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AOC accuses Israel of genocide in Germany where Holocaust was launched, sparking outrage

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., alleged at the Munich Security Conference on Friday that U.S. aid to the Jewish state enabled a genocide by Israel. AOC’s attack on the Jewish state in Munich unfolded in the birthplace of Adolf Hitler’s Nazi movement that carried out the worst genocide in human history.

AOC’s assault on Israel’s war campaign to defeat the U.S. and EU-designated terrorist movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip sparked outrage and intense criticism from academic military and Middle East experts.

During the town hall event in Munich, the Squad member said, ‘To me, this isn’t just about a presidential election. Personally, I think that the United States has an obligation to uphold its own laws, particularly the Leahy laws. And I think that personally, that the idea of completely unconditional aid, no matter what one does, does not make sense. I think it enabled a genocide in Gaza. And I think that we have thousands of women and children dead that don’t, that was completely avoidable.’

She continued, ‘And, so I believe that enforcement of our own laws through the Leahy laws, which requires conditioning aid in any circumstance, when you see gross human rights violations, is appropriate.’

The Leahy Laws prohibit the Department of Defense and the State Department from funding ‘foreign security force units when there is credible information that the unit has committed a ‘gross violation of human rights.’ Former Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-VT., introduced the bill in 1997.

Tom Gross, an expert on international affairs, told Fox News digital that ‘AOC has flown all the way to Munich — infamous as the city in which Hitler staged his Nazi Beer Hall Putsch that marked the beginning of the road to the Holocaust — in order to smear the Jewish people further with a phony genocide allegation.’

Gross added, ‘Such preposterous allegations of ‘genocide’ form the bedrock of modern antisemitic incitement against Jews in the U.S. and globally. This shocking ignorance and insensitivity by Ocasio-Cortez should rule her out of any potential presidential bid or other high office.’

Military experts and genocide researchers have debunked the allegation that Israel carried out a genocide against Palestinians during its self-defense war against the Hamas terrorist organization that started after Hamas terrorists attacked communities in parts of southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023 that saw over 1200 Israeli and foreign nationals killed and 251 brutally kidnapped and taken into Gaza by Hamas and other terrorists.

Danny Orbach, a military historian from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and co-author of ‘Debunking the Genocide Allegations: A Reexamination of the Israel-Hamas War from October 7 2023, to June 1, 2025,’ told Fox News Digital that Ocasio-Cortez accusation that Israel committed genocide is an ‘accusation that is incorrect both factually and legally. Under the Genocide Convention, genocide requires proof of a special intent to destroy a protected group, in whole or in part, and as a baseline condition, an active effort to maximize civilian destruction.

‘The evidence shows the opposite: as demonstrated in our multi-author study Debunking the Genocide Allegations, Israel undertook unprecedented measures to mitigate civilian harm, including establishing humanitarian safe zones that independently verified data show were approximately six times safer than other areas of Gaza.’

Orbach added, ‘Israel also issued detailed advance warnings before strikes and facilitated the entry of over two million tons of humanitarian aid, often at significant cost to its own military advantage, including the loss of surprise and the sustainment of an enemy during wartime.’

He concluded, ‘These measures were taken despite Hamas’s Oct. 7 massacre, its systematic use of human shields and hospitals for military purposes, and a tunnel network exceeding 1,000 kilometers — an operational challenge without historical precedent. Finally, no credible evidence demonstrates the kind of unambiguous, exclusive genocidal intent toward Palestinians that international law requires and that cannot be reasonably interpreted otherwise.’

The conservative commentator Derek Hunter posted on X. ‘Imagine going to Germany to complain about a fake genocide by Jews…in Munich, of all places. @AOC is about as smart as clogged toilet.’

In Dec. 2024, Germany joined the U.S. in rejecting the allegations that Israel committed genocide in Gaza.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

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‘It’s absurd’: DHS shutdown bears down on US as lawmakers jet off to Europe

The government entered a partial shutdown at midnight Friday after Congress failed to reach a funding deal — and some lawmakers’ decision to attend an international gathering in Europe this weekend is drawing criticism from colleagues on both sides of the aisle.

‘It’s absurd, I hope the American people are paying attention,’ Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo., told Fox News Digital.

The deadline to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) by the end of the week came with a built-in complication: members of both chambers were scheduled to attend the annual Munich Security Conference, with many set to depart by day’s end Thursday.

Without a deal in place, Congress left Washington, D.C., on Thursday after the Senate failed to pass both a full-year funding bill for DHS and a temporary, two-week funding extension.

At midnight Friday — with several lawmakers already in Germany — DHS shut down.

Both Republican leaders warned members to be prepared to return if a deal was reached. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., gave senators 24 hours’ notice to return, while House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., allowed a 48-hour window.

Despite the conference being scheduled months in advance, some lawmakers said leaving Washington — or even the country — during an active funding standoff sent the wrong message.

Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., blamed Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., arguing that Democrats blocked Republican-led efforts to prevent a partial DHS shutdown.

‘Schumer’s what’s deciding this,’ Scott told Fox News Digital. ‘I mean, he’s deciding that he’s more interested in people going to Munich than he is in funding DHS.’

Several lawmakers from both chambers are attending the conference, participating in side discussions and panels during the annual forum, where heads of state and top decision-makers gather to debate international security policy.

Members of the House expressed frustration that senators would leave amid stalled negotiations between Senate Democrats and the White House.

