World breaking news today (December 21): US planning to close last consulates in Russia
	World breaking news today (December 19): Congress passes 2-day extension to mull COVID-19 relief
	World breaking news today (December 18): French President Emmanuel Macron tests positive for Covid-19

(Photo: Captured)

Mayor Cooper issues curfew for part of downtown Nashville following explosion

Mayor John Cooper signed Executive Order 12 on Friday to issue a state of civil emergency for part of downtown Nashville affected by an early Christmas morning explosion, WKRN reported.

The area including James Robertson Parkway, 4th Avenue North, Broadway, and the Cumberland River will be under curfew starting at 4:30 p.m. Friday and extending until 4:30 p.m. Sunday, December 27.

According to Mayor Cooper, Executive Order 12 also provides additional resources for response and relief efforts.

Japan official, calling Taiwan 'red line,' urges Biden to 'be strong'

A top Japanese defence official on Friday urged U.S. President-elect Joe Biden to "be strong" in supporting Taiwan in the face of an aggressive China, calling the island's safety a "red line." "We are concerned China will expand its aggressive stance into areas other than Hong Kong. I think one of the next targets, or what everyone is worried about, is Taiwan," State Minister of Defense Yasuhide Nakayama told Reuters.

In an interview, Nakayama, Japan's deputy defence minister, urged Biden to take a similar line on Taiwan as outgoing President Donald Trump, who has significantly boosted military sales to the Chinese-claimed island and increased engagement, Reuters reported.

(Photo: WBAP)

Japan's engagement with Taiwan has also flourished in recent years on a largely non-governmental basis. Tokyo maintains a "one China" policy, delicately balancing its relationships with neighbouring giant China and its longtime military ally in Washington.

Japan shares strategic interests with Taiwan, which sits in sea lanes through which much of Japan's energy supplies and trade flow.

During the presidential campaign, Biden called for strengthening ties with Taiwan and other "like-minded democracies."

An official in Biden's transition team said the president-elect believes U.S. support for Taiwan "must remain strong, principled, and bipartisan."

Ohio police chief recommends firing Columbus officer who fatally shot Andre Hill

An Ohio police chief is recommending the firing of a Columbus officer who fatally shot Andre Maurice Hill, a 47-year-old Black man, early Tuesday.

Columbus Police Chief Thomas Quinlan said on Thursday the department filed two charges alleging critical misconduct by officer Adam Coy, a 19-year veteran of the force who was placed on paid administrative leave. The charges are not criminal in nature and only apply to Coy’s employment review.

Quinlain said officers who are charged typically undergo a hearing before any wrongdoing or discipline is determined, but the severity of Coy’s actions overrode that step.

Ned Pettus Jr., director of the state’s department of public safety, will make the final call on Monday about the police chief’s recommendation of termination, according to Quinlan.

The announcement came shortly after outgoing Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien appointed Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost as special prosecutor in Hill’s case — a day after body camera footage of the deadly encounter was released, and the same day demonstrators demanded justice outside the home where Hill was killed.

Protesters gather on Dec. 24, 2020 outside the home where Andre Maurice Hill, 47, was killed in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo: Reuters)

O’Brien, a Republican who has held the position since 1997, lost re-election in November to Gary Tyack, a Democrat who is scheduled to take office in 2021, NBC News reported.

The union representing Columbus officers, the Fraternal Order of Police, released a statement on Thursday urging calm until the investigations into the shooting are complete. While the statement did not mention Coy by name, it did say "every citizen including officers deserves due process."

Britain says thousands of lorries cross Channel after virus testing stepped up

More than 4,500 lorries, among a huge backlog of trucks stranded for days in the British port of Dover, crossed the Channel on Friday after extra troops were deployed to step up coronavirus testing, as reported by Reuters.

Ferry services between Dover and the French port of Calais resumed on Thursday, ending a blockade France had imposed for several days following the discovery of a new coronavirus variant in England.

British transport minister Grant Shapps said on Twitter on Friday that more than 10,000 coronavirus tests had been carried out on lorry drivers and only 24 of them had tested positive.

“Over 4,500 HGVs (heavy goods vehicles) are back over the Channel,” Shapps said.

More than 4,500 lorries, among a huge backlog of trucks stranded for days in the British port of Dover, crossed the Channel on Friday after extra troops were deployed to step up coronavirus testing (Photo: US News and World Reports)

Britain deployed additional troops to help clear the queues of lorries waiting for COVID-19 tests before being allowed to board cross-channel ferries. British media said 800 extra soldiers were sent to support 300 initially deployed.

Soldiers checked vehicles and drivers’ documents at the entrance to the port. In one case, French officials, who were in Dover to help clear the backlog, were seen administering a nasal swab to a driver.

The French and British governments agreed to end the blockade on Tuesday but the British authorities had said it would take days to clear the long lines of trucks.

Gold price forecast – gold markets bounce from 50 day EMA

Gold rallied slightly on Thursday as the 50 day EMA looks to offer support. We are in an uptrend, so it loks like we are going to continue going higher.

Gold markets have rallied slightly during the trading session on Thursday, as we head into the Christmas holiday. The 50 day EMA is offering support from a technical standpoint, and it looks as if we are going to go looking towards the $1900 level. If we can break above there, the market likely goes looking towards the $1925 level, and then of course the $1950 level. I think that it will not necessarily be the easiest trade, but if you can sit through the volatility you could entertain quite a bit of profit at this point.

(Photo: FX Street)

Buying the dips has worked for gold more than once, and it certainly looks as if we are trying to rally from here. Pay attention to the US dollar, because if it continues to get hit hard, that should continue to lift gold as a side effect. The size of the candle is not necessarily impressive, but we have been rallying over the last couple of months and this looks as if we are going to continue to see upward pressure. I think that you are probably better off adding into a position very slowly, and therefore it is likely that we will continue to see that behavior continue.

After all, not only do we have stimulus coming out of central banks, but we also have stimulus coming out of national governments. I believe that this is part of the larger move from fiat currency, so gold will be an area where people will be looking to protect wealth. This has risen right along with Bitcoin, and for the same reasons, FX Empire reported.

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