Britain's Daily Mail newspaper backs May for prime minister

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's Daily Mail newspaper on Friday backed Theresa May's bid to become the next prime minister, saying she was the only one out of five candidates for the Conservative Party leadership who was up to the job.

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Oracle ordered to pay HP $3 billion in Itanium case

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A California jury ordered Oracle Corp to pay Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Co $3 billion in damages in a case over HP's Itanium servers, an Oracle spokeswoman said on Thursday.

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U.S. military repeals ban on transgender service members

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon on Thursday ended its ban on openly transgender people serving in the U.S. military, formally removing the risk to an estimated thousands of U.S. troops who once could have been kicked out of the armed forces due to gender identity.

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Ex-London mayor halts bid to be UK prime minister, upends race

LONDON (Reuters) - Former London mayor Boris Johnson abruptly pulled out of the race to become Britain's prime minister that he was once favored to win, upending the contest less than a week after he led a campaign to take the country out of the EU.

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U.S. opens investigation into fatal crash in Tesla

(Reuters) - The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Thursday it is opening a preliminary investigation into 25,000 Tesla Motors Model S cars after a fatal crash involving a vehicle using the "Autopilot" mode.

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House to vote on measure to keep guns from terrorists: source

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan told Republican lawmakers on a conference call that the House will vote next week on a measure intended to keep guns out of the hands of people on terrorism watch lists, according to a knowledgeable source.

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U.S. jobless claims rise last week, trend still favorable

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits rose last week, but remained below a level associated with a healthy labor market.

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Exclusive: China to tolerate weaker yuan, wary of trade partners' reaction - sources

BEIJING/SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China's central bank is willing to let the yuan fall to 6.8 per dollar in 2016 to support the economy, which would mean the currency matching last year's record decline of 4.5 percent, policy sources said.

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Taliban suicide bombers kill 27 in attack on Afghan police cadets

KABUL (Reuters) - Two Taliban suicide bombers killed at least 27 people and wounded around 40 in an attack on Thursday on buses carrying recently graduated cadets on the western outskirts of Kabul, officials said.

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Turkish police detain 13 people over Istanbul airport attack: official

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkish police have detained 13 people, including three foreigners, in connection with the triple suicide bombing at Istanbul's main airport which killed 42 people, a Turkish official said on Thursday.

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In Brexit chaos, Conservative May pitches anti-Boris case for Britain's top job

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's interior minister Theresa May put herself forward on Thursday to replace Prime Minister David Cameron, promising to deal with divisions in the country that drove more than 17 million Britons to vote to leave the European Union.

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Beijing slams South China Sea case as court ruling nears

BEIJING/AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - An international court said it would deliver a hotly anticipated ruling in the Philippines' case against China over the South China Sea on July 12, drawing an immediate rebuke from Beijing, which rejects the tribunal's jurisdiction.

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Puerto Rico still seen defaulting on debt even with rescue law

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Investors in Puerto Rico's debt-burdened economy still face risks of default on some of the island's $70 billion in debt even after the U.S. Congress on Wednesday created a powerful federal oversight board to manage credit restructurings.

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Santander, Deutsche Bank: U.S. stress test repeat offenders

New York (Reuters) - U.S. units of Deutsche Bank and Santander suffered the ignominy of failing U.S. stress tests yet again this year, less than a week after Britain's shocking vote to leave the European Union sent their investors running for cover.

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Most big U.S. banks pass Fed's stress test, boosting shareholder payouts

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Nearly all of the largest U.S. banks are on steady enough footing to increase payouts to shareholders, the U.S. Federal Reserve said on Wednesday, with just two subsidiaries of foreign banks failing its annual stress test.

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Facebook's political influence under a microscope

(Reuters) - As the U.S. presidential campaign heats up, Facebook Inc is going out of its way to show its neutrality - an increasingly urgent matter for the social network as evidence of its power continues to emerge.

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After slamming trade deals, Trump fends off business criticism

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump fired back at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, saying the nation's largest business association needed to "fight harder" for American workers, after it issued a scathing criticism of his economic platform.

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North American leaders vow to boost trade despite threats

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada, the United States and Mexico on Wednesday vowed to deepen their economic ties, pushing back against anti-free-trade sentiment that has shifted political debate in the United States and Europe.

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Islamic State prime suspect after suicide bombers kill 41 at Istanbul airport

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkish investigators pored over video footage and witness statements on Wednesday after three suspected Islamic State suicide bombers opened fire and blew themselves up in Istanbul's main airport, killing 41 people and wounding 239.

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U.S. consumer spending rises in May, inflation still benign

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. consumer spending rose for a second straight month in May on increased demand for automobiles and other goods, but there are fears Britain's vote to leave the European Union could hurt confidence and prompt households to cut back on consumption.

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EU's Juncker to meet Scottish PM after UK says leaving EU

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission rolled out the red carpet for Scotland's first minister on Wednesday, hours after outgoing British Prime Minister David Cameron told an EU summit his country would be leaving the European Union following last week's referendum.

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Woman injured, gunman dead in downtown Denver shooting

(Reuters) - A woman was critically injured in a shooting inside a downtown Denver office building on Tuesday and police said the suspected gunman was pronounced dead at the scene with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

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Exclusive: Trump supporters more likely to view blacks negatively - Reuters/Ipsos poll

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Supporters of U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump are more likely to describe African Americans as "criminal," "unintelligent," "lazy" and "violent" than voters who backed some Republican rivals in the primaries or who support Democratic contender Hillary Clinton, according to a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll.

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U.S. Attorney General Lynch says probe into VW scandal ongoing

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch said on Tuesday that a Department of Justice investigation into the Volkswagen emissions scandal was continuing, and that it was important to look at the individuals involved.

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Supreme Court rejects two new abortion cases

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday let stand lower court rulings that blocked restrictions on doctors who perform abortions in Mississippi and Wisconsin a day after the court struck down a similar measure in Texas.

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Cracks show inside Islamic State's shrinking caliphate

ERBIL, Iraq (Reuters) - It was barely more than a squiggle, but the mark of a single letter sprayed overnight on a wall in the heart of Islamic State's self-proclaimed caliphate was a daring act of dissent.

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House Republicans blast Clinton in long-awaited Benghazi report

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Congressional Republicans on Tuesday accused the Obama administration and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton of failing to protect U.S. diplomats in the 2012 Benghazi, Libya, attack that killed four Americans.

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Europe presses Britain for quick exit to limit global fallout

LONDON/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Britain faced angry calls from other European leaders to act quickly to resolve the political and economic chaos unleashed by its vote to leave the European Union which the IMF said could put pressure on global growth.

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Merkel vows to strengthen EU, tells UK no 'cherry-picking'

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday underscored Germany's determination to both maintain close ties with Britain and work to strengthen the European Union after last week's historic UK vote to leave the bloc.

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Brexit casts doubt over new EU and NATO defense strategy

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Britain's departure from the European Union risks undermining Europe's new defense strategy, days before NATO and EU governments sign a landmark pact to confront a range of threats from Russia to the Mediterranean, officials say.

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U.S.-UK alliance seen outweighing Brexit trade concerns

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States looks unlikely to follow through on a threat to relegate Britain to second-class trade status once its ally leaves the European Union, as it weighs the potential costs of undermining the countries' close diplomatic and military ties.

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Ratings agencies rip into UK's credit score after Brexit vote

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain suffered further blows to its economic standing on Monday as two top ratings agencies downgraded its sovereign credit score, judging last week's vote to leave the European Union would hurt its economy.

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Brexit vote, UK political confusion rattles world markets for second day

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's vote last Thursday to leave the European Union continued to reverberate through financial markets on Monday, with the pound falling to its lowest level in 31 years, despite government attempts to relieve some of the confusion about the political and economic outlook.

