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House Republicans have released a 111-page plan for reforming healthcare that they hope to vote on next week.

House GOP leadership aides also told reporters on Friday afternoon that they expected a vote on extending enhanced Obamacare subsidies to also happen next week as part of the amendment process to the final bill, called the ‘Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act.’ The subsidies have been the subject of fierce inter-party debate for Republicans.

‘We expect that there will be an amendment that I believe is being worked on, so the process will allow for that amendment,’ aides said.

The plan as-is includes provisions to codify association health plans, which allow small businesses and people who are self-employed to band together to purchase healthcare coverage plans, giving them access to greater bargaining power.

Republicans also plan to appropriate funding for cost-sharing reductions beginning in 2027, which are designed to lower out-of-pocket medical costs in the individual healthcare market. House GOP leadership aides said it would bring down the cost of premiums by 12%.

New transparency requirements for pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) are also in the legislation, aimed at forcing PBMs to be more upfront about costs to employers.

PBMs are third parties that act as intermediaries between pharmaceutical companies and those responsible for insurance coverage, often responsible for administrative tasks and negotiating drug prices.

PBMs have also been the subject of bipartisan ire in Congress, with both Republicans and Democrats accusing them of being part of a broken system to inflate health costs.

But the most divisive measure for Republicans is likely not yet fleshed out. 

A majority of House Republicans are against extending the enhanced Obamacare subsidies, which were designed to get affordable health insurance for more Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Democrats voted to pass the enhanced subsidies in 2021 and extended them through 2022 when they controlled Congress.

A group of moderate House Republicans has joined Democrats now in vehemently pushing for those subsidies to be extended again, as millions of Americans face near-certain healthcare price hikes beginning in January.

Two separate bipartisan efforts have been launched to force a vote on extending the subsidies in some form. But any such push would require support from virtually all House Democrats to succeed, and their leaders have not given their blessing to either plan.

‘We’re going to evaluate every single good faith proposal. But it has to meaningfully provide certainty to the American people who are at risk of having their health care ripped away from them,’ House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., told reporters on Friday.

But conservatives have warned they would not support any such extension unless paired with significant reforms to what they view as a long-broken system that fuels healthcare price inflation.

‘I think that would be a disastrous plan. I mean, we’ve clearly seen that Obamacare is the Titanic. It’s going down. I think throwing money after it is just going to be wasteful,’ House Freedom Caucus member Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo., told Fox News’ Chad Pergram on Friday.

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GOP House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer said he plans to commence contempt of Congress proceedings against Bill and Hillary Clinton for ignoring the committee’s subpoenas related to its ongoing probe into the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. 

In July, a bipartisan House Oversight Subcommittee approved motions to subpoena Bill and Hillary Clinton and a slew of other high-profile political figures to aid its investigation looking into how the federal government handled Epstein’s sex trafficking case. 

The subpoenas were then sent out in early August, and the Clinton’s were scheduled to testify Dec. 17-18. 

‘It has been more than four months since Bill and Hillary Clinton were subpoenaed to sit for depositions related to our investigation into Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s horrific crimes. Throughout that time, the former president and former secretary of state have delayed, obstructed, and largely ignored the committee staff’s efforts to schedule their testimony,’ Comer said in a press release issued Friday evening.

‘If the Clintons fail to appear for their depositions next week or schedule a date for early January, the Oversight Committee will begin contempt of Congress proceedings to hold them accountable.’

Comer’s threats come as Democrats from the House Oversight Committee released a new batch of photos obtained from Epstein’s estate, which included further images of the disgraced financier with powerful figures like President Donald Trump and former President Bill Clinton. Thousands of images were reportedly released, with potentially more to come.

Other high-profile figures subpoenaed by the Oversight Committee include James Comey, Loretta Lynch, Eric Holder, Merrick Garland, Robert Mueller, William Barr, Jeff Sessions and Alberto Gonzales.

In addition to testimony from these individuals, Comer and the Oversight Committee issued subpoenas to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for all documents and communications pertaining to the case against Epstein.

In September, the committee released tens of thousands of pages of Epstein-related records in compliance with the subpoena, and the Oversight Committee indicated the DOJ would continue producing even more records as it works through needed redactions and other measures that must occur before they are released.

