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Sharaa makes second trip to UAE as Syria's leader
On Sunday, Ahmed al-Sharaa, the president of Syria, will make his second trip to the United Arab Emirates as president. The islamist leaders are trying to assure foreign partners that their country will have a democratic political system. Sharaa is accompanied by Assad al Shibani, the UAE's foreign minister who visited earlier this year. The SANA news agency, which does not give any details, reported that they are expected to discuss topics of mutual interest. In February, Sharaa made his first trip abroad since taking office as president in January. His visit to the UAE coincides with the new Syrian leadership's efforts to strengthen relations with Arab and Western leaders After the Fall Bashar al-Assad was killed by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a Sunni Islamist organization led by Sharaa. Abu Dhabi is a staunch opponent of islamist groups in the region. This includes Egypt, Sudan, and Libya. It Previously said After the fall of Assad, extremism and terrorism became a major issue in Syria. The West closely monitors Syria's leaders to ensure that they create a government inclusive of all, with effective institutions. They also want to make sure the country is not shattered by civil war. After 14 years of conflict, the United States and Europe imposed a wide range of sanctions on Assad. Menna alaa Eldin and Jaidaa taha, Menna alaa Eldin's writing and Giles Elgood's editing.
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US Energy Secretary: Saudi Arabia and US on a 'pathway to civil nuclear deal'
Chris Wright, the U.S. Secretary of Energy, told reporters on Sunday in Riyadh that the United States and Saudi Arabia would sign a preliminary cooperation agreement regarding the kingdom's plans to develop a nuclear civil industry. Wright, who met earlier with Saudi Energy Minister, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, said Riyadh was on "a path" to reach an agreement for Riyadh to collaborate on developing a Saudi nuclear civil programme. Wright, who was on his first trip to Saudi Arabia as secretary, as part of a tour of the Gulf energy producing states, stated that a more detailed memorandum about the energy cooperation between Riyadh, and Washington, would be released later this year. He said that a 123 agreement would be necessary for a U.S. nuclear partnership. "There are many ways to structure an agreement so as to achieve both Saudi and American goals." The 123 agreement is a reference to Section 123 in the U.S. Atomic Energy Act from 1954. It allows the U.S. Government and American companies to collaborate with entities within the Kingdom to develop a nuclear civil industry. Wright stated that the Saudi authorities had not accepted the requirements of the act. The act specifies nine criteria for non-proliferation that a state has to meet in order to prevent it from developing nuclear weapons or transferring sensitive materials to other states. The discussions were hampered by the fact that Saudi Arabia refused to sign an agreement that would have ruled out the possibility of uranium enrichment or the reprocessing of spent fuel, both possible paths to a nuclear bomb. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said for years that if Iran were to develop a nuclear weapon then Saudi Arabia would also follow suit. This stance has caused deep concern amongst arms control advocates as well as some U.S. legislators over a potential U.S.-Saudi nuclear civil deal. Wright didn't mention an agreement with the Kingdom that the former administration of U.S. President Joe Biden was seeking, including a civil nuclear deal and security guarantees. The hope was to lead to a normalisation of the relations between Saudi Arabian and Israel. Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 reform program, which is led by the crown prince, aims to reduce emissions and generate renewable energy. Some of the energy will come from nuclear power. Reporting by Pesha Magd; Writing by Andrew Mills, Editing by David Goodman & David Evans
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Sumy mayor of Ukraine says that over 20 people have been killed by a Russian missile strike
Artem Kobzar, acting mayor of Sumy in northern Ukraine, said that a Russian missile attack on Sunday killed over 20 people. Andriy Yermak said, in a post by X, that the Russians had hit the city Sumy with missiles and killed civilians. I was looking for a comment from the Russian authorities. Andriy Kvalenko, the Ukrainian official in charge of the Centre for Countering Disinformation (CCD), highlighted that this strike was carried out after Steve Witkoff, U.S. ambassador to Moscow, visited. He wrote on Telegram that "Russia is building this so-called diplomatic effort... around attacks on civilians." Witkoff is the special envoy of U.S. president Donald Trump for Ukraine. Holding talks Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg on Friday about the search to find a peace agreement on Ukraine. Trump also told Russia to get moving. Russia has launched a full scale The following are examples of how to invade Approximately 20% of Ukraine's east and south is currently held by Russian forces. In recent months, Russian forces have slowly advanced in the east. However, drone and missile strikes are now dominating the war. The Russian defence ministry announced on Saturday that Ukraine has carried out five attacks against Russian energy infrastructure in the last day, which it said was a violation to a U.S.-brokered ban on such attacks. Ukraine and Russia agreed last month to pause their strikes on each others' energy facilities, but both sides have accused each other repeatedly of violating the moratorium. Max Hunder, David Goodman, Mark Heinrich and Max Hunder (Reporting)
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Britain provides $26 billion in export financing support amid tariff tension
The UK announced on Sunday that it would increase its financial support to exporters, including those who are affected by U.S. Tariffs by an additional 20 billion pounds (26 billion dollars), in order to provide them with stability and certainty as they enter what the government described as a "new era" of global trade. The introduction of tariffs by Donald Trump in the United States has created uncertainty among UK businesses regarding their exposure to a new trade regime. The United States has imposed a 25% tariff on steel, aluminum and cars imported from other countries, including Britain, and a 10% tariff on the majority of other imports. The UK Export Finance (UKEF) has increased its lending capacity from 80 billion pounds to 80 billion pounds. Up to 10 billion pounds of this amount will be set aside for those who are most affected by tariffs. Finance Minister Rachel Reeves stated that the world was changing and it was more important than ever for businesses to be supported to meet future challenges. The announcement today will benefit thousands of businesses across the country. As part of this package, small and medium-sized companies will have access to up to 2 million pound in loans.
