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Vancouver, British Columbia TheNewswire – September 29, 2025 – Element79 Gold Corp. (CSE: ELEM,OTC:ELMGF) (FSE: 7YS0) (OTC: ELMGF) (the ‘Company’ or ‘Element79’) announces its attendance at the Munich Rohstoffmesse (Raw Materials Conference), taking place at the Munich Small Olympic Hall from October 3rd-4th, 2025.

The confirmed investment audience – more than 1,500 participants are expected – includes private investors, fund and asset managers, family offices, and institutional investors from across Europe.

Registration for the Munich Commodity Fair is free for investors; tickets can be requested online at https://www.rohstoffmesse-muenchen.de/ . The conference will bring together more than 100 companies and renowned speakers from the European market, including Dirk Müller, Jochen Staiger, Florian Grummes, and Professor Dr. Torsten Dennin.

Element79 Gold Corp CEO Michael Smith discussed: ‘We have had a presence in the European market for several years, and we see active trading on both our FSE ticker, 7YS0, as well as a significant amount of daily trading volumes on our CSE ticker, ELEM, come from Alternate Trading Systems, which reflect trading on international exchanges.  I’m excited to share the evolving story at Element79 Gold Corp with the European community and this is a great venue for us to do that!’

About Element79 Gold Corp.

Element79 Gold Corp is a mining company focused on the exploration and development of its portfolio of high-potential gold projects. The Company’s main focus is its Nevada portfolio, anchored by the Gold Mountain and Elephant Projects, both located in the world-class Battle Mountain Trend. In addition, Element79 continues to advance its high-grade Lucero Project in southern Peru, positioning the Company for long-term exploration growth.

For more information about the Company, please visit www.element79.gold or contact:

For corporate matters and investor relations inquiries, please contact:
Mike Smith, Chief Executive Officer
E-mail: investors@element79.gold
Phone: +1.855.5ELEM79 (535-3679)

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains ‘forward-looking information’ and ‘forward-looking statements’ under applicable securities laws. These statements are based on management’s current expectations and assumptions and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the Market Regulator accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Copyright (c) 2025 TheNewswire – All rights reserved.

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Standard Uranium Ltd. (TSXV: STND,OTC:STTDF) (OTCQB: STTDF) (FSE: 9SU0) (‘Standard Uranium’ or the ‘Company’) is pleased to announce that it has signed a definitive property option agreement (the ‘Option Agreement’), dated September 26, 2025, with Collective Metals Inc. (CSE: COMT) (the ‘Optionee’), an arms-length party. Pursuant to the Option Agreement, the Optionee has been granted the option (the ‘Option’) to acquire a seventy-five percent interest in the 4,002-hectare Rocas Project (‘Rocas’ or the ‘Project’) located in the eastern Athabasca Basin region (Figure 1).

Rocas Project Highlights:

  • Prime Location – More than 7.5 km of exploration strike length along a strong NE-SW magnetic low trend coincident with EM conductors and cross-cutting faults, providing shallow drill targets south of Key Lake.
  • Uranium at Surface – Mineralized outcrop grab samples along approximately 900 metres of strike length, grading up to 0.5 wt.% U3O8 and never drill tested1 (Figure 2).
  • New Uranium Targets – Results from a high-resolution ground gravity survey completed in 2024 highlight potential alteration halos and high-priority exploration targets along well defined structural corridors.

Sean Hillacre, Standard Uranium President and VP Exploration, stated: ‘We are very pleased to have executed the Rocas Option deal with our new partners at Collective Metals quickly, allowing our team to get boots on the ground before the snow flies in Saskatchewan. This inaugural program will allow us to build a comprehensive understanding of the geology across Rocas prior to a maiden drill program, in addition to ground-truthing historic uranium occurrences through scintillometer prospecting and re-sampling.’

Figure 1. Regional map of Standard Uranium’s Rocas Project. The Project is located 75 kilometers southwest of the Key Lake Mine and Mill facilities along Highway 914.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10633/268295_a4e5e0de94dd487b_001full.jpg

About the Rocas Project

The Rocas project comprises 4,002 hectares, located 75 kilometers southwest of the Key Lake Mine and Mill facilities along Highway 914, and approximately 72 kilometers south of the present-day margin of the Athabasca Basin. The project was acquired via staking in May 2023 and recently expanded by an additional 931 hectares. Standard Uranium holds a 100%-interest in the Property.

The Project covers 7.5 kilometres of a northeast trending magnetic low/electromagnetic (‘EM’) conductor corridor which hosts several uranium showings, including historical mineralized outcrop grab samples along approximately 900 metres of strike length, grading up to 0.5 wt.% U3O81. Notably, none of the historical uranium occurrences have been drill-tested.