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UNICEF says 25 children reported killed in Syria

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Twenty-five children were reportedly killed in air strikes that hit heavily crowded areas in a town in eastern Syria, the United Nations children's agency (UNICEF) has said.

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U.S. banks' stress tests may offer comfort in Brexit tumult

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The stress tests created for banks by U.S. regulators after the 2008 financial crisis may prove their worth this week, providing a timely message on banks' hardiness in the midst of turbulence over last week's vote by Britain to leave the European Union.

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Suicide bombers strike in Lebanese village, kill six: media

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Several suicide bombers killed six people and wounded 19 others in an attack in a Lebanese village at the border with Syria on Monday, Hezbollah's al-Manar reported.

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CIA weapons for Syrian rebels sold to arms black market: NYT

(Reuters) - Weapons shipped into Jordan for Syrian rebels by the Central Intelligence Agency and Saudi Arabia were stolen by Jordanian intelligence operatives and sold to arms merchants on the black market, the New York Times reported, citing American and Jordanian officials.

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Oil extends decline as Brexit concerns linger

TOKYO (Reuters) - Oil prices dropped around half a percent on Monday, extending sharp declines after Britain's vote to leave the European Union sparked a sharp selloff in global markets on Friday amid concerns over risk aversion.

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Wall Street futures lower on Brexit concerns

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures eased slightly in early trading on Sunday after Britain's vote to leave the European Union sparked a sharp sell-off in global markets on Friday, wiping out over $2 trillion from world equities.

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UK's opposition Labour leader defiant after 12 of his team withdraw support

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's opposition Labour leader said on Sunday he would not resign despite more than a third of his senior team withdrawing their support for him, plunging the party into crisis in the wake of Britain's vote to leave the European Union.

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Multiple stabbing victims during rally in Sacramento, California

(Reuters) - Multiple people were stabbed during a rally on Sunday at the state capitol in Sacramento, California, the fire department said on Twitter.

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To Brexit or Regrexit? A dis-United Kingdom ponders turmoil of EU divorce

LONDON (Reuters) - To leave, or not to leave: that is the question. Still.

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Clinton campaign hits Trump for seeing Brexit as boon to his business

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign accused Donald Trump on Sunday of caring more about how Britain's historic vote to leave the European Union would benefit his financial bottom line than how it would impact the U.S. economy.

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U.S. Supreme Court poised to issue major abortion ruling

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court is due on Monday to issue its first major abortion ruling since 2007 against a backdrop of unremitting divisions among Americans on the issue and a decades-long decline in the rate at which women terminate pregnancies.

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British EU exit turmoil alarms Asia, rocks Labour opposition

LONDON/BEIJING (Reuters) - Turmoil unleashed by Britain's vote to leave the EU engulfed the opposition Labour Party while policymakers as far away as China, Japan and South Korea fretted on Sunday over the threat to global financial stability, hours before markets reopen.

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Iraqi forces retake Islamic State holdout in Falluja

FALLUJA, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraqi forces recaptured the last district held by Islamic State militants in the city of Falluja on Sunday and the general commanding the operation declared the battle complete after nearly five weeks of fighting.

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Merkel sees no need to rush Britain into quick EU divorce

LONDON/BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel sought on Saturday to temper pressure from Paris, Brussels and her own government to force Britain into negotiating a quick divorce from the EU, despite warnings that hesitation will let populism take hold.

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Central banks ready to cooperate after Brexit result

ZURICH (Reuters) - Central banks are ready to cooperate to support financial stability in the wake of Britain's vote to leave the European Union, the Bank for International Settlements said on Saturday.

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TransCanada formally seeks damages over Keystone XL rejection

TORONTO (Reuters) - TransCanada Corp is formally requesting arbitration over U.S. President Barack Obama's rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline, seeking $15 billion in damages, the company said in legal papers dated Friday.

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West Virginia death toll at 23 in deadliest U.S. flooding this year

(Reuters) - West Virginia's governor on Saturday asked for a federal major disaster declaration for three counties devastated by the state's worst flooding in more than a century as the death toll rose to 23 and authorities stepped up search and rescue operations.

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Brexit crisis tops off rough stretch in Obama's push for legacy

SEATTLE (Reuters) - The financial and political fallout from Britain's vote to leave the European Union has added to a string of setbacks for President Barack Obama as he works to burnish his legacy before his presidency ends in January 2017.

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Somali Islamist militants attack hotel in Mogadishu: police

MOGADISHU (Reuters) - Somalia's al Shabaab Islamist group launched a suicide bomb attack on a hotel in the center of Mogadishu on Saturday before militant fighters stormed the building, a police officer said.

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'Brexit' threatens to undermine U.S.-Britain special relationship

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Britain’s decision to quit the European Union could send damaging shockwaves through the bedrock Anglo-American “special relationship,” raising questions about London’s willingness and ability to back U.S.-led efforts in global crises ranging from the Middle East to Ukraine.

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Wall Street eyes low rates, earnings after Brexit rout

(Reuters) - With markets reeling after Britain's vote to leave the European Union, some on Wall Street expect cooler heads to prevail over the next several sessions as investors focus domestically on the outlook for the U.S. economy and company earnings.

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Nexit, Frexit or Italeave? British vote fires up EU's 'Outers'

LONDON/BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Britain's vote to leave the European Union fired up populist eurosceptic parties across the continent on Friday, giving fresh voice to their calls to leave the bloc or its euro currency.

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Wall St. slides after shock Brexit vote

(Reuters) - U.S. stocks fell sharply on Friday, with the Dow Jones industrial average dropping as much as 538 points, as Britain's vote to quit the European Union roiled global financial markets.

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Britain's financial sector reels after Brexit bombshell

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's 2.2 million financial industry workers face years of uncertainty and the risk of thousands of job cuts after the country voted to quit the European Union, leaving question marks over London's status as Europe's premier financial center.

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UK PM Cameron says will step down by October after Brexit vote

LONDON (Reuters) - David Cameron said he would resign as Prime Minister by October after Britons ignored his pleas to stay in the European Union and voted in a referendum to leave.

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With a British adieu to EU, it's farewell to a Fed rate hike for now

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Reserve, already undecided on when next to raise interest rates, now has one more reason to wait: Britain's vote on Thursday to leave the European Union.

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Sterling, stocks in free fall as UK on brink of Brexit

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Carnage came to world markets on Friday as early voting returns suggested Britain was on the brink of leaving the European Union, threatening the existence of the entire bloc and its single currency.

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Savage storm pummels eastern China, killing 98

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - A violent storm in eastern China that packed gale-force winds and hail killed 98 people and injured hundreds as it flattened power lines, overturned cars and ripped roofs off houses in Jiangsu province.

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Democrats end House sit-in over gun control

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday ended a daylong sit-in at the chamber to protest the lack of action on gun control measures, Representative Steny Hoyer said.

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Baltimore cop not guilty of most serious charge in death of Freddie Gray

BALTIMORE (Reuters) - Baltimore police officer Caesar Goodson Jr was found not guilty on Thursday of second-degree depraved heart murder in the death of black detainee Freddie Gray, the most serious criminal charge he faced.

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U.S. Supreme Court, split 4-4, blocks Obama immigration plan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday dealt President Barack Obama a harsh defeat, splitting 4-4 over his plan to spare millions of immigrants in the country illegally from deportation and give them work permits, leaving intact a lower-court ruling blocking the plan.

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Trump's 'unlimited' wealth may not be enough to fund his campaign

LONDON (Reuters) - New York real estate developer Donald Trump says he has "unlimited" personal wealth to fund his White House run, but a Reuters review of his financial disclosures suggests he does not have enough cash to see his campaign through to Election Day.

