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China’s Xi hails ‘stable and resilient’ Russia ties as he shows solidarity with Putin in Moscow

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Chinese leader Xi Jinping hailed Russia and China’s “stable and resilient” ties as he began talks with counterpart Vladimir Putin on Thursday in Moscow, a show of solidarity in the face of global uncertainties unleashed by US President Donald Trump’s “America First” diplomacy.

Sitting across a table from Putin, Xi said the countries’ “political mutual trust has grown deeper” and “practical cooperation has strengthened.”

“In this new era, China-Russia relations are more composed and confident, stable and resilient,” he added.

Xi arrived Wednesday for a four-day state visit to Russia, where he’ll top a list of foreign leaders attending Putin’s heavily choreographed Victory Day military parade, which is taking place in the shadow of Russia’s ongoing war on Ukraine. This year’s events mark 80 years since the Allied victory over Nazi Germany, which ended World War II.

Putin welcomed his Chinese counterpart to the Kremlin, where they shook hands in a cavernous hall before posing for photos flanked by oversized Chinese and Russian flags. During opening remarks, each referred to the other as a “friend.”

Talks held over breakfast, as well as an informal, one-on-one tea on Thursday morning, are expected to cover their strategic partnership, the war in Ukraine and Russia’s relations with the United States, according to the Kremlin.

The two leaders have met more than 40 times over the past decade and steadily strengthened their partnership in recent years in the face of shared tensions with the West. Their diplomacy this week comes at a pivotal moment in each country’s relations with the United States.

China is now locked in an escalated trade war with Washington, sparked by Trump’s heavy tariffs on the world’s second-largest economy. Moscow, meanwhile, has found a more sympathetic America under Trump than it did during Joe Biden’s presidency, but is now warily eying recently warming ties between Washington and Kyiv.

Both Beijing and Moscow have appeared keen to use the gathering to showcase themselves as stable partners and reliable powers, part of a broader bid to reshape an international order they see unfairly dominated by the West.

“Currently, in the face of an international countercurrent of unilateralism and the hegemonic practices of the powerful, China together with Russia will take on our special responsibilities as major world powers and permanent members of the UN Security Council,” Xi said during his opening remarks, using language Beijing typically employs in veiled references to the US.

Putin noted that the two countries were developing their “ties for the benefit of the peoples of both countries and not against anyone” and said the two governments were working to implement “an entire array of practical agreements, including a detailed plan for economic cooperation until 2030.”

Ukraine war hangs over Putin’s military parade

The meeting takes place hours after a three-day ceasefire in Ukraine — unilaterally declared by Putin last month — came into effect, coinciding with the parade. Russian state news agency Tass said the ceasefire began at midnight local time on Wednesday (5 p.m. ET Wednesday).

Earlier this month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned dignitaries traveling to the event that Kyiv “cannot be responsible for what happens on the territory of the Russian Federation,” amid the ongoing conflict, a statement the Kremlin said amounted to a threat.

Ukraine has launched multiple drone attacks on Moscow over the course of the war, including in recent days, prompting temporary closures of airports in the capital for several hours. Ukraine says its attacks are in response to Russia’s continued assault on Ukrainian territory, including residential areas and energy infrastructure.

More than two dozen leaders are expected to gather in the Russian capital for the Victory Day celebrations, while troops from 13 countries will march in the parade, according to the Kremlin. Leaders expected to attend include Brazil’s Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Egypt’s Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Belarussian leader Aleksandr Lukashenko.

The gathering, a key chance for Putin to project himself as a global power player, takes place amid an increasingly contentious global backdrop, including tensions between India and Pakistan which threaten to spiral into a full-blown conflict.

Russia’s May 9 Victory Day is one of the country’s largest celebrations. It marks Nazi Germany’s 1945 surrender to the Soviet Union, a day which has become increasingly important under Putin, who has falsely claimed his war in Ukraine is a “denazification.” In recent years the parade has seen a diminished supply of military hardware, as Russian tanks are instead mobilized on that war’s front lines.

Europe celebrates its VE Day, marking Germany’s surrender on all fronts, on Thursday.

This post appeared first on cnn.com

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India and Pakistan are both claiming victory after this week’s clashes. Will cooler heads prevail?

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This week’s clashes between Pakistan and India are the most serious escalation in tensions between these two historic foes in decades with millions on both sides of their border now wondering what might come next.

Despite a vow to “avenge” India’s strikes on its territory, Pakistan has yet to retaliate in kind on India, and both sides appear to have already claimed victory. But hostilities continue.

Palpable panic rocked both nations Wednesday after New Delhi launched targeted military strikes on its neighbor, while Islamabad claimed it had shot down its rival’s fighter jets.

The fear is that each additional confrontational step by either side could quickly spiral into an all out conflict.

Indian media was euphoric after Wednesday’s strikes. “Strokes of justice,” ran an editorial from one of India’s leading English newspapers commending the country’s “sharp” and “resolute” response to the massacre of 26 people in Indian-administered Kashmir, at the hands of militants. A headline from The Indian Express echoed a similar tune: “Justice Served” it said across the front page.

In Pakistan, the public response from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was similarly bellicose.

He has vowed to “avenge” the deaths of 31 people Pakistan says were killed in India’s strikes but still appeared to declare triumph for its apparent shooting of India’s airplanes.

“It only took a few hours for the enemy to fall on its knees,” he said in a late-night address to the nation.

India says it struck “terrorist infrastructure” belonging to two Islamist groups – Lashkar-e-Tayyiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed – who have been accused of being behind some the deadliest militant attacks on the country. Wednesday’s strikes did not target military infrastructure and didn’t kill civilians, New Delhi said, potentially giving India and Pakistan an opportunity to find a way to avoid an all-out war.

One location India struck was deep in Pakistan’s Punjab province, the deepest attack in Pakistan’s undisputed territory since both countries fought a major war in 1971. It also targeted multiple other locations in Punjab – the heartland of the powerful military and home of the Sharif government – and hit a mosque, according to Pakistani officials, angering millions in the Muslim-majority nation.

What happens now, analysts say, mostly depends on Islamabad’s next move.

“All eyes are on Pakistan,” said Washington-based South Asia analyst, Michael Kugelman. “If it decides to save face and claim victory — perhaps by pointing to the downing of Indian jets (which New Delhi has not confirmed) — and call it a day, an off ramp could be in sight.”

But he warned “all bets would be off” should Pakistan decide to strike back.

‘Something to lose’

Most analysts agree the nuclear-armed neighbors cannot afford another battle.

India and Pakistan have already fought three wars over Kashmir, a contested region they both claim in its entirety and each control a part of. Another conflict could have catastrophic consequences.