Historical airborne EM work in 2017 defined conductive trends on the Project west of and sub-parallel to the Key Lake Road shear zone, corresponding with favourable metasedimentary basement lithologies. Multiple parallel conductors, offsets, and termination points indicate the trend widening and potential cross-cutting structures. Additionally, a 2007 field sampling program identified anomalous lakebed geochemical anomalies that statistically rank as greater than 95th percentile U, Co, V, and Zn along the conductor corridor, including high U/Th ratios2.

Figure 2. Geophysical map of the Rocas Project highlighting EM conductors, faults, historical uranium showings, and anomalous lakebed geochemistry.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10633/268295_a4e5e0de94dd487b_002full.jpg

Exploration Plans

The Company’s technical team will mobilize to the Rocas Project on September 30th, 2025, to undertake a detailed mapping, prospecting, and sampling program to ground-truth historical uranium showings at surface. Collected grab samples will be transported to Saskatchewan Research Council Geoanalytical Laboratories in Saskatoon, SK for geochemical analysis.

In 2024, the Company contracted MWH Geo-Surveys (Canada) Ltd. to complete a high-resolution ground gravity survey along known conductive exploration trends on the Rocas project. The survey was designed to aid in the identification of potential zones of hydrothermal alteration of host rocks associated with uranium mineralization events.

Multiple new drill target zones have been identified on the Rocas project, outlined via the confluence of low gravity anomalies, historical surface mineralization, lakebed geochemical anomalies, EM conductors, and crosscutting fault zones.

Ongoing geophysical interpretation and modeling is planned throughout 2025 to integrate historical results with newly collected datasets, which will provide high-priority drill targets and significantly derisk the Project prior to modern drilling next year.

The Company believes the Project is highly prospective for the discovery of shallow, high-grade* basement-hosted uranium mineralization. Located south of the current margin of the Athabasca Basin, Rocas boasts shallow drill targets with bedrock under minimal cover of glacial till.

3-Year Earn-In Option

The Option is exercisable by the Optionee completing cash payments and share issuances, and incurring the following exploration expenditures on the Project:

Consideration 
Payments
Consideration 
Shares
Exploration 
Expenditures
Year 1 $75,000 (1)(3)$100,000 $1,500,000
Year 2 $50,000 (2)(3)$275,000 $1,500,000
Year 3 $125,000 (2)(4)$325,000 $1,500,000
Total $250,000 $700,000 $4,500,000

 

Notes:
(1)Issuable at a deemed price equivalent to the last closing price of the common shares of the Optionee on the Canadian Securities Exchange immediately prior to entering into the Option Agreement.
(2)Issuable at a deemed price equivalent to the volume-weighted average closing price of the common shares of the Optionee on the Canadian Securities Exchange in the thirty (30) trading days immediately prior to issuance.
(3)Subject to an eighteen (18) month escrow, with three (3) equal releases on the six (6), twelve (12) and eighteen (18) month anniversaries of issuance.
(4)Subject to a twelve (12) month escrow, with two (2) equal releases on the six (6) and twelve (12) month anniversaries of issuance.

Prior to exercise of the Option, the Company will act as the operator of the Project and will be entitled to charge a 10% fee on expenditures in Year 1, increasing to 12% in Year 2 and Year 3.

Following successful completion of the obligations of the Option (i.e., at the end of Year 3), Optionee will acquire a 75% equity in the Property, with Standard retaining 25% as well as a 2.5% net smelter returns royalty on the Project, of which 1.0% may be purchased back at any time for a one-time cash payment of $1,000,000.

The parties intend on forming an unincorporated joint venture for the further development of the Project. No finders’ fee is payable by the Company in connection with the Option.

Qualified Person Statement

The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed, verified, and approved by Sean Hillacre, P.Geo., President and VP Exploration of the Company and a ‘qualified person’ as defined in NI 43-101.

Historical data disclosed in this news release relating to sampling results from previous operators are historical in nature. Neither the Company nor a qualified person has yet verified this data and therefore investors should not place undue reliance on such data. The Company’s future exploration work may include verification of the data. The Company considers historical results to be relevant as an exploration guide and to assess the mineralization as well as economic potential of exploration projects.

References

1 Mineral Assessment Report 74B09-0007: Uranex Ltd., 1977 & SMDI# 2465: https://mineraldeposits.saskatchewan.ca/Home/Viewdetails/2465

2 Mineral Assessment Report 74B09-0032: Forum Uranium Corp., 2007

*The Company considers uranium mineralization with concentrations greater than 1.0 wt% U3O8 to be ‘high-grade’.

**The Company considers radioactivity readings greater than 300 counts per second (cps) to be ‘anomalous’.

About Standard Uranium (TSXV: STND,OTC:STTDF)

We find the fuel to power a clean energy future

Standard Uranium is a uranium exploration company and emerging project generator poised for discovery in the world’s richest uranium district. The Company holds interest in over 235,435 acres (95,277 hectares) in the world-class Athabasca Basin in Saskatchewan, Canada. Since its establishment, Standard Uranium has focused on the identification, acquisition, and exploration of Athabasca-style uranium targets with a view to discovery and future development.

