Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Al Green (TX-9)
(Washington, D.C.) — On Wednesday, May 14, 2025, Congressman Al Green delivered remarks on the House floor to oppose collective punishment and ethnic cleansing in Gaza and to stand for peace through a Two-State solution.
You can access and listen to Congressman Al Green’s five-minute speech on his official YouTube page or by clicking here.
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
As part of ACT Government’s ‘One Government, One Voice’ program, we are transitioning this website across to our . You can access everything you need through this website while it’s happening.
Released 19/05/2025
This National Volunteer Week (19–25 May), the ACT Government is proud to celebrate the thousands of volunteers across Canberra who dedicate their time, energy and care to making our community stronger, more inclusive and more connected.
Minister for Disability, Carers and Community Services, Suzanne Orr, acknowledged the extraordinary contributions of volunteers across the ACT and encouraged Canberrans to explore the many ways they can get involved.
“We’re lucky to have many committed volunteers here in the ACT: three out of four Canberrans aged over 15 years volunteer in our community, either formally or informally,” Minister Orr said.
“From helping people in crisis to supporting environmental and animal welfare, Canberra’s volunteers are the quiet achievers who bring compassion, resilience and hope to our community.”
One of those volunteers is Manar Ahmad, co-founder of HelpingACT, which provides food, clothing and essential services to people in need.
“My life is richer because of volunteering. Despite the hours, I don’t see it as a cost – it’s brought me into contact with wonderful people and stretched my capabilities,” Mr Ahmad said.
“If you’re nervous, start small. Then go deeper as your confidence grows.”
Madison (Casey) Barancewicz, recipient of the 2024 ACT Young Volunteer of the Year Award, volunteers with the National Arboretum, MIEACT, and WaterWatch.
“Volunteering has taught me to take initiative – and it gives me hope. You’re giving your time to something meaningful. It helps you. It helps others. It helps the world.”
Christine Johnston, a long-serving volunteer with Victim Support ACT, offers vital assistance to victims navigating the criminal justice system.
“When someone’s anxious or overwhelmed, just being there matters. I enjoy helping others, and it’s also helped me feel connected since moving to Canberra.”
Adrian Manning, who volunteers with the ACT State Emergency Service, highlighted the dual personal and professional rewards of volunteering.
“Not only do I get to help my community, but I’ve learned new skills that have benefited me in my work life as well.”
For Pearl Ansley, volunteering with Domestic Animal Services is a joyful part of her routine.
“It’s the best way to start the day – walking the dogs through the bush trail, surrounded by nature and sunshine. The dogs love it, and I do too.”
CEO of VolunteeringACT, Jean Giese, reflected on the power of collective action, “National Volunteer Week is a time to say thank you to the incredible individuals who give their time so generously.
“Canberrans contribute around 63 million hours of volunteering each year. According to the ACT State of Volunteering Report, 61% of people volunteer to help others. Their contributions strengthen the social fabric of our community and help create a kinder, more inclusive region. To all past, current, and future volunteers – thank you.”
The ACT Government, in partnership with VolunteeringACT, is implementing the ACT Volunteering Strategy 2024–2034, which focuses on strengthening the sector by enhancing the volunteer experience, improving recognition, and building better connections across government and the community.
To find out more about volunteer opportunities in Canberra, visit: www.volunteeringact.org.au
– Statement ends –
Suzanne Orr, MLA | Media Releases
Source:
The keys were officially handed over at a ceremony outside the Avoca Fire Station on Sunday (18 May).
The new heavy tanker carries 4,000 litres of water and includes enhanced crew protection features, improvements to reduce operator fatigue and electric rewind hose reels.
Captain of Avoca Fire Brigade Aaron McHoul said the upgraded tanker was a welcome addition to the brigade’s fleet.
“We’ve only had it for a short while and it’s making things much safer for our firefighters,” Aaron said.
“The extra water capacity and the additional equipment it can carry, like breathing apparatus, means we’re better equipped for a range of incidents.”
Aaron said the new addition would also boost the brigade’s ability to support neighbouring areas.
“Many of the places we attend don’t have reticulated water, so having that capacity allows us to make an initial attack on a structure, grass or bushfire and hopefully knock it down quickly,” Aaron said.
The tanker has also been designed with a focus on sustainability, incorporating a higher percentage of recyclable materials and reducing reliance on fibreglass.
CFA West Region Acting Deputy Chief Officer Graeme Armstrong said the new tanker has improved accessibility for brigade members.
“Being automatic makes it a lot easier to drive, which helps more members get behind the wheel,” Graeme said.
“You can control the speed a lot more easily when crews are blacking out, especially when walking alongside the truck.”
Established in 1885, Avoca Fire Brigade has a proud history of service, having evolved from two separate urban and rural brigades before merging in 2011.
The brigade now has 53 members, including 29 operational firefighters and a strong auxiliary group that provides critical support during both incidents and community events.
“We’re an urban-rural brigade, so this appliance makes a big difference across both types of firefighting,” Aaron said.
“We’re proud to continue serving the Avoca community and beyond with the best equipment possible.”
The new heavy tanker is one of 48 being delivered to CFA brigades across Victoria, funded through a $22.7 million CFA Capability Funding package, which was announced in June 2020 as part of the State Government’s Fire Services Reform.
| Submitted by | CFA Media |
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Source: Australian Capital Territory Policing
The high-profile director of a Melbourne real estate agency is facing criminal charges for unlicensed trading and trust account breaches, as Consumer Affairs Victoria continues to crack down on agents who break the law.
Mark Alexander Reuben, 47, of Greenvale, is the sole director of Reuben Family Pty Ltd (trading as Mark Reuben Projects).
It is alleged that between August 2022 and October 2024, Reuben and his company:
Agents who trade without a licence face up to 12 months’ imprisonment or up to $100,000 in fines. Those who fail to deposit trust money into a trust fund or fail to complete audits, risk up to $23,710 per breach, for each year that this applies.
The matter is listed for a hearing on 23 June 2025.
Source:
Members of Bacchus Marsh, Ballan and Melton fire brigades involved, ACFO David Maxwell and Commander Mal Hayes with ACFO Lachlan Redman and Acting Chief Officer Garry Cook. Credit: Uniform Photography
Acting CFA Chief Officer Garry Cook AFSM presented the distinguished Unit Citation for Service to the members at a ceremony in Myrniong on Sunday (18 May).
At 3.20am on 21 September 2022, CFA crews were called to a major crash on the Western Freeway in Pentland Hills, where a school bus carrying 27 students and four staff from Loreto College Ballarat had been struck at speed by a truck with a semi-trailer.
The bus veered off the road and rolled down a steep embankment, coming to rest in dense scrub with many occupants trapped. The truck with a semi-trailer came to a stop around 400 metres further down the freeway, with the driver pinned inside the cab.
CFA firefighters were among the first emergency services to arrive. Crews descended the slope using a secured hose reel, carrying rescue tools to reach and assist injured and disoriented students.
Simultaneously, other CFA crews helped extricate the truck driver and managed a significant diesel spill, while several members supported Ambulance Victoria to attend to the students.
Fifteen students and one staff member were hospitalised. Fortunately, there were no fatalities.
“This was an incredibly complex and emotionally charged scene, and our members showed true professionalism under pressure,” Garry said.
“Their ability to respond quickly, work alongside other emergency services and provide reassurance to young people in distress is something we as an organisation are very proud of.”
Captain of Bacchus Marsh Fire Brigade Ryan O’Shannessy, who was the CFA Incident Controller, said it was one of the most confronting incidents his crew had faced.
