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Senate GOP moves 97 Trump nominees closer to historic milestone

Senate Republicans inched closer to history Wednesday after blowing past yet another procedural obstacle on their way to confirming nearly 100 of President Donald Trump’s nominees.

As part of their mad dash from Washington ahead of the upcoming holiday recess, Senate Republicans advanced a tranche of 97 of Trump’s picks. The 53-47 party-line vote puts the GOP one step away from confirming the batch of nominees.

The final confirmation vote is expected Thursday, barring an agreement with Senate Democrats to speed up the process.

And if that vote is successful, which it is expected to be, Senate Republicans will have confirmed more of Trump’s picks than any other president in one year.

The current nominees package would place Trump at 415 total confirmed during the first year of his second term, which leapfrogs his total of 323 during his first term. It also blows past former President Joe Biden, who, at the same period at the end of his first year in office, had 365.

Senate Republicans have rapidly confirmed hundreds of Trump’s picks since changing the Senate’s rules for the confirmation process in September in a bid to smash through Senate Democrats’ blockade against advancing even the most low-level positions throughout the Trump administration.

The GOP went nuclear — the fourth time in the Senate’s history — to lower the threshold for certain picks to just a simple majority, rather than the typical, 60-vote filibuster.

That change has allowed Republicans to quickly move through sub-cabinet level positions at a brisk pace and to tee up Trump’s expected historic moment.

Among the list of nominees are former Rep. Anthony D’Esposito, R-N.Y., to serve as inspector general at the Department of Labor and two picks for the National Labor Relations Board, James Murphy and Scott Mayer, along with several others in nearly every federal agency.

Lawmakers also separately confirmed Trump’s choice to run NASA, billionaire Jared Isaacman, and his pick for a spot on the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Douglas Weaver.

Isaacman’s confirmation sailed through on a bipartisan 67-30 vote but served as the second go-round for the upper chamber to ruminate on his ascension atop NASA.

Trump had nominated him to run the nation’s space agency in December 2024, but he was pulled earlier this year after a ‘thorough review of prior associations.’

But Isaacman was later nominated again in November for the same post, and Trump lauded his ‘passion for space, astronaut experience, and dedication to pushing the boundaries of exploration, unlocking the mysteries of the universe, and advancing the new space economy.’

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

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Senate confirms Jared Isaacman as NASA chief months after Trump-Musk rift that may have pulled his nomination

The Senate confirmed billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman Wednesday in a 67-30 vote to serve as NASA administrator, months after President Donald Trump withdrew the same nomination during his public feud with Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk.

The confirmation places Isaacman, an investor in SpaceX and leader of two private spaceflight missions, at the helm of the nation’s space agency. Reuters reported that Isaacman becomes NASA’s 15th administrator and is known as an advocate of Mars missions.

Trump previously pulled Isaacman’s nomination in May, citing what he described at the time as ‘a thorough review of prior associations.’ 

Fox News Digital reported at the time that the decision was made amid escalating tensions between Trump and Musk, who had recently departed his role leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and publicly criticized Trump’s ‘One Big, Beautiful Bill.’

Isaacman later suggested the timing of the withdrawal was no coincidence. 

Speaking on the ‘All-In Podcast,’ he said, ‘I don’t need to play dumb on this. I don’t think that the timing was much of a coincidence.’ He added that ‘there were some people that had some axes to grind, I guess, and I was a good, visible target,’ Fox News Digital previously reported.

The nomination was revisited in the fall as relations between Trump and Musk appeared to thaw. In October, NASA officials confirmed Isaacman was again under consideration after meetings with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who was tasked with vetting candidates for the permanent NASA role at Trump’s direction.

Trump formally renominated Isaacman in November, praising him in a social media post.

‘Jared’s passion for Space, and his commitment to American Leadership in Space, make him ideally suited to lead NASA into a bold new Era,’ Trump wrote.

Fox News Digital has extensively reported on the broader Trump-Musk feud that surrounded the nomination’s earlier withdrawal. In May and June, the two men publicly exchanged harsh words over Trump’s ‘One Big, Beautiful Bill.’ 

