U.S. Justice Department Tells Mueller To Limit Congressional Testimony

WASHINGTON, July 22 (Reuters) – The U.S. Justice Department told former Special Counsel Robert Mueller on Monday he should limit his testimony before Congress this week to discussing his public report on the Russia probe.

In a letter to Mueller, Associate Deputy Attorney General Bradley Weinsheimer said his testimony set for Wednesday before the House Judiciary and Intelligence committees “must remain within the boundaries of your public report because matters within the scope of your investigation were covered by executive privilege.”

(Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; Writing by Eric Beech; Editing by Mohammad Zargham)

Toronto police applauded for quick rescue, but Life Saving Society says drowning deaths on the rise

Costa Rica central bank lowers growth projections for 2019, 2020

SAN JOSE (Reuters) – The Costa Rican central bank on Monday lowered its 2019 economic growth projection to 2.2% from 3.2%, citing weak global growth, adverse climatic shocks and declining prices for key agricultural exports, among other factors.

The central bank also lowered its 2020 economic growth outlook to 2.6% from 3.0%.

Goldman Says Yen Offers a More Attractive Hedge Than Gold

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Investors looking at haven assets to protect against a risk-off shock should find the yen a cheaper option than gold, according to Goldman Sachs Group Inc.

An increase in gold-price volatility has made bullish options on the traditional haven more expensive than yen equivalents, wrote strategists including Alessio Rizzi in a note Monday.

“Implied volatility and options-call skew are expensive now for gold and buying calls on the yen appears attractive,” they said. “With gold positioning becoming more stretched, the yen might be a more attractive hedge tactically.”

Holdings in bullion-backed exchange-traded funds have hit the highest level since 2013 thanks to a combination of global-growth concerns, geopolitical concerns and plans by central banks to restart monetary stimulus. Spot gold is up 11% this year. The yen has only risen 1.6% against the dollar — less than half the gain for the un-havenlike Canadian dollar.

Gold and the yen both might benefit in the case of a shock U.S. intervention to weaken the dollar, the Goldman strategists wrote.

Logitech International SA Q1 adjusted earnings of $0.39 per share

Logitech International SA (LOGI) revealed earnings for its first quarter that rose from the same period last year.

The company’s earnings came in at $45.35 million, or $0.27 per share. This compares with $38.47 million, or $0.23 per share, in last year’s first quarter.

Excluding items, Logitech International SA reported adjusted earnings of $65.60 million or $0.39 per share for the period.

The company’s revenue for the quarter rose 5.9% to $644.22 million from $608.48 million last year.

Logitech International SA earnings at a glance:

-Earnings (Q1): $65.60 Mln. vs. $57.44 Mln. last year.
-EPS (Q1): $0.39 vs. $0.34 last year.
-Revenue (Q1): $644.22 Mln vs. $608.48 Mln last year.

South Korea says it fired warning shots at Russian military jet

SEOUL (AFP) – South Korea said it fired warning shots at a Russian military aircraft on Tuesday (July 23) after it violated the country’s airspace off its east coast.

The Russian jet breached South Korean airspace twice prompting the Air Force to scramble fighter jets and fire warning shots, an official at the Joint Chiefs of Staff told AFP.

It was the first time a Russian plane has violated South Korean airspace, the official said, adding that the military was investigating.

US politicians say Texas migrant detention centres 'horrifying'

Customs and Border Patrol have dismissed reports of overcrowding and dangerous conditions.

Several US Democrats describe migrant detention centres in Texas as “horrifying”.

They visited the sites amid growing concerns about poor, unsanitary living conditions.

The trip came hours after it was revealed a private Facebook group allegedly run by past and present border patrol agents threatened politicians visiting the sites.

They also made crude jokes and posted obscene pictures of the delegation.

Al Jazeera’s Alan Fisher reports.

Kimberly McIntosh: Why I Took A Break From Dating White Men

Kimberly McIntosh is a young writer and campaigner on race and racism.

:: Listen to the Divided podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Spreaker

Her work has included a series of magazine articles about her search for a ‘woke’ man.

Niall Paterson asks her about dating, cultural appropriation and white privilege.

Syria's war: People live in fear as assault intensifies in Idlib

Trying to find home comfort, life of Syrian children in opposition-held areas as bombs drop around them.

The United Nations has condemned the death of hundreds of Syrian civilians living in areas controlled by rebels.

The Syrian government and its Russian allies have been bombing areas in the provinces of Idlib and Hama for more than two months.

Activists say around two children are being killed every day.

Al Jazeera’s Zeina Khodr has been monitoring developments from neighbouring Lebanon.

Nationwide protests in Israel over shooting of teen

Israeli-Ethiopian teen’s death leads to massive protests in Israel.

Demonstrators in the northern town of Haifa in Israel are incensed after an off-duty police officer shot dead an Israeli-Ethiopian teenager.

Around 150,000 Jews of Ethiopian descent reside in Israel and that has led to accusations of racial discrimination.

Al Jazeera’s Bernard Smith reports from Tel Aviv.