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Explorer Amarc Resources (TSXV:AHR,OTCQB:AXREF) experienced a sharp increase in its share price following the announcement of a new discovery at its JOY copper-gold district in BC, Canada.

The company closed Friday (January 17) at C$0.72, up just over 165 percent from Thursday’s (January 16) close.

In a press release, Amarc states that it has named the find AuRORA, describing it as a high-grade porphyry copper-gold-silver discovery. AuRORA is located in an area of JOY that hadn’t previously been drill tested.

JP24057, the first hole drilled at the site, intersected this new copper-gold-silver system, and the company then worked with Freeport-McMoRan Mineral Properties Canada, a subsidiary of Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE:FCX), to complete step-out drilling with three core rigs. Friday’s release looks at JP24057 and results from six other holes.

Freeport is fully funding work programs at JOY in order to earn an interest in the project.

The seven holes were drilled at intervals of about 100 meters, and together have established a 600 meter wide zone of porphyry mineralization. Amarc states that it is near surface and has ‘excellent’ lateral and vertical continuity.

Amarc Resources

Amarc Resources’ January 17 drill results.

Table via Amarc Resources.

Amarc views the AuRORA deposit as a major highlight within the JOY district, which spans 495 square kilometers in the Toodoggone-Kemess region, an area known for significant porphyry deposits.

‘This impressive new, high grade porphyry copper-gold-silver discovery is a pivotal moment for Amarc and its shareholders,” said Amarc President and CEO Dr. Diane Nicolson, adding that it comes after years of groundwork.

“It represents a significant inflection point in the exploration of the JOY District with Freeport.’

The company followed Friday’s release up with additional drill results from AuRORA on Monday (January 20). The data spans six holes located 100 meters north of the first seven holes announced on Friday. They were also drilled at intervals of approximately 100 meters, and trace mineralization across a width of 600 meters.

‘These results are again confirming the continuity of the Au-rich AuRORA porphyry Cu-Au-Ag mineralized system from east to west and vertically, and now also to the north, and from near the surface,’ the company notes.

The release prompted another share price boost for Amarc, which rose as high as C$0.88 on Monday.

In Friday’s press release, Nicolson said that eight large-scale sulfide mineralized systems along several mineralized trends were drilled at JOY last year. A total of 33 scout holes were completed.

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

President Donald Trump isn’t expected to carry through on his threat to impose sweeping tariffs on the first day of his presidency, a move that economists have warned could lead to higher prices for Americans and hurt U.S. businesses. 

Instead, Trump will direct federal agencies to examine different areas of trade policy and recommend actions, according to a person familiar with the plans. The agencies will also be directed to review existing tariffs and trade agreements, like the USMCA agreement negotiated during Trump’s first term, along with policies related to intellectual property rights and the purchasing of American-made goods, the person said. The administration will also study the idea of creating an External Revenue Service to collect tariff revenue. 

The plans were first reported by The Wall Street Journal and an administration official confirmed that report.

After his inauguration, Trump said he was considering 25% tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada, the United States’ top two trading partners.

Asked when he might impose the tariffs, Trump told a reporter in the Oval Office: “I think we’ll do it February 1st.”

Trump added that the reason for imposing tariffs was related to the fentanyl crisis. He also said he could impose tariffs on China if ByteDance does not agree to a deal to sell TikTok.

Trump had previously said that during his first day in office he would impose a 25% tariff on all goods coming into the U.S. from Canada and Mexico. The tariff would remain in place until “such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!” Trump said in a post on Truth Social on Nov. 25. 

He also said he would impose a 10% tariff on goods from China on his first day in office, which would last until the country stopped sending fentanyl to the U.S. During his campaign he’d threatened China with as much as a 60% tariff. 

Throughout his presidential campaign, Trump made tariffs central in his pitch to voters for how he would grow the U.S. economy. He has argued they would protect American industries from unfair competition by making goods from overseas more expensive and encourage companies to relocate manufacturing to the U.S. in order to avoid paying tariffs.

He’s also touted using revenue collected from tariffs to pay for other policy priorities and deploying tariffs as a negotiating tool to get concessions from countries. 

But economists have warned that tariffs would drive prices higher and trigger another wave of inflation. Economists found the tariffs imposed during Trump’s first term resulted in a net loss of manufacturing jobs and a reduction in investments by companies because of higher costs for importing materials, parts and components from China.

