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Special Participation Government of Quebec
Platinum Partners Agnico Eagle, GLENCORE Canada, National Bank Capital Markets, Ventum Capital Markets
Gold Partners Altitude Capital Partners, Invest Yukon, Maxit Capital, PearTree, The Money Channel NYC,
Silver Partners Atrium Research, CSE, Crux Investor, Caur Technologies, IAMGOLD Corporation, Government of Newfoundland & Labrador, OR Royalties, Red Cloud Securities, STIFEL, TMX
Copper Partners Apaton Finance, Brooks & Nelson, Cassels, Centre des Congress de Quebec, INFOR Financial, La Caisse, MNP LLP, Mercury Group, Outside The Box Capital, VRIFY
Media Partners BTV, CEO.CA, Canadian Mining Magazine, GBR, KITCO News, Mining Discovery, Mining IR, Mining Hub, Newsfile, Podcast Minier, The Northern Miner, The Prospector, Resource World, VID Media

 

THE Mining Investment Event (‘THE Event’), Canada’s Only Tier 1 Global Mining Investment Conference, is pleased to announce participating issuers and new and returning Partners for 2026.

‘We are excited to share that THE Event has confirmed 130 issuers and over 50 Partners for 2026. We are pleased to welcome new partners: Altitude Capital Partners, Maxit Capital, The Money Channel NYC, Ventum Capital, IAMGOLD Corporation, Apaton Finance, MNP LLP as well as all of the partners who have supported us from the beginning. Recently, we updated our sponsorship terminology to better reflect our business model and to emphasize that we value our Partners as long-term investors as we continue to build this distinctive, Canadian independent global investor platform together. We thank the international mining companies, governments, and the investment community for their continued support,’ stated Joanne Jobin, CEO & Founder of THE Event.

‘THE Event is celebrated for its dedication to diversity and inclusion, exemplified by its distinctive Student Partnership Program and THE SheCo Initiative. This year, we are pleased to share that THE SheCo Initiative, in collaboration with Vior Inc., will donate proceeds from THE Event to Moisson Rive-Sud, a food bank in Quebec that assists those vulnerable to food insecurity. I’m also pleased to announce that our Student Partnership Program for 2026, supported by Glencore Canada, IAMGOLD Corporation, and OR Royalties, is now complete,’ Jobin added.

‘We are one of the Founding Partners of International Mining Week, scheduled for June 1 to 5, alongside The International Trade and Forfaiting Association (ITFA) and The Québec Mining Association (QMA). Both the QMA and ITFA will host their events alongside THE Event, which will focus on one-on-one investor meetings. This collaboration brings together international mining firms, related companies, supply chain experts, investors, and government representatives in a single location. Information on IMW Partners, plenary sessions, and events is available at: www.themininginvestmentevent.com.’

THE Mining Investment Event – Participating Companies
*1×1’s only ^^ExplorCo Lounge #Coreshack Participant ~Industry Invitee/Corp. Dev.
1911 Gold Mining
TSX-V: AUMB
Domestic Metals Corp*
TSX-V: DMCU
Lotus Gold Corporation*
Private
Saudi Gold Refinery Co.*
Private
Abcourt Mines Inc.#
TSX-V: ABI; OTCQB: ABMBF
Dryden Gold Corp.* #
TSX-V: DRY; OCTQB: DRYGF
Loyalist Exploration Limited*
CSE:PNGC
Scorpio Gold Corporation*
TSX-V: SGN; OTCQB: SRCRF
Agnico Eagle Mines Limited
TSX: AEM; NYSE: AEM
Dynasty Gold Corp*
TSX-V: DYG
Maple Gold Mines Ltd. #
TSX:-V: MGM; OTCQX: MGMLF
Scottie Resources Corp
TSX-V: SCOT; OTCQB: SCTSF
Alamos Gold Inc.~
TSX: AGI; NYSE: AGI
Element 29 Resources Inc.*
TSX-V: ECU; OTCQB: EMTRF
McFarlane Lake Mining Ltd*
CSE: MLM: OTCQB: MLMLF
Search Minerals ~
TSX-V: SMY
Alkane Resources Limited
TSX: ALK; ASX: ALK
Emperor Metals Inc.*#
CSE: AUOZ; OTCQB: EMAUF
Midland Exploration Inc.*
TSX-V: MD
Selkirk Copper Mines Inc.*#
TSX-V: SCMI
Andean Precious Metals
TSX: APM
Equity Metals Corporation*
TSX-V: EQTY; OTCQB: EQMEF
Minaurum Gold Inc.*
TSX.V: MGG; OTCQX: MMRGF
Silver One Resources Inc.
TSX-V: SVE, OTCQX: SLVRF
Argenta Silver Corp.*
TSX-V: AGAG; OTCQB: AGAGF
ES Gold Corp
CSE: ESAU
Minera Alamos Inc.,
TSX-V: MAI; OTCQX: MAIFF
Silver X Mining Corp.*
TSX-V: AGX: OTCQB: AGXPF
Argo Gold Inc. ~
TSX-V: ARQ: OTCQB: ARBTF
Exploits Discovery Corp.*
CSE: NFLD; OTCQB: NFLDF
Mineros S.A.
TSX: MSA
Sirios Resources Inc.*
TSX-V: SOI; OTCQB: SIREF
Arizona Gold & Silver Inc.*
TSX-V: AZS; OTCQB: AZASF
Falcon Copper Corp.
Private
Mithril Silver and Gold Limited
TSX-V: MSG; ASX:MTH
Spanish Mountain Gold#
TSX-V: SPA: OTCQB: SPAZF
Arizona Metals*
TSX: AMC; OTCQX: AZMCF
Firefly Metals Ltd.
TSX: FFM; ASX: FFM
New Age Metals Inc.*
TSX-V: NAM; OTCQB: NMTLF
Standard Uranium Limited*
TSX-V: STND; OTCQB: STTDF
Astra Exploration Inc*
TSX-V: ASTR; OTCQB: ATEPF
First Mining Gold Corp. #
TSX: FF; OTCQX: FFMGF
New Found Gold Corp.
TSX:V-NFG; NYSE-A: NFG
STLLR Gold Inc.
TSX: STLR; OTCQX: STLRF
Atha Energy Corp
TSX-V: SASK; OTCQB: SASKF
First Phosphate Corp.~
CSE: PHOS: OTCQB: FRSPF
Nexgold Mining Corp.
TSX-V: NEXG
Summit Royalty*
Private
Atlas Salt Inc.*
TSX-V: ATLAS; OTCQX: SALQF
Formation Metals Inc.*
CSE: FOMO; OTCQB: FOMTF
Nicola Mining Inc.
TSX-V: NIM; OTCQB: HUSIF
Sun Summit Minerals Corp.*
TSX-V: SMN; OTCQB: SMREF
Auriginal Mining Corp*
TSX-V: AUME
FPX Nickel Corp.
TSX-V: FPX; OTCQB: FPOCF
North Atlantic Titanium Corp#^^
CSE: NATO
Surge Copper Corp*
TSX-V: SURG; OTCQB: SRGXF
Aurion Resources Ltd.
TSX-V: AU; OTCQX: AIRRF
GEOMEGA Resources Inc.
TSX-V: GMA; OTCQB: GOMRF
NorthIsle Copper & Gold Inc.
TSX-V: NCX
Talisker Resources Ltd.~
TSX: TSK; OTCQB: TSKFF
Avanti Gold Corp *
CSE: AGC
Glencore Canada
LSE: GLEN; JSE: GLN
Nuvau Minerals Corp.*
TSX-V: NMC
Trident Resources Corp.*
TSX-V: ROCK; OTCQB: TRDTF
Azimut Exploration Inc.
TSX-V: AZM; OTCQX: AZMTF
Golden Cariboo Resources^^
CSE: GCC
Onyx Gold Corp.
TSX-V: ONYX; OTCQX: ONXGF
Troilus Gold Corp.
TSX: TLG; OTCQX: CHXMF
Blue Lagoon Resources Inc.
CSE: BLLG; OTCQB: BLAGF
Greenlight Metals Inc.*
TSX-V:GRL
OR Royalties Inc.
TSX: OR; NYSE: OR
Tronic Metals *
Private
Bonterra Resources Inc.*
TSX-V: BTR; OTCQX: BONXF
Guanajuato Silver Company*
TSX-V: GSVR; OTCQX: GSVRF
Orvana Minerals Corp.
TSX: ORV
Uranium X Discovery Corp.^^
CSE: STMN
Brixton Metals Corporation*
TSX-V: BBB; OTCQB: BBBXF
Gunnison Copper Corp.*
TSX: GCU; OTCQB:GCUMF
Osisko Development Corp.
TSX-V: ODV; NYSE: ODV
US Gold Corp.
NASDAQ: USAU
Brunswick Exploration*
TSX: BRW
Heliostar Metals Ltd.
TSX-V: HSTR; OTCQX: HSTXF
Outcrop Silver Corporation #
TSX:VOCG; OTCQX: OCGSF
Valkea Resources Corp.
TSX-V: OZ
Cartier Resources Inc.*
TSX-V: ECR
Hi View Resources Inc*
CSE: HVW
Panther Metals PLC*
LSE: PALM.
Vanadiumcorp Resource Inc.^^
TSX-V: VRB; OTCQB: VRBFF
Cascadia Minerals Ltd.
TSX-V: CAM; OTCQB: CAMNF
IAMGOLD Corp.
TSX: IMG; NYSE: IAG
Pelangio Exploration Inc.*
TSX-V: PX
Vior Inc.
TSX-V: VIO; OTCQB: VIORF
Cassiar Gold Corp*
TSX-V: GLDC, OTCQX: CGLCF
Integra Resources Corp.
TSX-V: ITR; NYSE: ITRG
Peloton Minerals Corporation*
CSE: PMC; OTCQB: PMCCF
Vizsla Silver Corp.
TSX-V: VZLA; NYSE: VZLA
Centerra Gold Inc. ~
TSX: CG ; NYSE: CGAU
Juno Corp.*
Private
Perseverance Metals Inc.*#
TSX-V: PMI
Volta Metals Ltd.*
CSE: VLTA
Cerrado Gold Inc.
TSX-V:CERT; OTC: CRDOF
Kirkland Lake Discoveries*#
TSX-V: KLDC
PMET Resources Inc
TSX: PMET; ASX: PMT; OTCQX: PMETF
Wallbridge Mining Company
TSX: WM; OTCQB: WLBMF
Cerro De Pasco Resources
TSX-V: CDPR
Kuya Silver Corp.
CSE: KUYA; OTCQB: KUYAF
Power Metallic
TSX-V: PNPN
Westdome Gold Mines Ltd*
TSX:WDO; OTCQX: WDOFF
Collective Mining Ltd.
TSX: CNL; NYSE: CNL
Lahontan Gold Corp.*
TSX.V: LG; OTCQB: LGCXF
Q2 Metals Corp.
TSX-V:QTWO; OTCQB:QUEXF
White Gold Corp.*
TSX-V:WGO; OTCQX: WHGOF
Commerce Resources Corp.*
TSX-V: CCE; OTC:CMRZF
Latin Metals Inc*
TSX-V: LMS; OTCQB: LMSQF
Radisson Mining Resources
TSX-V: RDS; OTCQB: RMRDF
Winshear Gold Corp ^^
TSX-V: WINS
CUPANI Metals Corporation*
CSE: CUPA
Lavras Gold corp
TSX-V: LGC; OTCQX:LGCFF
Resouro Strategic Metals Inc.*
TSX-V: RSM OTCQB: RSGOF
XAU Resources Inc. ~
TSX-V: GIG
Cygnus Metals Limited
TSX-V: CYG; OTCQB: CYGGF
Leviathan Metals Corp.*
TSX-V: LVX: OTCQB: LVXF
RPX Gold Inc.*
TSX-V: RPX; OTCQB: RDEXF
XXIX Metal Corp.*
TSX-V: XXIX; OTCQB; LW0
Dolly Varden Silver Corp
TSX-V: DV; OTCQX: DOLLF
Li-FT Power Ltd.*
TSX-V: LIFT; OTCQX: LIFFF
San Cristóbal Mining
Private
Yukon Metals Corp.
CSE: YMC: OTCQB: YMMCF

 

International Mining Week – June 1-5, 2026
THE Mining Investment Event – June 2-4, 2026
THE Event is by invitation only – Interested investors & issuers, please go here:
https://www.themininginvestmentevent.com/register or contact Jennifer Choi, jchoi@irinc.ca

THE Mining Investment Event—Canada’s Only Tier 1 Global Mining Investment Conference© is held annually in Québec City, Canada. It is independently owned and partnered to facilitate privately arranged meetings among mining companies, international investors, and various mining and government authorities. The conference provides a platform to hear from some of the most influential thought leaders in the sector. THE Event is committed to promoting diversity, equality, and sustainability in the mining industry through education and innovation, supported by its unique Student Partnership Program and THE SHE-Co Initiative.

THE Event is a founding member of International Mining Week (‘IMW’), also taking place in Quebec City. IMW promotes other industry-focused conferences and activities that unite global mining companies, related businesses, supply chain experts, investors, and government officials in one location for discussions and collaborative meetings across the industry.

Joanne Jobin
CEO & Founder
IR.INC & VID Media
jjobin@irinc.ca
Jennifer Choi
Vice President, Operations

IR.INC & VID Media
jchoi@irinc.ca

 

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To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/284375

News Provided by TMX Newsfile via QuoteMedia

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Silverco Mining Ltd. (TSXV: SICO,OTC:QTZCF) (‘Silverco’ or the ‘Company’) is pleased to announce that it has closed its previously announced ‘bought deal’ offering (the ‘Offering’) with Velocity Capital Partners (‘Velocity’) as sole bookrunner and Desjardins Securities Inc. (together with Velocity, the ‘Lead Underwriters’), as co-lead underwriters, on their own behalf and on behalf of a syndicate of underwriters which included ATB Capital Markets Corp., Canaccord Genuity Corp., National Bank Financial Inc. and Raymond James Ltd. (collectively, with the Lead Underwriters, the ‘Underwriters’), for aggregate gross proceeds of $62,500,000.

Eric Sprott, a current insider of Silverco, participated in the Offering with a lead order of $10,000,000.

Pursuant to the Offering, the Company issued, on a ‘bought deal’ basis, (i) 4,000,000 common shares of the Company (the ‘Offered Shares‘) at a price of $12.50 (the ‘Issue Price‘) per Offered Share, for aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of $50,000,000, and (ii) 1,000,000 units of the Company (the ‘Units‘ and together with the Offered Shares, the ‘Offered Securities‘) at the Issue Price per Unit, for additional aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of $12,500,000.

Each Unit consisted of one common share of the Company and one-quarter of one warrant, with each whole warrant being exercisable for one common share of the Company at an exercise price of $18.00 per share for a period of 18 months from the date hereof.

Mark Ayranto, President and CEO, commented: ‘This $62.5 million financing provides the financial strength to match our operational ambitions. Between the pending acquisition of Nuevo Silver and the upcoming restart at Cusi, Silverco is undergoing a fundamental transformation. We are moving into 2026 with a robust balance sheet and a clear path to becoming a significant silver producer.’

The Offered Securities were offered in each of the Provinces and Territories of Canada (other than Québec) as to: (i) the Offered Shares in reliance on the ‘listed issuer financing exemption’ from the prospectus requirements available under National Instrument 45-106 − Prospectus Exemptions (‘NI 45-106‘), as modified by Coordinated Blanket Order 45-935 − Exemptions from Certain Conditions of the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption (the ‘Listed Issuer Financing Exemption‘); and (ii) the Units in reliance on other exemptions from the prospectus requirements available under NI 45-106 other than the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption (the ‘Private Placement Exemption‘).

The Offered Securities were also offered on a private placement basis in such offshore jurisdictions as mutually agreed between the Company and Velocity, and in the United States pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the United States Securities Act of 1933 (the ‘U.S. Securities Act‘), as amended. Any Offered Securities offered in the United States are characterized as ‘restricted securities’ under the U.S. Securities Act.

The net proceeds of the Offering will be used by the Company for exploration, evaluation and restart work on the Cusi Project, general and administrative expenditures and working capital.

In consideration for their services, the Company paid to the Underwriters a cash fee equal to 5% of the gross proceeds of the Offering, other than in connection with a subscription settled directly with the Company for which no commission was paid.

The Offered Shares issued pursuant to the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption are not subject to resale restrictions pursuant to applicable Canadian securities laws. The Units and the underlying securities issued pursuant to the Private Placement Exemption are subject to a hold period of four months and one day from the date hereof in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws. The Offering remains subject to the final acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange (‘TSXV‘).

Insiders of the Company subscribed for a total of 98,000 Offered Shares and 800,000 Units, for aggregate gross proceeds of $11,225,000. The participation by each insider in the Offering constitutes a ‘related party transaction’, within the meaning of TSXV Policy 5.9 and Multilateral Instrument 61-101 – Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (‘MI 61-101’). The Company has relied on the exemptions from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 contained in sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101, in respect of the related party participation in the Offering, as neither the fair market value (as determined under MI 61-101) of the subject matter of, nor the fair market value of the consideration for, the transaction, insofar as it involved the interested parties, exceeded 25% of the Company’s market capitalization (as determined under MI 61-101).There is an amended and restated offering document related to the Offering that can be accessed on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) under Silverco’s issuer profile and on the Company’s website at www.silvercomining.com.

The Offered Securities have not been registered and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This news release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any State in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

About Silverco Mining Ltd.

The Company owns a 100% interest in the 11,665-hectare Cusi Project located in Chihuahua State, Mexico (the ‘Cusi Property‘). It lies within the prolific Sierra Madre Occidental gold-silver belt. There is an existing 1,200 ton per day mill with tailings capacity at the Cusi Property.

The Cusi Property is a past-producing underground silver-lead-zinc-gold project approximately 135 kilometres west of Chihuahua City. The Cusi Property boasts excellent infrastructure, including paved highway access and connection to the national power grid.

The Cusi Property hosts multiple historical Ag-Au-Pb-Zn producing mines each developed along multiple vein structures. The Cusi Property hosts several significant exploration targets, including the extension of a newly identified downthrown mineralized geological block and additional potential through claim consolidation.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors,

Mark Ayranto, President & CEO
Email: mayranto@silvercomining.com
Phone: 778-888-4010

For further information, please contact:
Investor Relations & Communications
Email: info@silvercomining.com
www.silvercomining.com

Cautionary Statement and Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains ‘forward-looking statements’ within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation that are based on expectations, estimates, assumptions, geological theories, and projections as at the date of this news release. The information in this news release about any information herein that is not a historical fact may be ‘forward-looking statements.’ Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (which may, but not always, include phrases such as ‘anticipates’, ‘plans’, ‘scheduled’, ‘believed’ or ‘intends’ or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results ‘may’ or ‘could’, ‘would’, ‘might’ or ‘will’ be taken to occur or be achieved) including statements regarding the Company’s plans with respect to the Company’s projects and the timing related thereto, the merits of the Company’s projects, the Company’s objectives, plans and strategies, the use of proceeds of the Offering and other matters are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements and are intended to identify forward-looking statements.

Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure readers that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking statements, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Such factors include, among others, with respect to the use of proceeds, the availability of drills and personnel, weather, the speculative nature of mineral exploration and development, fluctuating commodity prices, risks relating to the timing and ability of the Company to obtain and the timing of the approval of relevant regulatory bodies, if at all; risks relating to property interests; risks related to access to the project; risks inherent in mineral exploration, including the fact that any particular phase of exploration may be unsuccessful; the availability of contractors; geo-political risks; the global economic climate; metal prices; environmental risks; political risks; and community and non-governmental actions, as described in more detail in our recent securities filings available on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) under Silverco’s issuer profile. Further to this, geological similarities or characteristics are not guarantees or certainties of successful exploration. Neither the Company nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any such forward-looking statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. When considering this forward-looking information, readers should keep in mind the risk factors and other cautionary statements in the Company’s disclosure documents filed with the applicable Canadian securities regulatory authorities on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) under Silverco’s issuer profile. The risk factors and other factors noted in the disclosure documents could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those described in any forward-looking information. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

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

Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for dissemination in the United States

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/284514

News Provided by TMX Newsfile via QuoteMedia

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

First Development Resources plc (AIM: FDR), the UK-based, Australia-focused exploration company with mineral interests in Western Australia and the Northern Territory, is pleased to provide results and interpretation from the December 2025 stream sediment sampling programme completed at its Selta Project (‘Selta’ or the ‘Project’) located in the Aileron Province of Australia’s Northern Territory.

The programme was undertaken across the West Nintabrinna and Ingallan rare-earth element (‘REE’) target areas and was designed as a low-cost, first-pass exercise to refine previously identified anomalism and define priority areas for focused follow-up exploration.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Highest assay of 2,103 ppm total rare-earth elements + yttrium (‘TREE+Y’) returned at West Nintabrinna, with coherent multi-sample anomalism confirming a fertile intrusive system. Encouraging TREE+Y results (up to 385 ppm) also returned from Ingallan.
  • Target areas significantly refined: West Nintabrinna from c.75km² to c.5km² (‘Tourmaline’) and Ingallan reduced from approximately 90km² to c.8.5km² (‘Peake Bore’), materially improving targeting precision.
  • Geochemical signatures indicate localised granite fractionation and enrichment consistent with potential pegmatite-hosted lithium (Li) and REE mineralisation.
  • Discrete intrusive features at West Nintabrinna and distinct 1.8km strike pale outcrop identified at Ingallan define clear follow-up mapping and drill-target pathways.
  • Gradient Array Induced Polarisation (‘GAIP’) survey at Lander West gold target c.50% complete. Survey temporarily paused due to inclement weather conditions affecting access.

Tristan Pottas, Chief Executive Officer of FDR, commented:

‘The December stream sediment programme has delivered a strong outcome and materially advanced our understanding of the REE potential at Selta.

Importantly, we have reduced broad conceptual targets to clearly defined priority zones at both West Nintabrinna and Ingallan. The 2,103 ppm TREE+Y result at West Nintabrinna is particularly encouraging and supports our interpretation of a fertile intrusive system capable of hosting rare-earth mineralisation.

This low-cost programme has significantly improved our targeting efficiency and provides a clear and systematic pathway for the next phase of REE exploration at Selta.’

DECEMBER 2025 STREAM SEDIMENT SAMPLING PROGRAMME

The field programme, completed over one week in December 2025, comprised systematic stream sediment sampling and reconnaissance geological observations across the two priority Li and REE target areas (Figure 1) previously identified from historical data review and announced 19 November 2025:

Selta Project – REE Exploration Update – 07:00:04 19 Nov 2025 – FDR News article | London Stock Exchange

Stream sediment sampling provides an effective regional screening tool by characterising upstream catchment geology and metalliferous signatures. The primary objectives of the programme were to:

  • Validate historical geochemical anomalies;
  • Increase sampling density;
  • Identify discrete anomalous catchments;
  • Refine target areas for follow-up exploration.

Samples were analysed using ALS Globals Lithium borate fusion (ME-MS81) method, this method was selected to maximise the recovery of resistive heavy minerals commonly associated with REE and lithium-caesium-tantalum (‘LCT’) style pegmatite systems. With statistical analysis applied to identify fractionated trends within the collected samples, to allow for the systematic evaluation of the West Nintabrinna and Ingallan target areas.

Figure 1: Location of stream sediment samples from sample locations within the West Nintabrinna and Ingallan target areas.

West Nintabrinna delivered the strongest geochemical results of the programme, with TREE+Y values of up to 2,103 ppm (Figures 2 and 3), representing the highest results recorded in this phase of exploration. In total 21 samples were collected.

Three strongly anomalous samples define a coherent central catchment now referred to as the ‘Tourmaline target area’, draining the core of the outcrop. Geochemical patterns indicate an evolved felsic intrusive signature consistent with fertile magmatic systems capable of hosting REE-bearing pegmatites.

Airborne imagery highlights multiple discrete pale-weathering outcrops within the anomalous zone, which may correspond to small intrusive or pegmatitic bodies contributing to the observed enrichment.

The programme has reduced the effective West Nintabrinna exploration footprint from approximately 75km² to approximately 5km², materially improving targeting precision and cost efficiency for follow-up work.

Figure 2: Extent of the Tourmaline target area and enriched streams on the West Nintabrinna target area.

Figure 3: Image of the sample location WN011, which recorded up to 2,103 ppm TREE+Y values.

INGALLAN STREAM SEDIMENT RESULTS

Results from the 20 stream sediment samples collected at the Ingallan Target Area show that REE enrichment is localised rather than evenly distributed across the mapped granite and metasedimentary rocks.

TREE+Y values of up to 385 ppm were returned within a central zone now defined as the ‘Peake Bore Target’ (Figure 4). Geochemical patterns indicate:

  • Localised granite fractionation;
  • Enrichment in incompatible elements;
  • Heavy mineral assemblages consistent with evolved intrusive phases.

Drainage basin analysis has reduced the effective exploration footprint from approximately 90km² to around 8.5 km², focusing exploration on the Peake Bore target as a high-priority area for potential LCT- and REE-bearing pegmatite mineralisation.

Within the Peake Bore target, a north-northeast-trending pale-weathering outcrop of approximately 1.8 km strike and 10 to 30 metre width has been identified from airborne imagery and field observations. A further c.1 km east-west-trending pale outcrop, along with additional pale-weathering exposures associated with elevated geochemistry, has also been recognised. These features represent key hard-rock targets for follow-up mapping and rock-chip sampling.

Although the area remains largely untested, its proximity to two large granitic intrusions provides a favourable geological setting for the formation of pegmatite-hosted REE mineralisation. The current programme did not evaluate ionic clay REE potential in the western part of Ingallan, which remains untested.

Figure 4: Extent of the Peake Bore Target area, enriched streams and target outcrops on the Ingallan target area.

GEOLOGICAL CONTEXT

The Selta Project lies within the Aileron Province of the Arunta Region in Australia’s Northern Territory, a Proterozoic terrane known for hosting evolved granitic systems associated with tin (Sn), tungsten (W), uranium (U) and rare-metal mineralisation.

Rare-earth elements, commonly reported together with yttrium as TREE+Y due to its similar chemical behaviour and occurrence in the same mineral systems, are typically enriched during the late stages of granite crystallisation. Where this fractionation becomes localised, it can form discrete intrusive or pegmatitic bodies capable of hosting concentrated REE mineralisation.

The stream sediment results at both West Nintabrinna and Ingallan show geochemical signatures consistent with this type of evolved, fractionated system. Importantly, the anomalism is spatially restricted rather than broadly dispersed, suggesting defined source areas rather than background enrichment.

In this regional geological setting, the presence of localised REE enrichment, elevated incompatible element signatures and coherent anomalous catchments is considered encouraging and supports further targeted exploration.

NEXT STEPS

The results of the December programme have refined and prioritised exploration targets at Selta.

The Company intends to:

  • Undertake detailed geological mapping across Peake Bore and the Tourmaline refined target areas;
  • Conduct systematic rock-chip sampling of identified outcrops;
  • Complete additional targeted geochemical work where appropriate;
  • Evaluate high-resolution geophysics to assist in drill target definition;
  • Progress toward potential drilling, subject to results.

REE exploration remains central to the Company’s strategy at Selta, alongside the ongoing geophysical work on the Lander West gold target area.

GAIP SURVEY UPDATE

The GAIP survey at the Lander West gold target commenced in early January 2026 and is designed to complement the previously completed high-resolution aeromagnetic and radiometric surveys. The programme aims to enhance the Company’s understanding of subsurface geology and structural architecture across the target area, supporting the refinement of potential drill targets.

Adverse weather conditions currently affecting Central Australia have resulted in a temporary pause to field operations. The survey is approximately 50% complete will resume once conditions permit.

Chief Executive Officer Tristan Pottas is expected to visit site in early March, and the Company will provide a further update in due course.

Qualified Person Statement

The technical information contained in this disclosure has been reviewed and approved by Mr Nicholas O’Reilly (MSc, DIC, MIMMM QMR, MAusIMM, FGS), who is a qualified geologist and acts as the Qualified Person under the AIM Rules – Note for Mining and Oil & Gas Companies. Mr O’Reilly is a principal consultant working for Mining Analyst Consulting Ltd which has been retained by First Development Resources plc to provide technical support.

GLOSSARY

Term

Definition

Fertile intrusive system

An igneous intrusion whose chemistry indicates it has evolved sufficiently during crystallisation to concentrate rare or economically important elements.

Geochemical signature

The characteristic pattern and relative abundance of elements within a rock or sediment sample that reflects its source geology and mineral potential.

Granite fractionation

The progressive chemical evolution of a granite magma during cooling, which can concentrate rare and incompatible elements into late-stage phases.

Incompatible elements

Elements that preferentially remain in the molten portion of a magma during crystallisation, leading to enrichment in late-stage intrusive phases.

LCT style pegmatite

A lithium-caesium-tantalum enriched pegmatite formed from highly evolved granitic melts and commonly associated with rare-metal mineralisation.

Pegmatite

A very coarse-grained igneous rock, typically formed during the final stages of magma crystallisation, which can host concentrated rare metals and minerals.

Rare-earth element

A group of 17 metallic elements, including the lanthanides plus yttrium and scandium, commonly used in high-technology and critical energy applications.

REE bearing pegmatite

A pegmatite containing minerals enriched in rare-earth elements, typically formed from highly fractionated granitic systems.

Stream sediment sampling

An exploration technique that analyses sediments collected from drainage channels to detect geochemical signals from upstream bedrock.

Total rare-earth elements (TREE)

The combined concentration of all rare-earth elements in a sample, typically expressed in parts per million (ppm) or as a percentage of rare-earth oxides, used to indicate the overall level of rare-earth enrichment.

Yttrium (Y)

A critical metal that behaves chemically like the heavy rare-earth elements and is commonly reported alongside them (TREE+Y) because it occurs in the same minerals and geological systems.

For further information visit www.firstdevelopmentresources.com or contact the following:

First Development Resources plc

Tristan Pottas (CEO)

Tel: +44 (0) 20 3778 1397

Beaumont Cornish Limited

Nominated Adviser

Roland Cornish / Asia Szusciak

Tel: +44 (0) 20 7628 3396

SI Capital Limited

Broker

Nick Emerson

Tel: +44 (0) 1483 413 500

Beaumont Cornish Limited (‘Beaumont Cornish’) is the Company’s Nominated Adviser and is authorised and regulated by the FCA. Beaumont Cornish’s responsibilities as the Company’s Nominated Adviser, including a responsibility to advise and guide the Company on its responsibilities under the AIM Rules for Companies and AIM Rules for Nominated Advisers, are owed solely to the London Stock Exchange. Beaumont Cornish is not acting for and will not be responsible to any other persons for providing protections afforded to customers of Beaumont Cornish nor for advising them in relation to the proposed arrangements described in this announcement or any matter referred to in it.

ABOUT FIRST DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES

First Development Resources’ assets comprise eight granted tenements covering a total area of 2,314.4km2. Five of the tenements, comprising three prospective copper-gold projects, are located in Western Australia (WA) while the remaining three tenements, comprising a rare-earth element (REE), uranium, lithium and gold project, are located in the Australian’s Northern Territory. All tenements are wholly owned by FDR. The assets are a mixture of drill ready and earlier stage exploration.

The WA Projects include the Company’s Wallal Project as well as Ripon Hills and Braeside West Projects situated in the Paterson Province, which is widely regarded as one of the most productive regions in Australia for the discovery of world-class gold-copper deposits, and which is home to several world-class mines and more recent discoveries.

The Selta Project in the Northern Territory is located in an area considered highly prospective for uranium and rare-earth element mineralisation along with base and precious metal mineralisation. Numerous companies are actively exploring within the region.

Beyond the existing portfolio, FDR is actively looking to expand its portfolio through the acquisition of early-stage exploration projects in Australia.

Source

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Warner Bros. Discovery said Tuesday that it was reopening talks with Paramount Skydance, giving the studio a week to rival Netflix in its bid to take over the streaming and cable giant.

In a statement, Warner Bros. Discovery said it had rejected the latest $30-a-share offer from Paramount but would give the company until Monday ‘to make its best and final offer.’

It also said a ‘senior representative’ of Paramount had indicated that the CBS owner would be willing to meet an even higher price, $31 a share, seemingly enticing the board back to the table.

At the same time, Warner Bros. is still recommending its shareholders vote at a special meeting March 20 to approve the $82.7 billion deal it reached in December to sell its streaming service, studio and HBO cable channel to Netflix.

Paramount is seeking to buy the entirety of Warner Bros. Discovery.

‘Every step of the way, we have provided [Paramount Skydance] with clear direction on the deficiencies in their offers and opportunities to address them,’ David Zaslav, CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, said in the statement.

In a letter to the Paramount board — chaired by David Ellison, also the company’s CEO and controlling shareholder — Warner Bros. said that while Paramount had indicated it would address ‘unfavorable terms and conditions,’ these had not yet been removed from the proposed merger agreement.

Warner Bros. has repeatedly rejected previous bids from Paramount, citing the ‘insufficient value’ offered.

In a separate statement, Netflix hit out at what it called Paramount’s ‘antics.’

‘Throughout the robust and highly competitive strategic review process, Netflix has consistently taken a constructive, responsive approach with WBD, in stark contrast to Paramount Skydance,’ it said.

Netflix said that it was ‘confident that our transaction provides superior value and certainty’ but also recognized ‘the ongoing distraction for WBD stockholders and the broader entertainment industry caused by’ Paramount. The company said it granted Warner Bros. the one-week window to reopen talks with Paramount to ‘fully and finally resolve this matter.’

Netflix also took aim at the regulatory process required for either company to complete a takeover.

It said that Paramount has ‘repeatedly mischaracterized the regulatory review process by suggesting its proposal will sail through.’

‘WBD stockholders should not be misled into thinking that PSKY has an easier or faster path to regulatory approval — it does not,’ Netflix said.

In a statement, Paramount Skydance reiterated its existing offer to Warner Bros. Discovery of $30 per share. The company did not indicate if it would submit a higher bid.

Paramount called the one-week negotiating window ‘unusual’ but said it ‘is nonetheless prepared to engage in good faith and constructive discussions.’

The Ellison-backed media giant also said it would continue advocating against the Netflix deal and submit a slate of directors for Warner Bros.’ board at the upcoming shareholder meeting, as it previously planned to.

President Donald Trump, whose administration approved Ellison’s takeover of Paramount last year, said early in the bidding process he would be involved in approving a deal with Warner Bros.

But earlier this month, Trump changed his tune. ‘I’ve been called by both sides, it’s the two sides, but I’ve decided I shouldn’t be involved,’ he told ‘NBC Nightly News’ anchor Tom Llamas.

Trump still hinted that one company looked problematic to him. ‘I mean, there’s a theory that one of the companies is too big and it shouldn’t be allowed to do it,’ he said.

‘They’re beating the hell out of each other and there’ll be a winner,’ Trump said.

Warner Bros. has an archive of storied movies, as well as a diverse portfolio of brands including CNN and HBO.

The bidding war for the media empire comes at a pivotal time for the entertainment industry, with traditional broadcasters and studios facing serious challenges from digital newcomers Netflix, Apple and Amazon.

Since Netflix announced its deal to buy parts of Warner Bros. Discovery, its shares have tumbled nearly 25%.

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Panther Metals PLC (LSE: PALM), an exploration company focused on mineral projects in Canada, is pleased to announce that it has signed a letter of interest (‘LOI’) with Traxys Europe SA, a division of Traxys Group (‘Traxys’), a global commodity trading and marketing market leader.

The non-binding LOI concerns Panther’s Winston Tailings Project and is a formal recognition of an ongoing engagement between both parties as Panther progresses work to declare a Mineral Resource estimate, as part of series of ongoing workstreams to quantify, evaluate and permit the contained high-grade gold (Au), gallium (Ga), silver (Ag), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), indium (In) and cobalt (Co) and other recoverable minerals located within the historic Winston Lake Mine tailings storage facility near Schrieber, Ontario, Canada.

About Traxys

Traxys is a physical commodity trader and merchant in the metals and natural resources sectors. Its sourcing, logistics, financing and marketing services are conducted by over 550 employees in over 20 offices worldwide, and its annual turnover is in excess of US$8 billion. Traxys designs for its supplier and customer base custom-made supply chain solutions. The group is active in the non-ferrous metals, ferro-alloys, minerals, industrial raw minerals, and energy industries, as well as green transition metals.

Traxys is committed to the highest internationally recognised principles for responsible business conduct, and to ensuring that its operations are equitable, sustainable, and transparent.

Traxys premises its practices on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards that enable Traxys to set a leading example for the responsible sourcing and trading of metals and minerals. To learn more about Traxys, go to: www.traxys.com.

Darren Hazelwood, Chief Executive Officer commented:

We are extremely pleased to be in discussions with Traxys at this important stage in the development of the Winston Lake Tailings Project.

As a globally recognised leader in the financing and marketing of metal concentrates, Traxys brings an opportunity for a powerful combination of commercial expertise and the potential to deliver structured financial support aligned with future offtake.

We believe the LOI with Traxys represents a strong third-party endorsement of the Project’s technical and economic potential.

The involvement of Traxys with their global scale and capability, potentially offers the capacity to significantly strengthen Panther’s pathway, while providing a clear signal of confidence to our shareholders and the wider market as we advance the Winston Tailings Project towards production.

For further information, please contact:

Panther Metals PLC:

Darren Hazelwood, Chief Executive Officer:

+44 (0)1462 429 743

+44 (0)7971 957 685

Brokers:

Optiva Securities Limited

Christian Dennis

Mick McNamara

+44 (0)20 3137 1902

Hybridan LLP

Claire Louise Noyce

+44 (0)20 3764 2341

SI Capital Limited

Nick Emerson

+44 (0)1438 416 500

Obonga Project – Advancing a High-Impact VMS and Critical Minerals District

Panther Metals’ Obonga Project in Ontario continues to demonstrate strong potential as a district-scale exploration opportunity targeting base and critical minerals. Since acquiring the Obonga Greenstone Belt in July 2021, the Company has advanced multiple high-priority targets including Wishbone, Awkward, Survey, Ottertooth, and Silver Rim.

On 9 February 2026 Panther announced plans for an approximately 2,000-metre diamond drilling program at the Wishbone Prospect, following the grant of an Exploration Permit in June 2024 valid through 2027. Previous work confirmed compelling VMS-style mineralisation, including 27.3m of massive sulphide and 51m of sulphide-dominated mineralisation across multiple lenses, supported by high-grade copper anomalies in lake sediments.

In July 2024, Panther secured an Exploration Permit for Awkward West, enabling up to 31 drill holes. Historic drilling returned 27.2m at 2.25% TGC, with zones exceeding 5% TGC, alongside indications of nickel, copper, and platinum group elements, aligning with the Company’s critical minerals strategy.

High-resolution magnetic and electromagnetic surveys continue to refine drill targeting across Obonga. Survey and Ottertooth remain highly prospective, hosting multiple untested geophysical anomalies and historic massive sulphide intercepts.

Winston Project – Tailings Evaluation and MRE Pathway

Panther Metals’ Winston Project represents a near-term, development-focused opportunity centred on the evaluation of historic mine tailings and has been the subject of prior technical and commercial assessment involving Extrakt.

Current work is focused on tailings sampling, metallurgical testing, and data validation to define metal content, recoverability, and support the preparation of a Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE). This approach provides a clear value-creation pathway with lower geological risk than greenfield exploration and aligns with modern reprocessing and critical mineral’s themes.

Dotted Lake Project – Hemlo-Adjacent Polymetallic Opportunity

Panther Metals’ Dotted Lake Project, acquired in July 2020, is located approximately 16km from Barrick Gold’s Hemlo Mine, within a well-established mining region.

Early exploration identified multiple gold and base metal anomalies, with initial drilling confirming gold mineralisation. In early 2025, follow-up drilling materially advanced the project, confirming nickel and magnesium mineralisation within an ultramafic intrusion and identifying a VMS-style system, significantly expanding the project’s polymetallic potential.

The program refined structural controls, extended mineralisation, and identified multiple new drill targets, positioning Dotted Lake as a high-upside, multi-commodity exploration asset.

Commercial Strategy – Focused Value Creation

Panther Metals is focused on disciplined, discovery-driven value creation through efficient capital deployment and technical execution. With Obonga delivering high-impact exploration, Winston providing a resource-focused development pathway, and Dotted Lake offering polymetallic upside, the Company maintains a balanced portfolio aligned with favourable commodity market conditions.

The Company’s strategy is to advance high-quality assets along the most efficient technical pathway, delivering tangible milestones that underpin long-term shareholder value.

Source

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The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is stepping in to stop what it calls an “onslaught” of state-level regulation of prediction markets.

CFTC Chairman Michael Selig said Tuesday in a video posted on X that the agency has filed a “friend of the court brief” in support of Crypto.com in its escalating legal battle with regulators in Nevada.

The move is significant because it marks the first time under Selig that the CFTC has taken sides in what is shaping up to be an epic fight between regulators and prediction markets, platforms that allow users to trade contracts tied to a wide range of events, from local elections to the Super Bowl.

By intervening, Selig’s CFTC is effectively arguing that prediction markets are federally regulated and not subject to state-level gambling laws.

“Over the past year, American prediction markets have been hit with an onslaught of state-led litigation,” Selig said in the video.

“The CFTC will no longer sit idly by while overzealous state governments undermine the agency’s exclusive jurisdiction over these markets by seeking to establish statewide prohibitions on these exciting products,’ said Selig.

The debate over how the platforms should be regulated comes as they explode in popularity. Kalshi said Super Bowl 60 generated more than $1 billion in total trading volume — a 2,700% increase from last year.

It’s a fight with broad implications and high stakes. Over the past year, several states including Massachusetts and Nevada have moved to restrict prediction markets, filing lawsuits, issuing cease-and-desist letters and arguing that the platforms amount to unlicensed gambling.

Utah’s Republican governor, Spencer Cox, said in a post on X Tuesday that he will use “every resource” within his disposal to “beat” Selig in court.

“These prediction markets you are breathlessly defending are gambling—pure and simple,” he said. “They are destroying the lives of families and countless Americans, especially young men. They have no place in Utah.”

Meanwhile, Cox’s fellow Republican, Sen. Bernie Moreno of Ohio, issued his support of Selig’s announcement on X. “Clear lines of delineation and clarity on regulations is essential for American led innovation,’ he said.

Selig’s move comes days after a group of Democratic senators led by Nevada’s Catherine Cortez Masto sent the chairman a letter urging the CFTC to ‘abstain from intervening in pending litigation involving contracts tied to sports, war, or other prohibited events.’

As states attempt to rein in these fast-growing platforms, the question is no longer simply whether these products amount to gambling. It’s who gets to decide that question.

Industry advocates argue that the platforms aren’t gaming, which is traditionally regulated by states. Instead, they claim the prediction markets are financial exchanges that fall under the CFTC’s purview, where users trade contracts with one another. and don’t bet against a “house.” The exchanges don’t set odds or take the opposite side of trades. Instead, they collect transaction fees, similar to a brokerage.

In the video, Selig said prediction markets allow Americans to “hedge commercial risks like increases in temperature and energy price spikes,” and they act as “an important check on our news media and our information screens.”

He ended the video with a warning directed at the state attorneys general who are on the front lines of the legal fights to regulate prediction markets: “To those who seek to challenge our authority in this space, let me be clear: We will see you in court.”

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A newly proposed bill by House Republicans would cement President Donald Trump’s energy agenda by taking a sledgehammer to a vast array of his Democrat predecessor’s regulations.

Rep. Craig Goldman, R-Texas, is introducing legislation that would give all future energy-related regulations a five-year sunset window, while requiring many existing rules to be amended with a one-year expiry pending a review process.

It comes after Trump levied a similar executive order that would target energy red tape imposed by former President Joe Biden during his first year in office.

But if Goldman’s bill becomes law, it would significantly hamstring the ability of future Democratic administrations to impose new long-term energy policies like Biden’s, many of which Republicans have panned as burdensome and unnecessary.

He argued to Fox News Digital that those regulations were compounding the rising costs Americans have seen in their daily lives.

‘It is going through and looking at every single cost, basically from start to finish, of energy costs, and how it affects every single American taxpayer,’ Goldman said of his legislation.

‘All anyone has to do is look at where they were a year and a half ago with costs of certain things. It was all based on regulations passed by the Biden administration, and that’s exactly what we hope to cut and codify.’

The Texas Republican pointed out that increased energy costs, including prices at the gas pump, bled into other facts of Americans’ daily lives.

‘My dad and I owned a wine and food store and, yeah, when gas prices went up, the guy who drove the 18-wheeler full of cheese from Chicago, Illinois, charged us an extra $2,000 for that delivery because his gas prices were up tremendously. And so we couldn’t afford to eat that cost, so the cheese prices went up,’ he said as an example. 

‘Everything that every single American taxpayer touches — whether they know it or not, when energy prices are high, their cost of living is in turn going to be high.’

His legislation would primarily target regulations issued under major energy and land laws overseen by the Department of Energy and Department of the Interior.

The House has already voted to roll back a number of Biden-era regulatory policies so far this term and with bipartisan support.

Last month, 11 Democrats voted with Republicans to overturn Biden administration regulations on showerhead pressure.

Both the House and Senate passed resolutions early last year to overturn Biden-era regulations targeting water heaters, with six Democrats joining Republicans in the House on that measure.

Rising energy costs have been targeted by both parties as they make competing arguments ahead of the November 2026 midterms.

But Goldman is arguing that Democrats have less of a footing to talk about affordability with select goods like gas seeing a decrease in prices this year.

‘We pushed back, and we made people realize, ‘No, wait a minute. Let’s talk about affordability. Let’s talk about where the cost of things were just over a year and two months ago, before Donald Trump came into office and before Republicans could push through good legislation that President Trump signed,’ Goldman said. ‘I kind of find it quite interesting that all of a sudden the buzzword affordability isn’t much talked about anymore.’

Co-sponsors of Goldman’s bill include Republican Study Committee Chairman August Pfluger, R-Texas, and Reps. Beth Van Duyne, R-Texas, Randy Weber, R-Texas, Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., Pat Harrigan, R-N.C., and Barry Moore, R-Ala. 

A Senate counterpart was introduced by Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho.

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As the possibility of U.S. military action against Iran looms, former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene asserted in a post on X that Americans do not want the U.S. to wage war against the Islamic Republic.

‘Americans do not want to go to war with Iran!!!’ Greene exclaimed in the post.

‘They want to be able to afford their lives and get ahead. They want to be happy and enjoy life. They want their government to put elite pedos in jail. And they voted for NO MORE FOREIGN WARS AND NO MORE REGIME CHANGE,’ she added.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment.

Greene, who had previously been a longtime, staunch supporter of President Donald Trump’s, had a major falling out with the president last year and left office early last month in the middle of her House term.

Trump has been pressuring Iran to make a deal to give up its nuclear weapons ambitions.

After meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last week, Trump said in a Truth Social post that he ‘insisted that negotiations with Iran continue to see whether or not a Deal can be consummated.’

‘If it can, I let the Prime Minister know that will be a preference,’ he wrote.

‘If it cannot, we will just have to see what the outcome will be. Last time Iran decided that they were better off not making a Deal, and they were hit with Midnight Hammer — That did not work well for them. Hopefully this time they will be more reasonable and responsible,’ Trump declared in the post.

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Senate Republicans are hoping to move full steam ahead on Trump-backed voter ID legislation, but there’s one problem — the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is still shut down.

Though negotiations between Senate Democrats and the White House are still ongoing, albeit at a molasses-like pace, there is no clear sign that a deal will be struck before lawmakers return to Washington, D.C., next week.

Reopening the agency will be front and center in the Senate, meaning other priorities, like the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, will be sidelined.

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, who has led the charge in the Senate to build support around the SAVE America Act, hoped the bill would be on the floor as soon as the day after President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address next week.

But he acknowledged that ending the partial shutdown would likely take precedence.

‘That’s the problem with taking a weeklong recess when they’ve shut down not just a department, but an entire department — and a particularly big department,’ Lee said.

‘That’s valuable time lost. As far as the objective of getting us to turn to this next week shortly after we get back, that seems less possible in light of the fact that that happened,’ he continued.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., guaranteed that the voter ID legislation would get a vote. It’s just a matter of when, given the uncertainty surrounding DHS.

‘My job is to try and do the best to ensure that we’re making the most, doing, getting the most we can out of the opportunity we have here,’ Thune told Fox News Digital.

The SAVE America Act is riding high on a fresh wave of momentum in the Senate, with 50 Republicans, including Thune, backing it. That means it can move through at least one key procedural hurdle.

‘If we’re still in a shutdown, that obviously will have some bearing on what we decide, how we decide to schedule the floor,’ he continued.

The most valuable asset in the upper chamber is floor time, given the number of procedural hoops any legislation or nominee has to jump through to get passed or confirmed.

And one of the first actions lawmakers will take when they return — unless a deal is struck between now and Monday — is to again vote on a full-year DHS funding bill, according to the current floor schedule in the upper chamber.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and nearly every Senate Democrat blocked that bill and a short-term funding extension before lawmakers left town last week.

Trump told reporters earlier this week that the current DHS closure was a ‘Democrat shutdown, Republicans have nothing to do with it.’

He also suggested that Democrats were in their shutdown posture because, among other issues, they rejected voter ID and proof of citizenship to vote. 

‘If you have voter ID, if you have proof of citizenship, they could never get elected, and they know that,’ Trump said. 

There are other issues in the Senate that need attention, too, Thune noted. Confirming more of Trump’s judicial nominees and putting a raft of bipartisan housing legislation that passed through the House on the floor are top of mind for the top Senate Republican.

Still, Lee was hopeful that once the DHS situation was resolved, the SAVE America Act would be next in line.

‘What I hope we’ll do is get back, turn — perhaps immediately — to DHS funding and make [Democrats] continue to vote, continue to object to unanimous consent requests to pass some kind of funding mechanism, and keep making them vote over and over again until we get something like that passed,’ Lee said. ‘And then as soon thereafter as possible, turn to SAVE America.’

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The House Oversight Committee is hearing from a billionaire on Wednesday who was named one of Jeffrey Epstein’s co-conspirators by a 2019 FBI document.

Les Wexner is the latest person to be deposed in the House’s investigation into the federal government’s handling of Epstein’s case. 

He told House investigators that he was ‘conned’ by the late pedophile and that he had no knowledge of or participation in his crimes, according to an opening statement obtained by Fox News Digital.

‘Let me state from the start: I was naïve, foolish, and gullible to put any trust in Jeffrey Epstein. He was a con man. And while I was conned, I have done nothing wrong and have nothing to hide. I completely and irrevocably cut ties with Epstein nearly twenty years ago when I learned that he was an abuser, a crook, and a liar,’ Wexner’s statement read.

‘I was never a participant nor coconspirator in any of Epstein’s illegal activities. To my enormous embarrassment and regret, I, like many others, was duped by a world-class con man. I cannot undo that part of my personal history even as I regret ever having met him.’

He also said his ‘heart goes out’ to the young women and girls who fell victim to Epstein over the years.

The billionaire fashion mogul painted himself as a husband, father, and grandfather who sought to live ‘in an ethical manner in line with my moral compass, devoting time and energy to my faith, my community, my business, my L Brands associates, and my family and friends.’

Unlike most previous depositions, committee staff and lawmakers traveled to Ohio on Wednesday morning to depose Wexner in his home state.

A spokesperson for Wexner declined to comment on whether he would invoke his Fifth Amendment right to avoid answering questions. But his insight is likely to be key to unlocking information on just how Epstein obtained his vast wealth before dying by suicide in a Manhattan jail in 2019.

The 88-year-old businessman is the founder of L Brands, formerly called The Limited, through which he acquired well-known companies Victoria’s Secret, Bath & Body Works, Express, and Abercrombie & Fitch, among others.

He was also one of Epstein’s first major clients as a financial advisor, with Epstein being granted power of attorney over Wexner’s vast wealth.

Wexner also sold his Manhattan townhouse to Epstein, which was later discovered to be one of the locations where federal authorities accused Epstein of abusing young women and girls under 18.

He told House investigators that he was introduced to Epstein in the 1980s by a fellow executive, and that two subsequent people at his former employer Bear Stearns ‘endorsed Epstein without hesitation’ as a financial advisor.

Wexner said Epstein was also ‘highly recommended’ by Elie de Rothschild for work Epstein did for his family.

‘At first, Epstein was unwilling to take me on as a client. In fact, for the first few years I was acquainted with him, Epstein offered me advice here and there while explaining that giving individual financial advice was not his focus and refusing to accept compensation. He said he was assisting me as a favor. Little did I realize that, from the very start, Epstein was conniving to gain my trust,’ Wexner said.

Wexner also claimed he began paying Epstein for his work as his wealth grew and signed over power of attorney to him while his own work was largely occupied by running his businesses. But he maintained he knew nothing of what he called Epstein’s ‘double life.’

‘He was clever, diabolical, and a master manipulator. He was meticulous in revealing to me only glimpses into the life in which he was a sophisticated financial guru who consulted with heads of state, high-ranking politicians, royalty, university presidents, professors, CEOs, musicians, and other luminaries,’ Wexner said.

‘While I did not socialize in Epstein’s social circle, he often told me about his famous acquaintances and important positions he held, and at times I experienced what seemed to be random chance encounters, probably orchestrated by Epstein, with prominent individuals who said they knew Epstein. Over the course of many years, he carefully used his acquaintance with important individuals to curate an aura of legitimacy that he then used to expand his network of acquaintances, and apparent credibility, even farther.’

Wexner said Epstein ‘fully hid’ his crimes and ‘knew that I never would have tolerated his horrible behavior,’ nor did he ever see Epstein in the company of a minor.

Wexner has never been criminally accused nor charged in relation to the late pedophile’s crimes.

A letter from Wexner to his Wexner Foundation charity dated Aug. 7, 2019, said he ended his relationship with Epstein sometime after the first federal investigation into his crimes emerged nearly 20 years ago.

Wexner also accused Epstein of misusing his vast wealth.

‘As the allegations against Mr. Epstein in Florida were emerging, he vehemently denied them. But by early fall 2007, it was agreed that he should step back from the management of our personal finances. In that process, we discovered that he had misappropriated vast sums of money from me and my family,’ read the letter, obtained by Fox News Digital on Tuesday.

‘This was, frankly, a tremendous shock, even though it clearly pales in comparison to the unthinkable allegations against him now. With his credibility and our trust in him destroyed, we immediately severed ties with him. We were able to recover some of the funds.’

Wexner is the fourth person appearing before the House Oversight Committee in its Epstein probe.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., previously oversaw the panel through the depositions of former Trump administration Attorney General Bill Barr, ex-Trump Labor Secretary Alex Acosta, who was the U.S. attorney in Florida who signed off on Epstein’s infamous 2008 non-prosecution agreement, and convicted Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell.

Maxwell’s deposition lasted less than an hour after she invoked the Fifth Amendment, refusing to answer questions unless she was granted clemency by President Donald Trump.

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