Since its birth seven decades ago in the partition of what was British India, Pakistan – now home to 230 million people – has faced mounting challenges, from political instability to an alarming militant insurgency, climate catastrophes and economic disarray.

India is seemingly in a stronger position; its military is seen as superior in any conventional conflict based on number alone and it boasts an economy more than 10 times the size of Pakistan’s. But it too would have something to lose should the conflict escalate, according to Tanvi Madan, a senior fellow in the Foreign Policy program at the Brookings Institution.

“Largely on the basis of what we’ve seen in previous times, these are two rational actors who don’t want a broader war,” Madan said.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed to elevate India’s status on the global stage, bidding to host the Olympics and seeking to overtake China as the world’s manufacturing hub.

Not to mention, India already faces security threats on multiple fronts — particularly along contested borders with China.

De-escalation or more to come?

India was quick to project that its response to the April 22 massacre was “focused, measured and non-escalatory” and make clear that they were in response to the tourist’s massacre.

Top officials in New Delhi reached out to key counterparts in the United States, Middle East and Russia, among others, “presumably to encourage international pressure for Pakistan to avoid escalation,” said Nisha Biswal, Senior Advisor at The Asia Group.

Pakistan’s leaders touted a victory by the country’s air force, saying five Indian fighter jets were shot down during an hour-long battle fought at ranges over 160 kilometers (100 miles).

India’s leaders have said little in response to those claims and have not acknowledged any aircraft losses. The Pakistanis have yet to show any evidence proving they downed fighter jets, but a French Defense Ministry source said at least one of India’s newest and most-advanced warplanes – a French-made Rafale fighter jet – was lost in the battle.

If there have indeed been losses for India, Pakistan could claim victory “even if the circumstances are murky,” said Milan Vaishnav, a senior fellow and director of the South Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

“This would allow Pakistan to claim it has imposed costs on Indian military targets.”

Yet, amid the fog of war, Pakistan’s powerful army general Asim Munir had already vowed to match any aggression from India.

And Munir, who is known for his hardline stance on Hindu-nationalist Modi, has a reputation of being more assertive than his predecessor Qamar Javed Bajwa.

Meanwhile there have been many voices within Modi’s Hindu nationalist party pushing for a decisive blow against Pakistan for years.

Kugelman, the South Asia analyst, said the US, which has historically interceded in these crises, could try to defuse the tension, but it’s unclear how much bandwidth the Trump administration is willing to allocate.

“China has called for de-escalation, but its fraught ties with India rule it out as a viable intermediary. The top mediator candidates are the Arab Gulf states, especially Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates,” he said, given their strong ties with both nations.

Qatar was quick to urge diplomacy in the hours after Wednesday’s strikes.

While most analysts think there is an off-ramp for both nations, they all agree the situation remains fluid and tense.

“This crisis is as unpredictable as it is dangerous—an unsettling combination,” Kugelman added.

This post appeared first on cnn.com

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Use This Multi-Timeframe MACD Signal for Precision Trades

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In this video, Joe shares how to trade MACD signals using multiple timeframes, and how to spot stock market pullback setups that can help to pinpoint a great entry off a low. He then reviews sector performance to identify market leadership, covers key chart patterns, and discusses a looming bearish signal on QQQ and IWM. The video wraps with technical analysis on popular viewer-submitted stock symbols, including REAL, PSTG, and more.

The video premiered on May 7, 2025. Click this link to watch on Joe’s dedicated page.

Archived videos from Joe are available at this link. Send symbol requests to stocktalk@stockcharts.com; you can also submit a request in the comments section below the video on YouTube. Symbol Requests can be sent in throughout the week prior to the next show.


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The Unpredictable Stock Market: How to Make Sense of It

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The stock market’s action on Wednesday was a bit like trying to pick a dinner spot with friends—lots of back and forth, but no real direction.

The market started out higher and went up and down without much of a directional bias until the Fed made its expected interest rate decision and Fed Chairman Jerome Powell’s press conference. Stock prices dipped lower, but right before the close, another headline moving event surfaced: President Trump announced the rollback of some chip-related restrictions. This news gave the market a boost into the close.

Here’s how the broader indexes closed:

  • The Dow Industrials ($INDU) finished up 0.70%.
  • The S&P 500 ($SPX) rose 0.43%.
  • The Nasdaq Composite ($COMPQ) added 0.27%.

Tech Leads, but Alphabet Takes a Hit

In terms of sector performance, Technology came out on top, followed by Consumer Discretionary and Health Care. On the flip side, Real Estate, Communication Services, and Materials were the laggards.

The main reason behind the stumble in Communication Services was Alphabet, Inc. (GOOGL), which dropped by a whopping 7.26%. Why the selloff? An Alphabet exec testified that Google was losing search traffic to AI tools.

The StockCharts’ S&P 500 MarketCarpet (below) reflects Wednesday’s price action.

FIGURE 1. STOCKCHARTS MARKETCARPETS FOR MAY 7, 2025. It was mostly green with some pockets of red.Image source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.

Overall, Wednesday’s performance is leaning more positive than negative, but is it enough to break through critical resistance levels?

Resistance Levels in the S&P 500

To get a clearer picture, we need to check out the daily chart of the S&P 500 ($SPX).

FIGURE 2. S&P 500 FACING A LOT OF HEADWINDS. THE 61.8% Fibonacci retracement level is a resistance level the index is struggling to break above.Chart source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.

The S&P 500 is sandwiched between its 50- and 200-day simple moving averages (SMAs). The Fibonacci retracement levels drawn from the February high to April low show that the 61.8% retracement level is proving to be a stubborn ceiling. Add to that the downward-sloping 50-day SMA, and the market may have a tough time moving higher. To leave the downtrend in the rearview mirror, the S&P 500 would have to break above its 200-day SMA with the necessary follow-through to keep it above that level. So far, the price action suggests that the S&P 500 will face headwinds to get to that stage.

News Moves Markets, Like the Chip Surprise Today

Remember, the market’s price action is like riding a rollercoaster powered by headlines. This can sometimes send technical analysis into a disarray.

Take, for example, today’s news about lifting the chip restrictions, which sent semiconductor stocks higher. The VanEck Vectors Semiconductor ETF (SMH) jumped 2.05% (see chart below).

FIGURE 3. DAILY CHART OF SMH. Will the semiconductor ETF be able to break out above its May 2 high?Chart source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.

Like the chart of the S&P 500, SMH needs to work harder at breaking its downtrend. The one ray of hope is that Wednesday’s move reached the May 2 high. The downside: it wasn’t able to break above it. This shows investors are cautious about semiconductors and the overall equity market.

