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Trump surgeon general nominee confirmation hearing postponed as she goes into labor

A virtual confirmation hearing for President Donald Trump’s surgeon general pick Dr. Casey Means has been postponed because she went into labor.

Means, 38, was appearing remotely because she was nine months pregnant with her first child.

Her opening remarks for the hearing expected on Thursday had been prewritten.

‘Our nation is angry, exhausted, and hurting from preventable disease. Rates of high blood pressure, many cancers, autoimmune conditions, type 2 diabetes, mental health disorders, dementia, neurodevelopmental challenges, and youth suicide have all increased in the past two decades,’ the prepared remarks, obtained by Fox News, said.

‘This public-health crisis is touching every American family. It is robbing our children of possibility, our workforce of productivity, and our nation of security. It strains our federal budget and dims hope for millions,’ she planned to say.

As the nation’s doctor, the surgeon general is a leader for Americans and health officials on public health issues. If confirmed, Means will represent an administration that has already transformed the public health landscape by calling for increased scrutiny of vaccines, the nation’s food supply, pesticides and prescription drugs.

Means, a Stanford-educated physician who rose to popularity as a wellness influencer after becoming disillusioned with traditional medicine, was expected to share a vision for ending chronic disease by targeting its root causes, an idea that aligns with the Make America Healthy Again message of her close ally Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

She has no government experience, and her license to practice as a physician is inactive, The Associated Press reported, adding that it was not immediately clear when the hearing would be rescheduled.

‘Everyone’s happy for Dr. Means and her family,’ said Emily Hilliard, deputy press secretary for the Health and Human Services Department. ‘This is one of the few times in life it’s easy to ask to move a Senate hearing.’

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

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Vance to meet with Duffy, aviation leaders as shutdown ‘gravely’ impacts crucial industry

Another aviation-related union is demanding lawmakers reopen the government as Vice President JD Vance prepares to hold a roundtable with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and airline industry leaders Thursday as shutdown woes mount, Fox News Digital learned. 

The roundtable will be held at the White House Thursday afternoon, and will include Airlines for America CEO and former New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu and other airline leaders, a White House official told Fox News Digital. 

The roundtable comes as the ‘Democrat Shutdown’ has ‘gravely’ impacted the aviation industry, according to the White House official, including air traffic controllers officially missing their first full paycheck, and unions calling on lawmakers to pass a clean continuing resolution. 

Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association, an independent union representing aircraft maintenance technicians and other related employees, called on lawmakers on Wednesday to pass a ‘clean continuing resolution’ and reopen the government. 

‘On behalf of the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) and our 4,400 members in the Unites States representing the aircraft maintenance technicians at Alaska Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Horizon Air, Spirit Airlines, and Sun Country Airlines, we urge Congress to end the government shutdown by passing a clean Continuing Resolution,’ AMFA National President Bret Oestreich said in a press release published Wednesday. 

‘We stand with our brothers and sisters in air traffic control and TSA who continue to ensure the safety of the flying public while working for no pay,’ he continued. ‘It’s time for Congress to reconvene in a bipartisan manner to pass a clean CR and support all the men and women in aviation who contribute to the safest National Airspace System for us all to travel.’ 

The government shutdown has persisted since Oct. 1, when Senate lawmakers failed to reach a funding agreement before a midnight deadline. The Trump administration and Republicans have since pinned blame for the shutdown on Democrats, claiming they worked to include taxpayer-funded medical benefits for illegal immigrants. Democrats have denied the claims and argue that Republicans refused to negotiate on healthcare demands. 

‘We need to end this shutdown as soon as possible,’ Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in floor remarks Oct. 9. ‘Every day that Republicans refuse to negotiate to end this shutdown the worse it gets for Americans, and the clearer it becomes who’s fighting for them.’ 

Vance has hammered the argument that Democrats are to blame for the shutdown, including during his remarks at a Turning Point USA event Wednesday at the University of Mississippi. 

‘The reality here is that there’s a very simple bill that just reopens the government,’ he said. ‘It does it through pretty much the end of the year. That got every single Republican in the House of Representatives to support it, and then it got 52 Republicans in the Senate and three Democrats in the Senate to support it. But because of weird Senate procedural rules, it requires a 60 vote threshold.’ 

‘When you have every single Republican with like two exceptions in both houses of Congress, I feel pretty confident. I know that I’m partisan,’ he added. ‘I know I have an R next to my name, but I feel pretty damn good saying the shutdown is the Democrats’ fault because we voted again and again to open.’ 

