admin

White House chief of staff Susie Wiles’ attorney in 2023 is disputing claims that he agreed to let the Biden-era FBI record a call with his client without her knowledge, according to a report.

‘If I ever pulled a stunt like that I wouldn’t – and shouldn’t – have a license to practice law,’ the unidentified attorney said, according to Axios. ‘I’m as shocked as Susie.’

The denial comes as scrutiny intensifies around the FBI’s use of subpoenas and investigative tools during special counsel Jack Smith’s Trump-related probes ahead of President Donald Trump’s 2024 re-election.

Reuters first disclosed the subpoenas Wednesday, reporting that the Biden FBI subpoenaed Wiles’ and now-FBI Director Kash Patel’s phone records in 2022 and 2023, when both were private citizens. Smith was investigating claims Trump worked to overturn the 2020 election and his handling of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago, Florida, resort.

At least 10 FBI employees were fired Wednesday over the matter, Fox News Digital previously learned.

Amid the revelations, two FBI officials said that FBI agents recorded a phone call between Wiles and her attorney in 2023. Wiles’ attorney was aware the call was being recorded and consented, but Wiles was not informed, the officials claimed.

The lawyer, whose name has not been publicly released, pushed back that he ‘categorically denies he allowed his client to be recorded by the FBI,’ according to Axios reporter Marc Caputo.

Wiles reportedly ‘believes him & that the Biden-era FBI may have lied about it,’ Caputo wrote on X.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House and Wiles for comment, but did not immediately receive replies. Fox News Digital also reached out to the FBI for comment Friday morning.

The report sparked conservatives and Trump allies to back the unidentified lawyer and balk at the case overall.

‘I know the long time lawyer ….and I believe him – This is a violation of basic constitutional rights every American by right – has. We need accountability and we need action,’ Trump 2024 co-campaign manager Chris LaCivita posted to X.

‘So the lawyer Biden’s FBI eavesdropped on during a call with Susie Wiles said he had no idea it happened,’ OutKick founder Clay Travis posted to X. ‘This is a huge story. Biden’s FBI spied on Trump’s campaign manager in the 2024 campaign.’

Wiles was reportedly stunned by the news of the subpoenas, with Axios reporting that she told associates Thursday, ‘I am in shock.’

Patel issued a similar statement on Wednesday.

‘It is outrageous and deeply alarming that the previous FBI leadership secretly subpoenaed my own phone records — along with those of now White House chief of staff Susie Wiles — using flimsy pretexts and burying the entire process in prohibited case files designed to evade all oversight,’ he said in a statement obtained by Fox News Digital.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Politics

Agency that nabbed ‘El Chapo,’ ‘Diddy’ threatened as Democrats’ DHS shutdown drags on

The ongoing standoff over Homeland Security funding is raising concerns about the potential impact on Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the agency that has helped bring cases against high-profile figures, including Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs and Sinaloa cartel co-founder Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán.

HSI is one of several agencies under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) threatened by the ongoing government shutdown.

That branch of DHS acts as the investigative arm for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) — the agency that Democrats want to rein in and reform — and handles investigations into human and sex trafficking, drug trafficking, immigration-related crimes, child exploitation and several other areas.

Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala., who was anointed the lead negotiator for Senate Republicans in the ongoing DHS funding back-and-forth, told Fox News Digital the agency’s work is ‘critically important.’

‘When you think about interior enforcement, I mean, HSI is a critical component of that,’ Britt said. ‘You look at what they’ve done, you look at the bad actors they’ve been able to hunt down and hold accountable for human trafficking, drug trafficking, sex trafficking, child pornography, trafficking, all kinds of things.’

Other big names whom HSI has played a role in investigating or indicting include R. Kelly, Josh Duggar, Sinaloa cartel co-founder Ismael ‘El Mayo’ Zambada and Jared Fogle.

While ICE and other immigration enforcement operations like HSI were funded in part through Republicans’ ‘big, beautiful bill,’ the lapse in ongoing appropriations could threaten supplies in the field and travel, hampering investigations already underway.

A DHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital that HSI was continuing to function during the shutdown, with arrests and investigations still happening. But as the current 14-day shutdown continues, delays in supply procurement and travel for ‘critical personnel to move around the country’ could be impacted.

‘Our national security and ability to get criminals, including pedophiles and other public safety threats, off the streets could be impacted the longer this Democratic shutdown continues,’ they said.

Senate Democrats and the White House have so far tried and failed to reach a deal to fund DHS after trading offers and counteroffers in a slow back-and-forth over the last two weeks.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., charged that ICE had been ‘unleashed without guardrails’ throughout the country.

‘This is not border security, this is not law and order, this is chaos — created at the top and felt in so many of our neighborhoods,’ Schumer said.