‘The Senate started out a week ago saying, ‘I don’t think anybody should leave town,’’ Rep. Mark Amodei, R-Nev., told Fox News Digital. ‘Now they’re doing the Munich thing. At least [the House] sent a bill over…not a great pride moment for the federal government, is it?’

Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., led a bipartisan delegation of 11 senators to the conference.

When asked whether the shutdown would affect his travel plans, Whitehouse said, ‘I hope not.’

Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., who was scheduled to participate in a panel with Graham titled ‘The State of Russia,’ according to the conference agenda, said lawmakers should have resolved outstanding issues before leaving town.

‘I’m not delighted with Republican resistance and unresponsiveness, but it’s on them at this point,’ Blumenthal said.

House rules prohibit official congressional delegations, also known as CODELs, during a shutdown. Still, several House members made the trip to Bavaria. At least a handful of House Democrats, including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., attended the conference.

House Appropriations Committee Chair Tom Cole, R-Okla., said during a hearing on the impact of a DHS shutdown that it would be ‘unconscionable if Congress leaves and does not solve the problem.’

‘I’m sure Munich is a great place. I’ve been there many times. The beer is outstanding,’ Cole said. ‘But we don’t need to go to a defense conference someplace in Europe when we’re not taking care of the defense of the United States of America.’

Lawmakers are expected to continue negotiations throughout the weekend while many are abroad. Senate Democrats have signaled they may present a counteroffer to the White House but have not finalized a proposal.

If an agreement is reached, it would still take time to draft the legislative text and bring the measure to the Senate floor. Even so, some lawmakers argued that stepping away from negotiations — whether returning home or traveling overseas — was the wrong move.

‘I’ve been pretty outspoken to say we need to stay as long as we have to be here to be able to get things resolved so we don’t ever have a shutdown,’ Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., told Fox News Digital.

‘That’s the easiest way to resolve it is to say ‘no one walks away from the table,’’ he added. ‘We stay at the table.’

Rep. Joe Morelle, D-N.Y., told Fox News Digital the situation reflects poorly on GOP leadership’s handling of funding priorities, though he acknowledged the significance of the international conference.

‘There’s a certain irony that we would not be here to fund essential services of our government, but we have enough time and energy to go to the Munich Security Conference, which admittedly is a very important international gathering,’ Morelle said. ‘But I think it says a lot about the lack of leadership…we can’t do the fundamentals of this job.’

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

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BROADCAST BIAS: ‘The View’ isn’t news — it’s Democratic talking points on repeat

Too often, watching the ladies on ABC’s ‘The View’ is like finding the five more partisan Democrat accounts on Instagram or X. You’ll get every Democratic National Committee talking point, with an emphasis on how the left is amazing and the right will end democracy as we know it.

This week, ‘The View’ crew repeatedly gushed over the allegedly marvelous Super Bowl halftime show of Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny, because he hates President Donald Trump and ICE. The fact that it was almost entirely in Spanish (except for a Lady Gaga interlude) was a point of pride and proved that Americans are backward people. ‘This country seems to be one of the only countries in the world that is so proud of being monolingual and not being able to communicate in more than one language,’ Co-host Sunny Hostin complained. ‘And, the fact of the matter is, in about 20 years, multi-ethnic people will be the majority in this country! So, if you don’t understand Spanish, maybe start taking a little Duolingo course!’

Co-host Joy Behar added disdain to the Bad Bunny critics: ‘These are not exactly the same people that go to the opera where they speak Italian and French. But let’s not go there. The country, in my opinion, has a misplaced set of values.’

Try to imagine Behar feeling morally superior as she goes to the Metropolitan Opera in New York to see the new woke version of Bizet’s ‘Carmen,’ where the setting is MAGA – ‘an industrial American town’ in flyover country – and the villains are ICE agents. Then it doesn’t matter if it’s in French.

The only hope in the coming weeks is that Alyssa Farah Griffin’s maternity leave results in a little more conservative dissent on this remarkably one-sided program. Already, fans of the show are up in arms that Elisabeth Hasselbeck is going to pop in, as if she was unacceptably ultraconservative in her decade on the show. It’s easier for the liberals to feel smart when nobody calls them out for sounding stupid.

On Thursday, after Attorney General Pam Bondi testified before Congress, Hostin accused Bondi of ruining the Department of Justice, which had supposedly never been a partisan agency under Democrat Presidents Bill Clinton or Barack Obama or Joe Biden. ‘The Justice Department is in shambles. So, the people of the United States have that person who is deeply unqualified, who is deeply unserious as their protection, as the person that is the chief law enforcement officer of the United States of America! I am so disgusted! I am so saddened by what is the destruction of one of the biggest and strongest institutions in our country!’ Nobody pushes back on these speeches.

Then Behar typically came unglued: ‘By the way, you know, just a little history, during the Watergate scandal President Nixon did not go to jail but John Mitchell did. John Mitchell was his attorney general. So, at the end of the day, Miss Bondi, you’re looking at some prison time.’ For what? Who needs to look it up? Emotion in search of an applause line is everything.

Minutes later, she played historian again, in the fight between Trump and Democrats in Congress like Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, who nudged military personnel to defy Trump: ‘Again, I hate to bring up history again but there’s something called the Nuremberg defense, which basically states that acting under orders, illegal orders does not relieve a person of responsibility under international law.’ They always have to compare Trump to Hitler and his Nazi underlings.