The shutdown comes as Americans prepare to travel for the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, with the White House previously telling Fox News Digital that as the shutdown continues it ‘threatens to ruin the holidays.’

The Air Line Pilots Association, the world’s largest airline pilot union, called on lawmakers to reopen the government earlier in October. The Southwest Airlines Pilots Association issued a similar statement later in October, urging lawmakers to pass a ‘clean Continuing Resolution’ and reopen the federal government while pointing to the state of air traffic controllers during a shutdown. 

The shutdown has rocked families as they prepare to temporarily lose federal food assistance, while small business owners are losing out on billions in Small Business Administration-backed funding, and an estimated 750,000 federal employees have been furloughed. 

As for air travel, massive hubs such as Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas and Newark, New Jersey, have seen delays in recent weeks, as air traffic controllers, who are employed by the Federal Aviation Administration, cope with staffing shortages. 

Air traffic controllers lost their first full paychecks beginning Tuesday. 

‘I’ve made clear to our air traffic controllers: they need to show up for work. They do really important work for our country, and they need to show up. But I’m not going to lie to anybody to not say that they’re not feeling the stress,’ Transportation chief Duffy said during a press conference at LaGuardia Airport in New York City Tuesday. ‘The fact that they are working, and oftentimes, they are head of households, they’re the only income earners in their homes, and they have families, and they’re having a hard time paying their bills.’

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

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Once a trade war weapon, US soybeans return to China’s shopping list

On the heels of President Donald Trump’s meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, Beijing has agreed to restart its purchases of U.S. soybeans, a $30 billion cornerstone of American agriculture that was once wielded as a weapon in the battle for global trade leverage.

Once a quiet export success story, America’s humble soybean became a political flashpoint after Beijing halted imports in retaliation for Trump’s tariffs on Chinese goods. China’s shift to suppliers in Brazil and Argentina exposed how quickly global trade flows can realign and how vulnerable U.S. farmers remain to diplomatic friction.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Thursday that China will buy 12 million metric tons of American soybeans during the current season through January and has committed to buying another 25 million tons annually for the next three years as part of a larger trade deal.

In an interview with Fox Business’ ‘Mornings with Maria,’ Bessent added that several Southeast Asian nations have also agreed to buy a combined 19 million tons of U.S. soybeans, though he did not specify a timeframe for those purchases.

‘So our great soybean farmers, who the Chinese used as political pawns, that’s off the table, and they should prosper in the years to come,’ Bessent said.

What began as tit-for-tat posturing between the world’s two largest economies evolved into both a symbolic and economic gut punch for Trump’s rural base, whose livelihoods depend on the very trade ties now caught in the crossfire.

According to the American Soybean Association, the U.S. has traditionally served as China’s leading soybean source. Prior to the 2018 trade conflict, roughly 28% of U.S. soybean production was exported to China. Those crop exports fell sharply to 11% in 2018 and 2019, recovered to 31% by 2021 amid pandemic-era demand and eased back to 22% in 2024.

But some policy experts argue that China’s shift away from U.S. soybeans was already underway.

‘China was always going to reduce its reliance on the United States for food security,’ Bryan Burack, a senior policy advisor for China and the Indo-Pacific at the Heritage Foundation told Fox News Digital. ‘China started signing purchase agreements with other countries for soybeans well before President Trump took office.’ 

He added that Beijing has ‘been decoupling from the U.S. for a long time.’

‘Unfortunately, the only way for us to respond is to do the same, and that process is painful and excruciating,’ Burack said.

But for farmers thousands of miles from Washington and Beijing, those policy shifts translate into shrinking markets and tighter margins.

‘We rely on trade with other countries, specifically China, to buy our soybeans,’ Brad Arnold, a multigenerational soybean farmer in southwestern Missouri, told FOX Business ahead of Trump’s bilateral meeting with Xi. He said China’s decision to boycott U.S. soybean purchases ‘has huge impacts on our business and our bottom line.’

‘There are domestic uses for soybeans, looking at renewable diesel, biodiesel specifically produced from soybeans,’ Arnold said. 

‘In the grand scheme of things, that’s such a small percentage currently, you know it’s going to take a customer like China to buy beans to make a noticeable impact. You can’t take our No. 1 customer, shut them off and just overnight find a replacement.’

Whether China’s new purchases signal a genuine thaw in U.S.–China trade relations or just a temporary reprieve, the deal underscores how closely diplomacy and agriculture remain intertwined.

Fox Business’ Eric Revell contributed to this report.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

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Republican senators blast FDA for expanding abortion pill access

Republican senators on Wednesday urged the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to tighten safety standards and reconsider partnerships tied to abortion pills, accusing the agency of expanding access without adequate oversight.

