In 2000, Africa had no billionaires. Today it has 23 whose combined wealth has soared by 56% in just the past five years, reaching a staggering $112.6 billion.
Africa’s richest 5% hold nearly $4 trillion in wealth – more than double the combined wealth of the rest of the continent.
Despite soaring poverty, African governments show least commitment to reducing inequality, and that commitment has declined since 2022.
An extra 1% tax on wealth and 10% tax on income of Africa’s richest 1% could raise $66 billion annually, more than enough to close the funding gaps for free quality education and universal access to electricity.
Today, just four of Africa’s richest billionaires hold $57.4 billion in wealth — more than the combined wealth of 750 million people, or half the continent’s population, according to a new Oxfam report.
The report–Africa’s inequality crisis and the rise of the super-rich–launched ahead of theAfrican Union Mid-Year Coordination Meeting in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, warns thatthe explosive concentration of wealth is accelerating inequality, driven by policies that enrich elites while starving public services.
Fati N’Zi-Hassane, Director, Oxfam in Africa, said:
“Africa’s wealth is not missing. It’s being siphoned off by a rigged system that allows a small elite to amass vast fortunes while denying hundreds of millions even the most basic services. This is an utter policy failure —unjust, avoidable and entirely reversible.’’
Africa is one of the most unequal regions in the world and has some of the highest poverty rates. Nearly half (23) of the world’s 50 most unequal countries are African, while extreme poverty has soared: seven in ten people living in extreme poverty today are in Africa, compared to just one in ten in 1990. Hunger is also worsening, with nearly 850 million Africans experiencing hunger — an increase of 20 million since 2022.
Despite deepening poverty and widening inequalities, African governments remain the least committed globally to narrowing the gap — slashing budgets for public services like education, health and social protection, while imposing some of the world’s lowest wealth taxes on the ultra-rich. On average, the continent collects just 0.3% of GDP in wealth taxes. This is less than any other region and well below Asia (0.6%), Latin America (0.9%), and OECD countries (1.8%). Over the past decade, that already meagre share has dropped by nearly 25%.
For each dollar African countries raise from personal income and wealth taxes, they collect nearly three dollars from indirect taxes like Value Added Tax (VAT) — levies that deepen inequality.
The consequences are glaring. Half of Africa’s population live in 19 countries where income inequality has worsened or stagnated over the past decade. The richest 5% in Africa now hold nearly $4 trillion in wealth, more than double the combined wealth of the remaining 95% of the continent’s population.
Fatouma, a mother of 10 children who sells vegetables in El Afweyn, Somalia says:“Meat is a luxury we cannot afford in many homes. I earn about two dollars a day while the price of one kilo of flour has tripled.”
“Africa’s wealth is not missing. It’s being siphoned off by a rigged system that allows a small elite to amass vast fortunes while denying hundreds of millions even the most basic services. This is an utter policy failure —unjust, avoidable and entirely reversible.’’
Fati N’Zi-Hassane, Director, Oxfam in Africa
Oxfam International
The report also finds that:
In just three days, someone in Africa’s richest 1% earns what it takes a person in the poorest half an entire year to make.
Even if they lost almost all their wealth (keeping just 0.01%) Africa’s five richest men would still be 56 times richer than the average person on the continent.
Men in Africa own three times more wealth than women, the widest gender wealth gap of all regions in the world.
Over the past five years, African billionaires have increased their wealth by 56%.
As debt burdens mount, governments across the continent are squeezing the poor – gutting essential public services – while shielding the wealthiest from fair taxation. An earlier report by Oxfam and Development Finance International found that 94% of African countries with active World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) loans (44 out of 47 countries) have slashed spending on education, health and social protection in 2023-2024 to repay debt. This significantly undermines the AU’s goal of reducing inequality by 15% over the next 10 years.
“The solution is not far-fetched: tax the rich and invest in the majority. Anything less is a betrayal. If African leaders are serious about their commitments, they must stop rewarding the few and start building economies that work for everyone,” added N’Zi-Hassane.
Some African governments are already proving that fairer economies are possible. Morocco and South Africa collect 1.5% and 1.2% of their GDP from property taxes, respectively — among the highest in the continent. In Seychelles, the poorest 50% have seen their income share grow by 76% since 2000, while the richest 1% have lost two-thirds of theirs. The government also guarantees universal healthcare, free quality education, along with a robust welfare system for the most vulnerable.
A modest tax on Africa’s richest – just 1% more on wealth and 10% more on income – could generate $66 billion a year for the continent (2.29% of Africa’s GDP), according to the report. This would be more than enough to close the funding gaps needed to deliver free quality education and provide electricity to every home and business still in the dark.
‘‘Every African woman, man and child deserves to live in dignity. When a handful of billionaires are allowed to hoard obscene wealth while millions are trapped in poverty, the system becomes not just broken but morally bankrupt. As leaders meet for AU Summit, delay is indefensible. Taxing the super-rich isn’t just fair — it’s essential for building the Africa we want,’’ said N’Zi-Hassane.
In 2000, Africa had no billionaires. Today it has 23 whose combined wealth has soared by 56% in just the past five years, reaching a staggering $112.6 billion.
Africa’s richest 5% hold nearly $4 trillion in wealth – more than double the combined wealth of the rest of the continent.
Despite soaring poverty, African governments show least commitment to reducing inequality, and that commitment has declined since 2022.
An extra 1% tax on wealth and 10% tax on income of Africa’s richest 1% could raise $66 billion annually, more than enough to close the funding gaps for free quality education and universal access to electricity.
Today, just four of Africa’s richest billionaires hold $57.4 billion in wealth — more than the combined wealth of 750 million people, or half the continent’s population, according to a new Oxfam report.
The report–Africa’s inequality crisis and the rise of the super-rich–launched ahead of theAfrican Union Mid-Year Coordination Meeting in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, warns thatthe explosive concentration of wealth is accelerating inequality, driven by policies that enrich elites while starving public services.
Fati N’Zi-Hassane, Director, Oxfam in Africa, said:
“Africa’s wealth is not missing. It’s being siphoned off by a rigged system that allows a small elite to amass vast fortunes while denying hundreds of millions even the most basic services. This is an utter policy failure —unjust, avoidable and entirely reversible.’’
Africa is one of the most unequal regions in the world and has some of the highest poverty rates. Nearly half (23) of the world’s 50 most unequal countries are African, while extreme poverty has soared: seven in ten people living in extreme poverty today are in Africa, compared to just one in ten in 1990. Hunger is also worsening, with nearly 850 million Africans experiencing hunger — an increase of 20 million since 2022.
Despite deepening poverty and widening inequalities, African governments remain the least committed globally to narrowing the gap — slashing budgets for public services like education, health and social protection, while imposing some of the world’s lowest wealth taxes on the ultra-rich. On average, the continent collects just 0.3% of GDP in wealth taxes. This is less than any other region and well below Asia (0.6%), Latin America (0.9%), and OECD countries (1.8%). Over the past decade, that already meagre share has dropped by nearly 25%.
For each dollar African countries raise from personal income and wealth taxes, they collect nearly three dollars from indirect taxes like Value Added Tax (VAT) — levies that deepen inequality.
The consequences are glaring. Half of Africa’s population live in 19 countries where income inequality has worsened or stagnated over the past decade. The richest 5% in Africa now hold nearly $4 trillion in wealth, more than double the combined wealth of the remaining 95% of the continent’s population.
Fatouma, a mother of 10 children who sells vegetables in El Afweyn, Somalia says:“Meat is a luxury we cannot afford in many homes. I earn about two dollars a day while the price of one kilo of flour has tripled.”
“Africa’s wealth is not missing. It’s being siphoned off by a rigged system that allows a small elite to amass vast fortunes while denying hundreds of millions even the most basic services. This is an utter policy failure —unjust, avoidable and entirely reversible.’’
Fati N’Zi-Hassane, Director, Oxfam in Africa
Oxfam International
The report also finds that:
In just three days, someone in Africa’s richest 1% earns what it takes a person in the poorest half an entire year to make.
Even if they lost almost all their wealth (keeping just 0.01%) Africa’s five richest men would still be 56 times richer than the average person on the continent.
Men in Africa own three times more wealth than women, the widest gender wealth gap of all regions in the world.
Over the past five years, African billionaires have increased their wealth by 56%.
As debt burdens mount, governments across the continent are squeezing the poor – gutting essential public services – while shielding the wealthiest from fair taxation. An earlier report by Oxfam and Development Finance International found that 94% of African countries with active World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) loans (44 out of 47 countries) have slashed spending on education, health and social protection in 2023-2024 to repay debt. This significantly undermines the AU’s goal of reducing inequality by 15% over the next 10 years.
“The solution is not far-fetched: tax the rich and invest in the majority. Anything less is a betrayal. If African leaders are serious about their commitments, they must stop rewarding the few and start building economies that work for everyone,” added N’Zi-Hassane.
Some African governments are already proving that fairer economies are possible. Morocco and South Africa collect 1.5% and 1.2% of their GDP from property taxes, respectively — among the highest in the continent. In Seychelles, the poorest 50% have seen their income share grow by 76% since 2000, while the richest 1% have lost two-thirds of theirs. The government also guarantees universal healthcare, free quality education, along with a robust welfare system for the most vulnerable.
A modest tax on Africa’s richest – just 1% more on wealth and 10% more on income – could generate $66 billion a year for the continent (2.29% of Africa’s GDP), according to the report. This would be more than enough to close the funding gaps needed to deliver free quality education and provide electricity to every home and business still in the dark.
‘‘Every African woman, man and child deserves to live in dignity. When a handful of billionaires are allowed to hoard obscene wealth while millions are trapped in poverty, the system becomes not just broken but morally bankrupt. As leaders meet for AU Summit, delay is indefensible. Taxing the super-rich isn’t just fair — it’s essential for building the Africa we want,’’ said N’Zi-Hassane.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, July 10 (Xinhua) — The opening ceremony of the “Chinese Language Bridge” summer school for students from Kyrgyzstan was held at Xinjiang University in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Thursday, with 14 teachers and students from the Central Asian country embarking on a 10-day immersion in Chinese culture.