Nearly all of the revenue collected on tariffs went to payments to farmers to offset losses they suffered from retaliatory tariffs put on U.S. agriculture products by China. The tariffs also didn’t lead to significant concessions from China, which has failed to meet its commitments under a trade deal negotiated during Trump’s first term. 

Following Trump’s recent tariff threat, Canada and Mexico vowed to put their own retaliatory tariffs in place on U.S. goods. That could cause a major disruption to the U.S. auto industry, where vehicles and their components cross between the U.S., Canada and Mexico multiple times during the production cycle.

The tariffs also would upend the USMCA trade deal between the U.S., Mexico and Canada, which Trump touted at the time as a major negotiating victory. That agreement largely allowed products to move between the three countries tariff-free, similar to how they have for decades under the NAFTA agreement. Under the terms of the deal, the agreement isn’t up for renegotiation until July 2026. 

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

Lauren Sanchez made a drastic outfit change after she sparked backlash at President Donald Trump’s inauguration with a lingerie-inspired look.

After the fiancée of Jeff Bezos, the chairman of Amazon, wore a racy look to the historic political event, she opted for a more modest ensemble at the Inauguration Ball. 

Sanchez, 55, turned heads in a flowing Dolce & Gabbana golden-peach colored gown, that featured a satin corset. The former journalist’s elegant dress featured soft tulle sleeves that draped over her shoulders. She completed her look with dangling chandelier pearl earrings and had her hair styled in soft curls.

Her make-up consisted of her signature smoky eye shadow and glossed nude lips, as Sanchez shared behind-the-scenes photos of her posing for the camera. She wrote in her Instagram caption, ‘Starlight Ball,’ with a shooting star emoji. 

Fans commented on her ethereal gown, ‘You look absolutely stunning and early today at the inauguration.’

 
 
 
 
 
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Sanchez subtly hit back at criticism over her controversial inauguration outfit by ‘liking’ supportive Instagram comments on her most recent social media post. 

‘Girl you ate that inaugural look don’t pay attention to no haters,’ one positive comment read that she liked.

Another fan wrote, ‘You are truly an inspiration to me and I’m sure to many women,’ which Sanchez additionally liked on social media.

However, others continued to make comments about her previous daring outfit. 

‘Usually love her outfits but the inauguration was a massive failure … the outfit looked trashy .. i think lauren usually has more class..’ an Instagram user wrote. 

The children’s book author wore a white Alexander McQueen pantsuit featuring a fitted satin-trimmed blazer with a dangerously low-cut V-neck and wide-leg trousers at Trump’s inauguration on Monday. 

She skipped a traditional blouse and instead wore a white lace bustier. She accessorized with a fuzzy coat for the frosty day. Sanchez’s hair was styled in a sleek updo.

According to reports, Sanchez’s eye-popping ensemble retails for at least $1,800.

The pilot was accompanied by her billionaire beau, who sported a suit with an oxblood-hued tie.

Many quickly took to social media to slam her appearance.

‘Jeff Bezos future wife Lauren Sanchez is incredibly inappropriately dressed for a state occasion,’ one critic wrote on X. ‘Someone should have told her that having her white lace bra out on display is not acceptable.’

‘Good grief, Lauren Sanchez. Put them away for one day,’ chimed another.

‘Really, a bra plainly visible,’ another user wrote. ‘Today is NOT a night club event. Show some class & dignity.’

Sanchez appeared to have worn the same form-fitting suit at The New York Times DealBook event in December. She took a sultry selfie at the time for her nearly 900,000 followers.

 
 
 
 
 
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Facebook and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who was seated next to Sanchez, was also called out on social media, but for a different reason. Viewers of the inauguration couldn’t help but notice he seemingly snuck a look at her chest.

‘Zuckerberg was out of control ogling Jeff Bezos’ fiancée!’ one X user wrote, while another noted, ‘This is the most normal thing I have ever seen Zuckerberg do.’

On Monday, Trump was sworn in as the 47th president. The 78-year-old promised a ‘revolution of common sense’ as he sets out to reshape the country’s institutions.

After five years of dating, Bezos proposed to Sanchez in May 2023. While the couple hasn’t publicly announced any details about their wedding, Sanchez teased on the ‘Today’ show that she was already prepping for the big day.

