MOGADISHU A car bomb claimed by al Shabaab Islamist militants killed five soldiers outside the president's palace in the Somali capital of Mogadishu and badly damaged two nearby hotels, police said.
Reuters witnesses said gunfire could be heard after the explosion and a huge cloud of smoke could be seen above the president's palace, outside which were the remnants of the car and splattered blood.
"A suicide car bomb exploded outside the presidential palace. So far two hotels opposite the palace are partially destroyed," police officer Major Mohamed Ali told Reuters by phone.
Al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab has claimed responsibility for several recent explosions in Mogadishu, including a car bomb and gun attack last week at a popular beach restaurant in the capital that killed 10 people.
"So far we know five government soldiers died in the blast. It exploded outside the SYL hotel which is also just at the checkpoint outside the palace. We believe the target was SYL which is frequented by officials. The death toll may rise," police officer Colonel Abdikadir Hussein told Reuters.
Al Shabaab's Radio Andaluz said that the group was behind the attack.
In a separate incident, al Shabaab fighters attacked military bases housing government and African Union troops south west of the capital Mogadishu late on Monday, police and the group said on Tuesday.
Military officer Major Bile Farah said a soldier and two al Shabaab fighters were killed in the attack in K-50 and Muri in Lower Shabelle region,
Al Shabaab's military operations spokesman, Abdiasis Abu Musab, said the group's fighters had killed 10 soldiers and commandeered a vehicle from the Somali government soldiers.
The militants were pushed out of Mogadishu by the African Union peacekeeping force AMISOM in 2011 but have remained a serious threat, launching frequent attacks aimed at overthrowing the government.
Seeking to impose its own harsh form of Islam, al Shabaab has also launched attacks in Kenya and Uganda which have contributed troops to the 22,000-strong AMISOM force.
(Reporting by Abdi Sheikh and Feisal Omar; Writing by George Obulutsa)

Car bomb kills five soldiers outside Somali president's palace: police


A car bomb claimed by al Shabaab Islamist militants killed five soldiers outside the president's palace in the Somali capital of Mogadishu and badly damaged two nearby hotels, police said.


Republican U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump shakes hands with Maine Governor Paul LePage (R) after LePage introduced him at a campaign rally in Portland, Maine March 3, 2016. REUTERS/Joel Page
BOSTON Years before Donald Trump dominated the news cycle with his angry style of politics, Maine Governor Paul LePage made headlines with a similarly brash approach.
Since he was elected in 2010, the Republican has told critics of his decision to skip a civil rights breakfast to "kiss my butt" and accused a Democratic rival of forcing budget measures on taxpayers "without Vaseline."
But when the second U.S. governor to endorse Trump recently left an obscenity-laced voicemail message for a lawmaker who he believed had called him a racist, he put his career in jeopardy.
LePage's widely circulated verbal attack, in which he called Democratic State Representative Drew Gattine a "little son-of-a-bitch, socialist cocksucker," sparked the most intense firestorm of criticism the second-term governor has seen. Even legislative leaders from his own party called him into a closed-door meeting to discuss his future.
The reaction shows that not all politicians can get away with the kind of bellicose approach that helped Trump wipe out his primary rivals and win the support of angry voters who feel U.S. politicians do not care about their problems.
"Trump is a master of media and LePage is not. They are very different at the end of the day," said Michael Franz, chairman of the government and legal studies department at Maine's Bowdoin College. "Trump says he hates the media, but he works it very well. LePage just hates it."
The governor infamously joked in 2013 that he would like to blow up the offices of the Portland Press Herald newspaper, which he felt treated him unfairly.
LePage early on Tuesday openly discussed the idea of stepping down in a regular monthly interview with a Maine radio station. He later backed away from that notion, paraphrasing Mark Twain in a Twitter post that read in part, "The reports of my political demise are greatly exaggerated."
Still his own party was not rallying around him.
"I have yet to see any Republican legislator come out on the record in his defense," said Mark Brewer, a professor of political science at the University of Maine, after LePage's voicemail incident.
TRUMP BEFORE TRUMP
LePage endorsed Trump's run in February, shortly after New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.
"I was Donald Trump before Donald Trump became popular," LePage said at the time, saying that the New York real estate mogul and reality TV star "could be one of the greatest presidents if he sits down and puts together a good team."
Trump has also praised LePage, saying that he would offer him a role in his administration "if he were available."
Both men describe their political styles as authentic and off-the-cuff and accuse more measured rivals of being career politicians who are out of touch with the needs of average voters.
LePage's brusqueness had played well in Maine until recently. He won re-election in a three-way 2014 race with the support of 48 percent of voters with a wider margin of victory than the 38 percent he commanded in his first run, also a three-way race.
Neil Levesque, executive director of the New Hampshire Institute of Politics said that success, coupled with Trump's rise, could have emboldened LePage to double down on attack politics.
"Almost anything goes now. You can call your opponents almost anything, you can threaten them," Levesque said. "This is the new norm in American politics."
(Reporting by Scott Malone; Editing by Andrew Hay)

Maine governor's outburst tests limits of anger politics


Years before Donald Trump dominated the news cycle with his angry style of politics, Maine Governor Paul LePage made headlines with a similarly brash approach.


U.S. President Barack Obama delivers remarks about health insurance marketplace enrollments and the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin March 3, 2016. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
NEW YORK Nearly a third of U.S. counties will likely be served by only one insurer that participates in an Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace in 2017, according to an analysis published Sunday by the Kaiser Family Foundation.
The 31 percent of U.S. counties that will have just a single option of insurers within the ACA's exchanges would represent an increase from 7 percent this year, the nonpartisan group found.
UnitedHealth Group Inc (UNH.N) and Aetna Inc (AET.N) have decided to largely exit government-run online marketplaces in 2017 that sell subsidized plans created under President Barack Obama's national healthcare reform law, citing low enrollment and high service costs.
The bulk of the decrease in counties with a choice of insurers is due to UnitedHealth's pullback, which was announced in April.
The data underscores the degree to which industry retrenchment is curtailing individual's options within the marketplaces. Insurer departures may lead to higher costs within that market, analysts have said.
One county - Pinal County, Arizona - risks having no insurer options at all within the marketplace, the analysis found.
However, the study's authors said another plan offered elsewhere in the state could expand to serve the county. The foundation also said it could take more months and more data for the full impact of the changes for 2017 to become clear.
A spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services was not immediately available for comment, but the agency has said that the ACA has helped increase the number of options available to individuals.
(Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; Editing by Paul Tait)

More U.S. counties to see Obamacare marketplace monopoly: analysis


Nearly a third of U.S. counties will likely be served by only one insurer that participates in an Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace in 2017, according to an analysis published Sunday by the Kaiser Family Foundation.


Thomas Pieters of Belgium reacts during the Made in Denmark, European Tour golf tournament, final round in Farso, August 28, 2016. REUTERS/Henning Bagger/Scanpix Denmark
Men's Individual Stroke Play - Olympic Golf Course - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 12/08/2016. Martin Kaymer (GER) of Germany chips on to the 18th green during the second round of the men's Olympic golf competition. REUTERS/Andrew Boyers
Jul 29, 2016; Springfield, NJ, USA; PGA golfer Lee Westwood tees off on the 16th hole during the second round of the 2016 PGA Championship golf tournament at Baltusrol GC - Lower Course. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
LONDON Belgian rookie Thomas Pieters and experienced duo Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer were named by Europe captain Darren Clarke as wildcard picks on Tuesday to complete his Ryder Cup team.
Clarke opted for the powerful 24-year-old Pieters over Scotland's Russell Knox and England's Luke Donald, bringing to six the number of rookies in the 12-man team who will defend the trophy against the United States in Hazeltine, Minnesota.
"Lee Westwood is one of the most experienced Ryder Cup players of all time and Martin is also a Ryder Cup stalwart," Clarke told reporters at Wentworth on Tuesday.
"The third choice came down to Russell Knox and Thomas Pieters. I had to phone Russell and tell him yesterday. It was probably one of the toughest calls I've had to make. But the way Thomas has played golf over the last four weeks has impressed me so much I found it impossible to leave him out."
Englishman Westwood, the former world number one, first played in the biennial team event in 1997 and will be representing Europe for the 10th successive time.
Twice major winner Kaymer of Germany has featured in the last three Ryder Cups, all won by Europe.
Belgium's Pieters has produced excellent form this month. He won the Made In Denmark event, was runner-up at the Czech Masters and finished fourth in the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
Europe's nine automatic picks were confirmed earlier this month.
Danny Willett, Chris Wood, Rafael Cabrera-Bello, Andy Sullivan and Matt Fitzpatrick will also be new to the tournament. The other automatic selections, Rory McIlroy, Henrik Stenson, Sergio Garcia and Justin Rose, have all experienced the Ryder Cup before.
Europe are out to win the Ryder Cup for the ninth time in 11 editions when the competition starts at Hazeltine National Golf Club on Sept. 30 and Clarke said he was confident his team would thrive.
"It will be a very tough task," he said. "(The American) team is shaping up very strongly, but my players are world class in their own right. I am proud of this team and have no worries about them at all."
American captain Davis Love will name three of his wildcard selections a week on Sunday, with his final pick not being announced until five days before the tournament begins.
(Reporting by Neil Robinson, editing by Ed Osmond)

Pieters, Westwood, Kaymer named as Europe's Ryder Cup wildcards


Belgian rookie Thomas Pieters and experienced duo Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer were named by Europe captain Darren Clarke as wildcard picks on Tuesday to complete his Ryder Cup team.


The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a revised guidance on Friday recommending universal testing of donated blood for Zika virus in the U.S. and its territories.
The FDA recommended that all states and U.S. territories screen individual units blood with a screening test authorized for use by the FDA. (bit.ly/2bUxvjC)
The agency had recommended in February that blood should no longer be collected from regions where the Zika virus is circulating, and that blood needed for transfusions be obtained from areas of the country without active transmission.
The FDA has authorized the emergency use of several investigational Zika screening tests, including products made by Hologic Inc (HOLX.O) and Roche Holding AG (ROG.S).
Zika was detected in Brazil last year and has since spread across the Americas. The virus poses a risk to pregnant women because it can cause severe birth defects. It has been linked to more than 1,800 cases of microcephaly in Brazil.
(Reporting by Ankur Banerjee in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta)

FDA advises Zika testing for all donated blood in the U.S.