And with lawmakers gone from Washington, D.C., for the weekend, the shutdown is guaranteed to stretch into its third week. Senate Democrats want stringent reforms to ICE, including requiring agents to obtain judicial warrants, unmask and provide thorough identification — all demands that are red lines for the Republicans and the White House, who fear that doing so would increase the chances of ICE agents being doxxed.

While Republicans and the administration raised concerns about HSI and other ICE functions, Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., countered that from his understanding, ‘most everybody at HSI is gone.’

‘They’ve all been deployed to the interior,’ he told Fox News Digital. ‘Not many, if not most, redeployed to interior enforcement. So the administration has gutted HSI.’

‘My impression is that HSI has been one of the agencies that has been essentially turned into ICE Junior,’ Murphy said.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Investing

Juggernaut Exploration Announces Bought Deal Private Placement Structured Flow-Through Financing for Gross Proceeds of C$10M

(TheNewswire)

Toronto, Ontario TheNewswire – February 27, 2026 Juggernaut Exploration Ltd. (TSX-V: JUGR) (OTCPK: JUGRF) (FSE:4JE) (the ‘Company’ or ‘Juggernaut’) is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with Stifel Canada (the ‘Underwriter’) to act as sole bookrunner and underwriter in connection with a ‘bought deal’ private placement offering by the Company of 3,906,250 units of the Company (the ‘Units’) at an issue price of

$2.56 per Unit (the ‘Offering Price‘), for aggregate gross proceeds of $10,000,000 (the ‘Offering‘). Each Unit will be comprised of one common share (a ‘FT Share‘), and one-half of one common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a ‘Warrant‘). Each Warrant shall entitle the holder thereof to purchase one common share in the capital of the Company at an exercise price of $2.08, for a period of 24 months following the Closing Date (as defined below). The FT Shares and Warrants are intended to qualify as ‘flow-through shares’ as defined in subsection 66(15) of the Income Tax Act (Canada) (the ‘Tax Act‘).

The Company has granted the Underwriter an option to sell such number of additional Units as is equal to 15% of the number of Units sold under the Offering at the Issue Price (the ‘Underwriter’s Option‘). The Underwriter’s Option will be exercisable, in whole or in part, at any time up until 48 hours prior to the closing date of the Offering (the ‘Closing Date‘).

The Offering is expected to close on or about March 19, 2026, and is subject to certain conditions including the receipt of all necessary approvals such as the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (the ‘Exchange‘).

The gross proceeds from the Units will be used to incur exploration expenses that qualify as ‘Canadian exploration expenses’ as defined in subsection 66.1(6) of the Tax Act, ‘flow-through critical mineral mining expenditures’ as defined in subsection 127(9) of the Tax Act for purposes of the mineral exploration tax credit, and for individual subscribers of Units that are resident in British Columbia, ‘BC flow-through mining expenditures’ as defined in subsection 4.721(1) of the Income Tax Act (British Columbia) (the ‘Qualifying Expenditures‘) on the Company’s flagship Big One Gold Project, located in British Columbia, Canada. Such expenses will be incurred on or before December 31, 2027, and renounced to the subscribers with an effective date no later than December 31, 2026.

In connection with the Offering, certain purchasers of Units intend to subsequently (i) donate some or all of such Units to registered charities, who may sell such Units to purchasers arranged by the Underwriter, and/or (ii) sell some or all of such Units to purchasers arranged by the Underwriter, in each case on the Closing Date (such Units described in (i) and (ii), being the ‘Re-Offer Units‘). Sales of Re-Offer Units may be made to purchasers located in (i) each of the provinces of Canada, other than Quebec, pursuant to the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption (as defined below), (ii) the United States pursuant to available exemptions from the registration requirements of applicable United States securities laws, and (iii) such other jurisdictions provided it is understood that no prospectus filing or comparable obligation, ongoing reporting requirement or requisite regulatory or governmental approval arises in such other jurisdictions

Subject to compliance with applicable regulatory requirements and in accordance with National Instrument 45-106 – Prospectus Exemptions (‘NI 45-106‘), the Units will be offered for sale to purchasers resident in Canada

and/or other qualifying jurisdictions pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A of NI 45-106 (the ‘Listed Issuer Financing Exemption‘). As the Offering is being completed pursuant to the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption, the securities underlying the Units issued pursuant to the Offering will not be subject to a hold period pursuant to applicable Canadian securities laws. There is an offering document related to the Offering that can be accessed under the Company’s issuer profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company’s website at juggernautexploration.com. Prospective investors should read the offering document before making an investment decision.

In consideration for the services provided to the Company in connection with the Offering, the Underwriter will be entitled to receive a cash commission equal to 6.0% of the gross proceeds raised under the Offering (the ‘Cash Commission‘) and such number of broker warrants (‘Broker Warrants‘) as is equal to 6.0% of the number of Units sold under the Offering (including the Underwriter’s Option). Each Broker Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to acquire one common share of the Company at a price of C$1.81 for a period of 24 months following the closing date of the Offering. For the avoidance of doubt, the Cash Commission will be paid from the Company’s cash on hand and not from the gross proceeds received by the Company under the Offering.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including any of the securities in the United States. The securities described herein have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the ‘1933 Act‘) or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available.

Juggernaut Attending The PDAC

To learn more about Juggernaut’s exciting new Big One discovery, we would like to cordially invite you to visit us at the PDAC, where our entire technical team will be in attendance at booth # 3232, Investors Exchange South Building, Sunday, March 1st, until Wednesday, March 4th, adjacent to our sister company, Goliath Resources. The PDAC is held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre at 255 Front Street West, Toronto.

PDAC provides a unique venue at the world’s premier mining convention for Juggernaut to showcase its exciting new discovery at the Big One Property located in the Golden Triangle of B.C. The latest discoveries from around the world are featured along with maps, charts, and technical information.

About Juggernaut Exploration Ltd.

Juggernaut Exploration Ltd. is an explorer of precious metals projects in the prolific Golden Triangle of northwestern British Columbia. Its projects are located in globally recognized geological settings and in geopolitically stable jurisdictions, making them amenable to mining in Canada. Juggernaut is a member and active supporter of CASERM, a collaborative venture between the Colorado School of Mines and Virginia Tech. Juggernaut’s key strategic cornerstone shareholder is Crescat Capital.

For more information, please contact:

Juggernaut Exploration Ltd.

Dan Stuart

Chief Executive Director, Director Tel: +(604) 559-8028

www.juggernautexploration.com

This press release contains statements that constitute ‘forward-looking information’ (‘forward-looking information‘) within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking information and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that discusses predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as ‘expects’, or ‘does not expect’, ‘is expected’, ‘anticipates’ or ‘does not anticipate’, ‘plans’, ‘budget’, ‘scheduled’, ‘forecasts’, ‘estimates’, ‘believes’ 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) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements regarding the Offering (including the completion of the Offering on the terms and timeline as announced or at all, the tax treatment of the securities comprising the Units, the timing to incur and renounce all Qualifying Expenditures in favour of the subscribers, and the use of proceeds of the Offering), and the Company’s ability to obtain all regulatory approvals, including the approval of the Exchange. In disclosing the forward-looking information contained in this press release, the Company has made certain assumptions. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking information are reasonable, it can give no assurance that the expectations of any forward-looking information will prove to be correct. Known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors include but are not limited to: compliance with extensive government regulations; domestic and foreign laws and regulations adversely affecting the Company’s business and results of operations; and general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking information contained in this press release. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward-looking information or otherwise.

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.

THIS NEWS RELEASE IS INTENDED FOR DISTRIBUTION IN CANADA ONLY AND IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

News Provided by TheNewsWire via QuoteMedia

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Investing

Sirios Completes Acquisition Of OVI Mining Corp

Combined company is well-capitalized with an exceptional management team and portfolio of gold assets in the Eeyou Istchee James Bay region

Sirios Resources Inc. (TSXV: SOI,OTC:SIREF) (OTCQB: SIREF) (‘Sirios’) and OVI Mining Corp. (‘OVI’) are pleased to announce the completion of their previously announced business combination by way of a court approved plan of arrangement under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) (the ‘Transaction’). Under the Transaction, Sirios acquired all of the common shares of OVI (each, an ‘OVI Share’) outstanding immediately prior to the effective time of the Transaction, which resulted in OVI becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sirios.

Following completion of the Transaction, each former holder of OVI Shares is entitled to receive 2.34 common shares of Sirios (each, a ‘Sirios Share‘) in exchange for each common share of OVI held immediately prior to the effective time of the Transaction.

Concurrent with the completion of the Transaction, Jean-Félix Lepage has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Sirios, replacing Sirios founder, Dominique Doucet, who will transition to Executive Chairman and Head of Exploration. In addition, Sean Roosen and Laurence Farmer have joined the board of directors of Sirios (the ‘Board‘), adding deep Québec mining and capital markets expertise to the Sirios team.

Mr. Lepage has over 15 years of experience in mining and managing operations, projects, and development activities. Prior to becoming CEO of OVI, he was Vice-President of Projects at O3 Mining Inc., where he led the Marban Project though the study and development process. His past experience also includes several different operational roles at Newmont Corporation, including managing the underground operations at the Eleonore Mine. Mr. Lepage obtained his Bachelor of Mining Engineering from Université Laval and holds a college technical degree in mineral processing from CEGEP de Thetford.

Jean-Félix Lepage, incoming CEO of Sirios, stated: ‘I am honoured to lead Sirios Resources as we enter this exciting new chapter. The combination of Sirios and OVI creates a stronger, well-capitalized company with an exceptional portfolio of gold assets in the Eeyou Istchee James Bay region. I look forward to working with our talented team and newly strengthened board to advance our exploration and development programs and deliver value for our shareholders.’

Dominique Doucet, former CEO of Sirios, stated: ‘After founding and leading Sirios for many years, I am proud to see the company take this significant step forward. This transaction brings together two complementary teams and asset portfolios, strengthening our position in the James Bay gold camp. In my new role as Executive Chairman and Head of Exploration, I remain deeply committed to Sirios and look forward to focusing my efforts on advancing our exploration programs and supporting Jean-Félix and the team in building on the foundation we have established.’

Board of Directors

The Board is led by Executive Chairman Dominique Doucet, and now includes Sean Roosen and Laurence Farmer, as well as Robert Ménard, Colinda Parent and Guy Le Bel. Luc Cloutier has resigned from the Board. Sirios would like to express its sincere gratitude for his years of service.

Dominique Doucet, former CEO of Sirios, stated: ‘On behalf of the Board, I would like to recognize and express my profound gratitude for Luc’s unwavering commitment and dedication to Sirios since its founding in 1994. Luc’s contributions have left an lasting mark on Sirios, and his legacy will continue to shape our path forward. On behalf of the entire Sirios team, we extend our heartfelt appreciation and wish him every success in his future endeavours.’

Mr. Roosen is the founder and Executive Chairman of Osisko Development Corp., and former CEO of OR Royalties Inc. As founder, President, Chief Executive Officer, and Director of Osisko Mining Corporation, Mr. Roosen was responsible for developing the strategic plan for the discovery, financing, and development of the Canadian Malartic mine. Recognized as one of the ‘Top 20 Most Influential Individuals in Global Mining,’ in 2017, he brings unmatched industry vision and strategic leadership.

Mr. Farmer is the General Counsel and VP Strategic Development of Osisko Development Corp. and the Chief Executive Officer of Electric Elements Mining Corp., prior to which he was Senior Counsel of OR Royalties Inc. Prior to joining the Osisko Group, Mr. Farmer worked in investment banking at RBC Capital Markets in London and, before that, practiced as a corporate lawyer with Norton Rose Fulbright LLP in London, England and Montréal, Canada, and brings strong transactional expertise and strategic insight into global resource development.

Information for Former OVI Shareholders

To receive the Sirios Shares to which they are entitled under the Transaction, former registered shareholders of OVI must complete, sign, date and return the letter of transmittal mailed to each OVI shareholder prior to closing. The letter of transmittal is also available on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) under OVI’s issuer profile. Former shareholders whose OVI Shares are registered in the name of a broker, investment dealer, bank, trust company or other intermediary should contact that intermediary for assistance in depositing their OVI Shares and follow its instructions.

The Transaction was unanimously approved by shareholders of OVI at a special meeting held on February 18, 2026 (the ‘Meeting‘). Further information about the Transaction is set forth in the joint news release of Sirios and OVI dated December 11, 2025 and the management information circular prepared by OVI in respect of the Meeting which was mailed to shareholders of OVI and filed on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) under OVI’s issuer profile.

OVI has applied to cease to be a reporting issuer under applicable Canadian securities laws.

Pursuant to the Transaction, Sirios will issue an aggregate of 131,905,594 Sirios Shares. All 1,866,000 options to purchase OVI Shares outstanding immediately prior to the effective time of the Transaction, whether or not vested, were exchanged for 4,366,440 options to acquire Sirios Shares, with an exercise price equal to approximately $0.05641 per Sirios Share, subject to rounding on the exercise thereof in accordance with the plan of arrangement and which expire on November 1, 2030.

OVI owns a portfolio of properties located in the James Bay region of Québec, including a 100% interest in the Corvet Est and PLEX gold projects. Certain of OVI’s properties are subject to royalties and contingent cash payments, which have been assumed indirectly by Sirios as a result of the Transaction.

Early Warning Disclosure

Prior to the completion of the Transaction, Sirios held no OVI Shares. Following the completion of the Transaction, Sirios holds all of the issued and outstanding OVI Shares. An early warning report will be filed by Sirios on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) under OVI’s issuer profile in accordance with applicable securities laws. To obtain a copy of the early warning report, please contact the CEO of Sirios 438-454-5636 or info@sirios.com. Sirios’s head office is located at 1400 Marie-Victorin, Bureau 210, Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, Québec, J3V 6B9.

Advisors and Counsel

Bennett Jones LLP acted as legal counsel to OVI in connection with the Transaction. Mills Dunlop Capital Partners acted as financial advisor to OVI.

Stein Monast LLP acted as legal counsel to Sirios in connection with the Transaction.

About Sirios Resources Inc.

Sirios Resources Inc. (TSXV: SOI,OTC:SIREF) (OTCQB: SIREF) (www.sirios.com) is a Québec-based mineral exploration company focused on developing its portfolio of high-potential gold properties in the Eeyou Istchee James Bay region of Canada.