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James Boasberg, the chief judge of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia and a Biden appointee, is a judicial disgrace. Boasberg’s recent rulings show he is unfit for the bench.

His repeated abuse of judicial power, whether undermining national security, releasing violent threats, or enabling unlawful surveillance, demonstrates a blatant disregard for the Constitution and a dangerous partisan agenda that disqualifies him from holding a lifetime appointment.

The time has come for the House of Representatives to do its job and impeach him.

The Constitution fixes the term of service for a judge as ‘during good Behaviour.’ The Constitution also dictates that impeachment is proper for ‘high crimes and misdemeanors.’  House Democrats in 2020 argued an official can get impeached for an abuse of power even without a statutory crime, setting an important precedent. The Constitution draws no distinction between the requirements for impeaching Executive Branch and Judicial Branch officials. What is good for the Executive Branch goose is just as good for the Judicial Branch gander, so the House should not hesitate to pursue a judicial impeachment.

Boasberg’s first act of misconduct occurred during a judicial conference. During the earliest stages of President Trump’s second term, Boasberg expressed the view to Chief Justice John Roberts that President Trump would not follow court orders. The President has not violated a court order. Boasberg’s claim had no basis and was plainly partisan. Boasberg baselessly told Chief Justice Roberts that Trump wouldn’t follow court orders, an unfounded partisan claim that undermines any expectation of impartiality.

Tren de Aragua is a barbaric international state-sponsored terrorist organization from Venezuela. MS-13 is an animalistic gang based in El Salvador.  Thousands of these gang members have come to the United States and perpetrated horrific acts. In March, the Trump administration deported hundreds of these barbarians to El Salvador, where they were sent to a maximum security prison. Boasberg issued a highly illegal and dangerous order directing the government to turn around planes as they were in international airspace, flying over the Gulf of America. In doing so, Boasberg exposed an ongoing military operation and gave an order that could have endangered Americans.

Why would we have security in place in the United States to deal with an unexpected influx of hundreds of dangerous terrorist, because some rabidly partisan judge just illegally opened his courtroom and stunningly attempted to sabotage an ongoing military operation? Rather, the security footprint was in El Salvador—hundreds of military, intel, and law-enforcement officials—where the terrorists were expected to land. There was also a serious risk to the personnel on the planes, given that they had a limited fuel supply and were in the middle of the Gulf of America. Boasberg showed a blatant disregard for these serious risks in issuing a highly illegal and dangerous order that he lacked jurisdiction to give.

The planes landed in El Salvador, and Boasberg began contempt proceedings. Even after a D.C. Circuit panel rejected his reasoning, Boasberg pressed ahead, ordering the administration to detail its deliberations that March day. The Justice Department is objecting, asserting that Boasberg is violating the foundational principle of separation of powers by having executive branch officials illegally divulge privileged internal discussions.

Moreover, Boasberg played a key role in Operation Arctic Frost—one of the most dangerous spy scandals in our history. Biden Special Counsel Jack Smith, a political scud missile sent to take out President Trump via lawfare with the full blessing of Biden and his Justice Department, subpoenaed the phone records of nearly a dozen U.S. senators. Boasberg issued a gag order preventing the phone companies from disclosing the information for a year. With no basis, he reasoned that disclosure could lead to destruction of evidence and witness intimidation. The relevant statute, 2 U.S.C. § 6628, explicitly requires disclosure to the Senate when such spying occurs. Boasberg now is attempting to weasel his way out of this jam, claiming that he did not know that Smith was seeking the senators’ records. Either Boasberg is lying, or he was an illegal rubber stamp who signed whatever Smith put under his nose. It is disgraceful, and Boasberg, citing the same separation-of-powers claim that the Justice Department is using in the contempt proceeding, refused to testify before the House Judiciary Committee last week.

Finally, Boasberg has shown a flippant concern for the security of President Trump. Nathalie Rose Jones is a deeply disturbed woman. She made a social media post threatening to disembowel President Trump. She admitted to the post when the Secret Service visited her. Then, Jones attended a protest and was spotted near the White House carrying a knife. Authorities arrested her, and even Democrat-appointed U.S. Magistrate Judge Moxila Upadhyaya, exercising the most basic level of common sense, ordered her held without bail. Then, Boasberg stepped in and overruled Upadhyaya, releasing Jones to go home with an electronic monitor.

Boasberg has not simply issued a ruling with which conservatives disagree. Boasberg instead has engaged in a pattern of impeachment-worthy behavior—extremely lawless and dangerous partisan rulings—that shows no signs of ending. He is bolder than ever, refusing to testify before Congress and proceeding merrily along with his absurd contempt vendetta. The House disgraced itself with two impeachments of President Trump. It is time for the House to redeem itself by bringing reason back to the impeachment process. Boasberg is a more-than-worthy candidate, and the House should impeach him before they go home for the year.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

A top Senate Republican argued that if allegations against ‘Squad’ member Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., that she married her brother to enter the U.S. were true, she’d be breaking several laws.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, joined the long-standing scrutiny against Omar Friday after President Donald Trump revived the allegations during a rally pushing his affordability agenda in Pennsylvania earlier this week.

In a post on X responding to a White House social media account that charged, ‘Yes, [Omar] married her brother,’ Cruz listed a trio of federal and state laws the progressive lawmaker may have violated.

‘If this is true, then Omar faces criminal liability under three different statutes,’ Cruz said.

Cruz argued that Omar could have committed federal marriage fraud, which stipulates that it is a felony to knowingly enter into a marriage to evade immigration laws, and could lead to up to five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and deportation.

Omar was born in Somalia and came to the U.S. in 1995 after her family was granted asylum. She became a citizen in 2000. Omar, who is Muslim, has been married legally three times, first in a religious marriage to Ahmed Abdisalan Hirsi in 2002, then to Ahmed Nur Said Elmi in 2009 before later divorcing and legally marrying Hirsi. In 2020, she married political aide Tim Mynett. 

Cruz noted that Omar could also be breaking Minnesota’s state incest law, a felony in the state punishable by jail time up to 10 years. He also contended that she could be liable for tax fraud, specifically if joint tax returns were filed while she was not legally married.

That violation would levy up to a $100,000 fine and up to three years in prison.

The Senate Republican’s legal analysis of the situation comes after Trump resurrected the unsubstantiated claims that Omar had married her brother for immigration purposes that have dogged the lawmaker since she entered politics nearly a decade ago. She has denied the allegations.

Still, Trump charged, ‘She married her brother to get in, right?’

‘If I married my sister to get my citizenship, do you think I’d last for about two hours or something less than that? She married her brother to get in,’ he said. ‘Therefore, she’s here illegally. She should get the hell out.’

Fox News Digital did not immediately hear back for comment from Omar’s office.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

The State Department is so far refusing to comment on a growing corruption crisis engulfing the Balkan nation of Albania — a vital U.S. ally in the region. 

Following an Albanian court’s decision to remove Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku from her position on allegations she interfered in two construction bids, socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama took the issue to the country’s Constitutional Court, which on Friday reinstated her until a ‘final decision’ could be made, according to media reports.

The Special Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime Structure (SPAK) issued a criminal indictment against Balluku on Oct. 31, alleging that she had been improperly influenced in her decision to favor one company in a tender for the construction of a 3.7-mile tunnel in southern Albania, Reuters reported. SPAK delivered an additional charge for violating rules in a Tirana road construction project on Nov. 21, the date when Balluku was removed from office.

The day prior to her November court appearance, Balluku told the country’s parliament that the accusations against her constituted ‘mudslinging, insinuations, half-truths and lies.’

As the second member of Rama’s cabinet to face corruption accusations since 2023, her charges have drawn the ire of Rama opponents.

Agim Nesho, former Albanian ambassador to the U.S. and the United Nations, told Fox News Digital that Balluku’s case demonstrates ‘the Rama government shows no sign of assuming moral responsibility or allowing justice the space to act independently. Instead, it appears intent on shielding Ms. Balluku, portraying the judiciary’s actions as an attack on the executive.’

Tirana’s ex-ambassador to Washington argued that ‘influencing the Constitutional Court may be an attempt to set a protective precedent — one that could prove useful if investigators ever seek to involve Mr. Rama himself in their investigations.’

‘It’s becoming increasingly clear that the emperor has no clothes, Nesho said, adding that Rama’s rule has amounted to ‘state capture’ as the ‘lack of checks and balances has enabled a recurring system of corruption across multiple of his terms.’

Nesho also claimed that Balluku had pointed to broader involvement of the Rama government in decision-making. Former Deputy Prime Minister Arben Ahmetaj, who went on the run after coming under SPAK investigation, has likewise alleged that Rama ‘directed all key decisions on tenders, finances, and public assets,’ according to Nesho’s claims.

Ahmetaj’s accusations included allegations that Rama is involved with mafia bosses. Rama responded to these insinuations by saying Ahmetaj ‘should not be taken seriously. Albanian politics is not tainted by the mafia,’ Balkanweb reported.

The U.S. has funded efforts for judicial reforms in Albania to aid its efforts toward accession into the European Union by cutting down on corruption. However, those reforms have led to legal backlogs that have drawn frustration and violence from the public.

Nesho said that ‘it is hard to see how a government that behaves like a banana republic gains accession to the E.U.’ He said that ‘Albania is a living contradiction in terms of law and order.’ While Nesho says Rama’s opposition has been ‘decimated by ‘lawfare’ and the compromising of legal institutions,’ Rama remains in office despite ‘documented multi-billion-dollar corruption scandals, documented electoral thefts across multiple voting cycles, and, most concerning, documented links to international drug cartels like the Sinaloa Cartel.’

Allegations that Rama is linked to the Sinaloa Cartel emerged after the prime minister met with Sinaloa-connected Luftar Hysa, who is sanctioned by the U.S. Department of Treasury. Rama told an Albanian news outlet that he met with Hysa just once.

With Balluku’s removal, Nesho says that ‘public anger is directed not only at [her] but also at the irresponsible conduct of a regime that rules without accountability, abuses public property and finances, and faces no consequences despite society’s reaction.’ Nesho said many in the country have given the prime minister the nickname ‘Ramaduro,’ saying it’s ‘a direct comparison to the Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro.’

Rama’s press office told Fox News Digital that it declined to comment on Nesho’s allegations against him.

In May 2021, the State Department sanctioned former Prime Minister Sali Berisha over corruption allegations, which forbade him from traveling to the U.S. Fox News Digital asked the State Department whether it had plans to issue similar sanctions against Balluku.

A State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital, ‘We have no comment on ongoing legal matters.’

The U.S. Embassy in Tirana issued the same response to Fox News Digital when asked whether it would suspend Balluku’s visa as a result of her removal from office.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

We also break down next week’s catalysts to watch to help you prepare for the week ahead.

In this article:

    This week’s tech sector performance

    Markets opened the week subdued with investors eyeing the US Federal Reserve’s rate decision, leading to modest gains in the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (INDEXNASDAQ:.IXIC) and the S&P 500 (INDEXSP:.INX).

    Reports of US President Donald Trump’s approval for NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA) H200 chip sales to China boosted chip stocks and sustained AI enthusiasm. Tuesday’s (December 9) JOLTS report delivered data suggesting a cooling labour market amid tariff uncertainty but offering limited new clarity ahead of the Federal Reserve’s two-day meeting.

    Markets rallied sharply on Wednesday (December 10) after the meeting resulted in a 25 basis point rate cut to 3.5 to 3.75 percent; however, Nasdaq gains were tempered, hinting at continued caution around AI capex sustainability ahead of earnings from Oracle and Broadcom.

    Rate-sensitive areas like financials and industrials led the rally, pushing the Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX:.DJI) ahead of the Nasdaq, which closed slightly down. This highlighted a shift from tech dominance to a more diversified market. The S&P ended up 0.21 percent at a record 6,901.

    Markets interpreted Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s measured tone during his post-meeting press conference — hawkish on cuts but dovish on recession — as reinforcing a gradual easing despite tariff caution.

    Gains moderated toward the end of the week as Oracle (NYSE:ORCL) and Broadcom (NASDAQ:AVGO) reported earnings that garnered a mixed reaction from investors and analysts.

