Latest News
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In Guatemala bus crash, at least 15 people are dead and 19 others injured
Authorities said that at least 15 people were killed and 19 others injured when a passenger van plunged into a ravine along the Inter-American Highway, in western Guatemala. Leandro Amado, a local firefighter spokesperson, told reporters that 15 people had died. This included 11 men, 3 women, and a child. He also said that 19 people had been injured. The accident occurred between km 172 and174 in the Solola Department, an area known for its dense fog which reduces visibility. The images shared on social media by the fire department early Saturday morning showed the bus wreckage?in the ravine while firefighters worked to save victims. Reporting by Sofia Menchu. (Editing by Joe Bavier, Mark Potter and Mark Potter.)
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Suns' Devin Booker aims for a 2-game sweep over Pelicans
Devin Booker, the star of the Phoenix Suns, has been playing some great basketball lately. Booker has averaged 28.2 points per game over the past five games. He also averages six assists and four rebounds. This includes a performance of 30 points, nine rebounds, and five assists in the Suns 115-108 win over the New Orleans Pelicans. Booker and his Suns team will be looking to "continue" their momentum on Saturday when they play the Pelicans in the second of two back-to-back games. Booker stated that the contest on Friday was a "must-win" for them. What a great way to begin the road trip. We want to begin on a positive note. Saturday, we'll be back in action against them. We know that they are playing good basketball at the moment. Saturday's game will be a very competitive one. Booker scored 12 points in Friday's fourth quarter and was a key player in the Suns winning the game with an 18-8 run. Mark Williams and Connor Gillespie played important roles for Phoenix. Williams scored 24 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter. Gillespie added 16 points with nine assists. Williams also added 13 rebounds to his double-double, which was his first in nine games this month. Suns' 16 offensive rebounds led to extra possessions against Pelicans. Jordan Ott, Suns coach, said: "I thought we had some big stops in the stretch." "And then Book made some offensive plays to somehow pull out the win." Zion Williamson, who was a bench player for the Pelicans, led them with 20 points and eight rebounds in just 28 minutes. The Pelicans had won five straight games before losing their second consecutive game. Williamson has been battling multiple injuries for years and has not always played the second game of a back-to-back. However, he played double duty this week, when the Pelicans took on the Dallas Mavericks as well as the Cleveland Cavaliers. The two-time All-Star started every game in his six-year NBA tenure until?this past month. Williamson, who had been out of action for six games due to a right adductor injury, was moved from the starting lineup on Dec. 14, in order to reduce his workload. Williamson has averaged 21 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 3.2 assist in six games, even though he never played more than 28 min. In the last four games, he led the team in scoring. Williamson was the star of the show, and the Pelicans bench scored 60 on Friday. If New Orleans hopes to split the doubleheader it will need better execution in the late stages of?the game. James Borrego, interim head coach of the Pelicans, said: "We put ourselves into a good situation." "We didn't play enough." We failed to make free throws or shots. "We could have done better in the final stretch." On Friday, neither team was able to make it from long range. Each team made only 20% of their 3-point attempts. Phoenix finished with 8 out of 40 attempts, while New Orleans had 5 out of 25. Field Level Media
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Myanmar holds elections amid civil war, humanitarian crisis and other crises
Myanmar will vote on Sunday, as it fights a civil conflict that has devastated parts of the nation and one of Asia's most severe humanitarian crises. Myanmar, already one of Southeast Asia's poorest nations, has been devastated by conflict that was sparked by the coup in 2021. The military overthrew a civilian government headed by Nobel Peace Prize-winner?Aung San Suu Kyi. WHAT IS THE HUMANITARIAN SITUATION? Myanmar's humanitarian crises is one of Asia's most serious, and it is largely due to the intensifying civil conflict, as well as the repeated natural disasters including the massive earthquake that occurred in March. Reports have stated that the ruling junta suppressed previous information about the severe food crisis affecting the country, by urging researchers to not collect data on hunger and aid workers to not publish it. Myanmar has one of the most underfunded aid operations in the world, according to United Nations. Only 12% of funds required have been received. The U.S. cuts in humanitarian aid have a devastating impact on the people, according to the U.N. Special Reporter on the Situation of Human Rights in Myanmar. UN estimates that around 20 million people in Myanmar need help due to soaring inflation, a plummeting currency and about half of the population