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Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE:FCX) is preparing to bring one of the world’s most important copper assets back online, laying out plans for a phased restart of the Grasberg mine in Indonesia following a deadly mud rush that halted operations late last year.

The Arizona-based miner said remediation and preparation work at the Grasberg minerals district remains on schedule after the September 8, 2025 incident, when an estimated 800,000 metric tons of wet material entered the block cave and killed seven workers.

According to the company, its Indonesian subsidiary, PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI), expects to begin restarting Production Blocks 2 and 3 of the Grasberg Block Cave in the second quarter of 2026, with a gradual ramp-up thereafter. A potential restart of Production Block 1 is targeted for 2027.

Based on current estimates, PTFI expects roughly 85 percent of total production at normal operating rates to be restored in the second half of 2026.

Work required to resume mining, including mud removal from underground workings, repairs to key infrastructure and the installation of protective barriers, is progressing as planned, Freeport said. Investigations into the cause of the incident and remedial measures were completed during the fourth quarter of 2025.

Operations at other parts of the Grasberg complex have already resumed. In late October 2025, PTFI restarted production at the Deep Mill Level Zone (DMLZ) and Big Gossan underground mines, which were not affected by the mud rush.

Those restarts provided some relief to output but did not offset the loss of production from the Grasberg Block Cave, the district’s primary ore source.

“As we enter 2026, our team has a clear focus on restoring operations at Grasberg safely and sustainably, and on continuing to build values in the Americas through our innovative growth and efficiency initiatives,” Freeport president and chief executive officer Kathleen Quirk said in the company’s recent quarterly statement.

While the Grasberg restart remains the central operational focus, Freeport’s latest quarterly results showed the company’s financial resilience during the disruption.

In the fourth quarter of 2025, Freeport reported net income attributable to common stock of US$406 million, or US$0.28 per share. Adjusted net income totaled US$688 million, or US$0.47 per share, beating quarterly profit estimates.

Going into 2026, Freeport expects consolidated sales of about 3.4 billion pounds of copper, 0.8 million ounces of gold and 90 million pounds of molybdenum, with those projections assuming a phased restart of the Grasberg Block Cave beginning in the second quarter.

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

US President Donald Trump’s claim that Washington has reached a “framework of a future deal” over Greenland has raised more questions than answers, particularly over whether access to the Arctic territory’s vast natural resources and critical minerals is part of the discussions.

Trump’s recent announcement on his Truth Social platform after meetings at the World Economic Forum in Davos appeared to mark a de-escalation after weeks of mounting pressure on Denmark and Greenland.

Those tensions had included threats of tariffs and repeated suggestions that the United States might use force to secure control of the semi-autonomous Danish territory. Instead, Trump said the framework emerged from a “very productive meeting” with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and suggested talks would continue.

“This solution, if consummated, will be a great one for the United States of America, and all NATO Nations,” Trump wrote, offering no details on what the framework contains.

A mysterious and vague framework

What has followed has been a series of clarifications about what the deal does not include.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Denmark is open to negotiations on security and cooperation but stressed that “we cannot negotiate on our sovereignty.”

Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen echoed that position, calling sovereignty a ‘red line’ and saying he was unaware of the substance of any framework being discussed.

NATO officials have likewise emphasized that the alliance has no mandate to negotiate territorial arrangements and that any talks would have to involve Denmark, Greenland, and the US directly.

Despite the lack of specifics, Trump’s comments have revived debate over why Greenland matters so much to Washington. Security considerations have dominated official statements, yet Greenland’s natural resources remain a central but unresolved part of the picture.

A resource-centric agenda

Despite the lack of specifics, Trump’s comments have revived debate over why Greenland matters so much to Washington. Security considerations have dominated official statements, yet Greenland’s natural resources remain a central but unresolved part of the picture.

Greenland is believed to sit on top of large reserves of oil and natural gas, though commercial extraction has yet to take off. The island is thought to host substantial deposits of minerals considered critical for modern economies and military technologies.

According to the 2023 Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, 25 of the 34 minerals classified as “critical raw materials” by the European Commission are found in Greenland, including graphite, niobium and titanium. These materials are essential for electronics, Trump himself has frequently linked Greenland to minerals and security in the same breath, arguing that US control would put the country in “a really good position, especially as it pertains to security and to minerals.”

At times, however, Trump has appeared to downplay the economic case, instead emphasizing geopolitical threats.

“I want Greenland for security – I don’t want it for anything else,” he told reporters at Davos. “You have to go 25ft down through ice to get it. It’s not, it’s not something that a lot of people are going to do or want to do.”

Even so, access to Greenland’s resources has loomed large in the background of the administration’s agenda. Trump has made countering China’s dominance in rare earths and strategic minerals a core economic and national security priority, placing supply chains at the center of US geopolitical strategy.