On the call, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo, and Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., expressed frustration that the agency hadn’t already overhauled safety parameters around abortion pills — and that it had instead expanded its partnerships with producers of the drugs that make chemical abortions available.

‘My plea to the FDA is to follow the science to put back safety guardrails,’ Hawley said. ‘I’ve called on the director of the FDA to take these steps. The public deserves to have answers.’

The press conference held by the senators indicates that abortion policy is still a mainstay priority for some Republican lawmakers — even as President Donald Trump has previously signaled contentment with leaving questions about abortion policy at the state level. Hawley and Cassidy both questioned the safety of chemical abortions and their proliferation.

Notably, Republicans passed a short-term prohibition of Medicaid funding from going to nonprofit organizations that provide abortions as part of its One, Big Beautiful Bill Act that became law earlier this year.

But that change hasn’t stopped Hawley and other lawmakers from torching the FDA for announcing a partnership with Evita Solutions, looking to create a new version of the key abortion drug, mifepristone.

‘When I heard the FDA approved another generic form of misoprostol, I was upset,’ Sen. Cassidy said, referring to the drug often used in conjunction with mifepristone. ‘I call them up, ‘Why are you doing this?’’ 

Cassidy joined 17 other Republican senators in sending a letter to the FDA earlier this month, demanding to know why the agency had approved a new form of the abortion drug. They asked for an answer by Oct. 30.

Cassidy said the group has not received anything from the agency.

‘They have not responded, but the government’s been shut down, and so I’m sure they would say, ‘Well, we can’t respond,’ but we will have the FDA commissioner to come in and speak to FDA issues.’ 

Without mifepristone and misoprostol, most of the country’s abortions would be impossible. 

The pair of compounds undermine the vitality of a pregnancy and prompt the body to expel pregnancy tissue. According to the Guttmacher Institute, a sexual health and reproductive rights organization, mifepristone was used to induce 63% of all U.S. abortions in 2023. 

‘This is shocking,’ Hawley said in a post to X earlier this month. ‘FDA just approved ANOTHER chemical abortion drug, when evidence shows chemical abortion drugs are dangerous and even deadly for the mother. And of course, 100% lethal to the child.’

Hawley claimed on Wednesday that 11% of women who use a chemical abortion experience some sort of adverse health event.

‘The science is really quite significant. We’ve just had one of the largest studies ever performed of claims relating to chemical abortions based on insurance data. It came out this summer — 865,000 insurance claims that were made and analyzed,’ Hawley said. 

The Ethics & Public Policy Center published findings in April that evaluated 865,000 medical abortions prescribed between 2017–2023. It concluded that the rate of serious side effects was 22 times higher than indicated by the FDA label.  

‘That’s a sanitized way of saying they’re in very serious danger,’ Hawley said.

Critics of the study have said it lacks context and may overlook unrelated, complicating factors. 

Marjorie Dannenfelser, the president of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, an anti-abortion advocacy group, shares Hawley’s concern about the pill’s safety. She also believes abortion pills are an easy way for women to access abortion — even in states that have passed restrictions on them.

‘This abortion pill is an instrument of beating back [state] sovereignty. State laws are being undermined. The abortion rate overall in this nation has gone up since Dobbs because of the abortion pill,’ Dannenfelser said, referring to the landmark 2022 case Dobbs v. Jackson that overturned a federal right to an abortion.

Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America was one of the key groups calling on Republicans to cut Medicaid funding for abortions through Trump’s One, Big Beautiful Bill Act.

Anti-abortion advocates have zeroed in on access to mifepristone as a way to continue pushing back against abortion access — especially since the FDA approved remote prescriptions of the drug in the wake of COVID-19.

In June, the Supreme Court rejected a challenge brought by the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine (AHM), arguing that the FDA had improperly approved mifepristone for use back in 2001, skirting safety requirements. 

Since then, mifepristone has remained widely available, but the Supreme Court’s ruling left the door open to future challenges to the FDA’s certification of the drug.

Like other critics of chemical abortions, Hawley has urged the FDA to undergo its own evaluation of whether abortion pills are safe, reliable products — a priority shared with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

‘We need to have a full and thorough review of the data related to mifepristone [and] the health risks related to mifepristone. We need to see the reinstatement of safety guardrails that have historically accompanied this drug,’ Hawley said.

The FDA did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

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Senate defies Trump on global tariffs as Republicans join Democrats in rare bipartisan vote

The Senate once again rejected President Donald Trump’s tariffs, this time on a global scale.

Lawmakers in the upper chamber went three for three with resolutions meant to terminate Trump’s use of emergency powers to enact steep tariffs on foreign countries. While the previous two were geared toward specific tariffs on Brazil and Canada, the latest would end tariffs on countries around the world.

Earlier this year, Trump declared through the International Emergency Economic Powers Act that he would enact a base 10% tariff on countries across the world. He argued in his executive order at the time that ‘national emergency arising from conditions reflected in large and persistent annual U.S. goods trade deficits’ as a reason to pull the trigger on the tariffs.

Since then, senators have grumbled about the tariffs and made moves to terminate his usage of emergency powers throughout the year.

And it’s the second time that this particular resolution from Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., has been considered in the Senate.

The first go-round saw the resolution narrowly defeated 49-49, not because of partisan will but because of absences on the day of the vote. At the time, Sens. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., were expected to vote for the resolution but missed their chance.

Fast-forward to October, and McConnell joined a foursome of Republicans, including himself and Sens. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Rand Paul, R-Ky., to strike down Trump’s global tariffs. Those same lawmakers all voted against the previous two resolutions, too.

The other tariff-minded legislation would end Trump’s emergency powers to enact 50% tariffs on Brazilian goods and 35% tariffs on Canadian goods.

But they likely won’t go anywhere in the House, which previously voted to reject undermining Trump’s tariff policy until next year.

Meanwhile, Trump announced that after a ‘truly great’ meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping that he would lower his fentanyl tariffs on China by 10%. That brings the total level of duties on the country down to 47% from 57%.

The reduction comes after China agreed to help stymie the flow of chemicals into the U.S. that are used to create the dangerous narcotic and to ease export controls on rare earth minerals, which manufacturers in the U.S. rely on to create a variety of goods and electronics.

‘There is enormous respect between our two countries, and that will only be enhanced with what just took place,’ Trump said on Truth Social. ‘We agreed on many things, with others, even of high importance, being very close to resolved.’

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

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Agadir Melloul Drilling Update

Critical Mineral Resources is pleased to report excellent progress at the Agadir-Melloul drilling programme, with visible mineralisation in over 60% of drill holes completed to date.Assay results from the current programme will be announced in mid-November. The company continues to pursue the dual strategy of an initial mine development alongside the discovery of a large scale, strategic resource.

Highlights

  • 20 drill holes completed, primarily focused on Zone 1 North
  • Over 60% of holes display visible copper mineralisation
  • Assay results expected mid-November
  • Continuous mineralisation over 750 meters along strike, and open to the south
  • Drilled area to date represents <1% of the 50km2 target limestone
  • On track to define sufficient resources for the Initial Mine by the end of Q1 2026, early Q2 2026
  • Dual strategy of Initial Mine development alongside large-scale exploration targeting a minimum of 20 million tonnes at 1.2% CuEq
  • Company-owned drill rig is in Moroccan waters and is due to arrive at site during December 2025, enhancing future drilling capacity

Drilling update

Since commencing in early September, 20 drill holes have been completed, mainly concentrated within Zone 1 North. Samples are currently being assayed at Afrilab in Marrakech, and we expect to receive results over the next two weeks. First assays will be published by mid-November.

Encouragingly, more than 60% of holes drilled have observable copper mineralisation, supporting the Company’s expectation of a near surface resource (in some areas at surface), averaging 2.0m to 2.5m in thickness and grading 1.0% to 1.2% copper equivalent.

Fig.1 Mineralised core

From the northernmost section of Zone 1 North, mineralisation is continuous southwards for approximately 750m followed by a short approximately 300m interval of lower grade material, before returning to stronger mineralisation that remains open along strike to the south.

Figure 3 shows the area drilled thus far, shaded in dark grey. The drilled area represents less than 1% of the project’s 50km2 target limestone, highlighting the considerable exploration upside still to be realised.

Fig.2 Existing portfolio and current area of drilling

Fig.3 Drilled area in dark grey represents <1% of project’s 50km2

target limestone

Initial Mine

CMR is on track to delineate sufficient resources to underpin the Initial Mine development by the end of Q1 2026 or early Q2 2026.

Drilling across Zone 1 North and Zone 2 South will support a planned 650 to 1,000tpd operation, targeting a 2.5 to 3.0 million tonne reserve and an estimated 10 year initial mine life. Management expects to have delineated 3.0 million tonnes in resources by early 2026, enabling the commencement of the Initial Mine feasibility study in mid 2026. Construction is anticipated being in 2027.

Note: The Company’s earn-in agreement requires a minimum 650tpd operation; management is targeting 1,000 tpd.

