‘New area of work for me,’ Pralhad Joshi says after taking charge of union education ministry
Pralhad Joshi was appointed the education minister after the resignation of his predecessor Dharmendra Pradhan over irregularities in various national-level examinations.
Will CJP launch next agitation in Punjab? Abhijeet Dipke finally breaks silence
Amid growing criticism over CJP’s silence on the alleged Punjab pharmacy recruitment exam row, founder Abhijeet Dipke has finally broken his silence on whether the organisation will take up the issue next.
Fauci’s newly released COVID diaries reveal bizarre fixation on fame as pandemic deaths mounted
Newly released diary entries reveal that as COVID-19 deaths mounted around the world, former White House COVID advisor Dr. Anthony Fauci became increasingly fixated on his newfound celebrity. Released by Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Rand Paul, R-Ky., the journals chronicle Fauci’s day-to-day role during the COVID-19 crisis through conversations with President Donald Trump, governors and world leaders, media appearances, and his personal observations as the pandemic unfolded. Paul, a longtime Fauci critic who frequently clashed with Fauci over the federal response and the origins of the virus, made the diaries public as part of the committee’s ongoing oversight investigation. The release comes days before Fauci is scheduled to testify before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee after being subpoenaed by Paul. GABBARD SAYS DECLASSIFIED BIOLAB RECORDS VALIDATE CONCERNS PREVIOUSLY DISMISSED AS MISINFORMATION A surprising recurring theme throughout the diaries is Fauci’s growing awareness of his own public profile during the most intense months of the pandemic, which ultimately claimed more than 7 million officially reported lives worldwide, including roughly 1.2 million in the United States. On April 7, 2020, after recording the latest pandemic developments, Fauci wrote: “Press still hot and heavy about me. Multiple stories per day directly or indirectly involving me.” SLACK MESSAGES RELEASED BY RAND PAUL APPEAR TO SHOW AUTHORS OF KEY COVID-19 ORIGIN PAPER HELD PRIVATE DOUBTS By May 21, after recording the latest pandemic figures — nearly 98,000 global deaths and more than 27,000 U.S. deaths — and documenting the day’s White House coronavirus task force meetings, Fauci wrote that his “national and international fame is explosive and really unimaginable” and that it was “not hyperbole” to say he was “the most famous and talked about person in the country.” He added that Trump “seems to be enamored of me even though I am taking the spotlight away from him,” writing that the two were developing “a very unique and interesting relationship.” Fauci also noted that Secret Service agents had become so familiar with him they often waved him through White House security without checking his identification. As the attention continued to grow, the diary increasingly documented how Fauci’s prominence had expanded beyond public health. A month later, as the United States recorded what Fauci described as a record 40,000 new COVID-19 cases in a single day, he wrote that he had been invited to appear on “Dancing with the Stars.” LEGACY MEDIA IGNORES MASSIVE ANTHONY FAUCI DOCUMENT RELEASE ALLEGING HE MISLED CONGRESS ON COVID ORIGINS The diaries also document Fauci’s growing frustration with the Trump White House. On July 2, 2020, after warning that the country could be entering an “exponential” increase in COVID-19 cases heading into the Fourth of July weekend, Fauci wrote, “POTUS and his people have essentially dropped out and do not even recognize that an outbreak is ongoing.” He also complained that the White House was denying requests for him to appear on major television programs. Across multiple entries, Fauci criticized White House communications officials for restricting his television appearances, questioned the administration’s public messaging and expressed frustration that media coverage increasingly portrayed him as being at odds with Trump. ANTHONY FAUCI DELIVERED ONE OF THE WORST FIRST PITCHES IN BASEBALL HISTORY SIX YEARS AGO Fauci also repeatedly defended himself against what he described as the “countless” profiles written about him. He wrote that White House officials were upset because the coverage made it appear he was becoming “a star that outshines” the president. He also insisted several of the profiles had been written without interviewing him and wrote that he had “no desire to conflict with, embarrass or show up the POTUS,” later deciding to stop participating in profile interviews altogether. Taken together, the entries offer an unusually personal account of Fauci’s role during one of the most consequential public health crises in modern U.S. history, capturing not only the government’s internal deliberations but also his private concerns about the pandemic, his increasingly complicated relationship with the Trump White House and the extraordinary public attention that followed.
