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A federal judge has ruled the Justice Department can release investigative materials from the criminal prosecution of Ghislaine Maxwell, citing the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

Judge Paul Engelmayer has granted the DOJ’s motion to unseal the grand jury transcripts and exhibits in Maxwell’s criminal case with some redactions. 

Engelmayer’s ruling comes just ahead of the Dec. 19 deadline to release records related to the Epstein case. 

‘In the case of the Maxwell and Epstein grand juries, under the Act, public disclosure of such materials is the rule, subject to the limited exceptions set out in the Act. The Act thus requires the Attorney General to make public the Maxwell grand jury materials, subject to the withholdings and redactions that the Act permits,’ Engelmayer’s ruling reads.

Maxwell, who was convicted of sex trafficking charges in December 2021, is currently serving a 20-year prison sentence. Her attorney said that she took no position on the requested unsealing of records but noted that the release could harm Maxwell’s plan to file a habeas petition, according to The Associated Press.

Engelmayer’s decision is the second in the past week approving the release of Epstein-related files. Last week, Judge Rodney Smith moved to allow the DOJ to release transcripts from an abandoned federal grand jury probe from the 2000s.

The Epstein Files Transparency Act requires the DOJ ‘to publish (in a searchable and downloadable format) all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials in DOJ’s possession that relate to the investigation and prosecution of Jeffrey Epstein.’ The act was passed in November and paves the way for the public to have more insight into the infamous cases against the late disgraced financier.

There is a possibility that a judge could rule to release grand jury transcripts from the 2019 Epstein criminal case prior to the deadline under the Epstein Files Transparency Act. The AP noted that attorneys for the Epstein estate did not take a position on the unsealing of records.

The DOJ is reportedly working with survivors and their attorneys to redact records to protect survivors’ identities and prevent the dissemination of sexualized images, according to the AP.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Justice Department for comment.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

This is a developing story, please check back for updates.


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A House Republican is mounting an effort to make it easier for women to keep and raise their babies after birth.

Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, is unveiling a bill called the Supporting Healthy Pregnancy Act that would ensure pregnant mothers get financial support from the father even before their child is born, Fox News Digital learned first.

It’s an effort by the Republican Party to affirm its pro-family ideology as Democrats continue to accuse the GOP of being anti-choice while also being unwilling to support women who keep their babies.

Hinson’s bill would require states to establish systems where the biological father of a child is required to pay at least 50% of out-of-pocket costs for medical expenses associated with a pregnancy and delivery, including health insurance premiums.

There are certain limitations on costs incurred, however, and abortion costs are excluded altogether.

The payments must also be requested by the mother before the father is legally obligated to make them.

Single mothers are currently eligible to request a legal order for child support beginning at birth in most states, meaning many are left to deal with the costs associated with pregnancy.

It’s the latest piece in a package of bills Hinson introduced related to helping women through maternity.

Another bill Hinson introduced would mandate that pregnant women in higher education institutions know what rights and resources they have on campus in an effort to give them more options aside from abortion.

A bipartisan bill co-led with Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet, D-Mich., would expand access to and career training for midwives, particularly in underserved parts of the country.

‘I’m a mom on a mission to make life easier for my fellow moms and families. That’s why I’m working to expand access to maternal care, ensure women have resources throughout pregnancy and beyond, and improve child care options for growing families,’ Hinson, who is running for Senate in Iowa, told Fox News Digital.

‘Strong families make a strong nation, and we should work together to support the parents and women who are building America’s future,’ she said. ‘As a mom of two, I’m proud to be a leader in that fight for Iowa and for families nationwide.’


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This article has been disseminated on behalf of LaFleur Minerals and may include paid advertising. Disclosure: This does not represent material news, partnerships or investment advice.

NEW YORK (December 9, 2025) — via MiningNewsWire — LaFleur Minerals Inc. (CSE: LFLR) (OTCQB: LFLRF) (FSE: 3WK0) today announces its placement in an editorial published by MiningNewsWire (‘MNW’), one of 75+ brands within the Dynamic Brand Portfolio @ IBN ( InvestorBrandNetwork ) , a specialized communications platform with a focus on financial news and content distribution for private and public companies and the investment community.

To view the full publication, ‘Momentum Builds, Upside Appears as Mining Explorers Transition Toward Production, Unlock Major Hidden Value,’ please visit: https://ibn.fm/iBvlZ

The most compelling moment for investors to engage with a mining company is often during its transition from explorer to producer, a period when value can inflect sharply as an organization shifts from discovery to cash flow. Explorers that successfully cross this development threshold tend to realize significant re-ratings because they de-risk their story, demonstrate reliable production capability and create a foundation for recurring revenues. For many interested in the mining space, entering at this stage allows participation before the substantial upside typically associated with the first years of production is fully priced in.

This moment becomes particularly attractive when a company controls key infrastructure, is advancing toward production in a tier-one jurisdiction and trades at a valuation meaningfully below the replacement cost of its assets. That dynamic is now unfolding around LaFleur Minerals Inc., which owns a fully permitted and refurbished gold mill in Québec’s Abitibi region and is positioned well ahead of neighboring peers still working through early development stages. With a district-scale land position, an advancing flagship deposit and near-term production plans, LaFleur offers meaningful leverage to the explorer-to-producer inflection point, which historically delivers some of the best returns in the mining sector.

About LaFleur Minerals Inc.

LaFleur Minerals is focused on the development of district-scale gold projects in the Abitibi Gold Belt near Val-d’Or, Québec. The Company’s mission is to advance mining projects with a laser focus on our resource-stage Swanson Gold Project and the Beacon Gold Mill, which have significant potential to deliver long-term value. The Swanson Gold Project is approximately 18,304 hectares (183 km(2)) in size and includes several prospects rich in gold and critical metals previously held by Monarch Mining, Abcourt Mines, and Globex Mining. LaFleur has recently consolidated a large land package along a major structural break that hosts the Swanson, Bartec and Jolin gold deposits and several other showings which make up the Swanson Gold Project. The Swanson Gold Project is easily accessible by road allowing direct access to several nearby gold mills, further enhancing its development potential. LaFleur Minerals’ fully permitted and refurbished Beacon Gold Mill is capable of processing over 750 tonnes per day and is being considered for processing mineralized material from Swanson and for custom milling operations for other nearby gold projects.

Qualified Person Statement – All scientific and technical information contained in the LaFleur Minerals Market Awareness Profile (MAP) has been reviewed and approved by Louis Martin, P.Geo. (OGQ), Exploration Manager and Technical Advisor of the company and considered a Qualified Person for the purposes of NI 43-101 .

NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to MAXXF are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/MAXXF

About MiningNewsWire

MiningNewsWire (‘MNW’) is a specialized communications platform with a focus on developments and opportunities in the Global Mining and Resources sectors. It is one of 70+ brands within the Dynamic Brand Portfolio @ IBN that delivers : (1) access to a vast network of wire solutions via InvestorWire to efficiently and effectively reach a myriad of target markets, demographics and diverse industries ; (2) article and editorial syndication to 5,000+ outlets ; (3) enhanced press release enhancement to ensure maximum impact ; (4) social media distribution via IBN to millions of social media followers ; and (5) a full array of tailored corporate communications solutions . With broad reach and a seasoned team of contributing journalists and writers, MNW is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that want to reach a wide audience of investors, influencers, consumers, journalists and the general public. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, MNW brings its clients unparalleled recognition and brand awareness.
MNW is where breaking news, insightful content and actionable information converge.

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For more information, please visit https://www.MiningNewsWire.com

Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the MiningNewsWire website applicable to all content provided by MNW, wherever published or republished: https://www.MiningNewsWire.com/Disclaimer

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(TheNewswire)

Spartan Metals Corp.

Vancouver, Canada, December 9, 2025 TheNewswire – Spartan Metals Corp. (‘ Spartan ‘ or the ‘ Company ‘) (TSX-V: W | OTCQB: SPRMF | FSE: J03) is pleased to announce the discovery of two new tungsten-silver-rubidium exploration targets at the Tungstonia deposit part of the company’s 100% owned Eagle Tungsten-Silver-Rubidium Project (‘ Eagle ‘ or ‘ Project ‘) in eastern Nevada.

Highlights:

  • Soil samples taken provided near complete coverage of the original Tungstonia and Rees claim blocks on 100-meter (‘m’) x 100m grid totalling approximately 2,100 samples covering about 20 square kilometers (‘km ‘).

  • Encouraging grades in soil at Tungstonia suggest near-surface mineralization included:

    • Tungsten up to 272 parts per million (‘ppm’) with 76 samples over 50 ppm

    • Silver up to 5.9 grams per tonne (‘g/t’) with 57 samples over 1.0 g/t

    • Rubidium up to 537 ppm with 56 samples over 300 ppm

  • Discovered two new exploration targets:

    • Significant ~2.0 km x ~1.7 km anomaly outlined by coincident tungsten-silver-rubidium enrichment on western portion of Tungstonia claims that follows the same structural trends and spacings observed at the legacy past-producing Tungstonia mine approximately 1.5 km to northwest

    • Substantial ~0.75 km x ~2.1 km anomaly in southeast portion of Tungstonia claims trending southeast

Soil sample results from the 2025 surface geology program that commenced on October 16, 2025 , have outlined an approximate 2.0 km x 1.7 km surface anomaly that is aligned with regional trends observed at past-producing Tungstonia Mine and a second 0.75 km x 2.1 km surface anomaly in the southeast portion of the Tungstonia claims that confirm mapped veins and structured identified earlier this year. The soil results from the Rees block did not yield any new targets. The results of the soil sample program will help generate drill targets for a spring 2026 drill program.

Brett Marsh, Spartan’s President and CEO, states, ‘These soil results are very exciting as they validate our exploration model and generate important steps toward defining drill targets at Tungstonia. We initiated our surface exploration program with two key objectives; to extend the known veins at the legacy Tungstonia mine, and to define new veins in the western portion of the Tungstonia Claim block.  I believe the results of the hard work completed by our team has successfully met those objectives.’

Mr. Marsh continues, ‘The strength and extent of the anomalies — in some cases exceeding those observed around the past-producing Tungstonia mine — highlight the potential for a significantly larger mineral system than historically recognized. These new targets strengthen Spartan’s position within the U.S. critical minerals onshoring landscape. Our team is eager to continue working with our data to generate meaningful drill targets for a drill program in the spring of 2026.’

Tungsten in the soil samples at Tungstonia showing two anomalous zones. The Western Tungsten Anomaly is aligned with the north-northeasterly structural trend observed at the legacy Tungstonia mine. The Southeastern Tungsten Anomaly appears to coincide with intrusive contacts with carbonaceous sediments that could extend further to the southeast. Note that the soil results in these anomalies appears to be stronger than those obtained from the known Tungstonia mine area suggesting significant new exploration potential (Figure 1).

Silver in the soil samples at Tungstonia showing two anomalous zones coinciding with the tungsten anomalies shown in Figure 1. Note that the soil results in these anomalies appears to be stronger than those obtained from the known Tungstonia mine area suggesting significant new exploration potential (Figure 2).

Rubidium in the soil samples at Tungstonia showing two anomalous zones coinciding with the tungsten and silver anomalies shown in Figures 1 and 2 respectively. Note that the soil results in these anomalies appears to be stronger than those obtained from the known Tungstonia mine area suggesting significant new exploration potential (Figure 3).

Significance of Soil Results

Soil sampling is typically used at early stages of exploration to quickly identify geochemical anomalies that can indicate underlying mineralization, veins, favorable alteration, or to help understand geological controls such as, structural trends. Soils form from breakdown of underlying rock and higher grades (hundreds of parts per million or several grams per tonne) can be indicative of mineralization near the surface and increase confidence that the identified anomalies are genuine. Tungsten, silver, and rubidium at the Tungstonia claims show overlapping elevated values that are reasonably well aligned regional structural trends that control mineralization at the legacy Tungstonia mine, so the newly defined targets are potentially material and could be significant additions to the mineralization at the Tungstonia deposit.

Additionally, the soil results in these two anomalous areas appear to have a stronger signature that what was returned over the legacy past-producing Tungstonia mine area. This is potentially indicative of meaningful tungsten, silver, and rubidium mineralization in these large areas.


Click Image To View Full Size

Figure 1 Tungsten in soils at Tungstonia showing two anomalous zones: the Western tungsten Anomaly and the Southeastern Anomaly.


Click Image To View Full Size

Figure 2 Silver in soil at Tungstonia showing two anomalous zones coinciding with the tungsten anomalies shown in Figure 1.


Click Image To View Full Size

Figure 3 Rubidium in soils at Tungstonia showing two anomalous zones coinciding with the tungsten and silver anomalies shown in Figures 1 and 2, respectively.

QA/QC Procedures

Samples were submitted to American Assay Lab (AAL) of Sparks, Nevada, which is a certified and accredited laboratory, independent of the Company. Samples are prepared using industry standard-prep methods and analyzed using method IO-4AB51 (51 element suite: 0.5g 4-acid plus boric acid hot block, ICP-OES plus IM-4ABEx ICP-MS for Rb. AAL undertakes its own internal coarse and pulp duplicate analysis to ensure proper sample preparation and equipment calibration. Spartan’s QAQC includes regular insertion of CRM standards, duplicates, and blanks with a stringent review of results completed by the Company’s Qualified Person, Brett R. Marsh, President and CEO of Spartan Metals.

About The Eagle Project

The Eagle Project presents a unique opportunity to delineate one of the largest and highest-grade Tungsten (‘W’) and Rubidium (‘Rb’) districts in the United States. The Project consists of the past-producing high-grade Tungstonia and Rees/Antelope tungsten (W-Cu-Ag) mines. Operations at these mines were from 1915 to 1942 with intermittent small-scale production occurring until 1956. Tungsten production from these two mines totaled 8,379 units at grades between 0.6%-0.9% WO 3 (1).

