Dozens of states criticize Russia for media ‘crackdown’ after reporter arrest

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) -The United States and more than 40 other countries said in a joint statement on Monday that they were deeply concerned over Russia’s detainment of a Wall Street Journal reporter and protested Moscow’s “efforts to limit and intimidate the media.” They also said in the statement, read to reporters at the United…

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Kremlin critic jailed in treason case for 25 years in harshest verdict of Putin era

By Andrew Osborn MOSCOW (Reuters) -Kremlin critic Vladimir Kara-Murza was jailed for 25 years by a Moscow court on Monday, the harshest sentence of its kind since Russia invaded Ukraine, after being convicted of treason and other offences in a trial he said was politically-motivated. Kara-Murza, 41, a father of three and an opposition politician…

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Dollar gains after strong New York factory survey

By Herbert Lash and Harry Robertson NEW YORK/LONDON (Reuters) – The dollar rose on Monday after New York state factory activity in April increased for the first time in five months, helping bolster expectations the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates in May. Also bolstering the dollar was a report showing confidence among U.S. single-family…

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Merck to build out immunology presence with $11 billion Prometheus deal

By Michael Erman (Reuters) -Merck & Co said on Sunday it will buy Prometheus Biosciences Inc for about $10.8 billion, picking up a promising experimental treatment for ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease and building up its presence in immunology. Merck will pay $200 per share for the California-based biotechnology company that specializes in treatments for…

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California city can’t enforce natural gas ban, appeals court says

By Clark Mindock NEW YORK (Reuters) -Berkeley, California, cannot ban natural gas hookups in new buildings because a U.S. federal law preempts its rule, a federal appeals court said Monday, siding with a challenge the state’s restaurant industry made. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco said Berkeley’s 2019 ban on new…

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US SEC charges Bittrex with operating unregistered securities exchange

By Hannah Lang (Reuters) -The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday charged cryptocurrency exchange Bittrex Inc and its former CEO William Shihara with operating an unregistered national securities exchange, broker and clearing agency. The SEC alleged in its complaint, which was filed in a U.S. district court in Washington, that Shihara coordinated with crypto…

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