The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a revised guidance on Friday recommending universal testing of donated blood for Zika virus in the U.S. and its territories.


SAN FRANCISCO Facebook Inc (FB.O) changed its popular "Trending" feature, which shows users the most-talked about topics of the day, to make it more automated and further eliminate the potential for human bias, the company wrote in a blog post on Friday.
The update is Facebook's latest attempt in recent months to stress its neutrality as its influence grows.
The feature came under scrutiny in May after a news report alleged it suppressed conservative news, which prompted a demand from Republican members of the U.S. Congress for more transparency. Facebook said an internal probe found no evidence of bias.
The Trending feature shows users the most-talked about stories and topics on the top right-hand corner of Facebook's home page with one-sentence descriptions. To eliminate the potential for bias, Facebook said it would no longer rely on editors to write descriptions for the topics and would instead show users the topic and how many people are discussing it.
Facebook said in an e-mailed statement that the composition of its Trending team would focus more on technical expertise since it no longer needed editors to write descriptions. The company did not say whether it was laying off employees.
Facebook maintains it is a neutral platform, but its political influence has come under scrutiny, especially as its user base swells. It has 1.7 billion people on its social network, and studies have shown it has the power to influence people's behavior, ranging from registering as organ donors to registering to vote.
After the May news report first surfaced, Facebook penned a lengthy blog post explaining how the Trending feature works, the first time it had done so. Less than two weeks later, the company said it changed some procedures and outlined those changes in an effort to be more transparent.
(Reporting by Yasmeen Abutaleb; Editing by Dan Grebler)

Facebook changes 'Trending' feature to rely less on human editors


Facebook Inc (FB.O) changed its popular "Trending" feature, which shows users the most-talked about topics of the day, to make it more automated and further eliminate the potential for human bias, the company wrote in a blog post on Friday.


Free Syrian Army fighters gather on the outskirts of Jarablus, Syria, ahead of an offensive against Islamic State militants, August 24, 2016. Picture taken August 24, 2016. Revolutionary Forces of Syria Media Office/Handout via REUTERS
Turkish army tanks make their way towards the Syrian border town of Jarablus, Syria August 24, 2016. Picture taken August 24, 2016. Revolutionary Forces of Syria Media Office/Handout via REUTERS
Turkish army tanks and Turkish-backed Syrian fighters make their way in the Syrian border town of Jarablus as it is pictured from the Turkish town of Karkamis, in the southeastern Gaziantep province, Turkey. REUTERS/Stringer
Turkish army tanks and Turkish-backed Syrian fighters make their way in the Syrian border town of Jarablus as it is pictured from the Turkish town of Karkamis, in the southeastern Gaziantep province, Turkey. REUTERS/Stringer
ISTANBUL U.S.-led coalition warplanes hit Islamic State targets near the Syrian frontier town of Jarablus overnight, the Turkish military said on Tuesday, as forces backed by Ankara pushed deeper into north Syria.
Two A-10 planes hit and destroyed two Islamic State targets, the military said in a statement, without elaborating.
Turkey-backed forces seized Jarablus from Islamic State militants last week. They have since pushed into areas held by Kurdish-aligned militias that are supported by Washington.
Differences over Syria policy have long complicated the relationship between NATO allies Turkey and the United States.
While Turkey is a member of the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State, it is concerned about Washington's support for Syrian Kurdish fighters, which it sees as an extension of Kurdish militants who are waging an insurgency in Turkey.
The United States has scrambled to get its feuding allies, Turkey and the Kurdish YPG militia, to focus their firepower on Islamic State instead of each other after clashes that have threatened to unravel U.S. war strategy in Syria.
(Reporting by Asli Kandemir; Writing by David Dolan; Editing by Edmund Blair)

U.S.-led coalition planes hit Islamic State in north Syria: Turkish military


U.S.-led coalition warplanes hit Islamic State targets near the Syrian frontier town of Jarablus overnight, the Turkish military said on Tuesday, as forces backed by Ankara pushed deeper into north Syria.


GLOBAL MARKETS-Yellen's case for rate hike boosts dollar; stocks surrender gains
NEW YORK, Aug 26 U.S. equities gave up early gains on Friday, hurt by a surging U.S. dollar after Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said that the case for raising U.S. interest rates has strengthened in recent months.

BRIEF-Abbott Laboratories says "Alere's lawsuit is without merit"


A woman looks at a Center for Disease Control (CDC) health advisory sign about the dangers of the Zika virus as she lines up for a security screening at Miami International Airport in Miami, Florida, U.S., May 23, 2016. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri
Travelers have booked fewer hotel rooms in downtown Miami, and leisure airfares to the greater Miami area have inched down in the weeks since the Zika virus was detected there, data reviewed by Reuters shows.
Hotels sold 2.9 percent fewer rooms in Miami's central business district and northern neighborhoods during the first three weeks of August than they did a year earlier in the same period, according to hotel data and analytics firm STR.
That area includes the Wynwood arts district where on July 29 Florida officials said they confirmed cases of people who contracted the virus, marking the first transmissions by mosquitoes in the continental United States.
The decline in hotel bookings may be an early indication of the virus's effect on Miami's robust tourism industry, which had an economic impact of $24.4 billion in 2015, according to the Greater Miami Convention and Visitor Bureau.
The drop in the number of hotel room sales for the downtown and north Miami areas is a departure from largely uninterrupted growth in bookings there at least since 2010. From January 2016 through July, hotel stays by paying travelers were up 1.2 percent from a year ago, according to STR data.
But for the latest week ended Aug. 20, the number of hotel rooms sold was down 4.2 percent, compared to a year earlier.
Jan Freitag, senior vice president of lodging insights at STR, said the decline was not due to abnormally strong numbers the year before, and could reflect the impact of Zika virus concerns.
"We don't know enough yet," Freitag told Reuters, saying he would like to see up to two months of data, and monitor traffic to Miami from Europe and Brazil, both major sources of visitors to South Florida.
"Zika is not only a serious threat to public health. It has the potential to be an equally serious threat to a community’s economy," said travel industry analyst Henry Harteveldt, adding that worries about the virus likely contributed to the decline in Miami.
AIRFARES DOWN
The Zika virus was detected in Brazil last year and has since spread across the Americas. The virus poses a risk to pregnant women because it can cause a severe birth defect known as microcephaly. In Brazil, more than 1,800 cases of the condition have been linked to Zika.
Earlier this week, officials reported new Zika infections in Wynwood, and also one case hundreds of miles away in Pinellas County, on the Gulf Coast.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that pregnant women who are worried about exposure to Zika might consider avoiding all of Miami-Dade County. On Friday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommended universal testing of donated blood for the virus in the United States and its territories.
Miami tourism officials said hotel managers have not alerted them to bookings weakness related to the Zika virus.
It was too early to tell from the data that Zika had an impact on travel or bookings, tourism officials said.
"These numbers don't turn this quickly," said William Talbert, chief executive of the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau.
In a sign that airlines are trying to stimulate demand to and from Miami, airfares have gotten cheaper from a year ago, according to an analysis of the top U.S. domestic routes by Harrell Associates that was reviewed by Reuters.
Leisure fares on Miami routes were down 9 percent in late July from the prior year, while those to Fort Lauderdale were down 14 percent, the Harrell Associates data shows. Fares were sampled July 18 and July 25.
Since the first Zika cases were announced, the decline in leisure fares to and from Miami had widened to 16 percent, while fares for nearby Fort Lauderdale had dropped an average of 18 percent from a year earlier, the analysis found. That data is based on samples of airfares taken Aug. 15 and 22.
Nationwide, the high-restriction leisure fares are down 3 percent in mid-August from the prior year, the analysis by Harrell Associates found.
American Airlines Group Inc (AAL.O), the largest carrier in Miami, declined to comment on individual markets or whether the virus would impact its business. Its rival in the area, JetBlue Airways Corp (JBLU.O), did not immediately comment.
Airlines have been struggling for months to curb the decline of ticket prices amid growing competition in popular markets.
While Miami Beach has continued to see hotel demand rise through August, that rate has appeared to slow: from 6.4 percent higher in the first seven months of the year compared to the same period in 2015, to only 2.6 percent higher this month, the STR data showed. The same trend holds true for Miami-Dade and Monroe counties, according to the data.
Miami Beach has about 2.5 times the number of hotels as downtown and north Miami, STR said.
(Reporting By Jeffrey Dastin in New York; Editing by Bernard Orr)

Miami hotel bookings slow, airfares fall since Zika outbreak


Travelers have booked fewer hotel rooms in downtown Miami, and leisure airfares to the greater Miami area have inched down in the weeks since the Zika virus was detected there, data reviewed by Reuters shows.


