Cricket minnows Italy are on the cusp of sealing their first appearance at the Twenty20 World Cup after stunning Scotland in the European qualifying tournament on Wednesday.
Their 12-run victory in Voorburg, the Netherlands, kept Italy top of the Europe Regional Final standings and in pole position for the 20-overs showpiece to be held in India and Sri Lanka next year.
A win over the Dutch, who are second in the standings, in their final match on Friday would seal their place but Italy’s superior net run rate means even a narrow loss could send them through if other results go their way.
“I am really proud of the boys for this moment,” said captain Joe Burns, who played 23 tests for Australia before switching allegiance to Italy last year.
“Hopefully this is the stepping stone for a lot to come. It’s a very emotional group at the moment. Being on the verge of a World Cup? It’s very surreal.”
With the top two in the standings to advance, Scotland can still qualify but need a big win against Jersey on Friday and an Italy victory against the Dutch.
“A lot of the credit has to go to Italy, who outskilled us with the ball in those conditions,” Scotland captain Richie Berrington said.
“Obviously today’s a tough one, but it’s important we learn what we can from this game. We will be looking to come back strong.
“We have to focus on coming back on Friday and looking to win that game then the rest takes care of itself.”
England’s Lauren James scored twice, while Georgia Stanway and Ella Toone also found the net to put the defending women’s European champions back on track at Euro 2025 with an emphatic 4-0 victory over the Netherlands on Wednesday.
Four days after a lacklustre 2-1 loss to France, aruthless England came out firing on all cylinders in front of a festive crowd that included Britain’s Prince William.
England and the Netherlands both have three points from their opening two games in Group D, level with France who can go three points clear at the summit if they beat Wales later on Wednesday.
England play tournament debutants Wales in their final group game on Sunday, when the Netherlands play France.
James put England on the scoresheet in the 22nd minute when goalkeeper Hannah Hampton picked out Alessia Russo with a stunning long ball. Russo, who had a hat-trick of assists to win the player of the match award, slipped it to James on the edge of the box who worked the ball onto her left foot before unleashing a screamer into the top corner.
Stanway doubled England’s lead seconds before halftime when the Dutch struggled to clear the ball and the midfielder was there to fizz a first-time shot past wrong-footed goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar.
An unmarked James, who recently returned after missing almost three months with a hamstring injury, completed her double in the 60th with an easy shot from inside the box.
James received a standing ovation — and a kiss blown from her proud dad — when coach Sarina Wiegman replaced her with Chloe Kelly midway through the second half.
“I enjoyed it a lot. The goals say it all,” said James.
“We bounced back from our previous game and today we showed we’re more than capable of showing the world what we can do.”
MORE MISERY
Toone, who had replaced Beth Mead in the starting 11, added more misery for the Dutch in the 67th minute. Russo held up the ball in the penalty area before sending it to a running Toone, who calmly slotted home.
Wiegman, who coached the Netherlands to the Euro 2017 title, was delighted with her team’s response after the defeat to France, as they thoroughly smothered the Dutch, taking 17 shots to the Netherlands’ four.
“How we came together, how we played down the pitch and of course I’m very happy with the score because that’s a massive help because goal difference can make the difference,” Wiegman said.
“Also the days into this game, how we looked at each other’s eyes and said, ‘OK what do we do?’, and execution of the game plan. I think that really helped.”
The Lionesses also kept Vivianne Miedema, who scored her 100th international goal in the Netherlands’ 3-0 win over Wales in their tournament opener, under wraps.
“It’s tough, we need to accept it because we don’t deserve anything else today,” Miedema said. “England came out the way we thought they would and we weren’t intense anywhere on the pitch.
“We need to look at ourselves — we wanted to press high which didn’t work because we couldn’t cover the distances. We know how good England are but I don’t think today really reflected how we are and how good we can be.”
rime Minister Narendra Modi returned to New Delhi on Thursday morning after concluding a five-nation tour that spanned July 2 to 9, covering Ghana, Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina, Brazil, and Namibia. The visit also included his participation in the 17th BRICS Summit held in Rio de Janeiro under Brazil’s chairmanship.
The Prime Minister began his tour with a visit to Ghana on July 2-3- the first by an Indian Prime Minister to the West African nation in over three decades. In Accra, he held bilateral talks with President John Mahama to review the existing partnership and explore new areas of cooperation in economic development, defence, maritime security, energy, and critical minerals. Both leaders agreed to elevate ties to a Comprehensive Partnership. President Mahama also conferred on PM Modi The Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana, the country’s highest civilian award.
On July 3-4, PM Modi travelled to Trinidad and Tobago– the first Prime Ministerial visit since 1999. He met Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and addressed the Parliament. During the visit, India announced that Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) cards will now be issued to the sixth generation of the Indian diaspora in the Caribbean nation. PM Modi was also honoured with The Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the nation’s highest civilian honour.
The third leg of the tour took PM Modi to Argentina on July 4-5- the first standalone bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the South American country in nearly six decades. He held discussions with President Javier Milei to strengthen cooperation in defence, agriculture, mining, energy, trade, and investment. Describing the visit as productive, PM Modi said the talks would help deepen India-Argentina ties. He was also presented with the Key to the City of Buenos Aires by the city’s Chief, Jorge Macri.
In the fourth leg of his visit, Prime Minister Modi attended the 17th BRICS Summit held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from July 6 to 7. He then travelled to Brasília, the capital of Brazil, for a State Visit and held bilateral talks with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The two leaders discussed ways to expand the Strategic Partnership between India and Brazil in areas such as trade, defence, energy, space, technology, agriculture, health, and people-to-people exchanges. During the visit, President Lula conferred on Prime Minister Modi Brazil’s highest civilian honour, The Grand Collar of the National Order of the Southern Cross.
In the final leg of his tour on July 9, Prime Minister Modi visited Namibia – marking the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the country in 27 years. He addressed the Namibian Parliament, where he received a standing ovation from the members. During the visit, President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah conferred upon him The Order of the Most Ancient Welwitschia Mirabilis, Namibia’s highest civilian honour.
Source: Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
The SPbPU Endowment Fund has opened a fundraising campaign to form two new target capitals. The initiative to create them was put forward by the directorates of the Civil Engineering Institute and the Institute of Power Engineering.
The creation of the Electromekh and Energomash and Engineering and Construction capitals will be officially announced after each of them accumulates funds in the amount of more than 3 million rubles, which will be sent to the management companies. Currently, the Polytechnic Endowment has six target capitals, and three more are being formed. The total volume of the fund’s funds by January 2025 exceeded 111 million rubles.
Let us recall that the Endowment Fund is never spent, its funds are invested in liquid financial instruments, and the income from the endowment capital is annually directed to scientific, educational and social projects, including support for students, postgraduates, teachers and their projects, improvement of living conditions in dormitories, financing of internships in Russia and abroad, support for foreign students, as well as development of infrastructure and material and technical base of institutes.
Anyone can support the initiative of the Civil Engineering Institute and the Institute of Power Engineering. To do this, simply follow the link HTTPS: //Donate.SPBSTSTE.RU/ and make a donation by selecting the desired target capital from the drop-down list.
The creation of new endowments is an important step towards the sustainable development of the Polytechnic University and the support of talented students and teachers. Join the development of your institute and support the future of the Polytechnic University!
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: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The steering committee on handling extreme weather, led by the Chief Secretary for Administration, released the following information today (July 10) in response to the development of weather conditions.
Due to the impact of torrential rain and squally thunderstorms brought by the remnant of Tropical Cyclone Danas, the weather conditions are expected to remain severe tomorrow (July 11). To ensure the safety of students, and considering that schools across Hong Kong may have already started their summer vacation and the actual impact of class suspension on students’ learning and teaching is relatively small, the Education Bureau announces that classes of all day schools, including secondary schools, primary schools, special schools, kindergartens, and kindergartens-cum-child care centres, will be suspended tomorrow.
The Secondary One registration procedures were originally scheduled for today and tomorrow (July 10 and 11) at the allocated secondary schools. Considering that some parents may have already made arrangements to register at the schools today, the original whole-day registration arrangements for today will remain unchanged. If parents choose to register their child at the allocated secondary school today, they should pay attention to the weather conditions and ensure safety. For safety reasons, parents should not bring their children to the school for registration.