Fox News Digital’s Stephanie Nolasco contributed to this report.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance looked visibly irritated during the national prayer service at the Washington National Cathedral on Tuesday when the sermon took a political turn. 

Among the faith leaders who spoke was Right Reverend Mariann Edgar Budde, who had been a vocal critic of Trump and the U.S. government following George Floyd’s death. 

On Trump’s first full day back in office, Budde, of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, delivered a sermon focused on ‘unity,’ but her remarks grew pointed when she brought up immigrants and LGBTQ youth. 

The reverend spoke directly to the president, saying ‘Let me make one final plea, Mr. President, millions have put their trust in you, and as you told the nation yesterday, you have felt the providential hand of a loving God. In the name of our God, I ask you to have mercy on the people in our country who are scared. There are gay, lesbian, and transgender children in Democratic and Republican and Independent families, some who fear for their lives.’ 

‘And the people – the people who pick our crops and clean our office buildings, who labor in poultry farms and meet packing plants, who wash the dishes at their restaurants and work the night shifts in hospitals, they – they may not be citizens or have the proper documentation, but the vast majority of immigrants are not criminals. They pay taxes and are good neighbors,’ Budde said. ‘They are faithful members of our churches and mosques, synagogues… and temples.’ 

The reverend asked Trump to have ‘mercy on those in our communities whose children fear that their parents will be taken away, and that you help those who are fleeing war zones of persecution in their own lands to find compassion and welcome, our God teaches us that we are to be merciful to a stranger.’

The vice president and second lady leaned over and whispered to one another during the sermon. 

At the start of her remarks, Budde began to ‘pray for unity as people and nation, not for agreement, political or otherwise, but for the kind of unity that fosters community across diversity and division, a unity that serves the common good.’

‘Unity, in this sense, is a threshold requirement for people to live in freedom and together in a free society,’ she said. 

 ‘Rather,’ Budde continued, ‘Unity is a way of being with one another, and it encompasses and respects differences that teaches us to hold multiple perspectives and life experiences as valid and worthy of respect that enables us in our communities to genuinely care for one another, even when we disagree.’

She went on to say, ‘Those of us gathered here, we are not naive about the realities of politics when power and wealth and competing interests are at stake, when views of what America should be are in conflict. When there are strong opinions across a spectrum of possibilities and starkly different understandings of what the right course of action is there, there will be winners and losers when those witness decisions made that set the course of public policy and the prioritization of resources.’

‘Not everyone’s prayers will be answered in the way we would like. But for some, the loss of their hopes and dreams will be far more than political,’ she said, adding that ‘all the faiths represented here affirm the birthright of all people as children of our one God. In public discourse, honoring each other’s dignity means refusing to mock and model, discount, demonize those with whom we differ, choosing instead to respect, respectfully, to make our differences, and whenever possible, to seek common ground.’

In his inaugural address, Trump asserted that there are ‘two genders, male and female,’ to thunderous applause. 

‘I will also end the government policy of trying to socially engineer race and gender into every aspect of public and private life,’ he said. ‘We will forge a society that is colorblind and merit based.’

The president has promised mass deportations of criminal illegal immigrants and further sparked controversy by signing an executive order eliminating birthright citizenship for the children of illegal immigrants. 

It’s not the first time Budde made her left-leaning political views known. A video clip from 2020 shows Budde speaking to an ABC News reporter while protesting in Washington, D.C. 

‘It is a message for a call to justice – for swift justice for George Floyd,’ Budde, wearing a face mask, said at the time. ‘For systemic justice for all brown and Black people who have been under the knee of this country in ways that we have witnessed time and time again.’ She went on to say, ‘This is wrong, and this rising up – this spontaneous uprising of people mostly half my age or younger, they are the ones we should be listening to.’ 

Budde also testified before Congress regarding a June 1, 2020, confrontation between demonstrators and law enforcement near St. John’s Church in Lafayette Square.

She said ‘our government resorted to acts of violence against peaceful protesters’ and said the Episcopal church believes the issues of ‘racial and social justice are core tenants of the Christian faith.’ 