Trump’s SAVE America Act stalls as McConnell’s absence complicates Senate path
One key Republican’s extended absence and unclear timetable for return is slowing down several legislative priorities, and could impact President Donald Trump’s Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act in an unexpected way. And while sparse statements from Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and his office say he’s on the mend, there has yet to be a hard date for when he’ll come back to Congress. It comes as Republicans are twisting and contorting Trump’s top election priority into something that could pass the Senate. Though McConnell has voted against the bill before, he would be a key player in crafting what it would look like in the upper chamber. TRUMP’S VOTER ID BILL CATCHES UNLIKELY BREAK AS MCCONNELL REMAINS SIDELINED “That could be an issue,” Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., told Fox News Digital. “I think there are a lot of issues.” That’s because McConnell is chair of the Senate Rules Committee, which will likely be responsible for drafting the version of the SAVE America Act that could pass muster in budget reconciliation, the process that Trump is pushing the GOP to use to pass the bill. The uncertainty around McConnell, coupled with the late Sen. Lindsey Graham’s recent death, throws a wrench into the process. Graham was chair of the Senate Budget Committee, and acted as quarterback through two dances with reconciliation over the past year. SENATE RETURNS TO PACKED AGENDA AFTER GRAHAM’S DEATH SHRINKS GOP MARGIN But Graham’s replacement on the panel, Johnson, could step in and draft language for SAVE America as chair of the Budget Committee — Graham leapfrogged Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Chair Rand Paul, R-Ky., in 2025 to draft his portion of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. “That’s my understanding — it actually falls to budget,” Johnson said. “So, again… this is still really early in the process, so I don’t have all the answers by a long stretch. Plus, we’ve got to find out what the conference wants to do, and what Leader John Thune wants to do.” Senate Majority Leader Thune, R-S.D., is focusing on preventing a government shutdown, and is encouraging ongoing bipartisan negotiations on a funding deal to continue. And he has threatened to press pause on reconciliation by holding the House’s own budget framework until that objective is accomplished. GOP RIFT GROWS AS THUNE HITS BRAKES ON TRUMP’S ELECTION BILL TO AVERT SHUTDOWN He reiterated to Fox News Digital that Republicans don’t have the votes to pass the SAVE America Act, and may not have the votes to pass a budget resolution in the upper chamber. And he noted that the SAVE America Act would have to comply with the Senate’s strict rules for reconciliation that unlock the 50-vote threshold, which the current version of the bill does not. Getting the legislation to a point where it wouldn’t slam into those guardrails has remained an open and difficult question for Republicans — Thune suggested that it could work if it’s “very carefully structured based upon incentive, mostly grant money,” for states. “So, you know, we’re gonna do everything we can to move that forward,” Thune said. “But as I told you before, the math on that hasn’t changed yet. It’s still likely to be a 60-vote exercise, even if it’s done with a budget resolution.” Trump demanded Republicans ram through their own budget resolution before they leave Washington, D.C., until after Labor Day on Truth Social Friday to fund defense, agriculture and pass “as much of the SAVE AMERICA ACT as possible.” “Our voters will be extremely happy — And even impressed,” Trump said. Meanwhile, Thune has received criticism from Republicans for his plan to hold up the reconciliation process in favor of averting a shutdown. Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., told Fox News Digital the only option to pass SAVE America was through reconciliation, and he’s been working on his own plan in the background, and believes it could survive the Senate’s “Byrd” test. “I can’t guarantee it, but it’s a — I consider it to be a credible argument,” Kennedy said. “And I will try to do that, and I will try to, at the right time, bring my colleagues, and, more importantly, the parliamentarian, along. But if we don’t do it through reconciliation, through the House reconciliation, we won’t get it done.” “And I’m not sure it will work, but I think it might,” he continued. “It’s at least a 50/50 shot.”
EXCLUSIVE: Legal group tells NYPD cops they can contact ICE directly despite blue city’s sanctuary rules
EXCLUSIVE: A conservative legal group is telling New York City police officers they can contact U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) directly, even if local sanctuary policies say otherwise, releasing a new guide as border czar Tom Homan prepares a major immigration enforcement surge in the nation’s largest city. Fox News Digital has obtained an unreleased 35-page handbook titled “Law Enforcement Officer Immigration Cooperation Guide” from America First Legal (AFL) that tells state and local police officers they can share a person’s immigration-status information directly with ICE even if New York City or other sanctuary city policies say otherwise. The guide argues that Section 1373 of federal law bars state and local governments from preventing officers from sharing citizenship or immigration-status information with federal immigration authorities like ICE. TOM HOMAN WARNS ICE SURGE COMING TO NEW YORK CITY AS MAMDANI BOASTS ABOUT SANCTUARY STATUS America First Legal is a nonprofit which describes itself as “founded to unapologetically and boldly defend the rights of everyday Americans.” The guide arrives days after Homan revealed he had reviewed plans to deploy “more ICE agents than you’ve ever seen” into New York City after Mayor Zohran Mamdani signed an executive order reinforcing the city’s sanctuary-status policies. The guide repeatedly cites Section 1373 of federal immigration law, arguing that state and local governments “may not prohibit, or in any way restrict” officials from sending immigration-status information to federal authorities. DOJ ESCALATES BLUE-STATE ICE STANDOFF AFTER STATES REFUSE KEY FEDERAL REQUEST It tells officers they may contact ICE’s 24-hour Law Enforcement Support Center to verify a person’s immigration status using only a name and date of birth and says officers may do so “regardless of any local directive telling you not to,” according to the document obtained by Fox News Digital. The release comes as the Trump administration prepares to dramatically increase immigration enforcement in New York. Homan told Fox News last week that a significant ICE operation is coming to the city after self-described democratic socialist Mamdani reaffirmed New York’s sanctuary policies. NYC MAYOR ZOHRAN MAMDANI RELEASES AUDIT ACCUSING FEDERAL IMMIGRATION AGENTS OF MISLEADING TACTICS “It’s coming,” Homan said. “There’s going to be a surge, and there needs to be a surge.” While Homan declined to discuss operational details, he said ICE would not back away from enforcing immigration law despite opposition from city leaders. The guide comes as Mamdani and the Trump administration continue to clash over immigration enforcement. Mamdani’s Executive Order 13 directs the NYPD to review, update and train officers on department policies governing communication, cooperation and coordination with federal immigration authorities. The order says the city believes “the aggressive tactics that certain non-local law enforcement agencies use in pursuing civil immigration enforcement actions… hinder public safety by creating a culture of fear.” America First Legal argues those local rules cannot lawfully prevent an officer from voluntarily sharing immigration-status information with ICE because federal law supersedes conflicting local policies. The guide also argues sanctuary policies could create legal risks for the officials who enforce them. AFL contends some officials could face federal criminal charges for obstructing immigration enforcement and that victims of crimes allegedly committed by illegal immigrants released despite ICE detainers could, in some cases, sue those officials under federal civil RICO law. The organization is also inviting officers who believe they were threatened, disciplined or retaliated against for cooperating with ICE to seek confidential legal representation. “Politicians who hide behind sanctuary policies are not above the law, and they have no right to bully or gag the officers who are trying to keep their communities safe,” AFL senior counsel James Rogers said in a statement accompanying the guide. Gene Hamilton, president of America First Legal, said officers “should never be forced to choose between following federal law and following unlawful directives to appease politicians committed to sanctuary policies.” New York City Hall did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Fox News Digital’s Taylor Penley contributed to this reporting.
