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Canada’s tech sector saw momentum this week, with announcements spanning venture capital and quantum computing, as well as global policy leadership news out of the G7 summit.

Axl on a mission to retain Canadian innovation

On Tuesday (June 17), Axl, a newly founded Canadian venture studio, announced plans to help launch 50 artificial intelligence (AI) companies in Canada over the next five years, supported by a C$15 million fund led by co-founder Daniel Wigdor, a computer science professor at the University of Toronto.

The venture’s other founders are Tovi Grossman, another University of Toronto professor, entrepreneur Ray Sharma and former Telus (TSX:T,NYSE:TU) executive David Sharma. Mining magnate Rob McEwen of McEwen Mining (TSX:MUX,NYSE:MUX) and Smart Technologies co-founder David Martin are also investors.

According to Wigdor, Axl will tackle practical business problems and connect them with promising academic research in a bid to keep Canadian innovation at home. “The social contract academics believe we have with society is that we invent these technologies and inspire people,” he told the Globe and Mail on Tuesday. “The tragedy is that the foundational technologies we’re inventing in Canada are not accruing capital for Canada.’

Wigdor pointed to his own career as a cautionary tale, explaining that the iPhone’s multi-touch interface was presaged by research he conducted in the early 2000s for his University of Toronto thesis, which itself built on concepts pioneered by University of Toronto professor Bill Buxton in the 1980s.

Other University of Toronto AI breakthroughs fueled the international rise of figures like Geoffrey Hinton, OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever and xAI’s Jimmy Ba, all of whom took their expertise to US-based companies.

Carney talks tech leadership at G7 summit

Initiatives like Axl’s signal a proactive approach to Canada’s challenge of retaining tech talent and capitalizing on its world-class research; however, its success will hinge on broader public support.

Prime Minister Mark Carney has signaled that fostering tech innovation at home is a priority. He told G7 leaders that driving the digital transition, led by AI and quantum computing, would be one of his top goals at the summit.

Quantum technology was reportedly discussed at length during the two day meeting, which took place in Kananaskis, Alberta. In addition, a joint statement from members released by the prime minister’s office indicates that Canada will launch the G7 GovAI Grand Challenge and host a series of Rapid Solution Labs “to develop innovative and scalable solutions to the barriers we face in adopting AI in the public sector.”

That emphasis echoes longstanding concerns from the research community.

A 2024 letter acquired by the Logic and sent to then-innovation minister François-Philippe Champagne by the Quantum Advisory Council cites the significant sums that other countries have invested in quantum technology.

“The cost of inaction is tremendous,” the group wrote at the time, pointing to Canada’s history of “inventing core technologies,” but letting other countries “grow industries around our inventions.”

The council proposed a C$1 billion program that would mirror the Quantum Benchmarking Initiative (QBI), which fosters domestic quantum computing in the US. The QBI has selected 18 companies for its first phase, including three from Canada; firms that demonstrate the ability to build a functional quantum computer by 2033 will be eligible to receive up to US$316 million, making it a potential “kingmaker” program.

The second phase of the program is set to launch in August 2025. While no relocation demands have been made, concerns exist that later-stage QBI terms could force Canadian winners to the US.

The Quantum Advisory Council said its proposed program would be run by the National Research Council, which would independently assess firms to accelerate the development of competitive domestic quantum companies.

It would build on a C$360 million national quantum strategy announced in April 2021.

The council’s recommendations include increased grants for scientific and social science research into quantum technologies, and a new federal clusters program to foster regional quantum ecosystems encompassing research, development and training, alongside ethical and secure use. It also calls for significant investment in quantum-safe software certification and the development of other security systems.

In a speech at the Quantum Now conference in Montreal on Thursday (June 19), Canada’s AI minister, Evan Solomon, emphasized the need to protect Canada’s talent pipeline. “We cannot allow short-term funding opportunities to hollow out our domestic capabilities or transfer generations of Canadian innovation outside our borders,” he said.

Earlier this month, the minister said he would move away from “over-indexing on warnings and regulation” and instead focus on finding ways to unleash the economic potential of AI. The ongoing collaboration between government initiatives and private ventures will be key to unlocking Canada’s full potential in the new digital era.

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

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

(TheNewswire)

June 23, 2025 TheNewswire – Vancouver, British Columbia Blue Lagoon Resources Inc. (the ‘ Company ‘) (CSE: BLLG; FSE: 7BL; OTCQB: BLAGF) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a credit agreement with its toll milling partner, Nicola Mining Inc . providing the Company with a $2 million line of credit without any security against the Company’s mineral property or physical assets.

The facility, which carries a competitive interest rate linked to the 3-month SOFR (Secured Overnight Financing Rate), is repayable over a 12-month term with interest-only payments during the first eleven months. At the Company’s discretion, the loan can be extended for an additional 12 months, with adjusted terms.

Importantly, the loan is structured to allow maximum operational flexibility , with no requirement for project collateralization — underscoring Nicola’s confidence in the Dome Mountain Gold Project and its near-term production trajectory.