“It was a call-out that really showed the heart of our members, stepping in with empathy, skill and care to help a busload of young students and teachers who’d just been through something terrifying,” Ryan said.
“The injuries we saw were confronting, but everyone did what they could to help, drawing on our CFA training, life experience and the support of all the agencies working together.
“Seeing our crews comfort those kids, assess injuries and stay calm under pressure made me incredibly proud. It was a true team effort — not just from the three CFA brigades, but also from Fire Rescue Victoria, VICSES, Victoria Police and Ambulance Victoria.
“We are grateful for this acknowledgement by the Victorian community and CFA, and while it was one incident of significance, we humbly accept this Unit Citation on behalf of our brigades for all the incidents we have and will continue to attend when called upon to help our local and wider communities in protecting life and property.”
Captain of Ballan Fire Brigade Ben Hatfield said the recognition meant a great deal.
“We’re proud to receive this on behalf of our brigades, but more importantly, we’re proud of how our members responded that day,” Ben said.
“This citation may recognise one moment, but it reflects the work we do every time we’re called to help, especially when it’s our youngest community members who need us most.”
| Submitted by | CFA media |
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Source: New Zealand Police
Attribute to Detective Inspector Christiaan Barnard
Police have restrained more than $650,000 in assets, following the arrest of a Wellington-based man on Friday as part of an FBI investigation.
The man appeared in the Auckland District Court on Friday for his alleged involvement in an organised criminal group that stole cryptocurrency from seven victims valued at US$265M (NZD$450M).
The Wellington High Court has now issued restraining orders under the Criminal Proceeds (Recovery) Act 2009 for assets valued at $670,000 including cash held in bank accounts, cash held in a lawyer’s trust account for the purchase of a property, cryptocurrency, and high value goods.
We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners in the United States to recover assets alleged to have been stolen by the organised criminal group.
An interim name suppression order remains in place.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: New Zealand Labour Party
The Government is unlikely to fund pay equity for hospice and Plunket nurses, care and support workers and other workforces made up of mostly women.
On Thursday Brooke Van Velden told Parliament that she understood that “the Government, under Minister Nicola Willis’ pay equity reset, suggested that the funded sector would not be funded by the Government for pay equity.”
The pay equity reset last year also disbanded the pay equity taskforce, but until now it had not been clear the Government was looking to wash its hands of funding pay equity claims for these sectors altogether.
On Wednesday the Prime Minister Christopher Luxon either didn’t know his government had made that decision or was deliberately hiding the truth about the funded sector.
“What this could mean is that women in this sector, whose claims have now been extinguished by the law passed two weeks ago, will no longer have a pathway to pay equity,” Labour workplace relations and safety spokesperson Jan Tinetti said.
“These are the care and support workers who look after our parents and grandparents when they can no longer look after themselves. Who provide dementia and disabled care. Plunket nurses who support new mums, and hospice nurses who provide end of life care.
“Brooke Van Velden appears to have confirmed on Nicola Willis’ behalf that there isn’t a pathway to raising women’s wages in these sectors, because the Government isn’t intending to contribute to raising their pay.
“If Nicola Willis never intended to fund pay equity in the funded sector, then she has been stringing women along for months before the law change two weeks ago. Without government support, pay equity in these sectors is unlikely to happen.
“This is beyond bad faith. It is betrayal,” Jan Tinetti said.
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Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, May 19 — President Xi Jinping has stressed sound, democratic, and law-based decision-making to ensure China’s next five-year plan for national economic and social development is formulated in high quality.
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks in a recent instruction on the work concerning the compilation of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030).
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
China issued multiple weather alerts on Sunday, warning of rainstorms, mountain torrents and geological disasters in several regions.
The National Meteorological Center (NMC) issued a blue alert for rainstorms, expecting heavy rainfall in parts of Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangxi, Guangdong and Xinjiang from Sunday to Monday.
The Ministry of Water Resources and the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) jointly issued a yellow alert for potential mountain torrents. Parts of Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong and Guangxi face a relatively high risk of mountain floods.
In addition, the Ministry of Natural Resources and the CMA issued an orange alert for geological disaster risks in parts of Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong and Guangxi.
The CMA on Sunday activated Level-IV emergency response measures for major meteorological disasters related to rainstorms. Authorities have urged local regions to take precautions against potential secondary disasters triggered by the intense rainfall.
China has a four-tier weather warning system, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange, yellow and blue. The emergency response system also has four tiers, with Level I being the most severe.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
This photo taken on May 18, 2025 shows two exhibits of “The Exhibition Series on the Origins of Chinese Civilization: This is the Shang” at the Grand Canal Museum of Beijing in Beijing, capital of China. Themed “The Future of Museums in Rapidly Changing Communities”, 2025 International Museum Day・Main Venue in China event was held at the Grand Canal Museum of Beijing on Sunday.
During the opening ceremony of the event, the list of Selection of China’s Most Innovative Museums of 2025 and the masterpiece award of the 22nd (2024) “Top Ten Museum Exhibitions” in China were released, and the 2025 Beijing museum season was launched.
“The Exhibition Series on the Origins of Chinese Civilization: This is the Shang” was also unveiled, showcasing 338 pieces (sets) of precious cultural relics from 28 archaeological and cultural institutions across the country, involving oracle bones, bronzes wares, pottery and jade wares, etc. (Xinhua/Chen Zhonghao)
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
U.S. former President Joe Biden was diagnosed with aggressive form of prostate cancer on Friday, said a statement from his personal office on Sunday.
The cancer, characterized by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5), has metastasized to the bone, said the statement.
Earlier, Biden reported urinary symptoms, which led doctors to find a “small nodule” on his prostate.
“While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management,” said the statement.
“The president and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians,” added the statement.
Aged 82, Biden served as U.S. President from January 2021 to January 2025 as the oldest-serving president in the history of the United States.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Cast members of the film “Renoir” are pictured after the film’s premiere during the 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 17, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Jing)
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
People learn about new electric vehicle models at a brand launch event organized by Chinese automaker Guangzhou Automobile Group Co., Ltd (GAC Group) in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, on May 17, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
Chinese automaker Guangzhou Automobile Group Co., Ltd (GAC Group) has introduced two of its electric vehicle (EV) models to the Ethiopian market, marking the Chinese car brand’s entry into the East African country.
The company unveiled its AION Y and ES9 models on Saturday at a launch event in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia.
Addressing the event, Zeleke Temesgen, commissioner of the Ethiopian Investment Commission, said the government has taken bold measures to encourage the adoption of EVs to accelerate the country’s transition to electric mobility.
“The Ethiopian government has already banned the production, import, and assembly of gas-powered cars, so Ethiopia would be an ideal market for reputable companies like GAC Group,” said Temesgen.
Appreciating GAC Group’s commitment to launching its EV brand in Ethiopia, the commissioner called on the company to set up a manufacturing plant so as to take advantage of favorable investment and massive market opportunities, and accelerate Ethiopia’s green mobility.
Bareo Hassen, Ethiopian state minister of transport and logistics, said the government aspires to achieve green mobility “in the shortest time possible” with the goal of conserving energy and supporting the national economy.
As part of the government’s push for a transition to electric mobility, more than 100,000 EVs are currently on the road across Ethiopia, which aims to have up to 500,000 EVs in the next 10 years, replacing the majority of cars powered by fossil fuels.
Ethiopia is also working to expand EV production and the installation of public charging stations, and offering support and various incentives to private investors, such as free or leased land for investors in EV after-sales services, according to the Ministry of Transport and Logistics.
Wei Haigang, president of GAC International, said the company, through its partner Huajian Group, will sell electric vehicles, establish charging infrastructure, and initiate local assembly operations in Ethiopia.
Noting Ethiopia’s high potential for the EV market, Wei said GAC Group will engage in EV production in the future to tap into the huge market and support the country’s transition to electric mobility.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Closer cooperation with China will unlock new commercial opportunities in the palm oil sector, Malaysian Plantation and Commodities Deputy Minister Chan Foong Hin said on Sunday.
Chan, who is leading a delegation on an official visit to China from May 18 to 24, said Malaysia aims to strengthen bilateral trade relations, unlock new commercial opportunities, and drive innovation within Malaysia’s palm oil sector.
“This official visit underscores Malaysia’s commitment to deepening economic ties with China, enhancing market access for palm oil products, and supporting sustainable growth across key export sectors,” he said in a statement.
“China is Malaysia’s third-largest importer of palm oil and palm-based products globally, accounting for 10 percent of the total palm oil export value in 2024,” he added.
Chan will also be attending the Seventh Western China International Fair for Investment and Trade in Chongqing and will host a roundtable meeting with importers from Western China, noting the growing importance of the region as a major palm oil importer.
“The meeting will also discuss expanding partnerships in Western China, a region experiencing robust market growth and increasing demand for sustainable raw materials,” he said.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Amid the long lines of vehicles in the heart of Conakry, the capital of Guinea, the outline of a yellow-and-white interchange is becoming increasingly visible.
The three-level interchange, built by Power Construction Corporation of China (POWERCHINA), is scheduled to be fully operational by the end of May, marking the end of a historical lack of modern flyovers in the West African country.
The Bambeto Roundabout Interchange Project is located at the intersection of Prince Road and T2 Road. This area was once considered a major traffic bottleneck in Conakry; during peak hours, congestion was particularly severe, making daily travel a headache for residents.
Once the Bambeto interchange is open to traffic, it will effectively remove this bottleneck.
Gong Qiaoqi, manager of the project, told Xinhua that the interchange features an overpass, a ground-level roundabout, and an underpass. The design aims to simultaneously serve the city’s inbound and outbound traffic, inter-regional travel, and quick access to the airport, greatly reducing traffic congestion in the area and surrounding districts.
Christophe Sandouno, a local doctor, considered this interchange as more than just a road project, saying it is a “catalyst” for urban development.
“Getting through Bambeto used to be a nightmare. We’d rather spend half an hour crossing by boat than be stuck in traffic for two hours. Once the interchange is fully open, travel time will be greatly reduced,” Sandouno said.
Mohamed Cherif Diallo, local worker supervisor of the project team, expressed his pride in the project.
“The Bambeto interchange is very impressive — it is the first three-level transportation facility in Guinea’s history,” he said. “We hope to see more excellent Chinese projects in Guinea in the future.”
For the residents of Conakry who pass by the project daily, this interchange carries their hopes for a better future. Some shopkeepers volunteer to keep order around the construction site, taxi drivers familiarize themselves with new navigation routes, and children on their way home from school count the progress of the interchange construction.
As the morning light shines on the structure, the interchange, a symbol of the wisdom and efforts of both Chinese and Guinean builders, presents a new silhouette on the city skyline. Once fully open, it will not only optimize Conakry’s transportation layout, but also serve as a vivid example of a three-dimensional solution for urban road improvement and development in African countries.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Top-ranked Chinese Lin Shidong is aiming to carve his name as world champion after defeating English veteran Liam Pitchford at the World Table Tennis Championships on Sunday.
Nicknamed “Stone” because his name closely resembles that word in Chinese, Lin pulled away after two close sets to win his opening game 4-0 (11-9, 12-10, 11-2, 11-9).
“Pitch[ford] is stronger than his ranking,” said Lin of his 54th-rated rival. “When we met last time, the first two sets were also closely-contested, with only two points separating us. He is quick on feet, aggressive and has great serves. I had imagined a tough game against him and prepared very well.”
Making his world championship debut, Lin admitted his ultimate goal was the top of the podium as he was seeking redemption following his World Cup final loss last month. “A world title plus No. 1 ranking will make a true champion,” he said.
Brazil’s world No. 3 Hugo Calderano, who had beaten Lin on his way to winning the World Cup, made it to the second round after beating Mexico’s Rogelio Castro in five sets (11-8, 9-11, 11-3, 11-4, 11-4).
China’s Lin Gaoyuan had a major scare before he overcame Egyptian Youssef Abdelaziz 4-2 (6-11, 11-2, 11-8, 8-11, 11-7, 11-6).
On the women’s side, China’s world No. 2 Wang Manyu shared insights with teammate Kuai Man after her 4-1 victory over 19-year-old Zuzanna Wielgos.
Seeking her second world championship singles title since 2021, Wang dropped the fourth set but won her opening match against the Polish teenager 4-1 (11-3, 11-6, 11-4, 11-13, 11-4).
“She played way better than what she did in videos that I have collected,” said Wang. “Her offensive is of high quality. Unlike Asian players who are usually good at top-spin attacks, she uses flat shots and backhand flicks more often. I will let Kuai Man know about her style.”
Wang and Kuai then took on Wielgos and Katarzyna Wegrzyn in their doubles opener, winning 3-0.
Olympic champions Wang Chuqin and Sun Yingsha, one of the most popular doubles combinations in world sports, swept aside their American rivals at their mixed doubles opener.
Nicknamed “Shatou” – a combination of Sun’s name and Wang’s pet name, Datou, or “Big Head” – the world No. 8 ranked team defeated Liang Jishan and Amy Wang 11-8, 11-1, 11-9. The second set was so one-sided that Wang struck a backhand return into the net while leading 10-0.
“We had not paired up for several months before this world championships,” said Wang, referring to their drop on the world rankings.
Known for their youth and energy, Wang and Sun have signed endorsement deals with brands including Coca-Cola, Louis Vuitton and McDonald’s.
Sun and Wang will now face the Brazilian duo of Calderano and Bruna Takhashi, who advanced over Madagasgar’s Fabio Rakotoarimananah and Hanitra Raharimanana in straight sets.
The second day action also saw Japanese siblings Miwa and Tomokazu Harimoto shine brightly.
Teenage sensation Miwa opened her world championship debut with a 4-1 win over Ukrainian veteran Margaryta Pesotska. Her brother Tomokazu, ranked fourth in the world, handed a 4-1 defeat to South Korea’s Lim Jong Hoon.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Declan Rice scored an excellent goal from outside the area to ensure that Arsenal qualifies for next season’s Champions League with a 1-0 win over Newcastle United on Sunday afternoon.
The win leaves Arsenal with 71 points – five more than Newcastle which remains third in the table with 66 points, level with Chelsea and Aston Villa and needing to win at home to Everton to qualify for the Champions League in what promises to be a thrilling final weekend of the season.
Nottingham Forest is a point behind Newcastle, Chelsea and Villa after keeping its hopes of playing in next season’s Champions League alive with a 2-1 win away to West Ham United.
A first half goal from Morgan Gibbs-White and a second half finish from Nikola Milenkovic, which was given after a long VAR check, put Forest 2-0 up before Jarrod Bowen pulled a goal back in the 86th minute.
Forest had to survive 13 minutes of injury time, but with one match left to play Nuno Espirito Santo’s side is level on 65 points with Manchester City, who will go into Tuesday’s game at home to Bournemouth in sixth place.
Two goals from Iliman-Cheikh Ndiaye saw Everton say goodbye to the club’s iconic Goodison Park Stadium after 132 years with a 2-0 win at home to Southampton.
Ndiaye lashed home a loose ball in the sixth minute, and then rounded visiting goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale on the stroke of halftime to give Everton a perfect send-off from the historic ground on an emotion afternoon in Liverpool.