Musk accused Trump of pushing a ‘disgusting abomination,’ while Trump said Musk had gone ‘CRAZY’ and was ‘wearing thin.’ 

Signs of reconciliation followed when Trump and Musk shook hands and spoke briefly at Charlie Kirk’s memorial, with Trump later saying, ‘We had a little conversation. We had a very good relationship, but it was nice that he came over.’ 

Musk also attended a White House dinner hosted by Trump and appeared at other administration events.

Trump later teased Musk publicly, telling an audience, ‘You’re so lucky I’m with you, Elon. I’ll tell you. Has he ever thanked me properly?’ 

Musk responded on X by saying, ‘I would like to thank President Trump for all he has done for America and the world.’

Axios reported Tuesday that Musk has begun financially backing Republican House and Senate candidates ahead of the 2026 midterms, showing warming relations after what the outlet described as a ‘messy breakup’ earlier this year. 

Politico similarly reported that Musk has said his relationship with Trump ‘went up in flames’ in June but has since been rebuilt.

Isaacman’s confirmation brings that arc to a close, cementing his leadership role at NASA. 

Isaacman previously commanded Inspiration4, the first all-civilian mission to orbit Earth, and later led the Polaris Dawn mission, both in partnership with SpaceX. 

The White House and representatives for Musk and Isaacman did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

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Over 200 House Dems vote against criminalizing transgender surgery for kids

More than 200 House Democrats voted against a bill aimed at criminalizing transgender medical treatment for minors Wednesday evening.

The bill passed in a 216-211 vote that had some bipartisan crossover.

Three Democrats — Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas; Don Davis, D-N.C.; and Henry Cuellar, D-Texas — voted with Republicans for the bill. 

Four Republicans — Mike Kennedy, R-Utah; Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa.; Gabe Evans, R-Colo.; and Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., voted against it.

It was widely opposed by most Democrats, however. Forty-five House Republicans signed on to formally back the legislation before the vote.

And while the majority of Republicans supported it on the House floor, it’s unclear if it will be taken up in the GOP-led Senate.

Transgender issues, particularly related to minors, have been one of the topics driving a wedge between moderate and progressive Democrats. But the severity of the bill’s language appears to have turned off a significant number of Democrats in the House.

The bill creates new federal crimes that carry up to 10 years in prison for doctors performing transgender-affirming surgeries on minors, while also making it a crime to prescribe puberty blockers.

Parents or guardians of children under 18 could also be held criminally liable if they consent to or otherwise facilitate transgender treatment for them.

‘This extreme bill puts the threat of prosecution between hundreds of thousands of families and their doctors and would put doctors behind bars for exercising their best medical judgment,’ said Mike Zamore, national director of policy & government affairs at the American Civil Liberties Union 

‘Passing this bill would be a grave escalation of an already severe effort to not only push transgender people out of public life but also allow the state to control our bodies and our lives further.’

Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., who argued in favor of the bill on the House floor, said Wednesday, ‘It is obscene. It is disgusting. You’re seeing, in real time, Democrats wanting and defending grooming of children. And it is abhorrent.

‘There is a lie at the heart of the debate we’re having today that I have to correct. No child is born in the wrong body. There are only two sexes, male and female. There are no others.’

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

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House approves MTG-sponsored bill to criminalize gender transition treatment for minors

The House passed a bill on Wednesday that would criminalize gender transition treatment for minors.

The measure, sponsored by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., passed by a 216-211 vote with some bipartisan support.

Reps. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas, and Don Davis, D-N.C., voted with most Republicans for the bill, while Reps. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., Gabe Evans, R-Colo., and Mike Kennedy, R-Utah, voted with most Democrats against the measure.

‘Children are NOT experiments. No more drugs. No more surgeries. No more permanent harm. We need to let kids grow up without manipulation from adults to make life-altering decisions! Congress must protect America’s children!!!’ Greene wrote on X ahead of the vote.

Greene had reached a deal with House leadership to bring her bill to the floor in exchange for her backing a rule last week to advance the National Defense Authorization Act.

The bill faces a significant hurdle to pass the Senate, as Republicans would need Democrat support to approve the legislation in the Upper Chamber.

The American Civil Liberties Union criticized the House passage, saying the measure ‘would have immediate and devastating effects on the lives and transgender youth and their families across the country.’

