editing by Jeffrey Heller) Read More http://ift.tt/1xIv997

China's Xi pledges hard strike against military corruption

Chinese President Xi Jinping has pledged to strike hard against graft in the military, urging soldiers to banish corrupt practices and ensure their loyalty to the ruling Communist Party, state media reported on Friday. The vow to punish graft in the military came only days after the Communist Party began an investigation into former domestic security chief Zhou Yongkang, by far the highest-profile figure caught up in Xi's corruption crackdown. Xi said troops should remember where their priorities lie, the official PLA Daily reported. His remarks were made during a visit to a military base in the southeastern province of Fujian on Thursday to mark the 87th birthday of the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

Quake of 5.5 magnitude strikes near Algerian capital: USGS

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck 9 miles (14 km) southeast of the Algerian capital Algiers on Friday, the United States Geological Survey said. The quake's epicenter was recorded at a relatively shallow depth of 6.2 miles. (Writing by Ron Popeski; Editing by Michael Urquhart) Read More http://ift.tt/1s8FfQb

Dibawa kabur, bayi di Pekanbaru dibunuh penculiknya

MERDEKA.COM. Seorang pembantu rumah tangga (PRT) di Pekanbaru, Riau juga tega membunuh bayi. Pembunuhan itu terjadi setelah perempuan yang belum diketahui namanya tersebut menculik anak majikannya, warga Jalan Lili, Labuhbaru."Itu kejadian Minggu (26/7) lalu, kami sudah meminta keterangan keluarga korban dan masih menyelidiki penyalur pembantu yang diduga sebagai pelaku pembunuhan itu," kata Kepala Satuan Reserse Kriminal Polresta Pekanbaru, Kompol Arief Fajar Satria di Pekanbaru, Jumat (1/8), seperti dilansir dari Antara. ...

$11M deal struck to conserve Colorado River basin

DENVER (AP) — Water providers from four western states and the federal government announced an $11 million agreement Thursday to fund projects meant to counteract critically low water levels in the Colorado River basin, which supplies water to about 40 million people in seven states. Read More http://ift.tt/1xIjAPg

$11M deal struck to conserve Colorado River basin

Tropical storm Bertha forms off the eastern Barbados coast: NHC

(Reuters) - Tropical Storm Bertha, the second named storm of the 2014 Atlantic Hurricane Season, has formed east of the southern Lesser Antilles, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said on Thursday. The storm was located about 275 miles (445 km) east-southeast of Barbados, and about 385 miles (620 km) east-southeast of St. Lucia, with maximum sustained winds of 45 miles per hour (75 kph), the Miami-based weather forecasters said. The storm is moving toward the west-northwest at near 20 miles per hour (31 kph). (Reporting by Anupam Chatterjee in Bangalore; Editing by Anupama Dwivedi) Read More http://ift.tt/1oTHmqZ

Fresh cabinet casualty as Trinidad sports minister quits

Trinidad and Tobago's sports minister resigned on Thursday after a government probe found fraud in one of his ministry's programs, becoming the 12th member of Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar's cabinet to quit or be sacked. The minister, Anil Roberts, has denied any wrongdoing and had resisted calls from opposition parties and the public to resign over the scandal in the LifeSport program, which is aimed at training youths to keep them away from crime. Persad-Bissessar said she was "disillusioned, disappointed and distressed by the level of deception and dishonesty" associated with the program, which was found to have a series of irregularities including theft and procurement breaches. "I have decided to accept the offer of resignation as Minister of Sport from Mr. Anil Roberts." Persad-Bissessar's four-year-old government has been rocked by a series of scandals. Read More http://ift.tt/1kacRNn

Jalani hukuman, mantan wali kota Medan tak dapat remisi lebaran

MERDEKA.COM. Momen Idul Fitri tak hanya dinikmati masyarakat umum saja, sejumlah tahanan maupun narapidana bahkan menerima keringanan hukuman berupa remisi. Namun, kebijakan pemerintah memotong masa hukuman tidak dapat dinikmati mantan Wali Kota Medan, Rahudman Harahap.Terpidana korupsi Rahudman Harahap yang menjalani hukuman di Rumah Tahanan Negara (Rutan) Klas I Medan, tidak mendapatkan remisi pada Idul Fitri 1435 Hijriyah. Sebab, dia belum menjalani hukuman selama enam bulan di dalam rutan tersebut. ...

France's Iliad challenges Sprint for control of T-Mobile

By Soyoung Kim and Leila Abboud PARIS/NEW YORK (Reuters) - French telecommunications company Iliad SA ILD.PA has made a surprise offer for T-Mobile US Inc TMUS.N, setting up a potential bidding war with Sprint Corp S.N, the U.S. mobile carrier now controlled by Japan's Softbank Corp 9984.T. The approach will further shake up a U.S. media and telecoms market already in tumult as a series of U.S. cable and cellular operators have bid for rivals to cut costs amid slowing growth. The market and its relatively healthy margins remain alluring to some foreign operators like Softbank and Iliad, however. Iliad, which has shaken up the French mobile and broadband market in the past decade with its cheap, pared-down subscriber plans, bid $15 billion in cash for 56.6 percent of T-Mobile US at $33 per share, it said in a statement on Thursday. The Paris-based company said its offer for the fourth-largest U.S. carrier values all of T-Mobile at $36.20 per share, a premium of 42 percent to the pre-announcement share price, once expected cost savings of $10 billion were taken into account.

