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President Donald Trump celebrated after the Supreme Court moved to block lower courts from issuing universal injunctions, something that had impacted his executive orders.

The president held a news conference just over an hour after the ruling was issued and said the Supreme Court had stopped a ‘colossal abuse of power.’ 

‘I was elected on a historic mandate, but in recent months, we’ve seen a handful of radical left judges effectively try to overrule the rightful powers of the president to stop the American people from getting the policies that they voted for in record numbers,’ Trump said on Friday.

Trump also accused lower court judges of trying to ‘dictate the law for the entire nation’ rather than ruling on the cases before them.

On Friday, Supreme Court Justices ruled 6-3 to allow the lower courts to issue injunctions only in limited instances, though the ruling leaves open the question of how the ruling will apply to the birthright citizenship order at the heart of the case.

The Supreme Court agreed this year to take up a trio of consolidated cases involving so-called universal injunctions handed down by federal district judges in Maryland, Massachusetts and Washington state. Judges in those districts had blocked Trump’s ban on birthright citizenship from taking force nationwide – which the Trump administration argued in their appeal to the Supreme Court was overly broad.

The Supreme Court’s arguments in May focused little on the merits of those universal injunctions – and on Friday, the court made clear that it is not ruling on whether the birthright citizenship orders are constitutional.

‘The applications do not raise – and thus we do not address – the question whether the Executive Order violates the Citizenship Clause or Nationality Act,’ Justice Amy Coney Barrett said, writing for the majority. ‘The issue before us is one of remedy: whether, under the Judiciary Act of 1789, federal courts have equitable authority to issue universal injunctions.’

‘A universal injunction can be justified only as an exercise of equitable authority, yet Congress has granted federal courts no such power,’ she added.

Coney Barrett took a swipe at Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, saying that her argument was ‘ at odds with more than two centuries’ worth of precedent, not to mention the Constitution itself. We observe only this: [Jackson] decries an imperial Executive while embracing an imperial Judiciary.’

In her dissent, Jackson warned that the ruling allowed the president to ‘violate the Constitution’ and presented ‘an existentia threat to the rule of law.’

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

A provision inside President Donald Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’ that would have lessened regulations on certain firearms was one of many stripped policies that did not pass muster with Senate rules.

The Senate parliamentarian ruled late Thursday night that policy changes that would delist short-barrel rifles, shotguns and suppressors from the National Firearms Act (NFA) would have to be scrubbed from the Senate Finance Committee’s portion of the mammoth bill.

The provision would have allowed for those particular guns and accessories to no longer be subject to a $200 federal tax. They would also no longer have needed to be registered with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Changes to the NFA were part of the Stop Harassing Owners of Rifles Today (SHORT) Act, a bill pushed by Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., in the upper chamber, and Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., in the House.

‘This is a setback, but we are committed to working with the parliamentarian to protect the Second Amendment in any way we can through reconciliation,’ Marshall told Fox News Digital in a statement. ‘‘Shall not be infringed’ is crystal clear and the rights of gun owners must be respected.’

Indeed, lawmakers do have the opportunity to rewrite the provision to comport with the Byrd Rule, which governs the budget reconciliation process and allows either party in power to skirt the 60-vote filibuster threshold in the Senate.

Clyde told Fox News Digital in a statement that he disagreed with the ruling, ‘as the taxation and registration of firearms under the draconian NFA are inextricably linked.’ 

‘I’m working with my Senate Republican colleagues to rewrite the language so we can retain our 2A wins and deliver the best possible outcome for the American people,’ he said. ‘We must seize this rare opportunity to restore our Second Amendment rights.’

Arguments before the parliamentarian, who many Republicans lashed out at on Thursday following rulings that stripped key, yet divisive, Medicaid tweaks from the ‘big, beautiful bill,’ are expected to continue throughout Friday and likely until the last few minutes before the final bill is revealed.

The gun provision was one of many tax-related items stripped from the package. Others included subsidies for private schools and carve-outs for religious colleges from the endowments tax, among others.

There are other provisions still under consideration, including ‘Trump Accounts,’ which would have set aside $1,000 in taxpayer money for newborns, requiring Social Securities numbers for a slew of tax credits, and making tax benefits for those who invest in opportunity zones permanent. 

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Russia has amassed 110,000 troops in the vicinity of Pokrovsk as part of its efforts to take over the strategic eastern Ukrainian city, the Ukrainian military chief said Friday.

Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Friday that the area around Pokrovsk was the “hottest spot”along the 1,200-kilometre (745 miles) front line which runs across the east.

Russian forces have been trying to capture Pokrovsk for almost a year, staging one grinding offensive after another. But despite having a clear advantage in terms of the number of troops and weapons available, Moscow has failed to take over the city.

Pokrovsk is a strategic target for Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin has made it clear that his goal is to seize all of the eastern Ukrainian regions of Donetsk and Luhansk his forces partially occupy.

Kyiv and its allies accuse Russia’s President Vladimir Putin of stalling on peace efforts so that his forces can seize more Ukrainian territory.

Although not a major city, Pokrovsk sits on a key supply road and railroad that connect it with other military hubs in the area. Together with Kostiantynivka, Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, it forms the backbone of Ukrainian defenses in the part of Donetsk region that are still under Kyiv’s control.

Some 60,000 lived in Pokrovsk before the war, but the majority have left in the three years since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022.

Ukraine’s last operating coking coal mine was in Pokrovsk and many of its employees were staying in the area to keep it going. Once it was forced to shut down early this year, they too began to leave.

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a US-based conflict monitor, said late last year that Ukrainian defensive operations in Pokrovsk have forced Russia to abandon its original plan to take over Pokrovsk in a frontal assault.

The ISW said this was because Ukrainian troops began using drones as integral part of their defensive strategy, successfully integrating drone operators with their ground forces.

At the same time, Russia was unable to increase the number of troops in the area by much, because it was trying to contain the surprise incursion of Ukrainian troops into its own territory in the southern Kursk region.

Syrskyi told reporters last week that at one point, the Kursk operation pulled back nearly 63,000 Russian troops and some 7,000 North Korean troops.

“This allowed us to weaken the enemy’s pressure on the main fronts and regroup our troops. And the enemy’s capture of Pokrovsk, announced back in September 2024, has not yet taken place, thanks in part to our Kursk operation,” he said.

Instead of continuing to attacking the city directly, Russian troops then began encircling the city from south and northeast.

The ISW said in its most recent assessment on Friday that Russian forces were continuing assaults with small fireteams of one to two soldiers, sometimes on motorcycles, in all-terrain vehicles and buggies.

In a statement issued on Friday, Syrksky said Russia continued to try to break through to the administrative border of the Donetsk region.

“They want to do this not only to achieve some operational results, but primarily for demonstrative purposes. To achieve a psychological effect: to put the infamous ‘foot of the Russian soldier’ there, plant a flag and trumpet another pseudo-‘victory’,” he said.

This post appeared first on cnn.com

Maritime Resources Corp. (TSXV: MAE) (‘Maritime’ or the ‘Company’) is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with Paradigm Capital Inc. (‘Paradigm’) as lead agent and sole bookrunner, for and on behalf of a syndicate of agents (collectively, the ‘Agents’), in connection with a proposed best efforts private placement offering (the ‘Offering’) of up to 8,850,000 common shares in the capital of Maritime (the ‘Offered Securities’) to be issued at $1.13 per Offered Security (the ‘Issue Price’) for gross proceeds of up to $10,000,500.

The Company will also grant the Agents an option (the ‘Agents’ Option‘) to sell up to an additional 1,327,500 Offered Securities at the Issue Price for additional gross proceeds of up to $1,500,075, exercisable in whole or in part by the Agents at any time 48 hours prior to the Closing Date (as defined herein).

The Agents will be paid by the Company on closing of the Offering a cash commission equal to 6% of the gross proceeds of the Offering, including on any exercise of the Agents’ Option, other than in respect of sales of up to $500,000 to certain directors and officers of the Company or their related entities (the ‘President’s List‘) for which the Company shall pay a commission equal to 3%.

The Agents will also receive on the Closing Date compensation options (the ‘Compensation Options‘) entitling the Agents to acquire that number of common shares equal to 6% of the number of Offered Securities issued pursuant to the Offering, including on any exercise of the Agents’ Option, at an exercise price of $1.13, exercisable for a period of 24 months following the Closing Date, other than in respect of sales to the President’s List for which the Agents shall be entitled to that number of common shares equal to 3% of the number of Offered Securities issued to investors on the President’s List.

The net proceeds from the Offering shall be used for exploration and development at the Company’s mineral projects in Newfoundland and Labrador, repaying the balance of the Company’s US$5,000,000 aggregate principal amount of senior secured notes, and general working capital purposes.

The Offering will be conducted in all provinces and territories of Canada pursuant to private placement exemptions, in the United States pursuant to an exemption from the registration requirements of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the ‘U.S. Securities Act‘), and in such other jurisdictions as are agreed to by the Company and the Agents. The Offering is expected to close on or about July 17, 2025 (the ‘Closing Date‘) and will be subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions, including the listing of the Offered Securities on the TSX Venture Exchange (‘TSXV‘). All securities issued pursuant to the Offering will have a hold period of four months and one day.

The Offered Securities have not been, and will not be, registered under the U.S. Securities Act, or any U.S. state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States without registration under the U.S. Securities Act and all applicable state securities laws or compliance with the requirements of an applicable exemption therefrom. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the Offered Securities in the United States, nor may there be any sale of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

About Maritime Resources Corp.

Maritime (TSXV: MAE) is a gold exploration and development company focused on advancing the Hammerdown Gold Project in the Baie Verte District of Newfoundland and Labrador, a top tier global mining jurisdiction. Maritime holds a 100% interest directly and subject to option agreements entitling it to earn 100% ownership in the Green Bay Property which includes the former Hammerdown gold mine and the Orion gold project. Maritime controls over 439 km2 of exploration land including the Green Bay, Whisker Valley, Gull Ridge and Point Rousse projects. Mineral processing assets owned by Maritime in the Baie Verte mining district include the Pine Cove mill and the Nugget Pond gold circuit.

On Behalf of the Board:

Maritime Resources CORP.
Garett Macdonald, MBA, P.Eng.
President and CEO
Phone: (416) 365-5321
info@maritimegold.com
www.maritimeresourcescorp.com

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Caution Regarding Forward Looking Statements:

Certain of the statements made and information contained herein is ‘forward-looking information’ within the meaning of National Instrument 51-102 – Continuous Disclosure Obligations of the Canadian Securities Administrators. These statements and information are based on facts currently available to the Company and there is no assurance that actual results will meet management’s expectations. Forward-looking statements and information may also be identified by such terms as ‘anticipates’, ‘believes’, ‘targets’, ‘estimates’, ‘plans’, ‘expects’, ‘may’, ‘will’, ‘could’ or ‘would’. While the Company considers its assumptions to be reasonable as of the date hereof, forward-looking statements and information are not guarantees of future performance and readers should not place undue importance on such statements as actual events and results may differ materially from those described herein. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The forward-looking statements in this news release include without limitation, statements with respect to the ultimate size of the Offering, the Company meeting all conditions for a timely closing of the Offering, including obtaining all required approvals, the proposed use of proceeds of the Offering, and the proposed closing date of the Offering, among others. All forward-looking information contained in this press release is given as of the date hereof, and is based on the opinions and estimates of management and information available to management as of the date hereof. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities laws.

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

THIS NEWS RELEASE IS NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

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To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/257021

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(TheNewswire)

Element79 Gold Corp.

VANCOUVER, BC TheNewswire – June 27, 2025 Element79 Gold Corp. (CSE: ELEM | FSE: 7YS0 | OTC: ELMGF) (‘ Element79 Gold ‘, the ‘ Company ‘) today announced that it has provided a notice of force majeure (‘ Notice ‘) to Condor Resources Inc. (‘ Condor ‘) to temporarily suspend payment obligations under the Lucero Project Agreement entered into between Calipuy Resources Inc. (‘ Calipuy ‘), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, and Condor on December 21, 2020 (the ‘ Lucero Agreement ‘).

The Company has faced significant difficulties in advancing the Lucero Project since the acquisition of Calipuy on June 19, 2022. As a result of conflicts with the local community, significant delays of relevant governmental authorities to act on necessary legislation and policies, and municipal inaction preventing the enforcement of mineral claims, Element79 has been unable to access the Lucero Project and perform exploration or commercial mining operations (‘ Force Majeure Event ‘). As such, the Company provided the Notice to Condor today to suspend payment obligations until the sooner of the end of the Force Majeure Event or twenty-four (24) months from the date of the Notice. At this time, the Company is uncertain as to when the Force Majeure Event will cease.

Element79 remains committed to advancing the Lucero Project and developing the Lucero Project into a commercially viable mining operation. The Company is currently in the process of pursuing alternatives to push the Project forward and work collaboratively with stakeholders to end the Force Majeure Event. The Company will continue to update stakeholders as the situation develops, as and when appropriate.

About Element79 Gold Corp.

Element79 Gold Corp. is a mining company focused on the exploration and development of high-grade gold and silver assets. Its principal asset is the past-producing Lucero Project in Arequipa, Peru, where it aims to resume operations through both conventional mining and tailings reprocessing. In the United States, the Company holds interests in multiple projects along Nevada’s Battle Mountain Trend.  Additionally, Element79 Gold has completed the transfer of its Dale Property in Ontario to its wholly owned subsidiary, Synergy Metals Corp., and is progressing through the Plan of Arrangement spin-out process.

For more information about the Company, please visit www.element79.gold

For Further Information, Please Contact:

James C. Tworek

Chief Executive Officer

E-mail: jt@element79gold.com

Investor Relations Department

Phone: +1 (403.850.8050

E-mail: investors@element79gold.com

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. The use of any of the words ‘anticipate,’ ‘plan,’ ‘continue,’ ‘expect,’ ‘estimate,’ ‘objective,’ ‘may,’ ‘will,’ ‘project,’ ‘should,’ ‘predict,’ ‘potential’ and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. In particular, this press release contains forward-looking statements concerning the Company’s exploration plans, development plans and the Force Majeure Event. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on these statements because the Company cannot provide assurance that they will prove correct. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include conditions in the duration of the Force Majeure Event, and receipt of regulatory and shareholder approvals. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release, and, except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements.

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor the Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Copyright (c) 2025 TheNewswire – All rights reserved.

News Provided by TheNewsWire via QuoteMedia

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Here’s a quick recap of the crypto landscape for Wednesday (June 25) as of 9:00 p.m. UTC.

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

Bitcoin and Ethereum price update

Bitcoin (BTC) is priced at US$107,736, an increase of two percent in the last 24 hours. The day’s range for the cryptocurrency brought a low of US$107,027 and a high of US$108,116.

Bitcoin price performance, June 23, 2025.

Bitcoin price performance, June 23, 2025.

Chart via TradingView.

Ethereum (ETH) closed at US$2,432.58, trading flat over the past 24 hours. Its lowest valuation on Wednesday was US$2,403.59, and its highest valuation was US$2,441.16 at the opening bell.

Altcoin price update

  • Solana (SOL) was priced at US$144.38, down 0.6 percent over 24 hours. Its highest valuation on Wednesday was US$147.61, and its lowest was US$143.28.
  • XRP was trading for US$2.20 as markets wrapped, down by 0.3 percent in 24 hours. The cryptocurrency’s highest valuation was US$2.23, and its lowest price on Wednesday was US$2.18.
  • Sui (SUI) is trading at US$2.76, showing an increaseof 0.1 percent over the past 24 hours. Its lowest valuation was US$2.73, and its highest valuation was US$2.84.
  • Cardano (ADA) is priced at US$0.5709, down by 1.9 percent in 24 hours. Its highest valuation on Wednesday was US$0.5838, and its lowest was US$0.5678.

Today’s crypto news to know

Trump Media’s Bitcoin-Ethereum ETF gains NYSE support

The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) has formally submitted a rule change to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to allow the listing of the Truth Social Bitcoin and Ethereum ETF.

The dual-asset exchange-traded fund (ETF), which is backed by Donald Trump’s media company, would be held in a 3:1 BTC to ETH ratio, is to be custodied and executed by Crypto.com. The rule change was filed under the SEC’s 19b-4 process, signaling the NYSE’s commitment to fast-track the listing pending regulatory review.

This development follows Trump Media’s previously announced plan to raise US$2.4 billion for its own bitcoin treasury.

Although that fund remains inactive, the ETF proposal is part of a larger suite of politically branded crypto products in the pipeline. So far, only the Truth Social ETF filings have been formally submitted to the SEC.

Bitcoin hashrate drops amid Iran attacks and heatwave

Bitcoin’s hashrate has dropped 15 percent since June 15, and some in the community point to the attack on Iran as a primary reason, although the exact cause hasn’t been confirmed.

“Hashrate dropped right after Israel’s initial strike on Iran. It’s not talked about often but Iran has been mining for many years now (over 5 years).. its likely that Israel hit part of Iran’s power grid and disrupted some of their mining operation,” an X user known as daniel wrote on Sunday (June 22).

“Can’t say whether disrupting (their) mining was part of their plan or simply a secondary effect of the strike, but I think it’s likely this is what caused the drop in hashrate.”

However, only 3 percent of the hashrate decrease precisely coincided with events related to attacks on Iran.

According to TechCrunch, the Iranian government imposed a near-total internet blackout on as a precaution against potential cyberattacks, which coincided with a 2.2 percent decline in global hashrate from Thursday (June 19).

The US strike on Iran’s nuclear facility then led to power grid outages in the country, coinciding with a one percent decrease in global hash rates from Saturday (June 21) to Sunday (June 22).

The hashrate had already fallen by over 6.25 percent between June 15 and June 19, before the internet blackout and the US bombing. The current heatwave covering the Eastern coast of the US and Canada could be another contributing factor, as elevated temperatures can lower the efficiency of high-performing technology.

Coinbase surpasses all-time high

Coinbase Global (NASDAQ:COIN) surpassed its all-time high on Wednesday, reaching US$369.25, more than three percent above its previous record of US$357.39 recorded on November 9, 2021.

The move marks a strong resurgence from its year-to-date low of US$151.47, recorded in April.

Coinbase’s stock price has grown by 38 percent since the start of the year and 134 percent from its closing price on April 8 following the imposition of additional tariffs on China by the US, an event that triggered broader market anxieties and impacted several tech-related equities.

Norwegian deep-sea miner commits to US$1.2 billion Bitcoin strategy

Green Minerals, a deep-sea mining firm listed in Oslo, has kicked off its US$1.2 billion Bitcoin treasury plan with an initial purchase of four BTC, spending roughly US$420,000. The company said it aims to hedge against fiat currency risk and inflation while building a tech-forward balance sheet. Executive Chair Ståle Rodahl called Bitcoin “non-inflationary” and “decentralized,” framing the strategy as a long-term financial hedge.

The move places Green Minerals among 245+ companies holding over US$88 billion in BTC globally. However, the market did not immediately reward the announcement — shares dropped nearly 20 percent before stabilizing.

To increase transparency, the firm plans to report BTC-per-share data for investors going forward.

Metaplanet raises US$515 million in single-day stock exercise

Japan’s Metaplanet raised ¥74.9 billion (about US$515 million) in one day by exercising stock acquisition rights under its aggressive bitcoin treasury plan. The firm issued 54 million new shares, representing 29 percent of its current outstanding rights, as part of the so-called “555 Million Plan.”

While Metaplanet stock initially plunged 15 percent, it recovered and closed 4 percent higher after the announcement. CEO Simon Gerovich called it a “strategic milestone,” reaffirming the firm’s dedication to bitcoin-backed value creation.

