Canada’s regulator seeks information on RBC’s $13.5 billion takeover of HSBC unit

(Reuters) – Canada’s Competition Bureau on Monday sought information about Royal Bank of Canada’s $13.5 billion takeover of HSBC’s Canada business. The deal is the biggest acquisition for RBC. The last time a deal of this size was attempted in the country was in the early 1990s, when RBC wanted to acquire rival Bank of…

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Behind EU lawmakers’ challenge to rein in ChatGPT and generative AI

(This April 28 story has been refiled to remove repeated word in paragraph 1) By Martin Coulter and Supantha Mukherjee LONDON/STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – As recently as February, generative AI did not feature prominently in EU lawmakers’ plans for regulating artificial intelligence technologies such as ChatGPT. The bloc’s 108-page proposal for the AI Act, published two…

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Wall St stocks end lower, dollar gains after data; Fed, earnings in the wings

By Sinéad Carew (Reuters) – Wall Street indexes closed slightly lower and the dollar gained with Treasury yields as investors digested Monday’s data and waited for the U.S. Federal Reserve’s interest rate decision due on Wednesday as well as key upcoming economic data and quarterly earnings reports. Crude oil prices were lower as weak economic…

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U.S. Supreme Court to examine whistleblower claims against financial firms in UBS case

By Daniel Wiessner (Reuters) -The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to examine how difficult it should be for financial whistleblowers to win retaliation lawsuits against their employers as the justices took up a long-running case involving Switzerland’s UBS Group AG. The justices will hear an appeal by Trevor Murray, a former UBS bond strategist,…

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Italy approves May Day labour package amid union criticism

By Giuseppe Fonte and Alvise Armellini ROME (Reuters) -Italy’s right-wing government on Monday approved measures to boost job creation and workers’ pay, amid hostile reactions from unions and opposition parties over accompanying welfare cuts and looser rules on short-term job contracts. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni made it easier for firms to offer job contracts lasting…

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Biden says First Republic depositors protected, calls for stronger bank regulation

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Joe Biden on Monday hailed moves by U.S. regulators to facilitate the sale of First Republic Bank, protect all its depositors and ensure that U.S. taxpayers are not affected. “These actions are going to make sure that the banking system is safe and sound,” Biden told an event at the…

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Russia’s war on Ukraine latest: Huge blaze injures 34 in latest wave of Russian strikes

(Reuters) – Russia unleashed a fresh volley of missiles on Ukraine overnight, causing huge blazes in an eastern city, damaging dozens of homes and wounding at least 34 people. Other cities appeared relatively unscathed, with Ukraine saying it destroyed 15 out of 18 missiles. FIGHTING * A Ukrainian general said Russian troops had been pushed…

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Armenian, Azerbaijani ministers hold talks in US over Karabakh dispute

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Washington on Monday as part of efforts to ease friction between the South Caucasus rivals. Tensions have flared anew after Azerbaijan installed a road checkpoint at the start of the Lachin Corridor, the only route linking Armenia to…

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