Saturday, April 30, 2016

Buffett says would pursue big Berkshire stock buyback if warranted

OMAHA, Neb., April 30 (Reuters) - Warren Buffett on Saturday

said the odds were "extremely high" that his Berkshire Hathaway

Inc would buy back "a lot" of its stock if the price

fell below 1.2 times book value, a level it recently approached.

Read more

China April official services PMI eases to 53.5

BEIJING, May 1 (Reuters) - Activity in China's services

industry expanded strongly in April, but at a slightly slower

pace than in March, an official survey showed on Sunday.

Read more

Buffett defends Berkshire's big Coke stake

OMAHA, Neb., April 30 (Reuters) - Warren Buffett on Saturday

vigorously defended Berkshire Hathaway Inc's

large, long-standing investment in Coca-Cola Co,

rejecting critics who say the company's sugary drinks harm

people's health.

Read more

Friday, April 29, 2016

Airbus grounds Super Puma helicopters after Norway crash

PARIS, April 30 (Reuters) - Airbus Helicopters said

all commercial passenger flights of helicopters similar to the

Super Puma that crashed off Norway on Friday have been

suspended.

Read more

German transport minister urges foreign diesel recalls -Sueddeutsche

FRANKFURT, April 29 (Reuters) - German transport minister

Alexander Dobrindt urged foreign carmakers and vehicle testing

authorities to cooperate with Germany to clamp down on diesel

emissions by issuing wider recalls, German daily newspaper

Sueddeutsche Zeitung said.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Spirit AeroSystems CEO sees no impact from Airbus jet backlog

NEW YORK, April 29 (Reuters) - Aircraft parts maker Spirit

AeroSystems Holdings Inc said on Friday that it is

seeing no slowdown in demand from Airbus resulting from

undelivered planes piling up at European factories, awaiting

interiors.

Read more

CORRECTED-UPDATE 2-Canada's top court rules World Bank does not have to hand over files

OTTAWA/NEW YORK, April 29 (Reuters) - Canada's top court

ruled on Friday that the World Bank did not need to turn over

documents sought in a case against former employees of

SNC-Lavalin accused of bribery, finding the international

organization had immunity from the request.

Read more

UPDATE 1-U.S. court rules Amtrak has too much power over freight carriers

WASHINGTON, April 29 (Reuters) - U.S. government-owned

passenger rail company Amtrak wields improper and coercive

regulatory power over private freight carriers under a law that

lets it help set rules that competing railroads must follow, a

federal appeals court ruled on Friday.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Russian jet fighter did barrel roll over U.S. reconnaissance plane -CNN

WASHINGTON, April 29 (Reuters) - A Russian jet fighter

intercepted a U.S. Air Force reconnaissance plane on Friday in

an "unsafe and unprofessional manner" over the Baltic Sea, the

Pentagon said, and CNN reported the Russian pilot did a barrel

roll over the U.S. plane.

Read more

Banco BPI CEO confident of resolving risky Angolan exposure

LISBON, April 29 (Reuters) - Banco BPI expects to resolve

its excessive exposure to risky Angolan assets, its chief

executive said on Friday, and may try to swap Angolan

shareholder Isabel dos Santos' stake in the Portuguese bank for

control of its Angolan unit BFA.

Read more

UK regulator suspends flights of Super Puma model that crashed in Norway

OSLO/LONDON, April 29 (Reuters) - The British civil aviation

authority said it was suspending flights of Airbus

Super Puma helicopters of the same type that crashed off the

west coast of Norway on Friday.

Read more

Crashed helicopter had maintenance delayed twice in 2015-report

OSLO, April 29 (Reuters) - An Airbus Super Puma

helicopter that crashed off the Norwegian coast on Friday,

killing at least 11 of the 13 people on board, had maintenance

servicing delayed twice last year, an official at the Norwegian

Civil Aviation Authority told Norwegian daily VG.

Read more

Delta cites emissions standards as factor in deal for CSeries jets

April 29 (Reuters) - Delta Air Lines Inc decided to

purchase 75 new CS100 jets from Bombardier Inc in part

because the planes will comply with aircraft emissions standards

that the United Nations' aviation arm is moving to instate for

next decade, a Delta executive said on Friday.

Read more

Ivorian cocoa exporters cancel some deliveries due to bad crop

ABIDJAN, April 29 (Reuters) - Small Ivory Coast cocoa

exporters have defaulted on delivering tens of thousands of

tonnes of beans, blaming a poor quality crop and the Coffee and

Cocoa Council's decision to ban exports of small beans, sources

said on Friday.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Delta sees room for more cooperation with equity partners

ATLANTA, April 29 (Reuters) - Delta Air Lines Inc

sees opportunities for the airlines in which it owns equity

stakes to cooperate more in the next five years, Delta's

incoming Chief Executive Ed Bastian told reporters in Atlanta on

Friday.

Read more

RPT-11 people found dead in Norway helicopter crash

OSLO, April 29 (Reuters) - Emergency services have found 11

bodies after a helicopter crashed off the west coast off Norway

on Friday, a rescue official told broadcaster NRK.

Read more

Indonesian ride-hailing firm Go-Jek needs more funds in market fight-CEO

JAKARTA, April 29 (Reuters) - Indonesian online ride-hailing

service Go-Jek is in talks with potential investors to raise

fresh funds to expand the business, as the heavy subsidies it

gives to drivers to keep rates competitive are unsustainable in

the long run, its chief executive said on Friday.

Read more

Canada top court rules World Bank does not have to hand over files

OTTAWA, April 29 (Reuters) - The Supreme Court of Canada

ruled on Friday that the World Bank did not need to turn over

documents sought in a case against former SNC-Lavalin

employees accused of bribery.

Read more

Delta to buy 5 pct of iris-scanning company CLEAR to speed up airport security

ATLANTA, April 29 (Reuters) - Delta Air Lines Inc

plans to buy a 5 percent stake in biometric technology company

CLEAR to deploy fingerprinting and iris identification services

at major U.S. airports and speed up security lines, Delta's

incoming Chief Executive Ed Bastian told reporters in Atlanta on

Friday.

Read more

Russia: Syrian 'regime of silence' bans military action, any weapons use -Ifax

MOSCOW, April 29 (Reuters) - A "regime of silence" agreed by

Russia and the United States for several parts of Syria forbids

military action and the use of any kinds of weapons, the

Interfax news agency quoted a senior Russian military official

as saying on Friday.

Read more

U.S., allies conduct 22 strikes against Islamic State -U.S. military

WASHINGTON, April 29 (Reuters) - The United States and its

allies carried out 22 strikes against Islamic State fighters in

Iraq and Syria on Thursday, focusing on the Mar'a area of

western Syria and the city of Fallujah in Iraq, according to

military figures released on Friday.

Read more

Syrian "regime of silence" to cover Aleppo, Damascus, Latakia - activist to agencies

MOSCOW, April 29 (Reuters) - A "regime of silence" in Syria

agreed by Russia and the United States will apply to Aleppo,

Damascus and Latakia, Russian news agencies on Friday quoted

Syrian opposition activist Qadri Jamil as saying.

Read more

China Chengtong Holdings to take control of China Railway Material

SHANGHAI, April 29 (Reuters) - China Chengtong Holdings

Group Ltd, a state-owned transportation firm, will take control

of China Railway Material Group Co Ltd and

restructure its debt, the State Assets Supervision and

Administration Commission said on its website on Friday.

Read more

Hong Kong shares fall as Japan tumble sours sentiment

April 29 - Hong Kong shares dropped over 1 percent on Friday

as sentiment was soured by a tumble in Japanese stocks,

after the Bank of Japan disappointed markets by electing not to

expand monetary stimulus on Thursday.

Read more

China stocks dip at end of sluggish week, bond default worries weigh

SHANGHAI, April 29 (Reuters) - China stocks edged lower on

Friday, capping a sluggish week, as investors mostly adopted a

cautious stance ahead of the Labour Day holiday with risk

appetite curbed by rising bond defaults and commodities price

volatility.

Read more

RPT-ECB free money no fix for companies' glum mood

FRANKFURT, April 29 (Reuters) - The European Central Bank's

plan to buy company bonds has fired up credit markets, allowing

big groups such as Magnum ice-cream maker Unilever to

borrow almost for free, but its effect on the euro zone economy

is likely to be small.

Read more

Marine engineer Fugro retrenches in face of oil and gas rout

AMSTERDAM, April 29 (Reuters) - Marine engineer Fugro

said it was stepping up cost control efforts, cutting

a further 600 jobs over coming quarters, as its oil and gas

industry clients delayed contract awards and exploration budgets

continued to shrink.

Read more

UPDATE 1-France's Casino agrees to sell Vietnam unit to Thailand's Central

* Casino under pressure to cut debt

(Adds company confirmation, details)

Read more

Thursday, April 28, 2016

UPDATE 2-Oil tanker returning to Libya after U.N. blacklisting: rival NOC

LONDON, April 28 (Reuters) - An Indian-flagged oil tanker is

returning to Libya, the North African country's rival oil

corporation said on Thursday, after its failed first attempt to

export crude oil led to the ship being blacklisted by the United

Nations Security Council.

Read more

Professional network operator LinkedIn's revenue rises 35 pct

April 28 (Reuters) - LinkedIn Corp, the operator of

the world's biggest online network for professionals, reported a

35 percent rise in quarterly revenue as demand grew for its

hiring services.

Read more

N.Korean launches apparently not successful -US Strategic Command

WASHINGTON, April 28 (Reuters) - Initial indications show

North Korean attempts to launch two intermediate range missiles

had not been successful, the U.S. Strategic Command said on

Thursday.

Read more

SpaceX undercut ULA rocket launch pricing by 40 pct -U.S. Air Force

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., April 28 (Reuters) - The U.S. Air

Force will save 40 percent by buying a GPS satellite launch from

Elon Musk's SpaceX compared with what United Launch Alliance has

been charging, the head of the Space and Missile Systems Center

said on Thursday.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Police wounded, scores arrested in French labour law protests

PARIS, April 28 (Reuters) - More than a hundred

demonstrators were detained and 24 security officers injured as

clashes broke out during protests across France against planned

labour law reforms on Thursday, the interior minister said.

Read more

UPDATE 3-Priceline CEO resigns over relationship with employee

April 28 (Reuters) - Priceline Group Inc said on

Thursday that Chief Executive Darren Huston has resigned,

effective immediately, after an investigation found that his

personal relationship with an employee violated the company's

code of conduct.