Russia bans Ukraine's soy, mulls ban on Greek fruit, U.S. poultry

MOSCOW/ATHENS (Reuters) - Russia has banned soy imports from Ukraine and may impose restrictions on Greek fruits and U.S. poultry next week, Russian news agencies reported on Thursday, in what could be responses to new Western sanctions. Russia has already announced several bans on food imports following Western sanctions over Moscow's support of rebels in Ukraine. [ID:nL6N0Q62QG] It has decided to suspend Ukrainian soy, soymeal and sunseed imports starting from Aug. ... Read More http://ift.tt/1AFoPnd

Ebola patient coming to U.S. as aid workers' health worsens

By Julie Steenhuysen and Colleen Jenkins CHICAGO/WINSTON-SALEM N.C. (Reuters) - A U.S. aid worker who was infected with the deadly Ebola virus while working in West Africa will be flown to the United States to be treated in a high-security ward at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, hospital officials said on Thursday. The aid worker, whose name has not been released, will be moved in the next several days to a special isolation unit at Emory. The unit was set up in collaboration with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC spokeswoman Barbara Reynolds said her agency is working with the U.S. State Department to facilitate the transfer. Read More http://ift.tt/1nPQxZm

China lifts air control measures caused by military drills

China will on Friday lift air traffic control measures imposed to allow military drills and which have caused major delays and cancellations of flights, raising concerns over airline earnings. Flights in the country's eastern, central and southern regions will return to normal once the restrictions are lifted, the Civil Aviation Administration of China said a statement posted on its website late on Thursday. The Public Security Bureau had said flights could still be affected until mid-August. Xinhua said military drills will continue in coastal areas in the southeast even after the air control restrictions are lifted. Read More http://ift.tt/1tAiUxE

White House urges 'restraint' ahead of new Gaza ceasefire

The White House said on Thursday that it strongly supports the new three-day ceasefire agreed to by Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip, and urged "restraint" in the hours before the truce begins at 8 a.m. (0500 GMT) on Friday. "We urge all parties to act with restraint until this humanitarian ceasefire begins," the White House said in a statement. The White House also said it hopes talks can begin "immediately" in Cairo for a longer-term truce. "We believe the only sustainable way to address Israel's security concerns and enable Palestinians in Gaza to lead normal lives is through a permanent ceasefire agreement," the White House said. Read More http://ift.tt/1tAiRSw

Israel, Palestinian militant groups agree to three-day Gaza truce

By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Ari Rabinovitch GAZA/JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel and Palestinian militant groups in the Gaza Strip have agreed to a three-day humanitarian truce to begin Friday morning, and negotiators from both sides will travel to Cairo to discuss a longer-term solution. The 72-hour break after more than three weeks of fighting was set to begin at 8 a.m. (0500 GMT), according to a joint statement released by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. An official in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Israel had accepted the U.S./U.N. proposal. A spokesman for Hamas, the Islamist group dominant in Gaza, said all Palestinian factions would abide by the truce.

China diners test McDonald's, Yum says food scare hurts KFC, Pizza Hut sales

A food safety scare in China is testing local consumers' loyalty to foreign fast-food brands, including McDonald's Corp and Yum Brands Inc, which owns the KFC and Pizza Hut chains. Yum said on Wednesday that the scare, triggered by a TV report earlier this month showing improper meat handling by a supplier, Shanghai Husi Food, caused "significant, negative" damage to sales at KFC and Pizza Hut restaurants over the past 10 days. "If the significant sales impact is sustained, it will have a material effect on full-year earnings per share," Yum said in a regulatory filing. Shares in Yum, which counts China as its No. 1 market, tumbled more than 6 percent in extended trading.

Ofgem sees energy firms' pre-tax margin at 106 pounds

Britain's energy suppliers face pre-tax margins of 106 pounds per dual fuel customer for the coming year, energy markets watchdog Ofgem forecast on Thursday. Ofgem updates its annual pre-tax margin forecasts each month.

Colonising Mars: Nasa Plans a Greenhouse for the Red Planet

In an attempt to 'terraform' or 'green' the bleak, red terrain of Mars, Nasa will probably attach a tiny greenhouse to its next rover which will be launched in 2020. The Mars Plant Experiment, MPX, seeks to study how plants respond to low gravity as opposed to zero gravity. More important, can they survive the onslaught of cosmic particles unhampered by an atmosphere? The small cube-shaped greenhouse filled with carbon dioxide will contain seeds of a mustard-kind of plant, Arabidopsis.

Factbox: Russia's food imports bans amid Ukraine sanctions

(Reuters) - Russia said on Thursday it had stopped imports of Ukrainian juice, Moscow's latest trade ban following new Western sanctions over Ukraine. The move came a day after Moscow banned imports of fruit and vegetables from Poland. Russia is also considering restrictions on all or some fruit imports from the European Union. ... Read More http://ift.tt/1zytjuh

Ex-aide to Queen Elizabeth's husband charged with sex offences

A former aide to Prince Philip, husband of Britain's Queen Elizabeth, has been charged with sex offences against a girl in the 1970s, a period he was working for the royal family, prosecutors said on Thursday. Benjamin Herman, 79, is accused of three counts of indecently assaulting a girl aged about 12 and another count of attempted indecent assault between 1972 and 1974. Read More http://ift.tt/XiJ5vx

Russia says European court's approach to Yukos case unfair

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's Justice Ministry said on Thursday a European court's approach to the Yukos case was unfair and biased, adding it could appeal its decision within three months. The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) earlier on Thursday awarded shareholders in Yukos 1.9 billion euros (£1.5 billion) in compensation after the former oil company argued Russia had unlawfully seized it after demanding bogus taxes and via a sham auction. (Reporting by Maria Kiselyova; Editing by Elizabeth Piper) Read More http://ift.tt/WOyZT8

Panasonic, Tesla to build big US battery plant

American electric car maker Tesla Motors Inc. is teaming up with Japanese electronics company Panasonic Corp. to build a battery manufacturing plant in the U.S. expected to create 6,500 jobs. The companies ... Read More http://ift.tt/1oPl6hM

Colonising Mars: Nasa Plans a Greenhouse for the Red Planet

Factbox - Russia's food imports bans amid Ukraine sanctions

Sierra Leone president declares state of emergency over Ebola

By Umaru Fofana FREETOWN (Reuters) - Sierra Leone has declared a state of public emergency to tackle the worst ever outbreak of Ebola and will call in security forces to quarantine epicenters of the deadly virus, President Ernest Bai Koroma said in a statement. "I hereby proclaim a State of Public Emergency to enable us take a more robust approach to deal with the Ebola outbreak," he said in a speech late on Wednesday, adding that the measures would initially last between 60 and 90 days. "All epicenters of the disease will be quarantined." Koroma said that the police and the military would restrict movements to and from epicenters, and would provide support to health officers and NGOs to do their work unhindered, following a number of attacks on healthworkers by local communities.