Additionally, the registration originally scheduled for Friday, July 11 will be rescheduled to next Monday, July 14. If parents are unable to register in person or through an authorised representative on the above dates, please contact the allocated secondary school or the School Places Allocation Section of the Education Bureau (Tel: 2832 7700 or 2832 7740) to make appropriate registration arrangements.
Units under the Social Welfare Department (SWD) providing child care centre services, services under the Neighbourhood Support Child Care Project, and after school care programmes for pre-primary or primary school children will not open to the public tomorrow (July 11). Members of the public in need may contact the centres or services units concerned for assistance. The SWD will closely monitor the weather conditions and make timely announcements on the latest arrangements of other services when necessary. Members of the public should pay attention to the announcements.
Under the cross-departmental co-ordination by the steering committee, various government departments have completed all necessary preparatory work and response plans, arranging extra manpower on standby, to safeguard the lives and property of the public as well as public safety. The preparatory work includes:
The Home Affairs Department (HAD) is ready to activate the Emergency Co-ordination Centre as soon as necessary and to open temporary shelters for people in need of temporary accommodation. District Offices have also co-ordinated with other departments and organisations to enhance preparedness and mobilised District Council members, members of “the three committees” and Care Teams to disseminate the latest weather information to residents in flood-prone areas, reminding them to make necessary preparations.
The Drainage Services Department (DSD) had made special arrangements to inspect and carry out necessary clearance at about 240 locations prone to flooding due to blockages. The “just-in-time” arrangement will continue, with 180 emergency response teams to conduct inspection and clearance of drainage channels in different districts across the territory. Members of the public are advised to report any street flooding to the DSD by calling the 24-hour drainage hotline at 2300 1110.
The Highways Department has reminded relevant staff members and contractors to make preparations for the activation of the Emergency Control Centres and handle road emergencies when necessary, including promptly clearing obstructions on roads and blocked road gullies and drains, reinforcing collapsed slopes with emergency shotcrete, etc, with a view to resuming road traffic on major public roads as soon as possible.
The Emergency Monitoring and Support Centre (EMSC) of the Security Bureau has made arrangements and will be fully activated when the Black Rainstorm Warning Signal is issued or from 5pm today to monitor the situation in the city. Utilising the Common Operational Picture, the EMSC will conduct real-time citywide monitoring and integrate updates from various departments to swiftly assess risks and formulate response plans and measures. Various emergency response teams, including the Fire Services Department, the Hong Kong Police Force, the Civil Aid Service and the Auxiliary Medical Service, have completed all necessary preparatory work and are on standby to handle possible emergencies during heavy rainstorms and high winds, and to provide assistance to those in need.
The Emergency Transport Co-ordination Centre of the Transport Department will continue to operate round-the-clock. It will closely monitor traffic and transport conditions with public transport agencies and disseminate emergency traffic information and public transport service arrangements to the public in a timely manner.
　　 The steering committee on handling extreme weather is tasked with holistically reviewing and steering cross-departmental overall preparations and response plans for typhoons and rainstorms, and strengthening information dissemination. The committee urges the public to continue to stay alert, stay away from dangerous places such as rivers and slopes in adverse weather conditions, refrain from water sports, and to pay attention to the latest news released by the Government.
Source: ASEAN – Association of SouthEast Asian Nations
1.We, the Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Australia, gathered in Kuala Lumpur for the ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference with Australia on 10 July 2025.
2.We welcome the adoption of the ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Future, including the ASEAN Community Vision 2045: “Resilient, Innovative, Dynamic and People-Centred” (ACV 2045) and its Strategic Plans, and reaffirmed our shared commitment to a peaceful, stable, and prosperous region. Australia commits to supporting ASEAN in implementing the ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Future through practical initiatives and increased cooperation. We reiterate our collective resolve to work towards a more secure, resilient and prosperous future.
Announcement on Open Market Operations No.131 [2025]
(Open Market Operations Office, July 10, 2025)
The People’s Bank of China conducted reverse repo operations in the amount of RMB90 billion through quantity bidding at a fixed interest rate on July 10, 2025.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
During its 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), China has taken concrete actions to lead global green development, promote shared prosperity among nations, and uphold fairness and justice in the world, as it shoulders its responsibilities as a major nation, said Zheng Shanjie, chairman of the National Development and Reform Commission, on Wednesday.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
China’s courier sector has handled more than 100 billion parcels so far this year, according to data released by the State Post Bureau on Thursday.
The bureau noted that the 100 billion milestone was reached 35 days earlier than in 2024, marking the fifth consecutive year that China has handled over 100 billion parcels.
As the country’s consumer market continues to expand and e-commerce grows in popularity, the courier sector is playing an increasingly important role in supporting related industries and driving broader economic growth, an official with the bureau said.
Since the beginning of this year, China has unveiled a variety of measures to boost consumption. For instance, it has added more product categories to its consumer goods trade-in program, aiming to drive domestic demand and unlock consumer potential.
China reaffirmed support for this national program last month, pledging to ensure continued funding to sustain the government subsidy payment throughout 2025.
To enhance the impact of the program, the courier sector is working to provide more efficient and convenient services, drawing on the joint efforts of millions of practitioners, the official said.
The sector will also make more efforts to reduce social logistics costs and build a more resource-efficient society, the official added.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
China’s auto production and sales logged double-digit increases in the first half of the year (H1), a sign of vibrant domestic consumption in the world’s second-largest economy, data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) showed on Thursday.
The country’s auto output totaled 15.62 million units during the period, up 12.5 percent from a year ago, while auto sales rose 11.4 percent to 15.65 million units.
The CAAM saw increased vitality in the auto market, driven by various factors, including the country’s stable economic growth, the consumer goods trade-in program, and the rapid growth of the NEV market.
New energy vehicle (NEV) production surged 41.4 percent year on year to nearly 6.97 million units in the first six months, with sales up by 40.3 percent year on year to about 6.94 million units.
NEVs accounted for 44.3 percent of total new vehicle sales in China during the January-June period, according to the CAAM.
To boost consumption, China expanded the scope of passenger vehicles covered under its trade-in program in January, aiming to increase domestic demand and support the Chinese economy through equipment upgrades and trade-ins of consumer goods.
Thursday’s data also showed that the country’s auto exports increased 10.4 percent year-on-year to 3.08 million units in the six months. Notably, NEV exports soared 75.2 percent to 1.06 million units.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Roma is close to signing Brazil international right-back Wesley from Flamengo, according to widespread media reports.
The 21-year-old has agreed in principle to a five-year contract and is awaiting agreement between the clubs on a transfer fee, Globo Esporte reported on Wednesday.
It added that Roma is willing to pay around 25 million euros (29 million U.S. dollars) for the defender, whose Flamengo contract runs until December 2028.
Wesley has been a target of new Roma manager Gian Piero Gasperini since last year, when he tried to sign him while still in charge of Atalanta.
Roma, which does not currently have any Brazilians in its squad, finished fifth in the Italian Serie A last season, 13 points behind champions Napoli.
Government sets out reforms to create a fair, secure, affordable and efficient electricity system
Government confirms reforms to the national pricing electricity market that will create a fairer, cheaper, more secure, and more efficient energy system.
Government puts fairness and affordability at the centre of electricity market reform to deliver system that puts working people first
Government takes decision to reform the existing national pricing system rather than split the country into different zones.
Reforms will protect consumers and secure investment as government drives to deliver clean power mission, protecting families through Plan for Change
Working people, families and businesses will benefit from a fairer, cheaper, more secure, and more efficient energy system thanks to ambitious new reforms of the energy market to protect consumers and secure investment into clean energy.
Working people have suffered uncertainties and worry in recent years from high energy bills spurred on by the country’s dependence on fossil fuel markets controlled by dictators. That is why the government has doubled down on its clean energy mission, which will give families control with clean homegrown power that Britain controls – all part of the mission to bring down bills for good.