The US has been moving in that direction for years. In 2020, during Trump’s first term, Washington reopened its consulate in Nuuk, Greenland’s capital, as part of a broader effort to deepen ties amid expanding Russian and Chinese activity in the Arctic.

Since Trump returned to office, his allies have increasingly framed Greenland as a commercial opportunity as well as a strategic one, citing climate change-driven shifts that are opening new shipping routes and access to fisheries, energy, and mineral resources.

Shades of an existing agreement

For now, none of those ambitions have been reflected in concrete terms tied to Trump’s announced framework. NATO said only that future negotiations would aim to ensure Russia and China “never gain a foothold — economically or militarily — in Greenland.”

While that language could encompass mining and investment restrictions, it stops short of any commitment on mineral access or ownership.

According to a New York Times report, officials familiar with parallel discussions said one idea floated informally involved granting the US sovereignty or near-sovereign control over small areas of Greenland for military bases, modeled on Britain’s sovereign base areas in Cyprus.

Such an arrangement would address defense concerns but would do little to resolve questions about mineral rights, which are governed by Greenlandic law and subject to strong local political sensitivities.”

Trump’s shifting tone has also prompted scrutiny in Washington. When asked whether the framework met his earlier demand to “own” Greenland, Trump avoided the question, calling the arrangement “a long-term deal” that was “infinite” and “forever.”

Critics have noted that similar language already applies to the 1951 US-Denmark defense agreement, which allows an open-ended American military presence at what is now Pituffik Space Base.

Updated in 2004, the same agreement gives the US wide authority within its defense areas, including control over personnel, equipment, and movement. Some analysts argue that most of what Trump appears to be seeking could be achieved by revising or expanding that framework rather than pursuing ownership or sovereignty.

Whether the new framework goes further remains unclear. US, Danish, and Greenlandic officials are expected to continue talks in the coming weeks, and a working group could meet as early as next week to flesh out details.

Until then, the absence of explicit language on critical minerals stands out, given how often they have been invoked as a justification for Trump’s aggressive rhetoric.

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., claimed that President Donald Trump has been exhibiting ‘increasingly erratic’ behavior.

She made the comment in response to a question from Migrant Insider editor Pablo Manríquez, who asked, ‘How big of a factor is Donald Trump’s cognitive decline, given what we’re seeing at Davos?’ 

‘I think that the president has been acting in increasingly erratic ways,’ Ocasio-Cortez replied, according to the video shared on X.

‘I think it is really damning when we think about the degree to which mass media outlets reported on Joe Biden,’ she said, pointing to how the Democratic Party ultimately nominated Kamala Harris in the 2024 race.

‘Yet, we are seeing behavior from Donald Trump that is increasingly erratic and alarming,’ she said, asserting that ‘everyone’s pretending that this is normal.’

The congresswoman said America’s ‘global partners’ are seeing ‘the entire government apparatus and a party that is willing to watch someone decompensate in front of the world and do nothing about it.’

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

‘While deranged Democrats like Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez push these blatant lies, President Trump is dominating on the world stage and brokering historic deals to advance the interests of the American people,’ White House spokesperson Liz Huston said in a statement.

‘Don’t forget that after Joe Biden’s brain unraveled on the 2024 presidential debate stage and nearly the entire Democrat party subsequently panicked and demanded Biden drop out of the race, Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez was one of the few delusional holdouts backing and pleading for Joe Biden to remain as their presidential nominee as late as July 8, 2024,’ she added.

‘Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez’s peanut-sized brain either forgot this happened or she thinks the American people are too stupid to remember,’ Huston said.

In July 2024 — after President Joe Biden’s disastrous debate performance against Trump, but before Biden dropped out of the presidential race later in July — Ocasio-Cortez expressed her support for the incumbent. 

‘Joe Biden is our nominee. He is not leaving this race. He is in this race, and I support him,’ she said at the time.

Earlier this year, Trump declared in a Truth Social post, ‘The White House Doctors have just reported that I am in ‘PERFECT HEALTH,’ and that I ‘ACED’ (Meaning, was correct on 100% of the questions asked!), for the third straight time, my Cognitive Examination, something which no other President, or previous Vice President, was willing to take.’

‘P.S., I strongly believe that anyone running for President, or Vice President, should be mandatorily forced to take a strong, meaningful, and proven Cognitive Examination. Our great Country cannot be run by ‘STUPID’ or INCOMPETENT PEOPLE!’ he added.

In a Truth Social post last year, Trump referred to Ocasio-Cortez as ‘one of the ‘dumbest’ people in Congress.’

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Democrats hold a slight advantage heading into the midterm elections in a new poll from The New York Times and Siena University.

The poll found that 48% of registered voters would support a Democratic candidate if the midterm elections were held today, compared to just 43% for a Republican candidate. The poll also showed skepticism toward President Donald Trump’s policies, with 47% of registered voters saying they ‘strongly disapprove’ of how he is handling his job as president.

The poll surveyed 1,625 registered voters nationwide from Jan. 12 to 17 and advertised a margin of error of 2.8%.

A 51% majority of Americans also say that Trump’s policies have made their lives less affordable.

In total, 49% of registered voters say the country is worse off now than it was a year ago, compared to 32% who say it is better.

The polling lines up with other recent surveys that have found many Americans souring on the president and his agenda.

The president’s approval rating stands at 45% in the latest Wall Street Journal poll, at 41% in Reuters/Ipsos, and an average of all the most recent national polls compiled by Real Clear Politics puts Trump’s approval at 42%, with 55% giving him a thumbs down on the job he’s doing.

Trump started his second term in positive territory, but his approval ratings sank below water last March and have slowly edged deeper into negative territory in the ensuing months.

The percentage of registered voters saying the country is on the right track has held steady since April, according to the survey. And Trump continues to hold support from Republicans, with four in five GOP registered voters saying the U.S. is on the right track.

Deep concerns over inflation boosted Trump and Republicans to sweeping victories at the ballot box in 2024, as they won back the White House and Senate and kept their House majority.

But Democrats say their decisive victories in November’s 2025 elections, and their overperformances in special elections and other ballot box showdowns last year, were fueled by their laser focus on affordability amid persistent inflation.

Trump’s approval ratings on the economy are, on average, slightly lower than his overall approval ratings.

The president’s numbers on the issue of illegal immigration, another issue that helped lift him to a re-election victory, have also eroded over the past year. The issue is once again front-and-center, following this month’s fatal shooting of a Minnesota woman by an ICE agent as she protested the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement efforts.

Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Live Action, a pro-life organization, is demanding that the Trump administration take action on the distribution of and reporting on mifepristone, often colloquially called ‘the abortion pill.’ 

The group is holding a press conference on Capitol Hill on Thursday to discuss concerns surrounding the abortion drug, as well as a new investigative video from Live Action that the group says documents ‘the dangerous real-world distribution of this drug by Planned Parenthood and affiliated providers.’ The group alleges ‘reckless distribution’ practices and argues the adverse effects of the drug are not being documented properly, if at all.

In a letter to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary, Live Action said it aims to show ‘clear evidence of regulatory noncompliance and patient harm’ and to issue a call for immediate action from HHS and the FDA.

The letter urges HHS and the FDA to suspend the approval of mifepristone, prohibit the distribution of abortion pills through mail-order services and telehealth, reinstate comprehensive adverse-event reporting requirements, and release a full public accounting of the scientific and clinical evidence used to expand access to the drug.

‘For more than two decades, mifepristone has remained on the market under an approval process that was politically accelerated, shielded from transparency, and repeatedly expanded without regard for patient safety, adverse event reporting, or statutory compliance,’ the letter, signed by Lila Rose, Live Action founder and president, reads.

The FDA currently allows mifepristone to be prescribed via telehealth appointments and distributed by mail under its risk evaluation and mitigation strategy (REMS) program. The FDA advises against buying mifepristone online outside its REMS program, warning that those who do ‘would be bypassing important safeguards specifically designed to protect their health.’

The letter also references an April 2025 report issued by the Ethics & Public Policy Center (EPPC). The report claims that nearly 11% of women experience adverse side effects within 45 days of taking mifepristone, including sepsis, infection and hemorrhaging.

‘The real-world rate of serious adverse events following mifepristone abortions is at least 22 times as high as the summary figure of ‘less than 0.5 percent’ in clinical trials reported on the drug label,’ the EPPC report summary states.

Live Action also put out a video purportedly showing real calls with 27 Planned Parenthood locations across the U.S. In the video, a woman speaks with various Planned Parenthood locations about obtaining the abortion pill. The video appears to feature Planned Parenthood facilities in Alaska, Colorado, Kansas, Oregon, Minnesota, New Mexico and New York, with some states appearing multiple times.

The first section shows the woman asking whether the clinics need to see ultrasounds before prescribing the pill in order to assess the gestational age of the fetus. Many of those answering the phones at the Planned Parenthood locations said women could obtain the pill without an ultrasound through a telehealth appointment.

In the second section, the woman who called was told that Planned Parenthood would not test for Rhesus (Rh) incompatibility. Rh is a protein that some people carry in their blood, and it can cause issues in future pregnancies. 

A form from Planned Parenthood of Greater New York dated March 2020 states that, ‘There is a chance you might make Rh antibodies and have problems with future pregnancies. Research has not proved this.’

