The world also said goodbye to former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who died Nov. 29. Political Cartoons View All 1277 ImagesAnother political figure who died this year was former U.S. first lady Rosalynn Carter, who died Nov. 19. Among the entertainers who left the world this year was singer Tina Turner, who died May 24. Here is a roll call of some influential figures who died in 2023 (cause of death cited for younger people, if available):___JANUARY___Fred White, 67. A Hall of Fame forward who helped the Chicago Blackhawks win the 1961 Stanley Cup Final.

The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., February 24, 2022. Pressuring equities on Monday were higher U.S. Treasury yields, which made returns on stocks less attractive. However, some analysts have cautioned that markets have been too quick to price in lower interest rates. The S&P index recorded eight new 52-week highs and no new lows, while the Nasdaq recorded 46 new highs and 17 new lows. Reporting by Amruta Khandekar and Shristi Achar A; Editing by Anil D'Silva and Pooja DesaiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

TECHNOLOGY, MEDIA AND TELECOM SECTORMeta Platforms (META.O):The Facebook-parent said it would cut 10,000 jobs, just four months after it let go 11,000 employees. read moreMicrosoft Corp (MSFT.O):The U.S. tech giant said it would cut 10,000 jobs by the end of the third quarter of fiscal 2023. The company laid off under 1,000 employees across several divisions in October, Axios reported, citing a source. Workday (WDAY.O):The software company will cut roughly 500 jobs, or 3% of its workforce, citing a challenging macroeconomic environment. Morgan Stanley (MS.N):The Wall Street powerhouse was planning to cut about 3,000 jobs in the second quarter ended June 30, Reuters reported in May.

[1/3] File photo: The flags of the United States and India are displayed on the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the White House in Washington, U.S., June 21, 2023. Last week, the U.S. Justice Department alleged that an Indian government official directed an unsuccessful plot to assassinate a Sikh separatist on U.S. soil, while it announced charges against a man accused of orchestrating the attempted murder. U.S. officials have named the target of the attempted murder as Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a Sikh separatist and dual citizen of the United States and Canada. The Indian government has long complained about the presence of Sikh separatist groups outside India. They also discussed developments in the Middle East, including the Israel-Hamas war, plans for a post-war Gaza and recent attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, the White House said on Monday.

[1/5] Honoree Dionne Warwick and her family attend the 46th Kennedy Center Honors gala at the Kennedy Center in Washington, U.S., December 3, 2023. REUTERS/Julia Nikhinson Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Dec 3 (Reuters) - Washington celebrated singer Dionne Warwick, comedian Billy Crystal, Bee Gees member Barry Gibb, rapper and actress Queen Latifah, and opera star Renée Fleming on Sunday at the Kennedy Center Honors, the top U.S. honor for achievements in the arts. "There simply is no song that Dionne Warwick cannot sing," said record producer Clive Davis, adding that she had "inspired musicians all over the world." Crystal, 75, known for roles in films such as "When Harry Met Sally," "City Slickers," and "Analyze This," was next up. Opera singer J'Nai Bridges said ahead of the show that Fleming had helped make opera more mainstream.

On Monday, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, energy minister and the key climate negotiator, for the kingdom, was a no-show at the Saudi Green Initiative. "The climate finance that they have pledged at this COP28 is simply not enough," said Pakistani activist Zaigham Abbas, whose country was devastated last year by widespread flooding. Elsewhere, France and Japan said they would support a move by the African Development Bank to leverage IMF Special Drawing Rights for climate and development. This year also features the biggest-ever representation of business at the annual U.N. summit, amid hopes for more private investment toward climate causes. "The scale of the climate crisis demands urgent and game-changing solutions from every industry," COP28 President Ahmed Al-Jaber said.

The Wall Street sign is pictured at the New York Stock exchange (NYSE) in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S., March 9, 2020. Fed futures markets think a first cut may come as soon as March - with a quarter-point easing by then already two-thirds priced. Two-year Treasury yields hit their lowest since June on Friday and 10-year yields their lowest in three months, although they edged higher on Monday. U.S. crude hit its lowest in two weeks and is tracking year-on-year losses of almost 10%. But that is widening into yearend as peak rate hopes encourage some rotation to smaller cap stocks.

REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya Acquire Licensing RightsDUBAI, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Bill Gates' advanced nuclear reactor company TerraPower LLC and the United Arab Emirates’ state owned nuclear company ENEC said on Monday they have agreed to study the potential development of advanced reactors in the UAE and abroad. “For the UAE, we're looking for a future for the clean electrons and molecules that will be brought to reality by advanced reactors,” said Mohamed Al Hammadi, CEO of ENEC, during the signing ceremony. "Bringing advanced nuclear technologies to market is critical to meeting global decarbonization targets," said TerraPower President and CEO Chris Levesque. The UAE currently has one traditional nuclear power plant, near Abu Dhabi, which began producing electricity in 2020. The MOU between TerraPower and the UAE said they would explore uses for advanced nuclear reactors such storing power on the grid and providing the energy needed to produce hydrogen, and decarbonize coal, steel and aluminum plants.

In this year's gleaming host city of Dubai, billboards advertise the benefits of wind energy, climate ambition and Exxon Mobil's (XOM.N) carbon capture projects. This is seen by some as a sign of success and by others as a dangerous distraction from the business of combating climate change as over nearly three decades global oil demand, carbon emissions and temperatures have marched steadily upward. "It's a lobby fest where polluters can schmooze with politicians, all under the guise of tackling climate change," Pascoe Sabido, a researcher at the Corporate Europe Observatory, which scrutinizes corporate influence on policy-making, said. Delegates walk at the Dubai's Expo City during the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, December 4, 2023. For daily comprehensive coverage on COP28 in your inbox, sign up for the Reuters Sustainable Switch newsletter here.

[1/5] A woman sits on a swing attached to a giant sign of McDonald's, outside its themed exhibition in Beijing, China December 4, 2023. One advantage for McDonald’s: its majority partner in the China business, CITIC, provides top-level political cover, said Jason Yu, greater China managing director of market research firm Kantar Worldpanel. McDonald's China, Carlyle Group and CITIC declined to comment. Other consumer-facing U.S. firms, including Starbucks (SBUX.O), Apple (AAPL.O), Coach owner Tapestry (TPR.N) and sportswear giant Nike (NKE.N), have remained similarly dedicated to the China market. Although the McDonald's China menu would be familiar to U.S. consumers, there are nods to local tastes, including taro pie, rather than apple.

New networks by Dish (DISH.O) and Japan's Rakuten (4755.T) use Open RAN. "All of the new equipment that we are going to be putting out will be Open RAN capable," Chris Sambar, president of AT&T Network, told Reuters. Winning the Open RAN deal will make Ericsson the largest supplier to AT&T as it slowly takes over Nokia's share, the company said. AT&T will still have contracts which other Open RAN vendors outside this deal. AT&T expects fully integrated Open RAN sites operating in coordination with Ericsson and Fujitsu (6702.T), starting in 2024.

A Toyota logo is seen during the New York International Auto Show, in Manhattan, New York City, U.S., April 5, 2023. Toyota is targeting sales of 1.5 million battery-powered vehicles a year globally by 2026. The announcement came after Toyota executives said in July the company would focus on selling hydrogen-powered trucks and cars in Europe and China. A hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle uses an electric motor like an EV but draws power from a fuel stack where hydrogen is separated by a catalyst to produce electricity. Toyota sold about 3,500 fuel-cell vehicles globally over the January-October period.

Hawaiian Airlines airplanes sit idle on the runway at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport due to the business downturn caused by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S. April 28, 2020. REUTERS/Marco Garcia/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsDec 4 (Reuters) - Shares of Hawaiian Holdings (HA.O), the parent of Hawaiian Airlines, nearly tripled on Monday after Alaska Air Group (ALK.N) agreed to acquire it for $1.9 billion, including debt. Hawaiian Holdings hasn't reported an adjusted profit in three yearsAlaska and Hawaiian said on Sunday the deal, valued at $929.4 million on an equity basis, will expand their networks and offer more choices to passengers. The deal will enable Alaska to grow in the lucrative Asia Pacific market, while Hawaiian customers can travel non-stop to the U.S. mainland, Becker added. Shares of Seattle-based Alaska Air were down 17.6%.

