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The Department of Justice (DOJ) has charged a Ukrainian woman with helping to carry out dozens of cyberattacks on critical U.S. infrastructure, working with Russian-backed hackers, according to newly unsealed indictments.

The State Department’s Rewards for Justice program is also offering up to $10 million for information leading to others tied to one of the pro-Russia hacking groups she was allegedly affiliated with.

Victoria Eduardovna Dubranova, 33, was arraigned Tuesday on a second federal indictment after being extradited to the U.S. earlier this year.

Dubranova, also known as Vika, Tory and SovaSonya, pleaded not guilty to charges related to her alleged work with two Russian-backed operations, CyberArmyofRussia_Reborn (CARR) and NoName057(16).

Prosecutors say both groups receive backing from Russian government bodies to push Russian geopolitical interests.

According to the DOJ, CARR was founded and funded by Russia’s military intelligence agency, the GRU, and operated a popular Telegram channel with more than 75,000 followers.

Officials allege the group’s attacks caused real-world harm, including damage to public water systems that spilled hundreds of thousands of gallons of drinking water.

They also cited a November 2024 breach at a Los Angeles meat processing plant that spoiled thousands of pounds of product and released ammonia.

Today’s actions demonstrate the Department’s commitment to disrupting malicious Russian cyber activity — whether conducted directly by state actors or their criminal proxies — aimed at furthering Russia’s geopolitical interests,’ said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. 

‘We remain steadfast in defending essential services, including food and water systems Americans rely on each day, and holding accountable those who seek to undermine them.’

NoName057(16) is described as a Russia-linked hacktivist group responsible for more than 1,500 attacks between March 2022 and June 2025.

Its targets included government agencies, telecommunications firms, the military, financial institutions and transportation authorities across Ukraine, Estonia, Finland, Lithuania, Norway, Poland and Sweden.

The group also claimed responsibility for cyberattacks on Dutch infrastructure ahead of and during the 2025 NATO Summit in The Hague.

These groups ‘are actively engaging in opportunistic, low-sophistication malicious cyber activity to gain notoriety and create mayhem,’ said Chris Butera, CISA’s acting deputy executive assistant director for cybersecurity.

Dubranova faces up to five years in the NoName case and as many as 27 years in the CARR matter. Trials are set for February and April 2026.

Rewards for Justice announced its $10 million reward with a pointed message aimed at other NoName participants: ‘They call themselves ‘NoName.’ But maybe YOU can name some names,’ it said.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the DOJ for further comment.


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The Trump administration is weighing whether to pursue terrorism-related sanctions against the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), as officials review allegations the agency has ties to Hamas and consider steps that could further pressure its leadership and operations, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters. 

The United Nations agency provides aid, schooling, healthcare, shelter and social services to millions of Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria. U.N. officials have described UNRWA as the backbone of Gaza’s aid effort during the two-year war between Israel and Hamas, but the Trump administration has accused the group of ties to Hamas – an allegation the agency vehemently disputes.

Washington, once UNRWA’s biggest donor, froze funding in January 2024 after Israel accused roughly a dozen staff members of involvement in the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack that triggered the war.

In October, Secretary of State Marco Rubio referred to UNRWA as a subsidiary of Hamas.

‘UNRWA’s not going to play any role in it,’ Rubio said at the time when asked whether the agency would assist in delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza. ‘The United Nations is here. They’re on the ground. We’re willing to work with them if they can make it work, but not UNRWA. UNRWA became a subsidiary of Hamas.’

Reuters reported it was unclear whether recent internal discussions focused on sanctioning the entire agency or specific officials or operations, and that U.S. officials have not yet settled on what type of sanctions they might pursue.

The sources said the State Department has discussed declaring UNRWA a ‘foreign terrorist organization,’ or FTO – a step that would financially isolate the agency.