Live Action’s video also purportedly showed that those who answered the phone at multiple Planned Parenthood locations assured the women that they did not need to give their medical history or attend an in-person follow-up.

It was unclear if the individuals who spoke with the woman had medical training. One suggested that the woman speak to a medical professional to get more accurate information on specific questions.

Those who answered the phone for clinics in multiple states also said the caller would be able to have the pills sent to another person’s house. When asked whether the pills needed to be taken right away, most said they did not, with many assuring the woman calling that she could change her mind or wait to make a decision. However, the person on the phone at one clinic said that the woman had until 12 weeks to take the pill and advised that it would not be effective after that time.

Live Action released its letter and accompanying video ahead of the annual March for Life, which is scheduled for Jan. 23. Vice President JD Vance, who recently announced that he and his wife, Usha, are expecting their fourth child, is slated to speak at the march, as he did in 2025. Other speakers include House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Planned Parenthood said its health centers that offer medication abortion ‘follow all applicable laws and regulations and always ensure care provided reflects the latest credible research and upholds the highest standard of patient care.’ 

‘In accordance with Planned Parenthood Federation of America’s medical standards and guidelines — which are developed and updated with medical experts across the field of sexual and reproductive health care using rigorous scientific evidence — providers at Planned Parenthood health centers explain the associated risks and benefits to patients seeking medication abortion, just as they do with every health care service provided,’ Danika Severino, Planned Parenthood vice president of care and access, said in a statement.

‘Mifepristone is safe, legal, and has been used by more than 7.5 million people for abortion and miscarriage care since its approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 25 years ago,’ Severino added. ‘Despite 25 years of data and more than 100 peer-reviewed studies proving mifepristone is extremely safe and effective, anti-abortion activists continue to spread disinformation to advance their harmful political agenda.’  

Fox News Digital also reached out to HHS and the FDA for comment.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

The House of Representatives is moving to jam the Senate by attaching a repeal of the upper chamber’s Arctic Frost repayment measure to a funding bill that’s key to averting a partial government shutdown.

A Senate GOP-led measure allowing Republicans in the upper chamber to sue the federal government for up to $500,000 if their phone records were seized by ex-Special Counsel Jack Smith is still causing heartburn in the House.

House lawmakers voted unanimously Thursday to roll back that measure, as an amendment to a $1.2 trillion federal funding package that’s expected to get a vote later in the day.

If the funding package is passed, the Senate will be forced to consider the repeal along with the larger spending bill or else amend it and risk running the clock down on Congress’ Jan. 30 government shutdown deadline.

The Senate GOP-led measure was included as part of a wider government funding package that ended the longest-ever shutdown in U.S. history last November. 

Its inclusion caught many House Republicans by surprise, angering them for its use of taxpayer dollars to benefit a relatively small contingent of lawmakers.

A House vote on repealing the measure late last year similarly passed via a unanimous vote but was never taken up in the Senate.

‘The leadership was worried about them rejecting it, but let them own it if they want to object to it,’ Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., who called the measure ‘ridiculous,’ told Fox News Digital on Thursday.

It will now be part of the overall funding package sent to the Senate, which provides dollars to keep the Department of War, Department of Education, Health and Human Services Department, and Department of Homeland Security, among others, running for the remainder of the fiscal year. 

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., with a green-light from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., added the tweak to the previous year’s spending deal during bipartisan talks to end the 43-day government shutdown.

Since then, congressional Republicans and Democrats alike have banded together to nix the provision, dubbed ‘Requiring Senate Notification for Senate Data.’

It would explicitly allow only senators directly targeted in Smith’s Arctic Frost investigation to sue the U.S. government for up to $500,000.

Thune at the time reasoned that members were effectively ‘spied on’ by the DOJ, and that the very act itself ‘demands some accountability.’ 

‘I think that in the end, this is something that all members of Congress, both House and Senate, are probably going to want as a protection, and we were thinking about the institution of the Senate and individual senators going into the future,’ Thune said.

Still, that has not stopped lawmakers in the upper chamber from trying to nuke the law. Several attempts have been made over the last few months to gut it on the Senate floor, and each has been blocked by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., the strongest proponent of the provision. 

Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., tried once again to get rid of the Arctic Frost law last week before the Senate left Washington, D.C., for a weeklong break. 

‘That policy is simply wrong,’ Peters said on the Senate floor. ‘And it goes against everything that we’re supposed to be doing as elected representatives to make life better for the people who live in our states and in the country.’

But, his attempt was once again blocked by Graham, who contended that his rights when he was not notified that his records, along with seven other senators, had been violated as part of the probe. 

‘If you cannot hold your government accountable for violating your rights or potentially violating your rights, you have a very dangerous government,’ Graham said on the Senate floor. ‘I am no better than anybody else, but I’m certainly as hell no worse than anybody else.’

