May 22 (Reuters) – The following are the top stories in the
Wall Street Journal. Reuters has not verified these stories and
does not vouch for their accuracy.
* Federal investigators apparently accessed records of calls
to and from a phone number at Fox News Channel in their leak
investigation of a former state department contractor, according
to a court document. ()
* Insecticide sales are surging after years of decline, as
American farmers plant more corn and a genetic modification
designed to protect the crop from pests has started to lose its
effectiveness. ()
* Starwood Capital Group is in talks to buy seven U.S.
shopping malls from Westfield Group for more than $1
billion, a deal that would mark the latest in a flurry of big
ticket acquisitions of retail property. Starwood’s talks with
Westfield aren’t yet in the final stages and still could
collapse, according to people familiar with the matter. ()
* A lawsuit brought by auto dealers has put a chill on the
potential sale of R.L. Polk & Co, owner of the used-car shopping
tool Carfax, according to people familiar with the matter. Polk,
which provides car companies and consumers with data on autos,
attracted interest from some potential corporate buyers as well
as a host of private equity firms, including buyout giants
Carlyle Group LP and KKR & CO LP, the people
said. ()
