The Trump transition team is looking at ways to change Washington’s top bank regulators. They are exploring options to cut down, combine, or even get rid of some important agencies. According to The Wall Street Journal, people close to Trump have asked about the chances of ending the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp (FDIC), which protects people’s bank deposits. They also talked to candidates for leading jobs at the FDIC and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. The advisers want to know if the deposit insurance could be moved to the Treasury Department instead.
Author: Rasmita Jena
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Gold Prices Steady as Investors Await Fed Rate Decision
Gold prices stayed steady on Friday, with investors cautious about making big moves. All eyes are on the Federal Reserve’s interest rate decision next week.
– Current Prices: Spot gold stayed at $2,681.55 per ounce. It’s on track for a weekly gain of nearly 2%. U.S. gold futures dipped slightly to $2,705.40.
– Recent Movement: Earlier this week, gold prices hit a five-week high, but they dropped over 1% on Thursday as traders took profits.
– Focus on the Fed: Traders are eagerly awaiting the Fed’s choice on interest rates. There’s a strong (98.4%) chance they will reduce rates by 0.25%.
– Economic Factors: Recent data showed U.S. producer prices and consumer prices rose more than expected, reinforcing the idea that rates will be cut at the Fed’s meeting on December 17-18. Gold tends to do well when interest rates are low.
– Global Updates: The European Central Bank reduced rates for the fourth time this year, and the Swiss National Bank also cut rates by 0.50%, its biggest cut in almost a decade.
– Gold Demand Update: SPDR Gold Trust, the largest gold-backed fund, reported a decrease in gold holdings from 873.38 tons to 868.50 tons.
– Other Metals: Silver was steady at $30.94 per ounce, while platinum fell to $927.50, and palladium dropped to $965.22. -
Baba Vanga’s Shocking Predictions for 2025: Europe, Syria, and Aliens!
Baba Vanga was a famous mystic healer and astrologer from Bulgaria who died in 1996. Even though she is no longer here, many believe that her predictions still come true. She is known for predicting significant events, like the 9/11 attacks in the U.S. People even call her the “Nostradamus of the Balkans” because of her insights.
Looking ahead to 2025, Baba Vanga made some bold predictions. She warns of the possible “destruction of Europe” and suggests that a serious conflict might occur after a potential collapse in Syria. Recent events in Syria, where insurgent groups are taking control of important areas, seem to support her predictions.
Another intriguing prediction is that humans might finally meet aliens. This means we could discover life beyond Earth for the first time. However, it’s essential to interpret her predictions carefully and consider them as possibilities, not certainties.
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Prithvi Shaw’s Struggles: Can He Bounce Back?
Prithvi Shaw, once called a “special talent,” is now at a tricky point in his cricket career. He was a star player who helped India win the 2018 U19 World Cup and made a great start in international cricket with a century on his Test debut. However, things have changed for him recently.
At just 24 years old, Shaw has faced trouble keeping his performance consistent. He hasn’t played for the national team in three years and didn’t get any offers from teams for the Indian Premier League (IPL). His struggles in domestic cricket have left many confused about what went wrong for this once-promising player.
Shaw’s childhood coach, Jwala Singh, talked about his struggles, saying it hurts to see him facing these difficulties. Jwala shared, “I’ve been disappointed. Prithvi was my first student to play the U19 World Cup. He started his career so well, scoring a century on his Test debut and being named the next Sachin Tendulkar. Now, he’s getting dropped from Ranji matches and didn’t get picked in the IPL. It’s sad to watch.”
Jwala noticed that Shaw, who used to be very disciplined, seems to have fitness and discipline issues now. “I haven’t seen him since 2017, and he used to come to me 2-3 times a week for coaching. He was very dedicated back then. He has achieved a lot at a young age, but now he’s not performing well, and people are questioning him,” he added.
But Jwala believes Shaw is still young and can make a comeback if he works hard and reflects on what he needs to improve. “He needs to focus on his game and find self-motivation,” he said.
Jwala also mentioned that the influence of money from the IPL can affect young players. He warned Shaw to resist these temptations and focus on cricket. “Anyone can be distracted by money. It’s how you manage yourself after you start earning that matters. Prithvi hasn’t improved his game and still struggles with certain shots. He needs to respect good bowlers and adapt,” he explained.
In conclusion, Jwala emphasized that while Shaw has a bright future ahead, he needs to realize the importance of hard work and dedication. “You have your entire life to enjoy, but right now, focus on cricket,” he said.
