Source: Government of Sweden
The Swedish Government has decided to adopt a new strategy for humanitarian aid for 2025—2029. Sida is tasked with its implementation. The humanitarian core mandate of saving lives and alleviating suffering is a government priority. Cost-effectiveness, new transformative approaches and innovation are guiding principles for the strategy.
Source: Government of Sweden
The Swedish Government has decided to adopt a new strategy for humanitarian aid for 2025—2029. Sida is tasked with its implementation. The humanitarian core mandate of saving lives and alleviating suffering is a government priority. Cost-effectiveness, new transformative approaches and innovation are guiding principles for the strategy.
Source: Government of Sweden
Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Benjamin Dousa has presented the Government’s Music Export Prize to songwriter and producer Ilya Salmanzadeh. The Government’s Special Prize was awarded to singer Björn Skifs and the Government’s Honourable Mention went to music publisher Gehrmans Musikförlag.
Source: Government of Sweden
On 3–4 June, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and Head of the UNHCR Filippo Grandi is visiting Stockholm for talks with Minister for Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard, Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Benjamin Dousa, and Minister for Migration Johan Forssell.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Chinese figure skater Han Cong and 10 other athletes will run for election to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Athletes’ Commission (AC), the IOC announced on Thursday.
Sui Wenjing (R)/Han Cong of China perform their free skating at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, Feb. 19, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei)
Han, along with his Olympic gold medal-winning partner Sui Wenjing, announced earlier this month their return to competition next season after being absent since their victory at the Beijing 2022 Winter Games.
The 11 athletes were approved by the IOC Executive Board to be candidates for the AC during the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympic Winter Games. The eight men and three women from five different sports and 11 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) will vie for the two available positions on the commission.
The list of the candidates is:
Oleksandr Abramenko (Freestyle Skiing, Ukraine)
Zhanbota Aldabergenova (Freestyle Skiing, Kazakhstan)
Dario Cologna (Cross-Country Skiing, Switzerland)
Yohan Goncalves Goutt (Alpine Skiing, Timor-Leste)
Han Cong (Figure Skating, China)
Ilkka Herola (Nordic Combined, Finland)
Adam Konya (Cross-Country Skiing, Hungary)
Magnus Nedregotten (Curling, Norway)
Johanna Taliharm (Biathlon, Estonia)
Marielle Thompson (Freestyle Skiing, Canada)
Won Yun-jong (Bobsleigh, South Korea)
All athletes competing at Milano Cortina 2026 will be eligible to vote, starting Jan. 30. Voting closes Feb. 18, with results announced the following day.
The two candidates who receive the most votes from at least two different sports will be elected to serve eight-year terms on the IOC AC. They will replace Emma Terho and Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen, whose terms will end during the Games.
Following the election, the commission will elect a chair and two vice chairs.
Source: People’s Republic of China – Ministry of National Defense
BEIJING, June 26 — “China will stay committed to safeguarding its legitimate security interests and upholding world peace and stability,” said Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for China’s Ministry of National Defense, at a regular press conference on Thursday.
It is reported that the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute in Sweden recently released its annual report on global nuclear forces, stating that China currently possesses 600 nuclear warheads, ranking third globally, and its stockpile is increasing at a speed of approximately 100 per year, faster than that of any other country in the world.
When asked to comment on the report, Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang said that he would not comment on such a speculative report, adding that China pursues a nuclear strategy of self-defense, and commits itself to a nuclear policy of no first use of nuclear weapons at any time and under any circumstances.
He stressed that China keeps its nuclear force at the minimum level required for national security and does not engage in arms race with any country. China will stay committed to safeguarding its legitimate security interests and upholding world peace and stability.
loading…
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Steven Sherwood, Professor of Atmospheric Sciences, Climate Change Research Centre, UNSW Sydney
How do you measure climate change? One way is by recording temperatures in different places over a long period of time. While this works well, natural variation can make it harder to see longer-term trends.
But another approach can give us a very clear sense of what’s going on: track how much heat enters Earth’s atmosphere and how much heat leaves. This is Earth’s energy budget, and it’s now well and truly out of balance.
Our recent research found this imbalance has more than doubled over the last 20 years. Other researchers have come to the same conclusions. This imbalance is now substantially more than climate models have suggested.
In the mid-2000s, the energy imbalance was about 0.6 watts per square metre (W/m2) on average. In recent years, the average was about 1.3 W/m2. This means the rate at which energy is accumulating near the planet’s surface has doubled.
These findings suggest climate change might well accelerate in the coming years. Worse still, this worrying imbalance is emerging even as funding uncertainty in the United States threatens our ability to track the flows of heat.
Earth’s energy budget functions a bit like your bank account, where money comes in and money goes out. If you reduce your spending, you’ll build up cash in your account. Here, energy is the currency.
Life on Earth depends on a balance between heat coming in from the Sun and heat leaving. This balance is tipping to one side.
Solar energy hits Earth and warms it. The atmosphere’s heat-trapping greenhouse gases keep some of this energy.
But the burning of coal, oil and gas has now added more than two trillion tonnes of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. These trap more and more heat, preventing it from leaving.
Some of this extra heat is warming the land or melting sea ice, glaciers and ice sheets. But this is a tiny fraction. Fully 90% has gone into the oceans due to their huge heat capacity.
Earth naturally sheds heat in several ways. One way is by reflecting incoming heat off of clouds, snow and ice and back out to space. Infrared radiation is also emitted back to space.
From the beginning of human civilisation up until just a century ago, the average surface temperature was about 14°C. The accumulating energy imbalance has now pushed average temperatures 1.3-1.5°C higher.
Scientists keep track of the energy budget in two ways.
First, we can directly measure the heat coming from the Sun and going back out to space, using the sensitive radiometers on monitoring satellites. This dataset and its predecessors date back to the late 1980s.
Second, we can accurately track the build-up of heat in the oceans and atmosphere by taking temperature readings. Thousands of robotic floats have monitored temperatures in the world’s oceans since the 1990s.
Both methods show the energy imbalance has grown rapidly.
The doubling of the energy imbalance has come as a shock, because the sophisticated climate models we use largely didn’t predict such a large and rapid change.
Typically, the models forecast less than half of the change we’re seeing in the real world.
We don’t yet have a full explanation. But new research suggests changes in clouds is a big factor.
Clouds have a cooling effect overall. But the area covered by highly reflective white clouds has shrunk, while the area of jumbled, less reflective clouds has grown.
It isn’t clear why the clouds are changing. One possible factor could be the consequences of successful efforts to reduce sulfur in shipping fuel from 2020, as burning the dirtier fuel may have had a brightening effect on clouds. However, the accelerating energy budget imbalance began before this change.
Natural fluctuations in the climate system such as the Pacific Decadal Oscillation might also be playing a role. Finally – and most worryingly – the cloud changes might be part of a trend caused by global warming itself, that is, a positive feedback on climate change.
These findings suggest recent extremely hot years are not one-offs but may reflect a strengthening of warming over the coming decade or longer.
This will mean a higher chance of more intense climate impacts from searing heatwaves, droughts and extreme rains on land, and more intense and long lasting marine heatwaves.
This imbalance may lead to worse longer-term consequences. New research shows the only climate models coming close to simulating real world measurements are those with a higher “climate sensitivity”. That means these models predict more severe warming beyond the next few decades in scenarios where emissions are not rapidly reduced.
We don’t know yet whether other factors are at play, however. It’s still too early to definitively say we are on a high-sensitivity trajectory.
We’ve known the solution for a long time: stop the routine burning of fossil fuels and phase out human activities causing emissions such as deforestation.
Keeping accurate records over long periods of time is essential if we are to spot unexpected changes.
Satellites, in particular, are our advance warning system, telling us about heat storage changes roughly a decade before other methods.
But funding cuts and drastic priority shifts in the United States may threaten essential satellite climate monitoring.
Steven Sherwood receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the Mindaroo Foundation.
Benoit Meyssignac receives funding from the European Commission, the European Space Agency and the French National Space Agency.
Thorsten Mauritsen receives funding from the European Research Council, the European Space Agency, the Swedish Research Council, the Swedish National Space Agency and the Bolin Centre for Climate Research.
– ref. Earth is trapping much more heat than climate models forecast – and the rate has doubled in 20 years – https://theconversation.com/earth-is-trapping-much-more-heat-than-climate-models-forecast-and-the-rate-has-doubled-in-20-years-258822
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Inter Milan clinched top spot in Group E at the FIFA Club World Cup on Wednesday with a win that knocked River Plate out of the tournament while Borussia Dortmund sealed first place in Group F after beating eliminated Ulsan.
Elsewhere, Monterrey reached the last 16 by thrashing Urawa Red Diamonds, which was out of contention, and Fluminense advanced following a goalless draw that ended Mamelodi Sundowns’ campaign.
In Cincinnati, Daniel Svensson’s first-half goal gave German club Borussia Dortmund a 1-0 win over South Korea’s Ulsan. Sweden international Svensson broke the deadlock in the 36th minute as he took a touch to control Jobe Bellingham’s pass before firing low past Jo Hyeon-woo.
Both teams appeared to lower their intensity in the second half as temperatures reached 34 degrees Celsius (93 degrees Fahrenheit) at TQL Stadium.
“The only thing we could have done a little better was maybe score a few more goals because we created a lot of chances today,” Svensson said.
“Football is emotional. It was very nice to score the goal that turned out to be an important one. It’s a nice feeling,” he added.
Ulsan goalkeeper Jo said his team had suffered in the conditions and expressed his disappointment for the club’s supporters.
“I’m sorry that we weren’t able to meet our fans’ expectations,” he said. “The weather was really harsh. It wasn’t really appropriate for playing football but it is what it is.”
While Ulsan departs, Dortmund will vie for a quarterfinal berth against Monterrey in Atlanta on Tuesday.
In Miami, Brazil’s Fluminense progressed after a goalless draw with South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns in Group F.
The Pretoria-based club dominated possession in the first half but Fluminense looked sharper in the second despite failing to register a shot on target.
Veteran Argentine striker German Cano went closest to scoring when his right-footed effort after Jhon Arias’ pass hit the post.
Fluminense, who finished second in the group, will face Inter Milan in the round of 16 while Mamelodi exits the competition.
“It was a very hard match. They had most of the possession but we were able to repel them. Now we’re through to the next round and that was our goal,” Fluminense defender Ignacio Oliveira told reporters.
Mamelodi manager Miguel Cardoso said he was proud of his team’s achievements throughout the group stage.