‘We’re extremely pleased to have the continued support of Nicola Mining, not only as our toll milling partner but also as a continued financial backer,’ said Rana Vig , President and CEO of Blue Lagoon. ‘This line of credit adds an extra layer of security to our already strong balance sheet and gives us added flexibility as we finalize preparations for gold production this summer. It’s a clear sign that sophisticated investors recognize the value of Dome Mountain and its cash flow potential.’

This agreement comes on the heels of Blue Lagoon’s recently completed financing, which was fully subscribed by long time existing shareholders that included Crescat Capital and Phoenix Gold fund as well as new strategic investors. The Company remains fully funded , with no short-term debt and over $3.6 million in in-the-money warrants , positioning it strongly as it enters the final phase of development.

While the Company may ultimately never need to draw on this facility, having access to it provides an important financial backstop. It ensures capital is available if needed to support production ramp-up, seize opportunity, or manage any unforeseen short-term needs – all without causing further dilution to existing shareholders.

Peter Espig , President and CEO of Nicola Mining, commented: ‘We’ve worked closely with the Blue Lagoon team for some time and continue to be impressed by their methodical and disciplined approach. Successfully navigating B.C.’s rigorous permitting process, while also building a strong, trust-based relationship with the Lake Babine Nation, speaks volumes about their leadership. We are pleased to provide this credit facility and look forward to supporting their transition to gold and silver production.’

If the Company chooses to access this facility, Nicola Mining will maintain a short-term security interest over the Company’s gold and silver production from the Dome Mountain Gold Project until the loan is repaid in full.

About Blue Lagoon Resources Inc.

Blue Lagoon Resources is a Canadian based publicly listed mining company (CSE: BLLG; FSE: 7BL; OTCQB: BLAGF) focused on building shareholder value through the aggressive development of its 100% owned Dome Mountain Gold project. The Company is run by professionals with significant finance and mining experience and operates within a prime mining jurisdiction in British Columbia, Canada. With the granting of a full mining permit, a key milestone achieved in February 2025 – one of only nine such permits issued in British Columbia since 2015 – Blue Lagoon is now focused on last preparatory activities and tasks related to the safe and secure opening of the Dome Mountain Gold Mine, targeting Q3 2025 as the start of gold production . The Company’s primary objective has always been to become a cash-flowing mining company, to ultimately deliver tangible monetary value to shareholders, state, and local communities.

The Company is not basing its production decision at Dome Mountain on a feasibility study of mineral reserves demonstrating economic and technical viability. The production decision is based on having existing mining infrastructure, past bulk sampling and processing activity, and the established mineral resource.  The Company understands that there is increased uncertainty, and consequently a higher risk of failure, when production is undertaken in advance of a feasibility study.

For further information, please contact:

Rana Vig

President and CEO

Telephone: 604-218-4766

Email: ranavig@bluelagoonresources.com

The CSE has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information: This release includes certain statements that may be deemed ‘forward-looking statements’. All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that Blue Lagoon Resources Inc. (the ‘Company’) expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words ‘expects’, ‘targets’, ‘plans’, ‘anticipates’, ‘believes’, ‘intends’, ‘estimates’, ‘projects’, ‘potential’, ‘mine’, ‘production’ and similar expressions, or that events or conditions ‘will’, ‘would’, ‘may’, ‘could’ or ‘should’ occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to

differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include results of exploration activities may not show quality and quantity necessary for further exploration or future exploitation of minerals deposits, volatility of gold and silver prices, delays in mine development activities, future cash flow expectations and continued availability of capital and financing, permitting and other approvals, and general economic, market or business conditions.  Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company’s management, contractors and consultants on the date the statements are made. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management’s, contractor’s and consultants’ beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.

Copyright (c) 2025 TheNewswire – All rights reserved.

News Provided by TheNewsWire via QuoteMedia

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

LaFleur Minerals Inc. (CSE: LFLR) (OTCQB: LFLRF) (FSE: 3WK0) (‘LaFleur Minerals’ or the ‘Company’) is advancing towards a restart of the Company’s 100%-owned Beacon Gold Mill in Val-d’Or, Québec and a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) as it aims to restart production at the mill by early 2026. LaFleur Minerals plans to immediately launch a minimum 5,000-metre diamond drilling program at its highly prospective, district-scale Swanson Gold Project (‘Swanson’). LaFleur Minerals also reiterates key results of its recent exploration programs, including an update on its diamond drilling and bulk sampling plans at Swanson, refer to LaFleur Minerals News Release dated June 4, 2025 and the LaFleur Minerals Webinar Replay dated June 5, 2025.

RESTART PLAN FOR BEACON GOLD MILL

    SWANSON GOLD DEPOSIT

      Bulk Sample Planning in Progress:

      • Planning and permitting is currently underway for an up to 100,000-tonne bulk sample from the existing mining lease hosting the Swanson Gold Deposit, which would be tested for its metallurgical and processing characteristics at the Beacon Mill once it becomes fully operational. A bulk sample mining and environmental closure and remediation plan is currently being finalized for regulatory approval with the Québec government.

