Regulatory Update

Phnom Penh – September 30, 2026 -- Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand are shipping raw critical minerals abroad while processing and value capture happen elsewhere, according to a new report from Fair Finance Asia (FFA) and research partner Profundo.

Local-benefit clauses are consistently absent from mining agreements

The report, titled Extraction to Equity, examined critical minerals trade agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs) across the four ASEAN states using public data through December 2025. It found that local-benefits clauses, sustainability standards, and equitable value-sharing provisions were consistently missing, leaving source countries without leverage to demand better terms.

The Bronx, N.Y. – September 30, 2026 -- The International Organization for Standardization published the third revision of ISO 3941 on September 30, 2026, introducing Class L as a distinct fire classification for lithium-ion cell and battery fires, arriving as New York City enforces a 1 kWh threshold for lithium-ion energy storage systems under its amended NFPA 855 code. Allstate Sprinkler, a Bronx-based fire protection contractor operating since 1972, released an analysis linking the new global standard to New York's existing regulatory posture and to FDNY incident data spanning 2023 through mid-2026.

Kista, Sweden – September 30, 2026 -- Sivers Semiconductors AB has called an Extraordinary General Meeting for 22 October 2026 to replace auditor Deloitte AB with Ernst & Young AB, a move tied to the company's plan for a dual listing on U.S. capital markets expected in the first half of 2027.

Nomination committee cites EU rotation rule and US listing prep for auditor switch

Deloitte has served as Sivers' auditor for ten years, the maximum term allowed under Article 17 of EU Regulation No 537/2014 for public-interest entities. The Audit Committee recommended the change, which the Nomination Committee approved unanimously, framing EY's experience with SEC reporting requirements and U.S. capital markets activity for Swedish listed companies as the deciding factor. The Nomination Committee stated the switch does not stem from any disagreement over accounting or financial reporting.

Knoxville, Tenn. – – September 30, 2026 -- The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued a construction permit for Clinch River Unit 1, making the Tennessee Valley Authority the first U.S. utility cleared to build a GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy BWRX-300 small modular reactor (SMR). The permit, granted for TVA's Clinch River Nuclear Site near Oak Ridge, Tenn., marks only the second advanced reactor construction permit ever issued in the country.

NRC clears path for 300-megawatt reactor ahead of schedule

TVA said the NRC's evaluation process allowed the permit to be issued earlier than anticipated, a move officials framed as evidence of streamlined federal licensing for advanced nuclear technology. No construction start date has been announced.

"This construction permit is more than a regulatory achievement – it's foundational for America's nuclear future," said Mike Skaggs, TVA Interim President & CEO.

Toronto – September 29, 2026 -- Jaguar Uranium Corp. (NYSE American: JAGU) has secured Environmental Impact Assessment approval from Chubut Province's Ministry of Environment for the La Rosada prospect, unlocking exploration rights across 59,895.3 hectares in Argentina.

Approval covers a quarter of the entire Laguna Salada project

The permit authorizes exploration activities across six properties totaling 59,895.3 hectares -- approximately 25% of the 230,000-hectare Laguna Salada uranium-vanadium project, the largest single component of the district-scale portfolio to date.

La Rosada sits 45 kilometers from a prospect already cleared this year

The newly permitted zone lies 45 kilometers northeast of the Guanaco prospect, which received its own EIA approval on March 2, 2026, extending Jaguar's cleared exploration footprint within the same project area.

Chengdu, China – September 29, 2026 -- iRegene Therapeutics has secured clinical trial clearances in both China and the United States for NouvSight001, an off-the-shelf cell therapy targeting retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a retinal disease affecting roughly 1.5 million people worldwide.

China's NMPA clears Phase I/III trial while FDA grants Phase I/II clearance with special exemption

China's National Medical Products Administration authorized a Phase I/III trial to assess safety, tolerability and preliminary efficacy of NouvSight001 in RP patients. The U.S. FDA separately cleared a Phase I/II trial for the same indication and granted a special exemption, building on the Orphan Drug Designation the agency awarded the program in 2024.

Los Angeles – – September 29, 2026 -- Congress has passed the Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies (ACT) for ALS Reauthorization Act of 2026 (H.R. 8205), sending the bipartisan bill to the President's desk just two days before the underlying program was set to expire on September 30, 2026.

Senate approval follows House passage, clearing the path for a presidential signature

The legislation cleared the U.S. House of Representatives before the Senate gave final approval, moving the bill to the President for signature. Once enacted, the law will extend core ACT for ALS programs through 2031, continuing federal support for ALS research infrastructure and expanded access to investigational therapies.

Washington – September 29, 2026 -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced plans to evaluate changes to its application framework for new tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches, aiming to simplify the pathway for these products to reach the market.

Truth Initiative warns weakened review could undermine public health protections

Kathy Crosby, CEO and President of Truth Initiative, said any changes that reduce the scientific evidence required or diminish the review process would compromise the FDA's regulatory role. The law currently requires the agency to assess a product's components, ingredients, toxicological profile and health impact, alongside risks and benefits to the broader population, including youth and non-users.

San Jose – September 29, 2026 -- Tensor has achieved ISO/SAE 21434 certification with zero non-conformities, clearing a cybersecurity audit conducted by Applus+ IDIADA on the engineering processes governing its Robocar platform.

Certification aligns Tensor with UN R155 cybersecurity type approval across 60-plus countries

The zero-findings result confirms Tensor's Cybersecurity Management System (CSMS) meets the requirements underlying UN Regulation No. 155, which governs cybersecurity type approval in markets including the European Union, the United Kingdom, Japan and South Korea. The certification opens the path toward vehicle homologation and UN R155 type approval in those regions.

Ottawa, ON -- Claigan Environmental will run two webinars on September 29, 2026, to brief manufacturers on incoming 2028 Proposition 65 warning rules that eliminate generic labels and require exact chemical identification.

Generic Prop 65 warnings lose legal validity starting in 2028

Under the new requirements, short-form warnings must name a specific substance rather than relying on the current blanket language many companies have used for years. Claigan states that identifying the correct chemical will no longer be a routine formality.

Listing the wrong substance voids safe harbor protection entirely

If a product warning cites a substance that is not actually present, or one that poses no exposure risk to the user, the safe harbor defense is nullified. This exposes companies to liability even when a warning label is present on the product.