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Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ faces Republican family feud as Senate reveals its final text

Senate Republicans unveiled their long-awaited version of President Donald Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill,’ but its survival is not guaranteed.

Senate Budget Committee Chair Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., revealed the stitched-together text of the colossal bill late Firday night.

The final product from the upper chamber is the culmination of a roughly month-long sprint to take the House GOP’s version of the bill and mold and change it. The colossal package includes separate pieces and parts from 10 Senate committees. With the introduction of the bill, a simple procedural hurdle must be passed in order to begin the countdown to final passage.

When that comes remains an open question. Senate Republicans left their daily lunch on Friday under the assumption that a vote could be teed up as early as noon on Saturday.

Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., told Fox News Digital that he had ‘strongly encouraged’ Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., to put the bill on the floor for a vote Saturday afternoon. 

‘If you’re unhappy with that, you’re welcome to fill out a hurt feelings report, and we will review it carefully later,’ Kennedy said. ‘But in the meantime, it’s time to start voting.’

But Senate Republicans’ desire to impose their will on the package and make changes to already divisive policy tweaks in the House GOP’s offering could doom the bill and derail Thune’s ambitious timeline to get it on Trump’s desk by the July 4 deadline.

However, Thune has remained firm that lawmakers would stay on course and deliver the bill to Trump by Independence Day. 

When asked if he had the vote to move the package forward, Thune said ‘we’ll find out tomorrow.’

But it wasn’t just lawmakers who nearly derailed the bill. The Senate parliamentarian, the true final arbiter of the bill, ruled that numerous GOP-authored provisions did not pass muster with Senate rules.

Any item in the ‘big, beautiful bill’ must comport with the Byrd Rule, which governs the budget reconciliation process and allows for a party in power to ram legislation through the Senate while skirting the 60-vote filibuster threshold. 

That sent lawmakers back to the drawing board on a slew of policy tweaks, including the Senate’s changes to the Medicaid provider tax rate, cost-sharing for food benefits and others. 

Republican leaders, the White House and disparate factions within the Senate and House GOP have been meeting to find middle ground on other pain points, like tweaking the caps on state and local tax (SALT) deductions.

While the controversial Medicaid provider tax rate change remained largely the same, a $25 billion rural hospital stabilization fund was included in the bill to help attract possible holdouts that have raised concerns that the rate change would shutter rural hospitals throughout the country. 

On the SALT front, there appeared to be a breakthrough on Friday. A source told Fox News that the White House and House were on board with a new plan that would keep the $40,000 cap from the House’s bill and have it reduced back down to $10,000 after five years. 

But Senate Republicans are the ones that must accept it at this stage. Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., has acted as the mediator in those negotiations, and said that he was unsure if any of his colleagues ‘love it.’ 

‘But I think, as I’ve said before, I want to make sure we have enough that people can vote for than to vote against,’ he said. 

Still, a laundry list of other pocket issues and concerns over just how deep spending cuts in the bill go have conservatives and moderates in the House GOP and Senate pounding their chests and vowing to vote against the bill.

Republican leaders remain adamant that they will finish the mammoth package and are gambling that some lawmakers standing against the bill will buckle under the pressure from the White House and the desire to leave Washington for a short break.

Once a motion to proceed is passed, which only requires a simple majority, then begins 20 hours of debate evenly divided between both sides of the aisle.

Democratic lawmakers are expected to spend the entirety of their 10 allotted hours, while Republicans will likely clock in well below their limit. From there starts the ‘vote-a-rama’ process, when lawmakers can submit a near-endless number of amendments to the bill. Democrats will likely try to extract as much pain as possible with messaging amendments that won’t actually pass but will add more and more time to the process.

Once that is complete, lawmakers will move to a final vote. If successful, the ‘big, beautiful bill’ will again make its way back to the House, where House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., will again have to corral dissidents to support the legislation. It barely advanced last month, squeaking by on a one-vote margin. 

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent hammered on the importance of passing Trump’s bill on time. He met with Senate Republicans during their closed-door lunch and spread the message that advancing the colossal tax package would go a long way to giving businesses more certainty in the wake of the president’s tariffs. 

‘We need certainty,’ he said. ‘With so much uncertainty, and having the bill on the president’s desk by July 4 will give us great tax certainty, and I believe, accelerate the economy in the third quarter of the year.’ 

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

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Marco Rubio holds first meeting with families of hostages held by Hamas

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio held his first official meeting in Washington, D.C., with the families of the hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza amid the terror group’s ongoing war with Israel.

Rubio reaffirmed the Trump administration’s commitment to securing the release of all 50 remaining hostages, according to a press release from The Hostages and Missing Families Forum.

The meeting featured Moshe Lavi, brother-in-law of hostage Omri Miran; Ilay David, brother of hostage Evyatar David; Tzur Goldin, brother of Lt. Hadar Goldin; and recently released hostage Iair Horn, whose brother Eitan Horn remains in captivity.

Rubio’s wife, Jeanette, and son, Anthony, were also at the meeting.

During the meeting, the secretary told the families that true victory in Gaza would only be realized when all the hostages returned home, according to the press release.

He also noted that the U.S. government has already demonstrated its ability to lead significant initiatives in the Middle East. He further argued that Israel has achieved victories in Iran and Lebanon and is capable of defeating Hamas.

The families stressed that this is a critical window of opportunity to bring the remaining hostages home in one comprehensive deal rather than phases or partial agreements as has been the case in Israel’s previous hostage deals with Hamas, the press release said.