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Japan probes suspected North Korean rocket nose cone amid growing missile concerns

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan on Thursday began to examine the suspected nose cone of a North Korean rocket that washed up on a Japanese beach hoping to glean information on the reclusive state's ballistic missile program a day after it test-launched two more missiles.

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Democrats stage House sit-in over guns, defying Republicans

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrats staged a "sit-in" on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday demanding the chamber remain in session until Republicans agree to a vote on gun control legislation following the Orlando mass shooting.

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Britain votes on EU membership after tight and bitter campaign

LONDON (Reuters) - Britons will decide the future of their country and Europe on Thursday in a vote on European Union membership after a bitter campaign that appeared to divide the nation down the middle.

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U.S. warns China against provocations once court rules on sea claims

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States warned China on Wednesday against taking "additional provocative actions" following an impending international court ruling on the South China Sea that is expected to largely reject Beijing's broad territorial claims.

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Seeking to regain ground, Trump calls Clinton 'corrupt' and 'a liar'

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump staged a harsh attack on his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton on Wednesday, accusing her of corruption and dangerous incompetence as he tried to put his campaign back on track after recent setbacks.

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Mateen altered looks, researched anti-psychotic drugs before attack: acquaintance

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (Reuters) - On the morning before the massacre at Orlando’s Pulse gay nightclub, shooter Omar Mateen drastically altered his appearance, shaving his head and face, and seemed agitated and surly, said an acquaintance who saw him that day.

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On eve of defining British EU referendum, rivals race for final votes

LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister David Cameron and his euroskeptic opponents made final pitches for wavering voters on Wednesday on the eve of a defining referendum on European Union membership with the outcome still too close to call.

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Steely will seen behind Kim's push for North Korea weapons that work

SEOUL (Reuters) - Images in March of a smiling Kim Jong Un inspecting a silver sphere, purported to be a miniaturized nuclear warhead but likened in the media to a disco ball, burnished the North Korean leader's international image as deluded and reckless.

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'Glimmer of hope' seen for compromise U.S. gun control bill

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. senators pushed for a compromise gun control bill on Tuesday, a day after the Senate failed to advance four gun measures following last week's mass shooting in Orlando, the deadliest in modern U.S. history.

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Gains against Islamic State not yet enough, could backfire: U.S. officials

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama and some administration officials have hailed recent military gains against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, but other U.S. officials and outside experts warn that the U.S.-backed air and ground campaign is far from eradicating the radical Islamic group, and could even backfire.

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Tesla offers $2.8 billion for SolarCity in 'no brainer' deal for Musk

LOS ANGELES/DETROIT (Reuters) - Elon Musk on Tuesday sought to build a clean energy powerhouse as his electric car maker, Tesla Motors Inc , made an offer to buy his solar installation firm SolarCity Corp in a stock deal worth as much as $2.8 billion.

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North Korea fires second missile after first launch fails: South Korea

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea launched what appeared to be a second intermediate-range Musudan missile on Wednesday morning after another launch hours earlier failed, South Korea's military said.

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Amazon jaguar shot dead after Olympic torch ceremony

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - A jaguar featured at an Olympic torch ceremony was shot dead by a soldier shortly after the event in the Brazilian Amazon city of Manaus as the animal escaped from its handlers, an army statement said.

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Clinton's lead over Trump narrows to nine points: Reuters/Ipsos

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Democrat Hillary Clinton’s lead over Republican rival Donald Trump has slipped by about five percentage points since mid-June, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Tuesday, bringing the race for the White House to within nine points.

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U.S. stands with Orlando shooting victims, attorney general says

ORLANDO, Fla. (Reuters) - The U.S. government is providing $1 million in emergency funds to cover overtime for first responders to the Orlando nightclub massacre and stands in support of the LGBT community after the tragedy, Attorney General Loretta Lynch said on Tuesday.

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Clinton warns of a 'Trump recession' in speech on U.S. economy

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrat Hillary Clinton said on Tuesday that if Republican rival Donald Trump wins the White House, it will be a disaster for the U.S. economy, warning that the "the king of debt" would cause a "Trump recession."

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Trump doubles monthly campaign fundraising, lags Clinton

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump’s campaign raised $3.1 million from donors in May, more than doubling previous monthly hauls as he began soliciting donations to battle Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

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With two days to go, Britain's EU referendum vote still on knife edge

LONDON (Reuters) - Opinion polls on Tuesday suggested growing support amongst Britons for staying in the European Union but the vote in two days time which will have far-reaching consequences for Britain and Europe remains on a knife edge.

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Trump fires campaign manager in shakeup for election push

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Donald Trump fired Corey Lewandowski, the campaign manager who helped him win the Republican Party's presidential nominating contests but clashed with other advisers on how to appeal to the broader general electorate, several people with knowledge of the decision said on Monday.

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Senate set to reject gun control bids, new compromise sought

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate's strongest push in years to tighten gun control was likely to fall short on Monday while lawmakers tried to forge a compromise by later this week that might keep firearms away from people on terrorism watch lists.

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Islamic State launches counterattacks on U.S.-backed forces and Syrian army

AMMAN (Reuters) - The Islamic State group launched a counter attack against fighters trying to capture the Syrian city of Manbij on Monday, inflicting heavy casualties on the U.S.-backed forces, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and the militants said.

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Record 65.3 million people displaced, often face barriers: UNHCR

GENEVA (Reuters) - A record 65.3 million people were uprooted worldwide last year, many of them fleeing wars only to face walls, tougher laws and xenophobia as they reach borders, the United Nations refugee agency said on Monday.

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U.S. to reveal details of Orlando nightclub gunman's 911 calls

(Reuters) - U.S. authorities were due on Monday to release partial transcripts of 911 calls made during last week's mass shooting by a gunman who killed 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, before dying in a shoot-out with police.

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Cavaliers stun Warriors to clinch NBA title

OAKLAND, Calif. (Reuters) - LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Golden State Warriors 93-89 in Game Seven on Sunday to win their first NBA championship and complete a remarkable comeback unlike any seen before.

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China to reinvestigate anti-dumping case into stainless steel tubes from EU, Japan

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's Commerce Ministry said on Monday it would reinvestigate its anti-dumping case into imports of high performance, seamless stainless steel tubes from Japan and the European Union.

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Actor Anton Yelchin of 'Star Trek' killed: report

(Reuters) - Anton Yelchin, a Russian-born actor best known for playing the character Chekov in two "Star Trek" movies, was killed early on Sunday in a car accident, Variety reported, citing his representative. He was 27.

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Supreme Court may take action on state assault weapon bans

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court may weigh in this week on gun control, an issue smoldering again following the June 12 Orlando massacre, with the justices due to decide whether to hear a challenge by gun rights advocates to assault weapon bans in two states.

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U.S. to release partial transcripts of Orlando killer calls to police: Lynch

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. officials will on Monday release partial transcripts of three phone conversations the man who killed 49 people in a Florida gay nightclub last week had with police as the massacre unfolded, Attorney General Loretta Lynch said on Sunday.

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U.S. attorney general: Florida shooting 'act of terror, act of hate'

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch said on Sunday that last week's shooting massacre in Orlando, Florida, was "an act of terror and an act of hate", but she declined to divulge what charges may be filed or who may be charged in the case.

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Obama immigration win at Supreme Court could benefit Trump

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - If the U.S. Supreme Court in the coming days decides a high-profile immigration case in favor of the Obama administration, the ruling could have an unexpected beneficiary: Republican presidential contender Donald Trump.

