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Cobalt is a critical material for the energy transition, with increased demand in recent years due to its essential role in lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles (EVs), energy storage and other technologies.

Cobalt is an important component in the popular nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) battery. Despite the existence of cobalt-free lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) batteries and the potential for disruptive new battery technologies, demand for cobalt is expected to rise and market watchers are keen to find out where it may be mined in the future.

That’s why it’s important to review cobalt reserves, which is how much economically mineable cobalt a country holds. By keeping an eye on these numbers, it’s possible to guess which countries may become — or continue to be — cobalt powerhouses.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is the leader in cobalt output, producing nearly two-thirds of the world’s cobalt. However, the dominance of Chinese refining and processing — estimated at 75 percent of global capacity — poses challenges for Western nations, particularly the European Union (EU), which is striving for strategic autonomy in critical minerals.

Efforts like the 2023 EU Battery Regulation aim to address these issues by mandating recycled material targets for batteries, but the path to reducing dependency on China remains complex.

In recent years cobalt production globally has reached record highs, creating a large supply glut. This cobalt surplus underscores a paradox in the market: while demand for the metal is forecast to grow significantly, oversupply has caused prices to plummet. The surge in production, largely fueled by the DRC’s expanding output and China’s vertically integrated supply chain, has led to a market imbalance.

Despite these hurdles, market watchers remain optimistic about cobalt’s long-term outlook, driven by continued demand for EVs and energy storage.

Top cobalt reserves by country

Understanding cobalt reserves and identifying key production regions is crucial for investors and industry stakeholders. Here’s an updated look at cobalt reserves by country using the latest data from the US Geological Survey.

1. Democratic Republic of the Congo

Cobalt reserves: 6,000,000 metric tons

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is the country with the largest cobalt reserves by far, with 6,000,000 metric tons of the battery metal in the ground. The world’s largest cobalt producer continues to maintain its spot at the top of the rankings, producing over 70 percent of the global cobalt supply and influencing the whole EV battery industry.

With this stature comes the DRC’s share of both internal and external turmoil. Cobalt mining in the DRC has been linked to human rights abuses and child labor due to widespread unregulated artisanal mining, which remains a key livelihood for many.

Efforts to regulate the sector include the ASM Cobalt Standard, approved in 2022, with pilot site assessments underway in collaboration with the Responsible Minerals Initiative and Global Battery Alliance.

Many of the DRC’s regulated cobalt mines are joint ventures between foreign companies, such as Swiss mining giant Glencore (LSE:GLEN,OTC Pink:GLCNF), and the country’s state-owned mining companies. China’s role in the DRC’s mining industry continues to grow, as many of the cobalt mines in the DRC are joint ventures with Chinese companies. Much of this cobalt is processed in China, with the country processing 65 percent of all cobalt worldwide, diminishing the DRC’s agency over its minerals.

2. Australia

Cobalt reserves: 1,700,000 metric tons

Australia retains its position as the second-largest holder of global cobalt reserves, with an estimated 1.7 million metric tons, accounting for about 15.5 percent of the world’s total.

Despite contributing only 2 percent of global cobalt production, the country is emerging as a key player, bolstered by ethical and environmentally sustainable mining practices that stand in contrast to the DRC.

Ardea Resources (ASX:ARL) is leading the charge with its Kalgoorlie nickel-cobalt project, described as the largest nickel-cobalt resource in the developed world. Located in Western Australia, the Goongarrie Hub deposit, part of this project, has proven reserves to support a 40 year mining operation, with annual production targets of 2,000 metric tons of cobalt and 30,000 metric tons of nickel.

Cobalt Blue Holdings (ASX:COB), another prominent player, is spearheading the Broken Hill cobalt mine and Kwinana refinery. The refinery is planned to produce battery-grade cobalt sulfate from third party feedstock and cobalt from Broken Hill. Despite the ongoing slump in cobalt prices, the company is strategically positioning itself to align with US and European policies aimed at reducing reliance on China.

3. Indonesia

Cobalt reserves: 640,000 metric tons

Indonesia holds 640,000 metric tons of cobalt reserves and has rapidly ascended as a significant cobalt producer. In just three years, the nation increased its cobalt production over tenfold, reaching 28,000 metric tons in 2024, up from only 2,700 metric tons in 2021.

This growth is primarily driven by Chinese-backed investments in high-pressure acid leach (HPAL) facilities, established after Indonesia banned nickel ore exports in 2019 to bolster its domestic EV supply chain. Key players in Indonesia’s cobalt sector operate four HPAL facilities, which process nickel laterite ore into mixed hydroxide precipitate, containing both nickel and cobalt.