Veteran striker Jamie Vardy ended his long association with Leicester City with a goal as his side won a duel between relegated teams 2-0 at home to Ipswich Town.
38-year-old Vardy put Leicester ahead in the 28th minute with his ninth goal of the campaign and Kasey McAteer doubled the lead after Wilfred Ndidi’s pass 20 minutes from time.
Fulham won 3-2 away to Brentford in a game that lost relevance after Crystal Palace’s 1-0 win away to Manchester City in Saturday’s FA Cup final qualified Palace for next season’s Europa League, meaning eighth place in the Premier League no longer has the chance to play in Europe next season.
Raul Jimenez, Tom Cairney and Harry Wilson scored for Fulham, after Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa had twice put Brentford ahead.
On Friday night, Aston Villa won 2-0 at home to Tottenham, while Chelsea beat Manchester United 1-0.
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –
Universiade is a competition for students studying Italian at universities, which is organized annually by the National Association of Teachers of Foreign Languages ANILS (Italy).
The Universiade assignments are divided into six QCER/CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) levels, from A1 to C2, and include listening, reading, writing, speaking and grammar.
— The Italian language at Novosibirsk State University has always been taught at a very high level, our graduates work as teachers and translators from Italian and even teach at Italian universities. And we are very happy that there is an international project in which our students can test themselves by solving problems simultaneously with Italian students from all over the world, — notes the director of the Italian Center of NSU, senior lecturer of the Department of Romano-Germanic Philology Humanitarian Institute Olga Kuznetsova.
This year, first-year students from the Philology and Linguistics departments who started studying Italian only in September also took part in the Universiade. They took the risk of trying their hand at level A2 and showed decent results: at level A2, Philology student Maya Bordukova scored 88 points out of 100 possible, and Maria Zhuravleva (Linguistics) scored 79 points out of 100, showing the highest results in their groups.
— I was interested in testing my strength, learning something new and understanding what I could strive for. It’s one thing when you’re in a calm class, and another thing when you’re in a stressful situation. I wanted to know if I could demonstrate my knowledge at the same level. The Universiade lasted about an hour and a half, and we learned the results that same day from our teacher. I didn’t expect to get good results, because the level of the Universiade was a little higher than what we had. So when I saw my scores, I was surprised at first, but then I felt a surge of joy and motivation. It’s very nice to know that your efforts are paying off, — said Maya Bordukova.
Second-year philology students Daria Pod’yanova and Yuri Nikolaev scored 86 points out of 100 at level B1.
We congratulate all participants and wish them to conquer all levels of the Universiade, up to C2!
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, May 19 (Xinhua) — China’s National Flood and Drought Control Headquarters issued a level-4 emergency response late Sunday over possible flooding in east China’s Fujian Province and south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. A task force has also been dispatched to Guangxi to provide on-site assistance, according to the Ministry of Emergency Management.
Heavy rains and downpours are expected in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Guangdong, Fujian and Zhejiang provinces from May 18 to 19, according to meteorological service forecasts.
The authorities of the relevant regions are advised to closely monitor the development of the situation, intensify interdepartmental consultations and interaction, and, if necessary, take decisive measures to evacuate people to ensure their safety.
China has a four-tier flood emergency response system, with level one being the highest. -0-
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Qomei County, Shannan City, Xizang, located in the center of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau with an average altitude of over 4,500 meters above sea level, has been actively implementing the national strategy of “carbon peak and carbon neutrality”, vigorously developing the clean energy industry based on abundant wind and solar resources. It has been innovatively exploring ways to develop clean energy in high-altitude conditions, contributing to the construction of a national clean energy base in Xizang.
Translation. Region: Russian Federal
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
On the evening of May 1, the National Theatre of Dakar, the capital of Senegal, hosted the premiere of a film about Nyan’s life in the Chinese city of Yiwu.
The story of Senegalese entrepreneur Ababacar Nyan is the first episode of the documentary series “Yiwu: City of Wonders”. The series, produced by the China Documentary Research Center, was filmed for nearly four years starting in 2021, covering more than 10 countries and regions. It follows the entrepreneurial experiences of several foreigners in Yiwu.
In 2013, Nian came to China for the first time. Shortly before, he had won a tender to purchase sports equipment in his home country and, full of enthusiasm and hope, went to Yiwu, Zhejiang Province, to look for suitable suppliers. However, the project suddenly stalled, funding dried up, and he found himself in a difficult situation, forced to stay in Yiwu.
Faced with unexpected challenges, Nyan did not give up, but gritted his teeth and started over. He enrolled in international trade courses, worked hard to improve his language skills, interned at a Chinese company, ran his business during the day, and studied Chinese and other subjects at night. He said that during that time, he worked “from dawn to dusk” almost every day, but he did not feel tired because “every step forward brought more clarity and hope.”
As Nyan gained experience and expanded his business connections, he gradually found his feet. He founded his own import-export company, aiming to help African entrepreneurs more easily integrate into Chinese supply chains.
After stabilizing his business, Nian started a family in China. In his spare time, he makes videos and writes about his life in China, hoping that more people will learn about Yiwu and China through the eyes of an African.
It was in this situation that a Chinese documentary team approached Nian. The crew captured him taking inventory in a warehouse, coordinating orders at a factory, and video chatting with clients early in the morning. These seemingly ordinary moments of everyday life were captured and presented in the film.
At the premiere, the documentary’s executive director, Zhang Nan, said the experience of filming in Yiwu had changed his understanding of trade and the world. “Trade is not just the movement of goods, it is a connection that transcends cultural, linguistic and even life barriers. It allows people from different countries to build trust in seemingly small transactions and create a common future through daily cooperation.”
Source:
The keys to the light tanker were handed over to an excited brigade on Sunday, 18 May.
Captain of Raglan Fire Brigade Adin Gillingham said the new tanker would significantly improve the brigades performance, allowing them to better respond to incidents and keep their community safe.
“It is great to receive any new piece of equipment,” he said.
“It will certainly make things more comfortable for our members and I believe this new model is perfectly suited to the needs of our brigade.
“It has exceeded our expectations and really allows us to get up into houses around the bush. It really is state of the art equipment.”
Acting Deputy Chief officer for the West Region Graeme Armstrong said it was great to see another brigade receive the vehicle they need to continue providing the best service to their community.
“Raglan and surrounding areas will benefit greatly from this tanker,” he said.
“The tanker comes equipped with up-to-date safety features and will also have new and updated firefighting equipment to assist with servicing the community in the best possible way as well as providing great safety for all our members.”
The new light tanker’s low profile and 4×4 capability makes it easy to navigate through congested urban streets or rugged rural terrains.
Safety remains paramount, with the crew cab equipped with advanced driver assist features and ample seating for four firefighters.
Other additions include a protected crew operation platform, pump and roll capability, and a generous water carrying capacity of 2,000 litres, with 500 litres dedicated to crew protection.
| Submitted by | CFA Media |
|---|
ER Report: Here is a summary of significant articles published on EveningReport.nz on May 19, 2025.
