REUTERS NEWS SCHEDULE 10 p.m. GMT /6 a.m. SGT

European Union foreign ministers agreed on Monday that any Russia aggression against Ukraine would trigger economic sanctions on Moscow, trying to keep up the pressure after similar statements by NATO and the Group of Seven nations.

EMIRATES-ISRAEL New friends - UAE de facto ruler, Israel's Bennett in "historic" meeting

ABU DHABI, Dec 13 (Reuters) - Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan hosted Israel's prime minister, Naftali Bennett, on Monday in the first-ever public meeting between the United Arab Emirates' de facto ruler and an Israeli leader. U.S.

USA-COURT/VACCINE U.S. Supreme Court rejects religious challenge to New York vaccine mandate

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected challenges brought by Christian doctors and nurses and a group that promotes vaccine skepticism to New York's refusal to allow religious exemptions to the state's mandate that healthcare workers be vaccinated against COVID-19. USA-FED/CONSUMER-EXPECTATIONS

U.S. consumers expect short-term inflation to rise at twice pace of wage gains U.S. consumers' short-term inflation expectations pushed higher in November and expectations for future earnings growth dropped, suggesting they anticipate price increases will outpace wage gains at an even faster rate in the near term, according to a survey released on Monday by the New York Federal Reserve.

BUSINESS HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/FINANCE

Fidelity pauses return-to-office as financial firms tighten COVID precautions BOSTON/NEW YORK, Dec 13 (Reuters) - Asset management firm Fidelity Investments on Monday said it has paused voluntary return-to-office plans for employees in New England, in a further sign that rising COVID-19 cases and the new Omicron variant are forcing corporate America to rethink its return to business as usual.

ARENA PHARMA-M&A/PFIZER Pfizer bets on Arena's promising bowel disease treatment in $6.7 bln deal

Pfizer Inc said on Monday it would buy drug developer Arena Pharmaceuticals Inc for $6.7 billion in cash, to add a promising treatment candidate that targets diseases affecting the stomach and intestine. ENTERTAINMENT

AWARDS-GOLDENGLOBES/ Hollywood mostly silent on Golden Globe nominations amid controversy

LOS ANGELES, Dec 13 (Reuters) - Movie dramas "The Power of the Dog" and "Belfast" led nominations on Monday for the annual Golden Globes in a year clouded by controversy and a scaled-down ceremony. SPORTS

PORTUGAL-NAZARE/BIG WAVE TOUR Surfing-Chianca claims win as big wave surfing goes next level at Nazare

Brazil's Lucas Chianca and France's Justine Dupont claimed victories at the Nazare Tow Surfing Challenge on Monday, as high performance big wave surfing took a leap forward in perfect, giant surf in Portugal. ICEHOCKEY-NHL/CGY

Flames games postponed at least through Dec. 16 due to COVID-19 The Calgary Flames on Monday became the third team in the last month to have games postponed due to COVID-19, which does little to quell concerns regarding the NHL's plan to send the world's top players to next year's Beijing Olympics.

UPCOMING POLITICS / INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

DENMARK-DAN BUNKERING/ Danish court gives verdict against Dan-Bunkering over alleged jet fuel exports to Syria

Dan-Bunkering, a Danish fuel supply company, has been charged in Denmark for sanction violations over its alleged export of jet fuel to Syria through Russian intermediaries. The trial is expected to conclude on Tuesday, Dec 14. 14 Dec

HONGKONG-SECURITY/CARRIE LAM (TV) Hong Kong leader speaks in weekly news briefing

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam holds a weekly news briefing. 14 Dec

BRAZIL-LULA/ (PIX) ANALYSIS-Lula's courting of former rival just the ticket for Brazil 2022 run

Years after going head-to-head for Brazil's top job, leftist former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is now seriously considering ex-rival Geraldo Alckmin as a centrist running mate next year, presenting a 'unity' ticket for a divided country. 14 Dec

GULF-SUMMIT/ (TV) Gulf Arab leaders hold annual summit

Gulf Arab leaders hold their annual summit in the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh. 14 Dec

VIETNAM-RIGHTS/TRIAL Vietnamese human rights activist Pham Doan Trang goes on trial

Pham Doan Trang, a Vietnamese blogger, human rights and democracy activist whose cause has been championed by the EU, U.S. and overseas rights groups, goes on trial for anti-state activities. 14 Dec

USA-CONGRESS/DEBT (PIX) (TV) U.S. Congress expected to pass final bill raising debt limit, averting default

The U.S. Congress by Tuesday is expected to pass a bill raising the federal government's $28.9 trillion debt limit and averting an unprecedented default. 14 Dec

TAIWAN-DIPLOMACY/ (TV) Taiwan president speaks at forum on regional security

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen speaks at a regional security forum organised by a think tank. Former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe and Scott Busby, acting principal deputy assistant US Secretary of State for democracy, human rights and labour, are also due to speak via video link. 14 Dec 00:30 ET / 00:30 GMT