For more information, please contact:

Sirios Resources Inc.
Jean-Félix Lepage, CEO
438-454-5636
info@sirios.com
www.sirios.com

OVI Mining Corp.
Jean-Félix Lepage, CEO
438-454-5636
jflepage@ovimining.com
www.ovimining.com

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains ‘forward-looking information’ within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as ‘expects’, or ‘does not expect’, ‘is expected’, ‘anticipates’ or ‘does not anticipate’, ‘plans’, ‘budget’, ‘scheduled’, ‘forecasts’, ‘estimates’, ‘believes’ 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) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements.

In this news release, forward-looking statements relate to, among other things, statements regarding: the anticipated benefits of the Transaction, including potential synergies resulting from combining Sirios and OVI and the creation of a stronger, well-capitalized company; the enhanced portfolio of gold assets in the Eeyou Istchee James Bay region; the expected advancement of exploration and development programs; the ability to deliver value for shareholders; future exploration results and the potential for resource growth; the expectations for the combined entity’s board, management team and operations; the roles and responsibilities of management, including those of Mr. Lepage, Mr. Doucet, Mr. Roosen and Mr. Farmer; the filing of an early warning report and the ceasing of OVI’s status as a reporting issuer; and any other statements that are not historical facts.

Forward-looking statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by Sirios and OVI in light of the experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions, and expected future developments, and other factors they believe are appropriate. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from the potential results discussed in the forward-looking statements.

Risks and uncertainties that may cause such differences include, but are not limited to: fluctuations in the price of gold and other commodities; general economic, market and business conditions; the inherent risks associated with mineral exploration, development and mining operations; risks relating to the integration of Sirios and OVI and the realization of anticipated benefits from the Transaction; the volatility of the capital markets and market conditions in general; changes in national and local government legislation, taxation, controls and regulations; environmental risks and hazards; the speculative nature of mineral exploration; risks associated with obtaining and maintaining necessary licences, permits and authorizations and complying with permitting requirements; title matters; community and Indigenous relations; uncertainty in the estimation of mineral resources; competition for, among other things, capital, undeveloped lands and skilled personnel; risks relating to insufficient funding and the requirement for additional capital; risks relating to climate change and extreme weather events; the reliance on key personnel; the potential for conflicts of interest among certain officers and directors; and the other risks described in the continuous disclosure documents of Sirios filed with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca.

Sirios and OVI believe that the expectations reflected in forward-looking statements are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct. As such, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release and, except as required under applicable securities legislation, Sirios and OVI assume no obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/285631

News Provided by TMX Newsfile via QuoteMedia

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Investing

US-Iran Tensions Put Europe’s Gas Storage Plans at Risk

Escalating tensions between the United States and Iran are reviving a risk energy markets have long feared: a potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow Gulf passage that carries roughly 20 percent of global LNG trade and 25 percent of seaborne oil.

New modelling from energy analytics firm ICIS suggests that a three-month disruption would send European benchmark gas prices sharply higher and strain storage levels heading into winter.

US-Iran nuclear talks are continuing this week after previous meetings failed to produce a breakthrough.

Meanwhile, the US has increased its military posture in the Gulf region, redeploying a carrier strike group to the Northern Arabian Sea. Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces have conducted drills in the Strait of Hormuz and tested a temporary blockage of the sea passage, with officials publicly raising the possibility of closing the route to international traffic.

Oil markets have already begun reacting to the rising geopolitical risk.

Prices climbed to seven-month highs as traders positioned ahead of renewed US-Iran nuclear talks. US crude futures rose to as high as US$67.28 per barrel to start this week, while Brent crude reached US$72.50, its highest level since July 31, 2025, before easing later in the session.

Disruption scenario points to sharp market shock

The ICIS postures that the strategic importance of the strait is difficult to overstate. A prolonged closure would disrupt a quarter of global seaborne oil flows and a fifth of LNG trade. For Europe, the most immediate impact would be the loss of Qatari LNG volumes that transit the Gulf.

To assess the potential impact, ICIS modelled two scenarios: a base case reflecting current market conditions, and a disruption case assuming no contracted Qatari LNG imports to Europe until the end of May—a 102-day halt combined with a 131 terawatt-hour (TWh)reduction in spot LNG volumes over 90 days.

Under the disruption scenario, the Dutch TTF front-month contract, which is Europe’s gas benchmark, would jump toward 92 euros per megawatt hour, averaging around 86 €/MWh during the 90-day blockade.

This price point hovers substantially above the base case and far exceeds the price response in ICIS’ cold-winter scenario, which resulted in roughly a 20 percent increase in some Eastern European markets.

Furthermore, a three-month interruption of Qatari LNG would represent a supply shock of roughly 14 percent during the period, even before accounting for missing spot cargoes.

According to ICIS, that scale of disruption would likely drive the European gas balance into shortage territory.

“We see Europe has simultaneously allowed strategic buffers like gas storage levels to erode to dangerously low levels at a critical moment in global affairs,” said ICIS editor Ghassan Zumot.

Even with elevated prices, not all demand in Central and Eastern Europe could be easily met while still complying with mandated EU storage targets. In the disruption scenario, end-of-winter storage levels fall to about 244 TWh, compared with 275 TWh in the base case .

Under such conditions, the ICIS noted that competition between Asia and Europe for flexible LNG cargoes would also intensify.

Its modeling suggests that the marginal price during the blockade would be determined by the relative willingness-to-pay of Asian power systems during the summer cooling season versus Europe’s need to secure LNG for storage injections ahead of winter.

Volatile market meets gulf risk

The prospect of disruption in the Gulf adds fresh uncertainty to energy markets that have yet to stabilize.

“Throughout the year, prices have continued the downtrend they began in April (2024) as OPEC+ continued to hike output and China’s economy continued to struggle under the weight of a flailing property sector, downbeat consumer confidence, overindebted local governments and flagging external demand,” he added.

US President Donald Trump’s on-again, off-again tariffs also injected uncertainty into markets. “We can see that Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs pushed prices down to a level from which they’ve not recovered from, barring a spike in June as a result of the 12 day Iran-Israel war,” Cunningham said.

Despite current perceptions of abundant oil supply with floating inventories hovering around a billion barrels, analysts caution that geopolitical disruptions could quickly alter the balance.

“The real question is not if oil and gas production will increase, but by how much,” Cunningham said, noting that production forecasts have been revised higher in response to OPEC+ output hikes and strong US LNG demand. At the same time, tensions within OPEC+ and sanctions on Russia could complicate supply trajectories.

For Europe, the immediate vulnerability lies in gas. The continent has made significant strides since 2022 in diversifying supply routes and expanding LNG import infrastructure.

However, a closure of the Strait of Hormuz would instantly test those gains.

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Investing

UK Enters Commercial Lithium Production with Geothermal Plant Launch

The UK has entered commercial lithium production for the first time as Geothermal Engineering Ltd (GEL) began operations in its plant at Cornwall, anchoring the government’s hopes of a domestic battery metals supply chain.

The Redruth-based facility marks the country’s first commercial-scale output of lithium, a metal essential for electric vehicle batteries and energy storage systems.

Initial production is set at 100 tons per year, with plans to expand to 1,500 tons annually within several years and to more than 18,000 tons over the next decade. That long-term expansion would require an estimated £640 million, or around US$860 million, in additional investment.

Beijing’s use of export restrictions on critical materials last year further sharpened the country’s concerns about supply vulnerability. China currently controls about 60 percent of global lithium processing capacity and dominates much of the downstream battery supply chain.

The UK government has set a target to produce 50,000 tons of lithium domestically by 2035. Demand is expected to surge as electric vehicle adoption expands and grid-scale energy storage grows.

GEL’s project combines lithium extraction with geothermal energy production. The company has drilled nearly three miles underground into granite formations in Cornwall, circulating mineral-rich fluids that are both hot enough to generate electricity and contain dissolved lithium.

The geothermal plant, also switched on this week, will power the lithium extraction process. The excess electricity is also expected to generate enough electricity to supply up to 10,000 homes.

GEL founder Ryan Law said pairing lithium production with geothermal power is critical to cost control. “We can easily compete with what’s coming from China,” Law told the Financial Times.

The project has cost approximately US$67.5 million so far, funded through private investors and US$20.25 million from the European Development Fund. The UK government also provided a US$2.43 million grant, covering half the cost of the initial lithium extraction system.

Cornwall has emerged as the center of Britain’s lithium ambitions. Several companies are working to bring projects online, though timelines have shifted amid volatile lithium prices.

For instance, Cornish Lithium, which has been producing small quantities of lithium hydroxide samples for potential customers since October and is targeting a commercial plant by 2029, had reduced its 2030 production target from 25,000 tons annually to 20,000 tons.

Meanwhile, British refiner Green Lithium has also pushed back the opening of its Teesside commercial facility to around 2029, adopting what co-founder Guy Hatcher called a “more phased development strategy.”

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Politics

FBI subpoena of phone records leaves Trump chief of staff ‘in shock’: report

White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles was reportedly in shock after hearing that the FBI under former President Joe Biden subpoenaed her and current FBI Director Kash Patel’s phone records in 2022 and 2023.

Wiles — who ran President Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign — reportedly told associates, ‘I am in shock,’ Axios reported on Thursday.

Reuters first disclosed the subpoenas, which were issued during the Biden administration, while special counsel Jack Smith was investigating Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election and his handling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago.

The subpoenaed toll records included phone numbers and the dates and times of calls, but not the content of the conversations, Fox News has learned.

Smith eventually charged Trump in 2023 with multiple felony offenses related to alleged efforts to challenge the results of the 2020 election and his handling of documents. The election interference case was later dismissed by a federal judge after Smith moved to drop it following Trump’s reelection. Smith also dropped the Justice Department’s appeal of a separate ruling that dismissed the classified documents case. Trump has denied any wrongdoing in both matters.

In 2023, the FBI recorded a phone call between Wiles and her attorney, two FBI officials told Fox News. Additionally, the officials said that Wiles’ attorney was aware that the call was being recorded and consented, but the now-White-House-chief-of-staff did not.

‘It is outrageous and deeply alarming that the previous FBI leadership secretly subpoenaed my own phone records — along with those of now White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles — using flimsy pretexts and burying the entire process in prohibited case files designed to evade all oversight,’ Patel, the current FBI director, told Fox News on Wednesday.

Patel has said that he recently ended the FBI’s ability to categorize files as ‘Prohibited.’

At least 10 FBI employees were also fired Wednesday, Fox News was told. Names were not given due to privacy reasons.

Eric Daugherty, assistant Chief Content Officer for RightLine, an offshoot of Florida’s Voice, applauded the firings, telling Patel to ‘keep purging.’ Additionally, conservative influencer Nick Sortor wrote on X that ‘The amount of ROT in the FBI is INSANE.’

The FBI Agents Association (FBIAA) later issued a scathing statement criticizing the firings.

‘The FBIAA condemns today’s unlawful termination of FBI Special Agents, which — like other firings by Director Patel — violates the due process rights of those who risk their lives to protect our country,’ the organization said in a statement. ‘These actions weaken the Bureau by stripping away critical expertise and destabilizing the workforce, undermining trust in leadership and jeopardizing the Bureau’s ability to meet its recruitment goals — ultimately putting the nation at greater risk.’

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Politics

Hillary Clinton tells House ‘I do not recall ever encountering’ Jeffrey Epstein

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is accusing the GOP-led House Oversight Committee of using her to ‘distract’ from President Donald Trump during her high-stakes testimony in Congress’ Jeffrey Epstein probe.

‘A committee endeavoring to stop human trafficking would seek to understand what specific steps are needed to fix a system that allowed Epstein to get away with his crimes in 2008,’ she is telling the panel, according to her opening remarks.

‘But that’s not happening. Instead, you have compelled me to testify, fully aware that I have no knowledge that would assist your investigation, in order to distract attention from President Trump’s actions and to cover them up despite legitimate calls for answers.’

Clinton is telling lawmakers, ‘As I stated in my sworn declaration on January 13, I had no idea about their criminal activities.’

‘I do not recall ever encountering Mr. Epstein. I never flew on his plane or visited his island homes or offices. I have nothing to add to that,’ her remarks state.

‘Like every decent person, I have been horrified by what we have learned about their crimes. It’s unfathomable that Mr. Epstein initially got a slap on the wrist in 2008, which allowed him to continue his predatory practices for another decade.’

The House Oversight Committee’s deposition is officially kicking off on Thursday morning after months of back-and-forth.

‘No one’s accusing, at this moment, the Clintons of any wrongdoing. They’re going to have due process,’ Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., told reporters shortly before it began. ‘But we have a lot of questions, and the purpose of the whole investigation is to try to understand many things about Epstein.’

Hillary Clinton’s deposition comes a day before her husband, former President Bill Clinton, will testify before the panel as well.

‘Today will be a long deposition, I would assume, and tomorrow will be an even longer deposition,’ Comer said.

Both Democrats and Republicans on the committee, as well as the panel’s staff, traveled to the Clintons’ hometown of Chappaqua, New York for the two-day affair.

It’s part of an agreement struck between the GOP-led panel and the former first couple’s lawyers in order for them to appear in person.

Lawmakers on either side will have the opportunity to question Hillary Clinton in addition to their staffs.

Fox News Digital was told that Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., will be the first lawmaker to question the former first lady and Obama administration official.

Mace was one of four House Republicans who successfully forced a vote late last year on getting the Department of Justice (DOJ) to release files on Epstein, despite pressure from GOP leaders.

The South Carolina Republican, who is running for governor of the Palmetto State, told reporters on Thursday that she would also be questioning Hillary Clinton on Trump Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, among other names that have been mentioned in relation to Epstein.

Comer told reporters she would also be questioned on her ties to Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, pointing out that Maxwell was present at Chelsea Clinton’s wedding in 2010, after the first allegations against Epstein surfaced.

He also suggested that Epstein and Maxwell’s ties to the nonprofit Clinton Foundation would also see scrutiny.

‘Again, we’re not accusing Hillary Clinton of wrongdoing. We know that Jeffrey Epstein said many times in emails that he was the first person to raise money for the Clinton initiative, the Clinton Foundation, that he solicited money at some of his properties for the Clinton Foundation,’ Comer said.

