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Highlights

  • Attributable resource to CEL 6.9 Moz AuEq2 across El Guayabo (100%) and Colorado V (50%).
  • Significant upside remains: The resource is based on drilling 5 of the 15 major anomalies, with all 13 anomalies drilled returning mineralisation.
  • Completion of exploration in Ecuador enables the Company to commence the value realisation process, including strategic divestment options.
Commercial Advantages of the Project
  • Large-Scale Opportunity: The updated MRE positions Challenger Gold’s Ecuador assets among the largest undeveloped gold resources in South America, with 567Mt @ 0.50g/t AuEq for 9.1Moz AuEq on a total project basis.
  • Premium High-Grade Core Enhances Economics: The resource includes a higher-grade core of 2.1 Moz @ 1.0g/t AuEq, including 1.2 Moz @ 1.2g/t AuEq, offering potential for early-stage production and strong cash flow generation.
  • Strategic Location Validates District Potential: The projects are adjacent to Lumina Gold’s 20.5Moz Cangrejos project4 , which recently secured a $300M financing deal with Wheaton Precious Metals, confirming the district’s world-class potential as a globally significant gold-copper region.
  • Development-Ready Infrastructure: Located just 35km from a deepwater port with existing power, water, and road access on granted Mining Leases, the project benefits from reduced development costs and logistical efficiencies.

Value Realisation Strategy for Ecuador

Challenger Gold Limited plans to unlock the value of its Ecuador assets through several strategic options:

  • Strategic Sale: Divest the assets outright which could generate immediate capital for advancing Challenger’s flagship Hualilan Gold Project in Argentina.
  • Farm-In Partnership: Partner with a major mining company to fund development while retaining exposure through royalties or equity participation.

Focus on the Hualilan Gold project The upgraded MRE concludes Challenger Gold Limited’s exploration program in Ecuador, enabling the Company to focus entirely on advancing its flagship Hualilan Gold Project in Argentina, which features:

  • A total resource of 2.8Moz AuEq1 , including a high-grade core of 1.5 Moz @ 5.6g/t AuEq1
  • Mineralisation which remains open in all directions
  • This cashflow will be allocated towards the construction of the standalone Hualilan Gold project
  • Positioning Hualian as one of South America’s premier near-term production opportunities

Monetisation of the Ecuador assets will ensure shareholders benefit directly from both value realisation in Ecuador and production growth at Hualilan.

Commenting on the resource, CEL Managing Director, Mr Kris Knauer, said

“I would like to congratulate our exploration team in Ecuador for their outstanding work in doubling project resources from 4.5Moz to 9.1Moz AuEq, including a high-grade core of 2.1Moz at 1.0g/t AuEq.

This resource update represents a transformational milestone for Challenger Gold shareholders, enabling us to move forward with unlocking significant value from our Ecuador assets while focusing entirely on bringing our flagship Hualilan project into production.

This is only the beginning for the asset – the current resource is based on drilling just five of fifteen major anomalies identified across our Ecuador projects, with all thirteen anomalies drilled so far returning significant mineralisation.’

Click here for the full ASX Release

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Private specialty chemicals company Maverick Metals has raised US$19 million in a seed funding round led by Olive Tree Capital to accelerate the commercialization of its flagship lixiviant technology, LithX.

Unlike traditional acid-based processes, LithX enables cost-effective, ambient temperature leaching of refractory ores like chalcopyrite, unlocking metals previously considered uneconomical or too environmentally burdensome to process.

“As the US accelerates its push for domestic critical metals production, LithX provides a scalable, commercially viable path to securing essential materials,” said Eric Herrera, co-founder and CEO of Maverick.

The US$19 million funding round includes participation from high-profile investors such as Y Combinator, Hanwha Group, Liquid 2 Ventures, Nomadic Venture Partners, Soma Capital and TechNexus Venture Collaborative.

The capital will enable the company to expand pilot deployments in collaboration with major mining companies and scale its commercialization efforts.

Meeting rising metals demand with tech solutions

Global copper demand is expected to double by 2035, reaching approximately 50 million metric tons annually, driven largely by energy transition technologies, electric vehicles and infrastructure development.

But even as mining companies race to keep pace, challenges like declining ore grades, environmental restrictions and rising costs continue to limit production.

Maverick states that its proprietary lixiviant works at ambient temperatures and neutral pH levels, offering a safer, cheaper and more sustainable alternative to traditional acid leaching.

The technology enables the recovery not only of copper, but also valuable by-products such as molybdenum, gold, silver and even rare earths from a variety of unconventional sources — including tailings, smelter slag and coal fly ash.

According to Maverick, its LithX technology has demonstrated a range of benefits that could reshape the economics and the overall environmental footprint for metals processing.

For instance, the technology increases recovery rates at ambient temperatures, significantly reducing energy costs. It also eliminates the need for acid addition, offering a safer and more sustainable alternative to traditional methods.

In addition, Maverick notes that the process mitigates the risk of acid contamination and hazardous reagent exposure, enhancing worker safety — a key concern in traditional mining operations.

“We are pleased to announce our investment in and support of Maverick Metals,” said Nichola Eliovits, managing partner at Olive Tree Capital, in the company’s release. “We believe LithX has the potential to significantly increase the range of viable resources available to help alleviate global supply constraints.”

While copper remains a primary focus, LithX has shown versatility for a range of critical metals, such as high lithium extraction from spodumene and enhanced rare earths and gallium recovery from minerals like allanite and monazite.

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

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The global oil market is facing a sharp downturn as a wave of recession fears, aggressive trade policies and a surprise supply boost from OPEC+ collide to send prices tumbling to multi-year lows.

Although crude prices staged a modest recovery on Tuesday (April 8), the broader market trajectory remains grim, with Brent and West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude now trading well below levels needed for profitable production in the US.

Oil prices have dropped precipitously since early April, reaching levels not seen since 2021 on April 4 soon after US President Donald Trump’s announcement of sweeping new tariffs on dozens of countries.

Brent and WTI remain depressed despite small upticks on Tuesday, with Brent rising 1.03 percent to reach US$64.87 per barrel, and WTI gaining 1.24 percent to hit US$61.45 per barrel.

Double hit: Tariff shock and OPEC+ supply surge

The catalysts for the broad decline are a one-two punch of a deepening trade conflict between the US and China, and a surprise production surge from OPEC+ nations.

Trump’s tariff announcement — described by JPMorgan (NYSE:JPM) as the ‘largest tax hike on Americans since 1968’ — has rattled global markets and sent oil traders into a panic over demand destruction.

Beijing has responded with defiance, promising to fight to the end and calling Washington’s demands “blackmail.’

At the same time, OPEC+ — the alliance of major oil producers led by Saudi Arabia and Russia — announced an unexpected increase of 411,000 barrels per day in May output, compressing three months of planned supply expansion into a single move. The boost comes after months of US pressure to increase supply and push down energy prices.

But the timing could not have been worse for American producers. Analysts say the combined impact of slowing global trade and higher supply of the energy fuel has left the American oil industry vulnerable. Prices have dropped below the US$65 threshold needed to sustain profitable drilling activity across much of the US.

According to the latest Dallas Federal Reserve energy survey, even operations in the Permian Basin — the lowest-cost production zone in the country — require crude to trade above US$61 to remain economically viable.

“You’re probably seeing more pauses of initial investment intention than the initial Covid shock. It’s really bamboozling,” Rory Johnston, a veteran oil analyst and publisher of the Commodity Context newsletter, told Heatmap.

“Everything else is really, really starting to grind to a halt, and you’re not seeing anyone jumping over themselves to ‘drill, baby, drill,’ despite the White House’s claims,” Johnston added.

Equity markets have punished energy companies accordingly. Oilfield services giant Halliburton (NYSE:HAL) shed 20 percent in a single week, while Nabors Industries (NYSE:NBR) lost 30 percent in just five days.

The oil majors fared slightly better, but still saw significant losses, with ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM) down 10 percent, Occidental Petroleum (NYSE:OXY) down 15 percent and Chevron (NYSE:CVX) falling 13 percent.

Tariff fallout threatens global energy outlook

There is growing concern among market watchers that if economic activity continues to weaken under the weight of tariffs, further declines in both oil and gas demand are likely.

Crucially, many of the countries most affected by Trump’s tariffs — particularly in Southeast Asia — were previously projected to drive the bulk of oil and energy demand growth over the next decade.

Vietnam, Cambodia and four other Southeast Asian nations were hit with tariffs exceeding 45 percent, prompting concerns that their economies could stall or contract.

“The macro concern is that if these tariffs stay where they are, this is in a global recession, if not a depression-making place,” Johnston elaborated in his conversation with Heatmap. “And given that the highest tariff rates are on Asia in particular, and that’s where all growing oil demand is, it’s not good for oil.”

Meanwhile, US producers are grappling with higher costs for drilling inputs due to tariffs on steel, aluminum and other industrial goods. Johnston explained in a Bluesky post that drillers have reported a 30 percent spike in the cost of tubular steel pipe, a critical material for oil and gas wells, since Trump implemented a 25 percent steel tariff in February.

So far, OPEC+ officials have not signaled any plans to curb output again.

For now, the market remains volatile, and producers are in a state of limbo. Despite early promises of energy dominance and renewed drilling, Trump’s policy choices have left the sector reeling.

“The administration’s chaos is a disaster for the commodity markets. ‘Drill, baby, drill’ is nothing short of a myth and populist rallying cry. Tariff policy is impossible for us to predict and doesn’t have a clear goal,” one executive told the Dallas Fed last month.

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

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(TheNewswire)

Silver Crown Royalties Inc. ( Cboe: SCRI, OTCQX: SLCRF, BF: QS0 ) ( ‘Silver Crown’ ‘SCRi’ the ‘Corporation’ or the ‘Company’ ) is pleased to announce the purchase of 1,000 ounces of physical silver in the spot market as part of its silver exposure strategy

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The purchase was completed at an average price of $30.65 per ounce and reflects an 8% discount to 20-day VWAP and an 11% discount to recent highs. The average price was based on spot price of US$30.15 per ounce plus a premium of US$0.50 per ounce, for a total investment of US$30,650. The physical silver will be stored with Money Metals Depository LLC, with the exact location to be confirmed, potentially at a designated sub-custodian facility managed by the depository.

Photo Credit: MoneyMetals.com

Peter Bures, Silver Crown’s Chief Executive Officer, commented, ‘We strive to maintain an adequate working capital position of at least six months. We feel it is only prudent as a silver only royalty company to convert a portion of that cash to physical silver. SCRi’s ultimate vision is to provide a vehicle that serves as a hedge against currency devaluation, and we therefore feel it would be hypocritical to have exposure to 100% fiat money. We appreciate our investors want exposure to silver, not fiat, which they can achieve easily without our assistance. The purchase was made with a cash payment received from PPX effectively converting a cash payment to physical silver bullion delivery.’

ABOUT Silver Crown Royalties INC.

Founded by industry veterans, Silver Crown Royalties ( Cboe: SCRI | OTCQX: SLCRF | BF: QS0 ) is a publicly traded, silver royalty company. Silver Crown (SCRi) currently has four silver royalties of which three are revenue-generating. Its business model presents investors with precious metals exposure that allows for a natural hedge against currency devaluation while minimizing the negative impact of cost inflation associated with production. SCRi endeavors to minimize the economic impact on mining projects while maximizing returns for shareholders. For further information, please contact:

Silver Crown Royalties Inc.

Peter Bures, Chairman and CEO

Telephone: (416) 481-1744

Email: pbures@silvercrownroyalties.com

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This release contains certain ‘forward looking statements’ and certain ‘forward-looking information’ as defined under applicable Canadian and U.S. securities laws. Forward-looking statements and information can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as ‘may’, ‘will’, ‘should’, ‘expect’, ‘intend’, ‘estimate’, ‘anticipate’, ‘believe’, ‘continue’, ‘plans’ or similar terminology. The forward-looking information contained herein is provided for the purpose of assisting readers in understanding management’s current expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. Forward-looking statements and information include, but are not limited to, SCRi’s ultimate vision is to provide a vehicle that serves as a hedge against currency devaluation, and we therefore feel it would be hypocritical to have exposure to 100% fiat money . Forward-looking statements and information are based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions that, while believed by management to be reasonable, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual actions, events or results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to: the impact of general business and economic conditions; the absence of control over mining operations from which SCRi will purchase gold and other metals or from which it will receive royalty payments and risks related to those mining operations, including risks related to international operations, government and environmental regulation, delays in mine construction and operations, actual results of mining and current exploration activities, conclusions of economic evaluations and changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; accidents, equipment breakdowns, title matters, labor disputes or other unanticipated difficulties or interruptions in operations; SCRi’s ability to enter into definitive agreements and close proposed royalty transactions; the inherent uncertainties related to the valuations ascribed by SCRi to its royalty interests; problems inherent to the marketability of gold and other metals; the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses; industry conditions, including fluctuations in the price of the primary commodities mined at such operations, fluctuations in foreign exchange rates and fluctuations in interest rates; government entities interpreting existing tax legislation or enacting new tax legislation in a way which adversely affects SCRi; stock market volatility; regulatory restrictions; liability, competition, the potential impact of epidemics, pandemics or other public health crises on SCRi’s business, operations and financial condition, loss of key employees. SCRi has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. SCRi undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information except as required by applicable law. Such forward-looking information represents management’s best judgment based on information currently available.

This document does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, securities of the Company in Canada, the United States or any other jurisdiction. Any such offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the securities described herein will be made only pursuant to subscription documentation between the Company and prospective purchasers. Any such offering will be made in reliance upon exemptions from the prospectus and registration requirements under applicable securities laws, pursuant to a subscription agreement to be entered into by the Company and prospective investors. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

CBOE CANADA DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS NEWS RELEASE.

Copyright (c) 2025 TheNewswire – All rights reserved.

News Provided by TheNewsWire via QuoteMedia

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Oded Lifshitz was 83 years old when he was ripped from his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz along with his wife, Yocheved, during Hamas’ attacks against Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. Yocheved returned to Israel alive in October 2023 and has been advocating for other hostages’ release ever since. On Feb. 20, 2025, Oded returned to Israel in a coffin. His family, however, has not given up hope for those who remain in Gaza.

Daniel Lifshitz, Oded and Yocheved’s grandson, told Fox News Digital that, while the hostages who have returned have brought some light back to Kibbutz Nir Oz, nothing can really be done until all the hostages are back. As of the time of this writing, 13 hostages taken from Nir Oz are still in Gaza, and not all of them are alive.

When speaking to Fox News Digital, Daniel described his late grandfather as a ‘warrior of peace,’ explaining that while Oded served in four wars, he also fought for the rights of minorities.

Oded and Yocheved were peace activists who helped Palestinian pediatric cancer patients from Gaza cross into Israel for chemotherapy. In the eulogy she delivered at her husband’s funeral, Yocheved discussed their activism and said they ‘were hit by a terrible attack by those we helped on the other side,’ according to the Times of Israel’s translation.

Daniel explained that his grandmother felt betrayed not by Hamas or Islamic Jihad, but by Palestinian civilians who she and her husband had spent years helping. 

‘After October 7, they didn’t — we didn’t see the Palestinians going to protest outside against Hamas, going to protests for the release of the hostages, which they know if they would release all the hostage is that will be also the end of the war,’ Daniel told Fox News Digital. ‘And they need to show that they don’t want Hamas, and that is where my grandmother she feels really great betrayal because it’s for whom we try.’

Oded’s body was returned alongside those of Ariel and Kfir Bibas. The boys’ mother, Shiri Bibas, was supposed to be in the fourth coffin, but her remains were not there when the coffin arrived in Israel. Her body was returned two days later.

‘… their return together is symbolizing the failure of the international community for me because in those cars came a 9-month-old baby, the only baby held hostage in the world with an 83-year-old great-grandfather, the only great-grandfather health hostage world,’ Daniel told Fox News Digital. 

Daniel grew up with Shiri’s sister, Dana, who told Fox News Digital that she is like a sister to him.
When asked about the differences between the Biden administration and the Trump administration’s handling of the situation, Daniel told Fox News Digital that Trump’s team is ‘more creative.’

‘If one thing doesn’t work, they don’t continue. They try to bring another solution,’ Daniel told Fox News Digital.

In the face of tragedy, the Lifshitz family has refused to give up hope that the remaining hostages, alive and dead, will one day return home to Israel. Daniel also hopes his grandmother will be able to get some rest once she knows the hostages are home.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Vice President JD Vance spoke out against Sen. Mitch McConnell’s, R-Ky., vote against confirming Elbridge Colby to serve as undersecretary of defense for policy.

‘Mitch’s vote today—like so much of the last few years of his career—is one of the great acts of political pettiness I’ve ever seen,’ Vance declared in a post on X.

Colby was confirmed in a 54-45 vote on Tuesday. McConnell was the only Senate Republican to vote against confirmation, while three Democrats voted in Colby’s favor.

President Donald Trump announced Colby as his pick for the Pentagon post when he was the president-elect.

‘Elbridge Colby’s long public record suggests a willingness to discount the complexity of the challenges facing America, the critical value of our allies and partners, and the urgent need to invest in hard power to preserve American primacy,’ McConnell said in a statement.

‘The prioritization that Mr. Colby argues is fresh, new, and urgently needed is, in fact, a return to an Obama-era conception of a la carte geostrategy. Abandoning Ukraine and Europe and downplaying the Middle East to prioritize the Indo-Pacific is not a clever geopolitical chess move. It is geostrategic self-harm that emboldens our adversaries and drives wedges between America and our allies for them to exploit,’ the senator asserted.

McConnell has voted against multiple Trump nominees this year.

‘Mr. Colby’s confirmation leaves open the door for the less-polished standard-bearers of restraint and retrenchment at the Pentagon to do irreparable damage to the system of alliances and partnerships which serve as force multipliers to U.S. leadership. It encourages isolationist perversions of peace through strength to continue apace at the highest levels of Administration policymaking,’ McConnell said.

Vance spoke out in support of Colby last month at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on Colby’s nomination.

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President Donald Trump on Tuesday blasted some Republican members of Congress for trying to limit his presidential powers on instituting tariffs so that Congress could retake control.

Trump delivered a speech to the National Republican Congressional Committee, calling out ‘rebel’ Republicans while speaking about his trade policies.

‘And then I see some rebel Republican, some guy who wants to grandstand, say, ‘I think that Congress should take over negotiations.’ Let me tell you, you don’t negotiate like I negotiate,’ Trump said.

Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., is leading a bipartisan bill to block Trump from instituting tariffs and retake that power for Congress. Bacon told reporters earlier on Tuesday that he didn’t like ‘the thought of waging a trade war with the entire world.’ 

In the Senate, a bipartisan group led by Sens. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Ron Wyden, D-Ore., is also introducing a resolution to repeal Trump’s global tariffs. 

Sens. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., have already introduced a bipartisan bill that would require the president to notify Congress about any new tariffs within 48 hours of imposition and require Congress to approve new tariffs within 60 days or allow them to expire.

Trump chewed out the Republicans over the proposed bills.

‘I just saw it today, a couple of your congressmen,’ Trump said before launching into an impression of a lawmaker. ”Sir, I think we should get involved in the negotiation of the tariffs.’ Oh, that’s what I need, I need some guy telling me how to negotiate.’

Trump said that should Congress take over tariff negotiations, China would be ‘the happiest people in the world.’

‘They wouldn’t be paying 104%,’ Trump said of China. ‘I’d say they’d be paying no percent — we’d be paying them 104%.’

Trump said that even the talk around Capitol Hill about limiting his tariff powers ‘hurts your negotiation,’ adding, ‘And then the fake news wants to build it up, and it has no chance anyway.’

‘We have to remain united as I defend workers from unfair trade,’ Trump said.

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House Republicans are divided over how to proceed on a massive piece of legislation aimed at advancing President Donald Trump’s agenda as a possible vote on the measure looms Wednesday afternoon.

The House Rules Committee, the final gatekeeper for legislation before a chamber-wide vote, is expected to consider the measure on Wednesday morning beginning at 8:45 a.m. ET.

Fiscal hawks are rebelling against GOP leaders over plans to pass the Senate’s version of a sweeping framework that sets the stage for a Trump policy overhaul on the border, energy, defense and taxes.

Their main concern has been the difference between the Senate and House’s required spending cuts, which conservatives want to offset the cost of the new policies and as an attempt to reduce the national deficit. The Senate’s plan calls for a minimum of $4 billion in cuts, while the House’s floor is much higher at $1.5 trillion.

Trump himself worked to sway critics twice on Tuesday – first with a smaller group of House GOP holdouts at the White House, then in a more public message during House Republicans’ campaign arm’s national fundraising dinner.

‘Close your eyes and get there. It’s a phenomenal bill. Stop grandstanding,’ the president said at the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) event.

But it’s still unclear how many people that swayed.

