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☆ Swiss Banque Pictet pays $123 mln for helping clients evade US taxes
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Luc Cohen | Thomson Reuters | Reports On The New York Federal Courts. Previously Worked As A Correspondent In Venezuela | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

According to prosecutors, U.S. taxpayers with Pictet accounts in Switzerland and elsewhere evaded about $50.6 million in taxes between 2008 and 2014. As part of the agreement, Banque Pictet agreed to pay $122.9 million to the U.S. Treasury. As part of the agreement, Pictet, which oversees 632 billion Swiss francs ($724 billion) in client assets, will implement remedial measures and cooperate with the authorities' investigation. U.S. authorities have long accused Swiss banks of helping wealthy Americans evade taxes, and Pictet signalled it had been in contact with the U.S. for more than a decade. Credit Suisse in 2014 agreed to pay a $2.5 billion fine for helping Americans evade taxes in a conspiracy that spanned decades.

Persons: Andrew Kelly, Banque Pictet, Jim Lee, Pictet, Julius Baer, Renaud de Planta, Marc Pictet, Luc Cohen, Noele, Jan Harvey, Bill Berkrot, Christina Fincher Organizations: Internal Revenue Service, Washington , D.C, REUTERS, Banque Pictet, Justice Department, Banque, U.S . Treasury, U.S, Credit Suisse, UBS, Prosecutors, Noele Illien, Thomson Locations: Washington ,, Swiss, Switzerland, Pictet, New York, Zurich

☆ US Woman Killed in Shark Attack in Bahamas
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Dec. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

By Jasper Ward(Reuters) - An American woman died after she was attacked by a shark while paddle boarding in The Bahamas on Monday, police said. However, she suffered serious injuries to the right side of her body, including the right hip region and also her right upper limb," police said. While fatal shark attacks are not common in The Bahamas, at least two others have been reported recently. On Nov. 21, a 47-year-old German woman went missing during a diving excursion in waters off West End, Grand Bahama, after encountering a shark, police said. In September 2022, a 58-year-old American woman was killed in a shark attack while snorkeling with her family in waters of New Providence.

Persons: Jasper Ward, Bill Berkrot Organizations: CPR Locations: American, Bahamas, Boston, New Providence

Those losses ended a nine-trial winning streak for Bayer, shattering investor and company hopes that the worst of the Roundup litigation was over. Her case will help test whether plaintiffs' recent victories were an aberration, or the payoff from favorable court rulings and a shift in plaintiffs' strategy. Plaintiffs' lawyers reject the notion that the evidence about regulators explains their wins. While plaintiffs' lawyers in earlier trials mentioned other chemicals, transcripts of recent closing arguments suggest they have become more prominent. More Roundup trials are expected in 2024.

Persons: Wolfgang Rattay, Kelly Martel, Bayer, Martel, glyphosate, That's, Tom Kline, Jason Itkin, Ernest Caranci, Bart Rankin, Rankin, Brendan Pierson, Alexia Garamfalvi, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Bayer AG, REUTERS, Bayer, U.S, Monsanto, . Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, Union, Health, Thomson Locations: Wuppertal, Germany, Philadelphia, Pleas, Pennsylvania, Europe, New York

☆ Underlying US inflation pressures eased in October, NY Fed says
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Michael S. Derby | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A man passes by The Federal Reserve Bank of New York in New York City, U.S., March 13, 2023. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNEW YORK, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Underlying inflation pressures eased in October compared to the prior month, according to a report released on Monday by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The bank said that its Multivariate Core Trend (MCT) inflation reading for October stood at 2.6%, from September’s 2.88%. The NY Fed MCT index is designed to measure inflation persistence and how broadly price pressures are changing. The NY Fed MCT reading has tracked a broader retreat in price pressures.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Jerome Powell, John Williams, Powell, Williams, Michael S, Mark Porter, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Federal Reserve Bank of New, REUTERS, NY, New York Fed, Fed, Thomson Locations: Federal Reserve Bank of New York, New York City, U.S, September’s

☆ US charges ex-ambassador with spying for Cuba over decades
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Rocha, 73, was arrested and is expected to appear before a federal judge in Miami on Monday. Bolivian President Hugo Banzer shakes hands with Victor Manuel Rocha, the then U.S. Ambassador to Bolivia, during a ceremony in the Goverment Palace in La Paz, August 3, 2000. File photo DM/JP/HB Acquire Licensing RightsRocha worked for the State Department from 1981 to 2002, the Justice Department said. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters he was unable to provide details on an ongoing law enforcement matter.

