BC Extortion Suspects Use Refugee Claims to Halt Deportations
Canada’s effort to deport foreign nationals linked to British Columbia’s extortion epidemic has stalled after all 14 suspects referred for deportation hearings filed refugee claims, the Canada Border Services Agency confirmed Wednesday. BC’s Extortion Task Force identified the individuals, but once CBSA began investigating them for immigration violations, all claimed refugee status. The claims have […]
EU Invokes Emergency Powers to Freeze Russian Assets Indefinitely
The European Union formally activated emergency powers Thursday to lock down €210 billion in Russian Central Bank assets indefinitely, using Article 122 of the EU treaties to bypass potential member state vetoes. The Council formally adopted the measure on Friday afternoon. Euroclear, a Brussels-based securities depositary, holds approximately €185 billion of the total, with private […]
Donald Trump Is Pro Pot? Executive Order Rumoured For Marijuana Rescheduling
President Donald Trump is preparing an executive order that would direct federal agencies to pursue reclassifying marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III, a major regulatory downgrade that stops short of legalization or decriminalization.  According to people familiar with the discussions, the shift would reduce federal oversight of marijuana and its derivatives to a […]
China Piles Into Record 13th Month Of Gold Buying
China’s November gold purchase extended a 13-month buying streak that has lifted official bullion holdings to a record 2,305 tonnes and raised gold’s share of the country’s $3.3 trillion in foreign exchange reserves to 9.3%. Data show the People’s Bank of China added 30,000 troy ounces of gold in November, a roughly 0.1% monthly increase […]
Carney’s Liberal Government One Seat Away From Majority After Tory MP Crosses Aisle
Mark Carney’s Liberal government moved within one seat of a majority after Markham–Unionville MP Michael Ma crossed the floor from the Conservatives to the government caucus. In Ma’s statement, he said he informed the Speaker and the Leader of the Opposition that he would be joining the government caucus “after listening carefully to the people […]
Aris Mining Closes On Purchase Of Remaining 49% Interest In Soto Norte
Aris Mining (TSX: ARIS) has closed on the acquisition of the remaining 49% interest in the Soto Norte joint venture that it did not previously own. The interest was acquired from MDC Industry Holding Company for total consideration of US$80 million, with consideration amounting to US$60 million in cash and the issuance of 1.7 million […]
Robex Delivers First Ore To Mill At Kiniero Project
Robex Resources (TSXV: RBX) is one step closer to having another operating mine under its belt. The company this morning announced that it has delivered the first ore to the mill at the new Kiniero mine in Guinea, West Africa, as the company inches towards the first gold pour on site. With the delivery of […]
Disney Signs $1B OpenAI Deal, Opens IP To Sora And ChatGPT
Disney (NYSE: DIS) is pairing a $1 billion equity investment in OpenAI with a three-year licensing and technology pact that will put more than 200 Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars characters onto Sora and ChatGPT Images. Under the agreement, Disney will become the first major content licensing partner on Sora, OpenAI’s short form generative […]
US to Require 5 Years of Social Media History from Tourists
The Trump administration proposed Tuesday requiring travelers from 42 allied countries to submit five years of social media history before entering the United States, marking the most significant expansion of travel surveillance for visa-free visitors. The proposal targets citizens from key allies, including the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, Australia, and France, who currently travel without […]
QE, Anyone? Fed Resumes Ongoing Treasury Bill Purchases
The Federal Reserve has effectively restarted a narrow form of quantitative easing by ordering ongoing Treasury bill purchases to keep reserves “ample,” even as officials frame the change as a technical adjustment in policy implementation. In its monetary policy implementation statement, the Federal Open Market Committee directed the New York Fed’s Open Market Desk to […]