‘The problem is, I think a lot of people don’t trust the Senate and what their intentions are, and that they’ll mislead the president and that we won’t get done what we need to get done,’ Rep. Rich McCormick, R-Ga., told reporters on Tuesday. ‘I’m a ‘no’ until we figure out how to get enough votes to pass it.’

McCormick said there were as many as 40 GOP lawmakers who were undecided or opposed to the measure.

A meeting with a select group of holdouts at the White House on Tuesday appeared to budge a few people, but many conservatives signaled they were largely unmoved.

‘I wouldn’t put it on the floor,’ Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, told reporters after the White House meeting. ‘I’ve got a bill in front of me, and it’s a budget, and that budget, in my opinion, will increase the deficit, and I didn’t come here to do that.’

Senate GOP leaders praised the bill as a victory for Trump’s agenda when it passed the upper chamber in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Trump urged all House Republicans to support it in a Truth Social post on Monday evening.

Meanwhile, House Republican leaders like Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., have appealed to conservatives by arguing that passing the Senate version does not in any way impede the House from moving ahead with its steeper cuts.

The House passed its framework in late February.

Congressional Republicans are working on a massive piece of legislation that Trump has dubbed ‘one big, beautiful bill’ to advance his agenda on border security, defense, energy and taxes.

Such a measure is largely only possible via the budget reconciliation process. Traditionally used when one party controls all three branches of government, reconciliation lowers the Senate’s threshold for passage of certain fiscal measures from 60 votes to 51. As a result, it has been used to pass broad policy changes in one or two massive pieces of legislation.

Passing frameworks in the House and Senate, which largely only include numbers indicating increases or decreases in funding, allows each chamber’s committees to then craft policy in line with those numbers under their specific jurisdictions. 

Members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus have pushed for Johnson to allow the House GOP to simply begin crafting its bill without passing the Senate version, though both chambers will need to eventually pass identical bills to send to Trump’s desk.

‘Trump wants to reduce the interest rates. Trump wants to lower the deficits. The only way to accomplish those is to reduce spending. And $4 billion is not – that’s … anemic. That is really a joke,’ Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo., told reporters.

He said ‘there’s no way’ the legislation would pass the House this week.

The legislation could still get a House-wide vote late on Wednesday if the House Rules Committee advances the bill Wednesday morning.

As for the House speaker, he was optimistic returning from the White House meeting on Tuesday afternoon.

‘Great meeting. The president was very helpful and engaged, and we had a lot of members whose questions were answered,’ Johnson told reporters. ‘I think we’ll be moving forward this week.’

Fox News’ Ryan Schmelz and Aishah Hasnie contributed to this report.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Biden administration State Department officials held private talks with Beijing counterparts about the Chinese spy balloon that intercepted U.S. airspace in 2023, and discussed the implications the balloon’s publicity would have on the relationship between the U.S. and China, according to Trump administration officials. 

U.S. officials identified the spy balloon infiltrating U.S. airspace on Jan. 28, 2023, and an Air Force fighter jet shot down the Chinese spy balloon off the coast of South Carolina Feb. 4, 2023, two days after the Pentagon issued a statement on the matter.  

Biden officials held discussions with Beijing Feb. 1, 2023, about the balloon, and discussed the impact disclosing the balloon to the public could have on the relationship with China, internal State Department documents show, two Trump administration officials told Fox News Digital.  

 

An internal State Department readout of the talks between Blinken and a top Chinese diplomat said Blinken stated that if the presence of the balloon were revealed publicly, it could have ‘profound implications for our relationship’ with China, particularly amid efforts to stabilize the bilateral relationship with Beijing, two Trump administration officials familiar with the documents told Fox News Digital. 

The readout said that the incident could also have complicated Blinken’s travel plans to China in early February 2023, if not quickly resolved. Blinken ultimately postponed the trip until June 2023. 

A former Biden administration official told Fox News Digital that the State Department summoned senior Chinese diplomat Zhu Haiquan Feb. 1, 2023, so that the U.S. could notify China to remove the balloon, and issue a warning that the U.S. could take action to eliminate the balloon. 

‘Former Secretary Blinken advocated strongly to tell the American people about China’s rogue balloon, which is exactly what happened,’ a spokesperson for the former secretary of state said in a Tuesday statement to Fox News Digital. ‘He has a long history of being tough on China while actually delivering results.’