Read more

US STOCKS-Wall St recovers as Facebook, M&A cushion BOJ shock

* Dow down 0.25 pct, S&P up 0.07 pct, Nasdaq up 0.22 pct

(Updates to early afternoon)

Read more

Younger buyers more open to self-driving cars -J.D. Power

DETROIT, April 28 (Reuters) - U.S. consumers who are under

40 are more open than older people to self-driving cars and

their underlying systems, according to a survey released on

Thursday by J.D. Power.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Bombardier jet order does not change Ottawa's stance on aid -source

OTTAWA, April 28 (Reuters) - A big order by Delta Airlines

Inc for Bombardier Inc jets does not change

the Canadian government's stance on whether to meet the plane

maker's request for financial aid, a source close to the matter

said on Thursday.

Read more

U.N. urges North Korea to stop "further provocative actions"

UNITED NATIONS, April 28 (Reuters) - The United Nations

urged North Korea on Thursday to stop "any further provocative

actions" after the Asian state test-fired what appeared to be

two intermediate-range ballistic missiles.

Read more

Suez shareholders vote to renew Chaussade, Mestrallet mandates

PARIS, April 28 (Reuters) - French waste and water group

Suez shareholders voted on Thursday in favour of

renewing the mandates of board chairman Gerard Mestrallet and

chief executive Jean-Louis Chaussade for four years.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Dry weather may cut Brazil's winter corn crop, exports -Bunge CEO

April 28 (Reuters) - Dry weather in Brazil may reduce the

country's winter corn crop by 5 million to 10 million tonnes,

resulting in a similar drop in exports from the world's No. 2

supplier of the grain, Bunge CEO Soren Schroder said on

Thursday.

Read more

U.S. says it detected two attempted N.Korean missile launches

WASHINGTON, April 28 (Reuters) - U.S. Strategic Command said

on Thursday it had tracked two attempted missile launches by

North Korea since Wednesday evening, neither of which posed a

threat to North America.

Read more

N.Korea fired 2nd intermediate-range missile, likely failed - S.Korea

SEOUL, April 28 (Reuters) - North Korea test-fired a second

intermediate-range ballistic missile on Thursday which appeared

to have been a failure, a South Korean Defence Ministry official

said, hours after another missile crashed seconds after launch.

Read more

UPDATE 1-China's Sany Heavy Industry Co reports jump in Q1 profits

BEIJING, April 28 (Reuters) - Chinese heavy machinery maker

Sany Heavy Industry Co reported a more than 300

percent jump in its first-quarter net profits on Thursday.

Read more

Putin reprimands officials over abortive Russian space rocket launch

MOSCOW, April 28 (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin has

formally reprimanded the head of Russia's space agency and a

deputy prime minister over an abortive space rocket launch on

Wednesday from a new spaceport, Russian agencies quoted the

Kremlin as saying.

Read more

US STOCKS-Wall St set to open lower after BOJ stuns markets

* Futures down: Dow 140 pts, S&P 14.5 pts, Nasdaq 17.75 pts

(Adds details, comment, updates prices)

Read more

Monarch Airlines boss says eyeing acquisitions, not for sale

LONDON, April 28 (Reuters) - Monarch Airlines, the

British airline owned by investment firm Greybull Capital, is

considering acquisitions, its boss said on Thursday.

Read more

UPDATE 1-China's HNA Group agrees to buy Carlson Hotels

* Carlson deal expected to close in calendar 2016

(Adds previous deals, HNA profile, Reuters code for Rezidor)

Read more

Futures market operator CME Group's profit rises 11 pct

April 28 (Reuters) - CME Group Inc, the world's

largest futures market operator, reported an 11.3 percent rise

in quarterly profit as a rout in the energy markets boosted

trading volume.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Dow Chemical profit beats as margins rise to decade-high

April 28 (Reuters) - Dow Chemical Co reported a

higher-than-expected quarterly adjusted profit as margins rose

to their highest level in more than a decade.

Read more

Delta throws Bombardier a lifeline with deal to buy 75 CSeries

April 28 (Reuters) - Delta Air Lines Inc on Thursday

said it ordered 75 CSeries CS100 planes from Bombardier Inc

, throwing a lifeline to a new aircraft program that is

years late and billions of dollars over budget.

The widely anticipated order marks a turning point for

Canada's Bombardier as it strives to break into the fleets of

top airlines globally and serve a niche market for 100-seat

planes that larger rivals Boeing Co and Airbus Group SE

have neglected.

(Reporting By Jeffrey Dast

Read more

German home approvals surge to 12-year high in Jan-Feb

BERLIN, April 28 (Reuters) - The number of home building

permits granted in Germany rose by 33 percent on the year during

the first two months of 2016, hitting a 12-year-high, data from

the Federal Statistics Office showed on Thursday.

Read more

China's Spring Air Q1 net up 44 pct to a record on travel boom

BEIJING, April 28 (Reuters) - China's largest budget carrier

Spring Airlines posted on Thursday a record

first-quarter net profit of 366.7 million yuan ($56.61 million),

up 44 percent from the 254.3 million made a year earlier, lifted

by robust travel demand.

Read more

Philippines wants coordinated patrols to protect ships from rebels

MANILA, April 28 (Reuters) - The Philippines has been

discussing coordinated naval patrols on its southern maritime

borders with Indonesia and Malaysia to protect shipping after

attacks and kidnappings by Islamist militants, its foreign

minister said on Thursday.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Profits rise at Spain's Abertis as road traffic picks up

* Abertis targets more growth from purchases

(Adds details, background)

Read more

UPDATE 1-North Korea's test of intermediate range missile fails again- S.Korea

SEOUL, April 28 (Reuters) - North Korea fired what appeared

to have been an intermediate range ballistic missile on Thursday

but it crashed seconds after the test launch, South Korea's

defense ministry said, the second such failure this month.

Read more

RPT-Turkish conglomerates race into construction, hunting quick profits

ISTANBUL, April 27 (Reuters) - Turkish conglomerates are

racing to add high-end apartment blocks and office towers to

Istanbul's rapidly-changing skyline, turning to one of the

world's most profitable real estate markets for quick returns as

other parts of the economy suffer.

Read more

Airbus Group says A350 delivery target unchanged

AMSTERDAM, April 28 (Reuters) - Airbus is

maintaining its target for more than 50 A350 deliveries in 2016

despite a slow start to the year due to problems in the supply

chain, Finance Director Harald Wilhelm said on Thursday.

Read more

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

S.Korea March dept store sales edge up, discount store sales down

SEOUL, April 28 (Reuters) - Sales at South Korea's top

department stores rose in March after falling in February,

revised government data showed on Thursday, but the gain was too

modest to signal a firm rebound in consumer spending.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Airbus Group Q1 core earnings fall in "challenging year"

AMSTERDAM, April 28 (Reuters) - Airbus Group on

Thursday posted slightly higher-than-expected core profit and

reaffirmed targets for the year, while warning of serious

challenges for its A400M military plane and reporting a heavy

drain on cash due to delayed jet deliveries.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Samsung Elec tips Q2 profit pickup as Galaxy S7 excels

* Q1 operating profit $5.8 bln, slightly above earlier

guidance

Read more

UPDATE 1-Russia launches first rocket from new spaceport at second attempt

MOSCOW, April 28 (Reuters) - Russia launched its inaugural

rocket from a new cosmodrome on Thursday, a day after a

technical glitch thwarted the much-publicised event in a sign of

continued crisis in the nation's space industry.

Read more

Russia launches inaugural rocket from new spaceport at second attempt

MOSCOW, April 28 (Reuters) - Russia launched its inaugural

rocket from a new cosmodrome on Thursday, a day after a

technical glitch thwarted the much-publicised event in a sign of

continued crisis in the nation's space industry.

Read more

China says industrial sector faces relatively big pressure to stabilise growth

BEIJING, April 28 (Reuters) - China's industrial economy

continues to face difficulties and challenges, with structural

imbalances in the sector persisting, the Ministry of Industry

and Information Technology said on Thursday.

Read more

Samsung Elec says Q1 operating profit up 12 pct vs year earlier

SEOUL, April 28 (Reuters) - Tech giant Samsung Electronics

Co Ltd said on Thursday its first-quarter operating

profit rose 12 percent from a year earlier, buoyed by strong

initial sales for its flagship Galaxy S7 smartphones.

Read more

Myanmar's Mr Clean says he takes 'red tape road' to profit

YANGON, April 28 (Reuters) - Scaffolding around the 139-year

old Burma Railway Headquarters, a red-brick colonial relic at

the centre of a half billion dollar property development in

central Yangon, hasn't seen much action since the project was

announced four years ago.

Read more

Brexit vote nerves turn overseas investors off UK commercial property - RICS

LONDON, April 28 (Reuters) - International investors have

halted almost all their purchases of British commercial property

ahead of the European Union membership referendum, a survey

showed on Thursday, adding to signs that the vote is taking a

toll on the economy.

Read more

UPDATE 2-SpaceX breaks Boeing-Lockheed monopoly on military space launches

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., April 27 (Reuters) - The U.S. Air

Force on Wednesday awarded billionaire Elon Musk's SpaceX an $83

million contract to launch a GPS satellite, breaking the

monopoly that Lockheed Martin Corp and Boeing Co

have held on military space launches for more than a decade.

Read more

Cenovus mulling diluent recovery unit at Alberta rail terminal

CALGARY, Alberta, April 27 (Reuters) - Cenovus Energy

is looking into building a diluent recovery unit at its

Bruderheim crude-by-rail terminal near Edmonton, Alberta, which

would allow the company to ship raw bitumen in tank cars and

save on condensate costs.

Read more

SpaceX breaks Boeing-Lockheed monopoly on military space launches

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., April 27 (Reuters) - The U.S. Air

Force on Wednesday awarded billionaire Elon Musk's SpaceX an $83

million contract to launch a GPS satellite, breaking the

monopoly that Lockheed Martin Corp and Boeing Co

have had on military space launches for more than a decade.

Read more

Recovering sunken ship El Faro's data recorder requires another mission

TAMPA, Fla., April 27 (Reuters) - A voyage data recorder

thought to contain key evidence on last year's deadly sinking of

the cargo ship El Faro in a hurricane cannot be immediately

recovered, U.S. authorities said on Wednesday, a day after

announcing it had been located.

Read more

Data storage company SanDisk's quarterly revenue rises 2.5 pct

April 27 (Reuters) - Data storage products maker SanDisk

Corp's quarterly revenue rose 2.5 percent, reversing a

decline of four quarters, helped by strong sales of chips used

in solid state drives and USB flash drives.

Read more

UPDATE 1-U.N. blacklists India-flagged ship carrying eastern Libya oil

UNITED NATIONS, April 27 (Reuters) - The United Nations

Security Council Libya sanctions committee blacklisted on

Wednesday an Indian-flagged tanker carrying crude oil shipped by

the rival eastern Libya government, said diplomats, which would

prevent it from entering any ports.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Trading company in oil shipment for Libya's eastern NOC says cargo legitimate

BENGHAZI, Libya, April 27 (Reuters) - A trading company

involved in loading 650,000 barrels of oil for a parallel

national oil corporation set up by one of Libya's rival

governments said on Wednesday it believed the shipment was

legitimate and had not been notified otherwise.

Read more

UPDATE 1-SpaceX targets 2018 for first Mars mission

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., April 27 (Reuters) - SpaceX plans to

send an unmanned Dragon spacecraft to Mars as early as 2018, the

company said on Wednesday, a first step in achieving founder

Elon Musk's goal to fly people to another planet.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Putin orders Russian space programme shake-up after launch delayed

MOSCOW, April 27 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir

Putin told his space officials to raise their game on Wednesday

after he flew thousands of kilometres (miles) to watch the

inaugural launch of a rocket from a new spaceport, only for it

to be called off.

Read more

Creditors launch $2.8 bln M6toll motorway sale -sources

LONDON, April 27 (Reuters) - Creditors of Britain's first

pay-as-you-go motorway have launched the sale of the toll road,

seeking to recoup debt of about 1.9 billion pounds ($2.77

billion), three sources close to the process said on Wednesday.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Austria plans fence to stop migrants at Italian border -media

VIENNA, April 27 (Reuters) - Austria plans to build a fence

at the border with Italy as part of its preparations for

controls to be introduced if a surge in migrant arrivals

materialises, Austrian media quoted police as saying on

Wednesday.

Read more

UPDATE 3-Germany to launch 1 bln-euro discount scheme for electric car buyers

* Luxury EVs priced above 60,000 euros won't benefit

(Adds criticism from Ifo president, analyst)

Read more

Olympics-Unfinished velodrome is main concern 100 days from Olympics

RIO DE JANEIRO, April 27 (Reuters) - The unfinished cycling arena is the biggest issue facing the Rio de Janeiro Olympics 100 days before the games begin, the city's mayor said on Wednesday.

Read more

Turkish conglomerates race into construction, hunting quick profits

ISTANBUL, April 27 (Reuters) - Turkish conglomerates are

racing to add high-end apartment blocks and office towers to

Istanbul's rapidly-changing skyline, turning to one of the

world's most profitable real estate markets for quick returns as

other parts of the economy suffer.

Read more

MIDEAST STOCKS-Petrochemicals lift Saudi, rest of region sluggish

DUBAI, April 27 (Reuters) - Petrochemical stocks and a few

shares expected to benefit from Saudi Arabia's economic reform

plans lifted the Riyadh market on Wednesday while other Gulf

bourses were sluggish.

Read more

Russia's Putin orders action over hitches besetting space programme

MOSCOW, April 27 (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin told

Russian space officials on Wednesday there would be consequences

if it turns out that the large number of hitches besetting the

programme was the result of their sloppiness, Russian news

agencies reported.

Read more

Tire maker Goodyear's revenue declines on lower tire sales

April 27 (Reuters) - Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co, the

largest U.S. tire maker, reported an 8.3 percent fall in

quarterly revenue, hurt by lower tire sales in the Americas

region, its largest market.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Parties in struggling Syria talks unclear on date of next round

* Russian official quoted as saying next round set for May

10

Read more

Russia wants more details about U.S. special forces deployment in Syria

MOSCOW, April 27 (Reuters) - Russia wants to know more

details about U.S. plans to bolster its special forces in Syria,

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on

Wednesday.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Qatar Airways urges Airbus to resolve A350 'issues'

DUBAI, April 27 (Reuters) - Gulf carrier Qatar Airways said

on Wednesday it had some "issues" with the A350 passenger jet

and it was putting pressure on planemaker Airbus to

resolve the problems.

Read more

Apple upbeat on iPhone SE demand but some Asian retailers, suppliers less cheery

* China/HK retailers provide mixed views of demand for

iPhone SE

Read more

China Everbright, HK's Friedman buy Albania's airport operator

SHANGHAI, April 27 (Reuters) - China Everbright Group, a

state-backed financial firm, has bought into Albania's

international airport in partnership with a Hong Kong-based

investment firm, the latest deal highlighting China's ambition

to rebuild Silk Road trade links with Europe and Asia.

Read more

UPDATE 3-Australia rules out settling 800 asylum seekers as PNG says it will close camp

SYDNEY, April 27 (Reuters) - Papua New Guinea said on

Wednesday it will close an Australian immigration centre on a

northern island after its Supreme Court ruled it unlawful, but

Australia ruled out accepting more than 800 asylum seekers

detained there.

Read more

Siemens claims EU's largest wind turbine contract with Iberdrola

LONDON, April 27 (Reuters) - Germany's Siemens

has won a five-year deal worth up to 833 million pounds ($1.2

billion) to build and service wind turbines for Scottish Power's

East Anglia ONE project off the eastern coast of England,

Scottish Power said on Wednesday.

Read more

China services trade deficit widens to $21 bln in March on tourist spree

BEIJING, April 27 (Reuters) - China's trade deficit in

services widened to $21.0 billion in March from February's $16.0

billion, the foreign exchange regulator said on Wednesday.

Read more

Hong Kong stocks end lower ahead of c.bank policy decisions

April 27 (Reuters) - Hong Kong's benchmark stock index ended

slightly lower on Wednesday, with market sentiment cautious

ahead of U.S. and Japanese central bank policy decisions.

Read more

Geneva Syria talks to resume on May 10 - RIA cites Russian official

MOSCOW, April 27 (Reuters) - Syria peace talks in Geneva

will resume on May 10, Russia's RIA news agency quoted Russian

Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov as saying on Wendesday.

Read more

UPDATE 1-More urgent action needed on air pollution in Britain -MPs

LONDON, April 27 (Reuters) - A government plan to tackle air

pollution in five major cities in Britain by 2020 will not be

enough and more urgent action needs to be taken, lawmakers said

on Wednesday.

Read more

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

China stocks flat after industrial profit data; Hong Kong mixed

* Investors have lukewarm response to stronger industrial

profits

Read more

UPDATE 1-Stronger China March industrial profits add to economic recovery hopes

* March industrial profits rise 11.1 pct y/y, up 7.4 pct in

Q1

Read more

UPDATE 1-Olympics-Venues ready, but many challenges remain for Rio Games

SAO PAULO, April 26 (Reuters) - Brazil has long been known as a country that can throw a great party as long as the guests do not mind a location that still has the builders in it.

Read more

Glitch postpones first space flight from Russia's new launch-pad

MOSCOW, April 27 (Reuters) - A technical fault forced

Russia's space agency on Wednesday to postpone at the last

minute the inaugural launch of a rocket into space from its new

Vostochny launch-pad, Russian media reported.

Read more

UPDATE 1-LG Display Q1 down 95 pct vs year ago, but beats forecast

* LG Display Q1 operating profit $34 mln, better than

expected

Read more

China March industrial profits rise 11.1 pct y/y

BEIJING, April 27 (Reuters) - Profits earned by Chinese

industrial firms in March rose 11.1 percent from a year earlier

to 561.24 billion yuan ($86.52 billion), the statistics bureau

said on Wednesday.

Read more

LG Display says Q1 profit down 95 pct vs year earlier

SEOUL, April 27 (Reuters) - South Korea's LG Display Co Ltd

said on Wednesday its first-quarter operating profit

fell 95 percent from a year earlier, its weakest result in four

years as sluggish global demand for consumer electronics hit

display panel prices.

Read more

UPDATE 4-Apple's 9-year iPhone juggernaut stops with first sales decline

April 26 (Reuters) - Apple Inc on Tuesday posted

its first-ever decline in iPhone sales and its first revenue

drop in 13 years as the company credited with inventing the

smartphone struggles with an increasingly saturated market.

Read more

More urgent action needed on air pollution in Britain-MPs

LONDON, April 27 (Reuters) - A government plan to tackle air

pollution in five major cities in Britain by 2020 will not be

enough and more urgent action needs to be taken, lawmakers said

on Wednesday.

Read more

Australian PM defends costly submarine local build with France

SYDNEY, April 27 (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister

Malcolm Turnbull on Wednesday defended a decision to build a

A$50 billion ($40 billion) submarine fleet in partnership with

France in Australia, rather than opt for a faster build that

would have seen initial work offshore.

Read more

UPDATE 1-North Korea to open ruling Workers' Party congress on May 6

SEOUL, April 27 (Reuters) - North Korea announced on

Wednesday that its ruling Workers' Party congress will open on

May 6, ending its silence on the exact starting date of the

first such conference in 36 years.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Bombardier moves up results spurring expectation of CSeries order

MONTREAL/TORONTO, April 26 (Reuters) - Canadian plane and

train maker Bombardier Inc said on Tuesday it will be

moving forward its first-quarter results by a day to Thursday,

in a surprise announcement that only served to elevate market

expectations of a big CSeries order this week.

Read more

N.Korea ruling Workers' Party congress to be held May 6 - Yonhap

SEOUL, April 27 (Reuters) - North Korea has announced its

ruling Workers' Party congress will be held on May 6, South

Korea's Yonhap news agency said on Wednesday citing the isolated

country's state broadcast monitored in Seoul.

Read more

UPDATE 3-US warns of 'other' options if N.Korea continues nuclear, missile tests

* Seoul says North Korea may be preparing further missile

test

Read more

UPDATE 1-Euro zone delays meeting on Greece reforms, says needs more time

BRUSSELS, April 26 (Reuters) - Euro zone finance ministers

will not meet on Thursday and need more time to discuss two sets

of Greek reforms that would unlock new loans, the office of the

Eurogroup said on Twitter.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Canadian pension funds support call for more transparency at Bombardier

TORONTO, April 26 (Reuters) - Two of Canada's top pension

funds have come out in support of a shareholder proposal calling

for greater transparency at plane and train maker Bombardier Inc

, despite a rejection of the idea by the company's

management.

Read more

UPDATE 3-Spirit Airlines tops estimates, sees unit revs dip again

April 26 (Reuters) - Spirit Airlines Inc on Tuesday

forecast that a key revenue measure would continue its steep

months-long decline, sending shares down more than 4 percent

even as it reported first-quarter profit above analysts'

estimates.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Google, Ford, Uber launch coalition to further self-driving cars

WASHINGTON, April 26 (Reuters) - Alphabet Inc's Google unit

, Ford Motor Co, the ride-sharing service Uber

and two other companies said on Tuesday they are

forming a coalition to push for federal action to help speed

self-driving cars to market.

Read more

U.S. says worried about Libyan oil purchases outside legal channels

WASHINGTON, April 26 (Reuters) - The United States is

concerned about Libyan oil purchases outside legitimate channels

and said all sales must go through the Tripoli-based National

Oil Corp, a U.S. State Department spokesman said on Tuesday.

Read more

CORRECTED-Olympics-Treeless $656 million Olympic Park in Rio a concrete jungle

SAO PAULO, April 26 (Reuters) - When Rio opened its Olympic Park this month there was one thing conspicuously absent around the venues, walkways and public areas where visitors will gather to watch 16 sports in August: trees.

Read more

Gloves come off in fight to win Denmark's combat jet order

* Denmark to pick either Boeing or Lockheed Martin jets -

sources

Read more

UPDATE 2-Libya asks U.N. council to blacklist ship carrying eastern oil

UNITED NATIONS, April 26 (Reuters) - Libya has asked the

United Nations Security Council to blacklist an Indian-flagged

tanker on its way to Malta carrying crude oil shipped by the

rival eastern Libya government, Libya's U.N. envoy said on

Tuesday.

Read more

WRAPUP 2-Weak U.S. factory, consumer confidence data cloud growth outlook

WASHINGTON, April 26 (Reuters) - Orders for long-lasting

U.S. manufactured goods rebounded far less than expected in

March as demand for automobiles, computers and electrical goods

slumped, suggesting the downturn in the factory sector was far

from over.

Read more

UPDATE 2-JetBlue Airways sees drop in unit revenue ahead, shares fall

April 26 (Reuters) - JetBlue Airways Corp said on

Tuesday that a key revenue measure would continue to decline in

the coming months, sending its shares down 3 percent even though

the carrier topped analysts' profit estimates for the first

quarter.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Six Turkish crew freed two weeks after kidnap by pirates off Nigeria -lawyer

ISTANBUL, April 26 (Reuters) - Six Turkish members of a

cargo ship's crew who were kidnapped by pirates off the coast of

Nigeria two weeks ago have been released and are safely back in

Istanbul, a lawyer for the shipping company said on Tuesday.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Eastern Libya ships first oil cargo in defiance of Tripoli

* Tripoli-based NOC is internationally recognised as sole

exporter

(Adds doubts around unloading and possible sale, comment from

NOC Tripoli, no response from UAE firm)

Read more

WIDER IMAGE-With Olympic cleanup canceled, Rio resigned to dirty bay

RIO DE JANEIRO, April 26 (Reuters) - Visitors flocking to

Rio de Janeiro for this summer's Olympic Games will find both

dramatic landscapes and polluted, junk-filled water in the

finger-like inlet that forms the city's shoreline and harbor.

Read more

U.S. drone strike kills local Qaeda leader in S. Yemen - residents

ADEN, April 26 (Reuters) - A suspected U.S. drone strike

killed a local leader in Al Qaeda and five of his aides in

southern Yemen on Tuesday, residents said, as Yemeni and Emirati

troops pressed their offensive against the militant group.

Read more

India orders panic button on mobile phones amid women's safety fears

MUMBAI, April 26 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - All mobile

phones sold in India from January 2017 must have a panic button

enabling the user to call for help, the government has said,

amid concern for women's safety after a series of violent crimes

in recent years.

Read more

Germany's nuclear commission, utilities fail to reach deal on storage costs- sources

BERLIN, April 26 (Reuters) - A meeting between a commission

overseeing Germany's nuclear exit and four major utilities ended

without a deal on Tuesday due to a dispute about how much money

the firms should put into a fund to cover the costs of waste

storage, sources close to the talks said.

Read more

WRAPUP 1-Rebound in U.S. durable goods orders below expectations

WASHINGTON, April 26 (Reuters) - Orders for long-lasting

U.S. manufactured goods rebounded less than expected in March as

demand for automobiles, computers and electrical goods slumped,

suggesting the downturn in the factory sector was far from over.

Read more

UPDATE 1-WHO issues yellow fever warning as deadly outbreak grows

* WHO warns of spread, cases in China, Congo, Kenya, Uganda

(Recasts, adding details on outbreak's spread, vaccine

concerns)

Read more

UPDATE 1-Sikorsky acquisition boosts Lockheed's revenue

April 26 (Reuters) - Lockheed Martin Corp reported a

15.7 percent rise in quarterly sales and raised its forecast for

the year, helped by the acquisition of helicopter maker Sikorsky

Aircraft and higher sales of its F-35 fighter jets.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Sri Lanka tells debt-laden national carrier to cancel Airbus orders

* PM's order comes as government seeks IMF loan

(Adds prime minister comments, context)

Read more

Lufthansa cancels nearly 900 flights due to German union strike

FRANKFURT, April 26 (Reuters) - German airline Lufthansa

on Tuesday said it had cancelled 895 flights due to

airport strikes by German union Verdi which are planned for

Wednesday.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Maruti Suzuki India books first quarterly profit fall in two years

* Weaker rupee hits bottom line, may weigh on current

quarter

Read more

WHO says Angola yellow fever danger greatest in urban areas

GENEVA, April 26 (Reuters) - Travelers to Angola must be

vaccinated against yellow fever and carry a valid certificate to

prove it, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday,

advising that people are at greatest risk in large urban areas

including the capital Luanda.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Toshiba takes $2.3 bln writedown on U.S. nuclear unit Westinghouse

* Cites weaker debt-financing abilities as reason for

writedown

Read more

Sri Lanka to cancel four Airbus aircraft

COLOMBO, April 26 (Reuters) - Sri Lanka's prime minister on

Tuesday said that he ordered the national carrier to cancel four

Airbus aircraft it has already ordered.

Read more

North Korea seen readying another intermediate missile launch attempt-report

SEOUL, April 26 (Reuters) - North Korea appears to be

preparing a test-launch of an intermediate-range ballistic

missile, South Korea's Yonhap news agency said on Tuesday, after

what the United States described as the "fiery, catastrophic"

failure of the first attempt.

Read more

S.Korean won ends lower, stocks inch up; Fed decision eyed

SEOUL, April 26 (Reuters) - The South Korean won ended lower

for the third straight session on Tuesday as investors became

increasingly cautious ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve meeting

this week.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Cobham launches 500 mln stg rights issue after profit warning

LONDON, April 26 (Reuters) - British engineering company

Cobham proposed a 500 million pounds ($724.80 million)

rights issue to strengthen its balance sheet after warning that

2016 profit would fall, pushing the company to reduce its debt.

Read more

Monday, April 25, 2016

Singapore March factory output dips 0.5 pct y/y, less than expected

SINGAPORE, April 26 (Reuters) - Singapore's industrial

production in March fell less than expected from a year earlier

due to a surge in pharmaceuticals, data showed on Tuesday.

Manufacturing output fell 0.5 percent from a year earlier in

March, data from the Singapore Economic Development Board

showed. The median forecast in a Reuters survey was for a drop

of 2.7 percent.

On a month-on-month and seasonally adjusted basis, factory

output rose 1.0 percent in March, matching the median for

Read more

Nagorno-Karabakh says two soldiers killed by Azeri gunfire

YEREVAN, April 26 (Reuters) - Two soldiers from the

Armenian-backed Nagorno-Karabakh were killed by gunfire from

Azerbaijan in the early hours of Tuesday, the defence ministry

of the breakaway region said.

(Reporting by Hasmik Mkrtchyan; Writing by Maria Kiselyova;

Editing by Clarence Fernandez)

Read more

Japan says wants Australia to explain why its submarine bid failed

TOKYO, April 26 (Reuters) - Japan wants Australia to explain

why it decided not to pick a Japanese design for a new fleet of

submarines choosing instead a proposal from France's DCNS.

Read more

U.S. Ospreys win Japanese hearts and minds with quake relief flights

IWAKUNI, Japan, April 26 (Reuters) - The U.S. military's

MV-22 Osprey aircraft has been a lightning rod for opposition to

U.S. bases in Japan since 24 of them were deployed on the

southern island of Okinawa in 2014.

Read more

UPDATE 2-U.S. challenged China, 12 others on navigation rights last year

WASHINGTON, April 25 (Reuters) - The U.S. military conducted

"freedom of navigation" operations against 13 countries last

year, including several to challenge China's claims in the

South and East China seas, according to an annual Pentagon

report released on Monday.

Read more

SK Hynix says Q1 operating profit down 65 pct vs year earlier

SEOUL, April 26 (Reuters) - South Korean memory chip maker

SK Hynix Inc on Tuesday said its first-quarter

operating profit fell 65 percent from a year earlier to its

lowest in 3 years, hit by faltering demand for consumer

electronics.

Read more

UPDATE 1-SK Hynix Q1 profit slips to 3-yr low as IT demand slows



Read more

UPDATE 1-Australia to announce winner of $40 bln submarine contract

* Submarine decision has political implications at home and

abroad

Read more

UPDATE 1-Tilton's Patriarch Partners sued by the Zohar funds she created

April 25 (Reuters) - Patriarch Partners, the private equity

firm of flamboyant investor Lynn Tilton, is being sued for

allegedly refusing to provide financial records to the new

manager of the Zohar funds that she controlled until earlier

this year.

Read more

Australia to announce winner of $40 bln submarine contract

SYDNEY, April 26 (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister

Malcolm Turnbull will announce on Tuesday whether France,

Germany or Japan is the successful bidder for an A$50 billion

($40 billion) contract to build the country's new fleet of

submarines, according to sources.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Medical charity MSF restarts Mediterranean migrant rescues

LONDON, April 25 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - The medical

relief charity Medecins sans Frontieres has relaunched rescue

operations in the Mediterranean Sea, accusing European

governments of failing to act to save migrants in peril at sea,

it said on Monday.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Gay rights activist killed in Bangladesh in suspected Islamist attack

DHAKA, April 25 (Reuters) - Suspected Islamist militants

hacked to death a leading gay rights activist and a friend in an

apartment in the Bangladeshi capital on Monday, police said.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Aiming for U.S. market, Airbus delivers first U.S-made jetliner

April 25 (Reuters) - Airbus delivered its first

U.S.-made jetliner on Monday to JetBlue Airways, a key

step in efforts to win market share from rival Boeing Co.

Read more

MIDEAST STOCKS-Saudi surges as reforms announced, rest of Gulf weak

DUBAI, April 25 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's stock market

recovered from early losses and jumped 2.5 percent on Monday as

Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced an economic

overhaul for the oil-dependent kingdom.

Read more

Airbus takes aim at U.S. market with first U.S-made jetliner

April 25 (Reuters) - Airbus planned to deliver its

first U.S.-made jetliner on Monday to JetBlue Airways,

a key step in efforts to win market share from rival Boeing Co

.

Read more

UPDATE 1-U.S. sends F-22 fighters to reassure NATO allies facing Russia

MIHAIL KOGALNICEANU AIR BASE, Romania, April 25 (Reuters) -

T wo highly advanced U.S. fighters flew to the Black Sea on

Monday for the first time since Washington beefed up military

support for NATO's eastern European allies who say they face

aggression from Russia.

Read more

Russia's Lavrov, U.S. Kerry express full support for Syria peace talks

MOSCOW, April 25 (Reuters) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei

Lavrov and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry discussed the

Syria crisis by phone on Monday, expressing their full support

for Syria peace talks in Geneva, the Russian Foreign Ministry

said.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Airbus A320neo hit by hydraulic system problems

PARIS, April 25 (Reuters) - Airbus is facing a

second category of technical problems with some of its family of

A320neo aircraft on top of previously reported engine glitches

that have delayed deliveries of its latest medium-haul jet,

industry sources said on Monday.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Qatar Airways talks to Boeing after more Airbus A320 problems

DUBAI, April 25 (Reuters) - Qatar Airways is speaking to

Boeing to secure substitute aircraft after further

problems were discovered with the Airbus A320neo, the

airline's chief executive said on Monday.

Read more

REFILE-UPDATE 2-Xerox's revenue falls on lower printer sales

April 25 (Reuters) - Xerox Corp reported a 4.2

percent fall in quarterly revenue, hurt by a strong dollar and

lower sales of printers and copiers.

Read more

Saudi plans a military industries holding firm- top prince

RIYADH, April 25 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia plans to set up a

holding company for military industries that would be fully

owned by the government at first and listed later on the Saudi

bourse, Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said on

television on Monday.

Read more

Kremlin: Russia seriously worried about degenerating Syria peace talks

MOSCOW, April 25 (Reuters) - Russia is seriously concerned

about the degenerating situation at Syria peace talks in Geneva,

the Kremlin said on Monday.

Read more

U.S. begins F-22 fighter deployment to reassure NATO allies facing Russia

MIHAIL KOGALNICEANU AIR BASE, Romania, April 25 (Reuters) -

T he United States began its biggest European deployment of F-22

fighters with a visit to the Black Sea in an exercise aimed at

beefing up military support for NATO's eastern European allies

who say they face aggression from Russia.

Read more

Next oil downturn? Looming gasoline glut threatens crude's rebound

SINGAPORE, April 25 (Reuters) - A rebound in oil prices this

year from 12-year lows is in danger of coming to a crashing

halt, as the main engine of global demand growth for the past

several years starts to sputter amid signs of a gasoline glut.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Czech lender GE Money reveals IPO price range and renamed MONETA

PRAGUE, April 25 (Reuters) - Czech lender GE Money Bank set

the price range for its initial public offering at below market

expectations on Monday and said it would change its name to

MONETA Money Bank.

Read more

Maelbeek station, scene of Brussels attack, reopens under high security

BRUSSELS, April 25 (Reuters) - Brussels' Maelbeek metro

station, a target in the attacks last month that killed 32

people, reopened on Monday under high security.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Mukalla offensive kills 800-plus militants, Saudi Yemen coalition says

DUBAI, April 25 (Reuters) - Yemeni government forces and

their allies killed more than 800 al Qaeda fighters when they

advanced into the port city of Mukalla, the Saudi-led

pro-government coalition said.

Read more

Hong Kong shares down, tracking regional markets

April 25 (Reuters) - Hong Kong stocks fell on Monday,

tracking regional markets, with financial and IT stocks

leading the decline.

Read more

Falling Iraqi crude exports ease severe congestion at Basra port

SINGAPORE, April 25 (Reuters) - Falling Iraqi oil exports

have eased a huge traffic jam of tankers waiting to load crude

at the Iraqi port of Basra, with queuing times falling by about

a third this month, shipping data showed.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Mitsubishi Heavy says too early to decide on support for Mitsubishi Motors

* Mitsubishi Motors being probed for falsifying fuel economy

data

Read more

RPT-Germans flock to property as interest rates fall and rents rise

* GRAPHIC: Residential building approvals, euro zone rates -

http://tmsnrt.rs/1SikrAV

Read more

Sunday, April 24, 2016

China, Hong Kong stocks fall on rising risk concerns

* Zoomlion shares drop after worse quarterly performance on

record

Read more

UPDATE 1-China Zoomlion's record Q1 loss raises questions on Terex deal funding

* Company should reconsider Terex takeover after loss

-analyst

Read more

South Korean won, stocks slip as Fed, BOJ meetings eyed

* Won retreats to 1-week low

* Foreigners remain net share-buyers

SEOUL, April 25 (Reuters) - The South Korean won fell

to a one-week low on Monday morning as market players took

dollar-long positions ahead of a policy meeting of the U.S.

Federal Reserve later this week.

The local currency stood at 1,149.0 per dollar as

of 0220 GMT, down 0.5 percent from Friday's close of 1,143.1

Analysts said market participants will also closely watch a

policy meeting by the Bank of Japan that

Read more

Bombardier says Iranian sales talks progress, denies new airline

Montreal, April 24 (Reuters) - Reports that Bombardier Inc

is involved in launching an airline in Iran are

inaccurate, the Canadian planemaker said on Sunday, although it

confirmed it was in talks for sales as its executive chairman

visited the country to drum up business.

Read more

Thai hard disk drive exporters see silver lining in cloud storage - for now

BANGKOK, April 25 (Reuters) - After more than two years of

riding high on growing demand for cloud data storage, Thailand's

hard disk drive exporters are bracing for a fall from grace.

Read more

U.N. Security Council condemns N.Korea submarine missile test

UNITED NATIONS, April 24 (Reuters) - The United Nations

Security Council on Sunday condemned North Korea's

submarine-launched ballistic missile test and expressed serious

concern that such activities contributed to Pyongyang's

development of nuclear weapons delivery systems.

Read more

Austrian police clash with Italians protesting Brenner border checks

BRENNER, Austria, April 24 (Reuters) - Austrian police used

batons and pepper spray to repel Italian marchers who were

protesting on Sunday against plans for tighter anti-migrant

checks at the Alpine Brenner Pass border.

Read more

VW brand chief "confident" of solving cost-cutting row with labour

BEIJING, April 24 (Reuters) - Volkswagen's top

brand executive is confident that management and labour will

solve a dispute over cost-cutting at the core autos division and

signalled readiness on Sunday to meet some of workers' demands.

Read more

MIDEAST STOCKS-Petchems lift Saudi, other Gulf markets mixed

DUBAI, April 24 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's stock market rose

strongly in heavy trade on Sunday as firm oil prices boosted

petrochemical shares, while other markets in the region were

mixed.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Gulf Arab air strikes kill 30 in Qaeda-held Yemeni city - residents

ADEN, April 24 (Reuters) - Warplanes pounded the al

Qaeda-held port city of Mukalla on Sunday and killed 30

militants, residents said, as a Gulf Arab military coalition

ramped up an offensive to wrest swathes of southern Yemen from

the fighters' grip.

Read more

Saudi-led air strikes kill 10 al Qaeda fighters in Yemen

ADEN, April 24 (Reuters) - A Saudi-led coalition carried out

air strikes on the al Qaeda-held port of Mukalla in southern

Yemen on Sunday, killing at least ten militants, medical sources

and residents said, part of an offensive to recapture the city.

Read more

Germans flock to property as interest rates fall and rents rise

* GRAPHIC: Residential building approvals, euro zone rates -

http://tmsnrt.rs/1SikrAV

Read more

Toshiba in final talks on new president; Tsunakawa top candidate-source

TOKYO, April 24 (Reuters) - Japan's Toshiba Corp is

in final talks to replace President Masashi Muromachi, with

Senior Executive Vice President Satoshi Tsunakawa a leading

candidate as it aims to turn the scandal-hit firm back to

growth, a source told Reuters on Sunday.

Read more

UPDATE 1-N.Korea says submarine ballistic missile test 'great success'

SEOUL, April 24 (Reuters) - North Korea said on Sunday it

had conducted a submarine-launched ballistic missile test

supervised by leader Kim Jong Un and it was a "great success"

that gave the country "one more means for powerful nuclear

attack."

Read more

Saturday, April 23, 2016

N.Korea says submarine-launched ballistic missile test 'great success' -KCNA

SEOUL, April 24 (Reuters) - North Korea said on Sunday it

had conducted a submarine-launched ballistic missile test

supervised by leader Kim Jong Un and it was a "great success"

that gave the country "one more means for powerful nuclear

attack."

Read more

UPDATE 1-Militants, guards clash near Libya's Brega port, oil commander wounded

BENGHAZI, Libya April 23 (Reuters) - Islamic State militants

clashed with a Libyan force guarding oil ports near Brega

terminal on Saturday, killing one guard and wounding four

including Ibrahim Jathran, leader of the Petroleum Facilities

Guard (PFG), a spokesman and medical sources said.

Read more

No migrant readmission agreement without EU visa liberalisation -Turkish PM

GAZIANTEP, Turkey, April 23 (Reuters) - Turkish Prime

Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Saturday Turkey's migrant

readmission agreement with Europe will not be fulfilled without

EU visa liberalisation for Turkish citizens.

Read more

Turkey has met all its responsibilities in EU migrant deal -Turkish PM

GAZIANTEP, Turkey, April 23 (Reuters) - Turkey met all its

responsibilities in the migrant deal, such as issuing refugee

work permits, Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on

Saturday, denying claims that Syrians were being sent back to

their war-torn homeland against their will.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Merkel arrives in southeast Turkey to ease tensions of migrant deal

GAZIANTEP, Turkey, April 23 (Reuters) - German Chancellor

Angela Merkel arrived in a Turkish border province on Saturday

to meet Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu as she works to

ease tensions in the deal to tackle the migrant crisis.

Read more

Militants, guards clash near Libya's Brega port, oil commander wounded - sources

BENGHAZI, Libya April 23 (Reuters) - Islamic State militants

clashed with a Libyan force guarding oil ports near Brega

terminal on Saturday, killing one guard and wounding four

including Ibrahim Jathran, leader of the Petroleum Facilities

Guard (PFG), security and medical sources said.

Read more

UPDATE 1-North Korea fires submarine-launched missile -South Korea

SEOUL, April 23 (Reuters) - North Korea fired what appeared

to be a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) on Saturday

off its east coast, South Korea said, amid concerns that it

might conduct a nuclear test or a missile launch ahead of a key

ruling party meeting in May.

Read more

Turkish border province ramps up security ahead of Merkel visit

GAZIANTEP, Turkey, April 23 (Reuters) - Turkey's border

province of Gaziantep ramped up security on Saturday for planned

visit by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and EU Council

President Donald Tusk including a stop at a refugee camp.

Read more

Drone strike in Yemen kills two al Qaeda suspects

KUWAIT, April 23 (Reuters) - An air strike from a drone

killed two men south of the Yemeni city of Marib on Saturday

suspected of belonging to al Qaeda, local residents said by

phone.

Read more

N.Korea seen to fire submarine-launched ballistic missile - S.Korea

SEOUL, April 23 (Reuters) - North Korea fired what appeared

to be a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) on Saturday

off its east coast, South Korea said, amid concerns that it

might conduct a nuclear test or a missile launch ahead of a key

ruling party meeting.

Read more

Australian police to investigate submarine tender leak - ABC

SYDNEY, April 23 (Reuters) - Australian police are

investigating how confidential information about the outcome of

a tender process for Australia's next submarine fleet was leaked

to the media, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported

on Saturday.

Read more

Friday, April 22, 2016

UPDATE 3-EDF secures state-backed finance deal ahead of Hinkley Point decision

* Source says state EDF stake to remain around 85 pct

(Adds CEO, finance ministry source comments)

Read more

CORRECTED-U.S. business borrowing for equipment falls in March - ELFA

April 22 (Reuters) - Borrowing by U.S. companies to spend on

capital investment declined 11 percent in March from a year

earlier, trade association Equipment Leasing and Finance

Association (ELFA) said.

Read more

UPDATE 1-EDF secures state-backed finance deal ahead of Hinkley Point decision



Read more

Three denied entry to Canada over inert grenade -border official

TORONTO, April 22 (Reuters) - Three people detained on

Thursday at the U.S.-Canadian border over an inert grenade have

been denied entry into Canada and have gone back to the United

States, authorities said on Friday.

Read more

UPDATE 1-U.S. FAA orders fix for GE engines on up to 150 Boeing 787 jets

NEW YORK, April 22 (Reuters) - The U.S. aviation regulator

on Friday ordered an urgent fix for General Electric

engines on up to 150 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, a step to

avoid engine failure in icy conditions.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Canada's Caisse to invest C$3 bln in Montreal rail network

MONTREAL/TORONTO April 22 (Reuters) - Canadian pension fund

Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec said on Friday that it

would invest C$3 billion ($2.37 billion) in a new public

transport network in Montreal, the third-largest of its kind in

the world.

Read more

EU states back plans for common tax havens' black list

BRUSSELS, April 22 (Reuters) - European Union states agreed

on Friday to work towards setting up a joint blacklist of tax

havens by the end of the summer in the wake of the Panama Papers

leaks.

Read more

RPT-INTERVIEW-GE sees pickup in China sales, possible bottom in oil -CFO

NEW YORK, April 22 (Reuters) - General Electric Co's

healthcare equipment sales are picking up in China as a

crackdown on corruption that had slowed new orders tapers off,

Chief Financial Officer Jeff Bornstein said on Friday.

Read more

UPDATE 2-GM to temporarily idle four North American auto plants

April 22 (Reuters) - General Motors said on Friday it

will close four North American plants, which primarily make cars

rather than SUVs or trucks, for two weeks because of a parts

shortage following the earthquake this month in Japan.

Read more

French miner Eramet expects first half loss, pursues nickel savings

PARIS, April 22 (Reuters) - French mining and metals group

Eramet said on Friday it expects to post another

operating loss in the first half due to weak metal prices and

would pursue efforts to save cash at its troubled nickel unit.

Read more

Air Algerie crash in Mali caused by anti-icing failure - report

BAMAKO, April 22 (Reuters) - The crash of an Air Algerie

flight in Mali that killed 116 people in July 2014 was mainly

caused by the failure to activate the anti-icing system,

according to the final French report on the accident released on

Friday.

Read more

China to extend Mexican industrial park feasibility study -sources

MEXICO CITY, April 22 (Reuters) - State-owned China

Communications Construction Company (CCCC) will extend by three

months a feasibility study for a major industrial park in the

western Mexican state of Jalisco, two Mexican officials familiar

with the matter said.

Read more

CORRECTED-Merkel's Turkey visit aims to soothe tensions on EU migrant deal

ANKARA/BERLIN, April 22 (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela

Merkel will use a visit to Turkey this weekend to try to soothe

tensions over a deal meant to stem the flow of migrants to

Europe, as questions about its effectiveness and long-term

viability mount.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Caterpillar cuts 2016 sales, earnings outlook, posts lower Q1 profit

April 22 (Reuters) - Caterpillar Inc. lowered its

2016 sales and earnings outlook and posted a lower first-quarter

net profit on Friday as revenues declined in the company's

construction, oil and gas, mining and rail business segments.

Read more

UPDATE 1-India's Reliance Industries posts biggest profit in eight years

* Q4 net profit 73.98 bln rupees vs estimated 69.48 bln

rupees

Read more

UPDATE 1-American Air first-quarter profit beats estimates

April 22 (Reuters) - American Airlines Group Inc

reported a first-quarter profit on Friday that exceeded

analysts' expectations as cheap fuel boosted its bottom line.

Read more

India's Reliance Industries Q4 profit up 16 pct topping estimates

MUMBAI, April 22 (Reuters) - Indian oil to telecoms

conglomerate Reliance Industries Ltd posted a 15.9

percent rise in its fourth-quarter earnings on Friday, beating

analysts' estimates and boosted by stronger margins in its core

oil refining business.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Cuba to lift cruise ship ban for citizens, clears way for Carnival voyage

HAVANA, April 22 (Reuters) - Cuba said on Friday it would

lift a ban on Cubans and Cuban-Americans entering and leaving

the Caribbean island by commercial vessels, opening the way for

cruise operator Carnival Corp to set sail for the

country next week.

Read more

China official says film 'The Martian' shows Americans want space cooperation

BEIJING, April 22 (Reuters) - A senior Chinese space

official said the Hollywood blockbuster "The Martian" is proof

that Americans want to see the United States and China cooperate

in space, but lamented Washington's ban on collaboration between

the two countries.

Read more

Honeywell quarterly profit rises 6.3 pct

April 22 (Reuters) - Honeywell International Inc

posted a 6.3 percent rise in quarterly profit, helped by

strength in its automation and climate control systems

businesses.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Russian forces in Syria fired on Israeli aircraft - Israeli newspaper

* Israel has mounted dozens of air strikes in Syria

(Adds Kremlin spokesman, Netanyahu)

Read more

German engineering sector would be happy with stagnant 2016 sales

DUESSELDORF, Germany, April 22 (Reuters) - Germany's

mechanical engineering sector would be happy with stagnant sales

this year as political uncertainty from Britain to Russia to

North Africa drags on investment decisions, the president of its

industry association, the VDMA, told Reuters.

Read more

UPDATE 1-China could build nuclear plants for S.China Sea, paper says

* Nuclear platforms could support S. China Sea projects

-paper

Read more

Hong Kong stocks fall after Wall Street weakness

April 22 (Reuters) - Hong Kong shares fell on Friday after

Wall Street suffered its first loss in four sessions amid

disappointing earnings from U.S. blue chip companies.

Read more

RPT-Human traffickers stopped rescue after sinking disaster -survivors

ATHENS, April 21 (Reuters) - A knife-wielding human

trafficker prevented survivors of a shipwreck from pulling

others to safety, leaving them to drown in the dark, one of the

surviving migrants said on Thursday.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Lufthansa seeks deal with Thomas Cook's Condor - sources

FRANKFURT, April 22 (Reuters) - Lufthansa is

seeking a partnership with, or a complete takeover, of holiday

airline Condor to further expand its low-cost Eurowings

business, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Truckmaker Volvo banks on European demand as U.S. and Brazil weaken

* Cuts 2016 trucks outlook for N. America, Brazil

(Adds Daimler, analyst, detail)

Read more

China stocks post biggest weekly loss in 3 months

SHANGHAI, April 22 (Reuters) - China stocks edged up on

Friday, as strength in consumer and tech shares offset a slump

in resources plays, but major indexes posted their biggest

weekly decline in three months.

Read more

Thursday, April 21, 2016

China stocks fall as resources shares slump; Hong Kong also down

* Resources shares slump as China acts to cool commodities

trading

Read more

Turkish court remands executive in custody over Gulen links - media

ISTANBUL, April 22 (Reuters) - A Turkish court remanded

seven people in custody pending trial, including an executive of

a major construction company, accused of funding the movement of

President Tayyip Erdogan's foe, Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen,

state media said on Friday.

Read more

S.Korea train derails killing engineer, injuring 8

SEOUL, April 22 (Reuters) - A South Korean passenger train

derailed near the southern city of Yeosu on Friday, killing an

engineer and injuring eight others, the railway operator said.

Read more

UPDATE 3-Uber drivers remain independent contractors as lawsuit settled

* Case was closely watched in Silicon Valley

(Adds additional details about settlement)

Read more

S.Korea won drops as dollar firms after ECB policy meeting; stocks down

* Won set to post fourth straight week of gains

* KOSPI eases after closing at a 20-wk high on Thursday

SEOUL, April 22 (Reuters) - The South Korean won fell

on Friday morning, tracking the euro, which slipped on comments

from the head of the European Central Bank who defended its

accommodative money policy.

The local currency was trading at 1,138.7 per

dollar, down 0.5 percent compared with Thursday's close of

1,132.9 as of 0213 GMT. The won's losses were capped as the euro

steadie

Read more

Uber to pay up to $100 mln to settle lawsuit over employment status

SAN FRANCISCO, April 21 (Reuters) - Ride service Uber has

agreed to pay up to $100 million to settle a class action

lawsuit over whether its California drivers are employees or

independent contractors.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Malaysia Airlines CEO's exit revives debate over foreign boss

* Irishman Bellew, Malaysian Shazalli Ramly front-runners to

be CEO-sources

Read more

CalPERS says Anglo shareholders pass climate change reporting requirement

April 21 (Reuters) - California Public Employees' Retirement

System (Calpers) said its proposal for Anglo American Plc

to report on environmental risks associated with climate

change was passed at the miner's annual shareholders meeting.

Read more

SEC extends test period to curb U.S. market volatility

April 21 (Reuters) - The U.S. Securities and Exchange

Commission on Thursday extended by one year a pilot program

designed to curb excessive volatility in domestic securities

markets.

Read more

Canada should not hold up CSeries aid over jobs -union

MONTREAL, April 21 (Reuters) - A $1 billion Canadian

government aid package for Bombardier Inc should not

be delayed over fears that the plane-and-train maker could

outsource jobs to Mexico or China, the head of Canada's largest

private sector union said on Thursday.

