Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
China’s desert spring hits 20-year high in water level, revealing ecological progress
Tourists visit the Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring scenic spot in Dunhuang City, northwest China’s Gansu Province, May 31, 2025. Crescent Spring, a famed desert oasis in northwest China’s Gansu Province, has recorded its highest water level and largest surface area in over 20 years, signaling a major victory in ecological restoration efforts.(Photo by Zhang Xiaoliang/Xinhua)
Crescent Spring, a famed desert oasis in northwest China’s Gansu Province, has recorded its highest water level and largest surface area in over 20 years, signaling a major victory in ecological restoration efforts.
According to a report by the provincial geological environment monitoring institute released on Wednesday, the crescent-shaped oasis now stands at 3.8 meters deep and spans 2.12 hectares, a dramatic recovery from the late 1990s, when the average water level dropped below 1 meter and the surface area was reduced to just 0.17 hectares.
Nestled among the towering dunes of Mingsha Mountain in Dunhuang, a key hub of the ancient Silk Road, Crescent Spring has been celebrated for at least 2,000 years as a natural marvel where shifting sands and clear waters coexist in harmonious balance, according to historical records.
The beautiful spring not only dazzles visitors but also sustains Dunhuang’s fragile desert ecosystem, with groundwater from nearby rivers percolating through porous sands to offset evaporation.
Over the past decades, however, environmental changes and human activities have led to falling groundwater levels that pushed the spring to the brink of drying up.
The turning point came in 2011, when the State Council introduced a comprehensive plan for Dunhuang’s water protection and ecological restoration, with a groundwater replenishment project for Crescent Spring being its key part.
Huang Wenming, the service center director of the Crescent Spring scenic area, explained that the project aims to enhance groundwater replenishment by constructing infiltration dams along the Dang River.
“By prolonging water retention time through 12 permeable dams, it raises the upstream water table to reverse the declining trend around Crescent Spring, ensuring this natural wonder remains forever vibrant,” Huang said.
Thanks to these efforts, the average water level of the spring has risen steadily, surpassing 3 meters in 2021 before reaching a new peak this year.
In addition to restoring Crescent Spring, the project also supports the region’s water storage, flood control and wetland development, contributing to improvements in the local ecosystem.
The spring is also safeguarded through scientific research. Using advanced techniques such as three-dimensional laser scanning, high-precision wind tunnel tests and numerical simulations based on actual terrain, teams from the Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources (NIEER) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences have successfully unraveled the sand-spring coexistence mechanism and proposed targeted measures to protect the spring from shifting dunes.
An Zhishan, a senior engineer at NIEER, noted that protection efforts for Crescent Spring have evolved from ad-hoc emergency responses to long-term, standardized management, incorporating scientific monitoring, systematic regulation and routine conservation, which has yielded remarkable results.
Thanks to these concerted efforts, the local ecosystem has seen significant improvements, injecting new vitality into the tourism industry.
From January to June this year, the scenic area welcomed some 1.26 million visitors, up 3.2 percent year on year, according to the local culture and tourism bureau.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Meng Qingxu, leader of the Hongshilazi Site excavation team, introduces a historical site at the ancient forests of Hongshilazi in Panshi City, northeast China’s Jilin Province, June 26, 2025. (Xinhua/Yan Linyun)
Winding through the ancient forests of Hongshilazi in Panshi City, northeast China’s Jilin Province, wooden boardwalks overlook faint semi-subterranean house foundations, the remnants of a secret network once housing a field hospital, arsenal and command post for the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army.
In the autumn of 1932, 27-year-old Communist Party of China (CPC) member Ma Shangde, under the alias Zhang Guanyi, arrived in the dense forests of Hongshilazi, which means “red rocks.” His mission was urgent and perilous: to unite scattered anti-Japanese militias into a single front against the formidable invaders. He carried a rallying cry that echoed through the trees, clear, simple and powerful: “Chinese don’t fight Chinese; save the bullets for the enemies.”
He reorganized Panshi’s anti-Japanese volunteer forces into the South Manchuria Guerrilla Force of the CPC-led Red Army, achieving several victories against enemy encirclement and suppression campaigns. As one of the founders and key leaders of the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army, Ma would later be immortalized by history under his heroic name: General Yang Jingyu.
These mountains, once the frontlines of guerrilla resistance, now tell a different story. As the CPC’s first anti-Japanese base in northeast China, Hongshilazi and the wider Panshi region have transformed from battlegrounds into a thriving hub of “red tourism,” where history lives on through footsteps and stories rather than ruins.
For decades, the heroic struggle of the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army existed mostly in scattered documents and fading memories, a legacy historians often called “recorded in text, but absent on the ground.” That began to change with the arrival of archaeologists, as their work has uncovered the long-lost physical traces missing from the historical record.
“Telling the story of the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army inevitably leads you to Hongshilazi,” said Wang Zhongshi, deputy director of the Hongshilazi Site protection center.
The earliest archaeological survey of the Hongshilazi Site began in 1958, carried out jointly by the history department of Jilin University and the Jilin provincial cultural relics management committee. In 2019, the site was designated as a major national cultural heritage unit under protection.
Launched in 2021, a five-year archaeological initiative — the first systematic excavation of a nationally protected site linked to the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army — has yielded remarkable results.
By the end of 2024, archaeologists had identified more than 3,300 ruins scattered across the mountainous terrain and unearthed 938 artifacts tied to the guerrilla force, including locally-made Jingal muskets, single swords used by the youth battalion, and even a Japanese-made iron box containing gun repair tools.
“No one really knew what the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army’s sites looked like or what their hidden camps were like until now,” said Meng Qingxu from the Jilin provincial institute of cultural relics and archaeology, who is leading the Hongshilazi Site excavation team.
“These five years of work have resolved a long-standing issue: a history well recorded in writing but lacking physical evidence,” he said. Today, Hongshilazi stands as the largest, best-preserved, richest in content, and most fully functional complex of Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army sites in China.
This file photo provided by the interviewee shows the scenery of Hongshilazi Mountain in Panshi City, northeast China’s Jilin Province, Dec. 12, 2023. (Xinhua)
Preservation efforts at Hongshilazi extend far beyond excavation. A comprehensive master plan spanning 6,115 hectares divides the area into core protection zones, construction control zones and environmental buffer zones. While experimental backfilling protection is implemented in certain excavated areas, 2,400 meters of gravel paths and 600 meters of elevated wooden boardwalks now guide visitors through the terrain, offering access without disturbing the fragile ruins.
To bring history to life, five key structures, including sentry posts and a clothing factory, have been rebuilt. Surrounding them, nine themed squares and 13 interpretive signs bring to life the arduous years of struggle endured by the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army.
According to Meng, the next phase of site preservation faces significant hurdles, foremost among them the harsh climate of the forested region, marked by relentless freeze-thaw cycles that threaten the integrity of exposed remains.
“We’re working with Jilin University to run long-term monitoring experiments, tracking surface temperature, humidity, pressure and watching how these variables shift across all four seasons,” Meng said. “Only with that data in hand can we develop future protection strategies.”
The smoke of battle has long since cleared, yet the spirit of the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army, rooted in the forests of Hongshilazi, lives on in Panshi.
Dozens of kilometers to the east, in Guanma New Village, tourists are arriving in growing numbers. In recent years, the village has embraced red tourism as a pillar of its rural revitalization, with the spirit of the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army becoming a driving force for local development. A themed education exhibition hall now stands at the heart of the village, alongside a newly opened bookstore and cinema, transforming history into both a living classroom and a magnet for visitors.
Once a primarily agricultural mountain village, Guanma is now charting a new path of diversified development, with red tourism and history education at its core, according to Zhang Hongqiu, director of the Panshi municipal bureau of culture, radio, television and tourism. In 2024, Panshi welcomed 1.7 million tourists, generating 850 million yuan (about 118.9 million U.S. dollars) in tourism revenue, with more than 70 percent of visitors drawn by red tourism.