Volatility Says It All

The caution among investors can be seen clearly in the chart of the S&P 500 vs the Cboe Volatility Index ($VIX).

FIGURE 4. VIX VS. S&P 500. Even though the VIX pulled back from its April peak, it’s still above average.Chart source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.

What’s interesting is that while the VIX fell when the S&P 500 rose from mid-April, the VIX hasn’t dropped to its average level of 19. It’s still trading above it, which is another point that increases the probability of further downside in equities.

The Bottom Line

There is a lot going on: geopolitical tensions, trade deal updates, policy shifts. Any of these can jolt the market in either direction.

It was encouraging to see tech stocks and semiconductors bounce on Wednesday, but that doesn’t mean we’re headed back to the days of growth stock leadership. If you’re an investor, especially one managing retirement money or nearing retirement, the best approach is to be patient. We’re not out of the woods yet.

As always, stay alert and stick with your investment plan.

Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The ideas and strategies should never be used without first assessing your own personal and financial situation, or without consulting a financial professional.


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SAGA Metals Extends Claims at the Radar Ti-V-Fe Project –Securing the Entire Titanomagnetite-Bearing Intrusion

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Saga Metals Corp. (‘SAGA’ or the ‘Company’) (TSXV: SAGA) (OTCQB: SAGMF) (FSE: 20H) a North American exploration company specializing in the discovery of critical minerals, is pleased to announce the addition of 97 new claims covering 2,425 hectares, increasing the total area of the Radar Ti-V-Fe Project to 24,175 hectares.

The Company’s 100%-owned Radar Property is strategically located just 10 kilometres from the coastal city of Cartwright, Labrador. The location offers excellent infrastructure advantages, including:

  • Road access
  • Deep-water port on the Atlantic Ocean
  • Cartwright Airport
  • Proximity to hydroelectric power

With the recent expansion, the Radar Property now fully encompasses the Dykes River intrusive complex, a recently identified Mesoproterozoic layered mafic intrusion (Gower, 2017). The complex has garnered significant interest due to its geological resemblance to large AMCG-type intrusions and the presence of an extensive titanium-vanadium-iron (Ti-V-Fe) enriched layer containing vanadiferous titanomagnetite (‘VTM’).

Regional airborne magnetic surveys highlighted the mafic oxide layer, revealing an arcuate exploration target extending over 20 kilometers in length.

Michael Garagan, CGO & Director of SAGA commented: ‘To lay claim to the entire Dykes River Intrusion is an important milestone for SAGA and its shareholders. Throughout history, many of these mineralized geological settings have been shared amongst multiple companies vying to advance their projects. It’s a unique and significant opportunity to hold the entire 160 square km intrusion mapped at the surface and benefits from tremendous infrastructure. The claim acquisition consolidates the entire intrusion and allows the company to delegate zones for both additional infrastructure and further exploration. We’ve only just begun uncovering the true potential and extent of the oxide layering hosted within the intrusion.’

Figure 1: Map of the Radar project highlighting the oxide layering, road access, and proximity to the town of Cartwright, Labrador. SAGA’s 2024 field programs now confirm compilation of historical airborne geophysics.

Saga Metals Confirms Geological Success with Drilling:

The Company recently reported assays from the first two of seven holes drilled on the Hawkeye zone of the Radar Ti-V-Fe property. Please click here to review the full press release on drill holes #1 and #4. Highlights are listed below.

Highlights:

  • Drilled 2,200m confidently testing targets down to a depth of 200 meters, covering a 500-meter by 350-meter target panel.
  • Winter program analytical results have been obtained for the first two diamond drill holes.
  • Petrographic analysis and the new assays confirm that the main economic mineral is a vanadiferous titanomagnetite (‘VTM’), which is prospective for simplified metallurgical processing.
  • Exceptional intercepts of VTM included 31.5m @ 25.95% Fe + 5.34% TiO 2 + 0.28% V 2 O 5 in HEZ-01 and 50m @ 24.49% Fe + 4.74% TiO 2 + 0.305 % V 2 O 5 in HEZ-04.
  • Massive high-grade VTM samples including HEZ-01 with 0.3m @ 39.5% Fe + 9.4% TiO 2 + 0.339% V 2 O 5 and HEZ-01 with 0.5m @ 43.0% Fe + 9% TiO 2 + 0.512% V 2 O 5 .
  • Drilling intercepts average 20-40% VTM, and particular massive layers exceed 60% VTM.
  • Drilling to vertical depths of 200 meters confirms magnetic anomalies identified by geophysics.
  • Initial drilling covers just 1/40th of the identified 20 km strike extent of the oxide layering zone in the Dykes River intrusion.

Drilling also confirmed massive to semi-massive oxide layering, hosting VTM mineralization, with significant widths up to 210 meters within the drill core. The geological context identified by Dr. Al Miller’s petrographic studies substantially advanced the understanding of Radar Property mineralization. These findings indicate that the VTM mineralization system is advantageous for simplified metallurgical processing and potentially improves economic outcomes.

Figure 2: The prospective oxide layering zone on the Radar property extends for an inferred 20km strike length, as shown on a compilation of historical airborne geophysics, which SAGA confirmed in the 2024 field programs.

Figure 3: Hawkeye Zone displays a   500m strike by 350m width magnetic anomaly drilled in the winter 2025 program. (2024 Saga Metals. TMI Magnetic Survey).

Given the success of the maiden drill program within the Hawkeye zone over a 500 m strike and the strong correlation between drill core, rock samples and geophysics (Figure 3), SAGA plans to repeat this model over the five priority targets along the 20 km strike length of the oxide layer. The geophysical anomaly drilled in the Hawkeye zone is potentially one of the lesser anomalies. Early indications from geophysics being conducted over the Trapper zone report an even stronger magnetic response.

Qualified Person

Paul J. McGuigan, P. Geo. is an Independent Qualified Person as defined under National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical information related to the Radar Ti-V-Fe Project disclosed in this news release.

About Saga Metals Corp.

Saga Metals Corp. is a North American mining company focused on the exploration and discovery of critical minerals that support the global transition to green energy. The company’s flagship asset, the Double Mer Uranium Project, is located in Labrador, Canada, covering 25,600 hectares. This project features uranium radiometrics that highlight an 18km east-west trend, with a confirmed 14km section producing samples as high as 0.428% U 3 O 8 and uranium uranophane was identified in several areas of highest radiometric response (2024 Double Mer Technical Report).

In addition to its uranium focus, SAGA owns the Legacy Lithium Property in Quebec’s Eeyou Istchee James Bay region. This project, developed in partnership with Rio Tinto, has been expanded through the acquisition of the Amirault Lithium Project. Together, these properties cover 65,849 hectares and share significant geological continuity with other major players in the area, including Rio Tinto, Winsome Resources, Azimut Exploration, and Loyal Lithium.

