admin

George Clooney is keeping quiet after Hunter Biden unleashed a string of vulgar attacks on the Hollywood actor.

Hunter, 55, accused Clooney, 64, of turning on his father, former President Joe Biden, and helping lead the charge to push him out of the 2024 race.

‘I love George Clooney’s movies, but I don’t really give a s— what he thinks about who should be the nominee for the Democratic Party,’ Hunter said on the ‘At Our Table’ podcast.

‘I was about to say I really like George Clooney as an actor, but the truth of the matter is, the truth is, I’ll be honest, I really don’t like George Clooney as an actor or as a person.’

Hunter recalled tensions between Clooney and his father behind the scenes at an event prior to the election.

‘George Clooney, before that event … literally threatened to pull out of the event — how many times? Five, six times? Over and over again, saying that he was so upset because my dad refused to recognize the arrest warrant for Netanyahu,’ Hunter said as he referred to the prime minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu.

Hunter claimed Clooney’s behavior at the event was distant and alleged the actor only stayed for five minutes, spoke to no one except Barack Obama and ignored the rest of the crowd.

‘Literally, I was whispering in [Biden’s] ear saying, ‘Dad, f— him.’ … You got to be kidding me because I was so mad,’ Hunter added. ‘And he claims in his arrogance that my dad, the president of the United States, didn’t know who the actor was.’

Reps for Clooney did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Clooney has yet to comment publicly on Hunter’s comments, even as the president’s son continues his media blitz.

In a separate appearance with Andrew Callaghan on his ‘Channel 5’ podcast over the weekend, Hunter’s criticism of Clooney escalated into a full-blown, hourslong meltdown accusing the ‘Ocean’s 11’ star of sabotaging his father’s re-election effort.

Hunter said the alleged move was made with ‘the blessing’ of former President Obama and his cohorts.

‘F— him! F— him and f— everybody around him,’ Hunter said bluntly. ‘I don’t have to be f—ing nice. No. 1, I agree with Quentin Tarantino. George Clooney is not a f—ing actor. He is a f—ing, I don’t know what he is. He’s a brand.’

The former president’s son’s rage emerged as they discussed Clooney’s infamous New York Times op-ed, which was published days after his father’s widely criticized debate performance.

Clooney called for Biden to step aside as the Democratic nominee at the time.

‘It’s devastating to say it, but the Joe Biden I was with three weeks ago at the fundraiser was not the Joe ‘big f—ing deal’ Biden of 2010. He wasn’t even the Joe Biden of 2020,’ Clooney wrote. ‘He was the same man we all witnessed at the debate.’

Clooney’s statement appeared to trigger a furious response from Hunter, who blasted the actor for spreading what he called false claims about his father’s mental health.

George Clooney talks family life at Kennedy Center Honors

‘Why do I have to f—ing listen to you?’ Hunter asked during the podcast. ‘What do you have to do with f—ing anything?… What right do you have to step on a man who’s given 52 years of his f—ing life to the service of this country and decide that you, George Clooney, are going to take out basically a full-page ad in the f—ing New York Times to undermine the president?’

Biden withdrew from the race July 21, 2024, and was replaced on the Democratic ticket by Kamala Harris.

Hunter also noted Clooney was friends with former President Obama and only published his essay with the ‘blessing of the Obama team.’

‘You know what George Clooney did? Because he sat down with, I guess, because he was given a blessing by the Obama team, the Obama people and whoever else,’ he said.

In April, Clooney spoke with CNN’s Jake Tapper about writing the op-ed, saying it was his ‘civic duty.’

‘It was a civic duty because I found that people on my side of the street — you know, I’m a Democrat in Kentucky, so I get it. When I saw people on my side of the street not telling the truth, I thought that was time to … some people [are mad], sure. That’s OK, you know. Listen, the idea of freedom of speech is you can’t demand freedom of speech and then say, ‘But don’t say bad things about me,‘’ Clooney said.

While on ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’ in February, Clooney spoke about Harris losing to Donald Trump in the presidential election.

‘I was raised a Democrat in Kentucky … and you know I’ve lost a lot of elections. … You know, this is democracy and this is how it works,’ he said.

‘It didn’t work out. That’s what happens. It’s part of democracy. … And, you know, there’s people that agree and people who disagree, and most of us still like each other. We’re all gonna get through it.’

Clooney spoke about President Trump again in April during an interview with Patti LuPone for Variety’s ‘Actors on Actors: Broadway.’

‘He’s charismatic. There’s no taking that away from him. He’s a television star. But eventually we’ll find our better angels. We have every other time,’ he said.

‘If you’re a Democrat, we have to find some people to represent us better, who have a sense of humor and who have a sense of purpose. I think we’ll get the House back in a year and a half, and I think that’ll be a check and balance on power.’

Earlier this year, Clooney was thrust into the spotlight as questions about his family’s future in the U.S. under President Trump’s administration arose.

Clooney’s wife, Amal, is an international human rights lawyer born in Lebanon and raised in the U.K., and she holds legal credentials in both Britain and the United States.

Amal reportedly gave legal advice in a war crimes case against Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over the war in Gaza, according to the Financial Times.

A Trump executive order claimed the court ‘engaged in illegitimate and baseless actions targeting America and our close ally Israel. The ICC has, without a legitimate basis, asserted jurisdiction over and opened preliminary investigations concerning personnel of the United States and certain of its allies, including Israel, and has further abused its power by issuing baseless arrest warrants targeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Former Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant.

‘The United States will impose tangible and significant consequences on those responsible for the ICC’s transgressions, some of which may include the blocking of property and assets, as well as the suspension of entry into the United States of ICC officials, employees, and agents, as well as their immediate family members.’

Clooney proposed to Amal in April 2014, and the couple married five months later in Venice, Italy. In 2017, the Clooneys welcomed twins Alexander and Ella.

Fox News Digital’s Tracy Wright contributed to this report.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Politics

China controls over 80% of battery materials crucial to US defense equipment, unsettling report reveals

In a damning new report, researchers reveal how China came to control over 80% of the critical raw battery materials needed for defense technology — posing an urgent national security threat.

Through lax permitting processes, weak environmental standards, and aggressive state-led interventions, China has come to dominate global supplies of graphite, cobalt, manganese, and the battery anode and cathode materials that power advanced defense systems.

‘Batteries will be one of the bullets of future wars,’ the report’s authors warn, citing their essential role in drones, handheld radios, autonomous submersibles, and emerging capabilities like lasers and directed energy weapons.

According to the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has weaponized global battery infrastructure through a combination of state subsidies, forced intellectual property transfers, and predatory pricing practices.

China didn’t just rely on low-cost tactics — it also used its financial muscle abroad. Over the past two decades, at least 26 state-backed banks have pumped roughly $57 billion into mining and processing projects in Africa, Latin America, and beyond. These investments, often structured through joint ventures and special-purpose vehicles, gave Chinese firms controlling stakes in mineral mining, the report said.