Panshi’s red heritage now threads through diverse sectors, from dining and homestays to local specialty agricultural products, enriching both the local economy and cultural landscape.
As cultural tourism flourishes, Panshi’s agricultural development is keeping pace. On the hillsides above Beiguokui Village in Baoshan Township, 300 hectares of Jinxiu crabapple orchards burst into full bloom.
Village Party secretary Luan Rensheng noted that the village’s unique blend of water and mountainous terrain is ideal for fruit tree cultivation. After years of varietal refinement, Jinxiu crabapples have emerged as the premier choice for large-scale planting, now cultivated as a premium product.
Not far from the village, in a bustling factory, young entrepreneur Yang Shangbin is gearing up to add two new production lines. Since returning home in 2016, he has set up cold chain facilities, invested in cutting-edge equipment, and driven research and development, all with strong support from the local government. His company’s products, like crabapple wine, dried crabapples and crabapple tea, have quickly gained traction, with strong market demand.
“We’re about to double our crabapple procurement this year,” Yang said. “There’s immense potential here at home. Starting a business brings promising opportunities.”
Ma Chengming, Yang Jingyu’s great-grandson, now in his late 20s, chose to work in Panshi after graduating from university. “In my senior year, Panshi was the first stop on my journey retracing the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army’s route. Along the way, elders shared stories about their sacrifices,” he recalled.
While working at the grassroots level in rural Panshi, Ma actively led initiatives to boost local prosperity. Beyond his primary responsibilities, he regularly gave talks on the red spirit in schools and communities, and volunteered as a docent at the village history museum. In sharing Panshi’s story, Ma speaks not only as a local resident but also as the great-grandson of a national hero who once fought there.
Once, deep within the forests of Hongshilazi, fighters of the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army laid down their lives to defend this land. Today, across the wide stretches of Panshi, a new generation is shaping its future with wisdom and hard work.
“The spirit of my great-grandfather has long been woven into this land,” Ma said.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Chinese Academy of Engineering unveils list of key emerging AI technologies
Xinhua | August 1, 2025
Visitors interact with a robot dog at the 2025 World AI Conference (WAIC) in east China’s Shanghai, July 29, 2025. (Xinhua/Chen Haoming)
The Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) on Thursday released a list of next-generation information engineering and emerging artificial intelligence (AI) technologies that it expects will become hotspots for AI development in the next five to 10 years.
The list includes nearly 300 technologies across three categories.
For innovations in information engineering, it identifies 163 technologies, including 6G communication, multimodal large-scale AI models and super general-purpose agents.
For traditional industry transformation and interdisciplinary integration, the list encompasses 122 emerging technologies, such as computational neuroscience, smart wearables, and an AI-assisted drug design that could catalyze a productivity revolution.
It also highlights 12 AI hotspots that are closely related to daily life, including large AI model technologies, intelligent unmanned systems and embodied intelligence.
According to CAE academician Yu Shaohua, the list aims to enhance public understanding of the future societal impacts of AI while providing strategic reference for AI development plans.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Thriving under pressure: Chinese companies build resilience, boost innovation amid headwinds
Merchant Sun Lijuan (R) introduces products to an Indian merchant inside her shop at the Yiwu International Trade Mart in Yiwu, east China’s Zhejiang Province, May 20, 2025. (Xinhua/Han Chuanhao)
“It’s hot and wet today,” chirped a doll in a clear, childlike voice, dressed in a pink floral blouse and a rainbow tulle skirt. The doll was on display at a toy stall in Yiwu City, a bustling trade hub in east China often dubbed the “world’s supermarket.”
The question — “What’s the weather like today?” — came from stall owner Sun Lijuan, who has worked in the doll business in Yiwu for over a decade.
Her latest model, now powered by AI, marks a major shift from the talking toys of the past. “It’s no longer just a doll that sings, tells stories, or answers basic questions,” Sun said. “Now it can respond to almost anything. For kids, it’s more like a companion — a friend.”
Sun is currently developing Spanish-language versions and has asked long-time clients to take the new AI dolls’ smart modules to South America to test server connectivity.
Amid global tariff headwinds, innovation is unfolding daily in Yiwu across a wide range of industries and products. Local businesses are steadily strengthening both resilience and innovation capacity, driving a 24.5 percent year-on-year increase in the city’s exports in the first half of the year.
Visits by foreign buyers in Yiwu jumped 18.6 percent from a year earlier in the first five months, underscoring growing interest in the city’s expanding and evolving product lines.
The resilience of the “world’s supermarket” echoed a robust 5.3 percent year-on-year growth in China’s GDP in the first half of the year. Behind this hard-won result against the global backdrop of economic and trade headwinds, businesses like Sun’s tell inspiring stories of agility and enterprise.
Merchants participate in a language learning session at the Yiwu International Trade Market in Yiwu, east China’s Zhejiang Province, May 16, 2025. (Xinhua/Chen Shuo)
WEATHERING GLOBAL UNCERTAINTIES
The rapid rollout of new products, Sun said, owes much to China’s strengths in innovation and talent. “Since the rapid ascent of DeepSeek earlier this year, we’ve been approached by many integrated circuit chip developers eager to collaborate on next-generation dolls,” she said. “I’ve never had so much contact with PhDs from top universities and tech firms.”
This year has also been one of personal growth for Sun. After DeepSeek gained attention, the Yiwu International Trade Market began offering free AI training and she managed to pick up several software skills.
In March, a long-time client from Mexico visited her shop and requested adjustments to the doll’s facial features and clothing. Sun made the edits on her computer within minutes, impressing the client and securing an order on the spot.
“Many people have asked me whether external uncertainties have hit my factory hard, and I always say the impact has been limited,” Sun said, noting her factory has, over the years, developed talking dolls in multiple languages, including Spanish, English, Arabic and Russian, for more than 50 markets such as Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
“Entrepreneurs in Yiwu who’ve made it this far have been tested by the market repeatedly. Without foresight, they would’ve been pushed out of the market long ago,” she added.
The new AI-powered dolls cost three to four times as much to produce as older talking models, but they also bring higher profit margins, according to Sun.
Sun Lijuan said the production cost of the new AI-powered dolls is three to four times that of traditional talking models — but the added technology also brings higher profit margins.
Sun’s toy business offers a glimpse into a broader trend. Across China, companies are drawing on the country’s institutional strengths, vast market potential, resilient supply chains, a deep talent pool, and growing innovation and openness to sharpen their resilience and adaptability in an increasingly complex global landscape.
SHARPENING INNOVATION
On the vast Gobi Desert in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, towering high-voltage power lines form a striking “forest of steel.” Between the power lines, drones flit in and out of view like birds patrolling their territory, detecting minor faults or unusual objects on the towers and cables.
This photo taken on Aug. 13, 2024 shows a 750-kilovolt (kV) power transmission line under construction in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Photo by Ma Yuan/Xinhua)
This is a fully autonomous drone inspection system developed by technology company I-KINGTEC in north China’s Tianjin Municipality. A young tech firm founded just eight years ago is helping to solve one of the toughest challenges of power line inspections in uninhabited regions.
Its “Orca” drone can autonomously take off, fly missions and collect data. Serving as its all-weather base, the “Tiger Den” station can automatically replace the drone’s battery pod — a task that once depended almost entirely on manual labor.
“How to make drones truly unmanned throughout the entire workflow has been the question we sought to answer from the very beginning,” said Zhu Shengli, co-founder of the company. He noted that the firm’s technological breakthroughs have been made possible by China’s supportive policies for the low-altitude economy and a strong talent pool.
At Zhu’s company, the average age of employees is just 27, and R&D staff make up 70 percent of the workforce. The company has filed more than 600 IP applications to date.
It posted over 200 million yuan (28 million U.S. dollars) in revenue last year, and its first-quarter earnings this year have already exceeded the full-year total for 2024.
