Gold rose and the price of silver passed $64 an ounce as traders assessed the outlook for Federal Reserve interest rates. The price of gold rose 1.2% in trading in the United States, while yields on Treasury bonds and the dollar fell. Silver rose 3.8% to $64.16, hitting an all-time high. Why did the price of silver rise more than the price of gold? A bet on a rate cut during 2026 Traders took some confidence from monetary policymakers who are keeping the door open to more monetary easing measures next year, although the decision to cut rates by a quarter point on Wednesday faced three objections. They stuck to betting on two rate cuts in 2026, even though Fed members’ updated expectations indicated only one cut. The latest US jobless claims data did not change this perception. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell indicated that the Fed has now acted enough to help stabilize the labor market, while at the same time keeping interest rates high enough to continue to push inflation. Powell signals a pause in the monetary easing cycle next year. Bart Melek, head of global commodity strategy at TD Securities, said the latest cut “tends to ease, not tighten. Now that it appears the Fed will expand its budget by about half a trillion dollars, that’s positive for gold.” He added that selling bets on the precious metal ahead of Wednesday’s interest rate decision “were rocked today.” A dovish Fed is positive for precious metals, which typically benefit in a low interest rate environment. Despite the great uncertainty expressed by Powell about future rate cuts, there is a “new monetary policy leader” who will take office next May, and he will most likely be accommodative, according to Melik. “This suggests that current liquidity measures may be more stretched,” he added. The Fed said at the end of its last meeting this year that it would begin buying $40 billion a month in Treasury bills starting Dec. 12 as it seeks to rebuild reserves within the financial system, which have shrunk during the period of shrinking the balance sheet. Gold and silver to their best annual performance since 1979 Gold has jumped more than 60% this year, while silver prices have doubled, and the two metals are on track for their best annual performance since 1979. These sharp gains have come on the back of central bank purchases and investors moving away from government bonds and currencies. According to the World Gold Council, holdings of gold-backed ETFs rose during all months of this year except May. Gold does not lose its luster. Central banks continue to buy amid dollar weakness. Meanwhile, silver hit a new record high above $64 an ounce, after rising 116% this year. The white metal has benefited from a strong increase in demand in recent weeks, in addition to scarcity and turbulence in the main trading centers. Gold rose 1.1% to $4,283.17 an ounce by 1:05 p.m. in New York. Silver rose 3.8%. Platinum and palladium also rose. The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index fell 0.3%.

Mustafa Suleiman, head of consumer AI at Microsoft, is pushing to create super AI that is “aligned with the interests of people,” and has vowed to stop such work if it poses a threat to them. “We will not continue to develop a regime that has the ability to rebel against us,” Suleiman said in an interview with Bloomberg’s “Michel Hussein Show,” adding that this “opinion should be self-evident and universal. However, I think it’s a relatively new position in this area right now.” Suleiman joined Microsoft early last year after the company acquired the intellectual property and most of the team behind his startup, Inflection AI. Microsoft, which previously relied on OpenAI for most of its AI tools, tasked Suleiman with building products capable of competing with the best in the field. Artificial intelligence that can compete with humans But until an agreement in October that reformed Microsoft’s relationship with OpenAI, Suleiman’s work was limited by contractual provisions that prevent the company from developing artificial general intelligence – broadly defined as a system that can compete with humans – or superintelligence, which exceeds human capabilities. Also read: Artificial intelligence is invading your children’s childhood.. Do you trust it? Suleiman said Microsoft actually waived these rights in exchange for access to the latest OpenAI products, which is one element of a partnership that has seen the company build and equip data centers for OpenAI for years. Speaking about OpenAI, Suleiman said: “They now have agreements with SoftBank and many others – like Oracle – to build more data centers than Microsoft wanted to build for them. Therefore, we have the right to develop our own artificial intelligence.” He added: “We’ve been a general AI development company for the past 18 months, but now we’re able to work on certain technologies and methodologies that have the potential to surpass human performance in all tasks. So, that’s transformative for us.” Superhuman Artificial Intelligence Suleiman announced his efforts to develop superintelligence last month in a post on his blog, explaining his view and Microsoft’s vision that these systems will only succeed if they are designed to serve humanity. Many of the biggest companies in the field have similar goals, including OpenAI, whose nonprofit was built to advance AI for the benefit of humanity, and Anthropic, founded by OpenAI alumni to build safer AI. Suleiman believes that Microsoft’s purpose is unique. Also Read: Microsoft invests $17.5 billion in artificial intelligence in India. Suleiman avoided criticizing any of the rivals. He said: “Everybody has to determine their principles and how it works, and I don’t want to judge how it works now. I don’t see any evidence of widespread collective harm.” For now, the debate about superintelligence remains theoretical. AI systems, like ChatGPT, can interact with people in ways that computers couldn’t a decade ago. But the technology is still in development, both for consumers who look forward to an AI assistant that will do everything from booking concert tickets to creating holiday shopping lists, and for corporate executives who are betting that these tools will increase employee productivity. Also Read: Microsoft and NVIDIA invest $15 billion in “Anthropic.” Suleiman said the artificial intelligence features in Microsoft’s “Copilot” consumer assistant “do not always work optimally” and are still under development. “We are still experimenting with it,” he added. “But if it works right, it’s one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen.”