She continued: ‘These people were saying, you do not have to obey an illegal order. And the illegal orders are the following,’ she said, reading from a paper. ‘Telling generals to send members into major cities to use them as training grounds. Suggesting that troops shoot protesters in the legs. Ordering unlawful military strikes on boats in international waters…. the Nuremberg Trial proved that going against an illegal order is legit.’

Nobody should want these ladies as their experts on history or politics or culture. But they are reliable robots on the social-media memes and themes that the Democrats use in their efforts to win every news cycle. It’s shocking that this show is under the ABC News umbrella, because there’s nothing in this show that sounds like journalism. 

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

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Collins boosts Republican voter ID effort, but won’t scrap filibuster

Senate Republicans gained a key ally in their quest to enshrine voter ID into law, but the lawmaker’s support comes with a condition.

A trio of lawmakers, led by Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, have undertaken a campaign to convince their colleagues to support the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, working social media and closed-door meetings to secure the votes.

The campaign has proven successful, with the cohort gaining a crucial vote from Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, who announced that she would back the SAVE America Act, which recently passed the House. With Collins, Senate Republicans have at least a slim majority backing the act.

‘I support the version of the SAVE America Act that recently passed the House,’ Collins said in a statement first reported by the Maine Wire. ‘The law is clear that in this country only American citizens are eligible to vote in federal elections.’

‘In addition, having people provide an ID at the polls, just as they have to do before boarding an airplane, checking into a hotel, or buying an alcoholic beverage, is a simple reform that will improve the security of our federal elections and will help give people more confidence in the results,’ she continued.

Collins noted that she did not support the previous version of the bill, known simply as the SAVE Act, because it ‘would have required people to prove their citizenship every single time they cast a ballot.’

Her decision gives Lee and Senate Republicans the votes needed to clear a key procedural hurdle in the Senate.

‘We now have enough votes to pass a motion to proceed to the House-passed bill — even without any additional votes — with Vice President JD Vance breaking the tie,’ Lee said in a post on X.

That tie-breaking scenario would only present itself if Republicans turn to the standing, or talking, filibuster. It’s a move that Lee has been pushing his colleagues to make, and one that would require actual, physical debate over the bill. 

It’s the precursor to the current version of the filibuster, where the only hill lawmakers have to climb is acquiring 60 votes. Lee and other conservatives believe that if they turn to the standing filibuster, rather than the ‘zombie filibuster,’ they can barrel through Democratic resistance.

But some fear that turning to that tool could paralyze the Senate floor for weeks or even months, depending on Senate Democrats’ resolve.  

And Collins’ support is not enough to smash through the 60-vote Senate filibuster.

Complicating matters, Collins made clear that she does not support doing away with the filibuster, as do several other Senate Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., who reiterated earlier this week that the GOP doesn’t have the votes to eliminate the legislative tool.

‘I oppose eliminating the legislative filibuster,’ Collins said. ‘The filibuster is an important protection for the rights of the minority party that requires Senators to work together in the best interest of the country.’

‘Removing that protection would, for example, allow a future Congress controlled by Democrats to pass provisions on anything they want — D.C. statehood, open borders, or packing the Supreme Court — with just a simple majority of Senators,’ she continued.

GOP senators Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, and Lisa Murkowski, of Alaska, remain the only Republicans who have not pledged support for the SAVE Act.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

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Trump trounces Biden energy records in just months as admin celebrates 1 year of ‘historic gains’: data

The White House on Saturday marked the one-year anniversary of President Donald Trump’s National Energy Dominance Council by drawing a sharp contrast with the Biden-era, including Interior Secretary Doug Burgum citing higher production and lower gas prices as proof of ‘real savings’ for Americans.

‘Under the President’s leadership and through the Council’s relentless execution, we have delivered historic gains in energy production, affordability, and security,’ Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, chair of the National Energy Dominance Council, told Fox News Digital. 

‘Gasoline prices have fallen to some of the lowest levels in years, permitting has been streamlined, and American energy exports are surging,’ he added. ‘These achievements are not abstract, they mean real savings for families, farmers, and small businesses, and they are strengthening our position on the world stage.’ 

Trump signed an executive order creating the National Energy Dominance Council on Feb. 14, 2025, which was tasked with cutting red tape and coordinating agencies to boost U.S. energy production, speed up permitting approvals, expand exports and deliver a national ‘energy dominance’ strategy. 

A year later, the administration pointed to a series of metrics showing the U.S. has accelerated past Biden-era data on production — while driving down energy costs that ripple through household budgets, from gas and heating to shipping and groceries.

U.S. crude oil production, for example, reached a record 13.6 million barrels per day in 2025, with the White House calling it the highest output of any country in the world. In comparison, the Biden administration took four years for production to climb from 11.3 million to 13.2 million barrels per day, a figure ‘Trump blew past in months,’ according to the White House. 

On the natural gas production front, the administration said the U.S. produced 110.1 billion cubic feet per day in November 2025, the highest level recorded since federal tracking began in 1973. All in, production is about 8% above the Biden-era average, and 4% above the previous record for U.S. natural gas production, according to the data. 

While the U.S. has also widened its lead as the world’s top liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter, with average LNG exports rising to 15 billion cubic feet per day in 2025, up from 11 under the Biden administration. 