‘Politicians should never prohibit parents from doing what is best for their transgender children,’ Mike Zamore, National Director of Policy & Government Affairs at the ACLU, said in a statement. ‘These families often spend years considering how best to support their children, only to have ill-equipped politicians interfere by attempting to criminalize the health care that they, their children, and their doctors believe is necessary to allow their children to thrive.’

‘But this bill also creates an incredibly dangerous precedent far beyond the specific care at issue, criminalizing care based on ideology and placing Washington politicians between families and their doctors,’ he continued. ‘We strongly condemn the passage of this measure and urge members of the Senate to do everything in their power to prevent it from ever becoming law.’

Greene and Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, butted heads over the bill before its passage. The Georgia congresswoman, set to resign next month, had criticized Roy, who sits on the House Rules Committee, for introducing an amendment she argued would ‘gut the commerce clause.’

Roy’s amendment attempted to modify the bill to limit federal criminal liability under certain circumstances ‘by defining when prohibited conduct falls within federal jurisdiction,’ according to the Rules Committee.

But Greene contended that her bill ‘criminalizes ALL pediatric gender affirming care (transgender surgeries, puberty blockers, and hormones) NOT just those receiving federal funds and protects ALL children allowing them to grow up before they make permanent changes to their body that they can never undo!!!’

‘WTF is Chip Roy doing????? And this guy wants to be attorney general of Texas but refuses to protect children??!!!’ she wrote on X.

Roy responded that ‘the constitution matters & we should not bastardize it to use ‘interstate commerce’ to empower federal authorities.’

The Texas Republican, however, said in a statement on Wednesday that he would not offer the amendment ‘to avoid any confusion about how united Republicans are in protecting children from these grotesque procedures.’

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

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Group Eleven Announces Issuance of Stock Options and DSUs

Group Eleven Resources Corp. (TSXV: ZNG,OTC:GRLVF) (OTCQB: GRLVF) (FSE: 3GE) (‘Group Eleven’ or the ‘Company’) announces that it has granted 2,600,000 incentive stock options to directors, officers and employees pursuant to the terms of the Company’s Stock Option Plan. These options vest over a period of two years from the date of grant, have an exercise price of $0.63 per share and will expire five years from the date of grant.

The Company also announces that pursuant to its Deferred Share Unit (‘DSU‘) Plan, it has granted 95,238 DSUs for services rendered in 2024 to independent directors of the Company. Each DSU entitles the holder, when settled, to receive one common share (or, as otherwise determined by the board of directors, a cash amount equal to the value of one common share). All currency in this news release is denominated in Canadian dollars.

About Group Eleven Resources

Group Eleven Resources Corp. (TSXV: ZNG,OTC:GRLVF) (OTCQB: GRLVF) and (FSE: 3GE) is focussed on its recent Ballywire zinc, lead, silver, copper and germanium discovery in the Republic of Ireland. Ballywire is located 20km from Company’s 77.64%-owned Stonepark zinc-lead project, which itself is located adjacent to Glencore’s Pallas Green zinc-lead project. The Company’s two largest shareholders are Michael Gentile (13.8% interest) and Glencore Canada Corp. (13.7%). 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.lau@groupelevenresources.com | T: 604-781-4915

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.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/278454

News Provided by Newsfile via QuoteMedia

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Apple announces changes to iOS in Japan

The changes include new options for developers to distribute apps and process payments, and new protections to help reduce privacy and security risks the MSCA creates

Apple® today announced changes impacting iOS apps in Japan to comply with the Mobile Software Competition Act (MSCA). These updates create new options for developers to distribute apps on alternative app marketplaces and to process app payments for digital goods and services outside of Apple In-App Purchase. Across these changes, Apple has worked to reduce new privacy and security risks the law creates to provide users in Japan the best and safest experience possible.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251217568962/en/

The MSCA’s requirements for alternative app marketplaces and app payments open new avenues for malware, fraud and scams, and privacy and security risks. Apple has worked with Japanese regulators to introduce protections from new threats — including important safeguards for younger users. These protections include Notarization for iOS apps, an authorization process for app marketplaces, and requirements that help protect children from inappropriate content and scams.