However, HPAL methods have drawn criticism for their environmental impact, producing high emissions and waste and raising worker safety concerns. Fatal accidents and worker protests over conditions have been reported, prompting calls for improved standards. In response, in 2023, then-President Joko Widodo committed to stricter environmental regulations, including banning the dumping of tailings into the sea and mandating renewable energy for new smelters.

New President Prabowo Subianto created a task force to focus on domestic investment in downstream nickel processing, which is currently about 75 percent controlled by Chinese firms.

Indonesia’s trajectory as a cobalt supplier could diversify global markets. By 2030, Indonesia’s cobalt production could constitute 16 percent of global output, according to the Cobalt Institute.

More cobalt reserves by country

The DRC, Australia and Indonesia have the highest cobalt reserves, but many other countries also hold significant cobalt reserves. Here’s a quick look at where other nations stand:

  • Cuba — 500,000 MT
  • Philippines — 260,000 MT
  • Russia — 250,000 MT
  • Canada — 220,000 MT
  • Madagascar — 100,000 MT
  • Turkey — 91,000 MT
  • United States — 70,000 MT
  • Papua New Guinea — 62,000 MT

According to the US Geological Survey, the total world reserves figure for cobalt sits at 11,000,000 MT.

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


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Gold has long served as a tool for investors to enhance their portfolios and protect against volatility.

At the Vancouver Resource Investment Conference, CEO Jay Martin engaged with industry experts Frank Giustra, Grant Williams, Alastair Still and David Garofalo to explore trends currently affecting the sector.

The group illustrated a market at a crucial juncture, with changing investor sentiment, geopolitical tensions and impending financial instability converging to potentially create the perfect storm.

Eastern vs. western perspectives on gold

Martin kicked the panel off by reviewing the last several years in the gold market. Looking back at 2019 and 2020, he noted that an influx of western investors helped pushed the metal’s price to phenomenal levels.

However, as the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic drove inflation and interest rates, these investors became sellers, and gold started to sink. Capitalizing on these lower price points, central banks moved into the market and not only stabilized the price, but caused it to surge to all-time highs. By mid-2024, gold was 70 percent above its 2022 low.

Frank Giustra, CEO of the Fiore Group, largely agreed with Martin’s summary of gold’s activity, but added that while he thinks central bank buying will continue, there is more going on than meets the eye.

“What most people don’t understand about gold is that it’s not that the gold price is going up — it’s the fact that the fiat currencies that are measured against it are going down in value for a whole host of reasons,’ he said.

Giustra sees the US fiscal situation as a factor pushing the gold price up, and suggested that the situation is not only beyond repair, but also on the precipice of a crisis. “At some point there will be a US dollar crisis. It’s going to happen in our lifetimes, probably sooner rather than later, and when that happens, gold will go through the roof,’ he noted.

Grant Williams, author at Things That Make You Go Hmmm, expanded on Giustra’s point, outlining a critical difference between the east and west. “In the east, people don’t buy gold to sell it because the price has gone up. They buy gold to own it, and when they do sell it, it’s because they need to raise money for something important,” he said.

Williams also suggested that the west is at the end of a cycle. In his view, investors are attempting to maximize their returns in any way possible, and the system is corrupt and lacks consequences.

“This is going to come to a head. We’re in the middle of that process now, and at the end of that process, when these cycles fall over, the one thing you want to own is gold,’ he explained at the conference.

‘We are moving into the part of this where it’s not just a good idea to own gold anymore — it’s essential to own gold. And I think the price is going to reflect that in the coming 12 to 18 months.’

Tech stocks, Bitcoin distracting investors from gold

The panelists agreed that today’s investors are distracted as tech and Bitcoin dominate headlines.

While technology stocks still follow the typical market ebbs and flows, cryptocurrencies are a different story.

Giustra even compared the crypto space to a Ponzi scheme, pointing to one influential commenter who has suggested that Bitcoin will reach a value of US$13 million and gold will reach zero.

“These are ridiculous statements, but he needs to make those kinds of statements to keep the greed factor going. In any pyramid scheme, you need to have new buyers all the time to keep the game going,” he said.

Giustra also outlined how the cryptocurrency space has influenced the recent US election, spending US$245 million to influence Congress and the incoming president to ease regulations. This comes from a shifting narrative that implies crypto is a store of value. Giustra believes it’s an asset class in search of a purpose.

GoldMining (TSX:GOLD,NYSEAMERICAN:GLDG) CEO Alastair Still backed Giustra, saying that unlike gold, Bitcoins can be created every day, while gold’s limited supply is inherently connected to its store of value.

Still described how resource scarcity has been tested, outlining how geopolitically stable jurisdictions are diminishing. At the same time, mining companies have underinvested in exploration and been slow to find new assets.

“So while I think many investors are a little behind the curve,’ he explained at VRIC.

‘What we have seen is the major operating companies, they’re running deficits in their reserves, so they’re not replacing what they’re mining, and that’s because they’ve been underfunding exploration for years.’

Gold majors dealing with low grades, declining reserves

The systemic underfunding of exploration could be an opportunity for explorers and developers to start acquiring projects that will be sought by majors in the future. As it stands, miners are having to maximize extraction efforts.

“The operators are mining lower grades. That doesn’t necessarily mean they’re making more gold. They might make more profit, but they are actually potentially mining less gold,” Still commented.

David Garofalo, CEO, president, chairman and director at Gold Royalty (NYSEAMERICAN:GROY), agreed that operators are facing a challenge. “They’re facing a squeeze from tiny reserves, and reserves are down 40 percent. That’s demonstrated because the juniors haven’t had access to capital for over a dozen years,” he said.

He went on to explain that the entire industry is facing cost pressures.

All-in-sustaining costs have risen along with the price of gold, leading to a squeeze among producers. Much of this is due to inflation, which has resonated throughout the general economy.

“That’s why when you look at the leaders in our industry, their share prices are lower today than they were 30 years ago, when the gold price was a 10th of what it is today,” Garofalo said.

Rising costs and chronic underfunding are causing a dual squeeze. No new projects are in the pipeline, and he doesn’t expect the situation to reverse any time soon. Instead, he sees sees major companies like Barrick Gold (TSX:ABX,NYSE:GOLD) and Newmont (TSX:NGT,NYSE:NEM) with stagnating reserves and stalled output.

They can grow their share count, but not the gold they have access to, they’re not creating share value.

Which gold stocks to focus on now?

Garofalo suggested that the right space to be in now is the development stage. He thinks the majors are approaching a point where they need to add assets to their portfolios to continue to grow.

“The industry has basically been giving money back to investors for the last dozen years in dividends and share buybacks and whatnot, and not meaningfully back into the grassroots exploration to replace depleting reserves,” he said.

Likewise, Giustra backed the idea that the gold sector needs more consolidation.

“There are far too many companies burning a lot of overhead. The industry needs to consolidate. We need to deliver performance. And so it’s partially the industry’s fault; for a long time, it hasn’t performed. You need to perform economically with your deposits to qualify as an investment sector,” he said.

Williams added that it’s important for investors to understand what they are looking for. He said that gold can be “a get rich quick scheme, a get rich slow scheme and a stay rich scheme,” depending on where you are in the cycle.

“That shouldn’t be your only focus. You shouldn’t only be thinking about, ‘Where can I find the 10 baggers?’ If that’s really your mindset, crypto is the perfect vehicle for that, because there’s a 10 bagger produced every minute if you’re lucky enough to get in and get out. This industry is tangible,’ Williams said.

‘It’s things you pull out of the ground that are valuable.’

Stay tuned for more event coverage, including video interviews with many of the experts who attended.

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

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Augustus Minerals (ASX: AUG; “Augustus” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce the results from the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms to generate and predict gold targets within the Company’s Music Well project.

SensOre consultants have applied artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and other processing techniques using both public and proprietary datasets over the Music Well Project.

  • Cutting edge AI/ML algorithms targeting areas with minimal outcrop or under cover.
  • Integration of geological, geochemical and geophysical data sets into the AI process to define digital mineralisation fingerprints and generate AI-enhanced gold discovery predictions.
  • The AI SensOre study concluded that “Application of ML algorithms were found to model +1m oz Au potential with a high degree of predictability, and a total of 18 targets were identified within the Music Well project”:
    • Target 1 has the highest priority and is in the central north of the project with a strike length of 8km.
    • Target 1 trends NNW parallel to the general geological fabric as well as being intersected by several WNW trending cross structures.
    • Target 2 is located 4km east of the Wonder Deeps mine of Northern Star and is adjacent to a parallel WNW trending structure hosting Vault Minerals Great Western mine.
    • Target 2 is 1.4km in strike and 800m wide.
    • No historic drilling has been recorded at any of the target areas, highlighting the underexplored nature of the Music Well project.
  • Next Steps
    • Geological mapping and sampling over these new targets are scheduled for the next two weeks to gain further insight into the new targets.
    • Results from the January rock chip sampling program are expected shortly.

Andrew Ford, GM Exploration

“The work by SensOre has focussed our attention from areas of outcrop, toward regional targets which are obscured in many cases by thin cover and sheetwash. By applying groundbreaking technologies such as artificial intelligence has enabled the rapid prioritization of multiple targets. The definition of targets reflecting a specific geophysical and geochemical response which also focuses on key mineralised structural trends provides encouragement as to the robust nature of the targeting process”.

Background:

Augustus Minerals Limited( ASX: AUG) holds the exploration licenses and applications comprising the Music Well Gold Project (“Project”) located 35km north of Leonora in the Leonora/Laverton Greenstone Belt of Western Australia.

Music Well comprises ten exploration licences covering an area of 1,345km2, making the Project one of the largest exploration packages in the region (Figures 1 and 2).

The outstanding gold endowment of the Leonora-Laverton District of >28M ounces3 is illustrated by the numerous operating gold mines including the Darlot Gold Mine (~12km to the north), the King of the Hills Mine (~20km to the west), the Leonora Gold Camp (~30km to the southwest), and the Thunderbox Gold Mine (~20km to the west).

AI Enhanced Gold Exploration

The Company commenced a gold targeting exercise with SensOre_X Pty Ltd (SensOre) in November 2024, using their Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) technologies to allow predictive analytics to generate targets for discovery of gold systems at the Music Well project.

SensOre is an industry leading technology services provider of AI/ML applications to the minerals exploration and mining industry. SensOre’s technologies have been developed over many years and involve the application of new computer assisted statistical approaches and ML techniques across the mineral cycle to provide the next generation of exploration discoveries. SensOre aims to become the top global minerals targeting company through deployment of big data, AI/ML technologies and geoscience expertise.

The Company committed to this new technological approach to gold exploration at Music Well to reinforce the existing generative exploration undertaken by the Company and deliver new “out of the box” targets for gold mineralisation over the project area, which has minimal historic exploration and limited outcrop.

In addition, the Company has inherited a large and impressive database of geological, geochemical, and geophysical information since acquiring Music Well Gold Mines Pty Ltd in late 2024. Having a variety of good quality datasets is considered a key attribute for the application of the AI/ML technology to accelerate the discovery process. The data layers used in the AI/ML processing include results from 2,478 Ultra fine fraction soil samples, 18,042 soil samples and 155 rock chip samples, in addition to detailed aeromagnetic and gravity data.

The Music Well project is contained within an area of influence (AOI) where a “data cube” was constructed covering the four 100k scale regional map sheets containing 80m x 80m cells. This data cube contains 1,440,000 cells x 1,618 variables where the AI/ML technology was applied.

The application of the machine learning approach applied by SensOre to the database of geochemical, geological and geophysical information compiled over the Company’s AOI has demonstrated the highly gold prospective nature of the Music Well project. Application of the machine learning algorithms modelled the probability of gold systems within the AOI and more specifically the Music Well project. This required 107 variables for discrimination that were applied to the 80m by 80m cells within the AOI.

Click here for the full ASX Release



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A deadly mine collapse in Western Mali’s Kayes region has left at least 40 people dead.

The BBC reported that the accident occurred on Saturday (February 15) near the towns of Kéniéba and Dabia, areas known for their rich gold deposits, but also notorious for informal, unregulated mining.

This disaster marks the second fatal mining accident in the country in just three weeks.

The victims were reportedly scavenging in open-pit mines left by industrial miners when the ground caved in. These informal miners, driven by economic hardship, often seek remnants of gold in unstable abandoned mine shafts.

Rescue teams have retrieved many of the bodies, though reports from local authorities continued to vary as of the time of this writing on Monday (February 17), with some sources reporting as many as 48 deaths.

The tragic incident comes as Mali struggles to manage its mining industry and regulate informal operations.

Despite being one of Africa’s largest gold producers, the country is facing significant safety challenges due to inadequate oversight and unsafe mining practices — the result of poverty in local communities. Just weeks ago, at least 10 people were killed in a separate mining disaster when a tunnel flooded in the central region of Mali.

At the same time, the country’s formal mining industry is grappling with changing government regulations.

Mali’s military-led government is currently in a dispute with Barrick Gold (TSX:ABX,NYSE:GOLD), one of the country’s largest foreign investors. In January, Barrick’s Loulo-Gounkoto mine was placed under a temporary suspension after the Malian government blocked gold shipments and seized 3 metric tons of gold worth approximately US$245 million.

The Malian government is seeking to increase its share of revenue from foreign mining operations, a stance that has drawn criticism from companies like Barrick and has led to tensions between the Canadian firm and the government.

Barrick has stated that it will resume operations at Loulo-Gounkoto once the shipment ban is lifted, but the political environment in Mali continues to create uncertainty for foreign investors.

Barrick’s CEO, Mark Bristow, has been outspoken about how the dispute is affecting the company’s operations, noting that Barrick has paid substantial taxes to the government in recent years, including US$460 million in 2024 alone.

The collapse in Kayes, which occurred at an abandoned site once operated by a Chinese company, also brings attention to the role of foreign investors in Mali’s mining sector.

China has been a major player in developing Mali’s resources, particularly gold, and companies from the country have faced criticism for their environmental practices and labor conditions.

While Chinese investments have improved infrastructure, including roads and transportation, concerns over environmental impact and the level of oversight remain.

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

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(TheNewswire)

TORONTO, ON TheNewswire – FEBRUARY 18, 2025 Silver Crown Royalties Inc. ( ‘Silver Crown’ ‘SCRi’ the ‘Corporation’ or the ‘Company’ ) is pleased to provide an update on its non-brokered offering (the ‘ Offering ‘) of units (‘ Units ‘) for gross proceeds of up to C$3,000,000 that was previously announced on February 6, 2025.

The Company is amending the terms of the Offering so that each Unit will be priced at C$6.50 ( ‘New Offering’ ) and will now issue up to 461,538 Units for gross proceeds of C$3,000,000. Each New Unit will consist of one common share (‘ Common Share ‘) and one common share purchase warrant (‘ Warrant ‘). Each Warrant will be exercisable to acquire one (1) additional New Common Share at an exercise price of C$13.00 for a period of three years from the date of the closing of the New Offering (the ‘ Expiry Date ‘).

Proceeds of the New Offering will be used to fund the second tranche of its silver royalty acquisition on the Igor 4 project in Peru as well as a general and administrative expenses of SCRi. All securities issued pursuant to the New Offering are subject to a statutory hold period of four months plus one day from the date of issuance, in accordance with applicable securities legislation. Closing of the New Offering will be subject to customary conditions precedent, including the prior approval of Cboe Canada Inc.

Peter Bures, Silver Crown’s Chief Executive Officer commented, ‘As we continue our outreach during the course of the financing, we have received a substantial level of interest at these revised terms. We continue to build the book and expect it to be fully subscribed in a timely manner. The additional funds will allow us to close the second tranche of the PPX royalty transaction and bulk up our balance sheet for additional smaller transactions.’

ABOUT Silver Crown Royalties INC.

Founded by industry veterans, SCRi is a publicly traded, silver royalty company. SCRi currently has four silver royalties of which three are revenue-generating. Its business model presents investors with precious metals exposure allowing for a natural hedge against currency devaluation while minimizing the negative impact of cost inflation associated with production. SCRi endeavors to minimize the economic impact on mining projects while maximizing returns for shareholders.

For further information, please contact:

Silver Crown Royalties Inc.

Peter Bures

Chairman and CEO

Telephone: (416) 481-1744

Email: pbures@silvercrownroyalties.com

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This release contains certain ‘forward looking statements’ and certain ‘forward-looking information’ as defined under applicable Canadian and U.S. securities laws. Forward-looking statements and information can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as ‘may’, ‘will’, ‘should’, ‘expect’, ‘intend’, ‘estimate’, ‘anticipate’, ‘believe’, ‘continue’, ‘plans’ or similar terminology. The forward-looking information contained herein is provided for the purpose of assisting readers in understanding management’s current expectations and plans relating to the future. Readers are cautioned that such information may not be appropriate for other purposes. Forward-looking statements and information include but are not limited to: proceeds of the Offering will be used to fund the Second Tranche as well as a general and administrative expenses of SCRi; all securities issued pursuant to the Offering are subject to a statutory hold period of four months plus one day from the date of issuance, in accordance with applicable securities legislation; closing of the Offering will be subject to customary conditions precedent, including the prior approval of Cboe; ‘We continue to build the book and expect it to be fully subscribed in a timely manner. The additional funds will allow us to close the second tranche of the PPX royalty transaction and bulk up our balance sheet for additional smaller transactions.’ Forward-looking statements and information are based on forecasts of future results, estimates of amounts not yet determinable and assumptions that, while believed by management to be reasonable, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual actions, events or results to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to: the impact of general business and economic conditions; the absence of control over mining operations from which SCRi will purchase gold and other metals or from which it will receive royalty payments and risks related to those mining operations, including risks related to international operations, government and environmental regulation, delays in mine construction and operations, actual results of mining and current exploration activities, conclusions of economic evaluations and changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; accidents, equipment breakdowns, title matters, labor disputes or other unanticipated difficulties or interruptions in operations; SCRi’s ability to enter into definitive agreements and close proposed royalty transactions; the inherent uncertainties related to the valuations ascribed by SCRi to its royalty interests; problems inherent to the marketability of gold and other metals; the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses; industry conditions, including fluctuations in the price of the primary commodities mined at such operations, fluctuations in foreign exchange rates and fluctuations in interest rates; government entities interpreting existing tax legislation or enacting new tax legislation in a way which adversely affects SCRi; stock market volatility; regulatory restrictions; liability, competition, the potential impact of epidemics, pandemics or other public health crises on SCRi’s business, operations and financial condition, loss of key employees. SCRi has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers are advised not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. SCRi undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information except as required by applicable law. Such forward-looking information represents management’s best judgment based on information currently available.

This document does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, securities of the Company in Canada, the United States or any other jurisdiction. Any such offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy the securities described herein will be made only pursuant to subscription documentation between the Company and prospective purchasers. Any such offering will be made in reliance upon exemptions from the prospectus and registration requirements under applicable securities laws, pursuant to a subscription agreement to be entered into by the Company and prospective investors. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

CBOE CANADA DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS NEWS RELEASE.

Copyright (c) 2025 TheNewswire – All rights reserved.

News Provided by TheNewsWire via QuoteMedia

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A Delta Air Lines commuter plane arriving from Minneapolis has crashed at Canada’s Toronto Pearson Airport, according to the Federal Aviation Administration, with images of the incident showing the aircraft flipped upside down.

“Emergency teams are responding. All passengers and crew are accounted for,” the airport said in a statement on X.

All 80 people aboard Delta flight 4819 have been evacuated, the FAA said.

“Delta Air Lines Flight 4819, operated by Endeavor Air, crashed while landing at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Canada around 2:45 p.m. local time,” the statement said, noting the airplane had departed from Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport.

Airport staff told CTV News that all arrivals and departures at Pearson were shut down. According to the FAA’s NOTAM notice system, all runways at the airport are closed.

Endeavor Air is a wholly owned subsidiary and regional airline for Delta.

The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA also said it is responding to the incident, which it said involved AFA crew who were working the flight.

The crash comes less than three weeks after an American Airlines plane collided midair with a US Army Black Hawk helicopter while on approach to Washington DC’s Reagan National Airport. It also comes on the heels of deadly Jeju Air and Azerbaijan Airlines accidents in December.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

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Kensington Palace shared four portraits drawn by Catherine, Princess of Wales, and her three children – George, Charlotte and Louis – in a social media post on Monday.

The drawings were posted to X with the caption, “Drawing portraits with children can provide a moment of connection as you spend time looking at and focusing on one another, as well as being creative and – most importantly – having lots of fun together!”

A social media post accompanying the portraits listed the creators of the artwork as “Prince Louis, Princess Charlotte, Prince George and The Princess of Wales.”

Kensington Palace released the pictures after Princess Catherine inaugurated a new exhibit at London’s National Portrait Gallery earlier this month. The exhibit, dubbed the “Bobeam Tree Trail,” encourages children to draw self-portraits while visiting the museum.

“When children engage in enjoyable activities with friends, family, and other caring adults, it not only allows them to have fun in the moment but can also help them to develop their social and emotional skills for the future,” the Palace’s statement said.

The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood said that visiting kids can enjoy the exhibit while “listening to audio recordings, using props, exploring facial expressions and finally, by thinking about their own lives, feelings and thoughts while creating a self-portrait.”

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Saudi Arabia will host top American and Russian officials on Tuesday for a high-stakes rapprochement meeting – a role that underlines the kingdom’s aspirations to become a global actor capable of successfully mediating international conflicts. Another likely aim: added leverage for Riyadh in future talks on the fate of postwar Gaza.

The location for these talks – described by Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov as one that “generally suits” the United States and Russia – is widely considered a win for the kingdom’s 39-year-old de facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. He’s on a mission to transform his oil-rich country and its fundamentalist Islamist past, into a nation that can cultivate soft power from immense wealth.

“I don’t think there’s another place where the leader has such a good personal relationship with both Trump and Putin,” Saudi commentator Ali Shihabi said, adding that for “Saudi Arabia, (the event is) prestigious and enhances the Saudi soft power regionally and globally.”

It’s all part of a wider shift. In recent years, Saudi Arabia has realigned its policies towards neutrality in global conflicts with the hope of attracting billions of investments that could help achieve “Vision 2030” – the crown prince’s plan to diversify the Saudi economy away from oil. Prince bin Salman has significantly pulled back from Yemen after years of war with neighboring Houthis, he is mending ties with regional rival Iran and has maintained close relationships with China and Russia – all while preserving the close Saudi relationship with the West.

Ties with both Putin and Trump

In addition to hosting international boxing bouts and electronic music festivals, Saudi Arabia has sought to project an image of being a global peacekeeper, hosting aid donor meetings and peace conferences. In August 2023, it hosted a two-day peace summit on Ukraine with representatives from more than 40 countries (albeit without Russia), and in February of the same year, pledged $400 million in aid to Ukraine.

Prince bin Salman’s ascension as a powerbroker in the talks stem from his close relationship with US President Donald Trump, who supported the young royal when he was internationally shunned following the killing of columnist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents.

In 2017, Trump broke with tradition by choosing Saudi Arabia for his first international presidential visit. Even after he lost the 2020 election, Saudi Arabia continued close business ties with Trump, investing $2 billion in a firm chaired by his son-in-law Jared Kushner and announcing plans to build Trump towers in the kingdom.

The crown prince also has warm ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who refused to isolate the prince after the Khashoggi murder. Prince bin Salman resisted Western pressure to alienate Moscow after Ukraine’s invasion and continued coordinating closely with Putin to control global oil supply, even siding with Russia by rebuffing calls from the Biden administration to ramp up oil production in 2022. Putin visited the kingdom in 2023 and has courted Riyadh to join BRICS – a bloc of countries seeking to counter US economic influence.

The hedging of Saudi Arabia’s relations in an increasingly polarized world has proven beneficial, analysts say. Prince bin Salman was “instrumental” in the release of American teacher Mark Fogel from Russian custody last week, Trump’s envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff said. Saudi Arabia, along with its neighbor the United Arab Emirates, was also successful in mediating several prisoner exchanges between Ukraine and Russia.

On Monday, Witkoff joined US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for a meeting with Prince bin Salman in the Saudi capital Riyadh, just one day ahead of the scheduled talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Putin’s aide Yury Ushakov and Russia’s sovereign wealth fund chief Kirill Dmitriev.

Notably, Tuesday’s talks will not include Ukraine. However, President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is in the United Arab Emirates capital Abu Dhabi, said he will travel to Saudi Arabia later this week for separate talks with Saudi officials.

European leaders will be meanwhile meeting in Paris to discuss a coordinated response to the talks in Saudi Arabia, having been left out of direct participation – a signal from Washington that Europe’s security role may no longer be a priority for the United States.

An eye on Gaza

Longer term, Saudi Arabia may aim to use its role as a mediator in the meeting between Russia and the US to capitalize on a pressing regional matter – Trump’s controversial suggestion that the US take ownership of Gaza and permanently relocate its residents.

Earlier this month, Trump laid out a vision of bringing peace to the Middle East by redeveloping the war-torn Gaza strip with “Riviera”-style premium housing and permanently relocating its more than 2 million residents.

Arab countries swiftly rejected the idea. There will be a summit at the end of this week in Saudi Arabia where a counter proposal will be discussed before presenting it to Trump.

“By facilitating President Trump’s stated goal of ending the Ukraine war, Saudi Arabia is well-positioned to accumulate goodwill in Washington. The kingdom, which is scheduled to host a mini-Arab summit on Friday, could capitalize on its rising stock with the Trump administration to help bridge the gap between the US and Arab positions on the fate of Gaza,” said Hasan Alhasan, senior fellow for Middle East policy at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in Bahrain.

The next four years could see Prince bin Salman banking on his close relationship with Trump – but the prince may still find himself in tough spots trying to balance his regional interests amid aggressive demands from the transactional American president.

Trump would like to see Saudi-Israel relations normalized, but amid growing anger in the Middle East over Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, defending a path to Palestinian statehood is politically non-negotiable for Prince bin Salman.

“Achieving lasting and just peace is impossible without the Palestinian people obtaining their legitimate rights in accordance with international resolutions, as has been previously clarified to both the former and current U.S. administrations,” the kingdom said in a statement earlier this month in reaction to Trump’s Gaza plan.

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The Israeli military is keeping troops at five southern Lebanese posts despite a Tuesday withdrawal deadline and Hezbollah warnings that Israel is violating a ceasefire agreement.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will, for the time being, remain at the outposts in Lebanon “so we can continue to defend our residents and to make sure there’s no immediate threat,” Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, an IDF spokesperson, said on Monday. Israel’s military identified the handful of strategic locations in southern Lebanon overlooking northern Israeli communities.

Israel and Hezbollah ended a year-long war in November, in a ceasefire brokered in part by the United States. A deadline for Israel to withdraw, originally set for January, was extended to February 18 at Israel’s request.

Around 60,000 Israelis were forced from their homes in the north of the country after Hezbollah attacked Israel in solidarity with Hamas, in October 2023. Few of them have returned to border towns that have been devastated by rocket fire. A year-long, low-level conflict culminated last fall with an Israeli invasion and bombing campaign that saw more than a million Lebanese civilians displaced from their homes.