Any broad move against UNRWA could disrupt refugee aid across the region, as the agency is already facing a severe funding crisis. Such sanctions would be highly unusual, since the U.S. is both a U.N. member and the host nation of the body that created the agency in 1949.

William Deere, who heads UNRWA’s Washington office, said the group would be ‘disappointed’ if officials were discussing an FTO designation, calling such a step ‘unprecedented and unwarranted.’

He pointed to multiple investigations – including one by the U.S. National Intelligence Council – that concluded UNRWA remains a neutral and essential humanitarian actor.

The White House and State Department did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. The U.S. and Israel have maintained tough positions towards the agency, particularly in the aftermath of the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre.

President Donald Trump in February reaffirmed that the U.S. would not fund UNRWA. In the executive order, Trump said that ‘UNRWA has reportedly been infiltrated by members of groups long designated by the Secretary of State as foreign terrorist organizations, and UNRWA employees were involved in the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel.’

When the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in April 2025 demanded Israel work with UNRWA, Washington backed Israel, saying it was under no obligation to work with the agency and had ‘ample grounds to question UNRWA’s impartiality.’

UNRWA announced in August 2024 the end of an investigation by the Office of Internal Oversight Services into whether its staff participated in the attacks, as Israel claimed.

The probe examined 19 employees and resulted in nine dismissals over evidence that ‘could indicate’ involvement. The investigation found one case with no evidence of involvement and nine others in which ‘the evidence obtained by OIOS was insufficient’ to prove participation, the agency said.

Fox News Digital’s Rachel Wolf and Reuters contributed to this report.


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Aurum Resources (ASX: AUE, “Aurum” or “the Company”) is pleased to announce encouraging, broad gold intercepts from its ongoing 30,000m drilling program at the 0.87Moz Napié Gold Project1 in Côte d’Ivoire. The drill program is designed to grow Mineral Resources at Napié and has successfully confirmed multiple shallow, open-pitable gold intercepts from 18 holes drilled for 5,479m at the Tchaga deposit (0.54Moz @ 1.16g/t Au).

Encouraging new drill intercepts from Napié’s Tchaga deposit include2:

  • Tchaga Deposit:
    • 5.00m @ 10.09 g/t Au from 209.00m inc. 1.00m @ 49.10 g/t Au (NADD062)
    • 50.00m @ 0.62 g/t Au from 363.00m inc. 1.00m @ 7.55 g/t Au (NADD062)
    • 10.80m @ 4.52 g/t Au from 73.00m inc. 1.90m @ 23.45 g/t Au (NADD060)
    • 36.70m @ 0.66 g/t Au from 93.30m inc. 4.70m @ 1.06 g/t Au (NADD076)
    • 6.00m @ 3.82 g/t Au from 226.00m inc. 1.00m @ 22.37 g/t Au (NADD064).

Exploration Growth & Project Development:

  • Mineralisation remains open: Gold mineralisation confirmed over 2,300m and remains open along strike and at depth (tested to over 400m vertical), indicating significant potential for resource growth.
  • Drilling fleet expanded: Aurum has two drill rigs working at Napié and 12 drill rigs at Boundiali and is targeting more than 130,000m of drilling at Boundiali and Napié in CY2025.
  • Major Resource updates pending: Two major MRE updates (Boundiali and Napié) are scheduled for Q1 CY2026, aimed at growing the Company’s current 3.28Moz resource base.
  • Well-funded for growth: Aurum maintains a strong balance sheet with ~$43M cash3 to fund its exploration and development programs.

Aurum’s Managing Director Dr. Caigen Wang said: “We are hitting multiple broad shallow, open-pitable gold intercepts from this latest round of step-back diamond drilling at Napié’s Tchaga deposit. Most of these intercepts are outside of the current MRE and have been drilled on a 100m line spacing, and in places down to over 400m vertical depth, well below the current MRE. Within this we are seeing a higher-grade core of around 400m strike, which includes our previous result 17m @ 9.38 g/t gold4 from 236m. Drilling is ongoing and we are awaiting assays which will be used for the planned MRE update in Q1 CY2026.