Budde also condemned Trump for holding up a Bible outside the church following the unrest. Testifying virtually at the time, she told a House committee, ‘When the President held up a Bible outside our church as if to claim the mantle of spiritual authority over what had just transpired, I knew that I had to speak. Nowhere does the Bible condone the use of violence against the innocent.’

Trump revisited that same church on Monday morning before he was sworn in as the 47th president.

Fox News’ Sarah Tobianski contributed to this report 

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Amid newly inaugurated President Donald Trump’s pardon of nearly 1,500 January 6 protesters, anti-abortion groups are calling on the president to pardon a 76-year-old grandmother and 20 others who were imprisoned and prosecuted for pro-life protests under the Biden Department of Justice.

One group, the Thomas More Society, a law firm specializing in pro-life cases, filed a petition to the new president in which it laid out the legal grounds for him to issue pardons and pointed out how President Joe Biden abused the justice system to target these pro-life activists.

Steve Crampton, a senior counsel at the Thomas More Society, told Fox News Digital that it is ‘absolutely vital’ these activists be pardoned to restore equality under the law.  

We hope by President Trump’s actions here that he will restore some sanity and rule of law to the approach of the Department of Justice and the FBI, but also help move this culture back toward a culture of life rather than one of death,’ said Crampton. ‘This small act on his part would, in fact, serve to kind of ignite a momentous movement toward restoring a respect for life in this nation that’s so desperately needed.’

Trump indicated several times during his campaign that he is open to issuing pardons for some of these pro-lifers who were prosecuted under a federal law called the Freedom of Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act. The activists were convicted of FACE Act violations for participating in various ‘sit-in’ protests inside abortion clinics in Washington, D.C., Nashville, Detroit, Long Island and Manhattan.

According to the Thomas More Society, Biden’s Department of Justice used the FACE Act to increase sentences for crimes that would otherwise have been simple trespassing charges. The group says Biden sought to make examples of these pro-lifers, prosecuting them to the fullest extent of the law, despite their sit-in protests inside abortion clinics being entirely peaceful and with no threat of violence or intimidation.

Now that Trump is back in the White House, the Thomas More Society believes he can restore justice for these 21 activists and, in so doing, help restore confidence and trust in the justice system among the American people.

In my lifetime, I’ve never seen a president honor his campaign promises the way this president has,’ said Crampton. ‘So, we’re very hopeful that he will do so again in this case. And for these people who are really just salt of the earth, the best kind of folks that ought to be in their communities doing good rather than behind bars.’ 

Of the 21 activists prosecuted under the Biden administration’s use of the FACE Act, nine are currently in prison. Several of those in prison are elderly, with three, Jean Marshall, Paullette Harlow and Joan Andrews Bell, in their 70s. The eldest is Bell, who, at 76, has seven adult children and seven grandchildren. She was sentenced to over two years in prison.

One activist, Heather Idoni, 59, who was sentenced to two years, has undergone serious health difficulties and suffered a minor stroke while in prison.

The longest prison sentence went to 31-year-old Lauren Handy, who is currently serving a nearly five-year sentence for her role in organizing a 2020 sit-in protest at the Washington, D.C., Surgi-Clinic run by Dr. Cesare Santangelo.

Also facing prison time is 89-year-old Eva Edl, a survivor of a communist concentration camp, who has been active in the pro-life movement for decades.

‘Down is up and up is down in this case,’ said Crampton. ‘These people are folks who, some of them, have adopted several special-needs children from places like Ukraine. Some are missionaries to China and Ukraine and the worst places on the planet, going out of their way to do good to people that are in desperate need. These are folks that ought to be receiving those citizenship medals that President Biden is handing out to the likes of George Soros, who is trying to destroy our nation.’  

‘We must restore the rule of law,’ he went on. ‘The questioning of Mr. Trump’s Cabinet appointees this past week, ironically enough, from the left, points again and again, back to the need not to single out political opponents for prosecution and so forth.’

‘We have recently undertaken a disrespect for the rule of law that has undermined any respect for authority in general, let alone the law in particular,’ he said. ‘So, I really think that this also is a small step back to restoring that absolutely essential respect for the rule of law that we must have if America is to survive.’

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his country will respond “robustly” if US President Donald Trump follows through with imposing tariffs on Canada, telling reporters on Tuesday that “everything is on the table.”