“Based on the current situation, we will leave small amounts of troops deployed temporarily in five strategic points along the border,” Shoshani said. “We are committed to the agreement of the ceasefire. We think it’s a good process.” He declined to say whether Lebanon’s government had agreed to the extension, saying only that the Israeli government had spoken with the ceasefire’s mediators, led by the US.

Publicly, Lebanese leaders have been scathing. Nabih Berri, the speaker of Lebanon’s parliament, said in a Thursday statement that the US had informed him of Israel’s plan, which he rejected on Lebanon’s behalf.

“I refused to talk about any deadline to extend the withdrawal period,” he said, according to Lebanon’s official news agency NNA. “And it is the responsibility of the Americans to impose the withdrawal.” He added that if Israel remains in those locations, it “means that the Israelis will practice freedom of movement and aggression in Lebanon, and this is unacceptable.”

Israel has accused the Lebanese government of failing to uphold its side of the ceasefire agreement, by failing to adequately deploy south of the Litani River – an area from which both Israel and Hezbollah are supposed to withdraw.

The IDF has, on occasion, continued to bomb Hezbollah targets during the ceasefire, accusing the Iran-backed militant group of using military sites in violation of the November agreement. It has also continued, on a near-daily basis, to destroy buildings in southern Lebanon in an effort, the military says, to destroy Hezbollah infrastructure. The efforts have left many of southern Lebanon’s towns in ruins.

The US military, which along with the United Nations and France runs a body to administer the ceasefire and discuss disputes, has been vague – stopping short of confirming that Israel would uphold its withdrawal commitment. In a statement on Friday, Maj. Gen. Jasper Jeffers said that the Lebanese Armed Forces “will control all population centers in the Southern Litani Area before next Tuesday.”

Jeffers has in recent weeks praised the Lebanese military, saying that their “checkpoints and patrols operate effectively,” and that it was providing for stability and security.

Naim Qassem, who assumed the post of Hezbollah secretary-general after Israel assassinated his predecessor, Hassan Nasrallah, in a massive bomb attack last September, said that there were “no excuses” for Israel’s failure to withdraw.

“This is the agreement,” he said in an address on Sunday. “The Lebanese state must take a firm stance and say no – because if Israel remains in any occupied area after that date, it will be in violation of the agreement.”

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Thursday that his country put together a proposal for United Nations peacekeepers to replace Israeli forces at key points in Lebanon, Reuters reported. This was meant to ensure that Israeli troops leave Lebanon by the February 18 deadline.

Eugenia Yosef, Nadeen Ebrahim and Pauline Lockwood contributed to this report.

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Meghan, Duchess of Sussex has relaunched her lifestyle brand, naming it As Ever and unveiling a new website featuring what appears to be a rare photo of her daughter, Lilibet.

The former “Suits” star announced the news in a post on Instagram Monday.

“I’m shocked we’ve kept this a secret for so long. In two weeks my show is coming out, which I’m so excited for. And also my business, which I think there’s been a lot of curiosity about,” she said in a video on the social platform.

“Last year, I had thought, ‘American Riviera, that sounds like such a great name.’ It’s my neighborhood, it’s a nickname for Santa Barbara, but it limited me to things that were just manufactured and grown in this area.”

She said she’d secured the new business name in 2022 and had been waiting to share the news publicly.

“It’s called As Ever. As Ever essentially means as it’s always been and if you followed me since 2014 with The Tig, you know I’ve always loved cooking and crafting and gardening. This is what I do and I haven’t been able to share it with you in the same way for the past few years. But now I can,” she added.

The Duchess of Sussex unveiled the first product from American Riviera Orchard in April 2024, sending jars of strawberry jam to influencers and friends.

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    Yet information on the brand has remained limited since, with a sparse website and an Instagram account featuring just nine posts that together form a large version of its logo.

    Meghan assured followers on Monday that there will continue to be fruit preserves as part of As Ever, saying, “I think we’re all clear at this point that jam is my jam.”

    The As Ever news comes two weeks before the launch of “With Love, Meghan,” the Netflix lifestyle series produced by and starring the duchess.

    A sun-soaked tribute to breezy Southern California living, the series was scheduled to launch on January 15. However, it was delayed until March 4 due to the deadly wildfires that devastated the region early this year.

    Her new series is produced, in part, by Archewell Productions, her company with Prince Harry.

    Netflix has worked with the couple on other nonfiction series, including “Harry & Meghan,” which peeled back the curtain on their relationship with the royal family and their move to the United States after they stepped down from their royal duties.

    The duchess also revealed in her post on Monday that Netflix had become a partner in her business.

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