In delivering this clean power system, the government inherited a decision on whether to retain the current national system in which all areas in Britain pay the same wholesale price for energy – or undertake an overhaul to split the country into different pricing zones depending on their proximity to where energy is generated.
Following this process, and an extensive consultation which started in 2022, the Government has concluded that reforming the system while retaining a single national wholesale price is the right way to deliver a fair, affordable, secure, and efficient electricity system.
The proposals set out today (10 July) will ensure the benefits of clean power are felt by consumers in every part of the country, while giving businesses the stability and certainty they need to continue investing to upgrade our infrastructure – boosting national energy security, creating tens of thousands of jobs, and growing the economy.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:
Building clean power at pace and scale is the only way to get Britain off the rollercoaster of fossil fuel markets and protect families and businesses for good.
As we embark on this new era of clean electricity, a reformed system of national pricing is the best way to deliver an electricity system that is fairer, more affordable, and more secure, at less risk to vital investment in clean energy than other alternatives.
Our package of reforms will protect consumers and secure investment as we drive to deliver our clean power mission through our Plan for Change.
This decision comes as the government takes a step closer to the clean power by 2030 target, delivering the most significant investment in clean, homegrown power in British history over the last year. This includes approving projects that could power the equivalent of 2 million homes, as well as the biggest expansion of new nuclear power in half a century, providing £14.2 billion for Sizewell C, over the Spending Review.
The government is taking a fundamentally different approach to building the energy system and infrastructure that this country needs. After years of delay from previous governments that has seen consumer costs and constraint payments rise, the government is rapidly building the network, reforming the planning system, and transforming the grid connections queue to get the projects needed for clean power and economic growth. It is only by driving the build out of new transmission infrastructure, which the government is doing through our planning measures after years of delay, that the clean power system the country needs can be built.
The further changes announced today will see the government taking on more responsibility for planning the system and determining where clean energy infrastructure is located, based on what is needed for the long-term. These changes will ultimately help to bring down energy bills, by making the current system more efficient, ensuring low-cost investment into cheap clean energy projects, and reducing the cost of running the electricity network.
The key parts of the reformed national package being announced today include:
Strategic Spatial Energy Plan:
The government has confirmed that the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan, to be published next year by NESO following consultation, will be at the heart of the reforms to improve the efficiency of the electricity system, under the national pricing model.
Commissioned by UK, Scottish and Welsh governments last year, for the first time the plan will set out how to best spread new energy projects across land and sea in Great Britain up to 2050. This will speed up development, cut grid connection waiting times and help to reduce costs, giving investors confidence on where to build and when.
Transmission Charges:
Under the current system, the more that energy generators rely on the transmission network to move power to where it’s needed, the more they will need to pay – in what are known as Transmission Network Use of System charges. The government will work with Ofgem to drive forward a review of these charges to provide stronger incentives for investors to build generation where it is needed, supporting a cheaper system for all. Crucially this will include changes to make existing charges more predictable for investors – as currently the charges vary year by year, which causes uncertainty during long-term projects and can drive up prices as developers price in the risk of volatility.
Improving the efficiency of the power system:
The government is already working at pace with the industry to rewire Britain and upgrade the country’s outdated infrastructure to get more renewable electricity onto the grid and minimise constraint payments after over a decade of delay. Independent advice from NESO confirmed that up to £4 billion in constraint payments, caused by historic failure to build the grid infrastructure the country needs, could be avoided by 2030, if critical network upgrades are accelerated to complete by 2030. Many of these projects are already well into development, such as the Norwich to Tilbury transmission line, and the Sea Link offshore cable between Kent and Suffolk.
The government is also working with NESO to launch a consultation later this year on further reforms that will help to reduce the need for constraint payments. One potential measure could give NESO better access to smaller assets – such as battery storage sites – that can offer greater flexibility when balancing the grid.
NESO are also currently working with the wider industry to explore further options to help reduce the need for constraint payments – as part of their Constraints Collaboration Project.
Today’s announcement also builds on wider schemes announced by the government that aim to ensure households can directly benefit from hosting clean energy projects. Earlier this year, the government introduced measures in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill that will see eligible households within 500 metres of new or upgraded electricity transmission infrastructure receive electricity bill discounts of up to £2,500 over 10 years. The Energy Secretary also recently set out plans for coastal and rural communities hosting clean energy infrastructure to receive a cash boost for new community facilities, better transport links and investment in apprenticeships.
Notes to editors
This follows the second consultation on the Review of Electricity Market Arrangements, under the previous government. Since taking office, this government has carried out ongoing engagement with the industry, consumer groups and wider stakeholders – and will continue to work closely with all parties as the proposed changes are developed.
Later this year, the government will also publish a Reformed National Pricing Delivery Plan, which will set out the next steps for government to work together with Ofgem, the National Energy System Operator and industry to delivery these reforms.
The government is publishing this decision now to provide certainty for investors ahead of the AR7 auction round.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Georgette Leah Burns, Associate Professor, Griffith School of Environment and Science, Griffith University
Luciano Gonzalez/Anadolu via Getty Images
Last weekend, a woman was mauled by a lioness at Darling Downs Zoo in Queensland, and lost her arm. The zoo, which keeps nine lions, has been operating for 20 years and had never experienced an incident such as this.
The victim was a relative of the zoo owner, Steve Robinson, who told the media the lions were not aggressive and the lioness was thought to be “just playing”.
Although attacks like this are extremely rare, they are obviously of great concern. The incident should prompt a rethink of our approach to wild animals in captivity, and whether it’s morally acceptable – or safe – to keep them there at all.
Why do zoos exist?
Zoos, aquariums and other settings where wild animals are kept captive exist for two main reasons: human entertainment and profit-making.
Surveys show zoo visitors have a preference for large mammals such as elephants, primates and big cats.
Some animals are more tolerant of captivity conditions and exposure to humans than others. Fish, for example, seem to respond more neutrally to human presence than most other species.
But a recent study found captive animals generally demonstrate abnormal behaviour more often than non-captive ones.
For most wild animals, captivity deprives them of the ability to engage in natural behaviour, which harms their welfare. For example, free-living dolphins and whales have long-range migration patterns which require vast ocean spaces. They are also highly social and display complex communication behaviour.
Captive dolphins were once common in aquariums and marine parks across Australia. But now only one facility, Sea World in Queensland, still breeds dolphins for entertainment.
Another important welfare question is whether the captive animal has “agency” – that is, whether it can make choices as it would in the wild.
Can it choose, for example, which other animals it has relationships with? Or whether it has privacy? Having control over such decisions enhances the quality of life for the captive animal.
It’s important to note that some zoos can deliver positive outcomes for animals. Many play an important conservation role, such as running captive breeding programs for endangered species.
An example is a long-running program across several Australian zoos and other organisations to recover populations of the critically endangered Regent Honeyeater. The program has released more than 400 zoo-bred birds into the wild.
However, such conservation programs do not necessarily need to involve zoos to succeed.
Weighing up the risks
No matter how domesticated they might seem, some wild animals in captivity will always pose a risk to humans. Their behaviour can be unpredictable and, as the recent Queensland example shows, even a “playing” lioness can cause enormous physical harm to people.
Wild animals are called wild for a reason. To be kept in captivity, most animals require training so they can be safely handled. The Darling Downs Zoo incident shows despite this precaution, things can still go wrong.
But humans will, understandably, always be fascinated by other animals, and want to see them up close. So what are the alternatives to zoos?
Open range-zoos, such as the one to which the Perth elephants were moved, can offer a better option for some animals.
Another option is to recreate the zoo experience using technology. Artificial intelligence, virtual reality and augmented reality can be used to create images of animals that look and seem real.
Questions about animals kept in captivity require us to consider how much risk to human safety we accept, and the extent to which we prioritise human amusement over animal welfare. In searching for answers, we can start by asking whether we need zoos at all.
Georgette Leah Burns does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
In 2000, Africa had no billionaires. Today it has 23 whose combined wealth has soared by 56% in just the past five years, reaching a staggering $112.6 billion.
Africa’s richest 5% hold nearly $4 trillion in wealth – more than double the combined wealth of the rest of the continent.