They expressed trust in the Trump administration to act with urgency and determination to free the remaining people in Hamas’ captivity.

‘We’ve waited long enough,’ the families said. ‘It’s time to make brave decisions and bring all our loved ones back—all at once.’

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

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Trump’s NATO Turnaround: From threatening to pull US out to ‘daddy’ of the alliance

President Donald Trump delivered a resounding endorsement of NATO this week, marking a sharp turnaround in his years-long, often contentious relationship with the alliance.

Once known for blasting allies over defense spending and even threatening to pull out of NATO altogether, Trump now appears to have had a change of heart. 

‘I left here differently. I left here saying that these people really love their countries,’ Trump said after the 2025 NATO summit in The Hague.

The pivot comes as NATO nations more than doubled their collective defense spending target – raising the bar from 2% to 5% of GDP.

From Hostile Rhetoric to Royal Receptions

The president’s renewed embrace of the alliance follows years of friction, high-profile clashes with world leaders and controversial comments. Yet at this year’s summit, the tone was strikingly different.

Trump was welcomed by Dutch royals, praised by the NATO secretary-general – who even referred to him as ‘daddy’ – and returned home lauding European allies for their patriotism. ‘It’s not a rip-off, and we’re here to help them,’ Trump told reporters.

The transformation is as dramatic as it is unexpected.

The Iran Factor: Military Action with Global Impact

Trump arrived at the NATO summit on a high note, following U.S. strikes that crippled Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. According to American and allied intelligence sources, the operation set back Tehran’s nuclear ambitions by several years.

The strike was widely seen as both a show of strength and a strategic warning – not just to Iran but to NATO adversaries like Russia and China.

‘He really came in from this power move,’ said Giedrimas Jeglinskas, a former NATO official and current chairman of Lithuania’s national security committee.

‘Among some, definitely Eastern Europe, Central Europe, Nordic Europe, this attack, the use of those really sophisticated weapons and bombers, was the rebuilding of the deterrence narrative of the West, not just of America.’

Timeline: Trump’s Rocky Road with NATO

2016 Campaign Trail

Trump repeatedly called NATO ‘obsolete,’ questioning its relevance and slamming allies for failing to pay their ‘fair share.’

‘It’s costing us too much money… We’re paying disproportionately. It’s too much,’ he said in March 2016.

He criticized NATO for lacking focus on terrorism, later taking credit when it created a chief intelligence post.

February 2017 – Early Presidency

Trump softened his tone after becoming president. 

‘We strongly support NATO,’ he said after visiting Central Command. ‘We only ask that all members make their full and proper financial contribution.’

He continued to push for members to meet the 2% target by 2024.

2018 Brussels Summit

Trump privately threatened to pull the U.S. from NATO unless allies increased spending.

‘Now we are in World War III protecting a country that wasn’t paying its bills,’ he warned.

Despite the posturing, he called NATO a ‘fine-tuned machine’ after extracting new spending commitments. He also accused Germany of being a ‘captive of Russia’ over the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

2019 London Summit

The drama continued, this time with French President Emmanuel Macron calling NATO ‘brain-dead.’ 

‘NATO serves a great purpose. I think that’s very insulting,’ Trump responded.

He also clashed with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau – calling him ‘two-faced’ after Trudeau was caught mocking Trump on camera.

2020 – Troop Withdrawal from Germany

Trump ordered 12,000 U.S. troops out of Germany, citing Berlin’s defense shortfalls.

February 2024 – Russia Controversy

Trump ignited backlash after suggesting he’d let Russia ‘do whatever the hell they want’ to NATO countries that failed to meet spending obligations.

The remark sparked urgent contingency talks among European leaders about the future of the alliance if the U.S. did not step up to its defense. 

June 2025: A Different Trump, a Different NATO

The 2025 summit in The Hague unfolded with surprising calm. Trump’s hosts rolled out the red carpet. ‘He’s the man of the hour and the most important man in the world,’ Jeglinskas said.

Jeglinskas credited Trump’s blunt diplomacy – however unorthodox – for helping drive real reform ‘He’s brought in tectonic change to the alliance’s capabilities by… being himself,’ he added. ‘It’s a gift for the alliance.’

Two Forces Behind NATO’s Revival: Russia and Trump

Experts agree NATO’s recent revitalization stems from two major catalysts: Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine and Trump’s relentless pressure on allies to boost defense.

President Trump is riding high this week with two major foreign policy victories,’ said Matthew Kroenig, vice president at the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center, referencing NATO and the recent U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear program. ‘It’s terrific. I hope he can keep it up.’

He added, ‘Every president since Eisenhower has complained that NATO allies aren’t doing their fair share.’

Now, Trump was the one who finally got them to listen, he said. 

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

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Rio Silver to Complete 5:1 Consolidation

Rio Silver Inc. (the ‘Company’ or ‘Rio Silver’) (TSX.V: RYO) (OTC: RYOOF) announces that, further to the announcement on May 1, 2025, it will consolidate (the ‘Consolidation’) its common shares on the basis of five pre-Consolidation common shares for one post-Consolidation share.

The Company expects that the TSX Venture Exchange (the ‘Exchange’) will issue a bulletin in short order, confirming that the Company’s common shares will then commence trading on a post-Consolidation basis effective on or about the opening of trading on Thursday, July 3, 2025. There will be no change to the Company’s name or trading symbol. The new CUSIP and ISIN numbers for the post-Consolidation shares are 76721A113 and CA76721A1131, respectively.