Our unique advantage is our owned and operated fleet of 12 diamond drill rigs, which allows us to aggressively and cost- effectively test these major gold systems, and we continue to drill with two rigs at Napié in parallel with our aggressive program at Boundiali. We have 12 diamond drill rigs active at Boundiali on multiple deposits, as we focus on delivering an increase in quantity and confidence in our Mineral Resources.

As we close out CY2025 we have a strong cash balance of $43M, a clear development pathway with the Boundiali PFS underway, and resource growth from major updates at both gold projects pending. This places Aurum in an excellent position to continue to deliver substantial shareholder value in 2026.’


Click here for the full ASX Release

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Peter Krauth, editor of Silver Stock Investor and Silver Advisor, shares his thoughts on silver’s historic move past US$60 per ounce, saying he sees continued strength in 2026.

While the white metal is famously volatile, he believes it could reach US$70 next year.

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

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Gerard Bond, president and CEO of OceanaGold (TSX:OGC,OTCQX:OCANF), shares recent company highlights and discusses gold’s strong 2025 performance.

In his view, the yellow metal’s key drivers are de-dollarization, stagflation concerns, central bank buying and geopolitical uncertainty, all of which look set to continue next year.

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

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Perth, Australia (ABN Newswire) – Locksley Resources Limited (ASX:LKY,OTC:LKYRF) (FRA:X5L) (OTCMKTS:LKYRF) advised that it has formally commenced the engineering partner selection process for the upcoming engineering scoping pilot plant design , following direct engagement with Tier 1 U.S. engineering service providers.

HIGHLIGHTS

– Expression of Interest (EOI) issued to Tier 1 U.S. engineering firms to lead the upcoming Scoping Engineering Design for the Desert Antimony Mine pilot plant

– Study to integrate ongoing metallurgical optimisation, enabling concurrent advancement of engineering design and processing flowsheets

– Partner selection to prioritise U.S. based capability, permitting familiarity and alignment with domestic critical mineral policy

– Critical step in Locksley’s U.S. mine to market strategy, progressing toward commercial antimony production and downstream material readiness

– Supports U.S. government initiatives to rebuild domestic antimony processing capability and reduce reliance on foreign supply chains

– Locksley is well funded for 2026 work programs with over $20 million in cash

In October 2025, the Company’s Chief Operating Officer met with senior executives from several leading U.S. based engineering firms to align on study objectives, execution strategy and the availability of local capability to support an accelerated project development pathway. These engagements have now progressed to the formal issuance of an Expression of Interest (EOI) to a shortlist of selected Tier 1 groups.

Strong response from Tier 1 Engineering Firms

The response to the EOI has been highly encouraging, with proponents recognising Locksley’s well structured development strategy and the Project’s alignment with U.S. federal priorities to rebuild domestic critical mineral supply chains.

Respondents also acknowledged the Company’s disciplined approach to early technical de-risking and pragmatic study execution, consistent with best practice project development frameworks.

A core objective of the EOI process is to assess each firm’s demonstrated experience operating in San Bernardino County, including regulatory engagement, permitting pathways and stakeholder management. This regional experience is considered an essential requirement for ensuring timely delivery of the subsequent project phases.

Integrated Metallurgical and Engineering Workstreams

In parallel with the EOI, ongoing metallurgical optimisation work continues to refine processing flowsheets, improve recoveries and validate key mass balance assumptions.

These outcomes will directly inform the engineering basis, enabling the Company to advance both study and metallurgical workstreams concurrently. This integrated approach is intended to maintain development momentum and support efficient delivery of a technically robust definition process.

