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Authorities were searching Saturday for two Australian gunmen suspected of fatally shooting an Australian tourist and injuring another at a villa on the Indonesian resort island of Bali.

The shooting just after midnight on Friday at Villa Casa Santisya near Munggu Beach in the district of Badung killed Zivan Radmanovic, 32, from Melbourne. The second victim, who is 34 and also from Melbourne was beaten, said Badung Police chief Arif Batubara.

“We cannot yet determine the motive,” Batubara said, adding that an investigation is underway. The two Australians were rushed to hospitals in Denpasar, the provincial capital.

According to police, the villa had only three rooms occupied with a total of five guests when the shooting happened. The two victims’ wives were also there and another foreign tourist, Batubara said.

Radmanovic was shot in a bathroom, where police found 17 bullet casings and two intact bullets.

At least three witnesses at the villa told investigators that two gunmen, one wearing orange jacket with a dark helmet and another wearing a dark green jacket, a black mask and a dark helmet, arrived on a scooter at the villa around midnight.

Radmanovic’s wife, Gourdeas Jazmyn, 30, told police that she suddenly woke up when she heard her husband screaming. She cowered under a blanket when she heard multiple gunshots.

She later found her husband’s body and the injured Australian, whose wife has also testified to seeing the attackers.

The Australian Consulate in Bali has been contacted by authorities and an autopsy for further investigation is still waiting permission from the family of the victim, Batubara said.

This post appeared first on cnn.com

Investing

Top 5 Canadian Mining Stocks This Week: St. Augustine Rises 67 Percent on Private Placement

A new report released on Wednesday (June 11) by Canada’s Climate Institute suggests Canada risks missing out on a C$12 billion market for critical minerals should the government not enact policy to drive investment in Canada’s mining sector.

The report outlines a growing need for minerals like copper, cobalt, lithium, nickel, graphite and rare earths, all of which are found in Canada. These critical minerals are all used to produce goods needed for the energy transition, from photovoltaics to electric vehicles.

Overall, to meet this demand, the mining sector will require an estimated US$480 billion to US$750 billion in investment globally. To remain competitive, the institute suggests Canada will need to generate between C$30 billion and $65 billion in investments in upstream projects between now and 2040.

To reduce investor risk and ensure Canada and local communities see a net benefit, the report makes several suggestions aimed at different levels of government.

It recommends the Federal government collaborate with an arms-length financial institution to develop or expand risk-sharing agreements to support mineral assets through price volatility, and provincial governments strengthen mining regulations to mitigate risks and liabilities.

Additionally, it recommends both levels of government facilitate greater participation by Indigenous communities in mining projects through scaling up their resources for capacity and increasing their access to capital.

South of the border, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics released May’s consumer price index (CPI) data on Wednesday. The figures show a worsening of year-over-year inflation as all-items CPI ticked up to 2.4 percent from the 2.3 percent recorded in April. On a monthly basis, it rose just 0.1 percent versus the 0.2 percent the previous month.

Analysts had been expecting a steeper increase, but the numbers were offset by significant declines in energy prices in May.

However, the expectation is that higher figures will be coming over the next few months as the effects of the Trump administration’s tariffs begin to work their way through the economy. The slow response to the tariffs is primarily attributed to retailers working through inventories which were purchased prior to the tariffs coming into effect.

The CPI and other data will play a crucial role in the Federal Open Market Committee’s rate decision when it meets next week, on June 17 and 18. The overwhelming consensus by market watchers is the Fed will continue to hold the current range of 4.25 to 4.5 percent until its September meeting.

Markets and commodities react

In Canada, major indexes were mixed at the end of the week. The S&P/TSX Composite Index (INDEXTSI:OSPTX) was largely flat, posting a small 0.32 percent gain during the week to close at 26,504.35 on Friday. The S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index (INDEXTSI:JX) fared worse, losing 1.16 percent to 721.13, and the CSE Composite Index (CSE:CSECOMP) slid 2.48 percent to 114.88.

US equities were also in negative territory this week, with the S&P 500 (INDEXSP:INX) losing 0.46 percent to close at 6,976.96, the Nasdaq-100 (INDEXNASDAQ:NDX) slipping 0.79 percent to 21,612.68 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX:.DJI) sinking 1.38 percent to 42,197.80.

On the other hand, the gold price was up significantly this week, gaining 3.68 percent to US$3,432.17 as investors sought safe-haven assets amid the threat of war between Israel and Iran. The silver price climbed 0.91 percent during the period to end the week US$36.31, although it spiked as high as US$36.86 during trading Monday.

In base metals, the COMEX copper price sank 1.44 percent over the week to US$4.80 per pound. Meanwhile, the S&P GSCI (INDEXSP:SPGSCI) posted a gain of 4.4 percent to close at 568.42.

Top Canadian mining stocks this week

How did mining stocks perform against this backdrop?

Take a look at this week’s five best-performing Canadian mining stocks below.

Stock data for this article was retrieved at 3:30 p.m. EDT on Friday using TradingView’s stock screener. Only companies trading on the TSX, TSXV and CSE with market capitalizations greater than C$10 million are included. Mineral companies within the non-energy minerals, energy minerals, process industry and producer manufacturing sectors were considered.

1. St. Augustine Gold and Copper (TSX: SAU)

Weekly gain: 66.67 percent
Market cap: C$116.31 million
Share price: C$0.125

St. Augustine Gold and Copper is a development company focused on its King-king copper-gold project in the Philippines’ Davao de Oro province. The project consists of 184 mining claims.

According to the most recent preliminary economic assessment from 2013, the company projects an after-tax net present value of US$1.78 billion, with an internal rate of return of 24 percent and a payback period of 2.4 years using a base case scenario of a copper price of US$3.00 per pound and a gold price of US$1,250 per ounce. The company is currently working towards an update to the study.

The most recent news from the project was announced on May 30, when St. Augustine stated that it had entered into an agreement with the National Development Corporation (Nadecor) to acquire a 100 percent interest in Nadecor’s wholly owned subsidiary Kingking Milling, which holds the development rights to King-king. Under the terms of the deal, Nadecor will receive C$9.02 million convertible into 185 million shares.

The project’s exploration and development permits are held by Kingking Mining, which remains a 40/40/20 joint venture between St. Augustine, Nadecor and Queensberry Mining and Development. The release also included details of new ore sales and royalty agreements between Kingking Milling and Kingking Mining.

Shares in St. Augustine rose this week after the company announced Tuesday (June 10) it had entered into a non-brokered private placement for up to 341 million shares for gross proceeds of C$24.9 million.

The company said it will use the proceeds to fund the completion of a feasibility study and organizing financing for the King-king project. The first tranche of the placement is expected to close on June 20.

2. Barksdale Resources (TSXV:BRO)

Weekly gain: 50 percent
Market cap: C$12.88 million
Share price: C$0.105

Barksdale Resources is a copper exploration company focused on advancing its assets in Arizona, US.

The company’s flagship Sunnyside project has been in focus in 2025. The site is located in the Patagonia Mountains of Southern Arizona and covers approximately 21 square kilometers. Sunnyside is located adjacent to South32’s (ASX:S32,OTC Pink:SHTLF) Hermosa project.

The most recent news from the project came on May 13, when the company completed the drilling campaign and expenditures necessary to acquire the initial 51 percent interest in the property as part of an earn-in agreement with Regal Resources. Under the terms, Barksdale was required to complete 7,620 meters of drilling and make C$6 million in total expenditures.

The company has until September 2025 to provide an additional C$1 million in cash payment and 5 million shares to Regal to complete the transaction. Once complete, the company will have 20 days to decide whether to proceed to Phase 2 for the option to increase its interest to 67.5 percent, which it can earn by completing another 7,620 meters of drilling, paying Regal C$550,000 and issuing Regal 4.9 million shares within a two year period.

3. Avalon Advanced Materials (TSXV:AVL)

Weekly gain: 50 percent
Market cap: C$18.91 million
Share price: C$0.03

Avalon Advanced Materials is an exploration and development company focused on lithium projects in Canada.

Its flagship project is its 40 percent owned Separation Rapids lithium project in Ontario, a joint venture with SCR-Sibelco, which owns the remaining 60 percent. The project consists of three primary lithium targets: the Separation Rapids deposit; the Snowbank target, located near Kenora; and the Lilypad project near Fort Hope, which also hosts tantalum and cesium mineralization.

The pair increased the project’s measured and indicated mineral resource by 28 percent in late February.

Although the company didn’t release news this week, its share price jumped significantly during the period.

4. Excellon Resources (TSXV:EXN)

Weekly gain: 48.44 percent
Market cap: C$12.88 million
Share price: C$0.105

Excellon Resources is an exploration and development company working to advance a portfolio of assets around the world.

Its most advanced project is the past-producing Mallay silver mine in Central Peru. The company executed a definitive agreement to acquire the project, as well as the Tres Cerros gold-silver project, in March. Between 2012 and 2018, mining at the site produced 6 million ounces of silver, 45 million pounds of zinc and 35 million pounds of lead before the operation was placed on care and maintenance.

On May 23, Excellon announced it had entered into an offtake and financing agreement with Glencore plc (LON:GLEN) that will provide the final piece of funding to allow Excellon to restart mining operations at Mallay, bringing its available capital to US$18 million.

Under the terms of the agreement, Glencore will provide up to US$7.5 million in funding through a pre-export finance loan agreement backed by concentrate production at the mine. Glencore has also agreed to purchase 100 percent of zinc-lead concentrate until 2028 or 2029 depending on certain conditions.

5. Latin Metals (TSXV:LMS)

Weekly gain: 42.86 percent
Market cap: C$23.77 million
Share price: C$0.20

Latin Metals is a South America focused project generator company with 18 projects across Argentina and Peru.

Its primary focus for 2025 has been on its Argentine portfolio, which includes the Organullo gold project in the Salta province, as well as the Cerro Bayo and La Flora gold projects in the Deseado Massif metal belt in the Santa Cruz province.