What does it mean to ‘accept’ or ‘reject’ all cookies, and which should I choose?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ahmed Ibrahim, Senior Lecturer, Computing and Security, Edith Cowan University Shutterstock/The Conversation It’s nearly impossible to use the internet without being asked about cookies. A typical pop-up will offer to either “accept all” or “reject all”. Sometimes, there may be a third option, or a link to
What causes ADHD? What we know, don’t know and suspect
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alison Poulton, Senior Lecturer, Brain Mind Centre Nepean, University of Sydney Sergey Novikov/Shutterstock Neurodevelopmental disorders are a diverse group of conditions that affect the brain from early development. They include attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism and learning disabilities, such as dyslexia. These conditions usually become more evident
Pacific children as young as 6 adopted, made to work as house slaves
By Gill Bonnett, RNZ immigration reporter This story discusses graphic details of slavery, sexual abuse and violence Pacific children as young as six are being adopted overseas and being made to work as house slaves, suffering threats, beatings and rape. Kris Teikamata — a social worker at a community agency — spoke about the harrowing
Australia launches ‘landmark’ UN police peacekeeping course for Pacific region
Australia has launched the world’s first UN Police Peacekeeping Training course tailored specifically for the Pacific region. The five-week programme, hosted by the Australian Federal Police (AFP), is underway at the state-of-the-art Pacific Policing Development and Coordination Hub in Pinkenba, Brisbane. AFP said “a landmark step” was developed in partnership with the United Nations, and
AI is moving fast. Climate policy provides valuable lessons for how to keep it in check
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Milica Stilinovic, PhD Candidate, School of Media and Communications; Managing Editor, Policy & Internet journal, University of Sydney cybermagician/Shutterstock Artificial intelligence (AI) might not have been created to enable new forms of sexual violence such as deepfake pornography. But that has been an unfortunate byproduct of the
1 in 5 Gazans face starvation. Can the law force Israel to act?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Donald Rothwell, Professor of International Law, Australian National University As Israel continues to pound Gaza with airstrikes, killing scores of people a day, the two-month ceasefire that brought a halt to the violence earlier this year feels like a distant memory. Israel’s overall military and political objective
More people are trying medicinal cannabis for chronic pain. But does it work?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Suzanne Nielsen, Professor and Deputy Director, Monash Addiction Research Centre, Monash University PeopleImages.com – Yuri A/Shutterstock More Australians than ever are being prescribed medicinal cannabis. Medicinal cannabis refers to legally prescribed cannabis products. These are either the plant itself, or naturally occurring ingredients extracted from the plant.
Why is southern Australia in drought – and when will it end?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Chiara Holgate, Senior Research Fellow, ARC Centre of Excellence for Weather of the 21st Century, Australian National University Artic_photo/Shutterstock Swathes of South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania and Western Australia are in the grip of drought as they experience some of the lowest rainfall totals on record. Farmers are
Wine is still Australia’s most popular alcoholic drink – but many producers face an uncertain future
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Paul Chad, Honorary Fellow, Faculty of Business and Law, School of Business, University of Wollongong kwest/Shutterstock Australia has become world-famous for its wine, but the industry faces an uncertain future. Too many grapes grown amid falling consumer demand, an oversupply of budget wine, and an undersupply of
Something borrowed, something blue? Why the reign of the traditional wedding dress may be over
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jye Marshall, Lecturer, Fashion Design, School of Design and Architecture, Swinburne University of Technology Wedding Rebellion Workshop, London Ellie Cooper/unsplash The family and friends are all gathered, wedding bells are ringing, and the bride walks down the aisle in her beautiful bubblegum pink wedding dress. Twenty years
NZ Budget 2025: economic forecasting is notoriously difficult, but global uncertainty is making it harder
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michael Ryan, Lecturer in Economics, University of Waikato Javier Ghersi/Getty Images This year’s budget will be one of the tightest in a decade, with the New Zealand government halving its operating allowance – the new money it has available to spend – from NZ$2.4 billion to $1.3
Why the wall of silence on the Gaza genocide is finally starting to crack
Report by Dr David Robie – Café Pacific. – As Israel unveils its final genocide push, and mass death from starvation looms in Gaza, Western media and politicians are tentatively starting to speak up ANALYSIS: By Jonathan Cook Who could have imagined 19 months ago that it would take more than a year and a
By Gill Bonnett, RNZ immigration reporter
This story discusses graphic details of slavery, sexual abuse and violence
Pacific children as young as six are being adopted overseas and being made to work as house slaves, suffering threats, beatings and rape.
Kris Teikamata — a social worker at a community agency — spoke about the harrowing cases she encountered in her work, from 2019 to 2024, with children who had escaped their abusers in Auckland and Wellington.
“They’re incredibly traumatised because it’s years and years and years of physical abuse, physical labour and and a lot of the time, sexual abuse, either by the siblings or other family members,” she said.
“They were definitely threatened, they were definitely coerced and they had no freedom.
“When I met each girl, [by then] 17, 18, 19 years old, it was like meeting a 50-year-old. The light had gone out of their eyes. They were just really withdrawn and shut down.”
In one case a church minister raped his adopted daughter and got her pregnant.
Teikamata and her team helped 10 Samoan teenagers who had managed to escape their homes, and slavery — two boys and eight girls — with health, housing and counselling. She fears they are the tip of the iceberg, and that many remain under lock and key.
“They were brought over as a child or a teenager, sometimes they knew the family in Samoa, sometimes they didn’t — they had promised them a better life over here, an education and citizenship.
“When they arrived they would generally always be put into slavery. They would have to get up at 5, 6 in the morning, start cleaning, start breakfast, do the washing, then go to school and then after school again do cleaning and dinner and the chores — and do that everyday until a certain age, until they were workable.
“Then they were sent out to factories in Auckland or Wellington and their bank account was taken away from them and their Eftpos card. They were given $20 a week.
“From the age of 16 they were put to work. And they were also not allowed to have a phone — most of them had no contact with family back in Samoa.”
‘A thousand kids a year… and it’s still going on’
Nothing stopped the abusive families from being able to adopt again and they did, she said.
A recent briefing to ministers reiterated that New Zealanders with criminal histories or significant child welfare records have used overseas courts to approve adoptions, which were recognised under New Zealand law without further checks.
“When I delved more into it, I just found out that it was a very easy process to adopt from Samoa,” she said.
“There’s no checks, it’s a very easy process. So about a thousand kids [a year] are today being adopted from Samoa. It’s such a high number — whereas other countries have checks or very robust systems. And it’s still going on.”
As children, they could not play with friends and all of their movements were controlled.
Oranga Tamariki uplifted younger children, who were sometimes siblings of older children who had escaped.
“The ones that I met had escaped and found a friend or were homeless or had reached out to the police.”
Loving families
When they were reunited with their birth parents on video calls, it was clear they came from loving families who had been deceived, she said.
While some adoptive parents faced court for assault, only one has been prosecuted for trafficking.
Government, police and Oranga Tamariki were aware and in talks with the Samoan government, she said.
Adoption Action member and researcher Anne Else said several opportunities to overhaul the 70-year-old Adoption Act had been thwarted, and the whole legislation needed ripping up.
“The entire law needs to be redone, it dates back to 1955 for goodness sake,” she said.
“But there’s a big difference between understanding how badly and urgently the law needs changing and actually getting it done.
“Oranga Tamariki are trying, I know, to work with for example Tonga to try and make sure that their law is a bit more conformant with ours, and ensure there are more checks done to avoid these exploitative cases.”
Sold for adoption
Children from other countries had been sold for adoption, she said, and the adoption rules depended on which country they came from. Even the Hague Convention, which is supposed to provide safeguards between countries, was no guarantee.
Immigration minister Erica Stanford said other ministers were looking at what could be done to crack down on trafficking through international adoption.
“If there are non-genuine adoptions and and potential trafficking, we need to get on top of that,” she sad.
“It falls outside of the legislation that I am responsible for, but there are other ministers who have it on their radars because we’re all worried about it. I’ve read a recent report on it and it was pretty horrifying. So it is being looked at.”
A meeting was held between New Zealand and Samoan authorities in March. A summary of discussions said it focused on aligning policies, information sharing, and “culturally grounded frameworks” that uphold the rights, identity, and wellbeing of children, following earlier work in 2018 and 2021.
This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.
Source: New Zealand Police
Northland Police are continuing an appeal for information in relation to the death of Whangārei man Geoffrey Ware.
A homicide investigation has been underway since the 55-year-old’s body was found at his Parakao home on May 9.
Detective Senior Sergeant Michelle Harris, of Whangārei CIB, says a portal has been set up for any photos or video that could assist the case.
“Police are still seeking information and sightings in the areas Mangakahia Road, Otaika Valley Road and State Highway 14 towards Whangārei, between 2pm and 8pm on Friday, May 9,” she says.
“We are also interested in sightings of a 1999 blue and silver Mitsubishi L200 ute, and a man reportedly seen walking along SH14 that afternoon and evening.”That portal link is https://cossar.nc3.govt.nz/
Detective Senior Sergeant Harris says the enquiry team is continuing to follow strong lines of enquiry.
“Police would like to thank members of the public who’ve provided information to the enquiry team to date.”
Anyone with additional information can also update Police online now or call 105 using the file number 250509/6749.
Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.
ENDS.
Nicole Bremner/NZ Police
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alison Poulton, Senior Lecturer, Brain Mind Centre Nepean, University of Sydney
Neurodevelopmental disorders are a diverse group of conditions that affect the brain from early development. They include attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism and learning disabilities, such as dyslexia.
These conditions usually become more evident over time. This is because delays in the skills a child is expected to have developed at each age become more apparent.
ADHD is the most common neurodevelopmental disorder. It affects around 8-10% of children and 2-5% of adults.
ADHD affects a person’s efficiency at completing tasks (for example, because they get distracted) and their behaviour (such as losing things or struggling to pay attention).
ADHD can affect all aspects of functioning including problems learning and maintaining friendships. If undiagnosed, the challenges are likely to persist and may lead to anxiety, depression and low self-esteem.
There is no specific genetic or brain abnormality that causes ADHD and no single reliable test to diagnose it.
A formal diagnosis depends on whether a child shows at least six of the diagnostic criteria for inattention (at least five for adults) and/or at least six of the criteria for hyperactivity-impulsivity (at least five for adults). These have to persist for at least six months.
The diagnostic criteria include:
difficulty concentrating (for example, trouble listening, poor attention to detail, not getting tasks finished)
hyperactivity (including fidgeting, feeling restless and running around, constantly chatting)
impulsivity (for example, interrupting conversations and games, difficulty waiting their turn).
Not everyone with ADHD is hyperactive. For people with inattentive-type ADHD, their main difficulty is inattention, for example, concentrating consistently on everyday tasks that are not particularly interesting.
If someone meets the criteria for hyperactivity-impulsivity and for inattention, they have combined-type ADHD.
One problem with these criteria is they’re not specific to ADHD. For example, difficulties concentrating can also be a symptom of depression.
This is why it’s not enough to simply tick a symptom checklist. The formal diagnostic criteria emphasise these symptoms must interfere with daily functioning.
The key question is: are ADHD symptoms causing day-to-day problems or holding this person back?
What this means will vary from person to person, depending on what their everyday activities involve.
For example, someone may struggle to concentrate at school but excel later on in a creative career such as photography, or in a high-intensity job with hard deadlines, such as journalism.
It also means a person may only meet the full diagnostic criteria at certain stages of their life. Subthreshold ADHD – when someone meets some criteria but not enough for a diagnosis – can still cause significant difficulties.
Boys aged between four and 11 are up to four times more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than girls.
This may partly be because the diagnostic criteria are especially good at identifying hyperactive young boys. But they are not as effective for girls, particularly those who are not hyperactive or disruptive, or who try to hide their difficulties concentrating.
Girls and women are likely to be diagnosed later and show more “internalising symptoms”, such as depression. However the rate of underdiagnosis in girls has been improving over the last four decades.
The gender disparity also evens out with age. The female proportion of young adults diagnosed with ADHD is closer to half (38%).
There is also a strong genetic component. Heritability for ADHD is around 70–80%. This describes how much of the person-to-person differences in ADHD are due to genetics, rather than environmental influences.
The more closely someone is related to a person with ADHD – in other words, the more genes they have in common – the more likely they are to have ADHD.
However the genetics are complex. It’s not as simple as finding a gene or selection of genes “responsible” for ADHD.
For example, early research linked ADHD to six genes that target neurotransmission (how the brain sends chemical signals). But the effect of each gene was small.
ADHD is now understood to be a polygenic disorder, with thousands of common genetic variants involved.
Each of these genes is capable of making a discrete but minuscule contribution to the overall expression of ADHD. Because these genes are common, the traits of ADHD are distributed throughout the population, with no clearly defined cut-off between those who do and do not have the condition.
Within a family, the interaction between shared genetics and a shared environment (their household) make it difficult to study these separately.
A supportive family can help a child with ADHD cope better with everyday tasks, as parents often adapt their parenting style to their child’s behaviour. This may mask the ADHD and delay diagnosis.
But if one or both parents also has ADHD, this may affect their parenting style. It can be difficult to determine how much of that child’s behaviour is due to their inherited ADHD, and how much to the family environment and parenting.
Studies have also shown children who are relatively young for their year when they start school have higher rates of treatment for ADHD. This points to their environment playing a role in when their ADHD is diagnosed, but not necessarily its cause.
For more information about ADHD, as well as information about support groups, visit the ADHD foundation or ADHD Australia websites.
Alison Poulton is a member of the Australasian ADHD Professionals Association and ADHD Australia. She has received personal fees and non-financial support from Shire/Takeda; and book royalties from Disruptive Publishing (ADHD Made Simple).
– ref. What causes ADHD? What we know, don’t know and suspect – https://theconversation.com/what-causes-adhd-what-we-know-dont-know-and-suspect-241119
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Ahmed Ibrahim, Senior Lecturer, Computing and Security, Edith Cowan University
It’s nearly impossible to use the internet without being asked about cookies. A typical pop-up will offer to either “accept all” or “reject all”. Sometimes, there may be a third option, or a link to further tweak your preferences.
These pop-ups and banners are distracting, and your first reaction is likely to get them out of the way as soon as possible – perhaps by hitting that “accept all” button.
But what are cookies, exactly? Why are we constantly asked about them, and what happens when we accept or reject them? As you will see, each choice comes with implications for your online privacy.
Cookies are small files that web pages save to your device. They contain info meant to enhance the user experience, especially for frequently visited websites.
This can include remembering your login information and preferred news categories or text size. Or they can help shopping sites suggest items based on your browsing history. Advertisers can track your browsing behaviour through cookies to show targeted ads.
There are many types, but one way to categorise cookies is based on how long they stick around.
Session cookies are only created temporarily – to track items in your shopping cart, for example. Once a browser session is inactive for a period of time or closed, these cookies are automatically deleted.
Persistent cookies are stored for longer periods and can identify you – saving your login details so you can quickly access your email, for example. They have an expiry date ranging from days to years.
Pop-ups will usually inform you the website uses “essential cookies” necessary for it to function. You can’t opt out of these – and you wouldn’t want to. Otherwise, things like online shopping carts simply wouldn’t work.
However, somewhere in the settings you will be given the choice to opt out of “non-essential cookies”. There are three types of these:
functional cookies, related to personalising your browsing experience (such as language or region selection)
analytics cookies, which provide statistical information about how visitors use the website, and
advertising cookies, which track information to build a profile of you and help show targeted advertisements.
Advertising cookies are usually from third parties, which can then use them to track your browsing activities. A third party means the cookie can be accessed and shared across platforms and domains that are not the website you visited.