“It has been a long journey for all of us, for the club itself and for the people that support it,” Cardoso said. “Today is not a happy result, but it is a very important day for us.”
In Seattle, Francesco Pio Esposito and Alessandro Bastoni netted second-half goals as Inter Milan topped Group E with a 2-0 win over nine-man River Plate.
Lucas Martinez Quarta was shown a straight red card in the 66th minute for scything down Henrikh Mkhitaryan when the Armenian midfielder was through on goal.
Inter immediately took advantage as Esposito finished calmly from 12 yards after Petar Sucic’s clever layoff.
Alessandro Bastoni added to River Plate’s misery by charging past two defenders and thumping a low 18-yard shot beyond goalkeeper Franco Armani.
The Argentine outfit finished with nine men after Gonzalo Montiel received a second yellow card in the 95th minute for his part in a scuffle between players from both sides.
The result left River Plate third in the group as it bid farewell to the competition.
In Wednesday’s other match, Monterrey scored three first-half goals en route to a 4-0 rout of Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds.
Nelson Deossa put the Mexican side ahead on the hour with a stunning 35-yard drive and German Berterame made it 2-0 by slotting into the far corner after Alfonso Alvarado’s assist.
Mexico international winger Jesus Corona extended the lead with another long-range effort following a swift counterattack.
Monterrey was in a relentless mood and Berterame completed the rout in the 97th minute as he pounced on a loose ball and slid home from inside the six-yard box.
The victory meant the Liga MX side finished second in Group E while Urawa was last, having failed to pick up a point.
Source: United Nations (video statements)
The 20th annual meeting of the Internet Governance Forum is hosted by the Government of the Norway in Lillestrøm from 23 to 27 June 2025. The Forum’s overarching theme is: Building Digital Governance Together.
—
The Internet Governance Forum (IGF) serves to bring people together from various stakeholder groups as equals, in discussions on public policy issues relating to the Internet. While there is no negotiated outcome, the IGF informs and inspires those with policy-making power in both the public and private sectors.
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
London, UK, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — With the rapid development of digital assets, more and more people are looking for ways to participate in the cryptocurrency market without frequent operations, lower risks and more stable returns. To meet this demand, LET Mining officially launched a new generation of smart cloud mining services, allowing users to start a stable and efficient passive income path with just one click.
What is smart cloud mining?
Smart cloud mining is a computing power leasing method based on cloud technology and artificial intelligence. Users do not need to buy mining machines, do not need technical experience, and do not need to bear equipment operation and maintenance and high electricity costs. They only need to choose a computing power package, and the system will automatically deploy it to global data centers for mining operations.
LET Mining‘s “Smart Cloud Mining” system further optimizes the efficiency and experience of traditional cloud mining-introducing AI computing power scheduling, green energy mining and revenue prediction models to make the revenue more stable and controllable, and truly realize “easy participation and automatic revenue”.
How to start LET Mining?
1. Log in and quickly register an account to get a free $12 reward
2. Use $12 to buy a cloud mining contract, or buy a cloud mining contract that suits your investment strategy
| contract | Investment Amount | Contract duration | Total income |
| Experience Contract | $100 | 2 days | $100 + $8 |
| BTC Classic Hash Power | $500 | 5 days | $500 + $30 |
| BTC Classic Hash Power | $1,400 | 12 days | $1,400 + $216.72 |
| DOGE Classic Hash Power | $3,000 | 22 days | $3,000 + $904.2 |
| BTC Advanced Hash Power | $8,000 | 37 days | $8,000 + $4736 |
(Click to view more high-yield cloud mining contracts)
Get income every day, and you can continue to buy contracts or withdraw funds
What are the advantages of LET Mining?
✅ One-click start, no equipment required
Users do not need to download software or configure hardware, just select the computing power package on the platform to start the mining process with one click.
✅ Support multiple currencies
The platform supports a variety of mainstream crypto assets, including:
Bitcoin (BTC): the representative of digital gold;
Ripple (XRP): extremely fast settlement speed, suitable for quick remote mining;
Dogecoin (DOGE): active community, large fluctuations but great potential.
✅ Stable passive income arrives daily
The system settles mining income daily and automatically distributes it to the user account, so that daily passive income can be achieved without any operation.
✅ AI intelligent computing power scheduling
Through the background algorithm system, the platform will automatically switch to the optimal mining mode according to the real-time difficulty, computing power market supply and demand and currency market dynamics to improve the overall profit performance.
✅ Green and environmentally friendly, low-carbon mines
LET Mining is committed to sustainable development. Its mines are located in areas rich in green energy such as Iceland, Canada, and Northern Europe. It fully adopts clean energy such as hydropower and wind power, taking into account both income and environmental protection.
Passive income is no longer out of reach
Whether you are a cryptocurrency novice or a long-term holder who hopes to increase the value of your assets, LET Mining provides you with a convenient, safe, and low-threshold mining solution. Especially for those who don’t have time to watch the market, are not good at trading, but want to participate in the blockchain economy, smart cloud mining is undoubtedly an ideal way to passive income.
Conclusion
With the launch of LET Mining smart cloud mining, “let your assets work for you” is no longer just a slogan, but a real and feasible path. No matter where you are, you can join the global digital mining network and achieve stable daily income in just a few steps. Sign up for LET Mining now and start a new chapter in your crypto passive income.
(Click to download the APP)
For media inquiries, please contact:
LETMining
info@letmining.com
21 Mansell Street, London, U.K.
https://letmining.com/
Attachment
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kate Sollis, Research Fellow, University of Tasmania
The Albanese government devoted time and energy in its first term to developing a wellbeing agenda for the economy and society.
It was a passion project of Treasurer Jim Chalmers, who wanted better ways to measure national welfare beyond traditional economic indicators such as growth, jobs and inflation.
Chalmers developed the Measuring What Matters framework to try to better align economic, social and environmental goals as
part of a deliberate effort to put people and progress, fairness and opportunity at the very core of our thinking about our economy and our society.
As Labor settles into its second term, what has happened to its wellbeing agenda? And how much was a poor consultation process to blame for it apparently falling by the wayside?
Measuring What Matters was badged as a wellbeing framework to improve the lives of Australians and help better inform policy-making across all levels of government.
It tracked 50 indicators spread across five overarching themes:
There was also a standalone indicator on life satisfaction.
The data is updated annually by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, with the Treasury due to report on outcomes every three years.
The first Measuring What Matters statement in 2023 showed improvements across some indicators, such as life expectancy, job opportunities and accepting diversity. But it also revealed higher rates of chronic illness and problems with housing affordability.
The fanfare surrounding the release has since fizzled, and wellbeing is now seldom mentioned.
Furthermore, there is little evidence insights have been taken up by the government. The Australian National Audit Office recently noted the challenge of embedding Measuring What Matters in policy, as well as the absence of any evaluation work to gauge its effectiveness.
The wellbeing agenda appears to have been sidelined for two reasons: an insufficient consultation process to properly develop the framework, and the cost-of-living crisis.
Wellbeing frameworks have high potential to impact policy. But they need to be developed and implemented in the right way.
One crucial factor is adequate community engagement, which would have helped ensure accurate representation of what people truly value in terms of wellbeing. Done properly, it could also have secured buy-in from the community, depoliticised the initiative, and even strengthened democracy.
But adequate time was not taken to get the consultation process right, with the government in a rush to release Measuring What Matters. Announced in the October 2022 Budget, two consultation phases were undertaken.
The first, mainly with technical experts, took three months. The second, which sought feedback from individuals and community groups, was even shorter. It was over in just one month.
Measuring What Matters was released shortly after, in July 2023.
Our research, recently published in the Australian Journal of Social Issues, analysed the public consultation phase. We found it was inadequate across four areas.
Comprehensiveness: the timeframe for phase two was too short to allow organisations and communities to meaningfully engage.
Reach: there was limited engagement with the general public.
Transparency: the community was not informed how feedback would be incorporated in the framework and no consultation report was published.
Genuineness: while some feedback was incorporated in the framework, key topics raised in the consultation were not acted on, including greater involvement of First Nations people.
Greater community engagement would have ensured the framework, and any policy it produced, better reflected what Australians value for their wellbeing. It would have also promoted people’s ownership of the framework, helping to foster greater understanding and support for the initiative.
Although Measuring What Matters is now established, it is not too late to realise proper community engagement.
The other factor to run interference was the cost-of-living crisis, which dominated the government’s first term.
Ministers were hesitant to talk about much else. Any references to wellbeing, which for some may elicit images of people meditating or practising yoga, might have been seen as risky.
This is a shame. Wellbeing policies have the potential to improve people’s lives.
We can draw some inspiration from an alliance of countries, including New Zealand, Scotland, Finland, Iceland and Wales, which have at various times put people’s wellbeing at the forefront of policy development and evaluation.
For example, while progress has been slow and there have been key challenges to overcome, the Welsh Well-being of Future Generations Act has led to policy changes such as a moratorium on roads being built to improve people’s health and the environment.
Perhaps if the Albanese government had leaned in to its own wellbeing framework to help navigate the cost-of-living crisis, people may have fared better.
The Albanese government’s large majority gives it space to revitalise its wellbeing framework.
Undertaking a national conversation, similar to the one rolled out in Wales, would help build grassroots support and ensure it truly “measures what matters” to people.
A stronger Measuring What Matters would not only provide the electorate with a clear indication the government is listening, but would also help ensure policy improves people’s lives in a meaningful way.
Kate Sollis is a consultant to the Wellbeing Government initiative at the Centre for Policy Development and President of the Bega Valley Data Collective. She was previously employed at the Australian Bureau of Statistics
Paul Campbell is a research fellow, whose work is supported by the ANU-Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Government Wellbeing Framework research partnership. He was previously employed by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Nicholas Drake does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. Whatever happened to the Albanese government’s wellbeing agenda? – https://theconversation.com/whatever-happened-to-the-albanese-governments-wellbeing-agenda-258580
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
london, UK, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —
In response to growing global interest in passive income through cryptocurrencies, Okalio Mining announces the continuation of its mission to provide low-barrier, high-return cloud mining services to users worldwide. With over eight years of professional operation since its establishment in 2017, the platform has emerged as a trusted name in the cloud mining industry—backed by a strong technical foundation, compliance-driven operations, and real, user-visible daily income.
A Platform Proven by Time: 8 Years of Consistent Growth
Founded in 2017, Okalio Mining has maintained a clear focus on delivering a low-risk, high-efficiency cloud mining environment. Unlike short-lived marketing projects, Okalio Mining is anchored in self-owned mining resources, an intelligent power scheduling system, and a mature user management model.