‘As we mark this anniversary, we reaffirm our commitment to advancing American Energy Dominance and ensuring that our nation’s energy abundance continues to power prosperity, security, and freedom for generations to come,’ Burgum added in a comment to Fox News Digital. 

Lowering prices through an expanded energy grid was crucial to the executive order establishing the council itself, calling for ‘reliable and affordable energy production to drive down inflation, grow our economy, create good-paying jobs.’

Energy has emerged as a key piece of the administration’s puzzle of addressing affordability concerns stemming from the Biden era when inflation hit a 40-year-high, as cheaper energy typically ripples through the economy by cutting transportation and shipping costs and lowering the power bills factories pay to make everything from groceries to building materials. 

The White House cast cheaper gas as a kitchen-table win this year, touting pump prices are about $2.90 a gallon, which is 16% below the Biden-era average and a roughly 42% drop from the $5.02 peak in June 2022.  The administration celebrated that affordable energy benefits Americans from working families and rural communities, to small businesses and farmers who typically frequently drive farther for gas or those on a budget. 

Crude oil prices have fallen by roughly 18% in 2025, dropping to $65 a barrel from the $79 Biden-era average, according to the data. 

Environmental groups have meanwhile slammed Trump’s ‘energy dominance’ push as a fossil-fuel expansion that undercuts climate goals and could increase pollution and impacts on public lands and communities. 

‘One year ago, President Donald J. Trump launched the National Energy Dominance Council to restore America’s Energy Dominance and make life more affordable for hardworking families. Today, the results speak for themselves,’ Burgum said of the data. 

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

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Keith Weiner: Silver Being Remonetized “With a Vengeance” as Gold Rises

Keith Weiner, founder and CEO of Monetary Metals, shares his outlook for gold and silver in 2026, saying that while he expects higher prices there will be volatility.

He also outlines his thoughts on the role of precious metals in the monetary system.

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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When Diamonds Are Not Forever: NWT’s Diamond Industry Begins to Crack Under Pressure

More than three decades after diamonds transformed Canada’s Northwest Territories (NWT) into a global mining powerhouse, the industry that once defined the region’s modern economy is facing a painful reckoning.

While governments and investors have spent the past several years focused on critical minerals and battery metals, the NWT’s diamond mines are grappling with falling prices, lab-grown competition, tariff disruptions and mounting financial strain.

With one major mine set to close within weeks and others under pressure, leaders across the North are asking a seemingly once unthinkable question: what comes after diamonds?

From staking rush to global player

The modern diamond era in the NWT began in November 1991, when geologists Chuck Fipke and Stewart Blusson discovered 81 small diamonds at Lac de Gras. The find triggered the largest diamond staking rush in North American history and led to the development of the EKATI Diamond Mine, Canada’s first.

By 2004, more than 28 million hectares across the NWT and Nunavut had been staked. Canada rose to become the world’s third-largest diamond producer by value, behind Botswana and Russia, largely on the strength of the NWT’s output.

For decades, the sector generated thousands of high-paying jobs and helped build Indigenous-owned businesses across the territory. At its peak, more than 3,000 Indigenous workers were employed at the region’s three diamond mines.

Today, that foundation is starting to show cracks.

All pressure, no diamonds

Rio Tinto’s (ASX:RIO,NYSE:RIO,LSE:RIO) Diavik mine, one of the pillars of the industry, is scheduled to close next month.

Although the company recently unveiled a rare 158.2-carat yellow diamond from the site last year, described by COO Matt Breen as a “miracle of nature,” the symbolic discovery cannot reverse the mine’s finite life.

In addition, De Beers ( a subsidiary of Anglo American (LSE:AAL,OTCQX:NGLOY)) and Mountain Province Diamonds’ (TSX: MPVD,OTC:MPVD) Gahcho Kué mine has paused a project that would have extended operations from 2027 to 2030, raising concerns about its longevity.

Meanwhile, EKATI, owned by Australia’s Burgundy Diamond Mines (ASX:BDM), is battling financial distress after diamond prices fell at least 20 percent following its acquisition of the asset.

In the legislature this week, Monfwi MLA Jane Weyallon Armstrong warned of the consequences.

“The closure of Diavik and Gahcho Kué will have a significant impact on Tłı̨chǫ communities and today, the GNWT has no meaningful alternative,” she said.

Premier R.J. Simpson acknowledged the challenge. “We’re at a point now where we know the diamond mines are winding down, and the question has been: ‘OK, well, what’s next?’” he said in a recent interview.

Market headwinds multiply

The industry’s struggles are not simply a matter of geology. Natural diamond prices have been under sustained pressure, battered by several macroeconomic forces converging at once.

For instance, lab-grown diamonds—chemically identical to natural stones and available at a fraction of the price—have rapidly gained acceptance among consumers. What was once a niche product is now mainstream, particularly among younger buyers drawn to lower costs.

Canadian diamonds long marketed themselves as ethical alternatives to so-called “blood diamonds.” But synthetic stones can make similar claims, weakening one of the natural industry’s key selling points.

Luxury spending has also softened, and new trade barriers have added further strain. A 50 percent US tariff on Indian imports has disrupted the global polishing pipeline, since most rough diamonds are cut and finished in India before being sold into the US market.

The owner of EKATI has linked its financial difficulties in part to those tariffs, as well as to the broader collapse in natural diamond prices. The company recently received a C$115 million federal loan under a facility designed to assist businesses affected by US trade disruptions.