‘Again, that’s not saying anything illegal, but there are a lot of questions pertaining to Secretary Clinton with respect to Epstein and his involvement in the Clinton initiative and her relationship with Ghislaine Maxwell.’

But Clinton’s prepared remarks show her accusing Republicans of going on a ‘fishing expedition’ to find information that is not there.

‘If this committee is serious about learning the truth about Epstein’s trafficking crimes, it would not rely on press giggles to get answers from our current president on his involvement. It would ask him directly, under oath, about the tens of thousands of times who showed up in the Epstein files. If the majority was serious, it would not waste time on fishing expeditions. There is too much that needs to be done,’ her remarks said.

Neither of the Clintons has been accused of wrongdoing related to Epstein, nor has Trump. But both the current and former president’s names appear in the Epstein files numerous times, alongside other well-known figures like Bill Gates and Leslie Wexner.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Politics

Thune calls out ‘two Americas’ as Democrats refuse to stand for war heroes, law enforcement at SOTU

The top Senate Republican said the congressional Democrats’ actions during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union showed a jarring disconnect from reality.

As Trump moved through his record-breaking speech, pointing out Olympians, war heroes and others, congressional Democrats largely sat still, refusing to stand. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., contended it was the manifestation of the political divide in Congress.

‘I was, like, watching two Americas,’ Thune said.

Trump challenged congressional Democrats to get out of their seats during the speech, catching them flat-footed in a request that came roughly through the midway mark of his address.

‘I’m inviting every legislator to join with my administration in reaffirming a fundamental principle,’ Trump said. ‘If you agree with this statement, then stand up and show your support: The first duty of the American government is to protect American citizens, not illegal aliens.’

At that moment, like several others throughout the night, Democrats didn’t budge.

‘And clearly, I think you saw in the chamber us as Republicans expressing support,’ Thune said. ‘That contrast, when he asked the question and asked people to stand up and every Democrat was seated, I don’t know how you explain that. We are living, literally, in two Americas.’

Several congressional Democrats opted to skip the speech altogether, either attending counter-programming events in Washington, D.C., or watching from afar.

Some who did attend opted to act disruptively during the State of the Union, like Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, who was escorted out of the chamber for the second year in a row — this time for flashing a sign that read ‘Black people aren’t apes’ — or Reps. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., and Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., who shouted insults and rebuttals to Trump as he continued through the night.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., showed up and blasted Trump’s address the next morning.

‘Last night was not America’s State of the Union,’ Schumer said on the Senate floor. ‘It was Donald Trump’s state of delusion. For two long hours, the president stood in the House chamber congratulating himself, inflating his own ego, but offering no solutions to our country’s many problems. He’s in a bubble.’

Thune contended that Democrats’ actions were indicative of their policy positions and charged that what Americans saw was ‘a party that is for open borders, a party that’s for sanctuary cities, a party that is basically the pro-defund law enforcement.’

‘The way the Democrats were reacting to what the president had to say — whoever the president is, Democrat or Republican — you ought to have people who want to do what’s in the best interest of the American people,’ Thune said. ‘And I hope there are still some Democrats around who want to do that.’

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Politics

Trump admin asks Supreme Court to end temporary protected status for Syrian migrants

President Donald Trump’s administration is pushing for the U.S. Supreme Court to allow it to nix temporary protected status for Syrians.

‘This application marks the third time that the government has been compelled to seek a stay from this Court after lower Courts have baselessly blocked the Secretary of Homeland Security’s determinations regarding Temporary Protected Status (TPS) just before they took effect,’ the filing declares.

The document notes that the high court previously issued stays amid legal wranglings pertaining to the administration’s move to terminate TPS for Venezuela.

‘Both times, this Court’s orders reflected that the government is likely to succeed on the merits of its purely legal arguments—including that 8 U.S.C. 1254a(b)(5)(A) expressly bars judicial review of direct or indirect challenges to the Secretary’s TPS determinations,’ the filing asserted. ‘And both times, the Court’s orders reflected that the government established irreparable harm and that the balance of the equities weighed in its favor.’

‘The lower courts’ arrogation of core Executive Branch prerogatives irreparably harms the government, and respondents’ alleged harms were inherent in the temporary nature of the program that Congress designed,’ the administration argued.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem moved to terminate TPS for Syria last year.

The notice declared that the termination of TPS for Syria was supposed to take effect ‘at 11:59 p.m., local time, on November 21, 2025.’

But the move has been stymied by the courts.

‘As in the two prior TPS applications, this Court should again stay a materially similar order with materially similar flaws. Moreover, given the lower courts’ persistent disregard for this Court’s stay orders, this Court should also grant certiorari before judgment,’ the filing on the administration’s push to terminate TPS for Syria declares.

The filing warned that, ‘Otherwise, lower courts will … continue to impede the termination of temporary protection that the Secretary has deemed contrary to the national interest, tying those decisions up in protracted litigation with no end in sight.’

This is a breaking news article and will be updated.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS