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President Donald Trump on Friday signed an executive order directing federal officials to ensure Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees receive back pay during the ongoing Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown.

Trump described the situation as an “emergency,” citing severe strain on airport security operations. 

“Accordingly, I hereby direct the Secretary of Homeland Security, in coordination with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, to use funds that have a reasonable and logical nexus to TSA operations to provide TSA employees with the compensation and benefits that would have accrued to them if not for the Democrat-led DHS shutdown, consistent with applicable law, including 31 U.S.C. 1301(a),” Trump said.

This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.

Shoppers are still flocking to Walmart.

The company raised its full-year earnings and sales outlook Thursday, heading into the crucial holiday shopping season.

Walmart also offered fresh signs that it is shedding its original identity as a strictly down-market brick-and-mortar operation by growing its e-commerce business and increasing its market share of higher-income shoppers.

Walmart’s shares closed more than 6% higher Thursday, even as the broader market suffered a dramatic sell-off. The stock is up more than 18% this year.

The biggest retailer and grocer in the United States acknowledged the added financial pressures on lower-income households but said middle-income families are holding up. Walmart saw more sales growth in its grocery and health and wellness product categories than in general merchandise.

‘As pocketbooks have been stretched, you’re seeing more consumer dollars go to necessities versus discretionary items,’ Chief Financial Officer John David Rainey said on a call with analysts Thursday morning.

The company reported that same-store sales for Walmart U.S. rose 4.5% in the quarter that ended Oct. 31, exceeding analysts’ expectations.

“The team delivered another strong quarter across the business. eCommerce was a bright spot again this quarter. We’re gaining market share, improving delivery speed, and managing inventory well,” outgoing CEO Doug McMillon said in a statement.

Walmart reported 27% growth in e-commerce sales globally.

Walmart also announced that it will move from trading on the New York Stock Exchange to the tech-heavy Nasdaq next month. It’s the latest sign of America’s largest private employer working to position itself as tech-forward in order to compete with Amazon.

The discounter’s third-quarter earnings come amid growing questions about whether Americans contending with tariffs, corporate layoffs and accelerating inflation are still confidently spending on retail.

As a bellwether for the U.S. economy and consumer confidence, Walmart’s strong earnings and guidance indicate that consumers are still shopping — at least at the lower end of the retail price point.

The company announced last week that McMillon will step down in January. McMillon, 59, started at Walmart as an associate in the 1980s and has helmed the company since 2014.

Under his leadership, Walmart improved pay and benefits for many employees, renovated hundreds of stores and boosted its e-commerce and delivery programs, especially during the Covid pandemic.

John Furner, CEO of Walmart U.S., will take over the top job Feb. 1. Since 2019, Furner has led Walmart’s American operations — by far the largest slice of the company, with around 1.6 million of Walmart’s approximately 2.1 million total associates worldwide.

Walmart is leading the retail race against longtime rival Target, which Wednesday reported a drop in third-quarter sales and cut its full-year profit guidance.

Target’s sales have faltered over the last few years, with some consumers expressing frustration over what they said were disorganized stores and rollbacks of the company’s diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

In October, Target said it would cut about 1,800 corporate jobs.

Target is hoping for a fresh start in the new year. Incoming CEO Michael Fiddelke will take over Feb. 1, the same day Furner becomes CEO of Walmart.

The struggling retailer said Wednesday that it plans to increase its investment in stores and technology next year by 25%.

Since January, U.S. businesses have had to contend with ever-changing tariffs under the Trump administration. Walmart has navigated the uncertainty by raising prices on some items, while swallowing some tariff costs on others. In the three months that ended Oct. 31, prices at Walmart U.S. rose around 1% overall, with higher prices on electronics, toys and seasonal items in particular due to tariff pressures.

In the grocery section, Walmart expects egg prices to drop but anticipates the record-breaking beef prices will stay high, in part from cattle herds shrinking over the last few decades.

Prices for other grocery staples are also up, though the Trump administration’s rollback of tariffs on many food items last week could offer some relief.

Despite the rising prices, Walmart is offering its annual Thanksgiving menu deal for 10 at less than $4 per person. It’s less expensive than last year’s package, but it also contains fewer items.

The company is also expanding its use of artificial intelligence, teaming up with OpenAI to allow customers to buy from Walmart within ChatGPT. Walmart has not detailed the terms of the partnership or shared when the new option could be available.

This week, Target announced its own collaboration with OpenAI.

Walmart has lagged behind rival Amazon in AI-driven e-commerce — Amazon debuted its Rufus shopping assistant in February 2024, more than a year before Walmart launched its counterpart, Sparky.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

Radisson Mining Resources Inc. (TSXV: RDS,OTC:RMRDF) (OTCQB: RMRDF) (‘Radisson’ or the ‘Company’) is pleased to report an updated Mineral Resource Estimate (‘MRE’) at its 100%-owned O’Brien Gold Project (‘O’Brien’ or the ‘Project’) located in the Abitibi region of Québec. The Company is currently undertaking a fully-funded 140,000-metre step-out drill program at the Project with the objective of determining the scope of mineralization to a depth of 2 kilometres. This program commenced in 2025 and is expected to continue through the first half of 2027. Today’s updated MRE is an interim report that demonstrates the impact of recent drilling successes completed as of December 31, 2025. Highlights include:

  • 82% increase in Inferred Mineral Resources from step-out drilling intersecting new mineralization, with 1.69 million ounces (‘Moz’) in 10.37 million tonnes (‘Mt’) at 5.08 grams per tonne (‘g/t’) gold (‘Au’);

  • 8% increase in Indicated Mineral Resources with 0.63 Moz in 3.49 Mt at 5.59 g/t Au;

  • Estimated using US$2,500/oz Au and 2.2 g/t Au cut-off, with a refined geological model and capping strategy, establishing the go-forward basis for future, modern mine development.

Matt Manson, President and CEO: ‘Today we report the first of several planned, step-by-step updates to the MRE at the O’Brien Gold Project, quantifying the impact of our recent drilling success and establishing a clear foundation for future, modern mine development. With just 25% of our 140,000 metre step-out drill program completed, the new vein mineralization delineated beneath the historic mine workings and the previous mineral resource volume (Radisson news release dated February 12, 2026) has resulted in an 82% increase in the quantity of Inferred Mineral Resources, now 1.69 Moz (10.37 Mt at 5.08 g/t Au). At the same time, we have refined the estimate of Indicated Mineral Resources, incorporating more tonnes at a lower average grade for an 8% increase in contained ounces, now 0.63 Moz (3.49 Mt at 5.59 g/t Au). Our estimates utilize a 2.2 g/t Au cut-off at a reasonable gold price assumption of US$2,500/oz.’

‘The former O’Brien Mine was known for high-grade ore-shoots mined in small volumes. Mining ended in 1957 with the gold price at US$35/oz. Significant volumes of mineralized vein material, below what we believe to have been a 7 g/t to 8 g/t Au cut-off, were left untouched. Now, we are presenting the Project as it should be viewed for future development: not as a bespoke deposit of extreme grade and limited scale, but as an extensive Abitibi vein deposit with a substantial inventory of mineralized material amenable to modern mechanized mining at higher throughput.’

‘Our step-out drill campaign at O’Brien is ongoing with up to eight rigs. We expect to complete 72,500 metres in 2026 and 32,500 metres in the first half of 2027. This is in addition to the meterage supporting today’s updated MRE. The vein mineralization system we have been intersecting is open at depth. In fact, since our step-out drilling began in the fall of 2024, we have been seeing an impressive 84% success rate in intercepting classic O’Brien quartz-sulphide-gold veins with grades and thicknesses consistent with today’s updated MRE. Looking to a 2-kilometre exploration floor, we believe an appropriate Exploration Target at O’Brien is another 5 Mt to 10 Mt at grades of between 4.0 g/t and 6.0 g/t Au containing 0.6 Moz to 2.0 Moz. We expect to complete further step-by-step updates to the MRE as our drilling progresses.’

Cautionary statement: Readers are cautioned Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. The estimate of mineral resources may be materially affected by environmental, permitting, legal, title, socio-political, marketing, or other relevant issues including risks set forth in Radisson’s filings made with Canadian securities regulatory authorities. The potential quantity and grade of an Exploration Target is conceptual in nature, there has been insufficient exploration to define a mineral resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the target being delineated as a mineral resource.

A video presentation of today’s news by Matt Manson can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IZwSSYbO70.

Mineral Resource Estimate (effective January 31, 2026)

The MRE is based on 428,440 metres of drilling completed to the end of December 31, 2025, and has been authored by SLR Consulting (Canada) Ltd. (‘SLR‘). The estimate utilizes a 2.2 g/t Au cut-off at US$2,500/oz and makes certain assumptions on mining and processing costs, currency exchange rate, and metallurgical recovery (Table 1 and Figure 1). A wireframe vein model prepared by Radisson and reviewed by SLR constrains the estimate and applies a minimum width of 1.2 metres. Individual assays are capped at 60 g/t Au prior to compositing to full width of the veins, and the block model utilizes 5 by 2 by 5 metre blocks consistent with recent mine design studies.

Table 1: Mineral Resource Estimate, Effective January 31, 2026

Category Tonnes (kt) Grade (g/t Au) Oz (koz Au)
Indicated 3,493 5.59 628
Inferred 10,368 5.08 1,692
Notes:

  1. Prepared in accordance with the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) Definition Standards (2014) and Best Practice Guidelines of Mineral Resources and Reserves (2019).
  2. Mineral resources are reported above a cut-off grade of 2.2 g/t Au based on a C$215/t operating cost, a long-term gold price of US$2,500/oz Au, a US$/C$ exchange rate of 1:1.33, and a metallurgical recovery of 90%.
  3. Wireframes were modelled at a minimum width of 1.2 m.
  4. Bulk density varies by deposit and lithology and ranges from 2.76 t/m³ to 2.87 t/m³.
  5. Individual assays were capped at 60 g/t Au prior to compositing to full vein width.
  6. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.
  7. Numbers may not add due to rounding.

 

An MRE for the Project was previously published in March 2023 (Radisson news release dated March 2, 2023) based on 325,509 metres of drilling completed to the end of 2022. Indicated Mineral Resources (effective March 2, 2023) were estimated at 0.50 Moz (1.52 Mt at 10.26 g/t Au) with additional Inferred Mineral Resources of 0.45 Moz (1.60 Mt at 8.66 g/t Au). The 2023 study applied a 4.5 g/t Au cut-off at US$1,600/oz Au.

In July 2025, Radisson published a Preliminary Economic Assessment (‘PEA‘) for the Project that utilized the 2023 estimate re-blocked by SLR in the Z-direction from 10 metres to 5 metres to allow for more flexible underground mine design. A cut-off of 2.2 g/t Au at US$2,000/oz Au and an updated set of economic criteria were applied in the re-blocking exercise consistent with the parameters used for the optimization of the PEA’s underground mine schedule. No other changes were made. Indicated Mineral Resources (effective May 6, 2025) were estimated at 0.58 Moz (2.20 Mt at 8.22 g/t Au) with additional Inferred Mineral Resources of 0.93 Moz (6.67 Mt at 4.35 g/t Au).

The updated MRE released today benefits from 66,387 metres of additional drilling in 122 drill holes conducted between 2023 and 2025, which is the most significant factor in the increase of Inferred Mineral Resources (Figure 2). Radisson has also validated an additional 36,544 meters of historic drilling. The updated MRE utilizes similar estimation parameters to previously, but a more restrictive approach to capping. In the March 2023 estimate, and as incorporated in the re-blocked May 2025

Figure 1: Block Models for the Mineral Resource Estimates Effective May 6, 2025 (Top) with Recently Published Drill Results and the Updated MRE Effective January 31, 2026 (Bottom) 

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10977/285831_ef6502aeb443086a_001full.jpg

estimate, capping at 40 g/t Au was applied to the full-length composites. In the updated MRE, capping has been applied at 60 g/t Au to the underlying assays prior to compositing. This has the effect of reducing the average grade by approximately 12%, and in the opinion of Radisson and SLR is an appropriate approach to a narrow high-grade vein deposit such as O’Brien.

Figure 2: 3D View of Block Model by Resource Classification (Left) and Gold Grade (Right) Illustrating Volume Utilized in the Previous May 2025 MRE 

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10977/285831_ef6502aeb443086a_002full.jpg

Compared to previous estimates, the aggregate impact on the Indicated Mineral Resources of the new drilling, the 2.2 g/t Au cut-off, and the updated capping strategy has been to add more tonnes at a lower average grade for an overall increase in contained ounces. The aggregate impact of these three factors on the Inferred Mineral Resources has been the addition of more tonnes at a higher average grade for an overall increase in contained ounces. Indicated Mineral Resources have increased by 8% to 0.63 Moz, based on an increase in tonnes of 58% to 3.49 Mt and a decrease in grade of 32% to 5.59 g/t Au. Inferred Mineral Resources have increased by 82% to 1.69 Moz, based on an increase in tonnage of 55% to 10.37 Mt and an increase in grade of 17% to 5.08 g/t Au.

