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LendingTree CEO and founder Doug Lebda died in an all-terrain vehicle accident over the weekend, the online loaning platform said Monday.

In a company announcement, LendingTree confirmed that Lebda unexpectedly died on Sunday and that its leadership “deeply mourns his passing” while extending condolences to the executive’s loved ones.

“Doug was a visionary leader whose relentless drive, innovation and passion transformed the financial services landscape, touching the lives of millions of consumers,” LendingTree’s board of directors said in a statement. “His passion will continue to inspire us as we move forward together.”

Scott Peyree, LendingTree’s chief operating officer and president, has now been appointed CEO effective immediately. And lead independent director Steve Ozonian will also step into Lebda’s role as chairman of the board, the company said.

Shares of Charlotte, North Carolina-based LendingTree fell more than 2% by early afternoon trading on Monday.

Lebda founded LendingTree in 1996 — to “simplify the loan shopping process” after experiencing his own frustrations when getting his first mortgage, LendingTree’s website notes. The platform launched nationally in 1998 and became a public company in 2000. It was later acquired by internet conglomerate IAC/InterActiveCorp, before spinning off on its own again in 2008.

Today, LendingTree’s central online loaning marketplace helps users find and compare loans for mortgages, credit cards, insurance needs and more. LendingTree, Inc. also owns brands across the financial sector — including CompareCards and Value Penguin.

In addition to his multiple-decade career at LendingTree, Lebda also co-founded a financial services platform for children and families called Tykoon in 2010. He previously worked as an auditor and consultant for PriceWaterhouseCoopers.

“All of my ideas come from my own experiences and problems,” Lebda told The Wall Street Journal in a 2012 interview.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

Investing

Crypto Market Update: Corporate Bitcoin Treasuries Jump to US$117B

Here’s a quick recap of the crypto landscape for Wednesday (October 15) as of 9:00 a.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 price performance, October 15, 2025.

Chart via TradingView

Bitcoin (BTC) was priced at US$111,606, up by 0.4 percent in 24 hours. Its lowest valuation of the day was US$110,456, and its highest was US$113,537.

Despite a historic $21 billion liquidation event in early October, Bitcoin has held positive territory for the month, with prices hovering around $113,000 after briefly dropping to $102,000 amid escalating US–China trade tensions.

Analyst Scott Melker described the market’s resilience as “a small miracle,” noting that despite expectations for October to be “deep in the red,” the crypto sector demonstrated structural strength. Bitcoin dipped by 7 percent and Ethereum dropping 12 percent, yet on-chain data show that 97 percent of Bitcoin’s circulating supply remains in profit, and short-term holders account for 44 percent of realized capitalization, which is the highest level ever recorded.

Meanwhile, trader Ted Pillows noted that the Bitcoin four-year cycle may be over, emphasizing liquidity as the key driver rather than cyclical trends.

‘The Fed has now started to do monetary easing, which means Bitcoin could peak in 2026,’ Pillows posted in X.

Furthermore, Pillows added that the filling of the CME gap often signals potential upside momentum, although uncertainty around Trump-era tariffs and ongoing US-China trade negotiations continues to pose short-term risks.

Bitcoin dominance in the crypto market now stands at 57.01 percent.

Ether (ETH) was trading at US$4,085.68 as of the time of this writing. Its lowest valuation on Wednesday was US$3,929.71, and its highest was US$4,203.80.

Ethereum has also rebounded strongly, trading above US$4,100 after last week’s $19 billion market correction. Analysts are bullish on ETH, with some projecting a potential rally to US$5,200 while citing the Ethereum Foundation’s new privacy initiative as a critical catalyst.

The “Privacy Cluster,” a 47-person research and engineering team, aims to embed protocol-level privacy features, including private payments, decentralized identity, and zero-knowledge infrastructure, directly into Ethereum’s architecture.

Altcoin price update

Solana (SOL) was priced at US$207.60, an increase of 5.1 percent over the last 24 hours and its highest valuation of the day. Its lowest valuation on Wednesday was US$192.60.

XRP was trading for US$2.50, up by 3.1 percent over the last 24 hours. Its lowest valuation of the day was US$2.41, and its highest was US$2.54.

Crypto derivatives and market indicators

Total Bitcoin futures open interest was at US$73.09 billion, a decrease of roughly 0.38 percent in the last four hours.

Ether open interest stood at US$47.32 billion, down by 2.77 percent in four hours.

Bitcoin liquidations were at US$13.07 million over four hours, primarily forcing long positions to close, which could lead to selling pressure. Ether liquidations totaled US$12.25 million, with the majority being long positions.

Fear and Greed Index snapshot

CMC’s Crypto Fear & Greed Index has dipped back into fear territory after shifting in between neutral for the past few weeks. The index currently stands around 37.

