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U.S. banks failed to follow mortgage standards: monitor
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Four of the largest U.S. mortgage servicers failed to adhere to some of the new standards set out in a landmark settlement meant to help consumers facing foreclosure, a court-appointed monitor said on Wednesday.

Cyber threats and leaks spur increased security focus
PARIS (Reuters) - Increased cyber espionage by China and recent leaks by a contractor working at the National Security Agency have put a sharp focus on cyber security for aerospace and defense companies showing off their wares at this year's Paris Airshow.

FINRA reviewing brokerages' use of social media
(Reuters) - Wall Street's Financial Industry Regulatory Authority is looking at how brokerage firms supervise their use of communication outlets such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, the industry-funded regulator said.

Obama challenges Russia to agree to deeper nuclear weapon cuts
BERLIN (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama used a speech in Berlin on Wednesday to call on Russia to revive the push for a world without nuclear arms by agreeing to target further reductions of up to one third of deployed nuclear weapons.

Italy's 5-Star expels rebel Senator who criticized leader
ROME (Reuters) - Italy's anti-establishment 5-Star Movement on Wednesday kicked out a lawmaker for criticizing its leader Beppe Grillo in the latest sign of growing internal strife in the party that took a quarter of votes at February's election.

Exclusive: Parmalat should cut LAG price by $151 million, report to court says
PARMA, Italy (Reuters) - A court-appointed commissioner has recommended Italian dairy group Parmalat cut the price it paid to its parent company Lactalis to acquire its North American cheesemaking division by $151 million, a move that will please minority shareholders.

Business, labor groups urge Senate to pass immigration bill
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Seeking to boost momentum for a broad immigration bill, the country's top manufacturing association and one of the largest labor unions joined forces on Wednesday to push Congress to pass the legislation.

Cervical cancer vaccines cut rates of HPV infections: U.S
CHICAGO (Reuters) - The U.S. introduction of a vaccine to prevent cervical cancer in 2006 has reduced infections with the human papillomavirus or HPV - the sexually transmitted virus that causes the disease - by more than half among girls and young women, U.S. health officials said on Wednesday.

U.S. judge limits ex-Goldman Sachs executive's defense in fraud case
NEW YORK (Reuters) - A federal judge on Wednesday limited the extent to which former Goldman Sachs Group Inc vice president Fabrice Tourre can argue that he was acting on the advice of company lawyers in his defense against charges that he misled investors.

Microsoft offers hefty bounties to thwart hackers
BOSTON (Reuters) - Microsoft Corp is looking to recruit computer geeks in its ongoing efforts to protect Windows PCs from attacks, offering rewards of as much as $150,000 to anybody who helps identify and fix major security holes in its software.

Friends of Syria to meet Saturday in Doha: France
PARIS (Reuters) - The main nations making up the Friends of Syria will meet on Saturday in Doha to discuss assistance for the Free Syrian Army following recent successes by government forces, a French foreign ministry official said.

Italy court rejects bid to block Berlusconi tax fraud verdict
ROME (Reuters) - Italy's constitutional court on Wednesday rejected a bid by Silvio Berlusconi to block a tax fraud conviction from October, clearing the way for a final verdict this year and deepening the uncertainty facing Prime Minister Enrico Letta.

Wall St. edges lower as Fed statement looms
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks dipped on Wednesday as investors awaited a Federal Reserve statement that could provide clues about the central bank's future stimulus efforts, a key to the market's current rally.

Former Hungarian PM Gyula Horn dies age 80: government
BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Former Hungarian Socialist Prime Minister Gyula Horn has died at age 80 after a long illness, the government said in a statement on Wednesday, expressing its condolences to the family.

Flush with orders, aerospace industry retools
PARIS (Reuters) - As airplane makers gathered outside Paris to show off their newest high-tech jetliners on Monday, a less-heralded technology story was unfolding back home on the factory floors of the world's leading aerospace companies.

News Corp spinoffs start preliminary trading
(Reuters) - News Corp's publishing and entertainment arms began trading separately on a preliminary basis on Wednesday, one of the last steps before Rupert Murdoch's company officially splits in two on June 28.

Rolling Stones release back catalogue on iTunes
LONDON (Reuters) - The Rolling Stones released a career-spanning digitally re-mastered back catalogue on Apple Inc's iTunes Store on Wednesday as part of their 50th anniversary celebrations.

Obama defends U.S. intelligence strategy in wary Berlin
BERLIN (Reuters) - President Barack Obama defended U.S. anti-terrorism tactics on a visit to Berlin on Wednesday, telling wary Germans Washington was not spying on the emails of ordinary citizens and promising to step up efforts to close the Guantanamo Bay prison.

Czech ruling party backs speaker to be first woman PM
PRAGUE (Reuters) - The ruling Czech Civic Democrats have proposed Miroslava Nemcova as the next prime minister following the resignation of Petr Necas in a corruption scandal, the party said on Wednesday.

UK top court ruling threatens Western sanctions against Iran
LONDON (Reuters) - Western government sanctions against Iran suffered a big setback on Wednesday when Britain's top court ruled that the government was wrong to have imposed sanctions on the biggest Iranian private bank over alleged links to Tehran's nuclear program.