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Weaver birds build a nest on a bamboo tree in Lalitpur, Nepal July 20, 2017. REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar
Washington A secretive U.S. government panel has objected to at least nine acquisitions of U.S. companies by foreign buyers so far this year, people familiar with the matter said, a historically high number that bodes poorly for China's overseas buying spree. Chinese companies and investors eyeing U.S. assets could face more roadblocks as a result, at a time when the Chinese government is also restricting the flow of capital out of China following a bonanza of Chinese overseas deals. Mark Corallo, the spokesman for President Donald Trump's outside legal team, has resigned. Exxon Mobil sued the U.S. government on Thursday, blasting as "unlawful" and "capricious" a $2 million fine levied against it for a three-year-old oil joint venture with Russia's Rosneft. Senate Republicans, scolded by President Donald Trump for failing to overturn Obamacare, tried to salvage their seven-year effort for a new healthcare law on Thursday, but leading senators indicated frustration over shifting goal posts.
World Israel bolstered security in the Old City of Jerusalem on Friday and prepared for possible clashes with Muslim worshippers after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decided metal detectors at a sensitive holy site would not be removed. Two tour agencies that arrange trips to North Korea said the U.S. government will soon ban its citizens from traveling there, after the death of a U.S. student arrested there while on a tour. Polish lawmakers were set to defy the European Union and massed opposition protesters by backing a judicial overhaul denounced by critics as a move toward authoritarian rule. Parliament’s upper house was expected to vote through a bill forcing the removal of Supreme Court judges and giving parliament control over choosing replacements. 
People protest against supreme court legislation in Wroclaw, Poland, July 20, 2017. Agencja Gazeta/Mieczyslaw Michalak/via REUTERS Britain risks losing clout in the aerospace industry, one of its largest skilled employers, due to concerns over its departure from the European Union, a corporate overhaul at Airbus and a new Franco-German push on defense, industry insiders say. Commentary: How Russia sparked a Western military renaissance.
Technology China has outlined plans to become a world-leader in artificial intelligence by 2025, laying down a challenge to U.S. dominance in the sector amid heightened international tensions over military applications of the technology. India's disruptive new telecom entrant Reliance Jio, backed by the country's richest man Mukesh Ambani, unveiled a low-cost 4G-enabled phone on Friday to woo tens of millions of new clients, further destabilizing legacy telecom players. Breakingviews: Uber could one day end up like Yahoo U.S. Justice Department shuts down dark web bazaar AlphaBay. As part of its review of Amazon's agreement to buy Whole Foods, the Federal Trade Commission is looking into allegations that Amazon misleads customers about its pricing discounts, according to a source close to the probe.
Business France's fast-growing fintech sector is optimistic the country's dynamic new president will push it up the global rankings. But startups based in London do not yet seem ready to swap that key hub for Paris, even if they have French roots. Exclusive: Baidu, JD.com to join others investing $12 billion in China Unicom - sources General Electric reported a 12 percent drop in revenue for the second quarter, as weakness in its energy connections business offset strength in renewables and power units. Germany's Siemens moved to distance itself from a Crimean sanctions scandal, saying it would halt deliveries of power equipment to Russian state-controlled customers and review supplies to Russian subsidiaries. | 