Today’s crypto news to know

Corporate Bitcoin holdings surge to US$117B

Public companies significantly increased their Bitcoin exposure in Q3, with the total holdings of corporate treasuries reaching US$117 billion.

Bitwise data shows 172 firms now hold more than 1.02 million BTC, up nearly 40 percent from the prior quarter.

MicroStrategy remains the largest holder with 640,031 BTC, while newer entrants like Metaplanet more than doubled their positions. Analysts say the trend reflects a strategic pivot, with firms treating Bitcoin as both a hedge and a long-term treasury reserve.

Public companies led the accumulation, adding roughly 193,000 BTC, far outpacing private firms and ETFs.

Strategic Bitcoin reserve set to add US$14B in government-held BTC

The US government is preparing to retain approximately 127,271 BTC, valued at US$14.2 billion, as part of a newly established Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.

These assets were confiscated in a joint US–UK crypto fraud case tied to Chen Zhi of the Cambodia-based Prince Group.

Instead of selling the Bitcoin, authorities plan to hold it long-term, signaling a shift in how states view digital assets.

Executive Order 2025 mandates that crypto forfeited in criminal or civil cases be allocated to the reserve rather than auctioned.

Analysts note this move may bolster Bitcoin’s perception as a viable state-held asset. The retained coins are expected to complement ongoing institutional accumulation and ETF inflows, potentially strengthening broader market stability.

NYC launches nation’s First Municipal Crypto Office

New York City Mayor Eric Adams established an Office of Digital Assets and Blockchain, appointing Moises Rendon as executive director.

The office aims to promote responsible innovation, coordinate municipal policy, and position NYC as a global crypto hub.

Adams, an early Bitcoin and Ethereum recipient of his mayoral salary, emphasized the potential for digital assets to expand opportunities for underbanked communities.

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

Apple unveils new 14-inch MacBook Pro powered by the M5 chip, delivering the next big leap in AI for the Mac

With up to 3.5x more performance for AI workflows, faster storage, up to a phenomenal 24 hours of battery life, and macOS Tahoe, the 14-inch MacBook Pro gets even better

Apple® today unveiled a new 14-inch MacBook Pro®, featuring the incredibly powerful Apple M5 chip. With M5, the 14-inch MacBook Pro gets even faster, more capable, and delivers a huge leap in AI performance. The M5 chip features a next-generation GPU with a Neural Accelerator in each core, delivering up to 3.5x the AI performance ¹ and up to 1.6x faster graphics ² than the previous generation. M5 also includes a faster and more efficient CPU, an enhanced Neural Engine, and higher memory bandwidth that accelerates everything from launching apps to running large language models (LLMs) on device. Additionally, it offers phenomenal battery life of up to 24 hours, so users can take their pro workflows anywhere. ¹ With the latest storage technology, the new 14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 brings faster SSD performance than the previous generation for tasks like importing RAW image files or exporting large videos. ² Renowned features — including a gorgeous Liquid Retina XDR® display with a nano-texture option, a 12MP Center Stage® camera, a six-speaker sound system, a wide array of ports, Apple Intelligence capabilities, and the unrivaled power of macOS® Tahoe — complete the MacBook Pro experience. Altogether, the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 delivers an industry-leading combination of capabilities for the same starting price of $1,599 — making it an even better value and upgrade for current and new Mac® users. Available in space black and silver, the new 14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 is available to pre-order today, with availability beginning Wednesday, October 22.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251014022653/en/

Supercharged by the powerful M5 chip, the new 14-inch MacBook Pro delivers even more performance and takes the next big leap in AI for the Mac.

‘MacBook Pro continues to be the world’s best pro laptop, and today, the 14-inch MacBook Pro gets even better with the arrival of the M5 chip,’ said John Ternus, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Engineering. ‘M5 marks the next big leap in AI for the Mac, and delivers a huge boost in graphics performance accelerating demanding workflows for everyone from students to creatives, developers to business professionals, and more. With its amazing performance, extraordinary battery life, and unrivaled display, M5 takes the new 14-inch MacBook Pro to another level.’

M5: The Next Big Leap in AI for the Mac

Apple silicon leads the industry with blazing performance, advanced technologies, power efficiency, and AI capabilities. With its advanced CPU, GPU, and faster Neural Engine, M5 propels the capabilities of the new 14-inch MacBook Pro even higher and takes the next big leap in AI for the Mac. Featuring a next-generation 10-core GPU — with a Neural Accelerator in each core — it delivers up to 3.5x faster AI performance than M4, and up to 6x faster performance than M1. ¹ From college students transcribing lecture notes, to creators storyboarding a new project with AI tools, to business users uncovering insights by running local models in webAI, the new 14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 is the ultimate laptop for everyday AI workflows and so much more. Users will experience faster text-to-image generation when running diffusion models in apps like Draw Things, and LLMs will run even faster in popular apps like LM Studio. The M5 chip also speeds up a wide variety of pro workflows, like deep learning, data modeling, and AI video enhancement. A faster 16-core Neural Engine further accelerates on-device, AI-driven tasks and enhances performance of the generative models that power Apple Intelligence. Additionally, with up to 2x faster SSD performance than the prior generation, the new 14-inch MacBook Pro lets users load a local LLM faster, and they can now choose up to 4TB of storage. ²