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Tension at funerals for Orlando victims with protest, irate driver

ORLANDO, Fla. (Reuters) - Funerals for two of the 49 victims killed in the shooting at a nightclub in Florida were marked by tense scenes on Saturday, as an impatient driver was accused of injuring two law enforcement officers and one burial took place under the watch of anti-gay protesters.

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Britain's rival EU campaigns restart as polls show momentum for 'In'

LONDON (Reuters) - The campaign to decide Britain's membership of the European Union restarted on Sunday after a three-day hiatus following the killing of lawmaker Jo Cox, with Prime Minister David Cameron warning that Britons faced an "existential choice" on Thursday.

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Thousands protest U.S. bases on Okinawa after Japan woman's murder

NAHA, Japan (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of people gathered in sweltering heat on Japan's Okinawa island on Sunday in one of the biggest demonstrations in two decades against U.S. military bases, following the arrest of an American suspected of murdering a local woman.

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Ex-Vanderbilt football player found guilty in rape trial

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Reuters) - A Tennessee jury found a former Vanderbilt University football player guilty on Saturday for the June 2013 rape of an unconscious female student in a case drawing national attention to sexual assaults on college campuses.

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China foreign minister urges U.S. not to interfere with Tibet in call to Kerry

BEIJING (Reuters) - The United States should not interfere in China's internal affairs on matters related to Tibet, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi told U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in a phone call on Saturday.

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Polls give boost to Cameron's fight against Brexit

LONDON (Reuters) - The campaign to keep Britain in the European Union regained its lead in two opinion polls published on Saturday, giving a boost to Prime Minister David Cameron who is battling to avoid a historic "Out" vote in Thursday's referendum.

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U.S.-backed forces advance against Islamic State in Syria

BEIRUT/AMMAN (Reuters) - U.S.-backed Syrian forces edged closer to an Islamic State stronghold on the border with Turkey on Saturday while Russia's defense minister visited President Bashar al Assad to discuss military operations.

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Momentum swinging back to 'In' camp ahead of UK's EU vote: YouGov

LONDON (Reuters) - Support for Britain staying in the European Union is recovering, an executive with polling firm YouGov said after two YouGov polls on Saturday showed a shift in momentum towards the "In" camp.

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Poll gives UK's 'Out' camp 2-point lead ahead of EU vote: Mirror

LONDON (Reuters) - The campaign for Britain to leave the European Union held a two-point lead over the rival "In" camp, according to an opinion poll conducted on Wednesday and Thursday and was reported by The Mirror newspaper on Saturday.

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Southern California wildfire spreads as blazes hit parched states

(Reuters) - A wildfire fed by parched land and high winds spread in Southern California on Saturday, prompting hundreds of people to evacuate their homes as the blaze formed destructive columns of flames known as fire tornadoes.

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FBI questions member of mosque attended by Orlando gunman

ORLANDO, Fla./FORT PIERCE, Fla. (Reuters) - FBI agents on Friday questioned a member of the Florida mosque attended by Omar Mateen, the man who shot 49 people to death at a gay nightclub, as new information surfaced revealing the killer had exhibited chronic behavioral problems during his youth.

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Man due in court over murder of British lawmaker Jo Cox

LONDON (Reuters) - Police said on Saturday they have charged a 52-year-old man with the murder of British lawmaker Jo Cox following an attack that has brought campaigning for next week's referendum on European Union membership to a standstill.

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Clinton's lead over Trump slips after Florida shooting: Reuters/Ipsos poll

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Donald Trump chipped away at Hillary Clinton's lead in the presidential race this week, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Friday, as the candidates clashed over how to respond to the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

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Police charge suspect in slaying of UK MP Jo Cox

(Reuters) - British police said on Saturday they had charged a man in the slaying of lawmaker Jo Cox, and said the suspect appeared to have acted alone.

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Under pressure, senators formulate gun control compromise

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Some Republican senators tried on Friday to craft a compromise bill to impose limited gun restrictions in the face of pressure from Democrats and public rage over the Orlando mass shooting, the deadliest in modern U.S. history.

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Russia failed to heed U.S. call to stop targeting Syrian rebels: U.S

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Russia launched a second air strike on U.S.-backed Syrian fighters battling Islamic State, even after the U.S. military used emergency channels to ask Moscow to stop after the first strike, a U.S. official told Reuters on Friday.

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Ryan says Republicans should follow 'conscience' on Trump

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican lawmakers should follow their conscience on whether to support Donald Trump in November's presidential election, U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan has said in an interview, reflecting the party's unease over its White House candidate.

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IAAF votes to keep Russia banned, Rio participation in balance

VIENNA/MOSCOW (Reuters) - World athletics' governing body on Friday upheld its ban on Russia for systematic doping, leaving the country's hopes of competing in the Rio Games dependent on Olympic chiefs giving it special dispensation at a meeting next week.

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U.S. says it will stay in Black Sea despite Russian warning

ABOARD THE USS MASON (Reuters) - The United States will maintain its presence in the Black Sea despite a Russian warning that a U.S. destroyer patrolling there undermined regional security, the U.S. Navy Secretary said.

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U.S. transgender woman's journey turns into constitutional fight

POTTSVILLE, Pa. (Reuters) - Kate Lynn Blatt once lived as a woman at home but went to work in a battery factory as a man, a painful phase in her gender transition that would later propel her to the forefront of a constitutional battle for transgender rights in America.

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Britain mourns murdered lawmaker; EU referendum in limbo

BIRSTALL, England (Reuters) - Britain mourned lawmaker Jo Cox on Friday after a man wielding a gun and knife killed the 41-year-old mother-of-two in a brazen street attack that has thrown the June 23 referendum on European Union membership into limbo.

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Dozens of U.S. diplomats urge military strikes against Syria's Assad

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - More than 50 State Department diplomats have signed an internal memo sharply critical of U.S. policy in Syria, calling for military strikes against President Bashar al-Assad's government to stop its persistent violations of a civil war cease-fire.

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Trumped by candidate's rhetoric, Republican lawmakers at a loss for words

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The awkward efforts of Republicans to embrace their party’s standard-bearer Donald Trump looked particularly painful in Congress this week as lawmakers ducked into elevators, dashed away from reporters, ignored questions or, worse, tried to answer them.

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Britain's EU referendum campaigns suspended as lawmaker critically injured in attack

BIRSTALL, England (Reuters) - A British Member of Parliament was in critical condition after being shot and stabbed in her constituency in northern England on Thursday, British police and media reports said, prompting the suspension of campaigning for next week's EU referendum.

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Housing, medical care support U.S. underlying inflation

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. consumer prices moderated in May, but sustained increases in housing and healthcare costs kept underlying inflation supported, which could allow the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates this year.

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Clinton considering Warren, not Sanders, for running mate: WSJ

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Hillary Clinton is considering U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren for her running mate for the Democratic presidential ticket, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing several people familiar with the process.

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U.S. officials say American Muslims do report extremist threats

(Reuters) - Muslim-Americans have repeatedly informed authorities of fellow Muslims they fear might be turning to extremism, law enforcement officials say, contrary to a claim by presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump this week.

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Exclusive: Former EU chief Delors says British membership positive for EU

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Former European Commission President Jacques Delors, the father of modern European integration, said in a statement to Reuters on Thursday that British membership is positive both for the United Kingdom and for the European Union.

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Senators, Trump open to ban on some gun sales after Orlando

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. senators signaled on Wednesday a new willingness to consider restrictions on the sale of guns after the Orlando nightclub massacre, with presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and others in his party ready to discuss limited gun control measures.

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Boy's body found after gator attack at Florida Disney resort

ORLANDO, Fla. (Reuters) - Police using boats, divers and a helicopter on Wednesday recovered the body of a 2-year-old boy who was grabbed by an alligator in front of his family during a vacation at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, officials said.