Ukraine president urges assembly to amend budget to fund army

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko appealed to parliament on Thursday to back legislation needed to fund an army offensive against separatists in the east and shore up the energy sector. Prime Minster Arseny Yatseniuk tendered his resignation last week over the assembly's refusal to back amendments to the 2014 budget in an initial vote but it is possible he will stay on if deputies support the changes now. Read More http://ift.tt/1twJ30k

Ukraine president urges assembly to amend budget to fund army

Russian experts aim to examine Malaysian jet debris on Thursday: Ifax

Russian experts aim to visit the Malaysian airliner crash site in east Ukraine on Thursday to examine the debris together with international investigators, Interfax news agency reported on Thursday, citing Russia's civil aviation authority. "Russian experts intend to meet the head of the investigative commission ... and handover all the materials that the chairman of the commission had previously asked for," Interfax quoted a statement from the Federal Air Transport Agency. Read More http://ift.tt/1lZZxqb

ECHR rules that Russia should pay Yukos shareholders $1.9 billion

MOSCOW/STRASBOURG (Reuters) - The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) awarded shareholders in Yukos 1.9 billion euros (1.5 billion pounds) in compensation after the former oil company argued Russia had unlawfully deprived the company of its possessions by imposing bogus taxes and a sham auction of its key asset. Just days after some of Yukos's former shareholders won $50 billion in The Hague, the Strasbourg-based court said Russia should also pay 300,000 euros in costs and expenses, plus any tax that may be chargeable. ...

Panasonic, Tesla to build big US battery plant

Centrica Profits Tank 35% on UK's Warm Winter

Centrica has revealed that operating profit tumbled by 35% after British customers turned down the heating thanks to a milder than usual winter. The British Gas owner only make £1.03bn (€1.3bn, $1.75bn) in the first six months of the year, compared with £1.58bn it made a year earlier. Centrica also said extreme weather in America because of the US polar vortex cost it £65m. "The first half of the year has seen challenging market conditions across the group, both as a result of the weather and reflecting the wider political environment," said Centrica chairman Rick Haythornwaite.

Child credit scam prompts U.S. tax crackdown on expats in Israel

By Steven Scheer and Tova Cohen TEL AVIV (Reuters) - It was called the "Israel Project", an operation by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that has uncovered false claims for child tax credits involving an estimated tens of millions of dollars filed by U.S. citizens living in Israel. About 200,000 American citizens live in Israel, one of the largest U.S. expatriate communities, and in a separate inquiry, U.S. regulators are investigating whether Israeli banks helped American clients evade U.S. taxes, mostly at Swiss subsidiaries. As a result of the child credit scam, many Americans in Israel who made legitimate claims have faced costly audits by the IRS. Accountants said claims surged when it was realized U.S. nationals living abroad were eligible for the credit, beginning in the ultra-Orthodox community and spreading from there. Read More http://ift.tt/1oP2n61

Doctor says Australia covering up mental illness in asylum-seeker children

By Matt Siegel SYDNEY (Reuters) - A former healthcare worker at Australia's immigration detention centers said on Thursday the government asked him to cover up evidence that children held in the camps were suffering from widespread mental illness caused by their confinement. Under policies aimed at stopping asylum seekers reaching Australia's mainland by boat, migrants are sent to camps in Papua New Guinea and the South Pacific nation of Nauru where they face long periods of detention while they are processed. Peter Young, a doctor who previously supervised mental health services at the camps, said at a hearing held by the Australian Human Rights Commission that he was asked to remove figures from a report detailing the extent of the problem. "They asked us to withdraw the figures from our reporting." Refugee advocates say that long-term detention, combined with a lack of clarity on where and when the asylum seekers may be resettled, contribute to a host of mental health problems at the facilities. Read More http://ift.tt/1oP2mzb

Russia stops Ukraine juice imports, latest ban after sanctions

Russia's consumer protection watchdog said on Thursday it had stopped imports of Ukrainian juice, Moscow's latest trade ban announced following new Western sanctions over Ukraine. A day after banning imports of fruit and vegetables from Poland in what Warsaw said was retaliation for the sanctions, Russia's Rospotrebnadzor said imports of Ukrainian juice had been suspended on July 29 "to protect the rights of consumers". Read More http://ift.tt/1ABHQHg

Russian gas flow via Ukraine to EU normal on Thursday - Slovak pipeline

PRAGUE (Reuters) - Russian natural gas flows to the European Union through Slovakia via Ukraine were running normally on Thursday morning, Slovak pipeline operator Eustream said on its website. Russia cut gas supplies to Ukraine on June 16 in a dispute over unpaid bills but has continued to supply gas which Ukraine sends on to Russia's clients. (Reporting by Jason Hovet; Editing by Dale Hudson) Read More http://ift.tt/1n5CRUV

Panel wants TEPCO execs charged over nuke crisis

TOKYO (AP) — A Japanese judicial panel has recommended that three former executives of the utility that operates the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant face criminal charges over their role in the disaster. Read More http://ift.tt/1rK99sS

Weir Group profits declines, orders up 10 percent

LONDON (Reuters) - British engineering firm Weir Group on Thursday reported a six percent fall in first-half profits due to adverse foreign exchange conditions. Weir saw 10 percent growth in orders to 1.24 billion pounds. Earnings per share fell 8 percent to 61.4 pence while its share dividend rose 70 percent to 15 pence which will represent around one third of its full year dividend. Input from Weir's oil and gas division, which has a strong position in U.S. shale, grew by 40 percent to 499 million pounds. ... Read More http://ift.tt/1xDeYKo

British Gas Half-Year Profit Squeezed By 26%

The parent company of British Gas has reported a large fall in half-year operating profit, which has been blamed on mild weather and the furore over energy bills. Centrica said British Gas Residential saw its earnings fall 26% to £265m in the six months to June 30, compared to the same period last year. The drop comes amid ongoing controversy over bill hikes imposed by the so-called big six energy providers, and mild weather. Chairman Rick Haythornthwaite said the troubles were down to "weather and reflecting the wider political environment".

