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Altcoins are a hot topic in 2025 amidst regulatory shifts and political changes, and investors interested in crypto should take time to learn about the broader altcoin ecosystem and top altcoins to watch.

Read on for a look at altcoin trends and the top altcoins to watch in 2025, as well as tips for investing in altcoins to diversify your portfolio.

In this article

    What are altcoins and are they a good investment?

    The term altcoins refers to alternative cryptocurrencies, meaning all cryptos other than Bitcoin. Opinions on whether or not Ethereum is still considered an altcoin vary.

    In terms of whether altcoins are a good investment, exposure to altcoins can give investors access to potential profit opportunities beyond the market’s two top cryptocurrencies, as well as the wide variety of utilities altcoins cover.

    However, just like investing in traditional markets, investing in cryptocurrencies has its risks. Cryptocurrencies are known for their volatility, experiencing pronounced swings in response to both positive and negative developments, and this can be more pronounced for altcoins with lower market caps.

    Read on to learn more about the forecast for altcoins this year and how to evaluate them to decide which to invest in.

    Forecast for altcoin prices in 2025

    Crypto is in a bull market that is likely to continue this year, with tailwinds including the potential approvals of altcoin ETFs and a crypto-friendly administration in the US.

    “(But) when you look at the overall picture, I think (the market) is going to be very positive in 2025. You’re going to have altcoins that have runs. You’re going to have altcoins that are going to have triple-digit percentage gains this year.”

    As for what markets could like like quarter to quarter, he anticipates a strong first quarter in 2025, particularly February and March. Through Q2 and Q3 of the year he expects increased volatility, followed by another rise in late Q3 and Q4.

    However, he expects this is the last year of this bull market and we could see a potential market downturn early next year. This would align with the typical four-year cycle observed in the crypto space.

    “A lot of this is also dependent on a very big macroeconomic factor, which is global money supply,” Utkarsh continued. “We have all this other stuff happening, wars and pandemics and this and all these other things, but that one piece, in my opinion, I feel out influences any other factor driving these markets.”

    A December 2024 Haver analysis of money supply in major economies, including the US, Eurozone and Japan, indicated positive growth over the preceding 12 months, a period during which labor markets remained strong and inflation lessened.

    A positive macroeconomic climate encourages investors to take on more risk, which benefits the cryptocurrency market. New capital entering the crypto space often flows into Bitcoin first, and subsequent price increases then draw attention to and boost interest in altcoins.

    “I think we’re very close to the true definition of alt season, (which) is when 75 percent of the top 50 coins have outperformed Bitcoin in the last 90 days,” Utkarsh explained. “While we’re not there yet, we’re seeing what we see every cycle: the large caps are going off.”

    SOL, XRP and SUI are three notable examples of altcoins that have seen triple digit gains in the last year.

    At US$234 at the time of writing, SOL, the token of the Solana blockchain, is up 150 percent year-over-year. Sui, which unlocked 64.19 million SUI tokens worth approximately US$338.8 million on January 1, 2025, has also had an impressive run, up 184 percent over the same time period. Lastly, Ripple’s token XRP has seen massive annual gains of over 460 percent, with the majority of those gains coming since November 2024.

    Institutions have applied to list exchange-traded funds (ETFs) for all three of those cryptos, and many market watchers expect them to launch in 2025.

    “I actually see the potential for multiple ETFs to be filed. Not just for XRP and Solana, but also for combination ETFs, like Bitcoin and Ethereum, or a combination of a few together. Maybe not completely new ones, but the existing ones packaged together,” Utkarsh said.

    Meanwhile, Bitcoin’s dominance is shrinking, with its market share down to 57 percent from 60 percent in November 2024.

    Despite the significant potential rewards, Utkarsh urges investors to be mindful of the risk. “One thing I tell people is that when you’re at the height of the bull market, to achieve triple-digit gains we will have double-digit drawdowns.”

    The price swings observed in Bitcoin following President Trump’s election in November, which included both substantial gains and sharp declines, illustrate the potential for rapid changes in market sentiment and value.

    Altcoin trends and uses in 2025

    Utkarsh explained how early altcoin performance often foreshadows the dominant trends of a crypto cycle and discussed a variety of narratives he is seeing in the altcoin space.

    Projects like Render, ICP, Near Protocol and Fetch.ai operate within the artificial intelligence (AI) narrative and are poised for growth thanks to surging demand for AI infrastructure and data processing.

    I feel another narrative that’s poised for massive growth is tokenization,” Utkarsh said, “and (a strong) player in that (space) is Ondo Finance.”

    Ondo Finance provides the infrastructure for tokenizing real-world assets. BlackRock utilized that infrastructure to launch BUIDL, a tokenized money market that gives investors access to tokenized short-term US government bonds.

    “The gaming narrative is also interesting because I think there’s a lot of initial coin offerings (ICOs) that are coming in this space,” Utkarsh continued. “One of the strong gaming players is IMX, (the token of a company called) Immutable X.”

    Immutable X is a platform built on top of the Ethereum blockchain. The platform makes creating and trading non-fungible tokens (NFTs) easier, faster and cheaper with a technology called zk-rollups to bundle transactions together. IMX is used for things such as paying fees on the platform.

    During the discussion, Utkarsh emphasized the importance of utility as well as marketing within the crypto space, highlighting that its relevance spans various sectors of the market.

    “There’s so many companies that have massive utility potential, but they’re just not being utilized in that way,” he said. ‘But I think when you’re in an asset class that’s still fairly early, it is so important for founders and leadership to understand market dynamics and not just geek out on the technology. The companies that I feel are going to make it in this cycle are the ones that already have done a big push from a marketing standpoint.”

    To illustrate this point, Utkarsh compared Render, a decentralized graphic processing unit rendering network, to Aethir, a less well-known but potentially more powerful competitor. Utkarsh also observed that meme coins are demonstrating genuine utility within the gaming community.

    “In fact, we’re even invested in a gaming company right now, (Hexagon Studios), that’s about to go ICO, and they’re launching a meme coin that can be used within games. It’s not just a coin for trying to make money, they’re actually using the coin for some utility to do in-game purchases and all that stuff, but making it a little bit fun.’

    While Utkarsh expressed optimism that the narrative around meme coins could shift, he emphasized that they are still an inherently risky investment, often associated with fleeting internet trends and speculation. This was evidenced by US President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump’s meme coins, launched on January 17 and 19, that raked in billions within hours only to reverse course. Crypto watchers have criticized the projects for holding the majority of tokens in one wallet.

    How to choose altcoins for your crypto portfolio

    Investors are likely wondering how to find the next big altcoin. Utkarsh advises utilizing data-driven metrics — such as token unlocks, sector performance, partnerships, news events, and economic data releases — to identify promising altcoin investment opportunities.

    He also explained that investors should keep their risk tolerance in mind when considering the market cap of a coin. Larger-cap coins tend to be more suitable for longer-term holding, while mid-cap and low-cap coins might offer greater potential for shorter-term gains but higher risk of losses as well.

    As for how to build a crypto portfolio, diversification is important for mitigating risk and maximizing the potential for returns.

    “If we take microcaps out of the equation, I think by putting about 50 percent in large cap, 30, maybe even 35 percent in mid-cap, and potentially 15 to 20 percent in low cap, that could be a healthy balance,” Utkarsh said. “If you want growth, I don’t feel that you should be in about like 15 different companies; that being said, I don’t think you should be in like two companies either.”

    Top altcoins to watch in 2025

    So, which altcoins are the best in 2025? This list of altcoins to consider investing in includes crypto with strong fundamentals, real-world utility, active communities and innovative technology that could benefit various industries.

    This list of top altcoins is arranged by market cap. Market cap and total value locked (TVL) — which refers to the overall value of assets deposited in a DeFi protocol — were gathered from CoinGecko and DefiLlama, respectively, on January 27, 2024.

    1. Ripple (XRP)

    Market cap: US$174.56 billion
    Total value locked: US$77.45 million
    Price: US$3.02

    While Ripple has a smaller DeFi ecosystem compared to other blockchains like Ethereum or Solana, its strength lies in its focus on cross-border payments and institutional adoption. This positions Ripple as a key player in traditional finance, with the potential for increased demand and value appreciation driven by factors outside of the DeFi space.

    There is wide speculation that the new US Trump administration will result in a favorable resolution of Ripple’s lengthy legal battles with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). CEO Brad Garlinghouse and Chief Legal Officer Stuart Alderoty met with President-elect Donald Trump for dinner on January 7. While details of the meeting weren’t revealed, the news sent interest in its token, XRP, up 2.63 percent as the rest of the crypto market pulled back.

    Additionally, at least seven financial institutions have applied to the SEC to offer XRP ETFs focused exclusively on the token, while several others have applied for diversified crypto ETFs with a basket of coins, including XRP.

    2. Solana (SOL)

    Market cap: US$113.8 billion
    Total value locked: US$12.73 billion
    Price: US$234.08

    Known for its high transaction speed and low fees, Solana has been a major player in the NFT and DeFi space. It’s often seen as a competitor to Ethereum, surpassing Ethereum in terms of trading volume since Q4 2024. This surge has been attributed to the rise of meme coins on the Solana blockchain, such as Doge on Solana (SDOGE), a wrapped version of the original Dogecoin (DOGE).

    The value of its token SOL has increased by over 200 percent year-over-year. Institutions that have applied to the SEC for SOL ETFs include VanEck, 21Shares, and Cboe Global Markets.

    3. Cardano (ADA)

    Market cap: US$33.37 billion
    Total value locked: US$563.81 million
    Price: US$0.93

    Cardano is a proof-of-stake blockchain that prioritizes a methodical, research-based approach to development, with a focus on security and scalability for smart contracts and dApps.

    Analysts such as Peter Brandt and Altcoin Sherpa predicted earlier in January that ADA could be headed for a bull rally based on a double-bottom pattern formed year-over-year that demonstrates a long period of price stability and accumulation, an indication of underlying support from buyers.

    At least three financial institutions have filed for Cardano ETFs in 2025.

    4. Chainlink (LINK)

    Market cap: US$15.27 billion
    Total value locked: US$1 billion
    Price: US$23.88

    Chainlink is a decentralized oracle network that provides real-world data to smart contracts across various blockchains, enabling DeFi applications and other use cases requiring secure external data. In November 2024, Trump’s World Liberty Financial adopted Chainlink’s technology, a partnership that allowed World Liberty to offer more reliable and secure services.

    Later, Cointelegraph reported on January 20 that Trump had purchased US$4.7 million worth of LINK as part of an over US$50 million cryptocurrency spending spree. The news sent LINK’s price above US$25.00 for the first time since December 12. Trump’s interest in Chainlink could indicate a growing recognition of the potential and value of decentralized oracle networks within the crypto industry.

    5. Avalanche (AVAX)

    Market cap: US$13.99 billion
    Total value locked: US$1.43 billion
    Price: US$34.01

    Avalanche is a layer-1 blockchain that aims to address the scalability limitations of older blockchains like Ethereum. It boasts high throughput and fast transaction speeds, making it suitable for demanding applications like decentralized exchanges and gaming. Its token AVAX is used to pay transaction fees, and users can participate in securing the network by staking AVAX tokens.

    Analysts at InvestingHaven predict that AVAX could reach prices between US$29.02 and US$95.11 in 2025, citing its Fibonacci retracement level as a critical indicator for a potential long-term reversal. While no ETFs have been filed specifically for AVAX yet, its growing ecosystem and focus on subnets could position it for increased adoption and potential price appreciation in the coming years.

    6. Sui (SUI)

    Market cap: US$11.84 billion
    Total value locked: US$1.74 billion
    Price: US$3.94

    Sui is a layer-1 blockchain that uses an object-centric data model and the Move programming language, a design that improves the efficiency and security of smart contract development and execution.

    Despite its relatively recent ICO launch in May 2023, SUI has exhibited remarkable growth, with its value increasing by over 180 percent year-over-year at the time of this writing. One analyst, @CryptoELITES, shared his price predictions on January 22, including a high of US$40 by the end of this bull run.

    7. Litecoin (LTC)

    Market cap: US$8.62 billion
    Total value locked: US$3.3 million
    Price: US$114.33

    Litecoin is one of the oldest and most established altcoins. It offers faster transaction speeds and lower fees compared to Bitcoin, making it a viable option for everyday transactions. It is often referred to as the silver to Bitcoin’s gold.

    Canary Capital filed to offer a spot Litecoin ETF in October 2024, and provided the SEC with an updated application on January 16. Bloomberg ETF analyst Eric Balchunas predicts that Litecoin could be the next coin approved for a spot ETF.

    8. Aave (AAVE)

    Market cap: US$4.57 billion
    Total value locked: US$21.29 billion
    Price: US$303.92

    Aave is a decentralized lending and borrowing protocol that allows users to earn interest on their crypto assets or borrow against their holdings. It was named the number two lending platform by BeinCrypto due to its broad multichain accessibility and low annual percentage yield.

    Aave received a significant sum of US$6.9 million from Trump’s World Liberty Financial on January 22 during a crypto buy-up that also included LINK, TRON, USDC, ETH and wrapped Bitcoin (wBTC), a token on the Ethereum blockchain that’s backed by Bitcoin.

    9. Algorand (ALGO)

    Market cap: US$3.2 billion
    Total value locked: US$145.9 million
    Price: US$0.38

    Algorand is a proof-of-stake blockchain platform that is gaining traction in various sectors, including DeFi, NFTs and supply chain management. Algorand’s focus on sustainability, its strong technical foundation and its growing ecosystem make it a contender in the blockchain space. As of writing, ALGO is up over 11 percent month-over-month and over 8 percent over the past 14 days.

    On January 3, the Algorand Foundation shared its latest update, rolling out a staking program that will reward validators with 10 ALGO per block.

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

    This post appeared first on investingnews.com

    US President Donald Trump has doubled down on his proposal to “clean out” Gaza by removing Palestinians living there to Jordan and Egypt, a plan which has appalled some allies but has been quickly embraced by Israel’s far right.

    Having first floated the idea Saturday, Trump warmed to his theme Monday, saying of Gaza’s population: “I’d like to get them living in an area where they can live without disruption and revolution and violence so much.”

    He has not specified whether such emigration would be voluntary. The forcible displacement of civilians “can constitute a war crime and/or crime against humanity” depending on the context, according to the United Nations.

    “I think you can get people living in areas that are a lot safer and maybe a lot better and maybe a lot more comfortable,” he said on Monday.

    While there has been no response from the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office, the idea was applauded by far-right Israeli politicians.

    Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who leads the Religious Zionism party, said Trump had recognized that Gaza was “a breeding ground for terror,” and “there is no doubt that in the long run, encouraging migration is the only solution that will bring peace and security to the residents of Israel and alleviate the suffering of Gaza’s Arab residents.”

    Smotrich, who also has a ministerial position in the defense ministry, said he was working on a plan to implement Trump’s vision. “When he wants something, it happens,” he said. Smotrich has been advocating for what he calls “the voluntary emigration of Gaza Arabs to countries around the world” since 2023.

    But the idea of displacement, voluntary or otherwise, is horrifying to Jordan and Egypt and likely alarming to other Arab allies of the US, threatening decades of international consensus about the right of Palestinians to a homeland. Ayman Safadi, Jordan’s foreign minister, said Sunday: “Jordan is for Jordanians and Palestine is for Palestinians.”

    “Our rejection for the deportation is steadfast and unchanging.”

    Trump said the removal of Palestinians might be temporary or “long-term,” but Arab critics allege that Palestinians have never been allowed by Israel to return to land once removed.

    Neither Egypt nor Jordan would contemplate being party to a repeat of the Palestinian ‘Nakba’ or ‘catastrophe’ in 1948. Roughly 700,000 Palestinians were forced from their homes when the state of Israel was born. A second iteration would be tantamount to condoning and supporting ethnic cleansing.

    Much like Denmark hopes Trump will abandon his ideas for US control of Greenland, the moderate Arab states will be praying that the US President forgets about transferring the Gazans.

    The comparison was not lost on Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who said in an interview with Sky News Tuesday that “Palestine cannot be deleted and Palestinians cannot be expelled. My suggestion: Instead of Palestinians, try to expel Israelis to Greenland. Take them to Greenland so you can kill two birds (with) one stone.”

    Saudi-UAE silence

    Jordan and Egypt seem likely to huddle with their allies in the Gulf, especially Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, in an effort to present a united front.

    So far, the Saudis and Emiratis have remained publicly silent on the Trump plan. King Abdullah II of Jordan has also said nothing about his call with Trump on Saturday. But the Jordanian court pointedly released a read-out of his call Monday with new Secretary of State Marco Rubio, which may have been an effort at damage limitation.

    The statement said they discussed ways to “enhance regional security and stability…and means to strengthen the strategic partnership between Jordan and the United States, as well as keenness to maintain coordination and consultation on various issues.”

    The response from Cairo was more puzzling. A senior Egyptian official denied that President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi had spoken with Trump, despite the latter’s assertion Monday that they had spoken. Trump declined to say directly if the Egyptian president had an opinion on taking additional Palestinian refugees.

    “He’s in a very rough part of the world, to be honest, as they say, it’s a rough neighborhood, but I think he can do it,” Trump said.

    The Egyptian official added that readouts between the Egyptian president and heads of state are released when they take place. The Egyptian Presidency itself has made no comment about any call and the White House hasn’t released a readout.

    Trump also appears to have nodded towards the belief among some Israelis that Gaza isn’t really Palestinian land anyway.

    “You know, when you look at the Gaza Strip, it’s been hell for so many years, and it just seems to be this – various civilizations start here, started thousands of years before,” he said Monday.

    That fits right in with the perspective of people like the former Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir, who leads the Jewish Power party.

    Foreign aid as potential leverage

    After a year of transformative upheaval in the Middle East, even the idea that millions of Palestinians might be moved from their homes is potentially a source of still greater instability. Sisi has previously said that taking in Gazans would threaten Egypt’s peace agreement with Israel because of the risk that some of them would resume fighting the Jewish state from within his country’s borders.

    The risk is existential to Jordan, which has more than a million refugees from neighboring countries as well as about 2.4 million registered Palestinian refugees. Indeed, more than half of its inhabitants are of Palestinian descent, and its demography would be transformed by another influx. But Jordan cannot afford to dismiss Trump’s idea out of hand. A country of few resources, its 2023 budget deficit stood at 5.1% of its economic output, and a fifth of its workforce is unemployed. It is heavily reliant on foreign aid and is the second biggest recipient of US aid in the Middle East after Israel, with more than $1.7 billion delivered in 2023.

    Trump has already moved to put foreign aid and tariffs at the center of a foreign policy whose first tenets have been more stick than carrot. That will not be lost on the Jordanian and Egyptian governments now in the crosshairs. Egypt is the region’s third-biggest recipient of US aid, with $1.5 billion delivered in 2023.

    “I wish he would take some,” Trump said of Sisi on Monday, referring to Gazans. “We help them a lot, and I’m sure he can help us, he’s a friend of mine.”

    Were Trump to persist with the idea, the prospect of extending the Abraham Accords to include normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia – a centerpiece of his Middle East policy – would also be jeopardized. While Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has close personal ties with Trump, he has repeatedly made clear that normalization is linked to a pathway to a Palestinian state. Emptying Gaza would not fit with that priority.

    This post appeared first on cnn.com

    A rebel alliance claimed the capture of the biggest city in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s mineral-rich eastern region this week, pushing back against resistance from government troops backed by regional and UN intervention forces.

    The takeover of Goma is yet another territorial gain for the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC) rebel coalition, which includes the M23 armed group – sanctioned by the United States and the United Nations.

    It is also a swift expansion of the alliance’s foothold across swathes of eastern DR Congo – where rare minerals crucial to the production of phones and computers are mined – and is likely to worsen a long-running humanitarian crisis in the region.

    More than a dozen foreign peacekeepers, as well as the military governor of North Kivu province, have been killed in recent days trying to fend off the rebels, as thousands of locals flee their advance into Goma.

    What are the latest developments?

    South Africa’s military confirmed Tuesday that four more South African soldiers deployed in DR Congo as part of the UN peacekeeping mission there had died, only days after nine were killed in the fighting.

    Meanwhile, aid agencies said that hospitals were overwhelmed as hundreds of people caught in the crossfire in Goma sought treatment for injuries, among them seriously wounded children.

    There were “many dead bodies” in the city’s streets, said Jens Laerke, a spokesperson for the UN humanitarian office. Fighters had reportedly raped civilians, and property had also been looted, he said. Among those killed was a famed Congolese boxer, Balezi Bagunda, according to Matthew Leutwyler, the founder of the non-profit We Are Limitless, who had been working with him to evacuate local children the organization works with.

    People protest in Kinshasa against the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels' advances on Tuesday.
    People attack the Rwandan Embassy in Kinshasa on Tuesday.

    Reports emerged Monday of Congolese troops exchanging fire with Rwandan soldiers along their shared border as fear of a blown-out war grows.

    In a statement Monday, the Uruguayan army, whose troops are part of the UN peacekeeping mission in Goma, said “hundreds” of Congolese soldiers had laid down their weapons following a 48-hour ultimatum by M23.

    Rwandan national broadcaster also shared footage of Congolese soldiers surrendering their arms to Rwandan forces at a Rwandan border post after fleeing Goma.

    How did the conflict escalate?

    DR Congo has experienced decades of militia violence, including armed rebellion by M23, which claims to defend the interest of the minority Rwandophone communities, including the Tutsi.

    Since 2022, M23 has waged a renewed rebellion against the Congolese government, occupying a large expanse in North Kivu, which borders Rwanda and Uganda.

    For several months, the rebels have also controlled Rubaya, a mining town in North Kivu that harbors one of the world’s largest coltan deposits. This valuable mineral is used in the production of mobile phones.

    Bintou Keita, who heads the UN mission in DR Congo, told the Security Council in a September briefing that “competition over exploitation and trade of natural resources” had escalated conflict between armed groups in the country’s east.

    According to Keita, coltan trade from the M23-controlled Rubaya mining site is estimated to “supply over 15 percent of global tantalum production”, and “generates an estimated $300,000 in revenue per month to the armed group.”

    M23 denied these claims, insisting its presence in the Rubaya area was “solely humanitarian.”

    Miners work at a coltan mine, near Rubaya, in DR Congo's North Kivu region, on April 12, 2023.
    Miners work to extract coltan at a mine, near Rubaya, in DR Congo's North Kivu region, on April 12, 2023.

    A report by the UN Group of Experts on the Democratic Republic of Congo, released in December, revealed that “at least 150 tons of coltan were fraudulently exported to Rwanda and mixed with Rwandan production.”

    Since April last year, the report said, M23, “with RDF (Rwanda Defence Force) support, has made significant territorial gains and strengthened control over occupied areas,” adding that such a pattern suggested “that the true objective of M23 remained territorial expansion and the long-term occupation and exploitation of conquered territories.”

    The report added that the RDF’s military interventions “were critical to the impressive territorial expansion achieved” by M23.

    Why is Goma important?

    Goma is home to around two million people and is the largest city in North Kivu. M23’s incursion on Monday was the second time the group had moved to capture the provincial capital after it briefly took control in 2012.

    “We do not want to capture Goma but to liberate it,” he said. “The population is in distress; we must save it as quickly as possible.”

    “Goma is a strategic and highly symbolic city with an international airport, as well as proximity to Rwanda and Lake Kivu, opening the easy path with South Kivu,” he said.