The company’s most recent news came on Monday when it announced it had secured drill permits for the Organullo site. The permits provide approval for up to 11,900 meters of diamond drilling as well as other exploration activities. Latin Metals said the permit is a key milestone for the project.

The project is subject to an option agreement with AngloGold Argentina, a subsidiary of AngloGold Ashanti (NYSE:AU), which has the right to earn up to an 80 percent stake in the site. AngloGold is preparing to ‘test targets that have potential scale and alteration characteristics consistent with Tier 1 high-sulphidation epithermal gold systems.’

FAQs for Canadian mining stocks

What is the difference between the TSX and TSXV?

The TSX, or Toronto Stock Exchange, is used by senior companies with larger market caps, and the TSXV, or TSX Venture Exchange, is used by smaller-cap companies. Companies listed on the TSXV can graduate to the senior exchange.

How many mining companies are listed on the TSX and TSXV?

As of February 2025, there were 1,572 companies listed on the TSXV, 905 of which were mining companies. Comparatively, the TSX was home to 1,859 companies, with 181 of those being mining companies.

Together the TSX and TSXV host around 40 percent of the world’s public mining companies.

How much does it cost to list on the TSXV?

There are a variety of different fees that companies must pay to list on the TSXV, and according to the exchange, they can vary based on the transaction’s nature and complexity. The listing fee alone will most likely cost between C$10,000 to C$70,000. Accounting and auditing fees could rack up between C$25,000 and C$100,000, while legal fees are expected to be over C$75,000 and an underwriters’ commission may hit up to 12 percent.

The exchange lists a handful of other fees and expenses companies can expect, including but not limited to security commission and transfer agency fees, investor relations costs and director and officer liability insurance.

These are all just for the initial listing, of course. There are ongoing expenses once companies are trading, such as sustaining fees and additional listing fees, plus the costs associated with filing regular reports.

How do you trade on the TSXV?

Investors can trade on the TSXV the way they would trade stocks on any exchange. This means they can use a stock broker or an individual investment account to buy and sell shares of TSXV-listed companies during the exchange’s trading hours.

Article by Dean Belder; FAQs by Lauren Kelly.

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

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Investing

Crypto Market Recap: Stablecoin Market Makes Headway, SharpLink Stocks Up on ETH

Here’s a quick recap of the crypto landscape for Friday (June 13) as of 9:00 p.m. UTC.

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

Bitcoin and Ethereum price update

Bitcoin (BTC) was priced at US$105,555, a decrease of 1.6 percent in 24 hours after an earlier slide of over 4 percent. The day’s range for the cryptocurrency brought a low of US$104,309 and a high of US$105,918.

Bitcoin price performance, June 13, 2025.

Chart via TradingView.

Bitcoin dropped sharply after Israel’s airstrikes on Iran, with over US$400 million in long trades wiped out before its price consolidated at around US$105,000. This came just days after Bitcoin came close to its May 22 record of US$111,940.

Gold and oil prices rose while Bitcoin fell, and a Bollinger band analysis shows a typical three-push pattern, often signaling the end of a rally. Popular trader CrypNuevo said there could be “more upside” to come as long as the price doesn’t dip below the US$100,000 level.

Ethereum (ETH) ended the day at US$2,529.19, a 6.3 percent decrease over the past 24 hours, after reaching an intraday low of US$2,513.97 and a high of US$2,576.80.

Altcoin price update

Solana (SOL) closed at US$145.08, down 6.3 percent over 24 hours. SOL experienced a low of US$144.19 and reached a high of US$148.20 on Friday.

XRP was trading at US$2.13, down by 3.6 percent in 24 hours. The cryptocurrency’s lowest valuation today was US$2.12, and its highest was US$2.16.

Sui (SUI) was trading at US$3.01, showing a decreaseof 7.5 percent over the past 24 hours. It reached an intraday low of US$2.98 and a high of US$3.07.

Cardano (ADA) closed at US$0.6319, down 5.5 percent over the past 24 hours. Its lowest valuation on Friday was US$0.6291, and its highest valuation was US$0.6426.

Today’s crypto news to know

Tether expands gold exposure

Tether Investments has acquired a 31.9 percent stake in Canadian gold royalty firm Elemental Altus Royalties through the purchase of 78,421,780 common shares from La Mancha Investments. Valued at C$1.55 (US$1.14) per share, the transaction cost Tether roughly US$89.4 million and brings its total stake in the royalty firm to 33.7 percent.

While the official announcement didn’t come until Thursday, the deal was finalized on Tuesday, June 10. The company also shared that it signed an option agreement that will allow it to acquire a further 34,444,580 common shares owned by AlphaStream subsidiary Alpha 1 SPV. Executing the option would bring Tether’s interest in Elemental Altus to 47.7 percent.

“Tether’s growing investments in gold and Bitcoin reflect our forward-looking strategy to build a more resilient and transparent financial system,” Paolo Ardoino, CEO of Tether, said. “By gaining exposure to a diversified portfolio of gold royalties through Elemental, we are strengthening the backing of our ecosystem while advancing Tether Gold and future commodity-backed digital assets.”

Retail giants explore stablecoin issuance

Walmart (NYSE:WMT) and Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) are reportedly in talks to launch their own stablecoins, according to sources cited in a Wall Street Journal report published early on Friday morning. The move would mark a shift in how these two major retailers manage payments, with the potential to eliminate billions in bank fees and streamline e-commerce and cross-border transactions.

This report comes days after the US Senate advanced the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins, or GENIUS Act, in a 68-30 procedural vote. On Thursday, a notice was issued by Senate Democrats of a full chamber vote on the GENIUS Act scheduled for Tuesday, June 17, coinciding with the start of the Federal Open Market Committee two-day meeting.

Betting platform becomes second-largest ETH holder after Ethereum Foundation

Sports betting platform SharpLink Gaming (NASDAQ:SBET) has become the world’s largest publicly traded ETH holder with its latest acquisition of 176,271 ETH for approximately US$463 million, an average acquisition price of US$2,626 per coin.

According to an announcement on the company’s page on Friday, the company has increased its ETH holdings by 11.8 percent per share since June 2, 2025, primarily using US$79 million raised through its stock sales, in addition to an earlier private investment.

The company said over 95 percent of its ETH was deployed in staking and liquid staking platforms, earning yield while contributing to Ethereum’s network security.

“This is a landmark moment for SharpLink and for public company adoption of digital assets,” said Rob Phythian, CEO of SharpLink Gaming. “Our decision to make ETH our primary treasury reserve asset reflects deep conviction in its role as programmable, yield-bearing digital capital.”

Coinbase announces several new offerings

Coinbase made a series of announcements on Thursday at its annual State of Crypto Summit, unveiling a plan to evolve from a crypto exchange into a full-scale decentralized and centralized financial app.

First, the company’s chief legal officer, Paul Grewal, revealed that all tokens on Coinbase’s Ethereum Layer 2 network, Base, are now tradable directly on the Coinbase platform, giving developers building on Base access to Coinbase’s ecosystem of over 100 million users. Meanwhile, Max Branzburg, Coinbase’s vice president of consumer and business products, announced that the company will soon offer perpetual futures contracts under Commodity Futures Trading Commission oversight, marking a major easing of restrictions for US crypto traders.

Also at the event, a partnership was announced between Coinbase and Shopify (NYSE:SHOP) that Shopify has begun accepting payments in USDC stablecoin from customers on Base. Currently in early access, the new payment option could help normalize on-chain payments among mainstream e-commerce businesses and consumers.

Coinbase also introduced the Coinbase One Card, a co-branded American Express (NYSE:AXP) credit card slated for release this fall that will offer up to 4 percent cashback in Bitcoin. Finally, it revealed Coinbase Business, a new full-stack platform offering for streamlining financial workflows with features including instant crypto payment settlements, up to 4.1 percent annual percentage yield on USDC and streamlined integration with accounting tools such as Intuit (NASDAQ:INTU) QuickBooks and XERO (NASDAQ:XRX).

These announcements help further Coinbase’s vision to position itself as a one-stop shop for businesses operating in the Web3 space.

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

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Investing

Editor’s Picks: Trump to Lift Minnesota Mining Ban, Dundee Buys Adriatic, China Tightens Rare Earth Grip

Here’s a quick recap of some of the most impactful resource sector news items for the week.

The period saw the Trump administration move to reverse a Biden-era ban on copper and nickel mining near Minnesota’s Boundary Waters, while Dundee Precious Metals (TSX:DPM,OTC Pink:DPMLF) penned a deal for assets in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia, and China exerted control over rare earth mines in Myanmar.

Trump admin moves to roll back mining moratorium near Boundary Waters

The Trump administration is starting the process of reversing the Biden-era 20 year moratorium on copper-nickel mining in a 350-square-mile area upstream of Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

The decision could allow the restart of development at the proposed Twin Metals underground mine, owned by Chile’s Antofagasta (LSE:ANTO,OTC Pink:ANFGF). The Biden administration had cancelled the leases for the project, located in the region affected by the moratorium, as part of the 2022 decision.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum argue that the original mineral withdrawal was unnecessary and pledged to boost domestic critical mineral supply.

Rollins shared the news on her social media account.

.@SecretaryBurgum and I have been working together to unleash American Energy and today we are taking another step to ensure we are getting back in the mining and energy development game.

Today, @USDA is proud to announce that we are initiating the process to cancel the mineral…

— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) June 11, 2025

The news was quickly denounced by the Save the Boundary Waters advocacy group and Tina Smith, US Senator for Minnesota.

“The announcement by Secretaries Burgum and Rollins is shocking,” said Ingrid Lyons, the group’s executive director. “They claim to have consulted with the people of Minnesota about the Boundary Waters when they clearly have not. We deserve so much better than this, as Minnesotans and as Americans.”

Senator Smith took to social media to highlight her dismay and condemn what she described as ‘pseudoscience (used) to justify bad actions.’

— (@)

The Trump admin decision aligns with a broader push to accelerate mining approvals and reduce red tape, aiming to enhance US supply chain security for critical minerals.

Dundee Precious Metals to acquire Adriatic in US$1.3 billion deal

Canada’s Dundee Precious Metals has agreed to acquire UK-based Adriatic Metals (LSE:ADT1,OTCQX:ADMLF) in an approximately US$1.3 billion cash-and-stock transaction.

The deal secures Dundee full control of Adriatic’s high-grade Vareš underground silver-lead-zinc-gold mine in Bosnia and Herzegovina, plus its Raška zinc-silver project in Serbia.

Vareš offers an estimated 15 year mine life with annual payable output around 168,000 ounces gold equivalent and low all-in sustaining costs of US$893 per ounce.

“Vareš is a logical fit with our portfolio, as it significantly increases DPM’s mine life while adding near-term production growth, a highly prospective land package, and cash flow diversification,” said David Rae, president and CEO of Dundee Precious Metals.

Upon closing, Dundee shareholders will own 75.3 percent of the combined entity, with Adriatic shareholders holding 24.7 percent. The transaction is expected to close by year-end, pending shareholder, regulatory and Bosnian competition approvals.

China tightens grip on Myanmar’s rare earths

The United Wa State Army (UWSA), a China-supported militia, has taken control of newly established rare-earth mining operations in Myanmar’s Shan State, according to a Reuters report. Satellite imagery confirms the construction of leaching pools and chemical extraction facilities, with Chinese-speaking managers overseeing operations and trucks ferrying ore across the border.

As noted in the report, China currently relies heavily on Myanmar for heavy rare-earth elements like terbium and dysprosium, critical materials for high-tech industries including EVs, wind turbines and electronics. The country supplied nearly half of China’s imports during the first four months of 2025.

Rare earth exports to China have surged since Myanmar’s military junta took power in 2021. Between 2021 and 2024, Myanmar exported US$3.6 billion worth of rare earth metals to its neighbor, a dramatic increase compared to just US$400 million in the prior four year period.

The majority of these imports previously came from mineral belts in Kachin State, but this supply was disrupted in October 2024 when the Kachin Independence Army seized control of the region from the junta.

Analysts suggest this move to protect operations in Shan State helps Beijing reinforce its global dominance in rare earth supply chains by tapping into more stable regions under Chinese-aligned militia protection.

China has further tightened its grip on the global rare earth industry over the past year, reinforcing control across multiple fronts. Domestically, Beijing implemented new regulations in late 2024 to centralize mine quotas, smelting, separation and export licensing, reinforcing state dominance across the entire rare earth supply chain.

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Politics

‘All-in’: GOP lawmakers divided on US involvement as Trump pushes Iran for diplomatic end

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., called for the president to go ‘all-in’ for Israel should a diplomatic end to the conflict with Iran not be met.

Earlier in the day, President Donald Trump called on Iranian leaders to return to the negotiating table to strike a nuclear deal to avoid ‘even more brutal’ attacks.

Graham lauded Trump’s desire to bring Iran back to the table but countered that ‘if Iran refuses this offer, I strongly believe it is in America’s national security interest to go all-in to help Israel finish the job.’

‘One of the benefits of this approach is that it would substantially undo the damage done to our reputation by Biden’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan,’ Graham said on X.

‘If diplomacy fails, going all-in for Israel shows that America is back as a reliable ally and a strong force against oppression. It would strengthen our hand in all corners of the world, as well as all other conflicts we face.’

His zeal to support the Jewish State came before Fox News reported that two U.S. Navy Destroyers, the USS Sullivans and USS Arleigh Burke, were assisting Israel to shoot down incoming missile volleys from Iran.

However, other pro-Israel lawmakers were not ready to see American troops deployed in the region and believed Trump would be the key to preventing any action from the U.S.

‘I can’t imagine a world in which that happens,’ Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., told Fox News Digital. ‘I’d be opposed to that. The president is adamantly opposed to that. I trust President Trump here to keep our troops and other personnel safe in the region.’

Hawley said Trump ‘has offered Iran an off-ramp here for a long time’ through the nuclear agreement negotiation and noted the president again offered an out.

‘You know, they ought to take that off-ramp,’ he said.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Jim Risch, R-Idaho, told Fox News Digital in a statement that ‘no one hates to see U.S. troops put at risk more than our president.’

‘President Trump has worked tirelessly to end wars and stop killing. And, in this case, I know he will continue to do all he can to keep U.S. troops out of harm’s way as the war between Israel and Iran unfolds,’ he said.

Israel’s strike on Iran was intended to take out the country’s nuclear enrichment program and carry out targeted attacks on a number of top Iranian officials.

Sen. Tim Sheehy, R-Mont., said the strike was ‘warranted’ given Iran’s years of aggression against Israel, but he agreed with the president that negotiations needed to resume.

‘A regime that chants ‘Death to America’ and ‘Death to Israel’ can never be allowed to have a nuclear weapon,’ he said in a statement to Fox News Digital. ‘Israel has every right to defend itself, and America stands with Israel.’

But others, like Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., accused Trump of killing the Iran nuclear agreement and contended that the end of negotiations ‘accelerated Iran’s development towards a bomb.’

Still, he hoped a deal could be made to prevent further ‘escalation in the region that could endanger American citizens, troops and our interests.’

‘As we support Israel in protecting their people from Iran’s response, everyone needs to be focused on de-escalation,’ Kelly said in a statement.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Politics

Democratic lawmakers criticize Israel’s defensive strikes against Iran’s nuclear sites

Democratic lawmakers are sounding off on the Israel-Iran conflict, criticizing Israel’s initial airstrikes Thursday night in the capital of Tehran.

Israel launched ‘Operation Rising Lion,’ targeting Iran’s nuclear and missile infrastructure, and Iran responded with strikes in Tel Aviv, injuring at least five people.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) released a statement Friday calling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu an ‘extremist.’

‘The world is more dangerous and unstable as a result of the extremist Netanyahu’s government ongoing defiance of international law,’ Sanders wrote. ‘First, he uses the starvation of children in Gaza as a tool of war, a barbaric violation of the Geneva Conventions. Now, his illegal unilateral attack on Iran risks a full-blown regional war.’

Sanders added the strikes ‘directly contravened’ U.S. interests in resolving long-standing tensions over Iran’s nuclear program.

‘Talks were planned for Sunday, but Netanyahu chose instead to launch an attack,’ Sanders wrote. ‘The U.S. must make it clear that we will not be dragged into another Netanyahu war. Along with the international community we should do everything possible to prevent an escalation of this conflict and bring the warring parties to the negotiating table.’

Senate Foreign Relations member Christopher S. Murphy, D-Conn., chimed in on social media Friday morning.

‘Netanyahu wasn’t trying to help diplomacy; he was trying to destroy diplomacy,’ Murphy wrote. ‘How do we know? They reportedly targeted and killed Iran’s chief negotiator with Trump.’

Tim Kaine, D-Va., who also serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, added he could not understand why Israel would launch a preemptive strike when a meeting was scheduled between the U.S. and Iran this weekend.

Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., the ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said military aggression is ‘never the answer.’

‘Israel’s alarming decision to launch airstrikes on Iran is a reckless escalation that risks igniting regional violence,’ Reed wrote. ‘These strikes threaten not only the lives of innocent civilians but the stability of the entire Middle East and the safety of American citizens and forces. While tensions between Israel and Iran are real and complex, military aggression of this scale is never the answer.’

By Friday afternoon, some Democrats seemingly changed their tune in response to the counter-attack.

Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Calif., slammed Iran’s response, calling it ‘cowardice.’

‘#Israel’s strike on #Iran was targeted precisely at senior Iranian military commanders and military sites that posed an existential threat to Israel,’ Sherman wrote. ‘The Islamic Republic’s response? To target civilian centers in #TelAviv. Unsurprising cowardice from a regime that has spent decades brutalizing its own people.’

Others evaded the conversation all together.

‘This is a rapidly evolving situation, and it’s critical that the United States works with our allies and avoid steps that will cause further escalation across the region,’ Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., wrote in a statement. ‘For years, Iran has threatened the safety of Israel and the region, and Israel has an undeniable right to defend itself and its citizens.’

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Politics

Israel’s drone strikes in Iran show why US must halt China’s land grab here: experts

National security and China experts are warning that Israel’s attack on Iran is an example of why Beijing’s efforts to purchase land and other assets within the United States need to be stopped immediately.

After the initial attacks began on Friday, news reports began surfacing indicating that Israel had secretly built a drone base on Iranian soil that it used to launch its attacks. The operation was years in the making, one Israeli security official told the Jewish Chronicle, adding that weapons systems and soldiers had been smuggled into the country ahead of time.

‘Look at the ways Israel penetrated Iran for sabotage operations. Now look at the Chinese companies and assets permeating the US power grid (solar converters), local law enforcement (DJI drones), and social media (TikTok),’ China policy expert Michael Sobolik wrote in a post on X. ‘The CCP is preparing to paralyze us in a crisis.’

Gabriel Noronha, president of Polaris National Security, also drew parallels between the China land grab in the United States and the recent Ukrainian drone strike that decimated a significant portion of Russia’s air fleet. The attack reportedly involved drones smuggled into Russia and released near airfields.

‘After Ukraine’s drone operation in Russia and Israel’s operation in Iran, it is obvious that America’s enemies will try to replicate that playbook on our soil,’ Noronha said. ‘It is increasingly dangerous to allow Chinese companies and individuals to own land – especially near our military bases and critical infrastructure. Left unchecked, we are opening our land to host clandestine Chinese military bases to launch all sorts of attacks and cripple our nation in wartime.’

Officials in the United States have been sounding the alarm for years now about China’s efforts to purchase land near military bases, and other strategic assets that could help them sabotage the country.

Just recently, the Arizona legislature passed a bill meant to block Chinese entities from obtaining more than a 30% stake in Arizona real estate, but it was vetoed by Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs. According to the bill’s sponsor, China had recently been trying to lease property near a major Air Force base in the state.

Michael Lucci, the CEO and founder of State Armor Action, a conservative group with a mission to develop and enact state-level solutions to global security threats, warned Friday that if the United States does not get serious about interrupting China’s asset grab, it risks losing a war with them. He said land grabs are just the ‘tip of the iceberg.’

‘CCP land ownership is bad but it’s tip of the iceberg,’ Lucci said. ‘Their industrial property holdings are worse, as is their port access. Perhaps worst of all is their deep penetration of critical infrastructure and govt systems.’

‘I now understand the potential problem of the Chinese government owning land in America,’ added writer and podcast host Jamie Weinstein.

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Politics

Biden-appointed judge thwarts Trump’s attempt to clean house at consumer safety agency

A federal judge in Maryland on Friday ruled that President Donald Trump lacked the authority to fire three Democratic members of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and ordered their reinstatement — teeing up another high-stakes court clash centered on Trump’s ability as commander-in-chief to remove or otherwise control the members of independent agencies.

U.S. District Judge Matthew Maddox, a Biden appointee, sided with the three ousted members of the board — Mary Boyle, Alexander Hoehn-Saric and Richard Trumka Jr. — in ruling that their firings were unlawful and ordered all three members to be reinstated to their posts.

In his ruling, Maddox said that the tenured design and protection of the five-member, staggered-term CPSC board does ‘not interfere with’ Trump’s executive branch powers under Article II of the U.S. Constitution.

The decision is a near-term blow for Trump, and comes just weeks after the Supreme Court last month agreed to uphold, for now, Trump’s removal of two Democratic appointees from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and the Merit Systems Protections Board (MSPB).

Both board members had challenged their terminations as ‘unlawful’ in separate lawsuits filed in D.C. federal court. The Supreme Court voted 6-3 in May to temporarily allow the firing of both board members, siding with lawyers for the Trump administration, who had urged the justices to keep both members on the job while the case continued to move through the lower courts.

In his ruling, Maddox sought to distinguish those cases from the terminations of members of the CPSC board and said that the Trump administration, in this case, had failed to identify neglect or malfeasance by any other Senate-confirmed commissioners on the CPSC, which is required by law to justify their removals.

‘For the reasons set forth below, the Court finds no constitutional defect in the statutory restriction on Plaintiffs’ removal and that Plaintiffs’ purported removal from office was unlawful,’ he said in the order.

‘The Court shall enter an Order granting Plaintiffs’ motion, denying Defendants’ motion, and providing declaratory and injunctive relief permitting Plaintiffs to resume their duties as CPSC Commissioners.’

The decision clears the way for the members to return to their roles on the board, pending an appeal to higher courts by the Trump administration.

The case is the latest in a string of challenges centered on Trump’s ability to remove members of independent boards. Like the NLRB and MSPB rulings, it centers on the 90-year-old Supreme Court decision known as Humphrey’s Executor, in which the court unanimously ruled that presidents cannot fire independent board members without cause.

Maddox invoked the uncertainty created by the preliminary posture of the NLRB and MSPB cases, which saw both plaintiffs removed and reinstated to their positions multiple times — which he said was the basis for ordering more permanent injunctive relief.

‘Disruption might have resulted in the instant case if Plaintiffs had been reinstated while this case was in its preliminary posture, only to have the Court later deny relief in its final judgment and subject Plaintiffs to removal again,’ said Maddox. ‘The risk of such disruption is no longer a factor now that the Court is granting permanent injunctive relief as a final judgment.’

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Politics

Nearly half of Americans back Israeli airstrikes on Iran, poll shows

: More Americans support rather than oppose Israeli airstrikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, according to a new national poll conducted before Israel’s Friday attack on Iran.

But the survey, released by the Ronald Reagan Institute, indicates that most Democrats and Republicans don’t see eye-to-eye on the issue.

According to the poll, which was first shared with Fox News on Friday, 45% of those questioned said they would support Israel conducting targeted airstrikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities if diplomatic efforts between the U.S. and Iran fail.

Thirty-seven percent said they opposed Israeli airstrikes, with 18% unsure.

But the poll indicates a partisan divide.

Six in 10 Republicans said they support the airstrikes, but that backing dropped to 35% among independents and 32% among Democrats.

Twenty-seven percent of Republicans opposed the Israeli airstrikes, with a third of independents and just over half of Democrats opposed.

The poll of adult Americans was conducted, May 22-June 2, before Israel’s unprecedented attack on Iran, named ‘Operation Rising Lion,’ which included strikes on both the Islamic State’s nuclear program and military leaders.

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World

Israel’s unprecedented attack shows Iran has become a ‘playground’ for the Mossad

Before Israel launched an unprecedented wave of strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities and top military leaders this week, its spies were already on the ground in enemy territory.

Israeli intelligence agency Mossad had smuggled weapons into Iran ahead of the strikes, according to Israeli security officials, and would use the weapons to target Iran’s defense from within.

The officials said Israel established a base for launching explosive drones inside Iran, and the drones were later used to target missile launchers near Tehran. Precision weapons were also smuggled in and used to target surface-to-air missile systems, clearing the way for Israel’s Air Force to carry out more than 100 strikes with upward of 200 aircraft in the early hours of Friday local time.

The plan to disable Iranian defenses seems to have been effective; Israel said all of its aircraft returned safely from the first waves of strikes, appearing to show Israeli air superiority over parts of a country hundreds of miles away.

Intelligence gathered by the Mossad in Iran also gave Israel’s air force the ability to target senior Iranian commanders and scientists.

In an incredibly rare move, the Mossad released video from some of its operations, showing drones attacking what appear to be unsuspecting missile launchers.

It is the latest operation to show how deeply Israel’s intelligence services, including the Mossad, have penetrated some of Iran’s most closely guarded secrets. The operations have made the Mossad appear a nearly unstoppable force in Iran, capable of hitting at some of its highest-ranking officials and most sensitive sites.

“Mossad has treated Iran like its playground for years now,” said Holly Dagres, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute and curator of the Iranist newsletter.

“From assassinating top nuclear scientists to sabotaging Iranian nuclear facilities, Israel has proved time and time again that it has always had the upper hand in this shadow war that has now been playing out in the open since the first tit-for-tat strikes in April 2024.”

An Israeli security source said the latest operation required commando forces operating deep within Tehran and across the country while avoiding detection from Iran’s security and intelligence agencies. The source said Mossad teams targeted air defense missiles, ballistic missiles, and missile launchers as the attack from the Israeli Air Force began.

A second Israeli security source said the Mossad operations were years in the making, involving both intelligence-gathering efforts and the deployment of Mossad commandos deep behind enemy lines.

Some of the Mossad commando forces operated in the Iranian capital itself, according to the security source.

In addition to the drone base established by the Mossad long before Wednesday’s attack, Mossad commandos deployed “precision-guided weapons systems” near Iranian missile air defense systems, which were activated at the same time as the Israeli air force began striking its targets. A second operation deployed sophisticated vehicle-mounted weaponry to target other Iranian defense systems.

The Mossad operation also involved assassinations of top Iranian officials.

Israel has shown – flaunted even – the Mossad’s ability to operate with near impunity in Iran in the past.

Starting in the early-2010s, Iran accused Israel of carrying out a campaign of assassinations against the country’s nuclear scientists. Former Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon tacitly acknowledged the targeted killings when he said in 2015 that Israel cannot be held responsible “for the life expectancy of Iran’s nuclear scientists.”

From 2007 to 2012 Israel allegedly carried out five covert assassinations, nearly all in Tehran, through remote-controlled bombings, or remote-controlled machine guns. Only one of Iran’s key nuclear scientists survived the assassination attempt, Fereydoon Abbasi.

Just last month, Abbasi told Iranian state media that any attack on production sites would have little impact on the timeline of developing a bomb, saying, “our capabilities are spread all over the country. If they target production sites, it will be inconsequential to our timetable, because our nuclear materials are not stored above ground for them to hit.”

Abbasi was one of the scientists killed in Israel’s early morning attack in Tehran.

The Mossad’s actions soon became much more public.

In early-2018, Israel stole Iran’s nuclear archive from Tehran, displaying the intelligence coup in a live broadcast from Jerusalem. Speaking in English, Netanyahu showed off the archive, including what he said were copies of 55,000 pages of Iranian nuclear information and a display of discs he said were 55,000 files.

Iran tried to dismiss Netanyahu’s comments as “childish” and “laughable,” but the plundering of the archive showed the confidence Israel had in the Mossad’s ability to function in Tehran. The operation, which would have required extensive planning and an intimate knowledge of the archive’s location and security, pushed the first Trump administration to withdraw from the original nuclear agreement with Iran, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

Israel wasn’t done yet.

In November 2020, Israel assassinated Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, Iran’s chief nuclear scientist, while he was in a bulletproof car traveling with his wife. Fakhrizadeh’s car was moving in a convoy with three security vehicles when he came under fire. Iranian state media said a remote-controlled machine gun opened fire on the nuclear scientist, who had been a long-time target for Israel.

The operation, which Israel has not publicly acknowledged, was carried out with remarkable precision, and it displayed a deep knowledge of Fakhrizadeh’s pattern of life.

And yet despite its repeated inability to stop the Mossad, Iran has proven incapable of improving.

Ram Ben Barak, the former deputy director of the Mossad, said the organization’s continued success is “due to a very, very disliked regime, even hated by most of the public, so this allows for intelligence penetration on one hand, and on the other, you have the sophistication and professionalism of the Israeli intelligence personnel.”

After the start of the war in Gaza, Israel assassinated Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in the heart of Tehran. A source familiar with the matter said Israel planted an explosive device in a guest house where Haniyeh was known to stay. The bomb was concealed in the room for two months before the targeted killing and detonated remotely once Haniyeh was in the room.

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