Standard Uranium’s Davidson River Project, in the southwest part of the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan, comprises ten mineral claims over 30,737 hectares. Davidson River is highly prospective for basement-hosted uranium deposits due to its location along trend from recent high-grade uranium discoveries. However, owing to the large project size with multiple targets, it remains broadly under-tested by drilling. Recent intersections of wide, structurally deformed and strongly altered shear zones provide significant confidence in the exploration model and future success is expected.

Standard Uranium’s eastern Athabasca projects comprise over 43,185 hectares of prospective land holdings. The eastern basin projects are highly prospective for unconformity related and/or basement hosted uranium deposits based on historical uranium occurrences, recently identified geophysical anomalies, and location along trend from several high-grade uranium discoveries.

Standard Uranium’s Sun Dog project, in the northwest part of the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan, is comprised of nine mineral claims over 19,603 hectares. The Sun Dog project is highly prospective for basement and unconformity hosted uranium deposits yet remains largely untested by sufficient drilling despite its location proximal to uranium discoveries in the area.

For further information, contact:

Jon Bey, Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman
Suite 3123, 595 Burrard Street
Vancouver, British Columbia, V7X 1J1

Tel: 1 (306) 850-6699
E-mail: info@standarduranium.ca

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains ‘forward-looking statements’ or ‘forward-looking information’ (collectively, ‘forward-looking statements’) within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as of the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the intended use of proceeds from the Offering.

Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those expressed or implied by forward-looking statements contained herein. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Certain important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements are highlighted in the ‘Risks and Uncertainties’ in the Company’s management discussion and analysis for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2024.

Forward-looking statements are based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company at this time, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies that may cause the Company’s actual financial results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied herein. Some of the material factors or assumptions used to develop forward-looking statements include, without limitation: the future price of uranium; anticipated costs and the Company’s ability to raise additional capital if and when necessary; volatility in the market price of the Company’s securities; future sales of the Company’s securities; the Company’s ability to carry on exploration and development activities; the success of exploration, development and operations activities; the timing and results of drilling programs; the discovery of mineral resources on the Company’s mineral properties; the costs of operating and exploration expenditures; the presence of laws and regulations that may impose restrictions on mining; employee relations; relationships with and claims by local communities and indigenous populations; availability of increasing costs associated with mining inputs and labour; the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development (including the risks of obtaining necessary licenses, permits and approvals from government authorities); uncertainties related to title to mineral properties; assessments by taxation authorities; fluctuations in general macroeconomic conditions.

The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Any forward-looking statements and the assumptions made with respect thereto are made as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, are subject to change after such date. The Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

Neither the TSX-V nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX-V) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/268295

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VVC Exploration Corporation, dba VVC Resources (‘VVC’ or the ‘Company’) (TSX-V: VVC; OTC: VVCVF) today announces its strategic development of the Central Kansas Uplift (‘CKU’) Project, an initiative being advanced through VVC’s wholly owned subsidiary, Plateau Helium Corporation (‘PHC’). The CKU Project targets helium-rich natural gas within multiple stacked reservoirs in Rush and Pawnee Counties, Kansas, where PHC has assembled a meaningful lease position and identified multiple well development locations. The CKU Project is a very mature exploration area with thousands of historic wells drilled. These wells provide a tremendous volume of geologic, engineering, and production data that is used to guide and de-risk PHC’s development plans.

The project overlies the Central Kansas Uplift, an area with historical helium concentrations ranging from 1.5%–6%. Geologically, there are areas within the CKU that consist of up to eight stacked helium-rich reservoir zones with typical well depths of 2,500–5,000 feet. The Company has leased 10,875 acres of an area of interest (AOI). The AOI has 160 potential drilling locations. The CKU area provides existing midstream infrastructure as evidenced by multiple gas pipelines, processing facilities and a helium liquefier that are all located within PHC’s AOI.

‘In CKU, we are aligning subsurface opportunities with existing midstream access,’ said Chairman Terrence Martell, Ph. D. ‘The combination of stacked zones, documented helium in historic gas and oil wells, and existing pipelines provides a practical pathway to add wells methodically while managing capital intensity.’

Development is planned in phases that prioritize additional wells and processing access, while evaluating further lease expansion within the CKU fairway.

About VVC Resources
VVC engages in the exploration, development, and management of natural resources – specializing in scarce and increasingly valuable materials needed to meet the growing, high-tech demands of industries such as manufacturing, technology, medicine, space travel, and the expanding green economy. Our portfolio includes a diverse set of multi-asset, high-growth projects, comprising: Helium & industrial gas production in western U.S.; Copper & associated metals operations in northern Mexico; and Strategic investments in carbon sequestration and other green energy technologies. VVC is a Canada-based, publicly-traded company on the TSXV (TSX-V:VVC). To learn more, visit our website at: www.vvcresources.com .