Persons: Victor Manuel Rocha, Merrick Garland, Rocha, Hugo Banzer, Matthew Miller, Miller, Andrew Goudsward, Katharine Jackson, Ismail Shakil, Simon Lewis, Rami Ayyub, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Justice, Justice Department, Cuban, United, Bolivian, HB, State Department, White, National Security Council, . military's Southern Command, Washington, Directorate of Intelligence, Thomson Locations: United States, Bolivia, Cuba, Miami, Goverment, La Paz, Florida, U.S

REUTERS/Siddharth Cavale/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsDec 1 (Reuters) - Walmart (WMT.N) said on Friday it is not advertising on social media platform X, one of the latest brands to say it has dropped the Elon Musk-owned site. "We aren't advertising on X as we've found other platforms to better reach our customers," a Walmart spokesperson said. X, formerly known as Twitter, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Earlier this month, Musk agreed with an X user who falsely claimed members of the Jewish community were stoking hatred against white people, saying the user was speaking "the actual truth." Reporting by Siddharth Cavale in New York and Sheila Dang in Dallas; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Bill BerkrotOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Siddharth Cavale, Musk, Walt Disney, Sheila Dang, Chizu Nomiyama, Bill Berkrot Organizations: REUTERS, Walmart, Elon Musk, Twitter, New York Times, Apple, Warner Bros Discovery, Media, Thomson Locations: Teterboro , New Jersey, U.S, New York, Dallas

☆ Protester self-immolates outside Israeli consulate in Atlanta
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Smoke rises after an Israeli airstrike in Gaza, after a temporary truce between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas expired, as seen from southern Israel, December 2, 2023. REUTERS/Alexander Ermochenko Acquire Licensing RightsDec 1 (Reuters) - A protester with a Palestinian flag self-immolated on Friday outside the Israeli consulate in Atlanta, authorities said. The protester arrived around 12:17 p.m. at the office building, which houses the consulate as well as several businesses, and used gasoline, police said. Israel has vowed to annihilate Hamas after the militant group attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and taking 240 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. More than 15,000 Gazans have been killed during Israel's assault, Palestinian officials say, which has destroyed much of the enclave.

Persons: Alexander Ermochenko, Darin Schierbaum, Anat Sultan, Israel, Joseph Ax, Kanishka Singh, Jonathan Allen, Matt Spetalnick, Daniel Wallis, Bill Berkrot Organizations: REUTERS, Palestinian, Police, ABC News, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, Palestinian, Atlanta, U.S

☆ US obesity docs expect Lilly weight-loss drug to show similar heart benefit as Wegovy
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Patrick Wingrove | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

REUTERS/Mike Segar Acquire Licensing RightsDec 1 (Reuters) - Some leading U.S. obesity specialists say they expect Eli Lilly’s (LLY.N) powerful weight-loss drug Zepbound will produce the same or similar heart benefits as Novo Nordisk’s (NOVOb.CO) popular Wegovy as they belong to the same class of medicines. In Novo's pivotal Wegovy trial involving 17,604 overweight and obese people without diabetes, the drug reduced incidence of heart attack, stroke or heart-related death by an impressive 20%. The product, which has the same active ingredient - tirzepatide - as its previously approved diabetes drug Mounjaro, is expected to start shipping it before the end of the year. They said they would readily prescribe Wegovy (semaglutide) if their patients' insurance did not cover Lilly’s drug, or if future trial results do not produce similar heart benefits. Lilly declined to comment on doctors' views that Zepbound might have the same or similar cardiovascular benefits as Wegovy.