    Tech stocks have whipsawed in recent weeks, rallying on Fed rate cut bets and trade negotiation optimism before sharp pullbacks triggered by AI bubble fears and overvaluation concerns.

    3 tech stocks moving markets this week

    1. NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA)

    Nvidia’s shares initially surged on Tuesday (December 9) on reports that President Trump would permit H200 exports to pre-approved Chinese clients, subject to a 25 percent US federal surcharge.

    However, these early gains diminished as further reports emerged that Beijing is reviewing its domestic chip prioritization strategy.

    Meanwhile, companies like ByteDance and Alibaba (NYSE:BABA) are reportedly seeking large orders, pending approval. On Friday, Reuters reported that Nvidia is considering increasing H200 chip output due to robust Chinese demand. Its share price was US$175.02 at Friday’s close, a modest decrease of 4.35.

    2. Oracle (NYSE:ORCL)

    Oracle shares dropped over 7 percent after hours on Wednesday after the company’s Q2 earnings missed revenue forecasts, coming at US$16.1 billion compared to expectations of US$16.2 billion.

    The report showed cloud sales rose 34 percent, while infrastructure revenue increased by 68 percent. Both figures were below analyst expectations of 35 and 71 percent, respectively.

    Oracle shares plunged further after executives disclosed on a conference call that this fiscal year’s capital expenditure would reach around US$50 billion, higher than prior guidance, including around US$12 billion spent this quarter on data centers.

    On a more positive note, some analysts viewed capex as a strategic investment, citing AI’s growth potential and pointing to Oracle’s US$523 billion backlog of deals with companies like Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) and Nvidia.

    Oracle shares closed more than 16 percent lower this week at a price of US$189.97 on Friday afternoon.

    3. Broadcom (NASDAQ:AVGO)

    Conversely, Broadcom shares rose post-market on Thursday after reporting its Q4 2025 earnings results, which revealed a 74 percent increase in AI chip revenue, with custom XPUs now comprising 65 percent of its semiconductor business.

    Total revenue reached US$18.02 billion year-over-year, exceeding expectations of US$17.46 billion.

    Looking ahead, the company projects semiconductor revenue to double to US$8.2 billion in the next fiscal year. Q1 2026 guidance calls for US$19.1 billion total revenue.

    During the earnings call, Broadcom CEO Hock Tan named Anthropic as the newly qualified fourth hyperscale, confirming its US$11 billion additional order for custom XPUs and AI racks. Shipments are expected to ramp up in late FY26.

    After an initial rise, stocks fell during the call after the company guided low quarterly growth for its non-AI chips and a tax rate increase to 16.5 percent due to normalized post-acquisition tax benefits expiring.

    Still, JPMorgan (NYSE:JPM) analyst Vivek Arya reset his price target on Broadcom stock from US$460 to US$500 on Friday (December 12).

    Despite the positive sentiment, Broadcom shares saw a decline of 11.79 to US$359.93 from the start of the week due to Friday’s sell-off.

    Broadcom, Nvidia and Oracle’s performance, December 8 to 12, 2025.

    Chart via Google Finance.

    Top tech news of the week

        Tech ETF performance

        Tech exchange-traded funds (ETFs) track baskets of major tech stocks, meaning their performance helps investors gauge the overall performance of the niches they cover.

        This week, the iShares Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:SOXX) declined by 3.88 percent, while the Invesco PHLX Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:SOXQ) saw a gain of 1.31 percent.

        The VanEck Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:SMH) also decreased by 3.71 percent.

        Tech news to watch next week

        Speeches from Fed Governors Stephen Miran and Christopher J. Waller on Monday (December 15) and Wednesday (December 17) next week may further clarify the Fed’s dot plot.

        Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem will also speak in Montreal on Tuesday (December 16), while key jobs, manufacturing and retail sales data in the US throughout the week could shift rate cut bets, pressuring growth stocks.

        Earnings from Micron Technology (NASDAQ:MU) and BlackBerry (TSX:BB) will be released on Wednesday and Thursday (December 18), respectively.

