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Google makes first foray into fusion in venture with MIT spinoff Commonwealth Fusion Systems

Google on Monday announced a partnership with Commonwealth Fusion Systems, or CFS, a private company spun off from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which marks the tech giant′s first commercial commitment to fusion.

The company unveiled plans to buy 200 megawatts of clean fusion power from what CFS describes as the world’s first grid-scale fusion power plant, known as ARC, based in Chesterfield County, Virginia.

ARC is expected to come online and generate 400 megawatts of clean, zero-carbon power in the early 2030s, which is enough energy to power large industrial sites or roughly 150,000 homes, according to CFS. The agreement also gives Google the option to purchase power from additional ARC plants.

Google, which has invested in CFS since 2021, said it also increased its stake in the Devens, Massachusetts-based company.

Google and CFS did not disclose the financial terms.

“We’re excited to make this longer-term bet on a technology with transformative potential to meet the world’s energy demand, and support CFS in their effort to reach their scientific and engineering milestones needed to get there,” Michael Terrell, head of advanced energy at Google, said in a statement.

Fusion is a process that takes light atomic nuclei and heats them to over 100 million degrees Celsius. At these temperatures, the fuel becomes a plasma, which eventually causes the nuclei to fuse and release significant amounts of energy. The energy is then captured to create carbon-free electricity.

CFS is one of many firms racing to achieve commercial-scale fusion energy and Google has invested in others. Earlier this month, Google announced continued funding for TAE Technologies, a California-based fusion energy company.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS
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Pope, State Department condemn latest massacre of Christians by Islamist militants in Nigeria

The State Department has joined the pope in lashing out at the latest massacre of Christians in Nigeria, reportedly by Islamist Fulani ‘terrorists.’

Pope Leo XIV declared during a recent address to thousands at the Vatican that ‘some 200 people were murdered, with extraordinary cruelty’ on June 13 in Yelewata, in Nigeria’s Benue State.

Late Monday, a State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital, ‘We strongly condemn these increasing attacks, including recent massacres in Benue state which primarily targeted Christian farming villages.’

‘Shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ (Arabic for ‘God is great’), they (the attackers) burnt the buildings and attacked people with guns and machetes,’ NGO Aid to the Church in Need wrote in a statement, adding that the militants ‘used fuel to set fire to the doors of the people’s accommodation before opening fire.’

The pope told the crowds in Rome that the majority of those ‘brutally killed’ in Yelewata had been sheltering in a Catholic sanctuary. ‘Most of the victims were internal refugees, who were hosted by a local Catholic mission,’ the pontiff stated. He added that he would pray for ‘security, peace and justice,’ particularly for ‘rural Christian communities of the Benue state who have been relentless victims of violence.’

Nigeria is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a Christian, according to Open Doors International’s 2025 World Watch List (WWL). Of the 4,476 Christians killed worldwide in WWL’s latest reporting period, 3,100 of those who died – 69% – were in Nigeria. 

Talking to Fox News Digital, a State Department spokesperson reinforced reports that the attacks on Christians are being carried out by Islamic militant groups. ‘The United States remains deeply concerned about the levels of violence in Nigeria, including the threats posed by terrorist groups like Boko Haram and ISIS-West Africa in northern Nigeria, and the impact that violence has on all communities in Nigeria.’

This year, Islamist militants have often attacked areas of Nigeria where the people are predominantly Christian. Benue State, where the latest massacre took place, is said to be 93% Christian. 

One Nigerian church leader, who asked to remain anonymous for his safety, told Fox News Digital just last month that what the attackers ‘want is to be sure that Islam [takes] over every part of these places. … And so they’re doing everything to make sure that Christianity is brought down and Islam is [the] established No. 1. They want to make sure that Sharia law (strict Islamic law) has taken over Nigeria.’

The State Department spokesperson appeared to back up this viewpoint, saying, ‘violent extremist groups target a wide range of civilians and military targets as part of their broader campaign against a secular state. The increase in violent Islamic extremism and repeated attacks against vulnerable communities in Nigeria must be addressed more effectively.’

A Nigerian bishop told Fox News Digital in June that he had been threatened and his home village murderously attacked after he appealed to lawmakers at a March congressional hearing for the killing of Christians to stop.

Bishop Wilfred Anagbe said that after he went to Washington to testify, ‘terrorist Jihadists’ killed 20 parishioners in four attacks in 10 days in his diocese, the area he is responsible for.

Now, the bishop is in hiding after several foreign embassies in Nigeria’s capital Abuja warned him of credible high-level official threats that ‘something might happen to him.’

The State Department spokesperson added, ‘We regularly urge the Government of Nigeria to intensify their efforts to protect civilians, enforce rule of law, and hold perpetrators accountable. The United States partners with the Government of Nigeria to strengthen Nigeria’s counterterrorism capabilities, working together toward the elimination of terrorist organizations and their networks of support.’

The Nigerian government did not respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment. However, President Bola Tinubu visited Benue State this past week and told reporters, ‘Let’s fashion out a framework for lasting peace.’ 

The same day, in the same district, six more people were reported to have been killed.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
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Dems vow to fight ‘tooth and nail’ as Supreme Court takes up campaign finance case

Senior Democratic Party officials vowed Monday to ‘fight tooth and nail’ to keep in place federal campaign spending limits up for Supreme Court review this fall — describing the GOP-led effort to repeal the limits as unprecedented and dangerous ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to review the case, National Republican Senatorial Committee v. Federal Election Commission, taking up a challenge filed by the National Republican Senatorial Committee, the National Republican Congressional Committee, and on behalf of two Senate Republican candidates, including now-Vice President JD Vance, following the 2022 elections.

In a statement Monday, the Democratic campaign groups vowed to fight back against what they characterized as the GOP’s attempt to ‘sow chaos and fundamentally upend our campaign finance system, which would return us to the pre-Watergate era of campaign finance.’

At issue are federal spending limits that restrict the amount of money political parties can spend on behalf of certain candidates — and which Republicans argue run afoul of free speech protections under the First Amendment of the Constitution.

A decision from the Supreme Court’s 6-3 conservative majority could have major implications on campaign spending in the U.S., further eroding the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971, a law Congress passed more than 50 years ago with the aim of restricting the amount of money that can be spent on behalf of candidates.

That law, and subsequent amendments, restricts the amount of money that political parties can funnel into certain campaigns.

Senior Democratic Party officials described the GOP-led effort Monday as the latest effort by Republicans to claw back campaign spending limits and erode some 50 years of federal election law.

‘Republicans know their grassroots support is drying up across the country, and they want to drown out the will of the voters,’ DCCC chair Suzan DelBene, DSCC chair Kirsten Gillibrand, and DNC chair Ken Martin said in a joint statement Monday. 

The case is almost certain to be one of the most high-profile cases heard by the Supreme Court this fall.

Adding to the drama is the involvement of the Trump-led Justice Department, which said in May that it planned to side with the NRSC in the case — putting the Trump administration in the somewhat unusual position of arguing against a law passed by Congress.

Justice Department officials cited free speech protections as its basis for siding with the NRSC, which they said represents ‘the rare case that warrants an exception to that general approach’ of backing federal laws.’ 

Meanwhile, the Democratic groups sought to go on offense with their message, describing the GOP efforts as the latest iteration of a decades-long effort to ‘rewrite’ election laws in ways that benefit the party. They cited another Republican-led challenge to campaign spending limits brought more than 20 years ago, in Colorado Republican Federal Campaign Committee v. FEC. 

That challenge was ultimately rejected by the high court, DNC officials noted.

‘To date, those efforts have failed at every turn, ensuring a stable, predictable campaign finance structure for party committees and political candidates across the country,’ DNC officials said. 

Meanwhile, Republican officials praised the Supreme Court’s decision to take up the case, which they described as helping the GOP ensure they are in ‘the strongest possible position’ ahead of the 2026 midterms and beyond.’

‘The government should not restrict a party committee’s support for its own candidates,’ Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., and Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C. who chair the NRSC and NRCC, respectively, said Monday.

‘These coordinated expenditure limits violate the First Amendment, and we appreciate the court’s decision to hear our case,’ they added.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
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Hundreds of children told to test for disease in Australia after childcare worker charged with child sex abuse

Parents of 1,200 children in the Australian state of Victoria are being advised to get them tested for infectious diseases after a childcare worker was charged with more than 70 offenses including sexual assault.

Officials issued the call after Victoria Police announced the arrest of Joshua Dale Brown, 26, who is accused of sexually abusing eight children between the ages of 5 months and 2 years at a childcare center in Melbourne in 2022 and 2023.

All of the offenses relate to the eight alleged victims, who attended one center, but police haven’t ruled out other potential victims at 19 other childcare centers he’s known to have worked since 2017.

Victoria Police Acting Commander Janet Stevenson said Brown’s name was being publicized so that parents could check if their child came into contact with him.

“It’s very important to ensure that every parent out there that has a child in childcare knows who he is and where he worked,” Stevenson said in a news conference Tuesday.

Victoria Police’s Sexual Crime Squad began investigating in May of this year after detectives discovered child abuse material, authorities said. Police then executed a search warrant at Brown’s home, leading to his arrest. Police then worked to identify the alleged victims.

“Last week, we notified eight families that we had charged Brown with sexually offending against their children,” Stevenson said.

“As you could imagine, this was deeply distressing for the families to hear. We worked with our partner agencies to put all supports in place to assist them through this difficult period.”

Brown had a valid “Working with Children Check,” a compulsory screening for people engaging in child-related work in Australia, Stevenson said. Some of the childcare centers Brown worked at for “a very short period of time.”

Health authorities and police have identified and contacted around 2,600 families whose children attended the childcare centers where Brown worked, Chief Health Officer Christian McGrath said during the news conference.

About 1,200 children are being recommended to undergo testing for infectious diseases, McGrath said.

“We are recommending that some children undergo testing for infectious diseases due to potential exposure risk in that period. We do understand that this is another distressing element to the situation, and we’re taking this approach as a precaution,” McGrath said.

He declined to say what diseases the children are being asked to test for but said they can be treated with antibiotics.

Brown is accused of sexually assaulting children as well as producing and transmitting child abuse material, among other charges, according to authorities. The eight alleged victims attended the Creative Gardens Early Learning Centre in Point Cook, a suburb of Melbourne. Police did not disclose the gender of the victims.

Detectives are also examining evidence of possible offenses at another childcare center in Essendon, northwest Melbourne, “as a priority,” according to the news release.

Victoria Premier Jacinta Allan said she was “sickened” by the allegations.

“They are shocking and distressing, and my heart just breaks for the families who are living every parent’s worst nightmare, and as a parent too, I can only imagine the unbearable grief and pain the affected families are experiencing right now,” Allan said.

This post appeared first on cnn.com
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Trump’s achievements embolden him to be even more aggressive

Donald Trump must be feeling pretty powerful.

He’s even demanding that Israel cancel the criminal trial of Bibi Netanyahu.

By any objective analysis, whether you like the president or not, he has been on an incredible winning streak for the last two weeks. Everything seems to be breaking his way.

And as he racks up these victories, from the powder keg of the Middle East to the staunchly conservative Supreme Court, he seems to grow bigger and stronger, like some comic book superhero, and then zap his next adversary.

By hitting Iran’s nuclear sites with 30,000-pound bombs – even as we debate the impact – Trump took a risk that stunned the world.

With media liberals and Democrats still in full resistance mode, the coverage has been largely negative, but that doesn’t matter. Since his days as a New York developer, he has been boosted by critical coverage because that drives the news agenda and gets everyone chattering about his preferred topic. 

But telling another country to drop criminal charges against its leader is a whole new level of what his native city calls chutzpah.

Trump posted the following: ‘It is terrible what they are doing in Israel to Bibi Netanyahu. He is a War Hero, and a Prime Minister who did a fabulous job working with the United States to bring Great Success in getting rid of the dangerous Nuclear threat in Iran.’

Netanyahu is in ‘the process of negotiating a Deal with Hamas, which will include getting the Hostages back,’ and Trump wonders how the Israelis could force him ‘to sit in a Courtroom all day long, over NOTHING.’

As Axios points out, Netanyahu is charged with bribery, fraud and breach of trust:  

‘He’s accused of accepting more than $200,000 in gifts from wealthy businessmen, and of granting regulatory benefits worth hundreds of millions of dollars to a telecom tycoon in exchange for favorable news coverage.’

The trial has dragged on for four years, thanks to Netanyahu’s delaying tactics, and there was this war thing that intervened. 

So now Trump has called for the trial to be cancelled or Netanyahu granted a pardon – and done it quite openly. 

Imagine if a foreign head of state urged this country to drop charges against a major political figure. But Trump doesn’t play by everyone else’s rules.

Another Trumpian tactic is to make a big move immediately after a major uproar, when the public and press barely has time to digest the previous controversy. 

So the president cut off trade talks with Canada to protest its taxation of major American tech companies such as Amazon and Google. This involves revenue they earn from online marketplaces, data and social media involving Canadian users.

Before the weekend was out, Canada caved and rescinded the taxes. It’s another case of Trump’s tough-guy negotiating tactics getting instant results.

The not-so-beautiful budget bill in the Senate is another classic case. Elon Musk – did you really think he’d stay quiet for long? – calls it ‘utterly insane’ and ‘political suicide for the Republican Party.’ The CBO says it would add $3.3 trillion to the deficit over a decade. The Senate measure would also make deep cuts in Medicaid, which Trump has vowed to protect. 

Here’s the point: One of the loudest Republican critics is Sen. Thom Tillis, who has been voting against a bill he says would betray the president’s promise to protect those on Medicaid. Trump has trashed him, saying he will recruit a challenger to oust him from the Senate in next year’s primary. 

The next day, literally, Tillis announced that he would not run for reelection. 

So Trump can save his money. He knocked out the North Carolina lawmaker with a couple of postings. 

And then there’s the Supreme Court.

By ruling that local judges cannot issue nationwide injunctions, the court has immensely increased the power of Trump and the executive branch. The 6-3 decision came in the birthright citizenship case, though not on the merits, and tore down one of the last guardrails against unchecked presidential power.

It applies to Democratic presidents too, though far more of these injunctions – 40 – have been brought against Trump just in the opening months of his second term. Joe Biden faced 14 in the first three years of his term.

These injunctions – which have always seemed unfair to me, on both sides – also extend Trump’s winning streak in the high court. He has, after all, appointed three of the six justices that make up the conservative majority.

And that’s not all. SCOTUS ruled that parents with religious objections can pull their children out of public school classrooms when books with LGBTQ themes are being taught.

In yet another decision, the court upheld a Tennessee law banning some forms of transition surgery for transgender youths. Trump has ordered transgender members of the military to leave the service.

Sonia Sotomayor read two blistering dissents from the bench, especially in the birthright citizenship case: ‘Today’s decision is not just egregiously wrong, it is also a travesty of law…No right is safe.’ 

Trump has made clear that he will use expanded powers to be even more aggressive than in the past. Throw in his pressure tactics and funding freezes against elite law firms and Ivy League universities and you have an emboldened president even more determined to stick it to his opponents and detractors.

Of course, even Trump has his limits. The effort to derail Netanyahu’s corruption trial was destined to fail. 

Oh wait.

An Israeli court yesterday canceled this week’s hearings on diplomatic and national security grounds, based on classified information provided by the prime minister and the Mossad spy agency. 

Coincidence?

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
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Republicans scrap deal in ‘big, beautiful bill’ to lower restrictions on states’ AI regulations

A deal that had been reached between Sens. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., and Ted Cruz, R-Texas, over how states can regulate artificial intelligence has been pulled from President Donald Trump’s ‘big, beautiful’ bill.

The collapsed agreement would have required states seeking to access hundreds of millions of dollars in AI infrastructure funding in the ‘big, beautiful’ bill to refrain from adopting new regulations on the technology for five years, a compromise down from the original 10 years.

It also included carveouts to regulate child sexual abuse material, unauthorized use of a person’s likeness and other deceptive practices.

Blackburn announced Monday night that she is withdrawing her support for the agreement.

‘For as long as I’ve been in Congress, I’ve worked alongside federal and state legislators, parents seeking to protect their kids online, and the creative community in Tennessee to fight back against Big Tech’s exploitation by passing legislation to govern the virtual space,’ Blackburn said in a statement to Fox News.

‘While I appreciate Chairman Cruz’s efforts to find acceptable language that allows states to protect their citizens from the abuses of AI, the current language is not acceptable to those who need these protections the most,’ she continued. ‘This provision could allow Big Tech to continue to exploit kids, creators, and conservatives.’

Blackburn added: ‘Until Congress passes federally preemptive legislation like the Kids Online Safety Act and an online privacy framework, we can’t block states from making laws that protect their citizens.’

When asked about Blackburn pulling her support for the compromise, Cruz told Punchbowl News the ‘night is young.’

But Blackburn appears to now be co-sponsoring an amendment with Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., that would completely pull the AI moratorium from the bill.

Cantwell had earlier said that the since-scrapped deal between Blackburn and Cruz would do ‘nothing to protect kids or consumers.’

‘It’s just another giveaway to tech companies,’ Cantwell said in a statement Monday. ‘This provision gives AI and social media a brand-new shield against litigation and state regulation. This is Section 230 on steroids.’

Blackburn is one of several Republicans who have expressed concerns about the 10-year ban on state AI regulation.

Last week, 17 Republican governors wrote a joint letter to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., calling for the pause to be scrapped completely.

‘AI is already deeply entrenched in American industry and society; people will be at risk until basic rules ensuring safety and fairness can go into effect,’ the letter reads. ‘Over the next decade, this novel technology will be used throughout our society, for harm and good. It will significantly alter our industries, jobs, and ways of life, and rebuild how we as a people function in profound and fundamental ways.’

‘That Congress is burying a provision that will strip the right of any state to regulate this technology in any way – without a thoughtful public debate – is the antithesis of what our Founders envisioned,’ it continued.

Some House Republicans also said they do not support the AI provision, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who admitted she found out about it a few days after voting for Trump’s spending bill.

‘Full transparency, I did not know about this,’ Greene wrote on X. ‘I am adamantly OPPOSED to this and it is a violation of state rights and I would have voted NO if I had known this was in there.’

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
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Thailand’s prime minister suspended over leaked phone call with former strongman

Thailand’s embattled prime minister was suspended from duty Tuesday and could face dismissal pending an ethics probe over a leaked phone call she had with Cambodia’s powerful former leader.

Paetongtarn Shinawatra, 38, has only held the premiership for 10 months after replacing her predecessor, who was removed from office. Her suspension brings fresh uncertainty to the Southeast Asian kingdom, which has been roiled by years of political turbulence and leadership shake-ups.

Thailand’s Constitutional Court accepted a petition brought by a group of 36 senators who accused Paetongtarn of violating the constitution for breaching ethical standards in the leaked call, which was confirmed as authentic by both sides.

The court voted to suspend Paetongtarn from her prime ministerial duties until it reaches a verdict in the ethics case. Paetongtarn will remain in the Cabinet as culture minister following a reshuffle.

Paetongtarn has faced increasing calls to resign, with anti-government protesters taking to the streets of the capital Bangkok on Saturday, after the leaked call with Cambodia’s Hun Sen over an escalating border dispute sparked widespread anger in the country.

The scandal prompted the Bhumjaithai party, a major partner of the prime minister’s government, to withdraw from the coalition last week, dealing a major blow to her Pheu Thai party’s ability to hold power. Paetongtarn is also contending with plummeting approvals ratings and faces a no-confidence vote in parliament.

In the leaked call, which took place on June 15, Paetongtarn could be heard calling former Cambodian strongman Hun Sen “uncle” and appeared to criticize her own army’s actions after border clashes led to the death of a Cambodian soldier last month.

The Thai prime minister could be heard telling Hun Sen that she was under domestic pressure and urged him not to listen to the “opposite side,” in which she referred to an outspoken Thai army commander in Thailand’s northeast.

She also added that if Hun Sen “wants anything, he can just tell me, and I will take care of it.”

Her comments in the leaked audio struck a nerve in Thailand, and opponents accused her of compromising the country’s national interests.

Following the ruling, Paetongtarn said she accepts the court’s decision and that her intention “was truly to act for the good of the country.”

