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Secretary of State Marco Rubio is leading the U.S. delegation to the high-profile Munich Security Conference — one year after Vice President JD Vance took the German stage in a speech that stunned many in Europe and became one of the defining moments of Trump’s early second term abroad.

‘President Trump has assembled the most talented team in history, including Vice President Vance and Secretary Rubio, who are working in lockstep to notch wins for the American people,’ White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales told Fox News Digital ahead of Rubio’s speech.

‘The President and his team have flexed their foreign policy prowess to end decades-long wars, secure peace in the Middle East, and restore American dominance in the Western Hemisphere. The entire administration is working together to restore peace through strength and put America First.’

The Munich Security Conference is an annual high-level forum in Germany that draws hundreds of senior decision-makers — including heads of state, top ministers, military leaders and policy influencers — for closed-door and public talks on global security crises.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, New York Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Gov. Gavin Newsom of California are among notable Democrats attending the conference, in addition to Rubio.

Vance became one of the central figures at the 2025 Munich gathering after a widely publicized speech that drew heavy attention and applause from conservatives following the Biden administration. It also sparked backlash among some European officials who viewed his remarks as confrontational.

Rubio’s attendance at the 2026 meeting follows a lengthy history of the State Department chief earning a series of different roles under the second administration, including acting national security advisor, secretary of state, acting archivist of the United States and acting administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Amid rising trans-Atlantic tension, the secretary of state issued a warning to Europe as he departed for his trip to Germany Thursday.

‘The Old World is gone,’ Rubio told reporters as he departed for Europe Thursday. ‘Frankly, the world I grew up in, and we live in a new era in geopolitics, and it’s going to require all of us to re-examine what that looks like and what our role is going to be.’

President Donald Trump and his administration repeatedly have put Europe on notice for allegedly devolving into a culture of political correctness, speech policing, and a security system that heavily relies on U.S. funding and military might. Amid the rhetoric on Europe, the administration has continued to underscore the importance of U.S.-Europe relations, including Rubio on Thursday.

‘We’re very tightly linked together with Europe,’ he told reporters. ‘Most people in this country can trace both, either their cultural or their personal heritage, back to Europe. So, we just have to talk about that.’

Vance used his Munich Security Conference speech to deliver a blunt warning to Europe’s political class 2025, arguing the continent’s biggest danger is not Moscow or Beijing, but what he described as internal democratic decay that has festered due to political correctness and censorship.

He accused European governments and institutions of drifting toward censorship, citing policies he said police speech, curb religious expression and pressure online platforms. He also argued elites allegedly were trying to manage elections and debate by dismissing unwelcome outcomes and branding dissent as ‘misinformation’ to sideline populists and blunt voter backlash.

‘What I worry about is the threat from within, the retreat of Europe from some of its most fundamental values — values shared with the United States of America,’ Vance said in 2025 in the speech that left many European leaders stunned, according to reports at the time.

Munich security official urges caution after Vance, Rubio criticize Germany

Vance also is overseas this week, holding meetings with Armenia and Azerbaijan, including signing a peaceful nuclear cooperation with Armenia and a strategic partnership with Azerbaijan.

That trip followed both Vance and Rubio joining a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni earlier in February in Italy, and Vance leading a delegation that included Rubio during the Olympics’ opening ceremony in Milan.

A source familiar told Fox News Digital that there were never plans for the vice president to attend the 2026 conference in Munich.

Vance’s foreign policy footprint became subject of political media scrutiny earlier in 2026 when the U.S. military successfully captured Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro. Vance was not among high-profile U.S. leaders who joined Trump at his Mar-a-Lago, Florida, resort to monitor the operation, unlike Rubio who was with the president.

The VP’s office brushed off media alarm over his absence, citing Trump and Vance limit the ‘frequency and duration’ of time they spend together outside the White House due to ‘increased security concerns.’

The vice president is by no means is expected to attend the Munich Security Conference each year, with former Vice President Mike Pence, for example, attending the conference twice under the first Trump administration, and former Vice President Kamala Harris attending three times under the Biden administration. Previous secretaries of state such as John Kerry, Antony Blinken and Hillary Clinton have attended and addressed the body in previous years.

Vance additionally attended a separate Munich Security Conference event, the Leaders Conference, in Washington, D.C., in May 2025.

Trump praised Vance’s 2025 speech as ‘brilliant’ in a statement to reporters at the time, remarking that ‘they’re losing their wonderful right of freedom of speech’ in Europe and that Vance made a strong case against much of Europe’s lax immigration polices.

Since then, Trump’s team repeatedly has echoed the same critique in official channels, including a State Department push that has blasted European speech restrictions and targeted the European Union’s Digital Services Act as ‘Orwellian’ censorship, alongside new visa restrictions aimed at foreign officials accused of censoring Americans online.

Just in December 2025, Trump blasted European nations for not being ‘recognizable’ at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, teeing up what could be another fiery speech from Americans on European soil on Saturday.

‘I don’t want to insult anybody and say I don’t recognize it,’ Trump said during his special address in Davos. ‘And that’s not in a positive way. That’s in a very negative way. And I love Europe and I want to see Europe do good, but it’s not heading in the right direction.’

Fox News Digital reached out to the State Department for comment on the address Friday.

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Politics

Texas Dem Senate primary fractures over race rhetoric as ‘mediocre’ jab, ‘oppressor’ remarks ignite backlash

$Texas Dem Senate primary fractures over race rhetoric as ‘mediocre’ jab, ‘oppressor’ remarks ignite backlash$

Heated racial rhetoric in Texas is flaring this primary season, as Democratic contenders lean into identity-focused messaging that Republicans say is divisive and a clinic in ‘wokeness at its worst.’

