PRESS DIGEST- New York Times business news - Nov 24

Nov 24 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories on The
New York Times business pages. Reuters has not verified these
stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

- The seafood industry in Thailand suffers from widespread
labor and human rights abuses, exposing virtually all American
and European companies that buy seafood from there to the
"endemic risk" of having these problems as part of their supply
chain, according to a report released on Monday by food giant
Nestlé NESN.VX . (http://nyti.ms/1kQYe3m)

- Billionaire and activist investor Carl Icahn took aim at
another famous American company on Monday, Xerox Corp (N:XRX) XRX.N ;
and stepped up pressure on the insurance giant American
International Group AIG.N . In a filing with the Securities and
Exchange Commission, Icahn announced he had built up a 7.1
percent stake in Xerox. (http://nyti.ms/1MzdhaC)

- In their first top-level trade talks since President Obama
hosted China's leader in September, the U.S. and China said on
Monday that they had made progress on sticking points, including
preventing the theft of trade secrets and opening Chinese market
more broadly to American multinationals. (http://nyti.ms/1N5e6oS)

- Billionaire investor William Ackman sharply increased his
position in Valeant Pharmaceuticals (N:VRX) VRX.TO , the embattled drug
company, that has come under scrutiny. Ackman's Pershing Square (N:SQ)
Capital Management has increased its stake in Valeant to 9.9
percent, from 5.7 percent, according to a regulatory filing on
Monday. (http://nyti.ms/1I7FK8I)

- In phone calls to Washington lawmakers and Obama
administration officials, chief executive of Pfizer PFE.N , Ian
Read, said a merger with Allergan (N:AGN_pa) AGN.N would significantly
cut Pfizer's tax bill and give it more cash that it could invest
in the United States and ultimately add jobs, according to
people briefed on the calls. (http://nyti.ms/1X8FVaL)