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American Salars Lithium (CSE:USLI,OTC:USLIF, FWB:Z3P) is an exploration-stage company dedicated to acquiring, developing, and monetizing lithium brine projects across the Americas. With a clear focus on low-cost entry and scalable resource expansion, the company is executing a disciplined strategy to build a high-quality portfolio in strategic jurisdictions.

Central to American Salars’ vision is the conviction that lithium demand—driven by the accelerating adoption of electric vehicles and the rise of stationary energy storage solutions—is poised for significant long-term growth. The company is strategically positioning itself to capitalize on this trend, targeting assets with strong appeal to major producers and institutional investors.

Salar de Pocitos

Salar de Pocitos is the flagship asset of American Salars Lithium, situated in Argentina’s lithium-rich Puna region within Salta Province. The Pocitos 1 block spans 800 hectares and has shown strong lithium brine potential through historical drilling and testing. While a 760,000-ton inferred lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) resource was previously reported for the area—including Pocitos 2, which is not owned by American Salars—all contributing drill holes for that estimate were located within Pocitos 1, where the company holds 100 percent ownership.

Drilling at Pocitos 1 has encountered aquifers at depths between 365 and 407 meters, with lithium concentrations reaching up to 169 parts per million (ppm). Sustained brine flow rates were recorded for over five hours, and porosity tests on core samples returned strong results, ranging from 6 to 14 percent, further underscoring the project’s potential.

Company Highlights

American Salars Lithium is taking advantage of depressed lithium prices to acquire undervalued assets with long-term scalability and world-class exit potential. The company targets assets with clear upside potential, particularly in brine-rich jurisdictions like Argentina and Nevada.
The company’s holdings include four lithium projects: Salar de Pocitos (Argentina), Black Rock South (Nevada, USA), Jaguaribe Pegmatite (Brazil), and the Quebec Lithium Portfolio (Canada).
Located in the Lithium Triangle of Salta, Argentina, the flagship Pocitos 1 is an 800-hectare brine project shares a 760,000-tonne inferred lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE) resource and excellent expansion potential.
Brine-based lithium resources offer lower environmental impact, faster resource delineation, and reduced development costs compared to hard rock alternatives.
Several of the company’s team members have been involved in multi-million-dollar lithium asset sales. Recent deals in the region (e.g., Alpha Lithium, Neo Lithium, Arcadium) provide a roadmap for monetization.

This American Salars Lithium profile is part of a paid investor education campaign.*

Click here to connect with American Salars Lithium (CSE:USLI) to receive an Investor Presentation

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Investing

Halcones Precious Metals Closes Final Tranche of Life Offering and Announces Non-Brokered Offering

Halcones Precious Metals Corp. (TSX-V: HPM) (the “Company” or “Halcones”) announces that it has closed the second and final tranche of its previously-announced private placement of units (the “Offering”) of the Company (the “Units”) pursuant to which the Company issued 7,707,200 Units at a price of $0.07 per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of $539,504 (the “Final Tranche”). Each Unit is comprised of one common share in the capital of the Company (“Common Share”) and one-half of one Common Share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a “Warrant”). Each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one Common Share at an exercise price of $0.10 per Common Share for a period of 36 months following the date of issuance. Together with the first tranche of the Offering, the Company has issued an aggregate of 31,152,200 Units for gross proceeds of $2,180,654.

The Offering was led by Clarus Securities Inc. and iA Private Wealth Inc., as co-lead agents, on behalf of a syndicate of agents (collectively, the “Agents”) that included Red Cloud Securities Inc. and Haywood Securities Inc.

The Company plans to use the net proceeds of the Final Tranche to continue the exploration work on its Polaris Project as well as for general corporate working capital purposes.

In connection with the Final Tranche, the Agents received an aggregate cash fee equal to $37,765.28. In addition, the Company issued to the Agents, 539,504 non-transferable compensation warrants (the “Compensation Warrants”). Each Compensation Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to purchase one Common Share at an exercise price equal to $0.07 for a period of 36 months from the date hereof.