Texas Democrats are heading into primary season with an intraparty fight that is increasingly spilling into race and identity. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, who is running for the Senate, has suggested racism would be to blame if she loses, while former Rep. Colin Allred accused Crockett rival and Austin state Rep. James Talarico of calling him ‘a mediocre Black man’ in a political spat affecting races in the Senate and House.

‘These disgusting comments are wokeness at its worst and the silence is deafening from Democrats,’ RNC spokesman Zach Kraft said of the recent rhetoric out of Texas in recent months.

Crockett, who is running for the Senate to replace Republican Sen. John Cornyn, offered a fiery response.

‘You think I didn’t know I was a black woman when I woke up and decided that I was going to run for the U.S. Senate? You think I didn’t factor in and make sure we had enough room to account for that?’

Racially focused flare-ups have broken out in recent weeks as Democrats eye high-profile races and try to energize blue voters in the red state.

‘Look no further than the Senate primary to see how the woke mind virus has spread like wildfire among the ranks of Texas Democrats. James Talarico spent last week apologizing for his ‘white privilege,’ and Jasmine Crockett is taking a page out of Kamala Harris’ playbook by preemptively blaming racism and sexism for why she will lose,’ Kraft told Fox News Digital.

Just this month, Texas Democratic state Rep. Gene Wu, the minority leader of the Texas House, drew backlash over a resurfaced clip from a 2024 interview in which he described white Americans as ‘oppressors’ of ‘non-whites.’

‘That there is a sense of, ‘America really just belongs to White people,’ that this was that a lot of people believe that God gave America to White people to rule, and that any time that immigrants, minorities make progress in this country, that that is seen as a slight against them,’ Wu, of Houston, said in 2024 on ‘Define American’ podcast with Antonio Vargas.

Wu, who was born in Guangzhou, China, added that Latinos, Asians and Black Americans — ‘everybody’ — are kept divided because powerful forces have spent time and money ensuring they do not unite. Instead, he argued, those groups are pushed to see each other as rivals even though they share the same oppressor, and he claimed the oppression ‘comes from one place.’

‘I always tell people the day the Latino, African-American, Asian and other communities realize that they are — that they share the same oppressor is the day we start winning, because we are the majority in this country now,’ he continued. ‘We have the ability to take over this country and to do what is needed for everyone and to make things fair.’

The clip set off swift condemnation from Texans as it circulated online, including Republican Sen. Ted Cruz saying, ‘The Democrat party is built on bigotry.’

Allred recently told former DNC chairman Jaime Harrison of South Carolina on his podcast that Talarico made another disparaging comment about him in private while the former Tennessee Titans linebacker was still a candidate in the Senate race.

Allred has since dropped out and is seeking a newly drawn 33rd Congressional District near Dallas. The current 33rd District in the Metroplex is represented by Democratic Rep. Marc Veasey.

‘He’s said some things to me that I don’t like. He said to me before he got into the race that he thought that he would be a better candidate because he doesn’t have a family, and that… he could spend more time campaigning,’ Allred said.

‘As you know, Jaime, like I didn’t know my dad, so I’m like all about being a father to my two boys, right? I was like, no, no, no, I run because of my family.’

A TikTok influencer named Morgan Thompson originally claimed Allred made the ‘mediocre Black man’ comments, recounting the conversation from a Talarico rally in Plano.

‘James Talarico told me that he signed up to run against a mediocre Black man, not a formidable and intelligent Black woman,’ Thompson said, adding she now supports Crockett.

Talarico released a statement soon after calling the situation a ‘mischaracterization of a private conversation’ and said he was talking about Allred’s ‘method of campaigning,’ not his life.

‘I would never attack him on the basis of race,’ Talarico said. ‘As a Black man in America, Congressman Allred has had to work twice as hard to get where he is. I understand how my critique of the Congressman’s campaign could be interpreted given this country’s painful legacy of racism, and I care deeply about the impact my words have on others,’ Talarico said, according to the Texas Tribune.

Talarico recently announced that he raised $7.4 million in the first six weeks of the quarter in his contest against Crockett.

He did not respond to a request for comment. Crockett’s campaign also did not respond to an inquiry left in its campaign inbox, which is separate from her official congressional office due to the Hatch Act.

Fox News Digital’s Marc Tamasco contributed to this report.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Investing

Top 5 Canadian Mining Stocks This Week: Trinity One Surges 105 Percent

Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO,NYSE:RIO,LSE:RIO) and Glencore (LSE:GLEN,OTCPL:GLCNF) said they will no longer be pursuing a merger, with Rio Tinto noting that the combination of the businesses would not deliver value to its shareholders.

Glencore responded to Rio Tinto by saying that under the terms of the proposal, the Rio Tinto executive group would retain both the chair and CEO roles, which would undervalue Glencore’s contribution to the combined company.

The deal would have created the world’s largest mining company with a combined market cap of US$260 billion. While the collapse of the proposed merger is drawing headlines, it comes at an accelerated pace for mergers and acquisitions in the industry, as majors seek to replenish their project pipelines and mid-cap producers look to grow their businesses.

Among other notable mergers still on the books is Anglo American’s (LSE:AAL,OTCQX:NGLOY) merger with Canada-based Teck Resources (TSX:TECK.A,TECK.B,NYSE:TECK). That deal is currently working its way through regulatory approvals, with the most recent update that it is heading toward antitrust clearance in Europe.

On Wednesday (February 11), Indonesia’s resources ministry ordered Eramet (EPA:ERA,OTCPL:ERMAF) and its joint venture partners, Tsingshan Holding Group, to slash production at the world’s largest nickel mine.

Under the new work and budget plan, PT Weda Bay Nickel has been granted an initial quota of 12 million metric tons, down from the 42 million metric tons it was allowed in 2025.

Nickel has been elevated this year, trading as high as US$18,725 on February 2. Although prices have fallen since that high, the announcement gave nickel some momentum, pushing prices to US$17,720 per metric ton on the London Metal Exchange on Wednesday. Prices eased again on Thursday (February 12), but remain well above 2025 averages.

For more on what’s moving markets this week, check out our top market news round-up.

Markets and commodities react

Canadian equity markets were mixed this week.

The S&P/TSX Composite Index (INDEXTSI:OSPTX) gained 2.88 percent over the week to close Friday (February 13) at 33,073.71, while the S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index (INDEXTSI:JX) shed 0.48 percent to 991.99.

The CSE Composite Index (CSE:CSECOMP) dropped 2.7 percent to 163.24

The gold price was largely flat, losing just 0.07 percent to close at US$5,032.68 per ounce on Friday at 4:00 p.m. EST. The silver price fared worse, closing the week down 8.43 percent at US$76.92 on Friday.

In base metals, the Comex copper price recorded a 2.35 percent decrease this week to US$5.83.

The S&P Goldman Sachs Commodities Index (INDEXSP:SPGSCI) was down 0.13 percent to end Friday at 583.86.

Top Canadian mining stocks this week

How did mining stocks perform against this backdrop?

Take a look at this week’s five best-performing Canadian mining stocks below.

Stocks data for this article was retrieved at 4:00 p.m. EST on Friday using TradingView’s stock screener. Only companies trading on the TSX, TSXV and CSE with market caps greater than C$10 million are included. Mineral companies within the non-energy minerals, energy minerals, process industry and producer manufacturing sectors were considered.

1. Trinity One Metals (TSXV:TOM)

Weekly gain: 104.55 percent
Market cap: C$12.83 million
Share price: C$0.45

Trinity One Metals is a silver exploration and development company with a portfolio of mineral projects, including the recently acquired Silver 1 project in Ecuador.

The property consists of the Silver-1 mine concession, which covers an area of 3,108 hectares and lies within the same mineral belt as Lundin Gold’s (TSX:LUG,OTCQX:LUGDF) Fruta Del Norte mine. Past mining at the site occurred between 1989 and 1994 and included 3,600 meters of underground development, along with a historic resource of 200,000 to 700,000 metric tons of ore averaging 400 to 800 grams per metric ton (g/t) silver and 3 g/t gold.

The company announced the closing of the property acquisition on February 4 for a total consideration of US$540,000. In the release, the company said it will work swiftly to confirm the historic resource to modern standards.

The news was followed on Tuesday (February 10), when the company announced a C$3.3 million non-brokered private placement, which was upsized to C$5.3 million on Thursday. The company said it will use proceeds from the placement to advance exploration projects across its portfolio.

2. Cordoba Minerals (TSXV:CDB)

Weekly gain: 74.68 percent
Market cap: C$123.82 million
Share price: C$1.38

Cordoba Minerals is an explorer whose flagship project is Alacran in Colombia. The asset is a 50/50 joint venture with JCHX Mining Management (SHA:603979). The 20,000 hectare property hosts copper, gold and silver mineralization across five deposits: Alacran, Alacran North, Montiel East, Montiel West and Costa Azul.

A feasibility study for the project released in February 2024 demonstrates an after-tax net present value of US$360 million with an internal rate of return of 23.8 percent and a payback period of three years.

The resource estimate for the Alacran deposit and historical tailings shows an indicated resource of 99.46 million metric tons of ore with an average grade of 0.41 percent copper, 0.24 g/t gold and 2.65 g/t silver. Contained metal totals 904.53 million pounds of copper, 765,400 ounces of gold and 8.47 million ounces of silver.

Following the completion of JCHX’s earn in for 50 percent of the project in July 2025, Cordoba said it had entered into a definitive agreement to sell its remaining 50 percent interest in Alacran.

However, on January 2, the company reported that not all conditions for the sale had been met, and on Tuesday, announced that it had entered into an amended agreement.

Under the new terms, the closing payment was increased to US$128 million from US$88 million, payable in a lump sum at closing. The release states that the bulk of the cash payment will be distributed to shareholders after settling liabilities and obligations, with the company retaining US$10 million for corporate purposes.

3. Rio Silver (TSXV:RYO)

Weekly gain: 52.38 percent
Market cap: C$23.74 million
Share price: C$0.64

Rio Silver is an exploration company advancing its Maria Norte project in Peru.

The property has changed hands several times in the 18 years prior to Rio’s acquisition in March 2025, but has seen little exploration during that time. However, in a February 5 release, the company notes that historic mining occurred at the site due to the presence of a reclaimed waste dump. The property covers the western portion of the Tangana West vein system, and although it has not yet completed an economic assessment for the property. In the announcement, the company said it plans to advance surface mapping and sampling in the third quarter of 2026.

Throughout January, the company made several announcements regarding its exploration and development timeline. On January 6, the company reported results from technical work at the site, confirming the presence of silver mineralization with grades up to 991 g/t in a 0.7-meter channel sample.

The company also announced on January 29 that it was launching a metallurgical program at the site, which it said will assist the company in determining the project’s potential value.

4. Barksdale Resources (TSXV:BRO)

Weekly gain: 48.15 percent
Market cap: C$28.04 million
Share price: C$0.2

Barksdale Resources is a copper explorer focused on advancing its Sunnyside asset in Arizona, US. The property covers approximately 21 square kilometers, south of Tucson, Arizona. It hosts an intrusive complex that the firm believes to be an extension of the copper-zinc-lead-silver system found at South32’s (ASX:S32,OTCPL:SOUHY) Taylor deposit.

