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AI, Energy Transition and COP30 Present New Opportunities for Sustainable Investment

As COP30 convenes in Belém, Brazil, the global urgency to tackle climate change feels sharper than ever.

Meeting ambitious sustainability goals requires mobilizing vast amounts of capital toward clean energy and climate solutions, an endeavor now complicated and accelerated by the surging energy demands of AI technologies. Addressing these evolving needs while advancing climate goals presents both unprecedented challenges and opportunities for investors.

Bruce Kahn, lead portfolio manager at Shelton Capital Management, brings a seasoned voice to this evolving landscape. With over 25 years shaping sustainable equity portfolios and ESG integration, he highlights how renewable energy and innovative investment strategies are critical to powering AI’s growth while advancing climate objectives.

The AI-energy nexus and its investment implications

Kahn underscored a transformative dynamic in the investment landscape: AI’s rapid expansion is driving substantial new energy requirements that existing infrastructure must be ready to accommodate. This convergence creates both risk and opportunity for sustainable investors.

Renewable energy emerges as the fastest and most economically viable option to meet AI’s surging electricity demand.

“If hyperscalers want to have massive data centers, the quickest path to that is going to be deploying renewable energy. Whether that’s in front of the meter or behind the meter, that is the quickest and cheapest way of getting energy,” Kahn said

“There’s still been a lot of talk about nuclear. There’s opportunity there, as well as (with) gas-fired power plants, but those are long-dated situations,” he added, along with challenges around fuel supply. “The quickest way to get power up and running is going to be renewables, and that includes wind. Wind is economical. These projects finance themselves with or without tax credits.”

Khan also cited solar, biofuels and geothermal as cornerstones in this transitioning energy mix. Underlying this transition is a strong demand for the industrial and materials sectors supplying the essential components for renewable infrastructure.

The AI-energy nexus calls for expanded thematic investments, distinct from traditional ESG-focused strategies focused on addressing climate resilience, energy efficiency and industrial transformation related to AI’s pervasive role.

“From a portfolio management and factor management perspective, I have to consider how overweight I am to a factor such as industry, and then an overweight sector, such as industrials and materials. So that becomes a challenge, because that’s where there are a lot of great opportunities, but you know, you have to be very choosy.”

Kahn emphasized the importance of focusing on “core” technology segments, such as fuel enrichment and water quality measurement, which may offer more stable, structural demand and lower volatility compared to early-stage growth technologies.

Reflecting market evolution, Kahn highlighted the growing prominence of infrastructure funds and alternative investment vehicles beyond traditional equities for capturing these themes.

Ongoing innovation in public equities expanding access to smaller growth companies represents a critical frontier for investors seeking exposure to early-stage innovations within the broader energy transition.

Managing portfolio challenges amid technological and geopolitical uncertainty

One key risk Kahn highlights is the potential for slower-than-expected adoption of AI technologies to transform the industrial economy. In this uncertainty, there is also caution against overexposure to assets that might become stranded if energy demand or technology shifts deviate from expectations.

To mitigate this, Shelton Capital focuses on investing in “core” technologies that underlie energy infrastructure and climate solutions, such as fuel enrichment processes and water quality measurement. Climate adaptation sectors like agriculture also feature prominently, reflecting their frontline role in managing climate risks.

Kahn also acknowledges that short-term market volatility and policy shifts create noise, but says they are unlikely to alter the long-term investment trajectory.

“All the data suggests that companies don’t invest balance sheet capital based on four-year or even two-year political wins; they’re investing for 10, 15, 20 years,” he noted. This long-term horizon requires patient, disciplined capital deployment.

“We’re talking to the CEOs of these companies and asking them what their capital plans are. They are not pausing their sustainability initiatives because they’ve proven to themselves that this is a driver of profitability.”

Shelton Capital employs a bottom-up investing philosophy grounded in carefully selected sustainability themes aligned with resilience, human well-being and technological innovation. ESG analysis is integrated as a foundational layer within a broader thematic framework, enabling a comprehensive view of company operations and their contribution to sustainability goals.

Looking ahead: Trends and priorities for COP30 and beyond

COP30 represents a pivotal moment to recognize the intertwined nature of technology advancement, energy infrastructure and climate imperatives.

The immense energy footprint driven by AI technologies presents both daunting challenges and tremendous opportunities within the global climate agenda. The geography of renewable energy deployment is also evolving swiftly, with emerging markets playing a critical role in driving global capacity growth.

“While we may be hamstrung now in the US in the short term, renewable energy is being deployed all over the rest of the world at huge scales,” said Kahn.

Sustainable investment has also emerged as a critical lever to mobilize capital in support of the values of newer generations. Kahn described how deeply embedded sustainability values and significant upcoming wealth transfers position Gen Z and millennials as key drivers of market transformation.

“They’re what I refer to as sustainability native,” he explained. “They kind of came to it naturally. It wasn’t forced on them.

“They are going to have a lot of power, from an investment standpoint, to shape markets, and markets respond to capital,” he added.

Effective climate investing requires a multi-sector, multi-asset approach spanning equity, debt, real estate, commodities and real assets. Investor education and sophisticated portfolio diversification will be pivotal in shaping the future market environment, equipping investors and advisors to align capital with evolving sustainability goals and technological advancement.

Investment managers and advisors must navigate these complexities with agility and insight, steering capital to solutions that drive both financial returns and transformative impact.

As the AI-energy nexus continues to redefine the investment landscape, aligning capital with long-term climate imperatives is no longer optional; it is the blueprint for future value creation.

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Noble Announces Non-Brokered Private Placement

(TheNewswire)

TORONTO TheNewswire – November 10, 2025 Noble Mineral Exploration Inc. (‘ Noble ‘ or the ‘ Company ‘) (TSXV: NOB,OTC:NLPXF) (OTCQB: NLPXF) is pleased to announce that it is undertaking a non-brokered private placement (the ‘ Private Placement ‘) on a best efforts basis, involving the issuance of up to 18,000,000 flow-through common share units (‘ FT Units ‘) at a price of $0.06 per unit, subject to an increase of up to 25% at the discretion of Noble should investor interest warrant doing so. The gross proceeds to be raised are up to $1,080,000 (before fees and expenses), subject to increase as noted. Each FT Unit will be comprised of one common share to be issued as a ‘flow-through share’ and one-half non-flow-through common share purchase warrant, each full warrant will be exercisable for two years for one common share in the capital of the Company at an exercise price of $0.10 per common share.

The Company may pay compensation to brokers providing assistance with the private placement, which could consist of a cash commission of up to 7% of the amount raised through the brokers’ assistance and/or broker warrants exercisable for up to 7% of the number of FT Units placed (the ‘ Broker Warrants ‘).  Each Broker Warrant would be exercisable for two years for one common share of the Company at an exercise price of $0.06 per share.

The securities to be issued in this Private Placement are subject to a four month hold period.

The Private Placement is subject to customary closing conditions, including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. Noble intends to use the proceeds raised through the Private Placement to fund exploration expenditures on the Company’s properties.

About Noble Mineral Exploration Inc.

Noble Mineral Exploration Inc. is a Canadian-based junior exploration company, which has holdings of securities in Canada Nickel Company Inc., Homeland Nickel Inc., East Timmins Nickel Inc. (20%), and its interest in the Holdsworth gold exploration property in the area of Wawa, Ontario.

Noble holds mineral and/or exploration rights in ~70,000ha in Northern Ontario and ~14,000ha elsewhere in Quebec upon which it plans to generate option/joint venture exploration programs.

Noble holds mineral rights and/or exploration rights in ~18,000 hectares in the Timmins-Cochrane areas of Northern Ontario known as Project 81, ~2,215 hectares in Thomas Twp/Timmins, as well as an additional 20% interest in ~38,700 hectares in the Timmins area. Project 81 hosts diversified drill-ready gold, nickel-cobalt and base metal exploration targets at various stages of exploration. Noble also holds ~4,600 hectares in the Nagagami Carbonatite Complex and~3,200 hectares in its Boulder Project, both near Hearst, Ontario.  In addition, it holds the following projects in Quebec:  ~3,700 hectares in its Buckingham Graphite Property, ~10,152 hectares in its Havre St Pierre Nickel, Copper, PGM property, ~1,573 hectares in its Cere-Villebon Nickel, Copper, PGM property, a ~569 hectare Uranium/Rare Earth property that it refers to as the Chateau property, a ~461 hectare Uranium/Molybdenum property that it refers to as the Taser North property, and ~ 4,465 hectares in the Mehmet rare earth property in Northern Quebec. Noble’s common shares trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol ‘NOB.’