While these safeguards do not eliminate the new risks, they are essential to Apple’s work to ensure iOS remains the best, most secure mobile platform available in Japan. Apple will continue to engage with regulators on strengthening protections for iOS users.

Developers can learn about the new capabilities on the Apple Developer Support page and can integrate them into their apps beginning today as part of the iOS 26.2 release.

New Options for Developers to Distribute Apps on iOS in Japan

The App Store® — where every app is reviewed to meet the App Store’s high bar for privacy and security — remains the best place for iOS users in Japan to discover and download the apps they love. This includes App Store features that protect users against fraud and scams and empower parents to ensure their kids have age-appropriate experiences.

With the MSCA’s new requirements, developers will also have the option to distribute iOS apps in Japan using alternative app marketplaces other than the App Store. Alternative app marketplaces will have to be authorized by Apple and will need to meet ongoing requirements to serve developers and users. However, apps downloaded outside the App Store will not benefit from the same protections Apple provides through App Review, introducing new risks for apps that contain scams, fraud, and abuse, or that expose users to illicit, objectionable, or harmful content not allowed on the App Store.

To reduce some of these new risks, Apple will conduct a baseline review — called Notarization — that applies to all iOS apps and focuses on basic functionality and protecting users from serious threats. This Notarization process involves a combination of automated checks and human review, and helps ensure apps function as promised and are free of known malware, viruses, or other security threats. However, Notarization is less comprehensive than the App Review process that applies to all apps on the App Store.

Developers can learn more about operating or distributing from alternative app marketplaces on the new Apple Developer Support page .

New Options for Payments in App Store Apps on iOS

On the App Store, users in Japan can continue to use Apple In-App Purchase to buy digital goods and services, manage subscriptions, request refunds, and view their payment history.

To comply with the MSCA, Apple is sharing tools that enable developers to offer more ways for users to purchase digital goods and services in apps on the App Store. For their iOS apps distributed on the App Store in Japan, developers will be able to include an alternative payment processing method in their app and/or link users to a website to complete a transaction.

These alternative payment options will always be presented alongside Apple In-App Purchase, so that users in Japan are clear on when they are transacting through Apple. When users choose to pay with Apple In-App Purchase, they’ll continue to receive familiar protections and tools like refund support, subscription management, and Report a Problem. App Store users’ purchase history and subscription management will only reflect transactions made using Apple In-App Purchase.

For apps that use alternative payment processing or link users to the web for transactions, Apple will not be able to issue refunds and will have less ability to support customers encountering issues, scams, or fraud. Users may need to share their payment information with additional parties, which can introduce new privacy and security risks.

Updated Business Terms for iOS Apps in Japan

To reflect these options for app distribution and payment processing, Apple is also sharing updated business terms for developers’ iOS apps in Japan. These business terms reflect the many ways Apple creates value for developers’ apps, whether or not they use the App Store and/or Apple In-App Purchase.

Under the business terms for iOS apps in Japan, Apple will continue to only charge a commission on the sale of digital goods and services. The new terms include:

  • App Store commission : iOS apps on the App Store will pay a reduced commission of either 10 percent for the vast majority of developers — including members of the Small Business Program, Video Partner Program, Mini Apps Partner Program, and for subscriptions following their first year — or 21 percent on transactions for digital goods and services. The App Store commission reflects the value of the tools, technology, and services that enable developers to create apps, in addition to App Store distribution, discovery, and ongoing services.
  • Store services commission : iOS apps on the App Store will pay a commission of 15 percent on transactions for digital goods and services made on a website linked to by the developer’s app. Developers in the programs mentioned above, and subscriptions following their first year, will pay a reduced rate of 10 percent.

Under these new business terms, developers that sell digital goods and services in Japan will pay Apple the same or less than they do today. Developers that do not sell digital goods and services will continue not to pay Apple any commissions or fees.

Impacts to Kids’ Online Safety

Apple created the App Store to be a safe place for kids, where parents are empowered to ensure their children have age-appropriate experiences and have the tools they need to keep their children safe online. That’s why Apple has created industry-leading features like age ratings, Content & Privacy Restrictions, content filters, Ask to Buy, and powerful controls that help parents choose how children use their devices.

With the changes introduced under the MSCA, the new options for alternative distribution and payment methods may expose children to new risks. For instance, apps downloaded from outside the App Store may include illicit and objectionable content, and they will not undergo the same rigorous review process Apple employs to evaluate apps made for children on the App Store. For instance, similar regulatory changes in Europe have enabled types of apps that were previously unavailable on iOS, including pornography apps.

In an effort to reduce new risks of fraud or scams targeting children, Apple has worked with regulators in Japan to preserve some guardrails, including:

  • Apps in the Kids category on the App Store will not include links to websites to complete transactions, to reduce the risk of fraud or scams targeting children.
  • For users under 18 years old , all apps from the App Store that use alternative payment processing or link to a website for transactions must include a parental gate that requires younger users to involve their parent or guardian before making a purchase.
  • For users under 13 years old, apps from the App Store cannot link to websites for transactions to protect against the risk of scams that target younger kids.

Developers must also continue to provide age ratings for their apps, whether their app is distributed on the App Store or an alternative app marketplace.

Apple will continue innovating to meet the evolving risks to kids’ safety online by building on the powerful tools and features it makes available today — like Child Accounts, web content filters, app restrictions, monitoring tools like Screen Time and Family Sharing, Communication Safety, and Communication Limits, which help parents shape who their children communicate with and shield them from inappropriate content.

Additional Updates to iOS

Alongside the new app distribution and payment options, Apple has introduced additional controls and choices for users in Japan with the release of iOS 26.2. These include:

  • A browser choice screen and search engine choice experience , giving users in Japan new ways to pick their preferred browser and search engine.
  • Default controls for navigation apps and app marketplaces.

Across these controls, users can review and adjust their choices at any time in Settings.

For developers, Apple is sharing tools in addition to the new options for alternative distribution and app payments, including:

  • New options for developers of browser apps to use alternative browser engines other than WebKit, with strict security and privacy requirements.
  • A new API that enables developers of voice-based conversational apps to provide users the option to launch their app with the iPhone® side button.
  • A process to request interoperability with core technologies in iPhone and iOS.

Apple is providing detailed resources to help developers understand the options now available for their apps in Japan, which they can access from the Apple Developer Support page .

Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, AirPods, Apple Watch, and Apple Vision Pro. Apple’s six software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS, and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, iCloud, and Apple TV. Apple’s more than 150,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth and to leaving the world better than we found it.

NOTE TO EDITORS: For additional information visit Apple Newsroom ( www.apple.com/newsroom ), or email Apple’s Media Helpline at media.help@apple.com .

© 2025 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, App Store and iPhone are trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251217568962/en/

Press Contacts:

Peter Ajemian
Apple
pajemian@apple.com

Apple Media Helpline
media.help@apple.com

News Provided by Business Wire via QuoteMedia

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Resource Expansion Drilling Confirms 3,000 metres of New Uranium Trends with Best Drill Hole of 1.4 GT over 7.6 metres

American Uranium Limited (ASX:AMU, OTC:AMUIF) (American Uranium, AMU or the Company) is pleased to advise that 2025 resource expansion drilling at its Lo Herma ISR uranium project in Wyoming’s Powder River Basin (Lo Herma, the Project) has been completed according to plan with the drilling of 50 mud rotary holes for 53,460 feet (~16,300 metres).

The resource expansion drilling and recently completed pump testing program2 represent significant steps in the efforts to expand and upgrade the resource and validate aquifer transmissivity to support Lo Herma’s progression towards ISR mine development.