A scientific study conducted by British researchers said that a combination of missed opportunities and inequalities in health care can lead to premature deaths among people with epilepsy and intellectual disabilities. The study indicated that around 1.2 million people in England have some form of intellectual disability, and that epilepsy affects an estimated 20 to 25% of them, or up to 300,000 people, compared to only 1% of the general population. The study indicated that until now, evidence regarding risk and protective factors associated with death from epilepsy in people with intellectual disabilities was limited, and this new study sought to fill this gap. Big differences The study analyzed data on nearly 10,000 deaths between 2016 and 2021, and is the largest global study to date looking at epilepsy-related deaths in adults with intellectual disabilities and epilepsy. The study found that epilepsy was the main cause of death in more than 16% of these people, and that their average age at death was significantly lower, reaching 56 years, compared to 62 years for those whose health records recorded causes of death other than epilepsy. The study highlighted significant differences in epilepsy-related deaths based on race, with individuals of African and Asian descent dying on average at only 36 years of age, compared to their white British counterparts. The study noted that targeted interventions, such as annual health checks, access to multidisciplinary care and specialist support in psychiatry and speech and language therapy, already exist but are rarely applied uniformly. The researchers emphasized that these interventions have been shown to be effective in extending people’s lifespan, but poor quality care, gaps in services and lack of annual check-ups should be considered unacceptable in modern healthcare. The study recommended that services be systematically redesigned to try to prevent avoidable epilepsy-related deaths among people with intellectual disabilities in the future. The study shows that people with intellectual disability are at greater risk of dying prematurely, with ethnic minorities in the UK at greater risk. The researchers say what is most shocking is that there are strategies, including psychological support and speech and language therapy, that can help these people, but it is unacceptable that these services are not used regularly and systematically across England, especially when we are talking about people who are very vulnerable and often find it difficult to express their needs or concerns. Inequality: The study revealed the inequality that people with epilepsy and mental disabilities face, as the results show that they die at a very early age, and that individuals of African and Asian origin are more vulnerable to premature death, reflecting deep and sustainable gaps in health care, even within one country. The results confirmed that these deaths can be prevented through annual examinations, access to appropriate specialists and integrated individual care plans, but they are often unavailable or irregular. She emphasized that health institutions must act urgently to provide proactive, coordinated and equitable care to ensure that every person with epilepsy and intellectual disability lives longer and healthier lives. The findings provide a strong scientific basis to support calls for reform, suggesting that improving access to multidisciplinary care, annual check-ups and individualized care plans could significantly reduce early deaths associated with epilepsy in people with intellectual disabilities, particularly among ethnic minorities who are most at risk. They explained that community awareness and pressure on policy makers are needed to ensure that these recommendations are implemented comprehensively and uniformly across all regions of the UK.