Dutch, Australian experts attempt to reach Ukraine crash site

Experts from the Netherlands and Australia tried on Thursday to reach the crash site in eastern Ukraine of downed Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 after several failed attempts this week. Members of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) were also part of a team that was trying to navigate a safe route to the area where the plane went down on July 17, killing all 298 passengers and crew. Read More http://ift.tt/1xDbojn

Diggers try to reach more than 100 feared trapped in India landslide; 21 dead

By Aman Shah MALIN VILLAGE India (Reuters) - Rescuers in India were digging through swirling mud to uncover dozens of submerged homes on Thursday and find more than 100 people swallowed up by a landslide that flattened almost an entire village, with the confirmed death toll at 21. Seven teams of 42 rescue workers each worked through the night at Malin village, 60 km (35 miles) from the city of Pune in Maharashtra state. Four earth moving machines scooped out mud spread over an area the size of a football pitch. The frame of a motorbike floated by on a torrent of mud, an indication that bodies could well be underneath. Read More http://ift.tt/1oOMQTS

Centrica first-half profits fall 35 percent

By Susanna Twidale LONDON (Reuters) - British utility Centrica saw operating profit fall 35 percent in the first half of the year as a mild winter in Britain led to reduced energy demand and extreme weather in North America increased costs. Centrica made 1.032 billion pounds in operating profit, down from 1.583 billion a year earlier, it said on Thursday. The company was hit by 65 million pounds of costs relating to the polar vortex cold snap that hit North America earlier this year. “The first half of the year has seen challenging market conditions across the Group, both as a result of the weather and reflecting the wider political environment," said Centrica chairman Rick Haythornwaite in a results statement.

BG Group operating profit up 11 percent on higher LNG volumes

(Reuters) - BG Group reported a 11 percent rise in second-quarter operating profit, driven by higher LNG volumes and higher realised prices in Asia and South America. The company continues to expect production at the lower end of its forecast of 590,000-630,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) for the year. Total operating profit for the quarter was $1.99 billion. Production for the quarter fell 10 percent to 591,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd). (Reporting by Abhiram Nandakumar in Bangalore; Editing by Sunil Nair) Read More http://ift.tt/1oOKMet

Target to hire Pepsi executive Brian Cornell as CEO: WSJ

(Reuters) - Target Corp is hiring PepsiCo Inc executive Brian Cornell as its new chief executive, the Wall Street Journal reported. Target has been looking for a new chief executive after removing Gregg Steinhafel as chairman and CEO in May in the wake of a devastating data breach, which hurt the No.3 U.S. retailer's profit, shook customer confidence in the company and prompted congressional hearings. Steinhafel had been Target's CEO since 2008 and his departure also followed the company's botched multi-billion dollar expansion into Canada. The Minneapolis-based company had named its Chief Financial Officer John Mulligan as interim chief executive.

Centrica first-half profits fall 35 percent

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Dutch, Australian experts attempt to reach Ukraine crash site

Elephants Have Stronger Sense of Smell Than Dogs or Rats, Sniffs Out Study

Bomb detection squads may switch from dogs to elephants going by a recent study by Japanese scientists that proclaims the pachyderm as the species with a strongest sense of smell. Just like the trunk that is long, the African elephant's genome contains a long chain of olfactory receptor genes, nearly 2,000, says the study in the journal Genome Research. This means elephants' sniffers are five times more powerful than human noses, twice that of dogs, and even stronger than the previous known record-holder in the animal kingdom: rats. Just how these genes work is not well understood, but they likely helped elephants survive and navigate their environment over the ages.

Shell quarterly adjusted earnings rise 33 percent

(Reuters) - Oil major Royal Dutch Shell Plc , which has been shedding assets to cut costs and streamline operations, reported a 33 percent increase in adjusted quarterly earnings after producing more liquids and selling at higher prices. Adjusted earnings on a current cost of supplies basis rose to $6.1 billion (3.6 billion pounds) for the second quarter from $4.6 billion a year earlier.

Elephants Have Stronger Sense of Smell Than Dogs or Rats, Sniffs Out Study

Argentina braces for market reaction to second default in 12 years

By Sarah Marsh BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Argentina defaulted for the second time in 12 years after hopes for a midnight deal with holdout creditors were dashed, setting up stock and bond prices for declines on Thursday and raising chances a recession could worsen this year. After a long legal battle with hedge funds that rejected Argentina's debt restructuring following its 2002 default, Latin America's third-biggest economy failed to strike a deal in time to meet a midnight deadline for a coupon payment on exchange bonds. "It is going to complicate life for businesses like YPF which were going to look externally for financing," said Camilo Tiscornia, a former governor of Argentina's central bank. State-controlled energy company YPF needs funds to develop Argentina's huge Vaca Muerta shale formation.

Siemens warns of challenges ahead for energy business

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Germany's Siemens warned on Thursday that its energy business faced challenges in the coming quarters as it reported quarterly core profit that fell short of expectations. In the three months through June, operating profit from Siemens's four main businesses - Industry, Energy, Healthcare and Infrastructure & Cities - rose 37 percent to 1.74 billion euros (1.37 billion pounds), missing analyst consensus of 1.83 billion in a Reuters poll. ...

