March 18 (Reuters) – The U.S. U.S. farmers are struggling with slumping prices that have made some crops more expensive to plant than sell, and are expected to plant more corn this year in a bid to eke out a profit. Congress also passed $20 billion in farm aid for natural disasters in 2023 and 2024, and the USDA will release more details on that aid soon, which will include money for livestock losses due to drought and flood, Appleton said. The Emergency Commodity Assistance Program will pay farmers a flat rate by acreage for eligible commodities like wheat, corn, barley, and oats, said Brooke Appleton, the USDA’s deputy under secretary for farm production and conservation, on a call with reporters. Once farmers’ applications are approved, they will receive payments directly to their bank accounts within three business days on average, Appleton said. Department of Agriculture will on Wednesday begin accepting applications from farmers affected by low commodity prices for economic aid passed by Congress last year, an agency official said on Tuesday. The stop-gap government funding package passed by Congress last December included $10 billion for economic assistance, a supplement to existing farm subsidy programs that support U.S. Farmers have taken economic hits in the early weeks of the Trump administration, including from a broad USDA spending freeze and potential market loss from tariffs.
Gold fell 1% on Friday due to a stronger dollar and profit-taking, although lingering geopolitical and economic uncertainties, and U.S. Peter Grant, vice president and senior metals strategist at Zaner Metals. ET (1743 GMT). U.S. Spot silver slid 1.7% to $32.97 an ounce, platinum lost 1.1% to $973.45 and palladium rose 0.1% to $953.14. Bullion has gained 1% so far this week. Gold, traditionally viewed as a safe-haven investment during times of geopolitical and economic uncertainty, and typically thriving in a low-interest-rate environment, has hit 16 record highs this year, reaching an all-time peak of $3,057.21 per ounce on Thursday. Marex analyst Edward Meir. Israel announced an escalation in air, land and sea strikes against Hamas in Gaza to pressure the release of remaining hostages, effectively abandoning a two-month ceasefire and launching an all-out air and ground campaign against the dominant Palestinian militant group. 0.7% lower at $3,021.40. The Fed held its benchmark interest rate steady on Wednesday as widely expected, but indicated two quarter-percentage-point cuts before the end of the year. Traders are pricing in 71 basis points of easing this year from the Fed with at least two rate reductions of 25 bps each, with a cut in July fully priced in, LSEG data showed. Federal Reserve rate cut prospects kept bullion on track for a third consecutive weekly rise. The U.S. dollar rose 0.3%, hitting a two-week high and making greenback-priced bullion more expensive for overseas buyers. Spot gold was down 1% at $3,015.43 an ounce at 01:43 p.m. All three metals were poised for weekly losses.
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A library janitor made a historic discovery after unearthing a collection of Ancient Roman coins which could be worth ‘millions’. Reports have suggested the box contents could be worth ‘millions’, while internet research showed the find to be worth at least a ‘six-figure sum’. But on closer inspection she found the ‘unassuming’ box contained 172 well-preserved gold and silver coins dating back thousands of years. Custodian Tanja Hols discovered the unopened wooden box in an archive of the historic state library in Passau, southeast Germany, but thought it looked ‘fairly unspectacular’ in first glance. The coins themselves, which are have originated in ancient Rome, Greece and the Byzantine empire, were forgotten because they were undervalued by past library workers. The wooden box containing the coins had even been periodically dusted by fellow custodians who had no idea of its valuable contents. Library bosses are now set to give janitor Ms Hols a promotion following her unlikely discovery. Experts believe the coins were hidden in the library around 1803 during Germany’s secularisation, when such church assets were handed over to the state. Janitor Ms Hols said she frequently visits the fourth floor archive where the coins were found, in order to retrieve books for customers. The discovery has since been described as a ‘real bonanza’ for the library in the Bavarian city. The archive is also home to old furniture and even a stuffed crocodile, but her most recent discovery has been the most valuable in the library’s history. Ms Hols, 43, said last week: ‘I had no idea that I’d found a treasure. She informed library bosses, who found the hoard belonged to local prince-bishops who hid the treasure in the library in the early 19th century to avoid paying taxes.
The singer stopped by upmarket Italian restaurant Giorgio Baldi, where she is a regular.
She’s just been on a whirlwind trip to Barbados to reconnect with friends and family. Who needs a man? The R&B superstar’s appearance comes after she jetted to Barbados over the weekend following her ‘split’ from Drake. And after the tiring to Los Angeles via New York, Rihanna refuelled at her favourite eatery. The 28-year-old carried a box shaped Louis Vuitton bag in her hand, and toughened up her look with chunky silver jewlery – mouse click the up coming document – . Leaning on her gal pals, Rihanna looked fantastic in a string bikini as she sipped cocktails with her BFF Melissa Forde. Too mix up in drama to free my mind but I’m praying for you even in your darkest times.’ he wrote. The snap emerged on Wednesday, shortly after Drake appeared to address their break-up on Instagram as he posted a black and white photo with cryptic caption. For the outing to the eatery in the Santa Monica Canyon area of California, she dressed in jeans and a leather jacket. The short trip certainly seemed to have turned her frown upside down, as she spent time with those closest to her. The singer stopped by upmarket Italian restaurant Giorgio Baldi, where she is a regular. Having debuted her new dreadlocks earlier this summer, she covered up her hair with a wrap, stylishly letting one lock fall loose around her face.