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Future of Coal Series

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Despite major shifts in the industry and serious worries in coal communities, today coal still supplies nearly 40% of our electricity. According to the Bureau of Land Management, one out of every five homes and business in the US use electricity made from Wyoming coal. But what does the future look like for fossil fuels in a world where there is increasing pressure to keep them in the ground? In this series, we examine the role of coal as an energy source in a world where constraints on carbon emissions are adopted to mitigate global warming. Indeed, the challenge for governments and industry is to find a path that mitigates carbon emissions yet continues to utilize coal to meet urgent energy needs, especially in developing economies.

Future of Coal Series

Australian trade deficit narrows in September, driven by firmer coal exports

Nov 03, 2016 05:25 am UTC| Commentary Economy

Australias trade balance improved during the month of September, driven by strong exports of coal and significantly beating market expectations. This surprise improvement was driven by a spike in resource exports, with...

Future of Coal Series

Australia's coal politics are undermining democratic and Indigenous rights

Oct 26, 2016 09:45 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

Can Australia achieve fair and open decision-making when big coal players are involved? The case of Adanis proposed Carmichael coal mine suggests the answer is no, and Indigenous land owners are bearing the brunt. The...

Future of Coal Series

The gas industry needs a carbon price to compete with coal

Oct 25, 2016 17:20 pm UTC| Insights & Views

Putting a price on carbon would benefit the Australian gas industry, at least in the short term. It is therefore in the interests of gas producers to lobby for the emissions trading scheme proposed for the electricity...

Future of Coal Series

China’s coal imports likely to remain strong, policy measures to dictate prices

Oct 20, 2016 06:36 am UTC| Economy Commentary

Coal imports in China are expected to remain strong in the near term, despite efforts to limit the impact of capacity closures on utilities, while prices are likely to be dictated by the countrys policy...

Future of Coal Series

Bangladesh is building a dirty and expensive coal plant next to the world's largest mangrove forest

Sep 27, 2016 13:42 pm UTC| Insights & Views

A controversial new coal power plant being built in Bangladesh is already running out of friends. Environmentalists worry it will spell disaster for the worlds largest mangrove forest, while locals worry about pollution...

Future of Coal Series

King Coal is dethroned in the US – and that's good news for the environment

Sep 23, 2016 08:08 am UTC| Insights & Views

This is the worst year in decades for U.S. coal. During the first six months of 2016, U.S. coal production was down a staggering 28 percent compared to 2015, and down 33 percent compared to 2014. For the first time ever,...

Future of Coal Series

Pacific pariah: how Australia’s love of coal has left it out in the diplomatic cold

Sep 23, 2016 08:06 am UTC| Insights & Views

Australias Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will have some explaining to do when he attends the Pacific Islands Forum leaders meeting in Pohnpei, Micronesia, this week. Australias continued determination to dig up coal,...

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Economy

Bank of England Set to Hold Interest Rates as Inflation Risks and Iran War Impact Loom

The Bank of England (BoE) is widely expected to keep interest rates unchanged this week as policymakers assess the growing economic risks tied to the ongoing Iran war and rising inflation pressures. After maintaining...

Chinese Chip Stocks Surge on AI Boom and Domestic Tech Push

Chinese semiconductor stocks rallied sharply on Monday, driven by continued optimism around the countrys artificial intelligence (AI) sector and renewed momentum from the launch of new AI models. Investors showed strong...

U.S. and EU Strengthen Critical Minerals Partnership to Reduce China Dependence

The United States and the European Union have taken a major step toward strengthening their supply chains for critical minerals, aiming to reduce reliance on China and boost advanced manufacturing capabilities. On Friday,...

Oil Price Forecasts Rise for 2026 as Middle East Supply Risks Persist

Global investment banks are raising their oil price forecasts for 2026 as ongoing supply disruptions in the Middle East continue to tighten the market. Goldman Sachs recently increased its outlook for crude oil, projecting...

Global PCB Prices Surge Amid Middle East Conflict and Supply Chain Disruptions

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East is sending shockwaves through the global electronics industry, driving up prices of printed circuit boards (PCBs) and disrupting the supply of critical raw materials. PCBs are...

Politics

Russian Drone Strike on Odesa Injures Civilians and Damages Key Infrastructure

An overnight Russian drone strike on the southern Ukrainian city of Odesa injured at least 10 people, including two children, according to Ukrainian officials on Monday. The attack caused significant damage to residential...

Trump Urges Iran to Call for Talks as War Stalemate Disrupts Oil Markets

U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran can initiate negotiations to end the ongoing two-month conflict simply by making contact, even as diplomatic efforts show little progress. His remarks came as Irans Foreign Minister...

US Envoy Urges Taiwan to Approve Defense Budget Amid Rising China Tensions

The United States top diplomat in Taiwan has called on the islands opposition-led parliament to approve a comprehensive defense budget, emphasizing the urgent need for advanced military systems such as integrated air and...

Erdogan Condemns White House Correspondents’ Dinner Shooting, Voices Support for Trump

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed strong support for former U.S. President Donald Trump following a shocking shooting incident at the White House Correspondents Association dinner. According to an official...

Trump Gala Security Scare: Suspect Arrested After Attempted Attack on U.S. Officials

A dramatic security incident at a high-profile Washington gala has raised serious concerns about the safety of U.S. officials and the growing threat of political violence. Authorities arrested a 31-year-old suspect,...

Science

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

NASA Artemis II: First Crewed Moon Mission Since Apollo Takes Four Astronauts on 10-Day Lunar Journey

NASAs Artemis II mission launched Wednesday, marking humanitys return to crewed lunar exploration for the first time since the Apollo era. Carrying four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft, this historic 10-day mission...

NASA's Artemis II Mission: First Crewed Lunar Journey Since Apollo

NASA's Artemis II Crew Arrives in Florida for Historic Moon Mission

The four astronauts chosen for NASAs Artemis II mission have touched down at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the beginning of final launch preparations for the first crewed lunar journey in over 50 years. NASA...

SpaceX Pivots Toward Moon City as Musk Reframes Long-Term Space Vision

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed a significant shift in the companys near-term space exploration strategy, announcing that SpaceX is now prioritizing the development of a self-growing city on the Moon rather than focusing...

Technology

DeepSeek Slashes AI Model Pricing to Boost Adoption and Challenge Global Rivals

Chinese artificial intelligence startup DeepSeek has significantly reduced pricing for its latest AI models, signaling a more aggressive push in the rapidly evolving AI services market. The company announced that it has...

U.S. Demand for Alternative Satellite Providers Remains Strong Amid SpaceX Regulatory Push

Demand for alternative satellite services in the United States continues to grow, even as SpaceX pushes regulators to tighten market access for foreign competitors. According to Eutelsat CEO Jean-Francois Fallacher, U.S....

SMC Corp Stock Surges as Palliser Capital Pushes for Major Share Buyback

Shares of SMC Corp (TYO:6273) surged sharply on Monday following news that activist investor Palliser Capital has taken a significant stake in the Japanese industrial automation company and is urging aggressive shareholder...

Taiwan Court Fines Tokyo Electron Unit $4.78M in Major TSMC Trade Secrets Case

A Taiwan court has imposed a significant penalty on the local subsidiary of Japan-based Tokyo Electron, highlighting the islands strict stance on protecting critical semiconductor technologies. The court fined the company...

DeepSeek V4 Launch Signals China’s Growing AI Independence with Huawei Chips

DeepSeek, a fast-rising Chinese AI startup, has unveiled a preview of its highly anticipated V4 model, marking a major step toward Chinas technological independence. The new model, optimized for Huaweis Ascend chips,...