On behalf of the Board of Directors
Michel J. Lafrance, Secretary-Treasurer

For further information, please contact: For further information in French, please contact:
Emily Bigelow – (615) 504-4621 Patrick Fernet – (514) 631-2727
E-mail: emily@vvcresources.com E-mail: pfernet@vvcexploration.com

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

2369 Kingston Road, PO Box 28059 Terry Town, Scarborough, ON M1N 4E7 Tel: 416-619-5304

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS:

This news release contains ‘forward-looking information’ (within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws) and ‘forward-looking statements’ (within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). Such statements or information are identified with words such as ‘anticipate’, ‘believe’, ‘expect’, ‘plan’, ‘intend’, ‘potential’, ‘estimate’, ‘propose’, ‘project’, ‘outlook’, ‘foresee’, ‘strategy’, ‘success’ or similar words suggesting future outcomes or statements regarding an outlook. Such statements include, among others: « … strategic development of the Central Kansas Uplift Project …; … data that is used to guide and de-risk PHC’s development plans; … provides a practical pathway to add wells methodically …; Development is planned in phases that … ».

Such forward-looking information or statements are based on several risks, uncertainties and assumptions which may cause actual results or other expectations to differ materially from those anticipated and which may prove to be incorrect. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things, management’s expectations regarding acquisitions, production of helium, oil or gas, future development and growth, plans for and completion of projects by Company’s third-party relationships, availability of capital, and the necessity to incur capital and other expenditures. Actual results could differ materially due to a number of factors, without limitation, operational risks in the completion of Company’s anticipated projects, delays or changes in plans with respect to the development of Company’s anticipated projects by Company’s third-party relationships, risks affecting the ability to develop projects, risks in legislative changes in the applicable jurisdictions, risks inherent in operating in foreign jurisdictions, the ability to attract key personnel, risks in decrease of price of helium, gas or oil. No assurances can be given that the efforts by Company will be successful.

Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking information or statements are reasonable, prospective investors in the Company’s securities should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements because the Company can provide no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking information and statements contained in this news release are as of the date of this news release and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise this forward-looking information and statements, except as required by law.

Investors are cautioned that notwithstanding the expectations described herein, there can be no assurance that the plans described herein will be completed as proposed. Trading in the securities of VVC should be considered highly speculative.  All forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements and by those made in our filings with SEDAR in Canada (available at www.sedarplus.ca ).

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President Donald Trump on Thursday announced a new round of punishing tariffs, saying the United States will impose a 100% tariff on imported branded drugs, 25% tariff on imports of all heavy-duty trucks and 50% tariffs on kitchen cabinets.

Trump also said he would start charging a 30% tariff on upholstered furniture next week.

He said the new heavy-duty truck tariffs were to protect manufacturers from “unfair outside competition” and said the move would benefit companies such as Paccar-owned PCAR.O Peterbilt and Kenworth and Daimler Truck-owned DTGGe.DE Freightliner.

Trump has launched numerous national security probes into potential new tariffs on a wide variety of products.

He said the new tariffs on kitchen, bathroom and some furniture were because of huge levels of imports that were hurting local manufacturers.

“The reason for this is the large-scale ‘FLOODING’ of these products into the United States by other outside Countries,” Trump said, citing national security concerns about U.S. manufacturing.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce urged the department not to impose new tariffs, noting the top five import sources are Mexico, Canada, Japan, Germany and Finland “all of which are allies or close partners of the United States posing no threat to U.S. national security.”

Mexico is the largest exporter of medium- and heavy-duty trucks to the United States. A study released in January said imports of those larger vehicles from Mexico have tripled since 2019.

Higher tariffs on commercial vehicles could put pressure on transportation costs just as Trump has vowed to reduce inflation, especially on consumer goods such as groceries.

Tariffs could also affect Chrysler-parent Stellantis STLAM.MI, which produces heavy-duty Ram trucks and commercial vans in Mexico. Sweden’s Volvo Group VOLVb.ST is building a $700 million heavy-truck factory in Monterrey, Mexico, set to start operations in 2026.

Mexico is home to 14 manufacturers and assemblers of buses, trucks, and tractor trucks, and two manufacturers of engines, according to the U.S. International Trade Administration.

The country is also the leading global exporter of tractor trucks, 95% of which are destined for the United States.

“We need our Truckers to be financially healthy and strong, for many reasons, but above all else, for National Security purposes!” Trump added.

Mexico opposed new tariffs, telling the Commerce Department in May that all Mexican trucks exported to the United States have on average 50% U.S. content, including diesel engines.

Last year, the United States imported almost $128 billion in heavy vehicle parts from Mexico, accounting for approximately 28% of total U.S. imports, Mexico said.

The Japanese Automobile Manufacturers Association also opposed new tariffs, saying Japanese companies have cut exports to the United States as they have boosted U.S. production of medium- and heavy-duty trucks.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

Gold’s record-setting rise continued on Monday (September 29) as the price broke US$3,800 per ounce.

After spending the summer months consolidating, the yellow metal began pushing higher toward the end of August. It quickly took out US$3,500 and continued on past US$3,600, US$3,700 and now US$3,800.

The yellow metal is up over 10 percent in the last month, and about 44 percent year-to-date.

Gold price chart, June 28 to September 29, 2025.

Gold’s latest rise comes amid concerns about a US government shutdown.

Congress has until the end of Tuesday (September 30) to reach a deal on a spending bill ahead of the new fiscal year, and will close shop the next day if an agreement hasn’t been reached.

Democrats and Republicans are currently at loggerheads as Democrats push for changes to the bill, including an extension to billions of dollars in subsidies for Obamacare, and as President Donald Trump threatens thousands of permanent layoffs — not just temporary furloughs — in the event of a shutdown.

Beyond current events, gold’s rise is underpinned by factors like strong central bank buying, global geopolitical uncertainty, concerns about the US dollar and other fiat currencies and expectations of lower interest rates.

Those factors have many experts predicting a rise beyond US$4,000, potentially before the end of the year, although a correction is widely expected beforehand.

Barrick, Newmont announce leadership changes

Gold’s US$3,800 milestone comes as major miners Barrick Mining (TSX:ABX,NYSE:B) and Newmont (TSX:NGT,NYSE:NEM,ASX:NEM) announce leadership changes.

Barrick President and CEO Mark Bristow unexpectedly stepped down on Monday after nearly seven years at the helm of the company. His exit comes after major changes at the company, including a shift toward copper and an asset divestment program designed to hone the company’s focus on tier-one assets.

Bristow’s departure is effective immediately. Mark Hill, who is responsible for the company’s Latam and Asia Pacific regions, has stepped in as group COO, and interim president and CEO.

Also on Monday, Newmont announced the retirement of CEO Tom Palmer, who has held the position since 2019. He will be succeeded by Natascha Viljoen, currently the company’s president and COO, on January 1, 2026; Palmer will maintain a strategic advisor position until officially retiring on March 31, 2026.

Analysts note that Newmont had been signaling that a succession plan was in the works.

Similar to Barrick, the company has been in the midst of an extensive program geared at streamlining its portfolio. Newmont acquired Newcrest Mining in 2023, and in February 2024 announced a program to sell non-core assets. It completed the program in April of this year, but has continued to make portfolio adjustments, including the recently announced sale of the Yukon-based Coffee project to Fuerte Metals (TSXV:FMT,OTCQB:FUEMF).

During the last gold bull run, miners were criticized for allowing their costs to get out of hand, and for doing high-priced deals when the market was hot. This time around, they seem to be making efforts to remain in control and make decisions that benefit both their bottom lines and shareholders.

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

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Iraq is entering ‘a new phase’ of stability and growth, President Abdullatif Jamal Rashid said in an interview, declaring the country ‘100% safe’ as U.S. troops prepare to draw down after more than two decades on the ground.

While praising the U.S. for helping to defeat ISIS, Rashid stressed that Iraq now intends to stand on its own — maintaining ties with both the United States and neighboring Iran.

‘Americans have helped us in defeating terrorism… and I think Iraq is 100% safe and secure,’ Rashid told Fox News Digital on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. ‘It’s a new phase in Iraq, really concentrating on improving the infrastructure.’

Those who served in Iraq in the early 2000s — through the War on Terror and a civil war — may not recognize it as the same place, according to Rashid.

‘We have started development in every field of life, and there are good opportunities for number of American companies, American businessmen, to be our partner in improving the situation in Iraq.’

Under this ‘new phase,’ Rashid said he wants Iraq to be defined less by conflict and more by commerce.

‘Our relationship with the United States is a long relationship. We want to make a stronger relationship… on trade, on investment, on energy and water.’

The timing is significant. The U.S.-led coalition that toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003 and later fought ISIS was scheduled under an agreement last year to begin its final withdrawal this September. That exact timeline is unclear, and the Pentagon has disclosed few details.

The issue is sure to dominate next month’s parliamentary elections, where a swath of Iraqis want the U.S. to adhere to its agreement and leave.

‘This is a hot button political issue,’ said Behnam Taleblu, fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), ‘with a timetable that was technically — or at least allegedly — already supposed to have started by then, is going to be something that we should be keeping our eyes on.’

American commanders have warned that ISIS cells remain active in rural areas, while Iran-aligned militias have targeted U.S. and Iraqi government facilities with rockets and drones.

Some argue the counter-ISIS mission is not over, and U.S. troops should remain. Others say the U.S. footprint lacks a clear purpose at this point.

‘The deterrent effect of U.S. forces there, I think, could be significant,’ said Taleblu.

Pressed on these concerns, Rashid dismissed talk of Iraq being ‘overrun with Iranian proxies’ as exaggerated and said Baghdad is determined to prevent outside powers from dictating its politics.

‘We want to keep our independence, our decision-making in Iraq as the Iraqis, not to be influenced by outsiders,’ he said.