      Paul Ténière, CEO of LaFleur Minerals stated:

      ‘We are grateful to have acquired the fully permitted and refurbished Beacon Gold Mill, which received over C$20 million in upgrades by its previous operator and is located in the midst of numerous gold deposits in the historic Val-d’Or and Rouyn-Noranda mining districts, including our own Swanson Gold Deposit. Based on our recent detailed assessments, the Beacon Gold Mill requires minimal repairs and improvements, and we are methodically executing a strategy to eventually restart production at the mill. We are also excited to commence planning for a large bulk sample at Swanson and a PEA to evaluate a mining and processing scenario at current record gold prices. With gold prices at record highs this is a pivotal year for LaFleur Minerals as we focus on restarting gold production at the Beacon Gold Mill and diamond drilling at the Swanson Gold Project to increase mineral resources.’

      SITE VISIT

      The Company plans to coordinate a site visit of its Beacon Gold Mill and Swanson Gold Project in July 2025 for prospective investors, shareholders, and analysts. Those interested are asked to contact the Company directly to coordinate. Interested parties are invited to contact LaFleur Minerals at info@lafleurminerals.com to coordinate air travel, hotel lodging, and transportation to and from the Beacon Gold Mill. The Company is currently in discussions with several groups to finance the restart of the Beacon Gold Mill with mineralized material from the Swanson Gold Deposit.

      Figure 1: Swanson Gold Project located 50 km from the Beacon Gold Mill, and surrounding deposits

      To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:
      https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/6526/256400_42a8ad0c8458cb47_001full.jpg

      GRANT OF STOCK OPTIONS

      The Company also announces that it has granted incentive stock options (‘Options‘) to Directors of the Company to acquire an aggregate of 1,000,000 common shares at $0.35 per share, for a period of three years. These Options have been granted in accordance with the Company’s stock option plan, and any common shares issued upon the exercise of, are subject to a four month hold period from the date of grant in accordance with the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange.

      QUALIFIED PERSON STATEMENT AND DATA VERIFICATION

      All scientific and technical information in this news release has been prepared and approved by Louis Martin, P.Geo. (OGQ), Exploration Manager and Technical Advisor of the Company and considered a Qualified Person for the purposes of NI 43-101. Mr. Martin has reviewed and verified the rock sampling results and certified analytical data underlying the technical information disclosed. Mr. Martin noted no errors or omissions during the data verification process and the Company’s management have also verified the technical information disclosed. The Company and Mr. Martin do not recognize any factors of sampling or recovery that could materially affect the accuracy or reliability of the assay data and exploration results disclosed in this news release.

      About LaFleur Minerals Inc.

      LaFleur Minerals Inc. (CSE: LFLR) (OTCQB: LFLRF) (FSE: 3WK0) is focused on the development of district-scale gold projects in the Abitibi Gold Belt near Val-d’Or, Québec. Our mission is to advance mining projects with a laser focus on our resource-stage Swanson Gold Project and the Beacon Gold Mill, which have significant potential to deliver long-term value. The Swanson Gold Project is over 16,600 hectares (166 km2) in size and includes several prospects rich in gold and critical metals previously held by Monarch Mining, Abcourt Mines, and Globex Mining. LaFleur has recently consolidated a large land package along a major structural break that hosts the Swanson, Bartec, and Jolin gold deposits and several other showings which make up the Swanson Gold Project. The Swanson Gold Project is easily accessible by road allowing direct access to several nearby gold mills, further enhancing its development potential. LaFleur Minerals’ fully-refurbished and permitted Beacon Gold Mill is capable of processing over 750 tonnes per day and is being considered for processing mineralized material at Swanson and for custom milling operations for other nearby gold projects.

      ON BEHALF OF LaFleur Minerals INC.
      Paul Ténière, M.Sc., P.Geo.
      Chief Executive Officer
      E: info@lafleurminerals.com
      LaFleur Minerals Inc.
      1500-1055 West Georgia Street
      Vancouver, BC V6E 4N7

      Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.

      Cautionary Statement Regarding ‘Forward-Looking’ Information

      This news release includes certain statements that may be deemed ‘forward-looking statements’. All statements in this new release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words ‘expects’, ‘plans’, ‘anticipates’, ‘believes’, ‘intends’, ‘estimates’, ‘projects’, ‘potential’ and similar expressions, or that events or conditions ‘will’, ‘would’, ‘may’, ‘could’ or ‘should’ occur. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, without limitation, statements related to the use of proceeds from the Offering. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company’s management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management’s beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.

      To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/256400

      News Provided by Newsfile via QuoteMedia

      This post appeared first on investingnews.com

      Here’s a quick recap of the crypto landscape for Monday (June 23) as of 9:00 a.m. UTC.

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

      Bitcoin and Ethereum price update

      Bitcoin (BTC) is priced at US$101,886, an increase of 1.3 percent in the last 24 hours. The day’s range for the cryptocurrency brought a low of US$98,467.41 and a high of US$102,001 as the market opened.

      Bitcoin price performance, June 20, 2025.

      Chart via TradingView

      Ethereum (ETH) is currently priced at US$2,261.19, a 3.9 percent increase over the past 24 hours. Its lowest valuation as of Monday was US$2,134.88, and its highest valuation was US$2,276.37 as trading commenced.

      Altcoin price update

      • Solana (SOL) was priced at US$134.35, up 5.5 percent over 24 hours. SOL experienced a low of US$127.01 after peaking at its opening price of US$135.91.
      • XRP is trading at US$2.02, up by 2.9 percent in 24 hours, its highest valuation today. The cryptocurrency’s lowest valuation was US$1.92.
      • Sui (SUI) is trading at US$2.50, showing an increaseof 4.1 percent over the past 24 hours. Its lowest valuation was US$2.31 as the markets opened, and it reached an intraday high of US$2.55
      • Cardano (ADA) is priced at US$0.5474, up 4.0 percent in 24 hours. Its lowest valuation on Monday was US$0.514, and its highest valuation was US$0.5531.

      Today’s crypto news to know

      Bitcoin dips below US$100K After US strike on Iran nuclear sites

      Bitcoin fell below the US$100,000 mark for the first time since May following President Trump’s announcement that the US had bombed three of Iran’s main nuclear facilities.

      In weekend trading, Bitcoin dropped as much as 3.8 percent to US$98,904, while Ether tumbled nearly 10 percent to around US$2,157.

      The airstrikes, which reportedly targeted Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, heightened investor risk aversion, triggering over US$1 billion in liquidations across crypto markets. Derivatives data from Coinglass showed US$915 million of long positions and US$109 million of shorts were wiped out.

      Despite the volatility, some see this correction as a precursor to another rally, with Bitcoin often rebounding quickly after geopolitical shocks.

      Pompliano launches US$1B Bitcoin treasury firm

      Crypto investor Anthony Pompliano has unveiled a new bitcoin treasury company, ProCap Financial, via a merger with SPAC Columbus Circle Capital I.

      The venture will hold up to US$1 billion in BTC and aims to follow in the footsteps of Strategy (NASDAQ:MSTR), the software firm turned crypto juggernaut.

      ProCap has already raised US$500 million in equity and secured a US$250 million convertible note in what Pompliano called the largest-ever raise for a treasury-focused crypto firm.

      Unlike traditional holdings strategies, ProCap intends to actively generate revenue from its BTC through lending, derivatives, and financial services.

      Fiserv to roll out Stablecoin platform for 3,000 US banks

      Payments giant Fiserv is entering the stablecoin market with FIUSD, a new digital dollar offering aimed at thousands of Main Street banks.

      The platform will allow Fiserv’s banking clients—estimated at 3,000 institutions—to launch their own branded stablecoins or integrate FIUSD into their operations.

      Built on top of Fiserv’s existing payments infrastructure, the platform will be interoperable with major blockchains and other stablecoins, including Circle’s (NYSE:CRCL) USDC and Paxos. The platform is set to go live by the end of the year.

      Metaplanet buys US$117M in BTC, now holds over 11,000 coins

      Tokyo-based Metaplanet has added 1,111 bitcoins to its reserves, spending roughly US$117 million during a weekend dip sparked by US-Iran tensions.

      The firm purchased the BTC at an average price of US$105,681 per coin, increasing its total holdings to 11,111 BTC—valued at over US$1.1 billion.

      Metaplanet has embraced a bold bitcoin-first treasury approach, positioning itself as Asia’s Strategy-equivalent in the corporate crypto playbook.

      The weekend correction saw BTC briefly dip below US$99,000 but bounce back to over US$101,000.

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

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

      This post appeared first on investingnews.com

      A draft-dodging scandal in Taiwan allegedly involving a number of actors, influencers, and musicians has cast an unflattering spotlight on the conscript and reservist forces which could one day stand between the island and a possible invasion by China.

      Taiwan’s military service regime, which runs alongside its conventional military, faces accusations of failing to prepare conscripts for an actual war – an alarming situation against a drumbeat of threats from its giant neighbor.

      On Monday, authorities indicted 28 defendants. Prosecutors allege that, between 2016 and early this year, a four-person ring helped 24 healthy men dodge the draft by faking high blood pressure to gain a medical exemption, netting a total of 7.63 million Taiwanese dollars ($255,000).

      At least 11 celebrities are now under investigation.

      Among those indicted was the actor Darren Wang. The 34-year-old, launched to fame across the Chinese-speaking world a decade ago as a boyish heartthrob in teen romcom Our Times, was accused of paying 3.6 million Taiwanese dollars ($120,000) for a fake hypertension diagnosis.

      Such organized efforts to evade conscription are largely seen as a sign of people’s apathy towards service, rather than their fear of military rough-and-tumble.

      “Most of the time during the service is dedicated to miscellaneous tasks, and not actually combat-related.”

      A mundane duty

      Back in 1949, as the Nationalist government lost a bloody civil war against the insurgent Chinese Communist Party and fled to Taiwan, it introduced mandatory military service to the island, where eligible men would serve two years in the army or three years in the navy, air force or marines. The system, in one form or another, has been in place ever since – as have Beijing’s designs on the island, which the Communist Party claims as its own territory, to be taken by force if necessary.

      But military service has long been seen as anything but heroic. Conscripts have described it as monotonous, disorganized and often irrelevant to modern warfare: a combination of indoor lectures, hours of waiting around, and outdated ceremonial drills.

      US officials, not authorized to speak openly, quietly warn that Taiwan’s reserve forces remain the soft underbelly of its defense posture.