The Project is ~36.5 km² in size and located approximately 120 kilometers northeast of the town of Ely, in the Kern Mountains of White Pine County, Nevada. The Project covers 9,033 acres consisting of 445 Bureau of Land Management (BLM) unpatented lode mining claims.

Three deposit types are present at Eagle; Porphyry, Skarn, and Carbonate Replacement (CRD) that contain significant or anomalous grades of Tungsten (W), Silver (Ag), and Rubidium (Rb) plus Cu-Sb±Au-Pb-Zn-Bi-As across three project focus areas that also includes the potential to recover W-Rb-Ag from the legacy Tungstonia Mill Tailings.

(1) Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology (1988), Bulletin 105 p213-217

The technical information contained in this news release has been prepared under the supervision of, and approved by Brett R. Marsh, CPG. Mr. Marsh is President and CEO of Spartan Metals Corp. and a ‘qualified person’ as defined under National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects .

About Spartan Metals Corp.

Spartan Metals is focused on developing critical minerals projects in well-established and stable mining jurisdictions in the Western United States, with an emphasis on building a portfolio of diverse strategic defense minerals such as Tungsten, Rubidium, Antimony, Bismuth, and Arsenic.

Spartan’s flagship project is the Eagle Project in eastern Nevada that consists of the highest-grade historic tungsten resource in the USA (the past-producing Tungstonia Mine) along with significant under-defined resources consisting of: high-grade rubidium; antimony; bismuth; indium; as well as precious and base metals. More information about Spartan Metals can be found at www.SpartanMetals.com

On behalf of the Board of Spartan

‘Brett Marsh’

President, CEO & Director

Further Information:

Brett Marsh, M.Sc., MBA, CPG

President, CEO & Director

1-888-535-0325

info@spartanmetals.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service 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

Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains statements that constitute ‘forward-looking statements.’ Such forward looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements, or developments in the industry to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words ‘expects,’ ‘plans,’ ‘anticipates,’ ‘believes,’ ‘intends,’ ‘estimates,’ ‘projects,’ ‘potential’ and similar expressions, or that events or conditions ‘will,’ ‘would,’ ‘may,’ ‘could’ or ‘should’ occur. Forward-Looking Information in this news release, Spartan has applied several material assumptions, including, but not limited to, assumptions that: the current objectives concerning the Company’s projects can be achieved and that its other corporate activities will proceed as expected; that general business and economic conditions will not change in a materially adverse manner; and that all requisite information will be available in a timely manner.

Although the Company believes the forward-looking information contained in this news release is reasonable based on information available on the date hereof, by their nature forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.  By their nature, these statements involve a variety of assumptions, known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, levels of activity and achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements.

Examples of such assumptions, risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, assumptions, risks and uncertainties associated with general economic conditions; adverse industry events; future legislative and regulatory developments; the Company’s ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources, and/or inability to access sufficient capital on favorable terms; the ability of the Company to implement its business strategies; competition; the ability of the Company to obtain and retain all applicable regulatory and other approvals and other assumptions, risks and uncertainties.

THE FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS NEWS RELEASE REPRESENTS THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE COMPANY AS OF THE DATE OF THIS NEWS RELEASE AND, ACCORDINGLY, IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AFTER SUCH DATE. READERS SHOULD NOT PLACE UNDUE IMPORTANCE ON FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION AND SHOULD NOT RELY UPON THIS INFORMATION AS OF ANY OTHER DATE. WHILE THE COMPANY MAY ELECT TO, IT DOES NOT UNDERTAKE TO UPDATE THIS INFORMATION AT ANY PARTICULAR TIME EXCEPT AS REQUIRED IN ACCORDANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS.

Copyright (c) 2025 TheNewswire – All rights reserved.

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Independent German Testing Firm Dorfner Anzaplan Confirms Multiple High-Value Markets Across Multiple Alternative Purification Routes

KEY HIGHLIGHTS:

  • ULTRA-LOW STARTING IMPURITIES – CONFIRMING RAW WASHED SILICA QUALITY
    Homerun’s washed raw silica sand from its Santa Maria Eterna silica deposit (SME) in Belmonte, Bahia, Brazil analyzed via ICP contained exceptionally high SiO2 at 99.9694% and low impurities totalling 306 ppm including Fe (6.1 ppm), Al (8.9 ppm), Ti (33 ppm) and Na (4.1 ppm).
  • MULTIPLE ALTERNATIVE PURIFICATION ROUTES WITHOUT HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS
    Testing validated multiple successful non-HF (hydrofluoric acid-free) purification processes that achieved 92-204 ppm total impurities, enabling Homerun to avoid the environmental and safety risks associated with traditional HF processing. The best result of 92 ppm total impurities was achieved through an innovative thermal treatment combined with caustic processing.
  • QUALIFIED FOR PREMIUM SOLAR GLASS, OPTICAL GLASS AND INDUSTRIAL MARKETS
    Homerun’s SME silica sand tested positive for solar glass and extra clear glass applications which typically require iron impurities below 70 ppm. Homerun’s washed raw silica sand tested at less than 7 ppm. The Anzaplan processed silica exceeds specifications for Type I optical glass manufacturing, requiring iron below 1 ppm (Homerun SME silica sand achieved 0.34 ppm). Additional validated applications include engineered stone composites, fused silica, silicon carbide production and ceramics.

Homerun Resources Inc. (TSXV: HMR,OTC:HMRFF) (OTCQB: HMRFF) (‘Homerun’ or the ‘Company’) is pleased to announce exceptional results from comprehensive metallurgical testing completed by Dorfner Anzaplan GmbH, one of Europe’s leading independent silica sand testing laboratories based in Germany. The testing program evaluated multiple alternative purification routes for silica sand from Homerun’s Santa Maria Eterna silica sand resources in Belmonte, Bahia, Brazil (the ‘Belmonte Project’) confirming the deposit’s suitability for multiple high-value industrial applications.

As previously announced, Homerun has completed a 43-101 compliant Technical Report with Mineral Resource Estimate containing a preliminary resource of 25.56 Mt Measured and 38.35Mt Inferred of high-purity silica sand (>99.6% SiO2). This Mineral Resource Estimate is from only one of the three assets controlled by Homerun in the District.

Please view NI 43-101 Technical Report here: https://homerunresources.com/ni-43-101-belmonte/

Dorfner Anzaplan, a globally recognized authority in silica sand characterization and processing, received 25 kilograms of material from Homerun’s Belmonte Project in May 2025. The laboratory conducted an extensive evaluation of several alternative purification technologies specifically designed to avoid hydrofluoric acid, which is traditionally used in high-purity quartz processing but poses significant environmental and handling challenges.

The tested methods included:

  • Caustic baking – high-temperature sodium hydroxide treatment
  • Phosphoric acid baking – thermal treatment with phosphoric acid
  • Caustic leaching – pressurized alkaline dissolution
  • Calcination in combination with the above

All three methods successfully reduced impurity levels, with the most advanced treatment pathway, combining calcination at 1,400°C with caustic baking, achieving the best overall performance.

Brian Leeners, CEO of Homerun commented, ‘These results from Dorfner Anzaplan, one of the world’s most respected independent silica testing laboratories, validate what we’ve believed about our Belmonte Project, we have a world-class silica sand deposit with truly exceptional starting quality. The fact that we can achieve premium use-case specifications without hydrofluoric acid is a game-changer for project economics and environmental permitting. The exceptionally low iron and aluminum content is extraordinarily rare in global silica deposits. Aluminum and Iron are notoriously difficult to remove, so starting with such low levels gives us an inherent competitive advantage that cannot be replicated through processing alone. With multiple confirmed market pathways spanning solar glass, optical glass, engineered stone, silicon carbide, and industrial applications, we have significant optionality to optimize our product mix for maximum value. The global transition to renewable energy and electrification is driving unprecedented demand for high-purity silica, and the Belmonte Project is positioned to serve these growth markets with a superior environmental footprint.’

The raw, untreated silica sand from the Belmonte Project exhibited exceptionally low baseline impurities compared to typical global silica deposits:

Element Belmonte (ppm) Industry Context
Aluminum (Al) 8.9 Exceptionally low – Industry leading quality
Iron (Fe) 6.1 Exceptionally low, successfully reduced to 0.34ppm
Titanium (Ti) 33 Moderate level, successfully reduced to 0.87ppm
Sodium (Na) 4.1 Low baseline

 

‘The starting material quality is remarkable,’ noted the Dorfner Anzaplan report. ‘The material showed exceptionally low aluminum values’, a critical advantage since aluminum is one of the most difficult impurities to remove from silica sand.

Across all the purification processing methods tested, the Belmonte Project silica demonstrated exceptional response to impurity removal:

  • Iron removal: reduced from 6.1 ppm to as low as 0.34 ppm (94% reduction)
  • Titanium removal: reduced from 33 ppm to as low as 0.87 ppm (97% reduction)
  • Aluminum stability: remained at industry-leading low levels throughout processing

The Dorfner Anzaplan team noted that iron and titanium removal performance exceeded even traditional HF leaching for certain treatment parameters, indicating that the crystal structure of Belmonte Project silica sand is particularly amenable to purification.

VALIDATED MARKET APPLICATIONS

Solar Glass – Premium Market Opportunity

Solar glass manufacturing, driven by the global solar energy boom, requires silica sand with iron content below 70 ppm. Homerun’s purified Belmonte Project silica achieved iron levels of 0.34 to 1.4 ppm – more than 50 times better than required specifications. The global solar glass market is projected to exceed $30 billion by 2030, driven by unprecedented solar panel installation demand worldwide. High-purity silica sand is the primary feedstock, with premium pricing commanded by materials that enable maximum light transmission.

Optical Glass – Type I Certification Quality

Optical glass for precision lenses, camera systems, scientific instruments, and telecommunications requires stringent impurity control. Type I optical glass specifications demand:

  • Iron (Fe): <1 ppm
  • Chromium (Cr): <0.05 ppm
  • Manganese (Mn): <0.05 ppm
  • Copper (Cu): <0.05 ppm

Homerun’s Belmonte Project silica met all Type I specifications across multiple purification tests, with best results showing 0.34 ppm iron and all other coloring elements below detection limits.

Dorfner Anzaplan’s technical evaluation confirmed Homerun’s silica is suitable for:

Silicon Carbide Production:

  • Advanced material for semiconductors, electric vehicle power electronics, and high-temperature applications
  • Requires >99% SiO2 purity
  • Belmonte Project material exceeds specifications

Fused Silica Manufacturing:

  • High-performance material for semiconductors, fiber optics, and aerospace
  • Specification: >99.5% SiO2, <0.02% Fe2O3
  • Belmonte Project silica qualified for this premium market

Engineered Stone Composites (Quartz Countertops):

  • Requires >99.5% SiO2 with uniform color and minimal discolored particles
  • Belmonte Project silica’s low iron and titanium content ensures bright, consistent appearance
  • Global engineered stone market valued at $25+ billion annually

Sodium/Potassium Silicate Production:

  • Industrial chemicals used in detergents, cement, coatings
  • Specification: >99% SiO2, <0.02% Fe2O3
  • Belmonte Project material qualified

Frac Sand (Oil & Gas Proppant):

  • Hydraulic fracturing applications requiring high-strength, round silica grains
  • Specification: >99% SiO2
  • Belmonte Project material qualified

Foundry Sand (Metal Casting):

  • High-temperature mold and core production for metal casting
  • Belmonte Project material meets requirements

ENVIRONMENTAL ADVANTAGE – NON-HF PROCESSING

A significant finding from the Dorfner Anzaplan testing program is that Homerun’s Belmonte Project silica can be successfully purified without hydrofluoric acid (HF), one of the most hazardous industrial chemicals. Traditional high-purity quartz processing relies heavily on HF, which poses:

  • Severe environmental risks (groundwater contamination, atmospheric emissions)
  • Extreme worker safety hazards (HF exposure can be fatal)
  • Regulatory permitting challenges in many jurisdictions
  • High insurance and liability costs
  • Community opposition to operations

Homerun’s validation of phosphoric acid baking, caustic baking, and with further chemical and thermal treatment pathways provides multiple environmentally superior processing options. This differentiates the Belmonte Project from competing silica projects that require HF treatment to achieve comparable purity levels.

‘The successful demonstration of non-HF purification routes represents a significant competitive advantage,’ commented Homerun’s COO, Armando Farhate. ‘These results demonstrate Homerun’s ability to deliver high-purity silica products to premium markets while maintaining industry-leading environmental and safety standards.’

Qualified Person

The technical and scientific content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Dr. Roque Yuri Tandel, FAusIMM 3154429, an independent qualified person as defined under National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

About Homerun (https://homerunresources.com/)

Homerun Resources Inc. (TSXV: HMR,OTC:HMRFF) is building the silica-powered backbone of the energy transition across four focused verticals: Silica, Solar, Energy Storage, and Energy Solutions. Anchored by a unique high-purity low-iron silica resource in Bahia, Brazil, Homerun transforms raw silica into essential products and technologies that accelerate clean power adoption and deliver durable shareholder value.

  • ⁠Silica: Secure supply and processing of high-purity low-iron silica for mission-critical applications, enabling premium solar glass and advanced energy materials.
  • Solar: Development of Latin America’s first dedicated 1,000 tonne per day high-efficiency solar glass plant and the commercialization of antimony-free solar glass designed for next-generation photovoltaic performance.
  • Energy Storage: Advancement of long-duration, silica-based thermal storage systems and related technologies to decarbonize industrial heat and unlock grid flexibility.
  • ⁠Energy Solutions: AI-enabled energy management, control systems, and turnkey electrification solutions that reduce costs and optimize renewable generation for commercial and industrial customers.

With disciplined execution, strategic partnerships, and an unwavering commitment to best-in-class ESG practices, Homerun is focused on converting milestones into markets—creating a scalable, vertically integrated platform for clean energy manufacturing in the Americas.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of
Homerun Resources Inc.

‘Brian Leeners’

Brian Leeners, CEO & Director
brianleeners@gmail.com / +1 604-862-4184 (WhatsApp)

Tyler Muir, Investor Relations
info@homerunresources.com / +1 306-690-8886 (WhatsApp)

FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE

The information contained herein contains ‘forward-looking statements’ within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Forward-looking statements relate to information that is based on assumptions of management, forecasts of future results, and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. Any statements that express predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance are not statements of historical fact and may be ‘forward-looking statements’.

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.

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  • Krafty Labs Generated 2025 Year to date Revenue of $1.1 mill with a 72% gross margin

  • All-Cash Deal for $600,000

  • Acquiring a Blue Chip customers list; Google, Meta, Oracle etc

NEW YORK CITY, NY AND TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / December 9, 2025 / Nextech3D.ai (CSE:NTAR,OTC:NEXCF)(OTCQB:NEXCF)(FSE:1SS), an AI-first 3D model and AI Event Solutions company, is pleased to announce that it has signed a definitive agreement on December 4th, 2025 to acquire Krafty Labs, an AI virtual and in-person event engagement platform serving global enterprises customers including Google, Netflix, Meta, Oracle, Microsoft, Cisco, Dropbox, and over 400 additional Fortune 500 and multinational clients. Nextech3D.ai is anticipating that it will be able to crosssell its live event software into these names however this may or may not happen.

The companies have now entered a formal due diligence and integration phase, with closing expected in the first week of January 2026.

Krafty Labs has generated over $1.1M in revenue year-to-date with a 72% gross margin, delivering global virtual team-building experiences, leadership sessions, training, wellness programs, and cross-cultural learning formats. Recently, the company also began offering in-person enterprise events, opening an additional high-growth segment alongside virtual and hybrid delivery.

Deal Terms:

  • Signed definitive acquisition agreement

  • Total purchase price: ~ $600,000 in cash

  • $325,000 payable at closing

  • $275,000 financed through a 36-month note at 7%

  • Closing anticipated before January 5th, 2026 following due diligence.

Three Platforms Unified Into One AI Event Solutions Ecosystem

With the acquisition of Krafty Labs, alongside Map Dynamics and Eventdex, Nextech3D.ai now supports more than 1,000+ customers globally, including many of the largest, most recognizable brands in the world.

NEW – Krafty Labs In-person enterprise event & hybrid deployment services

This unified product suite positions Nextech3D.ai as a true one-stop provider, reducing vendor fragmentation while increasing recurring product revenue potential.

Investment Case & Synergy Highlights

    • AI margin Expansion + Automation of Delivery
      Introducing AI into experience delivery, facilitation, scheduling, program creation, and global deployment is expected to materially improve margins. Automated engagement frameworks reduce staffing requirements, increase session throughput, and unlock scalable delivery capacity – allowing revenue to grow faster than cost. Over time, more engagement becomes software-driven rather than labor-driven, improving gross margin and lifetime value potentially.

    • Deep cross-sell & bundling upside into 2026
      Krafty Labs sells to HR & employee experience teams. Eventdex & Map D sell to event and marketing teams. Together, they provide two independent entry points into the same enterprise. Once a customer is inside the ecosystem, Nextech can potentially cross-sell registration, ticketing, floor plans, mobile apps, AI matchmaking, engagement programs, and recurring learning series -potentially transforming single-department spend into multi-department budgets.

      Management Commentary

      Evan Gappelberg, CEO of Nextech3D.ai comments, ‘Event organizers want one partner who can help them sell more, operate faster, and secure the attendee experience. By adding Krafty Labs to Eventdex and Map D-we’re moving even faster toward a truly one-stop event operating system.’

      ‘We believe Krafty Labs meaningfully accelerates our vision to build a global AI Event Solutions platform,’ said Evan Gappelberg, CEO. ‘With more than 1,000 customers worldwide – including leaders in technology, media, and enterprise – and with the addition of in-person events, we are positioned for scale, revenue growth, and strong momentum into 2026.’

      A due diligence period has already commenced; subject to satisfactory diligence, and customary approvals, the parties expect to proceed to closing.

      Completion of the Transaction remains subject to CSE approval and board approval as well as customary closing conditions.

      About Nextech3D.ai

      Nextech3D.ai is an AI-powered technology company specializing in 3D asset generation, spatial computing, and comprehensive AI Event Solutions for virtual, hybrid, and in-person experiences. Through Map Dynamics, Eventdex, and Krafty Labs, Nextech3D.ai delivers a unified global platform for conferences, expos, corporate activations, learning programs, and enterprise engagement.

      Website: www.Nextech3D.ai
      Investor Relations: investors@nextechar.com

      For further information, please visit: www.Nextech3D.ai.

      Investor Relations: investors@nextechar.com

      For more information, visit Nextech3D.ai.

      Sign up for Investor News and Info – Click Here

      Evan Gappelberg/CEO and Director
      866-ARITIZE (274-8493)

      Forward-Looking Statements

      This news release contains ‘forward-looking statements’ within the meaning of applicable securities laws, including statements regarding the proposed acquisition of Krafty Labs, the anticipated timing and consideration,, expected benefits and synergies, product integrations, and growth opportunities. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. There can be no assurance that the proposed transaction will be completed as anticipated or at all. Nextech3D.ai disclaims any obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required by law.

      Forward-looking Statements The CSE has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Certain information contained herein may constitute ‘forward-looking information’ under Canadian securities legislation. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as, ‘will be’ or variations of such words and phrases or statements that certain actions, events or results ‘will’ occur. Forward-looking statements regarding the completion of the transaction are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements and forward-looking information. Nextech will not update any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information that are incorporated by reference herein, except as required by applicable securities laws.

      SOURCE: Nextech3D.ai Corp

      View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

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      This post appeared first on investingnews.com

      (TheNewswire)

      Noble Mineral Exploration Inc.

      Toronto, Ontario December 9, 2025 TheNewswire – Noble Mineral Exploration Inc. ( ‘Noble’ or the ‘Company’ ) (TSX-V:NOB, FRANKFURT: NB7, OTCQB:NLPXF) is pleased to announce that drilling has commenced on a 500-meter hole in Carnegie Township near Timmins, Ontario, Canada.  The drill program is part of a 5050 partnership with 11530313 Canada Inc. and will include two 500-meter holes that have been located to follow up on drilling done in 2019.  Recent analysis of downhole geophysics from that program indicated that conductors may have been missed and additional down hole geophysics will be done on the new holes.

      An additional 1000m (2 holes) have been scheduled for Southwest Carnegie Township in early 2026, after freeze-up, due to swampy conditions at the proposed drill site.

      The program is being carried out on lands recently transferred to Canada Nickel but on which Noble retains a 5-year Exploration Right for volcanogenic massive sulphide mineralization and precious metals.

      Vance White, President and CEO of Noble, said ‘We are very pleased to get this program started with the support of our partners at 11530313 Canada Inc. The search for mineralization similar to the Kidd Creek Mine continues.’

      The technical content of this release has been reviewed and approved by Wayne Holmstead, P.Geo., an independent Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects .

      About Noble Mineral Exploration Inc.

      Noble Mineral Exploration Inc. is a Canadian-based junior exploration company, which has holdings of securities in Canada Nickel Company Inc., Homeland Nickel Inc., East Timmins Nickel Inc. (20%), and its interest in the Holdsworth gold exploration property in the area of Wawa, Ontario.

      Noble holds mineral and/or exploration rights in ~70,000 ha in Northern Ontario and ~24,567 ha elsewhere in Quebec and Labrador, upon which it plans to generate option/joint venture exploration programs.

      Noble holds mineral rights and/or exploration rights in ~18,000 hectares in the Timmins-Cochrane areas of Northern Ontario known as Project 81, ~2,215 hectares in Thomas Twp/Timmins, as well as an additional 20% interest in ~38,700 hectares in the Timmins area and ~175 hectares of mining claims in Central Newfoundland. Project 81 hosts diversified drill-ready gold, nickel-cobalt and base metal exploration targets at various stages of exploration. Noble also holds ~4,600 hectares in the Nagagami Carbonatite Complex and its ~3,200 hectares in the Boulder Project both near Hearst, Ontario.  ~3,700 hectares in the Buckingham Graphite Property, ~10,152 hectares in the Havre St Pierre  Nickel, Copper, PGM property, and ~1,573 hectares in the Cere-Villebon Nickel, Copper, PGM property, ~569 hectare Uranium/Rare Earth property (Chateau), ~461 hectare Uranium/Molybdenum property (Taser North),  ~4,465 hectares REE Mehmet Property, and the ~3300 hectare Gull Lake REE Property all of which are in the Province of Quebec and the ~ 647 hectare Chapiteau REE property in Labrador .

      https://www.noblemineralexploration.com

      Noble’s common shares trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol ‘NOB’.

      Cautionary Statement

      Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein.

      The foregoing information may contain forward-looking statements relating to the future performance of Noble Mineral Exploration Inc. Forward-looking statements, specifically those concerning future performance, are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially from the Company’s plans and expectations. These plans, expectations, risks and uncertainties are detailed herein and from time to time in the filings made by the Company with the TSX Venture Exchange and securities regulators.  Noble Mineral Exploration Inc. does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

      Contacts: H. Vance White, President

      Phone:        416-214-2250

      Fax:                416-367-1954

      Email: info@noblemineralexploration.com

      Investor Relations: ir@noblemineralexploratio n.com

      Copyright (c) 2025 TheNewswire – All rights reserved.

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      Federal Reserve policymakers are expected to trim their interest rate target by a quarter percentage point at this week’s meeting, lowering the range to 3.5–3.75 percent. On its face, that might seem like a standard adjustment. The Fed reduced rates by a similar 25 basis points at its previous two policy meetings. Yet this one stands out, not because of the size of the move, but because of the unusually visible division among policymakers.

      Fed officials appear more divided than at any time in recent history. Some are increasingly uneasy about a cooling labor market, while others remain focused on inflation that has not yet returned to the Fed’s two-percent goal. What makes this disagreement noteworthy is the fact that both sides can plausibly claim the data is on their side.

      The latest Monetary Policy Report, released by AIER’s Sound Money Project this week, shows that the leading monetary policy rules offer support for both sides of the debate. The rules point to a fairly wide range for the Fed’s interest rate target — from roughly 3.65 to 4.25 percent. That spread is large enough to give both camps reasonable footing.

      In short, the disagreement is unusual, but appropriate.

      Why Are Officials Split?

      Much of the division simply reflects what each side chooses to prioritize. Officials inclined to ease point to softer hiring, shorter workweeks, and early signs that wage growth is losing steam – developments that normally justify lower rates. Those more hesitant to cut focus on inflation, which, while lower than its peak, remains stubbornly above the Fed’s 2 percent goal.

      While both groups are drawing from the same information, they are weighing the risks differently. And because the economy itself is sending mixed signals, the monetary policy rules – designed to translate economic fundamentals into rate guidance – can be viewed as supporting either camp.

      What the Rules Say

      Monetary policy rules offer a disciplined way to evaluate economic conditions without putting too much weight on sentiment or narrative. Right now, they broadly mirror the debate unfolding inside the Fed’s rate-setting committee.

      Taylor Rules

      Economists have proposed many rules for setting monetary policy. The most familiar is the Taylor Rule, which suggests that the Fed should adjust interest rates when inflation deviates from target or real economic activity deviates from its long-run potential. When inflation runs above target, the rule prescribes higher interest rates to cool demand and contain prices. When output or employment fall below potential, it recommends lower rates to support growth.   

      The original Taylor Rule calls for a rate in the current target range, close to 3.9 percent, which would argue for no cut at the upcoming meeting.

      But monetary policy often needs to act preemptively in anticipation of future developments, and the original Taylor Rule is necessarily backward-looking. Economists can account for this by including forward-looking, forecasted data in the rule. The Fed also prefers to minimize interest rate volatility, which can destabilize expectations and credit markets. By accounting for the most recent Fed policy rate, the Taylor Rule can also smooth out interest rate changes.

      A modified Taylor Rule, which incorporates future projections and smooths out short-term movements, recommends a higher interest rate target, in the range of 4.0 to 4.25 percent. The higher recommendation is due to forecasters anticipating an uptick in inflation in the coming quarter.

      NGDP Targeting Rules

      In a healthy economic environment, the total amount of money spent by consumers, businesses, and the government should grow at a steady and predictable pace. Total spending is commonly captured through nominal gross domestic product (NGDP). NGDP targeting rules imply that the Fed should lower interest rates to stimulate spending when NGDP is below target, or raise rates to slow down spending when NGDP is above target. A rule that targets a level of overall spending –  such as $30 trillion, the current size of spending in the US economy – is called an NGDP level target. A rule that targets a growth rate – like four percent a year, the typical growth of the US economy – is called an NGDP growth rate target. 

      An NGDP level target supports the expected rate cut, prescribing a target of 3.65 percent. An NGDP growth rate rule prescribes a slightly higher recommendation of 4.1 percent. The higher recommendation is due to relatively strong NGDP growth in the most recently available second quarter data. The NGDP level rule, on the other hand, takes into account previous quarters of weaker growth – such as the first quarter of 2025 – which suggest that lower rates are needed.

      Taking the rules together, they support either a steady stance or a modest cut. The important point is that the rules themselves reflect the tensions within the data, which is why both camps within the Fed can point to them with some justification.

      Why This Matters

      The current disagreement among policymakers might look worrisome at first glance, but it should actually be read as a sign that officials are taking both sides of the Fed’s mandate seriously. It means that no single narrative — whether focused on inflation, recession risks, or labor market strength — is dominating the discussion. The groupthink that was complicit in previous policy errors — like responding too slowly to the post-pandemic inflation surge – is reassuringly absent.

      It is also a reminder of the value of rule-based policy. The past several years showed how trouble can arise when policy deviates too far from rule-based benchmarks. Today, the gap between the Fed’s actions and the major monetary rules has narrowed considerably.

      Looking Ahead

      A rate cut by the Fed this week is defensible. But the broader story is the division within the committee itself. A split Fed is not a dysfunctional Fed; it reflects an economy that is delivering mixed signals and policymakers who are responding to those signals rather than forcing a narrative onto them.

      For 2026, the guiding principle should be straightforward: further easing requires evidence. Growth, unemployment, and inflation should determine the path forward.

      A steadier, more rule-guided Fed is exactly what the economy needs, especially at a moment when clarity is in short supply.

      George Washington Plunkitt was born into poverty in 1842 but rose through the ranks of the Democratic Party machine of New York, the famed ‘Tammany Hall,’ to become a state representative and a state senator. He also became quite wealthy along the way.

      Plunkitt always defended his machine and its methods — and the money they made him. Plunkitt would gladly defend the practices of Tammany, rebutting charges of corruption with the standard reply that ‘nobody thinks of drawin’ the distinction between honest graft and dishonest graft. There’s all the difference in the world between the two.’

      Plunkitt’s brazenness lives on in the modern-day machines of the left, found in the deep-blue jurisdictions of the country. With the focus on the bilking of Minnesota taxpayers by the Somali community of the Twin Cities (many citizens, many not), voters across the country are still in shock as the story has unfolded since 2022. The lights shone on the Gopher State should get much brighter now, and after that, I have a follow-up that will make the swamp of the Twin Cities seem like a puddle.

      The Minnesota story has been hiding in plain sight, with superb reporters from one of the original blogs of more than 20 years ago, Powerline, poring over the scandal for years.

      Powerline’s founders John Hinderaker and Scott Johnson, and more recently their colleague Bill Glahn, have continued to dig and report, dig and report, dig and report on the ‘Somali connection.’

      Minnesota senator: Walz ignored fraud warnings as B stolen, funds may have reached al-Shabaab

      In recent weeks, the story caught fire with the help of reporting by Ryan Thorpe and Christopher Rufo of the Manhattan Institute’s City Journal and by Fox News. That ‘Minnesota is drowning in fraud,’ as Thorpe and Rufo put it, has now become a national story. Pray that it is the first of many.

      ‘There’s an honest graft, and I’m an example of how it works,’ Boss Plunkitt would say. ‘I might sum up the whole thing by sayin’: I seen my opportunities and I took ‘em.’

      Turns out the defendants, the indicted and the convicted in the Gopher State saw their opportunities as well, and they put Tammany to shame when it came to scale and speed.

      The conmen of Minnesota bilked the state out of vast piles of cash through a variety of plays, the most infamous of which is, for the moment, ‘Feeding Our Future.’ It took truly extraordinary efforts by Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and the state’s attorney general, Keith Ellison, to turn their eyes the other way to allow that scam and soon others to flourish. The possessed girl in ‘The Exorcist’ had nothing on Walz and Ellison when it came to turning their heads.

      Gov. Walz under fire: Minnesota fraud scandal fuels calls for entitlement crackdown

      We have former Attorney General Eric Holder and former White House Counsel Dana Remus to thank for elevating the massive fraud ring run primarily out of the Somali American and Somali community in the Twin Cities to the nation’s attention.

      Why? Because that pair made Walz much more than an obscure governor of a deep-blue state. That duo was primarily responsible for ‘vetting’ the 2024 Democratic nominee for vice president as one of Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris’ potential running mates. The dynamic duo of Holder and Remus either wholly missed the massive cons run on Walz’s watch or judged them not significant enough to derail his candidacy.

      During ‘Brat Summer,’ the legacy media abandoned its past practices and joined in the effort to push the worst pair of candidates to the finish since Alf Landon and Frank Knox got blown out by FDR in the 1936 referendum on Roosevelt’s New Deal.

      Holder blessed Walz, and Holder’s fans in the Manhattan–Beltway corridor followed suit. Media elites blessed Holder’s judgment in turn.

      Big mistake.

      Now Walz is part of the national Democratic Party’s brand and refuses to go away, choosing to concentrate his efforts on running for a third term as governor next year — and apparently hoping he might be the party’s standard-bearer in 2028. Instead, ‘Feeding Our Future’ broke out of the Minnesota news ghetto and onto the national stage.

      ‘Run Tim Run’ should be the GOP’s chant, alongside ‘Run Gavin Run,’ because just like Walz, California Gov. Gavin Newsom has some industrial-level explaining to do.

      No, I’m not referring to the California governor’s French Laundry debacle. And no, not the devastating fires that tore through L.A. in January. Not even his indicted former chief of staff. No, the exact parallel to Walz’s woe is the Newsom administration’s handling of COVID-era relief for the unemployed — a statewide con run by political cons.

      Trump is right to

      The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program (PUA), like the Lost Wages Assistance plan, was devised and funded by Congress to keep alive Americans left unemployed or with their businesses shuttered by COVID lockdowns. Like standard unemployment programs, these COVID-era programs were primarily run through state unemployment insurance offices and other state agencies.

      The COVID lockdowns were unprecedented, and the public health ‘authorities’ responsible for advising and administering them should never be taken seriously again.

      Many of those bureaucrats, drunk on new authority, stepped forward when elected officials sought guidance on what to do about the mysterious and deadly disease imported from China. (Their dismissal of the lab-leak theory speaks to their actual, as opposed to presumed, expertise.)

      When lockdowns became the solution du jour, Congress rightly understood that they were shutting down the livelihoods of tens of millions of Americans and flooded the country with life-saving money — three times.

      Small Business Administration continues probe into Minnesota fraud allegations

      It was not just the Minnesota Somali community that had ‘seen their opportunities and took ‘em.’ So, too, did the cons of California: the real, honest-to-goodness cons of the California penal system — inmates for whom available time to scheme and scam is abundant.

      Ask your favorite AI engine, ‘How much fraud was perpetrated against the California Employment Development Department during COVID?’ The answers will vary, but the floor on the cost of the fraud is $20 billion. The ceiling is more than $30 billion.

      The Golden State’s EDD is ‘run’ by a director, and Gov. Newsom, who took office in 2018, has appointed two: Rita Saenz and Nancy Farias. COVID arrived on Newsom’s watch, and he and his appointees should own the fraud that followed. They make the Walz–Ellison team look like pikers when it comes to ignoring fraud.

      In his first term, President Trump stood up Operation Warp Speed, and Congress rightly decided to (1) spend federal dollars to lessen the lockdown pain and (2) leave the payment of most public benefits to state agencies, while COVID business loans were handled by private-sector banks as the Federal Reserve and Treasury Department innovated in a variety of ways to prevent an economic crash.

      The years following the mishap at the Wuhan lab demonstrated the vast incompetence of the American administrative state but also the necessity of a federal government to pick up the tab when ‘scientists’ lose their collective minds and, for example, counsel the closure of schools.

      Dr. Oz demands action from Minnesota officials amid Medicaid fraud scandal

      The official timeline has COVID appearing in Wuhan in December 2019 and reaching U.S. shores a month later. We may never know when the first cases were diagnosed by the Chinese Communist Party, and we are not in a position to investigate the horrific fraud and consequent disaster for which General Secretary Xi Jinping is responsible.

      But President Trump could order a six-month deep dive into the financial fraud that followed in the U.S., not just in Minnesota and California — though those are the ‘patient zeroes’ for never allowing a crisis to pass without enriching the state’s worst actors.

      Could President Trump stand up a time-limited panel to investigate fraud perpetrated on state agencies during COVID? Yes. Might that panel torch a few GOP reputations along the way? Inevitably.

      But the interest in the Minnesota Somali shakedown should be a demand signal for accountability across the country.

      President Trump often acts in the mold of Teddy Roosevelt, who, like 45–47, was never afraid of a headline — provided he provoked it.

      Now is the time for the president to ask a handful of the smartest, most respected people in the country to sort through the wreckage of the COVID era’s many state governments’ responsibilities and ‘initiatives’ and report in rapid fashion — and in clear English — the scale of fraud perpetrated upon state agencies.

      Make your search-and-publicize team smart and fast. Putting Johnson and Hinderaker as co-chairs of a strike team devoted to compiling the facts as we know them today would ensure accuracy and fine writing.

      And give them a deadline: Aug. 31, 2026. Voters deserve to know how their state governments worked during COVID — or didn’t — before they vote again.


      This post appeared first on FOX NEWS


      ‘The U.S. struggle with China is the single greatest competition the United States has ever faced,’ defense analyst Seth Jones writes in his new book The American Edge.

      And in an interview with Fox News Digital, Jones warned that if war broke out over Taiwan, the United States could burn through key long-range missiles ‘after roughly a week or so of conflict’ — a shortfall he says exposes how far behind the U.S. industrial base remains as Beijing moves onto what he calls a wartime footing.

      Jones is a former Pentagon official and president of the Defense and Security Department at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). He argues the United States isn’t dealing with a superpower like the Soviet Union, whose system was brittle and economically isolated. China’s economy, he noted, is roughly the size of the U.S. and deeply tied into global production. That economic weight is fueling a military buildup across every major domain, from fifth- and sixth-generation aircraft to an enormous shipbuilding sector he describes as ‘upwards of 230 times the size of the United States.’ The effect, he said, is unmistakable. ‘The gap is shrinking.’

      In ‘The American Edge,’ Jones lays out how great powers historically win long wars through production, not just innovation — and that’s where he believes the U.S. has the most to worry about. China’s missile forces now field a wide range of weapons designed to hold U.S. ships and aircraft at risk far from Taiwan. That makes stockpiles and throughput central to any American strategy in the Indo-Pacific.

      ‘When you look at the numbers right now of those long-range munitions, we still right now would run out after roughly a week or so of conflict over Taiwan,’ he said. ‘That’s just not enough to sustain a protracted war.’

      Jones stressed that China’s strengths often overshadow a major vulnerability: its limited ability to hunt submarines. He said Beijing ‘still can’t see that well undersea,’ a gap the U.S. could exploit in any fight over Taiwan. If China tried to ferry troops across the Strait or impose a blockade, American attack submarines — along with a larger fleet of unmanned underwater vehicles — would pose a serious threat. He called the undersea environment one of the few places where the U.S. retains a decisive advantage, and one where production should accelerate quickly.

      China has other problems as well. Jones pointed to corruption inside the PLA, inefficiency across its state-owned defense firms, ongoing struggles with joint operations and command-and-control and the fact the Chinese military hasn’t fought a war since the late 1970s. Its ability to project power beyond the first island chain also remains limited. But none of those challenges, he said, change the broader trajectory: China is building weapons in mass and at high speed — and the U.S. is still trying to catch up.

      That theme sits at the center of his book. Jones describes a U.S. defense industrial base constrained by long acquisition timelines, aging shipyards, complicated contracting rules and production lines that aren’t built for a modern great-power conflict. In his view, the United States must rediscover the industrial urgency that once allowed it to surge output in wartime.

      That responsibility is now falling to the Trump administration, which has pushed the Pentagon and the services to move faster on drones, munitions and new maritime capabilities. Over the past year, the Army, Air Force and Navy have launched new rapid-acquisition offices and programs aimed at fielding systems more quickly and helping smaller companies survive the long, expensive path to production. Senior defense officials have started using the phrase ‘wartime footing’ to describe the moment — language Jones said is overdue.

      ‘That is exactly the right wording,’ he said. ‘The Chinese and the Russian industrial bases right now … are both on a wartime footing.’

      He said identifying a set of priority munitions for multiyear procurement is a meaningful step, and early moves to streamline contracting are encouraging. But he cautioned that the scale of the problem is much larger than the reforms announced so far. ‘The Pentagon writ large is a massive bureaucracy,’ he said. ‘It’s going to take a lot to break that bureaucracy. There’s been some progress, but it’s trench warfare right now.’

      Jones said parts of the new National Defense Authorization Act move the needle in the right direction — especially support for expanding shipbuilding and efforts to strengthen the defense workforce. He also pointed to growing interest in leveraging allied shipyards in Japan and South Korea to relieve America’s overburdened maritime industry. But he argued that Washington is still not investing at a level that matches the threat.

      ‘As a percentage of gross domestic product, [defense spending] is about three percent,’ he said. ‘It’s lower than at any time during the Cold War. I think we need to start getting closer to those numbers and increase the amount of that budget that goes into procurement and acquisition.’

      Artificial intelligence is another area Jones believes will reshape the battlefield faster than Washington anticipates. He noted that missile and drone threats now move at a volume and speed no human operator can manually track. ‘You can’t do things like air defense now without an increasing role of artificial intelligence,’ he said. The same applies to intelligence and surveillance, where AI-driven systems are already sorting vast amounts of satellite and sensor data.

      But Jones said the United States will fall behind unless the Pentagon brings commercial AI leaders — companies like Nvidia and Google — more directly into national security programs. He argued that the United States needs the opposite of the consolidation that collapsed the defense industry in the 1990s. ‘We’ve got to get to a first breakfast,’ he said, meaning more tech firms competing in the defense space, not fewer.

      Despite his warnings, Jones said the United States still has time to rebuild its industrial advantage. But it must act quickly. The Trump administration is talking about a wartime footing. China, he warned, is already living it.


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