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US regulator extends the driving time limit waiver to heating fuel haulers
To speed up deliveries, the U.S. Transport Safety Regulator has extended an 'emergency waiver' on driving time limits for truckers transporting heating fuels. The extension was given on Tuesday because extreme cold and severe winter storms in Pennsylvania, as well as a major power outage at an important gas refinery, had 'disrupted' propane supplies and created immediate dangers to the public health, safety, and welfare of those states. U.S. regulations normally require truck drivers to take mandatory rest breaks and cap their daily?and weekday driving hours in order to reduce fatigue-related crashes. However, regulators may temporarily waive these limits to speed up deliveries of essential supplies during emergencies. The extension comes after an earlier emergency declaration by the U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration that relaxed'mandated rest and drive-time limits for trucks transporting heating 'fuels like propane, natural gas and heating oil in parts of the U.S. Northeast until December 26. The FMCSA stated that the affected states and jurisdictions include Connecticut, Delaware Maryland, Massachusetts New Hampshire New Jersey New York Pennsylvania West Virginia. (Reporting by Varun Sahay in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli)
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After record rally, gold, silver and platinum are taking a break
Gold prices fell on Wednesday after a record-breaking surge that saw them surpass the $4,500 an ounce barrier earlier in the session. Silver and platinum also saw some of their gains trimmed. At 01:57 pm, spot gold was down by 0.2% to $4,479.38 an ounce. ET (18:57 GMT), following a session high of $4,525.18. U.S. Gold Futures for February Delivery settled 0.1% lower at $4,502.8. Jim Wyckoff, Kitco Metals' senior analyst, said that the gold market was experiencing some chart consolidation as well as a mild profit-taking following record highs. Gold is a good investment in low interest rate environments. It also thrives when there are periods of uncertainty. Donald Trump, the U.S. president, said Tuesday that he would like to see the next Federal Reserve Chair?lower interest rates in a good market. The U.S. central bank has reduced rates 'three times' this year, and traders currently price in two rate reductions next year. A U.S. official said that the U.S. Coast Guard was waiting for more forces to arrive on the geopolitical scene before it could attempt to board and capture a Venezuelan-linked oil tanker, which they have been pursuing since last Sunday. Silver reached a new high of $72.70, and lastly rose 0.7% to $71.94 per ounce. The next target is for the gold market to reach $4,600/oz and for silver, $75/oz before the end of this year. Wyckoff added that the technicals are bullish. Silver prices are up 149% on a year-to date basis, despite strong fundamentals. This is more than bullion which has gained over 70% in the same time period. Platinum?peaking at $2.377.50, before paring its gains to stand at $2.220.44. Palladium fell by more than 9% to $1,683.58 per ounce after reaching its highest level in three years. The price of platinum and palladium, which are used primarily in automotive catalytic convertors to reduce emissions and cut down on pollution, has risen by 145% and over 85% respectively year-to date, due to tight mine supplies, tariff uncertainty and a shift away from gold investment.
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After record rally, gold, silver and platinum are taking a break
Gold prices fell on Wednesday after breaking through the $4,500 per ounce barrier earlier in the session. Silver and platinum also saw some losses following their record-breaking rally. At 11:52 am, spot gold was down by 0.3% to $4,473.49 an ounce. After hitting a high of $4,525.18, the ET session ended at 16:52 GMT. U.S. Gold Futures for February Delivery fell by 0.1% to $4,500.30. Jim Wyckoff, Kitco Metals' senior analyst, says that the gold market has seen some chart consolidation as well as a mild profit-taking following record highs. Gold is a good investment in low interest rate environments. It also thrives when there are periods of uncertainty. Donald Trump, the U.S. president, said Tuesday that he would like to see the next Federal Reserve Chair?lower interest rates in a good market. The U.S. Central?bank cut rates 'three times' this year, and traders currently price in two rate cuts for next year. A U.S. official said that the U.S. Coast Guard was waiting for more forces to arrive on the geopolitical scene before it could attempt to board and capture a Venezuelan-linked oil tanker, which they have been pursuing since last Sunday. Silver reached a new high of $72.70, and lastly rose 0.1% to $71.5 per ounce. The next target is for the gold market to reach $4,600/oz and for silver, $75/oz before the end of this year. Wyckoff added that the technicals are bullish. Silver prices are up 148% on a year-to date basis, despite strong fundamentals. This is more than bullion which has gained over 70%. Platinum peaked at $2.377.50, before reversing its gains and standing 4% lower at $ 2,186.16. Palladium is down by more than 10% to $1,675.43 per ounce after reaching its peak three years ago. The price of platinum and palladium, which are used primarily in automotive catalytic convertors to reduce emissions and cut down on pollution, has risen by 143% and over 85% respectively year-to date, due to tight mine supplies, tariff uncertainty and a shift away from gold investment.
