Latest News
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NFL-Cowboys Defensive End Kneeland Dead at 24
The Dallas Cowboys and the NFL announced that Marshawn Kneeland, a defensive end for the Dallas Cowboys, died Thursday morning at age 24. He was in the second season of his career with the team. No details were immediately available about the cause of his death. It occurred three days after he had scored his first touchdown in a career. The Dallas Cowboys posted a statement on their website expressing the extreme sadness they felt at the news that Marshawn Knieland had tragically died this morning. "Marshawn is a beloved member of our team and organization. Marshawn's girlfriend Catalina, and his family are in our thoughts and prayers. Kneeland, a 2024 second-round pick from Western Michigan, was selected by the draft board in the second round. The NFL released a statement saying that it was "deeply saddened" by the news of Marshawn's death. (Reporting from Amy Tennery, New York; additional reporting by Rohith Niair; editing by Alex Richardson).
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EDF plans to build 30 small modular reactors in 2050. The design is planned for 2026.
A senior executive at the state-owned French utility EDF said that the company aims to complete the conceptual design for a small modular nuclear reactor by the end of next year. The goal is to be able to compete on a global market where the demand for this new technology has been increasing. Julien Garrel is the CEO of Nuward's small modular reactor division. He said that by 2050 the company hopes to have 30 small reactors operational. EDF will pull back from the international markets with its larger reactors. However, small modular reactors are marketed to industries that require a lot of power such as metallurgy or data centres. A SMALL MODULAR RACTOR HAS NOT BEEN PRODUCED IN MASS. The small modular reactor is not yet mass-produced, but dozens are racing to put their technology on the market. This smaller scale is seen as an effective power supply solution that has a lower entry barrier than expensive traditional reactors. EDF announced last year that they had abandoned their own design of small modular reactors in favor of proven technologies. Garrel said that Nuward's small nuclear reactor will produce 400 megawatts and 115 Megawatts heat. This makes it suitable for providing stable baseload electricity to industry. The first prototype is expected to be online in 2035 Garrel stated that the first prototype should be operational in 2035. Garrel added that one reactor per year will follow until there are four in both countries. He said: "We're confident that we can deliver electricity and heating at a price competitive with the market, and there will be a demand for us." Thorizon, a competitor in Europe, is aiming to have a reactor operational by 2030. Newcleo has a 2031 prototype deadline. OPG Canada has already begun work on its first prototype of its boiling water nuclear reactor. EDF's spokesperson stated that there is no guarantee that the small modular reactors would be built in France, and they could also be built elsewhere in Europe. Garrel stated that the French government, industrial clients, banks, and private investment funds are expected to provide funding. EDF plans to make its final investment decision in its six EPR2 large-scale reactors, for the home market. The company expects to deliver these by the second half 2026. (Reporting and editing by Conor Humphries; Forrest Crellin)
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Gold prices rise as US tariffs and shutdown uncertainty boost demand
Gold prices rose Thursday, just below $4,000 an ounce. This was due to a weaker US dollar, a surge in demand for safe-haven assets, and concerns about a prolonged U.S. shutdown, as well as uncertainty regarding the legality and validity of tariffs. By 09:43 am, spot gold had risen 0.4% to $3.998.65 an ounce. ET (1207 GMT). U.S. Gold Futures for December Delivery gained 0.3% to $4.005.40 an ounce. Dollar fell by 0.3%, after reaching a four-month peak in the previous session. This made gold more affordable for holders of other currencies. Benchmark U.S. Treasury yields for 10-year securities were down by 1.3%. Peter Grant, senior metals analyst at Zaner Metals and vice president, said that the U.S. shutdown of government and the doubts of U.S. Supreme Court Justices about the legality and sweeping tariffs of U.S. Donald Trump are causing a "revival of the haven bid". "I'd say that a reasonable target for the end of the year is in the range between $4,300 and $4,400/oz." Gold is a good hedge in times of uncertainty. Gold is a non-yielding investment that also performs well in environments with low interest rates. Markets expect that the U.S. Federal Reserve will cut interest rates again in December. The monetary policy outlook may be revealed by a number of Fed officials who are scheduled to speak in the afternoon. The ADP report on Wednesday showed that private employers in the United States added 42,000 new jobs in October. This was above the forecast of 28,000, according to ADP. SP Angel wrote in a report that it would be surprising if gold remained rangebound at $4,000/oz, as speculative money exits the market. Central bank purchases will remain the main positive tailwind for gold going forward. The price of spot silver increased by 0.4%, to $48.24 an ounce. Platinum was down 0.2%, at $1,568.26. Palladium dropped 1.3%, to $1401.14. (Reporting from Noel John in Bengaluru and Pablo Sinha, with additional reporting by Kavya Baliaraman. Editing by Sahal Muhammad)