China’s tech firms like Zhu’s have seen strong momentum this year. In the first half of 2025, the country’s high-tech sectors posted rapid gains, with value-added industrial output in high-tech manufacturing rising 9.5 percent, 3.1 percentage points higher than the overall industrial growth during the same period.
Sheng Laiyun, deputy head of the National Bureau of Statistics, described the “accumulation of new growth momentum” as a key feature of China’s economic performance. He noted an accelerating integration of technological and industrial innovation, which is high on policymakers’ agendas.
To boost innovation, China has introduced a series of policy measures this year, including setting up a national venture capital guidance fund expected to mobilize 1 trillion yuan, expanding re-lending for tech innovation and upgrades from 500 billion to 800 billion yuan, and launching a dedicated “sci-tech board” in the bond market. The measures aim to channel more financial resources into early-stage, small-scale, long-term, and hard-tech ventures.
TAPPING VAST DOMESTIC MARKET
At a time when global demand is uneven, China’s vast domestic market of over 1.4 billion people continues to serve as a powerful anchor. Consumer demand is evolving rapidly, driving the emergence of new business models and product innovations.
Despite pressures on the broader food service sector, Xibei, a leading Chinese catering chain brand with nearly 400 outlets and around 17,000 employees, is charting a different course by upgrading its children’s meals and offering higher-quality options to attract family diners, a strategy that has helped lift overall sales.
The chain now offers four kids’ meal set options. One standout is a 69-yuan set featuring a whole yellow croaker, organic vegetables, corn soup, shrimp and egg custard, mousse, and hand-rolled oat noodles. To ensure it’s safe for children to eat, each fish goes through three rounds of machine inspection followed by manual deboning.
“Kids’ meals are emerging as a powerful driver of family dining. Parents are willing to invest in quality for their children,” said Song Xuan, vice president of Xibei.
Sales of Xibei’s children’s meals rose 7.4 percent year on year last year. Families dining with children now make up about 50 percent of total tables across its outlets on average.
Despite skepticism over China’s consumer momentum and concerns about weak market demand, Xibei offers a snapshot of the country’s evolving spending power.
China’s consumer market continued to gain momentum in the first half of the year, with retail sales of consumer goods rising 5 percent year on year, 0.4 percentage points faster than in the first quarter. Consumption contributed 52 percent to GDP growth during the period, making it the main driver of the economy.
The vast Chinese market is also a shared market for the world, with consumer goods imports totaling 7.4 trillion yuan between 2021 and 2024, according to the Ministry of Commerce. In terms of actual purchasing power, China’s retail sales of consumer goods surpassed those of the United States last year, reaching 1.6 times the U.S. level, based on World Bank data and calculations.
Xiong Yi, China Chief Economist at Deutsche Bank, noted strong potential for further growth in services consumption. “China has likely reached a development stage where its population will have increasing demand for higher-quality services,” he said.
To better meet differentiated demand and tap deeper into China’s growing dining market, Xibei plans to roll out lightly salted meal sets for toddlers as young as one or two years old.
“We are confident in the long-term prospects of China’s catering industry, given its vast growth potential. To stay competitive in such a rapidly evolving market, we must continue to transform and upgrade,” said Jia Guolong, chairman and founder of Xibei.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Amid growing global attention to wetland conservation, China’s efforts and achievements in this field are particularly eye-catching at the 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (COP15), due to conclude in Victoria Falls on Thursday.
From building the world’s largest number of international wetland cities to achieving legislative breakthroughs and forging capacity-building partnerships with other countries, China has embraced a comprehensive approach to wetland protection, deeply rooted in ecological civilization and its unwavering support for global efforts.
An aerial drone photo taken on June 5, 2025 shows volunteers taking a boat to inspect the breeding habitat of migrant birds at a wetland on the estuary of the Baisha River in Qingdao City, east China’s Shandong Province. (Photo by Wang Haibin/Xinhua)
SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS
At the height of summer, deep within the East Dongting Lake National Nature Reserve in central China’s Yueyang city, Hunan province, schools of fish swim freely in the lake, deer bound through the forests, and birds sing joyfully among the trees.
“We are proud to say that the wetlands are now the ecological calling cards of Yueyang,” said Yu Ge, a representative of the city who attended COP15 in the resort city of Victoria Falls in the Matabeleland North Province of Zimbabwe.
The COP15, themed “Protecting Wetlands for Our Common Future,” brought together government representatives to strengthen international commitments to wetland conservation and to highlight the vital role of wetlands in sustaining ecological health, biodiversity and climate resilience.
Yu actively promoted Yueyang at every event during his short stay in Zimbabwe, warmly inviting participants from different countries to explore the city. With approximately 285,200 hectares of wetlands, Yueyang has stepped up its conservation efforts in recent years and was officially recognized as an international wetland city at this year’s COP15.
A total of nine Chinese cities won the prestigious title during the meeting, bringing the total number of such cities in China to 22, the highest in the world, showcasing the country’s significant achievements in wetland conservation.
According to China’s National Forestry and Grassland Administration, China currently boasts 56.35 million hectares of wetlands, ranking fourth in the world. It is also home to 82 Wetlands of International Importance and five national parks.
Yan Zhen, deputy head of China’s National Forestry and Grassland Administration, said during the meeting that in recent years, China has continuously improved its legal and institutional framework for wetland conservation, comprehensively protected wetland ecosystems, and actively engaged in international cooperation, continuously contributing to global wetland protection efforts.
“Over the last 20 years, China has made significant progress in wetland conservation, marking a turning point that has led to a more balanced and sustainable relationship between humans and nature,” Yan said.
SHINING EXAMPLE
China became a party to the Ramsar Convention in 1992 and hosted COP14 in 2022, during which it was elected as chair of the standing committee to lead the convention process for the following three years.
This photo taken on July 22, 2025 shows a herd of yaks in a wetland near Mapam Yumco Lake in Burang County of Ngari Prefecture, southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Tenzing Nima Qadhup)
In an exclusive interview with Xinhua during COP15, Musonda Mumba, secretary general of the Convention on Wetlands, said she assumed the role six weeks before the opening of COP14 and felt “very fortunate” to start the journey with China. “China has provided leadership in making sure that all the draft resolutions made at COP14 were dealt with and delivered in a timely manner.”
China’s Wetland Protection Law, effective since June 2022, is the country’s first dedicated legislation on wetlands, providing a comprehensive legal framework for wetland conservation, restoration, management and sustainable use.
Hailing the law as a “shining example” to the world, Mumba said, “China is one of the very few countries that actually have a wetland law. And that for me is also incredibly impressive, because not only does the law talk about having inventory, having the right data, managing these wetland systems, it also talks about the role of cities and why these cities matter.”
The success in wetland conservation has not only benefited China’s biodiversity, but also contributed to the health of cross-border ecosystems by integrating wetland protection with other environmental goals, such as migratory bird conservation, she noted.
Moreover, China’s efforts to raise awareness have sparked a significant increase in global interest in wetland conservation over the past years, she added.
“Indeed, if you look across the world, China has taken a leadership position in doing the right thing for wetlands,” Coenraad Krijger, CEO of Wetlands International, a global not-for-profit organisation, told Xinhua on the sidelines of COP15.
He applauded China for its leading role in the global wetland preservation agenda, noting that China’s status as a major investment partner in the world makes it a key player in safeguarding the health of wetland ecosystems.
“Through the trade relations that China has, and the investments that China has all over the world, (China) is also connected to (other) very important wetlands worldwide,” Krijger said.
While development is welcome, there is a need to maintain a balance between development and the health of wetlands, he said, adding that he is eager to visit Chinese wetland cities in the future to learn how they achieve urban development while reaping the benefits of preserving the wetlands.
UNWAVERING COMMITMENT
In many rapidly developing regions of Africa, urban expansion has taken a toll on wetlands, a growing issue that communities and policymakers are striving to address.