Taiwan Economy Minister Wang Mei-hua speaks during an interview with Reuters in Taipei, Taiwan, September 30, 2021. REUTERS/Ann Wang/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsTAIPEI, Dec 4 (Reuters) - U.S. officials plan to visit Taiwan to explain to companies details of new curbs, primarily aimed at China, on advanced chip exports, the island's economy minister said on Monday. Taiwan Economy Minister Wang Mei-hua said some details of the extremely long new U.S. rules needed explanation. Given the concentration of chip making in Taiwan it was "advantageous" for Taiwanese companies to hear the details of the new controls from the U.S. officials, Wang said. Taiwan's official Central News Agency said the U.S. officials, who it did not name, would visit Taiwan next month and hold events in the chip hubs of Hsinchu and Tainan.

A shopkeeper naps as she waits for customers at a traditional market in Seoul, South Korea, April 7, 2022. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSEOUL, Dec 5 (Reuters) - South Korea's inflation eased for the first time in four months in November, bringing relief to policymakers worried about persistent inflation risks as they plan to keep their restrictive monetary policy in place for longer. "Compared to core inflation in the U.S. and Europe that seem to be still in the 4% to 5% range, (South Korea's core inflation) seems to be far more stable," said Finance Minister Choo Kyung-ho at a policy meeting in Seoul. "Considering this, we see inflation stabilizing in a steady manner going forward, unless we face some additional external shocks." The Bank of Korea kept interest rates steady at 3.50% last week at its final policy meeting of the year and signalled it may need to keep interest rates higher for longer to head off persistent inflation risks.

At issue is whether U.S. bankruptcy law allows Purdue's restructuring to include legal protections for the members of the Sackler family, who have not filed for personal bankruptcy. Members of the Sackler family have denied wrongdoing but expressed regret that OxyContin "unexpectedly became part of an opioid crisis." They said in May that the bankruptcy settlement would provide "substantial resources for people and communities in need." The administration told the Supreme Court that Purdue's settlement is an abuse of bankruptcy protections meant for debtors in "financial distress," not people like the Sacklers. The administration has also alleged that the Sackler family members withdrew $11 billion from Purdue before agreeing to contribute $6 billion to its opioid settlement.

REUTERS/Amr Alfiky Acquire Licensing RightsJAKARTA, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Indonesia will declare its interest to football's world governing body FIFA in jointly holding the 2025 Under-20 World Cup with Singapore, its president said on Monday, despite his country being stripped of the hosting rights to this year's tournament. Indonesia staged this year's U-17 contest, which concluded on Saturday, with Germany beating France on penalties. "The declaration of interest has been signed by PSSI and football association of Singapore," he told reporters, referring to Indonesia's football federation. Muslim-majority Indonesia was in March stripped of the rights to host the U-20 contest just seven weeks out from its start due to opposition from some government officials to the participation of Israel. The loss of hosting rights was a big setback in Indonesia, where football has a huge following, despite the lack of international success since qualifying for the 1938 World Cup as the Dutch East Indies.

Britain's Labour Party Leader Keir Starmer attends television interviews on the final day of the party's annual conference in Liverpool, Britain, October 11, 2023. It is not unusual for opposition leaders to receive summit invitations, but COP28 is particularly resonant. Ireland's climate minister, Eamon Ryan, hailed Britain's climate leadership, but also said Sunak's reset of some measures had not gone down well when the news was reported while he was in New York for the U.N. General Assembly. Britain's development minister Andrew Mitchell, at COP28, told Reuters what Sunak did "was very good government". But the Conservatives' former finance minister George Osborne questioned whether Sunak had been angered that Kitsotakis had met Starmer before him.

It’s possible to imagine an alternative, better way to fight climate change. The snag is that China or the United States – which were responsible for 25% and 11% of greenhouse gases, respectively, in 2021 – would have to take the lead. All countries agreed to limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial times and to aim for 1.5 degrees. That’s the thinking behind the Just Energy Transition Partnerships that the United States and its allies have cut with Indonesia, Vietnam and South Africa. For example, Donald Trump, who as president pulled the United States out of the Paris Agreement, may return to the White House after next year’s elections.

A Vinfast electric vehicle store is shown at one of the company's retail locations in San Diego, California, U.S.,October 20, 2023. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsHANOI, Dec 4 (Reuters) - The United States International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) has signed a letter of interest with electric vehicles maker VinFast to consider the Vietnamese company's application for a $500 million loan for expansion, VinFast said on Monday. The loan, which will be used to support VinFast's establishment of lithium-ion battery manufacturing facilities in Vietnam, is subject to a comprehensive review and approval process by DFC, the carmaker said in a statement. DFC said on X, formerly Twitter, that it had signed the letter of interest to support VinFast's lithium-ion battery facilities in Vietnam, but did not provide details. The project will be the first in a series of initiatives actively discussed by the two parties, VinFast said.

