Brightstar Resources (BTR:AU) has announced High-grade assays incl 4m @ 26.7g/t Au in Sandstone drilling
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Aurum Resources (AUE:AU) has announced Boundiali Resource Grows to 3Moz – Indicated Up 49%
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Chibougamau Copper-Gold Project, Canada
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Cygnus sets up value drivers for 2026 with exploration and resource growth a high priority
- At Cedar Bay, Downhole Electromagnetics (‘DHEM’) is in progress to identify follow-up targets from recent intersections1 such as:
- 28.9m at 2.5g/t AuEq (1.0g/t Au, 1.0% Cu & 12.0g/t Ag) (CDR-25-16)
- 10.6m at 4.1g/t AuEq (3.6g/t Au, 0.3% Cu & 2.8g/t Ag) (CDR-25-11W1)
- This is the first time DHEM is being used at Cedar Bay in over 20 years
- Drilling has started at Golden Eye to test extensions below the current resource, which stands at 0.5Mt at 5.6g/t AuEq for 91koz AuEq (Indicated) and 1.2Mt at 4.6g/t AuEq for 182koz AuEq (Inferred)2
- At Joe Mann, a detailed Induced Polarisation (‘IP’) survey is underway to identify walk-up drill targets analogous to IAMGOLD’s Nelligan Complex deposits which contain 4.3Moz Au (M&I) and 7.5Moz Au (Inferred)3 located just 10km west of Joe Mann
- Permits are being submitted for the Gwillim prospect for drilling in the coming quarter; This will co-funded by 50% JV partner Alamos Gold, which has a market capitalisation of ~C$25B. Initial targets will follow up historic intersections4 of:
- 7.6m @ 38.1g/t Au from 314.9m (87-KOD-18);
- 15.2m @ 9.4g/t Au from 155.1m (87-KOD-1); and
- 16.4m @ 8.3g/t Au from 168.3m (87-KOD-10).
- Cygnus believes there is significant potential to continue growing the Chibougamau resource, which stands at 6.4Mt at 3% CuEq for 193kt CuEq (M&I) and 8.5Mt at 3.5% CuEq for 295kt CuEq (Inferred)2
| Cygnus Executive Chairman David Southam said: ‘There is overwhelming evidence which points to the potential for substantial resource growth at Chibougamau. The resources remain open in many places and we have a pipeline of compelling targets to test.
‘We have devised an extensive program of drilling and geophysics to unlock this upside. This will include brownfields drilling as well as testing new targets. After growing the resource by 29 per cent last year, we are confident that our exploration strategy will deliver more strong results and create more value for shareholders. ‘We are now drilling at Golden Eye and Cedar Bay, which provide substantial resource upside. ‘Joe Mann and Gwillim have excellent discovery potential and have been materially overlooked for the last 20 years. With this potential and the current gold price we are excited to commence exploration on these targets’. |
Cygnus Metals Limited (ASX: CY5; TSXV: CYG,OTC:CYGGF; OTCQB: CYGGF) (‘Cygnus’ or the ‘Company’) is pleased to announce the start of extensive exploration programs aimed at growing the resources at its Chibougamau Copper-Gold Project in Quebec.
Resource growth and discovery remain a key pillar of Cygnus’ growth strategy as the Company continues to unlock the Chibougamau district. A key focus is brownfields exploration, including extensions to deposits such as Cedar Bay and Golden Eye.
At Cedar Bay, Downhole Electromagnetics (‘DHEM’) is in progress to define follow up drill targets from recent exploration drilling1 which returned:
- 28.9m at 2.5g/t AuEq (1.0g/t Au, 1.0% Cu & 12.0g/t Ag) (CDR-25-16)
- 10.6m at 4.1g/t AuEq (3.6g/t Au, 0.3% Cu & 2.8g/t Ag) (CDR-25-11W1)
Recent drilling successfully demonstrated extensions to the current resource at Cedar Bay of 0.3Mt at 8.1g/t AuEq for 67koz (M&I) and 0.8Mt at 7.8g/t AuEq for 205koz (Inferred).2 DHEM aims to define resource extensions as well as identifying high grade shoots which are typically associated with semi massive sulphides. This will be the first time DHEM is being used at Cedar Bay in over 20 years, presenting a huge opportunity for Cygnus.
At Golden Eye, drilling has commenced with three rigs to grow the Indicated Resource and extend the resource below the currently defined depth of just 450m. Golden Eye was a new resource defined by Cygnus last year of 0.5Mt at 5.6g/t AuEq for 91koz (Indicated) and of 1.2Mt at 4.6g/t AuEq for 182koz (Inferred)2 and remains open at depth with one of the deepest intersections5 from last year of:
- 2.9m @ 10.2g/t AuEq (8.3g/t Au, 1.4% Cu & 3.3g/t Ag) from 463.8m (LDR-25-08)
The Company also has a strong focus on defining new resources and making discoveries. Two key areas identified as high priority are gold targets Joe Mann and Gwillim.
At Joe Mann, the Company has commenced a detailed Induced Polarisation (‘IP’) survey along major structures to identify walk-up drill targets for Q2 this year. Cygnus is targeting analogous mineralisation to IAMGOLD’s Nelligan Complex, which is located just 10km west of the project and contains 4.3Moz Au (M&I) and 7.5Moz Au (Inferred).3
This survey will help to generate further drill targets in addition to some of the high-grade historic intersections which also require follow up.4 These include:
- 0.7m @ 480.2g/t Au from 92.3m (H-118);
- 3.8m @ 20.8g/t Au from 287.2m (H-214); and
- 8.4m @ 6.3g/t Au from 175.6m (H-374).
At Gwillim, permits are underway for drilling to commence in the coming quarter. Drilling at Gwillim will be co-funded by 50% JV partner Alamos Gold, which has a market capitalisation of ~C$25B. Gwillim is just 12km from the Chibougamau processing facility and has high potential for defining new resources. Initial drilling will focus on following up high-grade historic intersections4 such as:
- 7.6m @ 38.1g/t Au from 314.9m (87-KOD-18);
- 15.2m @ 9.4g/t Au from 155.1m (87-KOD-1); and
- 16.4m @ 8.3g/t Au from 168.3m (87-KOD-10).
The Chibougamau area has well-established infrastructure, giving the Project a significant headstart as a copper-gold development opportunity. This infrastructure includes a 900,000tpa processing facility, local mining town, sealed highway, airport, regional rail infrastructure and 25kV hydro power to the processing site. Significantly, the Chibougamau processing facility is the only processing facility within a 250km radius.
Figure 1: Exploration progressing across mutiple fronts with a focus on both resource extensions and discovery
Figure 2: Joe Mann IP survey covering key structures from IAMGOLD’s major deposits Nelligan and Phillibert3
This announcement has been authorised for release by the Board of Directors of Cygnus.
| David Southam Executive Chair T: +61 8 6118 1627 E: info@cygnusmetals.com |
Nicholas Kwong President & CEO T: +1 647 921 0501 E: info@cygnusmetals.com |
Media: Paul Armstrong Read Corporate T: +61 8 9388 1474 |
About Cygnus Metals
Cygnus Metals Limited (ASX: CY5, TSXV: CYG,OTC:CYGGF, OTCQB: CYGGF) is a diversified critical minerals exploration and development company with projects in Quebec, Canada and Western Australia. The Company is dedicated to advancing its Chibougamau Copper-Gold Project in Quebec with an aggressive exploration program to drive resource growth and develop a hub-and-spoke operation model with its centralised processing facility. In addition, Cygnus has quality lithium assets with significant exploration upside in the world-class James Bay district in Quebec, and REE and base metal projects in Western Australia. The Cygnus team has a proven track record of turning exploration success into production enterprises and creating shareholder value.
Forward Looking Statements
This release may contain certain forward-looking statements and projections regarding estimates, resources and reserves; planned production and operating costs profiles; planned capital requirements; and planned strategies and corporate objectives. Such forward looking statements/projections are estimates for discussion purposes only and should not be relied upon. They are not guarantees of future performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond Cygnus’ control. Cygnus makes no representations and provides no warranties concerning the accuracy of the projections and disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements/projections based on new information, future events or otherwise except to the extent required by applicable laws. While the information contained in this release has been prepared in good faith, neither Cygnus or any of its directors, officers, agents, employees or advisors give any representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the fairness, accuracy, completeness or correctness of the information, opinions and conclusions contained in this release. Accordingly, to the maximum extent permitted by law, none of Cygnus, its directors, employees or agents, advisers, nor any other person accepts any liability whether direct or indirect, express or limited, contractual, tortuous, statutory or otherwise, in respect of the accuracy or completeness of the information or for any of the opinions contained in this release or for any errors, omissions or misstatements or for any loss, howsoever arising, from the use of this release.
End Notes
- Refer to Cygnus’ ASX announcements dated 30 October 2025 and 8 December 2025.
- Refer to Cygnus’ ASX announcement dated 17 September 2025 and subsequent technical report dated 31 October 2025 titled ‘NI 43-101 Technical Report Chibougamau Hub and Spoke Complex, Québec, Canada’ prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (‘NI 43-101’) and the Joint Ore Reserves Committee (JORC) Code (2012 Edition).
- Refer to IAMGOLD’s news release dated 17 February 2026.
- Refer to Cygnus’ ASX announcement dated 20 January 2026.
- Refer to Cygnus’ ASX announcement dated 8 May 2025.
Qualified Persons and Compliance Statements
The scientific and technical information in this announcement has been reviewed and approved by Mr Louis Beaupre, the Quebec Exploration Manager of Cygnus, a ‘qualified person’ as defined in National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects.
The information in this release that relates to the Mineral Resource Estimate for the Chibougamau Project reported in accordance with the JORC Code (2012 Edition) and NI 43-101 was released by Cygnus in an announcement titled ‘Major Resource Update’ released to the ASX on 17 September 2025 and subsequent technical report dated 31 October 2025 titled ‘NI 43-101 Technical Report Chibougamau Hub and Spoke Complex, Québec, Canada’ prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (‘NI 43-101’) and the JORC Code (2012 Edition). Details of the Mineral Resource Estimate are included in Appendix A.
The information in this announcement that relates to previously reported Exploration Results at the Company’s projects has been previously released by Cygnus in ASX Announcements as noted in the End Notes.
Individual grades for the metals included in the metal equivalents calculations for the Mineral Resource Estimate, as well as the price assumptions, metallurgical recoveries and metal equivalent calculations themselves, are in Appendix A of this release. Individual grades for the metals included in the metal equivalents calculation for the exploration results are in the original market announcements. Metal equivalents for exploration results have been calculated at a copper price of US$8,750/t, gold price of US$2,350/oz and silver price of US$25/oz, with copper equivalents calculated based on the formula CuEq(%) = Cu(%) + (Au(g/t) x 0.77258)+(Ag(g/t) x 0.00822). Metallurgical recovery factors have been applied to the copper equivalents calculations for the exploration results, with copper metallurgical recovery assumed at 95% and gold metallurgical recovery assumed at 85% based upon historical production at the Chibougamau Processing Facility, and the metallurgical results contained in Cygnus’ announcement dated 28 January 2025. It is the Company’s view that all elements in the copper and gold equivalent calculations have a reasonable potential to be recovered and sold.
Cygnus is not aware of any new information or data that materially affects the information in these announcements, and in the case of estimates of Mineral Resources, that all material assumptions and technical parameters underpinning the estimates in the relevant market announcement continue to apply and have not materially changed. The Company confirms that the form and context in which the Competent Persons’ findings are presented have not been materially modified from the original market announcements.
Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
APPENDIX A – Mineral Resource Estimate for the Chibougamau Project as at 17 September 2025
| Cu Project |
Classification | COG CuEq |
Tonnage | Average Grade | Contained Metal | ||||||||
| Cu | Au | Ag | CuEq | AuEq | Cu | Au | Ag | CuEq | AuEq | ||||
| % | Mt | % | g/t | g/t | % | g/t | kt | koz | koz | kt | koz | ||
| Corner Bay | Indicated | 1.2 | 4.9 | 2.5 | 0.3 | 8.4 | 2.8 | 4.1 | 124 | 43 | 1,316 | 137 | 638 |
| Inferred | 5.4 | 2.7 | 0.2 | 8.9 | 3.0 | 4.3 | 146 | 41 | 1,543 | 159 | 744 | ||
| Devlin | Measured | 1.5 | 0.1 | 2.7 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 2.9 | 4.7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 19 |
| Indicated | 0.6 | 2.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 2.1 | 3.4 | 13 | 4 | 5 | 13 | 69 | ||
| M&I | 0.8 | 2.1 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 2.3 | 3.6 | 16 | 5 | 7 | 17 | 88 | ||
| Inferred | 0.3 | 2.0 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 2.1 | 3.4 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 36 | ||
| Joe Mann | Inferred | 2.0 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 6.0 | – | 4.6 | 6.3 | 2 | 143 | – | 34 | 151 |
| Cedar Bay | Indicated | 1.8 | 0.3 | 1.6 | 6.0 | 9.9 | 6.4 | 8.1 | 4 | 50 | 82 | 16 | 67 |
| Inferred | 0.8 | 2.0 | 5.1 | 11.8 | 6.1 | 7.8 | 17 | 134 | 309 | 50 | 205 | ||
| Golden Eye | Indicated | 0.5 | 1.0 | 4.3 | 9.9 | 4.4 | 5.6 | 5 | 69 | 161 | 22 | 91 | |
| Inferred | 1.2 | 0.9 | 3.4 | 7.9 | 3.6 | 4.6 | 11 | 134 | 313 | 45 | 182 | ||
| Project | Classification | Tonnage | Average Grade | Contained Metal | |||||||||
| Cu | Au | Ag | CuEq | AuEq | Cu | Au | Ag | CuEq | AuEq | ||||
| Mt | % | g/t | g/t | % | g/t | kt | koz | koz | kt | koz | |||
| Hub and Spoke | Measured | 0.1 | 2.7 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 2.9 | 4.7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 19 | |
| Indicated | 6.3 | 2.3 | 0.8 | 7.8 | 3.0 | 4.3 | 146 | 166 | 1,563 | 189 | 865 | ||
| M&I | 6.4 | 2.3 | 0.8 | 7.6 | 3.0 | 4.3 | 149 | 167 | 1,565 | 193 | 884 | ||
| Inferred | 8.5 | 2.1 | 1.7 | 7.9 | 3.5 | 4.8 | 182 | 454 | 2,168 | 295 | 1,318 | ||
Notes:
- Cygnus’ Mineral Resource Estimate for the Chibougamau Copper-Gold project, incorporating the Corner Bay, Devlin, Joe Mann, Cedar Bay, and Golden Eye deposits, is reported in accordance with the JORC Code and the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (‘CIM’) (2014) definitions in NI 43-101.
- Mineral Resources are estimated using a long-term copper price of US$9,370/t, gold price of US$2,400/oz, and silver price of US$30/oz, and a US$/C$ exchange rate of 1:1.35.
- Mineral Resources are estimated at a CuEq cut-off grade of 1.2% for Corner Bay and 1.5% CuEq for Devlin. A cut-off grade of 1.8 g/t AuEq was used for Cedar Bay and Golden Eye; and 2.0 g/t AuEq for Joe Mann.
- Corner Bay bulk density varies from 2.85 tonnes per cubic metre (t/m3) to 3.02t/m3 for the estimation domains and 2.0 t/m3 for the overburden. At Devlin, bulk density varies from 2.85 t/m3 to 2.90 t/m3. Cedar Bay, Golden Eye, and Joe Mann use a bulk density of 2.90 t/m³ for the estimation domains.
- Assumed metallurgical recoveries are as follows: Corner Bay copper is 93%, gold is 78%, and silver is 80%; Devlin copper is 96%, gold is 73%, and silver is 80%; Joe Mann copper is 95%, gold is 84%, and silver is 80%; and Cedar Bay and Golden Eye copper is 91%, gold is 87%, and silver is 80%.
- Assumptions for CuEq and AuEq calculations (set out below) are as follows: Individual metal grades are set out in the table. Commodity prices used: copper price of US$9,370/t, gold price of US$2,400/oz and silver price of US$30/oz. Assumed metallurgical recovery factors: set out above. It is the Company’s view that all elements in the metal equivalent calculations have a reasonable potential to be recovered and sold.
- CuEq Calculations are as follows: (A) Corner Bay = grade Cu (%) + 0.68919 * grade Au (g/t) + 0.00884 * grade Ag (g/t) ; (B) Devlin = grade Cu (%) + 0.62517 * grade Au (g/t) + 0.00862 * grade Ag (g/t); (C) Joe Mann = grade Cu (%) + 0.72774* grade Au (g/t); and (D) Golden Eye and Cedar Bay = grade Cu (%) + 0.78730* grade Au (g/t) + 0.00905 * grade Ag (g/t).