SAGA also holds additional exploration assets in Labrador, where the company is focused on the discovery of titanium, vanadium, and iron ore. With a portfolio that spans key minerals crucial to the green energy transition, SAGA is strategically positioned to play an essential role in the clean energy future.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors

Mike Stier, Chief Executive Officer

For more information, contact:
Saga Metals Corp.
Investor Relations
Tel: +1 (778) 930-1321
Email: info@SAGAmetals.com
www.SAGAmetals.com

The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the accuracy or adequacy of this release. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Disclaimer

This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as ‘will’, ‘may’, ‘should’, ‘anticipates’, ‘expects’, ‘believes’, and similar expressions or the negative of these words or other comparable terminology. All statements other than statements of historical fact, included in this release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking information pertaining to the Company’s Radar Ti-V-Fe project. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company’s expectations include, but are not limited to, changes in the state of equity and debt markets, fluctuations in commodity prices, delays in obtaining required regulatory or governmental approvals, environmental risks, limitations on insurance coverage, risks and uncertainties involved in the mineral exploration and development industry, and the risks detailed in the Company’s final prospectus in Manitoba and amended and restated final prospectus for British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario dated August 30, 2024, filed under its SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca, and in the continuous disclosure filings made by the Company with securities regulations from time to time. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. Such information, although considered reasonable by management at the time of preparation, may prove to be incorrect and actual results may differ materially from those anticipated. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company will update or revise publicly any of the included forward-looking statements only as expressly required by applicable law.

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/e5fcaa32-0144-4ab1-8675-6311908d44c5

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4d825e7b-917e-4d9b-a851-f4e0bb4edee0

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/19f0eab7-33e1-4997-b231-965227540f9a

News Provided by GlobeNewswire via QuoteMedia

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Group Eleven Intersects 12.0m of 2.30% Cu and 560 g/t Ag, Including 6.4m of 3.72% Cu and 838 g/t Ag, Demonstrating High-Grade Copper and Silver Potential at Ballywire

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Group Eleven Resources Corp. (TSXV: ZNG) (OTC Pink: GRLVF) (FSE: 3GE) (‘Group Eleven’ or the ‘Company’) is pleased to announce assay results from four new holes from the ongoing drill program at the Company’s 100%-owned Ballywire zinc-lead-silver discovery (‘Ballywire’), PG West Project (‘PG West’), Republic of Ireland.

Highlights:

  • 25-3552-31, a 65m step-out hole, intersected two strongly mineralized horizons:
    • Cu-Ag horizon (starting at 348.7m downhole)
      • 19.9m of 1.46% Cu and 356 g/t Ag, including
      • 12.0m of 2.30% Cu and 560 g/t Ag, including
      • 6.4m of 3.72% Cu and 838 g/t Ag
    • Zn-Pb-Ag horizon (starting at 297.0m downhole)
      • 47.1m of 4.5% Zn+Pb (3.1% Zn and 1.4% Pb) and 22 g/t Ag, including
      • 25.9m of 7.4% Zn+Pb (5.1% Zn and 2.3% Pb) and 35 g/t Ag, including
      • 12.9m of 11.0% Zn+Pb (7.7% Zn and 3.2% Pb) and 57 g/t Ag, including
      • 3.7m of 20.4% Zn+Pb (15.8% Zn and 4.6% Pb) and 151 g/t Ag
  • Up to 10.45% Cu (over 0.80m) and up to 1,880 g/t Ag (over 0.86m) intersected in the Cu-Ag horizon; to the Company’s knowledge, this represents the highest-grade Ag intercept in Ireland over the last >60 years (by any operator) and similarly, one of the highest-grade Cu intercepts
  • Cu-Ag horizon consists of replacement-style mineralization along the base of the Waulsortian Limestone in proximity to a fault structure; mineralization appears to consist mostly of tennantite-tetrahedrite (detailed mineralogy work to be undertaken in due course)
  • Noteworthy is the presence of elevated antimony in the Cu-Ag zone, grading 0.27% Sb within the above 6.4m interval (including 0.80m of 10.45% Cu, 1215 g/t Ag and 0.83% Sb)
  • This hole expands the footprint of the 2.6km long discovery trend by at least 65m down-dip, to a total of at least 170m down-dip along this section (and remains open further down-dip)
  • Drilling continues at Ballywire with two rigs testing (i) the NE extension and (ii) 1.3km ENE of the Ballywire discovery in the vicinity of the prospective ‘D’ gravity-high anomaly; a third rig was added this week, testing the deeper Cu-Ag target (below the Waulsortian Limestone)

‘Intersecting spectacular copper-silver grades over significant thicknesses is a pivotal moment for the Ballywire discovery,’ stated Bart Jaworski, CEO. ‘These results not only strongly point to a stratigraphically deeper Cu-Ag horizon but also represent a proof of concept that substantial grades and thicknesses of copper and silver exist at the discovery, in addition to excellent grades of Zn-Pb. The growing presence of critical minerals at Ballywire, namely, copper, germanium and now potentially antimony, highlights the rising strategic importance of this discovery for Ireland, the EU and our shareholders. With today’s Cu-Ag milestone, continued drilling to the NE and along our prospective 6km trend, plus the start of drilling with our third rig, we are poised to further grow shareholder value as the year progresses.’

Exhibit 1. Cross-Section Showing New Drilling (25-3552-31) at Ballywire Discovery

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5685/251260_exhibit1.jpg

Note: True width of mineralized intervals in 25-3552-31, as a percent of down-hole interval, is estimated to be 50-70%

Exhibit 2. Plan Map Showing New Drilling and Intersected High-Grade Cu-Ag Mineralization

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5685/251260_exhibit2.jpg

New Step-Out Holes at Ballywire Discovery

The Ballywire prospect at the Company’s 100%-owned PG West Project in Republic of Ireland, represents the most significant mineral discovery in Ireland in over a decade. First announced in Sept-2022, the discovery has 52 holes drilled and reported by Group Eleven to date, including the most recent four holes (25-3552-30, -31, -32, and -33) reported today (see Exhibits 1 to 7).

High-grade Zn-Pb mineralization from 25-3552-31 (see Page 1 and Exhibits 1 to 4) consists predominantly of sphalerite, galena and pyrite. High-grade Cu-Ag mineralization in this hole consists of suspected tennantite/tetrahedrite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, galena and pyrite along and/or close to the base of the Waulsortian Limestone (see Exhibit 1). Noteworthy is the presence of elevated antimony within the Cu-Ag zone. For example, the 6.39m interval below, grading 3.72% Cu and 838 g/t Ag, also grades 0.27% Sb (including 0.80m of 10.45% Cu, 1215 g/t Ag and 0.83% Sb).

Exhibit 3. Summary of Assays from 25-3552-31 at Ballywire

Item From
(m)		 To
(m)		 Int
(m)		 Zn
(%)		 Pb
(%)		 Zn+Pb
(%)		 Ag
(g/t)		 Cu
(%)
25-3552-31 155.00 155.84 0.84 8.41 1.70 10.11 93.8 –
And 188.89 192.61 3.72 2.34 0.22 2.56 11.9 –
Incl. 190.82 191.75 0.93 4.77 0.45 5.22 25.2 –
And 296.95 344.07 47.12 3.13 1.37 4.50 21.6 –
Incl. 300.76 301.70 0.94 5.21 0.72 5.93 13.9 –
And 309.07 334.96 25.89 5.10 2.27 7.37 35.4 –
Incl. 310.00 322.88 12.88 7.72 3.24 10.95 57.4 –
Incl. 315.49 319.20 3.71 15.81 4.56 20.37 151.1 –
And 347.79 370.42 22.63 0.47 0.51 0.98 315.8 1.30
Incl. 348.71 368.60 19.89 0.49 0.57 1.07 356.5 1.46
Incl. 348.71 360.73 12.02 0.59 0.79 1.38 560.1 2.30
Incl. 353.39 360.73 7.34 0.68 1.27 1.95 768.0 3.36
Incl. 354.34 360.73 6.39 0.65 1.46 2.11 838.0 3.72
Incl. 354.34 355.20 0.86 0.77 0.06 0.83 1880.0 5.73
And 355.20 356.09 0.89 0.09 0.02 0.11 516.0 1.12
And 356.09 357.02 0.93 0.40 8.47 8.87 399.0 1.16
And 357.02 357.98 0.96 0.36 1.15 1.51 128.0 1.19
And 357.98 358.78 0.80 2.44 0.21 2.65 1215.0 10.45
And 358.78 359.84 1.06 0.33 0.06 0.38 979.0 3.92
And 359.84 360.73 0.89 0.45 0.03 0.48 871.0 3.52

 

Note: True width of the mineralized interval in hole 25-3552-31, as a percentage of the down-hole interval, is estimated to be 50-70%; for photographs of Cu-Ag rich core, see Appendix and www.groupelevenresources.com.

Three other holes released today were drilled in a 150m gap to the NE of 25-3552-31 (25-3552-30, -32 and -33; see Exhibit 2). Hole 25-3552-30 returned nil mineralization, 25-3552-32 returned three intervals of mineralization up to 0.94m of 2.4% Zn+Pb (0.9% Zn and 1.5% Pb) and 8 g/t Ag, and 25-3552-33 returned three intervals of mineralization up to 0.82m of 2.9% Zn+Pb (1.1% Zn and 1.8% Pb) and 7 g/t Ag. These zones of mineralization are narrower and weaker than those at the main discovery trend but generally in line with recent holes drilled further to the ENE (see holes G11-3552-24, -26 and 28 in news release dated 25-Mar-2025). Disseminated copper mineralization, as well as, mineralized veins and fractures, is strengthening towards the north, suggesting massive sulphide mineralization may be present further north (see northern-most purple line in Exhibit 4). A second mineralized trend is also emerging to the south where the interpreted Cu-Ag rich ‘feeder’ fault pierced by drilling along the main discovery trend appears to correlate with mineralization approx. 350m along strike to the ENE, intersected in G11-3552-08 (see solid and dashed purple lines in Exhibit 4). Drilling is ongoing in the NE area to test the above targets.

Copper-Silver Target

Today’s results add to a growing body of evidence that support the interpretation of a Cu-Ag ‘feeder’ fault parallel to and spatially associated with the main Zn-Pb-Ag discovery at Ballywire (see Exhibit 4). With up to 10.45% Cu and 1,880 g/t Ag in a mineralized horizon near a steeply dipping structure, mineralizing fluids are interpreted to have emanated from deeper in the sedimentary sequence (see Exhibit 5). Meanwhile, the stratigraphy of the region suggests that the Lower Limestone Shale horizon exists approximately 100-200m below the discovery horizon (base of the Waulsortian Limestone). This horizon hosts four well known Cu-Ag historic occurrences in the surrounding area (see Denison, Oola, Gortdrum and Tullacondra in Exhibit 8, located approx. 5km, 9km, 10km and 45km away from Ballywire, respectively).

These historic Cu-Ag occurrences can be interpreted as the eroded remnants of originally more vertically extensive mineralizing systems, likely representing the roots of stratigraphically higher Zn-Pb-Ag mineralization. At Ballywire, the mineralizing system has the potential to be much larger than its neighbouring occurrences (based on a relatively larger footprint to date); additionally, any Cu-Ag mineralization would notionally be intact below the existing Zn-Pb-Ag mineralization.

Given the compelling nature of this exploration model, Group Eleven added a third rig and began drilling this deeper Cu-Ag target this week.

Exhibit 4. Plan Map Showing Interpreted Cu-Ag ‘Feeder’ at Ballywire

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5685/251260_exhibit4.jpg

Exhibit 5. Cross-Section Showing Hypothesized Cu-Ag Mineralization in the Lower Limestone Shale

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5685/251260_exhibit5.jpg

Exhibit 6. Oblique 3D View of Cu-Ag Mineralization at Ballywire

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5685/251260_exhibit6.jpg

Note: Bodies shown (calcite, Zn-Pb-Ag and Cu-Ag) are not constrained by any grade cut-off and are meant for illustrative purposes only

Exhibit 7. Regional Gravity at Ballywire Showing 6km Long Prospective Trend

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5685/251260_exhibit7.jpg

Notes to Exhibit 8: (a) Pallas Green MRE is owned by Glencore (see Glencore’s Resources and Reserves Report dated December 31, 2024); (b) Stonepark MRE: see the ‘NI 43-101 Independent Report on the Zinc-Lead Exploration Project at Stonepark, County Limerick, Ireland’, by Gordon, Kelly and van Lente, with an effective date of April 26, 2018, as found on SEDAR; and (c) the historic estimate at Denison was reported by Westland Exploration Limited in ‘Report on Prospecting Licence 464’ by Dermot Hughes dated May, 1988; the historic estimate at Gortdrum was reported in ‘The Geology and Genesis of the Gortdrum Cu-Ag-Hg Orebody’ by G.M. Steed dated 1986; and the historic estimate at Tullacondra was first reported by Munster Base Metals Ltd in ‘Report on Mallow Property’ by David Wilbur, dated December 1973; and later summarized in ‘Cu-Ag Mineralization at Tullacondra, Mallow, Co. Cork’ by Wilbur and Carter in 1986; the above three historic estimates have not been verified as current mineral resources; none of the key assumptions, parameters and methods used to prepare the historic estimates were reported and no resource categories were used; significant data compilation, re-drilling and data verification may be required by a Qualified Person before the historic estimates can be verified and upgraded to be compliant with current NI 43-101 standards; a Qualified Person has not done sufficient work to classify them as a current mineral resource and the Company is not treating the historic estimates as current mineral resources. ‘Rathdowney Trend’ is the south-westerly projection of the Rathdowney Trend, hosting the historic Lisheen and Galmoy mines.