The repeal provision’s inclusion in Thursday’s government funding bill caught many by surprise. It had not been part of the legislation when it advanced out of the House Rules Committee, and was only offered by Committee Chairwoman Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., on the House floor shortly before voting began on a procedural hurdle called a ‘rule vote.’

It will be sent to the Senate along with the wider funding package if it’s passed by the House on Thursday afternoon.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

The White House fully supports efforts on Capitol Hill to impeach federal judges who have gone ‘totally rogue’ with partisan rulings, Fox News Digital learned. 

A White House official told Fox News Digital that the administration is closely tracking the Senate Judiciary Committee’s impeachment inquiry involving U.S. District Judges James Boasberg, of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, and Deborah Boardman, of the U.S. District Court in Maryland, as Republican lawmakers openly discuss impeaching what they describe as ‘activist’ judges.

‘Left-wing, activist judges have gone totally rogue,’ a White House official told Fox News Digital. ‘They’re undermining the rule of law in service of their own radical agenda. It needs to stop. And the White House fully embraces impeachment efforts.’

The White House official continued that President Donald Trump must be able to ‘lawfully implement the agenda the American people elected him on,’ arguing that judges who repeatedly issue partisan rulings have abused their offices and forfeited their claim to impartiality.

Federal judges can be impeached when the House approves articles alleging misconduct or abuse of office, with removal certified after the Senate convicts by a two-thirds vote. 

Boasberg has become a prime target for Republicans over a string of rulings tied to Trump-era immigration policies — including cases involving the transfer of migrants to El Salvador and other countries rather than holding them in U.S. detention.

More recently, he’s drawn fresh GOP backlash after reports surfaced that he approved warrants in former special counsel Jack Smith’s ‘Arctic Frost’ probe that enabled investigators to seize phone records connected to some Republican lawmakers.

He first faced articles of impeachment in March 2025 for preventing the administration from deporting some illegal migrants under the Alien Enemies Act, and again in November over the Arctic Frost decision. 

A White House official told Fox Digital that Boasberg has a history of issuing ‘plainly illegal’ while pointing to the warrants and subpoenas he authorized in the Arctic Frost investigation.

Boardman faces impeachment calls over her sentencing decision for a man found guilty of charges related to trying to assassinate Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. The man was sentenced to eight years when the recommended term was 30 years. 

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, is among Republican lawmakers calling for Boasberg and Boardman to be impeached. He argued that they ‘meet the constitutional standard for impeachment’ during a Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing earlier in January, calling both ‘rogue judges.’ 

The White House argued that federal judges who develop a record of issuing rogue, plainly unlawful rulings to advance or undermine a political party forfeit their impartiality, abuse their authority and warrant impeachment.

Both judges have avoided commenting publicly on impeachment talk, declining a Senate invitation to testify Jan. 7. 

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson also threw his support behind impeaching ‘rogue’ judges Wednesday. 

‘I think some of these judges have gotten so far outside the bounds of where they’re supposed to operate,’ Johnson said during a weekly press conference. ‘It would not be, in my view, a bad thing for Congress to lay down the law.’ 

The remarks are a departure from his comments in 2025, when he said impeachment was not a practical tool against judges seen as activists working against the Trump administration. 

‘Look, impeachments are never off the table if it’s merited. But in our system — we’ve had 15 federal judges impeached in the entire history of the country — I mean, there may be some that I feel merit that, but you’ve got to get the votes for it. And it’s a very high burden,’ Johnson said in May 2025.

‘Frankly, the bar is high crimes and misdemeanors. I mean, the last federal judge impeached, I think was caught … taking cash in an envelope. You know, it’s got to be a pretty brazen offense or a real open crime that everybody could agree to.’

Democrats have pushed against Republican calls for impeachment, including Senate Judiciary Committee member Sheldon Whitehouse responding to Cruz’s comments on potentially impeaching the judges in a letter to Johnson Wednesday. 

‘The pattern is clear: judges rule against the Administration; the President or his allies attack and spread misinformation; judges and their families receive threats, ‘swatting’ attempts, and threatening stunts like pizzas in the name of a federal judge’s murdered son.  DOJ has repeatedly refused to assure us that they are investigating the pattern of threats for possible orchestration. Baseless calls for impeachment in this threat environment only add to the dangers facing these judges and their loved ones,’ Whitehouse wrote in his letter to Johnson. 

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Rio Silver Inc. (‘Rio Silver’ or the ‘Company’) (TSX-V: RYO | OTC: RYOOF) is pleased to announce that it has submitted an application to trade on the U.S. OTCID market, a strategic step designed to broaden investor access and enhance visibility within the world’s largest capital market.