Strategic Discovery

Alongside the Initial Mine, the company continues to pursue its broader exploration programme across the 80km2 project area, including 50km2 of target limestone. An Initial Exploration Target has been defined of 20 to 25 million tonnes at 1.2% CuEq, based on 5km2 of mineralisation at an average 2m thickness.

To accelerate this programme, CMR expects to be operating two diamond drill rigs before the end of 2025, with a third rig to be added as results dictate. The Company’s own drill rig, due to arrive during December 2025, will increase drilling productivity and reduce exploration costs. Once landed and cleared customs a separate announcement will be released with more details.

Charlie Long CEO commented:

“We are making fantastic progress in Morocco. Commencing drilling in early September to announcing first assays in mid-November represents excellent momentum on the ground. We remain firmly on track to initiate the Initial Mine feasibility study next year, while continuing to explore for a large-scale, strategic discovery.

Our understanding of the system at Agadir-Melloul continues to evolve. Only this week, we were excited by the discovery of a significant copper-silver vein, extending from a high-grade historical mining operation. While not our main target, this discovery adds further upside value, and could be a welcome source of blending ore in future.

Agadir Melloul is a large scale and highly prospective project, and we expect it to continue to deliver discoveries and positive results for the benefit of our shareholders, our joint venture partner and all stakeholders”

For further information, please contact:

Critical Mineral Resources PLC

Charles Long, Chief Executive Officer

 info@cmrplc.com

AlbR Capital

Jon Belliss

 +44 (0) 20 7399 9425

Notes To Editors

Critical Mineral Resources (CMR) PLC is focused on developing a sediment-hosted copper and silver project in Morocco. The macro strategy is to produce critical minerals for the global economy, including those essential for electrification and the clean energy revolution. Many of these commodities, including copper, are widely recognised as being at the start of a supply and demand supercycle.

CMR identified Morocco as an ideal mining-friendly jurisdiction that meets its acquisition and operational criteria. The country is perfectly located to supply raw materials to Europe and possesses excellent prospective geology, good infrastructure and attractive permitting, tax and royalty conditions. In 2023, CMR acquired an 80% stake in leading Moroccan exploration and geological services company Atlantic Research Minerals SARL. In 2025, CMR signed a definitive joint venture agreement to earn-in to 60% of the Agadir Melloul sediment hosted copper and silver project.

The Company is listed on the London Stock Exchange (CMRS). More information regarding the Company can be found at www.cmrplc.com

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Empire Metals Limited Announces Placing to Raise £7 million

Empire Metals Limited (LON: EEE, OTCQX: EPMLF), the AIM-quoted and OTCQX-traded resource exploration and development company, is pleased to announce that is has raised gross proceeds of £7 million by way of a subscription of 17,500,000 new ordinary shares of no par value in the capital of the Company at a price of 40 pence per ordinary share (the ‘Subscription Shares’) to existing institutional shareholders (the ‘Subscription’).

Rationale for the Subscription:

  • The Subscription funds will be used to maintain momentum across key workstreams including resource expansion, advanced metallurgical testwork, and the commencement of pilot-scale production in 2026, with the goal of delivering high-purity TiO2 product samples to potential end users and supporting preliminary engineering and economic studies.
  • Product development will additionally focus on routes to optimally produce lab and bulk samples of products for the titanium metal supply chain, such as TiCl4.
  • The Company will also deploy additional capital to strengthen its team for its next phase of development and to pursue value accretive corporate opportunities, including a possible dual listing on the ASX targeted for H1 2026, with Canaccord Genuity (Australia) expected to act as lead adviser.

Shaun Bunn, Managing Director, said:‘I am very pleased to announce the successful completion of this Subscription, which was executed at a premium to the current share price and reflects increased participation from our institutional shareholders in Asia andAustralia. This continued support underscores both the scale and strategic value of the Pitfield Project and strengthens the Company as we move into a critical phase or our development. With this Subscription, our cash position is now £11 million, providing a robust balance sheet to drive the next phase of development.’

Use of Funds
The proceeds of the Subscription together with existing cash reserves of £4 million will be primarily used for:

  • Exploration and Mineral Resource Drilling
  • Project Management and Project Development including:
    • General development related studies including environmental, social and marketing
    • Preliminary engineering and economic studies covering mining, process plant, infrastructure and energy
    • Metallurgical development including mineral separation and hydrometallurgical continuous piloting
  • Corporate overheads

Application for Admission and Total Voting Rights
The Subscription Shares will rank pari passu in all respects with the existing ordinary shares of no par value in the capital of the Company. Application has been made to the London Stock Exchange for the Subscription Shares to be admitted to trading on AIM (‘Admission’). It is expected that Admission will become effective at 8:00 a.m. on 5 November 2025. As a result of the issue of the Subscription Shares as described above, the issued share capital of the Company now consists of 710,893,221 ordinary shares of no-par value.