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

        This post appeared first on investingnews.com

        Rio Silver Inc. (the ‘Company’ or ‘Rio Silver’) (TSX.V: RYO,OTC:RYOOF) (OTC: RYOOF) announces that, following regulatory approval, the closing of the previously-announced transaction (the ‘Transaction’) with Peruvian Metals Corp. (‘Peruvian’) to acquire 100% of the issued and outstanding common shares of Mamaniña Exploraciones S.A.C. (the ‘Subsidiary’), a Peruvian corporation, which holds mining rights in the Maria Norte project (the ‘Maria Norte Property’) located in Peru. The details and the terms of the Transaction are summarized in the Company’s previous press releases on March 26, June 25 and September 17, 2025.

        Pursuant to the terms of the Transaction, on closing, Rio Silver has acquired from Peruvian 100% of the issued and outstanding common shares of the Subsidiary. In consideration, Rio Silver issued to Peruvian 3,999,999 common shares of the Company, representing 9.27 of the Company’s issued and outstanding share capital (accounting for the recent 5:1 share consolidation completed on July 3, 2025), and, in addition, under the terms of the Transaction, the Company is required to pay an aggregate of US$250,000 by making semi-annual payments to Peruvian over a period of five years commencing on June 15, 2025. To date, the Company has made the following cash payments (i) CDN$15,000 upon signing; (ii) US$22,500 upon an amendment; and (ii) US$25,000 option payment on June 15, 2025, resulting in US$225,000 payable in remaining option payments.

        A geological report prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 in respect of the Maria Norte Property will be filed at the Company’s profile on SEDAR+.

        ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF Rio Silver INC.

        Chris Verrico
        Director, President and Chief Executive Officer
        Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

        For further information,

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

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

        News Provided by GlobeNewswire via QuoteMedia

        This post appeared first on investingnews.com

        (TheNewswire)

        Vancouver, Canada, December 12, 2025 TheNewswire – Spartan Metals Corp. (‘ Spartan ‘ or the ‘ Company ‘) (TSX-V: W | OTCQB: SPRMF | FSE: J03) announces, effectively immediately, it has terminated the previously announced (November 17, 2025) investor relations agreement with ValPal Management Consultancy.

        About Spartan Metals Corp.

        Spartan Metals is focused on developing critical minerals projects in well-established and stable mining jurisdictions in the Western United States, with an emphasis on building a portfolio of diverse strategic defense minerals such as Tungsten, Rubidium, Antimony, Bismuth, and Arsenic.

        Spartan’s flagship project is the Eagle Project in eastern Nevada that consists of the highest-grade historic tungsten resource in the USA (the past-producing Tungstonia Mine) along with significant under-defined resources consisting of: high-grade rubidium; antimony; bismuth; indium; as well as precious and base metals. More information about Spartan Metals can be found at www.SpartanMetals.com

        On behalf of the Board of Spartan

        ‘Brett Marsh’

        President, CEO & Director

        Further Information:

        Brett Marsh, M.Sc., MBA, CPG

        President, CEO & Director

        1-888-535-0325

        info@spartanmetals.com

        Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

        Copyright (c) 2025 TheNewswire – All rights reserved.

        News Provided by TheNewsWire via QuoteMedia

        This post appeared first on investingnews.com

        2025 is drawing to a close, and silver seems determined to end the year with a bang.

        The white metal’s breakout continued this week, with the price crashing through US$60 per ounce and continuing on up, even briefly passing US$64. It ultimately finished at just under US$62.

        Year-to-date silver is now up over 110 percent, far outpacing gold’s gain of about 63 percent.

        Its latest rise kicked off on November 28, the same day the Comex experienced an outage that lasted about 10 hours. Since then, positive drivers have continued to pile up.

        Chief among them this week was the most recent interest rate reduction from the US Federal Reserve. As was widely expected, the central bank made a 25 basis point cut at its meeting, which wrapped up on Wednesday (December 10), taking the target range to 3.5 to 3.75 percent.

        Both silver and gold tend to fare better in lower-rate environments, and while gold remains below its all-time high, it retook the US$4,300 per ounce level this week.

        Key Fed meeting takeaways

        It’s worth noting that although the Fed’s cut went through, three out of 12 officials voted against it, a situation that hasn’t happened since September 2019. Two wanted rates to stay the same, while Governor Stephen Miran was calling for a 50 basis point reduction.