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French artist strikes red figures in Amsterdam's canals to protest climate change
James Colomina, a French artist, has created a life-sized red figure that is floating in an Amsterdam canal with a flag saying "I'm Fine" as a protest against global climate policy. One of the second red paintings by Colomina is of a young child painting the waterline of a canal far above its current level. Amsterdam is below sea level like a third or so of the Netherlands. This area has a vast system of canals, dikes and pumps that keep it dry. Climate change is a serious emergency. "Climate transcends all boundaries, all beliefs, and all opinions," Colomina stated about the installations. "We are no longer discussing politics but survival." "Through my work, I remind people of the urgency." Daniel Lawless, a 64-year-old Canadian tourist, was initially confused when he first saw the "I am fine" artwork. He thought it depicted a drunk Dutchman. When he realized it was about climate change, the artwork took on a new meaning. When you think about it, and the fact that climate change is involved, it makes you wonder, "Wow, how serious can it be?" He said, "We really have to think about it and look at it." The red statues of Colomina have been seen all over the world, including in New York, where Donald Trump emerged from a manhole, in Central Park in Russia, riding a toy-tank, and in Ukraine and Spain, with peace statues. (Reporting by Charlotte Van Campenhout Hilde Verweij, Editing by Alexandra Hudson)
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EDF plans to build 30 small modular reactors in 2050. The design is planned for 2026.
A senior executive at the state-owned French utility EDF said that the company aims to complete the design for a small modular nuclear reactor by the end of next year. The goal is to be able to compete on a global market where the demand for this new technology has been increasing. Julien Garrel is the CEO of Nuward's small modular reactor division. He said that by 2050, Nuward aims to put up to 30 small reactors into service. EDF will pull back from the international markets with its larger reactors. However, small modular reactors are marketed to industries that require a lot of power such as metallurgy or data centres. A SMALL MODULAR RACTOR HAS NOT BEEN PRODUCED IN MASS. The small modular reactor is not yet mass-produced, but dozens are racing to put their technology on the market. This smaller scale is seen as an effective power supply solution that has a lower entry barrier than expensive traditional reactors. EDF announced last year that they had abandoned their own design of small modular reactors in favor of proven technologies. Garrel said that Nuward's small nuclear reactor will produce 400 megawatts and 115 Megawatts heat. This makes it suitable for providing stable baseload electricity to industry. The first prototype is expected to be online in 2035 Garrel stated that the first prototype should be operational in 2035. Garrel added that one reactor per year will follow until there are four reactors in both countries. He said: "We're confident that we can deliver electricity and heating at a price competitive with the market, and there will be a demand for us." EDF's spokesperson stated that there is no guarantee that the small modular reactors would be built in France, and they could also be constructed in other parts of Europe. Garrel stated that the French government, industrial clients, banks, and private investment funds are expected to provide funding. EDF plans to make its final investment decision in its six EPR2 large-scale reactors for the home market by the second half 2026. (Reporting and editing by Conor Humphries; Forrest Crellin)
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NRG Energy expects a higher core profit in 2026 due to strong power demand
NRG Energy forecast a core profit of $1.2 billion for the full year 2026, compared to its revised range for 2025. The company's shares rose 1% before the market opened on Thursday due to the surge in power demand. NRG will benefit from the surge in electricity demand in Texas. This is due in part to a boom of data centers that require large, stable power supplies in order to support artificial-intelligence and cloud computing operations. Utility expects a core profit of between $3.93 and $4.18 in 2026, as opposed to its updated guidance for 2025 of $3.88 to $4.03 Billion. NRG received a low-interest loan of $562 million from the Texas Public Utility Commission late in the quarter reported. The funding will begin in September 2025, and continue until 2028. NRG has expanded its partnership with PJM data centers in the quarter reported, signing two long-term retail energy deals totaling 150 MW. The total number of agreements now stands at 445 MW, spread across Electric Reliability Council of Texas sites (ERCOT), and PJM. New facilities are expected to be online between 2028-2032. NRG's Board approved a new share buyback program of $3 billion through 2028, and a 8% increase in dividends to $1.90 - aligning itself with its long-term growth goal of 7-9%. The company has reaffirmed the recently increased profit forecast for this year, which was raised from $7.55 to $8.15. The utility's Texas division saw its core profit increase 38%, to $807 millions, from the previous year. According to LSEG, the Houston-based company posted an adjusted profit per share of $2.78 in the third quarter that ended on September 30. This was compared to analysts' estimates of $2.10, according LSEG. Reporting by Pranav mathur in Bengaluru, Editing by Shailesh kuber
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Vistra expects higher core earnings in 2026 on the rise in US power demand
Vistra Corp forecast adjusted core profit for 2026 higher than the outlook it gave this year. This reflects its confidence in its expanding power generation portfolio, and its strong demand throughout U.S. market. As it expands its gas-fired energy and clean energy capacities, the Texas-based electricity company expects an adjusted EBITDA of between $6,8 billion and $7.6billion in 2026, up from a forecast range for 2025 of $5.7 to $5.9billion. Vistra's Board also approved an extra $1 billion worth of share buybacks. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, a surge in AI- and cryptocurrency-based data centers combined with the accelerating electricification of homes, businesses and other buildings is expected to drive U.S. electricity demand to record levels by 2025 and 2026. Vistra, to meet the rising demand for electricity, has signed a deal with a nuclear power plant that will supply 1,200 megawatts over a period of 20 years. It also acquired seven natural-gas facilities totaling 2,600MW at a cost of $1.9 billion. The company is also moving forward with the construction of several solar and energy storage projects in Texas, Illinois and California. These are backed by long term power purchase agreements, signed with Microsoft and Amazon. Vistra's third-quarter net income, however, was down to $652m due to the decline of unrealized derivative gains of $1.67bn and increased operating costs. Operating expenses in the quarter July-September increased by 6.3%, to $655 millions.
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Utility Evergy's forecast for 2025 is lowered due to cooler summers, as the company misses its quarterly profit estimate.
Utility Evergy missed Wall Street's adjusted profit estimates for its third quarter on Thursday and cut the upper end of the adjusted earnings forecast 2025 due to the impact from milder summer weather conditions and higher interest costs. The quarter saw a drop in earnings for utilities like Evergy due to a cooler than normal summer. In a press release, CEO David Campbell stated that while we have implemented cost-saving and mitigation measures across the company, they do not completely offset weather headwinds in the second and third quarters. The high interest rates have made it difficult for utility companies to build and maintain vital infrastructure at a time of rising electricity demand due to the AI-driven boom in data centres. Evergy reported that interest expenses increased 5.63% in the third quarter of 2009, to $152 millions. Operating expenses decreased 2.75% from a year ago to $1.15 Billion. According to LSEG, on an adjusted basis the company reported a profit per share of $2.03, falling short of estimates of $2.06, as per LSEG's data. The company expects its 2025 adjusted profit to range between $3.92 and $4.02 for each share, compared to the previous range of $3.92 and $4.12 shares. Evergy supplies power to over 1.7 million Kansas and Missouri customers through its operating subsidiaries Evergy Kansas Central and Evergy Missouri West. (Reporting from Varun Sahay in Bengaluru, Pooja Meon and Katha Kaalia in Bengaluru. Editing by Vijay Kishore.
West Africa mine operators use drones to detect illegal miners as gold prices rise
Three men launch a drone in the clear skies above Gold Fields' Tarkwa mine, a sprawling 210 square kilometer gold mine located in southwest Ghana. The drone's cameras scan the area for any intruders as the sun beats down. A drone detected something strange, and a 15-person police team arrived within 20 minutes. The team found abandoned clothing, newly dug trenches and rudimentary gear in pools of mercury- and cyanide contaminated water. Wildcat miners who work on the fringes of official mines in Africa left the equipment behind. They put their health, the environment, and the profits of official mine operators at risk.
The team seized seven diesel-powered pumps, as well as a "chanfan", a processing unit that is used to extract gold out of riverbeds. According to mining executives and experts, the high-tech game of cat-and mouse is becoming more common as gold prices rise above $3,300 an ounce. This has led to increased unofficial activity, which can lead in some cases, to deadly confrontations, between corporate concessions, and artisanal miner's in West Africa.
Edwin Asare is the head of Gold Fields Tarkwa Mine’s protection services. "Because the vegetation covers the area, you will not know if something is going on," says Asare. It's as if you get eyes in the air to help you place boots on the ground.
No reports have been made of any injuries to official mine personnel. Conflicts in corporate mines have caused production to be halted for up to one month. Companies then pressed governments to provide more military protection.
Boots on the Ground
According to a United Nations report from May, the unofficial mining operations in Sub-Saharan Africa provide a critical source of income for almost 10 million people.
