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 Kobo Resources Inc. (TSX.V: KRI):

 

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250707763650/en/  

 

 

2024 Kobo Cup Winner, Kossou

 

 

  Kobo Cup  

 

The Kobo Cup was created as a way to launch Kobo Resources’ community engagement efforts in a way that felt local and genuinely rooted in the lives of the people we work alongside. In Côte d’Ivoire, as across much of Africa, football is more than a sport. It’s a shared language, a daily ritual, and a powerful force that brings people together across generations.

 

Despite its modest scale, the Kobo Cup 2024 sparked something powerful. It proved that football could be more than a game; it could be a platform for community connection, for showcasing local identity and for inspiring youth. It showed us what’s possible when we invest in more than just infrastructure, we invest in culture.

 

That initial match planted the seed for a bigger vision: to make the Kobo Cup an annual, community-rooted tournament that grows in both reach and impact each year. That’s why, for the second edition of the Kobo Cup, Kobo Resources has stepped it up, transforming the single match into a dynamic multi-team tournament featuring the villages of Kossou, Bocabo, and Angossé, all located in the vicinity of Kobo’s flagship property The Kossou Gold Project for the 2025 edition, scheduled for late November. This expansion reflects our ongoing commitment to community engagement and inclusion, ensuring more youth, more talent, and more villages get to take part in the celebration.

 

For 2025, we introduced a village jersey design workshop, allowing young people who may never play on the field to still be part of the tournament in a powerful way.

 

  The Workshop  

 

On Monday June 16 th , 2025 at the Kobo Camp situated on the Kossou License, creativity took center stage. A handful of young people from Kossou, Bocabo, and Angossé gathered for an inspiring art workshop, hosted by Kobo Resources in partnership with African Boyz Club, to design the official jerseys their villages will proudly wear at Kobo Cup 2025.

 

This workshop marked more than a moment of artistic expression. It was the beginning of something bigger: a celebration of identity, talent, and the belief that everyone, on and off the field, has a role to play in the story of their community.

 

The session began with freehand sketching. Pens, pencils, and blank pages quickly filled with bold symbols, vibrant colors, and personal visions, each design inspired by the history, culture, and energy of the youth’s own communities.

 

The workshop was led by two Ivorian artists from African Boyz Club, who brought not only artistic expertise but a deep understanding of how art can empower. They guided the youth through a process that was both creative and intentional, encouraging them to think of their designs as visual representations of village pride, unity, and voice.

 

Each village’s final jersey design was converted into a professional tech pack by Kobo’s design team. These original creations will be produced and unveiled for the upcoming Kobo Cup tournament, bringing authenticity, pride, and ownership to the pitch like never before.

 

  More Than a Match  

 

At Kobo Resources, our commitment to community runs deeper than development. This initiative reflects our belief in youth empowerment, cultural expression, and meaningful local engagement. It’s part of our broader Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) vision, one that celebrates not just what we do, but how and with whom we do it.

 

This entire journey, from creative expression in June to athletic excellence later this year, is enhanced by incredible local partnerships:

 

  •   African Boyz Club , a company based in Abidjan, is leading the way in the youth workshop, offering creative guidance and mentorship as the children design jerseys and create transfer art rooted in their local experiences.
  •  

  •   Coast 2 Coast Entertainment is playing a key role in the tournament itself, by providing high-quality football equipment to every player across all participating teams. This ensures that when it’s time to step on the pitch, every player is equally equipped and ready to play, no matter where they come from.
  •  

Together, these partners help Kobo Resources ensure that both the workshop and the tournament reflect our shared values: inclusion, fairness, and celebration of local talent.

 

Both partners, led by Ivorian men deeply connected to their communities, embody the spirit of the Kobo Cup: grassroots empowerment, local talent, and sustainable contribution. Through art they’re helping transform the Kobo Cup into a space where creativity, culture, and sport intersect.

 

  Kobo is proud to sponsor the Kobo Cup for its second year and even more so with local partners such as African Boyz Club and Coast 2 Coast Entertainment. Our commitment to maintaining strong community relations is being reflected through the organization of such sporting events which in turn help infuse a sense of hope that anything is possible in this world through selfless engagement. – Edward Gosselin, CEO, Kobo Resources.   

 

  Football became a tool for social transformation, a universal language that unites, inspires, and opens real pathways for youth in Côte d’Ivoire. We’re proud to support young players by making sure every player steps onto the field equipped, equal, and inspired. – Cheikh-Louis Tall, CEO, Coast 2 Coast   

 

  To us like sport, art is a highway to a better tomorrow by winning self- confidence and developing curiosity. Through our involvement in the Kobo Cup, we’re proud to guide young people as they turn their ideas into symbols of village pride, unity, and expression. – Fred Gnaoré, Founder, African Boyz Club   

 

At Kobo Resources, community integration is more than a commitment, it’s a cornerstone of how we work. Through initiatives like this workshop, we aim to create opportunities that go beyond the project and stay rooted in the lives of those around us.

