Plus, Mariah Carey and the Christmas songs that become hits – again and again.
By Edson Caldas
Today’s Top News
Palestinians gather at the site of an Israeli strike, December 20, 2023. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa
ISRAEL AND HAMAS AT WAR
The United States said “very serious” negotiations were taking place on a new Gaza ceasefire and release of more Israeli hostages, but prospects for a deal remained uncertain as Hamas insisted it would not discuss anything less than a complete end to Israel’s offensive in the Palestinian enclave.
How are Gazans counting their dead? Correspondent Maggie Fick talks to the Reuters World News podcast about morgue volunteers working despite water and food shortages – and the challenges of an accurate death toll.
Exporters are scrambling to find alternative air, land and ocean routes as disarray ripples through freight supply chains around the world during a wave of attacks in the Red Sea. Iran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen have stepped up attacks on vessels since Nov. 19 to show support for Hamas.
IN OTHER NEWS
Donald Trump transformed the US Supreme Court during his four years as president. Now the 6-3 conservative majority he cemented will confront a handful of cases that may determine whether the Republican can reclaim the White House. Here is the latest on the US elections.
Mexico’s army appears to be raiding only a handful of active drug labs every month, despite US pressure to crack down on fentanyl trafficking. Facilities that were already out of use account for 95% of seizures this year, according to defense ministry figures obtained by Reuters.
Soccer bodies UEFA and FIFA contravened EU law when they prevented the formation of the European Super League (ESL), the EU’s top court said. It ruled that FIFA and UEFA abused their dominant position by forbidding clubs outright to compete in a ESL, but added that the competition may still not be approved.
Is the “Big Ease” coming next year or will rate-cut hopes get dashed? As 2024 comes into view, investors, economists, business leaders and everyday consumers from London to Lyon to Los Angeles share a common hope: Let the interest rate cuts begin.
Tesla faces an inquiry by Norway’s traffic safety regulator into suspension failures in the company’s EVs that could result in a recall, the agency told Reuters. News of the inquiry follows a Reuters investigation that exposed how Tesla has blamed drivers for frequent failures of parts it long knew were defective.
Toyota shares slumped as Japan’s transport ministry inspected a subsidiary over safety concerns dating back decades and as the world’s top-selling automaker separately announced a recall of 1.1 million vehicles. For more news on the industry, sign up to the Auto File newsletter.
Russia has handed out more than $12 billion in state subsidies and loans to keep its aviation sector afloat since Western sanctions over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine cut off supplies of key parts and maintenance services, a Reuters analysis shows. Follow the latest on the conflict.
US airlines say they are prepared for busier end of year holiday travel compared with the same period a year earlier, when storms led to thousands of canceled flights and congestion. Trade group Airlines for America expects carriers to fly more than 39 million passengers during the holidays, up 16% from 2022.
The Wider Image
Student Corey Gibson, 13. Urban school farm opens world of opportunity to British teens. REUTERS/Phil Noble
The rural life of rearing rare breed sheep and nurturing alpacas is a world away for many urban teenagers. Yet a British school near Liverpool has opened its pupils to a wealth of jobs in agriculture and the benefits of nature with its own farm. It became a haven that improves the mental health and confidence of its students.
As Mariah Carey would say, it’s time! Her “All I Want for Christmas is You” has been the soundtrack of the holiday season for nearly 30 years. Our graphics team broke down why this song became a rare modern Christmas hit.
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/cloudfront-us-east-2.images.arcpublishing.com/reuters/VBLE3RTU2FIH3FPM5O7Q2JVW6Q.jpg "Egypt seeks to broker Gaza ceasefire 44")