This photo taken on Nov. 27, 2023 shows little swans resting at a wetland in Yueyang City, central China’s Hunan Province. (Photo by Cao Zhengping/Xinhua)
According to Wetlands International’s Director for East Africa Julie Mulonga, many African countries have policies in place to protect wetlands, but there is a lack of investment in implementation measures.
Local communities and indigenous knowledge play a crucial role in effectively driving wetland conservation efforts, she said, adding that China’s wetland management experience could provide a valuable reference and its advanced technology could go a long way in helping the continent achieve green development.
Over the years, China has been actively supporting many African countries in wetland governance through legislative exchanges, technical training and talent development, helping enhance their ability to restore and preserve wetlands.
Wetlands are crucial for ecological resilience, and their future hinges on unwavering international cooperation, said Xia Jun, director general of the International Cooperation Department at China’s National Forestry and Grassland Administration. “This profound understanding underpins China’s unwavering commitment to its conservation.”
In 2024, China launched the International Mangrove Center (IMC) in the southern city of Shenzhen to promote global mangrove conservation, sustainable use and international cooperation.
Xia described the IMC as a landmark initiative that reflects the spirit of global cooperation.
With the support of the IMC, the Mangrove Conservation Foundation, a private foundation based in China, has been carrying out programs in African countries such as Madagascar and Kenya to help preserve mangroves, which are vital coastal ecosystems along the continent’s shorelines, Sun Lili, co-founder and executive board chair of the foundation, told Xinhua.
Christine Colvin, Freshwater Policy Lead, WWF International, said: “This COP is really important in terms of setting goals for the next period, for the next decade, and the strategic plan for the contracting parties to Ramsar, and it prioritises international cooperation.”
Colvin said that China is demonstrating to municipalities and local governments around the world how to bring nature back into cities and design new urban areas that are more permeable, allowing the natural water cycle to function.
Commending China for leading the way in this field, the WWF official said they are looking forward to continuing cooperation with China to boost global efforts to preserve wetlands and build more permeable sponge cities.
Headline: Reuben’s Brought Home the Bacon… and the Ham! – PR.co.nz
Rueben Sharples, owner of The Aussie Butcher New Lynn, is proud to share that his team has picked up six medals at the 2025 100% New Zealand Bacon & Ham Awards, including three shiny Golds for their standout bacon and ham.
MinterEllisonRuddWatts is proud to have assisted Camco, a leading UK-based impact fund manager, with the establishment of an innovative blended finance fund called TIDES (Transforming Island Development through Electrification and Sustainability).
TIDES is an innovative fund aiming to help unlock USD100 million of public and private sector finance to support renewable energy developments in the Pacific Islands. The fund has received contributions from the New Zealand and UK governments in the form of first loss equity.
This first-of-its-kind fund for the region is designed to deliver deep impact by strengthening the renewable energy and energy efficiency sectors. It will provide flexible financing to local renewable energy developers behind zero-emissions projects across a full range of sizes, from mini-grids to large grid-connected systems.
PartnerLloyd Kavanaghand Senior AssociateKen Ngattended the signing ceremony of TIDES at the British High Commission in Wellington yesterday, alongside Minister for Climate Change, the Honourable Simon Watts, British High Commissioner HE Ms Iona Thomas OBE, and the Managing Director of Camco Management Limited, Geoff Sinclair.
Lloyd Kavanagh commented: “We are delighted to support Camco in launching the TIDES fund, a pioneering initiative that bl
Lake County, TN – In the search for fugitive Austin Drummond, the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) is offering a reward of up to $7,500 for information that leads to Drummond’s arrest.
Drummond is charged with First-Degree Murder of four people; ages 21, 20, 38, and 15, in Lake County on July 29, 2025. Additional charges include Aggravated Kidnapping, Possession of a Firearm During Commission of a Dangerous Felony, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. He is considered armed and dangerous.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) is the lead agency, and the USMS Two Rivers Violent Fugitive Task Force is assisting TBI and has adopted the case for a fugitive investigation.
“Getting Austin Drummond in custody is a priority. Anyone with information about where we can find him should call us immediately. You will remain anonymous,” said U.S. Marshal Tyreece Miller.
Tipsters can call the U.S. Deputy Marshals assigned to the case at (901) 406-2044, (901) 661-2955, or submit a USMS Web Tip.
New Caledonia’s oldest pro-independence party, the Union Calédonienne (UC), has officially rejected a political agreement on the Pacific territory’s political future signed in Paris last month.
The text, bearing the signatures of all of New Caledonia’s political parties represented in the local Congress — a total of 18 leaders, both pro-France and pro-independence — is described as a “project” for an agreement that would shape politics.
Since it was signed in the city of Bougival, west of Paris, on July 12, after 10 days of intense negotiations, it has been dubbed a “bet on trust” and has been described by French Minister for Overseas Manuel Valls as a commitment from all signing parties to report to their respective bases and explain its contents.
The Bougival document involves a series of measures and recognition by France of New Caledonia as a “State” which could become empowered with its own international relations and foreign affairs, provided they do not contradict France’s key interests.
It also envisages dual citizenship — French and New Caledonian — provided future New Caledonian citizens are French nationals in the first place.
It also describes a future devolution of stronger powers for each of the three provinces (North, South and Loyalty Islands), especially in terms of tax collection.
Since it was published, the document, bearing a commitment to defend the text “as is”, was hailed as “innovative” and “historic”.
New Caledonia’s leaders have started to hold regular meetings — sometimes daily — and sessions with their respective supporters and militants, mostly to explain the contents of what they have signed.
The meetings were held by most pro-France parties and within the pro-independence camp, the two main moderate parties, UPM (Union Progressiste en Mélanésie) and PALIKA (Kanak Liberation Party).
Over the past two weeks, all of these parties have strived to defend the agreement, which is sometimes described as a Memorandum of Agreement or a roadmap for future changes in New Caledonia.
Most of the leaders who have inked the text have also held lengthy interviews with local media.
Parties who have unreservedly pledged their support to and signed the Bougival document are:
Pro-France side: Les Loyalistes, Rassemblement-LR, Wallisian-based Eveil Océanien and Calédonie Ensemble
Pro-independence: UNI-FLNKS (which comprises UPM and PALIKA).
But one of the main components of the pro-independence movement, the FLNKS (Kanak and Socialist National Liberation Front) — as its main pillar — the Union Calédonienne, has held a series of meetings indicating their resentment at their negotiators for having signed the contested document.
UC held its executive committee on July 21, its steering committee on July 26, and FLNKS convened its political bureau on July 23.
A ‘lure of sovereignty’ All of these meetings concluded with an increasingly clear rejection of the Bougival document.
Speaking at a news conference in Nouméa yesterday, UC leaders made it clear that they “formally reject” the agreement because they regard it as a “lure of sovereignty” and does not guarantee either real sovereignty or political balance.
FLNKS chief negotiator Emmanuel Tjibaou, who is also UC’s chair, told local reporters he understood his signature on the document meant a commitment to return to New Caledonia, explain the text and obtain the approval of the political base.
“I didn’t have a mandate to sign a political agreement, my mandate was to register the talks and bring them back to our people so that a decision can be made . . . it didn’t mean an acceptance on our part,” he said, mentioning it was a “temporary” document subject to further discussions.
Tjibaou said some amendments his delegation had put on the table in Bougival “went missing” in the final text.
Union Calédonienne chair and chief FLNKS negotiator Emmanuel Tjibaou . .. some amendments that his delegation had put on the table in Bougival “went missing” in the final text. Image: RNZ Pacific
‘Bougival, it’s over’ “As far as we’re concerned, Bougival, it’s over”, UC vice-president Mickaël Forrest said.
He said it was now time to move onto a “post-Bougival phase”.
Meanwhile, the FLNKS also consulted its own “constitutionalists” to obtain legal advice and interpretation of the document.
In a release about yesterday’s media conference, UC stated that the Bougival text could not be regarded as a balance between two “visions” for Kanaky New Caledonia, but rather a way of “maintaining New Caledonia as French”.
The text, UC said, had led the political dialogue into a “new impasse” and it left several questions unanswered.
