The U.S. Department of War is committing $400 million in long-term debt to help fund an Australian rare earths project, sending the miner's shares surging as much as 29 percent. Sunrise Energy Metals jumped on news of the conditional financing from the Office of Strategic Capital for its Syerston scandium mine in New South Wales. The nearly $1 billion public-private package aims to create the world's first primary scandium mine and a full domestic value chain for a metal that strengthens aluminum alloys with superior heat and corrosion resistance. Chairman Robert Friedland called it a landmark step for Australian mining and national security while the Trump administration positioned the deal as a direct effort to break China's grip on 70 percent of global rare earth production and 90 percent of processing. Berkshire Hathaway has finally started deploying some of its nearly $400 billion in cash, buying more of its own stock. Oil prices traded mixed with Brent crude near $83.48 a barrel after fresh tanker strike reports in the Persian Gulf added to uncertainty over any reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.

Condor Studio News · 4:00 AM Central · Aug 11, 2026.

The U.S. Department of War is committing $400 million in long-term debt to help fund an Australian scandium project in a near-$1 billion public-private deal that sent the miner's shares surging as much as 29%. Sunrise Energy Metals is developing what it hopes will become the world's first primary scandium mine at its Syerston site in New South Wales, creating a full domestic value chain for the metal that strengthens aluminum alloys with superior heat and corrosion resistance vital for defense, aerospace and AI data-center power systems. Chairman Robert Friedland called the financing a landmark step for Australian mining and national security while the Trump administration framed it as a direct effort to cut reliance on China, which controls roughly 70% of global rare earth production and 90% of processing. Oil prices traded mixed amid persistent uncertainty over reopening the Strait of Hormuz, with Brent crude near $83.48 a barrel and WTI just under $78. U.S. Treasury yields edged lower as investors await Wednesday's July core CPI report after last week's softer jobs data cut September rate-hike odds to around 44%.

Condor Studio News · 4:00 AM Central · Aug 11, 2026.

The U.S. Department of War is committing $400 million in long-term debt to Australian rare earths developer Sunrise Energy Metals, sending its shares surging as much as 29 percent. The conditional financing backs the Syerston scandium project in New South Wales, part of a nearly $1 billion public-private push to create the world's first primary scandium mine and a full domestic supply chain outside China. Scandium strengthens aluminum alloys with superior heat, corrosion and flexibility properties critical for defense contractors and AI data-center builders. Sunrise chairman Robert Friedland called the deal a landmark for Australian mining and national security while the Trump administration framed it as a direct strike against Beijing's 70 percent control of global rare earth production and 90 percent of processing. Oil prices traded mixed with Brent crude near $83.48 a barrel after Iranian officials said Tehran is not holding direct talks with Washington to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and is demanding compensation plus six conditions before allowing passage. Treasury yields edged lower as traders await Wednesday's July core CPI reading with September rate hike odds now down to around 44 percent after last Friday's soft jobs report.

Condor Studio News · 4:00 AM Central · Aug 11, 2026.

J.P. Morgan has lifted its 2026 year-end target for the S&P 500 to 8,000, citing artificial intelligence momentum and resilient corporate earnings. The upgrade arrives as markets await Tuesday's core inflation figures that could influence the path for Federal Reserve policy under Chair Kevin Warsh. In a separate corporate development, the UK's competition watchdog has proposed new restrictions on land purchases by discount retailers Aldi and Lidl to shield independent grocers from rapid expansion. Oil prices rose amid uncertainty over a potential U.S.-Iran agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, with Brent crude gaining 1.1 percent to $84.48 a barrel. Gold held steady above $4,400 an ounce while Bitcoin traded near $65,000. At least 13 people were killed in a Ukrainian drone strike on Russia's Tatarstan region, officials said.

Condor Studio News · 4:00 AM Central · Aug 11, 2026.

President Trump has demanded compensation from Iran for decades of American soldier deaths, intensifying the standoff with Tehran. Oil prices have climbed to $63,9948a barrel while gold has hit a two-month high at $4,418 an ounce on the renewed geopolitical tension. Reports from the Washington Post and New York Times say the president hid inside an airport catering container to secretly transfer from a decoy Air Force One to a military jet after a NATO summit in Turkey last month, all triggered by an active Iranian assassination threat. Gulf shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has now fallen to just six vessels. Bitcoin is trading at $4418with Ethereum at $4418as digital assets draw fresh safe-haven interest amid the flare-up. In Australia the central bank held its cash rate at 4.35% but Governor Michele Bullock warned further hikes remain possible if inflation stays sticky. And bond market sentiment around the Trump administration's key economic appointments is showing signs of weakening with US Treasuries lagging most other developed government bond markets. Condor Studio News · · Aug 11, 2026.

Condor Studio News · 3:00 AM Central · Aug 11, 2026.

