U.S. DOJ repatriates another $452 million in 1MDB funds to Malaysia

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has repatriated $452 million in misappropriated funds from 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), it said in a statement on Thursday, bringing the total amount recovered from the corruption scandal to $1.2 billion. The funds, which were repatriated to Malaysia, had been laundered through major financial institutions worldwide, including in the United States, Switzerland, Singapore, and Luxembourg, the statement said.

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Recreation at risk as Lake Powell dips to historic low

A thick, white band of newly exposed rock face stretches high above boaters’ heads at Lake Powell, creating a sharp contrast against the famous red desert terrain as their vessels weave through tight canyons that were once underwater. It’s a stark reminder of how far the water level has fallen at the massive reservoir on the Utah-Arizona border. Now, the level at the popular destination for houseboat vacations is at a historic low amid a climate change-fueled megadrought engulfing the U.S. West.

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‘Materna’ Review: An Uneven Drama About Mothers and Children

It makes sense that one of the protagonists of “Materna” is a fan of Jean-Pierre Melville’s existential neo-noir “Le Samouraï,” given that David Gutnik’s feature debut is itself a tapestry of modern alienation and disaffection. Charting the plights of four women whose paths eventually cross on a New York City subway train, Gutnik’s fragmented feature […]

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Top diplomats of United States, South Korea discuss ways to engage North Korea

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong have discussed efforts to engage with North Korea, including the prospect of humanitarian aid, their offices said on Friday. While the allies both want North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons and end its missile programme, they have at times disagreed on the approach, with South Korean President Moon Jae-in keen to build economic ties between the two Koreas while the United States has long insisted on action on denuclearisation as a first step. South Korea’s foreign ministry, in a statement on the call between Blinken and Chung, said they had agreed to hold detailed discussions on ways to cooperate with North Korea, including humanitarian cooperation, and continue to make efforts to engage with it.

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U.S. job growth seen strong as technical factors provide a boost

U.S. job growth likely remained robust in July amid shifts in seasonal employment at schools caused by the pandemic, which could mask some softening in underlying labor market conditions as the boost from fiscal stimulus and the economy’s reopening fades. The Labor Department’s closely watched employment report on Friday could show nonfarm payrolls surging by at least 1 million last month because of the so-called seasonal adjustment factors, which are also seen inflating employment at auto assembly plants and in the leisure and hospitality sector. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, education employment normally declined by about 1 million jobs in July as schools closed, while temporary plant shutdowns for summer retooling weighed on automobile payrolls.

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5 Best Chinese Stocks To Buy And Watch As Beijing Crackdowns Continue

Hundreds of Chinese companies are listed on U.S. markets. China is the world’s most-populous nation and the second-largest economy with a booming urban middle class and amazing entrepreneurial activity. Often dozens of Chinese stocks are among the top performers at any given time, across an array of sectors.

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