Persons: Eli Lilly, Mike Segar, Eli Lilly’s, Lilly, Danish drugmaker, Edmond Wickham, Emily, Zepbound, Tirzepatide, ”, Rohit Kedia, Novo, Chad Weldy, semaglutide, tirzepatide, Farxiga, Boehringer Ingelheim, Lilly’s Jardiance, Patrick Wingrove, Caroline Humer, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Company, REUTERS, Novo, Wegovy, Virginia Commonwealth University . The, Virginia Commonwealth University . The U.S . Food, Drug Administration, Wall Street, Barclays, Providence, Stanford University, Thomson Locations: Branchburg , New Jersey, Danish, Virginia Commonwealth University . The U.S, Zepbound, U.S

☆ Bradley Cooper’s ‘Maestro' a tale of music, marriage and multitasking
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Hanna Rantala | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Dec 1 (Reuters) - Co-writing, directing, producing and starring in his Leonard Bernstein biopic "Maestro" was a terrifying undertaking for Bradley Cooper that turned into a journey of joy and courage. A passion project years in the making, "Maestro" is the follow up to Cooper's directorial debut, "A Star Is Born". Bernstein, who died in 1990, was a celebrated U.S. conductor and composer, who wrote classical music and iconic hit musicals like "West Side Story". "Maestro" focuses on his relationship with his wife, Felicia Montealegre, played by British actor Carey Mulligan, and on his bisexuality. “Maestro” was made for their family, said Cooper, and everything else, including Oscar talk, is extra.

Persons: Leonard Bernstein, Maestro, Bradley Cooper, Cooper, Bernstein, Felicia Montealegre, Carey Mulligan, Lenny, Felicia, Mulligan, I've, Montealegre, Maestro ”, Oscar, Hanna Rantala, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Reuters, Netflix, Thomson Locations: London, U.S, British

☆ Inmate charged with attempted murder after George Floyd killer Chauvin stabbed 22 times
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Kanishka Singh | Thomson Reuters | Kanishka Singh Is A Breaking News Reporter For Reuters In Washington Dc | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Pool via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Dec 1 (Reuters) - An inmate was charged on Friday with attempted murder and other offenses following the stabbing of Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer convicted in the death of George Floyd, the U.S. Justice Department said in a statement. The complaint charges John Turscak, 52, with stabbing Chauvin about 22 times "with an improvised knife" on Nov. 24 while incarcerated at Federal Correctional Institution Tucson, prosecutors said. Turscak was charged with attempted murder, assault with intent to commit murder, assault with a dangerous weapon, and assault resulting in serious bodily injury, according to prosecutors. "Turscak stated that his attack of D.C. (Derek Chauvin) on Black Friday was symbolic with the Black Lives Matter movement and the Mexican Mafia criminal organization," the complaint said. Chauvin is serving a 21-year sentence for violating Floyd's civil rights and a concurrent 22-1/2 years for murder on his conviction in Minnesota state court.

Persons: Derek Chauvin, George Floyd, John Turscak, Chauvin, Turscak, Black, Kanishka Singh, Bill Berkrot, Grant McCool Organizations: Former, Rights, U.S . Justice Department, Federal Correctional Institution, Mexican Mafia, FBI, Minnesota Attorney, Thomson Locations: Former Minneapolis, Minneapolis , Minnesota, U.S, Minneapolis, Federal Correctional Institution Tucson, Minnesota, Washington

[1/3] Tesla's new Cybertruck is shown on display at a Tesla store in San Diego, California, U.S., November 20, 2023. Cybertruck, Tesla's first new model in nearly four years, is critical to its reputation as a maker of innovative vehicles. "We dug our own grave with Cybertruck," Musk said last month, warning that it would take a year to 18 months to make the vehicle a significant cash flow contributor. The billionaire has said Tesla was likely to reach a production rate of roughly 250,000 Cybertrucks a year in 2025. Tesla has faced "enormous challenges in reaching volume production" with the Cybertruck because of its new technology and design, Musk said.