Japan is rushing to rebuild its once world-leading semiconductor infrastructure and catch up on the development of AI technology. The graphics processing units (GPUs) made by U.S.-based Nvidia dominate the market for AI. "Demand is very high, but I promised the prime minister we will do our very, very best to prioritise Japan's requirements for GPUs," Huang told reporters at Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's official residence in Tokyo. "The semiconductor industry that Japan is now starting to grow and foster will be able to produce GPUs," Huang said. "Countries like Japan are realising that you need to own your own data, build your own AI factories and produce your own AI intelligence," he added.

The San Francisco skyline is seen behind a self-driving GM Bolt EV during a media event where Cruise, GM's autonomous car unit, showed off its self-driving cars in San Francisco, California, U.S. November 28, 2017. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) on Friday ordered Cruise to appear at a Feb. 6 hearing for "misleading the Commission through omission regarding the extent and seriousness of the accident" and "making misleading public comments regarding its interactions with the commission." Cruise's troubles are also a setback for an industry dependent on public trust and the cooperation of regulators. GM had told investors Cruise and its technology could generate $50 billion a year in revenue by 2030. Reporting by Hyunjoo Jin in San Francisco and David Shepardson in Washington, Additional reporting by Abhirup Roy in San Francisco; Editing by Richard Chang and Nick ZieminskiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

[1/2] An aerial view shows vehicles on fire as rockets are launched from the Gaza Strip, in Ashkelon, southern Israel October 7, 2023. REUTERS/Ilan Rosenberg/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsJERUSALEM, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Israeli authorities are investigating claims by U.S. researchers that some investors may have known in advance of a Hamas plan to attack Israel on Oct. 7 and used that information to profit from Israeli securities. "And just before the attack, short selling of Israeli securities on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE) increased dramatically," they wrote in their 66-page report. In response, the TASE referred Reuters to the Israel Securities Authority, which said: "The matter is known to the authority and is under investigation by all the relevant parties." The professors referred to patterns in early April when it was reported that Hamas was initially planning its attack on Israel.

[1/5] SAG-AFTRA actors and Writers Guild of America (WGA) writers walk the picket line outside Disney Studios in Burbank, California, U.S., July 25, 2023. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Dec 4 (Reuters) - From strikes paralysing Hollywood to the Beatles releasing their last ever song, the world of entertainment provided many headlines this year. * The last Beatles song, featuring the voice of late member John Lennon and developed using artificial intelligence, was released. * Music superstars Taylor Swift and Beyonce kicked off their hugely successful concert tours, and both brought films of them to cinemas. "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour" hauled in an estimated $126 million-plus globally in its opening weekend, a boost for cinemas after the Hollywood strike prompted studios to delay releases for titles like "Dune: Part Two."

Republican presidential candidate and Governor of North Dakota Doug Burgum speaks during the party's Florida Freedom Summit in Kissimmee, Florida, U.S., November 4, 2023. REUTERS/Octavio Jones Acquire Licensing RightsDec 4 - Doug Burgum, the governor of North Dakota who struggled to find his footing in the race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, ended his campaign on Monday. Burgum, 67, was a successful software executive and investor before his political career and largely self financed his candidacy. While not a frequent critic of Trump’s, Burgum did reject Trump’s false claim that the 2020 election was fraudulent, saying Biden was the rightful victor. In Reuters/Ipsos polling, he lagged far behind more viable contenders such as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, not to mention Trump, the frontrunner for the nomination.

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.

REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Dec 4 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Roche’s (ROG.S) foray into the prospective $100 billion obesity market can bring wider benefits. On Monday, the $224 billion Swiss pharma group said it had agreed to take over weight-loss drug developer Carmot Therapeutics for $2.7 billion. Market leader Novo Nordisk (NOVOb.CO) is already selling obesity drugs in the U.S. and parts of Europe. Still, Schinecker’s obesity bet could turn successful if it ends up undercutting obesity pioneers on prices. With over 1 billion people globally classed as seriously overweight, other drugmakers will follow Roche on the obesity bandwagon.

Residents, many of whom had moved there to flee earlier attacks in the Israel-Palestinian conflict, said they could hear tank fire and feared a new Israeli ground offensive was building. The Israeli military earlier ordered people to evacuate some areas in and near the city, but made no announcement of any new southern ground assault. "The IDF (Israel Defence Forces) continues to extend its ground operation against Hamas centres in all of the Gaza Strip," spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari told reporters in Tel Aviv. GROUND OFFENSIVE FEAREDGaza residents said earlier on Sunday they feared an Israeli ground offensive on the southern areas was imminent. Tanks had cut off the road between Khan Younis and Deir Al-Balah in central Gaza, effectively dividing the Gaza Strip into three.

REUTERS/Carlos Barria Acquire Licensing RightsNEW YORK, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Former U.S. President Donald Trump is seeking permission to appeal a decision reinstating gag orders in his New York civil fraud case to the state's highest court, a court filing showed on Monday. A mid-level state appeals court last week reinstated the gag orders, which barred Trump and his lawyers from making public statements about court staff. Justice Arthur Engoron imposed the gag order on Trump on Oct. 3 after Trump accused Engoron's top clerk of political bias in a post on his Truth Social platform. The post left the court "inundated" with hundreds of threats from Trump supporters, Engoron said in a court filing. In Monday's filing, Trump lawyer Clifford Robert asked the mid-level appeals court, known as the Appellate Division, to allow Trump to appeal its reinstatement of the orders to the Albany-based Court of Appeals.

United Arab Emirates Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and COP28 President Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber speaks during a press conference at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, December 4, 2023. REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani Acquire Licensing RightsDUBAI, Dec 4 (Reuters) - COP28 President Sultan Al Jaber defended his role in hosting this year's U.N. climate summit on Monday and insisted he understood and respected the science of climate change. "I am quite surprised with the constant and repeated attempts to undermine the work of the COP28 presidency," Al Jaber said on Monday. During Monday's news conference, Al Jaber complained to reporters that "one statement taken out of context with misrepresentation" had received "maximum coverage". IPCC Chair Jim Skea joined Al Jaber at the news conference and said he had held several meetings with the COP28 chief on climate science.

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.

The AT&T logo is seen on a store in Golden, Colorado United States July 25, 2017. REUTERS/Rick Wilking/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSTOCKHOLM, Dec 4 (Reuters) - AT&T (T.N) said on Monday it plans to use so-called ORAN technology for 70% of its wireless network traffic in the United States by late 2026 and will move from two telecom vendors to one. While the technology has been tested by several telecom providers, it has not been widely adopted. AT&T's push for the technology will likely be a major boost for Open RAN. The U.S. telecom company's spending could approach roughly $14 billion over the five-year term of the contract with that one vendor, the company said.

Travelers are looking to cruises in 2024 because they are still cheaper than land-based alternatives. With occupancy levels approaching pre-pandemic levels, operators plan to hike prices in coming months. "Overall the market is extremely strong, especially the top end of the market in terms of the most high-end luxury cruises," said Bob Levinstein, CEO of cruise marketplace Cruise Compete. Even as travelers have canceled or postponed planned vacations to the Middle East, cruise bookings will still hit record levels in 2024, said Truist Securities analyst Patrick Scholes. Prior to the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel, industry-wide bookings for 2024 were about 25% higher than in 2019 for bookings in 2020.

A man takes a video inside India's first Apple retail store during a media preview, a day ahead of its launch in Mumbai, India, April 17, 2023. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsBENGALURU, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Japanese electronic parts maker TDK Corp (6762.T) will manufacture lithium ion (li-ion) battery cells for Apple (AAPL.O) iPhones in India, a minister said on Monday. loadingApple has been touting India as its next big growth driver as it looks to move some production away from China. Cells manufactured at the facility will be supplied to Apple's li-ion battery assembler Sunwoda Electronics, the report added. Apple and TDK Corp did not immediately reply to Reuters' request for comment.

Money managers through Nov. 28 extended their K.C. wheat net short to near 50,000 futures and options contracts, their largest since May 2019 and among their biggest-ever shorts. Grain futures sank in the week ended Nov. 28, including a 3.2% decline in CBOT March corn and a 1.8% slide in March wheat . CBOT March wheat found contract lows on Nov. 27 but touched three-week highs by Friday, presumably motivated by short covering. Funds in that week cut their net long in CBOT soybean futures and options to 67,562 contracts from 81,587 a week earlier.