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59 Students Affected by Toxic Fumes Near JSW Energy in Ratnagiri
On Thursday, 59 students and one woman felt sick after smelling bad fumes from a tank at a company in Ratnagiri, Maharashtra. Police said the tank belonged to JSW Energy’s thermal power plant, but the company claimed nothing had happened on their property. The students, from Jaigad Vidya Mandir school near the plant, started to feel unwell after the fumes spread. Out of 250 students at the school, 53 boys, six girls, and one woman were taken to hospitals because they had eye irritation, felt restless, and felt sick to their stomachs.
Three of the students were put in the ICU, but thankfully, they are stable. They have been feeling more restless, nauseous, and reported a worse stomach ache than the others. Health officials stated the students are being carefully watched and may go home on Friday afternoon, after doctors check them thoroughly.
The bad smells were caused by ethyl mercaptan, a colorless and smelly liquid that helps to easily detect gas leaks and is used in making plastics and some insecticides. JSW Energy reassured the public, stating, “We care about the safety of our workers and the community. We follow strict safety rules and always check our work to keep people safe.” They emphasized their commitment to preventing any incidents that could harm anyone in the area
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Rishabh Pant’s Unforgettable Gabba Moment: Cricketing Glory Revisited!
Brisbane is a special place for cricket fans, just like MS Dhoni’s famous six in the 2011 World Cup final. Rishabh Pant’s incredible boundary at the Gabba in Australia will always be remembered. It wasn’t a perfectly hit shot; in fact, it was more of a mix between a push and a block. The ball slowly made its way to the boundary, and Pant kept running, excited and finally celebrating with a happy punch in the air.
On Thursday morning, Pant returned to the Gabba for the first time since that memorable match. He paused for a moment, closed his eyes, and took in the surrounding sights before joining his teammates for practice. That short pause must have brought back amazing memories from that epic evening.
During the game, the commentators were thrilled: “It’s full, it’s down the ground. India wins the Test and the hearts of cricket fans everywhere!” Pant, just 23 years old and having played only 15 Tests, scored an impressive 89 runs. His teammate Shubman Gill, who was 22 years old and had only played three Tests, scored 91 runs.
The team had a big job ahead of them: they needed to chase down 328 runs to win or survive the entire 98 overs to keep the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Winning at the Gabba was tough since Australia hadn’t lost there since 1988. The coach, Ravi Shastri, and captain Ajinkya Rahane told the team to play regular cricket, but Pant had a different approach in mind.
Shastri later said, “We wanted to play smart, but Rishabh had his own ideas.” Pant wasn’t just playing to survive; he was determined to win, showcasing his unique and bold style of play.
At a recent event, Pant reflected on that moment and how he didn’t realize its importance at the time. Rohit Sharma had told him, “You don’t know what you’ve achieved,” and Pant was confused because his only goal was to win. He later understood the true significance of that performance.
Both Pant and Gill have faced challenges since that match, including Pant’s serious car accident. But the fact that Pant is back and working to improve is remarkable. Meanwhile, Gill’s performance in Test cricket has had ups and downs, but he is still young, only 25, and the team believes in him.
Returning to the Gabba gives both players a chance to relive their triumph, even if just in their minds. The sight of the ground alone might inspire them. The Australian team, as Mitch Marsh mentioned, may want to forget their loss in 2021, but for Pant, Gill, and the rest of the Indian team, that unforgettable moment will always hold special meaning. -
Gukesh Dommaraju: Youngest Chess World Champion at 18!
In an exciting match in Singapore, 18-year-old Gukesh Dommaraju from India beat the current champion, Ding Liren from China, to become the youngest chess world champion ever! Gukesh, at just 18, is four years younger than Garry Kasparov, who held the record since 1985.
Gukesh played with the black pieces and won the crucial last game after Ding made a big mistake when he was in a good position. The final score of the exciting match was 7.5 to 6.5 in Gukesh’s favor.
Ding Liren had not been playing his best lately, especially after he won the championship against Ian Nepomniachtchi last year. He hadn’t won in the long “classical” format for a long time. But he got his confidence back after surprising everyone with a win in the first round of this match. After Gukesh had two wins and they had eight draws, Ding managed to tie the score in round 12.
This championship was a long format with 14 games and had a prize money of $2.5 million! Gukesh qualified for this event by winning the Candidates tournament earlier this year.
