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Democrats in Washington, D.C., are misrepresenting major criticisms of President Trump’s ‘big beautiful bill’ with incorrect facts, according to an expert who spoke to Fox News Digital this week as Trump’s budget reconciliation package is debated in Congress. 

‘The bill doesn’t cut benefits for anyone who has income below the poverty line, anyone who is working at least 20 hours a week and not caring for a child, and people who are Americans,’ Jim Agresti, president and cofounder of Just Facts, told Fox News Digital in response to criticisms from Democrats and a handful of Republicans, including Sen. Josh Hawley, that Trump’s bill will cut Medicaid and disproportionately hurt the poor. 

‘In other words, it cuts out illegal immigrants who are not Americans and fraudsters. So that narrative has no basis in reality. See, what’s been going on since the Medicaid program was started? Is that it’s been expanded and expanded and extended. You know, it got its start in 1966. And since that time, the poverty rate has stayed roughly level around 11% to 15%. While the portion of people in the United States on Medicaid has skyrocketed from 3% to 29%. Right now, 2.5 times more people are on Medicaid than are in poverty.’

Medicaid cuts and reform have been a major sticking point with Democrats, who have merged data from two new reports from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to back up claims that nearly 14 million would lose coverage. The White House and Republicans have objected, as not all the policy proposals evaluated were actually included in Republicans’ legislation, and far fewer people would actually face insurance loss. 

Instead, Republicans argue that their proposed reforms to implement work requirements, strengthen eligibility checks and crack down on Medicaid for illegal immigrants preserve the program for those who really need it. 

‘I agree,’ Dem. Rep. Jasmine Crockett said in response to a claim on CNN that Republicans ‘want poor people to die’ with Medicaid cuts. 

Agresti told Fox News Digital that the Medicaid cuts are aimed at bringing people out of poverty and waste. 

‘It’s putting some criteria down to say, ‘Hey, if you want this, and you’re not in poverty, you need to work,” Agresti said. ‘You need to do something to better your situation, which is what these programs are supposed to be, lifting people out of poverty, not sticking them there for eternity. So the whole idea is to get people working, give them an incentive. Hey, if you want to do better in life, and you want this Medicaid coverage, then you have to earn it.’

Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders has claimed the bill is a ‘death sentence for the working class,’ because it raises health insurance ‘copayments for poor people.’

Agresti called that claim ‘outlandish.’

‘First of all, the Big Beautiful Bill does not raise copayments on anyone who’s below the poverty line,’ he explained. ‘Now, for people who are above the poverty line, it requires states to at least charge some sort of copayment, and it also reduces, actually, the max copayment from $100 per visit to $35 per visit.’

Agresti went on to explain that under the current system, ‘people have basically free rein to just go to a doctor or an emergency room or any other place without any co-payment, and they’re not in poverty.’

‘What ends up happening is they waste a ton of money,’ Agresti said. ‘This has been proven through randomized control trials, which are the gold standard for social science analysis, where you have people in a lottery system, some people get the benefit, and some people don’t, and what you end up seeing is that people who don’t have to have skin in the game, abuse emergency rooms, they go there for a stuffy nose, rack up all this money, and it does nothing to improve their health. It’s just wasteful.’

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Sanders Communications Director Anna Bahr said, ‘Mr. Agresti’s facts here are simply incorrect.’

Sanders’ office added that ‘nearly half of all enrollees on the ACA exchanges are Republicans’ and pointed to the House-passed reconciliation bill that Sanders’ office argues ‘says that if a worker can’t navigate the maze of paperwork that the bill creates for Medicaid enrollees, they are barred from receiving ACA tax credits as well.’

‘But workers must earn at least $15,650 per year to qualify for tax credits on the ACA marketplaces – approximately equal to the annual income for a full-time worker earning the federal minimum wage.’

Sanders’ office also pointed to ‘CBO estimates that 16 million people will lose insurance as a result of the House-passed bill and the Republicans ending the ACA’s enhanced premium tax credits.’

Sanders’ office also reiterated that the House-passed bill makes a ‘fundamental change’ to copay for Medicaid beneficiaries, shifting from optional to mandatory.

‘While claiming that I’m ‘incorrect,’ Sanders’ staff fails to provide a single fact that shows the BBB cuts health care for poor working Americans,’ Agresti responded. 

‘It’s especially laughable that they cite expanded Obamacare subsidies in this context, because people in poverty aren’t even eligible for them,’ Agresti continued. ‘After this ‘temporary’ Covid-era handout expires, people with incomes up to 400% of the federal poverty level — or $150,600 for a family of five — will still be eligible for this welfare program, although they will receive less.’

Agresti argued that the claim a ‘max $35 copay (for people who are not poor) ‘hurts working families’’ is not supported by research ‘which makes generalizations and merely cites ‘associations.”

‘As commonly taught in high school math, association doesn’t prove causation,’ Agresti said. 

Sanders’ office told Fox News Digital, ‘Mr. Agresti seems to believe that a working family of four earning only $32,150 per year doesn’t deserve help affording their health care. Health care in the United States is more expensive than anywhere in the world. Terminating health care coverage for 16 million Americans and increasing health care costs for millions will make it harder for working people to afford the health care they need, even if Mr. Agresti doesn’t agree.’

Agresti also took issue with the narrative that cuts cannot be made to Medicaid without cutting benefits to people who are entitled to them.

‘The Government Accountability Office has put out figures that are astonishing, hundreds of billions of dollars a year are going to waste,’ Agresti said. ‘So, yeah, some criteria to make sure that doesn’t happen is a wise idea. Unfortunately, there is a ton of white-collar crime in this country, and this kind of crime is a white-collar crime. It’s not committed with a gun, or by robbing or punching someone, it’s committed by fraud, and there’s an enormous amount of it. 

‘And the big, beautiful bill, again, seeks to rein that in by putting a criteria to make sure we’re checking people’s income, we’re checking their assets. A lot of these federal programs, government health care programs, they’ve stopped checking assets. So you could be a lottery winner sitting on $3 million in cash and have very little income. And still get children’s health insurance program benefits for your kids.’

Hawley said on Monday that he did not have a problem with some of the marquee changes to Medicaid that his House Republican counterparts wanted, including stricter work requirements, booting illegal immigrants from benefit rolls and rooting out waste, fraud and abuse in the program that serves tens of millions of Americans.

However, he noted that about 1.3 million Missourians rely on Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and contended that most were working.

‘These are not people who are sitting around, these are people who are working,’ he said. ‘They’re on Medicaid because they cannot afford private health insurance, and they don’t get it on the job.’

‘And I just think it’s wrong to go to those people and say, ‘Well, you know, we know you’re doing the best, we know that you’re working hard, but we’re going to take away your health care access,’’ he continued. 

Fox News Digital’s Diana Stancy and Alex Miller contributed to this report.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

President Donald Trump came back into office promising no new wars. So far, he’s kept that promise. But he’s also left much of Washington — and many of America’s allies — confused by a series of rapid, unexpected moves across the Middle East. 

In just a few months, Trump has reopened backchannels with Iran, then turned around and threatened its regime with collapse. He’s kept Israel at arm’s length — skipping it on his regional tour — before signaling support once again. He lifted U.S. sanctions on Syria’s Islamist leader, a figure long treated as untouchable in Washington. And he made headlines by hosting Pakistan’s top general at the White House, even as India publicly objected. 

For those watching closely, it’s been hard to pin down a clear doctrine. Critics see improvisation — sometimes even contradiction. But step back, and a pattern begins to emerge. It’s not about ideology, democracy promotion, or traditional alliances. It’s about access. Geography. Trade. 

More specifically, it may be about restarting a long-stalled infrastructure project meant to bypass China — and put the United States back at the center of a strategic economic corridor stretching from India to Europe. 

The project is called the India–Middle East–Europe Corridor, or IMEC. Most Americans have never heard of it. It was launched in 2023 at the G20 summit in New Delhi, as a joint initiative among the U.S., India, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and the European Union. Its goal? To build a modern infrastructure link connecting South Asia to Europe — without passing through Chinese territory or relying on Chinese capital. 

IMEC’s vision is bold but simple: Indian goods would travel west via rail and ports through the Gulf, across Israel, and on to European markets. Along the way, the corridor would connect not just trade routes, but energy pipelines, digital cables, and logistics hubs. It would be the first serious alternative to China’s Belt and Road Initiative — a way for the U.S. and its partners to build influence without boots on the ground. 

But before construction could begin, war broke out in Gaza. 

The October 2023 Hamas attacks and Israel’s military response sent the region into crisis. Normalization talks between Saudi Arabia and Israel fell apart. The Red Sea became a warzone for shipping. And Gulf capital flows paused. The corridor — and the broader idea of using infrastructure to tie the region together — was quietly shelved.

That’s the backdrop for Trump’s current moves. Taken individually, they seem scattered. Taken together, they align with the logic of clearing obstacles to infrastructure. Trump may not be drawing maps in the Situation Room. But his instincts — for leverage, dealmaking and unpredictability — are removing the very roadblocks that halted IMEC in the first place. 

His approach to Iran is a prime example. In April, backchannels were reopened on the nuclear front. In May, a Yemen truce was brokered — reducing attacks on Gulf shipping. In June, after Israeli strikes inside Iran, Trump escalated rhetorically, calling for Iran’s ‘unconditional surrender.’ That combination of engagement and pressure may sound erratic. But it mirrors the approach that cleared a diplomatic path with North Korea: soften the edges, then apply public pressure. 