Even so, EKATI suspended parts of its operations last year and has faced criticism from workers over layoffs and severance payments. Burgundy has publicly acknowledged serious financial problems and indicated it may need additional funding if prices fail to recover.

At Gahcho Kué, Mountain Province Diamonds is navigating its own funding challenges. Acting president and CEO Jonathan Comerford said the company’s difficulties reflect “the prolonged weakness in the diamond sector.”

“In this environment, our focus remains on carefully managing costs, protecting liquidity, and making measured decisions to support the long-term sustainability of our operations,” Comerford said.

The company has received in-kind funding notices from joint-venture partner De Beers totalling approximately C$49.2 million related to unpaid cash calls.

Political pressure builds

Territorial leaders are also under growing pressure to respond.

Minister of Industry Caitlin Cleveland described the Gahcho Kué announcement as “serious news for the Northwest Territories.”

“Prices are weak, costs are high, and companies are having to make difficult calls,” Cleveland said in a recent statement. She emphasized that while the GNWT cannot control global markets, it will work to ensure worker supports are accessible and employers meet labour standards if job impacts occur.

But some structural issues are harder to address. Yellowknife North MLA Shauna Morgan questioned how the government can enforce socio-economic commitments made by mining companies when they established operations.

Simpson conceded that those agreements lack enforcement clauses such as fines.

“This is about building relationships and ensuring that we’re staying on top of this,” he said.

Meanwhile, calls for diversification are growing louder. “This announcement also reinforces a broader reality for our territory: our economic base remains too dependent on a single commodity,” Cleveland said.

Searching for the next chapter

There are hopes that critical minerals could help fill the gap. Exploration for rare earths and other strategic metals is increasing, reflecting global demand tied to electrification and defense technologies.

Weyallon Armstrong has argued that infrastructure, including expanded road connections from the Tłı̨chǫ region, could unlock new development corridors.

“We may not have a Ring of Fire, but we could have a frosty circle,” she said, referencing Ontario’s mineral-rich region.

Yet even optimistic observers acknowledge that no single project is likely to replicate the scale and stability diamonds once provided. For community leaders, the uncertainty is deeply personal.

“It’s kind of a scary situation,” Chief Fred Sangris of the Yellowknife Ndilo community of the Dene First Nation told the New York Times last year. “Where do we go from here? What’s the next project?”

Diamonds have long symbolized permanence. In the Northwest Territories, especially this Valentine’s season where icons of everlasting love dominate the market, that symbolism now feels more strained than ever.

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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Tech Weekly: AI “Scare Trade” Spills into New Sectors

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

    The Nasdaq Composite (INDEXNASDAQ:.IXIC) ended in the green on Monday (February 9) despite a weaker open.

    A rally in tech companies drove US stocks higher ahead of an economic data release, while Asian indexes also rose, led upward by Japan’s tech‑heavy Nikkei 225 (INDEXNIKKEI:NI225).

    It hit new record highs after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s Liberal Democratic Party secured a landslide victory in the Lower House, clearing the path for tax cuts and higher defense spending.

    Tax planning and wealth management stocks fell on Tuesday (February 10) after financial software provider Altruist unveiled an artificial intelligence (AI) tool for creating tax strategies, echoing last week’s selloff in legal software stocks following the debut of a lawyer-focused AI platform.

    Broader tech‑driven weakness and softer‑than‑expected retail‑sales data dragged the Nasdaq down in Tuesday’s session. The index rose again on Wednesday (February 11) after January data showed labor market stability, potentially allowing the US Federal Reserve to keep interest rates steady as it monitors inflation.

    Software stocks resumed their slide, with Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) at one point down more than 2 percent, Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) falling over 2.5 percent and Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) slipping about 1 percent.

    Personal computer makers also fell after Lenovo Group (HKEX:0992,OTCPL:LNVGF) warned of shipment pressure from a memory chip shortage. HP (NYSE:HPQ) and Dell Technologies (NYSE:DELL) each lost about 4.5 percent.

    After a muted close, investors turned their AI disruption fears to yet another corner of the market on Thursday (February 12). This time, it was logistics and trucking stocks, which plummeted after AI logistics firm Algorhythm Holdings (NASDAQ:RIME) said it has scaled freight volumes by 300 to 400 percent without increasing headcount.

    This event showed traders that AI is now affecting sectors previously thought to be resistant to automation and AI‑driven efficiency gains, leading to selloffs that also spilled into real estate and drug distribution.

    All three major indexes closed lower, with the Nasdaq hit hardest.

    A softer-than-expected US consumer price index report released on Friday (February 13) morning reinforced beliefs that the Fed is likely to cut interest rates this year, while global concerns about potential AI-driven disruptions kept investors cautious. European and Asian indexes lost ground, tracking Wall Street’s losses.

    While the S&P 500 (INDEXSP:.INX) closed slightly ahead on the day, mega-cap tech stocks dragged on the Nasdaq, which closed the week 1.77 percent below Monday’s open.

    3 tech stocks moving markets this week

    1.Cloudflare (NYSE:NET)

    Cybersecurity firm Cloudflare saw its share price surge after its sales guidance for the current quarter exceeded expectations. Shares closed 13.07 percent higher for the week.

    2. Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT)

    Applied Materials, a provider of materials engineering solutions for the semiconductor sector, saw its share price rise sharply after reporting better-than-forecast quarterly financial results. Shares advanced 10.05 percent.

    3. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (NYSE:TSM)

    Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company rose after D.A. Davidson analyst Gil Luria gave it a ‘buy’ rating with a US$450 price target and called it a top AI foundry name. Shares advanced 5.02 percent.

    Cloudflare, TSMC and Applied Materials performance, February 9 to 13, 2026.

    Chart via Google Finance.

    Top tech news of the week

        • Alphabet completed two bond sales this week, raising a combined total of nearly US$52 billion. On Monday, the company sold US$20 billion in US dollars, followed by a nearly US$32 billion multi‑currency bond sale in British pounds and Swiss francs completed within 24 hours on Tuesday.

                                    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) advanced by 2.56 percent, while the Invesco PHLX Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:SOXQ) advanced by 1.89 percent.

                                    The VanEck Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:SMH) also increased by 2.19 percent.

                                    Tech news to watch next week

                                    Tech stocks face a quieter earnings backdrop next week, with no mega‑cap AI giants reporting; instead, the sector will be trading on macro cues and any guidance hints from mid‑tier semis and software names.

                                    Key US data includes jobs‑related releases and consumer confidence surveys.

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

                                    This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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                                    Top 5 Canadian Mining Stocks This Week: Trinity One Surges 105 Percent

                                    Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO,NYSE:RIO,LSE:RIO) and Glencore (LSE:GLEN,OTCPL:GLCNF) said they will no longer be pursuing a merger, with Rio Tinto noting that the combination of the businesses would not deliver value to its shareholders.

                                    Glencore responded to Rio Tinto by saying that under the terms of the proposal, the Rio Tinto executive group would retain both the chair and CEO roles, which would undervalue Glencore’s contribution to the combined company.

                                    The deal would have created the world’s largest mining company with a combined market cap of US$260 billion. While the collapse of the proposed merger is drawing headlines, it comes at an accelerated pace for mergers and acquisitions in the industry, as majors seek to replenish their project pipelines and mid-cap producers look to grow their businesses.

                                    Among other notable mergers still on the books is Anglo American’s (LSE:AAL,OTCQX:NGLOY) merger with Canada-based Teck Resources (TSX:TECK.A,TECK.B,NYSE:TECK). That deal is currently working its way through regulatory approvals, with the most recent update that it is heading toward antitrust clearance in Europe.

                                    On Wednesday (February 11), Indonesia’s resources ministry ordered Eramet (EPA:ERA,OTCPL:ERMAF) and its joint venture partners, Tsingshan Holding Group, to slash production at the world’s largest nickel mine.

                                    Under the new work and budget plan, PT Weda Bay Nickel has been granted an initial quota of 12 million metric tons, down from the 42 million metric tons it was allowed in 2025.

                                    Nickel has been elevated this year, trading as high as US$18,725 on February 2. Although prices have fallen since that high, the announcement gave nickel some momentum, pushing prices to US$17,720 per metric ton on the London Metal Exchange on Wednesday. Prices eased again on Thursday (February 12), but remain well above 2025 averages.

                                    For more on what’s moving markets this week, check out our top market news round-up.

                                    Markets and commodities react

                                    Canadian equity markets were mixed this week.

                                    The S&P/TSX Composite Index (INDEXTSI:OSPTX) gained 2.88 percent over the week to close Friday (February 13) at 33,073.71, while the S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index (INDEXTSI:JX) shed 0.48 percent to 991.99.

                                    The CSE Composite Index (CSE:CSECOMP) dropped 2.7 percent to 163.24

                                    The gold price was largely flat, losing just 0.07 percent to close at US$5,032.68 per ounce on Friday at 4:00 p.m. EST. The silver price fared worse, closing the week down 8.43 percent at US$76.92 on Friday.

                                    In base metals, the Comex copper price recorded a 2.35 percent decrease this week to US$5.83.

                                    The S&P Goldman Sachs Commodities Index (INDEXSP:SPGSCI) was down 0.13 percent to end Friday at 583.86.

                                    Top Canadian mining stocks this week

                                    ​How did mining stocks perform against this backdrop?

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

                                    Stocks data for this article was retrieved at 4:00 p.m. EST on Friday using TradingView’s stock screener. Only companies trading on the TSX, TSXV and CSE with market caps greater than C$10 million are included. Mineral companies within the non-energy minerals, energy minerals, process industry and producer manufacturing sectors were considered.​

                                    1. Trinity One Metals (TSXV:TOM)

                                    Weekly gain: 104.55 percent
                                    Market cap: C$12.83 million
                                    Share price: C$0.45

                                    Trinity One Metals is a silver exploration and development company with a portfolio of mineral projects, including the recently acquired Silver 1 project in Ecuador.

                                    The property consists of the Silver-1 mine concession, which covers an area of 3,108 hectares and lies within the same mineral belt as Lundin Gold’s (TSX:LUG,OTCQX:LUGDF) Fruta Del Norte mine. Past mining at the site occurred between 1989 and 1994 and included 3,600 meters of underground development, along with a historic resource of 200,000 to 700,000 metric tons of ore averaging 400 to 800 grams per metric ton (g/t) silver and 3 g/t gold.

                                    The company announced the closing of the property acquisition on February 4 for a total consideration of US$540,000. In the release, the company said it will work swiftly to confirm the historic resource to modern standards.

                                    The news was followed on Tuesday (February 10), when the company announced a C$3.3 million non-brokered private placement, which was upsized to C$5.3 million on Thursday. The company said it will use proceeds from the placement to advance exploration projects across its portfolio.

                                    2. Cordoba Minerals (TSXV:CDB)

                                    Weekly gain: 74.68 percent
                                    Market cap: C$123.82 million
                                    Share price: C$1.38

                                    Cordoba Minerals is an explorer whose flagship project is Alacran in Colombia. The asset is a 50/50 joint venture with JCHX Mining Management (SHA:603979). The 20,000 hectare property hosts copper, gold and silver mineralization across five deposits: Alacran, Alacran North, Montiel East, Montiel West and Costa Azul.

                                    A feasibility study for the project released in February 2024 demonstrates an after-tax net present value of US$360 million with an internal rate of return of 23.8 percent and a payback period of three years.

                                    The resource estimate for the Alacran deposit and historical tailings shows an indicated resource of 99.46 million metric tons of ore with an average grade of 0.41 percent copper, 0.24 g/t gold and 2.65 g/t silver. Contained metal totals 904.53 million pounds of copper, 765,400 ounces of gold and 8.47 million ounces of silver.

                                    Following the completion of JCHX’s earn in for 50 percent of the project in July 2025, Cordoba said it had entered into a definitive agreement to sell its remaining 50 percent interest in Alacran.

                                    However, on January 2, the company reported that not all conditions for the sale had been met, and on Tuesday, announced that it had entered into an amended agreement.

                                    Under the new terms, the closing payment was increased to US$128 million from US$88 million, payable in a lump sum at closing. The release states that the bulk of the cash payment will be distributed to shareholders after settling liabilities and obligations, with the company retaining US$10 million for corporate purposes.

                                    3. Rio Silver (TSXV:RYO)

                                    Weekly gain: 52.38 percent
                                    Market cap: C$23.74 million
                                    Share price: C$0.64

                                    Rio Silver is an exploration company advancing its Maria Norte project in Peru.

                                    The property has changed hands several times in the 18 years prior to Rio’s acquisition in March 2025, but has seen little exploration during that time. However, in a February 5 release, the company notes that historic mining occurred at the site due to the presence of a reclaimed waste dump. The property covers the western portion of the Tangana West vein system, and although it has not yet completed an economic assessment for the property. In the announcement, the company said it plans to advance surface mapping and sampling in the third quarter of 2026.

                                    Throughout January, the company made several announcements regarding its exploration and development timeline. On January 6, the company reported results from technical work at the site, confirming the presence of silver mineralization with grades up to 991 g/t in a 0.7-meter channel sample.

                                    The company also announced on January 29 that it was launching a metallurgical program at the site, which it said will assist the company in determining the project’s potential value.

                                    4. Barksdale Resources (TSXV:BRO)

                                    Weekly gain: 48.15 percent
                                    Market cap: C$28.04 million
                                    Share price: C$0.2

                                    Barksdale Resources is a copper explorer focused on advancing its Sunnyside asset in Arizona, US. The property covers approximately 21 square kilometers, south of Tucson, Arizona. It hosts an intrusive complex that the firm believes to be an extension of the copper-zinc-lead-silver system found at South32’s (ASX:S32,OTCPL:SOUHY) Taylor deposit.

                                    In 2025, the company achieved several milestones under its earn-in agreement and completed the initial 51 percent in September following a C$1 million cash payment. Prior to the payment in June, Barksdale said it would work toward increasing its interest in the property to 67.5 percent.

                                    On January 21, the company announced plans to raise C$5 million to fund a Phase 2 drill plan required to increase its ownership stake in the Sunnyside project.

                                    On Wednesday, Barksdale announced the opening of an additional private placement to raise C$930,000. Funds raised from this round will also be used to fund exploration activities at Sunnyside.

                                    5. Pirate Gold (TSXV:YARR)

                                    Weekly gain: 48 percent
                                    Market cap: C$129.48 million
                                    Share price: C$0.37

                                    Formerly Sokoman Minerals, Pirate Gold is a discovery-oriented company with a portfolio of gold projects and one of the largest land positions in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.

                                    It also owns a 40 percent stake in the Killick lithium project, a 40/40/20 joint venture with Benton Resources (TSXV:BEX,OTCPL:BNTRF) and Piedmont Lithium.

                                    In October, the company combined its Moosehead and Crippleback claims to form the Treasure Island project, which hosts the largest mineral license and longest strike length along the Valentine Lake fault.

                                    Along with new claims, Pirate Gold’s land holdings in the area cover approximately 58,775 hectares and host multiple untested anomalies identified through historic data and exploration efforts by Pirate Gold.

                                    On Friday, Pirate Gold announced the initiation of project-scale surveys at Treasure Island, as well as the advancement of a 50,000 meter drill program, with two rigs mobilized to the site.

                                    Additionally, the company also said it had received drill permits to operate at the Crippleback Lake and Stony Lake areas, which would allow it to extend its exploration beyond the current footprint at Moosehead and test other high-priority targets along the fault zone.

                                    FAQs for Canadian mining stocks

                                    What is the difference between the TSX and TSXV?

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

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

                                    As of December 2025, 898 mining companies and 71 oil and gas companies are listed on the TSXV, combining for more than 60 percent of the 1,531 total companies listed on the exchange.

                                    As for the TSX, it is home to 175 mining companies and 51 oil and gas companies. The exchange has 2,089 companies listed on it in total.

