Accusations

Exclusive - Germany's Merck explores sale of biosimilar drug business: sources | Reuters

By Carl O'Donnell and Greg Roumeliotis German chemicals and pharmaceuticals company Merck KGaA (MRCG.DE) is exploring a sale of its biosimilars unit, according to people familiar with the matter, as that business faces fierce competition from larger players in the sector.Biosimilars, the biotechnology-based equivalents of generic drugs, have become increasingly popular amid a drive to curb price increases. Stefan Oschmann, however, who took over as Merck's CEO earlier this year, has been focussed on finding ways to safeguard his company's leading position in the multiple sclerosis market. Its top selling drug in this space is Rebif.

Cyrus Mistry says surprised by justification given for his dismissal | Reuters

MUMBAI The war of words between Tata Sons and its ousted Chairman Cyrus Mistry continued late on Friday, with Mistry saying he was surprised with the justification put forward by the Indian salt-to-software conglomerate for his dismissal. Mistry was sacked as chairman by the board of Tata Sons on Monday and a scathing 5-page letter he wrote to the board was leaked on Wednesday, turning a boardroom feud into a public row.

Colombia's ELN rebels say will free hostage once peace talks begin | Reuters

BOGOTA Colombia's Marxist rebel group, the National Liberation Army, will free a key hostage once delayed peace talks with the government begin, a commander said on Friday, challenging Bogota's demand it would not sit down at the negotiating table until the man is freed.Peace talks between the government of President Juan Manuel Santos and the group, known as the ELN, were set to open Thursday in Quito, Ecuador, but Santos called off the ceremony pending the release of former legislator Odin Sanchez, held since April.The release of Sanchez - the most well-known of potential remaining hostages - is a longstanding government condition for beginning talks with the group, the country's second-biggest insurgency."The commitment was that the liberation would take place in the course of the first round of negotiations," ELN negotiator Pablo Beltran said in comments posted to the ELN's Twitter account. "A date was not set.""That's our commitment and we will follow through," Beltran said

Wall Street rises amid robust earnings, GDP data | Reuters

By Yashaswini Swamynathan Wall Street rose on Friday as robust economic data shone light on the strength of the U.S. economy, while upbeat results from Alphabet and Chevron offset the decline in health stocks and Amazon.The U.S. Commerce Department's first estimate on gross domestic product showed the U.S

Strong economic report welcome boost for Clinton, Trump calls it dismal | Reuters

By Steve Holland | MANCHESTER, N.H. MANCHESTER, N.H. A stronger-than-expected U.S.

Wall St rises amid robust earnings, GDP data | Reuters

By Yashaswini Swamynathan Wall Street rose on Friday as robust economic data shone light on the strength of the U.S. economy, while upbeat results from Alphabet and Chevron offset the decline in health stocks and Amazon.The U.S. Commerce Department's first estimate on gross domestic product showed the U.S

Russia fails to win re-election to U.N. Human Rights Council | Reuters

UNITED NATIONS Russia failed to win re-election to the Geneva-based United Nations Human Rights Council on Friday, beaten by Hungary and Croatia in a vote by the 193-member U.N. General Assembly.Hungary received 144 votes, followed by Croatia with 114 votes and Russia with 112 votes. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols)

Iran-backed Shi'ite militias to join assault near Mosul on new front | Reuters

By Saif Hameed and Maher Chmaytelli | BAGHDAD BAGHDAD Iraqi Shi'ite militias backed by Iran said on Friday they would soon join the fight against Islamic State on a new front west of Mosul, a move which could block any retreat by the jihadists into Syria but might alarm Turkey and the United States.The Shi'ite militias, with thousands of battle-hardened fighters trained by Iran, would bring important extra firepower to what is expected to be the biggest battle in Iraq since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003.But their arrival on the battlefield in one of the most diverse parts of Iraq also creates worry for Western countries backing the Iraqi government offensive, who fear that the Shi'ite fighters could alienate residents in mainly Sunni areas.A spokesman for the paramilitary groups said the advance towards the Islamic State-held town of Tal Afar, about 55 km (35 miles) west of Mosul, would start within "a few days or hours".If successful, the offensive would leave Islamic State fighters - and the 1.5 million civilians still living in Mosul - encircled by an advancing coalition of forces which seeks to crush the hardline Sunni militants in their Iraq stronghold.As many as 50,000 Iraqi soldiers, police and Kurdish peshmerga fighters, backed by U.S.-led air strikes and support on the ground, have advanced on Mosul for nearly two weeks from the south, north and east.They have already recaptured scores of villages on the flat plains east of Mosul and along the Tigris river to the south of the city, Islamic State's last big bastion in Iraq.Until now, it has not been clear whether the Shi'ite paramilitaries would join the fight, or whether the western approaches of the city would be left open so that civilians and militants could escape. Rights groups have called on Baghdad to keep the Shi'ite militias away from the battlefield, accusing them of carrying out revenge killings and kidnappings in other areas freed from Islamic State. The militias and the Baghdad government say any such abuses were isolated incidents and not widespread.