Despite soaring poverty, African governments show least commitment to reducing inequality, and that commitment has declined since 2022.
An extra 1% tax on wealth and 10% tax on income of Africa’s richest 1% could raise $66 billion annually, more than enough to close the funding gaps for free quality education and universal access to electricity.
Today, just four of Africa’s richest billionaires hold $57.4 billion in wealth — more than the combined wealth of 750 million people, or half the continent’s population, according to a new Oxfam report.
The report–Africa’s inequality crisis and the rise of the super-rich–launched ahead of theAfrican Union Mid-Year Coordination Meeting in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, warns thatthe explosive concentration of wealth is accelerating inequality, driven by policies that enrich elites while starving public services.
Fati N’Zi-Hassane, Director, Oxfam in Africa, said:
“Africa’s wealth is not missing. It’s being siphoned off by a rigged system that allows a small elite to amass vast fortunes while denying hundreds of millions even the most basic services. This is an utter policy failure —unjust, avoidable and entirely reversible.’’
Africa is one of the most unequal regions in the world and has some of the highest poverty rates. Nearly half (23) of the world’s 50 most unequal countries are African, while extreme poverty has soared: seven in ten people living in extreme poverty today are in Africa, compared to just one in ten in 1990. Hunger is also worsening, with nearly 850 million Africans experiencing hunger — an increase of 20 million since 2022.
Despite deepening poverty and widening inequalities, African governments remain the least committed globally to narrowing the gap — slashing budgets for public services like education, health and social protection, while imposing some of the world’s lowest wealth taxes on the ultra-rich. On average, the continent collects just 0.3% of GDP in wealth taxes. This is less than any other region and well below Asia (0.6%), Latin America (0.9%), and OECD countries (1.8%). Over the past decade, that already meagre share has dropped by nearly 25%.
For each dollar African countries raise from personal income and wealth taxes, they collect nearly three dollars from indirect taxes like Value Added Tax (VAT) — levies that deepen inequality.
The consequences are glaring. Half of Africa’s population live in 19 countries where income inequality has worsened or stagnated over the past decade. The richest 5% in Africa now hold nearly $4 trillion in wealth, more than double the combined wealth of the remaining 95% of the continent’s population.
Fatouma, a mother of 10 children who sells vegetables in El Afweyn, Somalia says:“Meat is a luxury we cannot afford in many homes. I earn about two dollars a day while the price of one kilo of flour has tripled.”
“Africa’s wealth is not missing. It’s being siphoned off by a rigged system that allows a small elite to amass vast fortunes while denying hundreds of millions even the most basic services. This is an utter policy failure —unjust, avoidable and entirely reversible.’’
Fati N’Zi-Hassane, Director, Oxfam in Africa
Oxfam International
The report also finds that:
In just three days, someone in Africa’s richest 1% earns what it takes a person in the poorest half an entire year to make.
Even if they lost almost all their wealth (keeping just 0.01%) Africa’s five richest men would still be 56 times richer than the average person on the continent.
Men in Africa own three times more wealth than women, the widest gender wealth gap of all regions in the world.
Over the past five years, African billionaires have increased their wealth by 56%.
As debt burdens mount, governments across the continent are squeezing the poor – gutting essential public services – while shielding the wealthiest from fair taxation. An earlier report by Oxfam and Development Finance International found that 94% of African countries with active World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) loans (44 out of 47 countries) have slashed spending on education, health and social protection in 2023-2024 to repay debt. This significantly undermines the AU’s goal of reducing inequality by 15% over the next 10 years.
“The solution is not far-fetched: tax the rich and invest in the majority. Anything less is a betrayal. If African leaders are serious about their commitments, they must stop rewarding the few and start building economies that work for everyone,” added N’Zi-Hassane.
Some African governments are already proving that fairer economies are possible. Morocco and South Africa collect 1.5% and 1.2% of their GDP from property taxes, respectively — among the highest in the continent. In Seychelles, the poorest 50% have seen their income share grow by 76% since 2000, while the richest 1% have lost two-thirds of theirs. The government also guarantees universal healthcare, free quality education, along with a robust welfare system for the most vulnerable.
A modest tax on Africa’s richest – just 1% more on wealth and 10% more on income – could generate $66 billion a year for the continent (2.29% of Africa’s GDP), according to the report. This would be more than enough to close the funding gaps needed to deliver free quality education and provide electricity to every home and business still in the dark.
‘‘Every African woman, man and child deserves to live in dignity. When a handful of billionaires are allowed to hoard obscene wealth while millions are trapped in poverty, the system becomes not just broken but morally bankrupt. As leaders meet for AU Summit, delay is indefensible. Taxing the super-rich isn’t just fair — it’s essential for building the Africa we want,’’ said N’Zi-Hassane.
In 2000, Africa had no billionaires. Today it has 23 whose combined wealth has soared by 56% in just the past five years, reaching a staggering $112.6 billion.
Africa’s richest 5% hold nearly $4 trillion in wealth – more than double the combined wealth of the rest of the continent.
Despite soaring poverty, African governments show least commitment to reducing inequality, and that commitment has declined since 2022.
An extra 1% tax on wealth and 10% tax on income of Africa’s richest 1% could raise $66 billion annually, more than enough to close the funding gaps for free quality education and universal access to electricity.
Today, just four of Africa’s richest billionaires hold $57.4 billion in wealth — more than the combined wealth of 750 million people, or half the continent’s population, according to a new Oxfam report.
The report–Africa’s inequality crisis and the rise of the super-rich–launched ahead of theAfrican Union Mid-Year Coordination Meeting in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, warns thatthe explosive concentration of wealth is accelerating inequality, driven by policies that enrich elites while starving public services.
Fati N’Zi-Hassane, Director, Oxfam in Africa, said:
“Africa’s wealth is not missing. It’s being siphoned off by a rigged system that allows a small elite to amass vast fortunes while denying hundreds of millions even the most basic services. This is an utter policy failure —unjust, avoidable and entirely reversible.’’
Africa is one of the most unequal regions in the world and has some of the highest poverty rates. Nearly half (23) of the world’s 50 most unequal countries are African, while extreme poverty has soared: seven in ten people living in extreme poverty today are in Africa, compared to just one in ten in 1990. Hunger is also worsening, with nearly 850 million Africans experiencing hunger — an increase of 20 million since 2022.
Despite deepening poverty and widening inequalities, African governments remain the least committed globally to narrowing the gap — slashing budgets for public services like education, health and social protection, while imposing some of the world’s lowest wealth taxes on the ultra-rich. On average, the continent collects just 0.3% of GDP in wealth taxes. This is less than any other region and well below Asia (0.6%), Latin America (0.9%), and OECD countries (1.8%). Over the past decade, that already meagre share has dropped by nearly 25%.
For each dollar African countries raise from personal income and wealth taxes, they collect nearly three dollars from indirect taxes like Value Added Tax (VAT) — levies that deepen inequality.
The consequences are glaring. Half of Africa’s population live in 19 countries where income inequality has worsened or stagnated over the past decade. The richest 5% in Africa now hold nearly $4 trillion in wealth, more than double the combined wealth of the remaining 95% of the continent’s population.
Fatouma, a mother of 10 children who sells vegetables in El Afweyn, Somalia says:“Meat is a luxury we cannot afford in many homes. I earn about two dollars a day while the price of one kilo of flour has tripled.”
“Africa’s wealth is not missing. It’s being siphoned off by a rigged system that allows a small elite to amass vast fortunes while denying hundreds of millions even the most basic services. This is an utter policy failure —unjust, avoidable and entirely reversible.’’
Fati N’Zi-Hassane, Director, Oxfam in Africa
Oxfam International
The report also finds that:
In just three days, someone in Africa’s richest 1% earns what it takes a person in the poorest half an entire year to make.
Even if they lost almost all their wealth (keeping just 0.01%) Africa’s five richest men would still be 56 times richer than the average person on the continent.
Men in Africa own three times more wealth than women, the widest gender wealth gap of all regions in the world.
Over the past five years, African billionaires have increased their wealth by 56%.