Next-Level Performance with M5

The M5 chip also brings even faster systemwide performance and more capabilities to the 14-inch MacBook Pro. With the new GPU in M5, the 14-inch MacBook Pro delivers up to 1.6x faster graphics performance in pro apps and enables up to 1.6x higher frame rates in games compared to the M4 model. ² The M5 CPU features the world’s fastest CPU core for even more responsiveness. ¹ The 10-core design delivers up to 20 percent faster multithreaded performance versus M4 for workloads like code compiling, and is perfect for multitasking or speeding through creative applications. ¹ The new 14-inch MacBook Pro is great for data analysts querying databases in Python and for professionals like product designers, who routinely multitask across applications like Rhino, Notion, and Jira. Additionally, with over 150GB/s of unified memory bandwidth, users can work with large AI models on device or manipulate massive scenes in 3D apps.

14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 delivers:

Up to 7.7x faster AI video-enhancing performance in Topaz Video when compared to the 13‑inch MacBook Pro with M1, and up to 1.8x faster than the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M4. ¹
Up to 6.8x faster 3D rendering in Blender when compared to the 13‑inch MacBook Pro with M1, and up to 1.7x faster than the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M4. ¹
Up to 3.2x higher frame rates in games when compared to the 13-inch MacBook Pro with M1, ³ and up to 1.6x faster than the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M4. ²
Up to 2.1x faster build performance when compiling code in Xcode® when compared to the 13‑inch MacBook Pro with M1, and up to 1.2x faster than the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M4. ¹

A Breakthrough for M1 and Intel-Based Upgraders

With game-changing improvements over Intel-based and M1 models, there’s never been a better time to upgrade or switch to a 14-inch MacBook Pro.

Staggering performance gains : The new 14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 is a big upgrade. When compared to Intel-based systems, it delivers up to 86x faster AI performance, up to 30x faster GPU performance with ray tracing, and up to 5.5x faster CPU performance. ¹ M1 upgraders will experience up to 6x faster AI performance, up to 6.8x faster GPU performance with ray tracing, and up to 2x faster CPU performance. ¹
Phenomenal battery life : Battery life soars up to 14 additional hours for Intel-based upgraders, and up to four more hours for users coming from M1, delivering up to 24 hours overall, so users can get more done on a single charge. ¹ And unlike many PC laptops, MacBook Pro delivers the same incredible performance whether plugged in or on battery. New Mac users and upgraders coming from Intel-based and M1 systems can also take advantage of fast charge to charge up to 50 percent in just 30 minutes using a 96W or higher USB-C power adapter. ¹
Industry-leading Liquid Retina XDR display : Upgraders will enjoy the 14-inch Liquid Retina XDR display with a nano-texture option, which offers 1600 nits peak HDR brightness and up to 1000 nits of brightness for SDR content. Upgraders will also be able to drive up to two high-resolution external displays.
Advanced camera, mics, and speakers : With an advanced 12MP Center Stage camera and studio-quality mics, upgraders will look and sound their best while taking calls. They will also experience an immersive six-speaker sound system with support for Spatial Audio.
Even more value : Users coming from Intel-based and M1 systems will also get 16GB of starting unified memory, an additional Thunderbolt port, and the space black finish with an anodization seal.

An Unrivaled Experience with macOS Tahoe

The new 14-inch MacBook Pro comes to life with the beautifully designed macOS Tahoe, which delivers powerful features to maximize productivity. ⁴ Major updates to Spotlight® make it easier to find relevant apps and files and immediately take action — like sending an email or creating a note — right from the search bar. With Continuity, business users can use the new Phone app to conveniently access their Recents, Contacts, and Voicemails, and make calls directly from their Mac. And with Live Activities® from iPhone®, users can stay on top of things happening in real time, like an upcoming flight.

The new design featuring Liquid Glass offers users even more ways to personalize their Mac with an updated Control Center and new color options for folders, app icons, and widgets. And the menu bar is now completely transparent, making the display feel even larger.

Apple Intelligence also expands with powerful new features that elevate the Mac experience further, while protecting privacy at every step. Integrated into Messages, FaceTime®, and the Phone app, Live Translation helps users easily communicate across languages, translating text and audio. ⁵ Shortcuts get even more powerful with intelligent actions and the ability to tap directly into Apple Intelligence models, so users can automate complex tasks like sorting through photos. Additionally, developers can bring Apple Intelligence capabilities into their applications, or tap into the underlying Foundations Model framework for specialized intelligence tasks on device.

14-Inch MacBook Pro with M5 and the Environment

Apple 2030 is the company’s ambitious plan to be carbon neutral across its entire footprint by the end of this decade by reducing product emissions from their three biggest sources: materials, electricity, and transportation. The new 14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 is made with 45 percent recycled content by weight, including 100 percent recycled aluminum in the enclosure, 100 percent recycled rare earth elements in all magnets, and 100 percent recycled cobalt in the battery. It is manufactured with 55 percent renewable electricity, like wind and solar, across the supply chain. Additionally, the new 14-inch MacBook Pro ships in 100 percent fiber-based packaging which can be easily recycled. It also is designed to last, offering industry-leading software support, and meets Apple’s high standards for energy efficiency and safe chemistry.

Pricing and Availability

Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. Apple’s six software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS, and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, iCloud, and Apple TV. Apple’s more than 150,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth and to leaving the world better than we found it.

Footnotes

¹ Testing was conducted by Apple in September 2025. See apple.com/macbook-pro for more information. Battery life varies by use and configuration. See apple.com/batteries for more information.
² Results are compared to 14-inch MacBook Pro with Apple M4, 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, 32GB of unified memory, and 2TB SSD.
³ Results are compared to 13-inch MacBook Pro with Apple M1, 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16GB of unified memory, and 2TB SSD.
⁴ macOS Tahoe is available as a free software update. Some features may not be available in all regions or in all languages.
⁵ Live Translation in Messages supports English (U.S., UK), French (France), German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish (Spain), and Chinese (simplified). Live Translation in Phone and FaceTime is available for one-on-one calls in English (U.S., UK), French (France), German, Portuguese (Brazil), and Spanish (Spain) when Apple Intelligence is enabled on a compatible Mac, iPhone, or iPad.

NOTE TO EDITORS: For additional information visit Apple Newsroom ( www.apple.com/newsroom ), or email Apple’s Media Helpline at media.help@apple.com .

© 2025 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, MacBook Pro, Liquid Retina XDR, Center Stage, Apple Intelligence, macOS, Mac, Xcode, Spotlight, Live Activities, iPhone, FaceTime, Apple Store, Apple Trade In, AppleCare, AppleCare+, AppleCare One, Today at Apple, Apple Card, and Daily Cash are trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251014022653/en/

Starlayne Meza
Apple
starlayne@apple.com

Michelle Del Rio
Apple
mr_delrio@apple.com

News Provided by Business Wire via QuoteMedia

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Investing

Apple unleashes M5, the next big leap in AI performance for Apple silicon

M5 delivers over 4x the peak GPU compute performance for AI compared to M4, featuring a next-generation GPU with a Neural Accelerator in each core, a more powerful CPU, a faster Neural Engine, and higher unified memory bandwidth

Apple® today announced M5, delivering the next big leap in AI performance and advances to nearly every aspect of the chip. Built using third-generation 3-nanometer technology, M5 introduces a next-generation 10-core GPU architecture with a Neural Accelerator in each core, enabling GPU-based AI workloads to run dramatically faster, with over 4x the peak GPU compute performance compared to M4. ¹ The GPU also offers enhanced graphics capabilities and third-generation ray tracing that combined deliver a graphics performance that is up to 45 percent higher than M4. ¹ M5 features the world’s fastest performance core, with up to a 10-core CPU made up of six efficiency cores and up to four performance cores. ² Together, they deliver up to 15 percent faster multithreaded performance over M4. ¹ M5 also features an improved 16-core Neural Engine, a powerful media engine, and a nearly 30 percent increase in unified memory bandwidth to 153GB/s. ¹ M5 brings its industry-leading power-efficient performance to the new 14-inch MacBook Pro®, iPad Pro®, and Apple Vision Pro, allowing each device to excel in its own way. All are available for pre-order today.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251014240640/en/

M5 is Apple’s next-generation system on a chip built for AI, resulting in a faster, more efficient, and more capable chip for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, and Apple Vision Pro.

‘M5 ushers in the next big leap in AI performance for Apple silicon,’ said Johny Srouji, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Technologies. ‘With the introduction of Neural Accelerators in the GPU, M5 delivers a huge boost to AI workloads. Combined with a big increase in graphics performance, the world’s fastest CPU core, a faster Neural Engine, and even higher unified memory bandwidth, M5 brings far more performance and capabilities to MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, and Apple Vision Pro.’

A Next-Generation GPU Architecture Optimized for AI and Graphics

With the next-generation GPU architecture in M5, every compute block of the chip is optimized for AI. The 10-core GPU features a dedicated Neural Accelerator in each core, delivering over 4x peak GPU compute compared to M4, and over 6x peak GPU compute for AI performance compared to M1. ¹ And now with M5, the new 14-inch MacBook Pro and iPad Pro benefit from dramatically accelerated processing for AI-driven workflows, such as running diffusion models in apps like Draw Things, or running large language models locally using platforms like webAI.

