Analysis-China undeterred in campaign to pressure critics abroad despite Western backlash

By Matt Spetalnick, David Brunnstrom and Michael Martina WASHINGTON (Reuters) -China is facing a growing backlash from the United States and other Western governments over its controversial efforts to pressure dissidents and their advocates abroad, but Beijing has appeared undeterred.     Authorities in the U.S., Canada, Britain and elsewhere recently have taken a hard line,…

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Russia fines Google over ‘LGBT propaganda’ and ‘false information’ – agencies

MOSCOW (Reuters) – A Russian court fined Alphabet’s Google <GOOGL.O> 3 million roubles ($38,600) on Thursday for failing to delete YouTube videos it said promoted “LGBT propaganda” and “false information” about Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine, Russian news agencies reported. Over the last year Moscow has levied dozens of fines against Western tech companies as…

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Buffett’s Dairy Queen sees Taiwan among possible new markets, while mindful of geopolitics

By Jonathan Stempel (Reuters) – Berkshire Hathaway-owned Dairy Queen is exploring options to expand in new markets, perhaps including Taiwan, the company’s CEO said, even as geopolitical concerns with China simmer. Owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway since 1998, the fast-food chain counts China as its second-largest market, operating more than 1,250 stores there out…

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Telecom Italia CEO says service business can stand on own two feet

MILAN (Reuters) – The head of Telecom Italia (TIM) said the company’s service business is “already sustainable” as a standalone entity and is expected to generate strong core profit this year. Chief Executive Pietro Labriola on Thursday asserted that TIM had a viable future should he manage to complete the sale of its domestic landline…

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Erdogan’s rival boosted by withdrawal, poll lead ahead of Turkey vote

By Ece Toksabay and Birsen Altayli ANKARA (Reuters) -The man challenging Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey’s presidential elections this weekend received a boost on Thursday when a small party candidate abruptly withdrew and a closely-watched poll gave him a more than five percentage point advantage. The withdrawal by Muharrem Ince, one of four contesting Sunday’s presidential…

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China says willing to work with U.S. on audit deal as challenges loom

By Xie Yu HONG KONG (Reuters) – China’s securities watchdog on Thursday said that it was willing to work with its counterparts in the United States to promote regulatory cooperation on audits and safeguard the rights and interests of global investors. The China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) was commenting a day after a U.S. accounting…

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Exclusive-Pakistan point-of-sale payments slump after protest violence

By Ariba Shahid KARACHI, Pakistan (Reuters) -Point-of-sale transactions routed through Pakistan’s main digital payment systems fell by around 50% the day after former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s arrest ignited countrywide protests and prompted authorities to shut down mobile internet services, data showed on Thursday. The reason for the slump was primarily the mobile broadband suspension,…

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