As reported on the official website of Xinjiang University, the head of the International Exchange and Cooperation Department of Xinjiang University warmly welcomed the guests and said that the university will always continue to build bridges of cultural exchanges between China and Kyrgyzstan. He expressed hope that the participants of the summer school, through classroom lessons, mastering traditional crafts, getting to know historical monuments and close communication with Chinese youth, will feel the unique charm of Chinese culture, see the achievements of China’s development and become ambassadors of friendship and bridges of interaction between China and Kyrgyzstan.
At the opening ceremony, 14 Kyrgyz citizens, speaking in Chinese, spoke about their motives for learning the language and expressed their determination to improve their language skills, broaden their horizons, and gain a deeper understanding of China’s development and humanitarian wealth.
The school’s program includes classes at Xinjiang University, master classes on Chinese culture, and visits to universities, museums and historical sites in Urumqi and Xi’an (Shaanxi Province, Northwest China). -0-
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
ASB is welcoming the launch of a comprehensive Anti-Scam Alliance which it says is a positive move in the fight against fraud and scams.
Chief Executive Vittoria Shortt says while the banking sector has invested significantly in fraud and scam prevention, detection and awareness for many years, having a formal alliance between Government, police, consumer groups and a range of impacted industries will make a real difference.
“Banks and telcos have been working very hard, both individually and together, for some time, to tackle fraud and scams. We’ve partnered with others in the industry like consumer groups and police, but the real power comes in a true all of ecosystem approach, as Minister Simpson has announced today.
“We’re pleased to see digital and social media companies join the charge. Each member of the alliance brings unique skills and experience which will improve our collective ability to fight fraud and scams. The formal involvement of Government will also enable stronger collaboration and commitment and more resource and expertise so we can continue to work together to keep New Zealanders safe.”
ASB has spent around $140 million fighting fraud, scams, financial crime and cybercrime this financial year, and has invested in a number of customer initiatives. This includes tools such as Caller Check, which was launched in March and combats bank impersonation scams, and ASB’s 24/7 fraud line, which has received more than 21,000 calls outside of regular bank hours since it was launched in February.
The industry has also been working closely together on Confirmation of Payee and increasing information sharing to better target money mules as part of ongoing collaborative work.
“We know there is still more to be done, but today’s announcement is another step forward and we will continue to build on the work we’re already doing in this space,” says Shortt.
HONOLULU – The crew of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Harriet Lane (WMEC 903) returned to Honolulu Wednesday following a 73-day patrol in support of Coast Guard Oceania District’s Operation Blue Pacific.
For breaking news follow us on twitter @USCGHawaiiPac
Australia’s drug approval system is under fire, with critics in the United States claiming it is too slow to approve life-saving medicines.
Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration balances speed with a rigorous assessment of safety, efficacy and cost-effectiveness.
So does Australia really lag behind the US Food and Drug Administration? And do we need to change how we approve medicines?
The drug development pipeline
Drug development usually begins when something new is discovered about a disease. This usually involves identifying either a change in an important protein or finding a new protein involved in the disease.
When scientists know the shape of the protein, they can design a drug that can block or activate it.
Scientists will then undertake laboratory, petri dish-type, experiments to see if the drug works on the protein in the way they designed. If it passes those tests, they will then move onto animal testing and formulation.
Formulation is the step where scientists decide what form the medicine will take, such as a tablet, injection or patch. There are more than 150 different pharmaceutical dosage forms to choose from.
The final steps are human testing. This requires the completion of three types of clinical trials. Each seeks to answer different specific questions about the drug:
Phase I trials: is the drug safe? What are its side effects?
Phase II trials: does the drug work?
Phase III trials: is the drug better than currently available medicines?
At the end of the trials, a company can apply to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) for approval to market and sell the drug.
Getting a drug to market is time-consuming and costly. It takes around 15 years from the initial concept and design to government approval and costs more than A$3.5 billion.
But the failure rate is high: more than 90% of drugs that undergo development never gain government approval.
How are drugs approved in Australia?
The decision to approve new medicines for sale in Australia is made based on safety and efficacy evidence provided by the sponsoring company.
Listing a medicine on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) is a separate process from approval, and is based on financial considerations and a cost-benefit analysis, rather than safety and efficacy.
The TGA typically takes 240 to 260 working days (around a full calendar year) from receiving a new medicine application to an approval decision. This is longer than it takes the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – 180 to 300 days.
Where there is a pressing need, the approval process can be faster. The first COVID treatment was approved in Australia just two weeks after it was submitted for consideration.
Then why do Americans often get medicines first?
There can be several reasons why a drug approval can be delayed in Australia when it has already been approved overseas.
First, with a population of 27 million out of 8 billion world-wide, Australia is a relatively small market. So it is not always a high priority for companies to apply for approval here. Regions with large populations such as China, India and Europe are a bigger focus for companies. This can therefore delay when they submit to Australia.
Other reasons for delays can be that the TGA requires additional safety or efficacy evidence other regions did not request, or because new information about the drug has come to light since the drug was approved overseas.
What about delays getting drugs onto the PBS?
When a drug is listed on the PBS, Australians can access the medicine for $31.60 (or $7.70 concession) instead of the cost of a private prescription which might be hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
The time it takes for medicines to be approved on the PBS has also been a focus of criticism.
The Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC), which makes PBS listing recommendations to the Federal Minister of Health, only sits three to six times per year.
US Chamber of Commerce vice president John Murphy claims the PBAC takes, on average, 32 months to make a recommendation about listing a drug after an application has been submitted.
Once a recommendation is made, the minister usually takes a minimum of five months to make a final decision.
To speed up the process, the TGA does allow parallel applications for drug approval and PBS listing.
The time taken to make a PBS listing decision is reasonable, given the scheme’s overall cost. In 2023–24, the total cost of the PBS to the government was $17.7 billion. So a decision to list can’t be made lightly.
So should Australia change how it approves medicines?
Criticising the time it takes to get regulatory approvals appears to be part of a wider plan of attack by the US government. It is putting pressure on Australia to open its market to higher prices for medicines made by US pharmaceutical companies.
Australia has a world-class regulatory agency in the TGA which ensures medicines that are approved are both safe and effective. And the PBS scheme is a key part of our public health care system and the envy of the world.
The Australian government should resist any changes to the regulatory approval processes that come from the US.
Nial Wheate in the past has received funding from the ACT Cancer Council, Tenovus Scotland, Medical Research Scotland, Scottish Crucible, and the Scottish Universities Life Sciences Alliance. He is a fellow of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute. Nial is the chief scientific officer of Vaihea Skincare LLC, a director of SetDose Pty Ltd (a medical device company) and was previously a Standards Australia panel member for sunscreen agents. He is a member of the Haleon Australia Pty Ltd Pain Advisory Board. Nial regularly consults to industry on issues to do with medicine risk assessments, manufacturing, design and testing.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has formally nominated United States President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. He says the president is “forging peace as we speak, in one country, in one region after the other”.
Trump, who has craved the award for years, sees himself as a global peacemaker in a raft of conflicts from Israel and Iran, to Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
With the conflict in Gaza still raging, we ask five experts – could Trump be rewarded with the world’s most prestigious peace prize?
Emma Shortis
Adjunct Senior Fellow, School of Global, Urban and Social Studies, RMIT University
Nominating Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize is like entering a hyena in a dog show.
Of course Trump does not deserve it. That we’re being forced to take this question seriously is yet another indication – as if we needed one – of his extraordinary ability to set and reset the terms of our politics.
There is no peace in Gaza. Even if Trump announced another ceasefire tomorrow, it would not last. And it would not build genuine peace and security.
Trump has neither the interest nor the attention span required to build long term peace. His administration is not willing to bear any of the costs or investments that come with genuine, lasting diplomacy. And he is not anti-war.
There is no peace in Iran. Trump’s bombing of Iran simply exacerbates his decision in 2018 to end nuclear negotiations with Tehran. It pushes the world closer to, not further from, nuclear catastrophe.
Under the Trump administration, there will be no peace in the Middle East. Both the US and Israeli governments’ approach to “security” puts the region on a perpetual war footing. This approach assumes it is possible to bomb your way to peace – a “peace” which both Trump and Netanyahu understand as total dominance and violent oppression.
The Trump administration is deliberately undermining the institutions and principles of international and domestic law.
He has deployed the military against American citizens. He is threatening the United States’ traditional allies with trade wars and annexation. His administration’s dismantling of USAID will result, according to one study, in the deaths of 14 million people, including 4.5 million children, by 2030.
Indulging Trump’s embarrassing desire for trophies might appease him for a short time. It would also strip the Nobel Peace Prize of any and all credibility, while endorsing Trump’s trashing of the international rule of law.
What kind of peace is that?
Ali Mamouri
Research Fellow, Middle East Studies, Deakin University
The nomination of Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize by a man who is facing charges of war crimes is an unprecedented and deeply dark irony that cannot be overlooked.
Trump’s role in brokering the Abraham Accords was hailed as a diplomatic breakthrough. It led to the normalisation of relations between Israel and several Arab countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco.
But this achievement came at a significant cost. The accords deliberately sidelined the Palestinian issue, long recognised as the core of regional instability, and disregarded decades of international consensus on a two-state solution.
Israeli soldiers guarding Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank. Dom Zaran/Shutterstock
His silence in the face of a growing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza was equally telling. Perhaps most disturbing was the tacit or explicit endorsement of proposals to forcibly relocate Palestinians to neighbouring Arab countries, a position that evokes ethnic cleansing and fundamentally undermines principles of justice, dignity and international law.