China’s influence machine: Federal records expose Beijing’s push to sway America
President Donald Trump’s address to the nation alleging Chinese interference in American elections last week has renewed interest in Beijing’s broader influence efforts in the United States. Federal records show that a number of Chinese government entities, state-controlled media organizations and China-based companies have registered under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) to disclose operations with political implications carried out in the United States on their behalf. Lobbying Disclosure Act filings submitted to Congress by other Chinese entities, meanwhile, cover lobbying activity by companies pursuing what they say are purely commercial interests. Those filings provide a partial public record of how Chinese interests seek to shape U.S. policy, public opinion and commercial decisions, though they do not establish the full scope of Beijing’s activity or prove Trump’s election claims. Private entities based in China and Hong Kong, many of which have significant ties to the Chinese Communist Party, spend significant amounts of money attempting to influence America. The DOJ recorded over $20 million in FARA expenditures from these entities in 2025, with millions of dollars more being recorded in lobbying disclosures filed with Congress. Chinese government sources, over the same period, spent close to $80 million on FARA expenses. CHINA DISMISSES TRUMP ELECTION INTERFERENCE ACCUSATIONS AS ‘ENTIRELY FABRICATED,’ THREATENS COUNTERMEASURES Not every Chinese influence operation happens on the books, however. Campus groups that the State Department has linked to the Chinese government, such as the Chinese Students and Scholars Association, do not file paperwork with the DOJ, leaving Americans in the dark regarding their operations. Additionally, any groups that fall under China’s United Front Work Department — a global network of CCP loyalists that work to advance Beijing’s interests abroad — don’t file disclosures owing to their clandestine nature. China hawks have also argued that some powerful domestic nonprofits have significant links to the CCP, giving it yet another mechanism it can use to influence the United States. “China is committed to promoting mutual understanding and friendship between the Chinese and American peoples and advancing exchanges and cooperation between the two countries in areas including trade, education and culture,” a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy told Fox News Digital. “China’s international exchanges and cooperation are open and transparent, with the aim of enhancing mutual understanding and achieving mutual benefit.” “Portraying China’s normal international exchanges and cooperation as so-called ‘influence operations’ distorts facts and stigmatizes legitimate engagement,” they added. While the true extent of China’s influence in the United States is unknown, the evidence that is available to the public paints a picture of a broad, multi-front effort to shape how Americans live and think. ‘Propaganda’ Among China’s most prevalent levers of influence is its state-run media apparatus, which academic sources and the federal government often describe as a “propaganda” operation. Globally, the State Department estimated in 2023 that China spends “billions of dollars annually on foreign information manipulation efforts.” Five Chinese media operations are registered as active foreign agents in the United States, DOJ records show. CCTV, Xinhua News and China Daily each have direct affiliations with the CCP, whereas Sing Tao News Corporation is privately owned but consistently takes a pro-Beijing stance in its coverage. CCTV, which is operated by the Chinese government, runs CGTN America, China’s flagship English-language media operation. DOJ filings reviewed by Fox News Digital show that CGTN received $66.8 million in funding from CCTV between February and November 2025 — a significant chunk of China’s overall foreign influence budget. FIRST ON FOX: POWERFUL HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS CHAIR THROWS HAMMER DOWN ON ‘FOREIGN-ALIGNED INFLUENCE NETWORK’ In 2025, CGTN amplified rhetoric similar to that pushed by Democratic politicians. The network pushed left-of-center rhetoric on issues such as climate change, racial tensions, immigration and the war in Gaza while criticizing Trump’s tariffs as well as his efforts to make Washington, D.C., safer through law enforcement and National Guard deployments. CGTN has also been eager to praise California Gov. Gavin Newsom, seen by many as one of Trump’s chief political rivals. A 2022 academic paper published by researchers at King’s College in London argued that, despite appearances, CGTN doesn’t aim to