Read more

AMD quarterly revenue slumps 19.2 pct

April 21 (Reuters) - Chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices Inc

reported a 19.2 percent fall in quarterly revenue, hurt

by lower sales of processors used in personal computers and weak

demand in China.

Read more

Norfolk Southern profit rises, cost cuts offset falling freight

CHICAGO, April 21 (Reuters) - No. 4 U.S. railroad Norfolk

Southern Corp on Thursday reported a higher quarterly

profit that handily beat expectations, as cost cutting and

measures taken to streamline operations offset a 6 percent

decline in freight volumes.

Read more

Human traffickers stopped rescue after sinking disaster -survivors

ATHENS, April 21 (Reuters) - A knife-wielding human

trafficker prevented survivors of a shipwreck from pulling

others to safety, leaving them to drown in the dark, one of the

surviving migrants said on Thursday.

Read more

Southwest would consider a new variant of Boeing 737 jet - COO

April 21 (Reuters) - Southwest Airlines Co would

"absolutely" consider a new version of Boeing Co's 737

jet that the planemaker is said to be mulling, the budget

airline's Chief Operating Officer Mike Van de Ven said on a

conference call with media on Thursday.

Read more

UPDATE 3-Hapag-Lloyd seeks tie-up with rival UASC as shipping depression deepens

* Hapag-Lloyd shares jump to three-month high

(Adds further comment, details, background)

Read more

UPDATE 3-Indonesia fears piracy surge on shipping route could make it "new Somalia"

* Some Indonesian ports halt coal shipments to Philippines

(Adds advisory, comment from Indonesian military)

Read more

UPDATE 3-Airbus to cut output of slow-selling A380 superjumbo

* Airbus to slow output to 1.7 A380s a month in 2017

-sources

Read more

UPDATE 2-SunEdison files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection

April 21 (Reuters) - U.S. solar energy company SunEdison Inc

filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Thursday,

becoming one of the largest non-financial companies to do so in

the past 10 years.

Read more

Air Canada says small plane damaged in landing, 3 sent to hospital

TORONTO, April 21 (Reuters) - A small Air Canada

passenger plane was damaged while landing late on Wednesday in

the eastern province of Newfoundland and Labrador, and three

passengers were taken to hospital, the airline said on Thursday.

Read more

Russia moves artillery in Syria near Aleppo, stoking concern-US

WASHINGTON, April 21 (Reuters) - Russia has been

repositioning artillery to northern Syria, including near the

city of Aleppo, a U.S. official said on Thursday, in a move that

is stoking U.S. concern about what Russian-backed Syrian forces

intend to do next.

Read more

RPT-UPDATE 1-EU regulators to clear $2.4 bln container shipping deal-sources

* EU approval conditional on NOL pulling out from G6

alliance

Read more

Malaysia Airlines CEO's exit revives debate over foreign boss

* Irishman Bellew, Malaysian Shazalli Ramly front-runners to

be CEO-sources

Read more

UPDATE 2-Italy's struggling Vicenza bank hit by $1.9 bln legal threat

* Vicenza IPO emerges as test of confidence in Italy banking

(Recasts with details from IPO prospectus)

Read more

RPT-Lyft's nice-guy strategy leaves it struggling to catch Uber

SAN FRANCISCO, April 21 (Reuters) - In late 2014, Uber and

Lyft targeted Portland, Oregon, as the next place to launch

their still-controversial ride-hailing services.

Read more

D.R. Horton profit boosted by higher home sales

April 21 (Reuters) - D.R. Horton Inc, the largest

U.S. homebuilder, reported a 32 percent rise in quarterly profit

as it sold more homes.

Read more

UPDATE 1-D.R. Horton profit beats on higher home sales

April 21 (Reuters) - D.R. Horton Inc, the largest

U.S. homebuilder, reported a better-than-expected quarterly

profit as it sold more homes, and said the all-important spring

selling season was off to a "great" start.

Read more

UPDATE 1-China ramps up espionage warnings in new security push

BEIJING, April 21 (Reuters) - China is ramping up its

warnings against espionage in a week of activities to mark the

passing of a National Security Law last year, with state media

giving rare details of spy cases and a cartoon campaign saying

it is risky to date foreigners.

Read more

Lyft's nice-guy strategy leaves it struggling to catch Uber

SAN FRANCISCO, April 21 (Reuters) - In late 2014, Uber and

Lyft targeted Portland, Oregon, as the next place to launch

their still-controversial ride-hailing services.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Engineering firm Arcadis' Q1 core earnings hurt by Brazil recession

* Internal probe in Brazil finds no evidence of wrongdoing

(Updates with earnings details, Brazil investigation)

Read more

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

UPDATE 1-N.Korea may have resumed tunneling at nuclear test site -U.S. report

WASHINGTON, April 20 (Reuters) - Satellite images show that

North Korea may have resumed tunnel excavation at its main

nuclear test site, similar to activity seen before the country's

most recent nuclear test in January, a U.S. North Korea

monitoring website reported on Wednesday.

Read more

UPDATE 1-China to launch "core module" for space station around 2018

* Plans to have permanent manned space station in service by

2022

Read more

China to launch "core module" for space station around 2018

BEIJING, April 21 (Reuters) - China will launch a "core

module" for its first space station some time around 2018, a

senior official told the state-run Xinhua news agency on

Thursday, part of the country's plan to have a permanent manned

space station in service around 2022.

Read more

China jails man for espionage over islets disputed with Japan

BEIJING, April 21 (Reuters) - China has jailed for seven

years a man who gave information to an unnamed foreign power

about Chinese military and other ships patrolling islets in the

East China Sea disputed with Japan, state media said.

Read more

Canada says Bombardier talks focus on research, jobs, headquarters

OTTAWA, April 20 (Reuters) - Canada will not give struggling

aircraft maker Bombardier Inc federal aid without

assurances on jobs, investment in research and the location of

the company's headquarters, a senior government official said on

Wednesday.

Read more

Easy on the soap: mining firms pinch pennies as downturn bites

SYDNEY, April 21 (Reuters) - From trimming menus in staff

canteens to cutting back on soap and washing detergent at worker

camps, the global mining industry that once lavished perks on

employees is scrimping like never before as a brutal downturn

engulfs minerals markets.

Read more

German economy grew robustly in Q1, outlook mixed - finance ministry

BERLIN, April 21 (Reuters) - The German economy is expected

to have grown robustly in the first quarter led by private

consumption and state spending, but the outlook for the rest of

the year is less clear, the Finance Ministry said on Thursday.

Read more

Australia's membership of AAA-club carries hidden costs

SYDNEY, April 21 (Reuters) - It is an exclusive club of just

10 members. But what happens when the cost of staying in starts

to outweigh that of leaving?

Read more

United to stick with Boeing 737 to replace regional jets -acting CFO

April 20 (Reuters) - United Continental Holdings Inc

does not plan to order a second aircraft type in the next three

years on top of Boeing Co 737s it will acquire to replace

its 50-seat regional jets, acting Chief Financial Officer Gerry

Laderman said on a media call on Wednesday.

Read more

UPDATE 1-United Air tops profit estimates, but sees unit revenue dip

April 20 (Reuters) - United Continental Holdings Inc

on Wednesday reported a first-quarter profit above analysts'

expectations and said it would slow its growth plans because

flight capacity across the industry has exceeded passenger

demand, pushing down prices.

Read more

Banks pile into equities trading as salve for bond wounds

April 20 (Reuters) - Wall Street banks are piling into

equities trading and doing increasingly creative things to win

over clients. But as competition heats up, the low-margin

business may come under further pressure.

Read more

CP Rail CEO says company to put cash toward dividends, buybacks

TORONTO, April 20 (Reuters) - Canadian Pacific Railway

Chief Executive Hunter Harrison said on Wednesday that

Canada's No. 2 railroad would pay out dividends and put its

money toward share buybacks rather than build a cash horde for

possible deals that may or may not materialize down the road.

Read more

German airport's secret emergency plan was on internet for months-ZDF

BERLIN, April 20 (Reuters) - A confidential emergency plan

for Cologne-Bonn airport was posted on its website for several

months, German broadcaster ZDF said on Wednesday, heightening

concerns about security after attacks at Brussels airport.

Read more

UPDATE 2-South Sudan and rebels say deal reached for Machar's return

* Sporadic clashes since deal signed

(Recasts with government saying deal reached on Machar's

return)

Read more

UPDATE 2-Massachusetts regulator says State Street unit overcharged clients

BOSTON, April 20 (Reuters) - Massachusetts' top securities

regulator on Wednesday alleged a unit of custody bank State

Street Corp routinely overbilled customers for items

such as messaging services, even as an executive worried one

client might "discover that we are taking them to the cleaners."

Read more

UPDATE 3-EU hits Google with second antitrust charge

* Google faces hefty fines, changes to business model

(Adds details)

Read more

UPDATE 3-United Airlines bows to activists, adds directors

April 20 (Reuters) - United Continental Holdings Inc

will reshuffle its board in a settlement with activist

investors, the airline said on Wednesday, averting a long and

distracting fight over governance.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Euro zone ready to finalise Greek deal next week, if talks succeed

BRUSSELS/ATHENS, April 20 (Reuters) - Euro zone finance

ministers are ready to hold an extraordinary meeting next week

if negotiations on the review of the Greek reform programme are

concluded, a senior EU official said on Wednesday, commenting

that talks remained difficult.

Read more

Skanska eyes commercial development expansion in United States

* GRAPHIC-Skanska commercial development: http://tmsnrt.rs/1QhqGmb

Read more

Roaring population growth outpaces Nigerian investment spree

LAGOS, April 20 (Reuters) - Waiting at a crowded bus stop

for a ride to work, Osheme Antoine dreams of raising a big

family one day. Such dreams, shared by millions, mean Nigeria's

bus queues are likely to get even longer in decades to come.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Russia accuses Syrian opposition of using blackmail at Geneva talks

MOSCOW, April 20 (Reuters) - Russia on Wednesday accused the

Saudi-backed Syrian opposition of employing blackmail by

suspending its participation in peace talks in Geneva.

Read more

Two Indonesian coal ports halt shipping to Philippines on hijack fears

JAKARTA, April 20 (Reuters) - Authorities from at least two

Indonesian coal ports have stopped allowing vessels to leave for

the Philippines due to security concerns following a spate of

ship hijackings in the southern Philippines, a government

official said on Wednesday.

Read more

Eiffage keeps goals, French road building still tough

PARIS, April 20 (Reuters) - Eiffage kept its goal

of higher profits for 2016 after announcing slightly lower sales

on Wednesday, saying it would boost productivity efforts and

benefit from a robust performance of its motorway concessions as

well as an improving construction business in France.

