MOSCOW (AP) — World stocks stabilized on Friday, a day after global markets dropped sharply on concerns global growth is slowing and the Federal Reserve could start scaling back its monetary stimulus.
Read more here: World stocks stabilize after big sell-off
It’s been 21 years since the latest amendment to the Constitution. With issues continually at the forefront of public discourse, is it time to add the next 10 amendments? Take part in a virtual town hall all summer long on Constitution Daily.
Read more here: Introducing “The Next 10 Amendments”
TEL AVIV (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Friday that his shuttle talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders on prospects for reviving direct negotiations had been “very productive”. Speaking to reporters in Tel Aviv after two days of talks in Israel and the Palestinian territories, Kerry urged both sides to refrain from provocative actions “that take us backwards” and said they should focus instead on progress towards peace talks. …
Read more here: Kerry says talks with Israel, Palestinians 'very productive'
COPENHAGEN (Reuters) – Danish drug maker Novo Nordisk said it could launch obesity treatment liraglutide in the United States by the end of next year and rejected some analysts’ doubts over the medicine’s commercial potential. The world’s biggest insulin producer is hoping the treatment for severe obesity will help to at least partly offset the delay to its next generation insulin treatment Tresiba after U.S. regulators asked for more tests. …
Read more here: Novo obesity drug could launch in U.S. end 2014
BEIRUT (AP) — The Syrian government has agreed “in principle” to attend a conference proposed by Russia and the United States on ending the Arab country's conflict, Russia's foreign ministry said Friday.
Read more here: Russia: Syrian regime may take part in peace talks
By Janeman Latul and Kanupriya Kapoor JAKARTA (Reuters) – Standard Chartered PLC’s chief executive Peter Sands denied U.S. activist investor Muddy Waters’ claim that the bank has taken on too much risk, saying its loan book was in a good condition and there is no change in risk appetite for lending. Sands’ comments came after Carson Block, the founder of Muddy Waters, told a conference earlier this month that he had bet against Standard Chartered’s debt because he thought the market was underestimating the risk in the bank’s loan portfolio. …
Read more here: StanChart's Sands says Muddy Waters' debt bet misplaced
By Douglas Busvine MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia’s leading online social network was briefly banned on Friday, in a move dismissed as a “mistake” but which follows intensifying official pressure on the company as President Vladimir Putin consolidates his power. VKontakte (www.vk.com), Europe’s largest homegrown social network with 210 million registered users, was put overnight on a “black list” of sites barred from distributing content inside Russia. Hours later, the ban was lifted. …
Read more here: Russia's leading social network banned by "mistake"
LONDON (Reuters) – HSBC's Chairman Douglas Flint said on Friday the pace of reform in the banking industry must be accelerated to avoid investor confidence in the sector being undermined. “We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reform banking and the broader financial industry,” Flint told shareholders at the bank's annual general meeting. “As a first priority we need to speed up the reform process. Otherwise investor confidence in the sector will continue to be undermined,” he added. (Reporting by Matt Scuffham, editing by Sinead Cruise)
Read more here: HSBC urges acceleration of banking reform
By Aaron Maasho ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) – African nations have backed a request by Kenya for charges of crimes against humanity by its president to be referred back to the east African country, African Union documents show. President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy, William Ruto, are both facing trial in the International Criminal Court (ICC), accused of masterminding ethnic bloodshed in post-election violence five years ago that killed more than 1,200 people. Both deny the charges. …
Read more here: Africa backs Kenya call for Hague court to drop Kenyatta case
BEIJING (AP) — A top North Korean envoy has delivered a letter from leader Kim Jong Un to Chinese President Xi Jinping. The move comes as part of efforts to mend fences after Pyongyang angered Beijing with recent snubs and moves to develop its nuclear program.
Read more here: NKorean envoy delivers letter to China's Xi