**ENDS**

For further information please visit www.empiremetals.com or contact:

Empire Metals Ltd

Shaun Bunn / Greg Kuenzel / Arabella Burwell

Tel: 020 4583 1440

S. P. Angel Corporate Finance LLP (Nomad & Broker)

Ewan Leggat / Adam Cowl

Tel: 020 3470 0470

Shard Capital Partners LLP (Joint Broker)

Damon Heath

Tel: 020 7186 9950

St Brides Partners Ltd (Financial PR)

Susie Geliher / Charlotte Page

Tel: 020 7236 1177

About Empire Metals Limited
Empire Metals Ltd (AIM: EEE and OTCQX: EPMLF) is an exploration and resource development company focused on the rapid commercialisation of the Pitfield Titanium Project, located in Western Australia. The titanium discovery at Pitfield is of unprecedented scale and hosts one of the largest and highest-grade titanium resources reported globally, with a Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) totalling 2.2 billion tonnes grading 5.1% TiO₂ for 113 million tonnes of contained TiO₂.

The MRE, which covers only the Thomas and Cosgrove deposits, includes a weathered zone resource of 1.26 billion tonnes at 5.2% TiO₂ and a significant Indicated Resource of 697 million tonnes at 5.3% TiO₂, predominantly from the Thomas deposit. Titanium mineralisation at Pitfield occurs from surface and displays exceptional grade continuity along strike and down dip. The MRE extends across just 20% of the known mineralised footprint, providing substantial potential for further resource expansion.

Conventional processing has already produced a high-purity product grading 99.25% TiO₂, suitable for titanium sponge metal or pigment feedstock. The friable, in-situ weathered zone supports low-cost, strip mining without the need for blasting or overburden removal.

With excellent logistics and established infrastructure, including rail links to deep-water ports with direct access to Asia, the USA, Europe and Saudi Arabia, Pitfield is strategically positioned to supply the growing global demand for titanium and other critical minerals.

Empire is now accelerating the economic development of Pitfield, with a vision to produce a high-value titanium metal and/or pigment quality product at Pitfield, to realise the full value potential of this exceptional deposit.

The Company also has two further exploration projects in Australia; the Eclipse Project and the Walton Project in Western Australia, in addition to three precious metals projects located in a historically high-grade gold producing region of Austria.

This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com.

Source

Click here to connect with Empire Metals Limited (LON: EEE, OTCQX: EPMLF) to receive an Investor Presentation

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Avalanche Treasury Co.: Bridging Crypto Innovation and Institutional Finance

Avalanche Treasury Co. (AVAT) represents a milestone in the maturation of blockchain-based digital assets as it transitions from speculative retail tools to mainstream institutional investment vehicles.

This newly launched investment vehicle, specifically designed to buy and hold Avalanche (AVAX) tokens, gives institutional investors a compliant way to gain exposure to Avalanche’s ecosystem growth. Its creation is emblematic of the broader financial ecosystem’s ongoing convergence with decentralized finance and blockchain innovation.

“This is a public company launching as an active, strategic partner within the Avalanche network, offering a level of integration and alignment that investors have been demanding,” he said.

Navigating institutional adoption with purpose

AVAT’s upcoming US$675 million SPAC merger with Mountain Lake Acquisition (NASDAQ:MLAC) positions it as a uniquely structured treasury dedicated to the Avalanche ecosystem.

With initial assets of nearly US$460 million and plans to acquire US$200 million more in AVAX tokens, the company aims to create a US$1 billion AVAX treasury. A Nasdaq listing is planned for early 2026.

This controlled, active treasury offers an alternative to passive index funds or exchange-traded funds, specifically designed for institutional clients seeking strategic participation in Avalanche’s blockchain network.

“The idea is to have a permanent capital vehicle. One of the benefits of not having to respond to creations and redemptions on a given day is that you can take a more strategic approach in what you’re doing,” said Smith.

AVAT’s differentiation lies in its regulated, transparent investment vehicle, developed under the oversight of seasoned professionals. Smith brings a wealth of experience, serving as a senior executive at Susquehanna International Group before leading AVAT, where he specialized in crypto trading and market-making across digital assets.

The advisory team also features prominent crypto pioneers such as Stani Kulechov of Aave and Jason Yanowitz of Blockworks, alongside experienced executives bringing operational and strategic expertise.

Such a combination of governance, knowledge and regulatory compliance helps mitigate the risks and opacity that have historically deterred institutional capital from crypto markets.

“I spent most of my career in what people now label traditional finance. I’ve worked in asset management and wealth management. I’ve worked on some of the largest trading desks in the world. So I think what I’ve learned over time is (that) surrounding yourself with smart people generally makes your job easier,’ Smith noted.

Ecosystem growth through strategic investment

Beyond simply holding AVAX, AVAT plans to actively support ecosystem expansion.

‘That could be owning a validator and running our own nodes, it could be running some volatility strategies using options or it could be investing equity into L1s and applications that are building on top of Avalanche.’

Through such treasury-backed infrastructure investments, Avalanche looks to deepen its network effects and catalyze sustainable adoption. This trend mirrors a larger institutional movement from companies like Strategy (NASDAQ:MSTR), which is developing a treasury strategy centered on Bitcoin accumulation, or BitMine Immersion Technologies (NYSEAMERICAN:BMNR) and firms such as Galaxy Digital (NASDAQ:GLXY), Jump Crypto and Multicoin Capital, which are introducing multibillion-dollar funds for Ether and Solana, respectively.

These treasury companies not only possess assets, but also make strategic investments to stimulate ecosystem expansion and institutional acceptance. This approach aligns with a broader industry trend of blockchain networks becoming foundational layers in the digitization of financial markets, supply chains and enterprise systems.

“I think the area that is undervalued in the success of Avalanche has been business and government adoption. Every week, there’s a story of major banks utilizing Avalanche infrastructure for their own business or stablecoin rails,’ said Smith. “You had the state of Wyoming issuing a state-issued stablecoin, the California DMV digitizing over 42 million car titles, corporate sponsors with Toyota Finance, FIFA, KKR, Apollo Global Management (NYSE:APO) and JP Morgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) using it in a variety of ways within their own financial service suite.”

While crypto asset markets remain volatile, AVAT adopts a diversified approach combining staking, liquidity provision and options strategies to balance yield generation with capital preservation.

“We want to create an all-weather portfolio that’s strategic in nature, and we’re thinking of an endowment or foundation approach, where we’re taking a multi-decade approach to some of our positions.”

A microcosm of broader institutional trends

AVAT exemplifies the evolving role of blockchain and crypto assets within the global financial system. Its journey from being a Layer 1 blockchain project to building a substantial treasury vehicle with public market access reflects a notable trend toward convergence between traditional finance and emerging decentralized technologies.

This theme resonates widely, as the financial industry witnesses the democratization and institutionalization of crypto through mechanisms like SPACs, regulated investment vehicles and hybrid governance models.

Meanwhile, the tokenization of real-world assets, corporate treasury adoption and blockchain integration into enterprise processes are collectively rewriting how value is stored, transferred and grows in modern markets.

By blending seasoned financial expertise with cutting-edge blockchain development, AVAT is carving a path for sustainable institutional investment in digital assets, demonstrating how blockchain innovation and traditional capital markets can mutually reinforce to support the next chapter of digital finance.

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

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World Bank: Oil Glut to Drive Commodity Prices to Six-Year Low

Global commodity prices are on track to fall to their lowest level in six years by 2026, as weaker demand, a widening oil surplus, and policy uncertainty continue to weigh on markets, according to the World Bank’s latest Commodity Markets Outlook.

The World Bank expects global energy prices to fall sharply as oil oversupply builds.

The oil glut in 2025 is projected to expand 65 percent above its last peak in 2020 as electric and hybrid vehicles reduce fuel consumption and oil demand flattens in China.

Brent crude prices are forecast to slide from an average of US$68 per barrel in 2025 to US$60 in 2026, also marking the lowest level in five years. Overall, energy prices are seen dropping by 12 percent this year and an additional 10 percent next year.

Despite the declines, commodity prices remain elevated compared to pre-pandemic levels. The World Bank estimates 2025 prices will still average 23 percent higher than in 2019, and 2026 levels about 14 percent above pre-COVID benchmarks, reflecting structural shifts such as climate impacts, supply chain realignments, and new industrial demand.

Food markets are also showing signs of easing. Global food prices are forecast to fall in 2025 and 2026, aided by improved harvests and lower shipping costs. However, fertilizer costs are expected to surge this year before easing in 2026, driven by high input prices and trade restrictions that could strain farm profitability and threaten crop yields.