Read more

UPDATE 1-CP Rail to buy back shares; profit soars 69 pct

April 20 (Reuters) - Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd

reported a 69 percent rise in quarterly net income, helped by

lower costs, and said it planned to buy back up to 5 percent of

its shares, just over a week after abandoning a bid to buy

Norfolk Southern.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Textron profit beats on steady demand for business jets

April 20 (Reuters) - Textron Inc, the maker of

Cessna aircraft and Bell helicopters, reported a

better-than-expected quarterly profit, helped by steady demand

for business jets.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Toshiba preparing Westinghouse writedown, CEO to step down -sources

* Medical unit sale to offset writedown's earnings impact

(Adds additional sourcing on CEO, background and shares)

Read more

Putin says Russia's military support prevented Syria's disintegration

MOSCOW, April 20 (Reuters) - Moscow's military support has

helped prevent the disintegration of Syria, Russian President

Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday.

Read more

Kremlin concerned by postponement of Syrian peace talks -agencies

MOSCOW, April 20 (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Wednesday

it was concerned by a postponement of Syrian peace talks in

Geneva, Russian news agencies reported.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Chip designer ARM beats forecasts with Q1 profit rise

* Shares up 3 pct

(Adds CFO comments, analyst reaction, shares)

Read more

UPDATE 2-ABB says Europe demand helping to offset China slump

* Shares rise 4 percent

(Recasts story to focus on Europe, cost cuts)

Read more

China angered by Britain's comments on South China Sea

BEIJING, April 20 (Reuters) - China expressed anger on

Wednesday after a senior British official said a ruling expected

within a few months in an international arbitration case the

Philippines has brought against China's South China Sea claims

must be binding.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Japan's Renesas to start partial production at quake-hit Kumamoto plant

* Says aims to fully resume plant operations as early as

possible

Read more

South Sudan peace deal "at risk" after Machar delayed return - monitors

JUBA, April 20 (Reuters) - Peace deal monitors in South

Sudan said an unexplained delay of a rebel leader's return to

the capital Juba to form a unity government with his rival

President Salva Kiir was endangering an agreement aimed at

ending more than two years of violence.

Read more

Houston schools to reopen Wednesday but flood warnings not yet lifted

April 20 (Reuters) - Houston schools will reopen on

Wednesday after heavy rains and flooding killed at least six

people and forced the cancellation of classes for two days in

the country's fourth most populous city.

Read more

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

UPDATE 1-Zodiac Aerospace pledges rebound after lower H1 profit

PARIS, April 20 (Reuters) - Zodiac Aerospace said

first-half operating profit fell to 80.4 million euros ($91

million) from 177.6 million and reiterated its full-year income

would come close to that of 2014/15 after a "significant

improvement" in the second half.

Read more

Barco Q1 sales up on strong healthcare, enterprise units

BRUSSELS, April 20 (Reuters) - Belgian digital display

company Barco said on Wednesday its order book and

quarterly sales had increased compared to the same period last

year with growth in its units making products for hospitals and

control rooms.

Read more

S.Korea won, stocks strengthen on oil bounce

* Won, KOSPI at fresh highs this year

* FX ahead of U.S. currency report

SEOUL, April 20 (Reuters) - The South Korean won and

shares firmed on Wednesday morning as risk appetite

strengthened, boosted by a rise in global oil prices overnight

despite wider volatility in the market.

The won was trading at 1,131.4, up 0.4 percent

compared with Tuesday's close of 1,136.3 as of 0155 GMT, having

touched its highest level since early November last year earlier

in the session.

"The U.S.'

Read more

UPDATE 4-Intel to cut up to 12,000 jobs as PC industry swoons

April 19 (Reuters) - Intel Corp said on Tuesday it

would cut up to 12,000 jobs globally, or 11 percent of its

workforce, as it refocuses its business towards making

microchips that power data centers and Internet connected

devices and away from the declining personal computer industry

it helped found.

Read more

Toshiba to replace CEO Muromachi as early as June - Sankei

TOKYO, April 20 (Reuters) - Toshiba Corp's

nomination committee is due to meet on Wednesday to discuss the

selection of a successor for Chief Executive Masashi Muromachi,

who has expressed a desire to step down as early as June, the

Sankei newspaper reported.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Consortium led by China's Apex to buy Lexmark for $3.6 bln

April 19 (Reuters) - Printer maker Lexmark International Inc

has agreed to be taken private by a group of investors

led by China-based Apex Technology Co Ltd and PAG

Asia Capital in a deal valued at $3.6 billion net of cash, the

company said.

Read more

UPDATE 2-Kuwait oil, gas workers end 3-day strike -union

DUBAI, April 19 (Reuters) - Kuwaiti oil and gas workers have

ended a three-day strike that had temporarily cut the OPEC

member's crude production by nearly half, the trade union said

in a statement posted on its Twitter account.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Airbus close to selling 37 A321 jets to Delta - sources

PARIS, April 19 (Reuters) - European planemaker Airbus

is close to a deal to sell 37 current-generation A321

passenger jets to Delta Air Lines, two people familiar

with the matter said.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Tennessee student apologizes for rainbow noose project

April 19 (Reuters) - The Tennessee university student whose

art project, six rainbow-colored nooses hanging from a tree, was

swiftly removed by police said on Tuesday that she did not

intend to be racially insensitive or offend the gay community.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Air China employee linked to Macau billionaire faces own case

NEW YORK, April 19 (Reuters) - An employee of a Chinese

airline, who came onto the radar of U.S. authorities as they

probed the activities of a Macau billionaire accused of bribing

a U.N. General Assembly president, is now facing legal troubles

of her own.

Read more

UPDATE 1-U.S., Iran discuss fulfilling nuclear deal pledges to Tehran

UNITED NATIONS, April 19 (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State

John Kerry and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on

Tuesday discussed ways of ensuring that last year's historic

nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers is implemented the

way it was originally envisioned.

Read more

UPDATE 1-U.S. SEC sets penalties in two corporate fraud cases

April 19 (Reuters) - The U.S. Securities and Exchange

Commission announced two fraud cases alleging that accounting

failures left investors in the dark about the finances of

computer accessories maker Logitech International SA

and now-defunct electric car battery maker Ener1 Inc.

Read more

Air China employee linked to Macau billionaire faces own case

NEW YORK, April 19 (Reuters) - An employee of a Chinese

airline, who came onto the radar of U.S. authorities as they

probed the activities of a Macau billionaire accused of bribing

a U.N. General Assembly president, is now facing legal troubles

of her own.

Read more

VW "Dieselgate" software developed at Audi in 1999 -report

BERLIN, April 19 (Reuters) - German carmaker Audi created

so-called defeat devices which cut emissions in 1999, years

before parent company Volkswagen (VW) used them to

cheat diesel emissions tests, German newspaper Handelsblatt

reported on Tuesday.

Read more

Russia says some "players" trying to derail Syria peace talks - agencies

MOSCOW, April 19 (Reuters) - Some "players" are trying to

derail Syria's peace talks, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei

Lavrov was quoted by Russian news agencies as saying on Tuesday.

Read more

Kuwait oil union says it will continue strike -spokesman

KUWAIT, April 19 (Reuters) - The spokesman for thousands of

striking Kuwaiti oil and gas workers said on Tuesday that their

three day-old strike would continue until planned public sector

pay reforms are cancelled.

Read more

UPDATE 1-Angola's dos Santos accuses Portugal of "partial" decision on BPI

LISBON, April 19 (Reuters) - The daughter of Angola's

president accused Portugal's government on Tuesday of making an

"unprecedented and clearly partial" decision in changing a law

on shareholder voting rights that helped Spain's Caixabank make

a bid for Banco BPI this week.

Read more

MIDEAST STOCKS-Saudi earnings, oil boost Gulf, Egypt breaks chart barrier

DUBAI, April 19 (Reuters) - Gulf stock markets rose on

Tuesday as several Saudi companies beat first-quarter earnings

estimates and oil prices held up better than feared after the

failure of Sunday's Doha meeting to agree on an output freeze.

Read more

EU mulls crackdown on banks offshore tax advisers after Panama Papers

BRUSSELS, April 19 (Reuters) - European Union countries

should consider taking tougher measures against banks and tax

advisers who help their clients to hide money offshore, an EU

Commission paper says.

Read more

Schools closed as Houston cleans up for floods that killed five

HOUSTON, April 19 (Reuters) - Scores of schools were closed

and cleanup was underway in Houston on Tuesday, a day after

record rains hits the fourth most populous U.S. city, causing

floods that left five dead and led to more than 1,000 water

rescues.

Read more

North Korea "struggling" with ICBM program -U.S. military official

WASHINGTON, April 19 (Reuters) - North Korea is struggling

with getting its intercontinental ballistic missile program "up

and operational" but it could acquire the capabilities over

time, a U.S. military official told a U.S. Senate panel on

Tuesday.

Read more

Textron says it wins Boeing 777X flight simulator contract

April 19 (Reuters) - A unit of U.S. industrial conglomerate

Textron Inc said on Tuesday it has won a contract from

Boeing Co to design and manufacture flight simulators for

777X aircraft.

Read more

EasyJet's founder says would oppose acquisitions after Monarch reports

LONDON, April 19 (Reuters) - European low-cost airline

easyJet's founder and biggest shareholder Stelios

Haji-ioannou would oppose any move by the company to make an

acquisition, he said on Tuesday, following media reports that it

was looking at making a bid for smaller rival Monarch.

Read more

North Korea can learn from Iran nuclear deal, U.S. says

SEOUL, April 19 (Reuters) - North Korea, which conducted a

fourth nuclear test in January in contravention of U.N. Security

Council resolutions, can learn from a deal struck between Iran

and world powers to freeze its nuclear programme, U.S. Deputy

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday.

Read more

UPDATE 1-EC to challenge French taxi law after Uber complaint

BRUSSELS, April 19 (Reuters) - The European Commission is

preparing to challenge a French law on taxi services and

chauffeured cars, two people familiar with the matter said on

Tuesday, following a complaint from online ride-hailing service

operator Uber Technologies.

Read more

Belgium says seen signs that IS has sent more fighters to Europe

BRUSSELS, April 19 (Reuters) - There are signs that more

Islamic State inspired militants have been sent to Belgium and

Europe, Belgian authorities said on Tuesday, maintaining the

country's threat status at the second-highest level.

Read more

China rejects U.S. query on military flight to disputed island

BEIJING, April 19 (Reuters) - China's Defence Ministry on

Tuesday rejected queries by the U.S. military as to why China

had used a military aircraft to evacuate sick workers from a new

airport on an island China has built in the disputed South China

Sea.

Read more