The Common Shares and Warrants issued pursuant to the Final Tranche are not subject to a statutory hold period pursuant to applicable Canadian securities laws as the Final Tranche was completed pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A of NI 45-106. The Final Tranche remains subject to final approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

Non-Brokered Offering

Further to the closing of the Offering, Halcones announces a non-brokered private placement financing of up to 7,150,000 units (the “NB Units”) to be priced at $0.07 per NB Unit for gross proceeds of up to $500,500 (the “NB Offering”).

Each NB Unit will be comprised of one Common Share and one-half of one Common Share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a “NB Warrant”). Each NB Warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one Common Share at an exercise price of $0.10 per Common Share for a period of 36 months following the completion of the NB Offering. Securities issued under the NB Offering are expected to carry a hold period of 4 months and one day from the date of issue as may be required under applicable securities laws.

The Company plans to use the aggregate net proceeds of the NB Offering to continue the exploration work on its Polaris project as well as general corporate working capital purposes.

The NB Offering is scheduled to close on or about April 22, 2025 and is subject to approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

Certain insiders of the Company may acquire NB Units in the NB Offering. Any participation by insiders in the NB Offering would constitute a ‘related party transaction’ as defined under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 – Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (“MI 61-101”). However, the Company expects such participation would be exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 as neither the fair market value subscribed for by the insiders under the NB Offering, nor the consideration for the NB Units paid by such insiders, will exceed 25% of the Company’s market capitalization.

A material change report including details with respect to the related party transaction is not expected to be able to be filed less than 21 days prior to the closing of the NB Offering as the Company has not received confirmation of the participation of insiders in the NB Offering and the Company deems it reasonable in the circumstances so as to be able to avail itself of potential financing opportunities and complete the NB Offering in an expeditious manner.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell any securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.

About Halcones Precious Metals Corp.

Halcones is focused on exploring for and developing gold-silver projects in Chile. The Company has a team with a strong background of exploration success in the region.

For further information, please contact:

Vincent Chen, CPA
Investor Relations
+1 (778) 990-9433
vincent.chen@halconespm.com
www.halconespreciousmetals.com

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-looking Information

This press release contains “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, without limitation, regarding the Offering, NB Offering, the Company’s intended use of proceeds from the Offering and NB Offering, the approval of the Offering and NB Offering by the TSXV, the Company’s ability to explore and develop its Polaris project and the Company’s future plans. Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “plans”, “expects” or “does not expect”, “is expected”, “budget”, “scheduled”, “estimates”, “forecasts”, “intends”, “anticipates” or “does not anticipate”, or “believes”, or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results “may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will be taken”, “occur” or “be achieved”. Forward- looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of Halcones, as the case may be, to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to: general business, economic, competitive, geopolitical and social uncertainties; the actual results of current exploration activities; risks associated with operation in foreign jurisdictions; ability to successfully integrate the purchased properties; foreign operations risks; and other risks inherent in the mining industry. Although Halcones has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such information 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 information. Halcones does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.

NEITHER TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX VENTURE EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE.

Source

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Investing

What are Rare Earth Elements Used For?

There are 17 rare earth elements (REEs) in all — 15 lanthanides plus yttrium and scandium. It’s a fairly diverse group, with each rare earth mineral having different applications, pricing and available supply.

However, REEs are often placed in the same basket because they do not occur separately from each other in nature. Aside from that, separation is tricky — before modern methods were available, the process was too difficult and expensive to pursue.

Despite the market’s complexity, it’s worth taking a closer look at the different rare earths and their uses. As global governments take steps to meet energy transition goals, demand is expected to grow immensely, creating opportunities for investors with knowledge of the sector. Read on to learn more about this important group of critical metals.

Are rare earth elements really rare?

Many rare earth investors will be familiar with the adage that rare earth minerals are not that rare — in fact, according to the US Geological Survey, most rare earths are more plentiful in the Earth’s crust than gold, silver and platinum.

As of 2024, there were more than 90 million metric tons of rare earth reserves. Rare earths can be found in carbonatite deposits, alkaline igneous systems, ion-adsorption clay deposits and monazite-xenotime-bearing placer deposits.