“With the denomination of a ‘State’, a fundamental law (a de facto Constitution), the capacity to self-organise, and international recognition, this document is perceived as a project for an agreement to integrate (New Caledonia) into France under the guise of a decolonisation”.
“The FLNKS has never accepted a status of autonomy within France, but an external decolonisation by means of accession to full sovereignty [which] grants us the right to choose our inter-dependencies,” the media release stated.
The pro-independence party also criticised plans to enlarge the list of people entitled to vote at New Caledonia’s local elections — the very issue that triggered deadly and destructive riots in May 2024.
It is also critical of a proposed mechanism that would require a vote at the Congress with a minimum majority of 64 percent (two thirds) before any future powers can be requested for transfer from France to New Caledonia.
Assuming that current population trends and a fresh system of representation at the Congress will allow more representatives from the Southern province (about three quarters of New Caledonia’s population), UC said “in other words, it would be the non-independence [camp] who will have the power to authorise us — or not — to ask for our sovereignty”.
They party confirmed that it had “formally rejected the Bougival project of agreement as it stands” following a decision made by its steering committee on July 26 “since the fundamentals of our struggle and the principles of decolonisation are not there”.
Negotiators no longer mandated The decision also means that every member of its negotiating team who signed the document on July 12 is now de facto demoted and no longer mandated by the party until a new negotiating team is appointed, if required.
“Union Calédonienne remains mobilised to arrive at a political agreement that takes into account the achievement of a trajectory towards full sovereignty”.
On Tuesday, FLNKS president Christian Téin, as an invited guest of Corsica’s “Nazione” pro-independence movement, told French media he declared himself “individually against” the Bougival document, adding this was “far from being akin to full sovereignty”.
Téin said that during the days that led to the signing of the document in Bougival “the pressure” exerted on negotiators was “terrible”.
He said the result was that due to “excessive force” applied by “France’s representatives”, the final text’s content “looks like it is the French State and right-wing people who will decide the (indigenous) Kanak people’s future”.
Facing crime-related charges, Téin is awaiting his trial, but was released from jail, under the condition that he does not return to New Caledonia.
The leader of a CCAT (field action coordinating cell) created by Union Calédonienne late in 2023 to protest against a proposed French Constitutional amendment to alter voters’ rules of eligibility at local elections, was jailed for one year in mainland France. However, he was elected president of FLNKS in absentia in late August 2024.
CCAT, meanwhile, was admitted as one of the new components of FLNKS.
In a de facto split, the two main moderate pillars of FLNKS, UPM and PALIKA, at the same time, distanced themselves from the pro-independence UC-dominated platform, opening a rift within the pro-independence umbrella.
The FLNKS is scheduled to hold an extraordinary meeting on August 9 (it was initially scheduled to be held on August 2), to “highlight the prospects of the pursuit of dialogue through a repositioning of the pro-independence movement’s political orientations”.
French Minister for Overseas Manuel Valls (centre) shows signatures on the last page of New Caledonia’s new Bougival agreement earlier this month . . . “If tomorrow there was to be no agreement, it would mean the future, hope, would be put into question” Image: FB/RNZ Pacific
Valls: ‘I’m not giving up’ Reacting to the latest UC statements, Valls told French media he called on UC to have “a great sense of responsibility”.
“If tomorrow there was to be no agreement, it would mean the future, hope, would be put into question. Investment, including for the nickel mining industry, would no longer be possible.”
“I’m not giving up. Union Calédonienne has chosen to reject, as it stands, the Bougival accord project. I take note of this, but I profoundly regret this position.
“An institutional void would be a disaster for [New Caledonia]. It would be a prolonged uncertainty, the risk of further instability, the return of violence,” he said.
“But my door is not closed and I remain available for dialogue at all times. Impasse is not an option.”
Valls said the Bougival document was “‘neither someone’s victory on another one, nor an imposed text: it was built day after day with partners around the table following months of long discussions.”
In a recent letter specifically sent to Union Calédonienne, the French former Prime Minister suggested the creation of an editorial committee to start drafting future-shaping documents for New Caledonia, such as its “fundamental law”, akin to a Constitution for New Caledonia.
Valls also stressed France’s financial assistance to New Caledonia, which last year totalled around 3 billion euros because of the costs associated to the May 2024 riots.
The riots caused 14 dead, hundreds of injured and an estimated financial cost of more than 2 billion euros (NZ$5.8 billion) in damage.
This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
MINSK, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) — A Xinhua photo exhibition titled “Shoulder to Shoulder – Towards a Common Victory” dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War opened in Minsk on Thursday. The exhibition was visited by more than 300 people, including representatives of Belarusian political, military and academic circles, media and public organizations.
The exhibition features 34 photographs that vividly reflect the heroic struggle of the Chinese people against the Japanese aggressors, tell the touching story of the joint resistance of Soviet volunteer pilots and the Chinese people, and also demonstrate the deep military friendship between the peoples of China and Belarus during the World Anti-Fascist War.
First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus Sergei Lukashevich, who visited the exhibition, shared his impressions.
“This is an interesting and rich exhibition. It was very interesting for me to get acquainted with its content. Photographic documents are displayed here, the history that unites Belarus and China. Today, the two countries together advocate for the preservation of historical memory. It is very important now to talk about the true side of this history. This is also of great importance for young people, so that there is no distortion of the realities in which we live,” noted S. Lukashevich. According to him, historical truth for the peoples of China and Belarus is a very important element on which it is possible to build a correct, literate and educated society.
In turn, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to Belarus Zhang Wenchuan told Xinhua that this year marks the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, the Great Patriotic War of the Soviet Union and the World Anti-Fascist War.
“China and the USSR, as the main theaters of military operations in Asia and Europe during World War II, became the mainstay in the fight against Japanese militarism and German Nazism, making a decisive contribution to the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War. The photo exhibition vividly reproduces the heroic deeds of the Chinese nation in the united resistance to the Japanese invaders, and also tells about the true friendship between China and the USSR, forged during the war years. After 80 years, China and Belarus firmly adhere to the course of preserving historical memory, joint development and protecting international justice, jointly striving for a brighter future for humanity,” the Chinese ambassador concluded.
The exhibition was organized by the Minsk office of the Xinhua News Agency and China Image Group with the support of the Chinese Embassy in Belarus. –0–
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
MINSK, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) — Belarus is determined to deepen and expand cooperation with the People’s Liberation Army of China (PLA) in all areas of mutual interest, Belarusian Defense Minister Lieutenant General Viktor Khrenin said Thursday during a ceremony to mark the 98th anniversary of the founding of the PLA.
The Minister of Defense of Belarus emphasized that the country values constructive dialogue, exchange of experience and close coordination with the Chinese Defense Ministry. “We are confident that friendship and cooperation between Belarus and China will continue to grow stronger, contributing to the security of our states and peoples, as well as to maintaining peace on the planet,” V. Khrenin noted.
In addition, he expressed his deepest respect and gratitude to the valiant soldiers of the Chinese army for their selfless service and combat readiness to defend the Motherland.
“I would like to congratulate the PLA veterans separately. In this anniversary year, the year of the 80th anniversary of the Victory of the Soviet people in the Great Patriotic War and the 80th anniversary of the victory over Japan and the end of World War II, we say words of gratitude to them for today’s peaceful skies, their courage and fortitude as true defenders of their Fatherland,” the Belarusian Defense Minister emphasized, and also wished good health and well-being to all servicemen, veterans and their families, prosperity and peace to the Chinese people.
“Belarus highly values the outstanding role of the PLA in maintaining global and regional stability,” V. Khrenin summed up. –0–
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
NOTICE TO LAW ENFORCEMENT: Before arrest, verify warrant through the National Crime Information Center (NCIC). If subject is arrested or whereabouts known, contact the nearest U.S. Marshals Service office, American Embassy/Consulate, call the U.S. Marshals Service Communications Center at 1-800-336-0102, or submit a tip using U.S. Marshals Service Tips.