On reports of militia attacks, Rashid claimed ignorance but insisted such actions would not be tolerated.

‘I’m not really aware of any groups [carrying out attacks]. We will not allow it. And these are against the Iraqi security and Iraqi independence,’ he said.

Still, the perception of Iranian influence remains a flashpoint in Washington.

‘Iranian influence has already taken over Iraq,’ Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., told Fox News Digital.

Tehran has close ties to Shiite parties that shape government coalitions in Baghdad, and it supports militias within the Popular Mobilization Forces that remain powerful players in the country’s security environment.

Iraq also relies on Iranian electricity and natural gas imports, while Iranian goods fill local markets, making Iraq one of Tehran’s most important trading partners despite international sanctions.

That reach, however, is not uncontested. Iraqi nationalist movements — including many Shiites — have resisted Tehran’s sway, and mass protests in recent years have condemned Iran’s role, sometimes targeting its consulates. Baghdad today remains a space of competing influence.

‘The Islamic Republic benefits from Iraq looking like Swiss cheese,’ said Taleblu, referring to Iranian pockets of influence across the country and its institutions.

‘Iran and Iraq are two neighbors,’ Rashid said, emphasizing that they had friendly relations. ‘We will not allow politicians from either [U.S. or Iraq] to be imposed on Iraqi people.’

Still others say Iran could take note of the Iraqi success story. In less than 20 years, the nation rose from decades of conflict and dictatorial leadership under Saddam Hussein to relative stability and democratic elections.

Rashid confirmed that Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government have resolved their dispute over oil exports, paving the way for flows to resume after months of disruption. ‘It’s a big deal,’ said Rashid, who himself is Kurdish by background.

The Iraqi presidency is reserved for a Kurd under an informal power-sharing agreement, while the prime minister is Shi’a Arab and the speaker of the parliament is Sunni Arab.

Rashid also pointed to November’s parliamentary elections as proof of democratic stability.

‘We are going to have elections in two months’ time in November. That’s really an indication of how stable the country is… We want the process to be fully democratic,’ he said.

But the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) — a state-sanctioned umbrella of mostly Shiite militias, some with close ties to Tehran — are seen by critics as a parallel power structure undermining Iraq’s sovereignty.

Rashid, however, argued that integrating all armed groups under the constitution strengthens, rather than weakens, the state.

And on foreign policy, Rashid tried to position Iraq as a bridge.

He welcomed growing recognition of a Palestinian state, cautiously praised Donald Trump’s push for peace in Gaza, and reiterated that war — whether in the Middle East or in Ukraine — ‘doesn’t solve any problem. It makes the problem more complicated.’

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A group of the country’s top economic leaders, including every living former Federal Reserve chair, filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court on Thursday in support of Fed governor Lisa Cook, who President Donald Trump is seeking to remove.

The group, led former central bank chiefs Alan Greenspan, Ben Bernanke and Janet Yellen, said that “allowing the removal of Governor Lisa D. Cook while the challenge to her removal is pending would threaten that independence and erode public confidence in the Fed.”

The bipartisan group, which also includes former Treasury Secretaries Robert Rubin, Larry Summers, Hank Paulson, Jack Lew and Timothy Geithner, added that “the independence of the Federal Reserve, within the limited authority granted by Congress to achieve the goals Congress itself has set, is a critical feature of our national monetary system.”

As the U.S. central bank, the Federal Reserve is part of the U.S. government and its leaders are put in place by elected officials, but it also retains a considerable amount of independence that is meant to allow it to make decisions purely out of economic concerns rather than political ones.

The former economic officials said that an erosion of Fed independence could result “in substantial long-term harm and inferior economic performance overall.”

The Supreme Court is considering whether Trump has the authority to fire Cook, who has been a target for the White House for weeks as part of a broader pressure campaign to push the Fed to more aggressively cut interest rates.

Cook’s attempted removal stems from allegations of mortgage fraud, made in August by top Trump ally and Federal Housing Finance Authority Director Bill Pulte.

Cook has repeatedly denied the allegations and has not been charged with any crime. Documents reviewed by NBC News in mid-September appeared to contradict Pulte’s allegations.

Two courts have so far blocked Cook’s removal, leading Trump to ask the Supreme Court a week ago to allow him to fire her. In a court filing, Solicitor General D. John Sauer said a judge’s ruling that blocked the firing constituted “improper judicial interference.”

In a filing to the Supreme Court on Thursday, Cook’s lawyers said that ‘she committed neither ‘fraud’ nor ‘gross negligence’ in relation to her mortgages.’

Cook asked the court to deny Trump’s attempt to remove her while the case is argued.

The White House has repeatedly maintained that Trump “lawfully removed Lisa Cook for cause.”

The brief filed Thursday is a who’s who of the country’s top economic minds. Former Fed governor Dan Tarullo is also listed as a signatory to the brief, as well as the economists Ken Rogoff, Phil Gramm and John Cochrane.