- AuEq Calculations are as follows: (A) Corner Bay = grade Au (g/t) + 1.45097* grade Cu(%)+0.01282* grade Ag (g/t); (B) Devlin = grade Au (g/t) + 1.59957* grade Cu(%)+0.01379* grade Ag (g/t); (C) Joe Mann = grade Au (g/t) + 1.37411* grade Cu (%); and (D) Cedar Bay and Golden Eye = grade Au (g/t) + 1.27016 * grade Cu (%) + 0.01149 * grade Ag (g/t).
- Wireframes were built using an approximate minimum thickness of 2 m at Corner Bay, 1.8 m at Devlin, 1.2 m at Joe Mann, and 1.5 m at Cedar Bay and Golden Eye.
- Mineral Resources are constrained by underground reporting shapes.
- Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.
- Totals may vary due to rounding.
Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9f3d9271-0c1d-4946-b6b7-907187bb4f3a
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/bf51280f-9701-4436-8255-c21949f90dfe
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Gold and silver prices experienced declines early in the week, but ended higher.
The yellow metal closed the week at US$5,111.88 per ounce, while silver finished at US$84.65 per ounce, buoyed by reignited tariff uncertainty out of the US.
On Friday (February 20), the US Supreme Court stuck down tariffs put in place by President Donald Trump using the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. He quickly responded by announcing a new 10 percent global tariff and then increasing it to 15 percent, ramping up trade tensions.
Earlier in the week, Wednesday (February 18) brought the release of the US Federal Reserve’s latest meeting minutes, which show that although officials largely agreed with the January decision to hold interest rates steady, they aren’t aligned about the path forward as 2026 continues.
What’s received more attention is the Lunar New Year holiday.
Most Asian markets are closed for the occasion, and will reopen next week. I asked Ole Hansen of Saxo Bank about the significance of the closure, and he said that in his view, the more important question is what will happen when they’re back in business next week.
Here’s how he thinks that could play out:
‘I think … if they come back to more or less unchanged prices, they will see that probably as a buying opportunity. Simply — well, they probably hope that they might be able to pick it up cheaper in the absence. But if we can manage to hold these levels, then there could be a positive story building as we as we see China reopen.’
Hansen is bullish on gold this year, saying he sees it reaching US$6,000 in the next 12 months.
But interestingly, he has a different take on silver — he thinks the white metal’s upside could be limited by demand-side factors like substitution and higher supply from scrap material.
‘Gold over time can go to US$10,000, it can go to US$20,000 — it’s a monetary metal, which doesn’t really depend on demand from areas where demand could be negatively impacted with the price.
‘Silver hasn’t got that luxury. And that basically means if gold moves towards US$6,000, I would believe that — I would think that silver, at some point, will struggle to keep up, and we will see basically gold relatively outperform silver. But when that point, when that time comes, I can’t see. Again it’s very unclear, especially given the speculative demand, which can carry on for a while longer.’
I also heard this week from Christopher Aaron of iGold Advisor and Elite Private Placements, who has a much brighter outlook for silver — he said given that the metal has just broken out of a 45 year consolidation period, it still has much further to go:
‘Now that whole process, the 45 year consolidation breakout and now coming back, that is — for a number of people here — that is going to be a once-in-a-lifetime breakout. We’re talking a multi-generational breakout happening in silver right now. And it’s really important to — I mean, the bottom line is this: After 45 years of consolidation, a market doesn’t end just two months after a breakout and then kind of withering and petering out for the next 45 years. Again, that’s not how 45 year breakouts happen when we look back.’
Ultimately Aaron sees US$250 to US$350 as a reasonable price level for silver.
Bullet briefing — TSX Venture 50, BHP/Wheaton deal
Gold, silver dominate TSX Venture 50
The latest TSX Venture 50 list was released on Wednesday, with gold and silver juniors dominating. In fact, of the companies included, only three fall outside the mining sector.
The list ranks TSXV companies’ annual performance by market cap growth, share price performance and Canadian consolidated trading value. Taking the top spot was Santacruz Silver Mining (TSXV:SCZ,NASDAQ:SCZM), which had an impressive share price increase of over 1,100 percent.
As a group, the companies on the list delivered a share price increase of 431 percent.
We’ll have to wait and see whether these types of gains are repeated — or exceeded — in 2026, but the list definitely underscores the strength in gold and silver prices, and shows that their momentum is boosting not just the majors, but also the juniors.
BHP, Wheaton sign streaming deal
On the M&A side, BHP (ASX:BHP,NYSE:BHP,LSE:BHP) has entered into a long-term streaming agreement with Wheaton Precious Metals (TSX:WPM,NYSE:WPM).
Under the deal, which was signed by subsidiaries of BHP and Wheaton, BHP will receive an upfront payment of US$4.3 billion in exchange for the delivery of silver from the Peru-based Antamina mine, plus ongoing payments when metal is delivered. According to BHP, this is the most valuable streaming transaction to date based on upfront consideration received.
Antamina is a joint venture between commodities giants BHP, Glencore (LSE:GLEN,OTCPL:GLCNF), Teck Resources (TSX:TECK.A,TECK.B,NYSE:TECK) and Mitsubishi (TSE:8058,OTCPL:MSBHF), and Wheaton already has a silver stream in place with Glencore. Once the BHP arrangement closes, Wheaton will receive a combined 67.5 percent of the mine’s silver.
Securities Disclosure: I, Charlotte McLeod, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
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Locksley Resources (LKY:AU) has announced LKY Commences Diamond Drilling at Desert Antimony Mine
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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) provided an update Sunday morning, saying TSA PreCheck is operating normally Sunday following reports that it had been suspended amid the partial government shutdown.
The suspension of the TSA PreCheck and Global Entry programs was first reported by The Washington Post, which noted the changes would begin Sunday at 6 a.m. EST. DHS says it will now be evaluating PreCheck on a ‘case by case basis.’
‘At this time, TSA PreCheck remains operational with no change for the traveling public. As staffing constraints arise, TSA will evaluate on a case by case basis and adjust operations accordingly,’ TSA wrote in a statement on X.
‘Courtesy escorts, such as those for Members of Congress, have been suspended to allow officers to focus on the mission of securing America’s skies,’ it added.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Saturday blamed Democrats for shutting down the government, saying they were causing ‘serious real world consequences.’
‘This is the third time that Democrat politicians have shut down this department during the 119th Congress,’ Noem said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital. ‘Shutdowns have serious real world consequences, not just for the men and women of DHS and their families who go without a paycheck, but it endangers our national security.’
Noem said the department was making ‘tough but necessary workforce and resource decisions to mitigate the damage inflicted by these politicians.’
She said TSA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) would be ‘prioritizing the general traveling population at our airports and ports of entry and suspending courtesy and special privilege escorts.’ The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), she added, will halt all non-disaster-related response to prioritize disasters.
Noem noted the suspension comes as a major storm is expected to hit the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.
Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee, criticized the Trump administration for ‘idiotically’ shutting down the programs ‘to punish the American people.’
‘This is Trump and Kristi Noem purposely punishing the American people and using them as pawns for their sadistic political games,’ he said in a statement. ‘TSA PreCheck and Global Entry REDUCE airport lines and ease the burden on DHS staff who are working without pay because of Trump’s abuse of the Department and killing of American citizens.’
He called on the administration to immediately reverse the decision.
The third government shutdown in under half a year began on Feb. 14 after Democrats and Republicans were at an impasse on reaching a deal regarding President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown.
DHS was the only department left without federal funding after Democrats walked away from a bipartisan plan released last month in response to the deaths of two U.S. citizens at the hands of federal law enforcement agents in Minneapolis during anti-ICE demonstrations.
DHS is the third-largest Cabinet agency with nearly 272,000 employees. Roughly 90% of DHS workers were expected to continue working, many without pay, according to the department’s Sept. 2025 government shutdown plan.
DHS has jurisdiction over numerous agencies and offices, including CBP, TSA, FEMA, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the U.S. Coast Guard, and the U.S. Secret Service.
Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Elkind and Alex Miller contributed to this report.
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An emotional Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., attempted to blame critics – and even President Donald Trump’s own off-the-cuff agility – for the backlash she received for her response to a question at the recent Munich Security Conference on American defense of Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion.