Highlights

  • Fifty (50) resource expansion drill holes, for ~16,300m (53,460ft), completed for 2025
  • Drilling confirms projected uranium mineralised trends north of proposed Mine Units 1 and 2 by up to 3000 metres (10,000 feet) from mineralised drill holes
  • Best mineralised intercepts reported include 4.1m (3.5ft) at 0.078% (780ppm) eU308 containing 1m (3.5ft) at 0.143% (1,430ppm) eU308 in hole LH-25-048
  • Best total hole GT1 of 1.41 over 7.6m (25 ft) in 2 stacked sand units in LH-25-048
  • Planned Mineral Resource Estimate update and further drilling anticipated in 2026
  • Twelve (12) new mineral claims secured, totalling 96 hectares (238 acres) staked to extend the project north of proposed Mine Unit 2
  • Hydrogeologic and drilling programs aim to de-risk and advance the Lo Herma ISR Project towards a planned 2026 Scoping Study update

Speaking about the drill results, American Uranium’s CEO and Executive Director Mr Bruce Lane commented: “We are delighted that this resource expansion drilling has delivered strong grades with generous thicknesses in multiple stacked sands of both the Wasatch and the Fort Union formations. We remain very optimistic that the results of this expansion drilling campaign at Lo Herma can be brought into additional resource pounds. This year’s drilling has successfully demonstrated that the host sandstone units contain reliable continuity of mineralisation across extended trends for 3km (10,000ft) to the north of the current proposed mine units. With resource expansion drilling now completed for 2025, we look forward to the full geological evaluation of these results in early 2026 ahead of the next phase of drilling. Petrotek’s hydrogeological testing report is expected shortly which, along with the latest drilling data, will help guide the next steps of project development.

“AMU continues to both grow and de-risk the Project as we progress toward an update of the Lo Herma Scoping Study in 2026.”

Click here for the full ASX Release

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Cleantech Market Forecast: Top Trends for Cleantech in 2026

After a year marked by policy changes and trade uncertainty, experts are calling for cleantech investment to be dominated by artificial intelligence (AI) energy demand in the first quarter of 2026.

The COP30 conference, held in Belém, Brazil, this past November, was marked by cautious optimism and a bias toward action, despite global sustainability commitments seeming to slow.

The shift to net zero is recognized as a complex, regional effort — fossil-rich economies must prioritize carbon capture and lower-emitting fuels like hydrogen and geothermal, while others focus on renewables.

In the US, renewables will maintain momentum in the face of grid overcapacity, with targeted government funding for nuclear and fusion; however, policy headwinds may persist for areas like wind, solar and electric vehicles (EVs).

AI’s energy demand boost

The energy investment landscape is being fundamentally reshaped by AI energy demand, with Bain & Co. projecting that data centers will consume 9 percent of US electricity by 2030.

Analysts are eyeing this trend, with CFRA Research placing “buy” ratings on many companies held in utilities exchange-traded funds. It notes that some benefit from power agreements for AI-linked data centers.

The American Clean Power Association projects that 2025 will set a full-year record for combined clean energy deployments, despite US policy headwinds that sparked concerns about a sector contraction at the start of the year. Solar and storage capacity made up around 85 percent of new power capacity added to the US electricity grid from January to September 2025, according to a report from the Solar Energy Industries Association and Wood Mackenzie.

A separate analysis by energy think tank Ember reveals that global solar and wind power generation surpassed electricity demand in the first half of this year, generating more power than coal for the first time.

The report also show solar generation grew by a record 31 percent in H1, and wind by 7.7 percent.

The US Energy Information Administration now forecasts that renewables will climb to about 27 percent of US energy generation by 2026, up from 23 percent in 2024.

The clean AI investment surge

Meanwhile, startups are racing to make infrastructure smarter and faster to build with the help of AI.

Emerald AI, which uses smart software to manage a cleaner, more flexible grid and ease data center strain, announced its first commercial deployment alongside US$18 million in new seed funding, while Infravision, a company that uses drones to string transmission lines more efficiently, raised US$91 million in a Series B round to scale globally.

AI is also accelerating cleantech breakthroughs, as highlighted by the CleanAI Initiative’s report on AI’s growing role in climate solutions. It shows energy and power technologies garnered more than half of total clean AI investments.

The sector is seen as a critical, multi-layered investment opportunity tied to sustainability and technology leadership in multitrillion-dollar markets; however, key challenges to its growth include the high energy consumption of AI technologies themselves and a lack of combined expertise in both AI and climate science.

Billions in private investment have helped sustain the cleantech sector.

Experts Jason Bordoff and Jack Andreasen Cavanaugh argue that corporate funding will help boost energy transition, citing power purchase agreements and other financial commitments by Big Tech companies such as Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL), Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META), Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) and Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN).