Cast member Leslie Jones poses at the premiere of the film ''Ghostbusters'' in Hollywood, California U.S., July 9, 2016. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/File Photo
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is investigating a new incident involving actress Leslie Jones, who has been targeted by online abusers, after hackers posted nude photos and personal information on the "Ghostbusters" star's website.
"The investigation is currently ongoing. In order to protect the integrity of the case, no further details are available at this time," Rachel Yong You, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said on Thursday in an email to Reuters.
ICE, as the agency is known, is a branch of the Department of Homeland Security. Representatives for Jones did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
On Wednesday, Jones' website, www.JustLeslie.com, was taken offline after nude photos and photos of the comedian's passport and driver's license were posted, reportedly accessed through her personal cellphone or iCloud account.
The hackers also juxtaposed images of the actress with photos of Harambe, a deceased gorilla.
Jones became a top trending topic on social media where many Twitter users including celebrities showed support for her.
Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton was among those expressing encouragement on Twitter for the NBC Saturday Night Live co-star.
"@Lesdoggg, no one deserves this—least of all someone who brings us so much joy. I'm with you. -H," Clinton wrote online.
Jones, who was a target of cyber bullying on Twitter in July, briefly quit the micro-blogging platform because she was bombarded by racist and abusive comments after starring in the female-led reboot of "Ghostbusters" this summer.
Jones almost quit Twitter last month after receiving a barrage of sexist and racist abuse and harassment from a number of users.
After Twitter Inc (TWTR.N) interjected and permanently suspended numerous users accounts for harassment, Jones returned to Twitter, where her humorous live tweets during the Olympics earned her an on-air contributor role in Rio de Janeiro for NBC.
(Reporting by Gina Cherelus; Editing by Piya Sinha-Roy and Tom Brown)

U.S. Homeland Security probes hacking of actress Leslie Jones' website


The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is investigating a new incident involving actress Leslie Jones, who has been targeted by online abusers, after hackers posted nude photos and personal information on the "Ghostbusters" star's website.


A National Environment Agency officer informs residents as a worker fogs the corridor of a public housing estate in the vicinity where a locally transmitted Zika virus case was discovered, in Singapore August 29, 2016. REUTERS/Edgar Su
A general view of the Sims Urban Oasis condominium construction site where work has stopped after 37 workers there were tested positive for Zika virus since May, in Singapore August 29, 2016. REUTERS/Edgar Su
A National Environment Agency officer and a worker fogs the corridor of a public housing estate in the vicinity where a locally transmitted Zika virus case was discovered, in Singapore August 29, 2016. REUTERS/Edgar Su
A worker fogs the corridor of a public housing estate in the vicinity where a locally transmitted Zika virus case was discovered, in Singapore August 29, 2016. REUTERS/Edgar Su
A worker fogs the corridor of a public housing estate in the vicinity where a locally transmitted Zika virus case was discovered, in Singapore August 29, 2016. REUTERS/Edgar Su
SINGAPORE Officials sprayed insecticide and cleared drains of stagnant water in residential areas of Singapore at high risk of further Zika infections on Monday after 41 locally transmitted cases were confirmed in the city state.
Workers wearing fumigation masks traveled methodically through high-rise public housing estates in seven separate areas of the island, inspecting plant pots closely as they sprayed insecticide via thermal fogging machines.
The health ministry on Saturday confirmed Singapore's first locally-transmitted case of Zika, with the tally rising to 41 just a day later. All of the infected people were either residents of the Aljunied district or workers at a construction site owned by GuocoLand in the area.
"We expect to identify more positive cases," the ministry said on Monday in its latest update on the outbreak.
"Given that the majority of Zika cases are asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic, and mosquitoes in the affected areas may already have been infected, isolation of positive cases may have limited effect to managing the spread," it added.
Singapore, a major regional financial center and busy transit hub, which maintains a constant vigil against the mosquito-borne dengue virus, reported its first case of the Zika virus in May, brought in by a middle-aged man who had been to Brazil.
GuocoLand, which is headquartered in Singapore and has developments across Asia, was ordered on Saturday to stop work on the building site where 36 of the infected people worked. It will remain closed until the company rectifies the conditions that allowed mosquitoes to breed and steps up preventative measures, the health ministry said.
The Zika virus, carried by mosquitoes, was detected in Brazil last year and has since spread across the Americas. It poses a risk to pregnant women because it can cause severe birth defects. It has been linked in Brazil to more than 1,600 cases of microcephaly, where babies are born with abnormally small heads and brains.
The World Health Organization said on Sunday it did not know "which lineage of Zika is circulating" in Singapore or "what the level of population immunity is to this lineage of Zika in Asia."
Singapore's health ministry said some 19 mosquito breeding habitats were detected and destroyed in its first sweep of the Aljunied area on Sunday when it fumigated around a third of the 6,000 homes.
"I feel afraid," said Ng Kai Yee, an 18-year-old female student who lives near the construction site believed to be a source of the outbreak. "I heard quite a lot about how harmful Zika virus is to girls, especially pregnant women."
Authorities have urged those living and working in the risk areas, especially pregnant women, to monitor their health and seek medical attention if they are unwell.
Of the 41 people known to have been infected, 34 have already fully recovered. Only the first case reported was a woman.
(Writing and additional reporting by Marius Zaharia; Editing by Jane Wardell; Graphic by Jessica Wang)

Singapore mass sprays residences as Zika expected to spread


Officials sprayed insecticide and cleared drains of stagnant water in residential areas of Singapore at high risk of further Zika infections on Monday after 41 locally transmitted cases were confirmed in the city state.


GLOBAL MARKETS-Asia stocks bounce, dollar dips on Fed hike doubts
SYDNEY, Aug 30 Asian shares bounced on Tuesday as doubts the Federal Reserve really would hike rates as soon as September undermined the dollar, while investors continued to count on more policy stimulus elsewhere in the world.

BRIEF-Biotelemetry gets CE mark approval of Holter analysis software


BRIEF-iSIGN Media announces delay in annual statements
* Isign media announces delay in the release of its annual financial statements Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage:

BRIEF-Grenville Strategic Royalty announces Q2 results


St. Louis Federal Reserve President James Bullard speaks at a public lecture on ''Slow Normalization or No Normalization'' in Singapore May 26, 2016. REUTERS/Edgar Su/File Photo
The Federal Reserve could hike U.S. interest rates this year, St. Louis Fed President James Bullard said on Friday, noting the central bank would have to watch out for risky financial bubbles emerging in technology stocks and elsewhere in the market.
"I'm agnostic on when we do that," he said on CNBC from Jackson Hole, Wyoming, adding "we could" hike rates this year.
Asked about financial valuations, he said: "We're fairly valued or on the high side of fairly valued, and I could see the process getting away from us, maybe tech stocks, maybe others."
(Reporting by Jonathan Spicer; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)

Bullard agnostic on timing of Fed hike; cites tech stocks: CNBC


The Federal Reserve could hike U.S. interest rates this year, St. Louis Fed President James Bullard said on Friday, noting the central bank would have to watch out for risky financial bubbles emerging in technology stocks and elsewhere in the market.


MEXICO CITY Mexico's environmental prosecutor said it had kept regular oversight of the country's largest gold mine, days after a Reuters report on a prolonged leak of contaminated water there prompted activists to accuse the agency of failing its mandate.
Environmental prosecutor Profepa said that since 2013 it had completed five "administrative proceedings" on the Penasquito mine in Zacatecas state, which is owned by Canada's Goldcorp Inc.
It did not say whether the proceedings were related to the leak.
Reuters reported on Wednesday that levels of the potentially toxic mineral selenium rose in groundwater in a monitoring well on the mine property in October 2013. Goldcorp reported the rise to authorities a year later.
After the report, anti-mine activists in Zacatecas accused Profepa and other Mexican environmental agencies of bias toward the miner.
Profepa said in a statement released on Saturday that the company told it in October 2014 about a rise in selenium and sulphates in two wells. The agency said the incident did not pose a risk to the environment.
It said selenium levels had been stable since September 2015 "at the original level" of 0.01 mg per liter, the maximum allowed in Mexico.
Data Goldcorp showed to Profepa in a presentation this month and seen by Reuters shows that before the incident, selenium levels were actually at 0.005 mg per liter. Profepa did not respond to a request for comment on the discrepancy.
High concentrations of selenium in water can damage human health and cause deformities in wildlife.
Profepa also said trenches were being built at the site because of possible leaks to the south of the dam in which waste from the mine is stored.
A village called Las Mesas, home to about 90 families, is just south of the dam.
The Goldcorp presentation to Profepa this month, which was dated March, confirmed there was indeed leakage on the southern side of the waste facility. Both Goldcorp and Profepa say the leak was controlled before it went beyond the limits of the mine property.
(Reporting by Noe Torres and Frank Jack Daniel; Writing by Christine Murray; Editing by Bill Trott)

Mexico environmental agency defends oversight of Goldcorp mine


Mexico's environmental prosecutor said it had kept regular oversight of the country's largest gold mine, days after a Reuters report on a prolonged leak of contaminated water there prompted activists to accuse the agency of failing its mandate.


Former Republican U.S. presidential candidate and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie waves as he departs after speaking during the second session at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. July 19, 2016. REUTERS/Jim Young
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie on Tuesday vetoed a bill to raise the state's minimum wage to $15 per hour over the next five years.
The legislation would have made New Jersey the third state to adopt a $15 per hour minimum wage, Christie said in a statement.
State voters agreed to a previous wage hike in 2013, to $8.25 from $7.25. New Jersey's rate is tied to the consumer price index and is now at $8.38, according to a database from the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL).
"Despite having a constitutional mandate in place, the legislature now wants to increase the minimum wage by almost 80 percent just three years later," Christie said in a statement about his veto.
Christie, a close ally of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, said the wage bill passed by Democrats, who control both houses of state legislature, failed to consider the ability of businesses to absorb the increased labor costs.
Neighboring New York State, as well as California, became the first states to lift the minimum wage toward $15 earlier this year.
While California's higher rate will be in effect statewide by 2022, New York created a two-speed system, with different timetables for New York City and nearby counties, versus the "upstate" regions where incomes are lower and labor markets less robust.
Some cities are also stepping up to higher wage levels. Washington, D.C.'s minimum wage will reach $15 per hour by July 1, 2020, after it enacted a law this year. The city's current level is $10.50.
Washington and 29 states have set minimum wages above the federal rate of $7.25 an hour, according to the NCSL.
Michele Siekerka, president of the New Jersey Business & Industry Association, praised Christie's veto, saying the increase was "too much too fast."
"Had this bill been signed, it would not only have hurt the New Jersey economy, but it would have hurt the exact workers the proponents of this policy are trying to help," she said in a statement.
Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto, lead sponsor of the bill, said in a statement the wage increase is a key component to Democrats' strategy to combat poverty.
"A substantial minimum wage increase will help lift countless families out of poverty, decrease government dependency and boost commerce by pumping more dollars back into the economy," he said.
(Reporting by Hilary Russ in New York; Editing by Chris Reese)

New Jersey Governor Christie vetoes minimum wage hike to $15/hr


New Jersey Governor Chris Christie on Tuesday vetoed a bill to raise the state's minimum wage to $15 per hour over the next five years.


NEW YORK A consortium of banks holding the majority of U.S. consumer accounts plans to launch its instant, person-to-person payments brand Zelle in the first half of 2017, a spokesman said on Thursday.
The group has posted its logo - which includes a vertical line bisecting the letter "Z" like a backwards dollar sign - on (www.zellepay.com), said Andrew Tilbury, a branding consultant and spokesman hired by the bank consortium, Early Warning Services.
Early Warning operates clearXchange, which earlier this year began connecting banks to allow individuals to send money by email and text message to people with accounts at other banks for their immediate use. In the meantime, the group has been working on its marketing plan.
Zelle is the consortium's response to challenges from Silicon Valley, such as Venmo, a payments app run by PayPal Holdings Inc. Venmo has become popular with young adults making payments to one another for shared expenses, such as rent and lunch tabs.
Banks that are part of clearXchange include Bank of America Corp, Capital One Financial Corp, JPMorgan Chase & Co, U.S. Bancorp and Wells Fargo & Co.
Tilbury said the brand name Zelle was chosen after considering several names. The banks selected it because it "feels more personal than product-like." He said it has an "approachable personality" that "will help financial institutions create and build relationships."
The choice of the name Zelle was first reported on Wednesday by the Wall Street Journal.
(Editing by Matthew Lewis)

U.S. bank group to launch Zelle instant payments brand in 2017


A consortium of banks holding the majority of U.S. consumer accounts plans to launch its instant, person-to-person payments brand Zelle in the first half of 2017, a spokesman said on Thursday.


Signage for an AT&T store is seen in New York October 29, 2014. AT&T Inc has made a bid for Yahoo Inc's internet business, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton/File Photo
WASHINGTON A federal appeals court in California on Monday dismissed a U.S. government lawsuit that accused AT&T Inc (T.N) of deception for reducing internet speeds for customers with unlimited mobile data plans once their use exceeded certain levels.
The company, however, could still face a fine from the Federal Communications Commission regarding the slowdowns, also called "data throttling."
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit said it ordered a lower court to dismiss the data-throttling lawsuit, which was filed in 2014 by the Federal Trade Commission.
The FTC sued AT&T on the grounds that the No. 2 U.S. wireless carrier failed to inform consumers it would slow the speeds of heavy data users on unlimited plans. In some cases, data speeds were slowed by nearly 90 percent, the lawsuit said.
The FTC said the practice was deceptive and, as a result, barred under the Federal Trade Commission Act. AT&T argued that there was an exception for common carriers, and the appeals court agreed.
Asked about the appeals court ruling, a spokesman for AT&T said: "We're pleased with the decision."
An FTC spokesman said the agency has not yet decided whether to appeal. "We are disappointed with the ruling and are considering our options for moving forward," FTC spokesman Jay Mayfield wrote in an emailed comment.
The company, however, could face action from the FCC. In June 2015, the agency proposed a fine of $100 million for AT&T's alleged failure to inform customers with unlimited data plans about the speed reductions. AT&T has contested that proposed fine.
(Editing by Paul Simao and Matthew Lewis)

U.S. appeals court dismisses AT&T data throttling lawsuit


A federal appeals court in California on Monday dismissed a U.S. government lawsuit that accused AT&T Inc (T.N) of deception for reducing internet speeds for customers with unlimited mobile data plans once their use exceeded certain levels.


FILE PHOTO: Sumner Redstone, executive chairman of CBS Corp. and Viacom, arrives at the premiere of 'The Guilt Trip' in Los Angeles December 11, 2012. REUTERS/Fred Prouser/File Photo
CANTON, Mass. The granddaughter of Viacom Inc's controlling shareholder Sumner Redstone has agreed to let a Massachusetts court dismiss claims brought by former company leaders, a step that will help end a battle over the fate of the media empire.
Lawyers for Keryn Redstone said at a Massachusetts court hearing on Friday they have also agreed to mediate remaining parts of her family dispute and that she will have an in-person meeting with her 93-year-old grandfather.
"There will be peace in the Redstone valley" said Keryn Redstone's attorney Pierce O'Donnell, speaking to reporters after the hearing at Norfolk County Probate and Family Court in Canton, Massachusetts.
Keryn Redstone's interest in a family trust is worth $1 billion, he said.
While some terms must still be hammered out, Friday's agreements will help end an ongoing legal saga over whether Redstone was mentally competent when he removed former Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman and board member George Abrams from a trust that will determine the fate of his media empire.
On Saturday, Viacom announced that it had come to an agreement with Redstone, and his privately-held National Amusements Inc, which owns 80 percent of the voting shares of Viacom and CBS Corp [nL1N1B10MX}.
Dauman has stepped down as CEO and will receive as much as $90 million in cash and stock-based compensation, according to the agreement.
But Keryn Redstone, who is Shari Redstone's niece and was replaced as a trustee in 2012, had challenged the validity of the settlement agreement because she believes her grandfather is being manipulated by his daughter Shari.
Under the settlement, the board of Viacom added the five directors that National Amusements put forward in June, bringing the board to 15 directors after Dauman departs. Three of those directors are expected to step down after Viacom's annual meeting next year, a source familiar with the situation told Reuters last week.
Despite that settlement, Keryn Redstone filed a cross-complaint in connection to Dauman's lawsuit. In a filing on Thursday she also questioned if Dauman's side did enough to assure themselves that Redstone had the mental capacity to understand the terms.
Friday's court hearing drew about two dozen lawyers representing the various Redstone family members plus Dauman, Abrams and others. A morning session included heated moments as it became clear that most of the family was looking to end the litigation, while O'Donnell sought to raise questions about Redstone's mental capacity.
Sumner Redstone has not spoken on an investor call since 2014 and has not spoken directly about the settlement since it was announced this month.
Attorney Robert Klieger portrayed Sumner Redstone's health as stable, saying the aging media mogul has had "no recent hospitalizations." There is, Klieger said, "No reason to believe that Mr. Redstone will not still be here with us for the duration of this case on any reasonable schedule."
(Reporting by Ross Kerber; Editing by Nick Zieminski)

Redstone granddaughter agrees to case dismissal, helps broader deal


The granddaughter of Viacom Inc's controlling shareholder Sumner Redstone has agreed to let a Massachusetts court dismiss claims brought by former company leaders, a step that will help end a battle over the fate of the media empire.


Passengers watch a TV screen broadcasting a news report on North Korea's submarine-launched ballistic missile fired from North Korea's east coast port of Sinpo, at a railway station in Seoul, South Korea, August 24, 2016 REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji/File Photo
A view shows the January 18 General Machine Plant in Kaechon, North Korea, in this satellite image taken on August 22, 2016 and provided by Planet Labs, Inc on August 24, 2016. Planet Labs, Inc/Handout via Reuters
A passenger walks past a TV screen broadcasting a news report on North Korea's submarine-launched ballistic missile fired from North Korea's east coast port of Sinpo, at a railway station in Seoul, South Korea, August 24, 2016 REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji/File Photo
SEOUL North Korea has made considerable progress this year on weapons technology, including testing a submarine-launched missile for the first time, but it's still not clear if the isolated nation has developed a nuclear warhead.
It also does not yet have a fleet of submarines that can launch the newly developed missile.
Nevertheless, concerns about the threat posed by North Korea have spiraled since it conducted its fourth nuclear explosion in January and followed it up with a series of missile tests despite severe United Nations sanctions.
Also, three major factories known to produce machine parts for North Korea's sanctioned nuclear and missile programs have been modernized or expanded, according to analysis of recent satellite imagery seen by Reuters, a further sign of its commitment of scarce resources to weapons.
"North Korea has dramatically increased the pace of missile testing and invested heavily in modernizing its factories that produce them, something we can see in satellite images," said Jeffrey Lewis of the California-based Middlebury Institute of International Studies.
"These investments have paid off with the recent test of a solid-fueled submarine-launched missile, but North Korea has not yet completed development of a submarine to carry that missile."
In April, a South Korean official said the North had accomplished miniaturization of a nuclear warhead to mount on a missile, although there was no direct evidence it had done so. The United States has said the North's claim that it had miniaturized a warhead had to be taken as a credible threat.
"I think North Korea is capable of miniaturizing nuclear bombs," said Yang Uk, a senior research fellow at the Korea Defence and Security Forum and a policy adviser to the South Korean navy. "But they don't have any standardized warhead yet to put on missiles. They keep gathering data through nuclear tests and working to standardize a warhead."
Experts have predicted that the delivery vehicle for the North's first nuclear warhead would be the medium-range Rodong missile, which can fire a 1 tonne (1,100 lb) warhead up to 2,000 km (1,250 miles).
Despite threats to strike the mainland United States, the North is seen as several years away from building an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) that can carry a nuclear warhead.
EXPANDED PRODUCTION
In the past year, North Korea has boasted of numerous weapons breakthroughs in unprecedented detail.
Although some of it was bluster, international experts have concluded North Korea's missiles have flown higher and for longer than previously, indicating progress in the country's banned missile program.
In June, after repeated failures, it successfully launched an intermediate-range missile, which can fly up to 3,500 km (2,100 miles).
Analysis of satellite images shows that the North has recently expanded factories known to contribute to its nuclear and missile programs.
An Aug 22 image of a sprawling plant in a rural area 60 km (37 miles) north of Pyongyang appears to show several new structures, extensive refurbishment of existing buildings and a new entrance to a probable underground facility, according to data from satellite imagery provider Planet that was analyzed by Lewis.
The January 18 General Machine Plant has long been used to produce engines for tanks, missiles and other military vessels, according to experts.
"This represents an enormous investment in North Korea's missile production infrastructure, something that is consistent with the propaganda offensive we have seen and the spike in missile testing," said Lewis.
The Kanggye General Tractor Plant, believed by arms control experts to assemble North Koreans munitions, was also upgraded in the last year, according to imagery analyzed by Lewis.
The plant is the country's "main weapons production base," a defector who worked in North Korea's secretive munitions industry told South Korea's Chosun Ilbo newspaper in 2010.
For Pyongyang, however, building a new submarine fleet seems to be a top priority.
A new construction hall has come up at North Korea's Sinpo submarine base on the east coast, according to images collected by Planet.
An image from Aug 10 shows a new structure being built beside a refurbished pier within the base, although it was not clear if the new hall would house a new class of submarine.
Perfecting submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) technology and having a fleet of submarines that could deploy the weapons would raise North Korea's threat to Japan and U.S. interests in the Pacific to a new level, given the ability of submarines to escape a land attack and evade missile defense shields.
Leader Kim Jong Un proclaimed the SLBM test the country's "greatest success" and said North Korea was at the "front-rank of nuclear powers".
Moon Keun-sik, a retired South Korean submarine captain and squadron leader, said North Korea's conventional diesel-powered submarines were a persistent threat despite their age but its SLBM-capable craft could be a game-changer.
"North Korea will be or is already in the process of building a newer, bigger submarine that may happen as early as next year," he said.
(Additional reporting by Yun Hwan Chae in SEOUL and Tim Kelly in TOKYO; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan)

