Town Hall News

By Byron Kaye SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia’s stock market operator said it will no longer attempt to rebuild its software platform with blockchain-based technology, one of the highest-profile repudiations of the once-feted concept best known for powering cryptocurrency. ASX Ltd frustrated market participants in November by “pausing” a rebuild of its all-in-one trading, settlement and clearing software based on the decentralised computing concept, after an external review found it had […]

By Laura Sanicola (Reuters) – Oil prices fell slightly in early Asian trade on Friday as optimism that a U.S. debt default will be avoided weighed against sticky inflation data that could portend more interest rate hikes from global central banks. Brent futures were down 2 cents at $75.84 a barrel as at 0015 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell 10 cents, or 0.043%, to settle at $71.76. […]

By Steve Keating ROCHESTER, New York (Reuters) – Eric Cole, still chasing a first career win, charged to the top of the PGA Championship first round leaderboard ahead of a pack of major winners on Thursday before play was halted due to darkness, bringing the curtain down on a wild day at Oak Hill. Starting on the back nine, the PGA Tour rookie mixed six birdies with a bogey to […]

SYDNEY (Reuters) – A 95-year-old grandmother who Australian police tasered at an old people’s home is in critical condition as the homicide squad join a high-profile investigation into the incident, police said on Friday. Police were called to the Yallambee aged care home in Cooma, about 300 km southwest of Sydney, on Wednesday after staff found resident Clare Nowland outside her room holding a steak-knife, said assistant commissioner Peter Cotter […]

By Anirban Sen NEW YORK (Reuters) -Lazard Ltd CEO Ken Jacobs is expected to step down from his role and hand the reins to Peter Orszag, who currently runs the investment bank’s financial advisory unit, a person familiar with the matter said on Thursday. Jacobs’ decision to step down comes after Lazard reported a loss in the first quarter as dealmaking activity slumped. Lazard has warned of an uncertain outlook […]

By Anirban Sen NEW YORK (Reuters) -Lazard Ltd CEO Ken Jacobs is expected to step down from his role and hand the reins to Peter Orszag, who currently runs the investment bank’s financial advisory unit, a person familiar with the matter said on Thursday. Jacobs’ decision to step down comes after Lazard reported a loss in the first quarter as dealmaking activity slumped. Lazard has warned of an uncertain outlook […]

By Anirban Sen NEW YORK (Reuters) -Lazard Ltd CEO Ken Jacobs is expected to step down from his role and hand the reins to Peter Orszag, who currently runs the investment bank’s financial advisory unit, a person familiar with the matter said on Thursday. Jacobs’ decision to step down comes after Lazard reported a loss in the first quarter as dealmaking activity slumped. Lazard has warned of an uncertain outlook […]

TOKYO (Reuters) – A team of around 30 South Korean experts will visit Japan during May 22-25 to inspect facilities related to water release from the wrecked Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant, Japan’s foreign ministry said on Friday. The visit was agreed during Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s visit to Seoul earlier this month as his counterpart, South Korea’s President Yoon Suk-yeol, is seeking to improve relations with Japan after […]

XIAN, China (Reuters) -China’s President Xi Jinping said on Friday that the security, independence and territorial integrity of central Asian nations must be safeguarded. Delivering the keynote speech at the China-Central Asia Summit in the historic city of Xian, Xi said the world needs “a central Asia that is stable, prosperous, harmonious, and well-connected”, state media reported. Xi, who is hosting Asian leaders from five central Asian countries, characterized relations […]