“If there are unfair tariffs, we will respond robustly and we will be there to support Canadians and protect our interests,” Trudeau said at the press conference in French when responding to a journalist’s question.

Trump said in an Oval Office signing ceremony Monday evening that his administration will impose a 25% tax on goods from Canada and Mexico that may come as soon as February 1 – a move that could raise prices for American consumers.

Trudeau also addressed Trump’s executive action, signed Monday, that directs officials to analyze how the US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement (the USMCA) is affecting American workers and businesses — and whether America should remain in the free trade agreement. His action requires agencies to assess whether stricter US trade policy could successfully restrict the flow of fentanyl and the flow of undocumented migrants into the United States.

“While less than 1% of fentanyl and illegal immigrants that enter the United States come from Canada, our government has already acted to address the concerns raised by the president about border security with an over $1 billion comprehensive border plan,” said Trudeau. “We’re already working collaboratively to keep our citizens safe on both sides of the border.”

“Canadian energy powers American manufacturing, businesses, and homes. Of America’s top five trading partners, Canada is the only one with whom the United States runs a trade surplus in manufacturing, and Canada buys more goods made by Americans than China, Japan and Germany combined,” he said.

Trudeau remarked that Trump’s stated US “golden age” would require more steel, aluminum, minerals and reliable and affordable energy. “Canada has all those resources, and we stand at the ready to work with the United States to create a booming and secure North American economy,” he said.

“The alternative for them would be more resources from Russia, China, or Venezuela. Canada is a safe, secure, and reliable partner in an uncertain world,” he added.

The tariffs, if enacted, could strain Americans’ wallets, especially given Mexico and Canada are two of America’s top three trade partners. Collectively, they accounted for 30% of the value of all the goods the US imported last year, according to federal trade data.

While Trump claims foreign exporters pay the tariffs, US consumers stand to foot a portion of the bill, too, as retailers are unlikely to fully absorb the added costs.

This post appeared first on cnn.com

Rio Silver Inc. (TSXV:RYO) (‘Rio Silver’) and African Energy Metals Inc. (NEX: CUCO.H; FSE: BC2; WKN: A3DEJG) (‘African Energy Metals’) jointly announce they have entered into an option agreement for African Energy Metals (the ‘Option Agreement’) to earn an 100% undivided interest in the Niñobamba advanced gold silver project (the ‘Project’) located in the Department of Ayacucho in South Central Peru.

Terms of the Option Agreement

Under the terms of the Option Agreement dated January 21, 2025 with Rio Silver, African Energy Metals has the right to earn a 100% interest in the Project upon the full exercise of the option under the Option Agreement. As set out in the table below, the Option Agreement requires a payment of CAD$260,000 during the first year of the Option Agreement and further payments of up to US$2,000,000, US$500,000 of which are advance payments on any royalties payable under the royalty agreement, pursuant to which a net smelter return royalty of 2% is granted to Rio Silver. African Energy Metals retains the right to buy back 1% of the NSR for US$1,000,000 prior to commercial production on the Project.

The Option Agreement also requires the issuance to Rio Silver of a total of 2,500,000 common shares of African Energy Metals upon receipt of regulatory approval and a further 2,500,000 common shares on the earlier of the date that is one year from the receipt of the Exchange’s approval and May 15, 2026. African Energy Metals has the right but not the obligation to issue African Energy Metals shares in lieu of 50% of any cash payment obligation. African Energy Metals paid a deposit of $10,000 on a non-refundable basis to Rio Silver when the Option Agreement was executed. Rio Silver will provide operational support and use of Rio Silver facilities in Peru for a minimum of one year at Rio Silver’s cost. Rio Silver is an arm’s length party to African Energy Metals. The share issuances and payments under the Option Agreement are subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange and the NEX Exchange.

Chris Verrico, CEO of Rio Silver stated: ‘We are extremely pleased to be able to continue supporting progress at Niñobamba for the mutual benefit of all stakeholders. Rio Silvers management firmly believes that with the additional strength that this transaction brings to the table, that Niñobamba will imminently reap outsized reward. We remain ever impressed and optimistic by the resilience and ingenuity of the Peruvian people as the country continues to endorse supportive mining policies, ensuring continued growth and opportunity throughout the country. Rio Silver will fully assist African Energy Metals in advancing the Project for the mutual benefit of both companies, our shareholders and all stakeholders.