      One official said millions of former conscripts exist “on paper,” but years of truncated service and minimal refresher training have left them “underprepared for modern warfare.”

      While there are no official estimates for the number of illegal draft-dodgers, a tally by the Ministry of the Interior shows that, from 2021 to 2023, cases of suspected obstruction of military service have risen from 309 to 553.

      “It is imperative to reform military service as quickly as possible,” said Wu Tzu-li, an associate research fellow at the INDSR. “After all, the fight ultimately comes down to the people operating the weapons and not the weaponry itself, so having solid education and training is crucial.”

      Attempts at reform

      Even Taiwan’s leaders have acknowledged the problem. Shortly after taking office in 2016, former President Tsai Ing-wen called for sweeping reform, as opposed to “papering over problems, wasting human resources, and operating inefficiently in so many different ways.”

      In response to growing security threats from Beijing, which conducted at least three large-scale military exercises around Taiwan last year, and sent warplanes, naval vessels and coast guards close to the island on a near-daily basis – Taiwan’s government has extended training time for conscripts and introduced reforms such as more live-fire drills and an emphasis on modern tactics. As of January 2024, the minimum active-duty period was increased to one full year, up from just four months under the previous policy.

      The changes’ effectiveness remains to be seen. Critics say that unless Taiwan revamps how – and what – soldiers are taught, young men will continue to view the draft as symbolic rather than strategic.

      “The key is what kinds of training will be provided to the new conscripts,” said Chieh. “It’s important to not let them feel they’ve wasted one year.”

      Another US official added that “Taiwan is making good progress in enhancing the realism of training for reservists, but still has work to do in updating their equipment and reforming the organization of reserve units.”

      “Retraining and equipping existing reservists to operate asymmetric platforms like drones and anti-air missiles will have an outsized impact on Taiwan’s ability to deter conflict.”

      It added that the new, extended one-year training period “enables conscripts to undergo systematic and comprehensive military training, including enlistment, stationing, specialization, base training, and joint exercises – equipping them with essential combat skills and a firm resolve to defend the nation.”

      Korean contrast

      In nearby South Korea – another place marked by long-running hostility with its nearest neighbor – military service is taken a lot more seriously, and counting down the days until major celebrities will park their careers to don military fatigues has become something of a national pastime.

      Rather than damaging reputations, military service is often seen as a sign of integrity and patriotism in major stars – an impression that can enhance their careers after taking off the uniform.

      Earlier this month, K-pop superstars RM and V, from the band BTS, became the latest high-profile conscripts discharged from national service. They each saluted upon their release from duty in Chuncheon city, after about 18 months of active service, to the cheers of about 200 gathered fans – some of whom traveled from Mexico, Turkey and Brazil.

      The other five members of the massively popular group either have completed or will complete the mandatory service, and the band expects to reunite within the next 12 months.

      Even soccer superstar Son Heung-min, who avoided conscription through an exemption after winning gold at the 2018 Asian Games with South Korea’s national team, has taken four weeks of basic military training.

      For Taiwan to restore faith in conscription, military analysts say, it will need to reduce loopholes, improve instruction, and modernize training to reflect real threats – particularly as tensions with Beijing intensify. It will also, they say, need a cultural shift: one that values service not as empty symbolism, but as preparation for a possible fight.

      But it depends whether the recent reforms take root.

      “The fear,” said one former conscript, “is that the new system will look just like the old one – only longer.”

      This post appeared first on cnn.com

      The US has struck three key nuclear sites in Iran, President Donald Trump said on Truth Social Saturday evening as the Iran-Israel conflict enters a second week.

      The Fordow, Isfahan, and Natanz sites lie at the heart of Iran’s nuclear ambitions, and had previously been targeted by Israeli strikes. Here’s what we know about them.

      Natanz

      The nuclear complex, about 250 kilometers (150 miles) south of the capital Tehran, is considered Iran’s largest uranium enrichment facility.

      Analysts say it is used to develop and assemble centrifuges for uranium enrichment, a key technology that turns uranium into nuclear fuel.

      Natanz has six above-ground buildings and three underground structures, two of which can hold 50,000 centrifuges, according to the non-profit Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI).

      The site was targeted in Israel’s initial attack on Iran, with satellite photos and analysis showing the strikes destroyed the above-ground part of Natanz’s Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant.

      That’s a sprawling site that has been operating since 2003, and where Iran had been enriching uranium up to 60% purity, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Weapons-grade uranium is enriched to 90%.

      Fordow

      Much is still unknown about the full size and nature of this secretive, heavily-guarded facility, located close to the holy city of Qom and buried deep in a group of mountains. A good chunk of what we do know comes from a trove of Iranian documents stolen years ago by Israeli intelligence.

      The main halls are an estimated 80 to 90 meters (around 262 to 295 feet) beneath the ground, making it very difficult to destroy the facility from air. The US is the only country with the kind of bomb required to strike that deep, Israeli officials and independent reports have previously said. However analysts have warned even those bombs might not be enough.

      “Iran can convert its current stock of 60 percent enriched uranium into 233 kg of weapon-grade uranium in three weeks at the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant,” enough for nine nuclear weapons, according to the nonpartisan Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS).

      Recent IAEA reports suggested Iran had ramped up production of enriched uranium to a level of 60% at Fordow. The facility now contains 2,700 centrifuges, according to experts and the IAEA.

      Isfahan

      Isfahan is in central Iran, and is home to the country’s largest nuclear research complex.

      The facility was built with support from China and opened in 1984, according to the NTI. According to NTI, 3,000 scientists are employed at Isfahan, and the site is “suspected of being the center” of Iran’s nuclear program.

      It “operates three small Chinese-supplied research reactors,” as well as a “conversion facility, a fuel production plant, a zirconium cladding plant, and other facilities and laboratories,” the NTI says.

      This post appeared first on cnn.com

      The bodies of an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldier and two civilians killed in the Hamas-led October 7 attacks have been recovered from Gaza in a military hostage recovery operation.

      In a special operation carried out by the Israel Security Agency (ISA) and the IDF, the bodies of civilians, Ofra Keidar and Yonatan Samerano, and soldier Shay Levinson were recovered from the Gaza Strip on Saturday, the ISA and IDF said in a joint statement Sunday.

      Ofra Keidar, from the kibbutz Be’eri community, was killed by Hamas militants on October 7, 2023. The 71-year-old’s body was taken to Gaza, where it had been held since. Keidar was a wife and mother of three. Her husband was also killed in Hamas’ attack.

      “On that dark Saturday Ofra went, as usual, for a walk in the fields she loved – and never returned,” her kibbutz said in a statement.

      “Ofra was one of the women leading Be’eri to be the flourished kibbutz it has become, and set an example for other women while showing strength and leadership skills. She left three children and seven grandchildren.”

      Samerano, 21, from Tel Aviv, was killed by Hamas militants who took his body after fleeing the Nova music festival.

      Levinson, a dual German-Israeli national and tank commander, was killed in combat on October 7, the joint ISA-IDF statement said. The 19-year-old’s body was then taken to Gaza.

      The Hostages and Missing Families Forum said: “Alongside the grief and pain, the return of their bodies provides some comfort to the families who have waited in agony, uncertainty, and doubt for 625 days.”

      The forum also called for the return of the remaining 50 hostages in Gaza to be a priority as Israel continues its conflict with Iran. “Particularly against the backdrop of current military developments and the significant achievements in Iran, we want to emphasize that bringing back the remaining 50 hostages is the key to achieving complete Israeli victory,” it said.

      In a statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered his “heartfelt condolences” to the families of Keidar, Samerano and Levinson and thanked Israeli soldiers for a “successful operation.”

      This post appeared first on cnn.com

      In a warehouse in northeast Nigeria, a nonprofit’s stocks of food to treat malnourished children and pregnant women are running low.

      The organization, Action Against Hunger (ACF), is running a project to combat malnutrition that had been relying on funding from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) to procure much-needed therapeutic food sachets. But the project was intermittently suspended, leaving ACF unable to procure enough of the nutrient-rich food during the peak season of malnutrition.

      It’s one of the many urgent, lifesaving aid projects left in limbo and in need of additional resources following the Trump administration’s dismantling of USAID.

      But now, a group of former USAID staff has come together to connect big donors with cost-effective projects like this, which desperately need cash to carry out operations already in the pipeline.

      The primary goal is “to save as many lives as possible,” said Robert Rosenbaum, a former USAID portfolio manager and one of the people spearheading the initiative, which they are calling Project Resource Optimization (PRO). “At this point, there really are people who are dying as a result of these (budget) decisions and this halting of the work.”

      Rosenbaum said that thinking about cuts to American programs tackling things like malnutrition, extreme poverty and disease prevention was keeping him up at night after he lost his job earlier this year.

      So, he and other laid-off USAID workers decided to do something. They began vetting projects being carried out by USAID partner organizations, which had abruptly lost their funding earlier this year.

      They gradually built a spreadsheet – dubbed the Urgent & Vetted Projects list – and started matchmaking, setting up meetings between the most critical and cost-effective programs and donors who wanted to help, but didn’t know where to start.

      The spreadsheet was first inspired by reach-outs from a few small family foundations seeking expert guidance on where to best put their dollars, amid the initial uncertainty surrounding US government aid cuts. But it quickly grew into something bigger.

      It became clear to Rosenbaum that there was an opportunity to “expand the overall pool of private philanthropy” and bring in donations from people who might not have considered giving to international aid projects until this year.

      “There have been a handful of folks who have come out of the woodwork and literally written us an email that’s like, ‘I set aside $100,000, $200,000, a million dollars… And this is exactly how I want to think about giving… So, help us figure out how to do this,’” he said.

      Earlier this week, the PRO team also launched a tool for smaller donors to contribute online, crowdfunding for some of the most critical aid projects.

      Now, anyone can give a one-time or monthly contribution to the team’s “Rapid Response Fund” to support vetted projects in Sudan, Haiti, Nigeria and more.

      “For most of the humanitarian projects that we’ve talked to… sometime this summer, if the funding doesn’t come through, the lights will go off and it will be very hard to stand back up,” Rosenbaum said.