Google Ads, for example, can track your online behaviour not only across multiple websites, but also multiple devices. This is because you may use Google services such as Google Search or YouTube logged in with your Google account on these devices.
Ultimately, the choice is up to you.
When you choose “accept all,” you consent to the website using and storing all types of cookies and trackers.
This provides a richer experience: all features of the website will be enabled, including ones awaiting your consent. For example, any ad slots on the website may be populated with personalised ads based on a profile the third-party cookies have been building of you.
By contrast, choosing “reject all” or ignoring the banner will decline all cookies except those essential for website functionality. You won’t lose access to basic features, but personalised features and third-party content will be missing.
The choice is recorded in a consent cookie, and you may be reminded in six to 12 months.
Also, you can change your mind at any time, and update your preferences in “cookie settings”, usually located at the footer of the website. Some sites may refer to it as the cookie policy or embed these options in their privacy policy.
The reason cookie consent pop-ups are seemingly everywhere is thanks to a European Union privacy law that came into effect in 2018. Known as GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), it provides strict regulations for how people’s personal data is handled online.
These guidelines say that when cookies are used to identify users, they qualify as personal data and are therefore subject to the regulations. In practice, this means:
Since a lot of website traffic is international, many sites even outside the EU choose to follow GDPR guidelines to avoid running afoul of this privacy law.
Cookie pop-ups are tiresome, leading to “consent fatigue” – you just accept everything without considering the implications.
This defeats the purpose of informed consent.
There is another way to address your online privacy more robustly – Global Privacy Control (GPC). It’s a tech specification developed by a broad alliance of stakeholders (from web developers to civil rights organisations) that allows the browser to signal privacy preferences to websites, rather than requiring explicit choices on every site.
GPC is not universally available, and it’s not a legal requirement – a number of browsers and plugins support it, but broader adoption may still take time.
Meanwhile, if you’re worried you may have accidentally consented to cookies you don’t want, you can find an option in your browser settings to delete cookies and get back to a clean slate (be warned, this will log you out of everywhere). If you want to learn even more, the non-profit Electronic Frontier Foundation has a project called Cover Your Tracks.
The authors 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.
– ref. What does it mean to ‘accept’ or ‘reject’ all cookies, and which should I choose? – https://theconversation.com/what-does-it-mean-to-accept-or-reject-all-cookies-and-which-should-i-choose-256219
Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Alison Poulton, Senior Lecturer, Brain Mind Centre Nepean, University of Sydney
Neurodevelopmental disorders are a diverse group of conditions that affect the brain from early development. They include attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism and learning disabilities, such as dyslexia.
These conditions usually become more evident over time. This is because delays in the skills a child is expected to have developed at each age become more apparent.
ADHD is the most common neurodevelopmental disorder. It affects around 8-10% of children and 2-5% of adults.
ADHD affects a person’s efficiency at completing tasks (for example, because they get distracted) and their behaviour (such as losing things or struggling to pay attention).
ADHD can affect all aspects of functioning including problems learning and maintaining friendships. If undiagnosed, the challenges are likely to persist and may lead to anxiety, depression and low self-esteem.
There is no specific genetic or brain abnormality that causes ADHD and no single reliable test to diagnose it.
A formal diagnosis depends on whether a child shows at least six of the diagnostic criteria for inattention (at least five for adults) and/or at least six of the criteria for hyperactivity-impulsivity (at least five for adults). These have to persist for at least six months.
The diagnostic criteria include:
difficulty concentrating (for example, trouble listening, poor attention to detail, not getting tasks finished)
hyperactivity (including fidgeting, feeling restless and running around, constantly chatting)
impulsivity (for example, interrupting conversations and games, difficulty waiting their turn).
Not everyone with ADHD is hyperactive. For people with inattentive-type ADHD, their main difficulty is inattention, for example, concentrating consistently on everyday tasks that are not particularly interesting.
If someone meets the criteria for hyperactivity-impulsivity and for inattention, they have combined-type ADHD.
One problem with these criteria is they’re not specific to ADHD. For example, difficulties concentrating can also be a symptom of depression.
This is why it’s not enough to simply tick a symptom checklist. The formal diagnostic criteria emphasise these symptoms must interfere with daily functioning.
The key question is: are ADHD symptoms causing day-to-day problems or holding this person back?
What this means will vary from person to person, depending on what their everyday activities involve.
For example, someone may struggle to concentrate at school but excel later on in a creative career such as photography, or in a high-intensity job with hard deadlines, such as journalism.
It also means a person may only meet the full diagnostic criteria at certain stages of their life. Subthreshold ADHD – when someone meets some criteria but not enough for a diagnosis – can still cause significant difficulties.
Boys aged between four and 11 are up to four times more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than girls.
This may partly be because the diagnostic criteria are especially good at identifying hyperactive young boys. But they are not as effective for girls, particularly those who are not hyperactive or disruptive, or who try to hide their difficulties concentrating.
Girls and women are likely to be diagnosed later and show more “internalising symptoms”, such as depression. However the rate of underdiagnosis in girls has been improving over the last four decades.
The gender disparity also evens out with age. The female proportion of young adults diagnosed with ADHD is closer to half (38%).
There is also a strong genetic component. Heritability for ADHD is around 70–80%. This describes how much of the person-to-person differences in ADHD are due to genetics, rather than environmental influences.
The more closely someone is related to a person with ADHD – in other words, the more genes they have in common – the more likely they are to have ADHD.
However the genetics are complex. It’s not as simple as finding a gene or selection of genes “responsible” for ADHD.
For example, early research linked ADHD to six genes that target neurotransmission (how the brain sends chemical signals). But the effect of each gene was small.
ADHD is now understood to be a polygenic disorder, with thousands of common genetic variants involved.
Each of these genes is capable of making a discrete but minuscule contribution to the overall expression of ADHD. Because these genes are common, the traits of ADHD are distributed throughout the population, with no clearly defined cut-off between those who do and do not have the condition.
Within a family, the interaction between shared genetics and a shared environment (their household) make it difficult to study these separately.
A supportive family can help a child with ADHD cope better with everyday tasks, as parents often adapt their parenting style to their child’s behaviour. This may mask the ADHD and delay diagnosis.
But if one or both parents also has ADHD, this may affect their parenting style. It can be difficult to determine how much of that child’s behaviour is due to their inherited ADHD, and how much to the family environment and parenting.
Studies have also shown children who are relatively young for their year when they start school have higher rates of treatment for ADHD. This points to their environment playing a role in when their ADHD is diagnosed, but not necessarily its cause.
For more information about ADHD, as well as information about support groups, visit the ADHD foundation or ADHD Australia websites.
Alison Poulton is a member of the Australasian ADHD Professionals Association and ADHD Australia. She has received personal fees and non-financial support from Shire/Takeda; and book royalties from Disruptive Publishing (ADHD Made Simple).
– ref. What causes ADHD? What we know, don’t know and suspect – https://theconversation.com/what-causes-adhd-what-we-know-dont-know-and-suspect-241119
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Aerial photo taken on March 22, 2021 shows the ruins of the Subax buddhist temple in Kuqa City of northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Su Chuanyi)
China opened two new museums in the northwestern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Sunday, showcasing artifacts that highlight the region’s rich history as a hub of ethnic integration and cultural exchange, as well as the diversity of Chinese civilization.
One of the museums, the Museum of the Western Regions Frontier Command in Luntai County, stands on the site of a Western Han Dynasty (202 BC-8 AD) protectorate first established in 60 BC to govern the Xinjiang area, which marked the official incorporation of the area into the Chinese territory.
Spanning 5,120 square meters of exhibition space with galleries divided into five sections, the museum features more than 460 artifacts (some grouped as sets) including pottery, bronze and iron wares and silk fragments. It uses immersive exhibits such as multimedia reconstructions of ancient scenes to illustrate how imperial Chinese authorities governed Xinjiang and fostered cultural exchange over two millennia.
In 2018, with approval from the National Cultural Heritage Administration, a joint archaeological team from Peking University’s School of Archaeology and Museology and the Xinjiang Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology launched excavations at the Zorkut site in Luntai.
Professor Chen Ling from Peking University explained that the unique triple-walled structure of the Zorkut ancient city ruins, along with the discovery of Han Dynasty-style building materials and valuable artifacts, provided key evidence that it was the seat of the Western Regions Frontier Command.
Through the latest archaeological findings and unearthed artifacts, the museum reveals how the Xinjiang area evolved under successive central governments amid enduring interaction, cultural exchange and integration among ethnic groups in the area, said Chen Ying, head of the bureau of cultural heritage of the Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture of Bayingolin, where Luntai is located.
Turgun Jelili, a villager from the nearby town of Karabag, said he felt extremely proud to see such a modern museum in his home region. “The architecture is stunning, and the exhibits are truly impressive. It left a deep impression on me,” he said, adding that he plans to bring his daughter to visit soon.
Also on Sunday, Luntai inaugurated the Zorkut ancient city archaeological park, creating an integrated cultural experience for visitors to explore both museum treasures and the actual ruins.
In Kuqa City, some 100 kilometers west of Luntai, the newly constructed Qiuci Museum commenced its public opening on the same day, housing 700 cultural relics (some grouped as sets), among which 96 fall under China’s three-tiered heritage protection system, including a Tang Dynasty (618-907) stone Buddha carving, Qiuci manuscripts, a silver coral-beaded veil and a painted clay sculpture.
The museum, named after the ancient kingdom of Kucha (“Qiuci” is its Chinese pinyin form), features galleries exploring Kucha’s legacy through its history, urban development and Buddhist art displays, plus rotating special exhibitions.
The ancient Kucha region, centered on present-day Kuqa City, spanned the mid-southern foothills of the Tianshan Mountains and the northern rim of the Tarim Basin. Since the Han Dynasty (202 BC-220 AD), this strategic crossroads served as both a military-administrative hub for Chinese governance in the Western Regions and a cultural melting pot where Eastern and Western civilizations converged, according to Feng Wei, vice curator of the museum.
The region preserves the extraordinary cultural heritage that embodies the enduring historical ties between the Western Regions and the central plain areas, once the heartland of ancient China, Feng noted.
Statistics from the regional culture and tourism department show that Xinjiang’s 150 registered museums received over 13 million visits in 2024, 3.5 million of which were from young people.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
While her peers shuttle between China’s megacities chasing lucrative careers, 23-year-old Huang Huiru veers off the beaten track — immersing herself in the rugged terrain of the Pamir Plateau in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region for a gap year.
As a law graduate from Gansu University of Political Science and Law, Huang is among a growing group of Chinese youth who volunteer to turn classroom knowledge into practical solutions for developing the region.
Stationed in government departments in Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, Huang and fellow volunteers revamped local job fairs through social media campaigns. In March, their efforts attracted over 80 employers offering more than 1,000 jobs, up from just five employers and a few job seekers in 2024.
“This is more than a job; it’s a calling,” she said.
Jobseekers exchange information on openings during a job fair in Urumqi, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, March 2, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Han)
ANSWERING THE CALL
Since 2003, the “Go West” program has offered 540,000 young Chinese a chance to spend a year or more volunteering in the country’s vast western regions, and around 55,000 participants have been recruited in Xinjiang, according to the Communist Youth League of China. The talent program aims to inject new ideas and vigor into the regions with huge development potential.
In 2024 alone, more than 11,900 young professionals joined the program in Xinjiang, according to the regional Communist Youth League Committee.
Like Huang, they have taught in classrooms near the Taklamakan Desert, helped rebuild rural infrastructure, supported poverty-alleviation projects, and upgraded power grids, leaving a lasting impact on communities while forging their own career paths.
Though often a challenging experience, individuals find profound sense of fulfillment in their service and express a willingness to extend their commitments. Data showed that since 2003, more than 15,000 people have opted to remain in Xinjiang after completing their volunteer service.
Wu Xiaofang, a 30-year-old power grid engineer, relocated to Xinjiang after earning her PhD from the prestigious Xi’an Jiaotong University in 2023. She now pioneers stability solutions for the West-to-East Power Transmission Project that leverages the region’s abundant wind and solar resources and its surplus power generation capacity. With transmission channels in place, Xinjiang can deliver excess clean electricity to other parts of China.
“Xinjiang’s power grid offers vast potential to apply my expertise where the nation needs it most,” said Wu. Her efforts, including breakthroughs in maintaining ultra-high-voltage lines amid extreme weather, earned her recognition in Xinjiang’s talent program, a regional top professional honor.
Workers perform installation work at the Barkol convertor station of the Hami-Chongqing ±800 kilovolt ultra-high voltage direct current (UHV DC) power transmission project in Hami, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, March 21, 2025. (Xinhua/Ding Lei)
Yan Luming, a Master’s student from the People’s Public Security University of China, has brought innovative anti-fraud awareness campaigns to the city of Kashgar through the “Go West” program.
Assigned to the anti-fraud center of the Kashgar public security bureau, she creates educational content featuring witty dialogue and relatable scenarios popular on social media platforms. Her videos have garnered up to 400,000 views per episode, helping prevent numerous potential scams.
Wei Tao, head of the organization department of Kuqa City, said that targeted recruitment of students, graduates, and volunteers assigned to grassroots roles has become a pivotal force in advancing local governance and development.
VAST OPPORTUNITIES
Xinjiang has rolled out enhanced talent policies and a 10-billion-yuan (around 1.4 billion U.S. dollars) talent development fund to address workforce demands in building its 10 major industrial clusters.
In January this year, for example, the region launched the PhD recruitment initiative, aiming to attract over 1,000 global doctoral experts, signalling intensified efforts to bridge expertise gaps.
“Xinjiang’s expansive airspace and industrial needs align with our research goals, allowing us to translate research achievements into tangible productivity,” said Fan Yaoyao, a mechanical engineering postdoctoral researcher who works at an intelligent equipment research institute in Xinjiang.
Volunteers Nurbiyem Japar (L) and Ruzikeri Musa (R) help a villager trim seabuckthorn branches in Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, April 14, 2025. (Xinhua/Gao Han)
In its latest recruitment drive this year, the “Go West” program attracted 410,000 applicants, with nearly 90,000 selecting Xinjiang as their first-choice destination.
Zhang Xin, a data communication graduate student at Tsinghua University, has chosen to temporarily suspend his postgraduate studies to pursue career opportunities in Xinjiang, drawn by the region’s burgeoning digital economy.
The student in his 20s from Hubei Province now works in Aksu Prefecture of Xinjiang, applying his expertise in talent recruitment and employment strategy optimization.
For Zhang, the turning point came during a 2022 internship in Xinjiang. “What struck me was the region’s vitality and untapped potential in information technology,” he said. “Unlike saturated first-tier job markets, Xinjiang offers a frontier where my data analytics skills can directly drive transformative projects.”
Zhang Xin (C), a volunteer working in Aksu Prefecture of Xinjiang, speaks during a volunteer recruiting event for the “Go West” program in north China’s Shanxi Province, April 18, 2025. (Xinhua)
Here, young professionals can accelerate both skill development and career progression while making substantive contributions through position-matched work, he added.