The platform currently operates multiple data centers across North America, Iceland, Kazakhstan, and more—leveraging high-performance ASIC machines and clean energy solutions. The system dynamically adjusts for changes in market difficulty and electricity costs, ensuring stable and sustainable daily returns.
Zero-Threshold Start: Register and Receive $10 Mining Power
To empower first-time users, Okalio Mining offers a $10 credit for computing power upon registration. This allows users to experience real mining operations without needing an initial deposit. Daily income begins within 24 hours of registration.
This user-first approach not only reduces the cost of entry but also reflects the platform’s confidence in its mining technology and revenue model. It provides new users with early assurance and familiarity, enabling them to plan further investments with clarity and confidence.
Compliant Operations and Bank-Level Security Measures
Okalio Mining places a premium on legal compliance and user fund protection. The company maintains transparent corporate registration in multiple jurisdictions, ensuring all activities are conducted under a legal framework.
In alignment with KYC (Know Your Customer) and AML (Anti-Money Laundering) protocols, the platform complies with international regulatory standards. Security features include cold and hot wallet separation, multi-factor authentication, and encrypted communication protocols, establishing a bank-level protection system for all user assets and activity.
Multi-Currency Mining with Automated Daily Income
The platform supports mining of major cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and Litecoin (LTC). Users can freely choose their preferred currency, contract duration, and investment amount. Income generation begins automatically within 24 hours of activation.
Returns are calculated using real-time mining machine data and are settled daily, ensuring transparency and traceability. The system offers full visibility and flexibility for users to monitor earnings in real time.
Fast Withdrawals, No Lock-in Requirements
Addressing one of the biggest concerns for crypto investors, Okalio Mining ensures fast and flexible withdrawal options:
This model provides users with complete financial freedom, allowing them to withdraw profits at their discretion without restrictions.
A Reliable Choice for Long-Term Crypto Income
In a market often defined by volatility, Okalio Mining’s continued commitment to stability, security, and transparency has earned it a loyal global user base. With eight years of uninterrupted operations, automated systems, and genuine income delivery, it remains a platform distinguished from short-term or promotional projects.
With its $10 welcome bonus now live, Okalio Mining is extending a true opportunity for beginners to explore cloud mining with zero initial investment.
Visit: www.okaliomining.com
️ Start with $10 in computing power today – and begin earning tomorrow.
Real computing power. Stable income. Zero threshold.
Media Contact:
Name: Jack Anderson
Position: Marketing Manager
Address: 2nd Floor, Catherine House, 11 Wyllyotts Place, Dax Lane, Potters Bar, United Kingdom
Email: info@okaliomining.com
Website: www.okaliomining.com
Attachment
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
london, UK, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —
In response to growing global interest in passive income through cryptocurrencies, Okalio Mining announces the continuation of its mission to provide low-barrier, high-return cloud mining services to users worldwide. With over eight years of professional operation since its establishment in 2017, the platform has emerged as a trusted name in the cloud mining industry—backed by a strong technical foundation, compliance-driven operations, and real, user-visible daily income.
A Platform Proven by Time: 8 Years of Consistent Growth
Founded in 2017, Okalio Mining has maintained a clear focus on delivering a low-risk, high-efficiency cloud mining environment. Unlike short-lived marketing projects, Okalio Mining is anchored in self-owned mining resources, an intelligent power scheduling system, and a mature user management model.
The platform currently operates multiple data centers across North America, Iceland, Kazakhstan, and more—leveraging high-performance ASIC machines and clean energy solutions. The system dynamically adjusts for changes in market difficulty and electricity costs, ensuring stable and sustainable daily returns.
Zero-Threshold Start: Register and Receive $10 Mining Power
To empower first-time users, Okalio Mining offers a $10 credit for computing power upon registration. This allows users to experience real mining operations without needing an initial deposit. Daily income begins within 24 hours of registration.
This user-first approach not only reduces the cost of entry but also reflects the platform’s confidence in its mining technology and revenue model. It provides new users with early assurance and familiarity, enabling them to plan further investments with clarity and confidence.
Compliant Operations and Bank-Level Security Measures
Okalio Mining places a premium on legal compliance and user fund protection. The company maintains transparent corporate registration in multiple jurisdictions, ensuring all activities are conducted under a legal framework.
In alignment with KYC (Know Your Customer) and AML (Anti-Money Laundering) protocols, the platform complies with international regulatory standards. Security features include cold and hot wallet separation, multi-factor authentication, and encrypted communication protocols, establishing a bank-level protection system for all user assets and activity.
Multi-Currency Mining with Automated Daily Income
The platform supports mining of major cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and Litecoin (LTC). Users can freely choose their preferred currency, contract duration, and investment amount. Income generation begins automatically within 24 hours of activation.
Returns are calculated using real-time mining machine data and are settled daily, ensuring transparency and traceability. The system offers full visibility and flexibility for users to monitor earnings in real time.
Fast Withdrawals, No Lock-in Requirements
Addressing one of the biggest concerns for crypto investors, Okalio Mining ensures fast and flexible withdrawal options:
This model provides users with complete financial freedom, allowing them to withdraw profits at their discretion without restrictions.
A Reliable Choice for Long-Term Crypto Income
In a market often defined by volatility, Okalio Mining’s continued commitment to stability, security, and transparency has earned it a loyal global user base. With eight years of uninterrupted operations, automated systems, and genuine income delivery, it remains a platform distinguished from short-term or promotional projects.
With its $10 welcome bonus now live, Okalio Mining is extending a true opportunity for beginners to explore cloud mining with zero initial investment.
Visit: www.okaliomining.com
️ Start with $10 in computing power today – and begin earning tomorrow.
Real computing power. Stable income. Zero threshold.
Media Contact:
Name: Jack Anderson
Position: Marketing Manager
Address: 2nd Floor, Catherine House, 11 Wyllyotts Place, Dax Lane, Potters Bar, United Kingdom
Email: info@okaliomining.com
Website: www.okaliomining.com
Attachment
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
Brisbane, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Rise of Mobile Litecoin Cloud Mining
Being called the silver to Bitcoin’s golden one, Litecoin (LTC) has become incredibly popular due to its high speed of transactions, cheap fixed commissions, and good reputation in the crypto community. However, even though Litecoin is still ranked among the top 20 cryptocurrencies, it has traditionally been rather difficult to mine, home to costly, special equipment, technical skills, and enormous energy demands, until recently.
A mobile-friendly cloud mining platform has emerged, enabling users to mine Litecoin easily from their smartphones. No hardware is required, no electric cost, and it does not need a complex setup. To sweeten the deal, all new users are entitled to a free-of-charge credit of $100, allowing them to begin mining immediately.
This innovation places MiningToken among the few platforms that accommodate mobile-based Litecoin cloud mining—giving more people an opportunity to earn LTC without spending money on installing physical infrastructure.
What Makes MiningToken Ideal for Litecoin Mining?
MiningToken is a secure and convenient provider of cloud mining infrastructure supported by mining farms on an industrial scale. Some of these farms are situated in countries such as Canada, Iceland, and Paraguay where energy sources are primarily renewable—hydroelectric, geothermal, and wind—making the system efficient and environmentally conscious.
Instead of relying on physical mining rigs, users rent hashpower through short-term contracts. MiningToken’s AI allocates resources to optimize performance and offer users a seamless mining experience.
Key features include:
For Litecoin enthusiasts, this means accessible mining without financial or technical barriers.
Mining Plans: Designed for Daily Activity
MiningToken’s platform features multiple LTC-compatible mining plans supported by real hashrate from a global network of mining centers. These plans are tailored to enable users to engage with the mining process efficiently without investing in physical infrastructure.
MiningToken offers a wide range of plans hosted across international data centers. Visit Official Website for full details.
How to Start Mining LTC in Minutes
Here’s how you can start mining Litecoin with MiningToken right away:
All features are accessible through both desktop and mobile devices, making it easy to control your mining at any time.
Security and Sustainability First
MiningToken supports responsible mining by integrating clean energy and high-level security standards.
Security features include:
A Better Way to Mine Litecoin
Litecoin mining no longer requires expensive hardware or extensive technical knowledge. MiningToken transforms this traditionally resource-heavy activity into a simple, web-based solution. Anyone—from students to investors—can now participate in real-time crypto mining using just a smartphone.
MiningToken’s system offers a user-friendly, sustainable, and accessible way to engage with Litecoin mining—backed by an AI-driven infrastructure designed to improve efficiency while reducing environmental impact.
Conclusion
Whether you’re new to crypto or an experienced trader, MiningToken provides a smart, secure, and accessible way to mine LTC using your phone. With its free $100 sign-up bonus, AI optimization, and energy-efficient data centers, anyone can begin exploring cloud mining within minutes.
Visit www.miningtoken.com to claim your free bonus and start mining Litecoin today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I mine Litecoin using only the $100 bonus?
Yes, you can use the sign-up bonus to purchase a mining contract and begin receiving mining rewards without any investment.
Q: Is MiningToken available internationally?
Yes. MiningToken services are not region-locked and are accessible globally.
Q: How is MiningToken different from other mobile mining apps?
Unlike mining simulation apps, MiningToken connects users to real hashpower and delivers actual mining rewards based on contract performance.
Q: How do I receive my profits?
Mining earnings are credited to your wallet daily. Withdrawals are available once the minimum threshold is met.
Disclaimer:
The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. Cryptocurrency mining and staking involve risk. There is potential for loss of funds. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities.
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
Brisbane, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Rise of Mobile Litecoin Cloud Mining
Being called the silver to Bitcoin’s golden one, Litecoin (LTC) has become incredibly popular due to its high speed of transactions, cheap fixed commissions, and good reputation in the crypto community. However, even though Litecoin is still ranked among the top 20 cryptocurrencies, it has traditionally been rather difficult to mine, home to costly, special equipment, technical skills, and enormous energy demands, until recently.
A mobile-friendly cloud mining platform has emerged, enabling users to mine Litecoin easily from their smartphones. No hardware is required, no electric cost, and it does not need a complex setup. To sweeten the deal, all new users are entitled to a free-of-charge credit of $100, allowing them to begin mining immediately.
This innovation places MiningToken among the few platforms that accommodate mobile-based Litecoin cloud mining—giving more people an opportunity to earn LTC without spending money on installing physical infrastructure.
What Makes MiningToken Ideal for Litecoin Mining?
MiningToken is a secure and convenient provider of cloud mining infrastructure supported by mining farms on an industrial scale. Some of these farms are situated in countries such as Canada, Iceland, and Paraguay where energy sources are primarily renewable—hydroelectric, geothermal, and wind—making the system efficient and environmentally conscious.