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

                                    How much does it cost to list on the TSXV?

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

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

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

                                    How do you trade on the TSXV?

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

                                    Article by Dean Belder; FAQs by Lauren Kelly.

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

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

                                    This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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                                    Crypto Market Update: Coinbase Posts US$667 Million Q4 Loss

                                    Here’s a quick recap of the crypto landscape for Friday (February 13) as of 9:00 p.m. UTC.

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

                                    Bitcoin (BTC) was priced at US$68,987.01, up 5.2 percent over the last 24 hours.

                                    Bitcoin price performance, February 13, 2026.

                                    Chart via TradingView.

                                    A constructive scenario over the next three to six months depends on gradual improvement in global liquidity, moderation in yields and steady exchange-traded fund (ETF) inflows.

                                    According to Tran, if financial conditions tighten or additional liquidity stress occurs, the market may need another washout to rebalance leverage. Ultimately, the return of confidence, reflected through durable and sustainable capital inflows, is what matters most for the transitional phase.

                                    Ether (ETH) was priced at US$2,054.76, up by 7 percent over the last 24 hours.

                                    Altcoin price update

                                    • XRP (XRP) was priced at US$1.41, up by 4.7 percent over 24 hours.
                                    • Solana (SOL) was trading at US$85.01, up by 10.2 percent over 24 hours.

                                    Today’s crypto news to know

                                    Coinbase posts US$667 million Q4 loss

                                    Coinbase Global (NASDAQ:COIN) reported a fourth quarter net loss of US$667 million as falling crypto prices weighed on its revenue and the value of its investment portfolio. The company’s revenue came in at US$1.78 billion, below analysts’ expectations, making a 22 percent decline from a year earlier.

                                    The firm attributed much of the loss to a US$718 million drop in portfolio value, largely unrealized, alongside weaker transaction activity. Shares slid ahead of the release and have fallen more than 55 percent over the past six months as cryptocurrencies retreated. Despite the surprise slide, CEO Brian Armstrong sought to reassure investors, saying the firm remains “deliberately well capitalized” with US$11.3 billion in cash and equivalents.

                                    He added that retail customers are largely holding rather than selling, even as volatility persists.

                                    Bitcoin ETFs lose US$410 million

                                    Spot Bitcoin ETFs saw US$410 million in outflows on Thursday (February 12), extending a rocky stretch that has drained nearly US$1.5 billion over two weeks.

                                    The iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (NASDAQ:IBIT) led the pullback, followed by Fidelity and Grayscale products, as institutional investors recalibrated positions amid macro uncertainty.

                                    Treasury chief pushes CLARITY Act as crypto selloff deepens

                                    US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent urged Congress to pass the Digital Asset Market CLARITY Act this spring, arguing that it will provide stability to markets rattled by volatility.

                                    Speaking on CNBC and later before the Senate Banking Committee, Bessent said the bill will give “great comfort to the market,” and warned that parts of the crypto industry are resisting what he called “very good regulation.”

                                    “There seems to be a nihilist group in the industry who prefers no regulation over this very good regulation,” he told lawmakers, drawing support from Senator Mark Warner.

                                    The legislation has stalled amid disputes over stablecoin yield, DeFi oversight and token classifications, with critics — including Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong — raising objections. Bessent cautioned that a bipartisan coalition backing the bill could fracture if Democrats retake the House in November. Warner, meanwhile, stressed unresolved concerns around illicit finance and national security risks tied to DeFi.

                                    HIVE’s BUZZ HPC platform secures US$30 million in AI cloud contracts

                                    BUZZ High Performance Computing (HPC), a Hive Digital Technologies (TSXV:HIVE,NASDAQ:HIVE) platform, announced that it has signed customer agreements valued at approximately US$30 million over two year fixed terms for artificial intelligence (AI) cloud contracts. The new contracts will support the initial phase of BUZZ’s AI-optimized GPU deployment at its Canada West location in Manitoba, with compute capacity expected to be online during the quarter ending on March 31, 2026. This phase consists of 504 liquid-cooled Dell Technologies (NYSE:DELL) server-based GPUs.

                                    This initial phase is expected to generate about US$15 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR) to BUZZ’s cloud business once fully operational, increasing HIVE’s total annualized HPC segment revenue to roughly US$35 million.

                                    HIVE said it aims to scale its HPC GPU AI cloud business toward approximately US$140 million in ARR over the next year. The company is using vendor financing and strategic partnerships to scale efficiently and pursue a “dual-engine strategy” of hashrate services and GPU-accelerated AI computing across its facilities in Canada, Sweden and Paraguay.

                                    Taurus and Blockdaemon partner to expand institutional staking

                                    Taurus, a Swiss fintech firm that provides digital asset infrastructure for banks and financial institutions, announced an agreement with blockchain infrastructure company Blockdaemon that will allow banks to offer staking yields to their clients without having to move those assets out of tightly controlled, regulated custody.

                                    Taurus will integrate Blockdaemon’s staking infrastructure into its custody product, Taurus‑PROTECT, which is designed to keep digital assets safe inside banks’ own systems under financial regulator rules.

                                    Taurus also has an agreement to provide digital asset custody, tokenization and node management technology that State Street uses to power its full‑service digital asset platform for institutional investors. Additionally, BNY Mellon (NYSE:BK) is broadening its digita asset platforms by partnering with infrastructure providers, including Blockdaemon.

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

                                    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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