Persons: Mike Blake, Elon Musk, Tesla's, Musk, Tesla, Eric Noble, Rivian, R1T, Rivian's R1T, Ford's, Seth Goldstein, Paul Waatti, Akash Sriram, Hyunjoo Jin, Sayantani Ghosh, Bill Berkrot Organizations: REUTERS, New York Times, Dodge, Ford, General Motors, Hummer, Morningstar, Thomson Locations: San Diego , California, U.S, Bengaluru, Hyunjoo, San Francisco

[1/2] Migrants, most from Venezuela, stand near razor wire while surrendering to authorities after wading across the Rio Grande river into the United States from Mexico, in Eagle Pass, Texas, U.S. October 5, 2023. REUTERS/Adrees Latif/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 30 (Reuters) - A U.S. judge on Thursday rejected a bid by Texas to block federal immigration authorities from destroying razor wire fencing that the state placed along the border with Mexico to deter illegal border crossings. Moses denied the state's motion to block federal officials from destroying the wire fencing pending the outcome of the state's lawsuit filed in October. The judge last month had ordered the federal government to temporarily refrain from cutting or removing the razor wire while she considered the state's motion. A federal judge at the Biden administration's request in September ordered the 1,000-foot (305-meter) barrier removed, but an appeals court allowed it to remain in place temporarily while Paxton's office pursues an appeal.

Persons: Adrees Latif, Alia Moses, Biden, Moses, Ken Paxton, “, ” Paxton, Greg Abbott, Daniel Wiessner, Alexia Garamfalvi, Bill Berkrot Organizations: REUTERS, U.S . Department of Justice, Republican, Texas National Guard, Lone Star, Republican Texas, Customs, Border Protection, Biden, Thomson Locations: Venezuela, Rio Grande, United States, Mexico, Eagle Pass , Texas, U.S, Texas, Del Rio , Texas, Rio, Albany , New York

☆ Novo Nordisk finds compounded Wegovy up to 33% impure, sues Florida pharmacies
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Patrick Wingrove | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Injection pens of Novo Nordisk's weight-loss drug Wegovy are shown in this photo illustration in Oslo, Norway, November 21, 2023. The Danish drugmaker said it found impurities in all the drugs tested from Wells Pharmacy and Brooksville Pharmaceuticals, both based in Florida. Novo said the compounded versions of Wegovy tested from Brooksville were also less potent than advertised, with one sample shown to be at least 19% weaker than indicated. The drugmaker has already filed 12 lawsuits against medical spas, weight-loss clinics and compounding pharmacies offering products that claim to contain semaglutide. The case against Wells was filed in the U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, Ocala division and the suit against Brooksville in U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, Tampa division.

Persons: Victoria Klesty, Danish drugmaker, Novo, Brooksville, ” Jason Brett, Eli Lilly, Mounjaro, Wells, Patrick Wingrove, Josephine Mason, Bill Berkrot, Jane Merriman Organizations: REUTERS, Novo Nordisk, Wells Pharmacy, Brooksville Pharmaceuticals, U.S . Food, Drug Administration, FDA, Novo's, Middle District of, Brooksville, Thomson Locations: Oslo, Norway, Victoria, Danish, Florida, Wells, U.S, Middle District, Middle District of Florida, Ocala, Tampa

☆ Goldman Sachs analyst used inside information for profit, London court told
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Sam Tobin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Nov 30 (Reuters) - A former Goldman Sachs (GS.N) analyst used confidential information to make more than 140,000 pounds ($176,800) from shares in listed companies, prosecutors told a London court on Thursday. Prosecutor Peter Carter said the brothers "used information which they should not have used – because it was private, confidential, price-sensitive information – to gamble effectively, to invest on the stock exchange". He told the jury that Goldman Sachs' internal policies strictly forbid any use of confidential information acquired by the investment bank or its employees. "To breach a confidence or to use confidential information improperly or carelessly would be unthinkable," the policy says. Carter said the policy was clear that employees are not allowed to use confidential information "other than for your work at (Goldman Sachs) and nothing else".

Persons: Goldman Sachs, Mohammed Zina, Zina, Suhail Zina, Clifford Chance, Mohammed, Peter Carter, Carter, Sam Tobin, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Goldman, Goldman Sachs International, Arm Holdings, Southwark Crown, Tesco Bank, Thomson Locations: London, Southwark

☆ Britain to send seven Royal Navy ships to patrol areas with undersea cables
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, Nov 30 (Reuters) - Britain said on Thursday it will send seven Royal Navy ships and a maritime patrol aircraft to take part in Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) patrols of areas with vulnerable undersea infrastructure next month. Europe and NATO have become increasingly concerned about the vulnerability of critical infrastructure around and under the Baltic Sea. JEF, a 10-nation military alliance of northern European countries, is focused on security in the High North, North Atlantic and Baltic Sea region. That followed explosions in September 2022 that ruptured the Nord Stream pipelines under the Baltic Sea and cut Europe's supply of Russian gas. Vessels will be spaced to cover a wide area from the Channel to the Baltic Sea, it added.

Persons: JEF, Grant Shapps, Kylie MacLellan, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Royal Navy, Expeditionary Force, NATO, British, Royal Fleet, Royal Air Force, Channel, Thomson Locations: Britain, Europe, Baltic, North Atlantic, Sweden, Estonia, Finnish, Estonian

☆ US FAA wants new planes to capture more cockpit data to boost safety probes
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Europe has required new airplanes to collect 25 hours of cockpit voice recordings since 2021. FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said the change will "give us substantially more data to identify the causes of incidents." After one runway incident, the NTSB said the cockpit voice recordings in both planes were overwritten and not recovered because the devices record only two hours. "More data will not only help identify causes but better enable operators to address any safety deficiencies," Homendy said. When cockpit voice recorders were first implemented in 1966, they could only record 30 minutes, the FAA said.

Persons: Jim Vondruska, Mike Whitaker, Jennifer Homendy, Homendy, David Shepardson, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, REUTERS, Rights, National Transportation Safety Board, International Civil Aviation Organization, NTSB, Thomson Locations: Chicago , Illinois, U.S, United States, Europe

☆ US life expectancy climbs in 2022 after COVID retreat
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Mariam E Sunny | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The study estimated babies' life expectancy if mortality conditions when they were born were to persist throughout their lives. "There were positive outcomes all around ... all the groups by race and sex experienced increases in life expectancy," Arias said. Life expectancy increased by 1 year for Asian non-Hispanic infants to 84.5 years, and by 0.8 year for White non-Hispanic babies to 77.5. In all groups, previous declines in mortality due to COVID explained more than 80% of the increases in life expectancy, according to the report. Declines in deaths from heart disease, unintentional injuries, cancer, and homicide also contributed to longer life expectancy overall, but their impact varied.

Persons: Octavio Jones, Elizabeth Arias, Arias, COVID, Mariam Sunny, Nancy Lapid, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Department of Health Sarasota COVID, REUTERS, U.S . Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, White, Thomson Locations: Sarasota , Florida, U.S, Alaska, Bengaluru

Musician Paul McCartney performs during his Got Back tour at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, U.S., May 13, 2022. Tickets priced between 200 reais ($41) and 400 reais ($82), much lower than most of those for the tour, sold out in just a few minutes. Fans who managed to buy tickets received wristbands for the concert. Upon arrival, event organizers sealed up fans' mobile phones and cameras to prevent images being recorded. Reporting by Bernardo Caram; Writing by Steven Grattan; Editing by Bill BerkrotOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Paul McCartney, Mario Anzuoni, McCartney, Amanda Cardoso, I'd, Bernardo Caram, Steven Grattan, Bill Berkrot Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Cavern Club, Beatles, Clube, Choro, Thomson Locations: Inglewood , California, U.S, Rights BRASILIA, Liverpool, Brazil, Brasilia, Belo Horizonte, Sao Paulo, Curitiba, Rio de Janeiro

☆ Over 70% of US Jewish college students exposed to antisemitism this school year, survey finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Kanishka Singh | Thomson Reuters | Kanishka Singh Is A Breaking News Reporter For Reuters In Washington Dc | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Jeenah Moon/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Nov 29 (Reuters) - Nearly three in four Jewish college students in the United States who responded to a survey said they have experienced or witnessed antisemitism during the current school year, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) said on Wednesday. Some 73% of over 500 Jewish college students surveyed said they were exposed to antisemitism since the 2023-2024 school year started, the ADL, which fights antisemitism and other forms of discrimination, said. The survey also showed that the percentage of Jewish students who said they feel comfortable with others on campus knowing they are Jewish dropped to 38.6% since Oct. 7 from 63.7% before that date. For the data released on Wednesday, the ADL and Jewish outreach organization Hillel International surveyed more than 3,000 American college students, of which 527 were Jewish, from 689 campuses nationwide. The survey was conducted in two waves, one from July 26 to Aug. 30, and then from Nov. 6 to Nov. 10.

Persons: Joe Biden, Kanishka Singh, Frank McGurty, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Israel, Columbia University, REUTERS, Rights, Defamation League, ADL, Islamic Relations, U.S . Justice, Hillel International, Thomson Locations: Israel, Gaza, New York City, U.S, United States, Washington

☆ Britain to Send Seven Royal Navy Ships to Patrol Areas With Undersea Cables
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain said on Thursday it will send seven Royal Navy ships and a maritime patrol aircraft to take part in Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) patrols of areas with vulnerable undersea infrastructure next month. Europe and NATO have become increasingly concerned about the vulnerability of critical infrastructure around and under the Baltic Sea. JEF, a 10-nation military alliance of northern European countries, is focused on security in the High North, North Atlantic and Baltic Sea region. That followed explosions in September 2022 that ruptured the Nord Stream pipelines under the Baltic Sea and cut Europe's supply of Russian gas. Vessels will be spaced to cover a wide area from the Channel to the Baltic Sea, it added.

Persons: JEF, Grant Shapps, Kylie MacLellan, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Royal Navy, Expeditionary Force, NATO, British, Royal Fleet, Royal Air Force, Channel Locations: Britain, Europe, Baltic, North Atlantic, Sweden, Estonia, Finnish, Estonian

REUTERS/Andrew Kelly/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 29 (Reuters) - Cigna (CI.N) and Humana (HUM.N), two of the biggest U.S. health insurers, are in talks for what could be the largest merger announced in 2023, according to a source familiar with the matter. A Humana and Cigna combination would give the merged company the scale to rival UnitedHealth Group (UNH.N) and CVS Health (CVS.N). In July 2016, the Justice Department filed lawsuits against two health insurance mergers on the same day, saying they would lead to less competition and higher prices for Americans. Health insurers have been facing higher medical costs as people return for procedures they had put off during the pandemic. Humana in February said that it would sell its commercial business but keep its Medicare Advantage products.

Persons: Andrew Kelly, Cigna, Cigna's, Aetna, Bill Baer, Andre Barlow of Doyle, Barlow, Mazard, Bernstein, Lance Wilkes, Craig Garthwaite, Manas Mishra, Diane Bartz, Deena Beasley, Caroline Humer, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Humana Inc, REUTERS, Street Journal, UnitedHealth, CVS Health, Humana’s, Medicare, Affordable, Justice Department, Humana, U.S ., Reuters, Northwestern University, Thomson Locations: Queens , New York City, U.S, Cigna, Bengaluru, Washington, Los Angeles

☆ Cuban family business produces flour from coconut and yucca amid shortages
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Alien Fernandez | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] Entrepreneur Gabriel Perez, 38, poses for a photo as he checks slices of banana put to dry in his farmland in the rural outskirts of Havana, Cuba, November 22, 2023. REUTERS/Alexandre Meneghini Acquire Licensing RightsHAVANA, Nov 28 (Reuters) - On a small farm outside Havana, a Cuban family-run business produces gluten-free flour from banana, coconut and yucca, preferring locally-sourced ingredients to pricey imports as Cubans seek innovative solutions to a growing food crisis. His business, Bacoretto, dries and mills yucca, rice, banana and coconut into organic flour preferred by gluten-intolerant consumers, who have only recently been able to find food products tailored to their dietary needs in Cuba. Byproducts of their processes are used to make coconut oil, coconut-fiber rope, vinegar and fermented products and sweets, Perez told Reuters. It produces 6 to 8 kilograms (13.2 to 17.6 pounds) of flour a week, Perez said, in small batches, in addition to byproducts, with a staff of eight people.

Persons: Gabriel Perez, Alexandre Meneghini, Perez, Fidel Castro's, Alien Fernandez, Nelson Acosta, Bill Berkrot Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Havana, Cuba, Rights HAVANA, Caribbean

A lower court judge had blocked enforcement of the ban in certain situations on Aug. 4, but the order has been on hold while the state appeals to the Texas Supreme Court. Oral arguments in the case are set for 10 a.m. (1600 GMT) in Austin. She was told she could not have an abortion until fetal cardiac activity stopped or her condition became life-threatening. Other plaintiffs said they were forced to travel out of state for medically necessary abortions. Reporting By Brendan Pierson in New York, Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi and Bill BerkrotOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Shelby Tauber, Jessica Mangrum, Molly Duane, Amanda Zurawski, Zurawski, Brendan Pierson, Alexia Garamfalvi, Bill Berkrot Organizations: REUTERS, Shelby, Texas, Texas Supreme, Center for Reproductive Rights, Thomson Locations: Texas, Denton , Texas, Austin, Travis County , Texas, New York

☆ Suspected fake Ozempic causes hypoglycemia in 11 in Lebanon
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Patrick Wingrove | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Three of the people who took the suspected fake Ozempic did so to control their diabetes, while four took it for weight management, Karam said. People with diabetes need to closely manage their blood sugar, which can be done with a variety of medicines including Ozempic. Lebanon's Ministry of Public Health issued two recalls related to Ozempic in January 2023, according to its website. Karam said Ozempic is neither purchased nor provided by the Ministry of Public Health. Several people have been hospitalized in Austria for hypoglycemia after taking potentially fake versions of Ozempic.

Persons: Rita Karam, Eli Lilly's, Novo's, Karam, Ozempic, Patrick Wingrove, Caroline Humer, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Lebanese Ministry of Public Health, Lebanon's Ministry of Public Health, Novo Nordisk, World Obesity, Obesity, International Diabetes Federation, Ministry of Public Health, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Lebanon, Germany, Egypt, Russia, United States, Novo, Britain, Belgium, Austria

☆ Pope strips conservative US cardinal of Vatican privileges, Vatican official says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Philip Pullella | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Remo Casilli/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsVATICAN CITY, Nov 28 (Reuters) - Pope Francis has removed some of the Vatican privileges of conservative American Cardinal Raymond Burke, including a large subsidized apartment and his salary, a senior Vatican official said on Tuesday. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, participated in a regular Vatican meeting when the pope made the announcement to senior aides last week. Burke has had no senior Vatican job for years. On Nov. 11, the pope dismissed another conservative critic, Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas, after Strickland refused to step down following a Vatican investigation. Most recently, in October, Burke was one of five cardinals who openly challenged a global month-long Vatican meeting, known as a synod.

Persons: Cardinal Raymond Leo Burke, Remo Casilli, Pope Francis, American Cardinal Raymond Burke, Burke, Francis, Bishop Joseph Strickland, Strickland, Philip Pullella, Bill Berkrot Organizations: REUTERS, CITY, American, Vatican, Church, Quotidiana, Thomson Locations: Rome, Italy, Wisconsin, United States, American, Tyler , Texas, Italian

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