The key point to note is that even though REEs are relatively abundant in the Earth’s crust worldwide, “minable concentrations are less common than for most other mineral commodities,” as per the US Geological Survey.

In terms of the availability of specific elements, lanthanum and cerium are relatively abundant in rare earths mineral deposits, while neodymium and praseodymium are much less so; meanwhile, erbium, ytterbium and lutetium are rare. Yttrium is as common as lanthanum and cerium in some types of deposits, but scandium is also very rare.

Rare earth minerals are usually divided into ‘heavy’ and ‘light’ varieties based on their atomic weight. While the concentration of different REEs varies within each given deposit, every deposit is usually dominated by either heavy or light rare earths, with some elements being much more abundant.

What is the difference between rare earth minerals, rare earth elements and rare metals?

Rare earth elements and rare earth metals refer to the specific category of 17 elements on the periodic table, and rare earth minerals refers to the minerals, such as monazite, that contain these metals.

While some use the phrase rare earth minerals to refer to the metals themselves, rare earths are not minerals in the strict sense of the term. Due to their chemical properties, the 17 rare earth elements are classified as metals on the periodic table. However, rare earth elements are not found as pure metals in nature, but are rather locked up in minerals that are mined and refined to obtain the metals.

The term rare metals instead refers to a loosely defined group of resources, including tantalum, niobium, indium, zirconium and gallium. These metals are genuinely rare and valuable, but they are not members of the REE category. However, their important use in technologies such as microtechnologies, superconducting magnets, touch screens and new energy technologies can often lead them to be confused with rare earth elements.

How are rare earths used in manufacturing and industry?

As mentioned, although REEs are grouped together in the ground, their applications vary widely.

In the light rare earth category, cerium is used as a polishing agent for different types of glass, including LCD screens. Cerium is the most abundant rare earth, and is about as common in the Earth’s crust as copper.

Lanthanum is used as a catalyst for refining petroleum and to improve the alkali resistance of glass, especially in camera lenses. This light REE is also used to make the carbon arc lights used by the motion picture industry.

Europium is used in chemical formulations for LEDs, CRT displays and florescent bulbs.

As for heavy rare earths, yttrium is also used in LEDs and florescent bulbs. While erbium has several uses, it’s most commonly used to make glass optical fibers as it can amplify network signals.

As mentioned earlier, one of the REEs that is rare in terms of mine supply is scandium, a critical metal that is as strong as titanium, as light as aluminum and as hard as ceramic. There are a number of new applications emerging for scandium, including alloys for high-end sports equipment, as well as for automotive and airplane parts.

Rare earths are also critical to modern defense systems and military equipment such as radar, guidance systems, precision-guided munitions, lasers, satellites and night vision goggles.

Several rare earth metals are essential to rare earth magnets, which you can learn more about below.

What are rare earth magnets and how are they used?

Rare earth magnets are stronger in terms of weight or volume than any other magnet type. The REEs praseodymium, neodymium, samarium and dysprosium are often used in rare earth magnets, which are finding increasing uses, especially when space is limited.

Magnets made from neodymium, boron and iron, called neodymium magnets, are the strongest available, and these magnets can be found in the motors of wind turbines, as well as electric vehicles. Fellow rare earth elements dysprosium or terbium are sometimes added to neodymium magnets to improve their ability to operate at high temperatures.

Samarium-cobalt magnets are favored in military applications such as jet engines and missile systems because these magnets can operate at extremely high temperatures.

Praseodymium and dysprosium are also commonly used in industrial magnets in order to improve coercivity and resistance to corrosion.

One of the most promising markets for rare earth magnets is electric vehicle motors. However, it’s important to note that permanent neodymium magnets are not strictly necessary to the construction of any electric vehicle. In fact, Tesla’s (NASDAQ:TSLA) Model S main motor does not contain any type of magnet.

How will rare earth elements be used in the future?

Applications for rare earth magnets are rapidly growing as new technologies evolve. However, lack of secure supply has driven some industries to seek out alternative technologies that don’t require REE magnets.

Still, rare earth magnets are not going away anytime soon. REEs are an important part of the technology that drives modern life. They can be found in smartphones, computers and televisions, and are an important component in green energy technologies such as wind turbines and many electric vehicle motors. Plus, their role in defense technology makes rare earth sources critical.

Understanding the different types of rare earths is the first step toward making an investment in this space. It’s also useful to understand rare earth supply and demand dynamics, from the top-producing countries to the nations with the top rare earth reserves. Being aware of the outlook for the rare earth industry can also help investors make the right moves.

For investors who decide they are interested in the longer-term potential for the rare earth metals sector, there are plenty of ways to invest in rare earths, including the biggest rare earth companies and the top rare earth stocks.

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

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Investing

Major Finland Gold Transaction

Nordic Resources (NNL:AU) has announced Major Finland Gold Transaction

Download the PDF here.

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Investing

Crypto Market Recap: Bitcoin Stages a Comeback as Tariff Negotiations Continue

Here’s a quick recap of the crypto landscape for Wednesday (April 9) as of 9:00 p.m. UTC.

Bitcoin and Ethereum price update

At the time of this writing, Bitcoin (BTC) was priced at US$82,060.13 and up 7.2 percent in 24 hours. The day’s range has seen a low of US$76,842.48 and a high of US$82,665.31.

Bitcoin performance, April 9, 2025.

Chart via TradingView.

Bitcoin is back to trading near levels seen earlier in the week following an announcement from the White House that tariffs against most countries will be paused for 90 days, after which reciprocal tariffs will be lowered to 10 percent. China is an exception — tariffs against the country have been boosted immediately to 125 percent.

Ethereum (ETH) is priced at US$1,633.44, an 11.9 percent increase over the past 24 hours. The cryptocurrency reached an intraday low of US$1,459.15 and a high of US$1,661.40.

Altcoin price update

Solana (SOL) is currently valued at US$118.54, up 14.3 percent over the past 24 hours. SOL experienced a low of US$104.09 and a high of US$119.68 on Wednesday.

XRP is trading at US$2.03, reflecting an 11.8 percent increase over the past 24 hours. The cryptocurrency recorded an intraday low of US$1.79 and a high of US$2.06.

Sui (SUI) is priced at US$2.24, showing an increaseof 13.9 percent over the past 24 hours. It achieved a daily low of US$1.09 and a high of US$2.26.

Cardano (ADA) is trading at US$0.6308, reflecting a 12.8 percent increase over the past 24 hours. Its lowest price on Wednesday was US$0.5597, with a high of US$0.64.

Crypto news to know

Trump’s tariff shock wipes US$2 billion from US Bitcoin stash

The US government’s Bitcoin holdings have dropped by nearly US$2 billion in value since April 2 — dubbed “Liberation Day” by President Donald Trump — following a steep market selloff triggered by tariff announcements.

According to Arkham Intelligence, the 198,012 BTC held by federal agencies declined in value from US$17.24 billion to US$15.21 billion in just under a week as Bitcoin slid from over US$87,000 to below US$77,000.

An executive order made by Trump in March established a strategic Bitcoin reserve sourced from seized assets, further tying federal coffers to price swings in the cryptocurrency. The losses come as the administration ramps up global economic pressure, testing the volatility of its newly created digital reserve.

Digital asset regulations under scrutiny at congressional hearing

The Subcommittee on Digital Assets, Financial Technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) held a hearing on Wednesday to examine why current regulations may not apply to digital asset activities, and to explore which of these activities trigger US securities laws. Members of the subcommittee also discussed how Congress can address challenges through legislative action that reduces legal uncertainty while encouraging innovation.

At the hearing, Rodrigo Seira, special counsel to law firm Cooley, told the subcommittee that current securities laws are not flexible enough to account for digital assets, citing a long list of crypto projects that have tried and failed to register their products with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

“It is clear that the current securities regulatory framework is not a viable option to regulate crypto. It fails to achieve its stated policy goals,” Seira said in his opening remarks.

“(T)he idea that crypto projects can come in and register with the SEC is demonstrably false.”

Seira admitted that it is critical to apply federal regulations to crypto promoters; however, “virtually no crypto projects have successfully registered their tokens under federal securities laws and lived to tell the tale.”

Representative Bryan Steil, head of the subcommittee, praised the progress that lawmakers have made, mentioning last week’s passing of the STABLE Act in the House of Representatives, before directing the subcommittee to the next stage of the process, namely comprehensive digital asset market structure legislation.

Pakistan taps Bitcoin mining and AI to solve power woes

Pakistan is turning to Bitcoin mining and AI data centers as a solution for its surplus electricity problem, aiming to repurpose excess power into revenue-generating infrastructure.

Bilal Bin Saqib, head of the country’s Crypto Council, told Reuters that mining sites will be selected based on regional energy overcapacity, with former Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao advising on the initiative.

Despite regulatory ambiguity, Pakistan ranks among the top 10 countries in global crypto adoption and boasts over 15 million users. The move also emphasizes youth blockchain upskilling and fostering innovation in fintech through regulatory sandboxes to boost exports and economic resilience.

Kraken, Mastercard bring crypto spending to 150 million merchants

Crypto exchange Kraken is teaming up with Mastercard (NYSE:MA) to roll out crypto debit cards across the UK and Europe, enabling users to spend digital assets at more than 150 million merchants.

The partnership builds on Kraken Pay, which allows seamless crypto-to-fiat transactions in over 300 currencies.

The new physical and digital cards — set to launch in the coming weeks — are aimed at expanding crypto’s real-world utility and normalizing digital asset payments.

Kraken CEO David Ripley views this as a critical step toward integrating crypto into everyday commerce, while Mastercard has underscored its commitment to innovating in digital finance and supporting blockchain initiatives.

Binance to delist 14 tokens

Binance announced on Tuesday (April 8) its decision to delist 14 tokens — BADGER, BAL, BETA, CREAM, CTXC, ELF, FIRO, HARD, NULS, PROS, SNT, TROY, UFT and VIDT — from its platform on April 16.

The decision follows a comprehensive evaluation that included a review of project commitment and trading volume. The outcome also incorporated the results of Binance’s newly introduced ‘Vote to Delist’ mechanism, which allows users to vote on potentially underperforming tokens based on their BNB holdings.

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

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

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Investing

Canadian Election Candidates Unveil Plans to Fast Track Mining and Energy Projects

With Canada’s energy and critical minerals sectors at a crossroads, Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre has unveiled a sweeping plan to overhaul the country’s resource project approvals process, fast tracking 10 major projects and pledging over US$1 billion in funding to open up Ontario’s mineral-rich Ring of Fire region.

At a Monday (April 7) press conference held in Terrace, BC, Poilievre introduced his “One-and-Done” policy — a streamlined permitting system aimed at eliminating regulatory bottlenecks and cutting multi-year wait times, which he blames for stalling development and weakening Canada’s global economic position.

Under the proposal, a new Rapid Resource Project Office would act as a centralized hub to manage all regulatory approvals across the federal and provincial levels. Each project would be subject to a single application and environmental review, with decisions promised within a year and a target of six months.

“After the Lost Liberal decade, Canada is poorer, weaker, and more dependent on the US than ever before, especially as a market for our natural resources,” Poilievre said in a release. “My ‘One-and-Done’ rule will quickly and safely unleash Canada’s natural resources by rapidly approving the projects Canadians need more of now: mines, roads, LNG terminals, hydro projects, and nuclear power stations, so we can stand on our own two feet and stand up to the Americans.’

LNG Canada, Ring of Fire projects top Conservative agenda

Among the most significant commitments is the LNG Canada Phase II expansion in Northern BC, which would double liquefied natural gas output from 14 million to 28 million metric tons annually.

The expansion has faced numerous delays due to emissions caps and concerns over power supply.

A Conservative government, Poilievre said, would repeal federal legislation he calls obstructive — notably Bill C-69, which he brands the “No Pipelines – No Development Law” — and lift the emissions cap that could impede Phase II.

Also at the top of Poilievre’s list is development of the Ring of Fire — a vast area in Northern Ontario rich in chromite, nickel, cobalt and other critical minerals essential for electric vehicles and defense technologies.