The next-generation GPU and enhanced shader cores in M5 also deliver increased graphics performance, achieving up to 30 percent faster performance compared to M4 and up to 2.5x faster performance than M1. ¹ M5 also includes Apple’s third-generation ray-tracing engine, providing up to a 45 percent graphics uplift in apps using ray tracing. ¹ Combined with rearchitected second-generation dynamic caching, the GPU provides smoother gameplay, more realistic visuals in 3D applications, and faster rendering times for complex graphics projects and other visually intensive applications. With M5, Apple Vision Pro renders 10 percent more pixels with the micro-OLED displays, and refresh rates increase up to 120Hz, resulting in crisper details, more fluid display performance, and reduced motion blur.

The GPU architecture is engineered for seamless integration with Apple’s software frameworks. Applications using built-in Apple frameworks and APIs — like Core ML®, Metal® Performance Shaders, and Metal 4 — can automatically see immediate increases in performance. Developers can also build solutions for their apps by directly programming the Neural Accelerators using Tensor APIs in Metal 4.

A Faster Neural Engine to Power Intelligent Features

The faster 16-core Neural Engine delivers powerful AI performance with incredible energy efficiency, complementing the Neural Accelerators in the CPU and GPU to make M5 fully optimized for AI workloads. For example, AI-powered features on Apple Vision Pro — like the ability to transform 2D photos into spatial scenes in the Photos app, or generating a Persona — operate with greater speed and efficiency.

The Neural Engine in M5 also enhances performance for Apple Intelligence. ³ On-device AI tools like Image Playground get faster, and the overall performance of Apple Intelligence models are enhanced by the faster Neural Engine and unified memory in M5. ⁴ Also, developers using Apple’s Foundation Models framework will get faster performance.

Enhanced Memory to Do Even More with AI

M5 offers unified memory bandwidth of 153GB/s, providing a nearly 30 percent increase over M4 and more than 2x over M1. The unified memory architecture enables the entire chip to access a large single pool of memory, which allows MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, and Apple Vision Pro to run larger AI models completely on device. It fuels the faster CPU, GPU, and Neural Engine as well, offering higher multithreaded performance in apps, faster graphics performance in creative apps and games, and faster AI performance running models on the Neural Accelerators in the GPU or the Neural Engine. And with 32GB of memory capacity, M5 also helps users to seamlessly run demanding creative suites like Adobe Photoshop and Final Cut Pro® simultaneously, while uploading large files to the cloud in the background.

Apple Silicon and the Environment

Apple 2030 is the company’s ambitious plan to be carbon neutral across its entire footprint by the end of this decade by reducing product emissions from their three biggest sources: materials, electricity, and transportation. The power-efficient performance of M5 helps the new 14-inch MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, and Apple Vision Pro meet Apple’s high standards for energy efficiency, and reduces the total amount of energy consumed over the product’s lifetime.

Footnotes

¹ Testing conducted by Apple in September 2025 using preproduction 14-inch MacBook Pro systems with Apple M5, 10-core CPU, and 10-core GPU; production 14-inch MacBook Pro systems with Apple M4, 10-core CPU, and 10-core GPU; and production 13-inch MacBook Pro systems with Apple M1, 8-core CPU, and 8-core GPU. Performance measured using select industry-standard benchmarks. Performance tests are conducted using specific computer systems and reflect the approximate performance of MacBook Pro.
² Testing conducted by Apple in September 2025 using shipping competitive systems and select industry-standard benchmarks.
³Apple Intelligence is available in beta with support for these languages: English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, Chinese (simplified), Japanese, and Korean. Some features may not be available in all regions or languages. For feature and language availability and system requirements, see support.apple.com/en-us/121115 .
⁴ Genmoji and Image Playground are available in English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, and Japanese.

NOTE TO EDITORS: For additional information visit Apple Newsroom ( www.apple.com/newsroom ), or email Apple’s Media Helpline at media.help@apple.com .

© 2025 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, Apple Vision Pro, Core ML, Metal, Apple Intelligence, Image Playground, Final Cut Pro, and Genmoji are trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251014240640/en/

Lauren Klug
Apple
l_klug@apple.com

Andrea Schubert
Apple
a_schubert@apple.com

News Provided by Business Wire via QuoteMedia

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Politics

Trump declines to commit to two-state solution after historic Gaza peace deal: ‘We’ll have to see’

President Donald Trump, when asked about the prospect of a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians, declined to commit, telling reporters, ‘We’ll have to see.’

The comments came during a press gaggle aboard Air Force One as Trump returned home after signing a historic peace agreement that ended two years of fighting in Gaza.

When the topic came up, Trump said he was focused on rebuilding Gaza after two years of Israeli bombardment, following the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre by Hamas.

‘I’m not talking about a single state or double state or two state,’ Trump said, adding: ‘A lot of people like the one-state solution, some people like the two-state solution. We’ll have to see.’

Trump said any decision on the matter would be made in coordination with regional and international partners.

The president concluded a whirlwind trip Monday that included a global peace summit in Egypt and a speech before the Knesset in Jerusalem earlier in the day, where he celebrated a U.S.-brokered ceasefire with Hamas.

Speaking to leaders gathered in Egypt, Trump called for a new era of harmony in the Middle East, seeking to advance broader peace in the region.

‘We have a once-in-a-lifetime chance to put the old feuds and bitter hatreds behind us,’ Trump said, urging leaders ‘to declare that our future will not be ruled by the fights of generations past.’

Leaders from dozens of countries, including from Europe and the Middle East, attended the summit.

Trump, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani signed a document outlining a broad vision for Gaza’s future.

Twenty hostages were released Monday as part of an agreement intended to end the war in Gaza. Trump met with some of their families during his visit to the Knesset.

The moment remains fragile, however, as Israel and Hamas are still in the early stages of implementing the first phase of Trump’s peace plan.

The sides have not agreed on Gaza’s postwar governance, its reconstruction, or Israel’s demand that Hamas disarm. Negotiations over those issues could break down, and Israel has hinted it may resume military operations if its demands are not met.

Much of Gaza has been reduced to rubble, and the territory’s roughly 2 million residents continue to struggle in dire conditions. Under the deal, Israel agreed to reopen five border crossings to ease the flow of food and supplies into Gaza, parts of which are experiencing famine.

Roughly 200 U.S. troops will also help monitor and support the ceasefire deal as part of a team that includes partner nations, nongovernmental organizations and private-sector groups.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Politics

Shutdown threatens rural hospitals, veterans’ care as Democrats block GOP plan, Emmer warns

The No. 3 House Republican is accusing Democrats of making a hypocritical argument in their resistance to the GOP’s federal funding bill.

The government shutdown is in its thirteenth day with Republicans and Democrats still unable to agree on a path forward. The Trump administration is taking steps to prevent the military from missing paychecks this week, while also beginning to lay off scores of federal workers amid the standoff.

Democrats have said they will not agree to any solution that does not include serious concessions on healthcare from the GOP — but House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., argued that they are themselves harming healthcare access by allowing the shutdown to continue.

‘They are [jeopardizing healthcare],’ Emmer told Fox News Digital, pointing out that certain telehealth services, for example, are going without funding during the shutdown.

‘We had a huge advance during the pandemic when it came to remote care. You’ve got all kinds of constituents that don’t live in a condensed or a dense urban area right next to a hospital, right next to a provider, they may be a distance away. And the telehealth option actually made a big difference,’ Emmer said. ‘I know it did for our veterans.’

‘I don’t know if the VA — [House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Mike Bost, R-Ill.] made it sound like they’re going to protect that under his jurisdiction, not sure how — but I do worry about it for the private providers, hospitals. How are they going to do it if they’re not getting reimbursed?’

He was referring to the Acute Hospital Care At Home program, originally created during the COVID-19 pandemic. It allows healthcare providers to bill Medicare for telehealth appointments and at-home aid that previously was only reserved for hospital care.

It’s become a popular program for elderly or otherwise vulnerable Medicaid recipients, but the ongoing shutdown has prevented Congress from being able to extend it.

The government entered into a shutdown nearly two weeks ago on Oct. 1 after Senate Democrats rejected the GOP’s federal funding plan. They have since blocked consideration of the same bill six more times.

Republicans proposed a seven-week bill extending fiscal year (FY) 2025 federal funding levels through Nov. 21 called a continuing resolution (CR). It’s aimed at giving congressional negotiators more time to strike a longer-term agreement on FY2026, which began on Oct. 1.

It passed the House along mostly partisan lines on Sept. 19. But Democrats in the House and Senate were largely infuriated by being sidelined in federal funding talks and are now demanding any spending deal that also include an extension of COVID-19 pandemic-era enhanced Obamacare subsidies that are set to expire at the end of this year.

Democrats also introduced a separate counter-proposal that would completely eliminate healthcare reforms made in the GOP’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) and restore funding to NPR and PBS that the Trump administration revoked earlier this year.

Democrats have said that proposal is aimed at rolling back Republicans’ Medicaid cuts. But Republicans have positioned it as the left’s effort at restoring federal funding for illegal immigrants’ healthcare — though Democratic leaders panned that as a lie.

Emmer also pointed out that it would revoke $50 billion for a rural hospital fund that OBBBA put in place.

‘The Rural Health Care Fund is a great example. I mean, right now, it’s our job, it’s the representatives’ job back in their districts, to try and work with our hospitals to make sure that they can access the funds,’ he said.

‘Because you don’t know exactly how deep the shutdown is going to impact hospitals, providers, ultimately consumers and patients.’

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Politics

EXCLUSIVE: New GOP report accuses Democrats of trying to ‘undermine’ healthcare in government shutdown fight

The House GOP is releasing a report accusing Democrats of trying to undermine U.S. healthcare as the standoff over federal funding escalates.

The government shutdown is in its 14th day with Republicans and Democrats still unable to agree on a path forward for at least part of fiscal year (FY) 2026.

Republicans are pushing a relatively straightforward extension of FY2025 funding through Nov. 21, but Democrats have said they will not agree to any federal funding bill that is not paired with significant reforms on healthcare.

The new report led by the House GOP, however, accuses Democrats of trying to undermine the system with their counter-proposal for a federal funding bill — specifically its suggested rollback of healthcare measures in Republicans’ One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA).

The report said the bill, which was rebranded as the ‘Working Families Tax Cuts’ (WFTC), ‘advanced a vision of Medicaid that balances compassion with accountability, prioritizing care for the most vulnerable Americans while ensuring that federal resources are used responsibly.’

‘The legislation’s reforms to rural hospital funding, Medicaid financing practices, and federal reimbursements for non-citizen medical care collectively strengthen the long-term sustainability of the program,’ it said.

‘By contrast, the Democratic Continuing Resolution would dismantle these reforms, reversing progress toward a more efficient, transparent, and equitable Medicaid system. Such a repeal would undermine rural healthcare stability, reintroduce opportunities for funding misuse, and impose unnecessary costs on American taxpayers.’

A continuing resolution (CR) is meant to be a short-term extension of current federal funding levels aimed at giving negotiators more time to strike a deal for the next fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1.

Republicans’ CR would extend FY2025 funding levels through Nov. 21, while Democrats’ counter-proposal would run through Oct. 31.

In addition to the OBBBA repeal being pushed in Democrats’ CR, they are also calling for any deal to also extend Obamacare subsidies that were enhanced during the COVID-19 pandemic and which are set to expire at the end of this year.

Republicans have painted Democrats’ counter-proposal as a means to return healthcare to illegal immigrants after the OBBBA tightened certain measures that made it harder for non-citizens to access federal Medicaid dollars.

Democratic leaders have accused the GOP of lying about the situation.

But the GOP has also pointed out that repealing all of their healthcare reforms would also mean repealing $50 billion their bill adds to fund rural hospitals.

‘This targeted investment supports states in stabilizing critical healthcare infrastructure and ensures that rural Americans, often located far from major medical centers, can continue to access essential services,’ the report said.

The five-page memo appears to be a rebuttal to Democrats’ defense in the shutdown fight that they are fighting to preserve Americans’ healthcare access.

The GOP’s CR passed the House on Sept. 19 but has been stalled in the Senate, where at least five Democrats are needed under the current tally to reach a 60-vote threshold to break a filibuster.

Senate Democrats rejected the GOP CR seven times, however. The chamber is expected to vote on it again Tuesday evening.

Fox News Digital reached out to the office of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., for a response to the GOP report but did not immediately hear back.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Politics

Jordan asks Jack Smith to testify over ‘partisan and politically motivated’ Trump prosecutions

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, asked former special counsel Jack Smith on Tuesday to sit for an interview about what he said were Smith’s ‘partisan and politically motivated’ prosecutions of President Donald Trump.

Jordan told Smith in a letter first obtained by Fox News Digital to schedule the closed-door testimony with his committee by Oct. 28. The move comes at the same time congressional Republicans have been raising alarm over the recent revelation that Smith subpoenaed phone records of sitting senators.

‘As the Committee continues its oversight, your testimony is necessary to understand the full extent to which the Biden-Harris Justice Department weaponized federal law enforcement,’ Jordan wrote.

Jordan’s request comes amid Republicans intensifying their focus on Smith, who brought criminal charges against Trump over the 2020 election and classified documents but later dropped them because of a Justice Department policy that advises against prosecuting sitting presidents.

The request to appear for an interview marks the first instance of Congress summoning Smith after the former special counsel spent more than two years investigating and prosecuting Trump. The president has repeatedly referred to Smith as ‘deranged,’ a ‘thug’ and a ‘sleazebag’ and said Smith is a ‘criminal’ who should be arrested.

Jordan also made a broad request for all records from Smith on his work related to Trump. If Smith were to resist the requests for an interview and documents, Jordan could subpoena him. Fox News Digital reached out to Smith’s lawyers for comment.

The Senate is also ramping up its scrutiny of Smith. Last week, 18 Senate Republicans, led by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, demanded that the DOJ and FBI release documents on Smith’s decision to subpoena phone companies for toll records of eight Senate Republicans, material that could be protected by grand jury rules.

The senators said they had ‘serious constitutional concerns’ about the subpoenas and that the DOJ should ask courts to unseal the records if needed. Seeking toll records is a routine part of an investigation and sheds light on when calls were placed and to whom. They do not provide any details about the contents of phone calls or messages.