“I want to make it clear that my intentions were more than 100% sincere — I acted for the country, to protect our sovereignty, to safeguard the lives of our soldiers, and to preserve peace in our nation,” she said in a press conference Tuesday.

“I also want to apologize to all my fellow Thais who may feel uneasy or upset about this matter,” she added.

Thailand and Cambodia have had a complicated relationship of both cooperation and rivalry in recent decades. The two countries share a 508-mile (817-kilometer) land border – largely mapped by the French while they occupied Cambodia – that has periodically seen military clashes and been the source of political tensions.

In the wake of the scandal, Paetongtarn tried to downplay her remarks to Hun Sen, saying at a press conference she was trying to diffuse tensions between the two neighbors and the “private” call “shouldn’t have been made public.”

The prime minister said she was using a “negotiation tactic” and her comments were “not a statement of allegiance.”

Paetongtarn became prime minister last year after the Constitutional Court ruled that her predecessor Srettha Thavisin had breached ethics rules and voted to dismiss him as prime minister.

The same court also dissolved the country’s popular progressive Move Forward Party, which won the most seats in the 2023 election, and banned its leaders from politics for 10 years.

This post appeared first on cnn.com
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Investing

Crypto Market Recap: Metaplanet Buys 1,005 Bitcoin, REX to Launch Solana Staking ETF

Here’s a quick recap of the crypto landscape for Monday (June 30) as of 9:00 p.m. UTC.

Get the latest insights on Bitcoin, Ethereum and altcoins, along with a round-up of key cryptocurrency market news.

Bitcoin and Ethereum price update

Bitcoin (BTC) is priced at US$107,538, up 0.2 percent in the last 24 hours. The day’s range for the cryptocurrency brought a low of US$106,831 and a high of US$107,802 at the opening bell.

Bitcoin price performance, June 27, 2025.

Bitcoin price performance, June 27, 2025.

Chart via TradingView.

Ethereum (ETH) closed at US$2,510.38, up by 3.1 percent over the past 24 hours and its highest valuation of the day. Its lowest valuation on Monday was US$2,443.56.

Altcoin price update

  • Solana (SOL) was priced at US$156.95, up by 4.1 percent over 24 hours. Its highest valuation as of Monday was US$158.34, and its lowest was US$150.53.
  • XRP was trading for US$2.29, up by 5.5 percent in 24 hours and its highest valuation on Monday. The cryptocurrency’s lowest valuation was US$2.17.
  • Sui (SUI) is trading at US$2.82, showing an increaseof 0.5 percent over the past 24 hours. Its lowest valuation was US$2.75, and its highest valuation was US$2.83.
  • Cardano (ADA) is priced at US$0.5829, up by 4.8 percent in the last 24 hours and its highest valuation of the day. Its lowest valuation on Monday was US$0.5589.

Today’s crypto news to know

REX to launch Solana staking ETF this week

The REX-Osprey Solana and Staking ETF is set to launch on Wednesday (July 2), as confirmed by issuer REX Shares on Monday. Analysts had predicted this news was imminent just days before its release.

This fund, the first US-staked cryptocurrency ETF, will enable investors to hold Solana and generate yield through staking, potentially fostering wider institutional adoption of cryptocurrency.

REX’s launch comes after thoughtful consideration by the US Securities and Exchange Commission. The commission had previously asserted that the company’s unique C-Corp business structure could be in conflict with Rule 6c-11 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, which governs how ETFs operate and are regulated. REX updated its prospectus with positive feedback, securing regulatory approval for the fund.

OSL soars after buying Canadian crypto firm Banxa

OSL Group (HKEX:0863), a Hong Kong-listed digital asset platform, saw its shares spike 10 percent after announcing it had acquired Canadian crypto payments firm Banxa. The acquisition supports OSL’s ambitious global expansion strategy, which includes applying for stablecoin licenses as new regulatory frameworks emerge.

Finance Chief Ivan Wong explained that acquiring Banxa would enhance OSL’s cross-border payments capabilities and boost its role in the growing stablecoin market.

Hong Kong’s stablecoin bill, set to take effect on August 1, is a major catalyst for this expansion, with Chinese giants already showing interest. OSL is already licensed in Australia, with deals in Japan, Europe and Indonesia soon to close. The company aims to be a key stablecoin issuer in Asia and beyond.

Metaplanet strengthens Bitcoin treasury with fresh bond issuance

Tokyo-based Metaplanet (OTCQX:MTPLF,TSE:3350) has added another 1,005 BTC to its corporate treasury, pushing its total holdings to 13,350 BTC. To further build its crypto war chest, the company announced a zero-interest bond issuance worth US$208 million, designed to finance additional Bitcoin purchases.

Metaplanet is well known for its aggressive Bitcoin strategy, which has made it one of the world’s largest corporate holders of the cryptocurrency. Just last week, the hotel and investment firm raised US$515 million through an equity issuance to support its Bitcoin ambitions.

At current market prices around, Metaplanet’s Bitcoin stash is worth well over US$1.4 billion.

The Blockchain Group expands Bitcoin holdings and capital pool

Paris-based the Blockchain Group has further strengthened its Bitcoin treasury with the purchase of 60 BTC for around 5.5 million euros, boosting its holdings to 1,788 BTC.

The firm also raised about 600,000 euros by exercising warrants, allowing it to buy an additional 6 BTC.

Blockstream CEO Adam Back invested in the firm’s share offering, subscribing to over 2.1 million new shares, while French asset manager TOBAM contributed nearly 143,000 euros, supporting the purchase of 13 more BTC.

The company conducted an “ATM-type” capital increase with TOBAM, raising 4.1 million euros to fund 41 BTC.

Altogether, the Blockchain Group has secured a BTC yield of roughly 1,270 percent so far this year, with gains amounting to about 46.7 million euros.

Backed Finance launches tokenized stock product

Backed Finance, a company focused on bridging traditional financial assets like stocks and ETFs onto blockchain through tokenization, announced the launch of its tokenized stocks product, xStocks, on Monday.

60 stocks are now accessible on Bybit, Kraken and several Solana DeFi protocols, providing users with exposure to traditional stocks through blockchain infrastructure.

‘xStocks represent a monumental leap forward in democratizing access to financial markets,’ said Adam Levi, co-founder of Backed, in a press release. ‘By bringing familiar assets onto the blockchain with unprecedented accessibility, we are not just bridging traditional finance and DeFi; we are building the foundational blocks for a truly open, efficient, and inclusive global financial system where everyone can participate in wealth creation.’

Chainlink rolls out Automated Compliance Engine

Chainlink announced an early access rollout of its Automated Compliance Engine on Monday.

Built on the Chainlink Runtime Environment and launched in collaboration with Apex Group, GLEIF and ERC-3643 Association, the system automates the process of checking and enforcing financial rules for both traditional and blockchain-based financial activities, making it easier for established financial institutions to use new blockchain technologies in a compliant and safe way.

Topnotch Crypto launches adaptive yield contracts

Topnotch Crypto has launched its new adaptive yield contracts, which the company says are aimed at helping crypto investors maintain returns despite ongoing market volatility.

The contracts use proprietary predictive yield-switching artificial intelligence to automatically rotate customer funds between cloud mining and staking, depending on which is more profitable in real time.

The company’s strategy analyzes a range of on-chain data, from network congestion to staking rates, to continuously optimize yields. Unlike many passive strategies, the adaptive yield approach gives investors exposure to multiple cryptocurrencies to spread out risk. Another highlight is Topnotch’s use of geothermal and solar energy, which helps keep costs down while supporting sustainability goals.

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

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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Trump warns of ‘whopping 68% tax increase’ if Senate fails to pass historic bill

As the Senate continued to inch closer to finalizing President Donald Trump’s ‘One Big Beautiful Bill,’ the president took to social media early Tuesday to warn that a failure to come to an agreement would end in the largest tax increase in history.

The message came after lawmakers had been in a marathon ‘vote-a-rama,’ for several hours, submitting amendments to the megabill from either side of the aisle.  

‘Republicans, the One Big Beautiful Bill, perhaps the greatest and most important of its kind in history, gives the largest Tax Cuts and Border Security ever, Jobs by the Millions, Military/Vets increases, and so much more. The failure to pass means a whopping 68% Tax increase, the largest in history!!!,’ he posted.

There is currently no end in sight as Republican leaders are searching for ways to garner support for the bill while simultaneously fighting proposed amendments from Democrats who are opposing it.

GOP leaders have a narrow margin and cannot afford to lose more than three Republican senators as two, Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky has already indicated that they oppose it.

Tillis announced that he would not be seeking reelection after President Trump made threats of a campaign against him.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota said Republicans are ‘figuring out how to get to the end game,’ but an end to the vote-a-rama has been predicted to come well into the middle of the night.

The bill, if passed, will enact Trump’s domestic tax and spending agenda that includes $4.5 trillion in tax cuts, according to the latest CBO analysis. 

The package would also roll back billions in green energy tax credits threatening wind and solar investments, according to Democrats.

Billionaire Elon Musk, who until a few weeks ago led the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), took to social media late Monday, lashing out at Republicans as ‘the PORKY PIG PARTY!!’ for including a provision, he argued, would raise the nation’s debt limit by $5 trillion.

Trump fired back at Musk on Truth Social, threatening to turn DOGE on its former leader. 

‘Elon Musk knew, long before he so strongly Endorsed me for President, that I was strongly against the EV Mandate. It is ridiculous, and was always a major part of my campaign. Electric cars are fine, but not everyone should be forced to own one. Elon may get more subsidy than any human being in history, by far, and without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa. No more Rocket launches, Satellites, or Electric Car Production, and our Country would save a FORTUNE. Perhaps we should have DOGE take a good, hard, look at this? BIG MONEY TO BE SAVED!!!’ the president wrote. 

The bill will also impose $1.2 trillion in cuts to Medicaid and food stamps and make sign-up eligibility more rigorous and change federal reimbursements to states. It will also provide a $350 billion infusion for border and national security to include deportations.

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13 Uranium Companies Exploring Canada’s Athabasca Basin

Uranium market watchers know that Canada’s Athabasca Basin is among the world’s richest uranium jurisdictions and hosts several of the highest-grade uranium deposits on the planet.

Spanning close to 100,000 square kilometers of the Canadian Shield of Northern Saskatchewan and Alberta, the Athabasca Basin is a major contributor to Canada’s status as the second largest uranium producer and the third largest country by uranium reserves.

Unsurprisingly, the region is home to the world’s largest uranium mine, Cigar Lake. The mine reports average grades of 14.69 percent U3O8 and accounts for 14 percent of global uranium production.

First commissioned in 2014, Cigar Lake is operated by uranium major Cameco (TSX:CCO,NYSE:CCJ), which holds a 54.547 percent stake in the mine, as part of a joint venture with Orano Canada at 40.453 percent and TEPCO Resources at 5 percent. Ore from the underground mine property is processed at Orano’s McClean Lake mill, located 70 kilometers from the mine.

Uranium was first discovered in the Athabasca Basin in 1934, and today the region remains a major hot spot for uranium exploration. In recent years, a number of Athabasca Basin uranium companies have made exciting new discoveries, sparking a staking rush by others looking to get in on the action.

Athabasca Basin uranium exploration companies

1. ATHA Energy (TSXV:SASK,OTCQB:SASKF)

ATHA Energy has an extensive uranium exploration pipeline across Canada, including in Saskatchewan’s Athabasca Basin. At 3.8 million acres, ATHA’s land package in the Athabasca Basin includes the Gemini project, a basement-hosted near-surface uranium deposit with uranium intercepts of between 6,190 and 96,600 parts per million.

The company also holds a 10 percent carried interest in exploration projects operated by NexGen Energy (TSX:NXE,NYSE:NXE) and IsoEnergy (TSX:ISO).

2. Azincourt Energy (TSXV:AAZ,OTCQB:AZURF)

Azincourt Energy has two uranium projects in Canada, one of which is its East Preston joint venture project near the southern edge of the Western Athabasca Basin. Azincourt has an 86.5 percent interest, with the remainder held by Skyharbour Resources. The 20,647 hectare property is adjacent to Skyharbour’s minority-owned Preston project.

Azincourt says it is targeting basement-hosted unconformity-related uranium deposits in two prospective conductive, low-magnetic-signature corridors. The company is planning for a fall 2025 geophysics exploration program at East Preston in preparation for a potential winter 2026 diamond drill program.

3. Baselode Energy (TSXV:FIND)

Baselode Energy’s strategy is developing assets near the Athabasca Basin with similar geology. Its ACKIO near-surface uranium discovery at its Hook project is located directly adjacent to the Athabascan Basin. First discovered by the company in September 2021, the ACKIO near-surface uranium prospect is more than 375 meters along strike, and more than 150 meters wide.

Baselode has identified at least nine separate uranium pods, or small bodies of mineralization, on the project. Drill results from its summer 2024 exploration program were released in May 2025, demonstrating the potential for further expansion of the known uranium mineralization at ACKIO.

4. CanAlaska Uranium (TSXV:CVV)

CanAlaska Uranium is a project generator with interests in a portfolio of assets in the Athabasca Basin covering 1.24 million acres. The company is advancing its West McArthur joint venture with Cameco, which is situated near the McArthur River mine in the Eastern Athabasca Basin. CanAlaska owns 85 percent of the project.

CanAlaska’s 2025 C$12.5 million drill program at West McArthur is aimed at expanding and delineating the high-grade Pike Zone uranium discovery.

Earlier this year, the company completed the first drilling in over 10 years at its wholly owned Cree East deposit in the south-eastern portion of the Basin. The drill program was fully funded by Nexus Uranium (CSE:NEXU,OTCQB:GIDMF) as part of an option earn-in agreement to earn up to 75 percent interest in the project.

5. Denison Mines (TSX:DML)

Uranium miner Denison Mines’ direct ownership interests in the Athabasca Basin region covers approximately 384,000 hectares. The company has a 22.25 percent stake in the McClean Lake mine and mill joint venture project operated by Orano Canada.

Denison’s flagship project in the region is Wheeler River, considered the largest undeveloped uranium project in the eastern region of the Athabasca Basin. Wheeler River hosts the high-grade Phoenix and Gryphon deposits.

According to a 2023 feasibility study, Phoenix hosts a proven and probable resource of 219,000 metric tons at an average grade of 11.7 percent uranium for 53.3 million pounds. The company plans to develop the deposit as an in-situ recovery operation.

The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission is slated to conduct hearings for the project’s environmental assessment and license on October 8 and December 8 to 12, 2025. If approval is granted, the company is looking to break ground in early 2026 and commence production by the first half of 2028.

As for the Gryphon deposit, Denison has evaluated it as a conventional mine in a pre-feasibility study. The company conducted a field program in the first quarter 2025 that may be used for a future feasibility study.

6. F3 Uranium (TSXV:FUU,OTCQB:FUUFF)

F3 Uranium has three exploration properties in the western region of the Athabasca Basin: the advanced-stage Patterson Lake North project, which hosts the JR discovery, as well as the early-stage Minto and Broach projects.

In February 2025, the company launched a drill campaign at its Patterson Lake North project followed by ground geophysical exploration programs at its Broach and Minto projects. F3 Uranium raised C$7 million in flow-through shares in May 2025, which will go towards further exploration of its uranium projects.

7. Forum Energy Metals (TSXV:FMC,OTCQB:FDCFF)

Forum Energy Metals has numerous wholly owned and joint venture projects hosting new discoveries of high-grade unconformity-related uranium deposits in the Athabasca Basin. So far in 2025, the company’s focus has been on the Northwest Athabasca (NWA) project, a joint venture between Forum at 45.4 percent, NexGen Energy at 25.3 percent, Cameco at 18 percent and Orano Canada at 11.3 percent.

Early in the year, Forum announced an option agreement allowing Global Uranium (CSE:GURN,OTCQB:GURFF) to earn up to 75 percent of Forum’s stake in the property by spending C$20 million in exploration expenditures at NWA.

In April, Global Uranium completed a diamond drilling program and ground geophysical surveys on the project, which intersected elevated radioactivity and alteration systems distinct to unconformity-type uranium mineralization.

8. IsoEnergy (TSX:ISO)

IsoEnergy has a portfolio of projects and joint ventures in the Eastern Athabasca Basin, and its main focus is the Hurricane deposit at its wholly owned Larocque East uranium property.

The company discovered Hurricane in 2018 and it now stands as the world’s highest-grade indicated resource of uranium. A 2022 resource estimate reported an indicated high-grade resource of 63,800 metric tons grading 34.5 percent uranium for 48.61 million pounds of contained uranium.

IsoEnergy’s summer exploration program will include drilling to test potential resource expansion at Larocque East as well as exploration at its other Athabasca Basin projects.

9. NexGen Energy (TSX:NXE,NYSE:NXE)

NexGen is another uranium mining company with a large land package in the basin, including its development-stage Rook I project.

Rook I has a measured and indicated resource estimate of 256.7 million pounds contained uranium from ore grading an average of 3.1 percent U3O8. The 2021 feasibility study outlines an 11.5 year initial mine life with up to 29.2 million pounds of U3O8 production per year for the first five years.

The Federal Environmental Impact Statement for Rook I was accepted in January 2025, and the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission has proposed hearing dates for the project on November 19, 2025, and February 9 to 13, 2026. NexGen plans to immediately begin construction activities following final federal approval.

10.Paladin Energy (TSX:PDN)

Paladin Energy’s Patterson Lake South (PLS) project hosts the large, high-grade and near-surface Triple R deposit, which has the potential to produce both uranium and gold. The company acquired it as part of its acquisition of Fission Uranium in 2024. Paladin also holds six early-stage uranium projects in the basin.

PLS’s mineral reserve estimate includes probable reserves of 93.7 million pounds from 3 million metric tons of ore at an average grade of 1.41 percent U3O8. The 2023 feasibility study demonstrates life of mine production of approximately 9 million pounds U3O8 per year over a 10 year mine life.

The company released positive drill results from its winter drill program on the Saloon East zone in June 2025 showing the potential to further grow the resource base of the property outside of the Triple R deposit. The project is advancing through the environmental permitting process.

11. Purepoint Uranium (TSXV:PTU)

Purepoint Uranium has an extensive uranium portfolio, including six joint ventures and five wholly owned projects all located in the Athabasca Basin.

Purepoint has a significant joint venture relationship with IsoEnergy (TSX:ISO) that includes a 50/50 joint venture agreement to explore 10 uranium projects across 98,000 hectares in the eastern portion of the Athabasca Basin. The partners launched a 2025 drill campaign in May at the Dorado project, which will include approximately 5,400 meters across 18 holes, targeting high-priority electromagnetic conductors for uranium mineralization.

Its joint ventures also include the Hook Lake uranium project in the Patterson region, in which it owns a 21 percent interest alongside Cameco and Orano Canada, which both hold 39.5 percent.

12. Skyharbour Resources (TSXV:SYH,OTCQX:SYHBF)

Skyharbour Resources is another junior mining company with an extensive portfolio of uranium exploration projects in the Athabasca Basin, comprising 36 uranium projects over 614,000 hectares. The company’s core projects include its 57.7 percent owned Russell Lake project — a joint venture with Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO,NYSE:RIO,LSE:RIO) — and its wholly owned Moore project.

Skyharbour’s 49,635 hectare Preston uranium project in the western portion of the Athabasca Basin is the subject of a 7,000 meter 2025 summer drill campaign being conducted by its joint venture partner, Orano Canada. Orano is the majority owner and operator at the project at 53.4 percent, while Skyharbour owns a minority interest of approximately 25.6 percent. The remainder is held by Dixie Gold.

13. Standard Uranium (TSXV:STND,OTCQB:STTDF)

Standard Uranium is an emerging project generator that holds interest in over 94,476 hectares in the Athabasca Basin, including its flagship Davidson River project in the southwest region of the basin.

In spring 2025, Standard Uranium partnered with Fleet Space Technologies Canada on three ExoSphere Multiphysics survey grids across the Warrior, Bronco and Thunderbird conductors at Davidson River. The surveys will provide important data for upgrading drill targets across the property through imaging of density anomalies in the basement rock.

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

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