influence voter behavior or have a strict ideological slant but rather seeks to portray America as “poorly governed, plutocratic, racist and a destabilizing international influence” in contrast to a China that is “well governed, benign, stable and a rising superpower.” All the Chinese media operations designated as foreign agents tend to publish similar content. An appendix in one of Xinhua’s filings reveals that the federal government required it to register under FARA because the DOJ believes that it “intends to influence the American public or policy makers on relevant topics such as U.S. policy or foreign relations.” “Chinese media outlets conduct news reporting and information dissemination in accordance with the law. Labeling outlets such as Xinhua, CGTN and China Daily as ‘propaganda tools’ or ‘foreign influence instruments’ reflects ideological bias and a Cold War mentality, rather than an objective view of international media exchanges,” the embassy spokesperson told Fox News Digital. The China lobby Representing the interests of Chinese companies, even those that the U.S. government warns are working on behalf of the Chinese military, is big business for American lobbyists. Lobbying records show that dozens of American lobbyists have signed new contracts with dozens of companies partially or fully owned by Chinese entities since 2025. FARA records, meanwhile, reveal that seven Chinese companies — Huawei, BOE Technology America, Yangtze Memory Technologies, XH Smart Tech China, Hikvision, Futurewei Technologies and JinkoSolar — maintain active foreign agent registrations in the United States. A Chinese company advocating for its own commercial interests usually files lobbying disclosures with Congress under the Lobbying Disclosure Act, whereas an organization carrying out what the federal government determines to be political, governmental or broader public-influence work for a foreign principal typically reports to the DOJ under FARA. LAWMAKERS RAISE ALARM OVER NEVILLE ROY SINGHAM’S $278M NETWORK SPREADING CCP PROPAGANDA IN THE U.S. Hikvision, a partially state-owned video surveillance equipment manufacturer based in China,
100 day sprint to the midterms kicks off as Republicans and Democrats clash for control across the country
The 2026 midterm elections are 100 days away as Republicans and Democrats will battle in Congress and statehouses across the country for control over the future of the country in what is expected to be a contentious and expensive campaign season. Republicans currently hold narrow majorities in both chambers of Congress, controlling the House with a razor-thin 218-212 edge, with one independent and four vacancies, and the Senate with a 53-47 advantage, including two independents who caucus with Democrats. With every House seat and 35 Senate seats on the ballot, Democrats need a net gain of just six House seats to reclaim the speaker’s gavel and four Senate seats to win back the upper chamber, making even a handful of competitive races capable of reshaping the balance of power in Washington. The latest Fox News Power Rankings suggest a tough road ahead for Republicans as they go up against the historical headwind of the party not in power usually performing well in midterm elections, but the GOP will be bolstered in the House by redistricting wins in states like Florida and Texas. FOX NEWS POLL: VOTERS WANT MAJOR CHANGE AMID ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL DISCONTENT “We are in a prime position to win it in November,” Republican National Committee (RNC) Chair Joe Gruters told Fox News this week. “Under Biden we had some of the highest inflation ever. Gas prices were high. And this president has gone to bat for average Americans every single day, starting with ‘Working Family Tax Cuts,’ no tax on tips, overtime, social security. The fact that he’s been going to bat for the American worker, bringing record setting investments. The fact that he closed the border down.” The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), has been focusing on the economy and affordability in its messaging over the last few days as they promote Democrats in House races. “From groceries to gas to health care, House Republicans have bled Americans’ wallets dry with their cost-raising agenda,” DCCC spokesperson Nebeyatt Betre said in a press release. “Voters are exhausted by all the bad news vulnerable House Republicans have created, and the DCCC is working to make sure voters know they can hold Republicans accountable on Election Day.” If the election were today, 53% of voters would back the Democratic candidate in their House district and 46% the Republican,” a Fox News poll released this week showed. That 7-point edge is just outside the poll’s margin of error. Democrats were