Extensive search efforts, coordinated by the NT Police Force’s Search and Rescue Section (SRS), have now entered their fourth day. The operation continues to be centred around an area approximately 21km west of Alice Springs and involves more than 50 personnel from NT Police, NT Emergency Services, NT Fire and Rescue Service, and Parks and Wildlife NT.
Ground teams, ATVs, drones, the Dog Operations Unit, and a Jet Ranger helicopter have now covered more than 500km² of rugged terrain since the search commenced on Tuesday.
Gach is described as being of Sudanese appearance, with dark skin, a slim build, short curly hair, and approximately 6 feet tall. He was last seen wearing cream tracksuit pants, a black t-shirt, a red/orange puffer jacket, and dark-coloured shoes.
Police are maintaining close contact with Gach’s family and urge anyone with information to contact police on 131 444.
In particular, police urge anyone who may have seen Gach in the vicinity of Larapinta Drive, Standley Chasm, or Simpsons Gap on the evening of Monday 28 July is encouraged to reach out.
A man has been arrested after child exploitation material was located at his home today.
On Friday 1 August, investigators from the South Australian JACET, a joint taskforce between South Australia Police and Australian Federal Police, attended a northeast suburbs home as a result of an online conversation between the accused and a covert online police officer.
The house was searched and a mobile phone, computer hard drives and a computer were seized.
Child exploitation material was located on the devices by Digital Evidence Section specialists and further examinations will continue.
Also during the search, investigators located three gel blasters.
A 38-year-old man from the northeastern suburbs was arrested and charged with disseminating child exploitation material, possessing child exploitation material and three counts of possessing a firearm without a licence.
He was refused police bail and will appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court later today.
“This operation is a stark reminder of the realities of child sexual exploitation and the proliferation of child sexual abuse material on the internet, and the need for proactive measures to address these crimes against our children,” said Chief Inspector George Fenwick Manager, of the Special Crimes Investigation Section.
“Without my officers being online and in these chat forums, we may never have identified this man or his offending.”
Members of the public who have information about people involved in child abuse and exploitation are urged to contact Crime Stoppers at www.crimestopperssa.com.au or on 1800 333 000. You can remain anonymous.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is proud to announce that it has issued over 1,000 tentative job offers since July 4, marking a significant milestone in its ongoing recruitment efforts. This achievement comes as ICE, under President Donald J. Trump and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s strong leadership, intensifies its mission to protect American communities and uphold the rule of law.
“We’re excited to welcome patriots who want to serve their country and make a difference in people’s daily lives,” said acting ICE Director Todd M. Lyons. “People who have received tentative offers will qualify for the incredible benefits we’re offering under this unprecedented initiative — including $50,000 bonuses and student loan forgiveness.”
ICE extended first-round job offers to several former ICE officers and agents who retired under the previous administration.
“People were frustrated under the Biden administration,” said Lyons. “They couldn’t do the jobs they signed up to do. Now, people are lining up to work with us because they know our officers and agents are allowed to enforce immigration law fairly and across the board, and that’s a cause people really believe in.”
For media inquiries about ICE activities, operations or policies, contact ICE’s Office of Public Affairs at ICEMedia@ICE.dhs.gov.
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Students and young scientists Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics, Novosibirsk State University took part in the International Summer School on Combinatorics, which was held at China Three Gorges University (CTGU) from June 26 to July 13. The delegation included Maxim Emelyanov, Timofey Vasiliev, Wang Yifei, Ayana Ondar and Maxim Levashov. The school program focused on modern aspects of discrete mathematics: participants studied in depth the theory of symmetric functions, Kazhdan-Lustig polynomials, Newton polyhedra and Lorentz polynomials. The educational process included active scientific discussions with teachers and colleagues, as well as final exams, which were successfully passed by all participants.
For NSU MMF Master’s student Maxim Yemelyanov, this trip was his first international academic experience in the field of combinatorics:
— This school brought together leading specialists and students from all over China. The program allowed not only to deeply study theoretical and applied approaches, but also to lay the foundation for future cooperation between NSU and Chinese universities, — says Maxim.
Maxim Yemelyanov presented his master’s thesis at the school on the topic “Consequences of using augmentation options in image recognition by convolutional neural networks.” Despite the fact that the topic lies at the intersection of mathematics and AI, it aroused keen interest among teachers and students:
— I decided to take part in the school to get new ideas for my dissertation and exchange experiences with world experts in discrete mathematics. In addition, it was a unique chance to present my research to an international audience and receive an objective assessment from leading lecturers. My master’s dissertation interested my colleagues and teachers at CTGU, which allowed me to receive valuable recommendations for further development of the topic and refinement of the methodology, — the student notes.
According to Maxim Yemelyanov, the lectures on symmetric functions were especially memorable – they demonstrated how a universal mathematical apparatus can be applied to a wide variety of problems and provide a new vision of discrete structures.
But the summer school is not only about science. The participants had a rich cultural program, including a trip to the world’s largest hydroelectric power station, the Three Gorges, master classes in Chinese crafts, and excursions to museums and picturesque places in the province:
— The scale of the CTGU campus, its infrastructure, the combination of modern architecture with natural landscapes and the careful organization of all processes made a huge impression. This trip was simultaneously inspiring, productive and truly important for my scientific path, — shares Maxim Emelyanov.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, today received a courtesy call by the Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of the United States Mission to ASEAN, Joy Sakurai, who recently assumed her office. Both sides discussed the progress of the ASEAN-United States Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) and expressed their shared commitment to working closely together to further promote ASEAN-United States CSP.
The post Secretary-General of ASEAN receives a courtesy call by the new Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of the United States Mission to ASEAN appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.
Bangkok, 1 August 2025 – Greenpeace Southeast Asia has appointed Veerawit Tianchainan as its new Executive Director, effective 1 August 2025. Assuming leadership at a time of intensifying escalating climate threats and systemic environmental injustices, Veerawit brings a bold and values-driven vision to lead the organisation in confronting the climate crisis and champion environmental justice across Southeast Asia.
A seasoned leader in environmental and human rights advocacy, Veerawit brings over 25 years of experience working across Southeast Asia and globally. His career spans diplomacy, public policy, grassroots mobilisation and international cooperation with governments, multilateral institutions and civil society movements.
Early in his career, Veerawit worked with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Regional Office in Thailand before founding the Thai Committee for Refugees Foundation (TCR), the country’s first nationally registered non-profit organisation dedicated to refugee protection. Under his leadership, TCR became a leading advocate for the rights of refugees, asylum seekers and stateless persons across Thailand and the region.
Prior to joining Greenpeace, Veerawit held leadership roles with the USAID-WWF Mekong for the Future Programme, where he led initiatives on environmental governance, community rights and natural resource protection across the Lower Mekong and wider ASEAN region. He also served leadership roles at The Freedom Story in Chiang Rai and the US Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, and has advised the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand, the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights, and the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children and the Asian Research Center for Migration.
Upon his appointment, Veerawit stated:
“We can only secure a thriving future for people and planet by standing up to unjust systems and creating bold, fair alternatives that put communities and the environment first. Greenpeace is a force for transformation – driven by courage, hope, and the power of people coming together. I’m proud to stand with Southeast Asia’s communities as we fight for environmental justice and a dignified future for all.”
Welcoming the new Executive Director, Wahyu Dhyatmika, Chair of Greenpeace Southeast Asia’s Board of Directors, commented:
“Veerawit’s bold vision, deep roots in community engagement, and proven leadership come at a time when bold action is urgently needed. The Board is confident he will guide Greenpeace Southeast Asia with purpose and drive the systemic change required to meet today’s environmental challenges.”
With presence in Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines, for over 25 years, Greenpeace Southeast Asia continues to champion renewable energy, forest and ocean protection, and climate justice – working alongside communities and grassroots movements to build a just, peaceful and sustainable future.