In 2025, the company achieved several milestones under its earn-in agreement and completed the initial 51 percent in September following a C$1 million cash payment. Prior to the payment in June, Barksdale said it would work toward increasing its interest in the property to 67.5 percent.

On January 21, the company announced plans to raise C$5 million to fund a Phase 2 drill plan required to increase its ownership stake in the Sunnyside project.

On Wednesday, Barksdale announced the opening of an additional private placement to raise C$930,000. Funds raised from this round will also be used to fund exploration activities at Sunnyside.

5. Pirate Gold (TSXV:YARR)

Weekly gain: 48 percent
Market cap: C$129.48 million
Share price: C$0.37

Formerly Sokoman Minerals, Pirate Gold is a discovery-oriented company with a portfolio of gold projects and one of the largest land positions in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.

It also owns a 40 percent stake in the Killick lithium project, a 40/40/20 joint venture with Benton Resources (TSXV:BEX,OTCPL:BNTRF) and Piedmont Lithium.

In October, the company combined its Moosehead and Crippleback claims to form the Treasure Island project, which hosts the largest mineral license and longest strike length along the Valentine Lake fault.

Along with new claims, Pirate Gold’s land holdings in the area cover approximately 58,775 hectares and host multiple untested anomalies identified through historic data and exploration efforts by Pirate Gold.

On Friday, Pirate Gold announced the initiation of project-scale surveys at Treasure Island, as well as the advancement of a 50,000 meter drill program, with two rigs mobilized to the site.

Additionally, the company also said it had received drill permits to operate at the Crippleback Lake and Stony Lake areas, which would allow it to extend its exploration beyond the current footprint at Moosehead and test other high-priority targets along the fault zone.

FAQs for Canadian mining stocks

What is the difference between the TSX and TSXV?

The TSX, or Toronto Stock Exchange, is used by senior companies with larger market caps, and the TSXV, or TSX Venture Exchange, is used by smaller-cap companies. Companies listed on the TSXV can graduate to the senior exchange.

How many mining companies are listed on the TSX and TSXV?

As of December 2025, 898 mining companies and 71 oil and gas companies are listed on the TSXV, combining for more than 60 percent of the 1,531 total companies listed on the exchange.

As for the TSX, it is home to 175 mining companies and 51 oil and gas companies. The exchange has 2,089 companies listed on it in total.

Together, the TSX and TSXV host around 40 percent of the world’s public mining companies.

How much does it cost to list on the TSXV?

There are a variety of different fees that companies must pay to list on the TSXV, and according to the exchange, they can vary based on the transaction’s nature and complexity. The listing fee alone will most likely cost between C$10,000 to C$70,000. Accounting and auditing fees could rack up between C$25,000 and C$100,000, while legal fees are expected to be over C$75,000 and an underwriters’ commission may hit up to 12 percent.

The exchange lists a handful of other fees and expenses companies can expect, including but not limited to security commission and transfer agency fees, investor relations costs and director and officer liability insurance.

These are all just for the initial listing, of course. There are ongoing expenses once companies are trading, such as sustaining fees and additional listing fees, plus the costs associated with filing regular reports.

How do you trade on the TSXV?

Investors can trade on the TSXV the way they would trade stocks on any exchange. This means they can use a stock broker or an individual investment account to buy and sell shares of TSXV-listed companies during the exchange’s trading hours.

Article by Dean Belder; FAQs by Lauren Kelly.

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

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Investing

Tech Weekly: AI “Scare Trade” Spills into New Sectors

We also break down next week’s catalysts to watch to help you prepare for the week ahead.

This week’s tech sector performance

The Nasdaq Composite (INDEXNASDAQ:.IXIC) ended in the green on Monday (February 9) despite a weaker open.

A rally in tech companies drove US stocks higher ahead of an economic data release, while Asian indexes also rose, led upward by Japan’s tech‑heavy Nikkei 225 (INDEXNIKKEI:NI225).

It hit new record highs after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s Liberal Democratic Party secured a landslide victory in the Lower House, clearing the path for tax cuts and higher defense spending.

Tax planning and wealth management stocks fell on Tuesday (February 10) after financial software provider Altruist unveiled an artificial intelligence (AI) tool for creating tax strategies, echoing last week’s selloff in legal software stocks following the debut of a lawyer-focused AI platform.

Broader tech‑driven weakness and softer‑than‑expected retail‑sales data dragged the Nasdaq down in Tuesday’s session. The index rose again on Wednesday (February 11) after January data showed labor market stability, potentially allowing the US Federal Reserve to keep interest rates steady as it monitors inflation.

Software stocks resumed their slide, with Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) at one point down more than 2 percent, Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) falling over 2.5 percent and Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) slipping about 1 percent.

Personal computer makers also fell after Lenovo Group (HKEX:0992,OTCPL:LNVGF) warned of shipment pressure from a memory chip shortage. HP (NYSE:HPQ) and Dell Technologies (NYSE:DELL) each lost about 4.5 percent.

After a muted close, investors turned their AI disruption fears to yet another corner of the market on Thursday (February 12). This time, it was logistics and trucking stocks, which plummeted after AI logistics firm Algorhythm Holdings (NASDAQ:RIME) said it has scaled freight volumes by 300 to 400 percent without increasing headcount.

This event showed traders that AI is now affecting sectors previously thought to be resistant to automation and AI‑driven efficiency gains, leading to selloffs that also spilled into real estate and drug distribution.

All three major indexes closed lower, with the Nasdaq hit hardest.

A softer-than-expected US consumer price index report released on Friday (February 13) morning reinforced beliefs that the Fed is likely to cut interest rates this year, while global concerns about potential AI-driven disruptions kept investors cautious. European and Asian indexes lost ground, tracking Wall Street’s losses.

While the S&P 500 (INDEXSP:.INX) closed slightly ahead on the day, mega-cap tech stocks dragged on the Nasdaq, which closed the week 1.77 percent below Monday’s open.

3 tech stocks moving markets this week

1.Cloudflare (NYSE:NET)

Cybersecurity firm Cloudflare saw its share price surge after its sales guidance for the current quarter exceeded expectations. Shares closed 13.07 percent higher for the week.

2. Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT)

Applied Materials, a provider of materials engineering solutions for the semiconductor sector, saw its share price rise sharply after reporting better-than-forecast quarterly financial results. Shares advanced 10.05 percent.

3. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (NYSE:TSM)

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company rose after D.A. Davidson analyst Gil Luria gave it a ‘buy’ rating with a US$450 price target and called it a top AI foundry name. Shares advanced 5.02 percent.

Cloudflare, TSMC and Applied Materials performance, February 9 to 13, 2026.

Chart via Google Finance.

Top tech news of the week

Alphabet completed two bond sales this week, raising a combined total of nearly US$52 billion. On Monday, the company sold US$20 billion in US dollars, followed by a nearly US$32 billion multi‑currency bond sale in British pounds and Swiss francs completed within 24 hours on Tuesday.

Tech ETF performance

Tech exchange-traded funds (ETFs) track baskets of major tech stocks, meaning their performance helps investors gauge the overall performance of the niches they cover.

This week, the iShares Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:SOXX) advanced by 2.56 percent, while the Invesco PHLX Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:SOXQ) advanced by 1.89 percent.

The VanEck Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:SMH) also increased by 2.19 percent.

Tech news to watch next week

Tech stocks face a quieter earnings backdrop next week, with no mega‑cap AI giants reporting; instead, the sector will be trading on macro cues and any guidance hints from mid‑tier semis and software names.

Key US data includes jobs‑related releases and consumer confidence surveys.

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Politics

Trump: ‘We don’t run from anybody’ in blasting Biden over Afghanistan withdrawal

President Donald Trump Friday sharply criticized former President Joe Biden’s handling of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, calling it an ’embarrassment’ and arguing his administration would not have left military equipment behind.

‘You remember that where they left all the military equipment behind? We didn’t. We wouldn’t have left anything,’ Trump said while speaking at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. ‘We were going to get out with dignity and strength, respect. We looked like we were running. We don’t run from anybody. That was a Biden embarrassment.’

Trump also questioned why aircraft were not flown out of the country.

‘We don’t leave equipment behind. We don’t leave jets behind,’ he said. ‘I said, why do you leave those jets behind, sir? I thought it was cheaper to leave it behind. You know, $150 million plane. All they had to do is put a little jet fuel in there and fly it to wherever they want to fly it.’

He said the U.S. military had been rebuilt during his first term and is now stronger than ever.

‘So with the help of everyone in this room, America is the strongest military on the face of the earth. We rebuilt it. We really did,’ Trump said. ‘We rebuilt it in my first term.’

His remarks came during a visit that honored the special operators involved in the operation to capture former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, which he contrasted as an ‘extraordinary military operation.’

The U.S. completed its withdrawal from Afghanistan in August 2021 after nearly 20 years of war. The evacuation followed a February 2020 agreement negotiated during Trump’s first term that set a timeline for U.S. forces to leave the country.

Biden oversaw the final withdrawal as Taliban forces rapidly seized control of Afghanistan, culminating in a suicide bombing at Kabul’s airport that killed 13 U.S. service members and roughly 170 Afghan civilians.

Biden has argued that he was bound by the withdrawal agreement negotiated during Trump’s first term and faced the choice of completing the pullout or sending more U.S. troops back into combat. Trump has rejected that claim, saying his deal with the Taliban was ‘conditions-based’ and that he would not have withdrawn if the Taliban failed to meet its commitments.

Fox News Digital reached out to Biden Friday for comment and has yet to receive a reply.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Investing

Keith Weiner: Silver Being Remonetized “With a Vengeance” as Gold Rises

Keith Weiner, founder and CEO of Monetary Metals, shares his outlook for gold and silver in 2026, saying that while he expects higher prices there will be volatility.

He also outlines his thoughts on the role of precious metals in the monetary system.

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Investing

When Diamonds Are Not Forever: NWT’s Diamond Industry Begins to Crack Under Pressure

More than three decades after diamonds transformed Canada’s Northwest Territories (NWT) into a global mining powerhouse, the industry that once defined the region’s modern economy is facing a painful reckoning.

While governments and investors have spent the past several years focused on critical minerals and battery metals, the NWT’s diamond mines are grappling with falling prices, lab-grown competition, tariff disruptions and mounting financial strain.

With one major mine set to close within weeks and others under pressure, leaders across the North are asking a seemingly once unthinkable question: what comes after diamonds?

From staking rush to global player

The modern diamond era in the NWT began in November 1991, when geologists Chuck Fipke and Stewart Blusson discovered 81 small diamonds at Lac de Gras. The find triggered the largest diamond staking rush in North American history and led to the development of the EKATI Diamond Mine, Canada’s first.

By 2004, more than 28 million hectares across the NWT and Nunavut had been staked. Canada rose to become the world’s third-largest diamond producer by value, behind Botswana and Russia, largely on the strength of the NWT’s output.

For decades, the sector generated thousands of high-paying jobs and helped build Indigenous-owned businesses across the territory. At its peak, more than 3,000 Indigenous workers were employed at the region’s three diamond mines.