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Trump calls for surveillance of mosques despite criticism of rhetoric

(Reuters) - Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on Wednesday called for surveillance of mosques as part of U.S. law enforcement efforts to prevent terrorism, and stood by his remarks on banning Muslim immigrants that others in his party have criticized.

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Italy's Berlusconi alert and cracking jokes after heart surgery: doctor

MILAN (Reuters) - Former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi was alert, lucid and cracking jokes less than 24 hours after undergoing open heart surgery at the age of 79, his doctors said on Wednesday.

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U.S. may reconsider Afghanistan troop cuts as NATO pledges support

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The United States told allies on Wednesday it was reexamining plans to cut its troop numbers in Afghanistan next year, Britain said, as other NATO forces committed to stay on to help fight a resurgent Taliban.

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China says Dalai Lama-Obama meeting will damage bilateral ties

BEIJING (Reuters) - China has lodged diplomatic representations with the United States over a planned meeting between U.S. President Barack Obama and the Dalai Lama at the White House on Wednesday saying it would damage Chinese-U.S. ties, the Foreign Ministry said.

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China spy ship 'shadowing' U.S., Japanese, Indian naval drill in Western Pacific

OKINAWA, Japan (Reuters) - A Chinese observation ship shadowed the U.S. aircraft carrier John C. Stennis in the Western Pacific on Wednesday, the carrier's commander said, as it joined warships from Japan and India for drills close to waters Beijing considers its backyard.

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Fed expected to hold rates steady as Brexit vote clouds outlook

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Federal Reserve is expected to keep interest rates unchanged on Wednesday and signal if it still plans to raise rates twice in 2016 amid concerns about a U.S. hiring slowdown and Britain's possible exit from the European Union.

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Clinton wins D.C. primary ahead of meeting with Sanders

WASHINGTON - Democrat Hillary Clinton won the District of Columbia primary on Tuesday, CNN projected on Twitter, capturing the party's last presidential nominating contest as Democrats turn their focus to the Nov. 8 election against presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump.

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Trump adds new twist to immigration proposals, but legal doubts persist

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s proposal for suspending immigration from parts of the world with a history of terrorism could have a legal basis, but his assertion that it be part of a broader ban on Muslim immigrants makes it constitutionally untenable, legal scholars say.

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Trump gains slightly on Clinton after Florida attack: Reuters/Ipsos poll

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Hillary Clinton's lead over Donald Trump in the U.S. presidential race has narrowed since late last week, according to the results of the first Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted since the Orlando shooting rampage on Sunday.

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Police fatally shoot armed hostage-taker at Texas Walmart

AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - An armed man who held two people hostage in an Amarillo, Texas, Walmart store on Tuesday was shot and killed by officers, while the hostages in the incident were unharmed, police said.

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Russian spies hack U.S. Democratic Party computers: Washington Post

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Russian government hackers penetrated the computer network of the Democratic National Committee and gained access to the entire database of opposition research on Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, the Washington Post reported on Tuesday.

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Florida gunman seen as self-radicalized, not directed from outside

ORLANDO, Fla. (Reuters) - The man who killed 49 people at a gay nightclub in Florida appears to have acted alone, without direction from the various Islamist militant groups he professed sympathy for, authorities said as they delved into the roots of the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history.

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Trump's post-Orlando message falls flat with Republican establishment

WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Reuters) - The mass shooting in Orlando, Florida has allowed Donald Trump to seize upon a familiar issue he has used to great advantage --the threat of Islamist militants and his plan to limit Muslim immigration to the United States, offering him what could be a crucial moment to re-boot his sputtering presidential campaign.

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Hispanics shaken by heavy toll at Orlando club massacre

ORLANDO, Fla./CHICAGO (Reuters) - It was a carefree "vacilón" - a pumped up party - at Orlando's Pulse nightclub on Saturday night, full of Latinos dancing to salsa, bachata and thumping reggaeton at the gay club's Latin music night.

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Clinton, Trump clash over Orlando massacre

WASHINGTON/MANCHESTER, N.H. (Reuters) - Hillary Clinton on Monday warned against demonizing Muslim Americans, while Donald Trump again called for banning foreign-born Muslims from entering the country after the Orlando, Florida, nightclub massacre that was the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.

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Microsoft to buy LinkedIn for $26.2 billion in its largest deal

(Reuters) - Microsoft Corp will buy LinkedIn Corp for $26.2 billion in its biggest-ever deal, combining the software giant's business-productivity tools with an online network of 433 million professionals.

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U.S. plans billions in Afghan funding until 2020, seeks allies' help

KABUL (Reuters) - The United States is asking its allies helping with security in Afghanistan to maintain funding for Afghan forces at a cost of nearly $5 billion a year until at least 2020, a top U.S. military commander said on Monday.

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Trump calls for increased military response after Orlando shooting

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Donald Trump on Monday said the United States needs to increase its military response against Islamic State in the wake of the Orlando nightclub shooting over the weekend, including additional bombings.

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Gunman in worst U.S. massacre described as 'quiet,' with few friends

FORT PIERCE, Fla. (Reuters) - As families grieved on Sunday after the worst U.S. mass shooting, a picture began to emerge of a gunman who was quiet and had few friends and had been interviewed by U.S. authorities in recent years for suspected sympathies with Muslim extremists.

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Obama calls Orlando nightclub shooting an attack on all Americans

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Sunday described the worst mass shooting in U.S. history as "an act of terror" and "an act of hate," saying the massacre of 50 people at a packed gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida was an attack on all Americans.

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Islamic State claims responsibility for Orlando nightclub shooting

CAIRO (Reuters) - Islamic State's Amaq news agency said on Sunday that the Islamist militant group was responsible for the shooting that killed at least 50 people in a massacre at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida.

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Suspected Orlando shooter called 911, swore allegiance to Islamic State: NBC

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Omar S. Mateen, the Florida resident suspected of killing 50 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, called 911 before the shooting and swore allegiance to Islamic State, NBC News said on Twitter.

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Sanders says he will meet with Hillary Clinton on Tuesday

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders said he will meet with his rival Hillary Clinton on Tuesday to press her to embrace his progressive agenda, saying he wants to know what she will stand for if she becomes president.

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'Road of death' to Aleppo pounded as air strikes cut off rebel areas

GAZIANTEP, Turkey/AMMAN (Reuters) - The opposition-held sector of Syria's divided city of Aleppo has been cut off from the outside world in recent days by an escalation of air and artillery strikes on the only road in, putting hundreds of thousands of people under effective siege.

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Air strikes in Syria's Idlib kill more than 20: Syrian Observatory

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Air strikes carried out by Syrian or Russian warplanes killed more than 20 people in the northwestern city of Idlib on Sunday, monitoring group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.

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Thousands flee Falluja using first safe exit route secured by Iraqi army

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The Iraqi army said on Sunday it had secured the first safe exit route for civilians to leave Islamic State's besieged stronghold Falluja, and a Norwegian aid group said thousands of people had already used it to flee in the first day it was open.

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Democrats want 'major role' for Sanders: Reuters/Ipsos poll

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bernie Sanders may have lost his bid to become the Democratic nominee for the White House, but party members don't want the U.S. senator from Vermont to step off the stage.

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Iraqi forces attack Islamic State positions south of Mosul

ERBIL, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraqi troops attacked Islamic State positions south of Mosul on Sunday as the U.S.-led coalition intensifies its campaign against the militants on multiple fronts across their self-proclaimed caliphate.

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Shooting erupts at Florida gay nightclub, 'multiple injuries': police

(Reuters) - Shooting erupted early on Sunday at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida and "multiple" people have been injured, police said.