 

As the countdown to Kobo Cup 2025 begins, the energy is already building. And when the players step onto the field, they’ll wear more than a jersey, they’ll wear a story, designed by the youth, for the village, and for the future.

 

About Kobo Resources Inc. 

 

 Kobo Resources is a growth-focused gold exploration company with a compelling new gold discovery in Côte d’Ivoire, one of West Africa’s most prolific and developing gold districts, hosting several multi-million-ounce gold mines. The Company’s 100%-owned Kossou Gold Project is located approximately 20 km northwest of the capital city of Yamoussoukro and is directly adjacent to one of the region’s largest gold mines with established processing facilities.

 

For more information, please visit www.koboresources.com .

 

  

 

  View source version on businesswire.com:    https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250707763650/en/   

 

 

For further information:

 

Edward Gosselin
Chief Executive Officer and Director
1-418-609-3587
ir@kobores.com  

 

Twitter: @KoboResources | LinkedIn: Kobo Resources Inc. 

 

News Provided by Business Wire via QuoteMedia

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Here’s a quick recap of the crypto landscape for Monday (July 7) as of 9:00 am 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) is priced at US$108,960, trading flat in the last 24 hours. The day’s range for the cryptocurrency brought a low of US$108,077 and a high of US$109,574.

Bitcoin price performance, July 7, 2025.

Chart via TradingView

Ethereum (ETH) is priced at US$2,581.84, up by 1.8 percent over the past 24 hours. Its lowest valuation as of Monday was US$2,513.50 and its highest was US$2,598.09.

Altcoin price update

  • Solana (SOL) was priced at US$152.49, up by three percent over 24 hours. Its highest valuation as of Monday was US$153.27, and its lowest was US$148.10.
  • XRP was trading for US$2.27, trading flat in the past 24 hours. The cryptocurrency’s lowest valuation was US$2.25 and its highest was US$2.29.
  • Sui (SUI) is trading at US$2.91, trading flat over the past 24 hours. Its lowest valuation was US$2.88 and its highest was US$2.96.
  • Cardano (ADA) is priced at US$0.5877, up by 1.2 percent in the last 24 hours. Its lowest valuation as of Monday was US$0.5776 and its highest was US$0.5922.

Today’s crypto news to know

SEC’s crypto ETF guidance signals mainstream shift

The US Securities and Exchange Commission took a major step toward regulating crypto exchange-traded products with its first formal guidance on crypto ETP disclosures, according to a Reuters analysis.

Issued last week, the 12-page document clarifies how issuers should describe risks and custody arrangements in “plain English,” which could speed up approval of dozens of new crypto ETFs tied to Solana, XRP, and even Trump’s meme coin.

The SEC is also developing a more standardized listing rule to replace the case-by-case exemptions that currently delay launches. That change could shrink approval timelines from 240 days to as little as 75.

Insiders expect the next round of SEC guidance, potentially out by autumn, to fully reshape how crypto funds come to market.

Musk’s America Party goes all-in on Bitcoin, calls fiat ‘hopeless’

Elon Musk confirmed that his newly formed America Party will officially embrace Bitcoin after declaring that “fiat is hopeless” in a post on X.

The move follows Musk’s earlier hints at increasing his own Bitcoin exposure and praising Bitcoin as a hedge against traditional currency.

Musk previously supported Donald Trump’s reelection campaign and even headed the Department of Government Efficiency before splitting with Trump over his budget bill, leading to the creation of the America Party.

The shift could inject more digital asset discussions into US politics as Musk tries to build a third-party movement.

Despite hype from Dogecoin supporters, no plans for DOGE adoption were announced.

Metaplanet boosts Bitcoin stash past 15,500 BTC in aggressive buying spree

Japan’s Metaplanet disclosed this week that it purchased another 2,205 BTC at an average price of 15.64 million yen per coin, spending around US$213 million.

This purchase brings the firm’s total bitcoin holdings to 15,555 BTC, making Metaplanet one of the world’s largest corporate holders of the asset.

The company tracks a proprietary metric called BTC Yield, measuring the effect of share dilution on per-share bitcoin value.

For the second quarter, Metaplanet reported a BTC Yield of 95.6 percent, down from 309.8 percent the previous quarter, but still strong enough to highlight aggressive growth.

Metaplanet’s total BTC investment now tops US$1.38 billion.

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.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

 

 

Trading resumes in:

 

Company: Stallion Uranium Corp.

 

TSX-Venture Symbol: STUD

 

All Issues: Yes

 

Resumption (ET): 9:30 AM  

 

CIRO can make a decision to impose a temporary suspension (halt) of trading in a security of a publicly-listed company. Trading halts are implemented to ensure a fair and orderly market. CIRO is the national self-regulatory organization which oversees all investment dealers and trading activity on debt and equity marketplaces in Canada .

 

SOURCE Canadian Investment Regulatory Organization (CIRO) – Halts/Resumptions

 

 

 

  View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/July2025/07/c5804.html  

 

 

 

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Questcorp Mining Inc. (CSE: QQQ) (OTCQB: QQCMF) (FSE: D910) (the ‘Company’ or ‘Questcorp’) is pleased to update shareholders on the on-going surface exploration in preparation for drilling at the La Union Gold-Silver Project in Sonora, Mexico. Questcorp has an Option earn a 100% interest from Riverside Resources Inc. in the 2,520 ha (25 km sq) property by making a series of cash payments and share issuance and completing a series of exploration expenditures.

Questcorp President & CEO, Saf Dhillon, stated: ‘We are pleased with the progress Riverside has made as we complete the preliminary exploration steps, in finalizing our drill targets for the upcoming maiden drill program at La Union. The decades of in country exploration experience that John-Mark and his Riverside team diligently bring to focus at the La Union project is very evident as they continue to further de-risk the up-coming 1,500 metre drill program.’

Figure 1: Cross section IP with interpreted structures and targets from Union new Induced Polarity geophysics survey.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/10197/257897_4d60e7d2c4556af9_001full.jpg

La Union operator Riverside Resources has successfully completed two IP lines over the La Union and La Union Norte mines respectively, highlighting chargeability and resistivity features at depth which will guide the placement of the first ever drill holes on the property, as well as correlating with mapped mineralized zones and former workings.

A drone magnetic survey was flown over the property to provide structural context, follow up potential intrusive feeders and provide information about potential faults beneath the pediments and post-mineral young cover units.

Ongoing surface geochemistry and mapping continues to strengthen the targeting pipeline, particularly across exposed gold-rich manto zones and along the margins of shallow post-mineral gravel pediment cover. These efforts are focused on delineating the transition zones from covered to exposed mineralization and establishing structural controls that may influence ore continuity at depth.

The La Union Project

The La Union Project is a carbonate replacement deposit (‘CRD’) project hosted by Neoproterozoic sedimentary rocks (limestones, dolomites, and siliciclastic sediments) overlying crystalline Paleoproterozoic rocks of the Caborca Terrane. The structural setting features high-angle normal faults and low-to-medium-angle thrust faults that sometimes served as mineralization conduits. Mineralization occurs as polymetallic veins, replacement zones (mantos, chimneys), and shear zones with high-grade metal content, as shown in highlight grades of 59.4 grams per metric tonne (g/t) gold, 833 g/t silver, 11% zinc, 5.5% lead, 2.2% copper, along with significant hematite and manganese oxides, consistent with a CRD model (see the technical report entitled ‘NI 43-101 Technical Report on the Union Project, State of Sonora, Mexico’ dated effective May 6, 2025 available under Questcorp’s SEDAR+ profile). These targets also demonstrate intriguing potential for large gold discoveries potentially above an even larger porphyry Cu district potential as the Company’s target concept at this time.

Questcorp cautions investors grab samples are selective by nature and not necessarily indicative of similar mineralization on the property.

Riverside, the operator of the La Union Project, is currently lining up the various geophysical contractors to immediately undertake orientation surveys and follow up detailed survey to confirm and enhance the drill targets.

The technical and scientific information in this news release has been reviewed and approved by R. Tim Henneberry, P. Geo (BC), a director of the Company and a ‘qualified person’ under National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.

About Questcorp Mining Inc.

Questcorp Mining Inc. is engaged in the business of the acquisition and exploration of mineral properties in North America, with the objective of locating and developing economic precious and base metals properties of merit. The Company holds an option to acquire an undivided 100% interest in and to mineral claims totaling 1,168.09 hectares comprising the North Island Copper Property, on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, subject to a royalty obligation. The Company also holds an option to acquire an undivided 100% interest in and to mineral claims totaling 2,520.2 hectares comprising the La Union Project located in Sonora, Mexico, subject to a royalty obligation.

Contact Information

Questcorp Mining Corp.
Saf Dhillon, President & CEO
Email: saf@questcorpmining.ca
Telephone: (604) 484-3031

This news release includes certain ‘forward-looking statements’ under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to Riverside’s arrangements with geophysical contractors to undertake orientation surveys and follow up detailed survey to confirm and enhance the drill targets. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: the ability of Riverside to secure geophysical contractors to undertake orientation surveys and follow up detailed survey to confirm and enhance the drill targets as contemplated or at all, general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties, uncertain capital markets; and delay or failure to receive board or regulatory approvals. There can be no assurance that the geophysical surveys will be completed as contemplated or at all and 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 should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/257897

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Chinese chain Luckin Coffee opened its first two U.S. locations this week, betting that mobile-only ordering and creative flavors can lure customers away from Starbucks.

Both new Luckin stores are based in Manhattan, and at the midtown location on Wednesday, Sam Liu took a sip of her jasmine cold brew.

“I’ve never tried anything like it,” she said.

I thought I just order at the counter, but I realized everyone was standing around looking at their phone.

Luckin Customer Sam Liu, New York City

Liu said she’d hoped for more seating — the small shop has only three tables — and was initially confused by Luckin’s in-app ordering system, which means customers can’t order directly from a barista.

“I thought I just order at the counter, but I realized everyone was standing around looking at their phone,” Liu said.

Luckin is China’s largest coffee chain, with more than twice as many locations as Starbucks there. Its two New York City stores are its first foray outside Asia, where it has over 24,000 locations across the region. By comparison, there are over 17,000 Starbucks in the United States.

Its CEO, Guo Jinyi, called the U.S. “a strategically important market” for the company’s expansion in a press release heralding the two new locations Wednesday. “We are excited to introduce a diverse and unique coffee experience to American consumers.”

The company, which didn’t respond to a request for comment, has touted its ambitions to expand globally but hasn’t publicly detailed its next moves in the U.S. or other markets.

The chain has gained success overseas through creative drinks like alcohol-infused coffees and fruit lattes, along with its smartphone-centric ordering model. The app-based approach makes it easier to track inventory, send personalized appeals to consumers and serve drinks quickly, said John Zolidis, an analyst who tracks Luckin and Starbucks at the brokerage firm he founded, Quo Vadis Capital.

“Luckin was able to develop an incredible muscle with regard to product innovation, and they have been very creative in China,” he said.

Drink orders ready for pickup or delivery inside one of the Manhattan Luckin shops on Monday.Anthony Behar / Sipa USA via AP

Zolidis said how Luckin fares on Starbucks’ home turf will depend on its ability to differentiate its menu from other major U.S. coffee chains and smaller, independent cafes. Its American lineup already includes distinctive drinks like blood orange cold brew and coconut lattes.

“These orange drinks, or one of their most successful, a coconut cloud latte — that’s how you get trial [customers] from the U.S.,” Zolidis said.

Luckin faced financial troubles during the pandemic. It was delisted from Nasdaq in 2020 after its stock plunged following an internal investigation that found an executive had falsified revenue reports. The company filed for bankruptcy in the U.S. the following year but emerged from proceedings in 2022 and its sales have soared since, reaching $4.7 billion worldwide in fiscal year 2024, a 38.4% increase from 2023.

Luckin was able to develop an incredible muscle with regard to product innovation, and they have been very creative in China.

John Zolidis, Founder, Quo Vadis Capital

Starbucks, by contrast, is struggling in both the U.S. and China. Its same-store sales in the U.S. declined 2% and its sales in China 8% in fiscal year 2024, and it reported in April that its quarterly profit was half of what it pulled in for the same period last year. The Seattle-based chain is reportedly looking to partially sell its business in China while revamping its U.S. strategy to focus on customer experience and human connection, in contrast with Luckin’s model.

“We veered away from, I think, owning the idea of the ‘third place,’ the coffeehouse experience, making sure that the customer was front and center,” Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol told NBC News in June.

A Starbucks spokesperson declined to comment.

Zolidis said that whereas Starbucks aims in both the U.S. and China to appeal to customers looking for higher-end coffee served in an inviting setting, Luckin has successfully positioned itself as the “everyman’s coffee” in China, with low prices and small, grab-and-go storefronts.

After taking the train in from Hoboken, New Jersey, to check out the new one in midtown, Samantha Coy said the trip was worth it. She had enjoyed Luckin in China previously and was eager to order one of its fruit drinks.

“I’m surprised Starbucks hasn’t tried to bring that over to the U.S.,” Coy said. “I hope they stay open.”

Zolidis said he thinks Luckin is well-positioned to gain a foothold in America.

“They’ve been able to operate and grow incredibly quickly in the Chinese market, much faster than I would have thought possible, and they’ve been able to sustain it and develop a strong financial model so they can fund their expansion in the U.S.,” Zolidis said. “They wouldn’t be coming here to try it if they didn’t think they had a shot of owning part of the market.”

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

Prominent Democrats sent messages of doom and gloom rather than celebration on July 4, drawing ire from a multitude of critics. Many of the messages included warnings about supposed threats to the country emanating from the Trump administration.

‘This Fourth of July, I am taking a moment to reflect. Things are hard right now. They are probably going to get worse before they get better,’ former Vice President Kamala Harris wrote in a post on X that included a photo of her and former first gentleman Doug Emhoff at the White House. ‘But I love our country — and when you love something, you fight for it. Together, we will continue to fight for the ideals of our nation.’

Many social media users were quick to point out that Harris cropped former President Joe Biden and former first lady Jill Biden out of the photo. Others took one of Harris’ famous phrases to mock her, saying that the country was ‘unburdened by what has been.’

Harris’ old boss, former President Joe Biden, posted a more mild message, while also encouraging Americans to ‘fight to maintain’ democracy.

Meanwhile, former President Barack Obama also chimed in with a warning of his own, saying that ‘core democratic principles seem to be continuously under attack.’ He argued that the word ‘we’ is the ‘single most powerful word in our democracy,’ and used his first presidential campaign slogan as one of his examples.

‘Independence Day is a reminder that America is not the project of any one person. The single most powerful word in our democracy is the word ‘We.’ ‘We The People.’ ‘We Shall Overcome.’ ‘Yes We Can.’ America is owned by no one. It belongs to all citizens. And at this moment in history—when core democratic principles seem to be continuously under attack, when too many people around the world have become cynical and disengaged—now is precisely the time to ask ourselves tough questions about how we can build our democracies and make them work in meaningful and practical ways for ordinary people,’ Obama wrote.