Also, the previous world champion, Magnus Carlsen, who had the title since 2013, gave it up last year because he wasn’t feeling motivated to compete anymore.
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29th International Film Festival of Kerala: A Celebration of Global Cinema
Thiruvananthapuram – The 29th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) is set to start on Friday. This year, there will be many exciting films from all over the world. The festival will be opened by Kerala’s Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and will have a special guest, famous actress Shabana Azmi. Award-winning Hong Kong filmmaker Ann Hui will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award during the event, which includes ₹10 lakh and a trophy.
After the opening ceremony, the first film to be shown will be “I’m Still Here,” directed by Walter Salles. Over the festival’s duration, 177 films from 68 countries will be displayed in 15 different theaters until December 20. Among them, 14 films will compete for the top award, the “Suvarna Chakoram,” which comes with a prize of ₹20 lakh.
Other awards include the “Rajata Chakoram” for the best director and best first-time director, as well as a common audience award. Payal Kapadia, whose film “All We Imagine as Light” won a top prize at Cannes this year, will get the “Spirit of Cinema” award at the closing ceremony. French cinematographer Agnes Godard will lead a five-person jury for the international competition, which also includes Nana Jorjadze, Marcos Loayza, Mikayel Dovlatyan, and Indian director Monjul Baruah.
This festival will also focus on films made by women directors, showing themes of identity and change in society. According to Golda Sellam, the festival curator, these stories highlight the important role women have in the future of global filmmaking. Besides world cinema, there will be sections like “Festival Favorites,” “Country Focus,” “Retrospective,” “Female Gaze,” “Latin American Cinema,” “Homage,” “Indian Cinema,” and “Malayalam Cinema Today.” More than 13,000 people are expected to join this eight-day celebration of film.
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Stocks Jump Over 15% While Market Slips: Key Highlights
In Mumbai trading, some stocks shot up by more than 15% on Thursday, even though the main stock market indexes, BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty, faced a decline. Top performers included companies like Nilachal Refrac (up 20%), DCM Ltd (up 19.99%), Centum Elec (up 19.99%), Apoorva Leasing Finance (up 19.98%), and others with impressive growth.
The 30-share BSE Sensex dropped by 236.18 points, finishing at 81,289.96, while the 50-share NSE index fell by 93.1 points to close at 24,548.7. In the Nifty50 index, 16 stocks did well, while 34 stocks struggled.
Some companies, including Apoorva Leasing Finance and Zinka Logistics, reached new highs for the year. On the other hand, stocks like Advance Lifestyles and Gayatri Sugars hit new lows.
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NASA’s Ingenuity Helicopter Crashes on Mars: What’s Next?
NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter, a small flying robot that explored Mars, crashed during its 72nd flight on January 18, 2024. This was shared during a NASA talk at the American Geophysical Union meeting on December 11.
Ingenuity had a mission to fly just five times, but it did over 70 flights since arriving on Mars with the Perseverance rover in 2021! It flew higher and farther than anyone expected, covering more than 30 times its planned distance and flying for over two hours total.
The crash happened when the helicopter lost its control during a tricky move because the flat surface on Mars made it hard for its navigation system to work correctly. Even with the crash, NASA is proud of Ingenuity’s achievements. This was the first time a flying machine has been in control on another planet!
The last flight involved climbing 12 meters (about 39 feet) to take pictures. Communication was lost during its descent but was fixed the next day. When pictures were finally sent back, they showed that the rotor blades were badly damaged.
NASA found that a problem with the navigation system likely caused the crash. They believe the lessons learned will help in future Mars helicopter designs and other space aircraft.
Though Ingenuity isn’t flying anymore, it still sends back weekly weather and test data to the Perseverance rover. This information can help with future Mars missions.
Exciting News: The Mars Chopper is Coming!
Meanwhile, NASA is working on a new helicopter called the Mars Chopper. This one will be much bigger, about the size of an SUV, and have six rotors! It will be able to carry loads up to 11 pounds and fly almost two miles a day.
The Mars Chopper is designed to explore hard-to-reach areas on Mars, like cliffs and craters. This new project involves teamwork from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Ames Research Center, and AeroVironment Inc.
NASA said they are using the lessons learned from Ingenuity’s flights and its crash to make the Mars Chopper even better. Although it’s still in the early design stages, NASA hopes it will help with exploring the mysteries of Mars!