As debt burdens mount, governments across the continent are squeezing the poor – gutting essential public services – while shielding the wealthiest from fair taxation. An earlier report by Oxfam and Development Finance International found that 94% of African countries with active World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) loans (44 out of 47 countries) have slashed spending on education, health and social protection in 2023-2024 to repay debt. This significantly undermines the AU’s goal of reducing inequality by 15% over the next 10 years.
“The solution is not far-fetched: tax the rich and invest in the majority. Anything less is a betrayal. If African leaders are serious about their commitments, they must stop rewarding the few and start building economies that work for everyone,” added N’Zi-Hassane.
Some African governments are already proving that fairer economies are possible. Morocco and South Africa collect 1.5% and 1.2% of their GDP from property taxes, respectively — among the highest in the continent. In Seychelles, the poorest 50% have seen their income share grow by 76% since 2000, while the richest 1% have lost two-thirds of theirs. The government also guarantees universal healthcare, free quality education, along with a robust welfare system for the most vulnerable.
A modest tax on Africa’s richest – just 1% more on wealth and 10% more on income – could generate $66 billion a year for the continent (2.29% of Africa’s GDP), according to the report. This would be more than enough to close the funding gaps needed to deliver free quality education and provide electricity to every home and business still in the dark.
‘‘Every African woman, man and child deserves to live in dignity. When a handful of billionaires are allowed to hoard obscene wealth while millions are trapped in poverty, the system becomes not just broken but morally bankrupt. As leaders meet for AU Summit, delay is indefensible. Taxing the super-rich isn’t just fair — it’s essential for building the Africa we want,’’ said N’Zi-Hassane.
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
TIANJIN, July 10 (Xinhua) — More than 20 representatives from cities in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) countries discussed future urban development topics such as digitalization of urban governance, people-to-people exchanges and security as the basis for development during the “Dialogue of World Mayors – SCO Summit City” held in north China’s Tianjin from July 6 to 9.
The opening ceremony of the event took place in Tianjin on July 8. It included two thematic dialogues: a dialogue of mayors of SCO cities and a dialogue of mayors of cities that hosted the organization’s summits, where China’s experience and practices in urban governance implemented through digital technologies attracted special attention of the participants.
As an emerging industry, low-altitude economics also attracted great interest from participants in the dialogue. According to a representative of the Moscow Center for International Cooperation, “air taxis” and the use of unmanned aerial vehicles to patrol traffic in China left a deep impression on her.
The Chinese experience serves as an instructive example for Moscow in improving the system of control over transport infrastructure and population movement, believes a representative of the Moscow department.
According to the participants of the event, trust between the SCO countries not only comes from open and transparent interaction, but is also rooted in cultural closeness. Humanitarian exchanges and sustainable cultural development have become an important force in consolidating consensus and deepening cooperation.
The topic “How to ensure security as the basis for development” became one of the important topics of the discussions and attracted great attention from the participants. As an important place for the implementation of trade and economic cooperation of the SCO countries and regional development, the city should take a more qualitative approach to ensuring security, which has long been perceived as a key element of sustainable development.
The participants in the dialogue called for the creation of a broader and more effective platform in the SCO countries for regular dialogues between the heads of mayors of the SCO countries on security issues.
The “Dialogue of World Mayors – SCO Summit City” was attended by mayors, diplomats accredited in China and experts from think tanks from SCO countries. They discussed expanding consensus, deepening practical cooperation in the areas of connectivity, trade and economic investment, green development and cultural exchanges. -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
BEIJING, July 10 (Xinhua) — The opening ceremony of the “Chinese Language Bridge” summer school for students from Kyrgyzstan was held at Xinjiang University in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Thursday, with 14 teachers and students from the Central Asian country embarking on a 10-day immersion in Chinese culture.
As reported on the official website of Xinjiang University, the head of the International Exchange and Cooperation Department of Xinjiang University warmly welcomed the guests and said that the university will always continue to build bridges of cultural exchanges between China and Kyrgyzstan. He expressed hope that the participants of the summer school, through classroom lessons, mastering traditional crafts, getting to know historical monuments and close communication with Chinese youth, will feel the unique charm of Chinese culture, see the achievements of China’s development and become ambassadors of friendship and bridges of interaction between China and Kyrgyzstan.
At the opening ceremony, 14 Kyrgyz citizens, speaking in Chinese, spoke about their motives for learning the language and expressed their determination to improve their language skills, broaden their horizons, and gain a deeper understanding of China’s development and humanitarian wealth.
The school’s program includes classes at Xinjiang University, master classes on Chinese culture, and visits to universities, museums and historical sites in Urumqi and Xi’an (Shaanxi Province, Northwest China). -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
LOS ANGELES, July 10 (Xinhua) — At least 15 workers were trapped when a tunnel collapsed in the Wilmington area on Wednesday night, the Los Angeles Fire Department said.
The incident occurred around 8 p.m. (03:00 GMT Thursday) near the 1700 block of North Figueroa Street in Wilmington.
The city fire department sent all its search and rescue teams to the scene to carry out rescue operations. –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
BEIJING, July 10 (Xinhua) — Eighty works by each side were recently selected for the “Colorful World” oil painting exhibition featuring works by young artists from China and Russia and will be displayed in Beijing soon, according to a post on the official Wechat account of the Beijing People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries.
The exhibition, organized by the Beijing People’s Society for Friendship with Foreign Countries, the Russian Cultural Center in Beijing and other institutions on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the World Anti-Fascist War, will be held from August 7 to 16 at the museum complex at the Zhonghua Centennial Monument in the Chinese capital.
The competition, which started in April this year, involved 427 works by artists from both countries. Based on the results of the selection, 80 artists became laureates and prize winners, of whom 15 people received first-degree awards, 25 – second-degree awards, and 40 – third-degree awards.
Having highly praised the selected works, the expert jury stated that these paintings, dedicated to the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the World Anti-Fascist War, are the quintessence of mutual learning between Chinese and Russian cultures, call for peace and friendship, and also reflect the historical and practical significance of their leitmotifs.
It is planned to award artists from China and Russia directly at the opening ceremony of the exhibition. -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.
ASB is welcoming the launch of a comprehensive Anti-Scam Alliance which it says is a positive move in the fight against fraud and scams.
Chief Executive Vittoria Shortt says while the banking sector has invested significantly in fraud and scam prevention, detection and awareness for many years, having a formal alliance between Government, police, consumer groups and a range of impacted industries will make a real difference.
“Banks and telcos have been working very hard, both individually and together, for some time, to tackle fraud and scams. We’ve partnered with others in the industry like consumer groups and police, but the real power comes in a true all of ecosystem approach, as Minister Simpson has announced today.
“We’re pleased to see digital and social media companies join the charge. Each member of the alliance brings unique skills and experience which will improve our collective ability to fight fraud and scams. The formal involvement of Government will also enable stronger collaboration and commitment and more resource and expertise so we can continue to work together to keep New Zealanders safe.”
ASB has spent around $140 million fighting fraud, scams, financial crime and cybercrime this financial year, and has invested in a number of customer initiatives. This includes tools such as Caller Check, which was launched in March and combats bank impersonation scams, and ASB’s 24/7 fraud line, which has received more than 21,000 calls outside of regular bank hours since it was launched in February.
The industry has also been working closely together on Confirmation of Payee and increasing information sharing to better target money mules as part of ongoing collaborative work.
“We know there is still more to be done, but today’s announcement is another step forward and we will continue to build on the work we’re already doing in this space,” says Shortt.
HONOLULU – The crew of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Harriet Lane (WMEC 903) returned to Honolulu Wednesday following a 73-day patrol in support of Coast Guard Oceania District’s Operation Blue Pacific.
For breaking news follow us on twitter @USCGHawaiiPac
Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
SPC AC 100600
Day 2 Convective Outlook NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK 0100 AM CDT Thu Jul 10 2025
Valid 111200Z – 121200Z
…THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FROM NORTHEAST KANSAS TO NORTHWEST ILLINOIS…
…SUMMARY… Scattered severe thunderstorms are possible, mainly late afternoon and evening on Friday, from northeast Kansas to eastern Iowa and northwest Illinois.
… Central Great Plains to Midwest …
A positive-tilt trough will be moving across the northern Plains through the forecast period. To the south, a low-amplitude short-wave trough will be moving through the central Great Plains. At the same time, a diffuse/weak surface cold front will push east/southeast through the Plains.
At the start of the forecast period one or more decaying MCSs should be ongoing across portions of Iowa perhaps into northern Illinois to perhaps as far east as lower Michigan. These MCSs could pose a residual risk for at least isolated wind damage through the morning.
During the mid-to-late afternoon, additional thunderstorms are expected to develop in the wake of the morning convection. At this time guidance supports multiple initiation points across the area, the precise locations of which will be strongly influenced by the evolution of the morning convection.
At this time, the most likely scenario is for initial thunderstorms to develop across southeast Iowa or northern Missouri along the residual outflow boundary from the morning convection. A second area of initiation is likely farther to the west along the diffuse surface cold front in Nebraska or northeast Kansas, perhaps extending northward into Minnesota. In both areas, strong instability may result in rapid thunderstorm development capable of producing strong wind and large hail. Given the degree of instability and an existing boundary, a tornado or two may also be possible, especially with initial thunderstorm development.
With time, expectation is that these convective clusters will grow upscale as they move east and the primary severe threat should transition to severe wind gusts.
… High Plains …
Thunderstorms are expected to develop in the late afternoon. These storms will eventually grow upscale and move southeast toward the Great Plains. An isolated severe wind threat will be possible with any of these storms.
… Eastern US …
A warm, moist, weakly capped airmass will be in place across much of the east. Despite the absence of pronounced foci for initiation, widely scattered to scattered thunderstorms should develop during the late morning into the afternoon hours. Deep-layer shear should remain weak and precipitable water values will be lower than in preceding days. However, the potential will exist for scattered water-loaded downbursts capable of producing isolated wind damage.
..Marsh.. 07/10/2025
CLICK TO GET WUUS02 PTSDY2 PRODUCT
NOTE: THE NEXT DAY 2 OUTLOOK IS SCHEDULED BY 1730Z
Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
SPC AC 100553
Day 1 Convective Outlook NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK 1253 AM CDT Thu Jul 10 2025
Valid 101200Z – 111200Z
…THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT ACROSS PARTS OF WESTERN AND CENTRAL KANSAS…CENTRAL AND EASTERN NEBRASKA…WESTERN IOWA AND PARTS OF SOUTHEASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA…
…SUMMARY… Strong thunderstorms posing a risk for severe hail, damaging wind gusts and perhaps a couple of tornadoes are possible late this afternoon into tonight across parts of the central Great Plains into mid Missouri Valley.
…Discussion… Stronger westerlies will remain confined to the higher latitudes through this period, with one significant short wave perturbation forecast to accelerate from eastern portions of the Canadian Northwest Territories through areas northeast of Hudson Bay, accompanied by a deepening surface cyclone. It appears that the leading edge of cooler, drier air in the wake of this cyclone will advance south of the international border into the northern Rockies and through adjacent portions of the northern U.S. Great Plains, trailed by another notable mid-level short wave impulse, which models indicate will dig near/east of the Canadian through northern U.S. Rockies. As this occurs, mid-level troughing within weaker flow in lower latitudes is forecast to slowly dig from the northern Great Basin toward the central Great Plains, suppressing stronger ridging in the subtropical to southern mid-latitudes, initially centered over the Southwest.
This will be preceded by a couple of convectively generated or augmented perturbations migrating across the mid Missouri Valley and Upper Midwest, a modest mid-level trough slowly turning east-northeast of the lower Great Lakes vicinity, and several weak perturbations progressing through broad, weak cyclonic flow across the Southeast through southern Atlantic Seaboard.
…Great Plains into Midwest… Uncertainties remain concerning potential convective evolution through this period. Models suggest that surface boundaries may remain relatively diffuse, but residual seasonably moist boundary-layer air may become characterized by sizable CAPE with daytime heating, beneath steep lower/mid-tropospheric lapse rates, including warm elevated mixed layer air.
There does appear at least a somewhat consistent signal within various convection allowing guidance that an MCV associated with ongoing convection across parts of the middle Missouri Valley could provide a focus for strong thunderstorm development later today across parts of the Upper Midwest. Otherwise, in advance of the digging upstream troughing, models indicate that a modest belt of southwesterly low-level flow (including 20-30+ kt in the 850-700 mb layer) will generally persist through the day east of the lee surface trough, from the Texas Panhandle/South Plains into the middle Missouri Valley. It appears that this will coincide with a corridor of stronger heating/deeper boundary-layer mixing across the higher plains, where thunderstorm activity initiating during the late afternoon may pose a risk for damaging wind gusts.
Within the more moist low-level environment across eastern Nebraska into western Iowa, the wind fields, aided by veering with height, might become at least marginally conducive to a couple of supercells, in the presence of sizable CAPE, before forcing for ascent associated with the approaching mid-level trough tends to support upscale growing clusters this evening.
…Upper Ohio Valley into portions of New England… Near the southern periphery of the mid-level troughing shifting east or east-northeast of the lower Great Lakes region, models indicate that scattered thunderstorm development is probable during peak afternoon heating, in the presence of moderate CAPE (1000-2000+ J/kg) and shear enhanced at least somewhat by a belt of 20-30 kt westerly mid-level flow. This environment may become conducive to small hail and potentially damaging wind gusts, before activity weakens this evening.
…Southeast/Southern Atlantic Seaboard… Aided by forcing for ascent associated with the mid-level perturbations, in the presence of weak mid-level inhibition, one or two upscale growing clusters of storms may overspread the southern Atlantic Piedmont and coastal plain late this afternoon and evening. Forecast soundings indicate that a seasonably moist environment may become characterized by moderate CAPE, with perhaps a sufficient degree of sub-saturation to allow for evaporative cooling in downdrafts to contribute to modest surface cold pool development. In the presence of weak deep-layer southwesterly mean flow on the order of 10-15 kt, the potential for development of sufficiently strong rear inflow to support surface gusts in excess of 50 kt appears low, but even with peak gusts generally on the order of 35-50 kt, sporadic damage will still be possible.
..Kerr/Weinman.. 07/10/2025
CLICK TO GET WUUS01 PTSDY1 PRODUCT
NOTE: THE NEXT DAY 1 OUTLOOK IS SCHEDULED BY 1300Z
Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Current Convective Watches (View What is a Watch? clip)Updated: Thu Jul 10 06:16:05 UTC 2025 No watches are currently valid
Archived Convective ProductsTo view convective products for a previous day, type in the date you wish to retrieve (e.g. 20040529 for May 29, 2004). Data available since January 1, 2004.
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
The Northern Territory Police Force has arrested a 41-year-old male in relation to a domestic violence incident in the Darwin CBD yesterday.
About 11:50pm, police received reports of a female being assaulted by a male.
Darwin general duties officers attended, and the male fled by foot before climbing up a tree, about 12 metres high, on the Esplanade. The offender allegedly threw sticks at the officers while up in the tree.
Police negotiators were called out after members were unable to take the male into custody. The negotiators attended, resulting in the male surrendering to police and being arrested without incident.
He is expected to be charged at a later date.
If you or someone you know are experiencing difficulties due to domestic violence, support services are available, including, but not limited to, 1800RESPECT (1800737732) or Lifeline 131 114.
Australia’s drug approval system is under fire, with critics in the United States claiming it is too slow to approve life-saving medicines.
Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration balances speed with a rigorous assessment of safety, efficacy and cost-effectiveness.
So does Australia really lag behind the US Food and Drug Administration? And do we need to change how we approve medicines?
The drug development pipeline
Drug development usually begins when something new is discovered about a disease. This usually involves identifying either a change in an important protein or finding a new protein involved in the disease.
When scientists know the shape of the protein, they can design a drug that can block or activate it.
Scientists will then undertake laboratory, petri dish-type, experiments to see if the drug works on the protein in the way they designed. If it passes those tests, they will then move onto animal testing and formulation.