More detailed information on Noble is available on the website at www.noblemineralexploration.com .

Cautionary Note and Statement Concerning Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains certain information that may constitute ‘forward-looking information’ under applicable Canadian securities legislation.  Forward-looking information is necessarily based upon several assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information.  Factors that could affect the outcome include, among  others:  future prices and the supply of metals, the future demand for metals, the results of drilling, inability to raise  the money necessary to incur the expenditures required to retain and advance the property, environmental liabilities  (known  and  unknown), general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties, results of  exploration programs, risks of the mining industry, delays in obtaining governmental approvals, failure to obtain  regulatory or shareholder approvals.  There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information.  Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information.  All forward-looking information contained in this press release is given as of the date hereof and is based upon the opinions and estimates of management and information available to management as at the date hereof.  Noble disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether because of new information. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.   No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein.

Contacts:

H. Vance White, President

Phone:        416-214-2250

Fax:        416-367-1954

Email: info@noblemineralexploration.com

Investor Relations

Email: ir@noblemineralexploration.com

Copyright (c) 2025 TheNewswire – All rights reserved.

News Provided by TheNewsWire via QuoteMedia

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Lunar Mining Set to Favor Established Miners Over Startups, Analyst Says

As humanity edges closer to mining the moon, industry analysts warn that established mining companies, not venture-backed space startups, may dominate the emerging lunar resource sector.

The space mining market, projected to reach US$20 billion by 2035, has attracted significant attention from venture capital and government programs, including NASA’s Artemis initiative.

Permanent lunar operations aim to target resources such as water ice in shadowed craters, regolith for construction and helium-3 for potential fusion applications.

However, while multiple commercial landers reached the moon in 2025, profitable extraction remains a challenge.

Stirling Forbes, CEO of Forbes-Space, a consultancy advising both space ventures and industrial firms, noted that startups face steep obstacles.

“Space startups excel at getting there. But once you land, the hard part is mining — and that’s where most space companies have zero experience,” he said in a recent article.

Forbes emphasized that deploying and operating the necessary mining equipment requires hundreds of millions in upfront investment, with years before returns can materialize — conditions under which traditional mining companies thrive, but venture capital often cannot.

Large-scale miners already possess capabilities directly applicable to extraterrestrial operations. Mining giant Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO,NYSE:RIO,LSE:RIO), for example, runs autonomous 200 metric ton haul trucks in Western Australia’s Pilbara region from 1,500 kilometers away, supported by AI-driven drill systems and robotic material handling.

Such operations mirror the challenges lunar mining will present, including remote management, automated extraction and processing in harsh conditions.

Forbes also pointed to logistical advantages of the moon over asteroids. The moon is just three days away from Earth, which allows for quicker responses to equipment failures, while the closest asteroids to earth would take months to reach.

Additionally, NASA and international partners are actively building power systems, communications networks and landing infrastructure on the moon, whereas asteroid operations would require establishing everything from scratch.

Lunar resources, such as water ice, also have immediate customers in space programs, converting directly into rocket propellant for Mars and deep-space missions.

For investors, Forbes advises watching for investments by mining firms into space-related technologies and partnerships.

Traditional mining firms are moving quickly to secure positions in the sector, and early collaborations could define the rules and regulations for decades to come.

“The space mining revolution is coming, but it won’t look like the investment community expects. It will be led by companies that understand both space above and the ground beneath our feet,” he said.

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Mark Skousen: Gold, Silver in Major Bull Market, “Permanent Inflation” is Here

Mark Skousen of Forecasts & Strategies shares his outlook for gold, silver and the US economy.

‘We’ve entered an era of what I call permanent inflation,’ he explained.

‘After World War II, inflation became permanent — higher and higher prices every year. The inflation rate may ebb and accelerate, but it’s always positive year after year.’

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Larry Lepard: Gold Stocks, Silver, Bitcoin — Prices to Double in 2026?

Sound money advocate and author Larry Lepard shares his thoughts on what’s driving gold, silver and Bitcoin prices, as well as how high they could rise in the near term.

‘I sincerely believe that in 2026, Bitcoin could double and go to US$200,000. Silver could almost double and go to US$100 or US$80 or US$90 (per ounce), up from US$50,’ he said.

‘And gold stocks could double from where they are.’

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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InMed Pharmaceuticals: Innovating Cannabinoid-inspired Medicines, Backed by Real Revenue and Clear Path to Value

InMed Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: INM) pairs innovative therapeutic development in Alzheimer’s, ophthalmology, and dermatology with recurring revenue from its BayMedica manufacturing division — giving investors rare small-cap biotech exposure to high-impact science with reduced financing risk.

INM-901 takes a multi-pathway approach to Alzheimer’s, targeting several core drivers of the disease rather than just amyloid beta. In preclinical studies, it protected neurons, reduced inflammation, cleared toxic proteins, and improved cognition, aligning with the industry’s shift toward multi-target therapies.

InMed’s BayMedica subsidiary manufactures rare cannabinoids via chemical synthesis, rather than plant extraction, ensuring purity, consistency and scalability. The business generates approximately $5 million in annual revenue and ~40 percent gross margins, selling to the global health and wellness ingredient markets. This dual business model gives InMed a cash flow-supported R&D engine, enhancing sustainability and valuation resilience.

Investor Insight

InMed is a pharma innovator advancing proprietary small-molecule therapies in Alzheimer’s and ophthalmology, supported by a revenue-producing manufacturing arm. With cash exceeding its market cap and multiple near-term catalysts, it represents a compelling, undervalued biotech opportunity.

This InMed Pharmaceuticals profile is part of a paid investor education campaign.*

Click here to connect with InMed Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:INM) to receive an Investor Presentation

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Questcorp Mining Receives Initial Investment from U.K. Based Institutional Investor Sorbie Bornholm LP.

Questcorp Mining Inc. (CSE: QQQ,OTC:QQCMF) (OTCQB: QQCMF) (FSE: D910) (the ‘Company’ or ‘Questcorp’) is pleased to announce that Sorbie Bornholm LP (‘Sorbie’), a UK Investment Fund, has undertaken an initial investment in Questcorp Mining Inc. (CSE: QQQ,OTC:QQCMF) (OTCQB: QQCMF) (FSE: D910) (‘Questcorp’ or the ‘Company’). The gross amount of the investment is CAD$2,000,000. The funds will go toward advancing Questcorp’s ongoing exploration and development programs at its flagship La Union Gold and Silver Project in Sonora, Mexico, and its North Island Copper Property on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, and for general working capital purposes.

Reflecting on the new partnership, President & CEO, Saf Dhillon, commented:

‘We are incredibly pleased to have secured this strategic investment from Sorbie Bornholm, a respected international institutional investor. This financing provides us with the flexibility to accelerate exploration across our key assets in Mexico and British Columbia. We view Sorbie’s participation as a strong vote of confidence in Questcorp’s team, vision, and long-term potential to deliver value through discovery and development.’

Whitney Kofford, Managing Director of Sorbie Bornholm LP, added:

‘We are delighted to welcome Questcorp Mining Inc. as a new partner and portfolio company. Our decision to invest reflects our enormous confidence in Questcorp’s leadership. And in turn, by entering into a Sharing Agreement, Questcorp’s leadership signals strong conviction in their ability to execute and grow value for all stakeholders. Sorbie’s Sharing Agreement is designed to align interests towards growth and provide companies with consistent capital that rewards operational success and share price appreciation. We trust Questcorp will use the capital support to systematically unlock long-term value for all shareholders, and we look forward to sharing in their great upside potential.’

About Sorbie Bornholm

Sorbie Bornholm LP is a global investment firm that provides funding for ongoing business objectives to listed micro, small and mid-cap growth companies. We focus on public equity investments in companies that are looking to expand and on management teams with a clear growth strategy. Our extensive experience allows us to invest in most industries in order to provide supportive, longer-term capital that rewards company growth.

Since 2000, Sorbie Bornholm LP founder Greg Kofford has perfected the ‘Sorbie-Strategy’, utilizing a sharing agreement that supports management and rewards growth. This unique approach has now been used in over 50 investments – with many of those resulting in the companies receiving more cash than the original offering proceeds – without having to issue any additional shares.

Sorbie Bornholm’s core values drive who we are and how we invest. We are committed to developing long-term relationships with select listed public companies and their brokers & advisers. We focus on providing supportive, longer-term capital that rewards growth. We invest to make a difference, to become a valued partner and to be a shareholder of choice. It’s important to us that we succeed together.

To see if the Sorbie-Strategy is right for your company, please contact Sorbie Bornholm:

Whitney Kofford, Managing Director
+1-801-554-5889
whitney@sorbiebornholm.com https://sorbiebornholm.co.uk/

About Questcorp Mining Inc.

Questcorp Mining Inc. is engaged in the business of the acquisition and exploration of mineral properties in North America, with the objective of locating and developing economic precious and base metals properties of merit. The Company holds an option to acquire an undivided 100% interest in and to mineral claims totaling 1,168.09 hectares comprising the North Island Copper Property, on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, subject to a royalty obligation. The Company also holds an option to acquire an undivided 100% interest in and to mineral claims totaling 2,520.2 hectares comprising the La Union Project located in Sonora, Mexico, subject to a royalty obligation.

Contact Information

Questcorp Mining Corp.

Saf Dhillon, President & CEO

Email: saf@questcorpmining.ca
Telephone: (604) 484-3031

This news release includes certain ‘forward-looking statements’ under applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the intended use of proceeds from the Offering. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: the ability of Riverside to secure geophysical contractors to undertake orientation surveys and follow up detailed survey to confirm and enhance the drill targets as contemplated or at all, general business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties, uncertain capital markets; and delay or failure to receive board or regulatory approvals. There can be no assurance that the geophysical surveys will be completed as contemplated or at all and that such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/273793

News Provided by Newsfile via QuoteMedia

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‘Genocide can’t be ignored’: GOP lawmaker backs Trump’s threat of military action in Nigeria

Republican Rep. Riley Moore said the United States could take a range of actions — including sanctions and ‘even kinetic military action’ — in response to what he called the ‘genocide’ of Christians in Nigeria.

Trump designated Moore, a member of the Appropriations Committee from West Virginia, along with Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla., to lead an investigation into the killing of Christians by Islamist militants in the African nation.

Frustrations with the matter boiled out into the open when Trump this week designated Nigeria as a country of particular concern and ordered the Pentagon to prepare to intervene militarily.

In a video on Truth Social this week, Trump threatened to ‘do things to Nigeria that Nigeria is not going to be happy about’ and ‘go into that now-disgraced country guns-a-blazing.’

Moore told Fox News Digital the designation unlocks ’15 different levers’ the administration can use against Nigeria, including halting arms sales, freezing aid and sanctioning officials or institutions accused of ignoring or enabling religious killings.

‘All options are on the table here for this, even kinetic military action,’ Moore said. ‘That could mean targeted, strategic counterterrorism strikes to get rid of some of the top leadership if that’s what it takes to stop the killing.’

‘We’ve been providing security assistance to this country since at least 2009 – billions of dollars worth of arm sales, training and equipment that they’ve received. And it’s a question of prioritization in what’s important to them. And clearly this has not been one of the most important things.’

The West Virginia Republican said he has been working with the House Appropriations Committee and the State Department to identify what he called ‘legislative levers’ that could support the administration’s response. Moore said he’s also consulting with NGOs and Christian organizations ‘on the ground’ in Nigeria to document the scale of the violence.

He described the attacks as a ‘genocide,’ claiming Christians are being killed at a rate of five to one compared with non-Christians. Moore accused Nigeria’s government of ‘looking the other way’ despite receiving billions in U.S. security aid since 2009.

‘They’re not taking this seriously,’ he said. ‘We had a pastor warn the government about an impending attack — they called it fake news. Within 24 hours, that pastor and 20 of his congregants were murdered.’

The Nigerian government denies a genocide is taking place. ‘Portraying Nigeria’s security challenges as a targeted campaign against a single religious group is a gross misrepresentation of reality. Terrorists attack all who reject their murderous ideology — Muslims, Christians, and those of no faith alike,’ the office of the presidency wrote on X. 

Moore said he and House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla., plan to meet with Nigerian officials in Washington this month as part of the investigation, and may even send delegations to the nation. He added that the U.S. could still work with Nigeria’s government if it shows a willingness to confront extremist groups.

‘It’s not all sticks here — there are some carrots in this,’ Moore said. ‘If they’re willing to work with us, this could actually lead to a stronger relationship between our countries.’

The Nigerian government has denied that the killings amount to religious persecution, arguing that extremist and criminal groups target civilians of all faiths.

With a population of more than 230 million, Nigeria’s vibrant and often turbulent cities and villages are home to people of strikingly diverse backgrounds. The country’s more than 500 languages and mix of Islam, Christianity, and traditional indigenous faiths have long been marred by tension.

Nigeria’s faith communities remain sharply divided, with Muslims dominating the northern regions and Christians concentrated in the south.

Christianity took firm root in the 19th century, when freed slaves educated in Sierra Leone returned home as teachers and missionaries — establishing schools, churches, and early congregations that continue to shape southern Nigeria’s identity today.

Despite vast oil and mineral wealth, decades of corruption and mismanagement have left much of the nation impoverished.

Nigeria’s growing cache of lithium, cobalt, nickel, and other rare minerals has drawn quiet U.S. attention as Washington looks to counter China’s dominance in Africa’s critical-minerals market. The Commerce Department and U.S. International Development Finance Corp. have eyed investment opportunities in Nigeria’s nascent lithium industry, but persistent insecurity in mining regions threatens Western access and future development.

For over a decade, Nigeria’s Christians fleeing the nation’s northern half have been subject to the violence of Boko Haram, an Islamist militant group known for its terrorist spectacles. Churches and homes burned, communities vanishing in the group’s night raids.

Numbers are difficult to verify, but the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law reports at least 52,000 Christians have been killed, some 18,500 abducted and unlikely to have survived, and 20,000 churches and Christian schools attacked between 2009 and 2023.

In 2014, Boko Haram famously kidnapped and enslaved 276 teenage girls in a raid on a high school dormitory. The group regularly arms children as suicide bombers and holds slave markets in captured territories.

But a direct U.S. military campaign would prove difficult with current U.S. assets in the nation and is unlikely, one defense official told Fox News Digital.

The United States currently has no permanent military base in Nigeria, though small teams of U.S. advisors and special operations trainers work periodically with Nigerian forces under AFRICOM programs.

Washington approved about $600 million in security aid to Nigeria over the past decade, mostly focused on counterterrorism in the northeast.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

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Iran smuggled $1B to Hezbollah this year despite US sanctions, Treasury official says

The Iranian regime has managed to smuggle at least $1 billion to its terrorist proxy Hezbollah in Lebanon despite heavy sanctions this year, top officials at the U.S. Treasury Department say.

John Hurley, the undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, says Iran remains committed to its proxy groups throughout the Middle East. Nevertheless, he says there is any opportunity to cut off the funding streams while Iran is in its current weakened state.

‘There’s a moment in Lebanon now. If we could get Hezbollah to disarm, the Lebanese people could get their country back,’ Hurley said.

‘Even with everything Iran has been through, even with the economy not in great shape, they’re still pumping a lot of money to their terrorist proxies,’ he continued.

‘The key to that is to drive out the Iranian influence and control that starts with all the money that they are pumping into Hezbollah,’ he argued.

Hurley pushed for the increased pressure campaign during a tour of Turkey, Lebanon, the United Arab Emirates and Israel this weekend.

Western nations have already laid down heavy sanctions on Tehran over its unwillingness to negotiate a nuclear deal. The regime insists its nuclear development program exists solely for civilian purposes.

President Donald Trump ordered bombings on Iran’s key nuclear cites earlier this year in Operation Midnight Hammer, which U.S. officials say succeeded in crippling Tehran’s progress toward a bomb.

Iran has nevertheless continued its efforts to spread chaos across the globe. U.S. officials say they, along with Israel and Mexico, thwarted an Iran-backed attempt to assassinate Israel’s ambassador to Mexico earlier this year.

‘We thank the security and law enforcement services in Mexico for thwarting a terrorist network directed by Iran that sought to attack Israel’s ambassador in Mexico,’ Israel’s foreign ministry told Fox News on Friday.

‘The Israeli security and intelligence community will continue to work tirelessly, in full cooperation with security and intelligence agencies around the world, to thwart terrorist threats from Iran and its proxies against Israeli and Jewish targets worldwide.’

A U.S. official told Reuters the plot targeting ambassador Einat Kranz Neiger ‘was contained and does not pose a current threat.’

Fox News’ Greg Norman and Reuters contributed to this report.

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