North Korea makes progress on missiles, but no evidence of nuclear weapons yet


A former Virginia politician who was jailed over a sex scandal involving a teenage girl leads a crowded field running for mayor of the state's capital city, a poll showed on Tuesday.
Joe Morrissey, 58, holds a commanding lead in the Richmond mayor's race with 28 percent of the vote city-wide, according to the Christopher Newport University poll. The poll showed him about 12 points ahead of the nearest of his seven competitors.
Morrissey pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor in December 2014 for his relationship with a receptionist who began working in his office when she was 17. He is now married to the woman and they have two children.
Morrissey, who was first elected to the Virginia House of Delegates in 2007, was sentenced to six months in jail and resigned from office. He switched from Democrat to run as an independent in the special election to fill his seat.
During a three-month stay in an area jail, Morrissey commuted to the state legislature on work release and also ran his re-election campaign.
Morrissey stunned political pundits when he won in January 2015 while serving his jail sentence. He gave up his most recent bid to serve in the state Senate last September, citing health problems.
The poll was based on 600 live interviews with registered voters Aug. 18 through- 24 and has a margin of error of 4.9 percentage points.
Morrissey also had his license to practice law revoked by the Virginia State Bar Disciplinary Board in 2003.
(Reporting by Curtis Skinner in San Francisco; Editing by Dan Grebler)

Poll shows Virginia lawmaker jailed in sex scandal leading mayor's race


A former Virginia politician who was jailed over a sex scandal involving a teenage girl leads a crowded field running for mayor of the state's capital city, a poll showed on Tuesday.


Swiss drugmaker Roche's logo is seen at their headquarters in Basel, Switzerland January 28, 2016. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann
ZURICH Swiss drugmaker Roche (ROG.S) said on Monday the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for its test for the Zika virus.
"The LightMix Zika test is an easy-to-use molecular diagnostic test that enables healthcare professionals to quickly detect the virus," said Uwe Oberlaender, the head of molecular diagnostics at Basel-based Roche.
The virus has been associated with microcephaly, a birth defect characterized by an unusually small head and potential developmental problems.
(Reporting by Joshua Franklin; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)

Roche says U.S. FDA issues Emergency Use Authorization for Zika test


Swiss drugmaker Roche (ROG.S) said on Monday the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for its test for the Zika virus.


Firefighters and rescuers work following an earthquake in Amatrice, central Italy August 27, 2016. REUTERS/Ciro De Luca
Firefighters and rescuers work following an earthquake in Amatrice, central Italy August 27, 2016. REUTERS/Ciro De Luca
Firefighters and rescuers work following an earthquake in Amatrice, central Italy August 27, 2016. REUTERS/Ciro De Luca
Italian President Sergio Mattarella (C) is seen with Amatrice mayor Sergio Pirozzi (L) during his visit to Amatrice after the earthquake in central Italy August 27, 2016. REUTERS/Ciro De Luca
A firefighter stands in front of Sant'Agostino church following an earthquake in Amatrice, central Italy August 27, 2016. REUTERS/Ciro De Luca
Coffins of some of the victims of the earthquake in central Italy are seen inside a gym before the funeral in Ascoli Piceno August 27, 2016. REUTERS/Adamo Di Loreto
Mourners pay their respects as they attend a funeral for the earthquake victims inside a gym in Ascoli Piceno August 27, 2016. REUTERS/Adamo Di Loreto
A picture of San Francesco church hangs on the wall of a damaged house following an earthquake in Amatrice, central Italy August 27, 2016. REUTERS/Ciro De Luca
Mourners pay their respects as they attend a funeral for the earthquake victims inside a gym in Ascoli Piceno August 27, 2016. REUTERS/Adamo Di Loreto
A woman sits next to a coffin to pay her respects as she attends a funeral for the earthquake victims inside a gym in Ascoli Piceno August 27, 2016. REUTERS/Adamo Di Loreto
A friar pays his respects as he attends a funeral for the earthquake victims inside a gym in Ascoli Piceno August 27, 2016. REUTERS/Adamo Di Loreto
ASCOLI PICENO, Italy The number of people killed in an earthquake that has wrecked parts of central Italy rose to 284 on Saturday, as the country started a day of mourning and prepared for a mass funeral for some of the victims.
A further two bodies were found overnight in the worst-hit town, Amatrice, which was flattened by Wednesday's powerful quake causing the deaths of at least 224 residents and tourists.
Although rescuers continued to scour the mounds of rubble -- all that remains of most buildings -- there was little hope of finding survivors.
Italian President Sergio Mattarella flew to Amatrice by helicopter on Saturday to see the damage first hand before traveling on later in the morning to the nearby city of Ascoli Piceno for the funeral of up to 40 of the victims.
Mourners gathered at a sports center in the city, where 35 coffins were lined up by early Saturday.
"Even if I didn't know them my heart broke for them. My thoughts are with them because there are people who have lost everything, homes, loved ones and the sacrifices made in life," said local resident, Luciana Cavicchiuni.
"These things should not happen," she said.
Aftershocks continued to rattle the area overnight, the strongest measuring 4.2. The Italian geological institute said some 1,332 aftershocks have hit Italy's central mountains since Wednesday's predawn 6.2 magnitude quake.
(Additional reporting by Iona Serrapica; Writing by Crispian Balmer; Editing by Susan Fenton)

Italy quake death toll hits 284 on day of mass funeral


The number of people killed in an earthquake that has wrecked parts of central Italy rose to 284 on Saturday, as the country started a day of mourning and prepared for a mass funeral for some of the victims.


U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) speaks before Republican nominee Donald Trump arrives at 'Joni's Roast and Ride' in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S., August 27, 2016. REUTERS/Carlo AllegriU.
WASHINGTON U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley opened the door to holding a hearing on President Obama's Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland if a majority of senators wish to do so after the Nov. 8 election, in comments posted online Tuesday.
Grassley, an Iowa Republican, vowed months ago that the Senate Judiciary Committee he chairs would not act this year to consider Garland's nomination, saying the Republican-majority Senate should not act on a Court nominee until after the new president takes office early next year.
But in a town hall meeting Monday in Cherokee, Iowa, Grassley indicated he could be persuaded by a large number of senators to take action in a "lame duck" session between the Nov. 8 election and the inauguration of the new president in January.
"If we have the election, and there was a majority of the Senate changed their mind about doing it in the lame duck, as opposed to January 20, I don't feel that I could stand in the way of that. But I don't think I can promote that idea," he said in a video of his remarks posted online by the American Bridge 21st Century website, which says it is committed to "holding Republicans accountable."
Grassley made a similar point at the Sioux City Iowa Rotary Club, Iowa's Globe Gazette reported.
Garland, a federal appeals court judge, was nominated by Obama, a Democrat, on March 16 to fill the Supreme Court vacancy created by the Feb. 13 death of conservative Justice Antonin Scalia.
Republicans insist that the next president should fill the vacancy, hoping a Republican will win the White House and choose a conservative rather than the centrist Garland. But such an outcome is not assured, with Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton currently leading Republican candidate Donald Trump in public opinion polls.
A spokeswoman for Grassley, Beth Levine, denied he was shifting his position. She said that in Sioux City Grassley reiterated his stance "that a Supreme Court nominee wouldn’t be considered until after the next president is sworn in so the American people have an opportunity to weigh in on this important issue."
Senate Republican leaders have vowed not to hold confirmation hearings or an up-or-down vote on any Supreme Court nominee put forward by Obama. "The Leader has been clear: the next president will make this nomination," Don Stewart, spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, said in an email Tuesday.
(Reporting by Susan Cornwell; Editing by Julia Edwards and Andrew Hay)

Senator Grassley could be persuaded to hold hearing on Garland


U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley opened the door to holding a hearing on President Obama's Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland if a majority of senators wish to do so after the Nov. 8 election, in comments posted online Tuesday.


U.S. President Barack Obama takes his jacket off as he walks on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, U.S. after visiting the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, August 26, 2016. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas
Laos' Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith (L) and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi hold a news conference after a meeting at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, China, August 3, 2016. REUTERS/Rolex Dela Pena/Pool/File Photo
VIENTIANE The secretive communist government of Laos, a country with a population of less than 7 million, rarely causes a ripple on the diplomatic circuit. And yet its sleepy capital will spring to life next week when global leaders arrive for an Asian summit.
Barack Obama will be among them, making the last push of his presidency to 'rebalance' Washington's foreign policy toward Asia, a strategy widely seen as a response to China's economic and military muscle-flexing across the region.
The might of Laos' giant neighbor to the north is hard to miss in Vientiane: wealthy Chinese driving SUVs overtake tuk-tuks sputtering along the roads and Chinese-backed hotels sprout from noisy construction sites in one of Asia's most low-rise cities.
But diplomats say Obama could be pushing on an open door in Laos, thanks to a change of government there in April.
They say the country's new leaders appear ready to tilt away from Beijing and lean more closely toward another neighbor, Vietnam, whose dispute with China over the South China Sea has pushed it into a deepening alliance with the United States.
"The new government is more influenced by the Vietnamese than the Chinese," said a Western diplomat in Southeast Asia." "It's never too late for a U.S. president to visit."
Obama will become the first sitting U.S. president to visit landlocked Laos, where the United States waged a "secret war" while fighting in Vietnam, dropping an estimated two million tonnes of bombs on the country. About 30 percent of the ordnance failed to explode, leaving a dangerous and costly legacy.
Laos has strategic importance to both Vietnam and China. Vietnam has a long land border with Laos that gives it access to markets in Thailand and beyond. For China, Laos is a key gateway to Southeast Asia in its "new Silk Road" trade strategy.
Laos, which is developing a series of hydro power plants along one of the world's longest rivers, the Mekong, aims to become "the battery of Asia" by selling power to its neighbors.
SHIFTING POLICY
It is difficult to read policy in Laos because its leaders are so uncommunicative, but Western diplomats have detected some shifts.
First, deputy Prime Minister Somsavat Lengsavad - who ran the steering panel for a $7 billion Chinese rail project - retired. The project is now believed to be on hold because Laos is unhappy with the terms of the deal.
Officials of Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith's new government, many of them educated in Vietnam, have visited Hanoi en masse in recent weeks, their first foreign trip.
At two of the past meetings of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which is currently chaired by Laos, Vientiane has taken a more nuanced stance on Beijing than neighboring Cambodia, which is increasingly seen as a Chinese satellite.
"The U.S. strategic interest in Laos is to see the country be able to exert a certain degree of strategic autonomy because you don't want ... (to) have something akin to the relationship between China and Cambodia," said Phuong Nguyen of the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies think-tank.
A defense official in Washington did not comment on wider strategic issues but described Laos as "an important partner."
A China foreign ministry spokesman said "we welcome any country, including those inside and outside this region, developing constructive relations, as long as these ties are really beneficial to regional peace, stability and prosperity."
LONG-TERM BATTLE
Beijing has invested around $1 billion annually in Laos in 2014 and 2015, a step up from the $4.5 billion invested historically before 2014, according to figures from China's Ministry of Commerce and state-run media.
For the United States, impoverished Laos is not a strong investment draw.
"In Laos, we bring 7-8 companies to the table compared with 30-40 companies that Vietnam brings. But China- that's a totally different ball game," said Anthony Nelson, director of the U.S.-ASEAN business council.
"So there's no coincidence that the countries with the lowest levels of development, Laos and Cambodia, are the most willing to advocate for China's position in international discussions."
But the Lao are closer culturally to Vietnam than they are to China. Their businesses use Lao language signs and mixed Lao-Vietnamese families incorporate local customs, while Lao-Chinese families tend to be isolated.
"We are a bit frustrated with (China). They create their own eco-system," a Lao businessman said.
(Additional reporting by Arshad Mohammed, Idrees Ali, Michael Martina and Ben Blanchard.; Editing by John Chalmers and Bill Tarrant)

As Obama heads to Laos, signs of a tilt away from China


The secretive communist government of Laos, a country with a population of less than 7 million, rarely causes a ripple on the diplomatic circuit. And yet its sleepy capital will spring to life next week when global leaders arrive for an Asian summit.


CHICAGO The type of avian flu that led to the deaths of about 50 million U.S. chickens and turkeys last year has been found in the country for the first time in 14 months, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Friday.
The USDA said it detected the H5N2 strain of the disease in a wild duck in Alaska as part of surveillance testing it has been conducting on birds since last year's devastating outbreak. That strain has not been found in any wild birds or poultry since June 2015, according to the agency.
Following the discovery, the agency recommended that all farmers and companies involved in poultry production review their protocols for cleaning and security to assure the health of their birds.
Wild birds can carry the virus without showing symptoms of it and transmit it to poultry through their feathers or feces.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention consider the risk of infection to the general public to be low, the USDA said.
Last year's outbreak cost poultry exporters millions of dollars in lost business as trading partners limited deals from states and counties with infected flocks. Some countries, such as China, halted all imports of U.S. poultry.
The 2015 outbreak also sent U.S. egg prices to record highs and tightened supplies of turkey meat.
(Reporting by Tom Polansek; Editing by G Crosse and Frances Kerry)

Devastating bird flu strain found in U.S. wild duck - USDA


The type of avian flu that led to the deaths of about 50 million U.S. chickens and turkeys last year has been found in the country for the first time in 14 months, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Friday.


San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick stands on the field before their NFL pre-season football game against the Denver Broncos in San Francisco, California, U.S. August 8, 2013. REUTERS/Stephen Lam/File Photo
National League quarterback Colin Kaepernick of San Francisco 49ers refused to stand for the national anthem before a preseason game on Friday, drawing boos from some fans and criticism on social media, but his team said it backed his right to protest.
Kaepernick, a former starter who led San Francisco to the 2013 Super Bowl but has since been demoted to backup, said he sat on the bench during the playing of "The Star-Spangled Banner" to make a statement about racial injustice in the United States.
"I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color," Kaepernick later told NFL Media in an article posted on Saturday. "To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way."
Kaepernick appeared to be referring to police use of deadly force, which has come under increased criticism in recent years as incidents have been captured on cellphone video.
He said he was prepared for rejection by the public and did not warn anyone of his plans.
"If they take football away, my endorsements from me, I know that I stood up for what is right," Kaepernick said.
When Kaepernick came into the game at the team's home stadium in Santa Clara, California, fans greeted him with boos and cheers.
The team, which has unsuccessfully tried to trade Kaepernick to another team since his demotion, issued a statement of support after the game.
"The national anthem is and always will be a special part of the pre-game ceremony," the team said. "In respecting such American principles as freedom of religion and freedom of expression, we recognize the right of an individual to choose and participate, or not, in our celebration of the national anthem."
Social media was less forgiving. While some Twitter users supported his right to free speech, the feed of sports website Busted Coverage, which has 70,000 followers, called him "an idiot."
"Colin Kaepernick can get the hell out of our country. No respect for this guy," said Tyler Nelson, who calls himself a Carolina Panthers fan with 134 followers.
Athletes have long used their fame to make political statements, as typified by the Olympic sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos holding up their fists in a black power salute during a medals ceremony in 1968.
Two seasons ago, players on the NFL's St. Louis Rams entered the stadium for a home game with their hands raised, a reference to the "Hands Up, Don't Shoot" slogan adopted by protesters in demonstrations against the shooting of an unarmed black teenager in Ferguson, Missouri.
(Reporting by Daniel Trotta; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)

NFL's 49ers support quarterback after he refused to stand for anthem


National League quarterback Colin Kaepernick of San Francisco 49ers refused to stand for the national anthem before a preseason game on Friday, drawing boos from some fans and criticism on social media, but his team said it backed his right to protest.


A billboard advertisement for Israeli app Blindspot, which allows people to send text messages anonymously, is seen in Tel Aviv January 25, 2016. REUTERS/Baz Ratner
JERUSALEM Israeli technology company Shellanoo is planning to raise at least 100 million shekels ($26.5 million) in an initial public offering (IPO) on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange in late September or October, it said on Sunday.
Shellanoo, founded in 2014 and whose backers include Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich and popstars will.i.am and Nicki Minaj, focuses on mobile applications, online services and interactive artificial intelligence.
The company said it has been valued at $177 million by consulting firm BDO.
By staying local, Shellanoo is bucking a trend of Israeli technology companies choosing to list on foreign markets such as Nasdaq.
Company spokesman David Strauss said that Shellanoo hopes its plans will encourage more technology businesses to stay in Tel Aviv.
Among Shellanoo's investments, its website lists about two dozen mobile apps and digital platforms, some available and some in development.
One of those programs is anonymous messaging app Blindspot, which has come under fire from some parents and politicians who say it is being used as a weapon for cyber-bullying.
The IPO is being underwritten by Israeli investment bank Poalim IBI (PIU.TA).
(Reporting by Ari Rabinovitch; Editing by David Goodman)

Israeli tech group Shellanoo plans Tel Aviv IPO


Israeli technology company Shellanoo is planning to raise at least 100 million shekels ($26.5 million) in an initial public offering (IPO) on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange in late September or October, it said on Sunday.


Tropical Storm Lester has developed an eye and is now a hurricane as it moved west in the Pacific Ocean away from the mainland of Mexico, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in an advisory on Friday.
The system, with maximum sustained winds of 75 miles per hour (120 km per hour), is about 550 miles (885 km) southwest of the southern tip of Baja California, the Miami-based weather forecaster said.
There were no coastal watches or warnings in effect as the storm headed west at 9 miles per hour (15 km per hour), the NHC said.
(Reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee; Editing by Stephen Coates)

Pacific Tropical Storm Lester now a hurricane: NHC


Tropical Storm Lester has developed an eye and is now a hurricane as it moved west in the Pacific Ocean away from the mainland of Mexico, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in an advisory on Friday.


OSLO A freak lightning storm has killed 323 reindeer in a remote mountainous area of Norway, officials said on Monday.
Dead animals were found lying on top of each other, many with their antlers entangled, after the thunderstorm on the Hardanger plateau in southern Norway on Friday.
"We've never had anything like this with lightning," Kjartan Knutsen of Norway's nature surveillance agency said, adding there were sometimes isolated cases of sheep or reindeer struck down.
Reindeer tend to group together when in danger. It was unclear whether the herd had been killed by a single lightning bolt or several.
Hardanger was extremely wet on Friday, helping conduct lightning.
"The high moisture in both the ground and the air was probably an explanation for why so many animals died," Olav Strand, a senior researcher at the Norwegian Institue for Nature Research, wrote in a statement.
Experts flew in by helicopter to take samples of the dead reindeer, amid a rising stench of decay, as part of a project to monitor elk and deer for diseases. Five of the 323 animals were found alive but badly injured and were shot by wildlife officials.
It was unclear what would happen to the bodies. One option is to leave them to decay.
"It's part of the natural ecology, this is far from where people live," Knutsen said. Hardanger has about 12,000 reindeer and hunters are allowed to shoot 2,000 a year for their meat.
(Reporting by Alister Doyle; editing by Andrew Roche)

Freak lightning storm kills 323 reindeer in Norway


A freak lightning storm has killed 323 reindeer in a remote mountainous area of Norway, officials said on Monday.


A civilian breathes through an oxygen mask at al-Quds hospital, after a hospital and a civil defence group said a gas, what they believed to be chlorine, was dropped alongside barrel bombs on a neighbourhood of the Syrian city of Aleppo, Syria, early August 11, 2016. REUTERS/Abdalrhman Ismail
UNITED NATIONS The U.N. Security Council began talks on Tuesday on whether to impose sanctions on people or entities linked to two chlorine gas attacks on civilians that the United Nations and the global chemical weapons watchdog blamed on the Syrian government.
A year-long U.N. and Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) inquiry, unanimously authorized by the 15-member Security Council, also found that Islamic State militants used sulfur mustard gas.
"It is incumbent on the council to act swiftly to show that when we put that Joint Investigative Mechanism in place we were serious about there being meaningful accountability," U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power said on Tuesday.
"I can't specify or get ahead of where the council's going to be," she said on her way in to the closed-door meeting.
The report's results set the stage for a Security Council showdown between the five veto-wielding powers, likely pitting Russia and China against the United States, Britain and France over how to respond to the report.
"The sorts of things we will be looking at are the imposition of a sanctions regime and some form of accountability within international legal mechanisms," said British U.N. Ambassador Matthew Rycroft.
Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said he is prepared to work with the United States on a response, but that first the council members must exchange analysis on Tuesday of the report, which he has described as very complicated.
Syria agreed to destroy its chemical weapons in 2013 under a deal brokered by Moscow and Washington. The Security Council backed that deal with a resolution that said in the event of non-compliance, "including unauthorized transfer of chemical weapons, or any use of chemical weapons by anyone" in Syria, it would impose measures under Chapter 7 of the U.N. Charter.
Chapter 7 deals with sanctions and authorization of military force by the Security Council. The body would need to adopt another resolution to impose targeted sanctions - a travel ban and asset freeze - on people or entities linked to the attacks.
"We need a resolution and we need a resolution with teeth," said French U.N. Ambassador Francois Delattre on Tuesday.
However, Russia, a close Syrian ally, and China have previously protected the Syrian government from council action by blocking several resolutions, including a bid to refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court.
(Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by James Dalgleish)

Talks start at U.N. on possible Syria sanctions over gas attacks


The U.N. Security Council began talks on Tuesday on whether to impose sanctions on people or entities linked to two chlorine gas attacks on civilians that the United Nations and the global chemical weapons watchdog blamed on the Syrian government.


Cardinal Secretary of State of the Holy See Pietro Parolin gestures as he speaks during a news conference in Riga, Latvia, May 12, 2016. REUTERS/Ints Kalnins
Pope Francis waves as he leads the Angelus prayer in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican August 14, 2016. REUTERS/Max Rossi
VATICAN CITY The Vatican is hopeful it can improve ties with China after decades of tension, the Roman Catholic Church's highest-ranking diplomat said on Saturday, adding that warmer relations would benefit the whole world.
Beijing severed links with the Vatican in 1951 shortly after the Communist Party took power and launched a crackdown on organized religion, with China's new rulers setting up their own church and appointing bishops without the pope's backing.
After decades of mistrust, Pope Francis is pushing to improve relations and his secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, sounded upbeat about the chances of success.
"There is much hope and expectation that there will be new developments and a new season in relations between the Holy Sea and China," he said in a speech in the northern Italian city of Pordenone, which was released to reporters in the Vatican.
"(This) will benefit not just Catholics in the land of Confucius, but the whole country, which boasts one of the greatest civilisations on the planet," he said.
"Dare I say, it would also be of benefit to an ordered, peaceful and fruitful cohabitation of peoples of all nations in a world, such as ours, which is lacerated by so many tensions and so many conflicts."
For the Vatican, a thaw in relations with China would offer the prospect of easing the plight of Christians on the mainland, who have often been persecuted by the authorities.
For China, good relations could burnish its international image and soften criticism of its human rights record.
The Vatican is the only Western state that does not have diplomatic ties with Beijing, maintaining instead formal relations with the Republic of China, Taiwan, which Beijing views as a renegade province.
Parolin made clear the Vatican wanted formal ties. "The new and hoped-for good relations with China, including diplomatic relations, God willing, are not an end in themselves," he said, reiterating that they would be good for world peace.
A Reuters investigation this year suggested the Vatican and China were working on a deal that would fall short of full diplomatic ties but would address key issues at the heart of the divide between the two sides.
"One has to be realistic and accept that there are a number of problems that need resolving between the Holy See and China and that often, because of their complexity, they can generate different points of view," Parolin said.
(Reporting by Crispian Balmer; editing by Andrew Roche)

Vatican says it has high hopes of better ties with China


The Vatican is hopeful it can improve ties with China after decades of tension, the Roman Catholic Church's highest-ranking diplomat said on Saturday, adding that warmer relations would benefit the whole world.


Las Vegas Strip casinos are seen from the 550 foot-tall (167.6 m) High Roller observation wheel, the tallest in the world, in Las Vegas, Nevada April 9, 2014. REUTERS/Las Vegas Sun/Steve Marcus
CHICAGO Caesars Entertainment Corp (CZR.O) must face lawsuits from bondholders seeking some $11 billion in claims, a U.S. judge ruled on Friday in a decision the casino company had warned could plunge it into bankruptcy alongside its operating unit.
Shares of the Nevada-based gaming company fell 12 percent after-hours.
Caesars Entertainment Operating Co (CEOC), which filed for Chapter 11 protection in January 2015, was asking for a third court shield from lawsuits against its parent to protect a multibillion-dollar contribution to its reorganization plan.
The high-stakes CEOC bankruptcy has been plagued by a complex web of litigation pitting some of the most aggressive investors on Wall Street against each other.
A current injunction expires on Aug. 29, a day before Caesars faces a potential ruling in New York on lawsuits from bondholders alleging it reneged on guarantees from bonds issued by CEOC prior to the unit's $18 billion bankruptcy.
CEOC had argued that another halt to a decision on those lawsuits was critical to securing a settlement with holdout creditors before its reorganization plan heads to a confirmation trial in January.
"I can't find that an injunction is likely to enhance the prospects for negotiation," U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Benjamin Goldgar in Chicago said in his courtroom ruling.
Bitter creditors accuse Caesars and its private equity sponsors Apollo Global Management LLC (APO.N) and TPG Capital Management LP [TPG.UL] of stripping the unit of choice assets such as the LINQ Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas and leaving it bankrupt.
Caesars, Apollo and TPG have denied any wrongdoing, though a court-appointed examiner found they could be on the hook for up to $5.1 billion in claims.
To settle the allegations Caesars has offered to pitch about $4 billion into CEOC's reorganization in exchange for releases from the claims. Goldgar asked on Friday why Apollo and TPG were not also contributing, saying the injunctions to date had provided them "a comfortable free ride" on CEOC's "coattails".
Both Caesars and CEOC said they were disappointed by the decision. The court's refusal to extend the shield puts Caesars' "substantial contribution" to CEOC's reorganization plan "at serious risk," a Caesars spokesman said in an email.
CEOC lawyers said they planned to appeal the ruling.
"It would be hard to reverse Goldgar without dramatically expanding the availability of third-party releases, something that would be out of step with the standards in other circuits," said Douglas Baird, a professor at the University of Chicago Law School.
(Editing by Meredith Mazzilli and Matthew Lewis)

Caesars must face $11 billion in lawsuits: U.S. judge


Caesars Entertainment Corp (CZR.O) must face lawsuits from bondholders seeking some $11 billion in claims, a U.S. judge ruled on Friday in a decision the casino company had warned could plunge it into bankruptcy alongside its operating unit.


The ticker and trading information for St. Jude Medical is displayed where the stock is traded on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., April 28, 2016. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid
Medical device manufacturer St. Jude Medical Inc (STJ.N) said on Friday that a report by short-selling firm Muddy Waters and a cyber-security researcher alleging its heart devices were riddled with bugs was "false and misleading."
The report, which caused St Jude shares to decline after its release on Thursday, alleged there were significant security bugs in the company's Merlin@home device for monitoring implanted heart devices.
St. Jude initially responded on Thursday with a terse statement from its chief technology officer, Phil Ebeling, who said "the allegations are absolutely untrue." But he did not provide specific examples of errors.
St. Jude on Friday issued a longer analysis, saying the majority of the observations in the report applied to older versions of its Merlin@home devices, which had not been patched with security upgrades that the company automatically pushes out to customers.
"We want to reassure our patients that our systems meet the highest international security requirements, as required by regulatory authorities and international standards organizations," St Jude said.
Muddy Waters founder Carson Block and MedSec executives could not be reached for comment, but Block told CNBC cable television network: "If the deal were to break, I think that we could be $55 or lower," implying a drop of more than 27 percent from St. Jude's current share price.
A spokeswoman for Muddy Waters said he had no immediate response to St Jude's claim that the testing was done on older versions of its devices with unpatched software.
He said his only comment was that "We continue to stand by the report and are pleased the company has actually decided to respond to the allegations."
St Jude shares were little changed at $77.80 after the company released its statement following a halt in trading. Earlier they had traded as low as $75.34 in heavy trade.
Block said on Thursday he decided to short the stock after MedSec approached Muddy Waters about three months ago with results of research it had conducted into its medical device security.
The two struck a deal under which Block agreed to hire the cyber security firm as a consultant, pay it a licensing fee for the research and a percentage of any profits from the investment, Block said.
In its rebuttal on Friday, St Jude said the researchers used a "flawed test methodology on outdated software," demonstrating "lack of understanding of medical device technology."
(Reporting by Jim Finkle in Toronto; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe and James Dalgleish)

St. Jude says report by short sellers 'false and misleading'


Medical device manufacturer St. Jude Medical Inc (STJ.N) said on Friday that a report by short-selling firm Muddy Waters and a cyber-security researcher alleging its heart devices were riddled with bugs was "false and misleading."


Los Angeles airport police said on Twitter late on Sunday they were investigating unconfirmed reports of shots being fired at Los Angeles International airport, with officials closing the arrival and departures areas of the central terminal.
The police said in a second tweet they were searching the airport and that all precautions were being taken to ensure the public's safety. "Remain calm," the post on Twitter said.
The airport said on Twitter that the departure and arrival levels of the Central Terminal Area were closed and advised passengers to contact airlines to check the status of any flights.
It also said that no confirmation of any shooting could be verified yet.
Los Angeles airport police could not be reached immediately for comment.
(Reporting by Chris Michaud; Editing by Paul Tait)

Police investigating unconfirmed reports of shots fired at Los Angeles airport


Los Angeles airport police said on Twitter late on Sunday they were investigating unconfirmed reports of shots being fired at Los Angeles International airport, with officials closing the arrival and departures areas of the central terminal.


An illustration picture shows the logo of car-sharing service app Uber on a smartphone next to the picture of an official German taxi sign September 15, 2014. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach/Illustration/File Photo
NEW YORK A federal judge on Friday granted a request by Uber Technologies Inc and its chief executive officer to put a passenger's price-fixing lawsuit against them on hold, while they appeal his refusal to let them arbitrate the dispute.
Calling his decision a "close call," U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff in Manhattan said the defendants had not made a "strong showing" that their appeal would likely succeed, though they would face irreparable harm if arbitration were wrongfully denied.
But he said the appeals court could clarify whether Spencer Meyer, the Connecticut plaintiff, and others like him consent to arbitration when they buy services subject to conditions in "clickwrap" and "browsewrap" agreements found online.
In his proposed nationwide class-action lawsuit, Meyer said Uber and CEO Travis Kalanick violated antitrust laws by conspiring with drivers to charge high "surge-pricing" fares during periods of heavy demand. Uber takes a share of drivers' earnings.
On July 29, Rakoff denied Uber's request for arbitration, saying Meyer never agreed to it and the San Francisco-based company did not properly notify him about its policies.
Meyer opposed delaying his case while Uber appealed that ruling.
"We look forward to defending Judge Rakoff's decision and having this matter returned to the district court," Brian Feldman, a lawyer for Meyer, said in an email.
Uber and its lawyers did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The company faces several lawsuits over its pricing and its treatment of drivers, and often tries to keep such disputes away from courthouses.
On Aug. 18, a federal judge in San Francisco voided Uber's $100 million settlement with drivers who claimed they were employees rather than independent contractors, and entitled to recoup costs such as gas and vehicle maintenance. The judge said that accord was not fair, reasonable or adequate.
The case is Meyer et al v. Kalanick et al, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 15-09796.
(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn)

Uber wins halt to N.Y. price-fixing lawsuit during appeal


A federal judge on Friday granted a request by Uber Technologies Inc and its chief executive officer to put a passenger's price-fixing lawsuit against them on hold, while they appeal his refusal to let them arbitrate the dispute.


German Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel arrives for a television interview in front of the Reichstag building in Berlin, Germany, August 7, 2016. REUTERS/Hannibal Hanschke
Protesters wear masks of U.S. President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel as they demonstrate against Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) free trade agreement before the opening ceremony of the Hannover Messe in Hanover, Germany April 24, 2016. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach
Protesters depicting Statue of Liberty (L) and Europa on the bull take part in a demonstration against Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) free trade agreement ahead of U.S. President Barack Obama's visit in Hannover, Germany April 23, 2016. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach
BERLIN Germany's Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel said on Sunday that talks on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), a free trade deal being negotiated by the United States and the European Union, had essentially failed.
"The negotiations with the USA have de facto failed because we Europeans did not want to subject ourselves to American demands," he said, according to a written transcript from German broadcaster ZDF of an interview due to be broadcast on Sunday.
"Things are not moving on that front," said Gabriel, who is also Germany's vice chancellor.
The U.S. and the EU have been negotiating the TTIP for three years and both sides had sought to conclude talks in 2016 but they have differences over various issues, including agriculture.
(Reporting by Michelle Martin; Editing by Louise Ireland)

Germany's economy minister: U.S.-EU free trade talks have failed


Germany's Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel said on Sunday that talks on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), a free trade deal being negotiated by the United States and the European Union, had essentially failed.


BRIEF-Radient Technologies announces Q1 results
* Conducting a non-brokered private placement of up to 70 million units of corporation at a price of $0.10 per unit Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage:

BRIEF-Fred's Inc to appoint Michael Bloom as CEO


BRIEF-iSIGN Media announces delay in annual statements
* Isign media announces delay in the release of its annual financial statements Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage:

BRIEF-Blumetric announces Q3 fiscal 2016 results


Beyonce performs a medley of songs during the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards in Inglewood, California August 24, 2014. REUTERS/Kevork Djansezian
NEW YORK The divas of pop and R&B look set to steal the show at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs)on Sunday, with Beyonce leading all nominations for her testament to female empowerment "Lemonade," and excitement building over performances by Rihanna and Britney Spears.
But don't count out Kanye West, the rapper with a talent for the unpredictable, who is a contender for the coveted video of the year award and who will be seated in the front row just a short leap from the VMA stage.
VMA organizers won't say whether Beyonce, West, or sultry eight-time nominated British singer Adele will sing during Sunday's live show from New York's Madison Square Garden.
That's because the annual VMAs thrive on surprises and controversy.
"The culture around the show is that every artist has the latitude to express themselves in whichever way they want to, and we sort of light that candle and hold on for dear life," said VMA executive producer Garrett English.
"There is a volatility to it, a massive creative expectation and a lot of one-upmanship that happens, and from that a lot of spontaneity happens and we are good with that," he added.
Beyonce dominates the VMA nominations, with a career-best 11 nods for videos from her visual album "Lemonade" and its bold songs about betrayal, revenge and race.
The R&B singer's politically-charged "Formation" will compete for video of the year prize with Adele's 2015 comeback single "Hello," Canadian rapper Drake's "Hotline Bling," Justin Bieber's "Sorry" and West's sleeping nude celebrity look-alikes in "Famous."
The winners are voted on by fans.
Confirmed performers include Nicki Minaj, who will join Ariana Grande for Grande's new song, "Side to Side," Nick Jonas who will sing "Bacon" with Ty Dolla $ign, and the Chainsmokers with Halsey on their summer hit "Closer."
Spears, 34, will return to the VMA stage for the first time since her humiliating 2007 showing with "Gimme More" when her personal and professional life was falling apart.
This time, with a newly-released album already a hit, Spears is one of the most-talked about celebrities ahead of Sunday's show.
Rihanna will open the show and is expected to perform a career retrospective marking her lifetime achievement award in the form of the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard prize.
One of pop music's biggest names isn't expected to attend. Taylor Swift, who has dominated music award shows for the past decade, didn't get a single VMA nomination this time.
(Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Andrew Bolton)

Divas, disruptors set to dominate MTV Video Music Awards


The divas of pop and R&B look set to steal the show at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs)on Sunday, with Beyonce leading all nominations for her testament to female empowerment "Lemonade," and excitement building over performances by Rihanna and Britney Spears.


A hand-made sign referencing consent in relation to sexual assault lays on the ground at the Stanford University commencement ceremony in Palo Alto, California, U.S. June 12, 2016. REUTERS/Elijah Nouvelage
LOS ANGELES California lawmakers, responding to outrage over the six-month jail term given to a former Stanford University swimmer after his conviction for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman, passed legislation on Monday closing a loophole that allowed the sentence.
The bill now goes to Democratic Governor Jerry Brown for his approval. He has not indicated whether he will sign it into law.
The measure was introduced in response to the sentence given to 20-year-old Brock Turner by Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Aaron Persky in June, which was widely condemned as too lenient.
Prosecutors had asked that Turner be given six years in state prison. He is scheduled to be released on Friday from jail in Northern California.
"Sexually assaulting an unconscious or intoxicated victim is a terrible crime and our laws need to reflect that," Democratic Assemblyman Bill Dodd, a co-author of the legislation, said in a written statement following its passage.
Turner was convicted of assault with intent to commit rape, penetration of an intoxicated person and penetration of an unconscious person in the January 2015 attack. Under California law, those charges are not considered rape because they did not involve penile penetration.
The uproar over the sentence, fueled in part by the victim's harrowing letter in which she detailed the assault in graphic terms, comes amid growing outrage over sexual assault on U.S. college campuses.
“This bill is about more than sentencing, it’s about supporting victims and changing the culture on our college campuses to help prevent future crimes," Dodd said.
The case has also led to efforts to remove Persky from the bench. Earlier this month, the judge asked for a transfer to civil court.
According to the legislators, current California law calls for a mandatory prison term in cases of rape or sexual assault where force is used, but not when the victim is unconscious or severely intoxicated and thus unable to resist.
The bill, which faced no serious opposition in the Democratic-controlled legislature, would eliminate a judge's discretion to sentence defendants convicted of such crimes to probation. Under its provisions, Turner would have faced a minimum of three years behind bars.
(Reporting by Dan Whitcomb; Editing by Leslie Adler and Peter Cooney)

California lawmakers pass rape bill inspired by Stanford case


California lawmakers, responding to outrage over the six-month jail term given to a former Stanford University swimmer after his conviction for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman, passed legislation on Monday closing a loophole that allowed the sentence.