Lithium Universe (LU7:AU) has announced Change of Management Role
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Brightstar Resources (BTR:AU) has announced Broad gold intercepts in Sandstone drilling
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White Cliff Minerals Limited (“WCN” or the “Company”) (ASX: WCN; OTCQB: WCMLF) is pleased to announce that John Hancock will join the Board of White Cliff Minerals effective 1 August 2025.
The Company is also pleased to announce that is has entered an advisory mandate with John Hancock’s family office Astrotricha Capital SEZC with Gavin Rezos as its CEO. This engagement, alongside John’s appointment to the Board comes at a pivotal time for White Cliff as its highly anticipated follow up campaign at the Rae Copper Project will shortly commence.
“Alongside our brokers, we have now worked with our Strategic Advisor John Hancock and his family office Astrotricha Capital on two successful capital raises totalling more than A$15m. We now welcome John to the Company as a Non-Executive Director who, alongside Astrotricha CEO Gavin Rezos, will bring further industry experience and strategic advice as we embark on the next phase of exploration at our Rae Copper Project where we will shortly commence drilling at the high-grade Danvers deposit and the giant geophysical anomaly at the sedimentary target – Hulk.’
Troy Whittaker – Managing Director
‘White Cliff’s first mover advantage in what may be one of the most prospective copper regions globally led to my involvement as Strategic Advisor and then via on-market purchases and the capital raises, to become the Company’s largest shareholder. The Company is well-funded to shortly commence the large drill campaign at Rae as a follow on from our earlier world class intercepts at the Danvers deposit. I am pleased Gavin Rezos, via Astrotricha Capital SEZC, will provide his extensive experience and networks to compliment my own contribution.’
John Hancock – Incoming Non-Executive Director
John’s experience in the mining and exploration industry began more than 40 years ago visiting Pilbara iron ore prospects with his grandfather, Lang Hancock. During the 1990s he was part of marketing missions representing the Hope Downs Iron Ore project to customers and investors in China, Japan and Germany, including co-presenting the project at the 1997 Iron and Steel Conference held in Berlin. After two years working in South Africa with Iscor Mining (now Kumba) and on return to Australia completing an MBA, John transitioned to the role of investor and over the last 20 years has built a record of successful early-stage investments in Lithium and Uranium, including substantial holdings in Vulcan Energy and Aura Energy. His experience in international resource development and capital markets includes the role of Senior Advisor to a New York based fund that during his tenure has deployed more than $500m to small-cap companies in both Australia and Canada, particularly within the mining industry.
‘Astrotricha has introduced high net worth investors and funds from Australia and globally to the WCN register. Our combined successful track record in assisting the development of resource projects and many years’ experience in international capital markets, corporate advisory, project development and corporate governance has attracted a range of co investors, both financial and strategic, ready to follow Astrotricha into new companies as those companies develop and their market capitalisation grows. Astrotricha’s aim is to invest at an early stage into potential Tier 1 resource companies and assist them over the development journey. White Cliff was identified as a prime candidate by John Hancock in 2024.”
Gavin Rezos – CEO Astrotricha Capital SEZC
Gavin Rezos has extensive Australian and international investment banking, corporate advisory and governance experience and is a former Investment Banking Director of HSBC Group with regional roles during his career based in London, Sydney and Dubai. Admitted as a solicitor in Australia and England, Gavin has been legal advisor for HSBC on transactions in Australasia, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. Gavin has held Chairman, Board and CEO positions of public companies in the resources, materials and technology sectors in Australia, the UK, Germany and the US and during these tenures raised a total of over $1.8 billion for project development. Gavin is the former Chairman of Vulcan Energy Resources, non-executive director of Iluka Resources and of Rowing Australia, the peak Olympics sports body for rowing in Australia. As an early-stage founder director, Gavin has taken 3 companies from start up to the ASX300 and one to a market capitalisation of over $1 billion.
Director Retirement
Daniel Smith has informed the Board of his intent to retire as a director of White Cliff to focus on his other professional interests from 1 August 2025. The Board is grateful to Dan for his contribution to White Cliff over the last 5 years and wishes him all the best in his future endeavours.
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Halcones Precious Metals Corp. (TSX-V: HPM) (the ‘ Company ‘ or ‘ Halcones ‘) announces it has granted a total of 3,500,000 stock options (‘Options’) to purchase common shares of the Company to certain officers, directors and consultants pursuant to the Company’s Stock Option Plan. Such Options are exercisable into common shares of the Company at an exercise price of $0.10 per common share for a period of two years from the date of grant.
In addition, the Company has issued a total of 4,550,000 restricted share units (‘RSUs’) to certain directors, officers and consultants of the Company in accordance with the Company’s Restricted Share Unit and Deferred Unit Plan. The RSUs will vest annually in equal installments over a three-year period beginning on the one-year anniversary of the grant date.
The grant of the Options and the RSUs is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.
About Halcones Precious Metals Corp.
Halcones is focused on exploring for and developing gold-silver projects in Chile. The Company has a team with a strong background of exploration success in the region.
For further information, please contact:
Vincent Chen, CPA
Investor Relations
vincent.chen@halconespm.com
www.halconespreciousmetals.com
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Information
This press release contains ‘forward-looking information’ within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, without limitation, regarding the grant of stock options and RSUs and the Company’s future plans. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as ‘plans’, ‘expects’ or ‘does not expect’, ‘is expected’, ‘budget’, ‘scheduled’, ‘estimates’, ‘forecasts’, ‘intends’, ‘anticipates’ or ‘does not anticipate’, or ‘believes’, or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results ‘may’, ‘could’, ‘would’, ‘might’ or ‘will be taken’, ‘occur’ or ‘be achieved’. Forward- looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Halcones, as the case may be, to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, geopolitical and social uncertainties; the actual results of current exploration activities; risks associated with operation in foreign jurisdictions; ability to successfully integrate the purchased properties; foreign operations risks; and other risks inherent in the mining industry. Although Halcones has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. 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 statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Halcones does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.
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Oil prices plummeted over 6 percent on Monday (June 23) as Iran launched a missile strike on a US military base in Qatar in retaliation for American airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
Reuters reported that Brent crude futures dropped US$4.90, or 6.3 percent, to settle at US$72.19 per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude slid US$4.60, or 6.2 percent, to US$69.23 per barrel.
The sharp declines followed initial spikes of nearly 5 percent on Sunday (June 22) evening, after US President Donald Trump confirmed that American forces had “obliterated” key Iranian nuclear sites in a joint response with Israel.
Despite dramatic headlines and a week of mounting hostilities, Iran’s retaliation against the US appears to have been designed to avoid triggering a full-scale energy crisis.
Tehran targeted the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, the largest US military installation in the Middle East, and claimed it matched the number of bombs used by the US — a move analysts say may signal a desire to limit escalation.
“It is somewhat the lesser of the two evils. It seems unlikely that they’re going to try and close the Strait of Hormuz,” Matt Smith, lead oil analyst at data and analytics firm Kpler, told Reuters.
The Strait of Hormuz, through which around 20 percent of the world’s oil supply flows daily, has long been seen as a flashpoint in Middle East conflict scenarios. Iran’s parliament has reportedly approved a measure to close the vital waterway, but implementation would require a nod from Iran’s national security council.
Experts have noted that such a move could prove harmful for Iran, which relies on the strait to export oil.
Oil prices face volatility
Oil traders initially braced for the worst as futures soared to five month highs on fears of supply disruptions.
Brent briefly touched US$81.40 before swiftly tumbling nearly US$9, while WTI reversed from US$78.40 to under $70 by Monday afternoon. The selloff was driven by relief that oil infrastructure was not targeted, as well as broader market optimism that hostilities may not spiral further — at least not yet.
Even so, shipping data indicates growing unease.
At least two oil supertankers made U-turns near the Strait of Hormuz following the US strikes.
The Coswisdom Lake and South Loyalty reversed course before ultimately entering the Persian Gulf, illustrating the caution with which commercial operators are treating the volatile region.
Market participants watch and wait
Oil’s tumble offered a temporary reprieve to global equities.
The S&P 500 (INDEXSP:INX) rose 0.7 percent by mid-afternoon, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX:.DJI) gained 269 points. The Nasdaq Composite (INDEXNASDAQ:.IXIC) was up 0.8 percent as investors speculated that Iran’s restrained retaliation might mark a turning point — or at least a pause — in the military escalation.
“The key question is what comes next,” analysts at S&P Global Commodity Insights wrote in a note, as reported by the Financial Times. “Will Iran attack US interests directly or through allied militias? Will Iranian crude exports be suspended? Will Iran attack shipping in the Strait of Hormuz?”
Meanwhile, Trump took to his Truth Social platform to urge increased domestic production in an effort to suppress oil prices, posting: “To the Department of Energy: DRILL, BABY, DRILL!!! And I mean NOW!!!”
Earlier in the day, the president warned oil producers: “EVERYONE, KEEP OIL PRICES DOWN. I’M WATCHING! YOU’RE PLAYING RIGHT INTO THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY.”
Trump’s concern underscores the political stakes of rising energy costs. Though oil prices have climbed around 10 percent since Israel’s initial strike on Iran 10 days ago, they remain below their January levels.
As oil markets brace for the next move, one thing is clear: while a major supply disruption has been avoided — for now — any shift in Tehran’s strategy could send prices spiraling again.
“So far, not a single drop of oil has been lost to the global market,” said Bjarne Schieldrop of SEB. “But the market is still on edge awaiting what Iran will do.”
Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
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An escalating conflict between Israel and Iran drew military inolvement from the US over the weekend, marking a significant ratcheting up of tensions in the region.
On Saturday (June 21), US B-2 bombers flying out of Whiteman Air Base and a US submarine stationed in an undisclosed location launched strikes against three sites in Iran. The targets were Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan that the US alleges were being used to enrich uranium to create a nuclear bomb.
Both Israel and the US have been adamant that Iran should not be allowed to have nuclear weapons.
The attacks mark the first time the US has used its 30,000 pound Massive Ordnance Penetrator in a combat role.
Prior to the strikes, the US had been working for several months to create a new nuclear deal with Iran.
President Donald Trump had given a deadline for the end of May, and had previously stated that if the Iranian regime did not give up its nuclear ambitions in that timeline, there would be “all hell to pay.”
Iran has retaliated against US bases in the Middle East, with US defense officials confirming an attack at the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar on Monday (June 23). The base is the headquarters for US Central Command in the region.
In 2020, Iran carried out a similar retaliatory attack against a US base in Iraq following the assassination of Qasem Soleimani, who was head of the Quds Force, a special operations unit of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard.
The US received a warning prior to that attack, and no personnel were killed. The parties used the incident to de-escalate tensions in the region. It’s unclear whether this latest strike by Iran was intended to produce the same results.
Iran is currently considering blocking the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial shipping route for traffic in and out of the Persian Gulf. On Monday, the country’s parliament approved a motion to close the strait; however, implementation would require approval from Iran’s national security council, and experts suggest such a move would hurt more than help Iran.
If approved, the closure could send ripples through global oil markets, with some analysts predicting Brent crude could surge to over US$110 per barrel. A prolonged closure could also exert significant inflationary pressures.
Commodities and markets stay calm
Market reactions to the weekend’s attacks have largely been muted.
Brent crude was down 6.5 percent by 3:00 p.m. EDT on Monday, trading at US$70.68. The gold price put on a relatively flat performance, breaching US$3,390 per ounce, but pulling back to the US$3,370 level.
The silver price was also unchanged, gaining just 0.07 percent to US$36.31 per ounce.
Gold price, June 23, 2025.
US equities saw moderate gains, with the S&P 500 (INDEXSP:INX) climbing 0.8 percent to 6,014.6, the Nasdaq-100 (INDEXNASDAQ:NDX) rising 0.88 percent to 21,817.35 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX:.DJI) gaining 0.75 percent to 42,519.63.
Securities Disclosure: I, Dean Belder, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
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Roughly three-quarters of the nation’s health insurance providers signed a series of commitments this week in an effort to improve patient care by reducing bureaucratic hurdles caused by insurance companies’ prior-authorization requirements.
Director of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Dr. Mehmet Oz, alongside Health and Human Services Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., announced the new voluntary pledge from a cadre of insurance providers, who cover roughly 75% of the population, during a press conference Monday. The new commitments are aimed at speeding up and reducing prior-authorization processes used by insurers, a process that has been long-maligned for unnecessarily delaying patient care and other bureaucratic hurdles negatively impacting patients.
‘The pledge is not a mandate. It’s not a bill, a rule. This is not legislated. This is a opportunity for industry to show itself,’ Oz said Monday. ‘But by the fact that three-quarters of the patients in the country are already covered by participants in this pledge, it’s a good start and the response has been overwhelming.’
Prior-authorization is a process that requires providers to obtain approval from a patient’s insurance provider before that provider can offer certain treatments or services. Essentially, the process seeks to ensure patients are getting the right solution for a particular problem.
However, according to Oz, the process has led to doctors being forced to spend enormous amounts of man-power to satisfy prior-authorization requirements from insurers. He noted during Monday’s press conference that, on average, physicians have to spend 12 hours a week dealing with these requirements, which they see about 40 of per week.
‘It frustrates doctors. It sometimes results in care that is significantly delayed. It erodes public trust in the healthcare system. It’s something we can’t tolerate,’ Oz insisted.
The pledge has been adopted by some of the nation’s largest insurance providers, including United Healthcare, Cigna, Humana, Blue Cross & Blue Shield, Aetna and many more. While the industry-led commitments aim to improve care for patients, it could potentially eat into their profits as well if patients start seeking care more often.
The commitments from insurers cemented this week include taking active steps to implement a common standardized process for electronic prior-authorization through the development of standardized submission requirements to support faster turnaround time. The goal is for the new framework to be operational by Jan. 1, 2027.
Another part of the pledge includes a commitment from individual insurance plans to implement certain reductions in its use of medical prior-authorization by Jan. 1, 2026. On that date, if patients switch insurance providers during the course of treatment, their new plan must honor their existing prior-authorization approvals for 90-days while the patient transitions.
Transparency is also a key part of the new commitments from insurance providers. Health plans enjoined with the commitments will pledge to provide clear and easy-to-understand explanations of prior-authorization determinations, including guidance for appeals. The commitment also states that by 2027, 80% of electronic prior-authorization approvals from companies will be answered in real-time.
Oz, during the Monday press conference, compared the industry-led pledge to the Bible, saying, ‘The meek shall inherit the earth.’
‘I always grew up thinking ‘meek’ meant weak, but that’s not what meek means. ‘Meek’ means you have a sharp sword, a sword that could do real damage to people around you, but you decide, electively, to sheathe that sword and put it away for a while, so you can do goods, so you can do important things where once in a while we have to get together, even if we’re competitors, and agree,’ Oz said Monday.
‘That’s what these insurance companies and hospital systems have done,’ he continued. ‘They have agreed to sheathe their swords to be meek for a while, to come up with a better solution to a problem that plagues us all.’
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As the dust still settles following the U.S. attack on Iran’s nuclear sites, analysts say the next steps will determine whether the Islamic Republic’s atomic ambitions have truly been crippled.
Commenting on the mission, President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social that: ‘The damage to the Nuclear sites in Iran is said to be ‘monumental.’ The hits were hard and accurate. Great skill was shown by our military. Thank you!’
Also on Sunday, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine told reporters, ‘Final battle damage will take some time, but initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage and destruction.’ He added it was far too early to comment ‘on what may or may not still be there.’
A senior Israeli security source told Fox News Digital, ‘It’s still too soon to know for sure, but it appears the sites were seriously damaged — it looks excellent.’
‘History is being written,’ said Reserve Brig. Gen. Yossi Kuperwasser, head of the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security and a former IDF intelligence chief. ‘This is a powerful development that significantly weakens the Iranian threat and highlights the deep cooperation between Israel and the United States. But the journey is far from over.’
According to Kuperwasser, the strikes caused heavy damage to core parts of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure. ‘But I don’t think the program is destroyed,’ he told Fox News Digital. ‘They still have enriched uranium, the ability to produce centrifuges, and scientists. We killed many, but not all. And even the bombed facilities — we don’t know for sure that nothing remains.’
Kuperwasser emphasized that while Tehran may retain some nuclear assets, a key strategic threshold has now been crossed. ‘Until now, everything was covert: sabotage, diplomacy, sanctions. But now, military action has proven far more effective. If Iran tries to restart its program, they know we — and the Americans — are prepared to strike again.’
Sima Shein, a former senior Mossad official and Iran expert at Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), agreed that Iran’s capabilities have been degraded, but not eliminated.
‘There’s no doubt these were the three most important sites,’ Shein told Fox News Digital, referring to the U.S. strike Saturday night that hit Natanz, Isfahan, and Fordow, but claimed ‘Iran has dispersed its enriched uranium — both 60% and 20% — across various unknown locations. They’ve likely hidden advanced centrifuges as well, because production oversight hasn’t existed for years.’
She added that if a future diplomatic agreement is reached, the first condition must be ‘full disclosure and removal’ of all remaining fissile material.
Mark Dubowitz, CEO of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), told Fox News Digital that all remaining Iranian nuclear facilities must be completely dismantled and referred to FDD expert’s plan, which outlined a strategy for the permanent dismantlement of Tehran’s nuclear weapons enterprise.
The report calls for the destruction of all enrichment sites, the removal or seizure of enriched uranium, the dismantling of advanced centrifuges, and a permanent halt to weaponization efforts. It also demands unrestricted inspections, irreversible disarmament, and strict enforcement through snapback sanctions. FDD argues that anything less would leave Iran capable of rebuilding its nuclear program.
Amos Yadlin, a former head of Israeli military intelligence and president of the Mind Israel think tank, called the American strike a ‘game-changer.’
‘Trump’s doctrine of ‘peace through strength’ is in action,’ Yadlin said. ‘Geopolitically, this changes the entire war — and sends a message to China, Russia, and others.’
But Yadlin also believes Iran’s nuclear capabilities haven’t been wiped out completely. ‘There are two possible Iranian responses: retaliation and changing nuclear policy. Retaliation may come via terror attacks in the Gulf, or pressure through proxies like Hezbollah or the Houthis. But I think the more likely shift is in nuclear posture — perhaps withdrawing from the NPT.’
‘They’re in a dilemma,’ Shein told Fox News Digital. ‘They don’t want to drag the U.S. further into military conflict, and they can’t risk harming ties with Gulf neighbors. A military retaliation — like closing the Strait of Hormuz — would invite overwhelming force. Expelling inspectors or quitting the NPT [Non-Proliferation Treaty] may be their next moves.’
Kuperwasser added that military pressure alone may not bring lasting resolution — unless paired with either a diplomatic agreement with intrusive inspections, or a credible threat of continued strikes.
‘If there’s an agreement, it must be based on verification — not trust,’ he said. ‘Anywhere, anytime inspections. But if they refuse, we can continue striking any new facility they build.’
As Israel and the U.S. prepare for potential cycles of response and counter-response, Kuperwasser believes the Israeli public is ready.
‘These are historic times,’ he said. ‘We understand the sacrifice — and we’re ready to see it through.’
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Walmart has agreed to pay $10 million to settle a Federal Trade Commission civil lawsuit accusing the world’s largest retailer of ignoring warning signs that fraudsters used its money transfer services to fleece consumers out of hundreds of millions of dollars.
The settlement was filed on Friday in Chicago federal court, and requires approval by U.S. District Judge Manish Shah.
Walmart also agreed not to process money transfers it suspects are fraudulent, or help sellers and telemarketers it believes are using its services to commit fraud.
“Electronic money transfers are one of the most common ways that scammers tell consumers to send them money, because once it’s sent, it’s gone for good,” said Christopher Mufarrige, director of the FTC consumer protection bureau. “Companies that provide these services must train their employees to comply with the law and work to protect consumers.”
The Arkansas-based retailer did not admit or deny wrongdoing in agreeing to settle. Walmart did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
In its June 2022 complaint, the FTC accused Walmart of turning a blind eye to fraudsters who used its money transfer services to cash out at its stores.
Walmart acts as an agent for money transfers by companies such as MoneyGram and Western Union. Money can be hard to trace once delivered.
The FTC said fraudsters used many schemes that included impersonating Internal Revenue Service agents, impersonating family members who needed money from grandparents to avoid jail, and telling victims they won lotteries or sweepstakes but owed fees to collect their winnings.
Shah dismissed part of the FTC case last July but let the regulator pursue the remainder. Walmart appealed from that decision. Friday’s settlement would end the appeal.
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Apple was sued on Friday by shareholders in a proposed securities fraud class action that accused it of downplaying how long it needed to integrate advanced artificial intelligence into its Siri voice assistant, hurting iPhone sales and its stock price.
The complaint covers shareholders who suffered potentially hundreds of billions of dollars of losses in the year ending June 9, when Apple introduced several features and aesthetic improvements for its products but kept AI changes modest.
Apple did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
CEO Tim Cook, Chief Financial Officer Kevan Parekh and former CFO Luca Maestri are also defendants in the lawsuit filed in San Francisco federal court.
Shareholders led by Eric Tucker said that at its June 2024 Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple led them to believe AI would be a key driver of iPhone 16 devices, when it launched Apple Intelligence to make Siri more powerful and user-friendly. But they said the Cupertino, California-based company lacked a functional prototype of AI-based Siri features and could not reasonably believe the features would ever be ready for iPhone 16s.
Shareholders said the truth began to emerge on March 7 when Apple delayed some Siri upgrades to 2026 and continued through this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference on June 9 when Apple’s assessment of its AI progress disappointed analysts.
Apple shares have lost nearly one-fourth of their value since their Dec. 26, 2024 ,record high, wiping out approximately $900 billion of market value.
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