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Protesters to decry Stanford rape sentence at graduation ceremony

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Students and rights groups plan to demonstrate at Stanford University's commencement on Sunday to express outrage over the 6-month jail sentence handed to a former student convicted of sexual assault on the California campus, organizers said on Saturday.

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Singer Grimmie dies after Orlando shooting, suspect dead

(Reuters) - Singer Christina Grimmie, who gained fame as a contestant on television singing contest "The Voice," died after being shot at a concert in Orlando on Friday, police said on social media.

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Clinton leads Trump by 11 points in White House race: Reuters/Ipsos poll

(Reuters) - Hillary Clinton leads Donald Trump by 11 points in the U.S. presidential race, showing little change after she became the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee this week, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Friday.

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Exclusive: Studies find 'super bacteria' in Rio's Olympic venues, top beaches

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) - Scientists have found dangerous drug-resistant "super bacteria" off beaches in Rio de Janeiro that will host Olympic swimming events and in a lagoon where rowing and canoe athletes will compete when the Games start on Aug. 5.

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Tesla will clarify customers may disclose vehicle problems: source

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Tesla Motors Inc has agreed to revise its customer repair agreements to allow owners to report potential safety issues to U.S. auto safety regulators, a source briefed on the matter said.

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Exclusive: Amazon is preparing to launch streaming music service - sources

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Amazon.com Inc is preparing to launch a standalone music streaming subscription service, placing it squarely in competition with rival offerings from Apple Inc and Spotify, according to two people with knowledge of the matter.

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At Christian event, Trump says Clinton weak on radical Islamists

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump attacked Democratic rival Hillary Clinton on Friday as weak on Islamist militants, in a speech at a Christian evangelical conference where he received a standing ovation.

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Man shot by police at Love Field airport in Dallas

DALLAS (Reuters) - Police shot a man who charged at them yelling "shoot me" at Love Field airport in Dallas on Friday, and the man was taken to an area hospital, witnesses told local TV broadcaster WFAA.

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Syrian government, U.S.-backed fighters advance against IS

BEIRUT/BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Syrian government troops backed by Russia and fighters backed by the United States made separate advances against Islamic State on Friday, gaining ground in new offensives that have put unprecedented pressure on the self-declared caliphate.

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Final tribute to 'The Greatest' unfolds in Muhammad Ali's hometown

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Reuters) - Luminaries and ordinary people gathered on Friday for a last goodbye to Muhammad Ali - a memorial and funeral procession through the Kentucky hometown of the man celebrated around the world for his boxing skills and strong beliefs.

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U.S, Iraqi officials can't confirm report Islamic State leader Baghdadi wounded

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S. and Iraqi officials fighting Islamic State said on Friday they could not confirm a report by an Iraqi TV channel that Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi had been wounded in an air strike in northern Iraq.

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Emails in Clinton probe dealt with planned drone strikes: WSJ

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Emails between U.S. diplomats in Islamabad and State Department officials in Washington about whether to challenge specific U.S. drone strikes in Pakistan are at the center of a criminal probe involving Hillary Clinton's handling of classified information, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.

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Exclusive: Obama approves broader role for U.S. forces in Afghanistan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama has approved giving the U.S. military greater ability to accompany and enable Afghan forces battling a resilient Taliban insurgency, in a move to assist them more proactively on the battlefield, a U.S. official told Reuters.

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Sentence upheld for former Subway pitchman Fogle in child porn case

(Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court in Chicago on Thursday upheld former Subway sandwich pitchman Jared Fogle's 15-1/2-year prison sentence for child pornography.

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Trump donors meet amid concerns about disarray in White House campaign, fundraising

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Donald Trump's national finance team held its first official meeting on Thursday amid growing concerns about the Republican presidential candidate's lack of a campaign infrastructure, his attacks on a Mexican-American judge, and the realization that Trump's flame-throwing instincts have yet to be reined in.

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Clinton thrilled Obama 'has my back' in U.S. election: Reuters interview

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton on Thursday welcomed President Barack Obama's endorsement, telling Reuters in an interview that it "means the world" to her that her former rival has her back in the 2016 campaign.

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Sanders stays in the race, vows to work with Clinton to beat Trump

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders said on Thursday he would work with his party's presumptive nominee Hillary Clinton to defeat Republican Donald Trump, though he did not immediately drop out of the White House race.

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California attorney general slams sentence in Stanford sex assault case

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - California Attorney General Kamala Harris, the leading U.S. Senate candidate from the state, has joined the outpouring of criticism against a six-month jail sentence given to a former Stanford University swimmer convicted of sexually assaulting an unconscious woman.

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Exclusive: Clinton ally Warren weighs potential VP role, sees hurdles - sources

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren has considered the idea of serving as Hillary Clinton's running mate but sees obstacles to that choice as she prepares to endorse the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, several people familiar with Warren's thinking told Reuters.

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Ali to be honored with Muslim funeral service

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Reuters) - The world begins two final days of mourning for Muhammad Ali on Thursday when the boxing great will be honored with a Muslim funeral a day before receiving a final goodbye with an interfaith service.

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Woman fights off daughter's would-be kidnapper, video goes viral

(Reuters) - A woman fought off a man who tried to kidnap her 13-year-old daughter on Tuesday while they were shopping at a Dollar General store in Hernando, Florida, and a security video of the fierce struggle went viral.

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Russia unveils new passenger plane it says will rival Boeing, Airbus

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia on Wednesday presented a new medium-range passenger plane which state media said was superior to its Western-made counterparts in many respects and would be snapped up by both Russian and foreign carriers.

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Palestinian gunmen kill four in Tel Aviv, assailants held: police

TEL AVIV (Reuters) - Two Palestinian gunmen killed four people at a popular shopping and restaurant area in Tel Aviv on Wednesday in an attack that sent diners, some clutching small children, running for their lives just outside Israel's Defence Ministry.

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Judge in Stanford rape case receives death threats amid recall efforts

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The judge who gave a six-month jail term to the former Stanford University swimmer convicted of sexually assaulting an unconscious young woman has received a string of death threats after the sentence was widely condemned as too lenient, court officials said on Wednesday.

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Sharapova banned for two years by ITF

LONDON (Reuters) - The career of Russian former world number one Maria Sharapova was in tatters on Wednesday after she was given a two-year ban by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) following her positive test for the banned drug meldonium at this year's Australian Open.

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Union head, financier arrested in NYC corruption probe

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The powerful head of New York City's prison guard union and a hedge fund financier were arrested early on Wednesday morning, the latest fallout from a wide-ranging corruption probe that stretches from the police department to City Hall.

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U.S.-backed force in Syria poised to enter Islamic State-held Manbij

BEIRUT (Reuters) - A U.S.-backed alliance of fighters in Syria is ready to enter the Islamic State-held city of Manbij at will but is being cautious due to the presence of civilians there, a spokesman said on Wednesday.

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PKK carried out car bomb which killed three in Turkey's southeast: PM

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Three people including a police officer were killed in a car bomb attack carried out by Kurdish militants in Turkey's southeastern town of Midyat, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Wednesday.

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Pressure builds on judge over California sexual assault case

(Reuters) - Senator Barbara Boxer on Tuesday decried a California judge's decision to sentence a college athlete to just six months in jail for sexual assault, while signatures on an online petition calling for the jurist's ouster passed 400,000.

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China fighter jet made 'unsafe' intercept of U.S. spy plane: U.S.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Chinese fighter jet carried out an "unsafe" intercept of a U.S. spy plane on routine patrol on Tuesday in international airspace over the East China Sea, U.S. Pacific Command said.

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Russia deploys troops westward as standoff with NATO deepens

KLINTSY, Russia (Reuters) - Russia is building an army base near its border with Ukraine, the latest in a chain of new military sites along what the Kremlin sees as its frontline in a growing confrontation with NATO.

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Exclusive: North Korea restarts plutonium production for nuclear bombs - U.S. official

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - North Korea has restarted production of plutonium fuel, a senior State Department official said on Tuesday, showing that it plans to pursue its nuclear weapons program in defiance of international sanctions.

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Migrants linked to 69,000 would-be or actual crimes in Germany in first three months of 2016: police

BERLIN (Reuters) - Migrants in Germany committed or tried to commit some 69,000 crimes in the first quarter of 2016, according to a police report that could raise unease, especially among anti-immigrant groups, about Chancellor Angela Merkel's liberal migrant policy.

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Oil hits 2016 high on U.S. draw forecasts, Nigeria worry

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oil prices continued their climb on Tuesday, hitting eight-month highs, as expectations of U.S. crude draws underpinned a market already worried about potential supply shortages from attacks on Nigeria's oil industry.

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Center of Tropical Storm Colin moving across northern Florida: NHC

(Reuters) - Tropical Storm Colin made landfall early on Tuesday sweeping northern Florida with heavy rainfall and strong winds as it headed northeast toward southeastern Georgia and coast of North and South Carolina.

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Two killed as car bomb hits police bus in Istanbul: TV

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - A car bomb exploded in central Istanbul during the morning rush hour on Tuesday, killing two people, wounding others and wrecking a passing police bus near the main tourism district, news channel Haberturk reported.

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Asia stocks hit five-week high after cautious Yellen

TOKYO (Reuters) - Asian shares hit a five-week high on Tuesday after Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen said U.S. interest rate hikes are likely on the way, held back any reference to the timing.

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Tropical Storm Colin gains speed, barrels toward Florida

TAMPA, Fla. (Reuters) - Tropical Storm Colin picked up speed over the Gulf of Mexico on Monday as it headed toward Florida's northwest coast, unleashing thunderstorms and flooding, while the governor activated the national guard ahead of imminent landfall.

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L.A. jury calls for death penalty in 'Grim Sleeper' murder case

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A Los Angeles jury that convicted a former sanitation worker in a string of murders attributed to a serial killer known as the "Grim Sleeper" recommended on Monday that he be sentenced to death, local media reported.

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T-Mobile offers a share of itself to customers, launches gift app

(Reuters) - T-Mobile US Inc said on Monday it will give a share of the wireless company's stock to customers who hold a postpaid or monthly account for free to turn its customers into shareholders.

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Obama close to endorsing Clinton for Democratic presidential nominee: media

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - After staying above the campaign fray for months, U.S. President Barack Obama could endorse Hillary Clinton as early as this week as the Democratic presidential nominee, nudging Bernie Sanders to finally abandon his long-fought challenge, U.S. media reported on Monday.

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U.S.-backed Syria force closes in on Islamic State-held city; slow Iraq advance causes rift

BEIRUT/BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S.-backed Syrian fighters have surrounded the Islamic State-held city of Manbij from three sides as they press a major new offensive against the jihadists near the Turkish border, a spokesman for the fighters said on Monday.

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Energy, financials lead Wall St gains before Yellen speech

(Reuters) - Wall Street was higher on Monday morning, led by a rally in energy stocks and a rebound in financial shares following a pounding on Friday after a dismal jobs report all but ruled out chances of an interest rate hike in June.

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Supreme Court rejects Google appeal in class action dispute

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected Google Inc's bid to throw out a class action lawsuit involving claims that the company deceived California advertisers about the placement of Internet ads through its Adwords service.

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Yellen faces fine balance on Fed rate hike after job growth tumbles

PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen will likely keep the door open to an interest rate hike within the next few months when she speaks on Monday, while striking a balanced tone about recently disappointing jobs growth and mixed signals in the U.S. economy.

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Firefighters close to controlling brush fire near L.A.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Firefighters managed to tame a fast-moving brush fire in the hills outside Los Angeles on Sunday after it burned more than 500 acres and threatened homes in the affluent city of Calabasas, authorities said.

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Exclusive: As Iran's oil exports surge, international tankers help ship its fuel

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - More than 20 European and Asian-owned supertankers are shipping Iranian crude oil, data seen by Reuters shows, allowing Tehran to ramp up exports much faster than market analysts had expected following the lifting of Western sanctions in January.

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American journalist, translator killed in Afghanistan

LASHKAR GAH/KABUL, Afghanistan (Reuters) - A veteran American photojournalist and a translator working for NPR were killed while accompanying Afghan troops in southern Afghanistan on Sunday, NPR and military officials said.

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Exclusive: Saudi reform plan approved by top economic council

RIYADH (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's National Transformation Plan, a pivotal element of the "Vision 2030" reforms announced in April by Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, will be put before the cabinet for approval on Monday, a senior Saudi source told Reuters.

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Syrian and Russian aircraft step up bombing of Aleppo city - monitor

AMMAN (Reuters) - Nearly 50 air strikes hit rebel-held areas in and around the Syrian city of Aleppo on Sunday in some of the heaviest recent raids by Russian and Syrian government aircraft, residents and a monitoring group said.

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Storms threaten East Coast; Florida under tropical storm warning

TAMPA, Fla. (Reuters) - While the U.S. West Coast sweated out a heat wave, forecasters warned of severe thunderstorms along the East Coast on Sunday and issued a tropical storm warning for Florida's Gulf Coast.

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Senior Republicans criticize Trump's remarks on Hispanic judge

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senior U.S. Republicans distanced themselves on Sunday from Donald Trump's comments about a Mexican-American judge, saying they were worried that the tone of his presidential campaign could enrage Latinos, who are a growing U.S. voting bloc.

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California or bust? Clinton hopes to strike gold in pivotal vote

WASHINGTON/LONG BEACH, California (Reuters) - If Hillary Clinton ends up losing California to Bernie Sanders, it will be because of voters like Nallely Perez.

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In pushback to U.S., China says 'has no fear of trouble' in South China Sea

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - China rebuffed U.S. pressure to curb its activity in the South China Sea on Sunday, restating its sovereignty over most of the disputed territory and saying it "has no fear of trouble".

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Clinton, Sanders vie for pro-immigrant vote in California race

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Democratic rivals Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders campaigned across California, stopping in immigrant communities, big cities and the agricultural heartland on the final weekend before Tuesday's primary in the nation's biggest state.

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Muguruza overpowers Serena to win French Open title

PARIS (Reuters) - Garbine Muguruza achieved the rare feat of overpowering world Serena Williams to claim her maiden grand slam title with a 7-5 6-4 win over the world number one and defending champion in the French Open final on Saturday.

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Muhammad Ali: 'Greatest' boxer, showman, ambassador

(Reuters) - More than 60 years ago, a bicycle thief in Louisville, Kentucky, unknowingly set in motion one of the most amazing sports careers in history.

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Syrian army presses offensive against Islamic State

AMMAN (Reuters) - The Syrian army has crossed the boundary of Raqqa province, home to the de facto capital of Islamic State, after a major Russian-backed offensive against the militants, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Saturday.

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U.S. flexes muscles as Asia worries about South China Sea row

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - The United States stepped up pressure on China on Saturday to rein in its actions in the South China Sea, with top defense officials underlining Washington's military superiority and vowing to remain the main guarantor of Asian security for decades to come.

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Carter says nine soldiers now known to have died in Fort Hood incident

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Nine U.S. soldiers are now known to have died when a troop carrier overturned this week during a training exercise at the U.S. Army base of Food Hood in Texas, U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter said on Saturday.