Jordan called the subpoenas and his recent discovery that the FBI monitored Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., before seizing his phone ‘abusive surveillance.’

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Politics

Kamala Harris commends ‘the President’ in Middle East statement, but omits Trump’s name

Former Vice President Kamala Harris commended President Donald Trump and his team for helping to secure the deal that led to the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas — but she only referred to ‘the President,’ and did not identify Trump by name in the statement.

‘I am thankful and deeply encouraged that this ceasefire has brought long-awaited moments of joy and reunion — as 20 Israeli hostages are finally reunited with their loved ones and Palestinian families and the people of Gaza begin to receive desperately needed relief from unimaginable suffering,’ Harris said in the statement.

Israel launched a war effort in the wake of the horrific October 7, 2023, Hamas terror attack, which included mass murder and kidnapping.

‘Through diplomacy and persistence, today is an important first step toward a more hopeful future. I commend the leaders and partners whose efforts made this agreement possible, including the President and his team,’ Harris continued.

‘There is still much more work to do to secure a lasting peace, ensure the safety and dignity of every innocent life, and build a future where Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in freedom and security,’ she concluded.

Last year, Trump won both the Electoral College and the popular vote, trouncing Harris in the White House contest.

The 2024 Democratic presidential candidate mounted a whirlwind campaign after President Joe Biden dropped his re-election bid and endorsed her.

Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett of Texas took a jab at President Trump on Monday, tweeting, ‘Raising hell at home & then pretending to be the President of Peace is diabolical.’

But Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania gave, ‘Credit to @POTUS for a breakthrough ceasefire of this awful war.’

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Investing

Empire Metals Limited – Conference Presentations & Attendance

Empire Metals Limited (LON:EEE)(OTCQX:EPMLF), the AIM-listed and OTCQX-traded resource exploration and development company, is pleased to inform investors that the Company will be attending and participating in the following upcoming events and conferences:

These events will provide further opportunities for the Company to engage with shareholders and potential investors, offering updates on the Company’s maiden Mineral Resource Estimate for the Pitfield Project in Western Australia, in addition to the Company’s future to move Pitfield towards commercialisation. An updated corporate presentation has been published and can be found here: https://www.empiremetals.co.uk/investors/reports-presentations/

**ENDS**

For further information please visit www.empiremetals.co.uk or contact:

Empire Metals Ltd Shaun Bunn / Greg Kuenzel / Arabella Burwell	Tel: 020 4583 1440
S. P. Angel Corporate Finance LLP (Nomad & Broker) Ewan Leggat / Adam Cowl	Tel: 020 3470 0470
Shard Capital Partners LLP (Joint Broker) Damon Heath	Tel: 020 7186 9950
St Brides Partners Ltd (Financial PR) Susie Geliher / Charlotte Page	Tel: 020 7236 1177

About Empire Metals Limited

Empire Metals Ltd (AIM: EEE and OTCQX: EPMLF) is an exploration and resource development company focused on the rapid commercialisation of the Pitfield Titanium Project, located in Western Australia. The titanium discovery at Pitfield is of unprecedented scale, and hosts one of the largest and highest-grade titanium resources reported globally, with a Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) totalling 2.2 billion tonnes grading 5.1% TiO₂ for 113 million tonnes of contained TiO₂.

The MRE, which covers only the Thomas and Cosgrove deposits, includes a weathered zone resource of 1.26 billion tonnes at 5.2% TiO₂ and a significant Indicated Resource of 697 million tonnes at 5.3% TiO₂, predominantly from the Thomas deposit. Titanium mineralisation at Pitfield occurs from surface and displays exceptional grade continuity along strike and down dip. The MRE extends across just 20% of the known mineralised footprint, providing substantial potential for further resource expansion.

Conventional processing has already produced a high-purity product grading 99.25% TiO₂, suitable for titanium sponge metal or pigment feedstock. The friable, in-situ weathered zone supports low-cost, strip mining without the need for blasting or overburden removal.

With excellent logistics and established infrastructure, including rail links to deep-water ports with direct access to Asia, the USA, Europe and Saudi Arabia, Pitfield is strategically positioned to supply the growing global demand for titanium and other critical minerals.

Empire is now accelerating the economic development of Pitfield, with a vision to produce a high-value titanium metal and/or pigment quality product at Pitfield, to realise the full value potential of this exceptional deposit.

The Company also has two further exploration projects in Australia; the Eclipse Project and the Walton Project in Western Australia, in addition to three precious metals projects located in a historically high-grade gold producing region of Austria.

This information is provided by Reach, the non-regulatory press release distribution service of RNS, part of the London Stock Exchange. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com.

Source

Click here to connect with Empire Metals Limited (LON:EEE)(OTCQX:EPMLF), to receive an Investor Presentation

This post appeared first on investingnews.com