‘If you think I don’t understand foreign policy, because of out of hours of discourse about international affairs, I pause to think about one of the most sensitive geopolitical issues that currently exist on earth, I’m afraid the issue is not my understanding, but perhaps the problem is you’ve gotten adjusted to a president that never thinks before he speaks,’ a raspy-voiced Ocasio-Cortez said on a late-night Instagram Live video circulating on social media.
The leftist congresswoman’s Munich stumbling on Friday, Feb. 13, started the critical firestorm and has conservatives questioning her fitness for a potential 2028 Democrat presidential primary campaign.
‘Um, you know, I think that this is such a, you know, I think that this is a um — this is, of course, a, um, very long-standing, um, policy of the United States,’ she said with pause when asked about America defending Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion to enforce its One China Policy over the island-nation.
‘And I think what we are hoping for is that we want to make sure that we never get to that point, and we want to make sure that we are moving in all of our economic, research and our global positions to avoid any such confrontation and for that question to even arise.’
Vice President JD Vance, a potential 2028 presidential campaign opponent in a prospective general election matchup, weighed in multiple times this week to Ocasio-Cortez’s remarks.
‘I think it’s a person who doesn’t know what she actually thinks, and I’ve seen this way too much in Washington with politicians: Where they’re given lines and, when you ask them to go outside the lines they were given, they completely fall apart,’ Vance told Fox News’ ‘The Story With Martha MacCallum’ in an in-studio interview earlier this week.
‘That was embarrassing,’ he continued. ‘If I had given that answer I would say, ‘You know what? Maybe you ought to go read a book about China and Taiwan before I go out on the world stage again.’ I hope that Congresswoman Cortez has the same humility. I’m skeptical.’
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Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has tightened control over Hezbollah in the Middle East amid looming prospects of potential U.S. strikes, according to reports.
According to the Jerusalem Post, the tactical shift comes as Hezbollah and Iran prepare for military confrontation in the region, with analysts warning that if Washington specifically strikes the regime, Hezbollah is ready to be ‘activated.’
‘If the regime in Tehran feels threatened, the likelihood of unleashing Hezbollah against Israel and U.S. regional assets increases substantially,’ Ross Harrison, a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, told Fox News Digital.
‘Hezbollah would not be activated right away, unless the attack immediately targets the leadership of the Islamic Republic. But as part of a graduated response, Hezbollah will likely be seen as an asset,’ he said.
‘If it faces an existential risk, then Iran may throw caution to the wind and try to deploy Hezbollah to the maximum,’ Harrison explained.
President Donald Trump previously gave Iran a deadline of 10 to 15 days to respond to a deal, raising questions about what steps Washington could take if Tehran fails to comply.
A new round of talks is now scheduled for Thursday in Geneva and expected to focus on Iran’s nuclear program, including uranium enrichment levels and sanctions relief.
‘The decision-making circle in the White House is very small regarding Iran, with the president keeping a close hand on it all,’ Harrison explained.
He added that any decision to directly target the Iranian regime would likely rest within Trump’s inner circle of advisers.
‘Normally there is input from the National Security Council and the wider intelligence community,’ Harrison said. ‘Since the decision-making process in the White House is opaque, it is hard to know how much of this is getting through.’
‘If the U.S. is engaging with the Saudis and Emiratis, they are getting warnings about the possibility of this war spreading to the broader region, which would be deleterious to the U.S. and its allies,’ he added.
Harrirson also warned that there was ‘potential for attacks to spread across the region, to Israel through direct Iranian ballistic attacks and via Hezbollah, and to the Gulf Arab states through Iran directly and possibly via the Houthis from Yemen.’
Regional media reports also suggest Iran’s ties with Hezbollah are strengthening. Sources told Al Arabiya and Al Hadath that IRGC officers have been rebuilding Hezbollah’s military infrastructure and managing strategic war plans.
The coordination follows changes within Hezbollah’s leadership, Harrison explained.
‘Since the killing by Israel of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah last year, ties and operational coordination have to some degree been reestablished,’ he said.
‘The IRGC has supported Hezbollah in Lebanon for decades,’ he said, adding that efforts to reestablish ties appear to be occurring ‘particularly in light of the destruction of Iran’s nuclear sites last June.’
‘Iran is trying to resurrect lost assets, such as its missile program and its connections to Hezbollah,’ Harrison said.