      “Part of what we’re offering for funders is that the fixed cost of standing these projects up has already been taken on by the US government. The staff has already been hired, they’re trained, they’re in place. The commodities, in many cases, have been procured and are sitting in a warehouse,” Rosenbaum said. “There’s all these efficiencies.

      “But the flip side is that the cost of shutting them down is extraordinarily high,” he added, noting that typically it takes years for local organizations to build trust with authorities, leaders and communities.

      In Mali, an organization called the Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA) was at risk of shutting down a project that delivers medical care to children under five, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers, as well as providing mobile health clinics to internally displaced people.

      “We were forced to suspend activities and reduce activities at different points,” said Carlota Ruiz, the organization’s head of grant management, adding that more than half ALIMA’s operating budget in Mali had come from USAID. “One of our main concerns in terms of navigating suspensions or project closures was the risk to our credibility and our relationships with the Ministry of Health and the communities that we work with.”

      Weeks ago, the organization was facing the prospect of shutting down vital services, but now a new grant will allow ALIMA to provide 70,000 medical consultations to people in need and treat more than 5,000 children with severe acute malnutrition.

      Meanwhile, in Nigeria, ACF says it is close to securing funding to keep one of its malnutrition projects going, after coordinating with the PRO team.

      The funding will go towards procuring more ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF). The timing was “extremely critical,” according to an ACF staff member on the ground.

      But the funding will only go towards that one project. ACF also supports programs in northern Nigeria that provide food assistance, clean water and sanitation, and support hundreds of health clinics.

      “It will be very meaningful, and it will be really very useful to ensure continuity of activity and save the lives of thousands of children,” the ACF worker said of the grant about to be finalized. “But this project cannot address all the other aspects of our work.”

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      After the United States’ overnight strikes on Iran’s secretive nuclear program, the most important question is at least a “known unknown” – that is, what remains of it. The answer could define the region for decades to come, and be the ultimate arbiter of US President Donald Trump’s decision to embark on another conflict in the Middle East.

      It is also an answer bedevilled by the elliptical and fickle nature of intelligence. On the one hand, public discussion of nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan should have left Tehran unwilling to let all of its nuclear secrets reside there. (Iran has said its program is entirely peaceful, although the UN’s nuclear watchdog reported finding uranium particles enriched up to 83% – just short of weapons grade).

      If, as Israel maintains, Iran’s nuclear program has a hidden element, then surely that would not be housed in the same places where UN inspectors roam, and in the case of Fordow, over which there has been a public discussion for days of what American bombs might penetrate its deep caverns.

      The raw materials needed for a nuclear bomb can be small: 20 kilograms of highly enriched uranium would suffice. The ingredients for several devices would fit into a minivan. This could be hidden anywhere in Iran. The technology needed to create a weapon is fiddlier, and requires human expertise, which Israel has been decimating over both the past 10 days, with strikes targeting key personnel, and also picking off more persistently over the past 10 years.

      It is hard to imagine Iran suddenly being able to make this leap while under the intense bombardment of Israel’s air force, now with the open involvement of the US and its vast surveillance machinery too.

      But this is an unknown, and Israel cannot have it both ways. If you insist Iran’s program is advanced and secretive, then there is also the risk something is happening that you are unaware of. Could Iran have assembled all the elements it needs, or even an atomic bomb, at another site, and just be waiting? Only time will tell.

      The counterargument is also persuasive. Israel has been able to kill Iran’s nuclear scientists and military command as they slept in their homes – specific rooms in apartment blocks hit in the first wave of strikes on June 13. This suggests the wide and impressive penetration of vast parts of Tehran’s command structure and its most guarded secrets. No operation is perfect; it is possible Washington and Tel Aviv combined knew a lot.

      It was not just the mountain fortress of Fordow that was struck, either. It is likely, as the dust clears and satellite images provide greater clarity in the battle damage assessment, that we will learn of targets being hit that we did not know about a week ago. For the opponents of Iran’s nuclear ambitions – just about everybody bar a handful of Iranian hardliners – that should provide some comfort.

      But it is likely the Saturday night strikes did not take out everything – not every expert, or every piece of fissile material. The struggle will now be to chase what is left – to pursue the survivors and look for opportunities if panicked elements of the nuclear project make mistakes as they scatter or pick through the rubble.

      What will remain will likely be the parts of Iran’s program which were unknown, if there are any. Tehran may decide that it would be better to reveal or progress this greatest secret only once the threat of Israeli strikes recedes. Does it make sense to rush it out now, at the height of surveillance and bombardment?

      Diplomacy may – as Trump has suggested with his overnight post on Truth Social that “NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE!” – now re-emerge. But the face of it has changed entirely compared to a week ago. Iranian officials had hinted to the media it might be willing to give up enrichment during talks in the past week. The demands placed upon it may now center on its ballistic missile program, which US hawks have long demanded be dismantled. That is happening, it seems, at a fast rate already, through its intense use of missiles to target Israel, and as a result of Israeli strikes that claim to have taken out the majority of its launchers.