Three weeks ago, Poilievre pledged that a Conservative government would approve all federal permits for Ring of Fire projects within six months and commit C$1 billion over three years to build a long-awaited access road connecting mineral deposits and Indigenous communities to the provincial highway network.

“We could boost our economy with billions of dollars, allowing us to become less dependent on the Americans, while our allies overseas would no longer have to rely on Beijing for these metals, turning dollars for dictators into paychecks for our people,” Poilievre said at the time, emphasizing the importance of supply chain security.

He also said companies operating in the Ring of Fire would be allowed to redirect a portion of their federal corporate taxes directly to local Indigenous groups, a move he argues would foster economic reconciliation and local buy in.

Nine other projects slated for acceleration

In addition to LNG Canada Phase II and the Ring of Fire road, Poilievre named nine other projects that his government would prioritize for review and approval:

Northern Road Link (Ontario): A key multi-use road to connect Ring of Fire deposits, under review since 2023.
Sorel-Tracy port terminal (Québec): A new terminal in the St. Lawrence industrial corridor.

Each of these projects has faced lengthy delays under the current review framework, Poilievre said, and would be reviewed immediately to identify and remove administrative barriers.

Carney outlines ‘One Project, One Review’ agenda

At a campaign stop in Calgary, Alberta, Prime Minister and Liberal Party leader Mark Carney introduced the ‘One Project, One Review’ policy, which is intended to expedite approvals for major mining projects in Canada.

The initiative aims to eliminate redundant federal and provincial environmental assessments by recognizing provincial evaluations, thereby streamlining the permitting process. The policy is designed to accelerate the development of critical minerals, such as lithium, cobalt and nickel, which are essential for clean energy technologies.

By reducing regulatory delays, the government would seek to enhance Canada’s competitiveness in the global mining sector and support its transition to a sustainable energy future.

Carney told the crowd his goal is to make Canada an ‘energy superpower.’

“We are going to aggressively develop projects that are in the national interest in order to protect Canada’s energy security, diversify our trade, and enhance our long-term competitiveness — all while reducing emissions,” Carney explained in a written statement on Wednesday (April 9). “We can lead the energy transition while ensuring affordable energy at home and building the strongest economy in the G-7.”

He pledged to expand Canada’s critical mineral exploration tax credit to cover minerals used in defense, semiconductors, energy and cleantech. Carney also plans to broaden eligible exploration expenses to include technical studies and extend the clean manufacturing tax credit to support brownfield site development.

‘This is huge,” Pierre Gratton, CEO of the Mining Association of Canada, told Bloomberg. “It includes an awful lot of stuff that we’ve been advocating for for a while, and not getting.”

He added, “This could really help increase Canadian production of critical minerals in the short- to medium-term.”

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

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World

Germany’s centrist parties agree coalition deal as Trump tariffs spark recession fears

Germany’s major centrist parties have reached a coalition deal, amid mounting pressure to form a government as Europe’s largest economy teeters on the brink of recession after sweeping tariffs imposed by the Trump administration caused global turmoil.

Details of the coalition agreement remain unclear, and are set to be unveiled at a Berlin news conference at 9 a.m. ET.

Chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz’s CDU party emerged victorious in February’s vote but failed to win a majority, with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) surging into second place and almost doubling its supporter base.

Since then, the CDU/CSU have for weeks been locked in formal coalition talks with the SPD – Germany’s other main centrist party, which had led a three-way coalition government until its collapse in November 2024.

Pressure in Berlin to reach a deal had only mounted in the face of wider uncertainty, including the Trump administration’s introduction of sweeping import tariffs that have reshaped global trade. Merz has promised to revive Europe’s largest economy if he becomes chancellor, after years of uncharacteristic stagnation.

Continued mounting support for the AfD since the election also infused the talks with a sense of urgency. An Ipsos poll released Wednesday showed the far-right coming out on top for the first time, landing on 25%, ahead of the CDU on 24%.

“For the first time in the still-young history of the AfD, we are the strongest force in Germany. Thank you for your tremendous trust – the political change will come!” AfD co-leader Alice Weidel wrote in a post on X alongside the poll’s findings.

Merz has also pledged to boost the country’s defense spending, as Europe grapples with the threat from Russia and the US adopting a more hostile stance to European security. Berlin has reformed its so-called “debt brake” in order to loosen borrowing limits and allow for new investments in defense.

Merz has vowed to significantly tighten Germany’s immigration policies following a series of attacks perpetrated by migrants that catapulted the issue to the forefront of the 2025 election.

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World

‘A moral stain’: Former UK prime minister, Global Commission deliver new report calling to eradicate modern slavery by 2030

A group of powerful anti-slavery advocates issued a warning Tuesday, declaring that “millions of lives are at risk” unless urgent, coordinated international action is taken to eliminate modern slavery by the year 2030.

Chaired by former UK prime minister, Baroness Theresa May, the Global Commission on Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking formally delivered a new report to UN Secretary-General António Guterres in New York. The 150-page report, entitled “No Country is Immune,” paints a grim picture of systemic failures and global inaction, while outlining clear steps needed to provide help to the millions of people currently trapped in modern slavery worldwide.

According to the commission, the report is meant as a wake-up call to members of the United Nations, warning that failure to act will not only hinder the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 8.7, which aims to eradicate modern slavery by 2030, but could also endanger countless more lives. It calls for immediate, tangible changes across governments, businesses and civil society sectors.

“Talking to organizations involved in supporting victims and dealing with this issue, we realized the political will to act had gone. And that’s primarily why we’ve produced this report, to raise the political momentum and get people to recognize they need to act now,” said May.

Central to the report is a newly developed Prevention Framework, modeled after the 2014 Prevention of Genocide Framework by Adama Dieng, former UN Under-Secretary-General and Special Advisor of the Secretary General on the Prevention of Genocide. This model seeks to help nations understand the root causes of modern slavery and provide practical tools for identifying and combating its many forms.

An estimated 50 million people worldwide are enslaved today, which includes forced labor and forced marriages.

The commission’s policy recommendations include urging UN member states to adopt enforceable and effective domestic laws, establish a unified global definition of modern slavery and demand greater accountability from businesses to eliminate forced labor in global supply chains.

Also in attendance at the report launch event was Nasreen Sheikh, a survivor of modern slavery turned advocate, who urged world leaders to confront the consequences of unconscious global consumption and economic indifference.

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World

Israel orders closure of six UN schools in East Jerusalem after raids

Israeli forces raided six United Nations schools in East Jerusalem, ordering them to close within 30 days, according to UNRWA, the UN agency for the Palestinian refugees, and the Israeli Ministry of Education.

Approximately 800 students will be directly impacted by the closure orders and may not be able to finish the school year, UNRWA’s Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said on social media. Schools run by the agency serve Palestinians in areas occupied by Israel, including East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza.

“UNRWA schools are protected by the privileges and immunities of the United Nations,” Lazzarini said. “Today’s unauthorized entries and issuance of closure orders are a violation of these protections.”

Israel’s Ministry of Education said in a statement that parents were directed to register their students at other schools. “The professional staff at the Ministry of Education continue to support the educational framework for each student.”

In October, Israel’s parliament passed a law banning UNRWA from activity within Israel and revoking the 1967 treaty that allowed the agency to carry out its mission.

Yulia Malinovsky, a member of the Israeli parliament who sponsored the bill to ban UNRWA, confirmed the closure orders. The schools will have until May 8, she said.

“We’re also working very hard to close the water and electricity to all of UNRWA’s facilities (in areas occupied by Israel),” Malinovsky said. “We’re doing everything we can to implement the UNRWA bills fully in all institutions and in all aspects.”

Israel has long sought to dismantle the UN agency, arguing that some of its employees are members of Hamas and that UNRWA’s education system teaches students to hate Israel.

A UN-commissioned inquiry found that examples in textbooks of anti-Israel bias were “marginal” but nonetheless constituted “a grave violation of neutrality.”

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have alleged that a handful of UNRWA’s 13,000 employees in Gaza participated in the October 7 massacre. UNRWA has repeatedly denied these accusations, saying there is “absolutely no ground for a blanket description of ‘the institution as a whole’ being ‘totally infiltrated.’”

UNRWA was founded by the United Nations a year after the 1948 creation of Israel that led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from their homes in an event known by Palestinians as the “Nakba” (catastrophe).

The agency, which began by assisting about 750,000 Palestinian refugees in 1950, now serves some 5.9 million across the Middle East, many of whom live in refugee camps in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and East Jerusalem as well as in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria.

In the Gaza Strip, which has been ravaged by a devastating Israeli war for more than a year, UNRWA serves some 1.7 million Palestinian refugees. In the West Bank and East Jerusalem, it assists around 871,500 refugees.

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World

Ukrainian intelligence has identified 155 Chinese citizens fighting for Russia, Zelensky says

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday that Ukrainian intelligence had identified 155 Chinese citizens fighting alongside Russian forces, a day after Ukraine said two Chinese nationals were captured in the country.

The Chinese nationals had been recruited through advertisements, including on social media, Zelensky said in a briefing Wednesday.

China has consistently denied any involvement in the war.

A spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said earlier Wednesday that any claims that Chinese citizens are fighting in Ukraine were “groundless.”

“It is important to emphasize that the Chinese government has always instructed its citizens to stay away from areas of armed conflict and avoid getting involved in the conflict in any form, especially avoiding participation in any party’s military operations,” spokesperson Lin Jian said in a press conference.

Most of the contracts in the document are dated “2024” and straddle different military units.

“We are collecting information and we believe that there are more, many more,” Zelensky said Wednesday, before claiming that Beijing was aware of Russians placing recruitment videos on Chinese social networks.

“These people arrive to the Russian Federation, to Moscow. Medical examinations last three to four days. Training centers are for one to two months. They fight on the territory of Ukraine,” he added.

Asked whether he thought the presence of Chinese nationals in Ukraine was a result of official Beijing policy, Zelensky said: “I don’t have an answer to this question yet. The Security Service of Ukraine will work on it … We are not saying that someone gave any command, we do not have such information.”

The allegations of Chinese nationals fighting alongside Russian forces follow claims by Ukraine that two Chinese nationals fighting in the Russian army have been taken prisoner in eastern Ukraine.

Zelensky said Tuesday that Ukrainian forces fighting in the Donetsk region obtained the Chinese nationals’ documents, bank cards and personal data.

The Ukrainian president on Wednesday added that Ukraine was “ready to exchange” the two individuals for Ukrainian prisoners of war.

The Kremlin spokesperson on Wednesday declined to comment on the claim that Chinese nationals were allegedly captured in Ukraine. Beijing said on Wednesday that it was “currently verifying” the situation with Ukraine.

Ukrainian military says Chinese national paid to join Russian army

One of the Chinese nationals captured fighting in eastern Ukraine had paid to join the Russian military through an intermediary in China, with the goal of becoming a Russian citizen, according to the Ukrainian military.

The Chinese detainee, who Ukrainian authorities said Tuesday was taken as a prisoner of war alongside a second Chinese national, was likely speaking under duress.

“According to the prisoner, he joined the Russian military through an intermediary in China, paying RUB 300,000 ($3,500) for the opportunity to enlist in the Russian Armed Forces,” the communications department of the Luhansk Operational Tactical Group said in a statement to Ukrainian media.

“He stated that his primary motivation was the desire to become a serviceman and obtain Russian Federation citizenship. He also mentioned that some group members had legal issues in China,” the statement to news outlet Ukrainska Pravda said.

“He reported that he had received training in the temporarily occupied territory of Luhansk Oblast as part of a group of Chinese nationals. The training covered basic military skills and was conducted without an interpreter, relying on gestures and a mobile translator for communication.”

The Ukrainian military tactical group said the man was taken prisoner when a Russian assault group chose to surrender under fire from Ukrainian soldiers.

“The individual is currently cooperating with Ukrainian investigative agencies, and his identity and citizenship have been confirmed. He noted that his family was aware of his intentions to go to Russia, although he officially travelled as a tourist,” the statement to Ukrainska Pravda said.

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