A Meta logo is seen at the Viva Technology conference dedicated to innovation and startups at Porte de Versailles exhibition center in Paris, France, June 14, 2023. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsMADRID, Dec 4 (Reuters) - A group representing 83 Spanish media outlets on Monday said it has filed a 550 million euro ($598 million) lawsuit against Facebook owner Meta Platforms (META.O), citing unfair competition in the advertising market. The lawsuit was filed by the AMI newspaper publishing association in a commercial court on Friday, the association said in a statement on Monday. The complaint is the second time Spanish media are challenging tech companies to protect their turf. In 2014, the Spanish government forced the closure of Alphabet's (GOOGL.O) Google News service until 2022 when new legislation allowing media outlets to negotiate directly with the tech giant was passed.

REUTERS/Sarah Silbiger/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNEW YORK, Dec 4 (Reuters) - U.S. home buyers are becoming more willing to purchase properties even as interest rates stay high, according to a study by Bank of America (BAC.N) published on Monday. That compares with average 30-year fixed mortgage rates that surged to 8% in October, the highest in more than two decades, which deterred buyers. They also sold their homes for career or family reasons or to seek a lower cost of living. New-home sales dropped 5.6% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 679,000 units last month as mortgage rates squeezed out buyers. Reporting by Nupur Anand in New York; Editing by Lananh Nguyen and Leslie AdlerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

REUTERS/Mike Segar/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Dec 4 (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil production set a record for the second month running in September, highlighting the challenge to Saudi Arabia and its OPEC⁺ partners as they cut their own production to boost prices. Lower 48 production climbed to a record of 10.8 million b/d, surpassing the pre-pandemic peak of 10.5 million b/d set in December 2019. Drilling activity usually turns down around 4-5 months after prices and production turns down 10-12 months after prices fall. Production growth has slowed consistently since the middle of 2022 in response to the sharp fall in prices. Related columns:- U.S. oil output hits record as producers boost drilling efficiency (November 1, 2023)- U.S. oil producers reprieved by Saudi output cut (October 3, 2023)John Kemp is a Reuters market analyst.

[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.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit reversed the jury's 2021 verdict that Intel infringed one VLSI patent, and sent the case back to Texas for a new trial to determine how much Intel owes for infringing a second VLSI patent. A Waco, Texas jury awarded VLSI $2.18 billion in the first trial from the dispute. The jury found that technology in Intel microprocessors infringed patents that VLSI had acquired from Dutch chipmaker NXP Semiconductors (NXPI.O). Intel defeated VLSI's bid for more than $3 billion in damages in another Waco jury trial later in 2021. A separate jury in Austin, Texas said that VLSI was entitled to nearly $949 million from Intel in a third patent case last year.

[1/2] European Union (EU) flags fly in front of the headquarters of the European Central Bank (ECB) in Frankfurt, Germany, July 8, 2020. The initial draft, dated Dec.4 and seen by Reuters on Monday, reads: "The European Council decides to open accession negotiations with Ukraine and with Moldova." For Bosnia, the initial draft stated the bloc was "ready to open EU accession negotiations... once the necessary degree of compliance with the membership criteria is achieved". All three decisions would require unanimous backing of the 27 EU countries. "In our perception, no conditions for Ukraine to start accession talks are met," Hungarian government spokesman Zoltan Kovacs told journalists separately on Monday.

AI (Artificial Intelligence) letters are placed on computer motherboard in this illustration taken, June 23, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSINGAPORE Dec 4 - Singapore plans to triple its pool of artificial intelligence experts, including machine-learning scientists and engineers, to 15,000, as part of its national AI strategy, deputy prime minister Lawrence Wong said on Monday. Singapore also pledged under its AI strategy to increase government incentives for the sector, including by backing accelerator programs for AI startups and encouraging companies to set up AI "centres of excellence." Singapore's Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) announced on Monday a $52.3 million ($70 million SGD) initiative to develop Southeast Asia's first large language model, catering to the region's languages. Reporting by Fanny Potkin in Singapore; Editing by Bill BerkrotOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