Formulation is the step where scientists decide what form the medicine will take, such as a tablet, injection or patch. There are more than 150 different pharmaceutical dosage forms to choose from.
The final steps are human testing. This requires the completion of three types of clinical trials. Each seeks to answer different specific questions about the drug:
Phase I trials: is the drug safe? What are its side effects?
Phase II trials: does the drug work?
Phase III trials: is the drug better than currently available medicines?
At the end of the trials, a company can apply to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) for approval to market and sell the drug.
Getting a drug to market is time-consuming and costly. It takes around 15 years from the initial concept and design to government approval and costs more than A$3.5 billion.
But the failure rate is high: more than 90% of drugs that undergo development never gain government approval.
How are drugs approved in Australia?
The decision to approve new medicines for sale in Australia is made based on safety and efficacy evidence provided by the sponsoring company.
Listing a medicine on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) is a separate process from approval, and is based on financial considerations and a cost-benefit analysis, rather than safety and efficacy.
The TGA typically takes 240 to 260 working days (around a full calendar year) from receiving a new medicine application to an approval decision. This is longer than it takes the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – 180 to 300 days.
Where there is a pressing need, the approval process can be faster. The first COVID treatment was approved in Australia just two weeks after it was submitted for consideration.
Then why do Americans often get medicines first?
There can be several reasons why a drug approval can be delayed in Australia when it has already been approved overseas.
First, with a population of 27 million out of 8 billion world-wide, Australia is a relatively small market. So it is not always a high priority for companies to apply for approval here. Regions with large populations such as China, India and Europe are a bigger focus for companies. This can therefore delay when they submit to Australia.
Other reasons for delays can be that the TGA requires additional safety or efficacy evidence other regions did not request, or because new information about the drug has come to light since the drug was approved overseas.
What about delays getting drugs onto the PBS?
When a drug is listed on the PBS, Australians can access the medicine for $31.60 (or $7.70 concession) instead of the cost of a private prescription which might be hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
The time it takes for medicines to be approved on the PBS has also been a focus of criticism.
The Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC), which makes PBS listing recommendations to the Federal Minister of Health, only sits three to six times per year.
US Chamber of Commerce vice president John Murphy claims the PBAC takes, on average, 32 months to make a recommendation about listing a drug after an application has been submitted.
Once a recommendation is made, the minister usually takes a minimum of five months to make a final decision.
To speed up the process, the TGA does allow parallel applications for drug approval and PBS listing.
The time taken to make a PBS listing decision is reasonable, given the scheme’s overall cost. In 2023–24, the total cost of the PBS to the government was $17.7 billion. So a decision to list can’t be made lightly.
So should Australia change how it approves medicines?
Criticising the time it takes to get regulatory approvals appears to be part of a wider plan of attack by the US government. It is putting pressure on Australia to open its market to higher prices for medicines made by US pharmaceutical companies.
Australia has a world-class regulatory agency in the TGA which ensures medicines that are approved are both safe and effective. And the PBS scheme is a key part of our public health care system and the envy of the world.
The Australian government should resist any changes to the regulatory approval processes that come from the US.
Nial Wheate in the past has received funding from the ACT Cancer Council, Tenovus Scotland, Medical Research Scotland, Scottish Crucible, and the Scottish Universities Life Sciences Alliance. He is a fellow of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute. Nial is the chief scientific officer of Vaihea Skincare LLC, a director of SetDose Pty Ltd (a medical device company) and was previously a Standards Australia panel member for sunscreen agents. He is a member of the Haleon Australia Pty Ltd Pain Advisory Board. Nial regularly consults to industry on issues to do with medicine risk assessments, manufacturing, design and testing.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has formally nominated United States President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. He says the president is “forging peace as we speak, in one country, in one region after the other”.
Trump, who has craved the award for years, sees himself as a global peacemaker in a raft of conflicts from Israel and Iran, to Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
With the conflict in Gaza still raging, we ask five experts – could Trump be rewarded with the world’s most prestigious peace prize?
Emma Shortis
Adjunct Senior Fellow, School of Global, Urban and Social Studies, RMIT University
Nominating Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize is like entering a hyena in a dog show.
Of course Trump does not deserve it. That we’re being forced to take this question seriously is yet another indication – as if we needed one – of his extraordinary ability to set and reset the terms of our politics.
There is no peace in Gaza. Even if Trump announced another ceasefire tomorrow, it would not last. And it would not build genuine peace and security.
Trump has neither the interest nor the attention span required to build long term peace. His administration is not willing to bear any of the costs or investments that come with genuine, lasting diplomacy. And he is not anti-war.
There is no peace in Iran. Trump’s bombing of Iran simply exacerbates his decision in 2018 to end nuclear negotiations with Tehran. It pushes the world closer to, not further from, nuclear catastrophe.
Under the Trump administration, there will be no peace in the Middle East. Both the US and Israeli governments’ approach to “security” puts the region on a perpetual war footing. This approach assumes it is possible to bomb your way to peace – a “peace” which both Trump and Netanyahu understand as total dominance and violent oppression.
The Trump administration is deliberately undermining the institutions and principles of international and domestic law.
He has deployed the military against American citizens. He is threatening the United States’ traditional allies with trade wars and annexation. His administration’s dismantling of USAID will result, according to one study, in the deaths of 14 million people, including 4.5 million children, by 2030.
Indulging Trump’s embarrassing desire for trophies might appease him for a short time. It would also strip the Nobel Peace Prize of any and all credibility, while endorsing Trump’s trashing of the international rule of law.
What kind of peace is that?
Ali Mamouri
Research Fellow, Middle East Studies, Deakin University
The nomination of Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize by a man who is facing charges of war crimes is an unprecedented and deeply dark irony that cannot be overlooked.
Trump’s role in brokering the Abraham Accords was hailed as a diplomatic breakthrough. It led to the normalisation of relations between Israel and several Arab countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco.
But this achievement came at a significant cost. The accords deliberately sidelined the Palestinian issue, long recognised as the core of regional instability, and disregarded decades of international consensus on a two-state solution.
Israeli soldiers guarding Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank. Dom Zaran/Shutterstock
His silence in the face of a growing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza was equally telling. Perhaps most disturbing was the tacit or explicit endorsement of proposals to forcibly relocate Palestinians to neighbouring Arab countries, a position that evokes ethnic cleansing and fundamentally undermines principles of justice, dignity and international law.
In addition, there is Trump’s unconditional support for Israel’s military campaigns across the region, including his authorisation of attacks on Iranian civilian, military and nuclear infrastructure. The strikes lacked any clear legal basis, contributed further to regional instability and, according to Tehran, killed more than a thousand civilians.
His broader disregard for international norms shattered decades of post-second world war diplomatic order and increased the risk of sustained and expanded conflict.
Against this backdrop, any serious consideration of Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize seems fundamentally at odds with its stated mission: to honour efforts that reduce conflict, uphold human rights and promote lasting peace.
Whatever short-term diplomatic gains emerged from Trump’s tenure are eclipsed by the legal, ethical and humanitarian consequences of his actions.
Ian Parmeter
Research Scholar, Middle East Studies, Australian National University
Netanyahu’s nomination of Donald Trump for one of the world’s most coveted awards was clearly aimed at flattering the president.
Trump is clearly angling for the laurel, which his first term predecessor, Barack Obama, won in his first year in office.
Obama was awarded the prize in 2009 for promotion of nuclear non-proliferation and fostering a “new climate” in international relations, particularly in reaching out to the Muslim world.
Given neither of these ambitions have since borne fruit, what claims might Trump reasonably make at this stage of his second term?
Trump has claimed credit for resolving two conflicts this year: the brief India–Pakistan clash that erupted after Pakistani militants killed 25 Indian tourists in Kashmir in May; and the long-running dispute between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi disputes Trump brokered peace. He says the issue was resolved by negotiations between the two countries’ militaries.
With regards to the Rwanda–DRC conflict, the countries signed a peace agreement in the Oval Office in June. But critics argue Qatar played a significant role
which the Trump administration has airbrushed out.
Trump can legitimately argue his pressure on Israel and Iran forced a ceasefire in their 12-day war in June.
But his big test is the Gaza war. For Trump to add this to his Nobel claim, he will need more than a ceasefire.
The Biden administration brokered two ceasefires that enabled the release of significant numbers of hostages, but did not end the conflict.
Trump would have to use his undoubted influence with Netanyahu to achieve more than a temporary pause. He would have to end the war definitively and effect the release of all Israeli hostages.
Beyond that, if Trump could persuade Netanyahu
to take serious steps towards negotiating a two-state solution, that would be a genuine Nobel-worthy achievement.
Trump isn’t there yet.
Jasmine-Kim Westendorf
Associate Professor of Peace and Conflict and Co-Director of the Initiative for Peacebuilding, The University of Melbourne
Although controversial or politicised awards are not new, awardees are generally individuals or groups who’ve made
significant contributions to a range of peace initiatives.
They include reducing armed conflict, enhancing international cooperation, and human rights efforts that contribute to peace.
Inspiring examples include anti-nuclear proliferation organisations and phenomenal women peacemakers. And Nadia Murad and Denis Mukwege, who won in 2011 for their work trying to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war.
Trump has declared his “proudest legacy will be that of a peacemaker and unifier”. But he is neither.
There has been a concerning trend towards using the Nobel Peace Prize to encourage certain political directions, rather than reward achievements.
Barack Obama’s 2008 Prize helped motivate his moves toward diplomacy and cooperation after the presidency of George W. Bush.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s 2018 award was for efforts to resolve the 20-year war with Eritrea. The peace prize encouraged Ahmed to fulfill his promise of democratic elections in 2020. Embarrassingly, within a year Ahmed launched a civil war that killed over 600,000 people and displaced 3 million more.
This week’s nomination follows efforts by global leaders to flatter Trump in order – they hope – to secure his goodwill.
These motivations explain why Netanyahu has put forward Trump’s name to the Nobel Committee. It comes at the very moment securing Trump’s ongoing support during ceasefire negotiations is critical for Netanyahu’s political survival.
They will never give me a Nobel Peace Prize […] It’s too bad. I deserve it, but they will never give it to me.
Prizes to genuine peacemakers amplify their work and impact.
1984 winner Desmond Tutu said: “One day no one was listening. The next, I was an oracle.” A Nobel can be a powerful force for peace.
Trump is no peacemaker, he doesn’t deserve one.
Shahram Akbarzadeh
Director, Middle East Studies Forum (MESF), Deakin University
Benjamin Netanyahu would have us believe Donald Trump is a peacemaker.
Nothing could be further from the truth. His record is stained with blood and misery. The fact Trump believes himself to be worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize only attests to his illusions of grandeur in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
The war in Gaza has gone into its 20th month because Trump did not use the levers at his control to bring the senseless war to a close.
Some estimates put the true Gaza death toll at 100,000 people, and counting. They have been killed by American-made bombs Israel is dropping across the densely populated strip; from starvation because Israel has enforced a blockade of the Gaza Strip and prevented UN food delivery with the blessings of America; and from gunshots at food distribution centres, set up with US private security.
All under Trump’s watch.
Trump could do something about this. Israel is the largest recipient of US aid, most of it military support.
This has multiplied since Israel commenced its attack on Gaza in response to Hamas terrorism on October 7 2023. Trump has approved the transfer of US military hardware to Israel, knowing full well it was being used against a trapped and helpless population.
This is not the act of a peacemaker.
Now the Israeli government is planning to “facilitate” population transfer of Gazans to other countries – a euphemism for ethnic cleansing.
This is the textbook definition of genocide: deliberate and systematic killing or persecution of people. Trump legitimised this travesty of decency and international law by promising a Gaza Riviera.
The outlandish extent of Trump’s ideas would be laughable if their consequences were not so devastating.
When Israel attacked Iran in the middle of nuclear talks, Trump had a momentary pause, before jumping to Netanyahu’s aid and bombing Iran. He then claimed his action paved the way for peace.
Trump’s idea of peace is the peace of the graveyard.
Emma Shortis is Director of International and Security Affairs at The Australia Institute, an independent think tank.
Jasmine-Kim Westendorf has received funding from the Australian Research Council.
Shahram Akbarzadeh receives funding from Australia Research Council.
Ali Mamouri and Ian Parmeter do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
The Indian benchmark indices opened flat on Thursday amid mixed global cues, with selling pressure seen in the auto and IT sectors during early trade.
At around 9:29 am, the Sensex was trading 40.96 points or 0.05 per cent lower at 83,495.12, while the Nifty declined 17.70 points or 0.07 per cent to 25,458.40.
Nifty Bank was up 29.50 points or 0.05 per cent at 57,243.05 in early trade. The Nifty Midcap 100 index was trading at 59,448, adding 108.40 points or 0.18 per cent. The Nifty Smallcap 100 index stood at 19,057.75, up by 50.35 points or 0.26 per cent.
According to analysts, with trade and tariff news becoming more routine, the market is now focusing on the upcoming earnings season.
“The big banks, including JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, and Wells Fargo, will start reporting next Tuesday. As of now, analysts expect 5.8 per cent earnings growth for the S&P 500 in the second quarter,” said Vikram Kasat, Head-Advisory, PL Capital.
Expectations from the IT sector remain muted; however, midcap IT companies are likely to post good results along with positive commentary, experts added.
“Banks, despite strong balance sheets and ample liquidity, are struggling with low credit growth. Outperformers in the banking segment will be those that report healthy credit growth. In autos, M&M and Eicher have the potential to outperform,” they noted.
Among Sensex constituents, Tata Steel, Axis Bank, Power Grid, Bajaj Finance, M&M, ICICI Bank, and Titan were the top gainers. On the other hand, Tata Motors, Infosys, Sun Pharma, Bharti Airtel, TCS, Asian Paints, NTPC, and HDFC Bank were among the top losers.
On the institutional front, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) were net buyers of equities worth Rs 77 crore on July 9, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were also net buyers, investing Rs 920 crore on the same day.
In Asian markets, Hong Kong, Seoul, China, and Jakarta were trading in the green, while Japan was trading in the red.
In the previous session, the Dow Jones in the US closed at 44,458.30, up 217.54 points or 0.49 per cent. The S&P 500 gained 37.74 points or 0.61 per cent to end at 6,263.26, while the Nasdaq closed at 20,611.34, up 192.87 points or 0.94 per cent.
India has strongly reiterated its commitment to maritime safety and gender equality during the 134th session of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council, currently being held from 07 to 11 July in London. The Indian delegation at the session is led by T.K. Ramachandran, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
On the opening day of deliberations, India delivered a resolute statement in response to recent maritime incidents involving foreign-flagged container vessels operating in Indian waters. These incidents—linked to undeclared hazardous cargo and structural and stability deficiencies—have triggered growing concern about the safety protocols surrounding global container shipping operations.
Calling for urgent action, India urged the IMO to initiate a comprehensive investigation and global review of such incidents. The delegation highlighted the critical role of the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard in safeguarding life at sea and emphasized the pressing need to strengthen international safety frameworks. Particular attention was drawn to improving global standards around the packaging, declaration, stowage, and monitoring of lithium-ion batteries and other dangerous goods categorized under the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code.
As part of its proposal, India advocated for the establishment of IMO-led investigations into container ship accidents. According to the Indian delegation, such efforts would foster the development of global best practices, improve standardisation, and reinforce operational protocols for safer and more secure maritime activities.
In addition to addressing maritime safety, India took an active role in the session’s discussions on gender equality, aligning its efforts with the IMO’s Gender Inclusion Strategy. The delegation showcased the national initiative “Sagar Mein Samman” (Honour at Sea)—launched on November 25, 2024, by the Directorate General of Shipping. This landmark programme is designed to cultivate a safe, respectful, and inclusive maritime environment, enabling women to participate and advance across all levels of the industry, from seafaring roles to executive leadership.
India also highlighted a notable success: a 650% rise in the number of Indian women seafarers, demonstrating its strong commitment to building an equitable maritime workforce and ensuring equal opportunities for all.