About Rio Silver Inc

Rio Silver is a Canadian exploration and development company with an oversized per cent of insider, friends and family ownership, focused on Peru. Rio Silver continues to review precious and base metal properties in Peru while maintaining its interest in its Ontario Gerow Lake, critical metals project. This transaction enables the Company to complete certain planned acquisitions that bring significant potential for near-term, cash flowing, production allowing the company to leverage other similar opportunities, going forward, in a non-dilutive shareholder friendly way.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF Rio Silver INC.

‘Chris’ Christopher Verrico

Director, President and Chief Executive Officer

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

For further information,

Christopher Verrico, President, CEO

Tel: (604) 762-4448

Email: chris.verrico@riosilverinc.com

Website: www.riosilverinc.com

This news release includes forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. All statements within, other than statements of historical fact, are to be considered forward looking. 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 or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. There can be no assurances that such statements will prove accurate and, therefore, readers are advised to rely on their own evaluation of such uncertainties. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements except as required by applicable laws.

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News Provided by GlobeNewswire via QuoteMedia

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European Lithium Limited (ASX: EUR, FRA: PF8, OTC: EULIF) (European Lithium or the Company) is pleased to announce Critical Metals Corp. (Critical Metals or CRML) has entered into a share subscription facility for up to US$125.0M from GEM Global Yield LLC SCS (GEM), a Luxembourg based private alternative investment group. Proceeds from the facility are expected to be used to fund the development of the Wolfsberg Lithium Project in Austria (Wolfsberg or Wolfsberg Project).

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Critical Metals has signed an agreement for a share subscription facility for up to US$125.0M in transaction funding from Global Emerging Markets (GEM)
  • Critical Metals expects to provide an update on further equity funding in the near term
  • Funding will principally be used to accelerate the development of the Wolfsberg Lithium Project in Austria.

Tony Sage, Chairman, commented: “Receiving this significant and binding commitment is a huge milestone for the Company. Combined with European Lithium’s recent deal with Saudi Arabian based, Obeikan Investment Group, the Company and Critical Metals have secured approximately 65% of the total expected capex of the Wolfsberg Project and brings us closer to our stated goal to be the first local producer of lithium spodumene for the green energy transition in Europe.

Under the terms of the definitive agreement, Critical Metals will have access to up to US$125.0M in incremental capital to fund its operations upon closing of the business combination transaction. The facility would enable Critical Metals, in its discretion but subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the definitive agreements, to draw down funds (up to US$125.0M) through the issuance of new shares directly to GEM over a three-year period after the closing of the transaction. Assuming no further redemptions are made by public stockholders of Sizzle Acquisition Corp. (Sizzle) in connection with its shareholder vote to approve the transaction, Critical Metals would now be expected to have access to up to ~US$175.0M in transaction proceeds (comprising of the GEM finance package and existing cash reserves).

The GEM finance package, together with European Lithium’s additional funding secured through the binding term sheet with Obeikan Investment Group (Obeikan)(refer to EUR announcement dated 2 June 2023), are expected to provide Critical Metals and European Lithium with significant capital to accelerate the development of the Wolfsberg Project once the transaction with Sizzle completes.

The Company can report substantial progress has been made in the development plan for the Wolfsberg project with the achievement of several key milestones highlighted by:

  • Mining permit secured – spodumene mined from the project successfully demonstrated its capability to supply high-purity lithium (99.6% lithium carbonate equivalent) at pilot plant.
  • Mineral Resource Estimate1 – 12.88 Mt of Measured, Indicated and Inferred classified Resources at 1.00% Li2O grade in Zone 1 only:
  • Binding agreement to build hydroxide plant – partnership with Obeikan to build lithium hydroxide processing plant in Saudi Arabia with significant cost savings expected.
  • Advanced project with drilling upside – established mine and current resource estimate based only on Zone 1 with drilling undertaken showing prospectivity in Zone 2.

For full details of the DFS, please refer to EUR announcement dated 8 March 2023, “Wolfsberg Lithium Project Definitive Feasibility Study Results”. The Mineral Resources underpinning the Ore Reserve have been prepared by a competent person in accordance with the requirements of the JORC Code (2012). The Competent Person’s Statement(s) are found in the section of this ASX release titled “Competent Person’s Statement(s)”. European Lithium confirms that it is not aware of any new information or data that materially affects the information included in that release. All material assumptions and technical parameters underpinning the estimates in that ASX release continue to apply and have not materially changed.

Click here for the full ASX Release

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Russia’s foreign ministry has called on President Donald Trump to reaffirm the current international agreement surrounding the Panama Canal and to leave it in control of the nation of Panama. 

Alexander Shchetinin, the director of Russia’s foreign ministry’s Latin American department, told Russian news outlet TASS that he expects Trump ‘will respect the current international legal regime’ of the canal as laid out in two 1977 treaties between the U.S. and Panama.

The agreement relinquished American control over the canal by the year 2000 and guaranteed its neutrality.

Trump has railed against Panama since his sweeping election win in November, accusing the Central American country of letting China dominate the critical maritime trade route and leaving U.S. ships getting ‘ripped off’ in the process.

During his inaugural speech on Monday, President Trump doubled down on his grievances and declared that the U.S. would be ‘taking it back.’

‘We expect that during the expected discussions between the leadership of Panama and President Trump on issues of control over the Panama Canal, which certainly falls within the sphere of their bilateral relations, the parties will respect the current international legal regime of this key waterway,’ Shchetinin said.

He said that 40 countries also joined a protocol agreement, of which Russia is one, to recognize the canal’s neutrality and to keep it ‘safe and open.’

‘[The U.S. and Panama] must protect the canal from any threat to the neutrality regime,’ Shchetinin said. ‘At the same time, a reservation was made that the said right of the United States to defend the Panama Canal does not mean and should not be interpreted as the right to interfere in the internal affairs of Panama, and any actions by the American side will never be directed against the territorial integrity or political independence of Panama.’

Trump has been critical of the agreement and said previously it was a ‘big mistake’ on Carter’s part.

‘The United States… spent more money than was ever spent on a project before and lost 38,000 lives in the building of the Panama Canal,’ Trump said at his inaugural address on Monday.

‘We have been treated very badly from this foolish gift that should never have been made. And Panama’s promise to us has been broken. The purpose of our deal and the spirit of our treaty has been totally violated.’

‘American ships are being severely overcharged and not treated fairly in any way, shape or form, and that includes the United States Navy. And above all, China is operating the Panama Canal. And we didn’t give it to China, we gave it to Panama, and we’re taking it back.’

The canal’s administrator, Ricaurte Vásquez, said this month that China is not in control of the canal and that all nations are treated equally under a neutrality treaty.

The 51-mile maritime trade route uses a series of locks and reservoirs to cut through the middle of Panama and connect the Atlantic and Pacific. The United States built the canal in the early 1900s as it looked for ways to facilitate the transit of commercial and military vessels between its coasts.

The canal spares ships having to sail around Cape Horn at South America’s southern tip, saving it a roughly 7,000-mile journey. 

Panama President José Raúl Mulino issued a statement rejecting Trump’s comments and said, ‘The Canal is and will continue to be Panama’s and its administration will continue to be under Panamanian control with respect to its permanent neutrality.’

‘There is no presence of any nation in the world that interferes with our administration,’ he added, taking issue with Trump’s suggestion that the U.S. ‘gave’ the canal to Panama.

‘Dialogue is always the way to clarify the points mentioned without undermining our right, total sovereignty and ownership of our Canal,’ Mulino said. 

Fox News’ Caitlin McFall and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

“Ooh, that’s a big one,” Donald Trump said Monday as he signed an executive order – one of dozens during his first hours as president – to withdraw the United States from the World Health Organization.

What lies behind the move, and what could the impact be? WHO, the United Nations health agency that helps protect the health and security of the world’s people, receives about a fifth of its budget from the US.

Trump has blasted WHO as “corrupt” and accused it of ripping America off, and millions of Americans who voted for him are increasingly skeptical of the value of such international structures. But experts have warned that the withdrawal of WHO’s most influential member could harm global health.

In a statement Tuesday, the organization said it regretted the US decision, noting that it had, “over the past 7 years implemented the largest set of reforms in its history, to transform our accountability, cost-effectiveness, and impact in countries.”

The US withdrawal is the “most momentous” of all the executive orders signed Monday, said Lawrence Gostin, a public health law professor at Georgetown University, warning it “could be sowing the seeds for the next pandemic.”

Here’s how Trump’s decision could affect WHO and global health more widely.

What does WHO do?

WHO is one of several global institutions that emerged from the wreckage of World War II. After the world was torn apart by nationalism and conflict, countries agreed to sacrifice some aspects of their sovereignty for the common good.

The agency was founded in 1948 in an attempt to protect the world’s health. Its constitution, signed by all UN members at the time, warned that “unequal development” in the health systems of different countries was a “common danger.” The organization’s objective is “the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health.”

Thomas Parran, then the US surgeon general, said WHO was more than a health agency, but a “powerful instrument forged for peace” that would “contribute to the harmony of human relations.”

Today, the agency works in more than 150 locations around the world, leads efforts to expand universal health coverage and directs the international response to health emergencies, from yellow fever to cholera and Ebola.

The agency has, however, been criticized for being inefficient, opaque, overly reliant on private donors and hamstrung by political concerns.

What has it achieved?

WHO’s most notable achievement was the eradication of smallpox, which marked a rare instance of cooperation between the US and the Soviet Union during the Cold War.

In 1967, the organization set the ambitious target of wiping out the disease in a decade. The last known case was in Somalia in 1977. By 1980, WHO could declare smallpox eradicated – the only infectious disease to achieve this distinction.

Because the organization is so large, its effects are often “diffuse,” said Francois Balloux, director of the Genetics Institute at University College London (UCL). He pointed to the near-universal upward trend in life expectancy since WHO’s founding as an achievement for which the agency also deserves credit.

More recently, it has led responses to disease outbreaks like Ebola in West Africa, which killed at least 11,000 of the more than 28,000 people infected from 2014-2016. Working with local authorities, WHO conducted research on the safety of a newly developed vaccine – which achieved near-perfect efficacy and helped stem the spread of the disease.

Why does Trump want to withdraw?

Trump first tried to exit WHO during his first term in 2020, accusing the organization of “severely mismanaging and covering up” the spread of Covid-19.

Trump has long said he believes the coronavirus originated in a laboratory in Wuhan, China, which Beijing has sought to obscure. Notably, WHO has shared some of Trump’s concerns and in December – five years since the first case of Covid-19 was detected – called for China to be more transparent to help the world understand how the pandemic began.

During his latest election campaign, Trump was more brazen, calling the organization “nothing more than a corrupt globalist scam” which “disgracefully covered the tracks of the Chinese Communist Party.”

By focusing on the origins of Covid-19, Trump has understated the role that WHO – spearheaded by the US – played in combating the virus once it began to spread, experts say.

Alan Bernstein, director of the Global Health initiative at the University of Oxford, said WHO was crucial in convincing China to release the genetic sequence early in 2020, which was the basis of the vaccines developed in the US.

There is also a financial aspect to Trump’s animosity. The president has previously said that the US contributes around $500 million a year to WHO, compared to China’s $40 million, despite its far larger population.

As he signed Monday’s executive order, Trump was asked whether, as president during Covid-19, he appreciated the importance of agencies like WHO.

“I do, but not when you’re being ripped off like we are,” he replied.

This worldview misses the benefits of cooperation, said Devi Sridhar, chair of global public health at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland.

What happens next?

It takes a year to withdraw fully from the agency – which is why Joe Biden was able to halt the US exit four years ago, in one of the first acts of his presidency.

But there are signs that the departure could be swifter this time. Monday’s executive order called on the secretary of state and director of the Office of Management and Budget to pause funding “with all practicable speed.”

Perhaps anticipating Trump’s exit, WHO launched a request earlier this month for $1.5 billion in funding to address 42 ongoing health emergencies. The organization declined to make that connection on a call with reporters on Friday, just days before Trump took office.

Tedros said Tuesday that he “regrets” Trump’s decision, stressing that the US also gains from the agency to which it contributes.

“For over seven decades, WHO and the USA have saved countless lives and protected Americans and all people from health threats. Together, we ended smallpox, and together we have brought polio to the brink of eradication. American institutions have contributed to and benefited from membership in WHO,” Tedros said.

Balloux, of UCL, said the decision could delay the eradication of polio and hamper efforts to combat tuberculosis and HIV.

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