Xi Van Fleet, a survivor of Mao’s Cultural Revolution, responded saying, ‘We the People are taking our country back from those like you who despise America and work tirelessly to dismantle everything it stands for.’

Sen. Bernie Sanders appeared to support the anti-Trump ‘No Kings’ movement in his July 4 post.

‘On July 4, 1776, Americans said: No to Kings, No to Despotism. On July 4, 2025, all across the country, Americans say again: No to Kings, No to Despotism,’ Sanders wrote.

In response, several social media users pointed out that, unlike a king, President Donald Trump was elected.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

Iran is preparing its next step in what one security expert warns remains its chief objective: developing a nuclear weapon.

‘Repair, reconstitute and rebuild is going to be the modus operandi of the Islamic Republic of Iran,’ Behnam Ben Taleblu, Senior Director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies’ Iran Program told Fox News Digital. ‘It just depends on how are they going to be doing it? While flirting with the international community? Are they going to go dark totally altogether?

‘All of this remains to be seen,’ he added.

Spokesman for the regime, Fatemeh Mohajerani, confirmed this week that the Fordow, Isfahan and Natanz nuclear sites had been ‘seriously damaged’ following the U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear program last month. 

Questions remain over the extent of damage that was incurred, as well as skepticism over whether Iran was able to move any enriched uranium or centrifuges away from the heavily guarded sites prior to the strikes. 

Though the Trump administration said on Wednesday that it had ‘obliterated’ the three facilities it struck, and has fervently rejected reports suggesting that Iranian officials may have been able to transfer some elements of the regime’s coveted nuclear program, Israeli officials confirmed this week that they are continuing to monitor the situation closely.

Experts in the U.S. and Israel have said they believe Iran is still assessing the extent of the damage from the ‘bunker busting’ bombs, and that the regime will look to recover and repair what it can — meaning it may be looking to buy time.

‘No doubt, the regime will still have a diplomatic strategy designed to rope-a-dope anybody, and to find as much time as possible for this government to do that,’ Ben Taleblu said.

The Iranian regime this week suggested it remained open to negotiations with the U.S. after President Donald Trump signaled that the talks could begin as soon as next week, though multiple Iranian officials said that that timeframe was overly ambitious. 

‘I don’t think negotiations will restart as quickly as that,’ Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a CBS News interview. ‘The doors of diplomacy will never slam shut.’ 

But the regime also took steps to further hinder the UN nuclear watchdog — which is tasked with tracking all nation’s nuclear programs — and suspended all interaction with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Wednesday. 

That same day, the State Department condemned the move, and spokesperson Tammy Bruce said it was ‘unacceptable that Iran chose to suspend cooperation with the IAEA at a time when it has a window of opportunity to reverse course and choose a path of peace and prosperity.’

Iran has limited IAEA access in the past and Ben Taleblu argued Tehran will likely look to do this again as it attempts to hold on to any bargaining chip it can.

‘The Islamic Republic of Iran’s next step, and likely most dangerous capability right now, is its diplomatic capability,’ the Iranian security expert argued. ‘This is the capability of the regime to either enter negotiations with a weak hand and leave with a strong hand, or try to prevent a military victory of its adversaries from becoming a political victory. 

‘If negotiations do take place between the U.S. and the Iranians, be they direct or indirect, the Iranians are going to be dangling IAEA access. This is already their most important weapon,’ he added. 

Ben Taleblu explained that using the IAEA as a bargaining chip not only enables Iran to play for time as it looks to re-establish its nuclear program, but to sow division in the U.S. by creating uncertainty. 

‘By diminishing the monitoring and by circumscribing and even cutting IAEA access to these facilities, the regime is trying to make America have to rely on intelligence alone,’ he said. ‘And as you see from the very politicized debates over the battle damage assessment, relying on intelligence alone without sources on the ground inspecting the sites, inspecting the facilities, documenting the fissile material, can lead to drastically different conclusions being taken by similar but not the same intelligence organizations or representatives.’

Ultimately, Iran is not going to give up on its nuclear ambitions, Ben Taleblu warned, noting that Tehran’s security apparatus completely changed during its war with Iraq in the 1980s. 

‘Everything that we face from the regime that is a security threat was started then — the ballistic missile program, the drone program, the maritime aggression, the transnational terrorist apparatus and the nuclear program all have their origins in the 1980s,’ he said.  ‘By resurrecting this nuclear program, the Islamic Republic was not engaging in a science fair experiment. 

‘The Islamic Republic was seeking an ultimate deterrent,’ Ben Taleblu continued. ‘It was seeking an ultimate deterrence because it had a vision for what the region and the world should look like, and it was willing to put foreign policy muscle and the resources of its state behind that vision.’

The expert on the Iranian regime warned that Iran’s 40-year ‘obsession’ with developing its nuclear program to achieve its geopolitical aims is not going to change because of U.S. military intervention. 

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

The stock markets had a dynamic start to the third quarter, pushing indices to new highs after earlier tariff concerns.

On Monday (June 30), markets generally saw strong gains, with the S&P 500 (INDEXSP:INX) and Nasdaq Composite (INDEXNASDAQ:.IXIC) reaching new record highs in the US while the S&P/TSX Composite Index (INDEXTSI:OSPTX) climbed higher after a last-minute policy reversal to rescind a planned digital services tax targeting US tech firms.

Tuesday (July 1), Canadian markets were closed for Canada Day. As for US markets, following two consecutive days of highs, the S&P and Nasdaq declined on Tuesday (July 1) after a renewed feud between Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) CEO Elon Musk and US President Donald Trump sent Tesla shares down by over 5 percent.

However, tech stocks boosted the performance of both Canadian and US markets on Wednesday (July 2) and Thursday (July 3) after export restrictions to China were lifted and the US labor market reported better-than-expected unemployment data.

US markets were closed on Friday (July 4) for a holiday, while Canadian markets ended the day slightly positive.

1. Meta announces AI restructure, continues talent acquisition

Last weekend, reports surfaced that Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) has hired four additional researchers from OpenAI, bringing the total number of high-profile AI talent poached from other tech labs to 13, according to a tweet from former Scale AI CEO Alexandr Wang, who was recently recruited as Meta’s Chief AI Officer.

Then, in an internal memo to employees on Monday, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveiled the company was restructuring its AI division under the name Meta Superintelligence Labs. According to the memo, which was reviewed by Bloomberg, the new division will be led by Wang and one of its commitments is ‘developing AI ‘superintelligence’ or systems that can complete tasks as well as or even better than humans.’

Meta has reportedly offered researchers contracts and signing bonuses worth up to US$100 million; however, Chief Technology Officer Andrew Bosworth has pushed back on those reports, claiming the figures are inflated.

Helen Toner, a former OpenAI board member and director of strategy at Georgetown’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology, told Bloomberg TV’s Haslinda Amin on Thursday that Meta’s bid to become an AI leader would be “difficult” considering its track record of internal dysfunction and questions around the return on its massive talent spending.

“Meta has started to get a reputation of having a little bit of a dysfunctional AI team, not really having its organizational structure set up in a way that really lets them succeed and innovate. And what I think we’re seeing here is CEO Mark Zuckerberg really stepping in and saying, well, we have to do something differently. We need a big new push, we need a big new effort,’ she said.

‘I think (Meta is) really trying to start something new, to pour enormous amounts of financial resources into that. So the question (to watch) is six months from now, 12 months from now, is that paying off for them?’

2. Apple considers third-party AI for Siri overhaul

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) is reportedly in active discussions with Anthropic and OpenAI to integrate their foundation models into an overhauled version of its voice assistant Siri, a significant pivot from the company’s in-house approach to AI. According to people familiar with the discussions who spoke to Bloomberg, Apple has asked both companies to train versions of their models that could be tested on Apple’s infrastructure, the publication reported Monday.

Apple announced plans to release a new version of its voice assistant at its Worldwide Developers Conference in 2024. The release was slated for 2026, but the company has run into multiple engineering snags and delays, and ultimately replaced John Giannandrea with Mike Rockwell as the new Siri chief executive.

Rockwell and software engineering head Craig Federighi launched an evaluation, instructing staff to assess Siri’s performance using third-party tech, including Anthropic’s Claude, OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Alphabet’s (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Gemini.

According to Bloomberg’s sources, the team found Anthropic’s technology most promising for Siri, leading Apple’s vice president of corporate development to open discussions with Anthropic.

Bloomberg’s sources maintain that the development of an in-house model is still active, and Apple hasn’t made a final decision on using third-party models.

Apple shares closed up 6.24 percent for the week.

Apple’s share price performance, June 30 to July 3, 2025.

3. Oracle and OpenAI ink massive computing deal

OpenAI will rent roughly 4.5 gigawatts of computing power from Oracle (NYSE:ORCL) as part of the Stargate Project, according to sources for Bloomberg. The news follows a US$30 billion single cloud deal announced on Monday with an unnamed customer.

The Stargate energy deal is reportedly a component of that larger contract.

Sources added that Oracle will develop multiple data centers in the US, considering sites in Texas, Michigan, Wisconsin and Wyoming, and that the company will expand its recently built center in Abilene, Texas, to accommodate about two gigawatts of power capacity.

This collaboration underscores the escalating demand for high-performance computing necessary to train and operate advanced AI models. OpenAI, a leader in AI research and development, requires immense computational resources to fuel its projects, including large language models and other sophisticated AI applications.

The Stargate initiative positions Oracle as a crucial enabler of this next generation of AI innovation, solidifying its role in the evolving cloud and AI ecosystem. The long-term implications of this partnership could see a significant shift in how AI companies acquire and manage their computational infrastructure, potentially paving the way for more dedicated and extensive cloud partnerships in the future.

Oracle’s share price performance, July 1 to July 3, 2025.

4. CoreWeave deploys first Nvidia GB300-powered AI server

CoreWeave (NASDAQ:CRWV) said it has received the first AI server system built around NVIDIA’s (NASDAQ:NVDA) ultra-powerful GB300 Grace Blackwell AI chip.

The server is deployed within Dell’s (NYSE:DELL) integrated rack-scale system — a turnkey AI infrastructure platform combining compute, networking and cooling — and features 72 of Nvidia’s GB200 chips.

CoreWeave said it will install the cutting-edge hardware in the US and roll out more servers over time. The company will offer the server as part of its AI cloud platform, allowing clients like OpenAI to train and deploy massive, next-generation AI models with faster speeds and greater efficiency.

In the announcement, CoreWeave claimed the NVIDIA GB300 NVL72 significantly boosts AI reasoning performance, offering a 10 times improvement in user responsiveness and five times better throughput per watt than the Hopper server. This translates to an increase of fifty times in reasoning model inference output, enabling faster, more complex AI models.

5. US lifts EDA software export restrictions to China

License requirements for design software sales in China were lifted this week as part of a trade deal between the US and China.

On July 2, the US Commerce Department told Synopsys (NASDAQ:SNPS), Cadence Design Systems (NASDAQ:CDNS) and Siemens (XETR:SIE), three of the world’s leading design software providers, that they would no longer need to seek government licenses to conduct business in China.

Official announcements from the companies confirmed they would be resuming business with Chinese counterparts, sending each of their stock prices up between 3 and 6 percent.

The US government restricted sales of electronic design automation (EDA) tools to China in late May as a response to China’s decision to limit shipments of essential rare earth minerals. Last week, the two countries reached a trade agreement that would re-allow shipments of EDA software after Beijing speeds up approvals of critical mineral exports to the US.

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

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Chinese President Xi Jinping will not attend this week’s BRICS Summit in Brazil, marking the first time the Chinese leader has missed the gathering of major emerging economies. The abrupt decision has triggered widespread speculation about internal political dynamics within China and the fraying cohesion of BRICS itself.

China’s official explanation — a ‘scheduling conflict’ and the fact that Xi already met with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva earlier this year, according to the South China Morning Post — has been met with skepticism. Premier Li Qiang will attend the summit in Xi’s place, continuing a recent trend of Xi scaling back his appearances on the global stage.

‘That doesn’t make sense,’ said Gordon Chang, an expert on U.S.-China relations. ‘There are many other countries at the BRICS summit, not just Brazil. To me, it’s extremely significant that Xi Jinping is not going. It suggests turbulence at home — there are signs he’s lost control of the military and that civilian rivals are reasserting power. This is a symptom of that.’

Bryan Burack of the Heritage Foundation agrees that Xi’s absence underscores deeper issues: ‘It’s another indication that BRICS is not going to be China’s vassalization of the Global South.’ He noted that countries like Brazil and Indonesia have recently imposed tariffs on China over industrial overcapacity and dumping, moves that suggest widening rifts within the group.

‘China is actively harming all those countries for the most part, maybe with some exceptions, through its malign trade policies and dumping and overcapacity.’

Tensions with India and global trade pressure may also be factors

Some analysts point to rising China-India friction as a contributing factor in Xi’s decision to skip the summit. 

‘China has been at war with India for decades, essentially,’ Burack said. ‘These are fundamentally opposing interests. It’s difficult to see China changing its behavior in the near term, and that will keep tensions high.’

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to take a leading role at the gathering, potentially another deterrent for Xi’s attendance.

Another key leader — Russian President Vladimir Putin — is only expected to address the group by video. 

BRICS: United in name, divided in decades-long tensions 

Formed by Brazil, Russia, India and China and later joined by South Africa, BRICS was envisioned as a non-Western counterweight to G7 dominance. It has expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the UAE and, most recently, Indonesia, strengthening its economic footprint.

Economist Christian Briggs highlighted BRICS’s massive scale: ‘BRICS now comprises 12 full members and up to 23 when counting partners. Collectively, they account for over 60% of the world’s GDP and around 75% of the global population. They control vast natural resources and a growing share of global trade flows.’

Yet despite its scale, the bloc remains ideologically and strategically fragmented. ‘It’s a group of countries that hate each other,’ Burack said bluntly. ‘China is harming many of them through unfair trade practices. There’s not a lot of incentive for real unity.’

Currency ambitions and strategic divergences

The alliance’s aspirations to challenge the U.S. dollar through alternative payment systems and a potential BRICS currency have gained media traction — but experts caution against overestimating this threat.

‘There’s been a lot of fearmongering about a BRICS currency,’ said Burack. ‘But the interests of these countries are completely divergent. There’s more smoke than fire when it comes to a currency challenge to the dollar.’

Chang echoed this skepticism: ‘The only country that can challenge the dollar is the United States. Weakness in the dollar is due to what we are doing domestically, not what the BRICS are doing.’

Still, Briggs offered a counterpoint, arguing that BRICS members are already reshaping global currency flows.

‘They’re moving away from the dollar into digital yuan, rupees, rubles. China has launched a SWIFT alternative already adopted by the Caribbean banking sector — trillions of dollars are shifting.’

Is BRICS still a threat to U.S. influence?

While its cohesion remains questionable, BRICS poses a long-term challenge to U.S. influence — particularly in regions where Washington has retreated diplomatically and economically.

‘China filled the void left by the U.S. in places like Africa,’ said Briggs. ‘Now it controls about 38% of the world’s minerals. Meanwhile, Russia’s economy has doubled despite sanctions, because they preemptively reduced reliance on the dollar.’

Yet Chang sees India as a brake on any aggressive anti-Western tilt. ‘BRICS has an ‘I’ in it—and that’s India. Modi doesn’t want to be part of an anti-Western bloc. As long as India’s in BRICS, the rest of the world is safe.’

A missed opportunity — or a calculated power move?

To some, Xi’s no-show signals instability in Beijing. To others, the opposite: it demonstrates confidence in China’s dominance over the other BRICS members.

‘He doesn’t have to be there,’ Briggs contended. ‘Xi’s power allows him to delegate. China is trading with nearly 80% of the world now. He’s moving the agenda forward even in absentia.’

What’s clear is that BRICS continues to evolve — its internal contradictions as visible as its geopolitical ambitions. Whether Xi’s absence marks a retreat or a recalibration remains one of the key questions hovering over the summit in Brazil.

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Syntheia Corp. (CSE – SYAI) (‘Syntheia’ or the ‘Company’) (Syntheia.ai), a leading provider of conversational AI solutions for inbound telephone call management, is pleased to announce that further to its press release on May 16, 2025, it has entered into a definitive agreement dated July 5, 2025 (the ‘Definitive Agreement’), to acquire certain assets from Call Center Guys Inc. (‘CCG Assets’), an arm’s length party (the ‘Transaction’). The Assets consist primarily of employees, customers and intellectual property of CCG.

Acquisitions Terms:

Subject to the fulfillment of certain closing conditions, the CCG Assets will be acquired for consideration from Syntheia as follows:

  • 20,000,000 common shares in the capital of the Company;
  • $8,000,000 cash to be financed through a debt financing on terms to be determined (the ‘Debt Financing‘) less the Canadian equivalent of USD$1,485,000 payable to a third party in connection with a further acquisition of assets pursuant to an asset acquisition agreement to be assigned to the Company prior to closing (the ‘Cash Payment‘); and

No finder fees will be paid in connection with the Transaction. The terms of the Debt Financing required to make the Cash Payment noted above will be provided in due course. It is expected that the closing of the Transaction will occur following completion of the Debt Financing.

All common shares of the Company to be issued in connection with the Transaction pursuant to the terms of the Definitive Agreement will be subject to a four-month and a day statutory hold period from the date of issuance.

‘This acquisition, upon completion will bring an immediate $10M+ in revenue with a projected $2.2M+ of EBITDA on annual basis. When we then combine with our Syntheia conversational AI platform, we expect savings and efficiencies resulting from deploying our technology of 30% while increasing the customer experience. Welcome to the power of AI’ commented Tony Di Benedetto CEO of Syntheia. ‘We look to continue this industry wide roll out across North America deploying our conversational AI platform in call center acquisitions where we can enhance revenue growth, realize savings, increase customer satisfaction, and create consistent accretive shareholder value. Stay tuned!’; said Tony Di Benedetto, Chief Executive Officer

About Syntheia

Syntheia is an artificial intelligence technology company which is developing and commercializing proprietary algorithms to deliver human-like conversations and deploying our technology to enhance customer satisfaction while dramatically reducing turnover and traditional staffing issues.

For further information, please contact:

Tony Di Benedetto
Chief Executive Officer
Tel: (844) 796-8434

Cautionary Statement

Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Market Regulator (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

This news release contains certain ‘forward-looking information’ within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as ‘plan’, ‘expect’, ‘project’, ‘intend’, ‘believe’, ‘anticipate’, ‘estimate’, ‘may’, ‘will’, ‘would’, ‘potential’, ‘proposed’ and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions ‘may’ or ‘will’ occur. These statements are only predictions. Forward-looking information is based on the opinions and estimates of management at the date the information is provided and is subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information. Forward-looking statements in this news release includes, but are not limited to, the synergies derived from the acquisition of the assets in the Transaction. Readers are cautioned that forward‐looking information is not based on historical facts but instead reflects the Company’s management’s expectations, estimates or projections concerning the business of the Company’s future results or events based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made.

Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward‐looking information are reasonable, such information involves risks and uncertainties, and undue reliance should not be placed on such information, as unknown or unpredictable factors could have material adverse effects on future results, performance or achievements. Please refer to the Company’s listing statement available on SEDAR+ for a list of risks and key factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward‐looking information. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward‐looking information prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected.

Although the Company has attempted to identify important risks, uncertainties and factors which could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be others that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking information if circumstances or management’s estimates or opinions should change unless required by law. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking information.

The securities of the Company have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirement. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/257850

News Provided by Newsfile via QuoteMedia

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