O’Brien’s system of Quartz-Sulphide-Gold vein mineralization remains open to depth across a broad front beneath the historic mine workings and the updated MRE. The potential continuation of this mineralization to a 2 kilometres depth defines an Exploration Target of an additional 5 Mt to 10 Mt at grades of between 4.0 g/t and 6.0 g/t Au containing 0.6 Moz to 2.0 Moz. The potential quantity and grade of an Exploration Target is conceptual in nature, there has been insufficient exploration to define a mineral resource and it is uncertain if further exploration will result in the target being delineated as a mineral resource.

Table 2: Sensitivities of the Mineral Resource Estimate Based on Cut-Off

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10977/285831_ef6502aeb443086a_003full.jpg

A New Vision for the O’Brien Gold Project

The historic O’Brien mine produced over half a million ounces of gold at an average grade exceeding 15 g/t Au. It is clear that the former mine was ‘high-graded’, with manual mining methods applied to the highest-grade veins and ore shoots at an estimated cut-off grade of 7 g/t to 8 g/t Au. Parallel but lower-grade mineralized zones, which would be well above an economic cut-off grade today, were left unmined.

The updated MRE does not incorporate any mineral resources potentially remaining in the former mine. However, in applying the lower grade cut-off of 2.2 g/t Au based on a gold-price estimate of US$2,500, the new estimate captures the overall volume attributes of the O’Brien mineralizing system, with more tonnes and more ounces at a lower average grade. This has the benefit of improving the continuity of mineralization for future mine planning, with larger stopes and more development headings supporting a higher potential mining rate. The Project has existing mining infrastructure to support such a vision, such as a shaft in the former mine extending to a 1,000 metres depth and multiple mills in the region with significant future capacity.

Table 2 illustrates sensitivities on Indicated and Inferred Mineral Resources and the MRE block model based on cut-off grade. These are:

  • a) 8.0 g/t Au (US$700/oz) representing the former mine,

  • b) 4.5 g/t Au (US$1,250/oz) representing the MRE effective March 2, 2023,

  • c) 2.2 g/t Au (US$2,500/oz) representing the updated MRE, and

  • d) 1.5 g/t Au (US$3,800/oz) representing the recent long-term consensus price of gold.

The comparison clearly indicates the relationship between volume and grade based on cut-off, the directionality of steeply-plunging grade shoots at O’Brien, and the increased continuity of mineralization achieved at progressively lower cut-offs.

Gold Mineralization at O’Brien and Step-Out Drill Program

Gold mineralization at O’Brien occurs within quartz-sulphide veins developed primarily within the interlayered mafic volcanic rocks, conglomerates, and porphyritic andesitic sills of the Piché Group occurring in contact with the regionally significant Larder Lake-Cadillac Break (‘LLCB’). Individual veins are generally narrow, ranging from several centimetres up to several metres in thickness, and are associated with mineralized alteration envelopes of up to several metres in thickness. Multiple veins occur sub-parallel to each other, as well as sub-parallel to the Piché lithologies and the LLCB. As mapped at the historic O’Brien mine, and now replicated in the modern drilling, individual veins have well-established lateral continuity, with steeply plunging grade shoots developed over significant lengths.

Since the end of 2024, Radisson has been pursuing a program of broad step-out drilling at O’Brien with the objective of determining the overall scope of mineralization at the Project to a depth of 2 kilometres (Figure 1). The priority is the quantity and distribution of mineral resources with step-outs rather than in-filling to upgrade the classification of the existing mineral resources.

This drilling is accomplished with pilot holes followed by wedges and directional drilling to maximize drill efficiency. In October 2025, Radisson announced the expansion of the program to 140,000 metres employing an eventual eight drill rigs (see Radisson news release dated October 16, 2025). An initial 35,000 metres of the program were completed in 2025, with 72,500 metres budgeted for 2026, and a further 32,500 metres scheduled for the first half of 2027.

QP Disclosure

Disclosure of a scientific or technical nature in this news release was prepared under the supervision of Mr. Richard Nieminen, P.Geo., (QC), a geological consultant for Radisson and a Qualified Person for purposes of NI 43-101. Mr. Luke Evans, M.Sc., P.Eng., ing., of SLR Consulting (Canada) Ltd., is the Qualified Person responsible for the preparation of the MRE at O’Brien. Both Mr. Nieminen and Mr. Evans are independent of Radisson and the O’Brien Gold Project.

About Radisson Mining

Radisson is a gold exploration company focused on its 100% owned O’Brien Gold Project, located in the Bousquet-Cadillac mining camp along the world-renowned Larder-Lake-Cadillac Break in Abitibi, Québec. A July 2025 PEA described a low cost and high value project with an 11-year mine life and significant upside potential based on the use of existing regional infrastructure. Indicated Mineral Resources are estimated at 0.63 Moz (3.49 Mt at 5.59 g/t Au), with additional Inferred Mineral Resources estimated at 1.69 Moz (10.37 Mt at 5.08 g/t Au). Please see the NI 43-101 ‘O’Brien Gold Project Technical Report and Preliminary Economic Assessment, Québec, Canada’ effective June 27, 2025, and other filings made with Canadian securities regulatory authorities available at www.sedarplus.ca for further details and assumptions relating to the O’Brien Gold Project. For more information on Radisson, visit our website at www.radissonmining.com or contact:

Matt Manson
President and CEO
416.618.5885
mmanson@radissonmining.com

Kristina Pillon
Manager, Investor Relations
604.908.1695
kpillon@radissonmining.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This news release contains ‘forward-looking information’ within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation that is based on expectations, estimates, projections, and interpretations as at the date of this news release. Forward-looking statements including, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the ability to execute the Company’s plans relating to the O’Brien Gold Project as set out in the Preliminary Economic Assessment; the Company’s ability to complete its planned exploration and development programs; the absence of adverse conditions at the O’Brien Gold Project; the absence of unforeseen operational delays; the absence of material delays in obtaining necessary permits; the price of gold remaining at levels that render the O’Brien Gold Project profitable; the Company’s ability to continue raising necessary capital to finance its operations; the ability to realize on the mineral resource and mineral reserve estimates; assumptions regarding present and future business strategies; local and global geopolitical and economic conditions and the environment in which the Company operates and will operate in the future; planned and ongoing drilling; the significance of drill results; the ability to continue drilling; the impact of drilling on the definition of any resource; and the ability to incorporate new drilling in an updated technical report and resource modelling; the Company’s ability to grow the O’Brien Gold Project; and the ability to convert inferred mineral resources to indicated mineral resources.

Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, interpretations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as ‘expects’, or ‘does not expect’, ‘is expected’, ‘interpreted’, ‘management’s view’, ‘anticipates’ or ‘does not anticipate’, ‘plans’, ‘budget’, ‘scheduled’, ‘forecasts’, ‘estimates’, ‘believes’ or ‘intends’ or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results ‘may’ or ‘could’, ‘would’, ‘might’ or ‘will’ be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking information and are intended to identify forward-looking information. Except for statements of historical fact relating to the Company, certain information contained herein constitutes forward-looking statements Forward-looking information is based on estimates of management of the Company, at the time it was made, involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the companies to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others; the risk that the O’Brien Gold Project will never reach the production stage (including due to a lack of financing); the Company’s capital requirements and access to funding; changes in legislation, regulations and accounting standards to which the Company is subject, including environmental, health and safety standards, and the impact of such legislation, regulations and standards on the Company’s activities; price volatility and availability of commodities; instability in the global financial system; the effects of high inflation, such as higher commodity prices; the risk of any future litigation against the Company; changes in project parameters and/or economic assessments as plans continue to be refined; the risk that actual costs may exceed estimated costs; geological, mining and exploration technical problems; failure of plant, equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; accidents, labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing; risks relating to the drill results at O’Brien; the significance of drill results; and the ability of drill results to accurately predict mineralization. Although the forward-looking information contained in this news release is based upon what management believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the parties cannot assure shareholders and prospective purchasers of securities that actual results will be consistent with such forward-looking information, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended, and neither the Company nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any such forward-looking information. The Company believes that this forward-looking information is based on reasonable assumptions, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements included in this press release should not be unduly relied upon. The Company does not undertake, and assumes no obligation, to update or revise any such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information contained herein to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required by law. These statements speak only as of the date of this news release.

Please refer to the ‘Risks and Uncertainties Related to Exploration’ and the ‘Risks Related to Financing and Development’ sections of the Company’s Management’s Discussion and Analysis dated April 29, 2025 for the year ended December 31, 2024, and the Company’s Management’s Discussion and Analysis dated November 26, 2025 for the three month period ended September 30, 2025, all of which are available electronically on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. All forward looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement.

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 news release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/285831

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U.S. stock markets were poised for lift off Thursday, after a strong earnings report from computer chip giant Nvidia signaled that there is still plenty of room to run in the artificial intelligence boom that has powered markets higher for much of the year.

Prior to the opening bell, bets on the S&P 500 were up about 1%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq climbed 1.5%.

Late Wednesday, Nvidia said sales of its trademark Blackwell AI chips ‘are off the charts,’ while another set of key computer processing units is ‘sold out,” founder and CEO Jensen Huang said in a statement.

On a call with investors following the report, Huang dismissed concerns about an AI bubble.

“There’s been a lot of talk about an AI bubble. From our vantage point, we see something very different,” Huang said.

Dan Ives, managing director at Wedbush Securities finanical group, echoed that sentiment.

“This was a golden quarter for Nvidia with demand massive and well above Street whisper numbers,’ Ives said in an email. ‘These numbers validate the AI Revolution is still early days and send the bears back into hibernation mode.’

Shares of the world’s most valuable company were up more than 4% in after-hours trading.

Nvidia’s chips have been the catalysts for a massive build-out of data centers that have supplied a backbone to the U.S. economy amid slowdowns elsewhere. More money is flowing into building data centers than all other manufacturing facility types combined, according to the research group S&P Global.

Until recently, that spending has also powered major stock indexes to record highs.

Lately, however, stocks have shown signs of wobbling lately. The declines in share prices — led by tech companies — have sparked debates about whether AI-driven gains are beginning to slow.

This raises a bigger question: how the broader economy will perform if it no longer benefits from all the wealth the AI boom is creating.

Nvidia’s latest earnings are likely to allay these fears, for now at least.

Huang said last month that his company had $500 billion in orders for its chips, for 2025 and 2026 combined.

“This is how much business is on the books. Half a trillion dollars’ worth so far,” Huang said at a conference in Washington, D.C.

Alongside broader concerns about the state of the U.S. economy, stock market momentum has been tripped up by worries about circular dealing among AI’s biggest players. This means the same money is being passed back and forth between several companies — even as each company’s individual value climbs.

Nvidia is a fixture in the kinds of deals that are raising concerns. It recently announced a commitment alongside Microsoft to fund AI software provider Anthropic with $10 billion.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang during the Live Keynote Pregame of the Nvidia GPU Technology Conference in Washington on Oct. 28.Jim Watson / AFP – Getty Images file

This kind of big collaboration news would typically boost the stock prices of all the companies involved. But neither Nvidia’s nor Microsoft’s stock got a boost from the Anthropic announcement.

Analysts with Deutsche Bank said this is a sign of the ongoing investor wariness about deals like this.

“It goes to show how sentiment has turned more negative in the last few weeks, with the circular AI deals being treated with increasing caution as the conversation around a potential bubble has gathered pace,” they wrote in a note published Wednesday.

The Nvidia headquarters, in Santa Clara, Calif., on May 21, 2024.Justin Sullivan / Getty Images file

The question now is whether the latest market hiccups represent a temporary pullback, or the onset of a more permanent state of affairs.

For the experts who are cautiously optimistic that the market will continue to climb, Nvidia’s massive haul serves to validate their rosy outlook.

“We think the investment boom has room to run,” Goldman Sachs researchers wrote in a note published Wednesday, adding that the economy writ large has remained resilient, something that should provide ongoing support to stock returns.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

More than 1,000 unionized Starbucks workers went on strike at 65 U.S. stores Thursday to protest a lack of progress in labor negotiations with the company.

The strike was intended to disrupt Starbucks’ Red Cup Day, which is typically one of the company’s busiest days of the year. Since 2018, Starbucks has given out free, reusable cups on that day to customers who buy a holiday drink. Starbucks Workers United, the union organizing baristas, said Thursday morning that the strike had already closed some stores and was expected to force more to close later in the day.

Starbucks Workers United said stores in 45 cities would be impacted, including New York, Philadelphia, Minneapolis, San Diego, St. Louis, Dallas, Columbus, Ohio, and Starbucks’ home city of Seattle. There is no date set for the strike to end, and more stores are prepared to join if Starbucks doesn’t reach a contract agreement with the union, organizers said.

Starbucks emphasized that the vast majority of its U.S. stores would be open and operating as usual Thursday. The coffee giant has 10,000 company-owned stores in the U.S., as well as 7,000 licensed locations in places like grocery stores and airports.

As of noon Thursday on the East Coast, Starbucks said it was on track to meet or exceed its sales expectations for the day at its company-owned stores.

“The day is off to an incredible start,” the company said in a statement.

Around 550 company-owned U.S. Starbucks stores are unionized. More have voted to unionize, but Starbucks closed 59 unionized stores in September as part of a larger reorganization campaign.

Here’s what’s behind the strike.

Striking workers say they’re protesting because Starbucks has yet to reach a contract agreement with the union. Starbucks workers first voted to unionize at a store in Buffalo in 2021. In December 2023, Starbucks vowed to finalize an agreement by the end of 2024. But in August of last year, the company ousted Laxman Narasimhan, the CEO who made that promise. The union said progress has stalled under Brian Niccol, the company’s current chairman and CEO. The two sides haven’t been at the bargaining table since April.

Workers say they’re seeking better hours and improved staffing in stores, where they say long customer wait times are routine. They also want higher pay, pointing out that executives like Niccol are making millions and the company spent $81 million in June on a conference in Las Vegas for 14,000 store managers and regional leaders.

Dochi Spoltore, a barista from Pittsburgh, said in a union conference call Thursday that it’s hard for workers to be assigned more than 19 hours per week, which leaves them short of the 20 hours they would need to be eligible for Starbucks’ benefits. Spoltore said she makes $16 per hour.

“I want Starbucks to succeed. My livelihood depends on it,” Spoltore said. “We’re proud of our work, but we’re tired of being treated like we’re disposable.”

The union also wants the company to resolve hundreds of unfair labor practice charges filed by workers, who say the company has fired baristas in retaliation for unionizing and has failed to bargain over changes in policy that workers must enforce, like its decision earlier this year to limit restroom use to paying customers.

Starbucks says it offers the best wage and benefit package in retail, worth an average of $30 per hour. Among the company’s benefits are up to 18 weeks of paid family leave and 100% tuition coverage for a four-year college degree. In a letter to employees last week, Starbucks’ Chief Partner Officer Sara Kelly said the union walked away from the bargaining table in the spring.

Kelly said some of the union’s proposals would significantly alter Starbucks’ operations, such as giving workers the ability to shut down mobile ordering if a store has more than five orders in the queue.

Kelly said Starbucks remained ready to talk and “believes we can move quickly to a reasonable deal.” Kelly also said surveys showed that most employees like working for the company, and its barista turnover rates are half the industry average.

Unionized workers have gone on strike at Starbucks before. In 2022 and 2023, workers walked off the job on Red Cup Day. Last year, a five-day strike ahead of Christmas closed 59 U.S. stores. Each time, Starbucks said the disruption to its operations was minimal. Starbucks Workers United said the new strike is open-ended and could spread to many more unionized locations.

The number of non-union Starbucks locations dwarfs the number of unionized ones. But Todd Vachon, a union expert at the Rutgers School of Management and Labor Relations, said any strike could be highly visible and educate the public on baristas’ concerns.

Unlike manufacturers, Vachon said, retail industries depend on the connection between their employees and their customers. That makes shaming a potentially powerful weapon in the union’s arsenal, he said.

Starbucks’ same-store sales, or sales at locations open at least a year, rose 1% in the July-September period. It was the first time in nearly two years that the company had posted an increase. In his first year at the company, Niccol set new hospitality standards, redesigned stores to be cozier and more welcoming, and adjusted staffing levels to better handle peak hours.

Starbucks also is trying to prioritize in-store orders over mobile ones. Last week, the company’s holiday drink rollout in the U.S. was so successful that it almost immediately sold out of its glass Bearista cup. Starbucks said demand for the cup exceeded its expectations, but it wouldn’t say if the Bearista will return before the holidays are ove

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Walmart announced Friday that longtime CEO Doug McMillon will retire at the end of January — which came as a surprise to some given the company’s success in a rapidly evolving retail landscape.

John Furner, Walmart’s U.S. CEO, will assume the role of overall CEO on Feb. 1, the company said. McMillon will continue to serve in an executive and advisory role through January 2027. Furner, 51, began his career at Walmart as an hourly associate.

McMillon, 59, has held the top job since 2014 and is only the fifth person to lead the storied company in its 63-year history.

McMillon has overseen a radical transformation of Walmart’s image in a little over a decade.

In 2014, Walmart had a reputation as a budget retail option and was accused of underpaying its associates. Today, it draws more well-to-do shoppers and has earned credit for adopting innovative personnel policies.

McMillon also built up Walmart’s e-commerce operation into the country’s second-largest, behind only Amazon. Over the course of McMillon’s tenure, the value of Walmart’s shares has increased some 300%.

“Serving as Walmart’s CEO has been a great honor and I’m thankful to our Board and the Walton family for the opportunity,” McMillon said in a statement. “I’ve worked with John for more than 20 years. … He’s uniquely capable of leading the company through this next AI-driven transformation.”

America’s retail landscape continues to rapidly evolve, as consumer spending habits increasingly bifurcate between wealthier households and everyone else.

However, Walmart’s quarterly results have held steady — and the company has been justly rewarded by investors. Just this year, Walmart shares have climbed around 13%. Over the course of McMillon’s tenure, the retailer’s stock price is up some 300%.

On Walmart’s most recent earnings call in August, McMillon indicated the company has been able to withstand the broader pressures facing consumers. Its shoppers’ “behavior has been generally consistent,” he said. “We aren’t seeing dramatic shifts.”

Other retailers have not been so fortunate.

Target’s shares have lost about one-third of their value this year, as the chain works to regain its footing in a more value-conscious environment. In August, longtime CEO Brian Cornell announced plans to step down.

Amazon, meanwhile, has fared slightly better as consumers continue to prioritize the convenience of online shopping. But it recently announced thousands of layoffs affecting corporate employees. Amazon’s share price has climbed about 8% this year.

McMillon has also steered Walmart through a volatile period in U.S. politics, during which elected officials have engaged directly with companies and consumers have proven willing to boycott corporate giants over social issues.

Walmart found itself in President Donald Trump’s crosshairs in May, after it signaled plans to increase some prices in response to his tariffs.

“Walmart should STOP trying to blame Tariffs as the reason for raising prices throughout the chain,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “Between Walmart and China they should, as is said, ‘EAT THE TARIFFS,’ and not charge valued customers ANYTHING. I’ll be watching, and so will your customers!!!”

While subsequent reports indicated that Walmart had indeed increased prices on some items, McMillon said in August that the changes were gradual enough that consumer habits shifted only modestly.

Six months after Trump singled Walmart out over tariffs, he did so again — but for a very different reason.

In recent weeks, the Trump White House has repeatedly touted Walmart’s 2025 Thanksgiving menu package — which costs less overall than the retailer’s similar menu did last year — as a sign that the president’s economic policies have helped drive down grocery prices for consumers.

But there is a flaw in that rationale. This year’s Walmart Thanksgiving menu contains fewer items than last year’s menu did.

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Here’s a quick recap of the crypto landscape for Friday (February 25) as of 1:30 p.m. UTC.

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

Bitcoin (BTC) was priced at US$66,270.44, down by 0.4 percent over the last 24 hours.

Bitcoin price performance, March 2, 2026.

Chart via TradingView

Ether (ETH) was priced at US$1,947.16, down by 1.8 percent over the last 24 hours.

Altcoin price update

  • XRP (XRP) was priced at US$1.35, down by 1.8 percent over 24 hours.
  • Solana (SOL) was trading at US$83.41, down by 1.8 percent over 24 hours.

Today’s crypto news to know

Bitcoin slips under US$67,000 as Iran tensions continue

Bitcoin drifted back below $67,000 late Sunday as uncertainty surrounding the Iran-Israel conflict continued to weigh on global risk assets.

The token was down roughly 1 percent over 24 hours, after swinging sharply in response to US-Israel air strikes on Iran and retaliatory activity across the region. Prices had plunged to around US$63,255 early Saturday during the initial shock, only to rebound above US$68,000 later that day amid unconfirmed reports about Iran’s leadership.

Meanwhile, Ether hovered near US$1,950 after tumbling roughly 10 percent in the immediate aftermath of the escalation.

Bitcoin remains down about 23 percent year-to-date and nearly 50 percent off its October peak of US$126,000, with some Wall Street analysts warning a move toward US$50,000 is possible before any durable recovery takes hold.

X lifts crypto ad ban

Social media platform X has reversed course on its crypto advertising policy, removing digital assets and gambling from its list of prohibited industries for paid promotions.

The change opens the door for influencers and key opinion leaders to monetize crypto content legally on the platform, provided they follow new disclosure rules. Under X’s updated Paid Partnership framework, posts created as part of a commercial arrangement must carry a clear “Paid Partnership” label.

“Undisclosed promotions hurt the integrity of the product and lead people to distrust the content they read on X,” said Nikita Bier, the company’s head of product, adding that the update is meant to encourage transparency and regulatory compliance.

Influencers remain responsible for adhering to applicable laws, including Federal Trade Commission guidelines on endorsements. While crypto is no longer banned from paid partnerships, the platform maintains distinctions between sponsored content and traditional advertising placements.

UAE security alert prompts crypto firms to shift to remote work

Major cryptocurrency exchanges in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have moved staff indoors after the country entered a heightened security posture, with authorities reporting missile interceptions and aerial defense activity across parts of the Gulf.

Binance and Bybit instructed UAE-based employees to remain home and work remotely until further notice. Binance circulated a company-wide notice directing staff to avoid outdoor areas and stay clear of windows and open spaces.

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

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

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Bold Ventures Inc. (TSXV: BOL,OTC:BVLDF) (the ‘Company’ or ‘Bold’) is pleased to provide an update on diamond drilling progress at its Burchell Base and Precious Metals Project, located 100 km west of Thunder Bay, Ontario. 4 holes totaling 669 meters have now been completed in the vicinity of the 111 Zone, where channel sampling results from last Fall were reported last December (see Bold news release dated December 2nd, 2025), and where one grab sample from December 2024 returned 68 gt Au (see Bold news release dated January 9th, 2025). 663 samples of drill core have now been submitted to the laboratory and results are pending. While awaiting results from this first phase of drilling, the drill has been moved to Bold’s Wilcorp property located approximately 13 km east of Atikokan, Ontario, and drilling has commenced there.

Bold’s CEO David Graham, President and COO Bruce MacLachlan, and VP Exploration Coleman Robertson will be meeting with investors at booth #2610 at the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) Mineral Exploration and Mining Convention in Toronto from March 1st to 4th, 2026. Coleman Robertson will be presenting at the PDAC Spotlight with a talk titled ‘From Burchell to the Ring of Fire,’ at 11:10 a.m. on Monday March 2nd in the Northern Lights Learning Hub, Level 300, Hall A of the North Building of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. During PDAC Bruce MacLachlan will also be interviewed by the Northern Miner on March 1st, and by CEO.CA on Monday March 2nd.

In continuing to build Bold’s name recognition and corporate message via video and digital media platforms, the Company will pay fees of $4,520 to the Northern Miner Group and $4,350 to CEO.CA for the interviews which will conclude at the end of the conference and will remain available for viewing at Bold’s website, www.boldventuresinc.com. The Northern Miner draws on 110 years of experience as the leading mining industry journal in Canada to cover the top developments and newsmakers around the globe. CEO.CA is a community for investors & traders in junior resource & venture stocks and is one of the most popular free financial websites and apps in Canada and for small-cap investors globally — with industry leading audience engagement and mobile functionality.

The Company has registered for the Resourcing Tomorrow 2026 convention to be held from Dec. 1-3 2026 at the Business Design Centre in London, UK. To optimize that event and to build Bold’s name recognition and brand in the United Kingdom, Bold has signed a 12-month contract with The Armchair Trader (Armchair Trader Limited) based in the United Kingdom. The contract begins immediately and provides promotional services to Bold Ventures for a fee of $10,000.

The Northern Miner Group, CEO.CA and Armchair Trader Limited are all arm’s length to the Company and do not have any interest, directly or indirectly, in the Company or its securities, or any right or intent to acquire such an interest.

Ring of Fire News

In other news, the Marten Falls Community Access Road project has moved to the public review stage. The road, which will provide year-round access to the community, is proposed to connect to a forestry road north of Aroland First Nation. The road is part of a broader plan to connect the Ring of Fire to Ontario’s highway network, which also includes the Northern Road Link and Webequie Supply Road projects. See links below:

Marten Falls road project moves to public review stage – Northern Ontario Business

Ontario First Nations complete fast-tracked assessments for Ring of Fire road | Globalnews.ca

The proposed Eagle’s Nest mine in the Ring of Fire has also cleared another regulatory hurdle. The Federal government has decided not to designate the mine for impact assessment. See link below:
https://globalnews.ca/news/11688531/ring-of-fire-northern-ontario/

About Bold’s Koper Lake Project in the Ring of Fire

The Koper Lake Project is a joint venture between Bold Ventures Inc. and Canada Chrome Corporation Inc. (CCC – formerly KWG Resources Inc.) where CCC is the Operator of the exploration effort.

Bold holds a 10% carried interest (through to production) in the Black Horse Chromite deposit on the Koper Lake Project which hosts an NI 43-101 Inferred Resource of 85.9 Mt grading 34.5% Cr2O3 at a cut-off of 20% Cr2O3 (KWG Resources Inc., NI 43-101 Technical Report, Aubut 2015). Bold also holds a 40% working interest in all other metals found within the Koper Lake claims and has a Right of First Refusal on a 1% NSR covering all metals found within the claim group.

The Black Horse is contiguous with the Blackbird Chromite deposits owned by Ring of Fire Metals (formerly Noront Resources Inc.). The Koper Lake claims are located approximately 300 m from the Eagle’s Nest Ni-Cu Massive Sulphide Deposit that is in the permit acquisition stage.

Chromite, nickel and copper are critical minerals that will play an important role in the electrification plans of Ontario and North America. The Company is encouraged by these ongoing developments in this emerging critical mineral mining camp.

The technical information in this news release was reviewed and approved by Coleman Robertson, B.Sc., P. Geo., the Company’s V.P. Exploration and a qualified person (QP) for the purposes of NI 43-101

Bold Ventures management believes our suite of Battery, Critical and Precious Metals exploration projects are an ideal combination of exploration potential meeting future demand. Our target commodities are comprised of: Copper (Cu), Nickel (Ni), Lead (Pb), Zinc (Zn), Gold (Au), Silver (Ag), Platinum (Pt), Palladium (Pd) and Chromium (Cr). The Critical Metals list and a description of the Provincial and Federal electrification plans are posted on the Bold website here.

About Bold Ventures Inc.

The Company explores for Precious, Battery and Critical Metals in Canada. Bold is exploring properties located in active gold and battery metals camps in the Thunder Bay and Wawa regions of Ontario. Bold also holds significant assets located within and around the emerging multi-metals district dubbed the Ring of Fire region, located in the James Bay Lowlands of Northern Ontario.

For additional information about Bold Ventures and our projects, please visit boldventuresinc.com or contact us at 416-864-1456 or email us at info@boldventuresinc.com.

‘Bruce A MacLachlan’ ‘David B Graham’
Bruce MacLachlan David Graham
President and COO CEO

Direct line: (705) 266-0847 

Email: bruce@boldventuresinc.com

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

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This Press Release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, which may cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made. When used in this document, the words ‘may’, ‘would’, ‘could’, ‘will’, ‘intend’, ‘plan’, ‘anticipate’, ‘believe’, ‘estimate’, ‘expect’ and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are subject to such risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause our actual results to differ materially from the statements made, including those factors discussed in filings made by us with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties, such actual results of current exploration programs, the general risks associated with the mining industry, the price of gold and other metals, currency and interest rate fluctuations, increased competition and general economic and market factors, occur or should assumptions underlying the forward looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, or expected. We do not intend and do not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law. Shareholders are cautioned not to put undue reliance on such forward-looking statements.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/285792

News Provided by TMX Newsfile via QuoteMedia

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A Democratic House candidate running in a battleground seat in southwestern Iowa linked faith to political violence while warning against religion in public life, according to unearthed audio reviewed by Fox News Digital.

“We have seen religion and political violence showing up more and more in our public spaces,” Democratic candidate Sarah Trone Garriott said in a 2023 speech at a Methodist church. “It’s something that is just very in our faces and something that we’re very concerned about, and something that feels very threatening right now at this time.” 

Trone Garriott, a state legislator and Lutheran minister, is running to defeat Rep. Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, in November’s midterm elections. Prior to launching a House bid, Trone Garriott fashioned herself as a fierce opponent of Christian nationalism — a term some conservatives have argued that critics use to paint some Christians as prone to violence and hostile toward democracy.

In the speech, Trone Garriott said it was “a good thing to talk about religion and politics together” and spoke positively about living out one’s faith in their community. However, she repeatedly voiced discomfort about seeing public Christian displays and suggested it was something to be rooted out.

AMERICA’S CHURCHES UNDER SIEGE AS VIOLENCE INCREASINGLY INVADES SACRED GROUND

An image of a woman holding a sign with the phrase “one nation under God, indivisible” found in the Pledge of Allegiance, according to Trone Garriott, was one of several “pretty uncomfortable ways that faith and political power have collided.” The Iowa Democrat also called attention to Christian displays at one of President Donald Trump’s rallies and during the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

“This is not a Christian nation. It’s a nation for all of us,” Trone Garriott told the church congregants. “Spaces and proceedings need to be for all people, and we need to work on reminding folks of that.”

As a state senator, Trone Garriott said she intentionally sought out opening prayers that were not from the “White American Christian variety,” but from atheist, secular and other non-Christian perspectives.

Trone Garriott also spoke critically of parental rights in education and private Christian schools. She charged that both stemmed from racist opposition to the integration of public schools when parents desired to create a “White enclave” for their children.

“So maybe some of these things sound familiar today,” Trone Garriott said in her remarks. “It’s nothing new.”

The Iowa Democrat then proceeded to tie White men to her criticism of legislation barring biological males from women’s sports or preventing children from reading sexually explicit material. She notably opposed a bill keeping men out of women’s sports while serving in the state Senate.

“It’s really couched in the language of there’s a threat against women and White men are responsible to protect women from threats,” Trone Garriott said. 

Trone Garriott’s campaign did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

DEMOCRAT RISING STAR CALLED OUT FOR ‘CREEPY’ COMMENT ABOUT TRANSGENDER CHILDREN

Nunn, who is seeking a third term in November, slammed Trone Garriott’s comments in the resurfaced video in a statement to Fox News Digital.

“I was raised around Iowans who go to church every week and show up for their neighbors,” Nunn said. “Sarah Trone Garriott can’t walk into a church without delivering a lecture about how their faith is threatening and their schools are racist.”

“She’s made it clear that the values Iowa families live by every single day are the ones she’s running against,” he added.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), House Democrats’ campaign arm, said Trone Garriott is working to unify Iowans in the 3rd Congressional District and condemns political violence.

“Sarah is a mom and minister who has served her community as a hospital chaplain and a parish pastor — public display of her faith has been a guiding force in Sarah’s life and continues to be to this day,” DCCC spokesperson Katie Smith said. “Sarah has always condemned political violence however it rears its ugly head and will always work to bring Iowans together.”

The nonpartisan Cook Political Report rates the contest for the Republican-held seat as a “toss-up.”

President Donald Trump’s push to expand U.S. mining and loosen China’s global grip on critical minerals is colliding with his administration’s defense in court of a Biden-era veto blocking Alaska’s copper-rich Pebble Mine, reviving scrutiny of Donald Trump Jr.’s past opposition to the project.

The fight over Pebble Mine has spanned multiple administrations. Including in 2014, when the Obama Environmental Protection Agency concluded mining in Bristol Bay’s headwaters could damage the world’s largest sockeye salmon fishery. Biden’s EPA vetoed the project in January 2023, prompting a lawsuit from Pebble and the state of Alaska. The Trump Department of Justice is now defending that veto in court. 

The clash under the Trump administration has given Pebble supporters new ammunition to argue the White House is undercutting its own agenda as Trump races to secure domestic supplies of copper and other minerals critical to defense systems and advanced technology.

It also puts Trump Jr.’s stance on Pebble Mine back in focus. In 2020, Trump Jr. publicly opposed the mine, joining GOP operative Nick Ayers, who served as chief of staff to former Vice President Mike Pence, in citing concerns about the local bay’s ecosystem. 

FROM MOJAVE TO BEIJING: HOW AMERICA QUIETLY CONCEDED THE RARE EARTH RACE

“As a sportsman who has spent plenty of time in the area I agree 100% [with Ayers],” Trump Jr. wrote on X in August 2020. “The headwaters of Bristol Bay and the surrounding fishery are too unique and fragile to take any chances with. #PebbleMine.”

Policy paradox

John Shively, CEO of Pebble Limited Partnership, the company hoping to develop the mine, contended that the Trump DOJ defending the Biden-era veto undermines the president’s agenda and would force the United States to cede copper and rare earth minerals to Beijing. Shively called the veto a “textbook example of D.C. bureaucrats imposing their will on Alaska.”

“It sort of conflicts a little bit with what President Trump is doing,” Shively told Fox News Digital in an interview. “I’ll give him credit. One of the things I like to say in life is, ‘If you don’t recognize a problem, you’re never going to solve it.’ Well, they have recognized we’re in serious trouble in getting minerals in this country and metals, and so it’s a little surprising they continued the EPA lawsuit.”

The White House and EPA did not respond to multiple requests for comment for this story. The DOJ, which is representing EPA in court as it fights to keep the Biden-era veto in place, declined to comment and deferred to the EPA.

Since Trump took office, his administration has moved quickly to dismantle the environmental policies of his liberal predecessors and strengthen the United States’ mineral supply. Trump signed executive orders that declared a national emergency on critical minerals, directed federal agencies to fast-track permitting processes and expanded the government’s list of critical minerals by adding copper and nine others to the list.

Trump Jr., an avid outdoorsman, has not spoken to the president or anyone in the administration during this term about Pebble Mine, but he did weigh in on the matter with his father in the first term, a source close to Trump Jr. told Fox News Digital. 

One industry source who spoke to Fox News Digital pointed to Trump Jr. and Ayers, attributing the Trump administration’s position on Pebble Mine in part to them. Ayers, like Trump Jr., openly opposed the mine in an X post in 2020.

“Like millions of conservationists and sportsmen, I am hoping @realDonaldTrump will direct @EPA to block the Pebble mine in Bristol Bay,” Ayers wrote on X. “A Canadian company will unnecessarily mine the USA’s greatest fishery at a severe cost. This should be stopped.” Pebble, which is spearheading the mine project, is a U.S. offshoot of Canadian company Northern Dynasty Minerals.

Ayers did not provide comment for this story.

The source close to Trump Jr. said that in the first administration, the president’s son told associates he was concerned, having been to Bristol Bay to fish on multiple occasions, about the mine’s potential effect on the ecosystem there.

The industry source balked at the Trump administration’s Pebble Mine contradiction, saying it was rooted in profit motives. The source told Fox News Digital that “these guys are cheap dates. … Like you sold your soul for a fishing trip on a boat for a week.” 

“How can you open at the one hand this reserve of rare earths to stop the Chinese from cornering the market, but then say, ‘We’re not going to have our own mining industry’?” the source said.

CHINA’S RARE EARTH TECH OBSESSION ENSNARES US RESIDENT AS CCP LOOKS TO MAINTAIN STRANGLEHOLD

When asked about potential outside influences affecting the administration’s position, Shively said: “Instead of focusing on comments from the past, we hope the administration is worried about the next president using this EPA veto to shut down signature Trump energy and critical mineral projects.”

A ‘kill switch’ to save the salmon

The veto, also known as a “kill switch,” is a rarely-used mechanism of the Clean Water Act. The law allows a company to seek a mining permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, but the EPA can use the kill switch to block the permit.

Pebble’s permit request was rejected in the first Trump term, but Pebble won a reversal of that decision through an internal appeals process. That internal process was still playing out when the Biden administration issued the veto.

Pebble is asking the court to scrap the veto and allow the company to continue with the permitting process.

Pebble lawyers have argued that the company “spent decades and a billion dollars planning the safest and least impactful mine possible” and that studies adequately addressed the salmon concerns.

Copper and other critical minerals

China is the world’s leading import source for more than two dozen critical minerals, including most rare earth minerals. The Trump administration has said that domestic access to critical minerals, including rare earths, is fundamental to national security and AI infrastructure.

The United States has, in recent decades, gone from dominating the production of the world’s rare earths to relying on China, which now controls roughly 70% of mining and nearly 90% of refining, Fox News Digital previously reported. 

China dominates the refining of many critical minerals and more than half of global copper refining, while the U.S. imports roughly 45% of its copper supply. Pebble says the mine could supply about 15% of U.S. copper demand.

“We’ve already committed to building a lot more defense capacity,” Shively said, noting that copper would be used for nuclear submarines, large aircraft carriers, jets and more crucial defense supplies.

In addition to copper, the Pebble mineral deposit is also rich in rare earths, Shively said, noting Pebble could mine rhenium and molydbdenum, which is used to strengthen steel. 

Shively said the veto, if the court approves it, would set a dangerous precedent that allows future administrations and activists to level broader Clean Water Act vetoes. The current veto targets an expansive 220,000-acre area of Alaska containing an estimated 80 billion pounds of copper, according to court papers. 

“If they can use this tool against us, they can use it anywhere in the country,” Shively said. “And when you get rabid environmentalists in government, they tend to use these kinds of tools.”

Briefing in the lawsuit is set to be completed by mid-April, and the court could issue a decision anytime after that or call for oral arguments to continue examining the fight.