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After record rally, gold, silver and platinum are taking a break
Gold prices fell on Wednesday as they took a breather after soaring past the $4,500 an ounce mark in the earlier part of?the day, while silver and platinum pared some gains from their record-breaking rally. At 10:04 am, spot gold was down by 0.4% to $4,468.96 an ounce. The session began with a high of $4,525.18. This was followed by a low of $4,425.18 at 1504 GMT. U.S. Gold Futures for February Delivery fell by 0.2% to $4,497.90. Jim Wyckoff, Kitco Metals' senior analyst, said that the gold market was experiencing some chart consolidation as well as a mild profit-taking following record highs. Gold is more likely to thrive in periods of uncertainty and low interest rates. U.S. president Donald Trump said Tuesday that he would like the next Federal Reserve chair to lower interest rates in a good market. The?U.S. The?U.S. central bank has reduced?rates a total of three times in the past year. Currently, traders are pricing in two rate reductions next year. A U.S. official said that the U.S. Coast Guard was waiting for more forces to arrive on the geopolitical scene before it could attempt to board and capture a Venezuelan-linked oil tanker, which they have been pursuing since last Sunday. Silver reached a record high of $72,70, but fell last 0.8% to $70.86 per ounce. The next upside target is $4,600/oz for gold and $75/oz for silver by the end the year. Wyckoff said that the 'technicals' remain bullish. Silver prices are up 147% on a year-to date basis, outpacing the bullion price increase of 70% during that same period. Platinum reached a high of $2,377.50, before reversing its gains to stand at $2.198.30, down 3.3%. Palladium fell 9% to $1,692.43 per ounce after reaching its peak three years ago. The price of platinum and palladium used primarily in automotive catalytic convertors to reduce emissions is up 160% and 100% respectively year-to date, due to tight mine supplies, tariff uncertainty and a shift away from gold investment.
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NIPSCO gets federal order to maintain Indiana coal plant
Northern Indiana Public Service Company announced on Wednesday that it had?received an order from the federal government requiring continued operation of R.M. Schahfer generation station will continue to operate 'well beyond?its December 31, 2025 retirement date. The firm said that the order requires the Indiana-based facility to remain open for a period of 90 days following the date of?order. The directive is coming as several U.S. utilities are delaying coal plant retirements in order to meet the 'rising demand for power,' driven by data centers and rising natural gas prices, which have led to a re-focus on coal generation. Donald Trump, the president of the United States, has also advocated for increased coal production. He signed executive orders aimed at increasing coal use in April. NIPSCO, a subsidiary of U.S. utility NiSource Inc., had previously stated that it intended to retire the two remaining coal units at the Schahfer Plant by the end 2025. Vince Parisi, President and Chief Operation Officer of NIPSCO, said that they were reviewing the overall impact on their customers and business. They would comply with any orders received. (Reporting from Yagnoseni das in Bengaluru, editing by Vijay Kishore.)
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SolGold accepts a $1.2 billion acquisition by Jiangxi Copper, a top investor
SolGold, a gold and copper mining company, announced on Wednesday that it had reached an agreement to be purchased by Jiangxi Copper. The deal valued SolGold at $867 million pounds ($1.17billion). The 28 pence per share deal represents a 43% premium over SolGold, a company focused on Ecuador that closed its stock price the previous day (November 19), the day Jiangxi approached the company to do a deal. SolGold's share price closed at 25.65 pence on Wednesday, a trading session that was shortened due to the holiday. The agreement gives Jiangxi the control of SolGold's Cascabel Project in Ecuador's Imbabura Province, as miners rush to secure copper supplies amid increasing demand driven by electric vehicles and AI infrastructure investment. One of the largest undeveloped copper and gold?deposits is located in South America. The London-listed mining company said that earlier this month, it was inclined towards recommending?the offer. Jiangxi was the third bid to acquire the company. "JCC is delighted to receive the unanimous recommendation from the SolGold board, and the strong support of other large shareholders for the acquisition. JCC is excited about the potential of the Cascabel Project," said Shaobing Zhou in a press release. SolGold's top investors also include BHP, a global mining company, and Newmont.