Kerrie Matthews, Managing Director & CEO, commented:

‘With the completion of our recent capital raise we are fast tracking our 2026 initiatives. We are now engaging with leading U.S. engineering firms as an Expression of Interest. The strong response to our Expression of Interest highlights confidence in our development strategy and confirms that we have access to the technical capability and local U.S. experience required to advance the Project efficiently.

Our ongoing metallurgical optimisation work will feed directly into the scoping study, allowing engineering design, economic evaluation and project planning to progress without delay. This integrated execution strategy ensures the Desert Antimony Project continues to advance at speed toward the next stage of development.

Next Steps:

– Evaluation of EOI submissions, including review of technical expertise and local operating experience

– Issuance of a formal Request for Proposal (RFP) for the PFS and site investigation scopes by mid-Q1 2026

– Award of professional services contracts in separable work packages, with processing related scopes targeted for award by the end of Q1 2026 and mine engineering packages timed to align with upcoming exploration outcomes at the Desert Antimony Mine Project

To view the video: An overview of the Desert Antimony mine to market plan and key deliverables for downstream processing capability, please visit:
https://www.abnnewswire.net/lnk/6STFWM5K

About Locksley Resources Limited:

Locksley Resources Limited (ASX:LKY,OTC:LKYRF) (FRA:X5L) (OTCMKTS:LKYRF) is an ASX listed explorer focused on critical minerals in the United States of America. The Company is actively advancing exploration across two key assets: the Mojave Project in California, targeting rare earth elements (REEs) and antimony. Locksley Resources aims to generate shareholder value through strategic exploration, discovery and development in this highly prospective mineral region.

Mojave Project

Located in the Mojave Desert, California, the Mojave Project comprises over 250 claims across two contiguous prospect areas, namely, the North Block/Northeast Block and the El Campo Prospect. The North Block directly abuts claims held by MP Materials, while El Campo lies along strike of the Mountain Pass Mine and is enveloped by MP Materials’ claims, highlighting the strong geological continuity and exploration potential of the project area.

In addition to rare earths, the Mojave Project hosts the historic ‘Desert Antimony Mine’, which last operated in 1937. Despite the United States currently having no domestic antimony production, demand for the metal remains high due to its essential role in defense systems, semiconductors, and metal alloys. With significant surface sample results, the Desert Mine prospect represents one of the highest-grade known antimony occurrences in the U.S.

Locksley’s North American position is further strengthened by rising geopolitical urgency to diversify supply chains away from China, the global leader in both REE & antimony production. With its maiden drilling program planned, the Mojave Project is uniquely positioned to align with U.S. strategic objectives around critical mineral independence and economic security.

Tottenham Project

Locksley’s Australian portfolio comprises the advanced Tottenham Copper-Gold Project in New South Wales, focused on VMS-style mineralisation

Source:
Locksley Resources Limited

Contact:
Kerrie Matthews
Chief Executive Officer
Locksley Resources Limited
T: +61 8 9481 0389
Kerrie@locksleyresources.com.au

News Provided by ABN Newswire via QuoteMedia

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A group of moderate Republicans is defying House GOP leaders to try and force a vote on extending enhanced Obamacare subsidies that expire at the end of this year.

Republicans led by Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., on Wednesday filed a measure known as a discharge petition, a mechanism designed to force a vote on legislation over the wishes of leadership, provided it gets support from a majority of House lawmakers.

A dramatic series of events unfolded on the House floor as House GOP leaders worked to win support for an unrelated vote that first appeared poised to fail.

While a group of conservatives threatened to mutiny Republicans on that vote for separate reasons, several moderates also appeared to withhold their votes altogether, and Fox News Digital witnessed them in tense discussions with Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and other GOP leaders.

Those moderates eventually voted in favor of passing the legislation at hand before marching to the front of the House chamber to file their discharge petition. They lined up one by one to sign the document that would move their healthcare agenda full steam ahead despite Johnson signaling little appetite to entertain it.

So far, the petition has support from six House Republicans and two Democrats but is expected to grow in numbers as the clock ticks on the looming healthcare cost cliff awaiting millions across the country.

‘We know we need a temporary extension of the tax credits — with reforms — and then we can do more serious things, but we’re not gonna do serious changes to the [Affordable Care Act] in the next two or three weeks,’ Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., one of the signatories, told Fox News Digital. ‘So, we just felt like, since there doesn’t seem to be any impetus to do this, we’re gonna try to force the issue.’

Asked if he believed they would get House GOP leaders’ blessing, Bacon said, ‘Probably not.’

Fitzpatrick’s bill is aimed at advancing a two-year extension of Obamacare subsidies that Democrats expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Democrats in Congress voted twice during the pandemic to expand the availability of premium tax credits for Obamacare, also called the Affordable Care Act (ACA), to make sure more Americans had access to healthcare coverage.

A majority of House Republicans have signaled they are not open to extending them, at least not without significant reforms. Conservatives in particular have panned the enhanced subsidies as a COVID-19-era relic that benefited insurance companies rather than Americans.

But some GOP lawmakers have joined Democrats in warning that failing to extend them at least temporarily at this point will result in millions of Americans seeing their healthcare premiums skyrocket while Congress refuses to act.

Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, R-Pa., another Republican who signed the petition, said House GOP leaders signaled they would be ‘putting forward’ a number of healthcare reforms ‘that are very positive in nature,’ but ‘an extension of the ACA tax credits was not included in that package.’

‘So, we have been talking about and advocating for that to move forward, and so this seems like the best vehicle to do that,’ Mackenzie said. 

He told Fox News Digital, ‘The reason we’re in this mess to begin with is that things were done in a partisan fashion. And, so, I think if we want longevity and reforms and changes, we should be doing it in a bipartisan fashion.

‘It’s a time-sensitive matter, and it’s an existential matter for people back home who we care about where this is a very real problem,’ Fitzpatrick told reporters. ‘You try to do things through the normal course, you try to do things through regular order. When all those remedies are exhausted, then you’ve got to go this route, unfortunately.’

Asked if it was spurred at all by moderates’ conversation on the House floor with Johnson, Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., said, ‘It was clear that, given the timeframe and given some of the differences within our conference on particular issues, that a bill was not going to be put forward. And so I think we all recognize the importance of getting an extension passed.’

But it’s not clear whether House Democratic leaders, who have their own discharge petition for a three-year extension of the Obamacare subsidies, will support the bill. It likely will not succeed without buy-in from all House Democrats.

Asked if his leaders would back it, Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, said, ‘Go ask them. But I think they ought to.’

Johnson, for his part, told reporters discharge petitions were ‘typically used as a tool against the majority’ but said he was ‘very sympathetic’ to moderate Republicans’ concerns.

‘We have spent many, many hours trying to find a way out of the conundrum that we’re in. With regard to those extensions, there’s a lot of people who are very concerned about Obamacare and the fact that the subsidies were created by Democrats for COVID-era limited use,’ Johnson said.

‘We just can’t get Republican votes on that for lots of reasons, not enough of them. And, so, look, my colleagues have made a decision. I don’t take it against them personally, I don’t operate that way. I have great respect for those guys, I understand the situation they’re in for their districts, and we’ll see how it plays out.’


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The US Federal Reserve held its last meeting of 2025 from Tuesday (December 9) to Wednesday (December 10) amid growing division between doves and hawks as labor market and inflation concerns rise.

The central bank met analysts’ expectations by lowering the federal funds rate by 25 basis points to the 3.5 to 3.75 percent range. It marks the third time this year that the Fed has cut interest rates.

Interest rates haven’t been at this level since mid-2022.

Preceding the October rate decision, the Fed Board of Governors was reportedly split between those concerned with preventing a further slowdown in the US labor market and those fearing the fight against inflation is far from over.

Lowering rates in turn lowers the cost of borrowing, which can provide businesses with more runway to grow their workforce. However, increasing available money supply by easing access to borrowing can also increase inflation.

The split between doves and hawks is still plaguing the Fed heading into the new year, which promises to see current Fed Chair Jerome Powell replaced with someone more likely to be on board with the much lower rate environment favored by the Trump administration. Two Fed board members cast dissenting votes against cutting rates this time around, while Trump loyalist Governor Stephen Miran favored a 0.5 percent cut.

By the end of the year, US President Donald Trump intends to announce a replacement for Powell, whose term expires in May 2026. Trump has criticized the Fed and Powell in particular, saying they haven’t lowered rates quickly enough.

On October 27, US Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent announced a shortlist of candidates to replace Powell, including Fed Governors Christopher Waller and Michelle Bowman, National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett, former Fed Governor Kevin Warsh and BlackRock (NYSE:BLK) executive Rick Rieder.

The US government shutdown delayed the study and release of key economic data, which has left the Fed flying blind when it comes to planning the best course of action for the country’s economy. Even though the shutdown ended on November 12, Reuters states that there is still a bottleneck in economic reports and the Fed board will not receive a large tranche of data from statistical agencies, ‘including job and inflation reports for November that could help resolve the core debate among central bankers,’ until days after Wednesday rate announcement.

Looking at what data is available, the September unemployment rate ticked up to 4.4 percent, while the core inflation rate was 2.8 percent, still above the Fed’s 2 percent target. Despite this higher inflationary environment, a weakening labor market has become the focus of the Fed’s dual mandate of stable prices and maximum employment.

In his speech to reporters, Powell blamed sticky inflation on Trump’s tariffs. “These readings are higher than earlier in the year, as inflation for goods has picked up, reflecting the effects of tariffs,” he said.

Powell is taking the view that this effect may be short lived if the Fed can mitigate the risk of a more entrenched inflationary environment: “Our obligation is to make sure that a one-time increase in the price level does not become an ongoing inflation problem, but with downside risks to employment having risen in recent months, the balance of risks has shifted. Our framework calls for us to take a balanced approach in promoting both sides of our dual mandate.’

At its October meeting, the Fed said it would put a stop to its quantitative tightening activities as of December 1.

For the past three years, the independent government agency has been working to reduce its balance sheet from US$9 trillion in 2022 to US$6.6 trillion today. On Wednesday, the Fed signaled it will once again be buying US Treasuries, to the tune of US$40 billion starting on Friday (December 12).

“The Committee judges that reserve balances have declined to ample levels and will initiate purchases of shorter-term Treasury securities as needed to maintain an ample supply of reserves on an ongoing basis,” said the Fed.

The gold price traded in a right range around the US$4,200 per ounce level in the lead up to the Fed’s decision, spiking as high as US$4,230 following Powell’s speech. Lower interest rate environments lead to lower returns on fixed-income investments like bonds, which makes gold a more attractive investment. Silver spiked to a new all-time high above US$61 per ounce on Wednesday morning and managed to stay above US$61 following Powell’s statement.

Julia Khandoshko, CEO at the broker Mind Money, advised investors that US trade policy may matter more for gold in the coming year than the Fed’s monetary policies.

‘This is a thing that can change the rules of the game much more than a single meeting of the regulator. It is also unpredictable, unlike the other political or economic events. Therefore, it is important to monitor the Fed, but building a strategy solely around its decisions is no longer always justified,’ added Khandoshko

Equities reactions were fairly mixed following Powell’s statement on Wednesday, with the S&P 500 (INDEXSP:INX) up 0.47 percent to reach 6,872.35. Meanwhile, the Nasdaq-100 (INDEXNASDAQ:NDX) gained 0.08 percent to come in at 23,594.07, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX:DJI) was down 0.89 percent, coming to 47,982.86.

The next Fed interest rate decision will come on January 28, the first Fed meeting for 2026.

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

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