Separately, France-based Blockchain Group also raised US$4.8 million via an equity issuance agreement with TOBAM. The two companies continue to expand their BTC-per-share holdings, with Blockchain Group now holding 1,653 BTC in Europe.

EU set to ignore ECB’s stablecoin warning, push ahead with new rules

The European Commission is preparing to introduce new stablecoin regulations despite repeated warnings from the European Central Bank (ECB). According to the Financial Times, the upcoming guidance would treat foreign-issued stablecoins as functionally equivalent to their EU counterparts.

The ECB has warned that this could disrupt monetary stability by encouraging deposit flight from banks into crypto.

ECB President Christine Lagarde recently urged lawmakers to fast-track the digital euro, arguing it would safeguard financial autonomy from US-dominated stablecoins.

Despite these concerns, Commission sources say the risk of a stablecoin run is minimal, and any redemptions would mostly occur in the US where reserves are held.

The new rules are expected to be unveiled within days.

South Korean banks collaborate on won-backed stablecoin

According to Econovill, a South Korean media outlet that focuses on economic and financial news, eight major South Korean banks are working together to introduce a won-pegged stablecoin

Expected to launch in late 2025 or early 2026, the project is backed by the Open Blockchain nonprofit, the Decentralized Identity Association and the Korea Financial Telecommunications and Clearings Institute and is considered a significant pioneering step for traditional banks entering the digital asset space.

The announcement follows a report published in Yonhap News on Tuesday (June 24), which cited Bank of Korea Deputy Governor Ryoo Sang-dai’s suggestions that regulated banks be the main issuers of stablecoins.

He also advised beginning with won-denominated stablecoins before expanding into other areas. According to the report, this approach aims to create a safety net for the financial system.

Reuters reported that during a press conference in Seoul earlier this month, Governor Sang-dai expressed concerns about a won-pegged stablecoin, despite not opposing it. He noted that such a stablecoin could unintentionally facilitate the exchange of won for USD. Sang-dai added that this trend could negatively impact South Korea’s currency and hinder the central bank’s monetary management strategies.

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

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Former President Joe Biden’s disastrous presidential debate with now-President Donald Trump one year ago Friday changed the course of the 2024 election.

The octogenarian Delawarean appeared on-stage tired and with a raspy voice, while some of his responses were at times unintelligible, leading to Trump landing several wisecracks in response.

While giving a response about wealthy Americans paying sufficient taxes, Biden said there are at least 1,000 billionaires – first muttering ‘1,000 trillionaires’ – in the U.S. and that they purportedly pay only 8.2% in taxes.

‘If they just paid 24%; 25%, either one of those numbers, they’d raise $500 million – billion I should say in a 10-year period. We’d be able to wipe out the debt,’ and ‘all those things we need to do [with] child care, elder care.’

Gov. Gavin Newsom at presidential debate:

His response went on for several more seconds, transitioning into a sidewinder about making every person eligible for ‘what I’ve been able to do with COVID,’ before mumbling for several seconds and declaring, ‘We finally beat Medicare.’

When moderator Jake Tapper turned to Trump for a response, he said:

‘Well, he’s right, he did beat Medicare, he beat it to death.’

Biden also claimed to have reduced illegal immigration at the southern border by 40% over the course of his term.

‘It’s better than when [Trump] left office. And I’m going to continue to move until we get the total ban on the total initiative relative to what we can do with more Border Patrol and more asylum officers,’ Biden said.

‘I really don’t know what he said at the end of that sentence. I don’t think he knows what he said either,’ Trump replied.

Political consultant Chris LaCivita answers questions about Biden and Trump

Trump also sharply criticized Biden for ‘destroy[ing] our country,’ and that he came out with a ‘nothing’ border plan to score a few political points.

The current president also labeled Biden ‘a Palestinian’ – a title he also bestowed on Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who is Jewish – in relation to how they have responded to the Israel-Gaza conflict, after Biden accused him of disrespecting the military.

Biden said his late son, former Delaware Attorney General Joseph Beau Biden III, contracted glioblastoma from being stationed near burn pits in Iraq. He went on to accuse Trump of the widely-debunked ‘suckers and losers’ line about World War I casualties buried in a French cemetery.

‘My son was not a loser, he was not a sucker – you’re the sucker, you’re the loser,’ Biden fumed, speaking sternly through gritted teeth.

‘First of all, that was a made-up quote – suckers and losers – they made it up; it was in a third-rate magazine,’ Trump replied. 

The Atlantic editor Jeffrey Goldberg cited multiple anonymous sources in publishing the bombshell allegations in September 2020.

Fox News Digital’s Kiera McDonald, Emma Woodhead and Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

President Trump exerted ‘maximum pressure’ on Israel and Iran in an effort to ‘deliver peace’ after his historic and decisive strikes decimated the Islamic Republic’s nuclear facilities.

The president vowed throughout his 2024 campaign to reach ‘peace through strength,’ and he has taken steps in recent days to do just that, with an added pressure campaign on both Israel and Iran.

‘President Trump directing the perfect execution of the most secretive and successful military strikes in history – and then negotiating a ceasefire to the war within 48 hours – is the epitome of peace through strength,’ White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News Digital. ‘Nobody knows how to exert maximum pressure to deliver peace better than Donald Trump.’

Trump, this week, participated in the NATO Summit in the Netherlands, where he was praised by allies for his decision to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte praised Trump as a ‘man of strength’ and a ‘man of peace.’

‘I just want to recognize your decisive action on Iran,’ Rutte said at the start of his joint remarks with the president. ‘You are a man of strength, but you are also a man of peace. And the fact that you are now also successful in getting this ceasefire done between Israel and Iran – I really want to commend you for that. I think this is important for the whole world.’

Rutte, on his social media, also congratulated the president for his ‘extraordinary’ action in Iran, saying it was ‘something no one else dared to do.’

‘It makes us all safer,’ Rutte said.

The president also brokered a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, announcing Monday that the ’12-Day War’ was coming to an end – just over a week after Israel launched a preemptive strike, citing fears that Tehran was dangerously close to obtaining a nuclear weapon.

The two countries subsequently traded rocket fire over the following days, and over the weekend, the U.S. launched its own airstrikes on three of Iran’s key nuclear facilities.

Iran responded by shooting rockets at a U.S. air base in Qatar on Monday, but not without giving advance notice to U.S. and Qatari officials. No injuries were reported in that attack.

The ceasefire had gotten off to an uncertain start, with the president unleashing frustration with both countries.

‘I’m not happy with Israel. You know, when I say, OK, now you have 12 hours, you don’t go out in the first hour and just drop everything you have on them. So I’m not happy with them. I’m not happy with Iran either, but I’m really unhappy if Israel is going out this morning,’ Trump said on Tuesday.

He continued, ‘We basically have two countries that have been fighting for so long and so hard that they don’t know what the f— they’re doing.’ 

‘I’m gonna see if I can stop it,’ he added.

‘ISRAEL. DO NOT DROP THOSE BOMBS. IF YOU DO IT IS A MAJOR VIOLATION. BRING YOUR PILOTS HOME, NOW!’ Trump wrote on Truth Social shortly after boarding Marine One.

Minutes later, he announced that Israel was canceling its plans for an attack on Tuesday morning.

‘ISRAEL is not going to attack Iran. All planes will turn around and head home, while doing a friendly ‘Plane Wave’ to Iran. Nobody will be hurt, the Ceasefire is in effect! Thank you for your attention to this matter!’ he wrote.

Israel did not attack.

From the NATO summit, the president warned that the U.S. will strike Iran again if it attempts to rebuild its nuclear program.

And Trump’s historic strikes in Iran have the Islamic Republic admitting that their nuclear facilities were decimated.

Assessments from the U.S., Israel and Iran agree the strikes were successful.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi admitted in an interview on state TV that the U.S.’s strikes caused serious damage to Tehran’s nuclear facilities, despite Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s insistence that there was minimal impact.

Araghchi said in the interview that ‘the level of damage is high, and it’s serious damage,’ according to the Associated Press.