‘Hezbollah has been seen for decades by Iran as a deterrence asset against an Israeli or American attack. Since Hezbollah has its own interests, connected to but separate from Iran, whether its leadership will go all the way for Tehran is unknown,’ he concluded.
The developments surrounding Hezbollah and the IRGC came as Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has appointed close ally Ali Larijani as the country’s de facto leader, according to reports.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment.
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A government shutdown, big or small, is usually a front-and-center issue for lawmakers — but the most recent partial closure could be put on the back burner as Congress returns to several issues in Washington.
Senate Democrats and the White House are still at odds over funding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as the shutdown dragged into its 10th day. Neither side is budging, with the most recent concrete action coming early last week.
Trump, who proved pivotal in striking a funding truce with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., in January, was not directly involved in recent negotiations.
Trump has not had any ‘direct conversations or correspondence’ with congressional Democrats recently, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said, noting that the White House and its representatives have been handling the dialogue.
‘But, of course, Democrats are the reason that the Department of Homeland Security is currently shut down,’ she said. ‘They have chosen to act against the American people for political reasons.’
Senate Democrats offered a counter to the White House’s own counterproposal, which quickly was rejected as ‘unserious’ by Leavitt. It’s a peculiar instance, given that this is the third shutdown during Trump’s second term, and neither side appears to be in a particular rush to end it.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told Fox News Digital that there’s ‘some room for give and take’ in the negotiations, but remained firm in the GOP’s positioning against requiring Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from getting judicial warrants, unmasking or other reforms sought by Democrats that could increase risks for agents in the field.
‘I felt like, you know, the last offer the White House put out there was a really — it was a good faith one, and it was clear to me that they’re attempting, in every way, to try and land this thing so we can get DHS funded,’ Thune said.
Funding the agency will be a top priority for the upper chamber, but they’ll be delayed because of winter storms descending on the East Coast. The weather has caused the Senate to delay a vote on the original DHS spending bill until Tuesday night, ahead of Trump’s State of the Union address.
There are other issues that could get in the way of hashing out a deal, including a possible conflict with Iran and Trump’s desire to move ahead with tariffs without congressional approval.
Trump told reporters Friday that he was ‘considering’ a limited military strike against Iran, which already has riled up some in Congress, who are demanding that lawmakers get a say on whether the U.S. strikes.
Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., said in a statement that he has a war powers resolution to block an attack on Iran filed and ready, and challenged his colleagues to vote against it.
‘If some of my colleagues support war, then they should have the guts to vote for the war and to be held accountable by their constituents, rather than hiding under their desks,’ Kaine said.
On the heels of the Supreme Court’s ruling to torpedo his sweeping duties, Trump is considering bypassing Congress to move ahead with another set of global 10% tariffs.
That comes as some Republicans are quietly celebrating the end of the duties, and others are open to working with the administration on a path forward for trade policy.
On tariffs, a Republican aide told Fox News that the GOP was ‘waiting to see what POTUS does next.’
‘The State of the Union should be interesting,’ they said.
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President Donald Trump called on Netflix to fire board member Susan Rice immediately or ‘pay the consequences.’
Trump’s comments followed remarks Rice made Thursday on the ‘Stay Tuned with Preet’ podcast, hosted by former U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara.
During the interview, Rice warned that corporations she said had ‘taken a knee’ to Republican pressure should not expect forgiveness from Democrats if they return to power.
‘This is not going to be an instance of forgive and forget. The damage that these people are doing is too severe to the American people and our national interest,’ Rice said.
It was not immediately clear what specific actions the Trump administration might pursue.
Netflix did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.
Rice made the remarks while discussing what she described as corporate retreats from diversity and governance commitments amid pressure from Republican lawmakers.
‘If these corporations think that the Democrats, when they come back into power, are going to, you know, play by the old rules, and, you know, say, ‘Oh, never mind. We’ll forgive you for all the people you fired, all the policies and principles you’ve violated, all, you know, the laws you’ve skirted.’ I think they’ve got another thing coming,’ Rice added.
Rice, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, predicted an ‘accountability agenda’ awaited those entities, forecasting an electoral shift in the upcoming midterm elections.
She also pointed to waning public approval for Trump’s economic and immigration policies in making her case.
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