Glenn Hubbard, Greg Mankiw, Christina Romer, Cecilia Rouse, Jared Bernstein and Jason Furman, a group who served as top officials on the White House’s council of economic advisers during Republican and Democrat administrations, also signed the brief.

None of the officials who signed the filing have served in either of Trump’s administrations.

Lisa Cook is sworn in during a Senate Banking hearing in 2023.Drew Angerer / Getty Images file

Trump is the first president in U.S. history to try to remove a sitting Fed official.

‘There is broad consensus among economists, based on decades of macroeconomic research, that a more independent central bank will lead to lower and more stable inflation without creating higher unemployment — thus helping to achieve the Federal Reserve’s statutory objective of price stability and maximum employment,’ the officials said in the brief.

‘The Federal Reserve walks a careful line in pursuit of its goals.’

They noted that ‘elected officials often favor lowering interest rates to boost employment, particularly leading up to an election.’

‘Although that approach may satisfy voters temporarily, it does not lead to lasting gains for unemployment or growth and can instead lead to persistently higher inflation in the long-term and thus ultimately harm the national economy.’

The former Fed chairs and economic officials, in their filing, highlight a notorious case of political pressure on the Fed:

‘In the early 1970s, President Richard Nixon famously exerted political pressure over then-Chair of the Fed Arthur Burns to lower unemployment by reducing interest rates. During this period ‘the Fed made only limited efforts to maintain policy independence and, for doctrinal as well as political reasons, enabled a decade of high and volatile inflation.’ This contributed to an ‘inflationary boom’ and deep recession that took years to bring back under control.’

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A Trump administration official was physically assaulted by a ‘deranged leftist’ inside the United Nations Thursday afternoon during the gathering of the UN General Assembly, Fox News Digital has learned.

An official working in international relations for the Department of Health and Human Services was in New York City serving in a support role for HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the department’s leadership team at UNGA.

‘An HHS official was followed into a bathroom, recorded, physically assaulted and verbally accosted by a deranged leftist at the UN who somehow entered the venue past multiple layers of security,’ White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly told Fox News Digital. ‘Thankfully, the official is safe, and the lunatic was arrested, but this is part of a disturbing and dangerous set of failures by the UN after their sabotage of President Trump ahead of and during his speech.’

Kelly told Fox News Digital that the U.S. Secret Service will investigate ‘how this violent protester was admitted into a major national security event.’

A source familiar told Fox News Digital that the individual has been charged with assault, aggravated harassment, attempted assault and criminal possession of a weapon. The individual was released from custody at 7:30 p.m. Friday night, the source said. The individual is expected in court next on Nov. 13. 

‘The UN must answer why these highly concerning incidents continue to happen against the president and his staff,’ Kelly said.

‘We are outraged that a member of the U.S. delegation was physically assaulted inside of UN Headquarters the afternoon of September 25,’ a U.S. UN spokesperson told Fox News Digital. ‘This attack must be addressed swiftly, and consequences must be felt.’

The spokesperson told Fox News Digital that ‘the UN itself recognizes that it has lost its way.’

‘Now, it has devolved into an arena where an American delegation member is harassed and assaulted,’ the spokesperson said. ‘If you can’t keep people safe in your own building, how can you claim to be the world’s diplomatic center?’

The spokesperson called the incident ‘unacceptable,’ and told Fox News Digital that the United Nations ‘will use every available resource to support the U.S. Secret Service into their investigation of this incident.’

‘We know the UN needs dramatic reform and now must also immediately implement a thorough review of the UN’s security operations,’ the spokesperson said. ‘The UN’s failures are evident worldwide, and now in its own halls.’

The U.S. UN spokesperson added: ‘Enough is enough.’

The official recounted her experience of being followed, harassed, and physically assaulted inside the United Nations in an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital.

The official told Fox News Digital that she was walking down the hallway at the UN when a woman began berating her and shining a bright light in her face.

‘It was very disorienting,’ the official said. ‘Once I took a step back and regained my footing, it didn’t stop. I realized what was happening. I realized I was being yelled at and that the light was also a recording device.’

The official tried to get away from the woman who was screaming derogatory and pro-Palestinian comments at her as she followed closely behind.

The official said the woman called her a ‘fascist’ and a ‘Nazi.’ 

‘The insults changed to specific insults,’ the official said, telling Fox News Digital that she went into the women’s bathroom to get away, but that the woman kept following her.

‘Her yelling turned into screaming—hyper-aggressive insults,’ the official said. 

The official tried to hide in a bathroom stall, but told Fox News Digital that the woman was pushing and trying to get into the stall. Once the official was able to close the door, the woman put the camera over the door of the bathroom stall to continue filming the official and screaming. 

The official waited for the screaming to stop, and exited the stall, hoping the woman had left, but the woman was waiting for her at the door, and continued to follow her into the hallway, continuing to yell at her and shine the light in her face. Eventually, the official was able to get away.

The official told Fox News Digital the incident lasted approximately 10 minutes.

‘It felt very political in nature,’ she said. ‘Secretary Kennedy gets a tremendous number of bows and arrows and threats that he deals with, but it seems that it’s not enough, and it is trickling down.’

She added: ‘That’s a scary thing for the team. But we’re more empowered, and we have amazing leadership.’

Fox News Digital has learned that the woman was arrested by the New York City Police Department. It is unclear whether she is still in custody.

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

The United Nations did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

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The United Nations on Friday failed to adopt a resolution brought by China and Russia that would have extended sanctions relief for Iran for another six months under the nuclear deal.

The vote was 4 to 9, with Algeria, China, Pakistan and Russia in favor and Denmark, France, Greece, Panama, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, Somalia, the United Kingdom and the United States against.

Guyana and South Korea abstained.

The vote came after Britain, France and Germany triggered the deal’s ‘snapback’ measure, which reinstates sanctions on Iran following stalled talks on its nuclear program.

The sanctions, which will go into effect unless there’s a last-minute deal Friday, will include freezing Iranian assets abroad, halting arms deals with Tehran and penalizing any development of Iran’s ballistic missile program. 

‘We had hoped that European colleagues and the U.S. would think twice, and they would opt for the path of diplomacy and dialogue instead of their clumsy blackmail, which merely results in escalation of the situation in the region,’ Dmitry Polyanskiy, deputy Russian ambassador to the U.N., said during the meeting.

Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, had also been meeting with his French, German and British counterparts in the lead-up to the U.N. vote. 

A European diplomat told The Associated Press the meeting ‘did not produce any new developments, any new results.’

On Tuesday, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, also said Iran would not ‘surrender to pressure’ and that negotiations with the U.S. would be a ‘dead end.’ 

In an interview on Friday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian called the decision ‘unfair, unjust and illegal.’

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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An appellate court is poised to decide a case that supporters and opponents of abortion access are closely watching because the decision could put Planned Parenthood, a prolific abortion vendor, on the hook for up to $1.8 billion.

A full panel of judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit heard oral arguments Thursday in the years-long case, which centers on Planned Parenthood’s use of Medicaid funds in Texas and Louisiana.

Jennie Bradley Lichter, president of March for Life, told Fox News Digital the ‘stakes couldn’t be higher’ and that the lawsuit could bankrupt Planned Parenthood, a nonprofit with hundreds of clinics across the country.

‘Planned Parenthood is facing a repayment obligation of close to $2 billion because it continued to fill its coffers with taxpayers’ money even after two states had already disqualified it,’ Lichter said. ‘If that obligation stands, it will strike a serious — even existential — blow to Planned Parenthood’s national operations and potentially change the abortion landscape in this country forever.’

The case comes after Texas and Louisiana stripped Planned Parenthood affiliates of their Medicaid qualifications in response to activist David Daleiden releasing video footage showing Planned Parenthood staff discussing selling aborted fetal tissue.

Daleiden faced a lawsuit and prosecution for illegally recording the staff, but his footage set off a firestorm in the pro-life movement and caused it to ramp up its efforts to weaken the nonprofit.

Planned Parenthood, however, sued Texas and Louisiana and initially won an injunction that allowed it to keep receiving the Medicaid reimbursements. But the decision was reversed on appeal years later.

An anonymous litigant then brought a new lawsuit on behalf of the two states seeking to claw back the millions of dollars Planned Parenthood had collected while the injunction had been in place.

Court papers indicate that the potential money Planned Parenthood could now owe — reimbursement of the Medicaid dollars it collected plus various multipliers — could add up to $1.8 billion. The exact dollar amount would be determined by a jury in the lower court.

But Planned Parenthood and the anonymous litigant, named in court papers as ‘Alex Doe,’ are now waiting to see where the conservative 5th Circuit will land.

The issue before the 5th Circuit’s en banc panel is about whether Planned Parenthood had immunity when it collected the four years’ worth of Medicaid dollars. Planned Parenthood has argued it has immunity because its counsel advised it to collect the payments during the injunction period.

Thursday’s oral arguments came after a three-judge panel for the 5th Circuit comprising two Republican-appointed judges and one Democrat-appointed judge sided with Planned Parenthood.

Susan Manning, general counsel for Planned Parenthood Federation of America, blasted the Texas and Louisiana lawsuit as a ‘politically-motivated’ attempt to put the nonprofit out of business.

‘This baseless case has only one goal: to shut down Planned Parenthood and deny patients access to sexual and reproductive health care,’ Manning said in a statement this year. ‘Planned Parenthood health centers are nonprofits that provide essential, high-quality health care to more than 2 million people nationwide every year.’

Separately, pro-life activists made progress in their mission to defund Planned Parenthood this year when Congress voted to strip the nonprofit of Medicaid funding at the federal level for a one-year period.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit sided against Planned Parenthood in a lawsuit over the measure.

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