Some WTO members discussing customs deal without India: sources

A group of World Trade Organization (WTO) members has informally discussed adopting a global overhaul of customs rules without India if New Delhi goes ahead with threats to block the deal, sources familiar with the talks said on Thursday. India has demanded the deal, which must be approved in Geneva on Thursday, be accompanied by a parallel agreement giving it more freedom to subsidise and stockpile food grains than currently allowed under WTO rules. The ultimatum revived doubts about the future of the WTO as a negotiating body and many diplomats said New Delhi's stance could derail the whole process of world trade liberalisation, leading to some nations discussing the last-resort idea of excluding India from the deal. "If India does end up blocking (on Thursday) there is already a group of members who are interested in pursuing that path," a source involved in the discussions said. Read More http://ift.tt/1uJkn6r

Russia says U.S. accusations over nuclear treaty 'unfounded'

Russia on Wednesday dismissed Washington's accusations that it has violated the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Treaty as "unfounded", and said it had its own complaints against the United States over the treaty. This includes... production of armed drones by the Americans, which...fall into the category of ground-based cruise missiles as defined by the Treaty," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The ministry was reacting to Washington's allegations that Moscow had violated the 1988 accord. The exchange of the accusations took place amid the deepest East-West rift since the end of the Cold War over Moscow's role in the Ukraine crisis and the EU and United States economic sanctions against Moscow. Read More http://ift.tt/1lZpJAY

Moscow fights back after sanctions; battle rages near Ukraine crash site

By Polina Devitt and Gabriela Baczynska MOSCOW/KIEV (Reuters) - Russia fought back on Wednesday over new U.S. and EU sanctions imposed over Ukraine even as G7 leaders warned of further steps, while Ukraine's government accused pro-Russian rebels of placing land mines near the site of a crashed Malaysian airliner to prevent a proper investigation. Russia announced a ban on most fruit and vegetable imports from Poland and said it could extend it to the entire European Union, a move Warsaw called Kremlin retaliation for new Western sanctions over Ukraine imposed on Russia on Tuesday. ...

Moscow fights back after sanctions; battle rages near Ukraine crash site

G7 leaders warn of further costs to Russia over Ukraine

G7 leaders issued a joint statement on Wednesday warning Russia that it will face added economic sanctions if Moscow does not change the course of its Ukraine policy. The statement from the leaders of the G7 countries, the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and Britain, was a show of solidarity among allies. They expressed grave about Russian actions that have undermined "Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence." "Russia still has the opportunity to choose the path of de-escalation," the statement said, a day after Europe and the United States imposed a fresh found of sanctions. "If it does not do so, however, we remain ready to further intensify the costs of its adverse actions." The G7 leaders called on all sides to establish a ceasefire at the crash site of the Malaysian jet that was shot down on July 17 in eastern Ukraine. Read More http://ift.tt/XhXrfK

Gaza toll soars as Israel 'days' from completing tunnel hunt

By Nidal al-Mughrabi and Dan Williams GAZA/JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel pressed ahead with its Gaza offensive saying it was days from achieving its core goal of destroying all Islamist guerrilla cross-border attack tunnels, but a soaring Palestinian civilian toll has triggered international alarm. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's security cabinet on Wednesday approved continuing the assault launched on July 8 in response to a surge of rocket attacks by Gaza's dominant Hamas Islamists. Israel has lost 56 soldiers to Gaza clashes and three civilians to Palestinian shelling. Israel said its forces were attacked by guerrillas near the school, in northern Jabalya, and had fired back.

Ebola discoverer says would sit next to victim on train

The scientist who helped discover the Ebola virus said the outbreak in west Africa was unlikely to trigger a major epidemic outside the region, adding he would happily sit next to an infected person on a train.

China evacuates hundreds of workers in Libya to Malta

China has evacuated several hundred workers from Libya and is taking them by ship to Malta, the head of the Malta Civil Service, Mario Cutajar, said on Wednesday. Earlier on Wednesday, the Philippines said it had chartered a ship to take up to 1,000 Filipinos to Malta. Cutajar said 150 foreign workers, mostly Filipinos, had arrived in Malta on Tuesday on flights from Mitiga airport near Tripoli. On Monday the United States said its ambassador to Libya, who was evacuated on Saturday, will be temporarily based in Malta. Read More http://ift.tt/1AB0Y8b

Woodside's $2.68 billion buyback from Shell close to failing

Woodside Petroleum Ltd's planned $2.68 billion (1.58 billion pounds) share buyback from Royal Dutch Shell is on the brink of failing, based on a count of votes mailed in ahead of a shareholder meeting on Friday. Woodside said on Thursday about 71.3 percent of votes cast so far were in favour, with the rest against. It needs support from 75 percent of votes cast to go ahead with the buyback, which would cut Shell's stake in the company to below 5 percent. "If it gets knocked back, the question will have to be what happens next, and in our view it's likely the board will move to implement an equal access buy-back," said Nik Burns, executive director & lead energy analyst at UBS.

Pencurian berujung kerusuhan terjadi di Lampung

MERDEKA.COM. Situasi di Desa Sukaraja, Kecamatan Semaka, Kabupaten Tanggamus, Provinsi Lampung, sempat memanas setelah terjadi pencurian sepeda motor. Ratusan massa dari dua desa berhadapan, sehingga terjadi pembakaran rumah.Kabid Humas Polda Lampung, AKBP Sulistyaningsih mengatakan, awalnya pada Rabu (30/7) terjadi pencurian motor milik warga Karang Agung. Pencurian ini terjadi waktu magrib di Masjid PKN Tugu Papak. Pelaku bernama Kudai (27) ditangkap, lalu dihakimi oleh warga Sukaraja. Kejadian ini membetot perhatian sehingga warga lain mendatangi lokasi kejadian. ...