NextEra Energy’s (NYSE:NEE) landmark Q4 deals with Alphabet and Meta to power their AI data centers are prime examples of this trend. The Florida-based company will supply clean energy capacity through 11 power purchase and two energy storage deals, with projects expected to become operational between 2026 and 2028. NextEra is also collaborating with Google Cloud to develop three US data center campuses.

However, this transformative period carries significant risks: if the AI boom proves to be a bubble that bursts, energy investment could swiftly vanish, leading to billions in stranded assets.

As China solidifies its dominance in clean energy manufacturing, the question remains whether the US administration’s efforts to expand nuclear and geothermal power can successfully challenge China’s current leadership, as Beijing also accelerates its own nuclear buildout and eyes global reactor exports.

Nuclear and geothermal gaining traction

Nuclear and geothermal are gaining traction as promising solutions for AI and data center reliability in 2026, attracting enterprise and policy support as other clean energy initiatives and incentives are pulled back.

The Department of Energy formally released its Fusion Science and Technology Roadmap in Q4, outlining a strategy to accelerate commercial fusion by the mid-2030s. Separately, the department announced it will award up to US$800 million in cost-shared funding to advance small modular reactor projects.

Startups are accelerating too, with Antares raising US$96 million for mid-2026 microreactor tests, while Radiant Nuclear is planning a US$280 million factory in Tennessee targeting 2028 deliveries. Under the leadership of CEO Bob Mumgaard, Commonwealth Fusion Systems is transitioning fusion energy from the realm of research to practical power generation. The company is currently building sites for its commercial fusion plants and is utilizing a partnership with Google DeepMind, focused on AI, to speed up the development of its fusion technology.

Geothermal is scaling, too, with some investors turning their attention to even more ambitious high-temperature projects. Mazama Energy, a startup backed by billionaire businessman Vinod Khosla, is developing a geothermal project at Newberry, one of the largest and most active volcanoes. If successful, this could be a top global geothermal site, supplying electricity to local homes and businesses starting next year.

Endeavors like these are viewed by enthusiasts as a potential catalyst for a new era of geothermal power.

“Geothermal has been mostly inconsequential,” Khosla told the Washington Post.

“To do consequential geothermal that matters at the scale of tens or hundreds of gigawatts for the country, and many times that globally, you really need to solve these high temperatures.”

Another notable example is Zanskar Geothermal and Minerals, which precisely located a deep geothermal reservoir using AI, effectively lowering the exploration and drilling costs of its Big Blind geothermal system. The company is seeking permits to develop Big Blind, aiming to supply power by the end of the decade.

EV localization and self-driving options

Looking ahead, robotaxis are gaining traction in the EV market, with growing fleets operating in multiple cities.

Alphabet’s Waymo is the most aggressive company in this space, currently offering driverless rides in five cities with plans to expand in 2026. Other key players are actively engaged in various testing stages.

Both Uber Technologies (NYSE:UBER) and Lyft (NASDAQ:LYFT) are incorporating Waymo and other robotaxi services into their platforms, and Uber is adding robotaxis to its platform in Dallas, Texas, through a partnership with Avride, using autonomous Hyundai (KRX:005380,OTC Pink:HYMTF) Ioniq 5s that will initially include a safety operator.

Amazon’s self-driving robotaxi subsidiary, Zoox, expects to start charging passengers for rides in Las Vegas in early 2026, with paid rides in the San Francisco Bay Area coming later next year; however, the move depends on obtaining federal regulatory and state approvals. Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA), led by CEO Elon Musk, is operating smaller, monitored robotaxi fleets in Austin and San Francisco, with Phoenix anticipated to be the next market for a major expansion.

Meanwhile, self-driving truck startup Waabi, a Canadian company with backing from Uber and NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA), launched its new autonomous truck developed with Volvo (STO:VOLV-A,OTC Pink:VLVCY).

Investor takeaway

As the cleantech market navigates this transformative period, its long-term success will hinge on strategic investments that successfully balance immense AI energy demands with the imperative of avoiding a stranded-asset bubble.