In parallel, the Company confirms it will be attending the Vancouver Resource Investment Conference (VRIC) 2026, taking place January 25–26, 2026, from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., at the Vancouver Convention Centre. Rio Silver welcomes current and prospective investors to visit the Company at Booth 829.

Opening Access to the World’s Largest Capital Market

The Company’s application to trade on the U.S. OTCID market is intended to make Rio Silver’s shares more easily accessible to U.S. investors through a transparent U.S. trading venue, improving trading efficiency and expanding exposure to a broader institutional and retail audience. Upon approval, Rio Silver expects enhanced visibility among U.S.-based investors seeking direct exposure to silver-dominant exploration and development stories.

This initiative aligns with the Company’s ongoing efforts to strengthen market awareness and investor engagement as it advances its silver assets in Peru through permitting, access, and execution-focused milestones, while establishing a U.S. market presence that supports broader participation in the Company’s growth.

Management Commentary

‘Opening access to the U.S. capital markets is a meaningful step in the evolution of Rio Silver,’ said Chris Verrico, President and Chief Executive Officer of Rio Silver. ‘The United States represents the largest and deepest pool of capital globally, and this application is about making it easier for investors to participate in our story as we progress. With visible silver mineralization, a clear regulatory pathway, and a disciplined, capital-efficient strategy, we believe increased accessibility and engagement will be an important catalyst as we move into the next phase of growth. We look forward to welcoming global investors to meet our team and learn more about Rio Silver at VRIC 2026 at Booth 829.’

Investor Engagement at VRIC 2026

VRIC is one of North America’s leading resource investment conferences, bringing together mining companies, institutional investors, retail investors, analysts, and industry leaders. Management will be available throughout the conference to discuss Rio Silver’s project portfolio, execution strategy, and upcoming milestones.

Conference Details:

  • Event: Vancouver Resource Investment Conference (VRIC) 2026
  • Dates: January 25–26, 2026
  • Time: 8:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
  • Location: Vancouver Convention Centre
  • Booth: 829

Why This Matters to Investors

For investors, access matters. Expanding into the U.S. OTC market lowers friction for U.S.-based capital, increases liquidity potential, and broadens the audience able to participate in Rio Silver’s growth. Combined with active investor engagement at VRIC, this initiative strengthens market visibility at a time when the Company is advancing tangible, execution-driven milestones. As Rio Silver continues to progress its silver-dominant assets with a capital-efficient strategy, improved accessibility to the world’s largest capital market positions the Company to attract a wider investor base and more accurately reflect project momentum.

About Rio Silver Inc.

Rio Silver Inc. (TSX-V: RYO | OTC: RYOOF) is a Canadian resource company advancing high-grade, silver-dominant assets in Peru, the world’s second-largest silver producer. The Company is focused on near-term development opportunities within proven mineral belts and is supported by a seasoned technical and operational team with long standing experience in Peruvian geology, development, and district-scale exploration. With a clear strategy and a growing portfolio of highly prospective silver assets, Rio Silver is establishing the foundation to become one of Peru’s next emerging silver producers.

Learn more at www.riosilverinc.com

ON BEHALF OF Rio Silver INC.

Chris Verrico
Director, President and Chief Executive Officer

To learn more or engage directly with the Company, please contact:
Christopher Verrico, President and CEO
Tel: (604) 762-4448
Email: chris.verrico@riosilverinc.com
Website: www.riosilverinc.com

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This news release contains ‘forward-looking statements’ within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding anticipated development activities, underground access timing, permitting progress, community engagement, processing strategies, and the Company’s ability to advance toward potential production and cash flow. Forward-looking statements are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Rio Silver undertakes no obligation to update such statements except as required by law.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

News Provided by GlobeNewswire via QuoteMedia

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Here’s a quick recap of the crypto landscape for Wednesday (January 21) as of 9:00 p.m. UTC.

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

Bitcoin and Ether price update

Bitcoin (BTC) was priced at US$90,066.08, up by 0.6 percent over 24 hours.

Bitcoin price performance, January 21, 2025.

Chart via TradingView

After yesterday’s sell-off, BTC’s price rose after US President Donald Trump’s speech at Davos, where he said he expects to sign the crypto market structure bill “very soon.”

During his address, Trump also said he supported the GENIUS Act, which he signed into July 2025 because it was “politically popular,” adding, “much more importantly, we have to make it so that China doesn’t get hold of it…once they have that hold, we’re not going to be able to get it back.”

BTC experienced a volatile trading day, coming close to US$90,300 before dropping to US$87,304, followed by another rise towards US$90K.