Other industry data indicate that in West Africa, between three and five million people are dependent on unregulated gold mining. This accounts for about 30% of the region's gold production. These people provide economic support to a region where there are few formal job opportunities.
Many residents, like Famanson Keita, 52 years old in Senegal’s gold-rich Kedougou Region, grew up in their localities mining gold. They supplemented their farming incomes with simple and traditional methods until corporate mining companies arrived and relocated them to other communities, promising jobs and rapid growth.
Keita said, "Those promises were not fulfilled." Many of our youth are working in low-level jobs that do not have contracts, with little pay and without stability. "Small-scale farming cannot support our families."
Local residents have tried to make a living in the shadows of mining companies for many years. However, the majority of illicit activities, especially those that occur around large bodies of water and forests, are now carried out with sophisticated equipment, such as dredging and digging tools, and funded by local cartels or foreigners.
Economic pressures With central banks buying more gold and geopolitical tensions increasing, gold could reach $5,000 per ounce. Ulf Laessing, a mining and security analyst focusing on the Sahel region, warned that violent clashes near mining operations are likely to increase in the months ahead.
Laessing is the head of Germany's Konrad Adenauer Foundation's Sahel Program. She said: "The higher the gold price, the more conflict we will see between the industrial and informal miner."
A source from the company, who declined to identify themselves, said that nine wildcat miners had been shot dead at AGA’s Obuasi Mine in Ghana in January when they opened the 110-square-kilometer concession fence to search for gold.
According to a source with knowledge of the mine operations, in February hundreds of wildcats invaded AGA's Siguiri Mine concession, located northeast of Guinea. This prompted military intervention.
Police said that in January at least three wildcat miner were shot and injured by guards on Newmont's Ahafo Gold Mining Site in northwestern Ghana.
An excavator driver at a Kenieba illegal mining site told a reporter that Chinese bosses have been deploying new equipment on new sites in Mali's gold rich Kayes region as gold prices rise. We were unable to determine who these Chinese operators are, or if they have any connections with companies or official organisations.
Ghanaian authorities are destroying dozens of unregulated gold mining operations, including in protected areas, and arresting foreigners and locals. Marc Ummel is a researcher with Swissaid. He says that because of weak regulations and porous borders, most of their products are smuggled, denying the countries the full benefits. Swissaid analysed data from the exports of Ghana between 2019 and 2023. It found that Ghana lost 229 metric tonnes of gold, mainly artisanal, to smuggling.
Adama Soro is the president of West African Federation of Chambers of Mines. He said that artisanal miner's compete with large-scale mining companies for ore and shorten mines lives. He said that artisanal mines were digging as deep as 100 meters, which was affecting the ore bodies of large-scale miners.
ARMED MILITARY PROTECTION
The head of an mining company heavily affected by wildcat miner in Ghana said that miners have resorted to unconventional methods, and they are increasing their spending at the expense community projects and investment.
Source: The mine spends about half a million dollars annually to combat wildcat-mining, which includes drone surveillance. However, it still suffers frequent attacks.
Recent incursions have been reported at Nordgold, Galiano Gold B2Gold, and Barrick Gold.
Ghana's corporate mining giants have increased their efforts to secure military protection for their mine sites in the past year. According to three mining executives, and an industry analyst who requested anonymity, similar requests were made in Burkina Faso, and Mali.
Ahmed Dasana Nantogmah is the chief operating officer of Ghana’s Chamber of Mines. He said, "Ideally, we would like to have a military presence in all mining operations. However, we do understand that we need to prioritize those sites which are consistently attacked while maintaining regular patrols on others."
Nantogmah said that industry leaders met with government officials to discuss their concerns in mid-April. Discussions yielded "positive" outcomes.
Ghana's government has not responded to any requests for comment.
Two mining executives involved in the negotiations said that Ghanaian authorities wanted miners to pay for deployment costs. These are estimated at 250,000 Ghana Cedis (18,116 dollars) per daily contingent of less than 50 personnel.
The Minerals Commission in Ghana, which regulates the mining industry, has taken a major technological step forward by establishing a control room powered by AI to analyze data collected from 28 drones that are deployed at illegal mining hotspots. The system includes tracking devices on excavators, and a remote control system to disable excavators that are operating outside of authorized boundaries.
Sylvester Akpah is the consultant for Ghana's mining regulator's drone and AI-powered surveillance project. (Reporting and editing by Veronica Brown, Claudia Parsons, and Emmanuel Bruce Additional reporting by Maxwell Akalaare Adombila)
(source: Reuters)