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Silver, platinum and gold all reach new heights
On Wednesday, gold broke the $4,500 mark for the first-ever time. Silver and platinum also reached new records, as speculation and a demand for'safe havens' and further U.S. interest rate cuts in 2019 fueled speculative metals. At 1220 GMT the spot gold price was up by 0.2% to $4,494.49 an ounce, after hitting a session high of $4,525.19. U.S. Gold Futures for February Delivery climbed 0.4%, to $4,523.10. Platinum peaked at 2,377.50, but then pared gains to end up at 2,312.70, a 1.6% increase. Silver reached an all-time record high of $72.70, and it was lastly up 1.3%. Palladium fell 1.5% to $1,830.37 per ounce after reaching its highest level in three years. Fawad Rasaqzada is a market analyst for City Index and FOREX.com. He said that the lack of bearish factors, and strong momentum are all backed up by solid fundamentals. These include central bank purchases, a declining U.S. Dollar, and some haven demand. "Other metals, like copper, have been rising. This is providing support for the entire commodities complex." As investors seek safe-haven assets in the face of geopolitical tensions, and as they expect that the U.S. Federal Reserve would continue to ease its monetary policy, gold has gained more than 70% over this past year. U.S. president Donald Trump said Tuesday that he wanted the next Fed chair to lower interest rates if the markets were doing well. Gold and other non-yielding investments tend to perform well in an environment of low interest rates. Traders are currently pricing in at least two rate reductions?next. Silver's price has risen by more than 150% in the past year, surpassing gold, due to strong investment demand and its inclusion on "the U.S. Critical Minerals List" as well as rising industrial usage. Analysts at Societe Generale wrote in a report that the risk of a significant drop in gold prices is largely tied to a'slowing down of outright gold purchases, such as those by central banks in emerging markets. Investor positions indicate that, barring such a situation, the unprecedented rise in gold prices is likely to continue. This supports our Commodities Strategists' forecast of $5,000/oz by 2026. The price of platinum and palladium (used in catalytic converters for automobiles to reduce emissions) has risen by 160% and 100% respectively year-to date, due to tight mine supplies, tariff uncertainty and a shift away from gold investment.
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Russia plans to build a nuclear plant on the Moon within 10 years
Russia is planning to build a nuclear plant on the Moon 'within the next ten years to power its lunar space program and a joint Russian/Chinese research station, as major powers race to explore Earth's only natural satellite. Since 1961, when Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin was the first person to enter space, Russia has been a leader in the space exploration field. However, in recent years, it has fallen further behind the United States, and increasingly China. Elon Musk revolutionised space vehicle launches, which were once a Russian specialty. Is that a nuclear reactor on the Moon? Roscosmos, the Russian state space corporation, announced in a press release that it had signed a contract to build a moon power plant by 2036. Roscosmos didn't say that the plant was nuclear, but said that it included the Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom as well as the Kurchatov Institute - Russia's foremost nuclear research institute. Roscosmos stated that the plant would be used to power the Russian lunar programme. This included rovers and an observatory, as well as the infrastructure for the joint Russian-Chinese International Lunar Research Station. Roscosmos stated that the project is an important step in the creation of a permanently operating scientific lunar station, and the transition from a one-time mission to a long term lunar exploration program. Dmitry Bakanov said that Roscosmos's goal was to build a nuclear plant on the Moon and explore Venus, also known as Earth's "sister planet". The moon is located 384,400 kilometers (238,855 mi) away from our planet. It moderates earth's wobble, which helps to maintain a stable climate. It also creates tides in all the oceans. U.S. PLANS REACTOR ON MOON Russia isn't the only country with such plans. NASA announced in August its intention to place a nuclear reactor on?moon within the first quarter fiscal year 2030. "We are in a race for the moon with China. "We need energy to have a moon base," U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated in August when asked about plans. He also said that the United States is currently "behind" in the race to reach the moon. He said that energy is essential for life to continue?on the Moon and then to reach Mars. Nuclear weapons are prohibited in space, but nuclear energy sources can be placed there as long as certain rules are followed. Some space analysts predicted a gold rush on the Moon: NASA estimates that there is a million tonnes (or more) of Helium-3 on the moon, which is an isotope helium rare on Earth. Boeing's research shows that rare earth metals, such as scandium, yttrium, and 15 lanthanides - which are used in smartphones, computer and advanced technology - can also be found on the Moon. According to Boeing's research, the rare earth metals - used in smartphones, computers and advanced technologies - are also present on the moon. These include scandium, yttrium and 15 lanthanides.
Charlie Kirk, a right-wing activist who died at age 31, played a key role in Trump’s victory of 2024
Charlie Kirk, a right-wing American political activist, was credited for building Donald Trump's support among younger voters. He also galvanized conservative youth and rose to international prominence with a group that he founded when he was 18.
Kirk, a native Illinoisan who founded the conservative students group Turning Point USA, and then went on to become an rising star in Trump's Republican Party, was just returning to the United States after a speaking tour overseas when he died on Wednesday. Kirk was 31.
Kirk, president of Turning Point USA was addressing an outdoor crowd at the Utah Valley University in Orem.
The Utah Governor described Kirk's assassination as "political." It is not known what motivated the crime, and it wasn't clear if a suspect was arrested.
Kirk was the keynote speaker at an event organized in Tokyo by the extreme-right Sanseito Party, which won big in Japan's July upper house elections. Kirk also spoke recently in South Korea.
Kirk attracted 5.3 million subscribers to his X account, and drew a monthly audience of over 500,000 listeners for podcasts of "The Charlie Kirk show." Kirk also authored several books or contributed to others, such as "Time for a Turning Point," "The College Scam," and "Time for a Turning Point."
INFLUENCE BUILT UPON COLLEGE CAMPSITES
Kirk founded Turning Point USA with Bill Montgomery in 2012. The non-profit group supports conservative candidates.
Turning Point USA is an organization that promotes conservative causes in college campuses. It was crucial in influencing youth to support Trump during the November 2024 elections.
Kirk's Turning Point was raucous. It was a mixture of a tent revival, rock show, and professional wrestling match. Speakers would be accompanied by loud anthems, bright pyrotechnics and a high-spirited audience of thousands.
Kirk died on Trump's online platform Truth Social. Trump said, "Nobody understood or had the Heart of the Youth of the United States of America like Charlie." "He was loved by all, but especially me. He is no longer among us."
Kirk was honored by Trump's order to fly the flags at half-staff.
Kirk's provocative remarks were directed at Muslim politicians including Minneapolis mayoral candidate Omar Fateh, and Islam in general. In April, he said that "Islam has conquest-like values." They are trying to conquer land and territories, and Europe has now been conquered.
He repeated conspiracy theory popular with white nationalists. Kirk claimed that Jasmine Crockett (a Black Democratic lawmaker) was part of an attempt to "eliminate the white population of this country" in an August podcast.
Kirk, the son of an architect and a counselor in a mental health clinic, saw his political career take off after he wrote a 2012 opinion piece for Breitbart, a conservative media outlet, which caught Fox News' attention, according to New York Times reports from February.
The Times reported that Fox booked Kirk to speak about the national debt. This appearance led him to give a speech at Benedictine University where he met Montgomery a Tea Party activist. Montgomery encouraged Kirk's message to be spread on college campuses and registered Turning Point USA in July 2012 for Kirk.
Kirk's wife Erika is a former Miss Arizona USA beauty contest winner. They have two children. Steve Gorman reported from Los Angeles, Helen Coster from New York, and Jim Oliphant contributed additional reporting. Additional reporting was provided by Andrew Hay, Brad Brooks and Andrea Shalal. Joseph Ax and Jana Winter also contributed.
(source: Reuters)