PERTH, Friday 1 August 2025 — In response toreportsthat fossil fuel giant Woodside has been hit withmandated ordersover decommissioning by safety regulator NOPSEMA, the following statement can be attributed to Geoff Bice, WA Campaign Lead at Greenpeace Australia Pacific:
“It’s unsettling but unsurprising that Woodside is yet again in trouble with the federal regulator NOPSEMA. Woodside’s mess is its own to clean up through thorough, safe and timely decommissioning of its toxic, retired offshore projects. But at this rate, what Woodside calls decommissioning is more like decomposing.
“Woodside’s decommissioning woes are piling up as its safety record and timelines blow out. The latest issues highlighted by the regulator include plastic from its Victorian structures washing up on local beaches, dangerous worker safety incidents, and ongoing issues related to the giant riser turret mooring that sank to the ocean floor near Ningaloo Reef. “This follows on from troubling reports last week that taxpayers are expected to foot Chevron’s bill for the massive clean-up required of the once-pristine Barrow Island. It has never been clearer that the oil and gas industry cannot be trusted to operate off the beautiful WA coast. We cannot risk similar outcomes at Scott Reef, where Woodside wants to drill up to 57 wells. The federal and Western Australian governments must make the polluters pay for their own full and proper clean up and prevent further risks to WA’s nature by rejecting Woodside’s dirty gas proposal at Scott Reef.”
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
You can view the reconciliation mural at O’Connor shops.
In brief:
There’s a new reconciliation mural in an O’Connor bus shelter.
Noah Yong, a year 6 student at Turner Primary School, created the reconciliation artwork.
Wiradjuri artist Kalara Gilbert brought the reconciliation mural to life.
A reconciliation artwork created by a young student has breathed new life into an O’Connor bus shelter.
The mural was designed by Noah Yong, a year 6 student at Turner Primary School.
The whole school participated in a 2025 Reconciliation Day poster competition. Noah won first place, and his two classmates came second and third.
Noah’s artwork represents the country, water, fauna, and community.
‘The centre shows First Nations people holding Australia, which includes all the different communities of Aboriginal Australia – this links with the 2025 Reconciliation Day theme Bridging Now to Next,’ he said.
Wiradjuri artist Kalara Gilbert helped bring Noah’s mural to life.
‘The equal placement of the Aboriginal and Australian flags reflects unity and respect, while the Aboriginal flag’s precedence acknowledges Indigenous peoples as the land’s First Custodians,’ she said.
‘The surrounding patterns I’ve painted represent the journey for justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.’
Wiradjuri artist Kalara Gilbert.
This is the second bus stop in Canberra to be painted in honour of Reconciliation Day.
Displaying the artwork in a public bus shelter helps to ensure conversations about reconciliation happen every day.
View the mural at the O’Connor shops bus shelter on Sargood Street.
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Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Ron Johnson
WASHINGTON – On Tuesday, Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations Chairman Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) sent a letter to Department of Defense (DoD) Secretary Pete Hegseth requesting a briefing on the DoD’s efforts to apologize, reinstate, and provide back pay to service members who were terminated after refusing to take the COVID-19 injection.
In 2021, then-Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin issued a COVID-19 vaccine mandate which resulted in the termination of approximately 8,700 active-duty service members who refused the injection.
“This dismissal of thousands of brave men and women from the military was a despicable act that damaged our armed forces,” the chairman wrote.
Tuesday’s letter follows a Daily Caller article about former service members who are reportedly still waiting to be made whole following the Biden administration’s disastrous COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
During the first few days of President Trump’s second term, he issued an executive order enabling these wrongfully discharged service members to revert to their former rank and receive full back pay, benefits, bonus payments, or compensation. In February 2025, Sec. Hegseth announced that service members could seek reinstatements and back pay.
“I have no doubt that you are committed to assisting our service members, which is why I want to bring to your attention a July 24, 2025 Daily Caller article that featured several former military personnel who have still not received back pay after being terminated for refusing the injection,” Chairman Johnson wrote to Secretary Hegseth.
Read more about Chairman Johnson’s letter in Daily Caller.
Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) chaired a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law hearing, where she examined how a national data privacy framework can protect Americans’ personal information across state lines, empower consumers, and promote responsible innovation:
Click here to download video of Senator Blackburn’s opening remarks during the Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing.
Click here to download video of Senator Blackburn’s questions during the Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing.
Americans Are Vulnerable without a National Data Privacy Framework
Senator Blackburn: “The absence of a comprehensive national data privacy framework has left millions of Americans vulnerable… For years now, I have been clear we need a national privacy standard that is comprehensive and enforceable. One that empowers consumers, promotes innovation and ensures accountability. It should prioritize transparency, minimize data collection and provide meaningful consent, not just a box to check.”
Senator Blackburn Has Led the Fight to Protect Americans in the Virtual Space
Senator Blackburn: “It is past time for Congress to take up this issue, to take action to pass a bill and see that bill signed into law. We should also acknowledge how closely this issue is tied to the safety of our children online. Senator Blumenthal and I have worked diligently on the Kids Online Safety Act, which would require platforms to design their product for children’s well-being in mind, not just for their bottom line. We’ve seen time and again how data driven algorithms target kids with addictive content and expose them to harmful material. Business models that profit from children’s vulnerabilities must be reined in. It is absolutely disgusting that our children are the product when they are online. And through the Open App Market Act that I introduced with Senator Klobuchar, I have worked to increase competition and consumer choice in the digital marketplace. Whether it’s protecting your personal data, your right to download the apps you want, or your ability to access services, the common thread is this: users, not tech giants, should be in control of the individual user’s life.”
Source: United States Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) introduced the Terminating Education Association Congressional Handouts (TEACH) Act to ban the National Education Association (NEA) from influencing the decisions of the federal government. This follows Senator Blackburn’s legislation to revoke the congressional charter of the NEA, the nation’s largest teachers’ union and the only labor union with a federal charter.
“The National Education Association has abandoned its mission of supporting America’s teachers and students in the name of pushing its far-left political agenda,” said Senator Blackburn. “The NEA has become nothing more than a radical-left activist group, and it has no business using its status as a congressionally chartered entity to push woke gender ideology, antisemitism, and propaganda on America’s students.”
BACKGROUND
The National Education Association (NEA) voted to fight against President “Trump’s embrace of fascism,” promote LGBTQ events in public schools, and members backed severing all ties with the Anti-Defamation League. These latest examples of NEA’s blatant political bias, along with its recent promotion of hatred and antisemitism, are a clear departure from the organization’s intended purpose.
The NEA has a long list of egregious violations of public trust:
In the 2024 election cycle, 98 percent of NEA political donations went to Democrats.
In 2023, the NEA partnered with the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), who collaborated with the Target Corporation to promote an obscene, radical agenda in their stores.
In July 2021, the NEA adopted measures to support critical race theory.
The NEA stood in the way of reopening schools in 2020 and 2021 by threatening strikes and influencing CDC guidance process to make it harder for schools to reopen.
The NEA erased the word “Jewish” when referencing the Holocaust in their handbook. The NEA then erased the handbook from their website after being caught.
THE TEACH ACT
The TEACH Act would:
Ban the NEA from influencing the decisions of the federal government; and
Require the NEA to submit an annual certification to the Secretary of Education that the association has not engaged in any such attempts.
Newly released Government documents reveal the lengths to which ministers went to avoid scrutiny and ignore official advice on their decision to gut the Equal Pay Act and cancel pay equity claims.
“These documents reveal that the Government did everything in its power to shut down public debate on pay equity in an effort to stop over 300,000 women from being paid what they’re worth,” said NZCTU Secretary Melissa Ansell-Bridges.
“Ramming the legislation through Parliament under urgency with no select committee process was bad enough, but it is now clear that the Government intentionally denied the public transparency and accountability in a highly orchestrated and underhanded campaign.
“Ministers went to extraordinary lengths to keep their plans secret and prevent workers from taking claims while they still had an avenue to do so.
“The documents also reveal that officials warned that the secretive and rushed process limited proper scrutiny of the policy and could lead to unintended consequences, but this advice was evidently ignored.
“Officials also noted that the changes retrospectively removed people’s rights and could be breaches of the Human Rights Act and Bill of Rights Act.
“Attempts to silence opposition have failed – women workers and their allies continue to rise up and demand the reversal of claim cancellations and will be coming together in an unprecedented Women’s Day of Action on September 20,” said Ansell-Bridges.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The following is issued on behalf of the Communications Authority:
The Communications Authority (CA) announced today (August 1) the commencement of a two-month public consultation on the applications for the renewal of domestic free television programme service (free TV) licences.
The free TV licences of HK Television Entertainment Company Limited (HKTVE), i-CABLE HOY Limited (i-CABLE HOY) and Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) are due to expire between 2027 and 2028. The three licensees have submitted their licence renewal applications to the CA. In accordance with the requirements under the Broadcasting Ordinance (Cap. 562) (BO) and established procedures, the CA will carry out a detailed assessment of the licensees’ past performance and renewal proposals, and collect public views through various means, including carrying out a two-month public consultation, an opinion survey, a televised online public hearing (TOPH) and focus group discussions. The CA will take into account performances of the licensees, views of the industry and public, the latest market developments etc, and make recommendations on the licence renewal applications to the Chief Executive in Council before the end of March 2026.
Members of the public may give their views through various means, including submitting views in writing by September 30, 2025 (by email: consultation-tv-2025@ofca.gov.hk, fax: 2507 2219 or mail to: Office of the Communications Authority (Attn: Broadcasting Section 33), 20/F, Wu Chung House, 213 Queen’s Road East, Wan Chai, Hong Kong); and/or by participating in the TOPH which will be held on September 20, 2025. For the TOPH registration arrangements and the details of the licensees’ services (including compliance records and investment plans), please visit the dedicated webpage on the CA’s website.
The free TV licences of HKTVE, i-CABLE HOY and TVB are valid for 12 years from April 1, 2015, to March 31, 2027, May 31, 2016, to May 30, 2028, and December 1, 2015, to November 30, 2027, respectively. As required by the BO, the three licensees have submitted their licence renewal applications to the CA no less than 24 months before the expiry of the validity period of their licences. Having regard to the proximity of expiry of the three licences, the CA will carry out a consolidated review exercise for the renewal applications in accordance with the BO and established practice.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order increasing the tariff on Canada from 25 percent to 35 percent, with the higher tariff set to go into effect on Aug. 1, the White House said in a fact sheet.
“Canada has failed to cooperate in curbing the ongoing flood of fentanyl and other illicit drugs, and it has retaliated against the United States for the president’s actions to address this unusual and extraordinary threat to the United States,” said the fact sheet.
The White House said that in response to Canada’s “continued inaction and retaliation,” Trump has found it necessary to increase the tariff on Canada to “effectively address the existing emergency.”
Goods qualifying for preferential tariff treatment under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) will continue to remain exempt from the new tariffs. Goods transshipped to evade the 35 percent tariff will be subject, instead, to a transshipment tariff of 40 percent.
The fact sheet addressed the presidential action as “necessary and appropriate to protect American lives and the national security and foreign policy of the United States.”
In February, Trump signed an executive order to impose an ad valorem duty rate of 25 percent on imports from Canada in response to the national emergency. In March, he determined that Canada had failed to adequately address the situation and proceeded with the imposition of the 25 percent tariff, according to the fact sheet.
“Now, President Trump is taking further action to hold Canada accountable for its continued role in the illicit drug crisis,” the White House said.
On Thursday, Trump also announced so-called “reciprocal tariff rates” of up to 41 percent on many countries.
In April, Canada imposed 25-percent tariffs on U.S. vehicles that didn’t meet CUSMA rules and on non-Canadian, non-Mexican content in vehicles imported under CUSMA, as countermeasures, said its government.
Canada was the top buyer of U.S. exports last year, importing 349 billion dollars worth of goods, while exporting 413 billion dollars to the United States as its third-largest source of foreign goods, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
The U.S. Department of State on Thursday announced sanctions that deny visas to officials of the Palestinian Authority (PA) and members of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).
“It is in our national security interests to impose consequences and hold the PLO and PA accountable for not complying with their commitments and undermining the prospects for peace,” the State Department said in a press release.
The department noted it reported to the U.S. Congress that both organizations “are not in compliance with their commitments under the PLO Commitments Compliance Act of 1989 and the Middle East Peace Commitments Act of 2002.”
It claimed that the PA and PLO took actions to “internationalize its conflict with Israel” at international organizations such as the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice.
It also accused them of “continuing to support terrorism including incitement and glorification of violence,” and “providing payments and benefits in support of terrorism to Palestinian terrorists and their families.”
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Palestinians carry bags of flour after the humanitarian aid entered Gaza through a border crossing, in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip, on July 27, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
UN humanitarians said Thursday that as starvation worsens in Gaza, efforts to swiftly distribute aid are being hampered by delays, looting and military operations, even as shipments continue to arrive through Israeli checkpoints.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that earlier this week, despite the Israeli military designating secure routes from border crossings into Gaza and toward distribution sites, aid trucks operated by the United Nations and its partners continued to face lengthy delays, putting drivers, humanitarian workers and crowds at risk.
OCHA said that the sole route provided by Israeli authorities for UN teams exiting the Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem crossing into Gaza is frequently disrupted by Israeli ground forces setting up ad hoc checkpoints, causing additional delays in aid delivery.
The office said that despite such challenges, the world body and its humanitarian partners continue to seize every opportunity to collect supplies from the Israeli-controlled crossings.
“The teams have managed to collect wheat flour, ready-to-eat rations, high-energy biscuits, nutrition items, hygiene kits and other critical supplies from the Israeli-controlled crossings,” OCHA said.
The office said that “much of the food is taken by people en route, rather than reaching community-based distribution points,” adding that “aid must be distributed at the community level” to ensure no one is left behind.
The United Nations and its partners insist on reaching Palestinians in need through community-based distribution points, numbering 400 across Gaza, rather than the four militarized Israeli and U.S.-sponsored Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) hubs, due to chaos and gunfire erupting near them.
“OCHA urges the Israeli authorities to allow the consistent and simultaneous entry of large volumes of diverse humanitarian and commercial supplies through all crossing points and multiple routes,” the office said.
Highlighting the difficulties aid workers face in coordinating movements across much of the Gaza Strip with Israeli authorities, OCHA said that only 47 percent were fully facilitated, while 11 percent were withdrawn by organizers, according to cumulative data from July 23 to 29.
“Unimpeded humanitarian access within Gaza is essential,” the office said. “Without it, time and resources are wasted, lives are lost, and the response cannot match the scale of the needs.”
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
U.S. President Donald Trump steps off Marine One upon his arrival at the White House in Washington, D.C., the United States, on July 29, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order further modifying tariff rates with nearly 70 trading partners.
The order hereby imposes “additional ad valorem duties on goods of certain trading partners.”
Most of the new tariff rates range from 10 percent to 40 percent, according to an annex to the release from the White House.
The new tariff rates will take effect seven days after the date of the executive order with exceptions on logistical grounds.
Trump noted in the executive order that some U.S. trading partners, despite having engaged in negotiations, have offered terms that do not sufficiently address “imbalances” in trading relationship or have failed to align sufficiently with the United States on “economic and national security matters.”
“There are also some trading partners that have failed to engage in negotiations with the United States or to take adequate steps to align sufficiently with the United States on economic and national security matters,” he said.
According to the order, the U.S. Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of Homeland Security, together with other senior officials, shall publish every six months a list of countries and specific facilities used in circumvention schemes, to inform public procurement, national security reviews, and commercial due diligence.
In addition, major U.S. governmental agencies are directed and authorized to take “all necessary actions” to implement and effectuate this order, consistent with applicable law, including through temporary suspension or amendment of regulations or notices.