El Salvador detains Spanish priest for smuggling cell phones into jail

By Nelson Renteria SAN SALVADOR (Reuters) - El Salvadoran police on Wednesday detained a Spanish priest known for supporting a fragile gang truce over allegations he smuggled cell phones into jail, police said. Father Antonio Rodriguez, who is suspected of ties to a local gang leader, was stopped at a police checkpoint while driving to his home in the capital city of San Salvador early on Wednesday, authorities said. Rodriguez, who has used job training workshops to help reintegrate former gang members into society, will be held for 72 hours while authorities continue their investigation, Police Chief Mauricio Landaverde said. Cell phones, which can be used to coordinate murders and extortion by incarcerated gang members, are banned in El Salvadoran prisons. Read More http://ift.tt/1lYX7rM

Isolated Amazonian tribe makes contact with outside

Members of an isolated tribe have emerged from the Amazon rainforest and made contact with the outside world in a video released by Brazil's indigenous authority.

U.S. advances plan to reintroduce wild bison herds outside Yellowstone

New herds of genetically pure wild bison may once again roam vast expanses of the American West where the iconic animal has been absent since the end of the 19th century, under a tentative plan federal officials advanced on Wednesday. The proposal, for which Yellowstone National Park officials have begun seeking public comment, is almost sure to draw staunch opposition from ranchers concerned about disease, competition for grass and property destruction from straying bison. Yellowstone is now home to more than 4,000 bison, or buffalo, constituting the bulk of the country's last pure-bred population of the animals. Dozens from the Yellowstone herd have been relocated to two Montana American Indian reservations in recent years. Read More http://ift.tt/1AACifZ

Libyan militants overrun Benghazi special forces base as chaos deepens

By Ayman al-Warfalli BENGHAZI Libya (Reuters) - Militant fighters overran a Libyan special forces base in the eastern city of Benghazi on Tuesday after a battle involving rockets and warplanes that killed at least 30 people. A special forces officer said they had to abandon their main camp in the southeast of Benghazi after coming under sustained attack from a coalition of Islamist fighters and former rebel militias in the city. "We have withdrawn from the army base after heavy shelling," Saiqa Special Forces officer Fadel Al-Hassi told Reuters. A separate special forces spokesman confirmed the militants had taken over the camp after the troops pulled out. Read More http://ift.tt/1Axk3Id

U.S. says Russia violated treaty that ended Cold War

By Roberta Rampton and Steve Holland WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama wrote to Russian President Vladimir Putin to inform him directly that the U.S. government had determined that Russia violated the intermediate-range nuclear treaty, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said on Tuesday. The United States is seeking high-level talks over what it said was an infraction of the Cold War-era treaty, ratified in 1988, which was designed to eliminate ground-launched cruise missiles with ranges of 500 to 5,500 km (310 to 3,400 miles). Earnest declined to comment on how or when Russia violated the treaty, but said the United States is concerned in part about the risk of proliferation. "That is an indication that this is a matter that merits the serious attention of the leaders of both the United States and Russia," Earnest said.

Russian gas flows via Ukraine to EU normal on Wednesday - Slovak pipeline

PRAGUE (Reuters) - Russian natural gas flows to the European Union through Slovakia via Ukraine were running normally on Wednesday morning, Slovak pipeline operator Eustream said on its website. Russia cut gas supplies to Ukraine on June 16 in a dispute over unpaid bills but has continued to supply gas which Ukraine sends on to Russia's clients. (Reporting by Jason Hovet, editing by Louise Heavens) Read More http://ift.tt/1trhy8v

Russia's VTB slides on Western sanctions, market rises as impact priced in

Shares in Russia's second-largest bank VTB slid over 3 percent at the start of trading on Wednesday, but the broader stock market rose as investors had priced in the impact of a new wave of Western sanctions. Brussels and Washington announced new punitive measures on Tuesday, targeting Russia's energy, banking and defence sectors over what they say is Moscow's support for rebels in eastern Ukraine. The U.S. Treasury imposed targeted sanctions on Russian banks including VTB, VTB subsidiary Bank of Moscow and the Russian Agricultural Bank. VTB recouped some of its early losses to trade 1.55 percent lower at 0635 GMT, sharply underperforming the broader rouble-denominated MICEX index, which rose 1 percent. Read More http://ift.tt/1s1xPz8

Three killed in car bomb in Cairo: Egyptian state-run television

CAIRO (Reuters) - Three people were killed in a car bomb blast in Giza, on the outskirts of Cairo, Egypt's state-run Nile Television said on Wednesday. Another state news outlet, Al-Ahram, quoted a police officer who said those killed were inside the car and were likely to have been on their way to carry out a "terrorist operation". (Reporting by Ahmed Tolba and Oliver Holmes; Editing by Catherine Evans) Read More http://ift.tt/1qkDTzw

Putin may have passed point of no-return over Ukraine

By Timothy Heritage MOSCOW (Reuters) - Vladimir Putin risks becoming an international pariah over the Ukraine crisis but the Russian president is battening down the hatches for the gathering economic and political storm. The United States and the European Union saw the downing of Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 as a chance for Putin to distance himself from pro-Russian separatists in east Ukraine and seal the border across which they say arms are reaching the rebels. Instead Putin has stood firm, blamed the crash on his pro-Western antagonists in Kiev and signaled no change in his stance, leaving Russia facing the threat of much tougher international sanctions and economic and political isolation. With an about-turn all but impossible for Putin after a fierce media campaign that has demonized the West, painted Ukraine's leaders as fascists and backed the rebels to the hilt, he appears to have passed the point of no-return.

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Exclusive: China's Xi reached deal with former leaders to investigate ex-security chief: sources

By Benjamin Kang Lim and Ben Blanchard BEIJING (Reuters) - Two influential former Chinese leaders gave their consent for President Xi Jinping to investigate ex-domestic security chief Zhou Yongkang, sources told Reuters, a sign the corruption probe will not open a rift in the ruling Communist Party. Xi's predecessors Hu Jintao and Jiang Zemin had approved the formal investigation into Zhou, the most senior Chinese official to be ensnared in a graft scandal since the party swept to power in 1949, two sources with ties to the leadership said. Zhou, 71, was the security tsar within the Politburo Standing Committee - China's apex of power - for five years until he retired in 2012. "Jiang Zemin, Hu Jintao and Xi Jinping reached a consensus to deal with Zhou Yongkang for violating party discipline," one of the sources said.

Control of assembly, reform plans at stake in South Korea by-elections

By Jack Kim SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean voters in 15 districts chose lawmakers on Wednesday in by-elections that could determine whether President Park Geun-hye's ruling party can retain a majority to push through her economic stimulus policy and regulatory reform. Park has made boosting the economy a priority in her second year of a single term and recently appointed a finance minister who has pledged to stimulate consumption and ease restrictions on the sagging property market. The ruling conservative Saenuri Party now holds 147 of 285 seats and a victory in four of the districts would ensure it hangs on to a majority. Commentators say the ruling party is likely to avoid any large-scale defeat against a weak opposition that has been unable to capitalise on the scandal surrounding the ferry disaster.

Tullow reports first-half loss on hefty exploration write-offs

(Reuters) - Oil and gas producer Tullow Oil Plc reported a net loss for the first half of the year after writing off more than $400 million (236 million pounds) in exploration costs. Tullow reported write-offs to the tune of $402 million after drilling dry holes in Mauritania, Ethiopia and Norway over the past six months. Read More http://ift.tt/1n1OU5w

Corbett, coal interests rally before EPA hearings

Gov. Tom Corbett was expected to address a rally of coal industry and mining supporters opposing stricter Environmental Protection Agency regulations being proposed to regulate pollution from coal-burning ... Read More http://ift.tt/1o1JHiW

U.S. judge says cannot seize Kurdish crude for now

By Anna Driver and Kristen Hays HOUSTON (Reuters) - A high-stakes dispute over a tanker carrying $100 million in Iraqi Kurdish crude took a surprising turn on Tuesday when a U.S. judge said she lacked jurisdiction given the ship's distance from the Texas shore and urged that the case be settled in Iraq. Federal magistrate Nancy K. Johnson said that because the tanker was some 60 miles (100 km) offshore, and outside territorial waters, an order she issued late on Monday for U.S. Marshals to seize the cargo could not be enforced. She said the dispute between Iraq's central government and the autonomous region of Kurdistan should be resolved in Iraq. Overnight Johnson signed an order directing the marshals to seize the 1 million barrels of crude from the United Kalavrvta tanker anchored in the Gulf of Mexico.

U.S. judge says Kurdish tanker near Texas out of court's jurisdiction

HOUSTON (Reuters) - A U.S. judge said on Tuesday her court "has no jurisdiction" over a tanker near Texas loaded with Kurdish crude oil because it is some 60 miles offshore, meaning the order she issued earlier to seize the $100 million cargo cannot be enforced at this time. Federal magistrate Nancy K. Johnson said the dispute between Iraq's central government and the Regional Government of Kurdistan should be resolved in Iraq. (Reporting By Anna Driver and Kristen Hays; Editing by Terry Wade) Read More http://ift.tt/1qK1oa0

Dismantling Germany's nuclear industry, piece by piece

Eyes fixed on a screen, joystick in hand, the operator of a remote-controlled saw painstakingly dismantles metal rods at one of Germany's mothballed nuclear reactors.

Dismantling Germany's nuclear industry, piece by piece

Eyes fixed on a screen, joystick in hand, the operator of a remote-controlled saw painstakingly dismantles metal rods at one of Germany's mothballed nuclear reactors.

Sierra Leone's top Ebola doctor dies from virus

FREETOWN (Reuters) - The doctor leading Sierra Leone's fight against the worst Ebola outbreak on record died from the virus on Tuesday, the country's chief medical officer said. The death of Sheik Umar Khan, who was credited with treating more than 100 patients, follows the deaths of dozens of local health workers and the infection of two American medics in neighbouring Liberia, highlighting the dangers faced by staff trying to halt the disease's spread across West Africa. Ebola is believed to have killed 672 people in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone since the outbreak began in February, according to the World Health Organisation. The contagious disease, which has no known cure, has symptoms that include vomiting, diarrhoea and internal and external bleeding.

Pelaku Penusukan Praka Bambang Diringkus

TRIBUNNEWS.COM - "Pelakunya sudah berhasil ditangkap dan diamankan di Polsek Parung. Ini informasi langsung dari Kapolsek Parung," kata Ahmad.

Europe launches last resupply ship to space station

An Ariane 5 ES heavy rocket lifted off from South America late Tuesday bearing Europe's fifth and final robot supply ship for the International Space Station (ISS), mission control said.

Europe launches last resupply ship to space station

An Ariane 5 ES heavy rocket lifted off from South America late Tuesday bearing Europe's fifth and final robot supply ship for the International Space Station (ISS), mission control said.

US museum to keep 3,200-year-old mummy mask after government ends attempt to reclaim for Egypt

A 3,200-year-old mummy mask at the centre of a years-long custody fight will stay at the St. Louis Art Museum now that the U.S. government is giving up its fight to reclaim it for Egypt. U.S. Attorney Richard Callahan said Tuesday that the Department of Justice will take no further legal action to reclaim the funeral mask of Lady Ka-Nefer-Nefer, a noblewoman who died in 1186 B.C. The mask went missing from the Egyptian Museum in Cairo more than 40 years ago. The St. Louis Art Museum said it researched the provenance of the mask and legitimately bought it in 1998.

