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Senate Republicans confirmed half a dozen of President Donald Trump’s judicial nominees last week, continuing a quick pace to green-light as many of his picks as possible.

While the Senate GOP is moving fast to confirm Trump’s judicial nominees, the president and some of his allies want to see an over-century-old tradition in the Senate that provides bipartisan guardrails to the judicial nomination process be eviscerated.

They contend that the blue slip tradition is slowing down Republicans from being able to confirm picks, and that Democrats are holding the process hostage. 

‘Nuking the blue slip would be a huge mistake,’ Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., told Fox News Digital.

Tillis, like several other Republicans, has argued that the blue slips are a valuable tool of the minority, and that inevitably, the GOP would need to use the tradition to their advantage when Democrats regain control of the upper chamber.

The Senate has confirmed 33 judges since the start of Trump’s second term, a figure that dwarfs the number of total judicial nominees, including U.S. attorneys, district and circuit court judges, moved through the upper chamber during his first go-round in the White House.

During the first year of his first term, the Senate confirmed 19 Article III nominees, including the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch. 

Though Republicans are far ahead of Trump’s first time clip, Democrats under former President Joe Biden still outpaced them in this metric. Biden clocked 42 total judicial nominees confirmed during the first year of his term.

Whether the Senate can outpace Trump’s final total of 234 judicial nominees from his first term remains to be seen, but for now the blue slip appears to be safe. 

Still, Trump sounded off on the practice late last year in the Oval Office, arguing that the GOP should ‘get rid of blue slips, because, as a Republican President, I am unable to put anybody in office having to do with U.S. attorneys or having to do with judges.’

Much of his frustration with the tradition, which has been around for over 100 years in the upper chamber, likely stemmed from the nominations of Alina Habba and Lindsey Halligan getting derailed by blue slips last year.

He’s taken his frustrations out on Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, a vocal proponent of the practice, and other Republicans that want to maintain the tradition. 

Notably, Grassley modified the tradition in 2017 to allow for circuit court judges to skirt the process, further boosting the number of judges Republicans were able to confirm under Trump despite Democratic objections. 

When asked if the Senate’s pace in confirming judicial nominees further affirmed that the blue slip was here to stay, Grassley told Fox News Digital, ‘It doesn’t need to be a present question.’

‘Because it’s a question of 110 years, and everybody in the Senate wants to maintain the blue slip,’ Grassley said.


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The House Oversight Committee’s deposition of Ghislaine Maxwell ended less than an hour after it began on Monday morning, when the convicted accomplice of the late Jeffrey Epstein pleaded the Fifth Amendment.

Maxwell appeared before lawmakers virtually for a closed-door interview in the House bipartisan probe into the federal government’s handling of Epstein’s case.

She is currently serving out a 20-year sentence at a Texas prison.

Both House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., and Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., a member of the committee, said they expected Maxwell to plead the Fifth Amendment in the lead-up to her scheduled sit-down.

The former British socialite was found guilty in December 2021 of being an accomplice in Epstein’s scheme to sexually traffic and exploit female minors.

The DOJ said at the time of her sentencing that Maxwell ‘enticed and groomed minor girls to be abused in multiple ways.’

Comer announced lawmakers would hear from Maxwell late last month during a meeting on holding former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in contempt of Congress for refusing to appear for his Epstein probe.

‘We’ve been trying to get her in for a deposition. Our lawyers have been saying that she’s going to plead the Fifth, but we have nailed down a date, Feb. 9, where Ghislaine Maxwell will be deposed by this committee,’ Comer said at the time.

Contempt proceedings against the Clintons stalled, however, after they agreed via their attorneys to appear in person on Capitol Hill just days before the full House of Representatives was expected to vote on referring the pair to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for criminal charges.

Comer’s team had been in a back-and-forth with Maxwell’s attorney for months trying to nail down a date for her to speak to committee lawyers.

He agreed to delay her previous planned deposition in August after her lawyer asked him to wait until after the Supreme Court decided whether it would hear her appeal. The Supreme Court turned down Maxwell’s case in October.

She and the Clintons’ depositions are part of the House Oversight Committee’s months-long probe into how the government handled Epstein’s case. 


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(TheNewswire)

Steadright Critical Minerals, Inc.

 

February 9, 2026 TheNewswire – Muskoka, Ontario Steadright Critical Minerals Inc. (CSE: SCM,OTC:SCMNF) (‘Steadright’ or the ‘Company’), a resource exploration company focused on advancing near‑term production opportunities, reports that from February 2nd 6th, 2026, members of the NSM Capital Sarl geological team from Morocco, together with a Canadian Earthworks contractor, were on site at the Copper Valley Copper Project to conduct field assessments in preparation for upcoming extraction activities.

 

The onsite team evaluated the existing road network to determine haulage suitability and required upgrades for the planned movement of mineralized stockpiles. In addition, several test pits were examined to verify material characteristics and confirm extraction logistics for the initial phase of testing operations.

 

This fieldwork follows Steadright’s recent announcement that the former property owner, EMTF Sarl, had previously applied for a Mining License and Environmental Permit covering Exploration Permit No. 3843143, now being transferred into NSM Capital Sarl, a Moroccobased company. Steadright’s Moroccan geological team expects receipt of the Mining License within the coming weeks. NSM Capital Sarl management has assumed responsibility for completing this process as expeditiously as possible.

Steadright holds a 75% interest in the common shares of NSM Capital Sarl through a shareholder agreement with Critical Foundation Metals Inc. (CFM), which holds the remaining 25%.

 

See Press Releases Dated January 8th, 2026 and January 20th, 2026.

Copper Valley, Copper-Lead-Silver Project, Morocco

 

Steadright CEO, Matt Lewis: ‘Our Moroccan team is indefatigable in their efforts. We are moving forward on our four properties in very, very good time and they should be quite proud. I encourage people to read about these efforts on our new website and in our new February Presentation (Deck), both of which can be found at www.steadright.ca.

ABOUT Steadright Critical Minerals INC.

 

Steadright Critical Minerals Inc. is a mineral exploration company established in 2019. Steadright has been focused since late spring 2025 on finding exploration and historical mining projects that can be brought into production within the Moroccan critical mineral space. Steadright currently has exposure through a Moroccan entity known as NSM Capital Sarl, with over 192 sq KMs of mineral exploration claims called the TitanBeach Titanium  Project, and found in the Southern Provinces of Morocco. Steadright has also recently signed a Binding MOU for the historic Goundafa Mine within the Kingdom of Morocco.

 

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

For further information, please contact:

 

Matt Lewis

CEO & Director

Steadright Critical Minerals Inc.

 

Email: enquires@steadright.ca

Tel: 1-905-410-0587

www.steadright.ca

 

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange (the ‘CSE’) nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the CSE) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

 

Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, ‎uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or ‎achievements of Steadright to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-‎looking information. Such risks and other factors may include, but are not limited to: there is no ‎certainty that the ongoing programs will result in significant or successful ‎exploration and ‎development of Steadright’s properties; uncertainty as to ‎the actual results of exploration and ‎development or operational activities; uncertainty as to the availability and terms of ‎future financing on ‎acceptable terms; uncertainty as to timely availability of permits and other governmental approvals; ‎general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; capital market conditions ‎and market prices for securities, junior market securities and mining exploration company securities; ‎commodity prices; the actual results of current exploration and development or operational activities; ‎competition; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; accidents and other risks ‎inherent in the mining industry; lack of insurance; delay or failure to receive board or regulatory ‎approvals; changes in legislation, including environmental legislation or income tax legislation, affecting ‎Steadright; conclusions of economic evaluations; and lack of qualified, skilled labour or loss of key ‎individuals.

 

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the ‎securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United ‎States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the ‘U.S. Securities Act‘) or any state securities laws and ‎may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. Persons ‎unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws, unless an ‎exemption from such registration is available.‎

 

Copyright (c) 2026 TheNewswire – All rights reserved.

News Provided by TheNewsWire via QuoteMedia

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  • Drilling at the Road Cut Zone extends mineralisation more than 150 m down-dip along the Contact Zone Fault, including 11.0 m at 1.54 g/t Au from 380.0 m (KDD0142)

  • Jagger Zone results confirm broad and continuous mineralisation at depth, highlighted by 13.0 m at 1.77 g/t Au and a high-grade interval of 2.0 m at 26.08 g/t Au (KDD0138)

  • Mineralisation remains open at depth and along strike at both Jagger and Road Cut Zones as drilling advances toward resource definition

Kobo Resources Inc. (‘ Kobo’ or the ‘ Company ‘) ( TSX.V: KRI ) is pleased to report diamond drill results from six additional holes completed at the Jagger and Road Cut Zones at its 100%-owned Kossou Gold Project (‘ Kossou ‘) in Côte d’Ivoire. The results confirm depth continuity within the established shear systems and extend mineralisation along the Contact Zone Fault.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260209917232/en/

Figure 1: Road Cut Zone Drill Hole Locations and Simplified Geology

Figure 1: Road Cut Zone Drill Hole Locations and Simplified Geology

Diamond Drill Results Highlights:

Road Cut Zone:

  • KDD0142
    • 4.0 metres ( m’) at 2.39 g/t Au from 139.0 m
    • 6.0 m at 1.89 g/t Au from 232.0 m
    • 11.0 m at 1.54 g/t Au from 380.0 m
    • 5.0 m at 1.84 g/t Au from 395.0 m

Jagger Zone :

  • KDD0138
    • 13.0 m at 1.77 g/t Au from 269.0 m, incl. 4.0 m at 3.32 g/t Au from 277.0 m
    • 2.0 m at 26.08 g/t Au from 342.0 m
  • KDD0141
    • 22.0 m at 0.87 g/t Au from 270.0 m, incl. 14.0 m at 1.09 g/t Au from 279.0 m

Edward Gosselin, CEO and Director of Kobo commented: ‘These results continue to confirm the strength and continuity of gold mineralisation within both the Jagger and Road Cut shear systems at our Kossou Gold Project. At the Road Cut Zone, drilling has extended mineralisation more than 150 m down-dip along the Contact Zone Fault, reinforcing its significance as a key structural control. At the Jagger Zone, broad zones of mineralisation and high-grade intercepts at depth continue to demonstrate the scale and vertical continuity of the system. Importantly, we remain highly encouraged that mineralisation remains open, and we will continue our systematic drilling strategy to expand both zones as we advance toward resource definition in 2026.’

Road Cut Zone: KDD0142 Confirms Down-Dip Extension of Contact Zone Fault Mineralisation

KDD0142 was drilled on section RCZ600 to test the down-dip extension of gold mineralisation associated with the Contact Zone Fault and has successfully extended the system to more than 150 m below surface (see Figure 2).

The hole intersected multiple mineralised zones across the shear system, including 6.0 m at 1.89 g/t Au from 232.0 m , 11.0 m at 1.54 g/t Au from 380.0 m , and 5.0 m at 1.84 g/t Au from 395.0 m . These results build on earlier intersections from KDD0109 , which returned 10.0 m at 1.86 g/t Au from 204.0 m ( see news release dated October 30, 2025 ). To the north on section RCZ550, previous results include KDD0052 that returned multiple gold zones associated with the Contact Zone Fault shear system including 5.0 m at 1.01 g/t Au from 228.0, 6.0 m at 1.26 g/t Au from 244.0 m and 6.0 m at 1.94 g/t Au from 264.0 m (see press release dated January 13, 2025 for details).

Together, these results confirm depth continuity of mineralisation along the Contact Zone Fault target . These results further prioritize the Contact Zone Fault as a key mineralised structure at the Road Cut Zone. The area remains open along strike and at depth, and additional drilling is planned to further define and extend mineralisation to the north, south and down dip.

Jagger Zone: Broad Mineralised Zones Confirm Depth Continuity

Drill hole KDD0138 on section JZ750 intersected 13.0 m at 1.77 g/t Au from 269.0 m , confirming the continuation of mineralisation below KDD0100 , which returned 11.0 m at 1.26 g/t Au ( see news release dated October 30, 2025 ). These results extend gold mineralisation on the section to more than 150 m below surface .

The hole also intersected a narrow but high-grade structure, returning 2.0 m at 26.08 g/t Au from 342.0 m , demonstrating the presence of higher-grade individual structures within the broader Jagger Shear system (see Figures 3 and 4).

On section JZ900 , drill hole KDD0141 intersected a broad zone averaging 22.0 m at 0.87 g/t Au from 270.0 m , including 14.0 m at 1.09 g/t Au from 279.0 m , confirming continuity of the mineralised shear system to approximately 180 m below surface (see Figure 5). Drill hole KDD0123 , located immediately above, previously returned 7.0 m at 1.48 g/t Au and 4.0 m at 1.31 g/t Au ( see news release dated January 14, 2026 ), further supporting vertical continuity.

Mineralisation remains open at depth on both sections. Full assay results from all six holes are presented in Table 1.

Table 1: Summary of Significant Diamond Drill Hole Results

BHID

East

North

Elev.

Az.

Dip

Length

From
(m)

To
(m)

Int.
(m)

Au
g/t

Target

KDD0137

229072

775262

350

70

-50

179.40

2.00

11.00

9.00

0.48

Jagger

19.00

22.00

3.00

0.70

Jagger

49.00

53.00

4.00

1.10

Jagger

57.00

60.00

3.00

1.66

Jagger

67.00

76.00

9.00

0.82

Jagger

incl.

67.00

73.00

6.00

1.06

Jagger

148.00

151.00

3.00

0.46

Jagger

KDD0138

228872

775082

414

70

-50

401.40

206.00

208.00

2.00

1.32

Jagger

250.00

254.00

4.00

0.94

Jagger

269.00

282.00

13.00

1.77

Jagger

incl.

277.00

281.00

4.00

3.32

Jagger

309.00

313.00

4.00

0.64

Jagger

342.00

344.00

2.00

26.08

Jagger

398.00

399.00

1.00

2.38*

Jagger

KDD0139

229087

775155

329

70

-50

215.30

6.00

18.00

12.00

0.65

Jagger

incl.

6.00

12.00

6.00

1.06

Jagger

8.00

12.00

4.00

1.42

Jagger

44.00

50.00

6.00

0.82

Jagger

74.00

87.00

13.00

0.65

Jagger

incl.

74.00

79.00

5.00

1.20

Jagger

93.00

95.00

3.00

0.81

Jagger

KDD0140

229054

774936

364

70

-50

149.30

64.00

70.00

6.00

0.53

Jagger

incl.

64.00

68.00

4.00

0.65

Jagger

124.00

125.00

1.00

2.17*

Jagger

KDD0141

228876

774925

398

70

-50

383.40

271.00

293.00

22.00

0.87

Jagger

incl.

274.00

293.00

19.00

0.96

Jagger

incl.

279.00

293.00

14.00

1.09

Jagger

301.00

302.00

1.00

1.20*

Jagger

308.00

311.00

3.00

0.99

Jagger

317.00

319.00

2.00

1.40

Jagger

KDD0142

228340

776113

296

70

-50

512.30

25.00

26.00

1.00

1.61*

RCZ

42.00

43.00

1.00

1.71*

RCZ

112.00

113.00

1.00

1.34*

RCZ

139.00

143.00

4.00

2.39

RCZ

159.00

160.00

1.00

2.27*

RCZ

185.00

186.00

1.00

1.92

RCZ

232.00

238.00

6.00

1.89

RCZ

251.00

253.00

2.00

3.48

RCZ

329.00

334.00

5.00

0.37

RCZ

339.00

340.00

1.00

1.44*

RCZ

368.00

369.00

1.00

1.21*

RCZ

380.00

391.00

11.00

1.54

RCZ

395.00

400.00

5.00

1.84

RCZ

410.00

411.00

1.00

1.33*

RCZ

419.00

422.00

3.00

0.47

RCZ

427.00

430.00

3.00

0.54

RCZ

Notes:

  • Cut-off using 2.0 m at 0.30 g/t Au
  • Intervals are reported with no more than 3.0 m of internal dilution of less than 0.3 m g/t Au except where indicated with an *

An accurate dip and strike and controls of mineralisation are unconfirmed and mineralised zones are reported as downhole lengths. Drill holes are planned to intersect mineralised zones perpendicular to interpreted targets. All intercepts reported are downhole distances, true widths are unknown.

Sampling, QA/QC, and Analytical Procedures

Drill core was logged and sampled by Kobo personnel at site. Drill cores were sawn in half, with one half remaining in the core box and the other half secured into new plastic sample bags with sample number tickets. Core samples are drilled using HQ core barrels to below the level of oxidation and then reduced to NQ core barrels for the remainder of the bore hole. Samples are transported to the SGS Côte d’Ivoire facility in Yamoussoukro by Kobo personnel where the entire sample was prepared for analysis (prep code PRP86/PRP94). Sample splits of 50 grams were then analysed for gold using 50g Fire Assay as per SGS Geochem Method FAA505. QA/QC procedures for the drill program include insertion of a certificated standards every 20 samples, a blank every 20 samples and a duplicate sample every 20 samples. All QAQC control samples returned values within acceptable limits.

Review of Technical Information

The scientific and technical information in this press release has been reviewed and approved by Paul Sarjeant, P.Geo., who is a Qualified Persons as defined in National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Sarjeant is the President and Chief Operating Officer and Director of Kobo.

About Kobo Resources Inc.

Kobo Resources is a growth-focused gold exploration company with a compelling gold discovery in Côte d’Ivoire, one of West Africa’s most prolific gold districts, hosting several multi-million-ounce gold mines. The Company’s 100%-owned Kossou Gold Project is located approximately 20 km northwest of the capital city of Yamoussoukro and is directly adjacent to one of the region’s largest gold mines with established processing facilities.

With over 31,000 metres of diamond drilling, nearly 5,887 metres of reverse circulation (RC) drilling, and 7,100+ metres of trenching completed since 2023, Kobo has made significant progress in defining the scale and prospectivity of its Kossou Gold Project. Exploration has focused on multiple high-priority targets within a 9+ km strike length of highly prospective gold-in-soil geochemical anomalies, with drilling confirming extensive mineralisation at the Jagger, Road Cut, and Kadie Zones. The latest phase of drilling has further refined structural controls on gold mineralisation, setting the stage for the next phase of systematic exploration and resource development.

Beyond Kossou, the Company is advancing exploration at its Kotobi Permit and is actively expanding its land position in Côte d’Ivoire with prospective ground, aligning with its strategic vision for long-term growth in-country. Kobo remains committed to identifying and developing new opportunities to enhance its exploration portfolio within highly prospective gold regions of West Africa. Kobo offers investors the exciting combination of high-quality gold prospects led by an experienced leadership team with in-country experience. Kobo’s common shares trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol ‘KRI’. For more information, please visit www.koboresources.com .

NEITHER THE TSXV NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSXV) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

Cautionary Statement on Forward-looking Information:

This news release contains ‘forward-looking information’ and ‘forward-looking statements’ (collectively, ‘forward-looking statements’) within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often but not always using phrases such as ‘expects’, or ‘does not expect’, ‘is expected’, ‘anticipates’ or ‘does not anticipate’, ‘plans’, ‘budget’, ‘scheduled’, ‘forecasts’, ‘estimates’, ‘believes’ or ‘intends’ or variations of such words and phrases or stating that certain actions, events or results ‘may’ or ‘could’, ‘would’, ‘might’ or ‘will’ be taken to occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; and the delay or failure to receive board, shareholder or regulatory approvals. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements and information contained in this news release. Except as required by law, Kobo assumes no obligation and/or liability to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260209917232/en/

For further information:

Edward Gosselin
Chief Executive Officer and Director
1-418-609-3587
ir@kobores.com

Twitter: @KoboResources | LinkedIn: Kobo Resources Inc.

News Provided by Business Wire via QuoteMedia

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Neither party has put a stake in the ground on the issue that will drive the next presidential election cycle. Artificial intelligence is expected to transform the global economy at a dizzying pace, radically reordering nearly every industry and bringing with it unprecedented disruptions in the labor market.

Nobody is prepared to address what could be the biggest issue of 2028. In a recent earnings call, xAI founder Elon Musk described an exciting era of abundance in which AI and robotics take over labor and Americans enjoy what he calls ‘universal high income.’ But that vision raises more questions than it answers.

Where do people go when entire industries shrink? How do we fulfill our need for meaningful work? Who decides how to distribute this ‘universal high income?’ What is the role of higher education? How much government would we need?

As America approaches its 250th anniversary this summer, we celebrate principles of individual liberty, free markets and limited government that have propelled our prosperity for more than two centuries. Are those principles compatible with Musk’s vision of a post-labor economy featuring universal income distribution? 

We have to come to terms with where this AI revolution could take us. In the world of politics, which tends to follow where the winds are blowing, what are the principles that remain timeless? Who do we trust to steer us in these uncertain waters?

Economic incentives are about to shift dramatically. Will free-market Republicans be tempted to become protectionists? Will big government progressives have to embrace deregulation and nuclear energy to protect threatened industries?

I expect every other issue to take a backseat to the looming questions that affect young and old, rich and poor. Traditional political alignments may be turned on their heads. This is too important for us to get it wrong. We can’t just respond reflexively. 

AI may offer Americans a generational opportunity to double down on the foundational principles that historically drove our prosperity. But we can expect strong headwinds pushing us toward revisiting the collectivist experiments that have consistently failed in the past.

Blue-collar jobs among those least threatened by artificial intelligence

The rules are changing. You used to be able to protect your likeness, your works. We had patents, trademarks, boundaries. But now with deepfakes, generative AI and apps that will undress anyone at the touch of a button, we need to come together to establish a better framework of boundaries.

Both parties need to come up with a vision to steer AI toward empowerment, foster independence and amplify human potential rather than erode it. Historical precedents suggest technological advances, though disruptive, ultimately create more opportunities than they destroy.

I’m hopeful that AI will create new roles we cannot yet fully imagine, perhaps allowing workers to focus on strategic and creative roles that machines can’t replicate. AI doesn’t have to be the end of work. It can be the beginning of better work.

Economic incentives are about to shift dramatically. Will free-market Republicans be tempted to become protectionists? Will big government progressives have to embrace deregulation and nuclear energy to protect threatened industries?

But in the process of getting from here to there, we face challenges that will test our resolve and the foundational principles that sustain our past success. AI threatens to create the perfect opportunity for globalists to build the central-planned economy they’ve always wanted.

America is very good at harnessing innovation to foster independence. If we approach this the right way, AI may empower us to innovate — to build a future where every American contributes on their own terms. We know that government doesn’t create jobs. Entrepreneurs do.

The key is not to resist, but to embrace AI as a tool that enhances independence — freeing us for meaningful pursuits like family, community and invention. We can build a future where every American contributes on their terms. For 250 years, these principles have stood the test of time. Instead of resisting progress we need to be directing it to more productive use.


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Lawmakers on the House Oversight Committee are expected to be face-to-face with Ghislaine Maxwell Monday, the notorious accomplice of Jeffrey Epstein, who was sentenced to 20 years in prison for conspiring with the late billionaire pedophile.

Maxwell is due to appear virtually before the congressional panel at 10 a.m. ET while currently serving out her sentence at a Texas prison. Her deposition will be behind closed doors, meaning it will not be viewed publicly unless the committee chooses to release video footage after the fact.

It’s likely to be a brief engagement, with Maxwell expected to plead the Fifth Amendment to avoid answering questions.

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, R-Ky., announced lawmakers would hear from Maxwell during a meeting on holding former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in contempt of Congress for refusing to appear for his Epstein probe.

‘We’ve been trying to get her in for a deposition. Our lawyers have been saying that she’s going to plead the Fifth, but we have nailed down a date, Feb. 9, where Ghislaine Maxwell will be deposed by this committee,’ Comer said last month.

Contempt proceedings against the Clintons stalled, however, after they agreed via their attorneys to appear in person on Capitol Hill just days before the full House of Representatives was expected to vote on referring the pair to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for criminal charges.

Comer’s team had been in a back-and-forth with Maxwell’s attorney for months trying to nail down a date for her to speak to committee lawyers.

He agreed to delay her previous planned deposition in August after her lawyer asked him to wait until after the Supreme Court decided whether it would hear her appeal. The Supreme Court turned down Maxwell’s case in October.

The former British socialite was found guilty in December 2021 of being an accomplice in Epstein’s scheme to sexually traffic and exploit female minors.

The DOJ said at the time of her sentencing that Maxwell ‘enticed and groomed minor girls to be abused in multiple ways.’

Epstein had been awaiting trial when he killed himself in a New York City jail in 2019.

Her deposition is part of the House Oversight Committee’s months-long probe into how the government handled Epstein’s case. 


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One of the most robust findings in economics is that, with few exceptions, people respond to incentives, rather than intentions or moral principles. Individuals operate under constraints of time, information, and risk, and as such, they will predictably and understandably adjust their behavior to whatever metrics ensure success. To do otherwise is irrational. When performance is evaluated and rewarded using metrics like quotas, behavior shifts toward satisfying those quotas to secure the benefits thereof. This happens in firms, schools, hospitals, police departments, and regulatory agencies, even when everyone understands, at least in the abstract, that the metric is distinct from the goals to be achieved.

Immigration enforcement provides a vivid case study of this general institutional failure mode. Under recent policy changes, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement has operated under explicit arrest targets in the form of daily and annual numerical goals meant to demonstrate enforcement intensity and resolve. The political rationale for these targets is straightforward. It is to signal to voters and political supporters that the current administration is serious about protecting the border and clamping down on illegal immigration.

But economics teaches that what gets measured gets optimized and gamed for various reasons, mostly having to do with incentives. In the case of immigration enforcement, when success is defined in numerical terms, agents will pursue the cheapest path to those numbers, rather than pursuing individuals and groups that are harder to find and detain. That is a rational given the incentives created by the Administration, namely rewarding aggressive arrest quotas. It makes sense that whenever institutions or individuals face quotas, they are likely to focus on the low-hanging fruit. Time spent achieving an easy unit of output eats up time spent pursuing a hard one. Effort that is devoted to high-risk targets, like violent criminals and well-entrenched gangs, threatens performance metrics in ways that low-risk targets do not. When failure to meet quotas carries professional consequences, agents will avoid activities that jeopardize the count, even if those activities are more closely aligned with the stated mission.

The logic is straightforward. Violent criminals, gang leaders, and professional smugglers are difficult to locate and expensive to apprehend, often relying on networks of other people to help them evade detection. Pursuing such criminal organizations requires investigations, coordination across jurisdictions, surveillance, and uncertain outcomes, making it easy for agents to come up empty-handed. By contrast, unauthorized immigrants who are otherwise law-abiding are comparatively easy to find. They have fixed residences, work regular jobs, and their children often attend the local school. Many are already interacting with the state through legal channels, including standard immigration check-ins.

When arrest quotas rise, then, it’s no surprise that arrests have accelerated disproportionately among those who are easiest to find and arrest rather than those who pose the greatest threat. Recent data confirm this pattern. Enforcement activity has surged, but the majority of arrests involve individuals without prior criminal convictions, a distribution consistent with quota-driven optimization rather than threat-based prioritization. And given the career and political incentives behind meeting those quotas, it is what we should expect. This behavior is rational given the incentives; it would be surprising if agents behaved otherwise.

There is a deeper problem here, though, that Hayek can help us diagnose. Quotas assume that central authorities know in advance how enforcement effort should be allocated across a vast and heterogeneous landscape. They assume that arrests are sufficiently homogeneous, such that merely counting them captures what matters. They assume that the marginal value of the next arrest is roughly constant across contexts. And they make these assumptions, often, without the salient local knowledge needed. 

Here the analogy to central planning becomes illuminating. Central planners, like those in Cuba or the former Soviet Union, fail because they lack access to the dispersed, tacit, and constantly changing knowledge required to allocate resources efficiently. As Hayek argued, markets work not because anyone knows the right answer in advance, but because competition allows agents to discover it through decentralized experimentation and feedback information that would otherwise be unavailable. Enforcement environments share this complexity because, among other reasons, threats vary by region, network, industry, and time. A centralized quota cannot incorporate this information, partly because it treats arrests as interchangeable units in the same way that central plans treat tons of steel or bushels of grain as interchangeable.

This helps explain why quota-driven enforcement is insensitive to conditions on the ground. It cannot adapt to local threat profiles because it does not reward adaptation. It cannot prioritize effectively because prioritization is costly and quotas reward speed, and it cannot learn from failure because in most cases it lacks the local knowledge needed for the adjustment. Of course, politicians can pivot when citizens and voters push back, but it is necessarily a less detailed and efficient process than, for example, markets and prices. 

Worse still, enforcement that deliberately and disproportionately targets working, embedded individuals produces sudden and uneven labor supply shocks. Industries that rely heavily on immigrant labor, like construction and agriculture, experience disruptions that cascade via prices, output, and complementary employment. These are downstream consequences of enforcement choices shaped by quotas. When enforcement prioritizes ease of arrest over social cost, it predictably targets workers rather than criminals, disrupting productive relationships that markets had already coordinated. The result resembles what happens when planners disrupt supply chains without understanding their internal complementarities.

A common defense of quotas appeals to accountability. Without numerical targets, agencies may underperform, selectively enforce, or drift away from their mandates. That said, the existence of a real problem, namely accountability, is hardly a defense of a flawed solution based on quotas that measure a single dimension without the necessary local knowledge.

The central lesson is rooted in institutional design and incentive structures under which these immigration agents operate. When complex, knowledge-intensive activities are governed by centralized numerical targets, agents will rationally pursue targets in ways that undermine the broader purpose of the institutional effort. Perverse incentives and poor institutional design are not the only explanatory factors here —personal choice and moral character matter, too—but they are a big part of the explanatory pie.

Here’s a quick recap of the crypto landscape for Monday (February 9) as of 9:00 a.m. UTC.

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

Bitcoin (BTC) was priced at US$69,837.08, down by 1.1 percent over 24 hours.

Bitcoin price performance, February 9, 2026.

Bitcoin price performance, February 9, 2026.

Chart via TradingView

Ether (ETH) was priced at US$2,049.31, down by 3.5 percent over the last 24 hours.

Altcoin price update

  • XRP (XRP) was priced at US$1.41, down by 3.5 over 24 hours.
  • Solana (SOL) was trading at US$84.50, down by 3.9 percent over 24 hours.

Today’s crypto news to know

Tether deepens gold push with US$150M stake in Gold.com

Tether has made a US$150 million investment in Gold.com, acquiring roughly a 12 pecent minority stake as it moves to broaden access to both tokenized and physical gold.

The deal sets up a long-term partnership that will integrate Tether’s gold-backed token, XAU₮, into Gold.com’s platform and explore ways for customers to buy physical gold using digital currencies such as USDT and the newly launched, federally regulated USA₮.

The move comes as gold prices push above US$5,000 an ounce, reinforcing demand for hard-asset exposure amid geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainty. Tether said the gold-backed stablecoin market has nearly tripled over the past year to more than US$5.5 billion, with XAU₮ accounting for over 60 percent of total market value.

The company says XAU₮ is backed 1:1 by allocated physical gold, with about 140 tons in total held in secure vaults and each token linked to a specific London Good Delivery bar.

Bitcoin breaks below US$70,000 as liquidations accelerate

Bitcoin fell sharply this week, breaking below the closely watched US$70,000 level and trading as low as roughly US$60,300 before stabilizing near US$65,000

The US$70,000 mark had become a crowded positioning zone, and once it failed, mechanically driven selling took over.

In addition, the Crypto Fear & Greed Index dropped to 9, its lowest reading in nearly four years, while futures open interest slid toward multi-month lows, signaling defensive positioning rather than dip-buying. “

South Korea tightens scrutiny after Bithumb’s distribution error

South Korea’s Financial Supervisory Service has moved to strengthen oversight of crypto exchanges following a major error at Bithumb that briefly flooded user accounts with billions of dollars’ worth of bitcoin.

The incident occurred when customers were mistakenly credited with roughly 2,000 BTC each instead of small promotional rewards, triggering panic selling and a sharp price dislocation on the exchange.

Bitcoin prices on Bithumb fell as much as 30 percent below global levels before trading and withdrawals were halted.

Authorities said the episode exposed “vulnerabilities and risks” in virtual asset systems and raised concerns about internal controls and reserve backing. “It is a case that shows the structural problems of electronic systems for virtual assets,” said Lee Chan-jin, governor of South Korea’s Financial Supervisory Service.

Regulators plan to introduce tougher penalties for IT failures and expand monitoring tools that flag suspicious trading patterns in real time.

Of the more than 620,000 bitcoins mistakenly distributed, authorities said nearly all have since been recovered.

FDIC settles FOIA fight over crypto ‘pause letters’

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has agreed to pay US$188,440 in legal fees and drop its effort to withhold crypto-related “pause letters,” settling a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit tied to alleged debanking practices.

The case stemmed from a records request filed by History Associates on behalf of Coinbase, seeking documents that showed how banks were allegedly pressured to halt or limit crypto activities.

A federal court ruled last year that the FDIC violated FOIA by categorically withholding the letters rather than reviewing them individually.

“We successfully uncovered dozens of crypto ‘pause letters’—indisputable proof of OCP2.0,” Coinbase chief legal officer Paul Grewal wrote on X after the settlement.

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

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

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First drill testing of a large-scale Rossing-style uranium target, along trend of Namibia’s giant uranium deposits

ReeXploration Inc. (TSXV: REE) (FSE: K2I0) (‘ReeXploration’ or the ‘Company’) is pleased to announce the launch of a fully funded uranium drilling program at the Eureka Project in central Namibia. This campaign marks the Company’s first drill testing of a large-scale uranium target, 6.5 x 3.5 km in extent, defined through integrated geophysical, geochemical, and geological work. The target is located along trend of Namibia’s world renowned ‘Alaskite Alley’, a corridor hosting giant leucogranite-hosted uranium deposits.

The drill campaign will evaluate a range of priority zones distributed across the broader target area, selected on the basis of airborne and ground uranium radiometric responses, uranium-in-soil geochemistry, and interpreted favourable structural and lithological settings. The priority zones all fall within a regional geological setting consistent with leucogranite-hosted uranium systems elsewhere in Namibia’s Central Zone, including the Rössing, Husab, and Etango deposits.

The core drilling program is expected to include up to 2,000 metres of drilling across 12 to 15 drill holes, and will be results-driven. Drill holes are designed to test for primary leucogranite-hosted uranium mineralization below the weathering profile.

‘The start of drilling at Eureka marks a significant milestone for ReeXploration, representing our first drill program on a large and highly prospective uranium system,’ said Christopher Drysdale, Interim CEO of ReeXploration. ‘This initial campaign will evaluate several priority zones and generate critical information to refine our geological understanding and guide future exploration. Importantly, Eureka also hosts confirmed rare earth element mineralization, providing the Company with dual-commodity exposure and long-term strategic optionality. Operating in Namibia, with its proven history of supporting responsible exploration and development, significantly enhances our ability to advance and unlock the full potential of the Eureka Project.’

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Figure 1: Regional satellite view showing the position of the uranium anomalies southwest of the Eureka Dome, and their proximity to the Welwitschia Lineament and other large uranium deposits in Alaskite Alley.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
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Program Overview and Next Steps

The initial drilling phase (up to 2,000 metres in 12 to 15 drill holes) is designed to provide first-pass testing of the uranium system at depth and to validate the geological model developed from recent radiometric surveys, soil geochemistry, and field mapping.

Priority zones for drill testing have been identified based on coincident:

  • Airborne uranium radiometric anomalies
  • High total gamma responses (>500 cps) from ground spectrometer surveys
  • Uranium-in-soil anomalies (>10 ppm U) identified by pXRF analysis
  • Interpreted leucogranites in contact with reactive calc-silicate host rocks

The zones include occurrences of visible secondary uranium mineralization identified within leucogranites and gypcretes/calcretes.

Drilling will consist of core drill holes designed to confirm the presence, style, and continuity of uranium mineralization at depth, and to improve the Company’s understanding of the broader uranium system across the Eureka Project area.

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Figure 2: Company license holding showing REE targets within the Eureka Dome, and airborne uranium anomalies (Government Airborne Radiometrics) backdrop. Insert: Thorium radiometric backdrop showing low thorium relative to the uranium anomalies.

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Qualified Person

Tolene Kruger, BSc. (Hons), M.Sc., is a consulting geologist and has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information in this news release. Ms. Kruger is registered as Professional Natural Scientist (Pr.Sci.Nat.) with the South African Council for Natural Science Professions (SACNASP, Reg. No.: 148182), and a Qualified Person for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. Ms. Kruger is not independent of the Company under NI 43-101.

About ReeXploration Inc.

ReeXploration (TSXV: REE) (FSE: K2I0) is a Canadian exploration company positioned to help meet surging global demand for secure, responsible supplies of critical minerals essential to the clean energy transition, advanced technologies and national defense. The Company’s flagship Eureka Project in central Namibia pairs a technically proven rare earth foundation – supported by the production of a clean monazite concentrate – with a newly defined, high-priority uranium target located within one of the world’s most established uranium corridors. Together, these commodities provide multi-path discovery potential aligned with accelerating global efforts to diversify critical mineral and nuclear fuel supply. Supported by a Namibia-based technical team and guided by global critical minerals experts, ReeXploration is advancing a disciplined, discovery-led strategy, building a credible, ESG-aligned platform positioned to benefit from the global race to diversify and secure responsible supply chains.

Caution Regarding Forward Looking Information

This press release may contain forward-looking information. This information is based on current expectations and assumptions (including assumptions relating to general economic and market conditions) that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Actual results may differ materially from results suggested in any forward-looking information. ReeXploration does not assume any obligation to update forward-looking information in this release, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those reflected in the forward-looking information unless and until required by securities laws applicable to ReeXploration. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties is contained in the filings made by ReeXploration with Canadian securities regulators, which filings are available at www.sedarplus.ca.

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

Further details are available on the Corporation’s website at www.rareearthexploration.com or contact Christopher Drysdale, Interim CEO of ReeXploration Inc., at +1 902-334-1949, contact@rareearthexploration.com.

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(TheNewswire)

Armory Mining Corp.

  

Vancouver, B.C. TheNewswire – February 9, 2026 Armory Mining Corp. (CSE: ARMY) (OTC: RMRYF) (FRA: 2JS) (the ‘Company’ or ‘Armory’) a resource exploration company focused on the discovery and development of minerals critical to the energy, security and defense sectors, is pleased to announce that is preparing to conduct a series of airborne geophysics surveys at the Ammo antimony-gold project (‘Ammo’) located in Nova Scotia, Canada.

The planned airborne geophysics surveys have been designed using efficient 50-meter flight lines (Fig 1) to collect information from associated sulfide mineralization, sericite and potassic alteration and probable pathfinder related uranium anomalies.

The Company intends on undertaking a magnetic survey designed to collect information regarding geological characteristics including structural and lithological features, an electromagnetic survey to collect data correlated with associated sulfide mineralization, and a radiometric survey to collect any possible correlation between uranium anomalies and the target mineralization.

‘These surveys form an important part of preliminary exploration critical to defining drill targets at Ammo,’ said Alex Klenman, CEO of Armory Mining. ‘The data generated by the surveys will aid tremendously in determining the best areas to drill.  The geological team has outlined a comprehensive exploration plan for the Ammo project, and we’re committed to completing these next steps,’ continued Mr. Klenman.  


Click Image To View Full Size

 

Figure 1 – Ammo Property and Significant Mining and Mineral Occurrences within and adjacent Distance

 

The Property

  • The Company has the option to acquire a 100% interest in the Ammo Sb-Au project, comprising three contiguous mineral claims (Exploration Licenses) surrounding the historical West Gore antimony-gold mine, a past producer of antimony and gold, located in central Nova Scotia, Canada covering approximately 3,020 hectares (Fig. 2). 

  • The property is underlain by sericitic slates and minor intercalated arenites of the Halifax formation, a member of the Ordovician Meguma Group. It is made up of a basal sandy flysch unit known as the Goldenville formation and an overlying shaly flysch unit known as the Halifax formation which hosts the West Gore gold-antimony mineralization. Peraluminous granites and minor mafic bodies intrude the Meguma Group sedimentary. This magmatic activity seems to be responsible for the hydrothermal activity that caused the gold mineralization (Fig 2). 

  • The mineralization in adjacent West Gore mineralization occurs throughout the Meguma Group stratigraphy. The mineralization is generally in laterally continuous veins were emplaced during hydrofracturing in brittle ductile deformation dominated by quartz-carbonate gangue and iron sulphides with free gold, generally micron sized but nuggets up to 11 ounces have been reported. The sulfides with mineralization including Pyrite, pyrrhotite, arsenopyrite, stibnite, chalcopyrite, galena, sphalerite and iron oxides are associated with quartz-carbonate veins or sheared host rocks in the Mineralized zone. 

 


Click Image To View Full Size

 

Figure 2 – Ammo Property and Surrounding Mining and Mineral Occurrences

 

About Armory Mining Corp

Armory Mining Corp. is a Canadian exploration company focused on minerals critical to the energy, security and defense sectors. The Company controls an 80% interest in the Candela II lithium brine project located in the Incahuasi Salar, Salta Province, Argentina. In addition, the Company controls 100% interest in both the Ammo antimony-gold project located in Nova Scotia and the Riley Creek antimony-gold project located in British Columbia.

 

Qualified Person

The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Babak V. Azar, P.Geo., a qualified person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Historical reports provided by the optionor were reviewed by the qualified person. The information provided has not been verified and is being treated as historic.

 

Contact Information

 

Alex Klenman

CEO & Director

alex@armorymining.com

604-970-4330

 

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as the term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy of accuracy of this news release.   This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of the Company’s securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including any of the securities in the United States of America. The Company’s securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the ‘1933 Act’) or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S under the  1933 Act) unless registered under the  1933 Act  and applicable  state  securities  laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available.

 

Forward-looking statements:

 

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the intended use of funds. The words ‘expects,’ ‘anticipates,’ ‘believes,’ ‘intends,’ ‘plans,’ ‘will,’ ‘may,’ and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that its expectations as reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, such statements involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements due to various factors, including, but not limited to, political and regulatory risks in Canada, operational and exploration risks, market conditions, and the availability of financing. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which are made as of the date of this release. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws.

Copyright (c) 2026 TheNewswire – All rights reserved.

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