    But, most importantly, Saleh said, Goma’s fall to M23 “will be the symbol of its complete and total capture” of the eastern part of the DRC.”

    M23’s self-proclaimed liberation agenda has been scarred by a long trail of alleged human rights violations and what rights group Human Rights Watch described in 2023 as “war crimes against civilians” in North Kivu. The group has consistently denied such claims.

    Fighting between M23, Congolese forces and other rebel groups has also forced many from their homes in the country’s east, with at least 400,000 people displaced just since the beginning of this year in North and South Kivu, the UN’s refugee agency, UNHCR said in a statement.

    UNHCR spokesperson Matt Saltmarsh added that “bombs have fallen” on camps housing those who’ve fled, resulting in civilian deaths, including of children.

    “Humanitarian access is nearly impossible, resources are stretched to their limits, and displaced families are left in dire need of food, clean water, medicine, and shelter,” Tchwenko said.

    What’s at stake for Rwanda?

    UN experts believe that an estimated 3,000 Rwandan soldiers operate alongside M23 fighters in eastern DR Congo, outnumbering the rebel group’s number in the country.

    According to Saleh, the Congolese analyst, Rwanda does not just support M23, “it (Rwanda) is the M23.”

    Western nations, such as the US, Britain, and France, have censured Kigali’s support for the group.

    She cited a UN report that found evidence DR Congo’s military had collaborated and carried out joint operations with a Hutu militia group against a mainly Tutsi rebel group, the CNDP, which M23 grew out of.

    Hutu militias carried out the genocide of Tutsis and moderate Hutus in Rwanda in 1994.

    “This is happening right next to our border,” Makolo said of the insecurity in eastern DR Congo, adding that “the President of the DRC has said publicly that his enemy is President (Paul) Kagame and the Rwandan Government, and that he will ‘liberate’ Rwandans.”

    Rwanda’s foreign ministry also blamed DR Congo’s government for failing to engage in dialogue with M23, describing it as a “Congolese rebel group fighting to protect their community in eastern DRC.”

    Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi has previously threatened to go to war with Rwanda. Rwandan leader Kagame has responded in kind.

    “We are ready to fight,” Kagame told French network France 24 in June last year, adding: “We are not afraid of anything.”

    When the UN Security Council convened on Sunday for an emergency meeting on the crisis, DR Congo’s foreign minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner said Rwanda’s role in the conflict was “a declaration of war that no longer hides itself behind diplomatic maneuvers.”

    Is there a route to peace?

    Eastern African leaders plan to convene an emergency meeting within 48 hours to find solutions to the crisis, Kenya’s President William Ruto said Monday, urging Tshisekedi and Kagame “to heed the call for peace.”

    Previous interventions led by Angola, including truce agreements, have failed to cease hostilities.

    “But it is rather the quality of the solutions in sight that is the real question,” he said.

    “The region needs a lasting solution to the security situation, and to achieve this, one of the conditions is that the DRC must be able to ensure its security and control its economy. Solutions in terms of power-sharing, tribal and ethnic integration are not a lasting solution.”

    This post appeared first on cnn.com

    Skyharbour Resources Ltd. (TSX-V: SYH ) (OTCQX: SYHBF ) (Frankfurt: SC1P ) (‘Skyharbour’ or the ‘Company’), is pleased to announce that its joint-venture partner, Orano Canada Inc. (‘Orano’), is planning a substantial 2025 exploration and drilling program at the 49,635 hectare Preston Uranium Project (‘Preston’ or the ‘Property’) located in the western Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan, Canada. The drilling program will consist of approximately 6,000 to 7,000 metres of drilling during the summer of 2025. Orano is the majority owner and operator at the project with Skyharbour owning a minority interest of approximately 25.6%.

    Location Map of Preston Project:  
    https://www.skyharbourltd.com/_resources/images/Sky_Preston.jpg

    2025 Exploration Program at Preston:

    The proposed exploration program for the Preston project will consist of a planned 6,000 to 7,000 metre, helicopter-supported diamond drill program in approximately 26 holes at an average depth of 250 metres during the summer of 2025. Primary drill target areas (outlined in Figure 3) include the previously untested Johnson Lake grid as well as the Canoe Lake grid; with the possibility of testing the recently surveyed FSAN-North and the West Preston Grids. Target areas are separated throughout the claim to ensure assessment credits are met across all claims, while also testing perspective trends.

    Figure 3: Target Area Overview – Preston Lake Project:  
    https://www.skyharbourltd.com/_resources/images/Target-Area-Overview-Preston-Lake-Project.png

    The Johnson Lake Area (Zone 1 in Figure 3) has a ML-TEM grid (28.4 km across 7 lines) with no drill testing to date. A DC resistivity survey was also performed over four lines within the grid to better define and prioritize drill targets. A drill program was planned for the grid in the winter of 2019, however, limited ice thickness prevented access of the heavy equipment to reach the area. With the 2025 program being helicopter supported, access to the area will not be an issue. Multiple conductors within the grid show moderate to strong conductive responses, concurring with the elevated conductivity seen on the airborne GEOTEM. To thoroughly test these new conductive trends (predominantly the JL-North and JL-South Conductors visible in Figure 4), 7 to 12 drill holes with an average depth of 250 m are planned totalling 1,750 to 3,000 metres, contingent on results.

    Figure 4: Johnson Lake Grid:  
    https://www.skyharbourltd.com/_resources/images/Johnson-Lake-Grid.png

    The Canoe Lake Area (Zone 2 in Figure 3) remains highly perspective and is a planned target area for the 2025 diamond drilling program. The Canoe Lake grid area has 9 conductive trends with each conductor having 1 to 3 historic holes leaving large portions of strike length untested. Cross-cutting structures interpreted from the airborne EM and magnetics data in the South-West portion of the Canoe Lake grid are of high interest due to their analogous orientation to the PLS and Arrow structural environments. Priority testing will be placed on conductors with confirmed graphitic structured intervals and elevated pathfinder elements from historic drilling. PRE-21 on the CAN-8 conductor intersected a locally fractured 46.6 m interval of intermittently graphitic and generally sulphide-bearing granodioritic gneiss with slightly higher average contents in Pb partial (10.3 ppm), B total (29.8 ppm), Co partial (19.1 ppm), Cu partial (73.4 ppm), Ni partial (42.8 ppm) and Mo partial (6.1 ppm). Aside from PRE-21 the remainder of the CAN-8 conductive trend is untested. After initial review, CAN-8 will see the majority of the testing with the possibility of testing of CAN-1, CAN-3 and CAN-7 (visible in Figure 5) depending on ground conditions for a total of 4 to 8 holes totalling 1,000 to 2,000 metres.

    Figure 5:   Canoe Lake ML-TEM + DC Resistivity Grids and Historic Drill Collars:  
    https://www.skyharbourltd.com/_resources/images/Canoe-Lake-ML-TEM-DC-Resistivity-Grids-and-Historic-Drill-Collars.png

    The final areas for proposed work are the FSAN Grid (Zone 3 in Figure 3) and West Grid (Zone 4 in Figure 3), both of which recently had work completed in 2024. The FSAN Grid had a ground gravity survey completed, alongside a Spatiotemporal Geochemical Hydrocarbon (SGH) sampling program (Figure 6). Targeting on the FSAN grid will be contingent on the recently acquired data, focusing on areas with low gravity, anomalous SGH results, coinciding with favourable airborne EM and magnetic responses. The West grid had recently completed ML-TEM coverage over 6 lines for a total of 18.8 line-km. After the completion of the conductor modeling, targets will be derived, possibly extending the PL-1 conductive trend that was drill tested in 2017, which confirmed the presence of graphitic structural packages. About 10 to 12 holes totalling 2,500 to 3,000 metres have been set aside for both the FSAN and West Grid areas. Drill holes will be allocated contingent on the final 2024 geophysical and geochemical results.

    Figure 6: FSAN 2024 SGH Sample Stations with 2024 Ground Gravity Results:  
    https://www.skyharbourltd.com/_resources/images/FSAN-2025-SGH-Sample-Station-with-2024-Ground-Gravity-Results.png

    2024 Exploration Program Completed at Preston:

    The 2024 field program marked the first exploration programs carried out by Orano at Preston since 2020. The completed geophysics covered 35.6 km of ground Moving-Loop Transient ElectroMagnetic (ML-TEM), covering the Preston West target where there is a known conductor, along with the Preston Far West target where a reconnaissance survey was conducted. The ground gravity survey consisted of 2,295 stations and covered an area along the FSAN and FSANE trends.

    An SGH soil sampling program with over 1,100 samples commenced in the summer of 2024. The SGH program covered a large area and was a cost-effective, innovative exploration technique used in the Athabasca Basin to vector in on uranium showings associated with certain hydrocarbons.

    Preston Uranium Project:

    In March 2017, Skyharbour signed an option agreement with Orano (formerly AREVA Resources Inc.) that provided Orano an earn-in option to acquire a majority working interest in the 49,635 hectare Preston Uranium Project. The significant potential of the Project has been highlighted by past discoveries in the area by NexGen Energy Ltd. (Arrow deposit), Fission Uranium Corp. (Triple R deposit), and F3 Uranium Corp. (PLN discovery). Exploration at the Project has consisted of ground gravity, airborne and ground electromagnetics, radon, soil, silt, biogeochem, lake sediment, and geological mapping surveys, as well as exploratory drill programs. Over a dozen high-priority drill target areas associated with multiple prospective exploration corridors have been successfully delineated through these methodical, multi-phased exploration initiatives, which have culminated in an extensive, proprietary geological database for the project area.

    Joint Venture and Strategic Partnership:

    In early 2021, Orano fulfilled their earn-in option interest in the project through funding exploration expenditures and making cash payments. After a total of CAD $4.8 million in exploration expenditures having been spent on the Project, Orano formed a joint venture with Skyharbour and Dixie Gold for the future advancement and development of the Project. Orano now holds a 53.3% interest in the joint venture, with the remaining interest split between Skyharbour (25.6%) and Dixie Gold (21.1%) interest in the joint venture.

    Qualified Person:

    The technical information in this news release has been prepared in accordance with the Canadian regulatory requirements set out in National Instrument 43-101 and reviewed and approved by Sedar Donmez, P.Geo., VP of Exploration for Skyharbour as well as a Qualified Person.

    About Orano Canada Inc.:

    Headquartered in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Orano Canada Inc. is a leading producer of uranium, accounting for the processing of more than 15 million pounds of uranium concentrate in Canada in 2023. Orano celebrated 60 years of exploring for, mining and milling uranium in Canada in 2024. Orano Canada is the operator of the McClean Lake uranium mill and a major partner in the Cigar Lake, McArthur River and Key Lake operations. The company employs over 450 people in Saskatchewan, including about 320 at the McClean Lake operation where over 46% of employees are self-declared Indigenous. As a sustainable uranium producer, Orano Canada is committed to safety, environmental protection and contributing to the prosperity and well-being of neighbouring communities.

    Orano Canada Inc. is a subsidiary of the multinational Orano group. As a recognized international operator in the field of nuclear materials, Orano delivers solutions to address present and future global energy and health challenges. Its expertise and mastery of cutting-edge technologies enable Orano to offer its customers high value-added products and services throughout the entire fuel cycle. Every day, the Orano group’s 17,000 employees draw on their skills, unwavering dedication to safety and constant quest for innovation, with the commitment to develop know-how in the transformation and control of nuclear materials, for the climate and for a healthy and resource-efficient world, now and tomorrow.

    About Skyharbour Resources Ltd.:

    Skyharbour holds an extensive portfolio of uranium exploration projects in Canada’s Athabasca Basin and is well positioned to benefit from improving uranium market fundamentals with interest in thirty-six projects covering over 614,000 hectares (over 1.5 million acres) of land. Skyharbour has acquired from Denison Mines, a large strategic shareholder of the Company, a 100% interest in the Moore Uranium Project, which is located 15 kilometres east of Denison’s Wheeler River project and 39 kilometres south of Cameco’s McArthur River uranium mine. Moore is an advanced-stage uranium exploration property with high-grade uranium mineralization at the Maverick Zone that returned drill results of up to 6.0% U 3 O 8 over 5.9 metres, including 20.8% U 3 O 8 over 1.5 metres at a vertical depth of 265 metres. Adjacent to the Moore Project is the Russell Lake Uranium Project, in which Skyharbour is operator with joint-venture partner Rio Tinto. The project hosts several high-grade uranium drill intercepts over a large property area with robust exploration upside potential. The Company is actively advancing these projects through exploration and drill programs.

    Skyharbour also has joint ventures with industry leader Orano Canada Inc., Azincourt Energy, and Thunderbird Resources at the Preston, East Preston, and Hook Lake Projects respectively. The Company also has several active earn-in option partners, including CSE-listed Basin Uranium Corp. at the Mann Lake Uranium Project; TSX-V listed North Shore Uranium at the Falcon Project; UraEx Resources at the South Dufferin and Bolt Projects; Hatchet Uranium at the Highway Project; Mustang Energy at the 914W Project; and TSX-V listed Terra Clean Energy at the South Falcon East Project. In aggregate, Skyharbour has now signed earn-in option agreements with partners that total over $36 million in partner-funded exploration expenditures, over $20 million worth of shares being issued, and $14 million in cash payments coming into Skyharbour, assuming that these partner companies complete their entire earn-ins at the respective projects.

    Skyharbour’s goal is to maximize shareholder value through new mineral discoveries, committed long-term partnerships, and the advancement of exploration projects in geopolitically favourable jurisdictions.

    Skyharbour’s Uranium Project Map in the Athabasca Basin:  
    https://www.skyharbourltd.com/_resources/images/SKY_SaskProject_Locator_2024-11-21_v1.jpg

    To find out more about Skyharbour Resources Ltd. (TSX-V: SYH) visit the Company’s website at www.skyharbourltd.com .

    Skyharbour Resources Ltd.

    ‘Jordan Trimble’
    _______________________________
    Jordan Trimble
    President and CEO

    For further information contact myself or:
    Nicholas Coltura
    Investor Relations Manager
    ‎Skyharbour Resources Ltd.
    ‎Telephone: 604-558-5847
    ‎Toll Free: 800-567-8181
    ‎Facsimile: 604-687-3119
    ‎Email: info@skyharbourltd.com

    NEITHER THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THE CONTENT OF THIS NEWS RELEASE.

    Forward-Looking Information

    This news release contains ‘forward‐looking information or statements’ within the meaning of applicable securities laws, which may include, without limitation, completing ongoing and planned work on its projects including drilling and the expected timing of such work programs, other statements relating to the technical, financial and business prospects of the Company, its projects and other matters. All statements in this news release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future, including the price of uranium, the ability to achieve its goals, that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner, that financing will be available if and when needed and on reasonable terms. Such forward-looking information reflects the Company’s views with respect to future events and is subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including the risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of exploration results, risks related to the inherent uncertainty of exploration and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses, and those filed under the Company’s profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward looking statements include, but are not limited to, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions, adverse weather or climate conditions, failure to obtain or maintain all necessary government permits, approvals and authorizations, failure to obtain or maintain community acceptance (including First Nations), decrease in the price of uranium and other metals, increase in costs, litigation, and failure of counterparties to perform their contractual obligations. The Company does not undertake to update forward‐looking statements or forward‐looking information, except as required by law.