No fractional common shares will be issued, and fractions of less than one-half of a common share will be cancelled and fractions of at least one-half of a common share will be converted to a whole common share. Outstanding options, warrants and other convertible securities will likewise be adjusted for the Consolidation, with the number of underlying common shares and exercise prices being adjusted accordingly.

The Company currently has 84,832,845 common shares issued and outstanding, and immediately following the Consolidation the Company expects to have, subject to rounding adjustment, approximately 16,966,572 common shares issued and outstanding, none of which are subject to escrow.

Letters of Transmittal will be mailed shortly to registered shareholders who hold share certificates, with instructions for the exchange of existing share certificates for new share certificates. Shareholders holding uncertificated shares (such as BEO, NCI and DRS positions) will have their holdings adjusted electronically by the Company’s transfer agent and need not take any further action to exchange their pre-Consolidation shares for post-Consolidation shares.

The Company expects that the Consolidation will provide the Company with increased flexibility in structuring and completing financings and potential business transactions. Shareholder approval for the Consolidation was received at the Company’s Annual General and Special Meeting of Shareholders held on June 12, 2025, as previously announced on June 25, 2025.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF Rio Silver INC.
Chris Verrico
Director, President and Chief Executive Officer

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For further information,

Christopher Verrico, President, CEO
Tel: (604) 762-4448
Email: chris.verrico@riosilverinc.com
Website: www.riosilverinc.com

This news release includes forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements within, other than statements of historical fact, are to be considered forward looking. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such statements will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements except as required by applicable laws.

News Provided by GlobeNewswire via QuoteMedia

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Market Pain, Strategic Gain: Pilbara Minerals’ Dale Henderson on Today’s Lithium Paradox

“(Lithium) is not for the faint-hearted. It demands resilience, foresight and leadership,” said Pilbara Minerals (ASX:PLS,OTC Pink:PILBF) Managing Director and CEO Dale Henderson.

He was speaking at Fastmarkets’ Lithium Supply & Battery Raw Materials Conference, held this week in Las Vegas.

Henderson touched on three main points: current lithium market dynamics, how Pilbara Minerals is navigating the lithium landscape and his recommendations for the global lithium industry.

Lithium’s strong long-term fundamentals

Henderson began by going over key numbers relevant to the lithium sector. According to the CEO, there was a 26 percent year-on-year increase in demand for electric vehicles (EVs) from 2023 to 2024.

Lithium plays a vital role in the production of EVs, as it is a key component of the batteries that power them.

Alongside that EV demand increase, mass energy storage also saw a 51 percent leap.

“I don’t think there’ll be any deniers around the long-term prospects of lithium, but it’s worth reflecting on how quickly it’s changing,’ Henderson told the Fastmarkets audience.

Henderson speaks on stage at the Fastmarkets event.

Image via Georgia Williams.

Looking at areas connected to lithium, Henderson mentioned solar, saying it now surpasses all power-generation technology investment combined. Solar falls under the clean energy umbrella, which receives more than $2.2 trillion in investment per year — twice the amount of investment made in fossil fuels.

“We are witnessing and (are) part of an incredible period. Technology, policy (and) consumer sentiment can continue to drive what is a structural shift towards electrification,’ he said. ‘Lithium remains at the center of this shift.’

The paradox, according to Henderson, is that while scaling up is happening, prices have been cycling down.

“We’re 12 months into a period of curtailments and reset. And where we are now — we sit deep into the cost curve with price levels, of course, at unsustainable levels for many operators,’ he noted.

‘But these cycles, or these resets, offer a fantastic reset for market, albeit they’re painful.”

The Pilbara CEO emphasized that while lithium prices have fallen to “clearly unsustainable” levels, the long-term demand and strategic relevance of lithium will survive it.

“This is not a short-term trend. This is a structural transformation, and lithium remains at core.”

Pilbara Minerals’ lithium strategy

Looking over to Pilbara Minerals, Henderson went over its recent achievements and future plans.

“We’re keeping our lives absolutely committed to our strategy,” he said about the company, adding that the past year was Pilbara Minerals’ “most transformational year for business.”

Highlights from the period include the acquisition of Latin Resources and its flagship Salinas lithium project in Brazil, which was announced in August 2024 and closed this past February.

The CEO also discussed the company’s flagship Pilgangoora operation, which he described as a globally significant tier-one lithium asset with a mine life of 33 years. Pilgangoora is located 140 kilometers from Port Hedland in Western Australia and is one of the world’s largest hard-rock lithium operations.

Pilbara Minerals has completed two expansions, including the buildout of the world’s largest hard-rock ore-sorting plant, which aims to improve lithium recovery, increase final product quality and reduce energy consumption.

In addition to that, Henderson said Pilbara Minerals boosted its reserves by 23 percent last year.

Furthermore, the company became a lithium hydroxide producer via its partnership with POSCO Holdings (NYSE:PKX,KRX:005490), and is working on a demonstration plant for its midstream project.

In January, the Western Australian government’s Investment Attraction Fund contributed AU$15 million for work at the plant, which is a joint venture with Calix (NYSE:CALX,ASX:CXL).

Henderson said the demonstration plant is currently under construction.

Last year, Pilbara Minerals contributed approximately 8 percent to global lithium supply. The company’s cash balance currently stands at AU$1.1 billion.

Lithium industry must align for success

According to Henderson, certainty and efficient operations are everything in today’s lithium market.

“Government policy is forcing change, both in sticks and carrots, and supply chain diversification is underway, but largely the processing remains very much concentrated,’ he said.