WASHINGTON (AP) – U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is proposing to overhaul a regulatory panel that monitors the nation’s financial stability, advocating for looser regulations. The Financial Stability Oversight Council, a US body created in the wake of the 2008 global financial crisis, monitors risks to the financial system and coordinates regulators’ approaches to overseeing the US financial system. In a letter released Thursday by Bessent, he said “too often in the past, efforts to protect the financial system have resulted in burdensome and often duplicative regulations.” “Our administration is changing that approach,” said Bessent, who chairs the committee, which meets Thursday. Bessent said the board will begin “considering where aspects of the U.S. financial regulatory framework impose unnecessary burdens and where they harm economic growth, thereby undermining financial stability.” Voting members of the FSOC committee include the head of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System; the Comptroller of the Currency; the director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau; the chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission and several other agency heads. It was established in 2010 by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, a sweeping US financial reform law created to prevent future economic collapses. A critic of the Trump administration, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., panned the idea of ​​loosening financial regulations, saying “taking this hands-on approach to financial stability would leave our financial system and economy more at risk in any economic environment.” “Going down this path just as cracks are opening in the financial system and yellow lights are flashing across our economy is particularly reckless,” she said in a statement, referring to the recent bankruptcies of subprime auto lender Tricolor Holdings, auto parts company First Brands, and home remodeling platform Renovo Home Partners.

New Chandigarh (Punjab) [India]December 11 (ANI): South Africa pacer Ottneil Baartman bowled a decisive spell against India in the second India vs South Africa 2nd T20I as he dismantled India’s chase in Mullanpur. He became only the second Protea bowler to claim a four-match haul against India in T20Is. The 32-year-old pacer produced a superb performance of 4 wickets for 24 runs in four overs, ensuring that the high-flying Indian batting line-up could not find a way to chase down the huge target of 214. Baartman’s performance was not only match-winning; it was record setting. He became only the second South African bowler in T20I history to take a four-wicket haul against India, joining the elite company of Lungi Ngidi. Lungi Ngidi in particular claimed figures of 4-29 against India in the 2022 T20 World Cup. In the T20I against India, Baartman’s primary damage came in the crucial middle and death overs. He first broke a stabilizing partnership by removing Axar Patel, who wanted to accelerate. He then returned in the final overs to deliver a master class in dead bowling. He quickly cleaned up the Indian lower order, including wickets of Shivam Dube, Varun Chakaravarthy and Arshdeep Singh. Baartman’s four wickets ensured that India’s innings stuttered and eventually collapsed, restricting them to 162/9 in 19 overs. His bowling secured a comfortable 51-run win for South Africa and leveled the series at 1-1. In the Mullanpur match, South Africa defeated India by 51 runs in the second T20I at Mullanpur, leveling the five-match series 1-1. After 214, India were bowled out for 162 in 19.1 overs after a top-order collapse, with Shubman Gill dismissed for a golden duck and skipper Suryakumar Yadav scoring just 5. Tilak Varma was India’s lone bright spot, scoring 62 off 34 balls and anchoring the middle part of the Patel order but retaining the Patel middle order. up with the required running pace. South Africa’s bowlers were clinical, with Ottneil Baartman taking 4/24 and Marco Jansen and Lutho Sipamla also taking key wickets. Earlier, South Africa posted 213/4, powered by Quinton de Kock’s 90 off 46 balls and late finishes from Donovan Ferreira (30*) and David Miller (20*). India’s spinners Chakaravarthy (2/29) and Axar Patel (1/27) provided some control but the pacers struggled on a flat pitch. (ANI)

Google is expected to be fined by European Union (EU) antitrust regulators for failing to comply with EU rules to favor its own products and services in search results, according to Reuters, citing people with knowledge of the matter. The amount of the expected fine was not specified. Neither Google, nor the European Commission, which is the competition enforcer for the EU, has yet publicly commented on the development. A fine on Google would come on the heels of the $140 million fine imposed on Elon Musk’s X by the EU, which has upset the United States, including President Donald Trump, who has warned Europe to be “very careful”. “Oh, that’s a nasty one. Elon didn’t call me to ask for help with that one. But no, it’s a tough thing. I don’t think it’s right,” Trump said at the time during the White House event. “I’ll talk about it later. I’m going to get a full report on it. Look, Europe has to be very careful. They’re doing a lot of things. We want to keep Europe, Europe,” the US president warned. (This is a developing story. Check back for updates)

Millions of people who bought concert tickets through Ticketmaster are one step closer to proceeding as a class in a major antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation Entertainment and its Ticketmaster subsidiary. The plaintiffs say the company used its overwhelming market power to inflate ticket prices and impose excessive fees. The case is before U.S. District Judge George Wu in Los Angeles, who on Thursday took up the motion for class certification — a crucial step that could determine whether the lawsuit moves forward on behalf of millions of consumers. Why Class Certification Matters If Judge Wu certifies the class, Ticketmaster and Live Nation could face billions of dollars in potential liability. Under federal antitrust laws, damages can be tripled if plaintiffs win. A certified class would also strengthen the plaintiffs’ leverage in settlement talks, as millions of affected consumers would be represented together rather than as individual cases. The core allegations The lawsuit alleges Live Nation-Ticketmaster violated US antitrust laws by using its dominance over various sectors of the live events industry to stifle competition. Key allegations include: Monopoly in primary ticket sales: Ticketmaster allegedly locks in major venues through exclusive contracts, leaving consumers with no real alternative. Excessive ticket fees: The plaintiffs say Ticketmaster uses its market control to charge high fees to fans who buy tickets. Coercive venue practices: Live Nation allegedly pays top artists huge sums to secure tours and then pressures venues to use Ticketmaster to recoup those costs. Control over the resale market: Ticketmaster is also accused of forcing resellers and consumers to use its own secondary market, limiting options and keeping prices high. What Live Nation Says Live Nation’s attorney Tim O’Mara argued that the class should not be certified because the plaintiffs did not prove that all ticket buyers were harmed in the same way. He pointed to differences over venues, markets and negotiated fee structures. The company maintains that its practices are competitive and that Ticketmaster’s fees reflect market realities, not monopoly abuse. What the government says This is not just a consumer lawsuit. The case was also filed by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) and 40 state attorneys general, who argue that Live Nation-Ticketmaster’s vertical dominance has been harmed: -consumers -competing ticket companies -smaller promoters -artists The DOJ claims the company’s control of ticketing, promotion and venue management gives it direct power over the live event ecosystem. Judge Wu’s Role So Far Judge George Wu has already: – Denied Ticketmaster’s attempt to force consumers into arbitration – Refused to dismiss the case – Allowed the case to move to class certification His next decision – whether to certify a class of millions – will shape the future of the entire case. Why this case matters to concertgoers If the plaintiffs succeed: -ticket fees could drop -competition in the ticket market could increase -alternative platforms could gain traction -a breakup of Live Nation and Ticketmaster could reshape the live events industry. symptoms of monopoly power.

Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi on Thursday granted Indian citizenship certificates to 122 migrants from Pakistan, while Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi distributed certificates to 35 people from Bangladesh under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA) in Ahmedabad and Bhubaneswar respectively. In Gujarat, 73 others were handed certificates for applying for them at the Ahmedabad district collector’s office, according to PTI quoting officials. Expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah for implementing the CAA, Sanghavi stressed that minorities in Pakistan and neighboring countries have long faced hardships and threats to their security. He said that the updated citizenship rules were designed to give fair recognition to those who sought refuge in India. “Muskuraiye, aap ab Bhaarat ke nagrik hain (Smile, you are now citizens of India),” he told the recipients, some of whom shared their emotions during the event. Sanghavi said: “Today, 195 Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist and Jain refugees from Pakistan have been granted Indian citizenship. Many of them have struggled for decades, some since the 1950s, facing persecution and lengthy legal battles. They have endured hardships and lack of support, living in fear of the Minister, without gratitude to the Modi. 195 individuals to finally receive Indian citizenship.” Dr. Maheshkumar Purohit, a gynecologist who came to India in 1956, spoke about his decades-long road to citizenship, the report said. He discovered that he was not officially recognized as an Indian citizen just when he applied for a passport. After many attempts, he finally obtained citizenship, and under the CAA in April 2025 received a passport that enabled him to visit his daughter abroad. He describes the moment as deeply emotional and long overdue. Engineer Pooja Abhimanyu said that the certificate represents much more to her than just an official document. Indian citizenship spread in Odisha Meanwhile, the Odisha Census Directorate and the Union Ministry of Home Affairs organized a special event where Majhi said that India’s “traditional values ​​of humanity and asylum” had been revived by the process initiated by Prime Minister Modi, adding: “This sacred legislation has provided a ray of hope and reassurance to minorities for years.” Majhi told reporters, “Today, for the first time in Odisha, based on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) 2019, citizenship certificates were given to 35 people living in Nabarangpur district of Odisha… These people who migrated from Bangladesh were given citizenship certificates.” Majhi stated that the 35 people are now citizens of India and expressed that they are part of the country’s future. He emphasized that their safety, respect and progress are the responsibility and duty of the state, and he welcomed them as citizens. Majhi also noted that while people of any other religion facing persecution abroad could find refuge in many countries, Hindus persecuted elsewhere had nowhere to go but India. He questioned where they would go if India did not have laws to protect them. Bapin Mirda, who arrived from Bangladesh in 1998 and received Indian citizenship on Thursday, said the certificate gave him a new sense of identity.

Disney may have signed a landmark $1 billion investment and licensing deal with OpenAI, but the entertainment giant is simultaneously accusing Google of copyright infringement on what it calls a “massive scale,” according to a report by Variety . Disney claims that Google uses its AI models to “commercially exploit and distribute” copyrighted images and videos without permission. The company reportedly sent Google a cease-and-desist letter demanding that the tech giant stop the alleged misuse of its intellectual property. A letter from Disney’s lawyers to Google’s general counsel allegedly reads: “Google is infringing Disney’s copyright on a massive scale by copying a large corpus of Disney’s copyrighted works without authorization to train and develop generative artificial intelligence (‘AI’) models and services, and by using and distributing AI models of its works to commercially protect Disney’s copyright.” The letter adds: “Google operates as a virtual vending machine, capable of reproducing, rendering and distributing copies of Disney’s valuable library of copyrighted characters and other works on a mass scale. And, compounding Google’s blatant infringement, many of the infringing images generated by Google’s AI services are branded with Google’s exploitation of Google’s Gemini logo. Intellectual property is authorized and endorsed by Disney.” Disney apparently claims it has raised concerns about the protection of its IP with Google for months, but says the company has not taken sufficient steps to address them. The letter claims that Google’s AI systems generated unauthorized images of famous characters from Frozen, The Lion King, Moana, The Little Mermaid, Deadpool, Guardians of the Galaxy, Toy Story, Brave, Ratatouille, Monsters Inc., Lilo & Stitch, Inside Out, and major franchises including Star Wars, The Avengers, The Sims and. This isn’t the first time Disney has pushed back against AI companies. It previously sent a cease-and-desist letter to Character.AI and also sued Midjourney for copyright infringement. Disney characters coming to Sora The accusations come just hours after Disney announced a landmark deal with OpenAI, bringing more than 200 characters from Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars to Sora and ChatGPT. Under the three-year agreement, OpenAI users will be able to generate images and videos using Disney’s IP from early 2026, although voice and actor likeness rights are excluded. Disney+ will also host a curated collection of Sora-generated videos, and the companies will collaborate on AI-powered features for the platform.

Sumur – Banten was shaken by earthquakes 3 times tonight. The strength of the earthquake (magnitude) varies. The first earthquake occurred on Thursday (11/12) at 23.11 WIB. Its magnitude is 3.9. “Fifty-one km southwest of SUMUR-BANTEN,” BMKG wrote in the official account X @infoBMKG on Friday (12/12/2025). Scroll TO CONTINUE CONTENT The next earthquake occurred at 23.50 WIB. The earthquake, which was centered 44 km southwest of Sumur, Banten, had a depth of 22 km. “Earthquake Mag: 3.2,” he continued. The last earthquake occurred today at 00.09 WIB. The earthquake measuring M 2.5 was centered 45 km southwest of Muarabinuangeun, Banten. “(Coordinates) 7.08LS, 105.55E,” he added. There are no reports on the impact of this earthquake. The cause of the earthquake is not yet known. (isa/isa)