The number of people affected by violence in South Sudan surged by 35% in the last three months of 2023, the United Nations reported. The U.N. Mission in South Sudan, or UNMISS, documented 233 incidents of violence affecting 862 people. Of that, 406 were killed, 293 were injured, 100 were abducted and 63 subjected to conflict-related sexual violence, it said in a report released Monday.
UPDATE 1-Swiss government forecasts weak growth but lower inflation in 2024
The Swiss economy will grow at a tepid rate in 2024, the government said on Tuesday, maintaining its earlier forecast for 1.1% growth this year albeit with a lower outlook for inflation. The government in December said that it expected the economy to grow by 1.1% this year, when adjusted for sporting events, slower than the long-term average of 1.8%. Next year the Swiss economy will expand by 1.7%, the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) said, also the same level as the December forecast.
A newspaper says video of Prince William and Kate should halt royal rumor mill. That’s a tall order
Prince William and his wife Catherine have been filmed at a farm shop near their Windsor home, The Sun newspaper reported — the first footage of Kate since she had abdominal surgery for an unspecified condition two months ago. The newspaper published a short clip late Monday that appeared to show William and Kate smiling as they walked together, carrying shopping bags. It said the footage was taken on Saturday in Windsor, west of London.
Futures tread water ahead of Fed meet
S&P 500 e-minis were down 1.25 points, or 0.02% and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were down 4.5 points, or 0.02%. Wall Street closed higher on Monday, with the Nasdaq bouncing back from two small weekly losses, as growth stocks such as Alphabet and Tesla boosted the tech-heavy index. Most megacap growth stocks edged lower in premarket trading.
UPDATE 1-Wall Street bonuses fell 2% for 2023, New York Comptroller says
Wall Street's cash bonuses fell 2% to an average $176,500 last year as financial firms took a more cautious approach to compensation, according to an estimate by New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli. "Wall Street's average cash bonuses dipped slightly from last year, with continued market volatility and more people joining the securities workforce," DiNapoli said in a statement.
Bentley looks to launches after ’emotional sensitivity’ slowed car sales
British luxury carmaker Bentley on Tuesday reported a lower operating profit for 2023 after a weak economy and high interest rates hit sales, but the company said its performance had stabilised and new launches would boost it in 2024. "We had an uneven performance for the first time in about four years," CEO Adrian Hallmark told reporters. For those who leased rather than bought cars with a starting pre-tax price above 220,000 euros ($238,590), interest rates had led to a tripling in monthly fees last year, Hallmark said.
Incoming Palestinian prime minister lays out plans for reform but faces major obstacles
The incoming Palestinian prime minister said on Tuesday that he will appoint a technocratic government and establish an independent trust fund to oversee Gaza’s reconstruction. In a mission statement acquired by The Associated Press, Mohammad Mustafa laid out wide-ranging plans for the kind of revitalized Palestinian Authority called for by the United States as part of its postwar vision for resolving the conflict. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ruled out any return of the PA to Gaza and his government is staunchly opposed to Palestinian statehood.