Report claims coverup in Russian lawyer’s death

A new report claims a Russian lawyer who died in prison was tortured and deliberately denied medical treatment, and that the official investigation covered it up.
Sergei Magnitsky, who was arrested after accusing officials of corruption, died in November 2009 after the pancreatitis he developed in prison went untreated. Two prison doctors have been charged with […]

Spanish savings bank directors suspected of fraud

A Spanish savings bank has fired two directors and is investigating two former executives for allegedly syphoning off euro20 million ($26.5 million) into secret pension funds, the bank said Saturday.
The board of directors of Caixa Penedes bank had “required the departure” of its president, Ricard Pages, and director general Manuel Troyano. It said both men […]

Lithuania to dismantle troubled bank

Lithuania’s central bank said it would dismantle a bank controlled by a Russian businessman after regulators discovered large sums of money missing.
Lithuanian prosecutors said Friday that Raimondas Baranauskas, minority owner of Snoras Bank, has been detained in London after they had issued a European arrest warrant on Wednesday.
Prosecutors could not say whether Russian citizen Vladimir […]

Rate on 30-year fixed mortgage falls to 3.98 pct.

The average rate on the 30-year fixed mortgage hovered above its record low for a fourth straight week. But cheap mortgage rates have done little to boost home sales or refinancing.
Freddie Mac says the rate on the 30-year fixed loan fell to 3.98 percent from 4 percent the previous week. Seven weeks ago, it dropped […]

The supercommittee sell-off: Dow loses almost 250

The stock market was not exactly surprised that the so-called supercommittee failed to reach a deal to cut the deficit. But since summer, investors have sold at the first hint of trouble.
So on Monday, they sold big.
The Dow Jones industrial average lost almost 250 points after the special committee of Congress assigned to come up […]

SLU won’t say how it plans to use properties it has bought

Except for his time in the military, James Coplin, 53, has lived his entire life in a modest brick house much like those of his neighbors in the 3600 block of Hickory Street.
Across the street is a stretch recently cleared of similar dwellings owned by St. Louis University. In their place is vacant ground, behind […]

Stocks edge higher; Europe worries ease

Stocks edged higher Friday as investors balanced signs of future growth in the U.S. economy with a looming deadline for Congress to reach a deal in deficit-reduction talks. Steep declines earlier in the week put the S&P 500 index on track for its worst week since September.
The Conference Board’s index of leading economic indicators rose […]

Clinton meets flood victims on quick Thailand trip

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton played with a toddler and asked a little girl if she misses school during a quick visit Thursday to an evacuation center for Thai flood victims, a day after announcing a $10 million aid package.
Clinton exchanged the traditional Thai greeting known as “wai” _ bowing deeply while pressing […]

Staples 3Q net income rises, lowers 2011 outlook

Staples Inc. says its third-quarter profit climbed 13 percent, helped in part by better sales of office and break room supplies to businesses as well as promotional products.
But the nation’s biggest office supply company cut its full-year adjusted earnings forecast on Tuesday as its international performance weakened a bit.
Office suppliers have suffered during the recession […]

Syrup smackdown

Move over maple, there’s another syrup in town.
Maple syrup might be the ultimate Canadian culinary symbol, but if Dave Challen has his way, we’ll be turning to birch syrup for our dose of tree-based sweetness.
“There are a lot more birch trees in Canada than there are maple,” said Challen, owner of Thunder Bay-based Boreal Birch […]