living below 'the poverty line. UN estimates claim that more than 3.6 millions people have been forced to leave their homes and over 6,800 civilians were killed in the conflict caused by the coup. According to the UN World Food Programme, as violence escalates, more than 12 millions people in Myanmar will be at risk of acute hunger next, including 1,000,000 who will require lifesaving assistance. WFP estimates that more than 16,000,000 people in Myanmar suffer from acute food insecurity, which means their lack of food is a threat to lives and livelihoods. The agency stated that Myanmar is "a hotspot of hunger" and should be taken very seriously. WFP reported that this year more than 540,000 children will suffer from acute malnutrition, a life-threatening condition which can have serious and lifelong consequences. This is a 26% rise from last year. According to WFP, one in three children aged under five already suffers from stunted development. How has the economy fared? Myanmar's economy, once considered one of the most promising in the region, has suffered from civil wars, natural disasters, and poor management. The World Bank reported this month that despite these challenges, Myanmar’s economy has shown some signs of improvement. Its GDP growth will?rebound to 3% during the next fiscal period. The projected growth will be driven by the post-earthquake recovery and targeted assistance to?the most affected areas. However, inflation is expected remain at or above 20%. Solar energy is becoming more popular as a reliable source of power for households and businesses. In June, Russia, which is building up ties with the military junta in Myanmar, signed a deal with Myanmar that could provide new opportunities for Russian companies to invest in the country. (Reporting and editing by Raju Gopikrishnan).
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Petrobras' proposal to end the strike is rejected by a large Brazilian union
The Brazilian union Sindipetro-NF (one of the largest in Brazil) has rejected the latest proposal from the state-run oil company to end the 12-day strike. It said this in a Friday statement. Sindipetro NF represents?about 25,000 oil industry workers, including those in Petrobras?offshore oil platform in the Campos Basin, which is the second highest oil production area in Brazil. Petrobras stated in a press release that the strike so far has not had an impact on production as they are using contingency crews to continue operations. Sindipetro-NF is the largest union within FUP, a umbrella organization of oil workers. The FUP board accepted Petrobras' proposal but it was still up to the workers. Sindipetro-NF, a union that is not part of the?FUP, has rejected the call to end the strike. FUP does not include all Petrobras unions. FNP's board voted to continue the protest, and advised unions that were under its umbrella to do the same. Sources said that the dispute may last for a long time, because it involves complex issues, such as deductions from pensioner payments and pension fund funds of state-run firms. Reporting by Fabio Téixeira in Rio de Janeiro and Rodrigo Viga Gaier; editing by Nick Zieminski & Alistair Bell
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Wall St. closes the holiday session with a near-record high in terms of light.
Wall Street closed a low-volume session after Christmas on Friday with little to no change. The three major U.S. indexes ended essentially flat but posted weekly gains. Ryan Detrick is the chief market strategist for Carson Group, based in Omaha. He said, "We're simply catching up today after a five-day rally." This is just day two of Santa Claus rally, so there's still time. We think that the market will be more optimistic going forward. Market participants were looking for signs of a seasonal phenomenon known as the "Santa Claus Rally," where the S&P 500 makes gains in the last five days of the current year, and the first two days in the next. This period began on Wednesday and runs through January 5. This rally could be a good sign for the stock market in 2026. Three trading days are left in an 'unpredictable year,' in which investors have been thrown for a loop by tariff jitters and simmering geopolitical conflicts. The Nasdaq is leading the way with its tech-heavy indexes. Detrick added: "It is a reminder to investors that volatility was the price we paid to achieve the solid gains in the past three years." "It's likely that 2026 will not be the first time in history where there is no volatility or bad headlines. "So you need to prepare yourself." The S&P 500 lost 2.05 points or 0.03% to finish at 6,930.00, while the Nasdaq Composite dropped 20.21 points or 0.09% to 23,593.10. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 19.70 points or 0.04% to 48,7111.46. Communication services, technology, and industrials outperformed the overall market in terms of performance. The only sector to lose ground by 2025 is real estate. Nvidia's stock rose after the AI chipmaker agreed with startup Groq to license its chip technology and hire its CEO. Target shares rose after The Financial Times reported that hedge fund Toms Capital Investment Management has invested a large amount in the retailer. Silver and gold prices reached new record highs, boosting the value of U.S. listed shares.
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Petrobras' proposal to end the strike is rejected by a large Brazilian union
The Brazilian union Sindipetro-NF - one of the largest representing Petrobras workers - has rejected 'the latest proposal from 'the state-run oil firm to end a 12 day-long strike. It said this in a Friday statement. Sindipetro-NF represents around 25,000 oil industry workers, including those on Petrobras offshore oil platforms, in the 'Campos basin. This is the second highest oil production area in Brazil. Petrobras?did not immediately respond to a comment request. The company has said that the strike had no effect on production because it was using contingency crews. Sindipetro-NF, a union umbrella for oil workers, is the largest under 'FUP. The board of the FUP had accepted Petrobras' proposal, but it was still up to the workers to vote on the issue. Sindipetro-NF, however, has voted against ending the strike. This means that the protest will continue at least in some sites. FUP does not include all Petrobras workers' unions. The board of another umbrella organization, FNP voted to continue the protest, and advised unions to do the same. Sources said that the dispute may last for a long time, because it involves complex issues, such as deductions from pensioner payments and pension fund funds of state-run firms. (Reporting by Fabio Teixeira and Rodrigo Viga Gaier in Rio de Janeiro; Editing by Nick Zieminski)
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Two dead in Palestinian attack in Israel, Israeli authorities say
Israeli emergency services reported that a Palestinian attacker ran over a man, stabbed a woman in the neck and killed both of them on Friday. Israeli police released a statement saying that the assailant was wounded and shot by a civilian on the spot. He was then taken to hospital. The police added, "This was a?rolling?terrorist attack." Israeli Defence Minister 'Israel Katz' said that he had ordered the military to respond with force in the West Bank city of Qabaitya where the attacker allegedly hailed from to prevent any further attacks. The Israeli military has said that it is "preparing an operation" for the area. The Israeli ambulance service reported that the woman and man were both pronounced dead on the scene, after medics failed to revive them. (Reporting and editing by Alexandra Hudson, Hugh Lawson and Maayan Libell)
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Silver trading, from shares and coins to bars and stocks
Silver has surpassed $75 per ounce for first time, fueled by strong industrial demand and investment, persistent shortages of supply, recent designation as an U.S. "critical mineral", and a wave momentum-driven purchasing. Spot silver is up over 150% in the past year, outpacing gold by more than 70%. How does silver trade? Over?THE Counter London is the largest marketplace for physical gold and silver, where banks and brokers take orders from customers around the globe to buy and sell. The trading is done over the counter bilaterally between financial institutions. An investor must be in a relationship to one of them to gain access to the market. Bars of bullion are stored in vaults at large banks like JPMorgan and HSBC. London vaults will hold 27,187 tons of silver by the end of 2025. Tons of silver. Futures Silver is also traded on futures markets. Shanghai Futures Exchange and CME Group COMEX are the two largest exchanges. Futures contracts are agreements where the seller promises to deliver silver at a future date. They are usually traded via a broker. The majority of futures are swapped for later-dated contracts. Both the buyer and the seller can speculate on the price of silver without having to move and store metal. Futures also offer the advantage that you don't have to pay the entire amount of silver. Instead, you only need to pay a fraction, called a margin. ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds) ETFs are traded on stock exchanges like the NYSE and LSE along with shares of publicly traded companies. Each share of the fund represents a certain amount of silver in a vault. Robinhood, for example, allows small investors to trade ETFs with ease. Silver is added to the vault when the demand for an ETF exceeds the price of the underlying metal. This allows new shares to become available, bringing the prices back in line. The iShares Silver Trust, managed by BlackRock, contains?around 530 million ounces silver, worth $39 billion today. BARS AND COINS Silver bars and coins are also available to smaller investors from retailers all over the world. SILVER MINERS Investors can buy shares of companies that mine for silver. These are also easily traded on platforms such as Robinhood. The value of these shares is affected by many factors, including the management, debt, and performance of the companies. Reporting by Anmol Chaubey from Bengaluru
Quotes-Putin on paper tigers and Trump
Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, spoke at the Valdai Discussion Club in Sochi, a forum for Russia experts. He spoke in Russian and his words were translated by.
Here are some main quotes.
TOMAHAWK MISSILES - UKRAINE
It is impossible to use Tomahawks in the absence of direct involvement by American military personnel. This would be a qualitatively and completely new level of escalation in both the relations between Russia, and the United States.
On TRUMP's description of Russia as a paper tigger:
"A paper tiger. What happens next? "Go and deal with the paper tiger."
"Well, if we're fighting with the whole NATO bloc, we're moving, advancing and we feel confident and we're a paper Tiger, then what exactly is NATO?"