In addition, there is Trump’s unconditional support for Israel’s military campaigns across the region, including his authorisation of attacks on Iranian civilian, military and nuclear infrastructure. The strikes lacked any clear legal basis, contributed further to regional instability and, according to Tehran, killed more than a thousand civilians.
His broader disregard for international norms shattered decades of post-second world war diplomatic order and increased the risk of sustained and expanded conflict.
Against this backdrop, any serious consideration of Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize seems fundamentally at odds with its stated mission: to honour efforts that reduce conflict, uphold human rights and promote lasting peace.
Whatever short-term diplomatic gains emerged from Trump’s tenure are eclipsed by the legal, ethical and humanitarian consequences of his actions.
Ian Parmeter
Research Scholar, Middle East Studies, Australian National University
Netanyahu’s nomination of Donald Trump for one of the world’s most coveted awards was clearly aimed at flattering the president.
Trump is clearly angling for the laurel, which his first term predecessor, Barack Obama, won in his first year in office.
Obama was awarded the prize in 2009 for promotion of nuclear non-proliferation and fostering a “new climate” in international relations, particularly in reaching out to the Muslim world.
Given neither of these ambitions have since borne fruit, what claims might Trump reasonably make at this stage of his second term?
Trump has claimed credit for resolving two conflicts this year: the brief India–Pakistan clash that erupted after Pakistani militants killed 25 Indian tourists in Kashmir in May; and the long-running dispute between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi disputes Trump brokered peace. He says the issue was resolved by negotiations between the two countries’ militaries.
With regards to the Rwanda–DRC conflict, the countries signed a peace agreement in the Oval Office in June. But critics argue Qatar played a significant role
which the Trump administration has airbrushed out.
Trump can legitimately argue his pressure on Israel and Iran forced a ceasefire in their 12-day war in June.
But his big test is the Gaza war. For Trump to add this to his Nobel claim, he will need more than a ceasefire.
The Biden administration brokered two ceasefires that enabled the release of significant numbers of hostages, but did not end the conflict.
Trump would have to use his undoubted influence with Netanyahu to achieve more than a temporary pause. He would have to end the war definitively and effect the release of all Israeli hostages.
Beyond that, if Trump could persuade Netanyahu
to take serious steps towards negotiating a two-state solution, that would be a genuine Nobel-worthy achievement.
Trump isn’t there yet.
Jasmine-Kim Westendorf
Associate Professor of Peace and Conflict and Co-Director of the Initiative for Peacebuilding, The University of Melbourne
Although controversial or politicised awards are not new, awardees are generally individuals or groups who’ve made
significant contributions to a range of peace initiatives.
They include reducing armed conflict, enhancing international cooperation, and human rights efforts that contribute to peace.
Inspiring examples include anti-nuclear proliferation organisations and phenomenal women peacemakers. And Nadia Murad and Denis Mukwege, who won in 2011 for their work trying to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of war.
Trump has declared his “proudest legacy will be that of a peacemaker and unifier”. But he is neither.
There has been a concerning trend towards using the Nobel Peace Prize to encourage certain political directions, rather than reward achievements.
Barack Obama’s 2008 Prize helped motivate his moves toward diplomacy and cooperation after the presidency of George W. Bush.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s 2018 award was for efforts to resolve the 20-year war with Eritrea. The peace prize encouraged Ahmed to fulfill his promise of democratic elections in 2020. Embarrassingly, within a year Ahmed launched a civil war that killed over 600,000 people and displaced 3 million more.
This week’s nomination follows efforts by global leaders to flatter Trump in order – they hope – to secure his goodwill.
These motivations explain why Netanyahu has put forward Trump’s name to the Nobel Committee. It comes at the very moment securing Trump’s ongoing support during ceasefire negotiations is critical for Netanyahu’s political survival.
They will never give me a Nobel Peace Prize […] It’s too bad. I deserve it, but they will never give it to me.
Prizes to genuine peacemakers amplify their work and impact.
1984 winner Desmond Tutu said: “One day no one was listening. The next, I was an oracle.” A Nobel can be a powerful force for peace.
Trump is no peacemaker, he doesn’t deserve one.
Shahram Akbarzadeh
Director, Middle East Studies Forum (MESF), Deakin University
Benjamin Netanyahu would have us believe Donald Trump is a peacemaker.
Nothing could be further from the truth. His record is stained with blood and misery. The fact Trump believes himself to be worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize only attests to his illusions of grandeur in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary.
The war in Gaza has gone into its 20th month because Trump did not use the levers at his control to bring the senseless war to a close.
Some estimates put the true Gaza death toll at 100,000 people, and counting. They have been killed by American-made bombs Israel is dropping across the densely populated strip; from starvation because Israel has enforced a blockade of the Gaza Strip and prevented UN food delivery with the blessings of America; and from gunshots at food distribution centres, set up with US private security.
All under Trump’s watch.
Trump could do something about this. Israel is the largest recipient of US aid, most of it military support.
This has multiplied since Israel commenced its attack on Gaza in response to Hamas terrorism on October 7 2023. Trump has approved the transfer of US military hardware to Israel, knowing full well it was being used against a trapped and helpless population.
This is not the act of a peacemaker.
Now the Israeli government is planning to “facilitate” population transfer of Gazans to other countries – a euphemism for ethnic cleansing.
This is the textbook definition of genocide: deliberate and systematic killing or persecution of people. Trump legitimised this travesty of decency and international law by promising a Gaza Riviera.
The outlandish extent of Trump’s ideas would be laughable if their consequences were not so devastating.
When Israel attacked Iran in the middle of nuclear talks, Trump had a momentary pause, before jumping to Netanyahu’s aid and bombing Iran. He then claimed his action paved the way for peace.
Trump’s idea of peace is the peace of the graveyard.
Emma Shortis is Director of International and Security Affairs at The Australia Institute, an independent think tank.
Jasmine-Kim Westendorf has received funding from the Australian Research Council.
Shahram Akbarzadeh receives funding from Australia Research Council.
Ali Mamouri and Ian Parmeter do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
The Indian benchmark indices opened flat on Thursday amid mixed global cues, with selling pressure seen in the auto and IT sectors during early trade.
At around 9:29 am, the Sensex was trading 40.96 points or 0.05 per cent lower at 83,495.12, while the Nifty declined 17.70 points or 0.07 per cent to 25,458.40.
Nifty Bank was up 29.50 points or 0.05 per cent at 57,243.05 in early trade. The Nifty Midcap 100 index was trading at 59,448, adding 108.40 points or 0.18 per cent. The Nifty Smallcap 100 index stood at 19,057.75, up by 50.35 points or 0.26 per cent.
According to analysts, with trade and tariff news becoming more routine, the market is now focusing on the upcoming earnings season.
“The big banks, including JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, and Wells Fargo, will start reporting next Tuesday. As of now, analysts expect 5.8 per cent earnings growth for the S&P 500 in the second quarter,” said Vikram Kasat, Head-Advisory, PL Capital.
Expectations from the IT sector remain muted; however, midcap IT companies are likely to post good results along with positive commentary, experts added.
“Banks, despite strong balance sheets and ample liquidity, are struggling with low credit growth. Outperformers in the banking segment will be those that report healthy credit growth. In autos, M&M and Eicher have the potential to outperform,” they noted.
Among Sensex constituents, Tata Steel, Axis Bank, Power Grid, Bajaj Finance, M&M, ICICI Bank, and Titan were the top gainers. On the other hand, Tata Motors, Infosys, Sun Pharma, Bharti Airtel, TCS, Asian Paints, NTPC, and HDFC Bank were among the top losers.
On the institutional front, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) were net buyers of equities worth Rs 77 crore on July 9, while domestic institutional investors (DIIs) were also net buyers, investing Rs 920 crore on the same day.
In Asian markets, Hong Kong, Seoul, China, and Jakarta were trading in the green, while Japan was trading in the red.
In the previous session, the Dow Jones in the US closed at 44,458.30, up 217.54 points or 0.49 per cent. The S&P 500 gained 37.74 points or 0.61 per cent to end at 6,263.26, while the Nasdaq closed at 20,611.34, up 192.87 points or 0.94 per cent.
India has strongly reiterated its commitment to maritime safety and gender equality during the 134th session of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Council, currently being held from 07 to 11 July in London. The Indian delegation at the session is led by T.K. Ramachandran, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
On the opening day of deliberations, India delivered a resolute statement in response to recent maritime incidents involving foreign-flagged container vessels operating in Indian waters. These incidents—linked to undeclared hazardous cargo and structural and stability deficiencies—have triggered growing concern about the safety protocols surrounding global container shipping operations.
Calling for urgent action, India urged the IMO to initiate a comprehensive investigation and global review of such incidents. The delegation highlighted the critical role of the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard in safeguarding life at sea and emphasized the pressing need to strengthen international safety frameworks. Particular attention was drawn to improving global standards around the packaging, declaration, stowage, and monitoring of lithium-ion batteries and other dangerous goods categorized under the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code.
As part of its proposal, India advocated for the establishment of IMO-led investigations into container ship accidents. According to the Indian delegation, such efforts would foster the development of global best practices, improve standardisation, and reinforce operational protocols for safer and more secure maritime activities.
In addition to addressing maritime safety, India took an active role in the session’s discussions on gender equality, aligning its efforts with the IMO’s Gender Inclusion Strategy. The delegation showcased the national initiative “Sagar Mein Samman” (Honour at Sea)—launched on November 25, 2024, by the Directorate General of Shipping. This landmark programme is designed to cultivate a safe, respectful, and inclusive maritime environment, enabling women to participate and advance across all levels of the industry, from seafaring roles to executive leadership.
India also highlighted a notable success: a 650% rise in the number of Indian women seafarers, demonstrating its strong commitment to building an equitable maritime workforce and ensuring equal opportunities for all.