And in European and Asian news, a British national from Peterborough has been shot dead by Pakistani security forces in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Fifty-year-old Mohammad Akhtar was hit by a stray bullet while not taking part in nearby protests over economic and electoral reforms. His family says they will not pursue the case formally out of fear of reprisals. A second British man from Nottingham remains held without charge in a Mirpur prison. The unrest has killed dozens, triggered a communications blackout and thrown regional elections into chaos. The UK Foreign Office has updated its travel advice and raised the issue with Pakistani authorities. In Australia, shares in rare earths developer Sunrise Energy Metals surged as much as 29 percent after the US Department of War’s Office of Strategic Capital announced a conditional $400 million debt commitment to fund its Syerston scandium project in New South Wales. The deal forms part of a nearly $1 billion public-private package to create the world’s first primary scandium mine and build a full domestic supply chain outside China, which controls around 90 percent of global processing. Scandium strengthens aluminium alloys for defence, aerospace and high-performance uses. Meanwhile China is balancing Asia’s crude oil demand by itself, according to Reuters, while tanker attacks in the Strait of Hormuz keep oil prices choppy near $83 a barrel.

Condor Studio News · 3:00 AM Central · Aug 11, 2026.

And in regional European and Asian news, a British national from Peterborough has been shot dead by Pakistani security forces in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The 50-year-old man was hit by a stray bullet while not taking part in protests demanding economic and electoral reforms. His family says they will not pursue the case formally for fear of reprisals. A second British man from Nottingham remains held without charge in a Mirpur prison. The unrest has killed dozens, triggered a communications blackout and severely disrupted regional elections. In the Persian Gulf, unverified reports emerged of another tanker struck and set on fire off Oman, the latest in a wave of attacks that has seen vessel traffic through the Strait of Hormuz collapse. Iran has set six tough conditions for reopening the waterway including full American military withdrawal. An Australian rare earths miner surged as much as 29 percent after the United States Department of Strategic Capital announced a conditional $400 million debt commitment for its scandium project, part of a push to build non-Chinese supply chains for defence and high-tech alloys.

Condor Studio News · 3:00 AM Central · Aug 11, 2026.

And in regional European and Asian news, a British father from Peterborough has been shot dead by Pakistani security forces in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Mohammad Akhtar, 50, was hit by a stray bullet on 9 June while standing near protesters in Kotli demanding economic and electoral reforms. His family says he was not taking part in the demonstration and has chosen not to pursue the case formally out of fear of reprisals. A second British man from Nottingham remains held without charge in a Mirpur prison. The UK Foreign Office has expressed serious concern, updated its travel advice, and raised the deaths and detention directly with Pakistani authorities. In the same region, tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has collapsed after fresh reports of another vessel struck and set ablaze off Oman, the latest in a string of attacks that have seen 15 ADNOC tankers targeted since the current conflict began.

Condor Studio News · 3:00 AM Central · Aug 11, 2026.

And in European and Asian news, engineers have been forced to reroute a £430 million undersea data cable after Harry Potter fans campaigned to protect what they call Dobby the house elf's grave on a Welsh beach. The campaigners argued the original route would damage the site made famous in the films and books. Abu Dhabi's ADNOC Gas has announced an $8.2 billion expansion of its Rich Gas Development project including a new processing train at the Habshan facility and a new natural gas liquids unit at Ruwais. The investment will more than double the company's LNG capacity to around 15 million tons per year by late 2028. U.S. Treasury yields edged lower as investors look ahead to Wednesday's key July core CPI report. Last Friday's softer-than-expected jobs data has cut the probability of a September rate hike to around 44%. A benign inflation print would further ease pressure on the Federal Reserve while a hot reading could revive volatility.

Condor Studio News · 3:00 AM Central · Aug 11, 2026.

An Australian schoolgirl's early morning beach walk turned into a frantic race against the tide after she discovered a baby humpback whale stranded and struggling in the shallows near a popular Sydney stretch. The quick-thinking teenager sprinted to raise the alarm, rallying locals and marine rescuers who worked desperately to keep the young whale alive with buckets of water and gentle guidance until the tide returned. In other news, Australia's central bank held its cash rate steady at 4.35%. Governor Michele Bullock warned that further rate hikes remain possible if inflation does not ease as expected. Turkey's parliament has approved a conditional pardon for thousands of PKK militants as Ankara pushes a fresh peace initiative to end the decades-long Kurdish conflict. Bitcoin is currently trading at $4423. Ethereum at $4423. Gold is at $4,423 an ounce. Oil stands at $4423a barrel after drone strikes hit Libya's Zawiya terminal. The young rescuer's fast action is now being credited with giving the whale a fighting chance at survival. Condor Studio News · · Aug 11, 2026.

Condor Studio News · 2:00 AM Central · Aug 11, 2026.