Meanwhile, Trump’s temporary distancing from Israel is harder to miss. He skipped it on his regional tour and avoided aligning with Prime Minister Netanyahu’s continued hard-line approach to Gaza. Instead, he praised Qatar — a U.S. military partner and quiet mediator in the Gaza talks — and signaled support for Gulf-led reconstruction plans. The message: if Israel refuses to engage in regional stabilization, it won’t control the map. 

Trump also made the unexpected decision to lift U.S. sanctions on Syria’s new leader, President Ahmad al-Sharaa — a figure with a past in Islamist groups, now leading a transitional government backed by the UAE. Critics saw the move as legitimizing extremism. But in practice, it unlocked regional financing and access to transit corridors once blocked by U.S. policy. 

Even the outreach to Pakistan — which angered India — fits a broader infrastructure lens. Pakistan borders Iran, influences Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, and maintains ties with Gulf militaries. Welcoming Pakistan’s military chief was less about loyalty, and more about leverage. In corridor politics, geography often trumps alliances. 

None of this means Trump has a master plan. There’s no confirmed strategy memo that links these moves to IMEC. And the region remains volatile. Iran’s internal stability is far from guaranteed. The Gaza conflict could reignite. Saudi and Qatari interests don’t always align. But there’s a growing logic underneath the diplomacy: de-escalate just enough conflict to make capital flow again — and make corridors investable. 

That logic may not be ideologically pure. It certainly isn’t about spreading democracy. But it reflects a real shift in U.S. foreign policy. Call it infrastructure-first geopolitics — where trade routes, ports and pipelines matter more than treaties and summits. 

To be clear, the United States isn’t the only player thinking this way. China’s Belt and Road Initiative has been advancing the same model for over a decade. Turkey, Iran and Russia are also exploring new logistics and energy corridors. But what sets IMEC apart — and what makes Trump’s recent moves notable — is that it offers an opening for the U.S. to compete without large-scale military deployments or decades-long aid packages. 

Even the outreach to Pakistan — which angered India — fits a broader infrastructure lens. Pakistan borders Iran, influences Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, and maintains ties with Gulf militaries.

For all his unpredictability, Trump has always had a sense for economic leverage. That may be what we’re seeing here: less a doctrine than a direction. Less about grand visions, and more about unlocking chokepoints. 

There’s no guarantee it will work. The region could turn on a dime. And the corridor could remain, as it is now, a partially built concept waiting on political will. But Trump’s moves suggest he’s trying to build the conditions for it to restart — not by talking about peace, but by making peace a condition for investment. 

In a region long shaped by wars over ideology and territory, that may be its own kind of strategy. 

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

As President Donald Trump weighs joining Israel’s war to destroy Iran’s nuclear capabilities, the world’s chief nuclear official tells Fox News that he sees no evidence Iran’s leaders are racing to build a nuclear bomb.

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi said, ‘We have confirmed that Iran does have, even now, enough material for several warheads.

‘But this should not be equated with a nuclear weapon,’ Grossi continued, adding, ‘We do not have at this point, if you ask me, at this time, any tangible proof that there is a program, or a plan, to fabricate, to manufacture a nuclear weapon.’

Inspectors from Grossi’s agency, which is the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, are tasked with monitoring Iran’s nuclear activities. The IAEA has not been able to carry out inspections since Israel began attacking sites earlier this month but has been making extensive use of satellite imagery.

When asked by Fox News whether Iran’s nuclear program had been set back dramatically by Israel’s attacks to date, Grossi said, ‘No, I wouldn’t say so.

‘I think there have been a number of important military attacks and impacts,’ he said. ‘But it is very clear, and everybody agrees on this, that not everything has been taken out.’

He also argued that military action alone would not be enough to undo what Iran has learned in several decades of nuclear research.

‘One thing is the physical damage,’ Grossi said. ‘But then there is the knowledge factor, and the fact that it is very difficult to roll back the knowledge that a country has acquired.’

Iran has blamed Israel for the killings of multiple Iranian nuclear scientists over many years, including several in recent days. The IAEA censured Iran on June 12, just hours before Israel launched its wave of attacks, for failing to comply with commitments meant to prevent it from developing a nuclear weapon.

However, despite the IAEA reprimand, and the current fighting, Grossi insists a diplomatic solution remains a viable option.

‘I believe that there is a way to take this danger — or this concern — out of the table in a negotiated way.

‘I’ve been in conversations, very good conversations, with [President Trump’s envoy] Steve Witkoff and with the Iranians as well,’ Grossi said.

‘I believe there are ways in which we can make sure that Iran does not get a nuclear weapon. I think this is ultimately what Israel wants and what the United States has declared.

‘We are the international corps of inspectors, and we know what you would need to check in order to prevent this from happening.

‘We believe that the opportunity should be seized, as President Trump said, but of course the space for that is narrowing.’

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., issued a press release on Thursday in which he declared that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was ‘wrong’ in the past and is again now.

In the statement, Sanders pointed to comments Netanyahu made while speaking about Saddam Hussein at a U.S. congressional hearing in 2002. 

Netanyahu said at the time that ‘if you take out … Saddam’s regime,’ the move ‘will have enormous positive reverberations on the region.’ He said that there was ‘no question whatsoever’ that the Iraqi leader was pursuing the ‘development of nuclear weapons.’

‘Netanyahu was wrong. Very wrong. The war in Iraq resulted in 4,492 U.S. military deaths, over 32,000 wounded, and a cost of roughly three trillion dollars. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis also died as a result of that tragic war. Netanyahu was wrong regarding the war in Iraq. He is wrong now. We must not get involved in Netanyahu’s war against Iran,’ Sanders asserted in his statement.

President Donald Trump has not ruled out the prospect of U.S. military intervention as Israel targets Iran in a bid to stop the rogue regime from achieving its nuclear weapons ambitions.

‘Based on the fact that there’s a substantial chance of negotiations that may or may not take place with Iran in the near future, I will make my decision whether or not to go within the next two weeks,’ President Trump said, according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who read out the president’s comment during a press briefing on Thursday.

Trump has been clear that he opposes the prospect of Iran acquiring nuclear weapons.

‘AMERICA FIRST means many GREAT things, including the fact that, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!’ he declared in a Truth Social post on Monday.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Galan Lithium Limited (ASX:GLN) ( Galan or the Company ) is pleased to announce it has secured a binding commitment for a A$20 million placement ( Placement ) at A$0.11 per share, a 21% premium to the last closing price of A$0.091 as at 19 June 2025 from an existing shareholder, The Clean Elements Fund ( Clean Elements ). Additionally, Clean Elements will receive one unlisted option for every two shares issued under the Placement, with an exercise price of A$0.15 per option and an expiry date that is three years from the date of issue.

The Placement is subject to Clean Elements’ satisfactory completion of due diligence over a period not longer than 77 days. Full completion of the Placement will require shareholder approval which will be sought at a Galan general meeting, expected to be held in early September 2025 .

The Placement provides the final construction funding solution for Phase 1 (at 4ktpa LCE), of the Company’s world class Hombre Muerto West project ( HMW ) in Argentina , which will see production of lithium chloride concentrate in H1 2026.

Managing Director, Juan Pablo (JP) Vargas de la Vega, commented:

We are extremely pleased to receive further support from Clean Elements. HMW is a world-class lithium project, offering exceptional scale and grade. This commitment from Clean Elements, priced at a significant premium to our last closing share price, reflects the value proposition provided by Galan.

To have executed this funding agreement whilst facing strong macro headwinds for the lithium industry is a huge achievement for Galan and further validates the unique attributes of HMW. With a clear pathway to first concentrate production, this support positions Galan to focus on execution. The next 12 months promise to be a transformational period for Galan and the team remains fully focussed on the creation of significant value for all shareholders.’

Clean Element’s Chairman, Ofer Amir, stated:

‘We are incredibly excited to partner with Galan Lithium on what we believe is one of the most compelling lithium opportunities in Argentina today. After extensive evaluation of the Argentinian lithium landscape, HMW stands out as an exceptional world-class asset with the rare combination of scale, grade, and execution capability that positions it to be a major force in the global lithium market. This investment represents Clean Elements’ confidence in Galan’s transformative potential and our shared vision of powering the clean energy revolution.

Our investment in Galan reflects our disciplined approach to identifying high-quality lithium assets with strong fundamentals and experienced management teams. Galan’s impressive resource base of 9.5 Mt LCE, combined with its low-cost position in the first quartile globally and proven operational track record in the Hombre Muerto Salar, aligns perfectly with our investment criteria. We were particularly impressed by Galan’s strategic partnership with Authium, which enhances project economics through innovative processing technology while securing offtake agreements that de-risk the path to production. We look forward to supporting Galan beyond Phase 1 as they execute their long term production growth plan towards 60 ktpa LCE.’

Details of the Placement

The Company has received binding commitments for a total of 181,818,182 shares at an issue price of A$0.11 per share. 90,909,091 options (exercisable at A$0.15 with a 3 year expiry from issue date) will also be issued.

The Placement is expected to settle in two tranches:

  • Tranche Two – A$10 million , 90,909,091 shares and 45,454,545 options (exercisable at A$0.15 with a 3 year expiry from issue date), subject to shareholder approval and completion of due diligence. Expected settlement on or around 28 November 2025 .

The proceeds of the Placement will be utilised to complete Phase 1 construction activities in H2 2025 required to realise first lithium chloride production in H1 2026. The Company notes that a US$ 6 million prepayment facility will be available to the Company under the terms of the offtake and prepayment agreement with Authium Limited ( Authium ) (see announcement https://shorturl.at/GaU0r) .

In light of the current market conditions, the Company decided to pursue the Placement, which was structured at a 21% premium to Galan’s last closing price. Despite efforts to secure debt funding, the prevailing economic environment has resulted in unfavourable terms and higher costs associated with debt. By opting for equity raising Galan will strengthen its balance sheet and minimise financing risk, whilst carrying no debt, as the Company brings HMW into production.

About Hombre Muerto West

HMW is a multi-decade, lithium brine project in Argentina with compelling economics. Phase 1 provides for a 4ktpa LCE operation, producing a 6% LiCl concentrate product over a projected 40-year life. Finalisation of Phase 1 and commencement of production is the key focus Galan. Beyond Phase 1, the Company will undertake a phased scaling approach, eventually ramping up to 60ktpa at the conclusion of Phase 4. This approach mitigates funding and execution risk and will allow for continuous process improvement.

With a world class resource and a cost profile within the first quartile globally, HMW is a clear demonstration of the benefits of a high-quality lithium brine asset. These benefits are allowing Galan to progress through development and into production with a lower capital intensity and lower risk profile when compared to hard rock lithium (spodumene) projects.

As importantly, lithium chloride is a key component for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, which have become the dominant battery product globally. With the ability to be cost effectively converted into a lithium dihydrogen phosphate or lithium carbonate, lithium chloride, as will be produced at HMW, is an ideal source for LFP batteries.

Please refer to Mineral Resource Statement for Galan’s Total Resources of 9.5Mt LCE.

The Galan Board has authorised this release.

For further information contact:

COMPANY

MEDIA

Juan Pablo (‘JP’) Vargas

de la Vega

Matt Worner

Managing Director

VECTOR Advisors

jp@galanlithium.com.au

mworner@vectoradvisors.au

+ 61 8 9214 2150

+61 429 522 924

About Galan

Galan Lithium Limited (ASX:GLN) is an ASX-listed lithium exploration and development business. Galan’s flagship assets comprise two world-class lithium brine projects, HMW and Candelas, located on the Hombre Muerto Salar in Argentina , within South America’s ‘lithium triangle’. Hombre Muerto is proven to host lithium brine deposition of the highest grade and lowest impurity levels within Argentina . It is home to the established El Fenix lithium operation, Sal de Vida (both projects are operated by Arcadium Lithium) and Sal de Oro (POSCO) lithium projects. Rio Tinto is now in the process of acquiring Arcadium Lithium plc. Galan also has exploration licences at Greenbushes South in Western Australia , just south of the Tier 1 Greenbushes Lithium Mine.

About Clean Elements

Clean Elements is a private holding company specifically founded to pursue the development of high performing lithium assets in Argentina and globally. Clean Elements has a successful track record in investing in lithium brine assets, notably completing a financing transaction with NOA Lithium in 2024. Clean Elements is partnered with Swiss financial expert firm ISP Securities Ltd., part of the ISP Group, who is a leading Swiss financial service provider specializing in wealth management, asset management, securitisation and trading services. ISP Group has companies in Switzerland ( Zurich and Geneva ), Dubai , Hong Kong , and Israel .

Contact:

Ofer Amir
ofer@thecleanelements.com
+97254492777

View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/galan-lithium-limited-a20-million-placement-to-strategic-partner-302486923.html

SOURCE Galan Lithium Limited

News Provided by PR Newswire via QuoteMedia

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Trading resumes in:

Company: Cygnus Metals Limited

TSX-Venture Symbol: CYG

All Issues: Yes

Resumption (ET): 8:15 AM

CIRO can make a decision to impose a temporary suspension (halt) of trading in a security of a publicly-listed company. Trading halts are implemented to ensure a fair and orderly market. CIRO is the national self-regulatory organization which oversees all investment dealers and trading activity on debt and equity marketplaces in Canada .

SOURCE Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO) – Halts/Resumptions

News Provided by PR Newswire via QuoteMedia

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E-Power Resources Inc (CSE: EPR) (FSE: 8RO) (‘E-Power’ or the ‘Company’) announces that it has closed the hard dollar private placement (the ‘Hard Dollar Private Placement’) and flow-through private placement (the ‘Flow-Through Private Placement’) previously announced on June 11, 2025.

An aggregate of 1,840,000 units (the ‘Units‘) of the Company were issued in the Hard Dollar Private Placement at a price of $0.05 per Unit for gross proceeds of $92,000, each Unit being comprised of one common share in the capital of the Company (each a ‘Common Share‘) and one common share purchase warrant (each a ‘Warrant‘), each Warrant entitling its holder thereof to acquire one additional common share (each a ‘Warrant Share‘) at a price of $0.10 per Warrant Share for a period of 60 months from the closing date of the private placement (the ‘Hard Dollar Private Placement‘).

An aggregate of 3,400,000 units of the Company were issued in the Flow-Through Private Placement at a price of $0.05 per flow-through Unit (a ‘Flow-Through Unit‘) for gross proceeds of $170,000, each Flow-Through Unit being comprised of one common share in the capital of the Company and one-half common share purchase warrant (a ‘Flow-Through Warrant‘), each Flow-Through Warrant entitling its holder thereof to acquire one additional common share at a price of $0.10 per Flow-Through Warrant for a period of 60 months from the closing date of the Flow-Through Private Placement.

Net proceeds from the Flow-Through Private Placement will be used by the Company to work on the Tetepisca Graphite Property. Net proceeds from the Hard Dollar Private Placement will be used for general working capital purposes.

No insiders of the Company participated in the Hard Dollar Private Placement and Flow-Through Private Placement.

Finder’s fees of $12,000 and 240,000 broker warrants were paid to PB Markets Inc. Each broker warrant entitles its holder thereof to acquire one additional Common Share at a price of $0.05, for a period of 60 months from the closing date of the Hard Dollar Private Placement and Flow-Through Private Placement.

The securities offered pursuant to the Offering have not been, and will not be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the ‘U.S. Securities Act‘) or any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, United States persons absent registration or any applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable U.S. state securities laws. The securities offered pursuant to the Offering are subject to certain trade restrictions pursuant to applicable securities laws.

About E-Power Resources Inc.

E-Power Resources Inc. is an exploration stage company engaged principally in the acquisition, exploration, and development of graphite properties in Quebec. Its flagship asset, the Tetepisca Graphite Property, is located in the Tetepisca Graphite District of the North Shore Region of Quebec, approximately 215 kilometers from the Port of Baie-Comeau. For further information, please refer to the Company’s disclosure record on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) or contact the Company by email at info@e-powerresources.com.

On Behalf of the Company

James Cross
President & CEO
+1 (438) 701-3736
info@e-powerresources.com

Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. All statements that are not historical facts, including without limitation, statements regarding future estimates, plans, programs, forecasts, projections, objectives, assumptions, expectations, or beliefs of future performance are ‘forward-looking statements’. These forward-looking statements reflect the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company based on information currently available to it. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including those detailed from time to time in filings made by the Company with securities regulatory authorities, which may cause actual outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. These factors should be considered carefully and readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release are made as of the date hereof and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws.

The CSE has not reviewed, approved, or disapproved the contents of this news release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/256242

News Provided by Newsfile via QuoteMedia

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Allied Critical Minerals (CSE:ACM,FSE:0VJ0) is advancing two strategically important, past-producing tungsten projects—Borralha and Vila Verde—in northern Portugal. These brownfield assets offer a rare blend of near-term production potential and large-scale exploration upside, positioning ACM to emerge as the leading tungsten producer outside China. With 100 percent ownership of both projects and strong local support, the company is well-positioned to help secure a reliable supply of this critical metal for Western markets.

To capitalize on strong market conditions, ACM raised $4.6 million to advance a high-impact growth plan. This includes drilling at Borralha to expand its NI 43-101 resource and building a pilot plant at Vila Verde, set to begin in Q4 2025. The plant will process tailings and alluvial material, targeting ~250 tonnes of WO₃ annually and generating $4–5 million in revenue, supporting near-term cash flow with minimal dilution.

Borralha is ACM’s flagship development-stage project, located 100 km northeast of Porto. A historic producer of over 10,280 tonnes of high-grade wolframite concentrate (66 percent WO₃) until 1986, the brownfield asset is now advancing under a Mining Rights Concession and a newly updated NI 43-101 resource (effective July 31, 2024).

Company Highlights

  • Strategic Focus on Critical Metals: Allied Critical Minerals is developing two tungsten projects – Borralha and Vila Verde – in mining-friendly northern Portugal, targeting near-term production and long-term scale.
  • Advanced Brownfield Assets: Both projects are historic producers with significant infrastructure, community support and technical momentum. Borralha produced tungsten from 1904 to 1986, and holds a newly updated NI 43-101 compliant resource.
  • Pilot Plant Launch in 2026: A pilot plant at Vila Verde is slated for construction in Q4 2025 with 150,000 tpa throughput capacity, expandable to 300,000 tpa. Target output of ~250 tons WO₃ annually is expected to generate $4 million to $5 million in revenue, funded through non-dilutive financing.
  • Offtake and Government Support: Allied has signed an LOI with Global Tungsten & Powders and is in discussions with additional refineries. Expressions of interest from US and EU defense-linked buyers are ongoing.
  • High Impact Drill Campaign: A fully funded 5,000 meter drill program is currently underway at Borralha, with assays expected to expand resources and define the high-grade Santa Helena Breccia zone.
  • Differentiated from Peers: Allied is one of only a few public companies in the Western world with near-term tungsten production potential, outpacing peers such as American Tungsten and Fireweed, in both timeline and resource readiness.