Canada intends to impose more sanctions on Russia: prime minister

Canada said on Tuesday it plans to impose additional sanctions on Russia in the coming days, in close coordination with partners in the United States and Europe. The sanctions will be in addition to those announced last week on a broad range of Russian companies and banks, Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper said in a statement. "In the wake of continued aggression by Russia, which includes the ongoing supply of logistical support and weapons systems to agents of the Putin regime in eastern Ukraine, Canada is announcing its intent to once again increase economic and political pressure, in the coming days, by imposing additional sanctions on the regime and those closest to it," Harper said. Harper made the statement as U.S. President Barack Obama said the United States has expanded sanctions against Russia over its support for rebels in eastern Ukraine. Read More http://ift.tt/1oJ83P1

Ukraine welcomes U.S., EU Russia sanctions, says Moscow must respond

By David Storey WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Ukraine's foreign minister welcomed U.S. and European sanctions on Russia announced on Tuesday and pledged Kiev would not attack cities now controlled by pro-Russian separatists in its drive to re-establish control over its territory. Pavlo Klimkin, in an interview with Reuters, supported the convening of a new international conference to end months of violence in eastern Ukraine and said he had discussed the idea with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry earlier in the day. Speaking at Ukraine's Washington embassy, he said ultimately only a political solution would end the conflict, in which pro-Russian forces hold a large swathe of territory near the border, including the cities of Donetsk and Luhansk. Intense fighting on Tuesday between Ukrainian government forces and rebels killed dozens of civilians, soldiers and rebels as Kiev pressed on with its offensive to defeat the Moscow-backed revolt. Read More http://ift.tt/1qkgcrh

Canada intends to impose more sanctions on Russia: prime minister

1 dead, 3 hurt in Moss Point fish plant explosion

One person was killed and three others were injured in an explosion Monday at a fish processing plant on the Mississippi coast. Omega Protein spokesman Ben Landry said it happened about 9:30 a.m. while ... Read More http://ift.tt/1mWAK5G

Sniffer dog warning sends Australian jet passengers on a rush to flush

Australian budget airline Jetstar apologised on Wednesday after a crew member told passengers on a flight from the Gold Coast tourist strip, including some returning from a popular music festival, to flush away "anything you shouldn't have". The warning from the flight attendant that sniffer dogs and quarantine officers were on standby in Sydney prompted a rush to the plane's toilets, News Ltd reported. Jetstar, owned by Qantas Airways Ltd, said it discussed the matter with the crew member involved, who made the announcement over the plane's PA system. The airline said the flight attendant had taken a routine announcement about Australia's strict quarantine regulations, which prevent some plant and fruit materials being transported between states, too far.

Yakuza Masuki Dunia Perekrutan Tenaga Kerja

TRIBUNNEWS.COM - Tiga orang penipu dengan dalih sebagai perekrut tenaga kerja, ditangkap polisi di Yokohama

Hari Ini Terakhir Rutan Balikpapan Beri Kelonggaran Jam Besuk

TRIBUNNEWS.COM - Rabu (30/7/2014), merupakan hari terakhir Rutan Balikpapan memberi kelonggaran jam besu

City of London's Gherkin tower put up for sale

The Gherkin skyscraper in the City of London has been put up for sale and the landmark building is expected to attract interest from around the world, joint agents Savills and Deloitte Real Estate said on Tuesday. The 40-storey office tower is being sold by receivers after one of its joint owners, Germany's IVG Immobilien, filed for insolvency last year. Co-owner Evans Randall said in April it was ready to invest further, but was unable to agree a new financial structure with IVG. Agents said the building, whose distinctive curved profile has been a feature of London's skyline for a decade, could fetch in excess of 640 million pounds.

Insight - In China food testing, safety inspectors are often one step behind

By Adam Jourdan and Clare Baldwin SHANGHAI/HONG KONG (Reuters) - When inspectors visited Shanghai Husi Food Co Ltd earlier this summer, the production line at the plant now at the centre of an international food scandal appeared in good order, with fresh meat being handled by properly-attired workers and supervisors keeping a watchful eye over the process. On July 20, following an undercover local TV report that alleged workers used expired meat and doctored food production dates, regulators closed the factory, which is part of OSI Group LLC, a U.S. food supplier. Police have detained five people including Shanghai Husi's head and quality manager. The scandal - which has hit mainly big foreign fast-food brands including McDonald's Corp and Yum Brands Inc, which owns the KFC and Pizza Hut chains - underlines the challenges facing inspectors in China's fast-growing and sprawling food industry.

At least 24 dead in Guinea beach concert stampede

At least 24 people were killed in a stampede at a beachside concert in Guinea's capital Conakry, news agency AFP said, with Guinea's Presidency declaring a week of mourning after what it described as a "tragic drama". A statement from the presidency said the incident occurred at a beach in the Ratoma neighborhood of the capital, Conakry. Read More http://ift.tt/1lbBRz0

Bombs in Syria's Aleppo kill 13 pro-Assad fighters: monitor

Opposition forces in Syria exploded bombs in tunnels under Aleppo late on Tuesday and killed at least 13 fighters loyal to President Bashar al-Assad in the northern city, a group tracking the violence said. The bombs were placed in two tunnels running under historic parts of the city close to an old police station, said the Observatory, a Britain-based group which reports on Syria, using a network of sources on the ground. Syria's state news agency made no mention of the attack. Aleppo is one of Syria's main contested cities and government forces took strategic ground around it in June, squeezing the main rebel supply line into the city after months of battlefield gains by Damascus. Read More http://ift.tt/1nSzGpN

Obama says strains over Ukraine not leading to new Cold War with Russia

By Steve Holland and Anna Yukhananov WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama escalated U.S. economic sanctions against Russia on Tuesday for its aggression against Ukraine but dismissed suggestions the growing chill in U.S.-Russian relations marked the start of a new Cold War. The United States and the European Union, in a carefully coordinated action, announced targeted new sanctions against Russian banks, energy and defense firms. It was the West's most serious response yet to what it calls Russian instigation of and continuing support for the separatist uprising in the east and the shootdown of a Malaysian passenger jet on July 17 over eastern Ukraine. Obama, speaking at the White House, said the sanctions would have a "greater impact on the Russian economy than we've seen so far" in a drive to force Moscow to stop backing the separatists. Read More http://ift.tt/1uFuNnB

Judge rules against Clippers owner Donald Sterling, allows $2B NBA team sale

LOS ANGELES, Calif. - A judge ruled against Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling on Monday in his attempt to block the $2 billion sale of the Los Angeles Clippers to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer....