“I am disappointed with U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to place tariffs on all Canadian goods. This decision will harm Canadians and Americans alike and strain the important relationship and alliance between our two nations.
“Alberta will do everything in its power to convince the U.S. President and Congress, as well as the American people, to reverse this mutually destructive policy.
“We note the reduced 10 per cent tariff for Canadian energy. That is partially a recognition of the advocacy undertaken by our government and industry to the U.S. Administration. We’ve pointed outthe substantial wealth created in the U.S. by American companies and tens of thousands of American workers who upgrade and refine approximately $100 billion of Canadian crude into $300 billion of product sold all over the world by those same U.S. companies.
“It is also worth noting that if oil and gas exports are excluded, the United States actually sells more to Canada than Canada sells to the U.S. As I’ve stated to every American policymaker I’ve met with in these past months, Canada buys more from the U.S. than does any country on earth – more than the U.K., France, Germany, Italy and Vietnam combined. There is, therefore, no economic justification for tariffs imposed on any Canadian goods.
“Alberta will continue diplomatic efforts in the United States to persuade the U.S. President, lawmakers, administration officials and the American people to lift all tariffs on Canadian goods as soon as possible and to repair our relationship with the United States. I encourage all premiers and federal officials to do the same, especially as the effects of these tariffs begin to take their toll south of the border. Americans need to understand the detrimental consequences of this policy decision.
“Alberta will also work collaboratively with the federal government and other provinces on a proportionate response to the imposed U.S. tariffs through the strategic use of Canadian import tariffs on U.S. goods that are more easily purchased from Canada and non-U.S. suppliers. This will minimize costs to Canadian consumers while creating maximum impact south of the border. All funds raised from such import tariffs should go directly to benefit the Canadians most harmed by the imposed U.S. tariffs.
“Alberta will, however, continue to strenuously oppose any effort to ban exports to the U.S. or to tax our own people and businesses on goods leaving Canada for the United States. Such tactics would hurt Canadians far more than Americans.
“We also continue Alberta’s call for the appointment of a border czar to coordinate the securing of our border against illegal migrants and drugs moving in both directions, and to achieve our nation’s two per cent of GDP NATO commitment by 2027. These things should be done for the safety of all Canadians regardless of our trade dispute with the United States
“Despite the disappointment of today’s decision there is also an incredible opportunity before us as a nation. Canada can and must come together in an unprecedented effort to preserve the livelihoods and futures of our people and expand our political and trade relationships across the globe. We can no longer afford to be so heavily reliant on one primary customer. We must stop limiting our prosperity and inflicting economic wounds on ourselves.
“Rather, we must unleash the true economic potential of our country, which possesses more wealth and natural resources than any other nation on earth.
“To this end, Alberta calls on the federal government and our fellow provinces to immediately commence a national effort to fast track and build oil and gas pipelines to the east and west coasts of Canada, construct multiple LNG terminals on each coast, increase internal refining capacity, unleash the development of critical minerals, lower taxes, reduce red tape, tear down interprovincial trade barriers and re-empower provinces to develop our unique economies without constant federal interference and imposition of anti-resource development laws.
“Our province and our nation can overcome the formidable economic challenges ahead. But we can only do so if we start acting like a healthy and functional country that supports every province to export their best resources and products to world markets, thereby achieving their unique potential. By so doing, Canada can become one of the most prosperous and powerful nations on earth. Alberta stands ready to do our part if this true Team Canada approach is taken.”
Around 100 young people from across the country will be in Canberra this week to work with the Albanese Labor Government on issues that affect them and their communities.
Young people will meet with various Ministers across the week to discuss policy solutions to topics that matter to them.
The week will include the second annual National Youth Forum, where young people will come together to work on policy ideas across the theme of ‘regional, rural, and remote’.
Attendees will focus on building drought resilience, involving young people in disaster preparedness and response, and getting more regional, rural and remote young people into tertiary education.
Minister for Youth Dr Anne Aly said the Albanese Government is ensuring young people are genuinely engaged in the policy making process.
“By listening to the valuable insights of young people, we can create a better Australia for everyone,” Minister Aly said.
“The National Youth Forum provides a valuable opportunity for young people to come together with each other and Government to hash out solutions to real-world problems.
“All young people from all backgrounds, no matter where you live, no matter who you are, should be able to have a say on government decisions.”
Aged 13 to 25, participants come from diverse backgrounds and bring a range of experiences to the Forum.
This includes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, participants from culturally or linguistically diverse backgrounds, experience of mental ill-health, participants from regional or remote communities, migrants, young parents, participants with experience of being a carer, participants from LGBTQIA+ communities and participants with disability.
The second annual National Youth Forum will be held on Wednesday 5 February.
Samsung Electronics is the world’s best brand among global consumers, according to YouGov’s Best Global Brands 2025 rankings.
This marks the second year in a row that Samsung has topped the rankings. After placing fourth in 2017, the company consistently finished within the top 4 on YouGov’s yearly lists before ranking second in 2021 and first in 2022. Only two of this year’s top 10 global brands originate from Asia, including Samsung.
* YouGov did not publish a Global Top 10 list in its Best Global Brands rankings in 2023 and 2024.
The YouGov Best Global Brand 2025 rankings draw on more than 1 million consumer surveys across 28 markets to identify the best-performing global and national brands. Respondents are asked their opinions of thousands of brands, rating them on six key attributes: Impression, Quality, Value, Customer Satisfaction, Reputation and Recommendation.
“Brands have never been more important — and in today’s dynamic marketplace, where consumer sentiment can make or break a company’s success, understanding brand perception is imperative,” said YouGov CEO Steve Hatch.
Back in October 2024, Samsung was recognized by Interbrand as a “Global Top 5” brand for the fifth consecutive year on the global brand consultancy’s annual “Best Global Brands” rankings. Samsung’s brand value surpassed the $100 billion mark for the first time on last year’s list, and Interbrand mainly attributed this to the expansion of Samsung’s portfolio of products infused with AI technologies, substantial consumer benefits derived from increased device connectivity and the company’s ongoing commitment to a more sustainable future.
Police are today releasing the name of a Northland man fatally shot in Otaika this week.
He was 18-year-old Kyle Zachary Jenkins, of Maungatapere.
The homicide investigation continues into Kyle’s murder.
Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Shane Pilmer says: “Our thoughts are with Kyle’s family at this very difficult time.
“They are continuing to grieve his death and have asked for privacy at this time.”
Police are continuing to maintain an appeal for information about what took place on the Otaika Valley Road layby.
“Our investigation continues to piece together why this tragic event occurred, and identify the person responsible,” acting Detective Senior Sergeant Pilmer says.
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
An online portal has been set up for any footage or photographs to be uploaded.
Attributable to Detective Senior Sergeant Kristine Clarke:
Police are making inquiries into the death of a woman in Hamilton overnight.
Emergency services were called to a Forest Lake address shortly before 12:30am today to reports the 19-year-old was unresponsive.
On arrival, medical staff confirmed she had sadly died.
Police were speaking with those present at the address at the time, and completing further scene and area inquiries, to help determine what took place.
The death is currently being treated as unexplained.
Earlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul marched in the Flushing Chinese Business Association’s Lunar New Year parade.
B-ROLL of the Governor during the parade can be found on YouTube here and in TV quality (h.264, mp4) format here.
VIDEO: The event is available to stream on YouTube here and TV quality video is available here (h.264, mp4).
AUDIO: The Governor’s remarks are available in audio form here.
PHOTOS: The Governor’s Flickr page will post photos of the event here.
A rush transcript of the Governor’s remarks is available below:
Xin nian kuai le! I want to wish everyone a happy Lunar New Year. I just had a wonderful celebration meeting members of the community. We had some dance and celebration of culture, and I’m so proud to be Governor of a state where one out of 10 New Yorkers can claim Asian or AAPI descendance. It’s part of our vibrancy.
Also, this past week was the first time ever in the history of our state that children could get a day off school to celebrate the Lunar New Year holiday with their families and to continue on embracing these great traditions.
I also want to convey that we’re continuing our efforts to fight hate crimes against all peoples, but as we saw during the pandemic, there was a spike in Asian hate crimes. We want to make sure people know that we’ll do whatever we can to protect them. We’ve added more money to our Budget to give them the security they need to feel safe in their homes, but also on our streets and in our subways.
Why has any discussion about Israel, its violations of international law, and the international legal expectations for third party states to hold IDF soldiers accountable not been addressed in Aotearoa New Zealand?
ANALYSIS:By Katrina Mitchell-Kouttab
Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa national chair John Minto’s campaign to identify Israeli Defence Force (IDF) soldiers in New Zealand and then call a PSNA number hotline has come under intense criticism from the likes of Winston Peters, Stephen Rainbow, the Jewish Council and NZ media outlets. Accusations of antisemitism have been made.
Despite making it clear that holding IDF soldiers accountable for potential war crimes is his goal, not banning all Israelis or targeting Jewish people, there are many just concerns regarding Minto’s campaign. He is clear that his focus remains on justice, not on creating divisions or fostering discrimination, but he has failed to provide strict criteria to distinguish between individuals directly involved in human rights violations and those who are innocent, or to ground the campaign in legal frameworks and due process.
Any allegations of participation in war crimes should be submitted through proper legal channels, not through the PSNA. Broader advocacy could have been used to address concerns of accountability and to minimise any risk that the campaign could lead to profiling based on religion, ethnicity, or language.
While there are many concerns that need to be addressed with PSNA’s campaign, why has the conversation stopped there? Why has the core issue of this campaign been ignored? Namely, that IDF soldiers who have committed war crimes in Gaza have been allowed into New Zealand?
PSNA’s controversial Gaza “genocide hotline” . . . why has the conversation stopped there? Why has the core issue about war crimes been ignored? Image: PSNA screenshot APR
Why has any discussion about Israel, its violations of international law, and the international legal expectations for third party states to hold IDF soldiers accountable not been addressed? Why is criticism of Israel being conflated with racism, even though many Jewish people oppose Israel’s war crimes, and what about Palestinians, what does this mean for a people experiencing genocide?
Concerns should be discussed but they must not be used to protect possible war criminals and shield Israel’s crimes.
It is true that PSNA’s campaign may possibly target individuals, including targeting individuals solely based on their nationality, religion, or language. This is not acceptable. But it has also uncovered the exceptionally biased, racist, and unjust views towards Palestinians.
Racism against Palestinians ignored Palestinians have been dehumanised by Israel for decades, but real racism against Palestinians is being ignored. As a Christian Palestinian I know all too well what it is like to be targeted.
In fact, it was only recently at a New Zealand First State of the Nation gathering last year that Winston Peter’s followers called me a terrorist for being Palestinian and told me that all Muslims were Hamas lovers and were criminals.
The question that has been ignored in this very public debate is simple: are Israeli soldiers who have participated in war crimes in Aotearoa, if so, why, and what does this mean for the New Zealand Palestinian population and the upholding of international law?
By refusing to address concerns of IDF soldiers the focus is deliberately shifted away from the actual genocide happening in Gaza. If IDF soldiers have engaged in rape, extrajudicial executions, torture, destruction of homes, or killing of civilians, they should be investigated and held accountable.
Countries have a legal and moral duty to prevent war criminals from using their nations as safe havens.
Since 1948, Palestinians have been subjected to systematic oppression, apartheid, ethnic cleansing, violence and now, genocide. From its creation and currently with Israel’s illegal occupation, Palestinian massacres have been frequent and unrelenting.
This includes the execution of my great grandmother on the steps of our Katamon home in Jerusalem. Land has been stolen from Palestinians over the decades, including well over 42 percent of the West Bank. Palestinians have been denied the right to return to their country, the right to justice, accountability, and self-determination.
Living under illegal military law We are still forced to live under illegal military law, face mass arrests and torture, and our history, identity, culture and heritage are targeted.
Almost 10 children lose one or both of their legs every day in Gaza according to the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNWRA). 2.2 million people are starving because Israel refuses them access to food. 95 percent of Gaza’s population have been forced onto the streets, with only 25 percent of Gaza’s shelters needs being met, according to the Norwegian Refugee Council.
One out of 20 people in Gaza have been injured and 18,000 children have been murdered. 6500 Palestinians from the Gaza Strip were taken hostage by Israel who also stole 2300 bodies from numerous cemeteries. 87,000 tons of explosives have been dropped on all regions in the Gaza Strip.
Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah, a British Palestinian reconstructive surgeon who worked in Al Shifa and Al Ahly Baptist hospital and who is part of Medicine Sans Frontiers, estimates as many as 300,000 Palestinian civilians, most of them children, have been murdered by Israel.
This is because official numbers do not include those bodies that cannot be recognised or are blown to a pulp, those buried under the rubble and those expected to die and have died of disease, starvation and lack of medicine — denied by Israel to those with chronic illnesses.
‘A Genocidal Project’: real death toll closer to 300,000. Video: Democracy Now!
As a signatory to the Geneva Convention, the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), and UN resolutions, New Zealand is expected to investigate, prosecute and deport any individual accused of these serious crimes. This government has an obligation to deny entry to any individual suspected of war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide.
IDF has turned war crimes into entertainment Israel has violated all of these, its IDF soldiers filming themselves committing such atrocities and de-humanising Palestinians over the last 15 months on social media.
IDF soldiers have posted TikTok videos mocking their Palestinian victims, celebrating destruction, and making jokes about killing civilians, displaying a disturbing level of dehumanisation and cruelty. They have filmed themselves looting Palestinian homes, vandalising property, humiliating detainees, and posing with dead bodies.
They have turned war crimes into entertainment while Palestinian families suffer and mourn. Israel has deliberately targeted civilians, bombing schools, hospitals, refugee camps, and even designated safe zones, then lied about their operations, showing complete disregard for human life.
Israel and the IDF’s global reputation among ordinary people are not positive. Out on the streets over 15 months, millions have been demonstrating against Israel. They do not like what its army has done, and rightly so. Many want to see justice and Israel and its army held accountable, something this government has ignored.
Israel’s state forced conscription or imprisonment, enforced military service that contributes to the occupation, ethnic cleansing, systematic oppression of a people, war crimes and genocide is fascism on display. Israel is a totalitarian, apartheid, military state, but this government sees no problems with that.
The UN and human rights organisations like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have repeatedly condemned Israeli military operations, including the indiscriminate killing of civilians, the use of white phosphorus, and sexual violence by Israeli forces.
While not all IDF soldiers may have committed direct atrocities, those serving in occupied Palestinian territories are complicit in enforcing illegal occupation, which itself is a violation of international law.
Following orders not an excuse The precedent set by international tribunals, such as Nuremberg, establishes that following orders is not an excuse for war crimes — meaning IDF soldiers who have participated in military actions in occupied areas should be subject to scrutiny.
This government has a duty to protect Palestinian communities from further harm, this includes preventing known perpetrators of ethnic cleansing from entering New Zealand. The presence of IDF soldiers in New Zealand is a direct threat to the safety, dignity, and well-being of our communities.
Many Palestinian New Zealanders have lost family members, homes, and entire communities due to the IDF’s actions. Seeing known war criminals walking freely in New Zealand re-traumatises those who have suffered from Israel’s illegal military brutality.
Survivors of ethnic cleansing should not have to live in fear of encountering the very people responsible for their suffering. This was not acceptable after the Second World War, throughout modern history, and is not acceptable now.
IDF soldiers are also trained in brutal tactics, including arbitrary arrests, sexual violence, and the assassination of Palestinian civilians. The presence of war criminals in any society creates a climate of fear and intimidation.
Given their history, there is a concern within New Zealand that these soldiers will engage in racist abuse, Islamophobia, or Zionist hate crimes not only against Palestinians and Arabs, but other communities of colour.
New Zealand society should be scrutinising not just this government’s response to the genocide against Palestinians, but also our political parties.
Moral bankruptcy and xenophobia This moral bankruptcy and neutral stance in the face of genocide and racism has been clearly demonstrated this week in Parliament with both Shane Jones and Peter’s xenophobic remarks, and responses to the PSNA’s campaign.
Winston Peter’s tepid response to Israel’s behaviour and its violations is a staggering display of double standards and hypocrisy. Racism it seems, is clearly selective.
His comments about Mexicans in Parliament this week were xenophobic and violate the principles of responsible governance by promoting discrimination. Peters’ comments that immigrants should be grateful creates a hierarchy of worthiness.
Similarly, Shane Jones calling for Mexicans to go home does not uphold diplomatic and professional standards, reinforces harmful racial stereotypes and discriminates based on one’s nationality. Mexicans, Māori, and Palestinians are not on equal standing as others when it comes to human rights.
Why is there a defence of foreign soldiers who may have participated in genocide or war crimes in the occupied Palestinian territories, but then migrants and refugees are attacked?
“John Minto’s call to identify people from Israel . . . is an outrageous show of fascism, racism, and encouragement of violence and vigilantism. New Zealand should never accept this kind of extreme totalitarian behaviour in our country”. Why has Winston Peter’s never condemned the actual racism Palestinians are facing — including ethnic cleansing, forced displacement, and apartheid?
Why has he never used such strong language and outrage to condemn Israel’s actions despite evidence of violations of international law? Instead, he directs outrage at a human rights activist who is pointing out the shortcomings of the government’s response to Israels violations.
IDF soldiers’ documented atrocities ignored Peters has completely ignored IDF soldiers’ documented atrocities and distorted the campaign’s purpose for legal accountability to that of violence.
There has been no mention of Palestinian suffering associated with the IDF and Israel, nor has the government been transparent in admitting that there are no security measures in place when it comes to Israel.
For Peters, killing Palestinians in their thousands is not racist but an activist wanting to prevent war criminals from entering New Zealand is?
Recently, Simon Court of the ACT party in response to Minto wrote: “Undisguised antisemitic behaviour is not acceptable . . . military service is compulsory for Israeli citizens . . . any Israeli holidaying, visiting family or doing business in New Zealand could be targeted . . . it is intimidation towards Jewish visitors . . . and should be condemned by parties across Parliament.”
This comment is misleading, and hypocritical.
PSNA’s campaign is not targeting Jewish people, something the Jewish Council has also misrepresented. It is about identifying Israeli soldiers who have actively participated in human rights violations and war crimes in the occupied Palestinian territories.
It intentionally blurs the lines between Israeli soldiers and Jewish civilians, as the lines between Palestinian civilians and Hamas have been blurred.
Erases distinction between civilians and a militant group Even MFAT cannot use the word “Palestinian” but identifies us all as “Hamas” on its website. This erases the distinction between civilians and a militant group, and conflates Israeli military personnel with Jewish civilians, which is both deceptive and dangerous.
The MFAT website states the genocide in Gaza is an “Israel-Hamas” conflict, denying the intentional targeting of Palestinian civilians and erasing our humanity.
Israel’s assault has purposely killed thousands of children, women and men, all innocent civilians. Israel has not provided any evidence of any of its claims that it is targeting “Hamas” and has even been caught out lying about the “mass rapes and burned babies”, the tunnels under the hospitals and militants hiding behind Palestinian toddlers and whole generations of families.
Despite this, MFAT had not condemned Israeli war crimes. This is not a just war. It is a genocide against Palestinians which is also being perpetrated in the West Bank. There is no Hamas in the West Bank.
The ACT Party has been silent or outright supportive of Israel’s atrocities in Gaza and the West Bank, despite overwhelming evidence of war crimes. If they were truly concerned about targeting individuals as they are with Minto’s campaign, then they would have called for an end to Israel’s assaults against Palestinians, sanctioned Israel for its war crimes, and called for investigations into Israeli soldiers for mass killings, sexual violence and starving the Palestinian people.
What is clear from Court and Seymour (who has also openly supported Israel alongside members of the Zionist Federation), is that Palestinian lives are irrelevant, we should silently accept our genocide, and that we do not deserve justice. That Israeli IDF soldiers should be given impunity and should be able to spend time in New Zealand with no consequences for their crimes.
This is simply xenophobic, dangerous and “not acceptable in a liberal democracy like New Zealand”.
New Zealand cartoonist Malcolm Evans with two of his anti-Zionism placards at yesterday’s “march for the martyrs” in Auckland . . . politicians’ silence on Israel’s war crimes and violations of international law fails to comply with legal norms and expectations. Image: Asia Pacific Report
Erased the voice of Jewish critics ACT, alongside Peters, Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Labour leader Chris Hipkins, and the Jewish council have erased the voice of Jewish people who oppose Israel and its crimes and who do not associate being Jewish with being Israeli.
There is a clear distinction, something Alternative Jewish Voices, Jewish Voices for Peace, Holocaust survivors and Dayenu have clearly reiterated. Equating Zionism with Judaism, and identifying Israeli military actions with Jewish identity, is dangerously antisemitic.
By failing to distinguish Judaism from Zionism, politicians and the Jewish Council are in danger of fuelling the false narrative that all Jewish people support Israel’s actions, which ultimately harms Jewish communities by increasing resentment and misunderstanding.
Antisemitism should never be weaponised or used to silence criticism of Israel or justify Israel’s impunity. This is harmful to both Palestinians and Jews.
Seymour’s upcoming tenure as deputy prime minister should also be questioned due to his unwavering support and active defence of a regime committing mass atrocities. This directly contradicts New Zealand’s values of justice and accountability demonstrating a complete disregard for human rights and international law.
His silence on Israel’s war crimes and violations of international law fails to comply with legal norms and expectations. He has positioned himself away from representing all New Zealanders.
While we focus on Minto, let’s be fair and ensure Palestinians are also being protected from discrimination and targeting in New Zealand. Are the Zionist Federation, the New Zealand Jewish Council, and the Holocaust Centre supporting Israel economically or culturally, aiding and abetting its illegal occupation, and do they support the genocide?
Canada investigated funds linked to illegal settlements Canada recently investigated the Jewish National Fund (JNF) of Canada for potentially violating charitable tax laws by funding projects linked to Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, which are illegal under international law.
In August 2024, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) revoked the Jewish National Fund of Canada’s (JNF Canada) charitable status after a comprehensive audit revealed significant non-compliance with Canadian tax laws.
On the 31 January 2025, Haaretz reported that Israel had recruited the Jewish National Fund to illegally secretly buy Palestinian land in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. What does that mean for the New Zealand branch of the Jewish National Fund?
None of these organisations should be funnelling resources to illegal settlements or supporting Israel’s war machine. A full investigation into their financial and political activities is necessary to ensure any money coming from New Zealand is not supporting genocide, land theft or apartheid.
The government has already investigated Palestinians sending money to relatives in Gaza, the same needs to be done to organisations supporting Israel. Are any of these groups supporting war crimes under the guise of charity?
While Jewish communities and Palestinians have rallied together and supported each other these last 15 months, we have received no support from the Jewish Council or the Holocaust Centre, who have remained silent or have supported Israel’s actions. Dayenu, and Alternative Jewish voices have vocally opposed Israel’s genocide in Gaza and reached out to us. As Jews dedicated to human rights, justice, and the prevention of genocide because of their own history, they unequivocally condemn Israel’s actions.
Given the Holocaust, you would expect the Holocaust Centre and the Jewish Council to oppose any acts of violence, especially that on such an industrial scale. You would expect them to oppose apartheid, ethnic cleansing, and the dehumanisation of Palestinians as the other Jewish organisations are doing.
Genocide, war crimes must not be normalised War crimes and genocide must never be normalised. Israel must not be shielded and the suffering and dehumanisation of Palestinians supported.
We must ensure that all New Zealanders, whether Jewish, Israeli or Palestinian are not targeted, and are protected from discrimination, racism, violence and dehumanisation. All organisations are subject to scrutiny, but only some have been.
Instead of just focusing on John Minto, the ACT Party, NZ First, National, and Labour should be answering why Israeli soldiers who may have committed atrocities, are allowed into New Zealand in the first place.
Israel and its war criminals should not be treated any differently to any other country.
We must shift the focus back to Israel’s genocide, apartheid, and impunity, while exposing the hypocrisy of those who defend Israel but attack Palestinian solidarity.
UN Special Rapporteur to the Occupied Palestinian Territory Francesca Albanese has hailed the formation of The Hague Group, describing it as the “best news” from a coalition of policymakers “in a long time”.
Formed on Friday in the city of its namesake, The Hague Group’s members — Belize, Bolivia, Colombia, Cuba, Honduras, Malaysia, Namibia, Senegal and South Africa — have joined together to “end Israeli occupation of the State of Palestine”.
The groups said in a joint statement that they could not “remain passive in the face of such international crimes” committed by Israel against the Palestinians.
They said they would work to see the “realisation of the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, including the right to their independent State of Palestine”.
Albanese said on social media: “Let’s make it real. And let’s keep growing.”
“The Hague Group’s formation sends a clear message — no nation is above the law, and no crime will go unanswered,” said the South African Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola.
South Africa filed a case before the International Court of Justice alleging genocide in 2023 and an interim ruling in January 2024 said that there was “plausible genocide” and accepted the case for substantive judgment. Since then, 14 countries have joined the proceedings in support of South Africa and Palestine.
Joyful scenes erupted today as buses carrying Palestinian prisoners released under last month’s Gaza ceasefire deal arrived in Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank. A total of 183 prisoners were due to be freed today.
Three captives — Keith Siegel, Ofer Kalderon and Yarden Bibas– were earlier released in two separate locations in southern and northern Gaza.
Samoan artist Michel Mulipola with his characteristic clutch of protest flags at the “march of the martyrs” in Auckland today . . . latest addition is the flag of the Democratic Republic of Congo to acknowledge a brutal war being waged by M23 rebels. Image: David Robie/APR
NZ ‘march of the martyrs’ protest In New Zealand’s largest city Auckland Tāmaki Makaurau today, hundreds of pro-Palestinian protesters staged a vigil and march for the more than 47,000 Palestinians killed in Israel’s war on Gaza — mostly women and children.
Hamas released three more hostages from Gaza today – a total of 14 since the ceasefire. Image: Al Jazeera screenshot APR
More than 44,500 names of the victims of the genocidal war were spread out on the pavement of Te Komititanga Square in the heart of Auckland and one of the organisers, Dr Abdallah Gouda, said: “It is important to honour the names, they are people, families — they are not just numbers, statistics.”
A canvas with an outline of Palestine flag was also spread out and protesters invited to dip their fingers in black, red and green paint — the colours of the Palestinian flag — and daub the ensign with their collective fingerprints.
This was part of a global campaign to “stamp my imprint” for the return to Palestine.
“Each mark represents solidarity and remembrance for those who have lost their lives in the struggle for justice,” said the campaign.
“As you add your fingerprint, please take a moment to reflect on their sacrifice and the collective desire for peace and freedom.
“This canvas will become a living tribute with each fingerprint contributing to a powerful symbol of unity and support.”
Today’s Palestinian and decolonisation “march of the martyrs” in Auckland. Image: David Robie/APR
The protesters followed with a “march for the martyrs” through central streets of Auckland past the consulate of the United States, main backer and arms supplier to Israel, and beside the city’s iconic harbourside.
A young girl keeps vigil over more than 44,000 names from the 47,000 people killed in Israel’s war on Gaza at today’s pro-Palestinian demonstration in Auckland today. Image: David Robie/APR
UNRWA chief “salutes’ aid staff defying Israeli ban Meanwhile, Al Jazeera reports that the head of the UN’s agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) has hailed staff for continuing to work despite an Israeli ban on their operations coming into force on Thursday.
In a post on social media, Philippe Lazzarini said: “I salute the commitment of UNRWA staff”.
“We remain committed to upholding the humanitarian principles and fulfil our mandate,” Lazzarini said.
He noted that nearly 500,000 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem, continued to access healthcare provided by UNRWA.
Since the start of the ceasefire in Gaza, UNRWA has ensured that humanitarian food supplies entering the territory under bombardment have reached more than 600,000 people, he said.
“UNRWA must be allowed to do its work until Palestinian institutions are empowered and capable within a Palestine State,” he added.
Israel passed a law in October that came into effect this week, banning UNRWA from operating on Israeli territory — including in East Jerusalem where its headquarters is located — and prohibiting contact with Israeli authorities.
However, Israel is occupying the Palestinian territories illegally in defiance of many UN resolutions ordering it to leave.
UNRWA has said that it is mandated by the UN General Assembly and is committed to staying open and delivering services to Palestinians despite Israel’s prohibitions.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he was portrayed on a banner at the Palestinian “march of the martyrs” in Auckland today . . . he is “wanted” by the International Criminal Court to face charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Image: APR
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has dumped – for the second time – the government’s controversial “Nature Positive” legislation, which had run into strong opposition from the Western Australian Labor government.
Albanese, speaking on The Conversation’s Politics podcast ahead of a fortnight parliamentary sitting starting next week, said there was not enough support for the legislation, which had been on the draft list of bills for next week, circulated by the government.
This is the second time the Prime Minister has pulled back from the legislation. Late last year he also said it did not have enough support, despite Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek believing she had a deal with the Greens and crossbench for its passage.
The legislation would set up a federal Environment Protection Agency, which has riled miners who claim it would add to bureaucracy and delay approvals.
In recent days WA premier Roger Cook, who was instrumental in heading off the legislation last year, has been lobbying the federal government again. WA faces an election on March 8.
In an interview on Saturday, Albanese told The Conversation: “I can’t see that it has a path to success. So at this stage, I can say that we won’t be proceeding with it this term. There simply isn’t a [Senate] majority, as there wasn’t last year.
“The Greens Party on one hand have changed their views”, making another demand during the week, he said. While the Liberals – who began the review of the present Environment Protection Act – “have chosen an obstructionist path,” he said.
Albanese said the government would continue to discuss the issue with stakeholders in the next term of parliament.
“Does the environment and protection act need revision from where it was last century? Quite clearly it does. Everyone says that that’s the case. It’s a matter of working to, in a practical way, a commonsense reform that delivers something that supports industry.
“I want to see faster approvals. We in fact have speeded up approvals substantially.
“But we also want proper sustainability as well.”
Albanese also flagged the government might cut back its legislation to reform rules covering electoral donations and spending in order to get a deal to pass it.
Special Minister of State Don Farrell and the Liberals had been on the brink of a deal in the final week of parliament last year, but negotiations imploded at the eleventh hour.
Albanese told The Conversation he hoped the legislation could still be passed. “I spoke with [Farrell] today, he is consulting with people across the parliament.
“What I would say is that we are looking to get reform through. Now whether that is a bigger, broader reform or whether it needs to be narrowed down, we’ll wait and see.
“But we’re very serious about the reform which would lower the donation declarations, that would put a cap on donations, a cap on expenditure, that would lead to more transparency as well. It’s an important part of supporting our democracy.
“We see overseas and we’ve seen people like Clive Palmer here spend over $100 million on a campaign. That’s a distortion of democracy – if one person can spend that much money to try to influence an election and we don’t find out all of that information till much later on.”
The reforms would not start operating until the next term of parliament.
Albanese said he thought the reform would have “overwhelming support” with the public “and I hope that it receives overwhelming support in the Senate as well”.
Michelle Grattan 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.
There has rightly been much debate and analysis over New Zealand’s decision to review the aid it gives to Kiribati.
It’s a big deal. So much is at stake, especially for the I-Kiribati people who live with many challenges and depend on the $100 million aid projects New Zealand delivers.
It would be clearly unwise for New Zealand to threaten or cut aid to Kiribati — but it has every right to expect better engagement than it has been getting over the past year.
What has been disturbing is the airtime and validation given to a Kiribati politician, newly appointed Minister of Women, Youth, Sport and Social Affairs Ruth Cross Kwansing.
It’s helpful to analyse where this is coming from so let’s make this very clear.
She supports and is currently a minister of a government that in 2022 suspended Chief Justice William Hastings and Justice David Lambourne of the High Court, and justices Peter Blanchard, Rodney Hansen and Paul Heath of the Court of Appeal.
She supports and is part a government that deported Lambourne, who is married to Opposition Leader Tessie Lambourne — and they have I-Kiribati children. (He is Australian but has been in the Kiribati courts since 1995).
She supports and is part of a government that requires all journalists — should they get a visa to go there — to hand over copies of all footage/information collected.
She also benefits from a 220 percent pay rise that her government passed for MPs in 2021.That same year, ministers were gifted cars with China Aid embossed on the side, as well as a laptop from Beijing.
Amidst a gushing post about a president who recently gave this rookie MP a ministerial post, Cross Kwansing wrote of the “media manufactured drama” and “the New Zealand media, in its typical fashion, seized the opportunity to patronise Kiribati, and the familiar whispers about Chinese influence began to circulate”.
These comments shouldn’t come as any surprise as blaming the media is a common tactic of politicians and Cross Kwansing is no different.
Just because the new minister doesn’t like what New Zealand has decided to do doesn’t mean it must be “media manufactured”.
Her comment that “the New Zealand media, in its typical fashion, seized the opportunity to patronise Kiribati” is also ridiculous.
The journalist that broke the story — myself — is half I-Kiribati and incredibly proud of her heritage and the gutsy country that she was born in and grew up in, with family who still live there.
Cross Kwansing has been a member of parliament for less than six months. To not discuss the geopolitical implications with China, given the way the world is evolving and Kiribati’s close ties, would be naive and ignorant.
Pacific leaders frustrated It is not just New Zealand that Maamau has refused to meet. Over the last two years, Pacific Island leaders have spoken of frustration in trying to engage with the president.
Maamau is known to be a pleasant man and enjoyable to converse with. But, for whatever reason, he has chosen not to engage with many leaders or foreign ministers.
Cross Kwansing has helpfully shared that the president announced to his cabinet ministers that he would delegate international engagements to his vice president so he could concentrate “intently on domestic matters”.
Fair enough. Except that Maamau has chosen to hang on to the foreign minister portfolio.
It is quite right that New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters would expect to engage with his Kiribati counterpart — especially given the level of investment and numerous attempts being made, and then a date finally agreed on by Maamau himself.
Six days before Peters was meant to arrive in Kiribati, the island nation’s Secretary of Foreign Affairs told the NZ High Commission there that the president was now “unavailable”. In the diplomatic world, especially given the attempts that had preceded it, that is hugely disrespectful.
There are different strategies the New Zealand government could have chosen to take to deal with this. Peters has had enough and chosen a hardline course that is likely to have negative impacts on New Zealand in the long term, but it’s a risk he obviously thinks is worth taking.
Cross Kwansing has spoken about prioritising cooperation and mutual respect over ego and political posturing. Absolutely right — except that this piece of helpful advice should also be taken by her own government. It works both ways for the sake of the people.
Barbara Dreaver is of Kiribati and Cook Islands descent. She was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2024 for services to investigative journalism and Pacific communities. This TVNZ News column has been republished with permission.
The Albanese Labor Government and Cook Labor Government have signed an updated school funding and reform agreement.
As part of this updated agreement, the Commonwealth will provide an additional 5 per cent of the Schooling Resource Standard (SRS) to WA public schools.
This will lift the Commonwealth’s contribution from 20 per cent to 25 per cent of the SRS by 2034.
This represents the biggest new investment in WA public schools by the Australian Government ever. This will be tied to reforms to help more students in public schools keep up, catch up and finish high school.
This includes more individualised support for students, mandating evidenced-based teaching practices and more mental health support in schools.
As part of the Agreement, WA will remove the provision put in by the Morrison Government allowing the state to claim 4 per cent of public school funding for indirect school costs such as capital depreciation and replace it with recurrent funding on eligible expenses, while also maintaining a share of at least 75 per cent of the SRS for public schools.
This is not a blank cheque. The Agreement signed today will be followed by an updated WA Bilateral Agreement, which will tie funding to reforms already being delivered in WA schools that will help students catch up, keep up and finish school, such as:
Year 1 phonics and early years numeracy checks to identify students in the early years of school who need additional help
evidence-based teaching and targeted and intensive supports such as small-group or catch-up tutoring to help students who fall behind
support for students to come to school ready to learn, such as greater wellbeing support for learning and engagement, including counsellors, school psychologists and health nurses
trialling place-based approaches to delivering a full-service school model in at least four WA public schools from 2026 which includes community, health and social services support
recruiting more co-ordinators to better support students with the most complex needs
identifying opportunities to reduce workloads and better support teachers and school leaders through professional learning
providing more support and pathways for people to transition to a teaching career in Western Australian public schools, with a focus on First Nations people, people with disability and those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
In addition, the following national targets will be included:
increasing the proportion of students leaving school with a Year 12 certificate by 7.5 percentage points (nationally) by 2030
reducing the proportion of students in the NAPLAN ‘Needs Additional Support’ proficiency level for reading and numeracy nationally by 10 per cent
increasing the proportion of students in the ‘Strong’ and ‘Exceeding’ proficiency levels for reading and numeracy by 10 per cent by 2030 and trend upwards for priority equity cohorts in the ‘Strong’ and ‘Exceeding’ proficiency levels nationally
increasing the Student Attendance Rate, nationally, to 91.4 per cent (2019 level) by 2030
increasing the engagement rate (completed or still enrolled) of initial teacher education students by 10 percentage points to 69.7 per cent by 2035.
This means more help for students and more support for teachers.
This agreement builds on the previous agreement with Western Australia signed in September last year.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Education, Jason Clare:
“This agreement lifts the Commonwealth’s contribution to 25 percent of the Schooling Resource Standard for WA public schools.
“This investment is tied to real, practical reforms to help students catch up, keep up and finish school.”
Quotes attributable to Premier Roger Cook:
“The Cook Labor Government is firmly committed to doing what is right for WA students, which is why we were the first state to sign the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement in September last year. This further agreement builds on that deal and provides hundreds of millions of dollars of additional Commonwealth funding to the State through to 2034.
“This is fantastic news for Western Australian students and teaching staff, it will provide the essential funding needed to ensure students can keep up, catch up and finish school.
“In particular, students with complex needs will get more support, which is something that the Cook Government has been working on for many years.”
Quotes attributable to WA Minister for Education Tony Buti:
“This agreement is good news for Western Australia. Teachers, students and families across the State will benefit as a result of increased funding and increased support for mental health and preparing students for school.
“I am delighted that Western Australia is one of the first jurisdictions to sign up to this new agreement.”
The interconnectivity of all health concerns could offer food and beverages brands innovation opportunities in 2025 by addressing multiple wellness concerns at once.
Several key trends are set to influence consumer purchasing behavior in 2025, including personalized health and wellness with a focus on women, health longevity, personalized products and experiences, and sustainability solutions aided by new technologies. GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, highlights four food and beverages trends that are set to offer consumer packaged goods brands innovation opportunities in 2025:
Personalized Health and Wellness: Women’s Health
Women’s health has long been under-researched, presenting an opportunity for brands to create new products and new marketing initiatives to meet women’s unique health needs.
In the supplements market, product ranges catering to reproductive and hormonal health concerns are now expanding into women’s fitness, digestion, and sleep – all of which require different supplements to men. Brands like Women Best recognize this and solely target women, providing them with supplements to support their dietary needs with functional benefits such as energy, focus, and stress relief. Unilever’s SmartyPants Vitamins range also offers multivitamins and pre and probiotic supplements that cater specifically to women’s health needs. In line with this, the women’s supplement market has seen double-digit value growth over the last two years, according to GlobalData Market Analyzers.
Fahima Omer, Food Consultant and analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Whilst the health benefits of supplements are harnessed in products such as vitamins and protein bars, consumer packaged goods manufacturers could explore opportunities to develop new food and beverages products using supplement ingredients. One such opportunity is to recognize the interconnectivity of all health concerns and release more products aimed at addressing multiple wellness concerns at once.”
Sustainability solutions based on new technologies
Cell-based foods first emerged in 2013 when a scientist in the Netherlands managed to cultivate a burger patty. With new technological advancements and the use of molecular biology, brands such as GoodMeat create meat simply by feeding cells in a sterile environment. Widespread adoption of cell-based meat products has been slow thus far, but this developing technology offers the potential to produce meat products at scale in a more sustainable way. This is becoming increasingly important as The Food and Agricultural Organization at the United Nations* revealed in its 2017 report, “Tackling Climate Change Through Livestock”, that livestock is a significant contributor to climate change with emissions estimated at 7.1 gigatonnes CO2, representing 14.5% of human-induced GHG emissions.
According to GlobalData’s consumer survey (Q3 2024), this kind of sustainability initiative resonates with 74% of global consumers who say that ‘sustainable/environmentally friendly’ is an ‘essential’ or ‘nice to have’ feature when deciding to make a product purchase.
Cell-based foods could also address food insecurity. In a UN/WHO** joint report from 2022, the organization estimated that 11% of people globally suffer from undernourishment despite the planet being able to produce enough food.
Health Longevity: An aging population and the rise of personalization
With 22% of the world’s population expected to be over 60 years old by 2050, according to WHO***, there will be growing demand for food and beverage products that support this cohort’s desire for a long, healthy, and active life. Meal kits with claims around health management have grown in value by 67% during 2016-23, according to GlobalData Market Analysers’ health and wellness data on prepared meals.
As older adults become more proactive about their health, they are choosing products that align with their wellness goals, including dietary supplements and foods rich in vitamins and nutrients that support longevity. Food manufacturer Chin Huay has responded to this demand with a selection of snacks formulated with probiotics, which support senior consumers’ dietary needs, and coffee brand UDA infuses several longevity-centric supplements to help fight aging. These include NMN, which increases metabolism and aids DNA repair; cognitive enhancer L-Theanine; quercetin, an anti-senescence and anti-inflammatory; and ashwagandha, to reduce fatigue and stress.
This trend reflects a broader societal shift towards preventative health measures and lifestyle improvements, which have gained traction following the pandemic. Personalized health and wellness solutions from companies that provide health advice from the analysis of personal health data are growing in popularity. Everlywell provide at-home test kits that check age and gender-related conditions with the aim of providing consumers with specific lifestyle recommendations.
Flavor expansion in Foods and Foodservice
The ubiquity of foreign travel and the rise in social media usage have exposed consumers to global cuisines and flavors, which they have embraced, providing companies with the opportunity to expand their product and flavor choices beyond core brands and gain awareness for them through social media.
According to GlobalData’s Consumer Survey (Q1 2024), 56% of 25-34-year-olds, globally, use social media to discover products and new flavors. A further 51% of the same age group agree with the statement ‘when I find a product in a new flavor I like, I enjoy sharing this knowledge on social media’.
Foodservice operators such as UK-based Los Mochis have been successful in merging Japanese and Mexican cuisines using ingredients such as chipotle and kombu broth to create a chipotle miso soup, exposing their customers to bold new flavor choices.
Omer adds: “Food and beverages trends in 2025 will reflect a complex interplay of functional health & wellness, sustainability, digitalization, and flavor choice. Innovation will not only cater to consumers’ immediate health needs but also prioritize health longevity. There could be a renewed focus on lab-grown meat which has the potential to address food insecurity whilst also combatting climate change. These trends will also present opportunities for brands to sell more value-added and premium products to meet the evolving expectations of consumers in a rapidly changing marketplace.”
GlobalData Consumer Custom Solutions offers sector-level expertise in the Consumer Packaged Goods, Food, Beverages, Foodservice, Retail, Apparel, Packaging,Agribusiness, and Automotiveindustries. We use our unique data, insights and analytics to answer your bespoke questions with a tailored approach and deliverables. To learn more about this press release or have a chat, please drop us an email consulting@globaldata.com or contact us here and we’ll get in touch!
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
NANJING, Feb. 1 — At midnight, after a busy day, a high-speed train rolls into Nanjing South Railway Station, a key hub in east China’s Jiangsu Province. Here, a team of technicians and intelligent robots stand ready to perform inspection tasks.
Using laser radar navigation and positioning technology, the robots move smoothly along tracks. Equipped with two articulated arms featuring imaging devices, they adjust height and angle, meticulously scanning the train’s underside and components, while transmitting real-time artificial intelligence (AI) analysis for further review.
During this year’s 40-day Spring Festival travel rush, which began on Jan. 14, China’s railway network is expected to transport 510 million passengers, with around 14,000 trains operating daily. To ensure operational safety during this high-traffic period, trains must undergo rigorous inspections every three days of service.
Inspecting these sophisticated trains is no small task. A standard eight-carriage high-speed railway requires a comprehensive check of more than 10,000 components, from bolt tightness to oil leakage and component wear.
“The manual inspection of a standard train requires at least two inspectors working for two and a half hours. With the use of robots, the process is reduced to just one hour, and staff only need 10 minutes for a final review — tripling efficiency compared to manual inspections, while also improving our working conditions,” said Qi Zhengang, an inspector at the railway station.
Currently, intelligent inspection robots are deployed not only in Jiangsu but also in railway stations across cities like Jinan, Beijing and Shanghai.
Across the country, a variety of high-tech solutions are being implemented to ensure the safety of the high-speed rail network during the travel surge.
Electricity is the primary power source for high-speed trains. To meet soaring energy demand, the Haogang substation in south China’s Guangdong Province has adopted drones equipped with infrared, ultraviolet and sonic imagers to patrol the Shenzhen section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong high-speed railway.
With the technology, invisible currents can be converted into visual patterns, cutting the maintenance time from 30 minutes to 15 minutes, said Tan Chuanbin, an employee at the substation.
Featuring a wide field of view and AI-driven analysis, drones are also used to monitor and assess precarious rock formations and geological hazards along railway tracks in mountainous regions such as southwest China’s Guizhou and Sichuan.
China’s high-speed rail network has seen extraordinary growth. In 2010, the country had 8,358 kilometers of operational high-speed rail. The number had skyrocketed to 48,000 kilometers by the end of 2024.
“China’s high-speed rail advancements are built on continuous technological innovation,” said Duan Wei, deputy chief of the high-speed rail infrastructure department of the Huai’an section of Jiangsu.
“Looking ahead, we expect AI and the Internet of Things to be further integrated, enhancing real-time monitoring and predictive warnings to better ensure passenger safety,” he said.
One person was confirmed dead and three others went missing Saturday after two fishing boats carrying 15 crew members ran aground in waters off South Korea’s southern resort island of Jeju, according to Yonhap news agency.
It was reported to the coast guard at about 9:24 a.m. local time (0024 GMT) that a 32-ton fishing vessel with seven people on board and a 29-ton vessel carrying eight were stranded in waters off the island.
Twelve people were rescued around noon (0300 GMT), and three remained unaccounted for.
Among the rescued, a captain of the 32-ton vessel in his 50s was taken in cardiac arrest to a hospital while receiving first-aid treatment such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), but he died later.
The others showed symptoms of hypothermia, but it was not a life-threatening injury.
The captains of both vessels were South Koreans, while the other crew members were foreigners, such as Vietnamese and Indonesians.
Search and rescue operations had been underway for the missing three crew members
The Taxi Service Commendation Scheme 2024 is open for public voting until May 31, the Transport Department said today.
Members of the public are welcome to cast their votes online or by scanning the QR code printed on the scheme’s promotional materials for the “Quality Taxi Drivers” and “Good Driver, Good Service” awards.
The department said this year’s scheme received a record high number of over 1,400 nominations for the “Quality Taxi Drivers” and “Good Driver, Good Service” awards. Among them, 70 nominees for the “Quality Taxi Drivers” award and six nominees for the “Good Driver, Good Service” award were shortlisted for public voting.
At the same time, a professional assessment panel will evaluate the nominees’ driving records, conduct, in-service training records, commended behaviour and passengers’ satisfaction levels.
Twenty nominees for the “Quality Taxi Drivers” award and two nominees for the “Good Driver, Good Service” award who obtain the highest combined scores from the public vote and professional assessment will win the accolade, while the driver with the highest score from the vote will be the “Most Popular Taxi Driver”.
Meanwhile, the assessment panel will evaluate taxi service management teams on taxi service quality, application of advanced technology in enhancing the efficiency and quality of the service, and social responsibility. The team with the highest score will be given the “Quality Taxi Service Management Team” award.
Source: United States Senator for New York Charles E Schumer
After Securing $300,000+ From U.S. Economic Development Administration in 2020, Schumer Pushed For More To Cover Increased Project Costs And Has Now Secured Over $2M In Total Fed Investment
Senator Says Millions In Fed $$ To Upgrade Sherrill’s Electrical Infrastructure Is Key To Unlocking New Shovel-Ready Sites, Attracting New Commercial Development & Supporting New Growth At Legacy Manufacturing Companies In Oneida County
Schumer: Fed $$ Will Help Oneida County Power Commercial & Manufacturing Growth
U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer today announced he is delivering $1,797,780 in new federal funding to help the City of Sherrill modernize the substation and electrical infrastructure servicing the Silver City Industrial Park, bringing the total federal investment to $2,103,780. The senator explained these critical infrastructure upgrades will help Oneida County and Mohawk Valley EDGE attract new businesses and jobs while continuing to support the growth and prosperity of legacy manufacturers like Sherrill Manufacturing and Briggs & Stratton.
“Bringing new companies to Oneida County starts with ensuring that Silver City Industrial Park is shovel-ready. I’m proud to deliver nearly $1.8 million in new federal funding to upgrade critical electrical infrastructure in the City of Sherrill so we can fuel new commercial investments and catalyze new growth at legacy manufacturing companies in the Mohawk Valley,” said Senator Schumer. “Across Upstate New York, we are seeing a resurgence in manufacturing with Micron’s historic $100+ billion investment in Clay and Wolfspeed’s investment in Marcy thanks to my bipartisan CHIPS & Science Law. The time to prepare for even more investment is now. This federal funding is an essential piece of the puzzle needed to modernize Sherrill’s electrical infrastructure so Silver City can be shovel-ready for businesses to move in and set up shop and legacy manufacturers can continue to grow and prosper in our community.”
Schumer previously helped secure $306,000 for the City of Sherrill’s Project Powerslam in 2020. Unfortunately, the estimated cost of the project more than quadrupled due to the increased cost of construction and labor in recent years, forcing the City to press pause on the project and seek additional funding. The senator pushed the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) for additional federal investment to make up the shortfall and get the project back on track. Schumer said this multi-million dollar strategic investment from the EDA will finally allow the City to upgrade its 50+-year-old “South” substation to provide more reliable, resilient power to Sherill’s business and residential community for decades to come and help pave the way for planned expansion at Silver City Industrial Park. As part of the agreement, the City of Sherrill will contribute approximately $500,000 in matching funds.
The upgraded electrical infrastructure will help provide the reliable power needed for continued growth at legacy manufacturing companies, specifically Sherrill Manufacturing, which is the only American manufacturer of flatware, and Briggs and Stratton, which is a lawn and garden equipment manufacturer. These companies have already brought millions in investments and hundreds of jobs to Oneida County, and the City of Sherrill hopes continued investment in its critical infrastructure will set the stage for these companies to keep growing and for new companies to locate alongside them.
“On behalf of the City of Sherrill, I would like to extend our sincerest thanks to Senator Chuck Schumer for his unwavering support and tireless advocacy in securing millions in Economic Development Administration funding for the City of Sherrill. Alongside the Senator, I would also like to thank the incredible team at Mohawk Valley EDGE for their hard work and commitment throughout the grant process. This funding will play a pivotal role in upgrading our electric distribution substation, supporting not only the long-term sustainability of our power grid but also fostering continued growth and jobs in our region,” said Brandon Lovett, Sherill City Manager. “Thanks to extraordinary collaboration between the Senator, the incredible team at Mohawk Valley EDGE, and the Sherrill community, we are closer than ever before growth and advancement at the Silver City Industrial Park. This project will provide critical infrastructure to support recent growth at existing businesses from Briggs & Stratton to Sherrill Manufacturing, while also paving the way for new investment and economic development in the years to come.”
“Sherrill has seen tremendous industrial development success with companies like Sherrill Manufacturing, Upstate Stone, and Briggs & Stratton expanding in the Silver City Industrial Park, drawing significant attention to the area as a prime location for manufacturers,” said Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente Jr. “Thanks to Senator Schumer’s leadership in securing this funding, we can modernize the city’s electrical infrastructure to further support our legacy manufacturers and fuel new investment. The benefit of municipal power in Sherrill is already a major incentive in an otherwise high-cost energy environment, and these upgrades will enhance reliability and capacity, ensuring the city remains a competitive and attractive hub for industry in Oneida County.”
“We at Sherrill Manufacturing and Liberty Tabletop are excited to hear about further investment to improve the infrastructure within the Silver City Industrial Park. As our business continues to grow, updated and reliable infrastructure is critical to our success as the only manufacturer of flatware in the United States,” said Matthew A. Roberts, President and Co-Founder, Sherrill Manufacturing Inc. and Liberty Tabletop. “We would like to once again thank Senator Schumer for his dedication to assisting both legacy and new business in the Mohawk Valley and across New York State. His hard work and partnership will help to ensure that Sherrill, NY can truly continue to be the Silver City.”
Schumer has a long history of fighting for economic development in Oneida County and the Mohawk Valley. Last year, Schumer secured $500,000 for Brownfield’s Community-wide Assessment for MV EDGE to safely clean up and sustainably reuse contaminated properties across Oneida County and to position underused properties like the former St. Luke’s Campus for redevelopment. Last September, Schumer delivered nearly $13 million from his Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for the Oneida Indian Nation to install 50+ new electric fast charging stations in the Mohawk Valley. Last October, Schumer announced a $750 million federal investment in Wolfspeed from his bipartisan Chips & Science Law that will accelerate the company’s ongoing Mohawk Valley expansion and hiring of hundreds of good-paying jobs. In 2023, Schumer delivered $2 million to Mohawk Valley Community College to help create a new semiconductor and advanced manufacturing training center to give the Mohawk Valley workforce the skills and training they need to be prepared for future investment in economic development.
In December of last year, Schumer also announced that he successfully included in the reauthorization of the Economic Development Administration the bipartisan ONSHORE Act to surge more EDA resources into shovel-ready site development. Schumer was able to steer this reauthorization into law at the end of last year. Schumer’s provision creates a new grant program to support site development or expansion projects for manufacturing industries critical to national or economic security, all of which are modeled on the ONSHORE Act. Through this program, EDA will assist with site and utility readiness, workforce development, distribution, and logistics, to prepare strategic mega sites and regionally impactful sites across places like Upstate NY for new industrial investment. The EDA funding will place an emphasis on building up the workforce through training and other support as a key priority for attracting and scaling new employers at these industrial sites, providing new federal resources for the pressing priority of workforce development.
Authorities in southeast Australia have ordered communities to evacuate as bushfires in western Melbourne, the capital city of Australia’s state of Victoria, continue to spread.
Victorian emergency services on Thursday morning urged about 100 residents of four small towns near the southwestern edge of the Grampians National Park, about 250 km west of Melbourne, to leave immediately to escape the threat posed by a nearby out-of-control fire.
A warning issued by VicEmergency shortly after 7:30 a.m. local time said that there was a significant increase in fire activity overnight that caused a fire burning along the national park’s western edge to spread in multiple directions.
“Leaving immediately is the safest option, before conditions become too dangerous. Emergency services may not be able to help you if you decide to stay,” it said.
Residents of three more towns to the east of the fire, which was sparked on Monday by dry lightning, have been told that leaving now is the safest option.
Incident controller Peter Western told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) that the fire had increased in size to 7,000 hectares overnight despite mild conditions.
He said that it has burnt through some private property at the western edge of the park.
Communities near a second fire in the national park’s north have been told to monitor changing conditions and prepare to evacuate.
He added that crews were working hard to contain the fires before a heatwave that is forecast to last from Saturday until Tuesday.
Cambodia has halted mine clearance projects in eight provinces after the United States has frozen funding, a mine clearance chief said on Friday.
Heng Ratana, director-general of the Cambodian Mine Action Center (CMAC), said the U.S.-funded mine clearance projects in Ratanakiri, Mondulkiri, Stung Treng, Kratie, Tboung Khmum, Kampong Cham, Prey Veng, and Svay Rieng provinces have been suspended for 85 days from Jan. 25 onwards.
He said in a statement posted on social media that these projects, carried out by CMAC in cooperation with development partners, are to clear “the U.S. origin unexploded ordinances as the remnants of war.”
CMAC has received a grant of 6.35 million U.S. dollars from the U.S. for mine clearance operations from March 2022 to November 2025, Ratana said, adding that this funding has supported some 200 technical Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) experts.
He said under these projects, CMAC had so far made remarkable achievements by clearing 561 polygons or 11,195 hectares of cluster munitions or UXOs affected fields, finding and destroying 27,022 landmines and UXOs that included 17,971 cluster munitions and 69 aerial bombs.
The halt was made after U.S. President Donald Trump last week ordered a sweeping 90-day pause on foreign aid, which included suspending its funded mine clearance projects around the world.
Cambodia is one of the countries worst affected by landmines and explosive remnants of war (ERWs). An estimated 4 million to 6 million landmines and other munitions had been left over from three decades of war and internal conflicts that ended in 1998.
According to the Yale University, from 1965 to 1973, the U.S. had dropped over 2.75 million tons of ordnance in 230,516 sorties on 113,716 sites in Cambodia.
The CMAA’s report showed that from 1979 to 2024, landmine and ERW explosions had claimed 19,834 lives and maimed 45,252 others.
Dai Mo, co-director of “Detective Chinatown 1900,” spoke with China.org.cn about the film’s latest installment, highlighting its exploration of Chinatown’s origins in San Francisco and the historical challenges faced by the overseas Chinese communities in the United States.
Director Dai Mo. [Photo courtesy of As One Production]
The first three “Detective Chinatown” films have grossed more than 8.7 billion yuan ($1.2 billion) since the series launched 10 years ago. The films follow the boisterous private investigator Tang Ren, played by Wang Baoqiang, and his introverted, highly intelligent nephew Qin Feng, portrayed by Liu Haoran, as they tackle mystery cases in cities like Bangkok, New York and Tokyo.
“This time, we wanted to offer audiences a story that feels both familiar and fresh, so we chose a different longitudinal time period to offer a unique perspective,” Dai said. He added that the film not only explores Chinatown’s historical roots but also illustrates the prejudices overseas Chinese faced in 1900.
For the creative team, the year 1900 is a significant intersection in history. It was the Year of Gengzi in the lunar calendar, a year associated with misfortune in Chinese folklore. The year saw the peak of the Boxer Rebellion amid widespread chaos in China. The Qing dynasty also declared war on foreign powers but was ultimately defeated by the Eight-Nation Alliance, resulting in forced war indemnities.
In stark contrast, the U.S. was experiencing modernization and prosperity. Chinese immigrants moved to America in search of work, including jobs in railroad construction, but faced severe discrimination, such as the Chinese Exclusion Act. At the same time, the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes gained prominence as a cultural icon. “There were many stories and inspirations from that period for us,” Dai said.
A poster for “Detective Chinatown 1900.” [Image courtesy of As One Production]
The leading characters are once again portrayed by Wang Baoqiang and Liu Haoran, but their new roles are entirely different from those in previous installments. Wang plays Ah Gui, a versatile Chinese descendant adopted by an Indigenous American tribe, while Liu takes on the role of Qin Fu, an extroverted practitioner of Chinese medicine. Set in San Francisco in the 1900s, the story centers on the murder of a white woman in Chinatown, for which a Chinese man is the main suspect. This shocking crime ignites public outrage, leading to demands to shut down Chinatown. The duo gets caught up in the investigation, racing against time to reveal the true murderer in a tense battle of wits and bravery.
As a long-time collaborator with Chen Sicheng, the mastermind behind the “Detective Chinatown” franchise, Dai — director of hits like “Endless Journey” and “Fireflies in the Sun” — described their collaboration in co-directing the film as seamless, owing to the deep mutual understanding they have cultivated over the years. He fondly recalled how Chen would frequently laugh and cry behind the camera during the shoot, describing him as a deeply sensitive person.
The most ambitious and challenging aspect of the film was constructing a 1:1 replica of San Francisco’s landmarks from over a century ago in just seven months. This replica spans 200,000 square meters at Laoling Film Studio in Shandong province. Supported by the local government and enterprises, the project showcases China’s remarkable construction capabilities. The replica is open to the public during the Spring Festival, giving visitors the chance to explore it after viewing the film.
A replica of 1900s San Francisco at Laoling Film Studio in Laoling, Shandong province. [Photo courtesy of As One Production]
Dai noted that the set is incredibly realistic, as the film’s production design department conducted extensive research and collected historical documents to authentically replicate every detail of the props and the set from that era. This included constructing slopes that mirrored the actual geographical features of San Francisco. He added that foreign actors, including Hollywood veteran John Cusack, who stars in the film, were in awe of the replica town during filming.
The director expressed his hope that the film could serve as an important vehicle for promoting Chinese culture and also bring more resonance to overseas Chinese, while calling for the solidarity of Chinese communities abroad. Additionally, he hopes the film will inspire audiences to explore the history of China during that era. “When audiences engage with this history, they will see how strong we are today and gain a sense of confidence, perseverance and a commitment to continuous self-improvement,” he said.
Dai said he was excited about the potential for future expansions in the “Detective Chinatown” universe, which could explore different timelines. “Anything is possible,” he laughed. “As long as audiences continue to enjoy their adventures, we are eager to create more.”
A still from “Detective Chinatown 1900,” featuring the iconic actor Chow Yun-fat. [Photo courtesy of As One Production]
“Detective Chinatown 1900,” featuring a star-studded cast that includes legendary actor Chow Yun-fat along with comedians Bai Ke, Wei Xiang and Yue Yunpeng, was released on Jan. 29, the first day of the Chinese New Year. The film premiered simultaneously in major markets worldwide, including North America, Australia, Malaysia and the United Kingdom. The film is a notable addition to China’s profitable Spring Festival film season, which has seen record-breaking box office performances this year, bolstered by a strong lineup of releases.
“Guonian,” which means “crossing the year,” is more than just a festival marking the arrival of the new year for the Chinese people. Though the Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, is now celebrated in many places worldwide, the true meaning of “Guonian” can only be fully understood by experiencing it in China. “The celebration is big, stretching for a month with a lot of food, fireworks and cultural events,” said Kayleen Fangbi from Belgium. “I love it.” Lanterns and fairy lights adorn every corner, while shops bustle with people laden with large shopping bags, as observed by a Spanish couple traveling in Beijing just days before the Spring Festival, which fell on Jan. 29 this year. Spotting the snake-themed decorations, they decided to look up the meanings of the Chinese zodiac online and discovered that this year is the Year of the Snake. “One of us is a Horse, and the other is a Sheep,” they noted, clearly finding it all quite fascinating. Invitations to join in the celebration were shared via the Chinese lifestyle app rednote, with many Chinese netizens offering tips and local authorities promoting festive activities. The surge in activity comes as the app gains many users from the United States and other countries, following the U.S. government’s threat to ban TikTok. With the trending hashtag “Chinese New Year,” many foreigners shared about their Spring Festival celebrations virtually from wherever they were, with some expressing the joy of savoring an authentic experience of the holiday in China. Beyond the traditional fireworks, decorations, dragon dances, and lion dances, Spring Festival celebrations across China feature distinct local traditions, each adding its unique flavor to the holiday. They all share common themes: family reunions and hope for good fortune in the year ahead. The diverse social practices throughout the Chinese New Year celebrations, recently listed as an intangible cultural heritage of humanity by UNESCO, offer international visitors a rich array of experiences during this period.
Artists perform the traditional Yingge dance in Chaoyang District of Shantou City, south China’s Guangdong Province, Jan. 29, 2025. (Xinhua/Lu Hanxin) In the Chaoshan region of south China’s Guangdong Province, the traditional Yingge dance adds a vibrant New Year atmosphere to the celebrations. Videos showcasing the dance have garnered millions of views, drawing many travelers to spend the Spring Festival in the area. The dancers, dressed in colorful costumes that represent ancient heroes and heroines, hold short wooden sticks and perform rhythmic movements, such as swinging the sticks, striking them together, and stamping their feet. “I was completely captivated by the strength and precision of their movements, the rhythmic sounds of their stomping and sticks clashing, and their powerful shouts of encouragement,” said Thanita Raemee from Thailand, after watching Yingge Dance performances. It’s said that when the lanterns in Yuyuan Garden light up, the Spring Festival begins in Shanghai, one of the top destinations for foreign visitors in China.
Tourists from the Republic of Korea visit the Yuyuan Garden Mall in east China’s Shanghai, Dec. 4, 2024. (Photo by Chen Haoming/Xinhua) After strolling through the winding corridors and pavilions, a German tourist bought numerous Chinese New Year-themed souvenirs in Yuyuan Garden. “I want to bring the festive blessings to my friends back home,” she said. “A major change is that foreign tourists mostly just walked around in the past, but now they bring real spending power,” said Hu Junjie, vice president of Shanghai Yuyuan Tourist Mart (Group) Co., Ltd., adding that they are particularly interested in the lantern displays, traditional Chinese makeup and costumes, special cuisine, and cultural products. Tatiana, 70, a visitor from Russia on a trip to the city of Sanya in the southern island province of Hainan, said that she and her daughter came specifically to experience the Spring Festival. At a local event, she eagerly took part in interactive activities. “Writing the Chinese character ‘Fu (meaning blessing)’ with a calligraphy brush was such a unique experience,” she said. They also enjoyed watching traditional Chinese cultural performances, including the unique Li and Miao ethnic folk dances of Hainan. Russia remains Hainan’s largest source of international tourists and a key market for Sanya’s inbound tourism. The resumption and opening of international flight routes and visa-free policy have attracted more Russian tourists to the island. China expects a boom in international visitors during this Spring Festival holiday. Data from Trip.com Group shows that inbound tourism orders for the 2025 Spring Festival rose over 30 percent year on year. Data released by the Chinese travel services platform Qunar showed that as of Jan. 28, the number of domestic flights booked during the Spring Festival by travelers with non-Chinese passports has increased by 70 percent year on year. This surge is driven by a series of visa-free entry and transit policies China introduced in 2024, along with continuously upgraded payment, transportation, and tourism facilities. Besides, the growing popularity of China as a travel destination on social media, fueled by early travelers sharing their experiences, has contributed to the increase. In 2024, cross-border trips to China by foreigners surged by 82.9 percent from the previous year, reaching 64.88 million. Of these, more than 20 million inbound foreign trips were made visa-free, marking an impressive increase of 112.3 percent year on year, according to the National Immigration Administration.
Tourists from Vietnam wait for entry inspection at the immigration area at Terminal 3 of Beijing Capital International Airport in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 28, 2025. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao) To meet an increase in visitors from neighboring countries, such as Japan and the Republic of Korea, the Beijing tourism bureau and leading tourism companies launched special itineraries offering these travelers an opportunity to experience a Beijing-style New Year celebration in just two to three days. These short-haul itineraries took visitors to vibrant temple fairs and traditional performances, while also giving them the chance to savor Beijing’s winter delicacies and iconic dishes, such as dumplings, hotpot, and Peking Duck. “The Spring Festival is a window to understand China, especially its traditional culture,” said Jiang Yiyi, an expert on leisure sports and tourism at the Beijing Sport University. The inscription of the Spring Festival onto the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list has significantly boosted its global profile. The numerous traditional cultural activities held across China provide foreign visitors with an immersive experience, allowing them to gain a deeper understanding of Chinese traditional culture, according to Jiang. Through these diverse activities, foreign visitors can truly experience what British online influencer Shaun Gibson described in his video as a Spring Festival in China that is “warm, lively, delicious, and happy.”
JASON CLARE, MINISTER FOR EDUCATION: G’day everyone. Thanks very much for coming along. I think this sign says it all. If Labor wins the next election, we’ll cut student debt by 20 per cent. It’ll be the first piece of legislation that we introduce to the Parliament after the election and it’ll cut the debt of three million Aussies. Today we’re releasing information on what this means in every state and territory across the country and how much average debt people will see cut if we win the next election.
What this means for a person with the average student debt is we’ll cut their debt by over 5,000 bucks. That’s real money. That’ll make a real difference. And if you’ve got a student debt of $50,000 it will mean that debt is cut by $10,000. That’ll help a lot of some people in their 20s, in their 30s, who’ve just finished uni, got their first job. They might have just moved out of home and are just getting started. Labor will cut your student debt by 20 per cent.
Now compare that to Peter Dutton. The only policy that he’s got to help people with the cost of living is this crazy idea that says that he wants taxpayers to pay for their boss’ lunch. Labor will cut your debt. The Liberals want you to pick up the boss’ tab. It’s as basic as that.
Today I can also announce that the Student Ombudsman has started work. This is a national first, a National Student Ombudsman. You ask why we need this? Well, the evidence is compelling. One in 20 students at university report being raped. One in six students say they’ve been the victims of sexual harassment and one in two say that when they complain to their university, nothing happens. Now for too long, universities have failed their students on this front and previous governments have failed students as well.
I want to give a quick shout out to organisations like End Rape on Campus, STOP and Fair Agenda for never giving up and for fighting for this. For wanting a Student Ombudsman to make sure that when the worst happens to students, that there’s somewhere to go to report, to see that real action happens. And that’s what this Student Ombudsman is all about. They start work today.
But it’s just the first step. The next step is legislation that I’ll introduce to the Parliament next week to give me the power as the Minister for Education to set up a National Code that will set rules that universities need to comply with. That includes requiring vice chancellors to report to their boards every six months on the actions that they’re taking here, making sure that their staff are properly trained to do the investigations they need to do and to make sure that this Ombudsman’s recommendations have real teeth. This Code will mean that when the Ombudsman makes a recommendation about what a university has to do, this Code will require them to implement it. This is real change that’s long overdue and it’s finally happening. Happy to take questions.
JOURNALIST: Thanks, Minister. It’s Amanda from Nine here. Just a couple on the second announcement, what kind of powers will the Ombudsman actually have to compel universities to do anything at this stage?
CLARE: The National Student Ombudsman will have the same sort of powers as a Royal Commission does. It’ll have the power to go into university, it’ll have the power to get documents, it’ll have the power to compel people to give evidence. But not only that, the laws that I’ll introduce into the Parliament this week are the next step. They will make sure that when the Ombo makes a recommendation, that it’s implemented. There are ombudsmen all around the country at the moment doing different things. They have the power to make recommendations, but they don’t have the power to make sure they’re implemented. This Ombudsman will, and they will because of the Code that we will introduce legislation to make real this week.
JOURNALIST: And you talked a bit about sexual assault on campus there but antisemitism has also been a huge issue over the last couple of months, if not years. So, will the Ombudsman have any kind of powers to try and stop the antisemitism that we’re seeing on university campuses?
CLARE: The short answer to that is yes. The powers of this Ombudsman are broader than just dealing with complaints from students about sexual assault, sexual harassment and sexual violence. They’ll be able to deal with complaints from students about antisemitism or any sort of discrimination or hate that students experience at university. I want our students to be safe. And that’s what the job of this Ombudsman is, to make sure that when the worst happens to students that there’s action that can be taken.
JOURNALIST: Minister, it’s Josh from Seven News. Just on the debt bill, you said will be the first bill you’ll introduce in the new Parliament. Why not do it in the next two weeks and give students certainty that their debts will be reduced?
CLARE: We’ve made it very clear when the Prime Minister announced this policy late last year that this is a policy we would take to the next election. We’ve made it clear to 3 million Aussies right across the country that have got a HECS debt that if Labor wins the next election, we will cut your debt by 20 per cent. And this will make a big difference to 3 million Aussies right across the country. What’s the Liberal Party got to offer? They oppose this, Josh. This is the thing people have got to remember when we announced this, the Liberal Party said that they would oppose this. So, if the Liberals win the next Election, this will never happen. We’re making it very clear here today, if Labor wins the next Election, we’ll cut your student debt by 20 per cent.
JOURNALIST: The PM and Opposition Leader are both at a Lunar New Year event in the electorate of Chisholm today, how important will the Chinese-Australian vote be at the next election? It seems both sides are doing their best to court that vote.
JASON CLARE: I think everyone’s vote’s going to be critical. You know, in a couple of months time, all Australians will get a chance to vote. They’ll get a chance to choose who they want to run the country for the next three years. And I think the choice is clear. There’s a choice between a Labor government which is acting to help people with the real pressures that they’re under, with the cost of living through tax cuts for every taxpayer, through a $300 energy rebate, through things like the things I’m talking about today, cutting your student debt by 20 per cent, or the Liberal Party that have no real answers at all. And the only policy that they’ve got on this is to make taxpayers’ pay for their boss’ lunch. You know, how crazy is that? This policy is that insane, they had to put out a statement the other day saying it won’t apply to brothels or strip clubs. When you have to put out a statement like that, I think that shows just how insane this policy is. It shows that Peter Dutton hasn’t any real answers for the challenges the Australian people face.
JOURNALIST: The Trump administration has announced again that it’s going to proceed with tariffs on China. How concerned is the government considering China’s obvious trading economy?
CLARE: You’re right. China is our biggest trading partner. And the work that we’ve done with China over the last two years, over the last two and a half years, has helped to remove those trade barriers with China. That’s creating jobs here in Australia. When you remove trade barriers for the exports that we sell to China, whether it’s meat or wine or anything else, it creates jobs for farmers, it creates jobs for Aussie workers and that’s a good thing. I think one in four jobs in Australia are related to trade. The things that we dig out of the ground, the things we grow, the things we make and create for our jobs here in Australia. I’d just make the other important point about trade with the US and that is Australia is different to most countries around the world in that America has a trade surplus with Australia. America sells us more than we sell them.
JOURNALIST: It’s Pablo here from the ABC. Just back on the Ombudsman. The Coalition is being quite critical of the government’s response to anti-Semitism in universities. Have you spoken with the Opposition and do you expect the support on the introduction of this Ombudsman?
CLARE: The Liberal Party had 10 years to act here and they did bugger all. They did nothing. For 10 years, organisations like End Rape on Campus and STOP and Fair Agenda have been knocking on doors in Parliament House asking for politicians to listen, asking for politicians to act. And the Liberal Party slammed the door on these organisations that are fighting for victims and survivors of sexual assault. I’ve listened and I’ve acted. That’s why we’ve got the Parliament to pass laws to create this Student Ombudsman. It should have happened years ago. It’s finally happening because a Labor government listened and is acting. I hope that the Liberal Party will support this legislation.
JOURNALIST: And the former boss of the Home Affairs Department, Mike Pezzullo, has been quite critical of the Coalition’s response to the rise in antisemitism and he’s calling for an Operation Sovereign Borders type, multi agency campaign to combat this. Is this something that the government should consider?
CLARE: The bottom line here is that governments take the advice of our law enforcement agencies on this. Now law enforcement agencies are working hand in glove across the country. Federal agencies and state agencies, federal police, state police, our security agencies, they’re all working closely together and can I give them a shout out. As a former Minister for Home Affairs and a former Minister for Justice, I know how important the work they do is. I’ve got 100 per cent confidence in the work that they’re doing. The work that they’re doing is helping to keep Australians safe. The work that they’re doing is helping to hunt down the perpetrators of these violent evil acts and make sure that they’re locked up. And I back them and I hope that everybody else does too.
JOURNALIST: Just one more from me, Josh from Seven News. Earlier this week, Peter Dutton claimed the Coalition would be a better friend of China than the Albanese Government. Do you think that claim has any credibility? And should Peter Dutton outline what he’s going to do to improve the relationship?
CLARE: I think that’s laughable. Just Google what Peter Dutton has said about China over the last 10 years and you’ll realise how ridiculous that statement is.
JOURNALIST: That’s all the questions we have. Thanks so much for taking us on the phone.
HONOLULU – The Coast Guard and the Department of Land and Natural Resources are responding to a grounded vessel on the north side of Honolua Bay in Maui Friday.
For breaking news follow us on twitter @USCGHawaiiPac
With only a few weeks until Germany’s election, Elon Musk has unambiguously thrown his support behind the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. In a video address to a party rally last week, he appeared to urge Germans to “move on” from any “past guilt” related to the Holocaust.
It’s good to be proud of German culture, German values, and not to lose that in some sort of multiculturalism that dilutes everything.
Troublingly, the AfD is now firmly entrenched as Germany’s second-most popular political party, behind the centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU). Like all parties in German elections, however, it cannot win an outright majority. It is also unlikely to be invited to join any ruling coalition that emerges from the February 23 election.
But the AfD’s anti-migrant, anti-government sloganeering has already seriously distorted Germany’s public debate and democratic culture, leaving many to ask whether it even needs to win elections to see its policies implemented.
This was evident following a dramatic week in Germany’s Bundestag.
First, in a radical break with Germany’s political norms, opposition leader Friedrich Merz deliberately drew on the votes of the AfD on Wednesday to ram a radical anti-asylum seeker motion through the parliament.
It was the first time in the history of the Bundestag that a parliamentary majority was reached with the help of the far right. Merz’s action was widely condemned as a “taboo-breaking” step towards legitimising the AfD.
Merz tried to take this a step further with a far-reaching bill to tighten immigration controls on Friday. Although the bill narrowly failed, all of the AfD voted with Merz. Twelve members of his own CDU party refused to back him.
Merz’s courting of the far right is widely seen as politically unnecessary, given his conservative CDU is already leading the national polls, making him the favourite to succeed the Social Democratic Party (SDP)‘s Olaf Scholz as chancellor.
This raises a couple crucial questions heading into the election. Is it insiders or outsiders that are playing the biggest role in bringing the far right into the mainstream? And just how big a role will the AfD play after the election?
The Musk effect
Musk’s embrace of the AfD should come as no surprise, given the integral part he played in Donald Trump’s election victory in the United States. In the German context, however, his behaviour and statements have taken on darker hues.
Germans know only too well what is at stake when democracy is eroded by those who abuse its freedoms to attack it. Had Musk’s now notorious Nazi salutes following Trump’s inauguration been performed in Berlin, for example, he might have faced up to three years in prison.
The catchphrase “never again” has underpinned German politics since the second world war. Yet, the response to Musk’s recent provocations was oddly muted in some sections of the German media.
With a few notable exceptions, it was left to activists to remind Germans of the severity of this gesture – projecting an image of Musk’s salute on a German Tesla plant, alongside the word “heil”.
Given the seriousness with which Germany patrols representations of its Nazi past, it was surprising just how few journalists were prepared to state without equivocation that “a Hitler salute is a Hitler salute is a Hitler salute”.
Merz’s embrace of the far right
Initially, there were some signs Germany’s main political leaders would decry Musk’s attempts to normalise far-right politics in the country.
Scholz has continued to label Musk’s blatant attempts to influence German politics as “unacceptable” and “disgusting”.
Merz claims to be keeping his distance from Musk. But it appears his strategy for winning the election is not far from what Musk is suggesting – mimicking AfD policies and collaborating with the party on anti-immigration votes.
In his most radical break with the centrism that characterised the CDU under former Chancellor Angela Merkel, Merz cracked the “firewall” against working with the far-right this week. Knowing just what it meant, he used the AfD’s support to pass the starkly worded nationalist border protection motion in the Bundestag.
Democratic party leaders, meanwhile, registered their shock and dismay. Merkel herself spoke out against Merz, saying it was “wrong” to “knowingly” work with the AfD.
Her intervention appears to have been critical to the immigration bill failing on Friday, with many of her former supporters in the CDU withholding their votes.
What AfD’s rise could mean
Given the two votes in the past week and Musk’s high-profile intervention, many in Germany now fear a CDU victory in the election could signal more collaboration with the AfD.
The Greens’ Robert Habeck, Germany’s vice chancellor, has said Merz’s nationalist coalition would “destroy Europe”. He has also warned Musk to keep his “hands off our democracy”, prompting Musk to label Habeck “a traitor to the German people”.
Musk is by no means the cause of the AfD’s popularity, but his embrace of the extremist party has given it a global profile and credibility in circles that might not have otherwise considered supporting it.
As some commentators have suggested, it is probably not coincidental the AfD’s plans for the German economy would benefit Musk’s business interests. Economic self-interest alone seems insufficient, however, to explain why Musk has gravitated to the extreme right.
The same might be said of Merz. Electoral calculations alone cannot explain his risky courting of the far right. He has long been the frontrunner to win the next election. Cosying up to the AfD will only make it harder to form a coalition with either Scholz’s Social Democratic Party or the Greens.
If these two parties refuse to deal with Merz, the only other bloc large enough to deliver his party control of the government would be the AfD. Would he go so far?
Whether it is formally part of the next government or not, the AfD and its camp followers (such as Musk) could be set to have a much bigger influence on German politics. How this will change Germany in the long term remains to be seen.
Matt Fitzpatrick receives funding from the Australian Research Council.
Source: United States Senator Alex Padilla (D-Calif.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Ahead of the 67th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony this weekend in Los Angeles, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) introduced the bipartisan American Music Fairness Act to ensure artists and music creators are paid for the use of their songs on AM/FM radio. This legislation would bring corporate radio broadcasters in line with all other music streaming platforms, which already pay artists for their music.
“California’s artists enrich our country’s music scene, but our laws unfairly deny them the pay they deserve for their work on AM/FM radio broadcasts,” said Senator Padilla. “As we celebrate the accomplishments of our musical artists at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles this weekend, we must also commit to treating them with the dignity and respect they deserve for the music they produce and we enjoy every day.”
“As the heart of country music and the birthplace of the blues, Tennessee has produced so many songwriters and artists that have undeniably made their mark on history, whether that be on Beale Street, Music Row, or the hills of East Tennessee,” said Senator Blackburn. “The United States is the only democratic country in the world in which artists are not paid for the use of their music on AM and FM radio. This legislation would close an outdated loophole that has allowed corporate broadcasters to take advantage of artists and their songs for decades.”
“America’s musical artists enrich our lives, yet they are denied royalties when their music is broadcast on AM/FM radio,” said Senator Booker. “This bipartisan legislation will close a loophole that keeps artists and creators from being paid for their work, while also ensuring that small and local stations are protected and preserved. Musicians bring joy and vibrancy to our country, and they should be compensated for their hard work.”
“Artists and music creators deserve to be fairly compensated for their work,” said Senator Tillis. “For too long, FM and AM radio stations have enjoyed the benefits of playing music without compensating the artists. This commonsense legislation makes an important step towards ensuring that our nation’s artists are recognized and paid for the value that they bring to our airwaves.”
The United States is the only democratic country in the world in which artists are not compensated for the use of their music on AM/FM radio. By requiring broadcast radio corporations to pay performance royalties to creators for AM/FM radio plays, the American Music Fairness Act would close an antiquated loophole that has allowed corporate broadcasters to forgo compensating artists for the use of their music for decades.
Specifically, the American Music Fairness Act would:
Require terrestrial radio broadcasters to pay royalties to American music creators when they play their songs;
Protect small and local stations who qualify for exemptions — specifically those that fall under $1.5 million in annual revenue and whose parent companies fall under less than $10 million in annual revenue overall — by allowing them to play unlimited music for less than $500 annually; and
Create a fair global market that ensures foreign countries pay U.S. artists for the use of their songs overseas.
In recognition of the important role of locally owned radio stations in communities across the United States, the American Music Fairness Act also includes strong protections and exemptions for small, college, and non-commercial stations.
The American Music Fairness Act is endorsed by the Recording Academy, SAG-AFTRA, the American Association of Independent Music, the MusicFirst Coalition, the Recording Industry Association of America, SoundExchange, and the American Federation of Musicians.
“For more than a century, American artists and producers have been denied the basic right to earn compensation for their own creation broadcast on AM/FM Radio. The Recording Academy is grateful for the leadership of Reps. Issa and Nadler and Senators Blackburn and Padilla for introducing the American Music Fairness Act, and we urge Congress to finally pay creators for their work,” said Harvey Mason Jr., CEO of the Recording Academy.
“Just a few notes of a beloved song can transport you a million miles away. Popular music has helped define and reflect the culture in which we live, speaking to our evolving values and shared concerns. It’s outrageous that the recording artists, vocalists and musicians who bring it to life and enrich our lives receive no compensation from airplay on AM/FM radio. It’s downright un-American to exploit people and not pay them. The AMFA legislation will help close that loophole and restore fairness, so that artists are paid when their songs are played on AM/FM radio, just as they are in other mediums. Our gratitude to Reps Issa and Nadler and Sens. Padilla and Blackburn for taking leadership roles on this important legislation,” said Fran Drescher, SAG-AFTRA President.
“The American Music Fairness Act is long overdue. The radio industry has no valid justification for refusing to compensate the recording artists who form the backbone of their business. Our laws align us with regimes like Iran and North Korea, allowing foreign broadcasters to exploit American musicians without paying them a dime. Congress must hold mega broadcasters accountable to put American musicians first. A2IM commits to working with our congressional champions to get it done,” said Dr. Richard James Burgess MBE, President and CEO, American Association of Independent Music.
“For too long, big radio companies have had a powerful hold on Washington, D.C. It’s time for Congress to stand up for artists, not big radio companies, and ensure working musicians – backup musicians and vocalists who work 9-to-5 jobs to make ends meet – can better earn a living. That means passing the American Music Fairness Act and ensuring that artists are finally compensated when their music plays on AM/FM radio,” said Former U.S. Senator Mark Pryor, Co-Chair of the MusicFirst Coalition.
“Radio conglomerates operating thousands of AM/FM stations across the U.S., make billions in profits, employ legions of lobbyists, and spend millions each year to influence lawmakers, all while continuing to refuse to pay the artists whose songs they play on the airwaves. This unfair double standard is the result of a loophole – one that can only be closed by Congress by passing the American Music Fairness Act so artists are paid for the work they do,” said President Michael Huppe, SoundExchange CEO.
The Hon Amanda Rishworth MP Minister for Social Services Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme Member for Kingston
Senator the Hon Murray Watt Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations Senator for Queensland
Today marks the second-year anniversary of the Albanese Labor Government’s introduction of paid family and domestic violence leave.
Labor believes no one should ever have to choose between their job or their safety.
As one of the first acts of our Government, Labor ensured all 12.4 million workers in Australia – including casuals – received a minimum legislated entitlement of up to 10 days of paid leave each year.
Violence against women and children is a problem of epidemic proportions in Australia. One in three women has experienced physical violence since the age of 15, and one in five has experienced sexual violence.
An independent statutory review into the operation of paid family and domestic violence leave conducted by Flinders University found it is succeeding in supporting the financial security of those escaping or experiencing violence, without jeopardising their income or employment.
The review found that of the victim-survivors who had taken paid family and domestic violence leave, 91 per cent surveyed said it helped them maintain their income, and 89 per cent said it helped them to retain their employment, with 41 per cent of victim-survivors using the leave to arrange for their safety, 43 per cent to arrange for their children’s safety, 39 per cent to access police services, 22 per cent to access medical services, and 24 per cent to access legal services.
Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth said legislating paid family and domestic violence leave was a milestone achievement which has saved and changed lives.
“We know from our many consultations with victim-survivors just how difficult it can be to leave violent situations – and financial means should not be a barrier to safety,” Minister Rishworth said.
“This entitlement allows people who are working full-time, part-time and casually in Australia to make arrangements to support their safety, and the safety of their families, without fear of losing their jobs or income.
“We refuse to be a country where people have to sacrifice their safety for a wage. Our legislated 10 days of paid FDV leave provides all employees who are experiencing family and domestic violence the opportunity to build a better life for themselves, free from violence.”
Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations Senator Murray Watt said these changes are an important step towards making sure workers no longer have to choose between their pay and safety.
“This change meant for the first time, all Australian employees – including casuals – can access 10 days paid leave each year when impacted by family and domestic violence,” Minister Watt said.
“This critical leave entitlement ensures workers can maintain their financial independence through what is an incredibly difficult and terrifying time in their lives and it saves lives.
“But this entitlement is under threat from Peter Dutton and the Coalition, with Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Michaelia Cash claiming it’s a ‘perverse disincentive’ to employers hiring women.
“Peter Dutton and Michaelia Cash need to tell Australians whether paid family and domestic violence leave will be part of the “targeted set of repeals” of workplace laws they’ve promised to take to the election.”
The Government gave small businesses additional time to adjust to the payment and invested $3.4 million to support the creation and updating of resources on paid FDV leave, including those specifically for small business.
Paid FDV leave is one of many actions the Government has taken to address family and domestic violence. All governments have committed to ending gender-based violence in one generation under the National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children 2022-32, supported by Government investment of $4 billion.
Small businesses can find out more about how to support employees impacted by FDV by listening to the Small Business, Big Impact podcast, available on the Acast website, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, and a range of other podcast platforms.
If you or someone you know is experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, domestic, family, or sexual violence, call 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732 or visit www.1800RESPECT.org.au for online chat and video call services.
If you are concerned about your behaviour or use of violence, you can contact the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491 or visit www.ntv.org.au
Feeling worried or no good? Connect with 13YARN Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Crisis Supporters on 13 92 76, available 24/7 from any mobile or pay phone, or visit www.13yarn.org.au No shame, no judgement, safe place to yarn.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
China sees booming holiday consumption driven by longer trips, culture craze
Updated: February 1, 2025 09:31Xinhua
Tourists visit a Spring Festival temple fair at Ditan Park in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 29, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]Tourists select figurines of “Lord Rabbit” at Changdian temple fair to celebrate the Spring Festival in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 30, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]People watch a lion dance performance in celebration of the Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival, near the Ruins of St. Paul’s in south China’s Macao, Jan. 30, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]Artists put on a performance in Hong Kong, south China, Jan. 29, 2025. Various events were held across China on Wednesday to celebrate the Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival. [Photo/Xinhua]A performance is staged at the Hetou ancient street scenic area in Tangshan, north China’s Hebei Province, Jan. 26, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]People visit a flower market in Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, south China’s Guangdong Province, Jan. 27, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]A drone photo taken on Jan. 28, 2025 shows Zhang Qibin skiing at Jiangjunshan Ski Resort in Altay, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. As families gathered nationwide for Chinese New Year celebrations, Zhang Qibin, a girl from east China’s Zhejiang Province, chose to join fellow skiing enthusiasts from across the country at the Jiangjunshan Ski Resort to celebrate the festival. This is the first time for Zhang to welcome the Chinese New Year in this unconventional way. Together with several fellow skiers she has just met at the resort, she tried to find the new charm of the festival via various ice and snow activities. In recent years, with the popularity and development of ice and snow sports in China, the skiing resorts are favored by more and more consumers during the Spring Festival holidays. [Photo/Xinhua]
It’s official. On February 1, US President Donald Trump will introduce a sweeping set of new 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico. China will also face new tariffs of 10%.
During the presidential campaign, Trump threatened tariffs against all three countries, claiming they weren’t doing enough to prevent an influx of “drugs, in particular fentanyl” into the US, while also accusing Canada and Mexico of not doing enough to stop “illegal aliens”.
There will be some nuance. On Friday, Trump said tariffs on oil and gas would come into effect later, on February 18, and that Canadian oil would likely face a lower tariff of 10%.
This may only be the first move against China. Trump has previously threatened the country with 60% tariffs, asserting this will bring jobs back to America.
But the US’ move against its neighbours will have an almost immediate impact on the three countries involved and the landscape of North American trade. It marks the beginning of what could be a radical reshaping of international trade and political governance around the world.
What Trump wants from Canada and Mexico
While border security and drug trade concerns are the official rationale for this move, Trump’s tariffs have broader motivations.
The first one is protectionist. In all his presidential campaigning, Trump portrayed himself as a champion of US workers. Back in October, he said tariff was “the most beautiful word in the dictionary”.
Trump hasn’t hidden his fondness for protectionist trade measures.
This reflects the ongoing scepticism toward international trade that Trump – and politicians more generally on both ends of the political spectrum in the US – have held for some time.
It’s a significant shift in the close trade links between these neighbours. The US, Mexico and Canada are parties to the successor of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA): the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
Trump has not hidden his willingness to use tariffs as a weapon to pressure other countries to achieve unrelated geopolitical goals. This is the epitome of what a research project team I co-lead calls “Weaponised Trade”.
This was on full display in late January. When the president of Colombia prohibited US military airplanes carrying Colombian nationals deported from the US to land, Trump successfully used the threat of tariffs to force Colombia to reverse course.
The volume of trade between the US, Canada, and Mexico is enormous, encompassing a wide range of goods and services. Some of the biggest sectors are automotive manufacturing, energy, agriculture, and consumer goods.
In 2022, the value of all goods and services traded between the US and Canada came to about US$909 billion (A$1.46 trillion). Between the US and Mexico that same year, it came to more than US$855 billion (A$1.37 trillion).
One of the hardest hit industries will be the automotive industry, which depends on cross-border trade. A car assembled in Canada, Mexico or the US relies heavily on a supply of parts from throughout North America.
Tariffs will raise costs throughout this supply chain, which could lead to higher prices for consumers and make US-based manufacturers less competitive.
There could also be ripple effects for agriculture. The US exports billions of dollars in corn, soybeans, and meat to Canada and Mexico, while importing fresh produce such as avocados and tomatoes from Mexico.
Tariffs may provoke retaliatory measures, putting farmers and food suppliers in all three countries at risk.
Trump’s decision to delay and reduce tariffs on oil was somewhat predictable. US imports of Canadian oil have increased steadily over recent decades, meaning tariffs would immediately bite US consumers at the fuel pump.
We’ve been here before
This isn’t the first time the world has dealt with Trump’s tariff-heavy approach to trade policy. Looking back to his first term may provide some clues about what we might expect.
In his first term, Trump imposed major tariffs on US steel imports. ABCDstock/Shutterstock
Canada and Mexico imposed retaliatory tariffs. Ultimately, all countries removed tariffs on steel and aluminium in the process of finalising the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement.
This signalled a bipartisan scepticism of unfettered trade and a shift toward on-shoring or re-shoring in US policy circles.
The options for Canada and Mexico
This time, Canada and Mexico’s have again responded with threats of retaliatorytariffs.
But they’ve also made attempts to mollify Trump – such as Canada launching a “crackdown” on fentanyl trade.
Generally speaking, responses to these tariffs could range from measured diplomacy to aggressive retaliation. Canada and Mexico may target politically sensitive industries such as agriculture or gasoline, where Trump’s base could feel the pinch.
There are legal options, too. Canada and Mexico could pursue legal action through the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement’s dispute resolution mechanisms or the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Both venues provide pathways for challenging unfair trade practices. But these practices can be slow-moving, uncertain in their outcomes and are susceptible to being ignored.
A more long-term option for businesses in Canada and Mexico is to diversify their trade relationships to reduce reliance on the US market. However, the facts of geography, and the large base of consumers in the US mean that’s easier said than done.
The looming threat of a global trade war
Trump’s latest tariffs underscore a broader trend: the widening of the so-called “Overton window” to achieve unrelated geopolitical goals.
The Overton Window refers to the range of policy options politicians have because they are accepted among the general public.
Arguments for bringing critical industries back to the US, protecting domestic jobs, and reducing reliance on foreign supply chains gained traction after the ascent of China as a geopolitical and geoeconomic rival.
These arguments picked up steam during the COVID-19 pandemic and have increasingly been turned into actual policy.
The potential for a broader trade war looms large. Trump’s short-term goal may be to leverage tariffs as a tool to secure concessions from other jurisdictions.
Trump’s threats against Denmark – in his quest to obtain control over Greenland – are a prime example. The European Union (EU), a far more potent economic player, has pledged its support for Denmark.
A North American trade war – foreshadowed by the Canadian and Mexican governments – might then only be harbinger of things to come: significant economic harm, the erosion of trust among trading partners, and increased volatility in global markets.
Markus Wagner receives funding from the Department of Defence, Australia as a Chief Investigator on a project titled Weaponised Trade.