        Miran took his spot on the Fed’s Board of Governors in September after being nominated by President Donald Trump, who has been critical of the Fed — and Chair Jerome Powell in particular — for not lowering rates as quickly as he would like. Powell’s term ends in May 2026, and it’s anticipated that his replacement will follow Trump’s vision. Kevin Hassett of the National Economic Council is said to be a strong contender, with 84 percent of respondents to a CNBC survey saying they think it will be him.

        While the Fed’s rate decision was in focus this week, market watchers are also closely eyeing its post-meeting statement, as well as press conference comments from Powell, to figure out what the central bank’s policy will look like heading into the new year and beyond.

        The latest dot plot shows that Fed officials expect only one rate cut in 2026, plus another in 2027. That’s unchanged from projections made in September, but experts have pointed out that the dot plot also highlights the growing divide between Federal Open Market Committee members.

        Another important facet is the news that the Fed will start buying short-dated bonds as of Friday (December 12), with an initial round involving purchasing US$40 billion worth of treasuries per month. This move comes after the end of quantitative tightening measures on December 1, and is being looked at as a step in the direction of quantitative easing.

        ‘This is basically another way of saying quantitative easing, and we’re going to continue to print money,’ said David Erfle of Junior Miner Junky. ‘The Federal Reserve is in a situation where, ‘Hey, we’ve got to continue to issue new debt to pay off the old debt.’ So now the yield curve is going to steepen as the Fed pivots toward these treasury bills, and private investors are going to have to absorb more duration risk. So basically, this means loose monetary conditions are on the way, and that’s positive for both gold and especially now silver.’

        Will the silver price keep rising?

        With that in mind, what exactly is next for the silver price?

        I’ve been asking guests on our channel where the metal goes from here, and many have said it’s becoming harder and harder to predict as silver enters uncharted territory.

        Peter Krauth of Silver Stock Investor and Silver Advisor said that a ‘relatively conservative’ outlook for 2026 would be US$70. However, he also emphasized that higher levels are possible:

        ‘It’s taken 45 years for (silver) to finally break out through that US$50 level. And so we’re in uncharted waters, uncharted territory, and this being the kind of market that we’re in — fundamentally, as well as macroeconomically, as well as geopolitically — I think odds are silver is going to continue to climb higher.

        ‘And I think it’s going to convert a lot of doubters into into believers that silver is going to go on setting new record highs, and that it’s still relatively early in this market. We’re going to see it perform very, very well for several more years.’

        For his part, Erfle weighed in on upside and downside for silver, outlining how the precious metal could get close to the US$100 level. Here’s what he said:

        ‘If you consider the supply/demand fundamentals, this is a fifth year of a supply deficit in silver, which has constantly been outpacing supply.

        ‘All these forces have converged to take the silver price so much higher, and looking at upside targets, the next target is the US$66, US$68 area, and then US$80 to US$83 if the momentum continues into January. But the long-term measured target of the cup-and-handle breakout is US$96.’

        I’ll be having more conversations about silver next week with experts like Gareth Soloway, John Rubino and John Feneck, so drop a comment on our YouTube channel if you have any questions.

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

        This post appeared first on investingnews.com

        In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, Liz Truss pulls back the curtain on what really happened during her 49-day reign as prime minister of the United Kingdom in 2022.

        The free speech advocate served just 49 days as British prime minister in 2022 before resigning amid market turmoil over her administration’s dramatic attempt to implement a pro-growth economic agenda. Now that the dust has settled, Truss has launched a private club for ‘pro-growth leaders,’ the Leconfield, and a YouTube show, ‘The Liz Truss Show.’

        ‘My new show will tell the truth about what happened in 2022,’ Truss told Fox News Digital. ‘The fact that I was sabotaged by the Bank of England, who announced the sale of gilts the day before my mini-budget and then failed to properly regulate the pension market. That was actually the cause of the crisis in 2022.’