HYSTERIA AMONG EUROPE’S LEADERS
"The ruling class of Europe continues to stir up hysteria. The war with Russia is almost at our doorstep. This mantra is repeated over and over. ... Can't they believe that Russia will attack NATO, as they say? ... "They're either dishonest or incredibly incompetent, if they believe that nonsense. It's impossible to accept this."
ON RUSSIA'S RESPONSE TO EUROPEAN MILITARY BUILDUP:
"We cannot ignore the situation." For our own safety, we have no right to ignore what is happening. Our defence and safety, I repeat. We are therefore closely monitoring the militarization of Europe."
"Are they just empty words or is it the time to countermeasure? Germany, for instance, claims that the German Army should be the strongest in Europe. Good. "We listen to what the speaker is saying and understand it."
I don't think anyone doubts that these measures will force Russia into action, and Russia will have countermeasures in no time. I think that (to put it mildly) the response to such threats will be very convincing.
On the Ukraine Conflict:
"We thank all countries who have been sincere in their efforts to find a solution to this problem over the past few years." This includes our partners, the founding members in BRICS, Belarus, and, by the way North Korea. In the Arab World as a group, primarily the UAE along with many other countries.
"Unfortunately, the fighting has not stopped, but responsibility does not lie with the majority of countries, but rather with a small minority in Europe who are constantly escalating conflict."
RELATIVE TO RELATIONS WITH UNITED STATES
We all know that our countries have many differences. We have different views on global issues. It is not unusual for major powers to clash. "In fact, it is important to determine how these differences can be resolved and whether they can be settled peacefully."
The current White House administration expresses its desires and interests directly,... and bluntly - but without unnecessary hypocrisy."
"We can see that the U.S. government is primarily guided by its own interest, as they understand them. This is, I think, a rational strategy. If you'll excuse me, Russia reserves the right to follow its own national interests. "One of them, incidentally is the restoration to full-fledged relationships with the U.S.
'FIGHTING" BETWEEN RUSSIA & NATO
The Ukrainian military is being supported by a center in Europe that supports all of the NATO countries' actions. It transmits space intelligence, provides weapons, and offers training.
On the Course of the Fight:
"Our troops are confidently moving forward along virtually the entire line-of-contact."
"We control nearly 100% of the Luhansk Region." The enemy controls just over 19% of the Donetsk Region, and 24-25% in Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia. "And everywhere, Russian troops maintain the strategic lead with confidence."
On Trump's Gaza Plan:
"In general, Russia will support it." As long as it achieves the ultimate goal that we have discussed. Russia has always... advocated for the creation of two state - Israel and a Palestinian State. This, I believe, is the only way to find a permanent solution to the Palestinian/Israeli conflict."
US CALLS INDIA TO RENOUNCE RUSSIAN ENERGY
"If India refuses to accept our energy supply, it will suffer certain losses... Of course, I believe that the people of India will closely monitor any decisions made by political leaders and will never tolerate humiliation before anyone. "I know that Prime Minister Modi would never do such a thing."
On Alleged UKRAINIAN Strikes on ZAPORIZHZHIA Nuclear Plant:
"This is a very dangerous game. People on the other side need to understand that they have nuclear power plants operating on their side. What's to stop us from responding in kind? "Let them think about it."
ON CONTINUED EXPORTS OF URANIUM TO THE U.S.:
The United States is one, if no the largest state, that uses nuclear power plants. Russia is the second biggest supplier of uranium for the American market.
On Alaska Summit with TRUMP
"President Trump, I and my team discussed virtually nothing at the meeting. Not even our bilateral agenda." We discussed only the ways and possibilities to resolve the Ukrainian Crisis.
"Secondly, in some way, even if it was superficial, we talked about restoring Russian-American ties, which, not only are at an impasse but also at their lowest level ever, and that is a very serious issue."
On the French seizure of a Russian oil tanker:
"Well, I think it's piracy... A tanker has been seized without justification in international waters. They were looking for cargo - maybe drones or military equipment. "None of it was there nor could it have been."
RUSSIA’S ECONOMY
"We must strengthen our financial system." Two things are important. "First, we need to further strengthen macroeconomic stabilization and reduce inflation while still attempting to maintain positive growth rates."
"But we agreed at the end last year that we would sacrifice our record-breaking rates of growth in order to fight inflation. The central bank increased the key rate which has a significant impact on the economy.
(source: Reuters)