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Minister: Ukraine seeks solutions for Chernobyl containment vessel damaged
A government minister stated on Saturday that Ukraine is looking for solutions to repair damage caused by the Russian drone attack against the confinement vessel of the Chornobyl nuclear plant. Svitlana Svitlanahrynchuk, Minister of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources spoke outside the decommissioned nuclear station at the inauguration of an 0.8 megawatt solar power plant ahead of two conferences to be held to discuss Chornobyl and related issues. She said that Ukraine is working with experts to determine how to restore the proper function of the containment vessel or arch after the drone strike on February 14. "Unfortunately, following the attack, the arched partially lost its functionality. We will know the results in May of the analysis we are conducting ...," Hrynchuk. She said that the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), scientific institutions and companies who were involved in the installation of the arc to cover the "sarcophagus", which leaked, beneath, in 2019, had been a part of the analysis. The arc was installed in 2019 in the days following the Chornobyl catastrophe in 1986. She said, "In a couple of weeks, we'll have the results from this analysis." "We are actively working to resolve this issue... We need to restore the arch so that no leaks occur under any circumstance, as ensuring nuclear safety and radiation safety are the primary tasks." Officials from the plant stated that the drone attack caused a large hole to be punched in the outer cover of the new containment structure and it exploded within. At the time, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova called the incident in Chornobyl a "provocation". The containment vessel covered the massive, deteriorating steel and concrete structure built after the fourth reactor of the plant exploded and sent radioactivity across much of Europe. This was the largest nuclear accident in history. A 30-km-long exclusion zone was set up following the accident. The plant is located within this zone, and nearby are abandoned apartment blocks and amusement parks. Hrynchuk stated that the solar power plant was important for maintaining the power supply at the disused station. It was also the beginning of plans to promote renewable energies in the region. She said, "We've been saying this for years: the exclusion zone must be transformed into a zone that promotes renewal." This territory is unique in Ukraine for its suitability to develop renewable energy projects. (Reporting and writing by Yurii Kovalenko; editing by Sandra Maler).
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FT reports that Trump intends to stockpile metals from deep seas in order to combat China.
Financial Times, Saturday, reported that the Trump administration was drafting an executive directive to allow the stockpiling deep-sea materials to counter China's dominance of battery minerals and rare earth supply chain. The report said that the plan would create "large quantities available and ready to use on U.S. soil in the future" in the event of a conflict between the United States and China, which could restrict imports of rare earths and metals. As part of President Donald Trump's response to the tariff package, China imposed export restrictions on some rare earth elements, which could cut off the U.S. from minerals essential to everything from electric car batteries to smartphones. Report added that the stockpile was being considered as part a larger push to speed up deep-sea mine applications under U.S. laws, and create onshore processing capability. China produces 90% of the world’s refined rare earths. This group of 17 elements is used in the electronics, defense, electric vehicles, and clean energy industries. Most of the rare earths that are imported by the U.S. come from China. Requests for comment from the White House and China’s Foreign Ministry were not immediately responded to. Reporting by Rajveer Pardesi, Bengaluru. Editing by Mark Potter
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How much will a seat cost? US businesses are already feeling the impact of Trump tariffs
A manager of a toy shop is bombarded with daily notifications about price increases. A lip balm producer forecasts an increase of $5 million in the cost of goods. The impresario of a concert venue was surprised by a $140,000 price increase to install new seating in the performance hall. The business owners are among 12 managers and business owners who have spoken with about President Donald Trump's new tariff regime. They provide an early indication of what more Americans may expect. Businesspeople expressed their concern over the continued economic turmoil. Trump increased tariffs on Chinese imports while announcing a 90-day tariff freeze on dozens countries. The tariffs are now effectively 145% higher when the levies from earlier in the year are considered. After a week of erratic trade taxes, he kept tariffs at 10% on imports from the majority of other countries for 90 days. Tariffs on Canada, Mexico and other countries that are not covered by trade agreements remain at 25%. Steve Shriver, founder and CEO at Eco Lips in Cedar Rapids Iowa, said, "We are constantly dealing with uncertainty about the future, and our future supply chain." The company makes organic beauty and health products using ingredients from over 50 countries, and sells them to 40,000 stores across the country. Its annual sales are around $30 million. Shriver, on the day Trump announced his pause, sent a note to 300 clients who use Eco Lips' products under their own brands, informing them that the prices would be increasing and the delivery dates would be extended. "I don’t trust it. This is a 90 day pause. Shriver stated that it could change in 10 days. "There is still a 10% tariff across the board. That's a significant addition to our price." Shriver predicted that his cost of goods for the next 12 months could increase by $5 million. This is on top of his usual $10 million annual expenditure, which includes ingredients such as cacao, coconut oil, and vanilla that can't be grown in America. Some businesspeople have cancelled purchase orders, stopped expansion plans, and delayed hiring. "WE'RE SCRAMBLING" Shriver and other said they had received notifications of price increases from suppliers and that they have already increased their own prices. Trump announced tariffs to correct what he called unfair trade imbalances. Trump has also imposed tariffs to achieve goals such as keeping out illegal drugs and migrants, and encouraging domestic production. Paul Kusler’s Into the Wind, a kite and toys store in Boulder, Colorado that has been open for 45 years, has an annual revenue of about $2.5 Million. Kusler's sells a lot of goods that are made in China. "The tariffs against China are simply ineffective, and it's a serious risk to our business," Kusler said, standing among a sea colorful kites. Frisbees. Puppets. Stuffed animals. "We pay our bills every week. "These price increases are occurring now for items that I already have on the door." Kusler stated that the price increases he's seen are between 7% and 10 percent. However, this is due to the short period of time when tariffs on China reached 34% after Trump announced the trade taxes in April. Kusler believes he will be able to absorb an increase of around 3%. He said that the economic turmoil has suppressed demand for his products and will continue to do so. He said that people would not buy toys when they were worried about the rising prices of food and other essentials. Emily Ley is the owner of Simplified in Pensacola Florida, which specializes in office planners designed for women. She said that, since Trump announced tariffs against Chinese goods during his first term in 2017, she had paid over $1 million to the U.S. Treasury in trade taxes. She predicted that she would be able to match the $1 million in the next year at the new tariff rate for China. Ley claimed that she had tried to manufacture her products in the U.S. for many years, but couldn't find a way to make money. She said, "This could end our business." We're scrambling to figure out what to do. Ley has taken the step of suing the U.S. Government, claiming that the tariffs are unconstitutional and rely on statutes which have nothing to do. Aisha Ahmed-Post, the executive Director for the Newman Center for the Performing Arts, at the University of Denver in Denver, Colorado has been managing a major refurbishment for more than a full year. She replaced all 971 seats inside the June Swaner Gates Concert Hall. Newman Center evaluated chairs made by two U.S. manufacturers and one Canadian manufacturer. The chairs of one American manufacturer were way over budget, and the chairs of the other required harsh solvents for maintenance. Ahmad-Post purchased chairs for $560,000 from Montreal-based Ducharme in early 2024 and blocked out six weeks of shows to install the chairs by mid-July. On March 5, Ahmad-Post was notified by Ducharme to "apply tariffs corresponding to your project" and comply with Trump's new trade taxes. The tariffs were 25% at the time. This meant an increase of $140,000 in the Newman Center Seat Project, which was not welcome for a school that is still rebuilding its rainy-day fund after the COVID-19 Pandemic depleted it. Ahmad-Post stated that "the chairs are already being produced, so it's impossible to just change direction." Now we have to figure out how to pay for it. (Reporting from Brad Brooks, Boulder, Colorado and Rich McKay, Atlanta, Georgia. Editing by Donna Bryson, Matthew Lewis and Matthew Lewis.
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Oando pipelines, located in Nigeria's oil rich Bayelsa State, are the target of sabotage.
Oando Plc, a Nigerian oil company, said that three sabotage attempts had been made against its pipelines over the last week in the oil rich Bayelsa State in the south. Oando, the company that now owns Eni’s former Nigerian Agip Oil Co., reported late Friday the incidents involving the 18-inch Tepidaba - Brass crude oil pipeline and the 24-inch Ogboinbiri/Obiobi link in Southern Ijaw District. A spokesperson in a press release said that the company had activated an emergency response team to contain the damage and sent leak repair teams to affected sites. Oando has said that it is working closely with the authorities to carry out a joint investigation to determine the cause and extent of the sabotage. Oando stated that the company would begin full-scale repairs after the visit to "resume operations as quickly as possible". Oil majors such as Shell, Exxon Mobil and Total have all sold their shallow-water and onshore fields in Nigeria, to focus on deep-water operations. Tife Owolabi reports from Yenagoa, Elisha Gbogbo writes and William Mallard edits.
Andy Home: Annual zinc processing benchmark is bullish, but it's not:
Zinc is the underperformer in the London Metal Exchange's (LME's) base metals pack. This year's benchmark treatment charge for smelters reinforces this story.
Bloomberg reports that Korea Zinc has agreed to pay $80 per ton of zinc concentrate to the smelter for it to refine.
According to CRU, this is a dramatic drop from the benchmark price of $165 per tonne last year and represents the lowest result in at least fifty years.
The fact that smelters can charge more during times of oversupply of raw materials and less when there is a shortage of those same materials, might make this year's benchmark seem like a very bullish sign.
The benchmark is the last year's deal.
This year's benchmark, compared to spot treatment costs, which became negative at the end of 2024 is an indication that both smelters, and mines, expect a strong recovery in the supply of mined zinc by 2025.
Unexpected Famine in the Year of 2009
The benchmarking deal negotiated last year by the two companies was outdated almost as soon the ink dried.
According to Shanghai Metal Market, the Chinese data provider, spot treatment charges have fallen over the rest of 2024. They reached a record low of minus 40 dollars per ton during the fourth quarter.
Zinc concentrates were in short supply, as the glaring disconnect between the benchmark and the actual quantity was shocking.
The year that was expected to be a year full of plenty became a year of famine, due to both price-related mine closings in 2023 as well as a series of supply problems such the fire at the new Ozernoye mining facility in Russia.
In its meeting in April 2024, The International Lead and Zinc Study Group predicted that global mine production would increase by 0.7% compared to 2023. In reality, the mine production fell by 2.8%, which marked the third consecutive year that output had fallen, according to a February update.
Last year, the tightening of raw material availability led to a 2.6% drop in global refined zinc production. This left the market with a 62,000-ton deficit between supply and demand.
MINE SUPPLY RANKS UP
SMM assessed the last Chinese spot treatment charge for imported zinc concentrates at $35 per ton.
The volume of zinc concentrate imported by China is also increasing after it fell 13% in 2024. This was the first decline on a year-to-year basis since 2021.
Inbound shipments in January and February increased by 33% compared to the same period last year.
The first time in years that China imported zinc concentrate from the Democratic Republic of Congo, this is a testament to the restart of Ivanhoe Mines' Kipushi mine.
The imports of Russian coal from January to February more than doubled compared to the same period last year, suggesting that production at the Ozernoye Mine is also increasing.
Zinc smelters in China are encouraged to increase their run rates by improved concentrate availability and spot treatment recovery terms.
According to ILZSG, the production of refined zinc at the world's biggest producer dropped by 3.4% in 2013.
SMM's latest survey indicates that production in March was up 4.0% compared to March last year. Production is expected to increase even more in April.
FEEDING THE BEAR NARRATIVE
Smelters in China will gladly process more metal if the mined output increases.
Zinc is not a popular metal with analysts at the moment.
According to ILZSG, global demand grew just 0.1% in the past year. The prospects for zinc this year are not encouraging.
Zinc is heavily used in construction, which leaves it vulnerable to a weak global sector. Meanwhile, tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump will affect the demand for manufacturing products.
LME zinc three-month fell below $2,600 per ton for the first since August. It is down 13% from the beginning of the year.
Another Surprise?
The magnitude of the price drop in zinc injects uncertainty into the bear market script.
If the zinc price falls further, we would see it return to the low levels that led to multiple mine closures in 2023 and contributed to the scarcity of last year.
In recent years, zinc supply has been highly sensitive to price, and the raw material supply chain dynamics can change quickly. This is what causes smelters to be caught off guard.
The zinc raw material market was not accurately predicted by the smelter benchmark of last year.
This year's is not as reliable.
The author is a columnist at
(source: Reuters)