India vice captain Rishabh Pant said the Dukes balls being used in the current test series against England are losing their shape very quickly and cannot be good for the game.
India captain Shubman Gill was the first to criticise the balls after his team levelled the five-match series with a comprehensive victory in the second test at Edgbaston.
“I feel it’s a big problem because the ball is getting out of shape,” Pant told reporters on the eve of the third test at Lord’s beginning on Thursday.
“When you see the ball, you can see it’s de-shaped but the rules are such … it’s not up to the players.”
India, despite having rested pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, took 20 wickets at Edgbaston where they racked up 587 in the first innings and declared their second on 427-6.
Pant could not recall another series where the ball lost its shape so quickly.
“It’s definitely irritating for the players because every ball plays differently,” said the 27-year-old.
“When it becomes softer it’s not doing much but as soon as they change the ball it starts to do enough.
“As a batsman, you keep adjusting to it but at the same time, I feel it’s not good for cricket eventually.”
India will take a late decision on whether to play left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav at Lord’s but Bumrah’s return is a major boost for the tourists.
Asked for his view on what made Bumrah, arguably the best all-format bowler of his generation, so special, Pant said, “I think everything – how accurate he is and the way his mind works. He’s just amazing.”
While batting against Bumrah is a tricky task, keeping to him is not a cakewalk either, Pant said.
“I think it’s more difficult for the wicketkeeper behind the wicket than for a batsman, especially in England,” Pant said referring to the late movement that Bumrah regularly generates.
The deadly flood in Nepal’s Bhote Koshi River that killed at least nine people and left more than two dozen missing this week was triggered by the draining of a supraglacial lake in the Tibet region of China, a regional climate monitoring body said on Wednesday.
At least 19 people, including six Chinese workers at the Beijing-aided Inland Container Depot, remain missing in Nepal after Tuesday’s floods that also washed away the ‘Friendship Bridge’ that links Nepal and China.
China’s official Xinhua news agency has said 11 people were unaccounted for on the Chinese side of the mountainous border region.
The Kathmandu-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) said satellite imagery showed the flood originated from the draining of the lake north of Nepal’s Langtang Himal range.
“This is based on the preliminary analysis based on the available satellite images,” Sudan Maharjan, a remote sensing analyst and expert of glaciers at ICIMOD, told Reuters.
A supraglacial lake is formed on the surface of glaciers, particularly in debris-covered areas. It often begins as small meltwater ponds that gradually expand and sometimes merge to form a larger supraglacial lake, experts say.
Saswata Sanyal, another ICIMOD official, said such events were increasing at an “unprecedented” pace in the Hindu Kush mountains that are spread across Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan.
“We need to delve deeper into the triggers that are resulting in cascading impacts,” Sanyal said.
The June-September monsoon causes massive floods and landslides in mountainous Nepal which, officials and experts say, is vulnerable to effects of climate change like extreme weather patterns, inconsistent rainfall, flash floods, landslides and glacial lake outburst floods.
This year’s early monsoon rains have inflicted deadly damage elsewhere in Nepal where at least 38 people have been killed or are missing since May 29, according to data from the government’s National Disaster Relief, Reduction and Management Authority.
Israel and Hamas may be able to reach a Gaza ceasefire and hostage-release deal within one or two weeks but such an agreement is not likely to be secured in just a day’s time, a senior Israeli official said on Wednesday.
Speaking during Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Washington, the official said that if the two sides agree to a proposed 60-day ceasefire, Israel would use that time to offer a permanent ceasefire that would require the Palestinian militant group to disarm.
If Hamas refuses, “we’ll proceed” with military operations in Gaza, the official said on condition of anonymity.
Trump met Netanyahu on Tuesday for the second time in two days to discuss the situation in Gaza, with the president’s Middle East envoy indicating that Israel and Hamas were nearing an agreement on a U.S.-brokered ceasefire proposal after 21 months of war.
Trump had previously predicted that a deal could be reached this week, raising speculation about a possible announcement before Netanyahu leaves for Israel on Thursday.
On Wednesday, however, Trump appeared to extend the timeframe somewhat, telling reporters that while an agreement was “very close,” it could happen this week or even next – though “not definitely.”
A source familiar with Hamas’ thinking said four days of indirect talks with Israel in Qatar did not produce any breakthroughs on main sticking points.
The Israeli official, who briefed reporters in Washington, declined to provide details on the negotiations.
Trump’s Middle East special envoy Steve Witkoff told reporters at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday that the anticipated agreement would involve the release of 10 living and nine deceased hostages.
Netanyahu’s visit came just over two weeks after the president ordered the bombing of Iranian nuclear sites in support of Israeli air strikes. Trump then helped arrange a ceasefire in the 12-day Israel-Iran war.
Trump and his aides have tried to seize on any momentum created by the weakening of Iran, which backs Hamas, to push both sides for a breakthrough to end the Gaza war.
The Gaza conflict began with a Hamas attack on southern Israel in October 2023 that killed approximately 1,200 people and saw 251 hostages taken, according to Israeli figures. Around 50 hostages remain in Gaza, with 20 believed to be alive.
Israel’s retaliatory war has killed more than 57,000 Palestinians, Gaza’s health ministry says, and reduced much of Gaza to rubble.
Netanyahu has used his U.S. visit to publicly thank Trump for joining with Israel in striking Iran.
Trump has repeatedly declared that the U.S. bombing of three of Iran’s nuclear sites had “obliterated” them, though some experts have questioned the extent of the damage and raised the possibility that Iran had secreted away part of its enriched uranium stockpile before the strikes.
The Israel official said Israeli intelligence indicated that Iran’s enriched uranium remained at Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan, the sites that the U.S. hit last month, and had not been moved.
The official suggested, however, that the Iranians might still be able to gain access to Isfahan but it would be hard to remove any of the material there.
Novak Djokovic’s pursuit of yet more career milestones continued unabated as he reached a record 14th Wimbledon semi-final and a showdown with world number one Jannik Sinner on Wednesday.
The 38-year-old Serb recovered from a set down to beat Flavio Cobolli 6-7(6) 6-2 7-5 6-4 and is now only two victories away from an unprecedented 25th Grand Slam title.
Blocking his path next is a rather more formidable Italian in the form of Sinner who eased any worries about an elbow injury to beat American powerhouse Ben Shelton 7-6(2) 6-4 6-4.
In the women’s quarter-finals, Poland’s claycourt specialist Iga Swiatek broke new ground by reaching her first Wimbledon semi-final, beating Liudmila Samsonova 6-2 7-5.
The eighth seed will face Switzerland’s unseeded Belinda Bencic who edged out Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva 7-6(3) 7-6(2) to also reach her first semi-final at the grasscourt slam.
By reaching a record-extending 52nd Grand Slam semi, Djokovic also kept alive his hopes of equalling Roger Federer’s men’s record eight Wimbledon singles titles.
It remains a tall order even for a player widely regarded as the greatest of all time, especially with top seed Sinner and Spain’s holder Carlos Alcaraz, the two new powers in men’s tennis, most people’s bet to contest the final on July 13.
But no one should be writing off Djokovic who has won 44 of his last 46 matches at the All England Club and seems to know every single blade of grass on the historic Centre Court.
“It means the world to me that at 38 I am able to play in the final stages of Wimbledon,” Djokovic, who suffered a nasty slip on match point but appeared unscathed, said.
“Competing with youngsters makes me feel young, like Cobolli today. I enjoy running and sliding around the court. Speaking of the young guys, I will have Sinner in the next round so I look forward to that. That is going to be a great match-up.”
SINNER INJURY
Sinner may well have been back home in Italy had Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov not damaged his right pectoral muscle and retired with a two-set lead in the fourth round on Monday.
The three-times Grand Slam champion also sustained an elbow injury early on in that match and there was some doubt about his physical state ahead of his clash with 10th seed Shelton.
But he produced a clinical performance, reeling off seven successive points to win the first-set tiebreak and then pouncing in the 10th game of the next two sets to match his run to the semi-final two years ago when he lost to Djokovic.
Sinner, bidding to become the first Italian to win a Wimbledon singles title, wore a protective sleeve on his right arm but was rock solid against the big-serving Shelton.
“I had quite good feelings in the warm-up today,” Sinner, who dropped only six points on his first serve, said.
“I put into my mind that I’m going to play today. So the concerns were not that big if I would play or not.
“It was just a matter of what my percentage is. Today was very high, so I’m happy.”
Swiatek appears to have finally overcome her grass court demons and the four-times French Open champion could not hide her delight at reaching the semi-final at the sixth attempt.
“Honestly, it feels great. I have goosebumps after this win. I am super happy and super proud of myself and I will keep going. I worked really hard to progress here on this surface.”
Former Olympic champion Bencic became the first Swiss woman to reach the semis since Martina Hingis in 1998 after stunning 18-year-old seventh seed Andreeva on Centre Court.
“It’s crazy, it’s unbelievable. It’s a dream come true,” the 28-year-old mother said. “I’m just speechless.”
Bencic will face Swiatek on Thursday after top seed Aryna Sabalenka takes on 13th-seeded American Amanda Anisimova.
The first silverware of this year’s tournament will also be decided on Thursday when Dutchman Sem Verbeek and Czech Katerina Siniakova face Britain’s Joe Salisbury and Brazil’s Luisa Stefani in the mixed doubles final on Centre Court.
France produced a dominant display to thrash Wales 4-1 and go top of Group D at Euro 2025 on Wednesday, outclassing their opponents who scored their first goal at a major championship.
After England beat the Netherlands 4-0 earlier in the day, France went top of the group on six points, followed by the English and the Dutch on three points each.
Wales, who face England in their final group game on Sunday, have yet to register a point but still have a mathematical chance of going through to the knockouts. France face the Netherlands in their last group game.
Clara Mateo was at the centre of much of France’s attacking play and lashed them into an early lead, controlling a flick-on from a corner on her chest and firing a volley into the net in the eighth minute.
The moment thousands of Wales fans had been waiting for came five minutes later when Ceri Holland broke down the left and though her first attempt to find Jess Fishlock was blocked, she managed to steer the ball to the 38-year-old, who poked home Wales’ maiden goal at the women’s European Championship finals.
That was as good as it got for Wales, who looked set to go into the break level only for Holland to chop down Mateo in the box and Kadidiatou Diani’s spot kick crept over the line after striking the foot of keeper Safia Middleton-Patel.
Middleton-Patel was at fault just after the break as she lost control of the ball in the box, allowing Mateo to tee up Amel Majri, who thumped it into the net.
After that the Welsh wilted as the French dominated, with Grace Geyoro scoring their fourth in the 63rd minute, steering home a ball from the right following an extended period of possession to crown a convincing win.
“We’ve got six points after two matches and that’s what we need to remember. It won’t be an easy (next) game because the Netherlands will have no choice but to attack and score goals,” France coach Laurent Bonadei said.
Mateo was impressed with how her side bounced back from Fishlock’s equalising goal and how they went on to dominate.
“We had a bit of a scare at the start of the game but we had confidence in ourselves. It was a great evening, there are different strikers and that’s important for everyone’s confidence,” she said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned to New Delhi on Thursday morning after concluding a five-nation tour that spanned July 2 to 9, covering Ghana, Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina, Brazil, and Namibia. The visit also included his participation in the 17th BRICS Summit held in Rio de Janeiro under Brazil’s chairmanship.
The Prime Minister began his tour with a visit to Ghana on July 2-3- the first by an Indian Prime Minister to the West African nation in over three decades. In Accra, he held bilateral talks with President John Mahama to review the existing partnership and explore new areas of cooperation in economic development, defence, maritime security, energy, and critical minerals. Both leaders agreed to elevate ties to a Comprehensive Partnership. President Mahama also conferred on PM Modi The Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana, the country’s highest civilian award.
On July 3-4, PM Modi travelled to Trinidad and Tobago– the first Prime Ministerial visit since 1999. He met Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and addressed the Parliament. During the visit, India announced that Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) cards will now be issued to the sixth generation of the Indian diaspora in the Caribbean nation. PM Modi was also honoured with The Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the nation’s highest civilian honour.
The third leg of the tour took PM Modi to Argentina on July 4-5- the first standalone bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the South American country in nearly six decades. He held discussions with President Javier Milei to strengthen cooperation in defence, agriculture, mining, energy, trade, and investment. Describing the visit as productive, PM Modi said the talks would help deepen India-Argentina ties. He was also presented with the Key to the City of Buenos Aires by the city’s Chief, Jorge Macri.
In the fourth leg of his visit, Prime Minister Modi attended the 17th BRICS Summit held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from July 6 to 7. He then travelled to Brasília, the capital of Brazil, for a State Visit and held bilateral talks with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The two leaders discussed ways to expand the Strategic Partnership between India and Brazil in areas such as trade, defence, energy, space, technology, agriculture, health, and people-to-people exchanges. During the visit, President Lula conferred on Prime Minister Modi Brazil’s highest civilian honour, The Grand Collar of the National Order of the Southern Cross.
In the final leg of his tour on July 9, Prime Minister Modi visited Namibia – marking the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the country in 27 years. He addressed the Namibian Parliament, where he received a standing ovation from the members. During the visit, President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah conferred upon him The Order of the Most Ancient Welwitschia Mirabilis, Namibia’s highest civilian honour.
Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol returned to a solitary jail cell on Thursday after a court approved a warrant sought by prosecutors investigating his attempt to impose martial law last year.
The Seoul Central District Court’s decision bolstered the special counsel investigation into allegations that Yoon’s move in December represented obstruction of justice and abuse of power.
The court said in a statement it granted the request because of concerns Yoon could seek to destroy evidence, returning him to confinement at the Seoul Detention Center where he spent 52 days earlier in the year before being released four months ago on technical grounds.
He moved back with his wife and his 11 dogs and cats to their 164 square metre (1,765 square feet) apartment in an upscale district of Seoul. The couple’s net worth is estimated at 7.5 billion won ($5.47 million), according to a government filing.
But Yoon will now be housed in a 10 square-metre solitary cell and sleeping on a foldable mattress on the floor without an air conditioner, an official at the detention centre and media reports said.
With a heat wave gripping the country, Yoon will have to rely on a small electric fan that switches off at night, Park Jie-won, an opposition lawmaker who had been incarcerated there, said on a YouTube talk show.
The detention facility served a breakfast of steamed potatoes and mini cheese breads for inmates on Thursday, another official said.
The conservative politician faces criminal charges of insurrection over his martial law decree, which could carry a sentence of life in prison or death.
YOON SKIPS COURT HEARING
Hours after he ended up in jail, the court held a hearing on Thursday morning for his insurrection trial, but Yoon did not attend.
His lawyers told the court that he was unable to go to the hearing due to health issues, the Yonhap News Agency reported.
The Constitutional Court ousted Yoon as president in April, upholding parliament’s impeachment for the martial law bid, which shocked South Koreans and triggered months of political turmoil.
The special prosecution team launched its investigation after new leader Lee Jae Myung was elected in June, and it has been looking into additional charges against Yoon.
The special counsel team is now expected to speed up its probe into allegations, including whether Yoon hurt South Korea’s interests by intentionally inflaming tensions with North Korea.
The team plans to question Yoon on Friday, informing his wife and lawyers about his detention via letters, Park Ji-young, a deputy to the special counsel, told reporters on Thursday.
Yoon attended the court hearing on Wednesday on the detention warrant, wearing a dark navy suit and a red tie, but did not answer questions from reporters.
His lawyers have denied the allegations against him and called the detention request an unreasonable move in a hasty investigation.
More than 1,000 supporters rallied near the court on Wednesday, local media reported, waving flags and signs and chanting Yoon’s name in searing 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) heat.
In their warrant request, prosecutors said Yoon poses a flight risk, local media reported.
The Israeli military said on Thursday that a missile launched from Yemen was intercepted after air raid sirens sounded in several areas across the country.
The Iran-aligned Houthis, who control the most populous parts of Yemen, have been firing at Israel and attacking shipping lanes.
Houthis have repeatedly said that their attacks are an act of solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel’s military assault since late 2023 has killed more than 57,000 people, Gaza authorities say.
Most of the dozens of missiles and drones they have launched have been intercepted or fallen short. Israel has carried out a series of retaliatory strikes.
If you watched any of the 2025 Wimbledon womens’ matches, you’ll have noticed many players donning a skort: a garment in which shorts are concealed under a skirt, or a front panel resembling a skirt.
You may even remember skorts from your schooling days, as they’re commonly offered in girls’ uniforms throughout Australia.
The skort (a portmanteau of skirt and shorts) has played a truly unique role in the history of women’s clothing. They were once a progressive item of clothing, as they afforded women the opportunity to partake in activities that would have been difficult in a skirt or dress.
Their role in contemporary society, however, is a bit more complicated.
Rebellious beginnings
The first garments resembling skorts were developed in the 1890s so women could ride bicycles without their skirt getting caught in the chains. While the puffy “bloomers” had already been invented a few decades earlier, women who wore them often faced ridicule.
Skorts were considered revolutionary at a time when men both figuratively and literally wore the pants.
Back then, they were usually a pair of loose pants under a front panel resembling a skirt. The aim was to retain the wearer’s femininity, and not offend those who thought pants were a purely masculine article of clothing.
A drawing from an 1896 patent of a ‘cycling skirt’.
The skort as we know it today, and as is seen across the sporting world, was popularised in the 1960s by American fashion designer Leon Levin.
This skirt was said to offer “the freedom of shorts and soft lines of a skirt”. The underlying message: even as women participate in traditionally “masculine” activities, they should be careful not to look too masculine.
Sport management academic M. Katie Flanagan argues women may be convinced that exercising in a skort achieves an acceptable gender performance. In other words, they are socialised to think they have to “perform” their gender by wearing the “correct” clothing.
Skorts in sport and school
In the sporting world, skorts are deliberately designed to be trendy and attractive, rather than purely functional.
One study on women golfers found they were more satisfied with their uniforms if they were happy with both the comfort and attractiveness, indicating women’s sportswear isn’t just about fit and practicality.
Skorts have historically also had class associations. As recently as ten years ago, sport skorts were an expensive item reserved for those from the middle and upper classes. Women from lower economic classes also tended to not have the time and/or resources to engage in the activities skorts were designed for, namely tennis and golf.
More recently, however, discount stores have made skorts accessible to those on a budget.
School skorts, a topic of my ongoing research, are particularly affordable at discount stores. A generic discount store skort may cost about A$10, compared to A$20–40 for one purchased directly from a school.
Some schools offer skorts to girls as the equivalent of sports shorts or as part of the everyday uniform. Other schools seem to prefer culottes as an alternative to a dress or skirt – shorts that are loose enough to resemble a skirt.
Many schools still don’t offer shorts to girls as part of the everyday uniform. Whether or not girls are allowed to wear the “boys’” shorts comes down to the individual school.
From rebellion to restriction
One 2019 review of school uniform policies in South Australia found 98.6% of public schools included shorts as a uniform option for girls, compared to just 26.4% of private schools.
Researchers Sarah Cohen-Woods and Rachel Laattoe found girls in private schools were often restricted in their choices, having to choose between skorts and culottes as an alternative to a skirt or dress.
Across Australia, all state and territory education policies – most of which came into effect between 2017 and 2019 – mandate public schools must offer girls the option of wearing shorts and pants.
However, the wordings of these policies differ widely. While New South Wales, Victoria and Norther Territory specifically mention shorts and pants must be offered to girls, Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania specify schools must offer unisex or gender neutral items to all students.
South Australia’s and Australian Capital Territory’s policies further state uniform items should be categorised by type of clothing, or in non-gender specific terms.
However, in some states, including New South Wales, schools are free to interpret the policy as they wish, which is why some only offer culottes or skorts to girls. There is generally no oversight or enforcement of policies to force schools to offer actual shorts to girls.
A similar debate is happening in women’s sports. Ireland’s Camogie Association only ended the compulsory skorts policy in May, after years of complaints by players. Dublin captain Aisling Maher said she was “sick of being forced to wear a skort that is uncomfortable and unfit for purpose”.
“In no other facet of my life does someone dictate that I have to wear something resembling a skirt because I am a girl. Why is it happening in my sport?” Maher said.
A camogie team pictured in Waterford, Ireland, 1915. The Irish stick-and-ball team sport is played by women. Wikimedia
A garment for the male gaze
In recent years, many stores have advertised skorts for fashion. Target, for instance, currently sells a tailored skort described as a “must have for any trendsetter looking to stand out in a crowd”.
There are conflicting arguments about whether skorts are progressive or regressive. On one hand, they allow women and girls to move freely during physical activities, without having to worry about their underwear being visible.
On the other, they set a precedent in regards to how women and girls ought to perform their gender, by avoiding looking too “masculine” – which makes them somewhat misogynistic.
The skort is an object of dual meanings: at once a skirt and a pair of shorts – at once progressive and regressive.
Jennifer E. Cheng 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.
Delhi and several parts of the National Capital Region (NCR) have been experiencing continuous rainfall since Wednesday night, bringing relief from the recent spell of high temperatures and intense humidity.
The downpour, which began on Wednesday evening, led to overcast skies across the region and brought much-needed respite to residents. However, the incessant rainfall also triggered widespread waterlogging in various parts of Gurugram, causing severe traffic disruptions. Vehicles were seen navigating through waterlogged roads as the city struggled with drainage issues.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Delhi is likely to witness a “generally cloudy sky with moderate rain” over the coming days. The IMD has also forecast thunderstorms accompanied by rain for the national capital over the next three days. The Regional Meteorological Centre in Chandigarh has predicted similar conditions for Gurugram, with cloudy skies and intermittent spells of rain or thundershowers expected to continue for at least two more days.
In Haryana, Ambala city also received a fresh spell of rainfall. The weather department has predicted that the region will continue to experience a generally cloudy sky with a few spells of rain or thundershowers until tomorrow.
Rajasthan’s Ajmer district has similarly been affected by heavy rainfall, with reports of waterlogging emerging from several areas of the city. The IMD has forecast thunderstorms with rain to persist in Ajmer until July 13.
The IMD earlier confirmed that active monsoon conditions are expected to continue across the central parts of the country for the next four to five days, potentially impacting several states with heavy rainfall.
In Himachal Pradesh, the monsoon season has turned devastating. According to the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), a total of 85 lives have been lost so far. Of these, 54 deaths were directly attributed to rain-related disasters, while 31 others were caused by road accidents during poor weather conditions.
The SDMA’s cumulative report reveals that landslides, flash floods, cloudbursts, and drowning incidents account for the majority of fatalities. Mandi district has emerged as the worst-hit area, with 17 rain-related deaths. Other severely affected districts include Kangra, Hamirpur , and several others such as Kullu, Chamba, Shimla, Sirmaur, Una, Bilaspur, and Kinnaur, which have reported lower but still significant numbers. The report also notes 129 injuries and 34 people currently missing in connection with these natural calamities.
As heavy rains continue to lash North India, authorities remain on high alert, especially in vulnerable districts, to mitigate further loss of life and damage to infrastructure.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday the U.S. would impose a 50% tariff on all imports from Brazil after a spat this week with his Brazilian counterpart who called him an unwanted “emperor.”
Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva fired back on Wednesday, saying new tariffs would be met with reciprocal measures.
In a letter, Trump linked the tariffs to Brazil’s treatment of former President Jair Bolsonaro, who is on trial over charges of plotting a coup to stop Lula from taking office in 2023.
The levies were imposed due “in part to Brazil’s insidious attacks on Free Elections, and the fundamental Free Speech Rights of Americans,” the letter said.
Brazil’s real currency added to earlier losses to fall over 2% against the dollar after the announcement, and companies such as planemaker Embraer EMBR3.SA and oil major Petrobras PETR4.SA also suffered setbacks in the stock market.
Lula, his vice-president, his finance minister, and others held an emergency meeting in Brasilia on Wednesday night to discuss the new levies.
In a lengthy post to social media after the meeting, Lula said Trump’s accusations that trade between the two countries was unfair to the U.S. were false, stressing the U.S. runs a trade surplus against Brazil.
“Sovereignty, respect, and the unwavering defense of the interests of the Brazilian people are the values that guide our relationship with the world,” Lula wrote.
The U.S. is Brazil’s second-largest trading partner after China and the tariffs are a major increase from the 10% announced in April. Trump’s letter said the 50% tariff will start August 1 and will be separate from all sectoral tariffs.
On Monday, Lula pushed back against Trump after the U.S. leader threatened to impose an additional 10% tariff on the BRICS group of developing nations, which he called “anti-American.”
“The world has changed. We don’t want an emperor,” Lula told reporters when asked at a BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro about the possible BRICS tariff.
BOLSONARO ‘WITCH HUNT’
Tensions between the United States and Brazil had already intensified on Wednesday after Brazil’s foreign ministry summoned the U.S. Embassy chargé d’affaires over a statement defending Bolsonaro.
Around the same time, Trump, speaking to reporters at an event with West African leaders at the White House, said Brazil “has not been good to us, not good at all,” adding the tariff rates would be based on “very, very substantial facts” and past history.
The U.S. Embassy in Brasilia confirmed on Wednesday its chargé d’affaires had a meeting with officials from Brazil’s foreign ministry, though it declined to share details about the conversation.
Trump’s support for Bolsonaro echoed his support for other global leaders who have faced domestic legal cases like French far-right leader Marine Le Pen and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Trump has called cases against those leaders a “witch hunt,” a term he used for cases he faced himself in the U.S. after the end of his first term in office.
Trump said in a social media post on Monday that Bolsonaro was the victim of such a “witch hunt.” The U.S. Embassy in Brasilia issued a statement on Wednesday to the local press echoing his remarks.
“The political persecution of Jair Bolsonaro, his family and his supporters is shameful and disrespectful of Brazil’s democratic traditions,” it said.
In a post on social media, Bolsonaro did not mention Trump, but said he “is persecuted because he remains alive in the public consciousness. Even out of power, he remains the most remembered—and most feared—name.”
In his letter, Trump also directed U.S. Trade Representative James Greer to initiate a probe into what he called unfair trade practices by Brazil, particularly on U.S. companies’ digital trade. Trump also criticized decisions from Brazil’s Supreme Court that he said censored social media firms.
Brazil’s Supreme Court has long been criticized by Bolsonaro’s allies for ordering social media websites to take down content from leaders of their far-right movement. The court also imposed more responsibilities on those companies last month.
In his post on Wednesday, Lula rebuffed Trump’s accusations of a witch hunt and said the case against Bolsonaro was up for the courts to decide and not subject to any “threats that could compromise the independence of national institutions.”
Lula also defended his country’s Supreme Court and its ruling on social media and said “freedom of expression must not be confused with aggression or violent practice.”
IMPACT ON FOOD EXPORTS
The tariffs on Brazil could have a significant impact on food prices in the United States. Around a third of the coffee consumed in the U.S., the world’s largest drinker of the beverage, comes from Brazil, which is the world’s largest coffee grower. Annual Brazilian coffee exports to the U.S. are close to 8 million bags, according to industry groups.
More than half of the orange juice sold in the U.S. comes from Brazil, which has an 80% share of the juice’s global trade. The South American agricultural powerhouse also sells sugar, beef and ethanol to the U.S., among other products.
“This measure impacts not only Brazil, but the whole U.S. juice industry that employs thousands of people and has had Brazil as its main supplier for decades,” said Ibiapaba Netto, the executive director of Brazilian orange juice industry group CitrusBR.
People across India thronged temples and ashrams on Thursday to celebrate Guru Purnima, a sacred occasion dedicated to honouring spiritual and academic mentors.
Marked by deep reverence and spiritual fervour, the day holds a special place in Indian tradition, as it acknowledges the guiding light of gurus in one’s journey from ignorance to enlightenment.
Celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Jains, Guru Purnima—also known as Vyasa Purnima—commemorates the birth anniversary of Sage Veda Vyasa, the revered author of the Mahabharata and compiler of the Vedas.
In Ayodhya, a powerful display of devotion unfolded at the Saryu Ghats, where lakhs of devotees gathered from early morning to take a holy dip. The spiritual city resonated with chants and prayers as followers, after bathing in the sacred river, visited their gurus to seek blessings and performed rituals in accordance with the ancient guru-disciple tradition.
Varanasi too witnessed a sea of devotees, especially at revered sites like the Aghor Peeth Keenaram Ashram. Long queues wound through the city as people bowed at the feet of their gurus and prayed for spiritual growth.
“Today is Guru Purnima — a very auspicious day for us. It feels like a festival,” a devotee told IANS.
Another visitor said, “We are here to offer prayers to Baba Keenaram. I wish that Guru Ji showers his blessings on everyone.”
“After taking a holy dip, I prayed for Guru Ji’s blessings. The arrangements here are excellent. I feel blessed to be here with my family,” shared another devotee.
In Maharashtra, large crowds gathered at the Shirdi Sai Baba Temple, where the Shri Sai Baba Sansthan Trust organised a three-day Guru Purnima festival. The main day drew thousands of devotees.
CEO Goraksh Gadilkar extended greetings to all Sai devotees, stating that the event was being conducted with utmost devotion.
Purohit Gopal Das reflected on the spiritual essence of the day, saying, “Guru Purnima celebrates the glory of the Guru, who shows the path to reach God.”
In Prayagraj, devotees took holy dips at the Triveni Sangam, followed by visits to temples and monasteries to seek blessings from saints and spiritual leaders.
“This is Purnima, and it is especially significant as Guru Purnima — a day dedicated to the Guru, who connects us to Brahma, imparts divine knowledge, and shows us the right path,” said one devotee.
Another devotee added, “I took a holy dip in the Ganga and prayed to the Goddess. Now, we’re heading to seek blessings from saints and seers.”
Guru Purnima continues to resonate across India as a profound celebration of the sacred bond between guru and disciple — observed with devotion, gratitude, prayer, and reverence.
The annual Amarnath Yatra continues with strong participation, as over 1.28 lakh devotees have undertaken the pilgrimage over the past seven days. On Thursday, another batch of 7,307 pilgrims departed from Jammu for the Kashmir Valley to join the Yatra.
Officials confirmed that the batch left from the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in two escorted convoys. The first convoy, comprising 137 vehicles and carrying 3,081 pilgrims, departed at 3:15 a.m. for the Baltal base camp. The second convoy, consisting of 147 vehicles with 4,226 pilgrims on board, left at 3:58 a.m. for the Nunwan base camp in Pahalgam.
According to the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), which oversees the management of the Yatra, many pilgrims are also arriving directly at the Baltal and Nunwan base camps for on-the-spot registration, in addition to those coming via Jammu.
The Meteorological Department has forecast rain across Jammu and Kashmir over the next 12 hours, with isolated intense showers and thunderstorms expected, particularly in the Jammu region.
This year’s Yatra is being held under tight security, following the April 22 terror attack in the Baisaran meadow of Pahalgam. In response, security has been significantly enhanced. An additional 180 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) have been deployed to support the Army, BSF, CRPF, SSB, and local police. The entire pilgrimage route, including transit camps and roads from Jammu to the cave shrine, is under strict surveillance.
Local residents have once again shown their support and hospitality. On July 6, people from Srinagar travelled 30 km to Nuner village along the Baltal-Srinagar road to offer cold drinks and clean water to returning pilgrims. The gesture was warmly received by the Yatris.
The Yatra began on July 3 and is scheduled to conclude on August 9, coinciding with the festivals of Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan. The holy cave shrine, located at an altitude of 3,888 metres in the Kashmir Himalayas, can be accessed through two main routes.
The traditional route from Pahalgam spans 46 kilometres and takes about four days to complete on foot, passing through Chandanwari, Sheshnag, and Panchtarni. The shorter Baltal route covers 14 kilometres and allows pilgrims to return the same day after darshan. Due to security concerns, helicopter services are not being offered to pilgrims this year.
Inside the sacred cave, an ice stalagmite naturally forms and is believed by devotees to represent Lord Shiva.
PALO ALTO, Calif., July 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — DeepBrain AI, a global leader in generative AI video technology, announced the official release of the Android mobile app for its flagship platform, AI Studios.
AI Studios, initially launched as a web-based service, enables users to generate high-quality AI avatar videos simply by entering text. With over 3 million users worldwide, the platform has rapidly grown and earned strong industry recognition, including a 4.9 rating on Product Hunt and being named one of G2’s Top 50 Software Products of 2025.
The newly released mobile app allows users to create professional-grade videos anytime, anywhere—no production skills or equipment needed. It is designed for a diverse range of creators, educators, marketers, and business professionals who require scalable video content on the go.
Key Features at a Glance
Text-to-Video Creation
Simply input a script, and the app generates a complete video with voice narration and an AI avatar—no editing skills required. It’s ideal for marketing content, tutorials, onboarding videos, and more. The app also supports cinematic-style video generation directly from text prompts, enabling users to produce more polished and visually engaging content with ease.
Over 2,000 Generative AI Avatars
Choose from over 2,000 avatars representing different styles, genders, and professions, or upload a custom avatar to match your brand identity.
Support for 150+ Languages and Voice Tones
AI Studios offers natural-sounding voices with customizable tone, pace, and emotion. With support for over 150 languages and dialects, plus AI dubbing capabilities, it’s perfect for scalable, localized content creation.
7,000+ Professional Templates
Prebuilt templates tailored to business, education, commerce, and more help users create polished, purpose-driven videos in minutes.
Expanding the Global Reach of Generative AI Video
The mobile app was built with a global-first mindset—featuring multilingual support, intuitive UX, and scalable output for diverse industries. According to DeepBrain AI, the release marks a key step in its mission to make AI video creation accessible and practical for everyone.
An iOS version of the app is currently in development and is scheduled for release in the second half of 2025.
DeepBrain AI is a global leader in generative AI, specializing in video creation, speech synthesis, and digital humans. Its platform, AI Studios, lets users create high-quality videos from text without the need for cameras or editing tools.
With a strategic presence in Silicon Valley and clients across North America, Europe, and Asia, the company supports industries such as media, finance, education, and e-commerce. DeepBrain AI helps creators and businesses streamline video production and expand global communication through AI.
Disclaimer: This press release is provided by the DeepBrain AI. The statements, views, and opinions expressed in this content are solely those of the content provider and do not necessarily reflect the views of this media platform or its publisher. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release.
The government’s Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism, Jillian Segal, has recommended universities that fail to properly deal with the issue should have government funding terminated.
In her Plan to Combat Antisemitism, launched Thursday, Segal says she will prepare a report card “assessing each university’s implementation of effective practices and standards”.
This would cover complaints systems and whether the campus and online environment “is conducive to Jewish students and staff participating actively and equally in university life”.
“Should significant problems remain at universities by the start of the 2026 academic year, as assessed by the Envoy’s report card, a dedicated judicial inquiry should be undertaken to address systemic issues,” the Envoy’s report says.
That should include “investigation of foreign sources of funding for antisemitic activities and academics at universities”.
“Universities must embrace cultural change to end their tolerance for anti-semitic conduct,” the Segal report says.
It says the envoy will work with government to enable funding “to be withheld, where possible, from universities, programs or individuals within universities that facilitate, enable or fail to act against antisemitism”.
The envoy also wants public grants to university centres, academics or researchers to be subject to termination if the recipient engages in antisemitic or other hateful speech or actions.
In the wake of the October 2023 Hamas attacks on Israelis, and Israel’s military response in Gaza, a number of Australian universities saw big pro-Palestinian protests, including encampments. At some universities Jewish students and staff felt unsafe going to classes or to their offices.
More generally, antisemitism has been rife since the October attacks, with most recently a spate of incidents in Melbourne in the last week. These included setting fire to the door of a synagogue and protesters rampaging through a restaurant that is part of an Israeli chain.
The envoy’s report was launched at a joint press conference attended by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, and Segal.
The ambitious plan is broad, also covering security, law enforcement, and online regulation among other areas.
But it is unclear how much of it the government will take up.
Asked whether the government was committed to the plan “in full”, Albanese was noncommittal.
“We welcome the plan, to be very clear. Some of the plan requires a long-term approach, some of it requires action by state governments, some of it requires action by society.
“What we will do is work constructively with the envoy,” he said.
“This isn’t something that is okay on the 10th of July, done, tick, and we move on. This will be a process.”
The plan includes embedding Holocaust and antisemitism education in school curricula.
Research the envoy commissioned found a substantial difference between the attitudes of Australians under 35 and those older. These reflected differences between the generations in media consumption and perceptions younger people have of the Middle East the the Jewish community.
“There also appears to be generational differences in the understanding of the Holocaust and its impacts on society,” the report says.
The envoy flags her intention, with the support of government, to “review, and where appropriate strengthen federal, state and territory legislation addressing antisemitism and other hateful or intimidatory conduct”.
Among the recommendations is the removal of tax deduction status from any charitable institution which promotes speakers or engages in conduct that promotes antisemitism.
The report says that from October 2023 to September 2024 antisemitic incidents increased by 316%, with more than 2,000 cases reported. These included threats, assaults, vandalism and intimidation.
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.
The Greens had a poor election. They lost three of their four lower house seats including that of their leader Adam Bandt. This despite their overall vote remaining mostly steady. But they did retain all their Senate spots – though later they lost a senator through her defection to Labor – and they now effectively have the sole balance of power in the Senate.
The Greens last term played hard ball on various pieces of legislation like the Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF), wanting to gain more concessions from the government. They prioritised issues such as the difficulties facing renters as well as the war in Gaza.
With the government’s big win at the election, how hard will the Greens push on legislation this term, and how will the party fare under new leadership?
To answer these questions and to tell us about her plans, the greens new leader, Larissa Waters, joins the podcast.
On what drives her Waters says,
I’ve certainly spent my working life trying to empower the community, to protect the planet. And I’m a really proud feminist and I’ve been really excited by the work that I’ve been able to do on gender equality and women’s safety for the last 10 years in that portfolio. But I’m a really strong advocate for a fairer society.
On reforms she wants to get done in parliament, Waters says the focus should be on delivery,
I would like for the parliament to not just spend its time as a kind of peacocking about, talking about ourselves, and actually spend its time delivering for people. I think that’s the least people could expect is that the collective focus of the parliament be about how we can help community members and nature.
We remain willing to work on reforms that will help people and will help the planet. And I think there’s a lot of people who are waiting to see how this parliament works and who are really hoping that with such an overwhelming number of seats […] the Labor Party will use their numbers in the parliament to do good things. And I think there’ll be a lot of broken hearts if they don’t find the courage to do what’s needed.
Asked about the recent antisemitic attacks in Melbourne and the broader issue of pro-Palestine protests, Waters explains where she stands.
Well firstly, can I say that the places of worship should always be off-limits for protest activity and I think that’s not a controversial statement. But can I also say that a lot of people feel really strongly about human rights and Gaza and Palestine and the Greens are really proud that we have always stood to end the genocide. And we think that Australia should play a stronger role in terms of sanctioning [Benjamin Netanyahu’s] war cabinet and that regime and for there to be a lasting peace in that region.
On AUKUS and the US alliance more broadly Water’s isn’t shy with her criticism,
We are wasting A$370 billion on nuclear submarines that actually may never even eventuate and that the US is now reconsidering their provision to us anyway. The whole thing is speculative and a massive waste of money, importantly, that makes us less safe. I think hitching our wagon to the increasingly unstable US administration under particularly the current president, is not how we make ourselves safe. And I certainly don’t think we should be taking any lectures from Donald Trump about how much money we should spending on defence.
We remain of the view, as we have been for decades, that Australia deserves an independent foreign policy, one that shamelessly puts our own interests at heart and front and centre, and is not just when the US says jump we say how high, that doesn’t make the world safer.
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.
This follows the US company’s recreation of a “dire wolf”, which was essentially a genetically engineered grey wolf. But that project was probably easy compared to the latest plan to resurrect the moa.
I think it’s a pipe dream and there are several reasons why.
Firstly, birds are harder to “de-extinct” than placental mammals. One would need a surrogate egg to bring chicks to term, and for many moa species there are no eggs from living birds big enough to house a developing chick. In this case, artificial eggs would need to be developed.
Then there is evolutionary history. From my own work and the research of others, we know the moa is most closely related to the tinamou, a small flying bird in South America.
To get to the common ancestor of the moa and tinamou, you’d have to go back some 60 million years of evolution. That’s a lot of time for mutations to evolve in genes controlling how moa look, that would need to be re-engineered to bring back moa traits.
The evolutionary history of the palaeognath group is even deeper. Formerly known as ratites, this group includes the tinamou and lineages of living flightless birds (emu, kiwi, cassowary, rhea, ostrich) and extinct ones (New Zealand’s moa and Madagascar’s elephant birds).
Genetically engineering a tinamou or any other birds in this group to create a moa hybrid would be challenging given this deep evolutionary timescale – certainly much harder than genetically engineering a grey wolf. And in any case, this would not recreate a moa, but merely something that may look like a moa. As one critic put it, it would not have the mauri (life force) of a moa.
There are no living analogues of moa within the palaeongath group. We don’t know whether birds created through de-extinction methods would function like a moa in the ecosystem.
Moa are unique, even among other flightless birds, in that they had no wings – all other flightless birds still have remnant wings. As a start, any genetic engineering would need to target regions of the genome that control the expression of genes for wing formation. This could have unintended consequences.
Working with moa ethically
I’m involved in an ongoing project to sequence high-quality genomes of several species of moa in New Zealand to study their evolutionary history.
In our conversations with tangata whenua around the country, there has been no support for de-extinction. Iwi (tribes) also want moa bone samples and all DNA extracts and sequence data to stay in New Zealand.
A major question is whether Colossal has undertaken wider engagement. Ngāi Tahu is a very large iwi with lots of individual rūnanga (tribal councils) throughout the South Island.
My research team has engaged with individual rūnanga, and we know they are opposed to de-extinction. I would like Colossal, Canterbury Museum and the Ngāi Tahu Research Center to disclose how widely they consulted across Ngāi Tahu.
The numerous iwi at the top of the South Island are also against the de-extinction of the giant moa (or any moa) which also lived in their rohe (region). De-extinction of a giant moa would really need a South Island-wide or even national consensus before going ahead.
Ecological concerns with de-extinction
Māori have expressed longstanding concerns about not being involved in discussions about genetic engineering and the potential of bone samples or genetic material going offshore.
With this announcement, it’s encouraging to see the Ngāi Tahu Research Centre is driving the project and that there are discussions around the need to restore habitat that would be suitable for moa.
This is a challenge in its own right as there is little left. Parts of the eastern South Island were once covered in mosaics of open forest shrubland that were dominated by kowhai and lancewood, which have no analogue today.
Even if we were to bring back an extinct species and kept individuals in a game reserve, we would need to produce enough (at least 500) to avoid inbreeding and genetic drift (random loss or retention of genes in a population).
The birds would require sufficient funding for their ongoing conservation. This raises worries that money could be pulled from efforts to save living endangered species, pushing them closer to extinction.
It’s undeniable the genetic engineering technology Colossal is developing could have real benefits to the conservation of New Zealand’s endangered species. Let’s say we could genetically engineer a kākāpō so it becomes resistant to a disease. That’s perhaps a project worth doing if there was widespread community support.
Investing the money that goes into this project in the conservation of New Zealand’s currently endangered biodiversity would, in my view, be better than bringing back moa as an ecotourism venture.
Nic Rawlence receives funding from Te Apārangi Royal Society of New Zealand Marsden Fund.
Director General David Cheng-Wei Wu warmly welcomed the organizers of TW Runners, including President Ming-Jen Chang of the National Chengchi University Alumni Association of Sydney, along with co-organizer Charles Lin, President-Elect of the Distinguished Citizens Society NSW, and team member Frederick Liao. They discussed preparations and showcased exquisite Taiwan-Australia themed gifts prepared for TW Runners participants. TW Runners, officially registered for City2Surf, is included in the “National Day Cup Marathon” as part of the “National Day in Motion” series of three sports events organized by the 114th Double Tenth National Day Celebration Committee in Sydney. Join the World’s largest fun run, combining health and charity—don’t miss out!
This week, under the leadership of Principal Mr. Liang Kun-Ming, Music Class Director Ms. Tso Yi-Chun, Conductor Mr. Chen Shun-Fa, and PTA President Mr. Huang You-Liang — along with incredible support from parents — the talented students of Guangjen’s music programs are proudly representing Taiwan at the Australian International Music Festival in Sydney. On July 8 noon, they gave a stunning performance at the Australian National Maritime Museum. Director General David Cheng-Wei Wu along with Director Ms. Chiang Chia-Hui, Cultural Division Director Ms. Chen Chih Yi, and Senior Policy Officer Ms. Jessica Li were also in attendance to show their support. The young musicians wowed the crowd with Taiwanese folk classics like “Diu Diu Deng,” a lively puppet show, and wrapped up the show with a high-energy dance to Little Tigers’ “Green Apple Paradise”! The audience couldn’t get enough — calling out for an encore!
Strong tremors from an earthquake were felt across Delhi-NCR on Thursday, causing panic among residents in the National Capital, Noida, Gurugram, Faridabad, and other nearby areas.
According to the National Centre for Seismology, the earthquake was measured to be of 4.4 magnitude on the Richter scale. The epicentre of the earthquake was in Jhajjar, Haryana at a depth of 10 kilometres.
The tremors were felt around 9.04 a.m. The strong tremors sparked panic as people rushed outside their offices and homes.
No casualties or damage have been reported so far, but authorities are closely monitoring the situation.
Following the quake, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) issued an advisory, urging people to follow the ‘dos and don’ts’ to ensure their and their family’s safety before, during and after an earthquake.
While details of the quake and its effect are awaited, netizens in the Delhi-NCR claimed it to be “the longest earthquake” they have felt in a “very long time.”
Speaking to IANS, a Noida resident said, “It was a very strong earthquake, and we were all terrified. But thankfully, it didn’t last long.”
“There were strong jolts. We were very scared. We just ran outside,” another told IANS.
“I could see the fan moving. We immediately ran out of our houses,” a Delhi resident told IANS.
“I was working on my laptop when I felt the chair moving. Then I looked at the fan, and it was also moving. I quickly ran out of my home,” a local of Delhi said.
Although no earthquakes of magnitude 6 or higher have occurred near New Delhi in the past decade, small to moderate tremors do happen occasionally.
A minor earthquake of 2.3 magnitude with an epicentre in South East Delhi struck on June 8. No damage or casualties were reported during this.
In February this year, a 4.0 magnitude earthquake with an epicentre in Dhaula Kuan caused strong tremors across Delhi-NCR.
In April, a 5.9 magnitude earthquake hit Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush. The tremors were also felt in Delhi. No loss of life was reported.
The strongest earthquake recorded in Delhi’s history was a 6.0 magnitude earthquake on August 27, 1960.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended heartfelt greetings on Thursday on the occasion of Guru Purnima, a festival dedicated to expressing reverence for spiritual and academic mentors. The day, deeply rooted in Indian tradition, honours the pivotal role played by gurus in guiding individuals from ignorance to enlightenment.
Taking to X, PM Modi wrote, “Best wishes to everyone on the special occasion of Guru Purnima.” Union Home Minister Amit Shah also greeted citizens on the auspicious day, highlighting the enduring significance of the guru-disciple bond in Indian culture.
“On the auspicious occasion of Guru Purnima, I pay my respects to all teachers. In Indian culture, the guru-disciple relationship is not only a medium of education and initiation but also a lifelong guide,” he wrote on X.
“Throughout our history, gurus have always worked to instil moral values, knowledge, conduct, culture, and a sense of loyalty towards the motherland in their disciples. On this occasion, I extend my best wishes to all teachers contributing to nation-building,” Shah added.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also extended his greetings and reflected on the spiritual importance of the day. “By the grace of the Guru, the disciple progresses from ignorance to self-realisation, from darkness to light,” he posted on X.
“With heartfelt reverence, we honour the great Gurus who shape the disciple’s personality with values, service, and truth, connecting them to the highest ideals of life on the sacred occasion of Guru Purnima!” he added.
CM Yogi also paid tribute at the ‘samadhis’ of his revered gurus, Mahant Avaidyanath and Mahant Digvijaynath.
Celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Jains, Guru Purnima is also known as Vyasa Purnima, marking the birth anniversary of sage Veda Vyasa, the author of the Mahabharata and compiler of the Vedas.
Across the country, the day is being observed with spiritual activities, including Guru puja, prayers, and teachings. Devotees are visiting temples to offer their prayers and express gratitude to their spiritual and academic mentors for their guidance and wisdom. (IANS)