Through its Belt and Road Initiative, China has leveraged influence in resource-rich developing nations, securing control over massive critical mineral deposits. Today, it processes approximately 65% of the world’s lithium, 85% of graphite, 70% of cathodes, 85% of anodes, and a staggering 97% of anode active materials.

Beyond powering drones, handheld radios, and electric vehicles, lithium is critical in strategic military systems: lithium-ion batteries are used in grid support for bases and emerging directed-energy weapons.

Moreover, Beijing has begun weaponizing export controls: since 2023, it has tightened restrictions on processed graphite, gallium, and germanium — later adding antimony, tungsten, and rare earths to the roster. These measures curb exports via a licensing regime and broad bans on exports to the U.S., signaling a clear geopolitical leverage too, according to the report.

Both lithium and graphite are essential for modern nuclear weapons. Cobalt alloys are used in jet engines, naval turbines, electronics connectors, and sensors capable of withstanding extreme temperatures, vibration, and radiation-making.

While American and allied reserves of lithium — both brine and hard rock — are being tapped, with new projects in North and South Carolina targeting domestic spodumene processing, the report claims U.S. mineral mining and refining are not advancing quickly enough to meet national security demands.

Permitting obstacles account for roughly 40% of all delays in mining projects, the report notes, with processing operations facing similarly cumbersome constraints.

Chinese subsidies ‘dwarf’ those available to U.S. firms, and include tax exemptions, direct manufacturing grants, and ultra-low-interest loans, the report said.

U.S. firms are now accelerating investment in domestic alternatives to China’s lithium. With new Trump administration initiatives aimed at incentivizing critical mineral development—and forecasts projecting the U.S. lithium market to grow by roughly 500% over the next five years — American companies are beginning to build out processing capacity on home soil.

Piedmont Lithium is developing a lithium hydroxide facility in North Carolina to process spodumene concentrate from its U.S. deposits, while Albemarle recently announced plans for a new lithium processing plant in Chester County, South Carolina. Both projects are designed to feed a fast-growing domestic battery ecosystem and reduce dependence on Chinese supply chains.

But to become globally competitive, the report argues, the U.S. must take a far more proactive approach, including incentivizing private-sector investment, streamlining federal permitting, establishing a national critical minerals stockpile, building technical talent pipelines, creating special economic zones, and developing robust domestic processing infrastructure.

The authors also stress the importance of ally-shoring, recommending diplomatic coordination with trusted partners — similar to prior U.S. efforts involving Ukraine, Greenland, and the DRC in rare-earth sourcing — to construct resilient supply chains beyond China’s reach.

‘Despite China’s control of the battery supply chain, this is a time of great vulnerability for Beijing, while the United States and its core allies remain strong,’ the report concludes.

‘It is time for new guardrails, muscular statecraft, and a unified international response to non-market manipulation. Building critical supply chains that are independent of China’s coercive economic practices can help unleash a wave of cooperation among free-market nations that will lift up both established allies and emerging market partners and turn the tide against China’s parasitic economic model.’

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Investing

Altech Batteries LtdCerenergy Battery Project Funding Progressing Well

Perth, Australia (ABN Newswire) – Altech Batteries Limited (ASX:ATC,OTC:ALTHF) (FRA:A3Y) (OTCMKTS:ALTHF) is pleased to announce an update on funding of the CERENERGY(R) sodium-chloride solid-state battery project in Saxony, Germany.

DEBT PROCESS

As previously mentioned, Altech has engaged ten commercial banks and two venture debt funds in the first round of financing discussions, receiving largely positive initial feedback. Based on this feedback, the Company has selected a preferred financial institution- a European bank with a proven track record in providing debt funding for technology-driven projects, particularly those within the innovation sector.

Although the mandate has not yet been formally executed, Altech intends to make an official announcement once this step is complete.

Meanwhile, the bank’s commercial and technical teams have been diligently conducting a comprehensive review of the Cerenergy projects and its technology. The technical due diligence process is critical for ensuring that the project meets the bank’s financing and risk criteria. As part of this process the onsite Altech experts are in detailed discussions with the bank’s representative. The banks have visited Dresden and the Fraunhofer testing facilities and visit Hermsdorf, Germany where the prototype production is located in the coming weeks, which will be a key step in concluding the technical evaluation.

In parallel with these efforts, Altech is progressing discussions for securing a federal government guarantee, which would further strengthen its ability to secure the necessary debt funding for the project. Officials from the Ministry of Finance have already been briefed on the initiative, and the due diligence process for the application is actively underway. This federal guarantee will serve as an underwriter and therewith derisk any debt funding for the project substantially.

EQUITY FUNDING

In parallel with ongoing debt financing efforts, the Group has engaged several equity advisers to assist in securing the equity component of the project’s funding package. As part of this strategy, Altech plans to divest a minority interest in the project to one or two strategic investors. This partial divestment is intended to attract investors who can contribute not only capital, but also strategic value, aligning with the CERENERGY(R) project’s long-term goals of growth and sustainability.

The Group on one hand is specifically targeting large utility companies, data centre operators, investment funds, and corporations that are deeply committed to the green energy transition and on the other hand industrial partners with access and know-how and resources relevant to Cerenergy battery production, implementation or market access. These potential partners are seen as ideal due to their strong alignment with the project’s sustainable energy focus and their ability to provide significant financial support. Progress in equity discussions has been promising, with several Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) signed, enabling deeper engagement with prospective investors. Additionally, draft term sheets have been circulated to interested parties, outlining the key terms and conditions for investment. These documents provide a foundation for negotiations and facilitate more detailed discussions around the equity stake and partnership structure.

The decision to divest part of the project is strategically aimed at easing the Company’s financial burden while bringing in experienced partners who can contribute to the project’s success. By securing both equity and debt financing, Altech aims to finalize the full funding package, ensuring the timely construction and commissioning of the CERENERGY(R) battery plant. Moving forward, the focus will be on advancing these discussions and converting interest into formal commitments, which are critical for the project’s progression.

GRANT APPLICATIONS

Altech has been actively applying for various grants offered by the State of Saxony, Federal Government of Germany, and the European Union. The State of Saxony and Brandenburg, along with the European Union, offer substantial support for renewable energy projects, including grants aimed at converting lignite coal to renewable energy sources. These grants are part of broader efforts to transition regions dependent on fossil fuels toward sustainable energy solutions. Altech’s site, located in these areas, stands to benefit from various funding programs designed to support clean energy projects, including EU grants for energy transformation and innovation. Altech has applied for several of these grants to advance its CERENERGY(R) project, securing essential financial backing for technology development, high-tech industries, expert employment and infrastructure upgrades.

OFFTAKE ARRANGEMENTS

Altech has secured three key Offtake Letters of Intent (LOIs) for 100% of its CERENERGY(R) production.

1. Zweckverband Industriepark Schwarze Pumpe (ZISP): An agreement was signed on 13 September 2024 for ZISP to purchase 30 MWh of energy storage capacity annually, consisting of 1MWh GridPacks, for the first five years of production. The purchase is contingent on performance tests and battery specifications meeting customer requirements.

2. Referenzkraftwerk Lausitz GmbH (RefLau): A second LOI was executed with RefLau, a joint venture between Enertrag SE and Energiequelle GmbH. RefLau will buy 30 MWh of CERENERGY(R) storage n the first year, increasing to 32 MWh annually for the next four years. Additionally, Altech will purchase green electricity for its planned production plant.

3. Axsol GmbH: A third LOI was signed with Axsol, a leading renewable energy solutions provider. Axsol will exclusively distribute CERENERGY(R) batteries to the Western defense industry, facilitating early market entry and sales. These agreements are crucial for financing and advancing the CERENERGY(R) project.

About Altech Batteries Ltd:

Altech Batteries Limited (ASX:ATC,OTC:ALTHF) (FRA:A3Y) is a specialty battery technology company that has a joint venture agreement with world leading German battery institute Fraunhofer IKTS (‘Fraunhofer’) to commercialise the revolutionary CERENERGY(R) Sodium Alumina Solid State (SAS) Battery. CERENERGY(R) batteries are the game-changing alternative to lithium-ion batteries. CERENERGY(R) batteries are fire and explosion-proof; have a life span of more than 15 years and operate in extreme cold and desert climates. The battery technology uses table salt and is lithium-free; cobalt-free; graphite-free; and copper-free, eliminating exposure to critical metal price rises and supply chain concerns.

The joint venture is commercialising its CERENERGY(R) battery, with plans to construct a 100MWh production facility on Altech’s land in Saxony, Germany. The facility intends to produce CERENERGY(R) battery modules to provide grid storage solutions to the market.

Source:
Altech Batteries Ltd

Contact:
Corporate
Iggy Tan
Managing Director
Altech Batteries Limited
Tel: +61-8-6168-1555
Email: info@altechgroup.com

Martin Stein
Chief Financial Officer
Altech Batteries Limited
Tel: +61-8-6168-1555
Email: info@altechgroup.com

News Provided by ABN Newswire via QuoteMedia

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Investing

Heritage Announces LIFE Offering and Provides Corporate and Exploration Update

(TheNewswire)

NOT INTENDED FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

VANCOUVER, BC TheNewswire – July 22, 2025 Heritage Mining Ltd. (CSE: HML FRA: Y66) (‘ Heritage ‘ or the ‘ Company ‘) is pleased to announce a non-brokered offering of up to 18,187,725 units (the ‘ LIFE Offering ‘) for gross proceeds of up to C$636,570 with a lead order from a strategic investor of ~C$450,000. The Company is also pleased to announce it has entered into an asset purchase agreement with Advanced Gold Exploration Inc. to acquire a 75% interest in the Melba Mine (a former past producer from early-mid 1900’s) which, subject to the satisfaction of conditions precedent and due diligence, will facilitate the Company’s entrance into the Kirkland Lake Gold District. The Company also provides an exploration update on its Drayton-Black Lake and Contact Bay projects.

July 2025 Corporate Update Highlights

LIFE Offering announced with a lead order from a strategic investor totaling ~C$450,000.

July 2025 Exploration Update Highlights

Drilling at Drayton-Black Lake (‘ DBL ‘) – Zone 3 Extension confirms gold mineralization in a broad quartz vein structure as initially reported in Heritage’s press release dated May 15, 2025.
- DBL – Zone 3 Extension drilling intersected multiple zones of locally anomalous gold mineralization in drill hole HML25-011 associated with a 46m wide quartz zone, including 0.95 g/t Au over 1m from 237.00m; and
- Zone 3 Extension drill hole HML25-012 tested a different magnetic lineament at the periphery at the Lake of the Bays Batholith and the contact zone of this batholithic body. Two n arrow zones of up to 0.43 g/t Au over 1m were intersected.

Drilling at Contact Bay is completed. A total of 10 holes for 2,726m were drilled with assays pending.
- Drill holes locally intersected narrow quartz sulfide veins and visible gold was observed on one drill hole RGN25-004 (Figure 4).

‘We are pleased to welcome a new strategic shareholder, who aligns with Heritage’s view that systematic active exploration across all properties is the key driver. We look forward to generating value to all stakeholders.

The proposed Melba Mine acquisition (pending due diligence) offers the Company exposure to the well-known mining camp (Kirkland Lake and Timmins). We look forward to applying our active systemic exploration approach to this area in short order post-acquisition.

Although assays remain pending from Zone 3 Extension at DBL and Contact Bay we appreciate the technical success and confirmation of anomalous gold in a new area never before prospected in the Sioux Lookout Area. This is the broadest quartz vein ever intersected within the Sioux Lookout District and warrants further drilling and evaluation along strike.’ Commented Peter Schloo, President CEO, and Director of Heritage

2025 Corporate Update

The Company has concurrently filed an offering document in respect of the LIFE Offering (the ‘ Offering Document ‘) on its profile on SEDAR+. The following is a brief summary of the terms of the LIFE Offering but investors should review the Offering Document in detail prior to making an investment decision:

Offering:

A non- brokered ‘best-efforts basis’ private placement financing of up to 18,187,725 units (the ‘ LIFE Offering ‘) for gross proceeds of up to $635,570 for units of the Company (each, a ‘ Unit ‘) at a price of $0.035 per Unit, with each Unit being comprised of one (1) common share of the Company (each a ‘ Common Share ‘) and one (1) common share purchase warrant (a ‘ Warrant ‘) granting the holder the right to purchase one (1) additional Common Share of the Company (a ‘ Warrant Share ‘) at a price of $0.05 at any time on or before 36 months from the Closing Date (as defined herein), which securities shall be offered pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A of National Instrument 45-106 – Prospectus Exemptions (‘ NI 45-106 ‘).

Offering Price:

The Offered Securities shall be offered at the price of $0.035 per Unit.

Offering Amount:

The maximum offering amount under the LIFE Offering shall be for aggregate proceeds of $636,570, assuming full subscription pursuant to the LIFE Offering and the full exercise of the Broker’s Units (as defined below). There is no minimum offering amount pursuant to the LIFE Offering .

The maximum number of securities issuable under the LIFE Offering consists of an aggregate of up to 18,187,725 Units for gross proceeds of up to $636,570.

Closing Date: The closing of the LIFE Offering (the ‘ Closing Date ‘) is expected to take place on or about July 31, 2025.

Fees and Commissions

Cash fee and broker warrants, as detailed below.

Cash Fee: The Company will pay cash fees equal to 7.0% of gross proceeds raised in respect of the Offering.

Broker Units: The Company will issue broker units (each a ‘ Broker Unit ‘) equal to 7% of the Units sold under the Offering at an exercise price equal to $0.035 per Broker Unit, with each Broker Unit consisting of one (1) Common Share and one (1) Broker Warrant, with each Broker Warrant granting the holder the right to purchase one (1) additional Common Share of the Company (each, a ‘ Warrant Share ‘).

Melba Asset Purchase Agreement Summary:

Purchase Price

Heritage shall issue the Vendor Common Shares having a deemed value of C$350,000 Consideration Shares ‘) at a price per Consideration Share equal to the closing price of the Common Shares in the capital of Heritage on the trading day preceding the Closing Date and subject to the following release schedule (which the Vendor hereby agrees will be reflected in restrictive legends applied to the certificates representing the Consideration Shares):

(a) 25% of the Consideration Shares released on Closing Date;

(b) 25% of the Consideration Shares released on the date that is 90 days after the Closing Date;

(d) 25% of the Consideration Shares released on the date that is 270 days after the Closing Date.

Closing of the acquisition is subject to customary conditions precedent for a transaction of this nature, including the approval of the Canadian Securities Exchange.

Melba Mine Property Description

The Melba Mine is located in Northwestern, Ontario, Canada Southwest of Matheson Ontario (Figure One) approximately seven kilometres west off the King’s Highway 11, on the section of highway travelling from Kirkland Lake to Cochrane. The Melba Mine is located on the west central part of Ontario close to the Ontario and Quebec border. It’s fortunate the location of the Melba Property lies within the central hub of over 100 years of mining activities, including active mining operations within the Abitibi Greenstone Belt.

The claim package includes single cell mining claims spanning 1,522.70 hectares and one mining lease.

Property Geology

The governing element of structure appears to be a contact between dioritic greenstone to the south and argillaceous greywacke to the north. The contact trends north 50-60 degrees west and dips northward. Whether the greywacke is part of a synclinal trough of sediments that are younger than the greenstone or whether it is part of a sedimentary band belonging to the greenstone series is an unknown factor at present. The greywacke is cut by dikes of porphyry that run parallel to the contact. The main gold bearing vein, usually described as the ‘Blue Vein’, also runs parallel to the contact but lies within the sediments. It strikes north 55 degrees west and dips northward 55 degrees. It is accompanied by shearing and alteration, also by a pattern of cross fracturing that has produced faulting in the main vein and has led to the development of irregular veins in the adjacent rocks. The main vein is displaced 60 feet (18.2 metres) northward near the shaft and other displacements have been found underground. The picture resembles that of the sedimentary belt in the Beatty-Munro area. Numerous feldspar porphyry, diorite and basic syenite dikes were intersected by the drilling. Overall, a significant amount of the drill core showed alteration, some highly, while carbonate stringers were numerous and visible gold was noted in drill core.

Click Image To View Full Size

Figure 1: Property Map – Melba Mine

2025 Exploration Update

Assays were delayed due to operational issues at the lab and core shack facilities; corrective measures have been implemented, and normal operations are expected to resume shortly.

Discussion of Results

DBL – Zone 3 Extension

The 2025 drill program at Zone 3 Extension targeted granite-hosted mineralised quartz-vein structures that were first observed in the HML Zone 3 drilling program of August 2024 (Figure 3). The recently completed program comprised 4 holes for a total 1105.5m targeting a northeast-southwest trending magnetic lineament. Drilling is considered a technical success with two ( HML25-011 and 013 ) of the four holes intersecting a well-developed quartz vein structure, including drill hole HML25-013 that intersected a 74m wide vein structure (true width unknown). Assays received for HML25-010, 011 and 012, with assays pending for HML25-013 & 014.

Assays for HML25-010 & 011 confirm locally elevated gold values in the vein structure, with the best intersection of 0.95g/t gold over 1 meter in drill hole HML25-011 (Figure 2). Although gold mineralization is low grade, significant exploration potential remains along strike of this well-defined linear mag feature, and further drilling is proposed to test this ‘mega-quartz vein structure’.

HML25-011 Highlights:

0.07 g/t Au over 5.5m from 212.50m to 217.00m
- Including 0.27g/t Au from 213.47m

0.95 g/t Au over 1m from 237.00m (within Quartz Vein Zone)

Click Image To View Full Size

Figure 2: HML25-011 Box 56 – Yellow Box indicates from 237.00m to 238.00m

Click Image To View Full Size

Figure 3: Showing the completed and proposed holes testing the northeast-southwest trending magnetic lineament

Contact Bay Rognon Mine Area

The 2025 drill program at Contact Bay is completed, targeting a mineralised quartz-vein structure that was historically mined in the early 1900’s. The recently completed program comprised 10 holes for a total 2726.0m. The geology comprises metavolcanic rocks cut by granitoid batholiths and gabbroic sills and stocks. The metavolcanic rocks are locally cut by cm-scale quartz-sulphide veins and drill hole RGN25-004 intersected visible gold in a quartz-pyrite vein (Figure 4). Assays are pending for all holes.

Click Image To View Full Size

Figure 4: Showing the magnetic map for the Contact Bay Rognon Mine area and an image of the visible gold intersected in RGN25-004.

Conclusion

Although some assays remain pending, the Company believes additional drilling is warranted to test along this major quartz vein structure along strike. The Company has proposed an additional 10 holes to test along a 2km strike length of the magnetic lineament (Figure 3).

Qualified Person

Stephen Hughes P. Geo, Strategic Advisor for the Company, serves as a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and has reviewed the scientific and technical information in this news release, approving the disclosure herein.

Technical Program

Heritage Mining adheres to a strict QA/QC protocol for handling, sampling, sample transportation and analyses. Chain-of-custody protocols are designed to ensure security of samples until their delivery at the laboratory.

Sampling, Sub-sampling, and Laboratory Analysis for Heritage Mining Drayton Black Lake Project All drilling at the Drayton Black Lake project recovers NQ core. Drill core is systematically split in half using a diamond saw. A qualified geologist examines the drill core, marking intervals for sampling and indicating the cutting line. Sample lengths are typically 1.0 metre, adjusted to a minimum length of 0.5 metre as necessary to respect lithological and/or mineralogical contacts and to isolate narrow veins or structures that may contain higher-grade mineralization.

Technicians saw the core along the cutting lines determined by the geologist. One half of the core is retained as a witness sample, while the other half is submitted for analysis. Individual sample bags are securely sealed and placed into sealed bags, which are then clearly marked with their contents.

Heritage Mining submits samples for gold determination by PhotonAssay to ALS Canada Ltd. (‘ ALS ‘). ALS operates under a commercial contract with Heritage Mining.

Drill core samples are shipped to ALS for sample preparation at their facilities in Thunderbay Ontario. ALS is an ISO/IEC 17025:2017 accredited laboratory for the PhotonAssay method in addition to a variety of diverse metal determination methods.

Analytical Procedures

The ALS procedure for PhotonAssay involves lab applying preparation codes LOG-21 (sample logging via barcode), CRU-31 (fine crushing so that 70% passes through a 2mm screen) and SPL-32a (rotary splitting of a representative ~500g subsample) followed by analytical code Au-PA01 which is a non-destructive gold analysis method using high-energy X-rays with a gold detection range from 0.03 ppm to 350ppm.

After gold assays are returned, Heritage then may choose to perform multi-element assays on selected samples based on the gold results. In these cases, sample preparation codes FND-05 (locate and use remaining crushed material from Au-PA01) and PUL-32m (pulverization so that >85% passes 75 µm screen) are then applied followed by analytical code ME-MS61 (multi-element ICP-MS analysis for base metals, pathfinder elements, lithophile elements and rare earth elements).

________________________________________

Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC)

The drill program design, QA/QC, and interpretation of results are performed by qualified persons employing a rigorous QA/QC program consistent with industry best practices. Standards and blanks account for a minimum of 10% of the samples, in addition to the laboratories’ internal quality assurance programs.

Quality Control data are meticulously evaluated upon receipt from the laboratories for any failures. Appropriate corrective action is taken if assay results for standards and blanks fall outside allowed tolerances. All results disclosed by Heritage Mining have successfully passed the Company’s stringent quality control protocols.

The Company does not recognize any factors of drilling, sampling, or recovery that could materially affect the accuracy or reliability of the assay data disclosed. The assay data disclosed in this press release have been verified by the Company’s Qualified Person against the original assay certificates.

Heritage Mining notes that it has not completed any economic evaluations of its Drayton-Black Lake Project, and the project does not currently have any resources or reserves.

ABOUT HERITAGE MINING LTD.

The Company is a Canadian mineral exploration company advancing its two high grade gold-silver-copper projects in Northwestern Ontario. The Drayton-Black Lake and the Contact Bay projects are located near Sioux Lookout in the underexplored Eagle-Wabigoon-Manitou Greenstone Belt . Both projects benefit from a wealth of historic data, excellent site access and logistical support from the local community.

For further information, please contact:

Heritage Mining Ltd.

Peter Schloo, CPA, CA, CFA

President, CEO and Director

Phone: (905) 505-0918

Email: peter@heritagemining.ca

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This news release contains certain statements that constitute forward looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws. These statements relate to future events of the Company. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as ‘seek’, ‘anticipate’, ‘plan’, ‘continue’, ‘estimate’, ‘expect’, ‘forecast’, ‘may’, ‘will’, ‘project’, ‘predict’, ‘potential’, ‘targeting’, ‘intend’, ‘could’, ‘might’, ‘should’, ‘believe’, ‘outlook’ and similar expressions are not statements of historical fact and may be forward looking information. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are forward-looking statements.

Forward looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such risks include, among others, the inherent risk of the mining industry; adverse economic and market developments; the risk that the Company will not be successful in completing additional acquisitions; risks relating to the estimation of mineral resources; the possibility that the Company’s estimated burn rate may be higher than anticipated; risks of unexpected cost increases; risks of labour shortages; risks relating to exploration and development activities; risks relating to future prices of mineral resources; risks related to work site accidents, risks related to geological uncertainties and variations; risks related to government and community support of the Company’s projects; risks related to global pandemics and other risks related to the mining industry. The Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking information are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward‐looking information should not be unduly relied upon. These statements speak only as of the date of this news release. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update any forward‐looking information except as required by law.

This document does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, securities of the Company in Canada, the United States, or any other jurisdiction. Any such offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the securities described herein will be made only pursuant to subscription documentation between the Company and prospective purchasers. Any such offering will be made in reliance upon exemptions from the prospectus and registration requirements under applicable securities laws, pursuant to a subscription agreement to be entered into by the Company and prospective investors.

News Provided by TheNewsWire via QuoteMedia

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Investing

Sarama Resources Completes Mt Venn Gold Project Acquisition

Sarama Resources Ltd. (“Sarama” or the “Company”) (ASX:SRR, TSX- V:SWA) is pleased to advise that it has completed the previously announced acquisition (the “Transaction”) of a majority interest⁽¹⁾ in the under-explored, belt-scale 420km² Mt Venn Project (the “Project”)⁽²⁾, located in the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia.

This follows Sarama’s acquisition of a majority interest⁽³⁾ in the nearby Cosmo Gold Project in December 2024. Together, these acquisitions create a 1,000km² landholding covering two well-positioned and underexplored greenstone belts in the Laverton Gold District, an area which is known for prolific gold endowment and significant recent discoveries (refer Figure 1).

Highlights

Completion of Transaction for Sarama to acquire a majority interest⁽¹⁾ in, and control of, the Mt Venn Gold Project in Western Australia
Located in the prolific Laverton Gold District, 35km from the producing Gruyere Gold Mine and less than 20km
from Gold Road’s Golden Highway Deposit
Project covers 420km² and features a favourable litho-structural setting, primarily in greenstone rocks
Includes regional shear zone of ~50km strike length and 1-3km width extending full length of greenstone belt
Advanced gold targets generated through historical exploration, including broad drill-defined gold mineralisation
Creates 1,000km² exploration position in the Laverton Gold District, capturing 100km of strike length
Mt Venn is 40km from Sarama’s Cosmo Project⁽³⁾ that is target-rich and hosts approximately 45km strike of gold trends up to 1.8km in width⁽⁶⁾.
Initial exploration to be advanced by the recent equity raise of A$2.7M

Sarama’s Executive Chairman, Andrew Dinning commented:

“We are very pleased to have completed the acquisition of a majority interest in the Mt Venn Project, significantly expanding our footprint in the Laverton Gold District and consolidating a 1,000km² landholding with strong discovery potential, in a region that has delivered multiple high-quality gold deposits, including the nearby Gruyere Deposit.

Mt Venn lies just 40km from our Cosmo Gold Project(3), with both showing strong gold anomalism. Cosmo hosts approximately 45km of mineralised gold trends up to 1.8km wide(6), while Mt Venn’s soil sampling, historic workings, early drilling, and polymetallic nature highlight potential for a large-scale mineralized system. We see considerable exploration upside across both projects and with compelling targets already identified, we look forward to unlocking their value through focused and systematic exploration.”

Click here for the full ASX Release

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Investing

JZR Gold Announces Closing Of Non-Brokered Private Placement Offering Of Units For $1,800,000

(TheNewswire)

July 22, 2025 TheNewswire – Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada JZR Gold Inc. (TSXV: JZR) (the ‘ Company ‘ or ‘ JZR ‘) is pleased to announce that it has completed its previously announced non-brokered private placement (the ‘ Offering ‘) of units (each, a ‘ Unit ‘) at a price of $0.30 per Unit. Pursuant to the Offering, which was announced on July 11, 2025, the Company has issued 6,000,000 Units for aggregate gross proceeds of CAD$1,800,000. The Company also wishes to announce that, due to investor interest, the Offering was increased from $1,500,000 to $1,800,000.

Each Unit consists of one common share in the capital of the Company (each, a ‘S hare ‘) and one common share purchase warrant (each, a ‘ Warrant ‘). Each Warrant is exercisable into one additional Share (each, a ‘ Warrant Share ‘) at a price of $0.40 per Warrant Share for a period of two (2) years from the date of issuance, subject to acceleration. The Warrants are subject to an acceleration provision whereby, in the event that the volume weighted average trading price of the Company’s common shares traded on TSX Venture Exchange (the ‘ Exchange ‘), or any other stock exchange on which the Company’s common shares are then listed, is equal to or greater than $0.75 for a period of 10 consecutive trading days, the Company shall have the right to accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants by giving written notice to the holders of the Warrants that the Warrants will expire on the date that is not less than 30 days from the date that notice is provided by the Company to the Warrant holders. The Company did not pay any finder’s fees in closing this Offering.

The Units, Shares, Warrants, and Warrant Shares are collectively referred to as the ‘ Securities ‘. The Securities are subject to a hold period of four months and one day from the date of Closing.

The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering to fund operations of the fully constructed 800 tonne-per-day gravimetric mill, as well as future exploration work on the Vila Nova Gold project located in Amapa State, Brazil, and for general working capital purposes. JZR has been advised by its Joint Venture Royalty Agreement partner, ECO Mining Oil & Gaz Drilling and Exploration Ltda. (EIRELI) (‘ECO’), that the Mill is fully operational, but ECO is completing a few minor improvements to the Mill to improve operational efficiency. There will be further updates regarding operations in the immediate future.

For further information, please contact:

Robert Klenk

Chief Executive Officer

rob@jzrgold.com

Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains certain ‘forward-looking information’ within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information in this press release includes all statements that are not historical facts, including, without limitation, statements with respect to the details of the Offering, including the proposed size, timing and the expected use of proceeds and the receipt of regulatory approval for the Offering; the testing and anticipated commencement of operation of the Mill. Forward-looking information reflects the expectations or beliefs of management of the Company based on information currently available to it. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. These factors include, but are not limited to: the Company may not complete the Offering; the Offering may not be approved by the TSX Venture Exchange; risks associated with the business of the Company; the Mill may not commence operating once testing has been completed, or at all; business and economic conditions in the mineral exploration industry generally; the supply and demand for labour and other project inputs; changes in commodity prices; changes in interest and currency exchange rates; risks related to inaccurate geological and engineering assumptions; risks relating to unanticipated operational difficulties (including failure of equipment or processes to operate in accordance with the specifications or expectations, cost escalation, unavailability of materials and equipment, government action or delays in the receipt of government approvals, industrial disturbances or other job action and unanticipated events related to health, safety and environmental matters); risks related to adverse weather conditions; political risk and social unrest; changes in general economic conditions or conditions in the financial markets; and other risk factors as detailed from time to time in the Company’s continuous disclosure documents filed with the Canadian securities regulators. The forward-looking information contained in this press release is expressly qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except as required by applicable securities laws.

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 press release.

None of the securities of JZR have been registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the ‘U.S. Securities Act’), or any state securities law, and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, persons in the United States or ‘U.S. persons’ (as such term is defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act) absent registration or an exemption from such registration requirements. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy in the United States nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any State in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR RELEASE, PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION OR DISSEMINATION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES.

News Provided by TheNewsWire via QuoteMedia

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Investing

Mali Court Upholds Detention of Barrick Employees

A Malian court has upheld the detention of four employees of Barrick Mining (TSX:ABX,NYSE:B), rejecting an appeal filed by the Canadian mining company as its dispute with the military-led government deepens.

According to a Bloomberg report, Judge Samba Sarr ruled Tuesday (July 22) that the appeal was unfounded, according to Barrick’s legal counsel, Alifa Habib Koné.

The employees have been held in pre-trial detention since November 2023 on charges including money laundering and financial misconduct, allegations the company has dismissed as without merit.

In June, Mali’s transitional government placed the Loulo-Gounkoto mine under provisional administration and later removed nearly a metric ton of gold from the site. A similar seizure of three metric tons occurred earlier this year after Barrick suspended exports due to the dispute.

Barrick has initiated international arbitration proceedings, citing violations of its mining convention with the state.

The company says it was not formally notified of the appointment of the provisional administrator, who it later learned was a former company employee, Samba Touré, now serving as a liaison to the mines ministry. Touré has been facilitating state control of the site since the takeover.

The Loulo-Gounkoto complex, which Barrick operates and owns 80 percent of, remains central to its African portfolio. The remaining 20 percent is held by the Malian government.

Barrick reported that its Malian operations generated US$949 million in revenue during the first nine months of 2023.

The company has framed the seizures and detentions as part of a broader dispute over tax claims and the implementation of Mali’s new mining code, which includes increased state equity and royalty rates.

In December 2023, a court in Bamako issued a warrant for the arrest of Barrick CEO Mark Bristow. The company has not publicly addressed the warrant but continues to operate in the country while pursuing legal remedies.

Amid the mounting friction in Mali, Barrick is in discussions to sell its Hemlo mine in Ontario, its last producing gold asset in Canada.

The prospective buyer is Discovery Silver (TSX:DSV,OTCQX:DSVSF), which has been expanding its portfolio following its recent acquisition of Newmont (TSX:NGT,NYSE:NEM) Porcupine operation for up to US$425 million.

A finalized Hemlo deal would mark Barrick’s complete exit from Canadian gold production. Hemlo has seen declining output in recent years and is no longer considered core to Barrick’s long-term strategy.

The ongoing standoff in Mali continues to affect the company’s export flows and local operations, with no resolution yet announced regarding the release of detained staff or the return of the seized gold.

The Loulo-Gounkoto mine produced over 680,000 ounces of gold in 2023, making it one of the most productive in West Africa.

Barrick has said it remains committed to resolving the dispute under the terms of its longstanding mining agreement with Mali.

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Politics

Obama denies Trump’s ‘bizarre allegations’ that he was Russiagate ‘ringleader’ in rare statement

Former President Barack Obama denied President Donald Trump’s ‘bizarre allegations’ that he was the Russiagate ‘ringleader,’ in a rare public statement Tuesday evening.

Trump, earlier on Tuesday, claimed that former President Barack Obama was the ‘ringleader’ of Russiagate, calling for him to be criminally investigated amid new claims that members of his administration allegedly ‘manufactured’ intelligence that prompted the Trump–Russia collusion narrative.

‘Out of respect for the office of the presidency, our office does not normally dignify the constant nonsense and misinformation flowing out of this White House with a response,’ Obama spokesman Patrick Rodenbush said in a statement. ‘But these claims are outrageous enough to merit one.’

Trump alleges former President Barack Obama is the "ringleader" of Russiagate

‘These bizarre allegations are ridiculous and a weak attempt at distraction,’ Obama’s spokesman continued. ‘Nothing in the document issued last week undercuts the widely accepted conclusion that Russia worked to influence the 2016 presidential election but did not successfully manipulate any votes.’

He added: ‘These findings were affirmed in a 2020 report by the bipartisan Senate Intelligence Committee, led by then-Chairman Marco Rubio.’

Rodenbush’s statement on behalf of Obama comes after Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard recently declassified documents revealing ‘overwhelming evidence’ that claimed that after Trump won the 2016 election against Hillary Clinton, then-President Obama and his national security team allegedly laid the groundwork for what would be the yearslong Trump–Russia collusion probe.

Gabbard said the documents revealed that Obama administration officials ‘manufactured and politicized intelligence’ to allegedly create the narrative that Russia was attempting to influence the 2016 presidential election, despite information from the intelligence community stating otherwise.

The new documents name Obama, top officials on his National Security Council, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, CIA Director John Brennan, national security advisor Susan Rice, Secretary of State John Kerry, Attorney General Loretta Lynch and Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe, among others.

Gabbard, on Monday, sent a criminal referral to the Justice Department related to those findings. Department of Justice officials did not share further details on whom the criminal referral was for.

As for Gabbard’s criminal referral, Trump was asked which specific figures should be under criminal investigation, to which he replied: ‘President Obama. He started it.’

‘And Biden was there with him, and Comey was there, and Clapper, the whole group was there. Brennan. They were all there in the room right here. This is the room,’ Trump said from the Oval Office Tuesday during a meeting with the president of the Philippines. ‘It was President Obama. It was lots of people all over the place.’

No other former Obama-era officials have responded to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

The president went on to say that his administration has ‘all of the documents, and from what Tulsi told me, she’s got thousands of additional documents coming.’

‘So President Obama, it was his concept — his idea,’ Trump said Tuesday. ‘But he also got it from crooked Hillary Clinton — crooked as a $3 bill, and Hillary Clinton and her group, the Democrats, spent $12 million to Christopher Steele to write up a report that was a total fake report.’

Steele authored the discredited anti-Trump dossier, which was paid for by the Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee through law firm Perkins Coie.

The anti-Trump dossier served as the basis for Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrants against former Trump campaign aide Carter Page.

The intelligence community, at the time, widely viewed the dossier as ‘internet rumor,’ but top officials, like Comey, McCabe and Brennan, reportedly pushed for its inclusion in the 2017 Intelligence Community Assessment.

‘It took two years to figure that out, but it came out that it was a total fake report — it was made-up fiction — and they used that,’ Trump said. ‘The Steele report was a disaster — all lies, all fabrication, all admitted fraud.’

Meanwhile, Trump said ‘we caught Hillary Clinton, we got Barack Hussein Obama. They’re the ones. And then you have many, many people under them. Susan Rice — they’re all the names.’

‘I guess they figured they’re going to put this in as classified information and nobody will ever see it again — but it doesn’t work that way,’ Trump said. ‘It is the most unbelievable thing I think I’ve ever read.’

Trump added: ‘Never has a thing like this happened in the history of our country.’

On July 28, 2016, Brennan briefed President Obama on a plan from one of Clinton’s campaign foreign policy advisors ‘to vilify Donald Trump by stirring up a scandal claiming interference by the Russian security service,’ meeting notes said.

‘We’re getting additional insight into Russian activities from (REDACTED),’ read Brennan’s handwritten notes, exclusively obtained by Fox News Digital in October 2020. ‘CITE (summarizing) alleged approved by Hillary Clinton a proposal from one of her foreign policy advisers to vilify Donald Trump by stirring up a scandal claiming interference by the Russian security service.’

After that briefing, the CIA properly forwarded that information through a Counterintelligence Operational Lead (CIOL) to Comey and Deputy Assistant Director of Counterintelligence Peter Strzok, with the subject line: ‘Crossfire Hurricane.’

Former Special Counsel Robert Mueller was appointed to take over the FBI’s original ‘Crossfire Hurricane’ investigation. After nearly two years, Mueller’s investigation, which concluded in March 2019, yielded no evidence of criminal conspiracy or coordination between the Trump campaign and Russian officials during the 2016 presidential election.

Shortly after, John Durham was appointed as special counsel to investigate the origins of the ‘Crossfire Hurricane’ probe.

Durham found that the FBI ‘failed to act’ on a ‘clear warning sign’ that the bureau was the ‘target’ of a Clinton-led effort to ‘manipulate or influence the law enforcement process for political purposes’ ahead of the 2016 presidential election.

Comey and Brennan are currently under criminal investigation, launched by FBI Director Kash Patel.

Fox News’ Mike Emanuel contributed to this report.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Politics

Huckabee hits back at Western countries that ‘side’ with terror group Hamas

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee lashed out at almost 30 Western countries who on Monday called for Israel to end the war in Gaza, saying in a post on X that ‘when Hamas thinks you do good work, you are doing evil.’

‘How embarrassing for a nation to side w/ a terror group like Hamas & blame a nation whose civilians were massacred for fighting to get hostages released,’ wrote Huckabee after Hamas – whose Oct. 7, 2023, mass terror attack on Israel sparked the ongoing war in Gaza – said it welcomed ‘the contents of the joint statement issued by the United Kingdom Government along with 25 other countries, calling for an immediate end to the war on the Gaza Strip.’

The U.S. and EU-designated terror group also reiterated its claims that Israel was carrying out a ‘policy of starvation’ on the coastal enclave amid unverified reports that people have died due to hunger-related reasons. Fox News Digital has not been able to independently verify such reports.

‘The statement’s condemnation of the killing of over 800 Palestinian civilians at the gates of U.S.-Israeli-controlled aid checkpoints underscores the brutality of this mechanism,’ Hamas wrote following a statement issued by the U.K. Foreign Office and U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy.

‘The suffering of civilians in Gaza has reached new depths,’ read Lammy’s statement, which was also signed by the foreign ministers of 28 countries.

‘If Hamas embraces you – you are in the wrong place,’ Israel’s Foreign Minister Gidon Saar responded on X. ‘Hamas’s praise for the statement by the group of countries is the best proof of the mistake they made – part of them out of good intentions and part of them out of an obsession against Israel.’

Since launching a new model for food aid distribution in the war-torn strip in early May, Israel and the U.S. have come under fire from the international community over near-daily reports of people dying while attempting to receive aid or not receiving any aid at all.

Israel has refuted claims that there is hunger in Gaza or that it is using starvation as a tactic of the now 22-month-old war. Rather, officials have said they are working to prevent Hamas from stealing aid being distributed by veteran, mostly U.N.-run, humanitarian agencies and sold for exorbitant prices in a bid to continue funding terror operations.

Israel, which is tasked with securing routes to four aid centers run by the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Fund, has also denied that its soldiers intentionally kill Palestinian civilians but is rather issuing warning shots as a measure of crowd control. The GHF has so far delivered some 85 million meals since it started its aid operation in May.

U.N. spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said on Monday that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres ‘deplored the growing reports of both children and adults suffering from malnutrition and strongly condemned the ongoing violence, including the shooting, killing and injuring of people attempting to get food.’

‘As someone who has spent over 40 years in Israel’s Security Establishment – both as IDF Chief of Staff & Minister of Defense, I can say this unequivocally: Not only has Israel never starved or targeted civilians, but it goes above and beyond to protect civilians in the most complex of war zones like Gaza,’ Israeli opposition leader Benny Gantz wrote on X.

‘We must be clear – culpability for harm inflicted to civilians rests on terrorist Hamas and Hamas only,’ he added.

On Tuesday, Dr. Mohammed Abu Salmiya, director of Al-Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza, said in a statement that ‘twenty-one children have died due to malnutrition and starvation in various areas across the Gaza Strip.’

‘Every moment, new cases of malnutrition and starvation are arriving at Gaza’s hospitals,’ he said.

Kobi Michael, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv who has been monitoring the situation in Gaza closely, told Fox News Digital that he was ‘not aware of a single official report that people died because of starvation or hunger.’

‘I’m not familiar with any such report, but I am familiar with many warnings that were published by international organizations about the catastrophe that exists in Gaza and how in two months or so, 40 or 50,000 people will die because of hunger, but nobody has died because of hunger, because there is no hunger,’ he said, adding, ‘if there are some local problems of supply, it is because of Hamas – not because of the IDF.’

Michael, who is also a fellow at the Misgav Institute in Jerusalem, pointed out that Hamas ‘loots, robs and steals the humanitarian aid, partially for themselves, to feed themselves and the rest is sold in very high prices to the local population in order to make money.’

Israel’s goal of weakening Hamas’s grip on the Strip – and on aid agencies – appeared to be working on Monday, with The Washington Post reporting that the terror group ‘is facing its worst financial and administrative crisis in its four-decade history’ and is struggling to find the resource it needs to continue fighting Israel or rule Gaza.

Quoting a former high-level Israeli intelligence officer, and current Israel Defense Forces officers, the report said that Hamas could no longer pay its fighters or rebuild its underground terror tunnels, where it is believed to be holding some 50 hostages, both alive and dead, who kidnapped during its Oct. 7 attack.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Politics

Jeffrey Epstein case reopens focus on Ghislaine Maxwell as deputy AG steps in

The Department of Justice signaled a shift in its approach to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation, with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche revealing that he has reached out to Ghislaine Maxwell to gauge her willingness to cooperate with prosecutors.

Blanche confirmed Tuesday that, under the direction of Attorney General Pam Bondi, the DOJ is now open to hearing what Maxwell might have to offer regarding uncharged individuals who may have participated in Epstein’s criminal enterprise.

‘This Department of Justice does not shy away from uncomfortable truths, nor from the responsibility to pursue justice wherever the facts may lead,’ Blanche said in a post on X Tuesday.

The House Oversight Committee also took action in the case Tuesday by voting to subpoena Maxwell, requiring her to appear for a deposition.

A House Oversight Committee source told Fox News the Committee will move quickly to subpoena Maxwell. Since she is in federal prison, the Committee will coordinate with the DOJ and Bureau of Prisons to schedule her deposition, they said.

In his statement Tuesday, Blanche reaffirmed the July 6 joint statement issued by the DOJ and FBI, which concluded that a thorough review of FBI files related to the Epstein case uncovered no new evidence to support charges against additional parties.

‘Namely, that in the recent thorough review of the files maintained by the FBI in the Epstein case, no evidence was uncovered that could predicate an investigation against uncharged third parties,’ Blanche wrote.

That memo, which was signed by FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino, sparked controversy after President Donald Trump, Bondi and FBI leaders repeatedly said they would release all documents related to Epstein.

Sources told Fox News that Bongino, who signed off on the memo, complained about it in private following public backlash.

The new outreach to Maxwell is in the hopes that Epstein’s convicted accomplice ‘has information about anyone who has committed crime against victims,’ Blanche said.

‘President Trump has told us to release all credible evidence…’ he wrote. ‘Therefore, at the direction of Attorney General Bondi, I have communicated with counsel for Ms. Maxwell to determine whether she would be willing to speak with prosecutors from the Department.’

The new outreach to Maxwell marks the first time, according to Blanche, that any administration has approached her legal team with an inquiry into potential cooperation.

‘That changes now,’ Blanche emphasized.

Blanche said he ‘anticipates meeting with Ms. Maxwell in the coming days.’

David Oscar Markus, Maxwell’s attorney, confirmed to Fox News that they are ‘in discussions with the government and that Ghislaine will always testify truthfully.’

‘We are grateful to President Trump for his commitment to uncovering the truth in this case,’ he said.

Patel responded succinctly to Blanche’s statement, writing on X Tuesday: ‘Get it.’

A federal judge has paused the U.S. government’s effort to unseal grand jury transcripts from the Maxwell case, demanding a more detailed legal justification and a complete submission of the materials before ruling.

In an order filed Tuesday, Southern District of New York Judge Paul A. Engelmayer said prosecutors failed to address the legal standards required for disclosing such sensitive documents.

By July 29, the government must file a memorandum and provide redacted and unredacted versions of the grand jury transcripts. Maxwell and any victims who would like to weigh in are required to submit statements by August 5.

If unsealed, the transcripts could reveal previously unseen testimony and possibly identify other individuals connected to the Epstein enterprise.

Maxwell was convicted in 2021 of helping Epstein traffic teen girls. She was sentenced to 20 years in prison and has appealed her case to the U.S. Supreme Court.

According to prosecutors’ and survivor’s testimony, Maxwell helped recruit and groom underage girls, arrange travel and housing, as well as facilitate abuse at properties owned by Epstein.

Victims described Maxwell as a trusted adult figure who manipulated and coerced them into sexual encounters with Epstein and others.

The DOJ and the FBI declined to provide additional comment, referring Fox News Digital to Deputy Blanche’s statement.

Fox News’ Chad Pergram contributed to this report.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS