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Russia isn’t backing off from attacking Ukraine and pummeled it with missiles and drones Thursday — just weeks after President Donald Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage, Alaska, in an attempt to advance a peace deal. 

The attack could be a signal Putin is utilizing diplomacy to buy himself more time to advance his goals and continue to attack Ukraine, all while avoiding secondary sanctions that the Trump administration has threatened to impose, according to experts. 

The time to act is now, according to Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., chairman of the House Armed Services Committee’s subcommittee on cyber issues.  

‘Putin is stringing President Trump along and the added time is helping Russia to continue the bombing campaign against Ukrainian cities,’ Bacon said in a Friday statement to Fox News Digital. ‘The longer Trump refuses to impose secondary sanctions against Russia and send high-end weapons to Ukraine, the more he looks like a simp for Putin. It is beyond time for Trump to have moral clarity and come in strong to help the democracy that is being attacked by the Russian thug.’ 

Bacon, a retired Air Force brigadier general who is not seeking reelection in 2026, said that discussions with Putin have proven futile and have indicated Putin isn’t serious about a deal. 

‘We’ve seen zero results from the talks as far as Putin being willing to compromise,’ Bacon said. ‘Although I think seeking negotiations was worthwhile initially, it showed Putin does not want peace.’ 

The White House has maintained that Trump has made more progress in two weeks to resolve the conflict than his predecessor, former President Joe Biden, did in more than three years, and pointed to Trump’s meeting with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy within days of each other.  

‘President Trump’s national security team continue to engage with Russian and Ukrainian officials toward a bilateral meeting to stop the killing and end the war,’ White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said in a Friday statement to Fox News Digital. 

Trump announced July 14 that he would sign off on ‘severe tariffs’ against Russia if Moscow failed to agree to a peace deal within 50 days. He then dramatically reduced the deadline to only 10–12 days — which ended Aug. 8. But rather than lay on additional sanctions against Russia, Trump met with Putin a week later in Alaska and hailed the meeting a great success. 

Still, progress stemming from the meeting appears limited. Russia did not agree to a ceasefire, and while Trump initially said a trilateral meeting with both Putin and Zelenskyy was in the works, Russia has shown disinterest in such a meeting. 

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with NBC News Aug. 22 that no meeting had been scheduled and Putin would only agree to one if certain terms were approved beforehand. That’s not the case, he said. 

‘Putin is ready to meet with Zelenskyy when the agenda is ready for a summit, and this agenda is not ready at all,’ Lavrov said. 

Meanwhile, Russia launched a massive attack employing nearly 600 drones and decoys against Kyiv Thursday, killing more than 20 people. In response, the U.N. Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting for Friday, per the urging of Ukraine and several other European allies. 

Michael McFaul, a former U.S. ambassador to Russia during former President Barack Obama’s administration, said in a post on X that Putin has only escalated attacks against Ukraine following the Alaska meeting, and said Putin is ‘openly mocking’ Trump. 

‘I hope Mr. Trump and his team understand how Putin is spitting in their faces,’ McFaul said in a Thursday post on X. 

Additionally, Putin is onto the fact he can bypass economic consequences, and won’t seriously negotiate a deal unless he must, according to Steven Pifer, who previously served as the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine during former President Bill Clinton’s administration. 

‘I think that Putin is, in fact, stringing the president along,’ Pifer told Fox News Digital. ‘Putin still believes he can achieve his goals, vis a vis Ukraine, on the battlefield. And we’re not going to see a serious negotiating attempt by the Russians until Putin is convinced he cannot win on the battlefield, and that continuing to try is only going to mean greater and greater cost — first and foremost, a lot more dead Russian soldiers.’

‘I just don’t see any really serious steps the administration has taken to inflict any punishment on Putin,’ Pifer said. ‘I think Putin’s figured that out, and until Putin is disabused of that notion, he’s going to keep missing deadlines.’ 

Historically, Russia’s demands for a peace deal have included barring Ukraine from ever joining NATO, along with concessions on some of the borders that previously were Ukraine’s.

Peter Rough, a senior fellow and director of the Center on Europe and Eurasia at the Hudson Institute think tank, said that because Putin knows the U.S. is eager to end the war, Putin’s peace deal requirements are an attempt to turn up the heat on Ukraine. 

Following Trump’s meeting with Putin and ahead of his meeting days later with Zelenskyy, the U.S. president put the onus on Ukraine to end the war – and said that Ukraine could end the war immediately if it agreed to cede Crimea to Russia, and abandon its bid for NATO membership.

‘Putin managed to sidestep U.S. sanctions in Alaska and is content slogging away in Ukraine,’ Rough told Fox News Digital Monday. ‘But he also recognizes that the U.S. wants this war to come to an end, so he has put forward a proposal intended to appeal to Washington in the hopes that the U.S. will put pressure on Ukraine to accept its terms. If he can divide the transatlantic alliance along the way, all the better. At the very least, it helps him stave off additional U.S. sanctions.’ 

John Hardie, Russia program deputy director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said that Putin isn’t interested in agreeing to a deal unless his terms are included in it. In the meantime, Putin is utilizing diplomacy to avoid economic consequences, Hardie said. 

‘I think Putin does want a deal — but only if it’s on his terms,’ Hardie told Fox News Digital Monday. ‘Until that happens, he’s bent on continuing the war, and Russia seeks to use diplomacy to forestall tougher U.S. economic pressure and redirect Trump’s ire from Moscow to Kyiv.’ 

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Bipartisan anger is brewing over the drama that unfolded at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), with the top members of the Senate’s healthcare panel forming a united front in the midst of the turmoil.

Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Chair Bill Cassidy, R-La., and the panel’s ranking member, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., dove head first into the issues stemming from the firing of CDC Director Susan Monarez, which spurred a string of departures from the agency.

Monarez was abruptly fired from her position by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), less than a month after being confirmed by the Senate. Her removal, which her lawyers rejected, appeared to stem from disagreements over vaccines with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., a vaccine skeptic.

Cassidy was the deciding vote during Kennedy’s confirmation hearing earlier this year.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the president and Kennedy were ‘committed to restoring trust and transparency and credibility to the CDC.’ 

‘We’re going to make sure that folks that are in positions of leadership there are aligned with that mission,’ she said. 

Cassidy agreed with that sentiment. 

‘The president and secretary are right,’ he told Fox News Digital. ‘We need radical transparency. We need to protect the health of our children. The two go together. I am committed to the president’s vision, which is why the HELP Committee will conduct oversight.’

Monarez has since refused to leave the post, with her lawyers arguing that she had neither resigned nor been fired and had not received notification from the president of her removal.

Following news of her ouster, a string of top officials at the CDC announced their resignations, too, including National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Daniel Jernigan, Chief Medical Officer Debra Houry, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases Director Demetre Daskalakis and Director of Public Health Data, Science, Technology Jennifer Layden.

In response to their resignations, Cassidy demanded that the federal government’s vaccine advisory panel, which was filled with Kennedy’s handpicked replacements after he recently booted the original panel members, postpone its scheduled meeting in September.

His demand marks the second time this year that Cassidy called on the panel to halt its meeting.

Cassidy argued Thursday that there were ‘serious allegations made about the meeting agenda, membership, and lack of scientific process being followed for the now announced September [Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices] meeting.’

‘These decisions directly impact children’s health, and the meeting should not occur until significant oversight has been conducted,’ Cassidy said in a statement. ‘If the meeting proceeds, any recommendations made should be rejected as lacking legitimacy given the seriousness of the allegations and the current turmoil in CDC leadership.’

Daskalakis posted his reason for resigning on X, where he charged that he was ‘unable to serve in an environment that treats CDC as a tool to generate policies and materials that do not reflect scientific reality and are designed to hurt rather than to improve the public’s health.’

Meanwhile, Sanders demanded a congressional investigation be opened into the Trump administration’s decision to fire Monarez.

‘We need leaders at the CDC and HHS who are committed to improving public health and have the courage to stand up for science, not officials who have a history of spreading bogus conspiracy theories and disinformation,’ Sanders said Thursday.

HHS did not immediately respond to a request for comment for this story.  

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Demetre Daskalakis, an official at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), resigned this week, claiming the Trump administration’s policies ignore science. However, his own leadership during the Biden-era monkeypox response was criticized for putting optics over public health.

Amid the Trump administration’s efforts to push out CDC Director Susan Monarez, a handful of other top CDC officials, including Daskalakis, resigned in protest of the Trump administration’s policies. Daskalakis wrote in his resignation letter that was posted to social media that the health policies put forward by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy do not ‘reflect scientific reality.’ He also accused the Trump administration of attempting to ‘erase transgender populations,’ while also using the term ‘pregnant people’ to describe women who are about to give birth.

But flashback to 2022 and 2023, after the monkeypox virus had spread across several countries and made its way into the U.S., during which Daskalakis was among the Biden administration’s top advisers who spearheaded the national response to the disease outbreak. 

Government communications from that time period, uncovered by watchdog group the Oversight Project, show that officials were aware that the disease was spreading among the gay community. However, those communications, and other records, show the administration appeared to be more concerned with protecting the stigma targeting the gay community, than they were with implementing measures that would provide the best mitigation response.

‘A common theme was public health officials identifying locations where outbreaks occurred, to include bathhouses and saunas,’ according to the Oversight Project. ‘Officials never broached consideration of shutting down these locations. This draws a stark contrast to the public health guidance and shutdowns of gathering places during COVID, to include gyms and skate parks.’

In 2023, after the monkeypox outbreak had taken hold in the U.S., Daskalakis went on national television to let the country know that his team was ‘making sure [they] got the word out in a way that supports people’s joy, as opposed to calling them risky.’

‘You know, one person’s idea of risk, is another person’s idea of a great festival or Friday night, for that matter. So, we have to sort of embrace that with joy and make sure that folks know how to keep themselves safe,’ the Biden monkeypox coordinator added.

 

Meanwhile, during the outbreak, Daskalkis posted a tweet from gay sex app Grindr that stated ‘Dr. Daskalakis could jab me any day,’ with a sticker of a flattered cat.

In other social media posts from around the same time, Daskalkis can be seen using male models wearing leather bondage straps to make an entrance at an HIV prevention summit. 

While in his role at the White House leading the monkeypox response, Daskalkis also reportedly ran an STD screening operation from an after-hours sex club in New York City. When asked about the operation in an interview, Daskalakis described it as ‘exciting’ and added there was ‘not much sleep time.’ Later in the interview, he added: ‘I’d already kind of been the bathhouse HIV testing doctor.’

Fox News Digital reached out to Daskalakis about the juxtaposition between his criticism of Kennedy’s policies not reflecting ‘scientific reality,’ and his role in the Biden administration’s approach to monkeypox, but did not receive an immediate response.

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Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso is ready to go nuclear on Senate Democrats and their blockade of President Donald Trump’s nominees.

Before leaving Washington, D.C., to their respective home states, Senate Republicans were on the verge of a deal with their colleagues across the aisle to hammer out a deal to ram through dozens of Trump’s picks for non-controversial positions.

But those talks fell apart when Trump nuked any further negotiations over funding demands from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. Currently, there are 145 pending nominations on the Senate’s executive calendar, with that number expected to balloon when the upper chamber reopens for business.

Lawmakers are set to return on Tuesday, and Barrasso, R-Wyo., wants to immediately tackle the nomination quandary. He’s engaged in a public pressure campaign, writing an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal directly calling out Schumer.

Meanwhile, he’s facilitated talks among Senate Republicans on the best path forward, and told Fox News Digital in an interview that, at this point, he’s willing to do anything necessary to see the president’s picks confirmed.

‘We need to either get a lot of cooperation from the Democrats, or we’re going to have to roll over them with changes of the rules that we’re going to be able to do in a unilateral way, as well as President Trump making recess appointments,’ he said.

Senate Democrats, under Schumer’s direction, are unlikely to play ball, however.

Schumer, in response to Barrasso’s public jab against him and Senate Democrats, contended in a statement that ‘historically bad nominees deserve a historic level of scrutiny by Senate Democrats.’

‘Anybody nominated by President Trump is, in Schumer’s words, ‘historically bad.’ Why? Because they were nominated by President Trump,’ Barrasso shot back. ‘That is his sole criteria for which these people are being gone after and filibustered, each and every one of them, even those that are coming out of committee, many, many of whom are with bipartisan support.’

Unilaterally changing the rules, or the nuclear option, would allow Republicans to make tweaks to the confirmation process without help from Democrats, but it could also kneecap further negotiations on key items that would require their support to advance beyond the Senate filibuster.

Barrasso was not worried about taking that route, however, and noted that the nominees that he and other Republicans were specifically considering would be ‘sub-Cabinet level positions’ and ambassadors.

Up for discussion are changes to the debate time, what kind of nominee could qualify for a speedier process and whether to give the president runway to make recess appointments, which would require the Senate to go into recess and allow Trump to make appointments on a temporary basis.

‘When you take a look at this right now, it takes a 30-minute roll-call vote to get on cloture, and then two hours of debate time, and then another 30-minute roll-call vote,’ Barrasso said. ‘Well, that’s three hours, and it’s time when you can’t do legislation, you can’t do any of the other things.’

But there is a menu of key items that Congress will have to deal with when they return, particularly the deadline to fund the government by Sept. 30.

Barrasso acknowledged that reality, and noted that it was because of the hefty schedule that he wanted a rules change to be put front and center.

‘There’s not going to be any time to — or there’s going to be limited time, I should say, to actually get people through the nominations process, which is just going to drag on further, and you’ll have more people having hearings and coming out of committees,’ he said.  

‘This backlog is going to worsen this traffic jam at the Schumer toll booth. So, we are going to do something, because this cannot stand.’

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Here’s a quick recap of the crypto landscape for Friday (August 29) as of 12 noon (UTC).

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

Bitcoin and Ethereum price update

Bitcoin (BTC) was priced at US$108,747, a 3.3 percent decrease in 24 hours. Its lowest valuation of the day was US$108,198 and its highest price on Friday was US$112,652.

Bitcoin price performance, August 29, 2025.

Chart via TradingView

Bitcoin’s slip below the US$110,000 threshold stoked fears of a broader crypto market correction on Friday as liquidations doubled, the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge showed persistent price pressures, and Bitcoin flashed a potential risk pattern. Analysts warned the token could be edging toward bear market territory.

Adding to volatility, a long-dormant Bitcoin whale that resurfaced this month—after buying US$2.5 billion in Ethereum—shifted another US$1.1 billion on Friday.

Ether (ETH) was priced at US$4,335.28, down by 3.2 percent over the past 24 hours. Its highest was US$4,511.09 and its lowest was US$4,279.96.

Altcoin price update

  • Solana (SOL) was priced at US$204.82, down by 2.4 percent. Its lowest valuation on Friday was US$203.74, and its highest valuation was US$217.66.
  • XRP was trading for US$2.94, down by 4.4 percent in the past 24 hours, and at its lowest valuation of the day. Its highest valuation on Wednesday was US$2.98.
  • SUI (Sui) was trading for US$3.30, down by 4.3 percent in the past 24 hours. Its lowest valuation of the day was US$3.29, and its highest level of the day was US$3.50.
  • Cardano (ADA) was priced at US$0.8201, down by 3.8 percent. Its lowest valuation for Friday was US$0.817, and its highest valuation was US$0.8618.

Today’s crypto news to know

Stablecoins cross US$283 billion threshold record

The stablecoin market reached a new milestone on Friday as total supply climbing to $282.8 billion, according to data from DefiLlama.

That marks a 128 percent increase since January, driven by stronger demand for dollar-pegged tokens and fresh regulatory clarity in the US.

The surge also follows passage of the Genius Act, which sets out federal guidelines for stablecoin issuers and has been billed as a growth catalyst within the sector.

Analysts say stablecoins now serve as a “distribution channel” for US dollars, powering cross-border payments and on-chain settlement systems.

Eric Trump hails US–China leadership in Bitcoin

Speaking at the BTC Asia conference in Hong Kong, Eric Trump praised China’s influence on the digital asset industry and said the US and Beijing were “leading the way” in shaping Bitcoin’s future.

He credited the Middle East as another fast-moving hub for crypto adoption, while stressing Bitcoin’s ability to unite people across borders and cultures.

The younger Trump also added that his father’s administration had accelerated digital asset policy faster in seven months than the prior decade managed. He described America as “winning the digital revolution” with support from Wall Street institutions, sovereign wealth funds, and retirement investors.

Asked whether Bitcoin would be on the agenda in an upcoming US–China trade meeting, he suggested broader topics would dominate but said he “would certainly love to talk about bitcoin.”

Trump-Linked miner American Bitcoin targets September Nasdaq listing

American Bitcoin, a mining company backed by Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., is preparing to list on Nasdaq in September following its merger with Gryphon Digital Mining, Reuters reported.

The firm is majority-owned by Hut 8, which controls 80 percent of the business, while the Trump brothers are expected to collectively hold about 19 percent. The company has already raised $220 million to expand its operations and accumulate Bitcoin, adding 215 BTC to its balance sheet as of June.

With Bitcoin trading near US$112,000 this week, that stash is valued at roughly US$24 million.

CEO Asher Genoot said American Bitcoin aims to become one of the largest US mining firms, with backing from high-profile investors including Gemini founders Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss.

Hut 8’s own stock has rallied 29 percent this year. If listed today, American Bitcoin would rank among the top 30 public companies holding Bitcoin in the US.

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

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

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Shares of Cameco (TSX:CCO,NYSE:CCJ) were on the rise after the uranium major announced it is reducing its annual production guidance due to expansion delays at the McArthur mine in Saskatchewan, Canada.

Instead of the projected 18 million pounds of U3O8 the company was aiming for from its McArthur River joint venture with Orano, the revised output tally reduces 2025’s production total to between 14 million and 15 million pounds.

In January, Cameco warned that delays at McArthur River — including slower-than-expected ground freezing, development setbacks and labor constraints — could affect its 2025 production outlook.

“We have determined that we are unable to fully mitigate the expected impact of the delayed development and slower than anticipated ground freezing in the first half of 2025,” Cameco’s statement notes.

Strong output from the Cigar Lake mine may help offset the McArthur River delays, the company said, adding that its diversified assets and risk management strategy position it to meet commitments and maintain long-term value.

In total, a strong performance at Cigar Lake could provide an additional 1 million pounds.

The uranium miner offered assurances that it will fulfill all delivery obligations with its customers.

“With favourable market prices for uranium today, we continue to have the option to buy in the spot market if it is advantageous for us to do so,” the company said, noting that it can source material through other means as well.

News of the shortfall sent shares of Cameco higher, with the company rising from C$105.91 on Thursday (August 28) to C$114 during after-trading hours. Values had pulled back to the C$105 range by midday on Friday (August 29).

Broader uranium market challenges

Cameco’s production cut is the second output reduction the sector has seen in as many weeks.

On August 22, Kazatomprom, Kazakhstan’s state-owned uranium producer, reported plans to lower output in 2026, saying that despite firm long-term prices, market conditions don’t support a return to full capacity.

In a corporate update, the company said its production will be about 10 percent lower compared to earlier targets, dropping from 32,777 metric tons of U3O8 to 29,697 metric tons. The reduction, equal to roughly 8 million pounds, or 5 percent of global supply, will largely stem from changes at its Budenovskoye joint venture.