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Trial exposes tension over U.S. counter-extremism approach

MINNEAPOLIS/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In the spring of 2014, as Islamic State seized ground in Syria, a group of 10 young Somali-American men in Minneapolis began scheming to join the battle between games of basketball at a neighborhood mosque, a jury found on Friday.

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Exclusive: U.S. falters in campaign to revive Iraqi army, officials say

(Reuters) - A 17-month U.S. effort to retrain and reunify Iraq's regular army has failed to create a large number of effective Iraqi combat units or limit the power of sectarian militias, according to current and former U.S. military and civilian officials.

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Clinton opens up double-digit lead over Trump nationwide: Reuters/Ipsos poll

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Democratic presidential contender Hillary Clinton has opened up a double-digit lead over Republican rival Donald Trump, regaining ground after the New York billionaire briefly tied her last month, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Friday.

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UCLA gunman killed estranged wife before campus attack

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The former University of California, Los Angeles, graduate student who shot dead a professor at the school then killed himself began his rampage by killing his estranged wife at her Minnesota home, police and the victim's sister said.

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Falluja is a 'tough nut to crack': Iraqi finance minister

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Islamic State is putting up a tough fight in Falluja and its recapture by the Iraqi army could take time, said Iraqi Finance Minister Hoshiyar Zebari.

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Led by Trump, Republicans seize on weak U.S. jobs report

WASHINGTON - Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and his backers seized on a U.S. jobs report Friday showing the weakest hiring in more than five years as evidence the country needs to move away from the economic policies of a Democratic White House.

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Fed likely to avoid rate hike before Britain votes on leaving EU

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Reserve may be forced to delay a rate hike at its June meeting because of mounting concern over the economic fallout from Britain's vote on whether to leave the European Union.

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U.S. job gains in May likely dented by Verizon strike

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A strike by Verizon workers likely crimped U.S. job gains in May, but employment growth should still be strong enough to confirm a tightening labor market and push the Federal Reserve closer to raising interest rates soon.

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Two jets from elite U.S. military squadrons crash, one pilot dead

(Reuters) - Two fighter jets from elite U.S. military demonstration squadrons crashed in separate incidents on Thursday, including one that had just done a flyover of the Air Force Academy graduation in Colorado where President Barack Obama had spoken.

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Apple says some services including App Store facing issues

(Reuters) - Apple Inc said on Thursday that a number of its services, including the App Store, was experiencing some issues.

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4,700 Syrian refugees approved resettlement to U.S.: Homeland Security chief

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States has approved 4,700 Syrian refugees who are awaiting resettlement to the country, while an additional 7,900 are awaiting security review, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said on Thursday.

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Police identify shooter who killed UCLA professor, self

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Los Angeles police on Thursday identified the gunman who killed a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, before taking his own life as Mainak Sarkar, an engineering student at the school.

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Use it or lose it: Occasional Ohio voters may be shut out in November

CINCINNATI (Reuters) - When Larry Harmon tried to vote on a marijuana initiative in November in his hometown of Kent, Ohio, the 59-year-old software engineer found his name had been struck from the voter rolls.

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Six automakers to recall nearly 2.5 million U.S. vehicles over Takata airbags

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Six automakers said Thursday they are recalling nearly 2.5 million U.S. vehicles with defective Takata air bag inflators, documents posted with government regulators show.

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Saudis pledge not to shock oil markets as OPEC clash looms

VIENNA (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia promised on Thursday not to shock the oil markets as OPEC headed into a heated debate about production policy, with Iran insisting on the right to raise output steeply.

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U.S.-backed Syrian force vows to take all Manbij from Islamic State

EUPHRATES RIVER, Syria (Reuters) - An alliance of U.S.-backed Syrian militias vowed on Thursday to drive Islamic State from the city of Manbij and nearby areas in northern Syria, urging civilians there to stay away from Islamic State positions that would be targeted in the campaign.

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Clinton to blast Trump on North Korea, NATO in foreign policy speech

WASHINGTON - Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton will slam Republican Donald Trump for being too friendly with North Korea and too harsh on European allies during a foreign policy speech in California on Thursday, designed to paint the billionaire businessman as unfit for the White House.

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Singapore buys $1 billion in Alibaba stock in SoftBank sale

(Reuters) - Singapore sovereign wealth funds bought $1 billion of Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba Group Holding Ltd's shares as part of an $8.9 billion sale by Japan's SoftBank Group Corp, Alibaba's biggest shareholder, the company said on Wednesday.

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South China Sea set to dominate Singapore security summit

SINGAPORE/HONG KONG (Reuters) - Roiling tensions in the South China Sea are set to dominate Asia's biggest security summit starting in Singapore on Friday, exposing a deepening rivalry between the United States and China ahead of a landmark legal ruling in the Hague.

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Obama slams Trump for promising to roll back Wall Street reforms

ELKHART, Ind. (Reuters) - President Barack Obama slammed Donald Trump's proposal to weaken Wall Street reforms and touted his own economic record on Wednesday during a trip to a city he visited three weeks into his presidency that has recovered from its recession lows.

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U.S. military sees Afghan talks with new Taliban leader unlikely

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. military spokesman said on Wednesday that talks with the Afghan Taliban on ending the war in Afghanistan are unlikely any time soon after the militant group chose a conservative religious scholar as its new leader.

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Islamic State faces major assaults on two fronts in Iraq, Syria

SOUTHERN OUTSKIRTS OF FALLUJA, Iraq/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Islamic State insurgents faced major assaults on two fronts in both Iraq and Syria on Wednesday in what could prove to be some of the biggest operations to roll back their caliphate since they proclaimed it in 2014.

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Murder-suicide at UCLA shuts down campus

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A murder-suicide at the University of California, Los Angeles shut down the campus for two hours on Wednesday, drawing officers in camouflage and tactical gear to the scene and prompting officials to lock down the campus.

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French vessel detects signals from EgyptAir jet black box

CAIRO/PARIS (Reuters) - A French search vessel has picked up signals from one of the black boxes of EgyptAir flight MS804, Egyptian and French investigators said, a potential breakthrough in efforts to uncover why it plummeted into the Mediterranean last month.

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FDA calls for sharp reduction in salt added to foods

(Reuters) - U.S. health officials recommended cutting the amount of salt added to foods to help Americans reduce their sodium consumption by about a third, according to proposed guidelines that are likely to have a wide-ranging impact on the processed food industry in the United States.

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Thousands of voters in limbo after Kansas demands proof they're American

WICHITA, Kansas (Reuters) - After moving to Kansas, Tad Stricker visited a state motor vehicle office to perform what he thought was the routine task of getting a new driver's license and registering to vote.

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Clinton to assail Trump in foreign policy speech

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton will contrast her foreign policy credentials with those of Donald Trump in a speech on Thursday that will portray the Republican rival she calls a "loose cannon" as too dangerous be president, her campaign said.

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Iraq stalls Falluja assault 'to protect civilians'

SOUTHERN OUTSKIRTS OF FALLUJA, Iraq (Reuters) - Iraq has delayed its assault on the city of Falluja because of fears for the safety of civilians, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said on Wednesday, as his forces halted at the city's edge in the face of ferocious resistance from Islamic State fighters.

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U.S.-backed Syrian fighters gain ground against Islamic State: monitor

BEIRUT (Reuters) - U.S.-backed Syrian fighters including Kurds advanced against Islamic State in the last tract of territory the group holds near the Turkish border on Wednesday, a monitoring group said, opening a major new front with U.S.-led air support.

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World growth worries give stocks lackluster June start

LONDON (Reuters) - Global equity markets started the new month on the back foot on Wednesday, undermined by lackluster economic data and an oil price slide that took the edge off energy and mining shares.

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