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US selects 11 companies for program to accelerate small nuclear test reactors
The U.S. Department of Energy announced on Tuesday that it had selected 11 companies to participate in a pilot project to build high-tech nuclear test reactors. At least three of these companies are expected to be operational within a year. Why it's important The U.S. wants to develop small reactors to meet the growing demand for power. They say that they will be cheaper per Megawatt than the large reactors of today because the components can be manufactured in factories. The move by the department comes after President Donald Trump's executive orders were issued in May, which sought to speed up nuclear reactor permits and reform the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), an independent agency. The orders give the Energy Department the authority to approve the test reactors without consulting the NRC. KEY QUOTE James Danly said that President Trump's Reactor Program was a call to act. "These companies are all aiming to achieve criticality safely by Independence Day. DOE will support their efforts." Selected Companies The Department selected the following companies for funding: Aalo Atomics, Antares Nuclear. Atomic Alchemy. Deep Fission Inc. Last Energy. Oklo, Natura Resources LLC. Radiant Energy. Terreal Energy. The Department said that each company would be responsible for the costs of designing, manufacturing and constructing their test reactors, as well as decommissioning them. HUDLES Since years, the U.S. has been talking about small modular nuclear reactors and "advanced", but only China and Russia have them in operation. The obstacles include obtaining permits for plants which generate electricity for the grid; developing commercial levels of high-assay, low-enriched Uranium fuel, which some reactors intend to use; and building factories for reactors while none of them are operating. (Reporting and editing by Alistair Bell; Timothy Gardner)
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Record US corn harvest expected, prices drop
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced on Tuesday that U.S. corn and soybean yields will be record-breaking this fall, and the country's largest corn crop ever harvested. The USDA estimates for spring corn plantings have increased by a surprising amount. This is due to the favorable weather conditions that occurred this summer. The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced on Tuesday that U.S. Farmers will harvest the largest corn crop ever harvested in the United States this fall and produce record-breaking soybean yields. The USDA estimates for spring corn plantings have been boosted by favorable weather conditions this summer. Rich Nelson, Allendale's chief strategist, said that "acreage is my biggest surprise." He added that the reported increase in corn plantings had been "absolutely unparalleled." Massive plantings indicate abundant corn supplies, at a moment when farmers are struggling with low grain prices and increasing costs for goods like seeds. Analysts said that high yields won't necessarily translate into profits for farmers, as large harvests will put pressure on crop prices. The USDA's monthly crop estimate update prompted the Chicago Board of Trade to set new contract lows for corn futures. In contrast, soybeans reversed losses after the USDA's fall production forecast fell short of analysts' expectations despite high yields. The USDA forecasted corn yields to average 188.8 bushels/acre. This is up from the previous forecast of 181 Bushels/acre. Farmers will also harvest 16,742 billion bushels compared to its previous estimate, which was 15.705 billion bushels. Both forecasts exceeded analysts' expectations. The USDA has also increased its estimate for spring corn plantings from 95.2 million acres in July to 97.3 millions acres. For its estimates, the agency used satellite data and farmer surveys. The agency used acreage data to estimate plantings. Farmers must submit this information to be eligible for crop insurance. Lance Honig, chair of the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service's agricultural statistics board, stated in a social media chat that the USDA would "be returning to investigate" why the previous estimates for plantings for this year were so different from the ones released on Tuesday. USDA data shows that farmers had planted 93% the corn crop at the beginning of June. Some have even started harvesting the corn in southern states. The USDA estimated a record yield of 53.6 bushels/acre for soybeans. This compares to the 52.5 bushels/acre estimate from July and analyst expectations of 52.9 bushels/acre. It still reduced its estimate of production to 4.292 bn bushels, down from 4.335 bn in July. The agency said that farmers planted 80.9 millions acres of soybeans in the spring, compared with its estimate of 83.4million acres. Analysts expected yields of 52,9 bushels per acre with a production of 4,368 billion bushels. Ted Seifried is chief market strategist at Zaner Ag Hedge. USDA estimates that soybean stocks will fall to 290 millions bushels in 2025-26, down from its projection of 310 million bushels made in July. Analysts expected an increase of 351 million. The U.S. soybean market has been hit by President Donald Trump’s trade dispute against China, which is the largest importer of oilseeds.
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Bloomberg News reported that Cenovus was in talks with Canadian Indigenous groups about MEG Energy.