After spiking to triple-digit levels unseen in more than a decade in early 2024, the spot price has been under pressure, falling as low as US$63.36 in March of this year. However, prices have steadily grown since then, reaching a second quarter high of US$79.01 on June 30 and currently holding at the US$75 mark. Kazatomprom notes that while the spot price remains volatile, the long-term uranium price has held steady at around US$80.

The company plans to exercise its option to operate within a 20 percent deviation of its 2026 subsoil use production levels, with formal guidance to come later. The sector major also also reported stable sulfuric acid supply for 2026, easing concerns after last year’s shortages forced a sharp output downgrade. However, its new acid plant won’t be ready until at least 2026, and higher mineral extraction taxes are expected to weigh on costs.

The updates came alongside half-year results showing that net profit was down 54 percent to 263.2 billion tenge (US$489.5 million), while revenue was off 6 percent at 660.2 billion tenge, largely on weaker sales volumes.

Despite lower near-term output, Kazatomprom said it remains committed to exploration in order to replenish its reserves and maintain its dominance as the world’s top uranium supplier.

Beyond market headwinds, the company highlighted Kazakhstan’s nuclear ambitions, with proposals for three domestic reactors that would require about 1.04 million pounds of uranium each year.

Uranium supply shortage unavoidable?

With tightening margins between uranium demand and global mine supply, these latest announcements are likely to impact market sentiment and could push prices higher.

Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, Uranium Insider’s Justin Huhn posted an ominous message:

According to the World Nuclear Association, mine supply currently accounts for 90 percent of uranium demand, with the other 10 percent being fulfilled through secondary supply sources.

However, secondary supply is declining and mine supply has not grown to account for the discrepancy. This is likely to be further compounded by the addition of 70 new nuclear reactors that are currently in the construction phase.

Coupled with heightening energy demands from the artificial intelligence sector, analysts at FocusEconomics are projecting a higher spot price environment moving forward.

“The Consensus among our panelists is for uranium prices to remain well above the levels that prevailed in the 2010s for the rest of this decade, with prices forecast to hover between US$65 and US$80 per pound,” the firm wrote in an email. “That said, panelists don’t see a return to the highs of 2024, a period when the spot price likely got ahead of underlying market fundamentals due to investor exuberance.”

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

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About Earthwise Minerals

Earthwise Minerals Corp. (CSE: WISE; FSE: 966) is a Canadian junior exploration company focused on advancing the Iron Range Gold Project in southeastern British Columbia near Creston, B.C. The Company holds an option to earn up to an 80% interest in the fully permitted project, which is road-accessible and situated within a prolific mineralized corridor. The property covers a 10 km x 32 km area along the Iron Range Fault System and hosts multiple high-grade gold showings and large-scale geophysical and geochemical anomalies.

For more information, visit www.earthwiseminerals.com.

EARTHWISE MINERALS CORP.,

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

‘Mark Luchinski’

Contact Information:

Mark Luchinski
Chief Executive Officer, Director
Telephone: (604) 506-6201
Email: luch@luchccorp.com

Forward Looking Statements

This news release includes statements that constitute ‘forward-looking information’ as defined under Canadian securities laws (‘forward-looking statements’) including, without limitation, statements respecting the Offering and the intended use of proceeds therefrom. Statements regarding future plans and objectives of the Company are forward looking statements that involve various degrees of risk. Forward-looking statements reflect management’s current views with respect to possible future events and conditions and, by their nature, are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties, both general and specific to the Company. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in its forward-looking statements are reasonable, forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, and actual outcomes may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Additional information regarding the various risks and uncertainties facing the Company are described in greater detail in the ‘Risk Factors’ section of the Company’s annual management’s discussion and analysis and other continuous disclosure documents filed with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities which are available at www.sedarplus.ca. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information except as required by applicable law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

For more information, please contact Mark Luchinski, Chief Executive Officer and Director, at luch@luchccorp.com or (604) 506-6201.

Source

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Statistics Canada released its second-quarter gross domestic product (GDP) figures on Friday (August 29). The data showed that the Canadian economy shrank 0.4 percent in the second quarter and declined 1.6 percent on an annualized basis. The decrease comes following first-quarter gains of 0.5 percent and a 2 percent annualized increase.

Much of the decrease was attributed to a 7.5 percent drop in exports compared to Q1. Canadian exports had risen 1.4 percent in the first three months of the year as US companies increased imports to get ahead of incoming tariffs.Excluding the lower costs at the pumps, CPI remained steady at 2.5 percent, the same increase as May and June.

On an industry level, new monthly data for June shows that the resource sector grew by 0.1 percent after two months of declines, primarily driven by a 2.6 percent gain in the oil and gas subsector, with oil sands extraction rising 6.4 percent over May. However, gains were offset by a 9.7 percent monthly decline in support activities for the resource sector, its largest drop in five years, led by reduced rigging and drilling activities.

South of the border, the US Bureau of Economic Analysis released its second estimate for Q2 real GDP on Thursday (August 28). The data shows that US GDP grew by 3.3 percent during the quarter, 0.3 percent higher than its advance estimate.

According to the agency, the figure reflects a decrease in imports and an increase in consumer spending. The GDP’s upward momentum was tempered by a 13.8 percent decrease in private domestic investment, marking the most significant decline since 2020, during the pandemic.

The growth follows a 0.5 percent decrease in the first quarter of 2025, which saw a significant rise in imports.

This week also saw US President Donald Trump attempt to remove US Federal Reserve Board of Governors member Lisa Cook. Trump justified the decision based on Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte’s claim that Cook claimed primary residence in two mortgage applications submitted weeks apart in 2021. She was confirmed to the Fed Board of Governors in May 2022.

Cook is fighting the move in court, with her lawyer stating that Trump’s unsubstantiated allegation of an event prior to Cook’s confirmation does not meet the ’cause’ required by the Federal Reserve Act to remove a governor. By the end of the day on Friday, the judge hearing the case did not reach a decision on whether to issue a temporary restraining order that would allow Cook to remain in her role during the case.

Pulte has previously made similar allegations against other prominent Democrats, including California Senator Adam Schiff, a vocal critic of Trump, and New York Attorney General Letitia James, who oversaw a civil suit against Trump that resulted in a US$500 million award.

Trump has been eager to reshape the Federal Reserve Board and has hinted that he would like to replace Chairman Jerome Powell before his term ends in 2026. Trump believes the Fed has not been acting quickly enough to lower interest rates and stimulate the economy.

Markets and commodities react

Canadian equity markets were largely unfazed by Canada’s weak GDP data. In fact, the S&P/TSX Composite Index (INDEXTSI:OSPTX) set a new record on Friday, closing the week up 1.73 percent to 28,564.45. The S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index (INDEXTSI:JX) did even better, climbing 5.36 percent to finish Friday at 829.57. The CSE Composite Index (CSE:CSECOMP) fell 0.45 percent on Friday following the StatsCan release, but gained 4.17 percent overall during the week to 166.9.

US equity markets also posted gains this week, but fell from record highs on Friday following a selloff of tech stocks. The S&P 500 (INDEXSP:INX) was up 1.19 percent to 6,460.25, while the Nasdaq 100 (INDEXNASDAQ:NDX) rose 0.99 percent to 23,415.42. Meanwhile, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX:.DJI) gained 1.32 percent on the week to 45,631.73.

The gold price gained 3.19 percent this week on expectations of a September rate cut by the Federal Reserve, reaching US$3,448.15 per ounce by 4:00 p.m. EDT on Friday. Silver ended the week with a larger gain of 4.2 percent, nearly crossing the US$40 per ounce mark in morning trading before settling at US$39.74 per ounce.

Copper also saw some upward movement, gaining 1.1 percent to US$4.59 per pound. The S&P GSCI (INDEXSP:SPGSCI) commodities index posted an increase of 1.3 percent by close on Friday, finishing at 549.70.

Top Canadian mining stocks this week

How did mining stocks perform against this backdrop?

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

Stocks data for this article was retrieved at 4:00 p.m. EDT on Friday using TradingView’s stock screener. Only companies trading on the TSX, TSXV and CSE with market caps greater than C$10 million are included. Mineral companies within the non-energy minerals, energy minerals, process industry and producer manufacturing sectors were considered.

1. Trifecta Gold (TSXV:TG)

Weekly gain: 117.24 percent
Market cap: C$23.77 million
Share price: C$0.63

Trifecta Gold is a gold exploration company focused on a portfolio of 11 properties in the Tombstone gold belt in the Yukon, Canada.

Its most advanced is its flagship Mt. Hinton gold-silver project, located near Hecla Mining’s (NYSE:HL) Keno Hill silver mine. The company’s project page indicates that vein float samples collected in January 2023 show grades of up to 273 grams per metric ton (g/t) gold.

The company has also been advancing exploration work at its Rye property, which hosts a gold-bismuth soil anomaly, as well as several gold-rich veins.

Shares in Trifecta rose this week alongside news on Thursday that the company had commenced its inaugural drill program at Rye, completing 970 meters across three holes. The announcement reported that the first hole intersected a high density of sheeted quartz veins.

The company said preliminary rock samples collected from the site earlier in 2025 returned multiple assays with greater than 5 g/t gold, including one highlight with 21.1 g/t gold and 8,550 parts per million (ppm) bismuth.

2. Consolidated Lithium Metals (TSXV:CLM)

Weekly gain: 100 percent
Market cap: C$13.98 million
Share price: C$0.04

Consolidated Lithium is an exploration and development company working to advance a portfolio of hard rock lithium projects in Quebéc, Canada.

Its most advanced asset is the Vallée lithium project, a 75/25 joint venture between Consolidated and Sayona Mining (ASX:SAY,OTCQB:SYAXF). The project is located in the Abitibi Greenstone Belt adjacent to and along strike of Sayona’s and Piedmont Lithium (NASDAQ:PLL) North American Lithium mining operation. According to the company’s project page, the Vallée property hosts multiple lithium-bearing pegmatites over a 1 kilometer strike length.

Consolidated announced on Wednesday (August 27) that it signed a letter of intent with the Government of Quebéc-owned Soquem to earn an 80 percent interest in the Kwyjibo rare earth project, located in the Côte-Nord region of the province.

Under the terms of the letter, Consolidated can earn up to an 80 percent interest in the project through two phases, in return for a combination of cash payments, shares in Consolidated and project investments.

A 2017 preliminary economic assessment for Kwyjibo reports project economics including an after-tax net present value of C$373.9 million and an internal rate of return of 17.8 percent, with a payback period of 3.6 years.

3. Electric Metals (TSXV:EML)

Weekly gain: 68.75 percent
Market cap: C$44.34 million
Share price: C$0.27

Electric Metals is a mineral development company focused on advancing its flagship North Star manganese project in Minnesota, US. According to the company, the asset is North America’s highest-grade manganese resource. It plans to produce high-purity manganese sulphate monohydrate for lithium-ion batteries.

The most recent news from Electric Metals was released on Tuesday, when it announced a preliminary economic assessment for the project. The assessment demonstrated a base-case after-tax net present value of US$1.39 billion, with an internal rate of return of 43.5 percent and a payback period of 23 months. and suggested an average annual after-tax cash flow of US$249.6 million.

The report also included an updated mineral resource estimate with an indicated resource of 7.6 million metric tons of ore grading 19.07 percent manganese, 22.33 percent iron and 30.94 percent silicon, and an inferred resource of 3.73 million metric tons of ore grading 17.04 percent manganese, 19.04 percent iron and 30.03 percent silicon.

4. Sage Potash (TSXV:SAGE)

Weekly gain: 58.33 percent
Market cap: C$31.93 million
Share price: C$0.38

Sage Potash is a potash exploration company currently working to advance its portfolio of mineral holdings in Utah’s Paradox Basin in the US.

Historic oil and gas exploration in the basin dating back a century discovered the potential for the potash beds, but they were too deep for mining methods at the time. Sage has since confirmed their presence through its own exploration.

In a revised technical report from February 2023, the company reported an inferred mineral resource estimate of up to 159.3 million metric tons of in-place sylvinite from the upper potash bed and up to 120.2 million metric tons of sylvinite from the lower potash bed.

On August 14, Sage announced that Stockwell Day had joined the company board. Day served several ministerial roles for the Canadian government under Prime Minister Stephen Harper, including as President of the Treasury Board and Minister of International Trade.

This was followed by news on Wednesday that Day had been granted 600,000 stock options at an exercise price of C$0.30 per share and would remain valid for a period of five years.

Sage’s share price spiked earlier this week after the US Government added potash in its draft of an updated list of critical minerals.

5. Kincora Copper (TSXV:KCC)

Weekly gain: 58.33 percent
Market cap: C$24.8 million
Share price: C$0.095

Kincora Copper is an exploration company operating under a project generator model and partnering with other companies to advance its portfolio, including copper-gold projects in the Macquarie Arc of New South Wales, Australia.

Among them is the Northern Junee-Narromine Belt (NJNB) land package, which is covered by a May 2024 earn-in agreement that could see AngloGold Ashanti (NYSE:AU,JSE:ANG) earn up to an 80 percent interest in the Nyngan and Nevertire licenses through AU$50 million in exploration expenditures or AU$25 million for exploration and the completion of a pre-feasibility study.

Kincora secured a second agreement with AngloGold Ashanti in April for the Nyngan South, Nevertire South and Mulla licenses with similar terms, bringing the total exploration funding to AU$100 million.

On Monday (August 25), Kincora announced results from the first drilling program at the Nyngan project, noting that assays support the potential for porphyry copper and epithermal gold, and that it saw ‘encouraging results at particularly shallow depths’ from drill targets identified by a ground gravity survey earlier this year.

Additionally, Kincora said that drilling is ongoing at the Nevertire South and Nevertire projects, with the initial program planned for seven holes and 2,150 meters.

FAQs for Canadian mining stocks

What is the difference between the TSX and TSXV?

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

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

As of May 2025, there were 1,565 companies listed on the TSXV, 910 of which were mining companies. Comparatively, the TSX was home to 1,899 companies, with 181 of those being mining companies.

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

How much does it cost to list on the TSXV?

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

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

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

How do you trade on the TSXV?

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

Article by Dean Belder; FAQs by Lauren Kelly.

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

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

The gold price was on the rise this week, breaking through US$3,400 per ounce once again.

It’s been pushed higher by US dollar weakness, as well as Federal Reserve turmoil.

President Donald Trump has been pressuring Fed Chair Jerome Powell to cut interest rates for months, and on Monday (August 25) the situation developed further when Trump posted a letter on his social media platform Truth Social. In it, he said he was removing Lisa Cook from her position on the central bank’s board of governors due to allegations of mortgage fraud.

Cook, who has been voting to hold rates steady, was due to serve until 2038; she has now filed a lawsuit asking for Trump’s order to be declared ‘unlawful and void.’

The move has spurred questions about whether Trump can actually fire her — while the Federal Reserve Act doesn’t allow him to remove Fed officials at will, he can do so ‘for cause.’

For its part, the Fed has said it will abide by any court decision.

The situation is still developing, and gold market watchers are keeping a close eye on how it plays out. The yellow metal tends to fare better when interest rates are low, and some experts believe that a rate cut from the Fed could kick off its next move higher

The Fed’s next meeting is scheduled to run from September 16 to 17. Expectations are high that it will cut rates at that time, even though the latest data shows that its preferred measure of inflation, the personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index, was up 2.6 percent year-on-year in July.

Core PCE, which excludes food and energy, saw a rise of 2.9 percent.

Bullet briefing — US drafts new critical minerals list, uranium miners make cuts

US drafts new critical minerals list

The US Department of the Interior has released a new draft critical minerals list, and the recommended additions include silver, as well as potash, silicon, copper, rhenium and lead.

Silver’s potential inclusion is turning heads in the mining community as market participants assess the potential impact for the metal. The critical minerals list is designed to guide federal strategy, investment and permitting deals as the US works to lock down supply of key commodities, meaning that silver-focused companies could see benefits such as tax breaks and faster timelines.

In total, the draft list has 54 minerals, with 50 included based on results from an economic effects assessment. Three were selected on the back of a qualitative evaluation, and zirconium is there because of the potential for a single point of failure in the US supply chain.

The list was set up after a 2017 executive order from Trump and is updated every three years.

It’s worth noting that silver and the other recommended additions aren’t officially critical minerals yet — the draft critical minerals list was posted for public comment on Tuesday (August 26), and feedback will be accepted for 30 days. It’s also worth noting that two commodities may be stripped of their critical mineral status — arsenic and tellurium have been recommended for removal.

Critical minerals lists vary from country to country based on individual needs, although in many cases they have similarities. In January 2024, a group of silver industry participants, including many major miners, sent a letter to Canada’s energy and natural resources minister proposing that silver be included in the nation’s critical minerals list; to date, it has not been added.

Uranium miners cut production guidance

Sweden’s government has proposed the removal of the country’s ban on uranium mining as it looks to reduce its reliance on imports of the energy fuel.

Uranium mining has been banned in Sweden since 2018, but the country has six operating reactors and generates around one-third of its power from nuclear energy.

The ban is set to be removed on January 1, 2026, and comes as nations increasingly look to nuclear power to fill their energy needs. It also comes amid supply questions — although demand is rising and prices are out of a years-long slump, miners have been slow to ramp back up post-Fukushima.

Just last week, Kazatomprom said it was lowering its 2026 production target compared to earlier estimates, cutting about 8 million pounds. Although the company sees stability in long-term uranium prices and strong sector fundamentals, it isn’t prepared to return to 100 percent levels.

Cameco (TSX:CCO,NYSE:CCJ) made a similar statement this week, saying its 2025 output will be impacted by delays in transitioning the Saskatchewan-based McArthur River mine to new mining areas. Production will be 4 million to 5 million pounds lower, although there is a chance for Cigar Lake to partially offset that loss.

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

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Spirit Airlines on Friday filed for bankruptcy protection, just months after the budget carrier failed to secure better financial footing when it came out of Chapter 11 protection in March.

The Dania Beach, Florida-based airline said under this bankruptcy, it will reduce its network and shrink its fleet, cuts that it said will reduce costs by “hundreds of millions of dollars” a year.

In a release, Spirit said guests can continue to book, travel and use tickets, credits and loyalty points. Wages and benefits will continue to be paid and honored, including contractors, it said. Spirit intends to pay vendors and suppliers for goods and services provided on or after the filing date in the ordinary course.

“Since emerging from our previous restructuring, which was targeted exclusively on reducing Spirit’s funded debt and raising equity capital, it has become clear that there is much more work to be done and many more tools are available to best position Spirit for the future,” Spirit CEO Dave Davis said in a news release on Friday.

Spirit had just gotten out of bankruptcy in March after four months, only to be dragged down by continued high costs and weaker U.S. domestic demand. The carrier had struggled for years as it dealt with a glut of U.S. flights, a Pratt & Whitney engine recall and a failed takeover by JetBlue Airways, a deal that was blocked in court.

Firms that used Spirit’s aircrafts had reached out to rival airlines in recent weeks to gauge executives’ interest in some of the carrier’s planes, according to people familiar with the matter.

Spirit is the United States’ largest budget airline, followed closely by rival Frontier Airlines which has tried and failed to merge with Spirit repeatedly since 2022. Frontier on Tuesday announced 20 new routes that compete with Spirit to win over its struggling competitor’s customers.

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