Sector participants will also need to track country-level developments. In the US, Senator Ruben Gallego’s (D-Ariz.) energy plan prioritizes affordability over climate primacy, calling for reinstated clean tax credits, small modular reactor R&D funding, transmission exemptions and zero-carbon sources alongside oil/gas with clean timelines.

Meanwhile, Canada’s 2025 budget includes a C$2 billion cleantech fund, and the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism pressures imports, favoring compliant North American projects that blend reliability with decarbonization.

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

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InMed Announces Results of 2025 Annual General and Special Meeting

InMed Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: INM) (‘InMed’ or the ‘Company’), a pharmaceutical company focused on developing a pipeline of proprietary small molecule drug candidates for diseases with high unmet medical needs, today confirmed that, at its annual general and special meeting of shareholders held on December 17, 2025 (the ‘Meeting’), the matters put forward before shareholders for consideration and approval as set out in InMed’s notice of meeting and management information circular, dated November 3, 2025, were voted upon by the shareholders. A total of 993,491 common shares of the Company, representing approximately 35.43% of the Company’s 2,804,186 issued and outstanding common shares, were represented in person or by proxy at the Meeting.

Results of the vote for the election of the board of directors (the ‘Board‘) at the Meeting are set out as follows:

Director Votes For Withheld Votes
Number Percentage Number Percentage
Eric A. Adams 125,352 82.03% 27,469 17.98%
Andrew Hull 125,315 82.00% 27,506 18.00%
Nicole Lemerond 125,485 82.11% 27,336 17.89%
Neil Klompas 125,444 82.09% 27,377 17.91%
John Bathery 125,227 81.94% 27,594 18.06%

 

In addition, shareholders voted to approve CBIZ CPAs P.C. as the Company’s auditors for the following year.

Shareholders also voted to approve the potential issuance of 20% or more of the Company’s common shares issued and outstanding as of December 13, 2024, pursuant to the Standby Equity Purchase Agreement with YA II PN, Ltd., as amended on June 13, 2025, pursuant to Nasdaq Listing Rules 5635(d) and 5635(b) (the ‘SEPA‘).

InMed filed a report of voting results on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca on December 17, 2025.

About InMed:

InMed Pharmaceuticals is a pharmaceutical company focused on developing a pipeline of proprietary small molecule drug candidates targeting the CB1/CB2 receptors. InMed’s pipeline consists of three separate programs in the treatment of Alzheimer’s, ocular and dermatological indications. For more information, visit www.inmedpharma.com.

Investor Contact:

Colin Clancy
Vice President, Investor Relations
and Corporate Communications
T: +1 604 416 0999
E: ir@inmedpharma.com

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information:

This news release, and oral statements by the Company and its executive officers and directors, contain ‘forward-looking information’ and ‘forward-looking statements’ (collectively, ‘forward-looking information’) within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as ‘expects’, ‘anticipates’, ‘believes’, ‘intends’, ‘potential’, ‘possible’, ‘would’ and similar expressions. Such statements, based as they are on current expectations of management, inherently involve numerous risks, uncertainties and assumptions, known and unknown, many of which are beyond our control. Forward-looking information is based on management’s current expectations and beliefs and is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Without limiting the foregoing, forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements about H.R. 5371, the ‘Continuing Appropriations, Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act, 2026’ (the ‘Act‘), the impact of the Act on BayMedica Inc., any potential modifications to the Act and/or the timing thereof and the alternative options available to BayMedica and the Company, statements about developing a pipeline of proprietary small molecule drug candidates for diseases with high unmet medical needs, and statements about the potential issuance of common shares pursuant to the SEPA.

Additionally, there are known and unknown risk factors which could cause InMed’s actual results, performance, or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information contained herein. A complete discussion of the risks and uncertainties facing InMed’s business is disclosed in InMed’s Annual Report on Form 10-K, and its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, Current Reports on Form 8-K and any other documents filed or furnished with the Securities and Exchange Commission available on www.sec.gov.

All forward-looking information herein is qualified in its entirety by this cautionary statement, and InMed disclaims any obligation to revise or update any such forward-looking information or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any of the forward-looking information contained herein to reflect future results, events or developments, except as required by law.

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/278446

News Provided by Newsfile via QuoteMedia

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