      The fact that Iran’s wish list for negotiations is now significantly altered – as much of what it’s hoped to keep has been destroyed or used – reveals the challenge of this moment to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. His skies are owned by a hostile air force, his nuclear program heavily damaged, and his military infrastructure and command shattered, constantly having to adapt and replace to survive. This limits his immediate, favorable options for a response. Flat-out strikes against US bases will simply augur a violent US retaliation, and may, after this much telegraphing, prove ineffective.

      Iran has generally turned to asymmetrical responses, to compensate for its smaller budgets and capabilities. We may see this in the capital cities of Europe and in the Strait of Hormuz in the coming days. It needs to both display some sort of deterrent but also de-escalate, in order to survive.

      But Iran’s capacity to see the longer-view, and its strategic patience, will work in its favor. There are no real electoral cycles to beset the Ayatollah’s decision-making. The Iranians have time to regroup, and respond when the heat is lower.

      The United States, however, has a poor track record of success and application in the region. Last night, it gained the dubious distinction of having bombed a full cartographical sweep of nations from Syria through to Afghanistan in just 20 years. But it failed to dislodge the Assad regime of Syria, and despite years of trying were observers when last year’s sweeping changes removed one of Iran’s main regional proxies. And its longest war, in Afghanistan, ended in stark humiliation. Iraq, too, began with disputed information about weapons of mass destruction, and ended in failure after years of destruction and loss.

      Iran is not Iraq and last night was not March 20, 2003, when America’s ill-fated invasion of that country began. There is no ground element to Trump’s ambition in Iran, and its goal was something widely supported by allies, and possibly within reach. But the US’ questionable track record and the hubristic atmosphere around Trump’s overwhelming use of force, should amplify alarm in the region over the unknowns to come.

      This post appeared first on cnn.com

      Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., was delivering remarks at a ‘Fighting Oligarchy’ rally in Tusla, Okla., on Saturday night when President Donald Trump announced the United States had successfully attacked three nuclear sites in Iran. 

      An aide interrupted Sanders’ remarks to deliver the message Trump had just blasted off on Truth Social. 

      ‘We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan,’ Trump said in the post. 

      Sanders read the piece of paper with Trump’s Truth Social post to his supporters, shaking his head as the socialist senator processed what the president had just announced. ‘No more wars!’ the crowd chanted. 

      Trump added in the post: ‘All planes are now outside of Iran air space. A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. All planes are safely on their way home. Congratulations to our great American Warriors. There is not another military in the World that could have done this. NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE! Thank you for your attention to this matter.’

      Sanders nodded along as the crowd continued to chant, ‘No more wars!’ before responding to the news in real time. 

      He said the news was not only ‘alarming,’ but ‘so grossly unconstitutional.’

      ‘All of you know that the only entity that can take this country to war is the U.S. Congress. The president does not have the right,’ Sanders shouted. 

      Sanders joins the bipartisan coalition in Congress who have called out the ‘unconstitutionality’ of Trump striking Iran without congressional approval. 

      A bipartisan War Powers Resolution was introduced in the House of Representatives this week as strikes between Israel and Iran raged on, and the world stood by to see if Trump would strike. Congress has the sole power to declare war under Article I of the Constitution

      The War Powers Resolution seeks to ‘remove United States Armed Forces from unauthorized hostilities in the Islamic State of Iran’ and directs Trump to ‘terminate’ the deployment of American troops against Iran without an ‘authorized declaration of war or specific authorization for use of military forces against Iran.’

      ‘The American people do not want more war, more death!’ Sanders said. ‘It might be a good idea if we concentrated on the problems that exist in Oklahoma and Vermont rather than getting involved in another war that the American people do not want.’

      But Sanders told the crowd not to give up on their vision for America’s future. 

      ‘In this moment in American history, what we have got to do in Vermont and Oklahoma, in Texas, all over this country, is stand up and fight back, and tell them this is our country!’ Sanders said. 

      Sanders has been a vocal opponent of the United States joining Israel in its war against Iran as Trump weighed striking its nuclear facilities. 

      ‘Netanyahu is not the President of the United States,’ Sanders said on social media earlier this week. 

      ‘He should not be determining U.S. foreign and military policy. If the people of Israel support his decision to start a war with Iran, that is their business and their war. The United States must not be a part of it,’ he added. 

      The democratic socialist has been a vocal opponent of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s war against Gaza since Israel retaliated following Hamas’ terrorist attacks on Oct. 7, 2023. 

      After Israel launched preemptive strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities last week, Sanders said it was ‘just his latest violation of international law,’ likening Netanyahu to a ‘war criminal.’

      The Vermont senator was speaking at his second rally of the day, part of his southern swing of the ‘Fighting Oligarchy’ tour that Sanders started in response to Trump’s sweeping second-term agenda. 

      Rep. Greg Casar, D-Tx., and former Rep. Beto O’Rourke, D-Tx., are slated to join the Vermont senator at his rallies in Texas on Sunday. 

      And Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., joined Sanders on his Western swing of the tour earlier this year. 

      The tour targets deep red districts currently held by Republicans, a strategy picked up by Gov. Tim Walz, D-Minn., who hosted town halls in Republican congressional districts, and the Democratic National Committee (DNC) through their ‘People’s Town Halls’ across the United States. 

      Sanders also held a rally in House Speaker Mike Johnson’s hometown of Shreveport, La., on Saturday. 

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