    
    

    Primary Logo

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    Riverside Resources Inc. (TSXV: RRI) (OTCQB: RVSDF) (FSE: 5YY) (‘Riverside’ or the ‘Company’), is pleased to announce the execution of a definitive arrangement agreement with Riverside’s subsidiary, Blue Jay Gold Corp. (‘Blue Jay’) in respect of the spin-out of its Pichette, Oakes and Duc projects (the ‘Ontario Gold Projects’), located in Ontario, Canada, to its shareholders by way of a share capital reorganization effected through a statutory plan of arrangement (the ‘Arrangement’) pursuant to the arrangement provisions of the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia) (the ‘Act’). Under the Arrangement, Riverside will distribute the common shares (each, a ‘Blue Jay Share’) of Blue Jay to Riverside’s shareholders. Should the arrangement become effective, Riverside shareholders would own shares in two public companies: Blue Jay, which will focus on the development of the Ontario Gold Projects, and Riverside, which will continue to build its diverse portfolio of projects in Canada, Mexico, and its royalty interests, while also generating new prospective mineral properties, as it has successfully done for the past 17 years.

    Under the Arrangement, Riverside’s current shareholders will receive Blue Jay Shares by way of a share exchange, pursuant to which each existing common share of Riverside will be exchanged for one new common share of Riverside (each, a ‘New Riverside Share’) and 1/5th of a Blue Jay Share. Holders of Riverside options will be entitled to receive the same number of New Riverside Shares and 1/5th of that number of Blue Jay Shares. On completion of the Arrangement, Riverside shareholders and holders of Riverside options will maintain their interest in Riverside and will obtain a proportionate interest in Blue Jay.

    The reorganization will be effected pursuant to s. 289 of the Act, and must be approved by the Supreme Court of British Columbia and by the affirmative vote of 66 2/3% of Riverside’s shareholders in attendance at a shareholders’ meeting to be held on March 31, 2025 (the ‘Meeting’). Riverside will apply for a listing of the Blue Jay Shares on the TSX Venture Exchange (‘TSX-V’). These steps mirror the process Riverside followed when creating, spinning out, distributing, and listing Capitan Silver Corp. (TSXV: CAPT). Similarly, Riverside shareholders received shares in the new company while retaining their full ownership of Riverside shares.

    Riverside expects that the Arrangement will increase shareholder value by allowing capital markets to ascribe value to the Ontario Gold Projects through Blue Jay Gold independently of the royalties and other properties held by Riverside. The spin-out will provide new and existing shareholders with more flexibility as to their specific investment strategy and risk profile. Riverside also believes that having a separately funded early-exploration business will accelerate development of the Ontario portfolio. Riverside will retain a 2% NSR on each of Blue Jay Gold’s properties.

    ‘We are thrilled to announce the spin-out of Blue Jay Gold Corp., which represents another exciting milestone in Riverside’s strategy to unlock value for our shareholders,’ stated Riverside Founder and CEO, John-Mark Staude. ‘Through this share distribution, Riverside shareholders will directly own a stake in Blue Jay Gold and its promising Ontario gold assets, while we retain a 2% uncapped Net Smelter Return (NSR) royalty. This transaction provides shareholders with direct benefits by granting them ownership of Blue Jay’s common shares, allowing them to participate in Blue Jay’s exploration upside and further development potential, while Riverside retains long-term exposure to the success of these high-grade gold projects.’

    ‘This spin-out is another example of our commitment to create shareholder value through strategic initiatives. Following the success of our previous spin-out, Capitan Silver, Blue Jay Gold is well-positioned to advance exploration under the leadership of Dr. Geordie Mark. We are enthusiastic about Blue Jay’s potential to deliver strong results and further growth opportunities as an independent exploration company, while Riverside continues to focus on building its own pipeline of high-quality assets and partnerships.’

    ‘As the founding CEO and Director of Blue Jay Gold, I am thrilled to lead the company in unlocking the potential of our exceptional gold assets,’ commented Dr. Geordie Mark. ‘Ontario, with its rich mining history and supportive environment, provides the perfect foundation for discovery and growth. I am confident that Blue Jay will deliver significant value to our shareholders and make a meaningful impact on gold exploration in Canada.’

    Completion of the Arrangement is subject to a number of conditions, including the following:

    (a) Riverside shareholder approval at the Meeting;

    (b) the approval of the Supreme Court of British Columbia;

    (c) TSX-V approval for the Arrangement by Riverside;

    (d) TSX-V approval for the listing of the Blue Jay Shares upon completion of the Arrangement; and

    (e) completion by Blue Jay of a private placement to raise gross proceeds of up to $4,000,000.

    Upon completion of the Arrangement, it is intended that the senior management of Blue Jay will consist of Geordie Mark, as the Chief Executive Officer, Robert Scott, as the Chief Financial Officer, and Freeman Smith, as the Vice-President, Exploration. Blue Jay’s board of directors will consist of Geordie Mark, John-Mark Staude (Chairman) and one or more additional directors. Changes and additions to the management team and board will be made as needed as the Ontario Gold Projects progress.

    Additional details of the spin-out transaction will be included in an information circular to be mailed to shareholders of Riverside in February 2025 in connection with the Meeting. The Arrangement is expected to close in the first half of 2025.

    Click this link to view John-Mark’s bold plans for Riverside Resources in 2025:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzYhzXaDt8E

    Blue Jay Completes Seed Round of Financing

    Effective December 18, 2024, Blue Jay completed a private placement of 2,735,000 Blue Jay Shares at an issue price of $0.20 per Blue Jay Share for gross proceeds of $527,000.00. Following the private placement, Riverside holds 85.02% of the issued and outstanding Blue Jay Shares.

    Certain directors and officers of Riverside participated in the private placement, subscribing for 300,000 Blue Jay Shares in the aggregate; each such subscription for the Blue Jay Shares being a ‘related party transaction’ within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 – Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (‘MI 61-101’). The Company is relying on exemptions from the formal valuation requirements of MI 61-101 pursuant to section 5.5(a) and the minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 pursuant to section 5.7(1)(a) in respect of such insider participation as the fair market value of the transaction, insofar as it involves interested parties, does not exceed 25% of the Company’s market capitalization.

    About Riverside Resources Inc.:

    Riverside is a well-funded exploration company driven by value generation and discovery. The Company has over $4M in cash, no debt and less than 75M shares outstanding with a strong portfolio of gold-silver and copper assets and royalties in North America. Riverside has extensive experience and knowledge operating in Mexico and Canada and leverages its large database to generate a portfolio of prospective mineral properties. In addition to Riverside’s own exploration spending, the Company also strives to diversify risk by securing joint-venture and spin-out partnerships to advance multiple assets simultaneously and create more chances for discovery. Riverside has properties available for option, with information available on the Company’s website at www.rivres.com.

    Riverside welcomes inquiries, signing up at the Riverside website for more information and contacting the Company at the information below.

    ON BEHALF OF Riverside Resources Inc.

    ‘John-Mark Staude’

    Dr. John-Mark Staude, President & CEO

    For additional information contact:

    John-Mark Staude
    President, CEO
    Riverside Resources Inc.
    info@rivres.com
    Phone: (778) 327-6671
    Fax: (778) 327-6675
    Web: www.rivres.com
    Eric Negraeff
    Investor Relations
    Riverside Resources Inc.
    Phone: (778) 327-6671
    TF: (877) RIV-RES1
    Web: www.rivres.com

    Certain statements in this press release may be considered forward-looking information. These statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology (e.g., ‘expect’,’ estimates’, ‘intends’, ‘anticipates’, ‘believes’, ‘plans’). Such information involves known and unknown risks — including the availability of funds, the results of financing and exploration activities, the interpretation of exploration results and other geological data, or unanticipated costs and expenses and other risks identified by Riverside in its public securities filings that may cause actual events to differ materially from current expectations. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release.

    Neither the 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.

    Corporate Logo

    To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/238650

    News Provided by Newsfile via QuoteMedia

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    House Republicans are set to hear from Vice President JD Vance on Tuesday, the second day of their annual issues conference, as they work to chart a path forward on plans for a massive conservative policy overhaul.

    GOP lawmakers have chosen sunny South Florida for their annual retreat. In a sign of President Donald Trump’s enduring influence on his party, the three-day event is being held at the commander in chief’s golf course and resort in Doral. 

    It is not clear yet what Vance is expected to say, but a copy of the lawmakers’ schedule for the week obtained by Fox News Digital suggests the discussion will primarily focus on the budget reconciliation process. 

    Republicans have been negotiating for weeks on how to use their razor-thin majorities in the House and Senate to pass massive conservative policy changes through the reconciliation process.

    By reducing the threshold for Senate passage from 60 votes to a 51-seat simple majority, reconciliation allows a party in control of both congressional chambers to enact sweeping changes, provided they are relevant to budgetary and fiscal policy.

    However, there has been some disagreement for weeks over how to package the GOP’s priorities. Senate Republicans have pushed for breaking the package up into two bills in order to score early victories on border security and energy policy, while leaving the more complex issue of tax reform for a second bill.

    House Republican leaders, however, are concerned that the heavy political lift that passing a reconciliation bill entails would mean lawmakers run out of time before they can extend Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, which expire at the end of this year.

    Vance has not publicly said which approach he favors. 

    Trump, who previously called for one ‘big, beautiful bill,’ was less committed to the strategy during his own remarks to House Republicans in Florida on Monday night.

    ‘Whether it’s one bill, two bills, I don’t care,’ he said.

    House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has said he wants the House to have passed a reconciliation bill by early spring. 

    This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

    American officials in Mexico have issued the highest-level travel warning amid increased gun battles, kidnappings and IEDs in a town that sits on the Texas border. The State Department has put the state of Tamaulipas, Mexico, which sits across the border from McAllen, Texas, under a ‘Level 4: Do not travel’ advisory.

    ‘As a precaution, U.S. government employees have been ordered to avoid all travel in and around Reynosa and Rio Bravo outside of daylight hours and to avoid dirt roads throughout Tamaulipas,’ the consulate wrote in a statement.

    Authorities are urging Americans to avoid dirt roads, not to touch unknown objects near or on roads and to plan travel during daylight hours. Additionally, Americans are advised to notify family and friends of their whereabouts ‘for your safety.’

    The State Department’s Level 4 warning indicates that there is a ‘greater likelihood of life-threatening risks.’ Additionally, the department warns that the U.S. government ‘may have very limited ability to provide assistance, including during an emergency’ to Americans in areas under its highest-level advisory.

    ‘The Department of State advises that U.S. citizens not travel to the country or to leave as soon as it is safe to do so. We advise that you write a will prior to traveling and leave DNA samples in case of worst-case scenarios,’ the State Department’s website reads.

    Last year, McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos told Fox News Digital that the American people were ‘exhausted’ by lawmakers ‘just kicking the ball’ on immigration.

    Illegal immigration played a major role in the election, with both President Donald Trump and his opponent, then-Vice President Kamala Harris, making trips to the border.

    Since taking office, President Trump has made major changes to US immigration policy and leaders in his administration are taking action. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem joined an immigration enforcement raid in New York City on Tuesday.

    Noem posted footage and images of the raid, saying that ‘Criminal alien with kidnapping, assault & burglary charges is now in custody – thanks to [ICE.] Dirtbags like this will continue to be removed from our streets.’

    A DHS spokesperson said the dawn operation targeted ‘murderers, kidnappers, and individuals charged of assault and burglary.’

    Earlier this month, then-incoming border czar Tom Homan reiterated Trump’s pledge to ‘run the biggest deportation operation this country has ever seen,’ adding that it would focus on ‘public safety threats.’

    While Tamalipas, Mexico, remains under a Level 4 advisory, there are several parts of the country that are under lower-level advisories. The State Department keeps an updated interactive map on its website to help Americans understand risks when planning international travel.

    This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

    Carl and Marsha Mueller, the parents of ISIS murder victim Kayla Mueller, offered their full endorsement of Kash Patel for FBI director, after years of building a personal relationship with the Trump administration nominee. 

    ‘He loves his country. He loves the people of this country,’ Marsha Mueller told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview via Zoom on Monday morning. ‘To us, you know, he is a person that we would go to for help. And he is so action oriented.’ 

    ‘Just like Trump,’ Carl Mueller added to his wife’s comments on Patel’s action-motivated personality.

    The Muellers wrote a letter this week to Sens. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Dick Durbin, D-Ill., of the Senate Judiciary Committee, offering their full endorsement of Patel to serve as director of the FBI under the second Trump administration. 

    Their daughter Kayla was abducted by terrorists while leaving a Doctors Without Borders hospital in Aleppo, Syria, in 2013, when she was assisting with humanitarian efforts amid the country’s bloody civil war. She was held hostage for 18 months, when she was believed to be repeatedly tortured and raped by ISIS militants, including then-ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. 

    She was killed in 2015 — with her parents speaking to Fox Digital just days ahead of the 10-year anniversary of her death, on Feb. 6. 

    Patel served as deputy assistant to the president and senior director for counterterrorism at the National Security Council during the first Trump administration, which put him in the Mueller’s orbit when he assisted in overseeing the military operation to eliminate ISIS chief al-Baghdadi in 2019. 

    ‘We would like to add our voices to those in support of Kash Patel’s nomination to be the director of the FBI,’ the Mueller’s letter to Senate lawmakers and obtained by Fox News Digital reads. ‘Any family who has lived through such an experience will know the value of dedicated, compassionate law enforcement officials.’ 

    ‘Because we have watched him at his work over time, and because we have personal experience of his dedication, we know that Kash Patel is such a person,’ the letter continues. ‘We continue to see in him a genuinely kind, thoughtful, action-oriented man who focuses on what is true and right and just. He loves our country and our citizens and wants the best for us all. He wants our country to be the best it can be.’ 

    Patel personally has been at the Muellers side over the past five years, they told Fox News Digital. He has stood out from the crowd as a federal government employee who sincerely cares for Americans who are suffering and will pick up the phone ‘night or day’ to speak with them following the tragic loss of their daughter. 

    ‘I’m confident if I texted him right now, he would get back to me before this interview is over,’ Carl Mueller said. 

    Patel previously served as a public defender in Florida’s Miami-Dade area, as well as a Department of Justice official during the Obama administration, when he won awards for his prosecution and conviction of 12 terrorists responsible for the World Cup bombings in 2010

    Patel hit the national radar during Trump’s first administration, including when he worked as a national security advisor and senior counsel for the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence under the leadership of then-Committee Chair Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif.

    The Muellers reflected on the first time they met with Patel at the White House nearly five years ago when he served on the National Security Council, and how he told them to contact him at any time with questions about their daughter or to just talk.

    ‘We actually met Kash — we were back in D.C. at the White House, and he actually came to us and found us. That’s the first time we met him and wanted us to go meet with him and National Security Advisor, [Robert O’Brien]. So that’s how we first came to meet him. So it’s been almost five years ago. And they wanted to sit down and talk with us about Kayla. And we told them that we were working, and we’re still working with, [former FBI agent] Ali Soufan. And they told us to continue to work with him and they would help in any way they could. And so that was our first meeting,’ Marsha Mueller said. 

    In their letter endorsing Patel, the Muellers reflected on the nominee’s note to them encouraging them to reach out, which came as a departure from their treatment under the Obama administration, they said. 

    ‘It was actually after that first meeting when we met him, and he wrote us the note, and he said, ‘Please contact me at any time, day or night, with whatever questions you may have, or simply if you just need someone to speak with. I’ll always answer your call.’ And, you know, he’s kept every promise he’s ever made to us, as we knew we would from meeting him that first time,’ Marsha Mueller told Fox News Digital. 

    The Muellers previously spoke out against the Obama administration’s handling of their daughter’s captivity in Syria, repeatedly saying she would not have been murdered if Trump was in office when she was taken hostage. Carl Mueller underscored the conviction in his interview on Monday, adding that the second Trump administration not only reopens lines of communication for his family, but extends hope to families around the country who have loved ones in the hands of terrorists. 

    ‘We didn’t want to forget to mention to the families of current American hostages that their chances of getting their loved ones home have exponentially increased with the Trump administration in there,’ Carl Mueller said. ‘As I said before, if Trump would have been in office, Marsha and I are convinced that Kayla would be home. And we feel that he will do everything to get current American hostages. So just a word of encouragement and hope for them, because we know that sometimes hope is all they have.’ 

    Then-President Barack Obama offered his condolences to the family following Kayla’s death in 2015, vowing that the U.S. would bring the terrorists to justice.

    ‘She has been taken from us, but her legacy endures, inspiring all those who fight, each in their own way, for what is just and what is decent.  No matter how long it takes, the United States will find and bring to justice the terrorists who are responsible for Kayla’s captivity and death,’ Obama said at the time, just roughly four years before the Trump administration wiped out ISIS’s leader. 

    Kayla Mueller’s remains have not been recovered, but the couple believes the second Trump administration reinvigorates efforts to bring her and other hostages who have been murdered back to the U.S. 

    ‘We believe [the Trump administration] will work closely with Ali Soufan to help us find Kayla and hopefully other hostages that were killed and bring them home as well,’ Marsha Mueller said, referring to a former FBI agent who has worked with the Muellers across the years following Kayla Mueller’s captivity and murder. 

    Patel, if confirmed, will replace former FBI Director Christopher Wray, whom the Muellers also lauded as a compassionate man who has also helped their efforts across the years. Looking ahead to the next four years, they said they are very fortunate and looking forward to more progress and finding Kayla through the Trump administration.’ 

    Patel is set to join the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday as the final leg of his nomination process kicks off in earnest. Patel has been on Capitol Hill meeting with Senate lawmakers to rally support for his nomination, earning praise from conservative lawmakers such as Tennessee Sens. Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty, as well as endorsements from key law enforcement groups, such as the National Sheriffs’ Association. Patel is expected to face an uphill battle overall to secure the nomination, as Democrats balk that he lacks the qualifications to lead the law enforcement agency and would politicize the agency.  

    The Muellers explained that even when Patel was no longer serving in the first Trump administration, he met with the couple and other families suffering from losing a loved one to terrorist captivity. The Muellers were among family members who attended the trial of ISIS terrorist El Shafee Elsheikh, a member of the so-called ‘ISIS Beatles,’ who admitted to his involvement in and knowledge of Kayla Mueller’s captivity. 

    Elsheikh’s trial was held in 2022, when he was convicted by a jury in the Eastern District of Virginia and sentenced to eight concurrent terms of life imprisonment for holding four American citizens, as well as British and Japanese nationals, hostage before their deaths. 

    Patel joined the Muellers and other affected families during the trial, the couple explained, meeting them and ‘anyone that wanted to talk with him’ at their hotel and speaking to them for maybe an hour. 

    ‘It was not just the Americans that came down when we were sitting there with him,’ Marsha Mueller said. ‘Actually, people from other countries did, too, because … he was willing to sit and talk with us. I was really deeply touched by that.’

    ‘But, you know, there was no reason, he was not in government anymore. But yet it was still in his heart and soul for justice,’ she said. 

    The couple reflected on the past decade, when they first learned their daughter was murdered, remarking that Obama administration officials ‘will have to live with’ their failure of not bringing the American citizen home before her death. 

    Marsha Mueller also read her daughter’s letter to her family while she was held captive, including a portion of the note that was not widely reported. 

    ‘We always like Kayla to speak for herself. And there’s a quote out there that most people know, but they don’t know what she said after that quote, and if I can get through it, she said, ‘I’ve known for some time what my life’s work is, using my hands as tools to relieve suffering.’ But she went on to say, ‘that is my life’s work, but my family is my life.”  

    ‘That’s Kayla,’ Marsha Mueller said through tears. ‘She loved us. We love her. And we encourage her to go out and help all the people she could in this world.’ 

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    The Trump administration will hold its first White House press conference with newly minted press secretary Karoline Leavitt on Tuesday afternoon, White House officials confirmed to Fox News Digital. 

    President Donald Trump has been on a media blitz since his inauguration on Jan. 20, including sitting down for his first White House interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity and speaking with the media as he traveled to states rocked by natural disasters, including North Carolina and California. Trump’s press secretary also has frequently joined media outlets for interviews since Trump was sworn in, but has not yet held a White House press briefing. 

    Leavitt, 27, is the youngest press secretary in the nation’s history — unseating President Richard Nixon’s press secretary Ron Ziegler, who was 29 when he took the same position in 1969. Leavitt was a fierce defender of Trump throughout his hard-fought campaign against former Vice President Kamala Harris, and also made her own political mark with a congressional run in 2022. 

    Leavitt served in Trump’s first administration as assistant press secretary before working as New York Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik’s communications director following the 2020 election. She launched a congressional campaign in her home state of New Hampshire during the 2022 cycle, winning her primary but losing the election to a Democrat. 

    Leavitt picked up the torch of press secretary from the Biden administration’s chief spokesperson, Karine Jean-Pierre. 

    Trump’s first week in office was a whirlwind of executive orders and actions as part of his mission to follow through on campaign promises, such as securing the border and removing diversity, equity and inclusion practices from federal offices. 

    ‘I return to the presidency confident and optimistic that we are at the start of a thrilling new era of national success,’ Trump said during his inaugural speech on Jan. 20. ‘A tide of change is sweeping the country. Sunlight is pouring over the entire world, and America has the chance to seize this opportunity like never before.’ 

    Trump repeatedly has made himself available to the media since his inauguration — a departure from former President Joe Biden’s infrequent availability to the media — speaking to reporters for about 45 minutes on the evening of his inauguration and again speaking with reporters on Tuesday for another 30 minutes. 

    Trump also sat down with Fox News’ Sean Hannity on Wednesday, where the pair discussed issues ranging from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s response to hurricanes and wildfires under the Biden administration and declaring that his return to the White House serves as evidence that policies from the ‘radical left’ do not work and were rejected by voters. 

    ‘I think it’s bigger. It’s bigger than if it were more traditional,’ he said on ‘Hannity,’ referring to serving two nonconsecutive terms. ‘I think we got there just in the nick of time.’

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    Dozens of senior officials in the U.S. agency that administers foreign aid were reportedly placed on leave Monday amid an investigation into alleged resistance to President Donald Trump’s orders.

    At least 56 U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) officials were placed on administrative leave with full pay and benefits, Politico first reported. Several hundred contractors based in Washington and elsewhere were also laid off, a current and a former official told the Associated Press. 

    These actions come after Secretary of State Marco Rubio, acting on Trump’s executive order, paused all U.S. foreign assistance funded by or through the State Department and USAID. The 90-day pause has halted thousands of U.S.-funded humanitarian, development and security programs worldwide and forced aid organizations to lay off hundreds of employees because they can’t make payroll.

    According to the Associated Press, an internal USAID notice sent late Monday said new acting administrator Jason Gray had identified ‘several actions within USAID that appear to be designed to circumvent the President’s Executive Orders and the mandate from the American people.’

    ‘As a result, we have placed a number of USAID employees on administrative leave with full pay and benefits until further notice while we complete our analysis of these actions,’ Gray wrote.

    The notice did not say which of the dozens of executive orders Trump has signed since taking office the USAID officials were accused of violating, according to the AP.

    The White House and USAID did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

    Those placed on leave were career officials who had served in multiple administrations, including Trump’s, the former USAID official told the AP.

    Before those officials were removed from the job Monday, they were scrambling to help U.S.-funded aid organizations cope with the new funding freeze and seek waivers to continue life-saving activities, from getting clean water to war-displaced people in Sudan to continuing to monitor for bird flu globally, the former official said.

    Secretary of State Marco Rubio has specifically exempted only emergency food programs and military aid to Israel and Egypt from the freeze on foreign assistance.

    Trump has criticized foreign aid and called for a review of U.S. aid programs to determine which put American interests first and which should be eliminated. 

    The U.S. is the largest donor of aid globally. During fiscal year 2023, the U.S. dispersed $72 billion in assistance. It also provided 42% of all humanitarian aid tracked by the United Nations in 2024.

    The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

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