Instead of relying on physical mining rigs, users rent hashpower through short-term contracts. MiningToken’s AI allocates resources to optimize performance and offer users a seamless mining experience.
Key features include:
For Litecoin enthusiasts, this means accessible mining without financial or technical barriers.
Mining Plans: Designed for Daily Activity
MiningToken’s platform features multiple LTC-compatible mining plans supported by real hashrate from a global network of mining centers. These plans are tailored to enable users to engage with the mining process efficiently without investing in physical infrastructure.
MiningToken offers a wide range of plans hosted across international data centers. Visit Official Website for full details.
How to Start Mining LTC in Minutes
Here’s how you can start mining Litecoin with MiningToken right away:
All features are accessible through both desktop and mobile devices, making it easy to control your mining at any time.
Security and Sustainability First
MiningToken supports responsible mining by integrating clean energy and high-level security standards.
Security features include:
A Better Way to Mine Litecoin
Litecoin mining no longer requires expensive hardware or extensive technical knowledge. MiningToken transforms this traditionally resource-heavy activity into a simple, web-based solution. Anyone—from students to investors—can now participate in real-time crypto mining using just a smartphone.
MiningToken’s system offers a user-friendly, sustainable, and accessible way to engage with Litecoin mining—backed by an AI-driven infrastructure designed to improve efficiency while reducing environmental impact.
Conclusion
Whether you’re new to crypto or an experienced trader, MiningToken provides a smart, secure, and accessible way to mine LTC using your phone. With its free $100 sign-up bonus, AI optimization, and energy-efficient data centers, anyone can begin exploring cloud mining within minutes.
Visit www.miningtoken.com to claim your free bonus and start mining Litecoin today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I mine Litecoin using only the $100 bonus?
Yes, you can use the sign-up bonus to purchase a mining contract and begin receiving mining rewards without any investment.
Q: Is MiningToken available internationally?
Yes. MiningToken services are not region-locked and are accessible globally.
Q: How is MiningToken different from other mobile mining apps?
Unlike mining simulation apps, MiningToken connects users to real hashpower and delivers actual mining rewards based on contract performance.
Q: How do I receive my profits?
Mining earnings are credited to your wallet daily. Withdrawals are available once the minimum threshold is met.
Disclaimer:
The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. Cryptocurrency mining and staking involve risk. There is potential for loss of funds. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities.
Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)
Brisbane, June 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Rise of Mobile Litecoin Cloud Mining
Being called the silver to Bitcoin’s golden one, Litecoin (LTC) has become incredibly popular due to its high speed of transactions, cheap fixed commissions, and good reputation in the crypto community. However, even though Litecoin is still ranked among the top 20 cryptocurrencies, it has traditionally been rather difficult to mine, home to costly, special equipment, technical skills, and enormous energy demands, until recently.
A mobile-friendly cloud mining platform has emerged, enabling users to mine Litecoin easily from their smartphones. No hardware is required, no electric cost, and it does not need a complex setup. To sweeten the deal, all new users are entitled to a free-of-charge credit of $100, allowing them to begin mining immediately.
This innovation places MiningToken among the few platforms that accommodate mobile-based Litecoin cloud mining—giving more people an opportunity to earn LTC without spending money on installing physical infrastructure.
What Makes MiningToken Ideal for Litecoin Mining?
MiningToken is a secure and convenient provider of cloud mining infrastructure supported by mining farms on an industrial scale. Some of these farms are situated in countries such as Canada, Iceland, and Paraguay where energy sources are primarily renewable—hydroelectric, geothermal, and wind—making the system efficient and environmentally conscious.
Instead of relying on physical mining rigs, users rent hashpower through short-term contracts. MiningToken’s AI allocates resources to optimize performance and offer users a seamless mining experience.
Key features include:
For Litecoin enthusiasts, this means accessible mining without financial or technical barriers.
Mining Plans: Designed for Daily Activity
MiningToken’s platform features multiple LTC-compatible mining plans supported by real hashrate from a global network of mining centers. These plans are tailored to enable users to engage with the mining process efficiently without investing in physical infrastructure.
MiningToken offers a wide range of plans hosted across international data centers. Visit Official Website for full details.
How to Start Mining LTC in Minutes
Here’s how you can start mining Litecoin with MiningToken right away:
All features are accessible through both desktop and mobile devices, making it easy to control your mining at any time.
Security and Sustainability First
MiningToken supports responsible mining by integrating clean energy and high-level security standards.
Security features include:
A Better Way to Mine Litecoin
Litecoin mining no longer requires expensive hardware or extensive technical knowledge. MiningToken transforms this traditionally resource-heavy activity into a simple, web-based solution. Anyone—from students to investors—can now participate in real-time crypto mining using just a smartphone.
MiningToken’s system offers a user-friendly, sustainable, and accessible way to engage with Litecoin mining—backed by an AI-driven infrastructure designed to improve efficiency while reducing environmental impact.
Conclusion
Whether you’re new to crypto or an experienced trader, MiningToken provides a smart, secure, and accessible way to mine LTC using your phone. With its free $100 sign-up bonus, AI optimization, and energy-efficient data centers, anyone can begin exploring cloud mining within minutes.
Visit www.miningtoken.com to claim your free bonus and start mining Litecoin today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I mine Litecoin using only the $100 bonus?
Yes, you can use the sign-up bonus to purchase a mining contract and begin receiving mining rewards without any investment.
Q: Is MiningToken available internationally?
Yes. MiningToken services are not region-locked and are accessible globally.
Q: How is MiningToken different from other mobile mining apps?
Unlike mining simulation apps, MiningToken connects users to real hashpower and delivers actual mining rewards based on contract performance.
Q: How do I receive my profits?
Mining earnings are credited to your wallet daily. Withdrawals are available once the minimum threshold is met.
Disclaimer:
The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. Cryptocurrency mining and staking involve risk. There is potential for loss of funds. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities.
Source: European Parliament
Following letters of formal notice sent to 24 Member States in July 2021 and reasoned opinions sent to 17 Member States in January 2023, including Denmark, for the non-conformity of their national measures with the Enforcement Directive on the Posting of Workers[1], the Commission closed infringement proceedings concerning 18 Member States[2] between March 2024 and May 2025.
At this stage, the ongoing infringement proceedings concern six Member States (A ustria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands).
Main issues identified in those infringements relate to administrative requirements and control measures (Article 9), penalties (Article 20), as well as cross-border enforcement of penalties and fines (Chapter VI) of the directive.
The Commission is currently assessing the measures at issue in the context of the ongoing infringement procedures, including the one against Denmark.
In determining the appropriate next steps, the Commission is mindful of the need to ensure equal treatment among all Member States for which it has identified similar concerns, in accordance with the principles of fairness and consistency in enforcement.
If the Commission deems national measures not to be in line with the directive, it will continue to follow the stages of infringement proceedings, including possible referral to the European Court of Justice.
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Andrew Gawthorpe, Lecturer in History and International Studies, Leiden University
Donald Trump is a difficult figure to deal with, both for foreign leaders and figures closer to home who find themselves in his crosshairs. The US president is unpredictable, sensitive and willing to break the rules to get his way.
But in Trump’s second term, a variety of different leaders and institutions seem to have settled on a way to handle him. The key, they seem to think, is flattery. The most obvious example came at the recently concluded Nato summit in The Hague, Netherlands, where world leaders got together to discuss the future of the alliance.
Previous summits with Trump have descended into recrimination and backbiting. The organisers were determined to avoid a repeat – and decided the best way to do it was to make Trump feel really, really good about himself.
Even before the summit began, Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte had texted Trump to thank him for his “decisive action” in bombing Iran. This, he said, was something “no one else dared to do”.
Then, when discussing Trump’s role in ending the war between Israel and Iran, Rutte referred to Trump as “daddy” – a name the White House has already transformed into a meme.
The summit itself was light on the sort of contentious and detailed policy discussions that have historically bored and angered Trump.
Instead, it was reduced to a series of photo opportunities and speeches in which other leaders lavished praise on Trump. Lithuania’s president, Gitanas Nausėda, even suggested the alliance ought to copy Trump’s political movement by adopting the phrase “make Nato great again”.
Nato leaders aren’t the only ones trying this trick. British prime minister Keir Starmer has had a go at it too. Starmer has made sure that Trump will be the first US president to make a second state visit to the UK. He described the honour in Trump-like terms: “This has never happened before. It’s so incredible. It will be historic.”
After Trump announced global trade tariffs earlier in the year, Starmer was the first leader to give Trump a much-needed victory by reaching a framework trade agreement. But it worked both ways, with Starmer able to land a political victory too.
In his first term, flattery was also seen as a tool to be used to get Trump onside. Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky tried it in phone conversations with the US president, calling him a “great teacher” from whom he learned “skills and knowledge”.
Flattery and compliance clearly have their uses. Trump is extremely sensitive to criticism and susceptible to praise, however hyperbolic and transparent it might be. Buttering him up may be an effective way to get him to back off.
But it doesn’t achieve much else. At the Nato summit, an opportunity was missed to make progress on issues of real importance, such as how to better support Ukraine in its war against Russia or to better coordinate European defence spending.
A summit dedicated to the sole aim of making Trump feel good is one with very limited aims indeed. All it does is push the difficult decisions forward for another day.
Individual decisions to bow down to Trump also mean missing the opportunity to mount collective resistance. One country might not be able to stand up to the president, but the odds of doing so would be greatly improved if leaders banded together.
For example, Trump’s trade tariffs will damage the US economy as well as those of its trading partners. That is especially the case if those partners impose tariffs of their own on US goods.
If each country instead follows Britain’s lead in the hope of getting the best deal for itself, they will have missed the opportunity to force the president to feel some discomfort of his own – and possibly change course.
But perhaps the greatest danger of flattering Trump is that it teaches him that he can get away with doing pretty much whatever he likes. For a president who has threatened to annex the territory of Nato allies Denmark and Canada to nevertheless be feted at a Nato summit sends a message of impunity.
That’s a dangerous lesson for Trump to learn. He has spent much of his second term undermining democratic and liberal norms at home and key tenets of US foreign policy abroad, such as hostility to Russia. He is attempting to undermine all traditional sources of authority and expertise and instead make the world dance to his own tune.
Given the expansive scope of his aims, which many experts already think is leading to a constitutional crisis that threatens democracy, the willingness to suck up to Trump normalises him in a menacing way.
When his targets roll over, it sends a message to others that Trump is unstoppable and resistance is futile. It encourages not just the next presidential abuse of power, but also the next surrender from those he chooses to attack.
Perhaps the best that can be said for this strategy is that maybe it will appease Trump enough to prevent him from doing too much actual harm. But when dealing with such an unpredictable and vindictive president, that is a thin reed of hope.
It is much more likely to encourage him to press on – until the harm becomes too severe to ignore.
Andrew Gawthorpe does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. Why bending over backwards to agree with Donald Trump is a perilous strategy – https://theconversation.com/why-bending-over-backwards-to-agree-with-donald-trump-is-a-perilous-strategy-259936
Source: The Conversation – Canada – By Reena Kukreja, Associate Professor, Global Development Studies, Queen’s University, Ontario
Secrets We Keep (Reservatet), a Danish suspense series on Netflix created by Ingeborg Topsøe, delves into the disappearance of a Filipina au pair from an elite suburb of Copenhagen — and delivers a sharp social commentary on racial and class entitlements.
Moving fluidly between English, Danish and Tagalog, the six-part drama is a nuanced indictment of the lack of moral accountability among the rich. On display are the prejudices and complicity of white women in enabling a culture of toxic masculinity that treats Filipina migrant women as sexualized and disposable commodities.
The story starts with a tearful Ruby Tan — a Filipina au pair who works for the affluent Rasmus (Lars Ranthe) and Katarina (Danica Curcic) — asking for some help with her employers from her neighbour, Cecilie (played by Marie Bach Hansen).
Cecilie is a successful non-profit manager and mother of two married to a high-profile lawyer. She employs Angel (Excel Busano), a Filipina au pair. Cecilie tells Ruby she cannot get involved.
The next day, Ruby vanishes without a trace.
The series is propelled by Cecilie’s guilt in refusing to help Ruby. She is shocked at her neighbours’ apparent lack of concern for Ruby’s disappearance.
Cecilie begins to sleuth for clues regarding Ruby’s disappearance and she eventually decides to assist Aicha, a racialized policewoman assigned to find the missing au pair. Cecilie discovers a pregnancy kit by a trash bin where she had last seen Ruby. And she soon suspects Ruby’s employer, Rasmus, of raping her.
While the series lacks true suspense due to its predictable story arc peppered with clues about Ruby’s disappearance, it is amply compensated by a sharp critique on the moral decay of modern society, systemic racism and the complicity of women in upholding white masculine privilege.
Secrets We Keep lays bare the warped world view of rich, white privilege, racism and the sexual fetishism of Asian women.
At a dinner party one night, Rasmus and Katarina do not seem concerned about their missing au pair. Katarina labels Filipina au pairs as whores working in brothels. When discussing Ruby, Katarina says, “she probably ran off to do porn.”
In one uncomfortable scene, Rasmus taunts Cecilia’s husband, Mike (Simon Sears), about his sexual preferences. Mike responds by saying: “I don’t have ‘yellow fever.’” Cecilia sits silently beside Mike.
Katarina also calls Aicha (Sara Fanta Traore), the policewoman, “the little brown one.”
At a formal dinner, Rasmus tells Cecilia: “We stick together. We are from the same world, and we are loyal to each other.”
The reduction of Ruby into a sexual object in the show reflects the high rates of sexual violence against Filipina au pairs in Scandinavia.
It led the Philippines to ban the participation of Scandinavian countries in its “informal labour” arrangement in 1998. Though the ban was lifted in 2010, Au Pair Network, an advocacy group, reveals that the program is still riddled with abuse.
The Nordic Paradox is a term used to describe how Scandinavian countries, including Denmark, rank the highest in the Gender Equality Index yet suffer from very high rates of violence against women and intimate partner violence in Europe.
At a recent gender studies conference in Stockholm, Ardis Ingvars, a sociologist at the University of Iceland who worked as an au pair for a year in the United States just after she turned 18, recalls her anxiety and apprehension as she moved to Boston.
She said:
“Au pairs hope to be lucky with the family turning out OK. What is difficult to take is the attitude of ‘ownership’ that the children and families display over the au pairs as an unquestioned entitlement.”
Ingvars said asymmetrical power relations embedded within the au pair system reinforce racial and class hierarchies.
This is reflected in Secrets We Keep. Midway during Aicha’s investigation, as she hits roadblock after roadblock, she cries out in frustration: “She’s a fucking nobody in their world.”
Economic globalization, neoliberal policies and an increased dependence on the remittance economy fuses with the care gap in the Global North to fuel the feminized care migration from the Global South, many of them Filipino women.
Au pairs are placed with host families who provide free board and meals in return for up to 30 hours a week of housework and child care as they learn the host language and customs. The au pairs are paid “pocket money” of Danish Kroner 5,000 per month (approx $1,000 Canadian) out of which they also pay local taxes.
One scene shows one of Cecilie’s work meetings. A junior staff member expresses surprise that Cecilie has an au pair, labelling it a relic of colonial era racial hierarchies.
Cecilie defends herself, and says the system survives because of the failure of men to keep up their domestic bargain and thus the need for women like her “to outsource care.”
She argues the Filipina au pairs “are dependable” and she is “a much better mother” because of Angel. But Cecilie doesn’t acknowledge her privilege — that to be with her children and have a career is predicated on the exploitative extraction of care from Global South women.
The female au pairs in Denmark must be between 18-29 years of age, childless, never married and at the end of two years, return home. Almost 50 to 75 per cent of au pairs in Denmark are Filipino women
Cecilie’s shock at finding out that Angel has a son whom she left behind in the Philippines is part of her denial. In the end, Cecilie is unable to confront her own complicity and decides to release Angel from their au pair arrangement.
“You know nothing about my world…You are very lucky,” cries Angel in anguish as Cecilie hands her the return ticket and an extra three months’ pay to demonstrate her magnanimity.
Secrets We Keep reveals the brutal reality for Global South au pairs as well as upper-class white women and their entitlements. It indicates that even though these white wealthy women may see mistreatment, they maintain their silence and participate in wilful gendered violence to hold onto that privilege, while maintaining a façade of compassion towards the disposable racial migrant other.
Reena Kukreja receives funding from SSHRC.
– ref. Netflix TV drama ‘Secrets We Keep’ exposes the dangers of domestic migrant work – https://theconversation.com/netflix-tv-drama-secrets-we-keep-exposes-the-dangers-of-domestic-migrant-work-258556
Source: The Conversation – UK – By Brendan Kelly, Professor of Psychiatry, Trinity College Dublin
Most people experience periods of loneliness, isolation or solitude in their lives. But these are different things, and the proportion of people feeling lonely is stable over time. So why do we keep talking about an epidemic of loneliness?
Before the COVID pandemic, several studies showed that rates of loneliness were stable in England, the US, Finland, Sweden and Germany, among other places, over recent decades.
While COVID changed many things, loneliness levels quickly returned to pre-pandemic levels. In 2018, 34% of US adults aged 50 to 80 years reported a lack of companionship “some of the time” or “often”. That proportion rose to 42% during the pandemic but fell to 33% in 2024.
That’s a lot of lonely people, but it is not an epidemic. In some countries, such as Sweden, loneliness is in decline – at least among older adults.
Despite these statistics, the idea that loneliness is increasing is pervasive. For example in 2023, the US surgeon general warned about an “epidemic of loneliness and isolation”. The UK even has a government minister with an explicit responsibility for addressing loneliness.
Loneliness is a problem, even if it is not an epidemic. Social connection is important for physical and mental health. Many people feel lonely in a crowd or feel crowded when alone. In 2023, the World Health Organization announced a “Commission on Social Connection”. The WHO is right: we need to reduce loneliness in our families, communities and societies.
But the idea that loneliness is an “epidemic” is misleading and it draws us away from sustainable solutions, rather than towards them. It suggests that loneliness is a new problem (it is not), that it is increasing (it is not), that it is beyond our control (it is not), and that the only appropriate reaction is an emergency one (it is not).
In the short term, loneliness is an undesirable psychological state. In the long term, it is a risk factor for chronic ill health.
Loneliness is not a sudden crisis that needs a short-term fix. It is a long-term challenge that requires a sustained response. An emergency reaction is not appropriate – a measured response is. Initiatives by the US surgeon general and WHO are welcome, but they should be long-term responses to an enduring problem, not emergency reactions to an “epidemic”.
Conceptual clarity is essential if true loneliness is to be addressed. Pathologising all instances of being alone risks medicalising normal human experiences such as solitude. Some people feel alive only in crowds, but others were born lighthouse keepers. In a hyper-connected world, loneliness should be solvable, but solitude must be treasured.
So, if there is no loneliness epidemic, why do we keep talking as if there is? Media framing of the issue and the human tendency to panic reinforce each other. We click into news stories based on subjective resonance rather than objective evidence.
Human behaviour is shaped primarily by feelings, not facts. We dramatise, panic, and overstate negative trends. If trends are positive, we focus on minor counter-trends, ignore statistics and make things up.
In the case of loneliness, the problem is real, even if the “epidemic” is not. Loneliness is part of the human condition, but alleviating each other’s loneliness is also part of who we are – or who we can become.
Addressing loneliness is not about solving a short-term problem or halting an “epidemic”. It means learning to live with each other in new, more integrated ways that meet our emotional needs. Loneliness is not the problem. It is a consequence of living in societies that are often disconnected and fragmented.
The solution? We cannot change the essentials of human nature – and nor should we try. But we can be a little kinder to ourselves, speak to each other a little more, and cultivate compassion for ourselves and other people.
We need to connect with each other better and more. We can. We should. We will.
Brendan Kelly does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. There is no loneliness epidemic – so why do we keep talking as if there is? – https://theconversation.com/there-is-no-loneliness-epidemic-so-why-do-we-keep-talking-as-if-there-is-259072
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
UK-led training programme of Ukrainian recruits launched on 26 June 2022.
Crown copyright
More than 56,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been trained by the UK and 13 partner nations on Operation Interflex; the UK-led, multination training programme.
Today (Thursday 26 June 2025) marks three years since the first Ukrainian trainees landed on British soil to begin the vital military training that turns civilians into soldiers capable of returning home to repel Russia’s illegal invasion of their country.
During this time Operation Interflex has continued to evolve to match the specific threats being faced on the frontlines in Ukraine. A variety of training programmes have been delivered via Operation Interflex focussed on equipping trainees with the battlefield essentials: the basic infantry course, leadership training, and instructor courses, which continuously adapt to Ukraine’s needs.
Led by the UK, Operation Interflex has been delivered alongside 13 other partner nations: Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Albania, Estonia, Kosovo, Lithuania, and Romania. Service personnel from these nations are united in the objective to deliver high quality training that meets the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
At a recent meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG) on the 4 June, the Defence Secretary announced that the UK will spend a further £247m this year on training the Armed Forces of Ukraine, supporting Operation Interflex’s highly successful training programmes. This funding not only supports Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression, but it is also vital in ensuring both European and UK security, underpinned by the Government’s Plan for Change.
Recent polling data reveals that 90% of all the trainees who have completed Interflex training since January 2025 feel more confident in their lethality and survivability at the end of training. The polling also revealed that one of the most valued elements of the training is the battlefield first aid, with 93% of basic recruits saying they felt more confident about treating casualties after receiving the training.
From each Ukrainian soldier made combat-ready on UK soil, to the £13bn committed in military support, we are proud of every element of our contribution to Ukraine’s fight against Russia’s illegal invasion.
The Government is clear that providing military support to Ukraine is essential to both UK and European security. Keeping the country safe is the Government’s first priority, and a foundation of its Plan for Change.
The UK and its allies are united in our support for Ukraine. I am sure they share my constant awe of the resilience shown by the Ukrainian people in the face of Russian aggression.”
Today marks three years since the launch of Operation INTERFLEX to train Ukrainian personnel in the UK. Over this period, the multinational coalition of 14 nations, led by the UK, has trained over 56,000 Ukrainian soldiers, a testament to the enduring strength and shared resolve of our international partnership.
This milestone reflects not only our unity of purpose but our unwavering commitment to Ukraine’s freedom and NATO’s collective security.”
The UK is proud to be a leading partner in providing vital support to Ukraine. The government has committed £13 billion of military aid for Ukraine, with £4.5 billion expected to be provided this year. This military aid includes training programmes like Operation Interflex, but also military capabilities and equipment such as drones, air defence systems and munitions.
The UK and Ukraine’s allies are committed to supporting Ukraine secure a just and lasting peace. The training effort provided by Operation Interflex aims to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position to achieve this peace and to safeguard their sovereignty and our collective security against Russian aggression.
Source: United Nations Population Fund
Under the patronage of Her Majesty Queen Mary of Denmark, UNFPA, the UN sexual and reproductive health agency, and Danish NGO Maternity Foundation announced the 10 Million Safer Births Initiative in Abuja, Nigeria on 24 June, 2025. The initiative is driven by an ambitious commitment to support 10 million births across Sub-Saharan Africa by the end of 2030.
Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 70 per cent of all maternal deaths worldwide. Despite a 40 per cent decline in the global maternal mortality rate since 2000, progress has slowed, and multiple global crises now threaten to reverse these gains. Every two minutes, a woman dies from pregnancy or childbirth-related causes, and for every woman who dies, 20-30 suffer acute to severe disability — most of which are preventable.
Her Majesty The Queen of Denmark announced her patronage of the 10 Million Safer Births Initiative.
“No woman should risk life to give life,” said The Queen. “I am honoured to announce my patronage of this very concrete initiative, which aims to ensure 10 million safer births by end 2030 across Sub-Saharan Africa.”
The first phase of the initiative will be able to deliver targeted support to midwives and frontline health workers to strengthen maternal and newborn care in Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Tanzania.
The support will include the scaling up of Maternity Foundation’s widely used Safe Delivery+ programme, which includes the free Safe Delivery App. The app provides healthcare professionals, particularly midwives in low-resource settings, with access to evidence-based guidelines and video demonstrations on preventative, routine, and emergency maternal and newborn care, on their mobile devices. This enables them to prevent or manage life-threatening situations more effectively, ultimately improving maternal and newborn health and survival rates.
The Government of Denmark and the Gates Foundation are supporting the initiative. Denmark will provide a DKK 32 million (USD 4.9 million) investment. The Gates Foundation intends to allocate an additional USD 1.5 million as part of its support to scaling up midwifery models of care under the Midwifery Accelerator initiative.
“Denmark is proud to support this bold, innovative initiative,” said Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen. “Every woman has the right to give birth safely, and we are committed to making that a reality.”
“Healthy mothers and babies are the foundations of vibrant communities—and midwives play a key role in helping them thrive,” said Dr. Paulin Basinga, Africa Director of the Gates Foundation. “The 10 Million Safer Births initiative is about more than saving lives—it’s about equality. Too many women in Africa face life-threatening risks in childbirth simply because of where they live. By coming together across sectors and borders, we have a real opportunity to close that gap and transform care at the very start of life.”
“Access to quality midwifery care can spell the difference between life and death for women and their babies,” said UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem. “The 10 Million Safer Births Initiative will give midwives the tools to save lives in some of the most challenging settings. UNFPA is grateful to Her Majesty Queen Mary of Denmark and the Danish Government and Gates Foundation supporting this important effort to make childbirth safer.”
“We will not close the gap in maternal mortality by 2030 by doing the same as we always did. We need to rethink the way things are done. This initiative brings together innovation, data, and collaboration across sectors to strengthen maternal care where it’s needed most.,” said Anna Frellsen, CEO of Maternity Foundation. “Together, we can transform outcomes for millions of women and their newborns.”
The 10 Million Safer Births Initiative is a flagship programme implemented through UNFPA’s Maternal and Newborn Health Fund, which provides catalytic support to ensure that every woman, adolescent girl and newborn can access quality sexual, reproductive, maternal and newborn health services.
Further information, please contact:
About the 10 Million Safer Births Initiative
UNFPA and Maternity Foundation have launched the 10 Million Safer Births Initiative to improve access to quality care for mothers and support at least 10 million safer births across Sub-Saharan Africa by the end of 2030. The initiative builds upon the partners’ longstanding collaboration and combines UNFPA’s expertise in strengthening health systems and advancing care provided by midwives and Maternity Foundation’s proven digital Safe Delivery+ programme to build the capacity of healthcare professionals, such as midwives. The first phase begins in Nigeria, Ethiopia, and Tanzania in collaboration with the national governments, with plans to scale across the region.
About the partners
UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, working in over 150 countries to ensure every pregnancy is wanted and every childbirth is safe. Through its Maternal and Newborn Health Fund and Start With Her strategy, UNFPA supports midwives, emergency care, family planning, and maternal death surveillance to improve maternal outcomes. HM The Queen of Denmark is Patron of UNFPA.
Maternity Foundation is an international NGO advancing safer births in fragile and remote settings. Its Safe Delivery+ programme has reached over 455,000 health professionals globally, supported by the Safe Delivery App—a free, evidence-based, offline-capable tool for midwives and frontline providers. HM The Queen of Denmark is Patron of Maternity Foundation.
Source: United Nations (video statements)
The 20th annual meeting of the Internet Governance Forum is hosted by the Government of the Norway in Lillestrøm from 23 to 27 June 2025. The Forum’s overarching theme is: Building Digital Governance Together.
—
The Internet Governance Forum (IGF) serves to bring people together from various stakeholder groups as equals, in discussions on public policy issues relating to the Internet. While there is no negotiated outcome, the IGF informs and inspires those with policy-making power in both the public and private sectors.
Source: United Nations (video statements)
The 20th annual meeting of the Internet Governance Forum is hosted by the Government of the Norway in Lillestrøm from 23 to 27 June 2025. The Forum’s overarching theme is: Building Digital Governance Together.
—
The Internet Governance Forum (IGF) serves to bring people together from various stakeholder groups as equals, in discussions on public policy issues relating to the Internet. While there is no negotiated outcome, the IGF informs and inspires those with policy-making power in both the public and private sectors.
Source: European Union 2
(Luxembourg, 26 June 2025) – A coordinated raid by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Athens (Greece), Madrid (Spain), Paris (France) and Sofia (Bulgaria) has dealt a significant blow to criminal networks flooding the EU market with goods fraudulently imported from China, while evading custom duties and VAT. The criminal scheme, which involved the massive importation of textile, shoes, e-scoters, e-bikes and other goods, is believed to have caused an estimated damage of approximately €700 million.
The investigation carried out by the EPPO, code-named ‘Calypso’, spans 14 countries: Bulgaria, China, Czechia, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain. A total of 101 searches were conducted yesterday at the offices of customs brokers, companies controlled by the organised criminal groups under investigation, the premises of the suspects, and at the offices of tax advisers and representatives, lawyers, accountants and transport companies, in Bulgaria, Greece, France and Spain. Ten suspects were arrested, including two customs officers. In addition, firearms and cold weapons were found and seized in the houses of three of the suspects.
Law enforcement agents seized €5.8 million (of which €4.75 million in Greece and the remaining in France and Spain), in different currencies, including Hong Kong dollars, euros in digital wallets and cryptocurrencies. In addition, 7 133 e-bikes and 3 696 e-scooters were secured, as well as 480 containers for further checks and verification in the Port of Piraeus. Eleven properties located in Spain were also seized, as well as 27 vehicles and luxury items (bags, watches and jewellery). Freezing orders were also issued in Greece to seize real estate, boats and bank accounts.
At issue are several criminal networks, mainly controlled by Chinese nationals, that handle the full circuit of the goods imported from China into the EU market, including distribution to different Member States and sales to end customers, as well as money laundering and sending the profits back to China, while defrauding the payment of customs duties and committing large-scale VAT fraud.
How it works
The fraudulent scheme starts with the introduction of the goods from China into the EU, mainly through the port of Piraeus (Greece), with a substantial undervaluation or misclassification of the goods, in order to evade custom duties – using false documents to conceal the true value and nature of the merchandise. A network of professional enablers operating at the customs entry point, such as customs brokers, service providers and accounting firms, facilitate the initial clearance, and the apparent purchase and transport of the merchandise by companies mainly registered in Bulgaria, but operating in Greece with a Greek VAT registration number.
The goods are subsequently sold to companies established in other Member States, thus allowing the first apparent purchaser to benefit from a VAT import exemption based on Customs Procedure 42 (CP42). This procedure, created to simplify cross-border trade, exempts importers from paying VAT in the country of importation, if the imported goods are subsequently transported to another EU Member State.
Through a chain of buffer and shell companies, the goods are apparently sold to companies in specific Member States, where they are supposed to be sold on the market. These fraudulently declared destinations include Bulgaria, Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain. However, these fake ultimate acquirers of the goods never receive the merchandise, and operate as a missing trader, thus not paying VAT. In some cases, the criminal organisations used identity documents from legitimate companies, fraudulently hijacking their VAT numbers to conceal the true destination of the goods.
In reality, after the goods enter the EU, they are stored in warehouses and places controlled by the criminal organisations, and from there they are transported, using false documents, to France, Italy, Poland, Portugal and Spain (the real countries of destination). These Chinese logistics centres, where all goods are stored, operate as highly controlled warehouse districts, functioning almost like exclusive communities, accessible only to members of the criminal groups managing them.
The transport documents are destroyed as soon as the goods are delivered, and the merchandise is sold to end customers mostly on the black market, in cash, as part of a highly concealed parallel economy.
One-stop criminal enterprise
The criminal organisations under investigation are in charge of producing the false invoices and transport documents to conceal the real destination of the goods, and to recruit a large network of sham companies used for the fake sales and deliveries, in order to hide the whole fraudulent chain. This allows the companies controlled by the criminal organisations to sell the products at a very competitive price, since VAT remains unpaid and customs duties and anti-dumping fees are largely evaded.
Finally, the proceeds of the crime are transferred to China using different money laundering techniques, including providing money laundering services to other criminal organisations via trade-based underground banking systems. In this way, the organised criminal groups control and conceal the whole criminal chain, from the initial fraudulent import to the VAT fraud, and from the sale of the goods to the laundering of the profits.
The total damage of the criminal activities under investigation is currently estimated at approximately €700 million: over €250 million come from evaded customs duties (which revert entirely to the EU budget), and close to €450 million from unpaid VAT (which damages both the EU budget and the national budgets of Member States). The damage caused by the fraudulent scheme under investigation is likely much higher. Greece’s Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE) is also actively supporting the EPPO to further evaluate the extent of the damage in evaded customs duties.
This EPPO-led investigation was supported by Europol through analytical assistance, coordination via a Virtual Command Post, and the deployment of an expert to the command centre in Luxembourg, with additional backing from national law enforcement agencies – highlighting the value of cross-border cooperation against organised crime. The European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) contributed to the detection.
All persons concerned are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in the competent courts of law.
The EPPO is the independent public prosecution office of the European Union. It is responsible for investigating, prosecuting and bringing to judgment crimes against the financial interests of the EU.
List of most important partners and national authorities involved:
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: International Atomic Energy Agency –
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), in cooperation with more than 75 countries and 10 international organizations, successfully completed a 36-hour exercise that tested global preparedness and response arrangements for a severe nuclear accident scenario at the Cernavoda NPP in Romania. The ConvEx-3 (2025) exercise started on 24 June and concluded at 17:45 CET on 25 June.
Such exercises are conducted every three to five years and are based on simulated events at a nuclear facility in the host IAEA member state.
The exercise simulated a significant release of radioactive material, requiring participating countries and organizations to make decisions in real time, exchange information, inform the public and coordinate protective measures, including aspects of medical response and cross-border logistics.
“ConvEx-3 (2025) demonstrated the power of international cooperation in nuclear emergency preparedness,” said Carlos Torres Vidal, Director of the IAEA Incident and Emergency Centre. “By working together under realistic scenarios, we are strengthening our collective capacity to protect people and the environment.”
Among the main innovations in this year’s exercise program were the following.
Enhanced regional cooperation: Recognizing the cross-border consequences of severe nuclear accidents, neighbouring countries Bulgaria and the Republic of Moldova coordinated protective measures to ensure a coherent cross-border response. Integrating nuclear security scenarios: Simulations also included tests related to physical security and cybersecurity threats, reflecting new and evolving risks. Enhanced crisis communication testing: An enhanced social media simulator was used to evaluate and improve public communication strategies. Deploying international assistance missions: As part of the IAEA Response and Assistance Network (RANET) Expert groups from Bulgaria, Canada, Lithuania, Moldova, the United States, Sweden and France carried out a number of joint operations, including the use of air and ground-based radiation monitoring equipment.
The exercise highlighted the importance of timely information sharing, accurate assessments and forecasts, and effective public communication in the event of nuclear emergencies.
ConvEx-3 exercises are conducted every three to five years to evaluate and strengthen emergency response mechanisms established in accordance with Convention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident And Convention on Assistance in the Case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency.
In the coming weeks, the IAEA will gather feedback from all participants to identify good practices and areas for improvement, contributing to the continued strengthening of global nuclear emergency preparedness. The final report of the exercise will be taken into account in preparation for the upcoming International Conference “Nuclear and Radiological Emergencies”, which is scheduled for December this year in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
A selection of photos from the ConvEx3 exercise is available at this link.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By James L. Gibson, Sidney W. Souers Professor of Government, Washington University in St. Louis
For decades, Americans’ trust in one another has been on the decline, according to the most recent General Social Survey.
A major factor in that downshift has been the concurrent rise in the polarization between the two major political parties. Supporters of Republicans and Democrats are far more likely than in the past to view the opposite side with distrust.
That political polarization is so stark that many Americans are now unlikely to have friendly social interactions, live nearby or congregate with people from opposing camps, according to one recent study.
Social scientists often refer to this sort of animosity as “affective polarization,” meaning that people not only hold conflicting views on many or most political issues but also disdain fellow citizens who hold different opinions. Over the past few decades, such affective polarization in the U.S. has become commonplace.
Polarization undermines democracy by making the essential processes of democratic deliberation – discussion, negotiation, compromise and bargaining over public policies – difficult, if not impossible. Because polarization extends so broadly and deeply, some people have become unwilling to express their views until they’ve confirmed they’re speaking with someone who’s like-minded.
I’m a political scientist, and I found that Americans were far less likely to publicly voice their opinions than even during the height of the McCarthy-era Red Scare.
According to a 2022 book written by political scientists Taylor Carlson and Jaime E. Settle, fears about speaking out are grounded in concerns about social sanctions for expressing unwelcome views.
And this withholding of views extends across a broad range of social circumstances. In 2022, for instance, I conducted a survey of a representative sample of about 1,500 residents of the U.S. I found that while 45% of the respondents were worried about expressing their views to members of their immediate family, this percentage ballooned to 62% when it came to speaking out publicly in one’s community. Nearly half of those surveyed said they felt less free to speak their minds than they used to.
About three to four times more Americans said they did not feel free to express themselves, compared with the number of those who said so during the McCarthy era.
Since that survey, attacks on free speech have increased markedly, especially under the Trump administration.
Issues such as the Israeli war in Gaza, activist campaigns against “wokeism,” and the ever-increasing attempts to penalize people for expressing certain ideas have made it more difficult for people to speak out.
The breadth of self-censorship in the U.S. in recent times is not unprecedented or unique to the U.S. Indeed, research in Germany, Sweden and elsewhere have reported similar increases in self-censorship in the past several years.
In the 1970s, Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann, a distinguished German political scientist, coined the term the “spiral of silence” to describe how self-censorship arises and what its consequences can be. Informed by research she conducted on the 1965 West German federal election, Noelle-Neumann observed that an individual’s willingness to publicly give their opinion was tied to their perceptions of public opinion on an issue.
The so-called spiral happens when someone expresses a view on a controversial issue and then encounters vigorous criticism from an aggressive minority – perhaps even sharp attacks.
A listener can impose costs on the speaker for expressing the view in a number of ways, including criticism, direct personal attacks and even attempts to “cancel” the speaker through ending friendships or refusing to attend social events such as Thanksgiving or holiday dinners.
This kind of sanction isn’t limited to just social interactions but also when someone is threatened by far bigger institutions, from corporations to the government. The speaker learns from this encounter and decides to keep their mouth shut in the future because the costs of expressing the view are simply too high.
This self-censorship has knock-on effects, as views become less commonly expressed and people are less likely to encounter support from those who hold similar views. People come to believe that they are in the minority, even if they are, in fact, in the majority. This belief then also contributes to the unwillingness to express one’s views.
The opinions of the aggressive minority then become dominant. True public opinion and expressed public opinion diverge. Most importantly, the free-ranging debate so necessary to democratic politics is stifled.
Not all issues are like this, of course – only issues for which a committed and determined minority exists that can impose costs on a particular viewpoint are subject to this spiral.
The tendency toward self-censorship means listeners are deprived of hearing the withheld views. The marketplace of ideas becomes skewed; the choices of buyers in that marketplace are circumscribed. The robust debate so necessary to deliberations in a democracy is squelched as the views of a minority come to be seen as the only “acceptable” political views.
No better example of this can be found than in the absence of debate in the contemporary U.S. about the treatment of the Palestinians by the Israelis, whatever outcome such vigorous discussion might produce. Fearful of consequences, many people are withholding their views on Israel – whether Israel has committed war crimes, for instance, or whether Israeli members of government should be sanctioned – because they fear being branded as antisemitic.
Many Americans are also biting their tongues when it comes to DEI, affirmative action and even whether political tolerance is essential for democracy.
But the dominant views are also penalized by this spiral. By not having to face their competitors, they lose the opportunity to check their beliefs and, if confirmed, bolster and strengthen their arguments. Good ideas lose the chance to become better, while bad ideas – such as something as extreme as Holocaust denial – are given space to flourish.
The spiral of silence therefore becomes inimical to pluralistic debate, discussion and, ultimately, to democracy itself.
James L. Gibson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. Self-censorship and the ‘spiral of silence’: Why Americans are less likely to publicly voice their opinions on political issues – https://theconversation.com/self-censorship-and-the-spiral-of-silence-why-americans-are-less-likely-to-publicly-voice-their-opinions-on-political-issues-251979
Source: The Conversation – USA – By James L. Gibson, Sidney W. Souers Professor of Government, Washington University in St. Louis
For decades, Americans’ trust in one another has been on the decline, according to the most recent General Social Survey.
A major factor in that downshift has been the concurrent rise in the polarization between the two major political parties. Supporters of Republicans and Democrats are far more likely than in the past to view the opposite side with distrust.
That political polarization is so stark that many Americans are now unlikely to have friendly social interactions, live nearby or congregate with people from opposing camps, according to one recent study.
Social scientists often refer to this sort of animosity as “affective polarization,” meaning that people not only hold conflicting views on many or most political issues but also disdain fellow citizens who hold different opinions. Over the past few decades, such affective polarization in the U.S. has become commonplace.
Polarization undermines democracy by making the essential processes of democratic deliberation – discussion, negotiation, compromise and bargaining over public policies – difficult, if not impossible. Because polarization extends so broadly and deeply, some people have become unwilling to express their views until they’ve confirmed they’re speaking with someone who’s like-minded.
I’m a political scientist, and I found that Americans were far less likely to publicly voice their opinions than even during the height of the McCarthy-era Red Scare.
According to a 2022 book written by political scientists Taylor Carlson and Jaime E. Settle, fears about speaking out are grounded in concerns about social sanctions for expressing unwelcome views.
And this withholding of views extends across a broad range of social circumstances. In 2022, for instance, I conducted a survey of a representative sample of about 1,500 residents of the U.S. I found that while 45% of the respondents were worried about expressing their views to members of their immediate family, this percentage ballooned to 62% when it came to speaking out publicly in one’s community. Nearly half of those surveyed said they felt less free to speak their minds than they used to.
About three to four times more Americans said they did not feel free to express themselves, compared with the number of those who said so during the McCarthy era.
Since that survey, attacks on free speech have increased markedly, especially under the Trump administration.
Issues such as the Israeli war in Gaza, activist campaigns against “wokeism,” and the ever-increasing attempts to penalize people for expressing certain ideas have made it more difficult for people to speak out.
The breadth of self-censorship in the U.S. in recent times is not unprecedented or unique to the U.S. Indeed, research in Germany, Sweden and elsewhere have reported similar increases in self-censorship in the past several years.
In the 1970s, Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann, a distinguished German political scientist, coined the term the “spiral of silence” to describe how self-censorship arises and what its consequences can be. Informed by research she conducted on the 1965 West German federal election, Noelle-Neumann observed that an individual’s willingness to publicly give their opinion was tied to their perceptions of public opinion on an issue.
The so-called spiral happens when someone expresses a view on a controversial issue and then encounters vigorous criticism from an aggressive minority – perhaps even sharp attacks.
A listener can impose costs on the speaker for expressing the view in a number of ways, including criticism, direct personal attacks and even attempts to “cancel” the speaker through ending friendships or refusing to attend social events such as Thanksgiving or holiday dinners.
This kind of sanction isn’t limited to just social interactions but also when someone is threatened by far bigger institutions, from corporations to the government. The speaker learns from this encounter and decides to keep their mouth shut in the future because the costs of expressing the view are simply too high.
This self-censorship has knock-on effects, as views become less commonly expressed and people are less likely to encounter support from those who hold similar views. People come to believe that they are in the minority, even if they are, in fact, in the majority. This belief then also contributes to the unwillingness to express one’s views.
The opinions of the aggressive minority then become dominant. True public opinion and expressed public opinion diverge. Most importantly, the free-ranging debate so necessary to democratic politics is stifled.
Not all issues are like this, of course – only issues for which a committed and determined minority exists that can impose costs on a particular viewpoint are subject to this spiral.
The tendency toward self-censorship means listeners are deprived of hearing the withheld views. The marketplace of ideas becomes skewed; the choices of buyers in that marketplace are circumscribed. The robust debate so necessary to deliberations in a democracy is squelched as the views of a minority come to be seen as the only “acceptable” political views.
No better example of this can be found than in the absence of debate in the contemporary U.S. about the treatment of the Palestinians by the Israelis, whatever outcome such vigorous discussion might produce. Fearful of consequences, many people are withholding their views on Israel – whether Israel has committed war crimes, for instance, or whether Israeli members of government should be sanctioned – because they fear being branded as antisemitic.
Many Americans are also biting their tongues when it comes to DEI, affirmative action and even whether political tolerance is essential for democracy.
But the dominant views are also penalized by this spiral. By not having to face their competitors, they lose the opportunity to check their beliefs and, if confirmed, bolster and strengthen their arguments. Good ideas lose the chance to become better, while bad ideas – such as something as extreme as Holocaust denial – are given space to flourish.
The spiral of silence therefore becomes inimical to pluralistic debate, discussion and, ultimately, to democracy itself.
James L. Gibson does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
– ref. Self-censorship and the ‘spiral of silence’: Why Americans are less likely to publicly voice their opinions on political issues – https://theconversation.com/self-censorship-and-the-spiral-of-silence-why-americans-are-less-likely-to-publicly-voice-their-opinions-on-political-issues-251979
Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Hussein Dia, Professor of Future Urban Mobility, Swinburne University of Technology
As the world watches the US–Iran situation with concern, the ripple effect from these events are reaching global oil supply chains – and exposing their fragility.
If Iran closes the Strait of Hormuz as it is considering, it would restrict the global oil trade and trigger energy chaos.
Petrol in some Australian cities could hit A$2.50 a litre according to some economists. As global instability worsens, other experts warn price spikes are increasingly likely.
What would happen next? There is a precedent: the oil shocks of the 1970s, when oil prices quadrupled. The shock drove rapid change, from more efficient cars to sudden interest in alternative energy sources. This time, motorists would likely switch to electric vehicles.
If this crisis continues or if another one flares up, it could mark a turning point in Australia’s long dependence on foreign oil.
Australia currently imports 80% of its liquid fuels, the highest level on record. If the flow of oil stopped, we would have about 50 days worth in storage before we ran out.
Our cars, buses, trucks and planes run overwhelmingly on petrol and diesel. Almost three-quarters (74%) of these liquid fuels are used in transport, with road transport accounting for more than half (54%) of all liquid fuels. Australia is highly exposed to global supply shocks.
The best available option to reduce dependence on oil imports is to electrify transport.
EV uptake in Australia continues to lag behind global leaders. In 2024, EVs accounted for 9.65% of new car sales in Australia, up from 8.45% in 2023.
In the first quarter of 2025, EVs were 6.3% of new car sales, a decline from 7.4% in the final quarter of 2024.
Norway remains the global leader, with battery-electric passenger cars making up 88.9% of sales in 2024. The United Kingdom also saw significant growth – EVs hit almost 20% of new car registrations in 2024.
In China, EVs made up 40.9% of new car sales in 2024. The 12.87 million cars sold represent three-quarters of total EV sales worldwide.
One reason for Australia’s sluggishness is a lack of reliable public chargers. While charging infrastructure is expanding, large parts of regional Australia still lack reliable access to EV charging.
Until recently, Australia’s fuel efficiency standards were among the weakest in the OECD. Earlier this year, the government’s new standards came into force. These are expected to boost EV uptake.
If history is any guide, oil shocks lead to long-term change.
The 1970s oil shocks triggered waves of energy reform.
When global oil prices quadrupled in 1973–74, many nations were forced to reconsider where they got their energy. A few years later, the 1979 Iranian Revolution caused another major supply disruption, sending oil prices soaring and pushing much of the world into recession.
These shocks drove the formation of the International Energy Agency in 1974, spurred alternative energy investment and led to advances in fuel-efficiency standards.
Much more recently, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine pushed the European Union to face up to its reliance on Russian gas and find alternatives by importing gas from different countries and accelerating the clean energy shift.
Clearly, energy shocks can be catalysts for long-term structural change in how we produce and consume energy.
The new crisis could do the same, but only if policy catches up.
If fuel prices shot up and stayed there, consumer behaviour would begin to shift. People would drive less and seek alternate forms of transport. Over time, more would look for better ways to get around.
But without stronger support such as incentives, infrastructure and fuel security planning, shifting consumer preferences could be too slow to matter.
Cutting oil dependency through electrification isn’t just good for the climate. It’s also a hedge against future price shocks and supply disruptions.
Transport is now Australia’s third-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. Now that emissions are falling in the electricity sector, transport will be the highest emitting sector emissions source as soon as 2030.
Building a cleaner transport system also means building a more resilient one. Charging EVs on locally produced renewable power cuts our exposure to global oil markets. So do biofuels, better public transport and smarter urban planning.
Improving domestic energy resilience isn’t just about climate targets. It’s about economic stability and national security. Clean local energy sources reduce vulnerability to events beyond our control.
China offers a compelling case study. The nation of 1.4 billion faces real oil security challenges. In response, Beijing has spent the past decade building a domestic clean energy ecosystem to reduce oil dependency and cut emissions.
This is now bearing fruit. Last year, China’s oil imports had the first sustained fall in nearly two decades. Crude oil imports fell 1.5%, while oil refinery activity also fell due to lower demand.
China’s green energy transition was driven by coordinated policy, industrial investment and public support for clean transport.
China’s rapid shift to EVs and clean energy shows how long-term planning and targeted investment can pay off on climate and energy security.
The rolling crises of 2025 present Australian policymakers a rare alignment of interests. What’s good for the climate, for consumers and for national security may now be the same thing.
Real change will require more than sustained high petrol prices. It demands political will, targeted investment and a long-term vision for clean, resilient transport.
Doing nothing has a real cost – not just in what we pay at the service station, but in how vulnerable we remain to events a long way away.
Hussein Dia receives funding from the Australian Research Council, the iMOVE Australia Cooperative Research Centre, Transport for New South Wales, Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads, Victorian Department of Transport and Planning, and Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts.
– ref. Oil shocks in the 1970s drove rapid changes in transport. It could happen again if Middle East tensions continue – https://theconversation.com/oil-shocks-in-the-1970s-drove-rapid-changes-in-transport-it-could-happen-again-if-middle-east-tensions-continue-259670
Source: Agnico Eagle Mines
Stock Symbol: AEM (NYSE and TSX)
TORONTO, June 26, 2025 /CNW/ – Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (NYSE: AEM) (TSX: AEM) (“Agnico Eagle” or the “Company“) today announced that it will release its second quarter 2025 results on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, after normal trading hours.
Second Quarter 2025 Results Conference Call and Webcast
Agnico Eagle’s senior management will host a conference call on Thursday, July 31, 2025, at 11:00 AM (E.D.T.) to discuss the Company’s financial and operating results.
Via Webcast:
To listen to the live webcast of the conference call, you may register on the Company website at www.agnicoeagle.com, or directly via the link here.
Via Phone:
To join the conference call by phone, please dial 416.945.7677 or toll-free 1.888.699.1199 to be entered into the call by an operator. To ensure your participation, please call approximately five minutes prior to the scheduled start of the call.
To join the conference call without operator assistance, you may register your phone number here 30 minutes prior to the scheduled start of the call to receive an instant automated call back.
Replay Archive:
Please dial 289.819.1450 or toll-free 1.888.660.6345, access code 68663 #. The conference call replay will expire on August 31, 2025.
The webcast, along with presentation slides, will be archived for 180 days on the Company’s website.
About Agnico Eagle
Agnico Eagle is a Canadian based and led senior gold mining company and the third largest gold producer in the world, producing precious metals from operations in Canada, Australia, Finland and Mexico, with a pipeline of high-quality exploration and development projects. Agnico Eagle is a partner of choice within the mining industry, recognized globally for its leading sustainability practices. Agnico Eagle was founded in 1957 and has consistently created value for its shareholders, declaring a cash dividend every year since 1983.
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/agnico-eagle-provides-notice-of-release-of-second-quarter-2025-results-and-conference-call-302491697.html
SOURCE Agnico Eagle Mines Limited