Likewise, another senior State Department official also held private talks on Feb. 1, 2023, with Chinese counterparts. A readout from that discussion says that the official claimed the longer it took to mitigate the issuewould only increase the likelihood that news of the balloon would become public, posing greater challenges managing the situation, the Trump administration officials said. 

Ultimately, the Pentagon issued a statement Feb. 2, 2023, claiming that the U.S. government had detected a ‘high-altitude surveillance balloon.’ 

While then-White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that Biden received a briefing on the balloon on Jan. 31, 2023, she did not provide details regarding why his administration didn’t issue a statement on the matter until Feb. 2, 2023. 

Secretary of State Marco Rubio, then a U.S. senator from Florida, repeatedly criticized the Biden administration for how it handled disclosing information to the public about the balloon — and how long it took the administration to shoot it down. 

Biden’s failure to address the situation sooner was the ‘beginning of dereliction of duty,’ Rubio said during an appearance on CNN with Jake Tapper. 

‘Why didn’t the president go on television?’ Rubio told Tapper. ‘He has the ability to convene the country in cameras and basically explain what we’re dealing with here.’ 

On Feb. 4, 2023, an Air Force F-22 Raptor fighter jet from Virginia’s Langley Air Force Base shot down the balloon off the coast of South Carolina with an AIM-9X Sidewinder missile. 

At the time, the Pentagon said that while the balloon was not a military or physical threat, its presence in U.S. airspace did violate U.S. sovereignty. The Pentagon also shut down China’s initial claims that the balloon was a weather balloon blown off course and labeled such statements false. 

‘This was a PRC surveillance balloon,’ a senior defense official told reporters at the time. ‘This surveillance balloon purposely traversed the United States and Canada, and we are confident it was seeking to monitor sensitive military sites.’

The Pentagon also said after shooting down the balloon that similar balloons from China transited continental U.S. airspace in at least three instances during Trump’s first administration. 

Additionally, Biden ‘gave his authorization to take down the Chinese surveillance balloon as soon as the mission could be accomplished without undue risk to us civilians under the balloon’s path,’ the senior defense official said, noting that there was concern debris could harm civilians. 

The Pentagon later said in June 2023 that it did not believe that the balloon gathered information as it traveled across the U.S.

Blinken is now a speaker with CAA Speakers, which represents high-profile celebrities.

A spokesperson for Biden did not immediately provide comment to Fox News Digital. 

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

The market is in a tailspin as tariffs add volatility to the market. Carl and Erin believe the SPY is in a bear market given key indexes like the Nasdaq are already in bear markets. It’s time to consider where the key support levels are.

Carl addressed his thoughts of where key support lies on the SPY during our question section of the trading room. You’ll also get his insight on current market conditions with his review of the market indicators in general as well as a look at Yields, Bonds, Crude Oil, Bitcoin among others.

During the review he pointed out how the members of our 26 indexes, sectors and groups are faring from their recent highs. Many are in bear markets.

After his market analysis, Carl walked us through the Magnificent Seven which are currently all in bear markets with declines of more than 20% or more. He analyzed both the daily and the weekly charts to give us perspective and support levels.

Erin took the controls and gave us her view of sector rotation using the Price Momentum Oscillator (PMO) sort to bring the strong sectors to the top and the weaker sectors on the bottom. The results were not surprising.

Finally, the pair finished with a look at viewer symbol requests.

01:03 DP Signal Tables

05:05 Market Overview

18:55 Magnificent Seven

25:42 Questions (including Key Support Levels)

34:10 Sector Rotation

42:26 Symbol Requests


The DP Alert: Your First Stop to a Great Trade!

Before you trade any stock or ETF, you need to know the trend and condition of the market. The DP Alert gives you all you need to know with an executive summary of the market’s current trend and condition. It not only covers the market! We look at Bitcoin, Yields, Bonds, Gold, the Dollar, Gold Miners and Crude Oil! Only $50/month! Or, use our free trial to try it out for two weeks using coupon code: DPTRIAL2. Click HERE to subscribe NOW!


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Technical Analysis is a windsock, not a crystal ball. –Carl Swenlin


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Helpful DecisionPoint Links:

Trend Models

Price Momentum Oscillator (PMO)

On Balance Volume

Swenlin Trading Oscillators (STO-B and STO-V)

ITBM and ITVM

SCTR Ranking

Bear Market Rules