up by 5 points in April. Notably, 53% is the highest percentage either party has received on the generic House ballot in Fox News polling since 1996. But helping the GOP in the battle for the House majority: the mid-decade redistricting fight over the past year between the two parties, which handed Republicans a net gain of roughly 10 additional right-leaning congressional districts. DSA MEMBER LEADS DEM PRIMARY IN MIDWEST BATTLEGROUND BUT TRAILS LIKELY GOP NOMINEE: POLL In the Senate, Republicans are looking to hold on to seats in Alaska, North Carolina, Ohio, and Maine with record amounts of spending already pouring into those states as Democrats hope to capitalize on the historic, economic, foreign policy and anti-incumbent mood among voters. The upcoming November clash comes as the Democratic Party deals with a socialist wave of candidates taking more and more control and winning primary races across the country, causing headaches for establishment Democratic leaders like Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the top two Democrats in Congress. Just 50% of voters have a positive view of capitalism, down from a high of 57% in 2019, Fox News polling shows. For socialism, it’s 30% favorable, up from 27% last year but below the 32% who said the same in 2021. The Democratic Socialists of America are viewed positively by 31%. By an 11-point margin, more Democrats have a favorable opinion of socialism (52%) than capitalism (41%), while by a 50-point margin, more Republicans have a positive view of capitalism (61%) than socialism (11%). GOP RIFT GROWS AS THUNE HITS BRAKES ON TRUMP’S ELECTION BILL TO AVERT SHUTDOWN Republicans are hoping to capitalize on the socialist rise within the Democratic Party, particularly after the socialist victories in New York City that rocked the political landscape in recent months. “Democrats want to export New York’s ‘commie corridor’ to a state near you, bringing crippling tax hikes, dismantled law enforcement, and bloated government spending with it,” NRSC national press decretary Bernadette Breslin said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Americans will reject Democrats’ socialist spending spree this November and elect Republicans committed to advancing an affordability agenda that keeps the American Dream within reach.” NRCC spokesman Mike Marinella told Fox News Digital that Republicans have the “momentum” and over the next 100 days, House Democrats will “spend every day trying to explain away their radical socialist record and why they opposed tax relief for working families, stronger border security, voter ID, and countless common-sense policies Americans overwhelmingly support.” The RNC enters the final 100 days before the 2026 midterms with a significant financial advantage over its Democratic counterpart. According to the latest Federal Election Commission filings, the RNC has roughly $125.5 million in cash on hand, compared to about $14.9 million for the Democratic National Committee, which is also carrying approximately $18 million in debt. While Democrats remain competitive through their congressional campaign committees and strong fundraising by individual candidates, the national party apparatus currently favors Republicans by a wide margin. “So why does the DNC have less cash on hand than some expect?” DNC Chair Ken Martin wrote in a memo this week. “Because we made a conscious decision to invest money in the work required to win in 2025, 2026 and beyond. We are converting the cash we raise into electoral assets: more people, earlier organizing, better technology, and stronger state parties.” Martin continued, “That answer may be unsatisfying to people who believe the purpose of a political party is to accumulate the largest possible bank balance until
WATCH: Democrats blast Trump Saudi nuclear deal as GOP touts regional alliance
Lawmakers offered strikingly divided reactions to the White House’s announcement of a new nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia, with Democrats concerned about accelerating a nuclear program in the Middle East and Republicans emphasizing the need for partnership in the region. “I don’t trust anybody as far as I can throw them, but we’ve got to develop allies,” Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., told Fox News Digital. “And as long as we can verify them, we have the people there that can verify that they’re using them for the proper uses, then we’re OK.” The Department of Energy released details Wednesday on the agreement, which would support the development of a civilian nuclear energy program in Saudi Arabia by providing U.S. technology and expertise. The agreement also includes safeguards intended to ensure nuclear materials are not diverted for weapons development. IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL HINGES ON IAEA ACCESS TO LONG-BLOCKED ATOMIC WEAPON SITES, EXPERTS SAY Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., blasted the proposal as “outrageous,” and Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., argued allowing Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium without strict safeguards could “cause a nuclear arms race.” “The president says what we’re trying to do is to stop Iran from having a nuclear weapon, but if Saudi Arabia… does not meet all the protocols, etc., then it could cause an arms race where Egyptians or others in the area want a nuclear weapon,” Meeks said. TRUMP’S IRAN DEAL SPARKS GOP DEMANDS FOR VOTE AS CONGRESS REMAINS IN THE DARK Rep. Mark Alford, R-Miss., said Congress should be central in the decision to pursue any final agreement, while also stressing the importance of having Saudi Arabia as a regional partner. “I think it’s important with any agreement like that that Congress have a role in that and I look forward to reviewing that,” Alford said. “As we continue our conflict with Iran, we need partners in that region who are of the same mindset,” Alford continued. “And Saudi, with its reforms that they’re undergoing right now, gives me great hope and encouragement that we can move forward together in that region to help bring lasting peace.” BOOKER SLAMS TRUMP’S IRAN DEAL AS AN ‘ABJECT SURRENDER,’ LABELS HIM THE ‘BIGGEST LOSER’ WITH ‘EGG ON HIS FACE’ Raskin also raised questions to Fox News Digital about President Donald Trump’s family’s financial ties to Saudi Arabia. “Now the Trump administration allows the Saudis to enrich uranium,” Raskin said. “So, the Saudis enrich the Trumps, and the Trumps allow the Saudis to enrich uranium and then we’re going to have more nuclear weapons in the Middle East to set off another nuclear arms race there.” The agreement comes as the Trump administration seeks to strengthen its partnership with Saudi Arabia while maintaining pressure on Iran over its nuclear program, a balancing act Congress is likely to scrutinize in coming months.
Flavio Bolsonaro launches Brazil presidential bid with Milei support
NewsFeed Flavio Bolsonaro, son of disgraced former Brazilian President Jair, has launched his bid to unseat President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Flavio is vowing to carry forward his father’s legacy and has won right wing support from Argentina’s President Milei. Published On 26 Jul 2026 Adblock test (Why?)
Can Zimbabwe’s mineral ambitions benefit smaller producers?
Harare, Zimbabwe – Zimbabwe wants to move beyond being a supplier of raw minerals and build industries that process and manufacture from its own resources. But as the government tightens restrictions on unprocessed mineral exports, smaller miners are asking whether they will share in that transformation or be left behind. The government has restricted exports of unprocessed strategic minerals, including lithium, as part of a broader drive to increase domestic beneficiation. Authorities argue that Zimbabwe should capture more value from its mineral wealth instead of exporting raw materials and allowing other countries to profit from refining and manufacturing. The policy has attracted more than $1bn in investment into Zimbabwe’s lithium value chain, according to government officials and industry representatives. But smaller miners warn that the cost of building processing facilities, unreliable electricity supplies and limited access to finance could make it difficult for them to participate in the country’s industrial ambitions. Speaking during a technical media tour of Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe (PLZ) in Goromonzi, Mashonaland East, on 17 July, Minister of Mines and Mining Development Polite Kambamura said Zimbabwe’s 2022 ban on exports of unbeneficiated lithium ore had encouraged companies to invest in domestic beneficiation. “The construction of the first lithium sulphate plant in Africa is behind me, and this was done in Zimbabwe,” Kambamura said. He said Zimbabwe’s ambitions extended beyond lithium sulphate and lithium carbonate production, with a long-term goal of developing industries capable of manufacturing lithium batteries and solar panels locally. Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe, owned by China’s Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt, said its lithium carbonate plant was about 90 percent complete. PLZ public relations officer Patience Mushore said Huayou’s investments had generated more than $1.1bn in foreign exchange for Zimbabwe while expanding the country’s lithium value chain. Policy shift Supporters of Zimbabwe’s export restrictions argue that the country can no longer remain a supplier of raw minerals while other nations capture greater profits through refining and manufacturing. Public policy expert Tedious Ncube said Zimbabwe’s lithium sector demonstrated why the government had prioritised beneficiation. Mechanics work on a machine installed at Arcadia Lithium in Goromonzi, Zimbabwe [Tafadzwa Ufumeli/Getty Images] He pointed to investments at Arcadia Mine and Bikita Minerals as examples of companies expanding Zimbabwe’s lithium sector. Ncube said domestic processing could create skilled jobs, strengthen local suppliers and allow Zimbabwe to retain a greater share of the income generated from its mineral resources. “The success of Zimbabwe’s lithium industry shows that the right policy can attract investment that builds industries, creates jobs and leaves a bigger share of mineral wealth in Zimbabwe,” he said. Mining concerns For smaller producers, the debate is not whether Zimbabwe should process its minerals locally, but whether they will have the infrastructure, finance, and market access needed to participate. Shelton Lucas, business development director at Naivo Mining, said the company operates chrome, antimony and tungsten projects in Mashava, Ngezi and Kadoma but faces challenges accessing affordable processing options. Lucas said smaller producers were struggling to access processing capacity, particularly in the chrome sector. “For our raw chrome, we are now forced to sell to local Chinese smelters where they underpay us. For antimony, I have the resources to build the value-addition plant, but for chrome I cannot because the plant is very expensive,” he said. He said he supported domestic processing but warned that smaller miners could be excluded if new requirements were introduced without support mechanisms. Lucas proposed a toll-smelting system, where public institutions or industry bodies invest in shared processing facilities that miners can access at transparent rates while retaining ownership of their minerals. “The challenge is not only building processing plants, but also ensuring smaller producers can access capacity on fair terms,” he said. Without such measures, he warned that a small number of companies could end up controlling processing capacity and market access. “If these companies also hold export rights, they could dictate prices to small-scale miners, creating what could become a predatory market that undermines the very people the mining sector is meant to empower,” he said. Economic constraints Economists say Zimbabwe’s processing ambitions will depend on whether the country can overcome longstanding challenges affecting mining and manufacturing. United Kingdom-based Zimbabwean economist Chenayi Mutambasere told Al Jazeera that the policy faced obstacles including power shortages, expensive financing, weak transport infrastructure, foreign exchange constraints and limited access to processing technology. “The ban should be more than a political slogan; it should be an industrial practical strategy,” she said. A worker oversees operations at Prospect Lithium Zimbabwe’s (PLZ) three-line, single-phase lithium sulphate plant in Goromonzi, Mashonaland East [Enos Denhere/Al Jazeera] Mutambasere said the government needed to support the policy with reliable electricity, investor incentives, skills development and clear implementation timelines. She warned that restrictions introduced before the necessary support systems were in place could create unintended consequences. “An abrupt ban where companies have invested in the sector may push the mining sector further underground, which could increase mineral leakage,” she said. Government vision Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Nick Mangwana told Al Jazeera that the policy was intended to ensure Zimbabwe gains more from its finite mineral resources. “The government is implementing this beneficiation policy in our minerals for the growth of our economy and to create a lasting legacy that will be witnessed by future generations,” Mangwana said. He said the policy applied not only to lithium but also to other strategic minerals, including platinum group metals such as palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium and osmium. Zimbabwe’s push reflects a wider debate among resource-rich countries: whether restricting raw exports can build domestic industries without concentrating opportunities among a few large companies. For smaller miners, the success of the strategy will depend not only on how much mineral processing takes place inside the country, but whether beneficiation creates broader participation or leaves only the biggest players able to compete. Lucas said the goal should be to ensure that local processing expands opportunities across the mining sector rather than creating new barriers for smaller producers.