Precious metals, by contrast, are defying the broader trend.

Gold and silver have reached record highs in 2025, primarily buoyed by central bank purchases, investor demand for safe-haven assets, and ongoing macroeconomic uncertainty.

Meanwhile, gold prices are expected to rise 42 percent this year and another 5 percent in 2026, nearly doubling their 2015–2019 average. Silver is projected to increase 34 percent this year and 8 percent next year, extending its strong performance as the metal hit record highs in 2025.

While the downturn is providing some relief to inflation-hit economies, the World Bank warned that the decline may be temporary.

“Commodity markets are helping to stabilize the global economy,” said Indermit Gill, the World Bank Group’s Chief Economist and Senior Vice President for Development Economics. “Falling energy prices have contributed to the decline in global consumer-price inflation. But this respite will not last. Governments should use it to get their fiscal house in order, make economies business-ready, and accelerate trade and investment.”

The report also noted that the commodity outlook remains highly vulnerable to shifting global conditions. Prolonged trade disputes, sluggish economic growth, or an unexpected surge in oil supply from OPEC+ could drag prices further down.

Conversely, heightened geopolitical tensions, the imposition of new sanctions, or severe climate disruptions could drive them back up.

Beyond short-term price dynamics, the report’s Special Focus section for this year examines whether renewed global interest in managing supply and demand through commodity pacts could stabilize markets.

Drawing on a century of experience with international commodity agreements (ICAs), the World Bank found that most such efforts ultimately failed.

In the 20th century, producer and consumer nations attempted to stabilize prices through mechanisms involving inventory controls, trade quotas, and price-setting schemes for commodities.

While some early efforts achieved temporary price stability, most collapsed due to weak coordination and changing demand patterns. Even the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)—the longest-lasting such arrangement—has faced increasing challenges from new energy sources and shifting consumer behavior.

“OPEC’s longevity stands out among other ICAs,” the report said, noting the oil cartel’s survival has depended on its ability to adjust production quotas, expand alliances through OPEC+, and engage with consumer nations through dialogue.

Still, the World Bank cautioned that OPEC faces growing headwinds from the global transition toward cleaner energy, which could usher in a period of stagnant or declining oil demand.

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Mali Revokes 90 Mining Permits, Tightening Control on Sector

Mali’s military-led government has revoked more than 90 mining exploration permits due to alleged non-compliance with the country’s new legal requirements.

An official decree signed by Mines Minister Amadou Keita on October 13 announced the revocation of permits issued between 2015 and 2022 for gold, iron ore, bauxite, uranium, rare earths, and other minerals, according to a Reuters report.

Companies impacted include local subsidiaries of Harmony Gold Mining (NYSE:HMY,JSE:HAR), IAMGOLD (TSX:IMG,NYSE:IAG,OTCQX:IAFNF), Cora Gold (LSE:CORA) and Resolute Mining (ASX:RSG,LSE:RSG).

As of writing, representatives of Harmony Gold, IAMGOLD and Resolute did not immediately respond to requests for comment nor have publicly released statements on the matter.

The decree did not specify the total area affected or the potential value of the exploration activities involved but declared that all rights conferred by the permits were “released” and that the corresponding areas were now open for reallocation.

“Permit holders were asked to submit required documents under new mining rules, but after verification, authorities found widespread non-compliance,” the Ministry of Mines said in a statement. “As a result, the government has canceled the permits in line with mining legislation.”

Cora Gold told Reuters that the cancellation would have no impact on its operations. The company said it had already relinquished the affected permits over two years ago and had not received formal notice from authorities.

In recent months, governments across West Africa have started to tighten oversight of the mining industry and ensure greater compliance from international operators. Guinea, for instance, has similarly annulled dormant or non-compliant licenses as part of efforts to maximize state revenues and assert greater control over strategic mineral assets.

Mali, one of Africa’s leading gold producers, relies heavily on mining for export earnings and public revenue. However, the sector has faced mounting pressure from political instability and regulatory uncertainty.

The country’s industrial gold output is expected to fall short of its 2025 target due to operational disruptions, including at Barrick Loulo-Gounkoto mine, which currently serves as Mali’s largest gold asset.

The government has sought to offset these challenges by deepening partnerships with non-Western allies, particularly Russia. In recent months, Mali has entered into a series of energy and mining agreements with Moscow, including a deal for the supply of 160,000 to 200,000 metric tons of petroleum and agricultural products.

Russian-backed ventures have also expanded in Mali’s mining landscape through joint projects in gold, uranium, and lithium, as well as the construction of a state-controlled gold refinery in Bamako.

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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