        While Truss is now recasting the narrative on the Bank of England, the financial institution has blamed Truss for the British market crash of 2022, concluding that her mini-budget triggered a sudden plunge in gilt prices, driving up the government’s borrowing costs. The spike rippled across financial markets, pushing pension funds to offload gilts and forcing the Bank of England to intervene to stabilize the market.

        The Bank of England declined to comment when reached by Fox News Digital. 

        ‘I will be talking about that. I’ll also be talking about the conservatives in name only who undermined me while I was in power,’ Truss said of her show, eliciting President Donald Trump’s ‘RINO’ nickname for Republicans in name only who thwart his agenda. 

        It’s not Truss’ only commonality with Trump.

        ‘I’m very frustrated by the mainstream media,’ Truss said. ‘I share President Trump’s annoyance with the BBC. He is currently suing them for propagating fake news about him, but they do fake news the whole time.’

        Trump has announced plans to file a $5 billion lawsuit against the British Broadcasting Corporation over an edit of his Jan. 6, 2021, remarks that appeared in a BBC investigative series. The BBC did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

        Truss said she wants her YouTube show to ‘help change the economic and political debate in Britain.’

        ‘I know the truth wasn’t told about my time as prime minister,’ Truss said. ‘That’s very frustrating, but I know about other issues, whether it’s free speech or migration, people are not hearing about what’s actually happening in Britain, so I want my show to tell the truth and to hear from the people that are the victims of these problems.’

        Truss’ early guests included Trump-ally Steve Bannon and British political commentator Matt Goodwin. The former prime minister spoke to Fox News Digital in Washington, D.C., ahead of its inaugural episode.

        ‘I want America, first of all, to understand what happens when you lose things like free speech, and you lose the battle on mass migration, and you lose the battle on the economy,’ Truss said. ‘It’s a warning for America, but I also want to get inspiration from what’s happened here at fighting back against these forces, and that’s what the show is about. I want to encourage people. It’s not just doom and gloom. It is about what do we actually do? How do we get a Trump-style revolution in Britain and Europe to make our countries great again?’

        At the core of the cultural battles dominating popular culture, Truss said, ‘All of these people hate Western civilization.’

        ‘They hate the nation state,’ Truss continued. ‘They want to undermine the family, and that is why I’m so passionate about fighting back against them, because I believe in our country. I believe in the Christian values that formed Britain and America. I believe in free speech, and I think we’re just in real danger of losing them to these forces.’

        Truss has applauded Trump’s leadership on the world stage, calling him ‘very forward-leaning’ in negotiating peace in the Middle East.

        Truss said she wants a solution in Ukraine, but not one that makes President Vladimir Putin appear to walk away from the conflict on his own terms. She urged Europe to ‘step up’ and ‘spend more of our own money on defense’ — reflecting many congressional Republicans’ message as the war in Ukraine has waged on. 

        Congress has voted to send more than $175 billion to Ukraine since the war began, according to The Council on Foreign Relations. And while the U.S. has committed more aid to Ukraine than any other country, European countries have collectively committed more than the U.S.

        ‘We need to grow our economies to be in a position to be able to stand up to Putin ourselves,’ Truss said.

        While Trump continues to pursue peace negotiations in the Middle East and between Russia and Ukraine, Truss applauded the president for taking action against suspected drug traffickers from Venezuela.

        ‘There’s definitely very, very serious issues with Venezuela, and it’s sadly a country that used to be successful and rich and has now been ruined essentially by a communist regime,’ Truss said. ‘I understand the United States needs to take action because the cartels that come out of countries like Venezuela are a direct security threat to the United States.’

        The Trump administration deployed two fighter jets over the Gulf of Venezuela on Tuesday and has faced scrutiny in recent days for allegedly authorizing a second strike on suspected drug trafficking boats in Venezuela.

        The White House told Fox News Digital last week that as commander in chief, Trump has ‘full authority to use every element of American power to stop drugs from flooding into our country.’

        ‘As President Trump has said, all options are on the table as he works to combat the scourge of narcoterrorism that has resulted in the needless deaths of thousands of innocent Americans,’ White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said in a statement to Fox News Digital. ‘All of these decisive strikes have been in international waters against designated narcoterrorists bringing deadly poison to our shores.’

        Fox News Digital’s Diana Stacy contributed to this report.

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