This was also the ninth month of net outflows this year, the bank said, dragging emerging Asia to become the region with the largest net outflows across the world. U.S.-listed Chinese stocks and mainland A-shares led the selloff in November, Goldman Sachs said, adding it was "partially offset by net buying in H-shares." Within emerging Asia markets, Taiwan also recorded net outflows last month, while South Korea saw the largest net inflows, Goldman Sachs said. Hedge funds rotated their positions to developed Asia markets, including Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan, which saw net purchases in the month. ($1 = 7.1381 Chinese yuan renminbi)Reporting by Summer Zhen; Editing by Varun H KOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Analysts believe Germany's budget crisis will mean tougher fiscal policy in the largest euro zone economy in 2024, which could add to pressure on less wealthy members of the bloc to keep a tighter grip on their finances. Italian 10-year bonds currently yield around 173 basis points more than German debt , 38 bps less than a year ago, while the gap between Portuguese and German yields has narrowed by 34 basis points. French bonds meanwhile yield 58 bps more than German, 5 bps more than a year ago. Analysts argued the German public may be unwilling to accept a tightening of domestic fiscal policy without a blanket approach across Europe - meaning a tougher scenario for the periphery. Bondholders are meanwhile banking on the European Central Bank cutting interest rates in a few months, which should support euro zone peripheral debt.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko review the honour guard during a welcome ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China March 1, 2023. cnsphoto via REUTERS/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsBEIJING, Dec 4 (Reuters) - China is willing to continue strengthening its strategic cooperation with Belarus, President Xi Jinping was cited as saying after meeting with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko on Monday. Xi also said China is willing to enhance coordination and cooperation with Belarus in multilateral mechanisms such as the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, the official news agency Xinhua said. Xi told Lukashenko that both countries should improve cross-border transport facilitation and promote economic and trade ties as well as people-to-people exchanges, according to Xinhua. The Chinese leader also said Beijing and the Eastern European country should implement projects such as the China-Belarus industrial park and promote industrial cooperation. Reporting by Ella Cao and Liz Lee; Editing by Kim Coghill and Jamie FreedOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

REUTERS/David 'Dee' Delgado/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsDec 4 (Reuters) - Ford Motor (F.N) posted a 0.5% drop in U.S. new vehicle sales for November on Monday, as the automaker worked to restart some of its key plants following a lengthy workers' strike that impacted vehicle production. Ford reached a deal with the United Auto Workers (UAW) union in late October, ending an over month-long strike the company said will cost it $1.7 billion. Ford's CFO John Lawler said in October restarting the plants would be complicated after the deal, which UAW workers ratified in November. Sales of Ford's electric vehicles jumped 43.2%, to 8,958 units from a year ago, the automaker said on Monday. The company reported total sales of 145,559 vehicles in November, compared with 146,364 units last year.

In that spirit, I asked OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Bard – two of the most popular generative AI tools – to do the job for me. It missed the war between Hamas and Israel. In 2024, expect more progress and more news on regulators scrambling to keep up. Next year will also be defined by bullets and ballots. Like many newsrooms, Reuters is experimenting with how AI can help us package, produce and deliver our journalism.

A logo of French bank Societe Generale is seen on the company's skyscraper at the financial and business district of La Defense near Paris, France September 14, 2023. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsPARIS, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Societe Generale , France's third-biggest listed bank, said on Monday it issued its first so-called digital green bond on a public blockchain, as the lender seeks to build expertise in crypto services. AXA IM made the investment in the digital green bond by acquiring and then spending 5 million euros worth of SocGen's euro-denominated stablecoin, EUR CoinVertible (EURCV). SocGen's bond issuance, made on the Ethereum public blockchain, follows the launch last week by the European Investment Bank (EIB) of its second euro-denominated digital bond on a private blockchain, in partnership with Goldman Sachs Bank Europe, Santander and SocGen. SocGen's digital green bond issuance was made via its crypto unit, Forge.

Following is a timeline of the war between Israel and Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist movement that controls the Gaza Strip. Oct. 7: Hamas gunmen carry out a surprise attack on southern Israel, crossing over from Gaza and rampaging through nearby communities. The women had been taken from Nahal Oz kibbutz in southern Israel. Israel says the hospital sits atop tunnels housing a headquarters for Hamas fighters using patients as shields, which Hamas denies. The Gaza health ministry says the enclave's death toll has risen above 15,000.

But that came after they had sold petroleum in eight of the previous nine weeks, reducing their position by a total of 342 million barrels. In the premier NYMEX WTI contract, funds had amassed bearish short positions amounting to 116 million barrels by Nov. 28, up from 20 million barrels eight weeks earlier. Funds purchased the equivalent of 10 million barrels split between U.S. gasoline (+2 million), U.S. diesel (+4 million) and European gas oil (+4 million). Funds held a net long position in gasoline of 66 million barrels (72nd percentile) up from 26 million barrels (19th percentile) six weeks earlier. Related columns:- Record U.S. oil output challenges Saudi mastery (December 4, 2023)- Investors bet against OPEC+ raising oil prices (November 28, 2023)John Kemp is a Reuters market analyst.

The logo of Swiss drugmaker Roche is seen at its headquarters in Basel, Switzerland January 30, 2020. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsZURICH, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Roche (ROG.S) agreed to take over obesity drug developer Carmot Therapeutics (CRMO.O) for $2.7 billion, joining a list global contestants seeking to challenge the dominant makers of weight-loss drugs Novo Nordisk (NOVOb.CO) and Eli Lilly. After encouraging Phase I trial results, the drug is ready to be tested on humans in the second of three trial stages, Roche added. Among recent deals to acquire obesity drug development projects, AstraZeneca (AZN.L) last month agreed to pay up to $2 billion for the rights to an experimental pill from China's Eccogene. Roche will obtain access to Carmot's current R&D portfolio including all clinical and preclinical assets.

Byju's logo is seen in this illustration taken, June 22, 2023. The infusion of funds would help pay 15,000 employees in the embattled company's parent firm, Think & Learn Pvt., the report added. The company is facing a string of setbacks, including investors cutting its valuation and its auditor and board members quitting. Reuters reported in November that India's federal financial crime-fighting agency had issued a show-cause notice to Byju's for alleged violations worth over 93 billion rupees ($1.12 billion) under the Foreign Exchange Management Act(FEMA). ($1 = 83.3480 Indian rupees)Reporting by Ashna Teresa Britto in Bengaluru; Editing by Sohini GoswamiOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Oil failed to sustain an early rally that followed news of attacks on commercial shipping in the Red Sea. Notably, oil prices lost early gains and Brent eased around 57 cents to $78.31 a barrel amid doubts that OPEC+ would be able to maintain planned output cuts, particularly by some African countries. At the same time, U.S. oil output is at record levels above 13 million barrels a day and rig counts are still rising. A commodity faring better is gold, which surged suddenly this morning to top $2,111 an ounce for the first time before paring the gains to $2,086. Yields on U.S. two-year notes rose almost 4 bps, but that follows a drop of 40 bps last week.

It found the board was "inverted to serve Disney," which held voting control of the prior board of supervisors. The Central Florida Oversight Board will meet Wednesday to vote whether to accept the report, which was prepared for the board by a group of experts. In what Disney described as retaliation, the Florida legislature in February replaced the old board with a new Central Florida Oversight District, whose five supervisors are handpicked by DeSantis. In April, Disney sued Florida in federal court, claiming DeSantis and his allies of "weaponizing" state government to punish Disney for exercising its free speech rights. The DeSantis-appointed oversight board counter-sued in state court, seeking to void the "backroom deals" favorable to the entertainment giant.

That sort of approach resonated in conservative strongholds like Alabama long before Trump. Alabama Democrats, especially, cite deep historical roots involving racism, class and urban-rural divides when explaining Wallace, Trump and the decades between them. Moderate to progressive “national Democrats” were concentrated in north Alabama, Baxley explained, while reactionary “states-rights Dixiecrats” cohered in south Alabama. Wallace won four Deep South states as an independent in 1968. Wallace won his fourth term as governor in 1982 after disavowing segregation and winning over enough Black voters.

The moon rises over the Toronto city skyline as seen from Milton, Ontario, Canada, January 23, 2016. REUTERS/Mark Blinch/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsTORONTO, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Canadian banks had a mixed fourth quarter but a common theme underlining all the reports was the rise in bad loan provisions, signalling that lenders were strapping in for a shaky economy. Impaired loans related to residential mortgages, real estate and construction were also higher from the prior quarter, indicating that the banks were also being cautious when considering underwriting new loans. He noted that despite the mixed results, the banks reported healthy capital levels, giving investors assurance that the banks remain resilient. Reuters Graphics($1 = 1.3559 Canadian dollars)Reporting by Nivedita Balu in Toronto; Editing by Mark PorterOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.