Henderson highlighted coordination and collaboration as key points, saying that thriving in this environment means building deeper integration across the supply chain.

Lithium industry challenges and opportunities.

Chart via Pilbara Minerals.

He added that the lithium industry is not the first sector to grow from a small base and has yet to mature on a number of dimensions. Henderson summarized his key recommendations into four points:

  • Support a central and efficient spot market trading location
  • Put a trusted futures exchange in place
  • Align on specifications across the lithium product site
  • Align on standardized trading terms

He also presented a list of challenges and corresponding opportunities regarding the lithium market, saying that while there’s a lot of pain in the industry, it’s also the time for great partnerships to be forged.

“This industry will evolve with or without our stewardship. This is a call to leadership across our group,” he concluded. “The challenge is ours. The opportunity is real. Let’s build it together and turn this market pain into a strategic avenue.”

Securities Disclosure: I, Gabrielle de la Cruz, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

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Platinum Price Surges to 11 Year High, Breaks US$1,400

The platinum price surged above US$1,400 per ounce during Thursday (June 26) morning trading, reaching its highest level in 11 years amid a wave of speculative buying in the US and China.

In the US, industrial demand for the metal is rising as American carmakers scale back their electrification plans. At the same time, new policies are set to walk back consumer subsidies for electric vehicles.

These Trump administration mandates are expected to result in increased demand for traditional internal combustion engines or hybrid vehicles, which require higher platinum loadouts.

Tariff fears have also had an effect, with 500,000 ounces of platinum transferred to US warehouses.

Meanwhile, Chinese jewelry fabricators have been seeking at platinum as they shift away from gold, which continues to trade at record-high prices. In April, platinum imports to China surged to more than 10 metric tons.

Palladium was also up on Thursday, breaking the US$1,100 per ounce mark for the first time in 2025.

Platinum price, June 19 to June 26, 2025

In addition to demand factors, platinum supply has been impacted by reduced output at South African mines, which are facing energy disruptions, aging infrastructure and underinvestment in new operations.

The platinum market is expected to record its third consecutive deficit in 2025 at 966,000 ounces.

But it’s not just platinum fundamentals that are impacting the price. Thursday’s gains came alongside a dip in the US dollar index, which sank more than half a percent during the day’s trading session.

The index fell to 97.13, its lowest level since 2022, indicating weaker sentiment for the US dollar, following the release of the US Bureau of Economic Analysis’ third GDP revision revision for the first quarter of 2025.

The data shows that the US economy contracted by 0.5 percent, following a growth rate of 2.4 percent in the final quarter of 2024. The number is significantly different than the 0.3 percent decline reported in the advanced estimate and the 0.2 percent outlined in the second revision. The agency attributes the change to an increase in imports as US businesses increased their inventories to prepare for tariffs proposed by the Trump administration.

The drop in the US dollar index also follows comments made by President Donald Trump this week, indicating that he may look to replace Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell as soon as September or October. Powell’s term as head of the central bank is set to expire in May 2026, and his role as governor is due to end in 2028.

Trump has railed against Powell since the start of his term, suggesting the central bank leader has moved too slowly in cutting interest rates. Whether Trump can remove Powell remains to be seen, as the president would need the consent of Congress to carry out such a move.

Securities Disclosure: I, Dean Belder, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Freegold Ventures Limited – Results of the Annual General and Special Meeting

Freegold Ventures Limited (TSX: FVL) (OTCQX: FGOVF) (‘Freegold’ or the ‘Company ‘) is pleased to announce that all matters set out in the Management Information Circular dated May 26 2025 for the 2025 Annual General and Special Meeting of Shareholders held on June 27, 2025 (the ‘Meeting’) were approved by the shareholders holding 98,154,137 shares were voted representing approximately ~ 18.56% of the outstanding shares of the Company.

The following nine nominees were elected as directors of Freegold. The detailed results of the vote for the election of directors are set out below:

MOTIONS

NUMBER OF SHARES

PERCENTAGE OF VOTES CAST

FOR

AGAINST

WITHHELD/
ABSTAIN

FOR

AGAINST

WITHHELD/
ABSTAIN

To elect as Director :Kristina Walcott

96,353,303

1,800,834

98.165 %

1.835 %

To Elect as Director: Alvin Jackson

97,016,593

1,137,544

98.841 %

1.159 %

To Elect as Director: David Knight

85,790,018

12,364,119

87.403 %

12.597 %

To Elect as Director: Garnet Dawson

97,308,977

845,160

99.139 %

0.861 %

To Elect as Director: Ron Ewing

96,839,477

1,314,660

98.661 %

1.339 %

To Elect as Director: Glen Dickson

85,396,927

12,757,210

87.003 %

12.997 %

To Elect as Director: Reagan Glazier

79,513,338

18,640,799

81.009 %

18.991 %

To Elect as Director: Maurice Tagami

97,900,807

253,330

99.742 %

0.258 %

To Elect as Director: Vivienne Artz

93,614,569

4,539,568

95.375 %

4.625 %

The Company’s shareholders approved the appointment of Davidson & Company LLP, Chartered Professional Accountants, as the Company’s auditors, as set forth in the management information circular.

The Company’s shareholders approved the Company’s new omnibus equity incentive plan.

Each of the matters voted upon at the Meeting is discussed in detail in the Company’s Information Circular dated May 26 th, 2025, which is filed under the Company’s profile at www.sedarplus.com.

Golden Summit Project Update:

Drilling at Golden Summit is progressing well. Drilling is focused on resource definition, which includes both expansion and infill drilling, as well as geotechnical and metallurgical holes. Like the 2024 drill program, the current efforts aim to upgrade inferred resources to indicated status in preparation for the upcoming pre-feasibility study, which is expected to commence later this year. An updated mineral resource estimate is expected to be finalised soon, and the initial assay results from the 2025 drill program are also anticipated shortly.

The Qualified Person for this release is Alvin Jackson , P.Geo., Vice President of Exploration and Development for Freegold, who has approved the scientific and technical disclosure in this news release.

About Freegold Ventures Limited  
Freegold is a TSX-listed company focused on exploration in Alaska . It holds the Golden Summit Gold Project near Fairbanks and the Shorty Creek Copper-Gold Project near Livengood through leases.

Some statements in this news release contain forward-looking information, including, without limitation, statements as to planned expenditures and exploration programs, potential mineralization and resources, exploration results, the completion of an updated NI 43-101 technical report, and any other future plans. These statements address future events and conditions and, as such, involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by the statements. Such factors include, without limitation, the completion of planned expenditures, the ability to complete exploration programs on schedule, and the success of exploration programs. See Freegold’s Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31st, 2024 , filed under Freegold’s profile at www.sedar.com , for a detailed discussion of the risk factors associated with Freegold’s operations. On January 30, 2020 , the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a global health emergency. Reactions to the spread of COVID-19 continue to lead to, among other things, significant restrictions on travel, business closures, quarantines, and a general reduction in economic activity. While these effects have been reduced in recent months, the continuation and re-introduction of significant restrictions, business disruptions, and related financial impact, and the duration of any such disruptions cannot be reasonably estimated. The risks to Freegold of such public health crises also include employee health and safety risks and a slowdown or temporary suspension of operations in geographic locations impacted by an outbreak. Such public health crises, as well as global geopolitical crises, can result in volatility and disruptions in the supply and demand for various products and services, global supply chains, and financial markets, as well as declining trade and market sentiment and reduced mobility of people, all of which could affect interest rates, credit ratings, credit risk, and inflation. As a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, Freegold has implemented a COVID management program and established a full-service Camp at Golden Summit to attempt to mitigate risks to its employees, contractors, and community. While the extent to which COVID-19 may impact Freegold is uncertain, it is possible that COVID-19 may have a material adverse effect   on Freegold’s business, results of operations, and financial condition.

SOURCE Freegold Ventures Limited

View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/June2025/27/c9322.html

News Provided by Canada Newswire via QuoteMedia

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Top 5 Canadian Mining Stocks This Week: Onyx Gold Shines with 118 Percent Gain

Statistics Canada released April’s gross domestic product (GDP) numbers on Friday (June 27). The data showed a slowing in the Canadian economy with a 0.1 percent monthly decline after it increased 0.2 percent in March as businesses attempted to get ahead of US tariff deadlines.

In April, the shift in US trade policy led to significant declines in the manufacturing sector, which saw its largest drop in four years at 1.9 percent. Durable goods manufacturing declined for the first time in four months, dropping 2.2 percent d. The most heavily impacted sub-sectors were transportation equipment and the auto sector, which fell 21.6 percent and 5.2 percent, respectively.

On the positive side, finance and insurance experienced growth of 0.7 percent, with investment services and funds contributing 3.5 percent growth to the sector. StatsCan indicated that the US tariff announcement on April 2 led to increased selling activity in Canadian equity markets.

The Canadian resource sector was flat overall during the month. The oil and gas extraction, excluding oil sands, fell 1.1 percent in April, while oil sands extraction remained unchanged. The agency said that higher bitumen extraction was offset by lower synthetic crude production. Additionally, a temporary shutdown in the Keystone pipeline due to a rupture contributed to a decline in activity.

However, losses were offset by a 4.8 percent gain in support activities for the mining and oil and gas extraction subsectors, with an increase in rigging and drilling activities.

While some of the month-over-month decline was due to the increase in output in March, StatsCan suggests that further slowing is on the way. The agency reported that advanced figures for May show a further 0.1 decline, noting a decrease in the mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction category.

South of the border, the US Bureau of Economic Activity released May’s personal consumption expenditures price index (PCE) data on Friday. The index is a key inflation indicator and is the preferred measure used by the Federal Reserve when making its rate decision. The central bank has held its current rate at the 4.25 to 4.5 percent range since it last lowered it in November 2024.

The report shows inflation ticked up 2.3 percent on an annualized basis, higher than the 2.2 percent recorded in April. The increase came after two consecutive months of slowing from 2.7 percent in February and 2.3 percent in March.

Less the more volatile food and energy categories, PCE gained 2.7 percent during the period. While costs for goods increased, current-dollar personal income was down 0.4 percent and disposable income fell 0.6 percent.

US President Donald Trump again signaled his displeasure with the slow pace of rate cuts earlier in the week, and with the Wall Street Journal reporting on Wednesday (June 25) that he may announce a replacement for Chairman Jerome Powell as early as this summer.

While it’s unclear if he will try to remove Powell from the post, the president may try to create a “shadow Fed” that could work to influence markets and undermine decisions made by the current chairman. Powell’s term as chairman is set to expire in May 2026, while his time as board governor won’t end until 2028. His removal would require an act of Congress.

Markets and commodities react

In Canada, major indexes ended the week up. The S&P/TSX Composite Index (INDEXTSI:OSPTX) gained 0.77 percent during the week to close at 26,687.14 on Friday. The S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index (INDEXTSI:JX) fared better, gaining 1.47 percent to 724.26, while the CSE Composite Index (CSE:CSECOMP) climbed 0.74 percent to 117.39.

US equities were also in positive territory this week, with the S&P 500 (INDEXSP:INX) gaining 3.41 percent to close at a record high of 6,173.08, the Nasdaq-100 (INDEXNASDAQ:NDX) surging 4.17 percent to its own all-time high of 22,534.20. While it didn’t break its previous high, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX:.DJI) also climbed significantly, up 3.89 percent to 43,819.26.

On the other hand, the gold price declined this week, falling 2.8 percent to US$3,274.15 by Friday at 4 p.m. EDT. The silver price ended the week down just 0.05 percent at US$35.99.

In base metals, the COMEX copper price surged 5.59 percent over the week to US$5.12 per pound. Prices have been rising due to increased purchases ahead of US tariffs and significant drawdowns of inventories in London Metals Exchange warehouses.

Meanwhile, the S&P GSCI (INDEXSP:SPGSCI) lost 6.07 percent to close at 545.71.

Top Canadian mining stocks this week

How did mining stocks perform against this backdrop?

Take a look at this week’s five best-performing Canadian mining stocks below.

Stock data for this article was retrieved at 4 p.m. EDT on Friday using TradingView’s stock screener. Only companies trading on the TSX, TSXV and CSE with market capitalizations greater than C$10 million are included. Mineral companies within the non-energy minerals, energy minerals, process industry and producer manufacturing sectors were considered.

1. Onyx Gold (TSXV:ONYX)

Weekly gain: 121.28 percent
Market cap: C$106.84 million
Share price: C$2.08

Onyx Gold is an exploration company advancing its Munro-Croesus project, located near Timmins in Ontario, Canada. The company has increased the size of the land package by 200 percent between 2020 and 2025, and the project now covers an area of 109 square kilometers.

Munro-Croesus hosts the historic Croesus mine, which produced 14,859 ounces of gold between 1915 and 1936 with an average grade of 95.3 grams per metric ton (g/t). Onyx is the first company to explore the property since the mine closed.

Shares in Onyx have seen gains in recent weeks as it made several investment and project announcements.

The first came on June 12, when the company announced that it had completed a private placement with Windfall Mining, a subsidiary of Gold Fields (NYSE:GFI), which purchased 9.4 percent of Onyx’s issued and outstanding shares. Onyx said the investment is an endorsement of its long-term vision.

As for this week, on Tuesday (June 24), Onyx announced that it signed a mineral property purchase and sale agreement to acquire a 100 percent interest in the Munro and Hewitt properties, both located near the existing Munro-Croesus project. The acquisition will expand the company’s land package to 109 square kilometers from the previous 95 square kilometers.

In its most recent update on Thursday (June 26), the company reported the first drill results from its 10,000 meter spring drill program at the Argus North zone at Munro-Croesus. One highlighted assay contained 1.8 grams per metric ton (g/t) gold over 91 meters, including 4 g/t over 32 meters and 5.3 g/t over 17 meters.

The company said the results demonstrate the continuity of broad zones of high-grade gold mineralization. It added that mineralization was confirmed along strike and that the zone is still open in all directions.

2. US Copper (TSXV:USCU)

Weekly gain: 83.33 percent
Market cap: C$14.5 million
Share price: C$0.11

US Copper is an exploration company working to advance its Moonlight-Superior project in Northeast California, United States.

The project covers approximately 13 square miles of patented and unpatented federal mining claims in the Lights Creek Copper District, near the Nevada border.

A preliminary economic assessment released on January 6 demonstrated a post-tax net present value of US$1.08 billion with an internal rate of return of 23 percent and a payback period of 5.3 years, assuming a copper price of US$4.15 per pound.

The included mineral resource estimate shows a total indicated resource of 2.5 billion pounds of copper, 21.7 million ounces of silver and 140,042 ounces of gold from 402.83 million metric tons of ore with a grade of 0.31 percent copper, 1.85 parts per million (ppm) silver and 0.012 ppm gold. The majority is hosted at its Moonlight and Superior deposits.

Although the company did not release news this week, its shares have seen significant gains alongside a rising price of copper.

3. ArcWest Exploration (TSXV:AWX)

Weekly gain: 68.42 percent
Market cap: C$11.21 million
Share price: C$0.16

ArcWest Exploration is an exploration company that has most recently been working to advance its Todd Creek and Oweegee Dome properties within the Golden Triangle in British Columbia, Canada.

The Todd Creek property is a 21,343 hectare site that adjoins Newmont’s (TSX:NGT,NYSE:NEM) Brucejack property and hosts widespread copper and gold mineralization. Historical exploration of the site yielded grab samples with up to 37.7 g/t gold and 5.3 percent copper. The project is covered by a March 2023 earn-in agreement with Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE:FCX) that could see Freeport earn a 51 percent stake, with C$20 million in investments over a five year period.

The 31,077 hectare Oweegee Dome property is located 34 kilometers northeast of the Brucejack mine and hosts underexplored copper and gold systems, including Delta and Skowill East. Oweegee Dome is covered by a July 2021 option agreement with Sanatana Resources (TSXV:STA). Under the terms of the agreement, Sanatana can earn an initial 60 percent interest in the property through cumulative exploration investments of C$6.6 million over four years.

Shares in ArcWest gained this week after a pair of announcements.

The first came on Wednesday, when the company reported results from a 2024 drill program, funded and operated by Sanatana, that extended the mineralized zone at Oweegee Dome. Sanatana President Buddy Doyle said, “We now think the alteration and mineralization we see at surface at Delta is only the southeast corner of a larger system.”

The other news was released on Thursday, when it announced it had mobilized for a drill program at Todd Creek. The program will receive a minimum of C$4 million in funding from Freeport-McMoRan.

4. Belo Sun (TSXV:BSX)

Weekly gain: 62.79 percent
Market cap: C$163.35 million
Share price: C$0.35

Belo Sun Mining is an exploration and development company focused on advancing its Volta Grande gold project in Brazil.

The property covers approximately 2,400 hectares within the Tres Palmeiras greenstone belt in Para State, Brazil. The company has been working on the project since 2003, and acquired necessary development permits in 2014 and 2017.

A 2015 mineral reserve estimate demonstrated a proven and probable reserve of 3.79 million ounces of gold from 116 million metric tons of ore with an average grade of 1.02 g/t.

Development at the site stalled in 2018 after a federal judge ruled that the Federal Brazilian Institute of the Environment (IBMA) would be the competent authority for issuing environmental permits. The decision was overturned in 2019 with the Secretariat of Environment and Sustainability of the State of Para (SEMAS) reassuming its permitting authority. The decision was once again reversed in September 2023, returning authority to IBMA.

On January 23, Belo Sun announced that the Federal Court of Appeals had reassigned SEMAS as the permitting authority for the Volta Grande project. The company said it was pleased with the decision, as the agency is familiar with the project and enjoys a constructive and transparent relationship with it.

On Monday (June 23), the company announced shareholders approved a renewal of the company’s governance structure and elected four new directors to the board. Four of the board’s six members are now either Brazilian or have spent significant parts of their careers working in Brazil.

5. Reyna Silver (TSXV:RSLV)

Weekly gain: 52.94 percent
Market cap: C$33.05 million
Share price: C$0.13

Reyna Silver is a silver exploration company with a portfolio of assets in Chihuahua, Mexico, and Nevada, US.

One of its two Mexican assets is Guigui, a 4,750 hectare property covering a significant portion of the Santa Eulalia Mining District. The area has a history of mining dating back to the 1700s with production of almost 450 million ounces of silver between then and 2001.

Its other one is Batopilas, a 1,183 hectare site that covers 94 percent of the Batopilas Mining District, which has significant deposits of pure, native silver. Historic mining at the site produced an estimated 200 million to 300 million ounces of silver dating back to the mid-1600s.

Its primary American asset is the Gryphon Summit project located along the Carlin-trend. The project covers an area of 10,300 hectares and is prospective for gold, silver and critical minerals.

It also owns the Medicine Springs project, which spans 4,831 hectares south of Elko City. Previous exploration at the site identified lead, zinc and silver mineralization.

Shares in Reyna gained this week after it entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Torex Gold (TSX:TXG).

The deal, valued at US$26 million, will see Torex acquire all issued and outstanding common shares in Reyna, thereby gaining access to its wholly owned Mexican portfolio. Additionally, Torex will have the option to acquire a 70 percent stake in the Gryphon Summit project and a 100 percent interest in Medicine Springs.

FAQs for Canadian mining stocks

What is the difference between the TSX and TSXV?

The TSX, or Toronto Stock Exchange, is used by senior companies with larger market caps, and the TSXV, or TSX Venture Exchange, is used by smaller-cap companies. Companies listed on the TSXV can graduate to the senior exchange.

How many mining companies are listed on the TSX and TSXV?

As of February 2025, there were 1,572 companies listed on the TSXV, 905 of which were mining companies. Comparatively, the TSX was home to 1,859 companies, with 181 of those being mining companies.

Together the TSX and TSXV host around 40 percent of the world’s public mining companies.

How much does it cost to list on the TSXV?

There are a variety of different fees that companies must pay to list on the TSXV, and according to the exchange, they can vary based on the transaction’s nature and complexity. The listing fee alone will most likely cost between C$10,000 to C$70,000. Accounting and auditing fees could rack up between C$25,000 and C$100,000, while legal fees are expected to be over C$75,000 and an underwriters’ commission may hit up to 12 percent.

The exchange lists a handful of other fees and expenses companies can expect, including but not limited to security commission and transfer agency fees, investor relations costs and director and officer liability insurance.

These are all just for the initial listing, of course. There are ongoing expenses once companies are trading, such as sustaining fees and additional listing fees, plus the costs associated with filing regular reports.

How do you trade on the TSXV?

Investors can trade on the TSXV the way they would trade stocks on any exchange. This means they can use a stock broker or an individual investment account to buy and sell shares of TSXV-listed companies during the exchange’s trading hours.

Article by Dean Belder; FAQs by Lauren Kelly.

Securities Disclosure: I, Dean Belder, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

Securities Disclosure: I, Lauren Kelly, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Japan executes ‘Twitter killer’ who murdered and dismembered nine people

Editor’s Note: Help is available if you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts or mental health matters.
In the US: Call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
Globally: The International Association for Suicide Prevention and Befrienders Worldwide have contact information for crisis centers around the world.

Japan has executed a man dubbed the “Twitter killer,” who was convicted of murdering and dismembering nine people, mostly women, in the country’s first use of capital punishment in nearly three years.

Takahiro Shiraishi, 34, was hanged Friday at the Tokyo Detention House. He was sentenced to death in 2020 after pleading guilty to killing the nine people – eight women and one man.

Shiraishi was arrested in October 2017 after police searched his home in the city of Zama in Kanagawa prefecture, on the outskirts of Tokyo, to investigate the disappearance of a 23-year-old woman who had expressed suicidal thoughts on social media, including Twitter, now known as X.

The high-profile mass murder case had gripped the nation for years and raised concerns over the use of social media.

The nine victims were aged between 15 and 26, according to Japanese public broadcaster NHK and TV Asahi, which both cited court proceedings. The victims had posted online that they wanted to kill themselves, and were subsequently contacted by Shiraishi through social media platforms, NHK and TV Asahi reported.

Using a handle which loosely translates as “hangman,” Shiraishi invited them to his apartment in Zama, promising to help them die, the Jiji news agency reported, citing the indictment.

Shiraishi pleaded guilty to murdering the victims, saying in court that he had killed them to satisfy his own sexual desires, NHK and TV Asahi reported.

He was found guilty in December 2020 of murdering, raping and dismembering the nine victims, and storing their bodies in his apartment.

Shiraishi’s lawyer appealed the ruling to the Tokyo High Court, but he later withdrew the appeal and the sentence was finalized, NHK reported.

“This case, driven by selfish motives such as sexual and financial gratification, resulted in the deaths of nine individuals over two months – a deeply serious incident that has caused shock and anxiety across society. I understand it is an especially heartbreaking case for both the victims and their families,” Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki told reporters Friday at a press conference.

Shiraishi’s execution is the first the country has seen since July 2022, NHK reported.

In Japan, the death penalty is delivered by hanging, with execution dates not made public until after the penalty is carried out. Executions are shrouded in secrecy with little to no warning, and families and lawyers are usually notified only after the execution has taken place.

“The death sentence was finalized following a thorough trial process. After careful and deliberate consideration of all factors, I issued the execution order,” Suzuki said.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

This post appeared first on cnn.com

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More than a third of this country’s population has applied to relocate

More than a third of the population of Tuvalu has applied to move to Australia, under a landmark visa scheme designed to help people escape rising sea levels.

The island nation – roughly halfway between Hawaii and Australia – is home to about 10,000 people, according to the latest government statistics, living across a clutch of tiny islets and atolls in the South Pacific.

With no part of its territory above six meters, it is one of the most at-risk places in the world to rising seas caused by climate change.

On June 16, Australia opened a roughly one-month application window for what it says is a one-of-a-kind visa offering necessitated by climate change. Under the new scheme, Australia will accept 280 visa winners from a random ballot between July and January 2026. The Tuvaluans will get permanent residency on arrival in Australia, with the right to work and access public healthcare and education.

“The opening of the Falepili Mobility Pathway delivers on our shared vision for mobility with dignity, by providing Tuvaluans the opportunity to live, study and work in Australia as climate impacts worsen,” Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in a statement.

According to Tuvalu’s Prime Minister Feleti Teo, more than half of Tuvalu will be regularly inundated by tidal surges by 2050. By 2100, 90% of his nation will be regularly under water, he says.

Fongafale, the nation’s capital, is the largest and most populated islet in Tuvalu’s main atoll, Funafuti. It has a runway-like strip of land just 65 feet (20 meters) wide in some places.

“You can put yourself in my situation, as the prime minister of Tuvalu, contemplating development, contemplating services for the basic needs of our people, and at the same time being presented with a very confronting and disturbing forecast,” Teo told the United Nations Oceans Conference this month in Nice, France.

“Internal relocation in Tuvalu is not an option, we are totally flat,” the prime minister said on June 12. “There is no option to move inland or move to higher ground, because there is no higher ground.”

The visa scheme is part of a broader pact signed between Australia and Tuvalu in 2023, which binds Australia to defending Tuvalu both militarily and against rising seas.

Tuvalu, which claims 900,000 square kilometers of the South Pacific, is considered by Canberra as a crucial player in its ongoing struggle with China for regional influence.

Recognition is something Australia has said it will guarantee for Tuvalu, even if nobody can live there in the future. “The statehood and sovereignty of Tuvalu will continue, and the rights and duties inherent thereto will be maintained, notwithstanding the impact of climate change-related sea-level rise,” their treaty reads.

In 2022, at COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, Tuvalu announced that it sought to become the first nation in the world to move entirely online. The government has since developed a plan to “digitally recreate its land, archive its rich history and culture and move all government functions into a digital space.” Australia now recognizes Tuvalu’s “digital sovereignty,” which the country hopes will allow it to “retain its identity and continue to function as a state, even after its physical land is gone.”

Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said last year his country shared a vision for a “peaceful, stable, prosperous and unified region.”

“It shows our Pacific partners that they can rely on Australia as a trusted and genuine partner.”

Australia’s support for the Pacific island nation has stood in stark contrast in recent months to US President Donald Trump’s administration, which has imposed sweeping crackdowns on climate policies and immigration.

Tuvalu is among a group of 36 countries that the Trump administration is looking to add to the current travel ban list, according to the Associated Press.

The ban fully restricts entry of nationals from 12 countries: Afghanistan; Myanmar, also known as Burma; Chad; Republic of the Congo; Equatorial Guinea; Eritrea; Haiti; Iran; Libya; Somalia; Sudan; and Yemen. People from seven countries also face partial restrictions: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela.

The 36 countries, including Tuvalu’s Pacific neighbors Tonga and Vanuatu, had been told to commit to improving vetting of travelers and take steps to address the status of their nationals who are in the United States illegally or face similar restrictions, the AP reported, citing a diplomatic cable sent by the State Department.

This post appeared first on cnn.com

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