Post-strike assessments have shown that Iran’s nuclear sites suffered damage in both U.S. and Israeli attacks. All three countries — Iran, Israel and the U.S. — have reached similar conclusions about the extent of the damage, despite what a leaked intel report indicated.

The only leader who seemingly does not agree with the assessments is Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who said that ‘the Americans failed to achieve anything significant in their attack on nuclear facilities,’ according to reports. 

Khamenei appears to be more focused on projecting strength than reflecting reality. He described Iran’s attack on Al-Udeid, the American airbase in Qatar, as a ‘heavy slap to the U.S.’s face.’ While President Donald Trump dismissed it as a ‘very weak response’ and thanked Iran for giving the U.S. ‘early notice.’

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi said in a statement on Tuesday that the agency had ‘seen extensive damage at several nuclear sites in Iran, including its uranium conversion and enrichment facilities.’

In addition to discussing the damage done to Iran’s nuclear sites, Araghchi also addressed the possibility of resuming talks with the U.S. He said that the American strikes ‘made it more complicated and more difficult’ for Iran to come to the table, but did not rule out the possibility that negotiations could resume.

Nuclear talks with the U.S. might not be entirely off the table for Iran after last week’s strikes—even if Tehran is not interested in reentering negotiations right away.

The possibility of negotiations was already in question prior to Operation Midnight Hammer, as Tehran viewed the U.S. as being ‘complicit’ in Israel’s Operation Rising Lion, according to Reuters, citing Iranian U.N. Ambassador Ali Bahreini.

Trump on Wednesday expressed optimism in the U.S.’s ability to resume nuclear talks with Iran.

‘We’re going to talk to them next week, with Iran. We may sign an agreement, I don’t know. To me, I don’t think it’s that necessary. I mean, they had a war. They fought. Now they’re going back to their world. I don’t care if I have an agreement or not. The only thing we would be asking for is what we’re asking for before about, we want no nuclear [program]. But we destroyed the nuclear,’ Trump said. 

Despite Trump’s statement, there is still no clear indication that the countries have plans to meet in the near future.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Oslo police on Friday announced charges against Marius Borg Høiby, the eldest son of Norway’s crown princess, on multiple counts including rape, sexual assault and bodily harm after a months-long investigation of a case that involved a “double-digit” number of alleged victims.

Høiby, the son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit and stepson of the heir to the throne, Crown Prince Haakon, has been under scrutiny since he was repeatedly arrested in 2024 amid allegations of rape and on preliminary charges of bodily harm and criminal damage.

Oslo Police Attorney Andreas Kruszewski said Høiby was cooperative during police questioning, which is now complete. Evidence in the case was drawn from sources including text-messages, witness testimonies and police searches, the police attorney said.

The charges included one case of rape involving intercourse and two cases of rape without intercourse, four cases of sexual assault and two cases of bodily harm, Kruszewksi said at a news conference.

“I cannot go into further detail about the number of victims in the case beyond confirming that it is a double-digit number,” he said.

Defense attorney Petar Sekulic, in an email to The Associated Press, said Høiby was “absolutely taking the accusations very seriously, but doesn’t acknowledge any wrongdoing in most of the cases — especially the cases regarding sexual abuse and violence.”

The royal palace did not immediately respond to an e-mailed request from the AP seeking comment. The palace was quoted by the Norwegian newswire NTB saying it would not comment while the case winds its way through the “normal procedures.”

The case was top news in Norway, where the royals are popular.

Høiby, 28, previously lived with the royal couple and their two children, Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus, but now lives in a separate house nearby, according to Sekulic.

Høiby remains free pending a possible trial and is entitled to a presumption of innocence until a court rules otherwise.

Once known affectionately as “Little Marius,” Høiby grew up in the public eye enjoying the same wealth and privilege as his royal siblings, although his biological father, Morton Borg, served time in prison for drugs and violent offenses. Høiby has acknowledged cocaine use and addiction.

Norway’s future queen made headlines in 2001 when she married Haakon because she was a single mother who had lived a freewheeling life with a companion who had been convicted on drug charges.

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