Bloomberg News reported that Cenovus Energy was in discussions with Indigenous groups to buy MEG Energy together. The report cited people who were familiar with the talks. The report stated that a group of First Nations communities, including Chipewyan Prairie First Nation (Chipewyan Prairie First Nation) and Heart Lake First Nation (Heart Lake First Nation), are in discussions with Cenovus to take a C$2 Billion ($1,45 Billion) stake in MEG. Bloomberg reported that the Indigenous stake would receive financial support from both the federal government and the provincial government, with Cenovus bidding for the remainder. MEG Energy shares were up more than 2% during afternoon trading. Analysts and media have floated Cenovus as a potential white knight buyer for MEG Energy, a rival oil sands company that is being targeted by Strathcona Resource in a hostile takeover bid. MEG Energy told its shareholders in June to reject Strathcona’s hostile takeover offer of C$6 billion and that it would begin a process of strategic alternatives and explore possible deals. MEG and Cenovus didn't immediately respond to comments. The First Nations groups also failed to respond to requests for comment. ($1 = 1.3762 Canadian dollars) (Reporting by Sumit Saha in Bengaluru; Editing by Alan Barona)
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Gold nudges higher after US inflation data
Gold prices rose on Tuesday as U.S. inflation data boosted expectations for Federal Reserve rate cuts. Meanwhile, attention turned to other important economic data due later this week. Spot gold was up 0.2% to $3,349.60 per ounce by 12:06 pm EDT (1606 GMT). Dollar weakness has made bullion more affordable for those who hold other currencies. Last month, the Consumer Price Index in the United States rose by 0.2% after rising 0.3% in June. CPI increased 2.7% in the 12-month period ending July. The economists polled predicted that the CPI would rise 0.2% in July, and 2.8% on an annual basis. Bob Haberkorn, market strategist at RJO Futures, said that the inflation numbers are mixed but supportive of a rate cut. "Traders are cautious, as we're in a critical phase and await further economic indicators." After the CPI data, traders maintained their bets for rate cuts in September and December. This week, the U.S. Producer Price Index (PPI), weekly unemployment claims and retail sales are also due. The United States and China extended their 90-day tariff truce, preventing triple-digit duty on the goods of each other. Razan Hilal is a FOREX.com market analyst. He said that prices are still ranging between important support and resistance levels, as investors digest the recent tariff developments. Gold, which pays no interest, is more appealing when interest rates are lower. Gold tends to do well in periods of uncertainty as it is seen as a safe haven asset. U.S. Gold Futures for December Delivery fell 0.1%, to $3399.70 per ounce. Prices fell by more than 2% after U.S. president Donald Trump announced on social media that tariffs would not be imposed on imported gold. U.S. futures for gold rose to new highs after a report that Washington had imposed a tariff on imports 1 kg bars of bullion. (Reporting by Ashitha Shivaprasad in Bengaluru Editing by David Goodman, Rod Nickel and Tasim Zahid) (Reporting and editing by David Goodman in Bengaluru, Rod Nickel, Tasim Zahid.)