Exhibit 8. Regional Map of Ballywire Discovery and Surrounding Cu-Ag Historic Occurrences

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5685/251260_exhibit8.jpg

Qualified Person

Technical information in this news release has been approved by Professor Garth Earls, Eur Geol, P.Geo, FSEG, geological consultant at IGS (International Geoscience Services) Limited, and independent ‘Qualified Person’ as defined under Canadian National Instrument 43-101.

Sampling and Analytical Procedures

All core drilled at Ballywire is NQ (47.6mm) and is cut using a rock saw. Sample intervals vary between 0.42m to 1.3m with the majority of samples in the 0.79m to 0.99m range. The half-core samples are bagged, labelled and sealed at Group Elevens core store facility in Limerick, Ireland. Selected sample bags are examined by the Qualified Person. Transport is via an accredited courier service and/or by Group Eleven staff to ALS Laboratories in Loughrea Co. Galway, Ireland. Sample preparation at the ALS facility comprises fine crushing 70%

Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) Information

Group Eleven inserts certified reference materials (‘CRMs’ or ‘Standards’) as well as blank material, to its sample stream as part of its industry-standard QA/QC programme. The QC results have been reviewed by the Qualified Person, who is satisfied that all the results are within acceptable parameters. The Qualified Person has validated the sampling and chain of custody protocols used by Group Eleven.

About Group Eleven Resources

Group Eleven Resources Corp. (TSXV: ZNG) (OTC Pink: GRLVF) (FSE: 3GE) is drilling the most significant mineral discovery in the Republic of Ireland in over a decade. The Company announced the Ballywire discovery in September 2022, demonstrating high grades of zinc, lead, silver, copper, germanium and locally, antimony. Key intercepts to date include:

  • 10.8m of 10.0% Zn+Pb and 109 g/t Ag (G11-468-03)
  • 10.1m of 8.6% Zn+Pb and 46 g/t Ag (G11-468-06)
  • 10.5m of 14.7% Zn+Pb, 399 g/t Ag and 0.31% Cu (G11-468-12)
  • 11.2m of 8.9% Zn+Pb and 83 g/t Ag (G11-3552-03)
  • 29.6m of 10.6% Zn+Pb, 78 g/t Ag and 0.15% Cu (G11-3552-12) and
  • 11.8m of 11.6% Zn+Pb, 48 g/t Ag (G11-3552-18)
  • 15.6m of 11.6% Zn+Pb, 122 g/t Ag and 0.19% Cu (G11-3552-27)
  • 12.0m of 1.4% Zn+Pb, 560 g/t Ag, 2.30% Cu and 0.17% Sb (25-3552-31), including
  • 6.4m of 2.1% Zn+Pb, 838 g/t Ag, 3.72% Cu and 0.27% Sb (25-3552-31)

Ballywire is located 20km from Company’s 77.64%-owned Stonepark zinc-lead deposit1, which itself is located adjacent to Glencore’s Pallas Green zinc-lead deposit2. The Company’s two largest shareholders are Glencore Canada Corp. (16.1% interest) and Michael Gentile (16.0%). Additional information about the Company is available at www.groupelevenresources.com.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Bart Jaworski, P.Geo.
Chief Executive Officer

E: b.jaworski@groupelevenresources.com | T: +353-85-833-2463
E: j.webb@groupelevenresources.com | T: 604-644-9514

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.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities legislation. Such statements include, without limitation, statements regarding the future results of operations, performance and achievements of the Company, including the timing, content, cost and results of proposed work programs, the discovery and delineation of mineral deposits/resources/ reserves and geological interpretations. Although the Company believes that such statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-Looking statements are typically identified by words such as: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, postulate and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking statements by the Company are not guarantees of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, but not limited to, variations in the nature, quality and quantity of any mineral deposits that may be located. All of the Company’s public disclosure filings may be accessed via www.sedarplus.ca and readers are urged to review these materials, including the technical reports filed with respect to the Company’s mineral properties.

APPENDIX – CORE PHOTOS
COPPER-SILVER ZONE IN HOLE 25-3551-31
(With Key Assay Results and Brief Descriptions of Key Mineralogy)

Core Boxes 103-105

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5685/251260_d0b183a384f7ba3f_009full.jpg

Core Boxes 106-108

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https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5685/251260_d0b183a384f7ba3f_010full.jpg

Core Boxes 109-111

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5685/251260_d0b183a384f7ba3f_011full.jpg

(1) Close-Up Core Photo

Above: Dolomitized Waulsortian Limestone, cross-cut by sulphide bearing veins (suspected tennatite-tetrahedrite, chalcopyrite and/or pyrite)

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5685/251260_d0b183a384f7ba3f_012full.jpg

(2) Close-Up Core Photo

Above: Suspected tennantite/tetrahedrite (grey), chalcopyrite and pyrite (yellow) and calcite (white)

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5685/251260_d0b183a384f7ba3f_013full.jpg

(3) Close-Up Core Photo

Above: Chalcopyrite with some pyrite (yellow) and suspected tennantite/tetrahedrite (grey), calcite (white)

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5685/251260_d0b183a384f7ba3f_014full.jpg

(4) Close-Up Core Photo

Above: Semi-massive chalcopyrite and pyrite (yellow), galena (reflective grey)

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5685/251260_d0b183a384f7ba3f_015full.jpg

(5) Close-Up Core Photo

Above: Waulsortian Limestones (grey), calcite (white), pyrite and chalcopyrite (yellow)

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5685/251260_d0b183a384f7ba3f_016full.jpg

(6) Close-Up Core Photo

Above: Suspected tennantite and tetrahedrite (dark grey), chalcopyrite (yellow), calcite (white)

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5685/251260_d0b183a384f7ba3f_017full.jpg

(6a) Close-Up Core Photo

Above: Suspected tennantite and tetrahedrite (dark grey), chalcopyrite (yellow), calcite (white)

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5685/251260_d0b183a384f7ba3f_018full.jpg

(7) Close-Up Core Photo

Above: Suspect tennantite and tetrahedrite (dark grey), chalcopyrite (yellow), calcite (white)

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5685/251260_d0b183a384f7ba3f_019full.jpg

(8) Close-Up Core Photo

Above: Chalcopyrite (yellow), suspected tennantite/tetrahedrite (grey), calcite (white)

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5685/251260_d0b183a384f7ba3f_020full.jpg

(9) Close-Up Core Photo

Above: Fault zone (juxtaposing sub-Waulsortian lithologies against Waulsortian Limestone)

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/5685/251260_d0b183a384f7ba3f_021full.jpg

1 Stonepark MRE is 5.1 million tonnes of 11.3% Zn+Pb (8.7% Zn and 2.6% Pb), Inferred (Apr-17-2018)
2 Pallas Green MRE is 45.4 million tonnes of 8.4% Zn+Pb (7.2% Zn + 1.2% Pb), Inferred (Glencore, Dec-31-2024)

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/251260

News Provided by Newsfile via QuoteMedia

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AMD CEO calls China a ‘large opportunity’ and warns against strict U.S. chip controls

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Advanced Micro Devices CEO Lisa Su said China is a “large opportunity” market for the semiconductor and artificial intelligence industry even as export controls and evolving tariff plans loom over the world’s second-largest economy.

“There should be a balance between export controls for national security as well as ensuring that we get the widest possible adoption of our technology,” Su told CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street” on Wednesday. “That’s a good thing for U.S. jobs in the U.S. economy.”

She added that U.S. leadership in artificial intelligence and widespread adoption is the primary objective and a “really great position for us to be in.”

Su said there is a “balance to be played between” restricting and providing access to chips.

The comments come on the heels of the company’s fiscal first-quarter results. AMD topped earnings and expectations and issued strong guidance, but said it would see a $1.5 billion hit this year from China export controls. Last month, the company said it would incur up to $800 million in costs from shipping its MI308 products to China and other countries.

The U.S. government has cracked down on chip shipments to China in recent years, restricting the sale of more advanced AI processors to China that could be used to improve military capabilities and eat away at U.S. dominance.

President Donald Trump’s evolving tariff policies have added more turbulence to the sector in recent weeks, and many investors are combing for signs of demand pressure.

While AMD would “prefer a more certain environment,” Su said that the company is working to move manufacturing to the U.S. She added that the impact from tariffs on its portfolio is a minor blip and that the company saw “robust” sales in April.

“We’ve learned to become very agile through all of the things that have happened to the semiconductor supply chain, and we’re going to continue to watch all of these trends very carefully and make sure that we react appropriately going forward,” she said.

Other Ai chipmaking CEO have also called attention to the impact of chip restrictions in a rapidly expanding AI market. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang told CNBC’s Jon Fortt on Tuesday that getting pushed out of the the country would be a “tremendous loss.”

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NBA star Russell Westbrook launches AI-enabled funeral planning startup

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National Basketball Association superstar Russell Westbrook is taking a shot off the court at simplifying funeral planning with artificial intelligence.

The famed Denver Nuggets point guard on Wednesday announced the launch of Eazewell, a startup that uses AI technology to streamline the process for coordinating funerals. Westbrook founded the venture with former Charlotte Hornets star Kemba Walker and childhood friend Donnell Beverly Jr., who serves as president of Russell Westbrook Enterprises and CEO and co-founder of Eazewell.

“My whole career, on and off the court, has been about stepping up decisively in the moments that matter most,” Westbrook wrote in a statement to CNBC. Westbrook and the Nuggets are currently facing the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Western Conference semifinals. “Eazewell is exactly that — a decisive solution to a very real problem.”

The Los Angeles-based company uses AI to curate funeral options catered to each user’s budgets and preferences. The platform assists with paperwork, budget planning, invitations and overlooked tasks such as canceling a deceased loved one’s utility bills and social media accounts. Eazewell currently has 11 employees and has already tested its beta platform with more than 1,000 families. 

Eazewell has not disclosed funding but has revenue agreements with partner services. The startup is also working on partnerships with finance and life insurance companies in the space. The service is free to use and does not have an ads component “at this stage,” a company spokesperson said.

“We’re trying to take the weight off people’s shoulders as much as we can, and make this process so much easier for people,” Walker told CNBC in a phone interview. Walker played college basketball with Beverly at the University of Connecticut.

Eazewell traces its origins to Westbrook and Beverly’s high school days, when their friend and basketball teammate Khelcey Barrs III passed away unexpectedly from an enlarged heart. Westbrook commemorates Barrs to this day by wearing a bracelet with the initials “KB3” in every NBA game he plays and on his signature Jordan Why Not Zer0.6 “Khelcey Barrs” shoe.

“It’s a reminder that life can change in an instant,” Westbrook said. “You don’t get to choose the moment, but you do get to choose how you respond.”

The experience left a lasting effect on the two friends, Beverly said, but it wasn’t until the death of Beverly’s parents that he experienced funeral planning hurdles firsthand. Beverly said the experience was “messy” and “grueling.”

Disillusioned and frustrated by the process after the death of his mother and father in 2016 and 2023, respectively, Beverly turned to his close friends to come up with the solution that became Eazewell.

“It just seems like the perfect time to really turn our shared pain into purpose,” Beverly said.

One of Eazewell’s most innovative features is its voice-activated AI agent that can gather cost quotes and call funeral homes on a user’s behalf.

Recent advancements in AI have only recently made it possible to automate tasks and create agents that can manage these jobs in an empathetic and compassionate manner, said Viviane Ghaderi, Eazewell’s tech chief and a former Amazon executive.

Stephen Stokols, an Eazewell investor and CEO of Tru Skye Ventures, an early-stage sports technology and wellness venture firm, said these “transformational” AI advancements helping bring the funeral industry out of the “dark ages” initially drew him to the project.

Walker said he hopes Eazewell can offer users the tools to navigate a topic that is not taught in school or early life.

“We know how important it is to have someone by your side to help with the details that come after a loss,” Westbrook said.

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Netanyahu chooses war – and his political survival – as Israelis demand hostage deal

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu kept up appearances for nearly 19 months: Freeing the hostages and defeating Hamas, he insisted, stood equally atop the pyramid of Israel’s war goals.

Even as members of his right-wing governing coalition threatened to topple his government if he agreed to a ceasefire and hostage release deal. Even as he himself threw up eleventh-hour obstacles to reaching such a deal. And even as evidence mounted that Israel’s military operations had both directly and indirectly led to the killing of Israeli hostages. Amid all those contradictions, Netanyahu insisted both objectives were just as important.

But not anymore. Now, Netanyahu is unabashedly prioritizing war – and the survival of his government – over the fate of 59 hostages still in Gaza and the will of most Israelis.

A week after calling the defeat of Israel’s enemies the “supreme objective” of the war, Netanyahu is turning that rhetoric into action: calling up tens of thousands of reservists to pummel, seize and occupy large swaths of Gaza – what the prime minister calls the “final moves” against Hamas.

Israeli officials say the plan won’t be implemented immediately, giving Hamas at least another week-and-a-half to agree to another limited hostage and ceasefire deal on Israel’s terms – with some insisting that is the government’s preference. The deadline, they say, is the conclusion of US President Donald Trump’s visit to the region next week. But such a deal is unlikely to materialize in that timeframe and these are no longer idle threats.

The right-wing ministers who have sabotaged previous ceasefire deals and long called for conquering Gaza are now celebrating, viewing the newly approved plans as the first step toward their vision of occupying and ultimately annexing the enclave. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich now vows that there will be “no retreat from the territories we have conquered, not even in exchange for the hostages.”

For Netanyahu, that means political security – taking Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir’s repeated threats to leave the government and force new elections off the table, keeping him in the prime minister’s office.

It also means going against the will of a clear majority of Israelis – 56% according to Israel’s Kan 11 and 69% according to Channel 12 – who support a deal to end the war in exchange for the release of all remaining hostages.

Hamas has repeatedly said it is open to such an all-in-one deal, hoping to salvage its position of power in Gaza, but the Israeli government has rejected any end to the war that leaves the group armed and governing the strip.

For the families of Israeli hostages, Netanyahu’s decision has been a gut punch, one they fear won’t just delay the return of their loved ones but actively endanger them.

“It seems the government has placed defeating Hamas above rescuing and returning the hostages, because doing so would require stopping the war,” Anat Angrest, the mother of captive Israeli soldier Matan Angrest, told Haaretz. “Ministers are sending soldiers into harm’s way and putting the hostages at further risk, when all that was needed was a pause to develop a real strategic plan. What’s happening now is a war fueled by revenge and conquest, not by a genuine desire to save lives.”

“It doesn’t reflect the will of the people, or the Jewish heart,” she said.

The expanded Israeli assault in Gaza won’t just bring the risk to the hostages of more Israeli bombs. Hamas has repeatedly said it will execute hostages if Israeli forces close in on their positions, a threat it carried out last August in murdering six of them. Israel’s plan to displace nearly all of Gaza’s population to its southern part while continuing to starve the rest of the strip of humanitarian aid could also endanger the hostages’ access to the already limited food they are given.

For the people of Gaza, Netanyahu’s decision threatens catastrophe beyond the dire humanitarian crisis already gripping the besieged territory. The expanded Israeli assault guarantees another mass forced displacement of Palestinians, more death and destruction and the continued use of starvation as a weapon of war.

Even as Netanyahu’s decision to prioritize destroying Hamas over the fate of the remaining hostages becomes clear, the Israeli military’s ability to achieve its aims vis-à-vis the group remain uncertain.

The factors that have allowed Hamas to survive and stay in power in Gaza after nearly 19 months of war still remain, and Israeli national security analysts remain skeptical that tens of thousands of additional troops will fundamentally change the dynamics of the conflict. Sending them with the goal of occupying large swaths of Gaza could drive up Israeli military casualties, with the risk of bogging the military down for years in a counterinsurgency morass.

Perhaps that is why Netanyahu did not barrel headfirst down the path he has now chosen.

Trump’s return to power allowed Netanyahu to shed the guardrails imposed on him by President Joe Biden during the first 15 months of the war. But even as Trump and his administration made clear they would not seek to constrain Israel’s military actions in Gaza, Netanyahu did not immediately pursue the expanded war his right-wing allies have been clamoring for.

But in a fulcrum moment, he has now chosen – a decision that will shake the Gaza Strip, forever altering the fate of more than 2 million Palestinians and 59 hostages.

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Israeli airstrike on central Gaza school compound housing displaced people kills 22, as military operation intensifies

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At least 22 people, including seven children, were killed Tuesday in an Israeli strike on a school compound sheltering thousands of displaced people in the Al Bureij camp in central Gaza, hospital officials said.

Dozens more were injured in the strike, they said.

At the site of the attack, video from the scene showed a large crater where people searched through the rubble of the school for survivors, the remnants of tents and belongings littering the ground.

Safaa Al Khaldi, who was sheltering at the school, said that her son was injured in the strike.

“Our children are starving, our children cannot find a piece of bread,” she said, referring to Israel’s complete blockade of Gaza, now in its third month. “What did we do wrong?”

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it struck “terrorists who were operating within a Hamas command and control center,” on Tuesday, but did not provide any further information about the strike.

At the school compound, one woman screamed at Hamas, an expression of anger at Gaza’s ruling militants once virtually unthinkable. “Hamas should get out of the school, they are hiding between the people,” she cried. “Get them out, what’s the fault of the children who are torn apart?”

Tuesday’s strike on the refugee camp comes less than 24 hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the population of Gaza will be displaced to the south after his security cabinet approved an expanded military operation in the enclave.

“There will be a movement of the population to protect them,” Netanyahu said of the “intensified operation,” which by one far-right minister said would be a plan to “conquer” the besieged territory.

Since the Israeli cabinet approved an expanded military operation in Gaza on Sunday, at least 48 Palestinians have been killed and another 142 injured, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. More than 2,500 Palestinians have been killed since Israel resumed its bombardment of Gaza on March 18, according to figures provided by the ministry.

On Monday, the Palestine Red Crescent Society said 13 of its 29 clinics in Gaza have shut down. The ones that are still functioning have “limited capabilities,” it said. Meanwhile, 21 out of Gaza’s 36 hospitals are only partially functioning, according to the UN health agency.

Israel’s blockade, which has prevented the entry of food and medicine, is pushing the Gaza’s ravaged healthcare system towards collapse, aid agencies have warned.

Near the site of the latest Israeli strike, a woman hugged her crying daughter, saying that all her daughter’s friends were killed.

“My friend Leen is gone, my friend Yousra is gone, my friend Miral is gone,” the daughter said as tears streamed down her face.

The UN’s humanitarian agency (OCHA) warned Tuesday of a “deepening catastrophe” in Gaza amid the blockade.

“OCHA stresses that under international humanitarian law, civilians must be protected, and their essential needs – including food, shelter, water and healthcare – must be met, wherever they are in Gaza and whether they move or stay,” OCHA said.

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