Today, that foundation is starting to show cracks.

All pressure, no diamonds

Rio Tinto’s (ASX:RIO,NYSE:RIO,LSE:RIO) Diavik mine, one of the pillars of the industry, is scheduled to close next month.

Although the company recently unveiled a rare 158.2-carat yellow diamond from the site last year, described by COO Matt Breen as a “miracle of nature,” the symbolic discovery cannot reverse the mine’s finite life.

In addition, De Beers ( a subsidiary of Anglo American (LSE:AAL,OTCQX:NGLOY)) and Mountain Province Diamonds’ (TSX: MPVD,OTC:MPVD) Gahcho Kué mine has paused a project that would have extended operations from 2027 to 2030, raising concerns about its longevity.

Meanwhile, EKATI, owned by Australia’s Burgundy Diamond Mines (ASX:BDM), is battling financial distress after diamond prices fell at least 20 percent following its acquisition of the asset.

In the legislature this week, Monfwi MLA Jane Weyallon Armstrong warned of the consequences.

“The closure of Diavik and Gahcho Kué will have a significant impact on Tłı̨chǫ communities and today, the GNWT has no meaningful alternative,” she said.

Premier R.J. Simpson acknowledged the challenge. “We’re at a point now where we know the diamond mines are winding down, and the question has been: ‘OK, well, what’s next?’” he said in a recent interview.

Market headwinds multiply

The industry’s struggles are not simply a matter of geology. Natural diamond prices have been under sustained pressure, battered by several macroeconomic forces converging at once.

For instance, lab-grown diamonds—chemically identical to natural stones and available at a fraction of the price—have rapidly gained acceptance among consumers. What was once a niche product is now mainstream, particularly among younger buyers drawn to lower costs.

Canadian diamonds long marketed themselves as ethical alternatives to so-called “blood diamonds.” But synthetic stones can make similar claims, weakening one of the natural industry’s key selling points.

Luxury spending has also softened, and new trade barriers have added further strain. A 50 percent US tariff on Indian imports has disrupted the global polishing pipeline, since most rough diamonds are cut and finished in India before being sold into the US market.

The owner of EKATI has linked its financial difficulties in part to those tariffs, as well as to the broader collapse in natural diamond prices. The company recently received a C$115 million federal loan under a facility designed to assist businesses affected by US trade disruptions.

Even so, EKATI suspended parts of its operations last year and has faced criticism from workers over layoffs and severance payments. Burgundy has publicly acknowledged serious financial problems and indicated it may need additional funding if prices fail to recover.

At Gahcho Kué, Mountain Province Diamonds is navigating its own funding challenges. Acting president and CEO Jonathan Comerford said the company’s difficulties reflect “the prolonged weakness in the diamond sector.”

“In this environment, our focus remains on carefully managing costs, protecting liquidity, and making measured decisions to support the long-term sustainability of our operations,” Comerford said.

The company has received in-kind funding notices from joint-venture partner De Beers totalling approximately C$49.2 million related to unpaid cash calls.

Political pressure builds

Territorial leaders are also under growing pressure to respond.

Minister of Industry Caitlin Cleveland described the Gahcho Kué announcement as “serious news for the Northwest Territories.”

“Prices are weak, costs are high, and companies are having to make difficult calls,” Cleveland said in a recent statement. She emphasized that while the GNWT cannot control global markets, it will work to ensure worker supports are accessible and employers meet labour standards if job impacts occur.

But some structural issues are harder to address. Yellowknife North MLA Shauna Morgan questioned how the government can enforce socio-economic commitments made by mining companies when they established operations.

Simpson conceded that those agreements lack enforcement clauses such as fines.

“This is about building relationships and ensuring that we’re staying on top of this,” he said.

Meanwhile, calls for diversification are growing louder. “This announcement also reinforces a broader reality for our territory: our economic base remains too dependent on a single commodity,” Cleveland said.

Searching for the next chapter

There are hopes that critical minerals could help fill the gap. Exploration for rare earths and other strategic metals is increasing, reflecting global demand tied to electrification and defense technologies.

Weyallon Armstrong has argued that infrastructure, including expanded road connections from the Tłı̨chǫ region, could unlock new development corridors.

“We may not have a Ring of Fire, but we could have a frosty circle,” she said, referencing Ontario’s mineral-rich region.

Yet even optimistic observers acknowledge that no single project is likely to replicate the scale and stability diamonds once provided. For community leaders, the uncertainty is deeply personal.

“It’s kind of a scary situation,” Chief Fred Sangris of the Yellowknife Ndilo community of the Dene First Nation told the New York Times last year. “Where do we go from here? What’s the next project?”

Diamonds have long symbolized permanence. In the Northwest Territories, especially this Valentine’s season where icons of everlasting love dominate the market, that symbolism now feels more strained than ever.

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

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Politics

Tom Cotton demands FDA probe into illegal Chinese ingredients in US weight loss drugs

A Senate Republican is demanding the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigate whether illegal Chinese ingredients are making their way into weight loss drugs in the United States.

Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., called on FDA Commissioner Martin Makary to probe how far unregulated and illegal Chinese active pharmaceutical ingredients have penetrated the U.S. supply chain — and whether they have ended up in popular weight loss drugs.

‘China’s access to America’s pharmaceutical supply chain presents national security risks as well as significant health risks to American patients,’ Cotton wrote in a letter to Makary first obtained by Fox News Digital.

Cotton’s concern follows recent reports from the FDA and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) that between September 2023 and January 2025, authorities intercepted 195 illegal shipments of active pharmaceutical ingredients.

He noted that the ingredients were ‘likely used in compounded weight loss medications’ that entered the U.S. market. Of those shipments, roughly 60 originated from China and Hong Kong.

‘It is estimated that as of January 2026, up to 1.5 million American patients could be using unregulated compounded weight loss medications that may contain potentially dangerous ingredients from Chinese manufacturers,’ Cotton wrote.

The ingredients are typically used in compounded versions of GLP-1 weight loss drugs that are marketed as alternatives to FDA-approved medications such as Ozempic and Wegovy.

Earlier this month, the Department of Health and Human Services announced it would refer telehealth company Hims & Hers to the Justice Department for ‘potential violations of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act’ over its planned sale of a compounded, non-FDA-approved weight loss drug.

Makary similarly said the FDA would ‘take decisive steps to restrict GLP-1 active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) intended for use in non-FDA-approved compounded drugs that are being mass-marketed by companies — including Hims & Hers and other compounding pharmacies — as alternatives to FDA-approved drugs.’

The company announced last week that it would remove its weight loss pill, billed as a cheaper alternative to Wegovy, from the market following mounting pressure from federal agencies.

Cotton acknowledged that move and called for similar investigations going forward.

‘I encourage further investigations into other entities that expose American patients to dangerous, unregulated Chinese APIs,’ Cotton wrote.

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Investing

A.I.S. Resources’ Saint John Copper/Gold/Antimony Project Gets TSXV Acceptance

A.I.S. Resources Limited (TSXV: AIS,OTC:AISSF, OTC-Pink: AISSF) (‘AIS’ or the ‘Company’) is pleased to announce it has received TSXV Exchange acceptance for the September 15, 2025 earn-in agreement with Riversgold Ltd. (ASX: RGL) (‘Riversgold’), granting AIS the right to acquire up to a 75% interest in the new Saint John IOCGPorphyry Project located in New Brunswick, Canada (the ‘St. John Project’).

AIS CEO, Marc Enright-Morin commented, ‘Now that we have received Exchange acceptance we are excited to move forward with this unique opportunity to advance a possible IOCG/porphyry system.’

Additional Information Regarding Transaction Terms:

Upon TSXV acceptance AIS shall issue 2,860,000 shares at $0.05 per share to Riversgold.
To earn 51% of the St. John Project, AIS shall spend:
- Year 1: CAD $400,000 on early exploration, including drone MobileMT surveys, IP survey, and 1,000 meters of approved drilling.
- Year 2: CAD $1 million additional drilling.
To earn 75%, AIS shall spend:
- Year 3-4: CAD $3 million on drilling and early development work.
Riversgold will retain a 25% free-carried interest through to the decision to mine.
If at any time Riversgold’s interest is diluted below 10%, its interest shall be converted to a 2% NSR. AIS shall have the right to purchase the NSR for $1 Million per 1%.
Riversgold is party to an underlying option agreement wherein Riversgold may earn a 100% interest in the St. John Project by paying:
- $25,000 in cash and an additional $35,000 in cash &/or shares of Riversgold upon closing of the underlying option agreement (PAID)
- $25,000 in cash and an additional $35,000 in cash &/or shares of Riversgold on the first anniversary of closing (PAID)
- $25,000 in cash and an additional $35,000 in cash &/or shares of Riversgold on each of the second through fourth anniversaries of closing.
In the event that Riversgold receives a default notice from the optionors of the underlying agreement Riversgold shall immediately notify AIS. AIS shall have the right to rectify the default. Any payments made by AIS to the optionors shall be applied toward AIS’ earn in expenditures.
The underlying option agreement is subject to a 2% Gross Smelter Return royalty (GSR) payable to the underlying optionors. AIS shall have the right to purchase the GSR for $1 Million per 1%.
AIS is at arms’ length to both Riversgold and the underlying optionors.

About the Saint John Project:

The Saint John Project is a district-scale IOCG/porphyry exploration target providing strategic exposure to gold and silver (precious metals), copper (energy transition metal), and antimony (critical mineral).

The project covers 101 km² in a Tier-1 mining jurisdiction. Located just 20 km west of Saint John, New Brunswick and 50 km from the U.S. border, the project benefits from exceptional infrastructure, including highways, rail, deep-water port, power stations, and a skilled local workforce.

Riversgold have released multiple press releases on the Australian Stock Exchange over the past year as they have moved this project up the value chain. Geological results were previously disclosed by Riversgold in press releases on ASX dated January 29, 2025 and April 9, 2025. Refer to www.riversgold.com.au

Geological Highlights:
Little Lepreau Prospect

Roadside Quary surface samples: Gold up to 41.6 g/t, Silver up to 1,600 g/t, Copper up to 7.64%, Antimony >1%.
Magnetic data received from the high resolution 25 metre line spaced survey has delineated multiple magnetic low response areas that bear a similar magnetic signature to the Roadside Quarry mineralization.
Maiden drilling (2,000m) approved for 2025.

Prince of Wales Prospect

surface samples: Gold up to 11.4 g/t, Silver up to 1,050 g/t, Copper up to 10.55%, Lead up to 18.85%.

Hideaway Prospect

surface samples: Gold up to 1.7 g/t, Silver up to 8 g/t, Copper up to 2.01%.

Next Steps:

Expand drone MobileMT + IP surveys across the whole project and refine drill targets (~CAD $300,000 budget).
Commence 2,000m maiden RC/DD drill program at Little Lepreau in 2025/2026.

Figure 1 – Saint John Project (Source of Map: Riversgold press release on ASX dated April 9, 2025)

Figure 2 – Prince of Wales roadside cutting with exposed mineralization (Source of Map: Riversgold press release on ASX dated January 29, 2025)

Figure 3 – Little Lepreau Roadside Quarry Prospect (Inset 1) – Sample Grades (Source of Map: Riversgold press release on ASX dated April 9, 2025)

Figure 4 – Hideaway Prospect (Inset 2) – Sample Grades (Source of Map: Riversgold press release on ASX April 9, 2025)

Figure 5 – Price of Wales Prospect (Inset 3) – Sample Grades (Source of Map: Riversgold press release on ASX dated April 9, 2025)

Technical information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Edward Mead, who is a Qualified Person under the definitions established by the National Instrument 43-101 and who is a Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. Mr Mead is a director of Riversgold Ltd and a consultant to Riversgold through Doraleda Pty.

About A.I.S. Resources Limited

A.I.S. Resources Limited is a publicly traded company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange. The company focuses on natural resource opportunities, aiming to unlock value by acquiring early-stage projects and providing the necessary technical and financial support to develop them. AIS is guided by a seasoned team of engineers, geologists and finance professionals with a proven record of success in capital markets.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors,
A.I.S. Resources Limited
Marc Enright-Morin, CEO

Corporate Contact
For further information, please contact:
Marc Enright-Morin, CEO
T: +1-778-892-5455
E: marc@aisresources.com
Website: www.aisresources.com

ADVISORY: This press release contains forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and the Company undertakes no obligations to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/48c338b6-6f73-48a5-a481-5c10a5fc204d

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/42629e14-de90-407c-aaca-9a1d8bb711f1

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/3215ca6f-1838-437b-8fc9-f03cc7ae622b

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c568ef5c-ded4-4acf-bdb0-c4d777a80641

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e3caeb97-33be-4ab5-ae3f-52889b7c81b1

News Provided by GlobeNewswire via QuoteMedia

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Investing

Filing of Initial Prospectus

Panther Metals Plc (LSE: PALM), the exploration company focused on mineral projects in Canada, is pleased to announce that it has filed a preliminary non-offering prospectus (the ‘Prospectus’) with the Ontario Securities Commission (the ‘Commission’) and has applied to the Canadian Securities Exchange (the ‘CSE’) for a secondary listing of its ordinary shares on the CSE in Canada (the ‘Listing’). The Company’s ordinary shares will continue to be listed on the official list of the UK Financial Conduct Authority and traded on the main market for listed securities of the London Stock Exchange plc.

Final acceptance of the Prospectus and the Listing are subject to the review and approval of the Commission and the CSE, respectively. The Prospectus contains important information relating to the Company and its currently issued shares capital and is subject to amendment as may be required by the Commission. The Prospectus will be available for review under Panther’s profile on the Canadian System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (‘SEDAR+’) at www.sedarplus.ca.

The Company believes that the Listing will enable the Company to provide liquidity to its existing shareholders and offer the opportunity to raise additional capital to build out its business and execute its business plans through exposure to a range of new investors on one of the premier public markets for the mining sector. The Company can give no assurances that the Listing will be successful or that, if it is successful, that any significant market for its securities will develop. The Listing will be subject to the Company fulfilling all of the CSE’s listing requirements and the Company being receipted for a final prospectus with the securities regulatory authorities in the Province of Ontario.

There can be no guarantee that a receipt for the final prospectus will be obtained from the Commission or that the CSE will accept the Listing.

The Company also announces that it has prepared, in accordance with the provisions of National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, a technical report dated 12 January 2026 (the ‘Technical Report’) in respect of the Obonga Project located in the Obonga Lake Area in Ontario, Canada (the ‘Property’). The Technical Report is titled ‘NI 43-101 Technical Report on the Obonga Project, Obonga Lake Area, Thunder Bay Mining Division, Ontario, Canada‘ and was prepared by Neil Pettigrew, M.Sc., P.Geo. of Fladgate Exploration Consulting Corporation. A copy of the Technical Report will be available under the Company’s profile on SEDAR+ and a link is available on the Company’s website at https://panthermetals.com/investors/presentation

This announcement has been authorised by the Board of Directors.

For further information, please contact:

Panther Metals PLC:

Darren Hazelwood, Chief Executive Officer:

+44 (0)1462 429 743

+44 (0)7971 957 685

Cautionary Notes Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking information. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future (including, without limitation, statements regarding the Listing, the receipt for the preliminary and final non-offering prospectus from the OSC, and statements relating to the exploration of the Property are forward-looking information. This forward-looking information reflects the current expectations or beliefs of the Company based on information currently available to the Company. The Company has made certain assumptions about the forward-looking information, including the ability to receive a final receipt for its Prospectus and its ability to obtain the Listing on the CSE and timing of these events, the benefits to be derived from being a public company, that the Listing application will be successful, or that if it is successful, that any significant market for its securities will develop. Although the Company’s management believes that the assumptions made and the expectations represented by such information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that the forward-looking information will prove to be accurate.

Forward-looking information is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking information, and even if such actual results are realized or substantially realized, there can be no assurance that they will have the expected consequences to, or effects on the Company. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, the possibility that planned exploration programs will be delayed, uncertainties relating to the availability and costs of financing needed in the future, activities of the Company may be adversely impacted by the current economic conditions, including the ability of the Company to secure additional financing, the possibility that future development of Company’s products and services results will not be consistent with the Company’s expectations, changes to regulations affecting the Company’s activities, delays in obtaining or failure to obtain required approvals, and the other risks disclosed under the heading ‘Risk Factors’ in the Prospectus.

Forward-looking information speaks only as of the date on which it is provided and, except as may be required by applicable securities laws, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise. Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking information are reasonable, forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such information due to the inherent uncertainty therein.

Source

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