CLIMATE-CHANGE/ARCTIC WMO to provide new data on Arctic temperatures

The World Meteorological Organization will release data on temperatures reached in the Arctic in 2020. 14 Dec 07:00 ET / 07:00 GMT

AFGHANISTAN-RIGHTS/ (TV) U.N. Human Rights Council meeting on Afghanistan

U.N. Human Rights Council meeting on Afghanistan. Deputy UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada Al-Nashif, will present oral update in person 14 Dec 09:00 ET / 09:00 GMT

MOLDOVA-EU/ (PIX) (TV) Moldovan President Maia Sandu talks to Reuters in Brussels

Maia Sandu, the country's first female president, gives an exclusive interview before the Eastern Partnership summit in Brussels. Can tiny Moldova be a rare success story for the EU's failed "ring of friends" foreign policy? 14 Dec 11:00 ET / 11:00 GMT

USA-VYERA/SHKRELI Trial to begin in FTC lawsuit against Martin Shkreli over Daraprim

Trial is scheduled to begin in the Federal Trade Commission's lawsuit against "pharma bro" Martin Shkreli, accusing him of a scheme to block generic versions of its life-saving drug Daraprim. The case is before U.S. District Judge Denise Cote in Manhattan. 14 Dec 14:30 ET / 14:30 GMT

BUSINESS / ECONOMICS USA-ECONOMY/PRESCHOOL (PIX)

U.S. rollout of free preschool could put more moms into U.S. workforce U.S. President Joe Biden's $1.75 trillion 'Build Back Better' spending plan includes a potentially life-changing plan to make universal pre-school free nationwide, making it easier for some parents, primarily mothers, to work outside the home.

14 Dec USA-FED/INVESTORS

FOMC markets preview A look at investor positioning going into the meeting across the dollar, treasuries, money markets and interest rate options/swaptions. Graphics included.

14 Dec EGYPT-VEGOILS/

Egypt to buy vegetable oils in international tender Egypt's state grains buyer, the General Authority for Supply Commodities, is seeking vegetable oils in international tender for arrival Feb 5-25.

14 Dec USA-FED/FOMC

Federal Open Market Committee begins two-day meeting on interest rate policy, in Washington. 14 Dec

CHANGE-SUITE/CLARK Think ahead: How to set a long-term strategy

As important as short-term survival strategies may be, we need to balance that out with a healthy dose of long-term thinking. That is the advice of speaker and author Dorie Clark, whose new book "The Long Game" aims to reframe our thinking habits. She sat down with Reuters to talk about why corporate America – and individuals – should always be thinking about what's coming five or 10 years down the road. 14 Dec 05:00 ET / 05:00 GMT

MURDOCHS-LAWSUITS/ ANALYSIS-Murdoch emails loom large in billion-dollar election lawsuits against Fox News

Did Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch influence Fox News' coverage of claims about two voting technology companies — knowing that those claims were false? That has become a significant question in defamation lawsuits filed by Smartmatic and Dominion Voting Systems Corp. against Fox News and its parent company Fox Corp. 14 Dec 06:00 ET / 06:00 GMT

GLOBAL-CENBANKS/ (PIX) In year-end meetings, top central banks may diverge over inflation, Omicron

Major central banks meet this week to assess risks from the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus even as they consider reducing emergency measures put in place nearly two years ago to fight the pandemic's economic toll. The global balancing act begins Tuesday when the U.S. Federal Reserve convenes for its latest two day monetary policy meeting, and includes policy decisions by the Fed on Wednesday, the European Central Bank and the Bank of England on Thursday, and the Bank of Japan on Friday. 14 Dec 06:00 ET / 06:00 GMT

MURDOCHS-LAWSUITS/ ANALYSIS-Murdoch emails loom large in billion-dollar election lawsuits against Fox News

Did Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch influence Fox News' coverage of claims about two voting technology companies — knowing that those claims were false? That has become a significant question in defamation lawsuits filed by Smartmatic and Dominion Voting Systems Corp. against Fox News and its parent company Fox Corp. 14 Dec 06:00 ET / 06:00 GMT

HUNGARY-CENBANK/BONDS-TENDER Central bank bond buying auction results

14 Dec 12:00 ET / 12:00 GMT USA-FED/EMPLOYMENT (PIX)

As Fed prepares to fight inflation, will it break its vow on jobs? The Federal Reserve's likely plan to bring its bond-buying program to a close by March or April is provoking a debate on whether clearing the way for interest rate hikes to fight inflation marks a retreat from its ambitious goal of broad and inclusive full employment.

14 Dec 14:00 ET / 14:00 GMT ODDLY ENOUGH

POLAND-DINOSAURS/ (PIX) (TV) Polish geologists discover unique dinosaur footprints

Polish geologists announced they have discovered a large number of unique dinosaur footprints and bones fossilised in a clay mine in central Poland. 14 Dec

CRIME / LAW / JUSTICE ECUADOR-SECURITY/

As Ecuador president grapples with violence, citizens say little has changed Ecuador's President Guillermo Lasso has used emergency powers to repulse a crime wave in the Andean country but his efforts have changed little for Ecuadoreans and fail to confront the poverty, economic informality and weakening of grassroots policing that are the root of violence, analysts and citizens say.

14 Dec EU-COURT/BULGARIA-MOTHERS

EU top court rules whether Bulgaria must issue birth certificate showing two women as mothers of a child The European Court of Justice (ECJ) issues a judgment on whether Bulgaria has to issue a birth certificate showing two women as the mothers of a child. Bulgarian law does not allow two mothers being registered as the parents of a child on a birth certificate as authorities see the "traditional family" as a value that needs to be protected.

14 Dec PEOPLE-GHISLAINE MAXWELL/TAKEAWAYS (PIX)

Five takeaways from the prosecution's case at Ghislaine Maxwell's sex abuse trial Prosecutors rested their case in Ghislaine Maxwell's sex abuse trial last Friday after two weeks of emotional testimony from four women who accuse Maxwell of setting them up for sexual contact with Jeffrey Epstein when the women were teenagers. Here are five takeaways from their case.

14 Dec 11:00 ET / 11:00 GMT USA-CHINA/CRIME-HARVARD

Harvard professor accused of lying about China ties faces trial A Harvard University professor is slated to face trial on charges that he lied to authorities about his ties to a China-run recruitment program and funding he allegedly received from the Chinese government for research. The case in Boston federal court against Charles Lieber, the former chair of Harvard's chemistry and chemical biology department, is one of the highest profile to emerge from a U.S. Justice Department crackdown on Chinese influence within universities amid U.S. concerns about spying and intellectual property theft.

14 Dec 14:00 ET / 14:00 GMT SCIENCE / TECHNOLOGY

HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/BRITAIN-VOTE (PIX) (TV) UK PM Johnson faces rebellion from lawmakers in his Conservative Party over Plan B Covid restrictions

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson faces a rebellion from dozens of his Conservative lawmakers when parliament is asked to approve the government's "Plan B" COVID restrictions. The lawmakers believe the restrictions, including the use of COVID passes in some venues, are too draconian. The measures are expected to be approved because the opposition Labour Party will support them but the rebellion will damage Johnson's authority. 14 Dec

CLIMATE-CHANGE/ARCTIC Release of the annual Arctic Report Card

EMBARGOED _ Release of the annual Arctic Report Card, on the latest trends in polar science, published by the American Geophysical Union. 14 Dec

SPACE-EXPLORATION/TELESCOPE (PIX) NASA's Webb telescope promises an 'amazing journey' for astronomy

It was finished years late at a cost far higher than planned, but NASA's James Webb Space Telescope due for launch next week may usher in a new era in astronomy as it gathers information on the universe's earliest stages, star formation and whether planets beyond our solar system may be suitable for life. 14 Dec 06:00 ET / 06:00 GMT

HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/INDIA-SII Indian vaccine maker Serum's CEO speaks at industry event

Adar Poonawalla is expected to talk about weak vaccine demand in India and abroad at a conference organised by the Confederation of Indian Industries. Vaccine boosters could be another topic. 14 Dec 06:00 ET / 06:00 GMT

HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/INDIA Indian, global vaccine experts speak at industry event

Are we heading towards a COVID-19 endemic? Top Indian vaccine official V.K. Paul, vaccine alliance GAVI's Seth Berkley, and South African Medical Association chief Angelique Coetzee discuss at a conference organised by the Confederation of Indian Industries. 14 Dec 07:45 ET / 07:45 GMT

HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/WHO-RYAN WHO Emergency Chief Mike Ryan speaks at Irish webinar

The World Health Organization's emergencies director, Mike Ryan, speaks on topic of 'Enhancing Global Health Preparedness for the Future'. 14 Dec 12:00 ET / 12:00 GMT

HEALTH-CORONAVIRUS/WHO-BRIEFING (TV) WHO chief Tedros to give news conference on the COVID-19 pandemic

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO), gives news conference on situation of the COVID-19 pandemic. 14 Dec 15:00 ET / 15:00 GMT

CONFLICTS / WAR / PEACE USA-CAPITOL/SECURITY (PIX)

U.S. House Jan. 6 panel to vote on charge against former top Trump aide Meadows The U.S. House of Representatives committee probing the deadly Jan. 6 Capitol riot said on on Monday is expect to vote on whether Mark Meadows, who served as former President Donald Trump's chief of staff, should be cited for contempt of Congress.

13 Dec 00:00 ET / 00:00 GMT UKRAINE-CRISIS/DEFENCE MINISTERS (TV)

Swedish, Ukrainian Defence Ministers hold presser Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov who is on a visit to Sweden, holds a news conference with his Swedish counterpart Peter Hultqvist after talks

14 Dec 12:30 ET / 12:30 GMT CAMEROON-SECURITY/CHAD (TV)

Cameroonian refugees in Chad describe the bloodshed displacing thousands Cameroonian refugees camped in makeshift shelters outside Chad's capital recalled the horrors they fled in their homeland, where a resurgence of tit-for-tat violence between herders and farmers in the Far North region has killed at least 22 people and injured more than 30 this month.

14 Dec 13:00 ET / 13:00 GMT

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)