This Allied Critical Metals profile is part of a paid investor education campaign.*

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Here’s a quick recap of the crypto landscape for Wednesday (June 18) as of 9:00 p.m. UTC.

Get the latest insights on Bitcoin, Ethereum and altcoins, along with a round-up of key cryptocurrency market news.

Bitcoin and Ethereum price update

Bitcoin (BTC) was priced at US$104,043, a decrease of 0.8 percent in the last 24 hours. The day’s range for the cryptocurrency brought a low of US$103,832 and a high of US$105,218.

Bitcoin price performance, June 18, 2025.

Chart via TradingView.

Bitcoin hovered around US$105,000 on Wednesday morning before pulling back to around US$104,000 in the leadup to the US Federal Reserve’s decision to leave interest rates unchanged.

The crypto market has displayed resilience despite mounting geopolitical tensions, which have been tempered in light of the Senate vote to advance the GENIUS Act. Institutional buying, partly fueled by an influx of corporate treasuries, is helping to support demand amid uncertainty.

Key levels to watch are US$102,000 to US$104,000 as support and US$106,000 as resistance.

A breakout above US$112,000 could trigger a liquidation cascade to US$114,000, while a drop below US$100,000 risks deeper downside toward US$98,000.

Ethereum (ETH) is currently priced at US$2,498.86, a 1.4 percent decrease over the past 24 hours. Its lowest valuation on Wednesday was US$2.471.24, and it reached a high of US$2,533.07.

Altcoin price update

  • Solana (SOL) was priced at US$145.22, down 2.7 percent over 24 hours. SOL experienced a low of US$144.08 and reached a high of US$146.55.
  • XRP was trading at US$2.15, a 2 percent decrease in 24 hours. Its lowest valuation on Wednesday was US$2.12, and it reached an intraday peak of US$2.16.
  • Sui (SUI) was trading at US$2.78, showing a decreaseof 3.5 percent over the past 24 hours. Its lowest valuation was US$2.73 as the markets opened, and it reached an intraday high of US$2.80.
  • Cardano (ADA) is priced at US$0.5935, down 4.2 percent in 24 hours. Its lowest valuation on Wednesday was US$0.5908, and its highest valuation was US$0.6052.

Today’s crypto news to know

Senate advances GENIUS Act

In a vote of 68 to 30, the US Senate passed the GENIUS Act, advancing the legislation to the House.

“With this bill, the United States is one step closer to becoming the global leader in crypto,” said Republican Senator Bill Hagerty of Tennessee from the Senate floor before the Tuesday (June 17) vote.

‘Once the GENIUS Act is law, businesses of all sizes, and Americans across the country will be able to settle payments nearly instantaneously rather than waiting for days or sometimes even weeks,’ he added.

Ubyx platform aims to boost stablecoin adoption

Ubyx, a new stablecoin clearing platform designed to boost stablecoin adoption through face value redemptions, has secured US$10 million in seed funding, according to a company announcement made on Tuesday.

The round was led by Galaxy Ventures, and included participation from Coinbase Ventures, Founders Fund, VanEck and Paxos among others. Ubyx intends to launch its platform, which will enable regulated banks and fintech companies to redeem stablecoins directly for fiat currency at par value in the fourth quarter of 2025.

Ubyx’s partners include stablecoin issuer Paxos and blockchain firm Ripple.

Ondo Finance launches alliance for on-chain asset adoption

On Tuesday, Ondo Finance introduced the Global Markets Alliance, a collaborative effort to encourage the adoption of on-chain financial assets. Founding members include eight crypto platforms: Solana Foundation, Bitget Wallet, Jupiter Exchange, Trust Wallet, Rainbow, BitGo, Fireblocks, 1inch and Alpaca, with expectations for additional members to join.

Ondo Finance specializes in real-world asset tokenization and recently launched a layer-1 blockchain designed for institutional on-chain assets. The platform provides tokenized treasury products collateralized by US government debt.

Corporate crypto investments exceed US$880 million in two days

Four publicly traded US companies announced a total of US$844 million in cryptocurrency investments on Tuesday, signaling a growing trend of corporations seeking returns through Bitcoin and other digital assets.

Hong Kong-based DDC Enterprise (NYSEAMERICAN:DDC) secured US$528 million via three securities purchase agreements, funding the company will use to acquire 5,000 Bitcoin over the next three years to fulfill with company’s goal of building the ‘world’s most valuable Bitcoin treasury.”

Major investors included Anson Funds and Animoca Brands’ venture capital arm.

Fold Holdings (NASDAQ:FLD), recognized as the first publicly traded Bitcoin financial services firm, secured a US$250 million equity purchase facility. Net proceeds are primarily intended for further Bitcoin acquisitions.

BitMine Immersion Technologies (NYSEAMERICAN:BMNR), a firm specializing in Bitcoin mining equipment rentals, announced its purchase of US$16.3 million worth of Bitcoin, utilizing funds from a recent stock offering.