In an email, Samer Hasn, a senior market analyst at XS.com, maintains that the current BTC market correction is being driven by a combination of escalating geopolitical risks, including President Trump’s ultimatum regarding the annexation of Greenland and Middle East tensions, as well as tightening global liquidity, highlighted by record-high Japanese government bond yields.

‘The institutional appetite for digital assets is also showing signs of fatigue, with US spot Bitcoin ETFs reversing course to post nearly US$500 million in outflows over just two sessions,’ he wrote.

‘This erratic on-off flow suggests that the record inflows seen last week were driven by speculative hot money rather than the solid, long-term accumulation required to sustain a bull market.’

Ether (ETH) was priced at US$3,026.90, up by 0.9 percent over the last 24 hours.

Altcoin price update

  • XRP (XRP) was priced at US$1.97, up by 3.3 percent over 24 hours.
  • Solana (SOL) was trading at US$130.88, up by 2.5 percent over 24 hours.

Today’s crypto news to know

Steak ‘n Shake announces BTC bonus for hourly employees

Steak ’n Shake is launching a BTC bonus program for all hourly employees, offering US$0.21 worth of BTC per hour.

Announced today via X, the rewards will be subject to a two-year vesting period. The initiative expands the chain’s partnership with Fold, following a 2025 pilot program. This move reinforces Steak ’n Shake’s aggressive BTC strategy, which includes accepting BTC payments and a recent US$10 million BTC purchase to be added to its corporate BTC reserve.

Galaxy to launch US$100 million crypto hedge fund

Cryptocurrency group Galaxy Digital (NASDAQ:GLXY) is reportedly planning to launch a US$100 million hedge fund, according to a report today from the Financial Times, which cited people familiar with the matter and internal sources close to the firm.

The fund is set to launch in Q1 of this year, with up to 30 percent of its assets invested in crypto tokens and the rest in financial services stocks impacted by changes in digital asset technologies and laws.

Crypto czar says banks and crypto companies will merge

During an interview with CNBC’s Squawk Box, White House AI and crypto czar David Sacks, joined by Michael Kratsios, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy director, said that banks and crypto companies will eventually merge into one digital asset industry once the market structure bill passes through Congress.

‘After the bill passes, the banks are going to get fully into the crypto industry. So we’re not going to have a separate banking industry and crypto, it’s going to be one digital asset industry. Over time, the banks like the idea of paying yield because they’re going to be in the stablecoin business,’ he said from Davos.

Bitget: Macro reset reframes Bitcoin’s role as risk appetite cools

Crypto markets are entering 2026 under a markedly different macro backdrop, as geopolitical tensions, trade disputes, and shifting rate expectations force investors to reassess risk.

According to Bitget CMO Ignacio Aguirre, capital is rotating back toward traditional safe havens, with gold reclaiming its defensive role while Bitcoin trades more like a risk asset amid tighter liquidity.

The roughly US$1.3 trillion erased from US equities underscores a broader repricing rather than a market anomaly, reflecting how policy uncertainty typically drives investors to pull back first before selectively re-entering.

Aguirre notes that similar patterns played out during the 2008 financial crisis and the 2022 crypto downturn, where sharp contractions ultimately set the stage for renewed growth.

In the near term, Bitcoin could face additional pressure and test lower support levels before finding stability.

Longer term, however, structural factors such as improving infrastructure and institutional participation continue to support a bullish thesis. The adjustment, Aguirre argues, is part of crypto’s maturation rather than a rejection of its long-term value.

DeFi groups push Back on FTC’s approach to non-custodial systems

Major crypto policy groups are urging the US Federal Trade Commission to rethink how it applies consumer protection rules to decentralized finance.

In a joint letter, industry organizations including the Crypto Council for Innovation and the Blockchain Association warned that enforcement models designed for custodial finance do not translate cleanly to non-custodial systems.

They argue that imposing centralized safeguards such as kill switches or circuit breakers could weaken, rather than enhance, security by undermining decentralization.

The groups further emphasized that developers who do not control user funds should not be treated as financial intermediaries. Overly prescriptive standards, they said, risk stifling innovation and driving responsible development outside the United States.

The appeal comes as Congress debates broader crypto legislation, raising concerns that regulatory overlap could create confusion.

Trump signals imminent signing of Crypto market structure bill

President Donald Trump said he expects to sign a long-awaited crypto market structure bill “very soon,” injecting fresh momentum into legislation that has faced recent turbulence in Congress.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Trump framed the bill as a step toward expanding financial access, explicitly referencing Bitcoin and digital assets more broadly.

His remarks followed a contentious week on Capitol Hill after a planned Senate Banking Committee vote was abruptly pulled. That setback was triggered when Coinbase withdrew its support over concerns about provisions affecting stablecoin yield products.

White House officials have since signaled impatience with industry infighting that could derail passage.

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

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

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NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR THROUGH U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES

Rua Gold Inc. (‘Rua’ or the ‘Company’) (TSXV: RUA,OTC:NZAUF) (OTCQB: NZAUF) is pleased to announce that, due to strong investor demand, it has amended its agreement with Raymond James Ltd. and Cormark Securities Inc., as joint bookrunners and co-lead agents on behalf of a syndicate of agents, including Beacon Securities Ltd. (collectively, the ‘Agents’) to increase the size of its previously announced brokered private placement offering of common shares of the Company (‘Common Shares’) to raise gross proceeds of up to $24,999,920 (the ‘Upsized Offering’), consisting of 22,727,200 Common Shares at a price of $1.10 per Common Share.

The net proceeds of the Upsized Offering will be used for exploration and development activities on the Company’s Reefton Project and Glamorgan Project, both located in New Zealand, and for working capital and general corporate purposes.

The Common Shares issued under the Upsized Offering will be issued and sold to eligible purchasers pursuant to the ‘listed issuer financing exemption’ under Part 5A of National Instrument 45-106 – Prospectus Exemptions as amended by Coordinated Blanket Order 45-935 – Exemptions from Certain Conditions of the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption (the ‘LIFE Exemption’), will be issued to purchasers in each of the provinces of Canada, except Québec, and other qualifying jurisdictions, including the United States on a private placement basis pursuant to available exemptions from the registration requirements under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the ‘U.S. Securities Act’). The Common Shares to be issued and sold under the Upsized Offering will not be subject to resale restrictions pursuant to applicable Canadian securities laws.

Due to the upsizing of the previously announced brokered private placement, the Agents will no longer have the option to offer for sale up to an additional 15% of the number of Common Shares sold in the Upsized Offering.

There is an amended and restated offering document related to the Upsized Offering that can be accessed under the Company’s issuer profile at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company’s website at www.ruagold.com. Prospective investors should read this amended and restated offering document before making an investment decision concerning the Common Shares.

The Upsized Offering is expected to close on or about January 28, 2026 and is subject to certain closing conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary approvals including the conditional listing approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (‘TSX-V’) and the applicable securities regulatory authorities. The Upsized Offering is subject to final acceptance of the TSX-V.

The Common Shares have not been registered and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act, or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, ‘U.S. Persons’ (as such term is defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act) 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 Rua Gold Inc.

Rua Gold Inc. is an exploration company, strategically focused on New Zealand. With decades of expertise, their team has successfully taken major discoveries into producing world-class mines across multiple continents. The team is focused on maximizing the asset potential of Rua Gold’s two highly prospective high-grade gold projects. The Company controls the Reefton Gold District as the dominant landholder in the Reefton Goldfield on New Zealand’s South Island with over 120,000 hectares of tenements, in a district that historically produced over 2Moz of gold grading between 9 and 50g/t. The Company’s Glamorgan Project solidifies Rua Gold’s position as a leading high-grade gold explorer on New Zealand’s North Island. This highly prospective project is located within the North Islands’ Hauraki district, a region that has produced an impressive 15Moz of gold and 60Moz of silver. Glamorgan is adjacent to OceanaGold Corporation’s biggest gold mining project, Wharekirauponga.

Robert Eckford
Chief Executive Officer

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Robert Eckford
Phone: (604) 655-7354
Email: reckford@ruagold.com

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

Forward-Looking Information

This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed ‘forward-looking statements’. All statements in this new release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words ‘expects’, ‘plans’, ‘anticipates’, ‘believes’, ‘intends’, ‘estimates’, ‘projects’, ‘potential’ and similar expressions, or that events or conditions ‘will’, ‘would’, ‘may’, ‘could’ or ‘should’ occur and specifically include statements regarding: closing of the Upsized Offering, including receipt of approvals therefor, the Company’s strategies, expectations, planned operations or future actions, including but not limited to exploration programs at its Reefton and Glamorgan projects and the results thereof. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements.

Investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. A variety of inherent risks, uncertainties and factors, many of which are beyond the Company’s control, affect the operations, performance and results of the Company and its business, and could cause actual events or results to differ materially from estimated or anticipated events or results expressed or implied by forward looking statements. Some of these risks, uncertainties and factors include: general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; risks related to the effects of the Russia-Ukraine war; risks related to climate change; operational risks in exploration, delays or changes in plans with respect to exploration projects or capital expenditures; the actual results of current exploration activities; conclusions of economic evaluations; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; changes in labour costs and other costs and expenses or equipment or processes to operate as anticipated, accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry, including but not limited to environmental hazards, flooding or unfavorable operating conditions and losses, insurrection or war, delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing, and commodity prices.

Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company’s management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management’s beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.

News Provided by GlobeNewswire via QuoteMedia

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