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Magic Moments joins forces with Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan for the launch of premium tequila
Radico Khaitan will launch a premium brand of tequila in partnership with Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan, Zerodha cofounder Nikhil Kamath, and Zerodha founder Nikhil Kamath. This is their first foray into this category. The Indian liquor producer, well-known for its premium products such as Rampur Indian single malt and Jaisalmer Indian Craft gin, will launch the brand D'YAVOL Anejo, a premium spirit aged in wine casks about two years. D'YAVOL is a luxury brand founded by Shah Rukh Khan's Son Aryan Khan in 2022, along with Leti Blagoeva, and Bunty Sing, and headquartered in Amsterdam. It offers premium streetwear, blended malt whisky, and vodka. Abhishek Khaitan, Radico Khaitan's Managing Director, said on Tuesday that D'YAVOL Anejo will be launched by December. The price, depending on the state excise tax, is expected to range between 20,000 and 30,000 rupees. Indians are increasingly spending on luxury items, including alcohol and housing. According to Crisil's data, alcohol sales are expected to increase by up to 10% in fiscal 2026, to $61.35 Billion. India is quickly catching up to the global trend of tequila. Khaitan stated that the market in India is around 300,000 cases. Of this, 15% are Anejos (a Spanish word for 'aged'). He said: "We think that tequila will reach about a million bottles in India and the global market in five years. I thought it was an excellent opportunity." Radico Khaitan, Shah Rukh Khan and his family will hold 47.5% of the venture each, while Kamath owns 5%. This deal also highlights the fierce competition between mass and premium liquor segments. Three weeks ago, Tilaknagar bought Pernod Ricard's "Imperial Blue", a whisky brand for $486.9 million. ($1 = 87.6370 Indian rupees) (Reporting by Chandini Monnappa and Hritam Mukherjee in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar)
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Oil prices drop as the market awaits EIA Report
The oil prices fell on Tuesday, as traders awaited a short-term outlook report from the U.S. Government following a bullish OPEC report on supply and demand. Brent crude futures fell 20 cents or 0.3% to $66.43 per barrel at 10:36 AM CDT (1536 GMT). U.S. West Texas Intermediate Crude Futures fell by 39 cents or 0.61% to $63.51. Phil Flynn is a senior analyst with Price Futures Group. He said, "We are still in a range as we await the Energy Information Administration's report this morning." Flynn stated that traders were waiting to see if EIA's report would match up with a report released earlier by OPEC about its outlook for demand and production. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries has raised its forecasts for global oil consumption next year, and trimmed their forecasts for supply growth from the United States as well as other producers outside the broader OPEC+ Group. This indicates a tighter outlook for the market. In its monthly report, OPEC said that global oil demand would rise by 1,38 million barrels a day in 2026. This is an increase of 100,000 bpd over the previous forecast. The 2025 forecast was not changed. The U.S. president Donald Trump extended the tariff truce between China and the United States until November 10. This will prevent triple-digit duties being imposed on Chinese products as U.S. retail stores prepare for this critical holiday season. It raised the hopes of a possible agreement between the two world's largest economies to avoid a virtual embargo. Tariffs could slow global growth and lower oil prices. U.S. consumer price increases were the highest in six months in July, as rising import costs due to tariffs drove up prices. Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin will meet in Alaska this Friday to discuss the end of Russia's war against Ukraine. This could also have an impact on the oil markets. Trump has increased pressure on Russia in order to end the conflict. He set a Friday deadline for Russia to accept peace in Ukraine, or face secondary sanctions. He also pressured India and China into reducing their purchases of Russian crude oil. Commerzbank wrote in a report that if the meeting on Friday brings about a ceasefire in Ukraine or even a peace agreement, Trump may suspend the secondary tariffs against India imposed last week. They would then be suspended for two weeks. If not, sanctions could be imposed on other oil buyers, such as China.
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Indian miner NMDC’s quarterly profit falls on higher costs and softer prices
The Indian state-owned mining company NMDC announced a lower profit for the first quarter on Tuesday. Higher expenses and lower prices outweighed gains from strong demand in India. In the quarter ending June 30, the country's biggest state-run iron ore company reported a profit drop of nearly 1% from a previous year to 19,69 billion rupees ($225 million). Royalties and other levies increased by 33%, to 26.8 trillion rupees. This led to a 38% increase in total expenses. Indian miners pay a royalty to the government for the right of extracting minerals from their land. NMDC stated that if a tax law demanding higher royalties be passed, the company will also have to pay 143.74bn rupees to the Karnataka State Government. Data from commodities consultancy firms BigMint and Systematix Institutional Research showed that domestic iron ore prices fell 14% during the third quarter. India, which is the third largest iron ore producer in the world, imported 800,000 tons of pellets by 2025. However, shipments from 2021 to 2024 were negligible. Iron ore, which is used to produce steel, was still in high demand during the first quarter. This was due to increased manufacturing and government expenditure on infrastructure. The company's revenue in the first quarter rose by 23%, to 66.34 bn rupees. This was primarily due to increased sales at its pellets division, which saw a revenue increase of more than 13 times. The company's revenue from iron ore increased by 15% during the third quarter. Manvi Pant reports. $1 = 87.6180 Indian Rupees
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Daimler Volvo and other truck manufacturers sue California for blocking emissions regulations
Four major truckmakers including Daimler, Volvo and others sued California in order to prevent the state from enforcing the strict emission standards that U.S. president Donald Trump declared null in June. Daimler Volvo Paccar and International Motors, formerly Navistar said that they were "caught in crossfire" when Trump revoked waivers granted during the Biden Administration which allowed California to set its own standards. In a Monday complaint, truckmakers claimed that Trump's decision to revoke the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's approval of California’s plan to increase zero-emissions heavy-duty trucks sales and reduce nitrogen dioxide emissions preempted state enforcement. The truckmakers said that this included enforcing Clean Truck Partnership 2023, a program which gives the truckmaking industry the flexibility to meet emission requirements while advancing California’s goal of reducing emissions. Truckmakers say the regulatory uncertainty is irreparable because they can't plan their production without knowing what vehicles they are allowed to sell. The complaint, filed Monday in Sacramento's federal court, names both the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom among the defendants. The board and Newsom's Office did not respond to comments on Tuesday. Trump's actions were part of Republicans' efforts to limit California's ability to set stricter pollution limits under federal law than required by federal law, and Newsom’s desire to promote electrical vehicles in his fight against climate change. Since 1970, California has been granted more than 100 waivers of the Clean Air Act. Trump blocked California's efforts to stop the sale of gasoline-only cars by 2035 when he signed joint congressional resolutions in June. State officials are also suing Trump to reverse his actions. Daimler Truck North America LLC, et. al. v. California Air Resources Board, et. al., U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California. 25-02255. Reporting by Jonathan Stempel, New York Editing Rod Nickel
Wildfires are fought by firefighters in the heat-stricken Turkey and Cyprus
Firefighters fought multiple wildfires in Turkey and Cyprus Thursday, which scorched large areas of land and forced the evacuations of villages and towns. Ten firefighters were killed by a heatwave that swept across the Mediterranean.
Six separate wildfires are burning in Turkey. Turkish Agriculture and Forestry minister Ibrahim Yumakli has warned of the dangers of strong winds and scorching heat.
Yumakli reported late on Wednesday that 10 firefighters died while fighting a fire in central Eskisehir Province. Yumakli also said 14 other firefighters were injured. The fire was fanned by strong wind and spread to Afyonkarahisar, another province in the central region.
Fires in the province of Bilecik in northwestern Turkey raged for four days straight, and firefighters were unable to control them.
Some residents in Bilecik were allowed to return after the evacuation of areas that were declared safe.
"They couldn't intervene. The road is rocky, there are dense forests and no decent roads. "Helicopters do not work at night and, because they aren't working, they could not intervene," Cemil Karadag said, a Bilecik resident from the village of Selcik.
It engulfed the village from all sides. The wind caused it to spread quickly, but thankfully, the centre of our village was not damaged.
A wildfire broke out in the Black Sea Province of Sakarya as firefighters were battling another fire nearby. The fire forced the closure of a major highway, and some areas were evacuated.
A second fire, in the province of Karabuk where the UNESCO World Heritage City Safranbolu lies, grew quickly and forced the evacuation of 10 villages. Sixth, a fire raged across the province of Manisa in western Iraq.
'SHEER HELL'
Firefighters on the eastern Mediterranean island Cyprus fought for the second day to contain a massive wildfire that engulfed the mountain villages north-east of Limassol.
The fire that started Wednesday trapped two people in their vehicle. As people fled the towering wall, scores of homes were destroyed.
Authorities said that they will investigate the possibility of arson, even though the cause of the fire was not immediately clear.
Father Michalis is a Greek Orthodox Priest who was forced out of the village Lofou.
Strong winds stoked flare-ups that erupted around midday, after they had subsided in the morning.
Kostas Hatzikonstantinou struggled to keep his composure while standing outside his home. The fire that ravaged his community Thursday had left it hollowed out.
"It is an unspeakable tragedy to everyone." He said, "Unfortunately, this paradise we enjoyed for many years will no longer be ours."
The Cypriot Government spokesperson Konstantinos Leymbiotis stated that the authorities are focusing on using "all the ground and air force" to contain the fire.
He said, "We face an unprecedented situation."
He added that Israel would also send help, in addition to the air assets of Spain, Egypt, and Jordan. He added that aircraft from British military bases in Cyprus also assisted the efforts, and the EU had deployed two aircraft.
Ersin Tatar, the president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (a breakaway Turkish Republic) which is only recognised by Turkey, and which has split off from the south of the island, said that his government would also be willing to help.
Heatwaves and fires are not uncommon in the region. However, the impact of these events on the human population as well as the extent of the destruction has increased in recent years because weather patterns have changed.
(source: Reuters)