Eyenovia (NASDAQ:EYEN) disclosed a US$50 million private placement to establish a reserve for the Hyperliquid (HYPE) token. It intends to acquire over 1 million HYPE tokens to be staked on Anchorage Digital’s crypto platform.

In Europe, Paris’ Blockchain Group (EPA:ALTBG) expanded its Bitcoin reserves with the acquisition of 182 BTC for approximately US$19.6 million. This purchase increases the company’s total Bitcoin holdings to 1,653 BTC and was financed through a series of convertible bond issuances.

Buying continued on Wednesday with the announcement of health services company Prenetics Global’s (NASDAQ:PRE) US$20 million Bitcoin investment. This news coincided with the appointment of former OKEx COO Andy Cheung to Prenetics’ board of directors, and Tracy Hoyos Lopez, chief of staff of strategic initiatives at Kraken, as an advisor to the company’s Bitcoin strategy.

Crypto-finance integration deepens with collateral expansions

In a joint statement on Wednesday, Coinbase Derivatives and Nodal Clear announced they are expanding their partnership to allow Circle’s USDC stablecoin to be used as collateral in US futures markets. This initiative is anticipated to be the first regulated instance of USDC being used as collateral, with Coinbase Custody Trust acting as the custodian.

The goal of this integration is to encourage wider acceptance of stablecoins within regulated derivatives markets. Pending approval from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, the integration is scheduled to launch in 2026.

Meanwhile, ARK Invest, led by Bitcoin bull Cathie Wood, sold 642,766 shares of USDC issuer Circle (NYSE:CRCL), worth US$96.5 million, over Monday (June 16) and Tuesday.

This occurred as Circle’s stock price declined by almost 12 percent during the same period. This marks ARK’s first divestment of Circle since its explosive NYSE public debut on June 5. Circle’s share price has since recovered, ending the trading day valued at US$199.59, 35 percent above Monday’s opening price of US$147.54.

In other news, Deribit and Crypto.com will now begin accepting BlackRock (NYSE:BLK) tokenized US Treasury fund (BUIDL) as collateral for trading accounts held by institutional and experienced clients. This allows these traders to use a low-volatility, yield-generating asset to back leveraged positions, reducing their margin requirements.

These steps reflect a growing trend toward deeper crypto-finance integration.

New XRP ETFs launch on Toronto Stock Exchange

Three new XRP exchange-traded funds (ETFs) launched on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) on Wednesday, offering Canadian investors direct exposure to the XRP cryptocurrency.

        These new ETFs expand accessibility to digital asset investments for Canadians within a regulated framework.

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

        This post appeared first on investingnews.com

        Hackers stole the equivalent of roughly $90 million from Iran’s largest cryptocurrency exchange on Wednesday, according to multiple independent crypto-tracking firms.

        A skilled pro-Israel hacking group known as “Predatory Sparrow” took credit for the cyberattack, which appeared to be aimed at further weakening Iran amid Israeli’s military strikes on Tehran.

        In a post in Farsi on X, the hackers said that they had hit Iranian crypto exchange Nobitex, claiming that Iran used the exchange to skirt international sanctions. And in an extraordinary move, the hackers may have effectively thrown the stolen crypto away by transferring it to digital “wallets” that they don’t have control over, according to multiple cybersecurity experts.

        Nobitex acknowledged the incident in a statement on its website on Wednesday, saying that access to the crypto exchange had been “suspended,” as a precaution, until further notice. Crypto-tracking firms Elliptic and TRM Labs confirmed the crypto was stolen and sent to “wallets” or crypto accounts, with an expletive that referenced Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

        In a separate hack on Tuesday, Predatory Sparrow said it had destroyed data at Iran’s state-owned Bank Sepah, claiming IRGC members used the bank’s services as a justification for the action. Iran’s state-affiliated Fars news agency warned of potential disruptions to bank services at gas stations.

        The pair of stunning cyberattacks mark an escalation in Israel and Iran’s years-long shadow war in cyberspace, where the arch-enemies — or their supporters — have conducted digital spying and data-destroying attacks for tactical advantage.

        Predatory Sparrow has emerged in the last five years to claim spectacular cyberattacks that have previously disrupted an Iranian steel mill and payments at Iranian gas stations. The hackers cast themselves as anti-government Iranian hacktivists but are widely suspected among cybersecurity experts of having ties to Israel.

        Much of the cyber activity in recent days, as Israel and Iran trade missile strikes, appears aimed at sowing panic in the two countries. Israelis, for example, have received mass text messages impersonating authorities that claim that bomb shelters aren’t safe.

        The Iranian government, meanwhile, has warned citizens not to use the WhatsApp messaging service out of fear that Israel was collecting information from those chats. A spokesperson for Meta, which owns WhatsApp, has called those claims false and underscored that WhatsApp messages are end-to-end encrypted.

        This post appeared first on cnn.com