Predatory fish that evolved into the first terrestrial animals on Earth are still revealing insights into the origins of mammals – including new research into the eating habits of lobe-finned fish which inhabited an ancient reef in Australia.
In new research in iScience journal, an international study led by Flinders University reveals new insights into the lives of 380-million-year-old lungfish after a high-tech examination of ‘remarkable’ well-preserved jawbones found in the remote Gogo fossil field in northern Western Australia.
The 3D finite element model (FEM) analysis of the strength and features of fossilised mandible bones was used to evaluate how multiple species co-existed in the tropical prehistoric ecosystem during the Devonian ‘Age of Fishes’.
Dr Alice Clement, corresponding author of the new study, says lungfish are ‘sister taxa’ to the tetrapods – or all four-limbed animals with a backbone, including humans – “which means they are our closest ‘fishy’ relatives”.
“They have an extensive fossil history stretching back over 400 million years and still with living representatives today and their phylogenetic proximity to tetrapods giving insight into our long distant ancestors who first made the move from water to land,” she says.
The exceptional Gogo Formation has so far yielded the greatest diversity of lungfishes known from any time or space – with 11 described showing a remarkable diversity of morphologies, particular relating to skull and jaw shape.
Now for the first time the different biomechanical function has been reconstructed – to highlight the diet and predatory powers of the mysterious fish.
“We’re slowly teasing apart the details of how the bodies and lifestyles of these animals changed, as they moved from being fish that lived in water, to becoming tetrapods that moved about on land,” says Dr Clement.
With Australian and overseas colleagues, the Flinders team included honours palaeontology researcher Joshua Bland, Dr Clement, Professor John Long and biomedical experts in the US including Dr Olga Panagiotopoulou.
“Our comprehensive dataset offers the most detailed quantification of biting performance in any fossil fish thus far, providing biomechanical evidence for diverse feeding adaptations and niche partitioning within Gogo lungfishes,” says Dr Panagiotopoulou, from Touro University California.
Based on CT scans of exceptionally-preserved 3D fossils, seven taxa were examined to quantify shape disparity, with FEM used on five which were preserved with associated crania and lower jaws.
“We were then able to model the stress and strain experienced by these lower jaws during biting,” she says
The 3D virtual models are all available via Morphosource.
Strategic Professor of Palaeontology John Long says the new study features important information about the specialised way ‘gracile’ or ‘robust’ morphology and dentition of their jawbones allowed these fascinating fish to hunt, bite and eat.
“The results were somewhat surprising, with some ‘robust’-looking lower jaws appearing to not be all that well suited to biting stress, and some of the more gracile or slender jaws appeared to be able to with strand stress and strain very well,” says Professor Long, who previously described the slender long-snouted Griphognathus whitei (or ‘duck-billed’ lungfish) from the Gogo Formation area.
“This diversity of biomechanical function seen in the Gogo lungfishes suggest that there was niche partitioning and tropic differentiation among lungfishes, possibly accounting for their incredibly high species diversity at this site.”
Primitive forms of placoderm and other fish were the dominant predators around the world for about 60 million years before becoming extinct. Some fossil samples of lobe-finned fish found 50-100 years ago can now be studied in more detail with new techniques such as FEM, which is often used in engineering research.
Lead author, Flinders Palaeontology Lab researcher Joshua Bland, adds: “The Late Devonian reefs of the Gogo Formation were a truly unique lungfish community with species possessing a whole host of different behaviours and abilities.
“To capture parts of that story, hidden in the bone, was extremely rewarding. It felt like we lifted the veil on some real functions behind the form. It was impressive to see the more complex morphology perform better in our tests,” he says.
The latest research article – ‘Comparison of diverse mandibular mechanics during biting in Devonian lungfishes’ (2025) by Joshua Bland (Flinders University), Hugo Dutel (University of Bristol & Université de Bordeaux), John A Long (Flinders), Matteo Fabbri (Center of Functional Anatomy and Evolution, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, US), Joseph Bevitt (Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering, ANSTO), Kate Trinajstic (Curtin University & WA Museum), Olga Panagiotopoulou (Touro University California) and Alice M Clement (Flinders) – has been published in iScience. DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2025.112970
This work was funded by the Australian Research Council grant DP 220100825.
Acknowledgements: Researchers thank the Gooniyandi Peoples, the local station managers of Gogo and Mt Pierre Stations, those who facilitated specimen and museum collection access and the facilities and the scientific and technical assistance from multiple organisations and individuals.
Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
July 08, 2025
WASHINGTON – In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today shared his condolences for the lives lost and those impacted by the flash floods that devastated Central Texas this past weekend and thanked the first responders and volunteers who have worked around the clock to save lives.
“I know I speak for millions of Americans when I say we are heartbroken over the flash floods that devastated Central Texas this past weekend. Early Friday morning, while most were fast asleep, a foot of rain fell onto Texas Hill Country. This deluge flowed into the Guadalupe River, causing it to rise by 26 feet in 45 minutes,” Durbin said. “Near the Guadalupe, a girl’s sleepaway camp, Camp Mystic, which had been there for 99 years, was all but destroyed by the floods. Already, Camp Mystic has confirmed that 27 of their campers and counselors died in that flood. I send my deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those campers and counselors.”
Durbin continued, “Tragically, the flooding in Texas continues to take lives. More than 100 people have perished, and that number is expected to grow, sadly, in the coming days. In the midst of this disaster, I am heartened by the kindness and courage shown by the first responders and volunteers. Twenty separate agencies, at every level of government, have come together to help save lives. At Camp Mystic, counselors, many of whom had just graduated from high school, risked their own lives to save younger campers. We will never forget their bravery.”
Durbin concluded, “This disaster has impacted people of both political [parties]—Republicans and Democrats and Independents as well… I would hope that the Senate and the House would stand together, Democrats and Republicans, and say we’re going to be there for the victims of this disaster. I pray that we find the missing loved ones and that we take the necessary steps to stop another tragedy like this from occurring.”
Video of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.
Audio of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.
Footage of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here for TV Stations.
Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
July 08, 2025
Durbin voted against final passage of the bill last week
WASHINGTON – In a speech on the Senate floor, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today slammed the Republicans’ so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which will slash Medicaid, Affordable Care Act, and Medicare coverage for 17 million Americans to provide massive tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires. During his speech, Durbin underscored the dangers of this Republican bill, which was signed into law by President Trump on the Fourth of July.
“Americans across this nation overwhelmingly opposed this bill—and for good reason. This bill signed by the President on the Fourth of July was the largest cut to health care and the largest cut to nutrition assistance in history, slashing more than $1 trillion from health care programs like Medicaid and $200 billion from SNAP. Seventeen million Americans will lose their health insurance, health insurance premiums will rise for another 20 million families, and three million people will have food taken off the table, including kids, seniors, and veterans… Why would the government do these things to so many innocent people? In this case, very simply, to give tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans and big corporations with the richest Americans seeing $400,000 back in their pockets every year because of this legislation,” said Durbin.
More than 300 rural hospitals may be forced to close because the Republican bill cripples the Medicaid program that keep our rural hospitals and their communities afloat. Illinois hospitals at risk of closing includes HSHS St. Francis Hospital in Litchfield, Illinois, where Medicaid pays for 53 percent of hospitalizations; St. Mary’s Hospital in Centralia, Illinois, where Medicaid pays for 42 percent of hospitalizations; and OSF St. Clare Hospital in Princeton, Illinois, where Medicaid covers 45 percent of hospitalizations.
Durbin continued, “Aside from hospitals, this bill will also have major consequences on American energy… This bill kills solar, wind, and EV tax credits enjoyed by companies and consumers alike, all but ceding the future of electricity to China and risking billions of dollars of investments in renewable energy, ironically mostly in Republican states. And while working families grapple with the consequences of these cuts, they’ll also see their family home expenses increase by $1,000 a year—utility bills are going up because of this bill.”
During his floor speech, Durbin highlighted a constituent, Isaiah Rogers, who will be impacted by the Republican bill. Isaiah is a 61-year-old man who was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. As a result of his diagnosis, he has not been able to return to his job trimming trees and has been working small side jobs. Medicaid pays for Isaiah’s doctors’ visits and insulin. A single father without a high school degree, he’s concerned the bill’s cuts and changes to Medicaid will result in him losing his health coverage.
Durbin continued, “And if Isaiah loses Medicaid, he’ll no longer be able to afford his insulin and other medications, and he may face a diabetic complication or even suffer a stroke. What would that mean for his 12-year-old son? It’s unconscionable to think the other party would pull-the-plug on life-saving health coverage and deny food from our most needy children—but that’s exactly what they voted for.”
Durbin then highlighted Democrats’ efforts to push back on the bill. Over the course of 27 hours, Senate Democrats forced votes on a slew of amendments to put Republicans on-notice and show their constituents how they’re betraying them. It was the longest vote-a-rama in Senate history.
“It [the amendments] included Republicans voting against: Nursing home care and home health aides, food assistance for children and veterans, protections for Medicaid, clean energy jobs… and an expansion of the Child Tax Credit… all to give billionaires another tax cut instead. In the end, three sensible Senate Republicans looked at this ugly betrayal of a bill and agreed that they couldn’t be part of the process. I commend them, but sadly, it wasn’t enough. And who swooped in to cast the decisive vote? Vice President Vance… This Vice President cast the deciding vote that will be painful for so many families across America.”
Durbin concluded, “As the effects of this bill take shape and slither their way through our communities, my Republican colleagues will have to look their constituents in the eye and explain their votes. They will have to explain to the farmer who now must drive 50 miles to the nearest hospital why they voted to shut his community’s hospital doors. They will have to explain to the grandmother in a nursing home why her care is being slimmed down because of cuts to Medicaid, and they will have to explain to the young mother who is preparing to have a baby why there is no longer a maternity ward in her county. This bill flies in the face of American values that we celebrate on the Fourth of July. The other party has a lot of explaining to do and the American people are going to face the consequences.”
The Joint Committee on Taxation estimates that Senate Republicans’ proposal will cost $4.45 trillion, but despite the price tag, the legislation primarily helps billionaires at the expense of American working families. In fact, this legislation provides a huge, permanent tax cut of nearly $350,000 for multimillionaires and billionaires while people earning $40,000 a year will see a comparatively meager average tax decrease of $442 per year.
Video of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.
Audio of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available here.
Footage of Durbin’s remarks on the Senate floor is available herefor TV Stations.
The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday cleared the way for Donald Trump’s administration to pursue mass government job cuts and the sweeping downsizing of numerous agencies, a decision that could lead to tens of thousands of layoffs while dramatically reshaping the federal bureaucracy.
Tuesday’s ruling stemmed from an executive order Trump issued in February ordering agencies to prepare for mass layoffs. At Trump’s direction, the administration has come up with plans to reduce staff at the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Health and Human Services, State, Treasury, Veterans Affairs and more than a dozen other agencies.
In a brief unsigned order, the court said the Trump administration was “likely to succeed” in its argument that his directives were legally within his power.
The decision is the latest win for Trump’s broader efforts to consolidate power in the executive branch. The Supreme Court has sided with Trump in several cases on an emergency basis since he returned to office in January, including clearing the way for implementation of some of his hardline immigration policies.
The Supreme Court’s decision on Tuesday lifted San Francisco-based U.S. District Judge Susan Illston’s order in May that temporarily blocked large-scale federal layoffs while the case proceeded.
Illston had ruled that Trump exceeded his authority in ordering the government downsizing without consulting Congress, which created and funded the agencies in question.
“As history demonstrates, the president may broadly restructure federal agencies only when authorized by Congress,” Illston wrote.
While Tuesday’s decision cleared one major legal obstacle for the White House, the court noted that it was not assessing the legality of any specific layoff plans at federal agencies.
Those layoff proposals, some of which were submitted earlier this year, could still face legal challenges on a variety of grounds, including union opposition, statutory restrictions and civil service protections.
The White House said in a statement that the decision is a “definitive victory for the president and his administration” that reinforced Trump’s authority to implement “efficiency across the federal government.”
However, two White House sources familiar with the matter, who asked to remain unidentified, said the ruling did not permit agencies to execute layoffs immediately. One of the sources said additional delays or legal hurdles “could alter the scope and timing of the cuts.”
A group of unions, nonprofits and local governments that sued to block the administration’s mass layoffs said the ruling “dealt a serious blow to our democracy and puts services that the American people rely on in grave jeopardy” and vowed to continue fighting as the case proceeds.
The plaintiffs had warned in court filings that Trump’s plans, if allowed to proceed, would result in hundreds of thousands of layoffs.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll in April found that Americans narrowly favored Trump’s campaign to downsize the federal government, with about 56% saying they supported the effort and 40% opposed. Their views broke down along party lines, with 89% of Republicans but just 26% of Democrats supportive.
Some agencies whose downsizing plans had been put on hold said they would resume advancing those efforts.
“We will continue to move forward with our historic reorganization plan,” the State Department, which has proposed laying off nearly 2,000 employees, said on X.
DOGE CUTS
Upon taking office in January, Trump launched a massive campaign to cut the 2.3-million strong federal civilian workforce, led by billionaire Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency.
Musk and his mostly young lieutenants immediately moved into key government agencies, fired workers, gained access to government computer systems and virtually shuttered two agencies – the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Trump and Musk said the bloated federal bureaucracy needed to be downsized. Federal workers’ unions and most Democrats say the cuts so far, and the plans for further mass layoffs, have been carried out haphazardly, leading to chaos inside many agencies and threatening important public services such as the processing of Social Security claims.
By late April, about 100 days into the effort, the government overhaul had resulted in the firing, resignations and early retirements of 260,000 civil servants, according to a Reuters tally.
Liberal Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was the sole member of the nine-person court to publicly dissent from Tuesday’s decision, criticizing the “court’s demonstrated enthusiasm for greenlighting this president’s legally dubious actions in an emergency posture.”
Tuesday’s decision extended Trump’s winning record at the Supreme Court since taking office. The court has let Trump’s administration resume deporting migrants to countries other than their own without offering them a chance to show the harms they could face and end temporary legal status previously granted on humanitarian grounds to hundreds of thousands of migrants.
In addition, it has allowed Trump to implement his ban on transgender people in the U.S. military, blocked a judge’s order that the administration rehire thousands of fired employees and curbed the power of federal judges to impose nationwide rulings impeding presidential policies.
Most of these decisions have been issued as emergency orders, known colloquially as the shadow docket, that respond to applications for immediate action from the court.
Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Samantha Chan, Immunology and Allergy Lead, Snow Centre for Immune Health, WEHI (Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research)
As the number of people with allergies grows worldwide, scientists are trying to work out precisely how and why these conditions – such as asthma and eczema – develop.
One long-standing idea is the “hygiene hypothesis”. This suggests our modern indoor lifestyles are to blame, as they limit our early exposure to germs and allergens which help train the immune system.
But growing evidence suggests having a pet may counter this effect. As any pet owner knows, our furry friends bring a lot of mess, germs and fur into our homes – along with the cuddles.
So, does spending time with animals lower children’s risk of allergies? Here’s what we know.
How allergies develop
During early childhood, our immune systems learn what to attack and what to ignore to stop us getting sick.
Evidence suggests early exposure – to family members, food, germs, dust, dirt, pollen and pet dander (skin flakes) – shapes this immune response.
Allergic conditions develop when the immune system overreacts to harmless substances, such as dust, pollen or certain foods. These reactions can affect the skin, airways and gut.
Dogs bring both love and mess – which might be just what a developing immune system needs. Samantha Chan/Author provided, CC BY-NC-ND
However, we still don’t fully understand why some people develop allergies while others don’t.
Scientists have identified genes linked to allergic conditions. But most have subtle effects on the immune system and act as “risk factors” – they increase the chance of disease but don’t cause it outright.
Recent research suggests exposure to bacteria in our environment could be another major factor.
From birth, our bodies are colonised by bacteria, especially in the gut. This community of microorganisms is known as the microbiome.
Ongoing “crosstalk” between the microbiome and immune system is crucial for healthy immune function. When this balance is disturbed, it can contribute to inflammation and disease.
The effect of our early environment
In the last few decades, studies of children raised on farms gave us some of the first clues that early environments can affect allergy risk.
Compared to children raised in cities, children on farms are less likely to have allergic conditions such as eczema and asthma. This is especially true of those in close contact with animals.
Notably, farm-raised children tend to develop a more diverse microbiome than children raised in urban environments. This may help make their immune system more tolerant to foreign substances (such as bacteria and dirt) and less likely to develop allergies.
However, across the world children are increasingly living in urban areas.
This means a pet may be the closest contact they have with animals. So, does this still lower their risk of developing allergies?
Some studies indicate children with pets may be less likely to have allergies.
However this evidence hasn’t always been easy to interpret.
It can be difficult to tell whether lower allergy rates are due to the pets themselves or other factors, such as location, lifestyle or a family history of allergies.
A review of results from 23 studies found children exposed to dogs early in life were significantly less likely to develop eczema.
Another 2025 study analysed genetic data from more than 270,000 people. It found a gene linked to eczema only increased risk of eczema in children who hadn’t been exposed to dogs.
This suggests early dog exposure may help protect children who are genetically more likely to develop eczema.
What about asthma?
When it comes to asthma, the story gets trickier.
One 2001 study followed more than 1,000 children in the United States from birth to age 13. It found those living with dogs indoors were less likely to develop frequent wheezing – a common asthma symptom – but only if they didn’t have a family history of asthma.
A Korean study from 2021 found those who had dogs during childhood were less likely to develop allergies. But they had a slightly higher risk of non-allergic wheeze — a type of breathing difficulty usually caused by airway irritation or infections (not allergens).
This suggests while growing up with a dog may protect against allergic conditions, such as asthma, it may increase the chance of certain non-allergic respiratory symptoms.
What about cats?
It’s challenging to tease apart the specific effects of cats versus dogs, since many early studies grouped all furry pets together.
But in studies that have looked at them separately, living with cats didn’t seem to reduce allergy risk.
One potential reason is cats and dogs carry very different microbes, which may influence how they shape the household environment.
If you’re already thinking about getting a dog, there’s decent evidence early exposure could reduce your child’s risk of eczema, and possibly other allergic conditions too.
It’s not a guarantee, but a potential bonus – alongside companionship, joy and never having to worry about what to do with leftovers.
And if a dog’s not on the cards, don’t worry. Spending time outdoors, encouraging messy play, and avoiding overuse of disinfectants can all help build a more resilient immune response.
Samantha Chan has served on advisory boards for CSL Behring. She is in receipt of funding from the Allergy and Immunology Foundation Australia and Walter & Eliza Hall Institute. She is affiliated with the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology and European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. She is a physician for the Snow Centre for Immune Health, funded by the Snow Medical Research Foundation.
In the past five years, Jo Douglass has served on advisory boards, provided advice or undertaken presentations on behalf of Astra-Zeneca P/L, GSK, CSL, Stallergenes, Immunosis P/L , Novartis and Sanofi. She is in receipt of funding from the Medical Research Future Fund for studies in allergic asthma. She is a clinical co-director of the Snow Centre for Immune Health, funded by the Snow Medical Research Foundation.
Hundreds of years ago, it was common for married couples among the European upper classes to have separate bedrooms. Sleeping separately was a symbol of luxury and status historically reserved for royalty and the very wealthy.
Nowadays, it’s common for married couples and other couples in relationships to sleep in the same bed. But sometimes – for reasons from conflicting schedules to snoring to sleep talking – couples might choose to sleep separately in pursuit of a better night’s sleep.
This is known as “sleep divorce”. Though I prefer the term “sleep separation”, as this doesn’t have to be a permanent arrangement – but more on that later.
So why might couples choose to sleep separately? And what does the evidence say about the effects on sleep quality if you sleep alone versus with a partner?
Why do couples opt for a sleep separation?
Couples may choose to sleep apart if one partner’s sleep is disturbing the other’s, or both are disrupting one another. This can happen for a variety of reasons.
These include waking up frequently in the night, mismatched body clocks (for example, one person coming to bed later than the other), conflicting schedules (for example, shift workers), snoring, twitching legs or sleep talking.
Parents with babies and young children may choose to sleep separately to avoid both partners’ sleep being disturbed.
Those with conflicting preferences for sleeping environments, such as one partner liking a cool room with a fan and the other preferring warmth, may also decide to sleep apart.
What are the benefits of sleeping alone?
Many couples say they prefer to sleep – and sleep better – next to their partner.
But when scientists measure sleep objectively, such as via an electroencephalogram (EEG) to assess brain waves, the data actually shows poorer sleep quality when co-sleeping. So sleeping alone may, in fact, mean better quality and longer sleep.
Research also shows when one member of the couple has a sleep disorder, such as insomnia or sleep apnoea (where breathing is frequently interrupted during sleep), these people often inadvertently wake up their partnerwhen they wake in the night. So sleeping alone could be a good idea if your bed partner has a sleep disorder.
Finally, anyone who has struggled with their sleep will know anxiety around sleep is common. Many clients I have seen who experience insomnia report sleeping alone can alleviate some of their anxiety because at least they know they won’t disturb, or be disturbed by, their partner.
Are there any downsides to separate sleeping arrangements?
Some people dislike sleeping alone, reporting comfort, and feelings of safety and protection when sleeping alongside their partner – and loneliness when they don’t.
Sleeping separately also requires two rooms, or at least two beds. Many couples may not have these options available to them in their home.
Sleeping separately is often stigmatised, with some people seeing it as the death of a couple’s sex life. But while sleeping in separate beds may provide fewer opportunities for sex, this doesn’t necessarily mean the end of intimacy.
Sleeping apart could mean some couples actually have more sex. We know better sleep is linked to more positive feelings about relationships, so it’s possible the desire to be intimate could increase after a good night’s sleep in separate beds. Sleeping apart may even mean some couples have more energy to be intimate.
Nonetheless, if you choose to sleep separately from your partner, it’s important to have an open discussion and prioritise opportunities for connection and intimacy. One client I worked with referred to “visiting rights” where her partner came into her bed for a short period before sleep or in the morning.
Who should potentially consider a sleep separation?
You may wish to think about a “sleep separation” if you are disturbing each other’s sleep, have young children, or have different preferences in terms of temperature, light and noise, which are causing issues.
Ultimately, if sleeping in the same bed is leading to poor sleep then sleeping apart, if it’s possible, could help.
If you can’t sleep separately there may be other ways to reduce disturbance from a partner such as using an eye mask, white noise or earplugs.
If you decide to try a sleep separation, remember this can be a flexible arrangement or “re-set” and doesn’t have to be permanent, or every night. Some couples find sleeping separately during the working week but sharing a bed on the weekend works well for them.
Lastly, it’s important to talk to your GP about any persistent sleep problems, such as snoring, insomnia, or unusual behaviour during sleep (for example, shouting or walking around), as there may be an underlying sleep disorder which needs treating.
Alix Mellor works for the Monash University Healthy Sleep Clinic at the Turner Clinics as a provisional psychologist.
Imagine your friend hasn’t replied to a message in a few hours. Most people might think, “they are probably just busy”.
But someone with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) might spiral into a flood of thoughts like, “they must hate me!” or “I’ve ruined the friendship!”
These intense emotional reactions to real or imagined rejection are part of what’s called rejection sensitive dysphoria.
The term isn’t a formal diagnosis, but it’s gaining traction in both research and clinical work, especially among adults seeking to understand themselves better.
So, what is rejection sensitive dysphoria, how does it relate to ADHD, and how can we handle it with more compassion?
It’s more than just disliking criticism
Everyone feels hurt when they’re criticised or left out. But rejection sensitivity dysphoria isn’t just about “not liking” feedback. The word dysphoria refers to intense emotional distress.
People with rejection sensitivity dysphoria describe overwhelming reactions to perceived rejection, even if no one actually said or did anything cruel.
A passing comment such as “I thought you were going to do it this way” can trigger feelings of shame, embarrassment or self-doubt.
The emotional pain often feels immediate and consuming, leading some people to withdraw, over-apologise or lash out to protect themselves.
The ADHD brain and emotional hypersensitivity
ADHD is often associated with attention or impulsivity, but one major (and often overlooked) component is emotional dysregulation: difficulty managing and recovering from strong emotional responses.
This isn’t a character flaw; it’s a neurological difference. Brain imaging studies show people with ADHD tend to have differences in how their amygdala (the brain’s emotional alarm system) and prefrontal cortex (which regulates impulses and emotions) work together.
The amygdala is the brain’s emotional alarm system. The prefrontal cortex regulates emotions. chaiyo12/Shutterstock
The result? Emotional experiences hit harder and take longer to settle.
A 2018 study highlights this imbalance in emotional control circuits in people with ADHD, explaining why intense feelings can seem to “take over” before logical thinking kicks in.
What does the research say?
Recent research from 2024 reports a strong link between ADHD symptoms and rejection sensitivity. It found students with higher ADHD symptom levels also reported significantly more rejection sensitivity, including a heightened fear of being negatively evaluated or criticised.
Further evidence comes from a 2018 study which showed adolescents with ADHD symptoms were far more sensitive to peer feedback than their peers. Their brain activity revealed they were more emotionally reactive to both praise and criticism, suggesting they may perceive neutral social cues as emotionally charged.
This reflects what I see daily in my clinic. One 13-year-old boy I work with is creative, empathetic and full of potential, yet social anxiety tied to a deep fear of rejection often holds him back. He once told me, “if I say no, they won’t like me anymore”. That fear drives him to go along with things he later regrets, simply to keep the peace and avoid losing connection.
This constant social hypervigilance is mentally draining. Without support, it can spiral into shame, low confidence and ongoing mental health struggles.
Adults with ADHD aren’t immune either. A 2022 study explored how adults with ADHD experience criticism and found many linked it to persistent feelings of failure, low self-worth and emotional reactivity – even when the criticism was constructive or mild.
One client I support – a high-achieving professional diagnosed in her 50s – described learning about rejection sensitive dysphoria as “finding the missing piece of the puzzle”.
Despite consistently excelling in every role, she had long felt anxious about how she was perceived by colleagues. When she received a minor, formal complaint at work, she spiralled into intense self-doubt and shame.
Instead of brushing it off, she thought: “I’m too much”. This belief
had been silently reinforced for years by her emotional sensitivity to feedback.
What helps?
If you experience rejection sensitivity dysphoria, you’re not alone, and you’re not broken.
Here are some tools that may help:
name it. Saying to yourself, “This feels like rejection sensitivity,” can give you distance from the emotional flood
pause before reacting. Taking slow breaths, counting backwards, or stepping outside are simple grounding strategies that help calm the body’s stress response and restore balance to your nervous system. Research shows slowing your breath and grounding your senses can help shift your body out of fight-or-flight mode, supporting clearer thinking and emotional regulation
challenge the story. Ask yourself, “What else could be true?” or “How would I speak to a friend feeling this way?”
consider therapy. Working with a psychologist who understands ADHD and rejection sensitivity dysphoria can help untangle these reactions and develop healthy, self-compassionate responses. The Australian Psychological Society has a Find a Psychologist service: you can search by location, areas of expertise (such as anxiety, ADHD, trauma) and the type of therapy you’re interested in
start early with kids. Helping children with ADHD learn emotional language, boundary-setting and resilience can prevent rejection sensitivity from becoming overwhelming. For parents, resources such as Raising Children Network and books like The Whole-Brain Child by Daniel Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson offer practical ways to teach these skills at home
communicate gently. If you work or live with someone who has ADHD, try to give feedback clearly and kindly. Avoid sarcasm or vague phrasing. A little extra clarity can go a long way.
Rejection sensitivity dysphoria isn’t about being fragile or “weak”. It’s about how the ADHD brain processes emotional and social cues. With insight, tools and support, these experiences can become manageable.
Victoria Barclay-Timmis is a clinical psychologist and works in private practice.
To love and be loved is something most people want in their lives.
In the modern world, we often see stories about the difficulties of finding love and the trials of dating and marriage. Sometimes, the person we love doesn’t love us. Sometimes, we don’t love the person who loves us.
Ancient Greeks and Romans also had a lot to say about this subject. In fact, most of the issues people face today in their search for love are already mentioned in ancient Greek and Roman literature.
So, what did they say? And is the advice they put forward still relevant for modern people?
Advice for finding a lover
The Roman poet Ovid (43BCE–17CE) wrote a poem called The Art of Love (Ars Amatoria). In it, he offered advice for those who are still single.
First, Ovid says, you should make an effort to find someone you’re interested in. Your lover “will not come floating down to you through the tenuous air, she must be sought”.
As suitable places to find a lover, Ovid recommends walking in porticos and gardens, attending the theatre, or (surprisingly enough) lingering near law courts.
You need to catch someone’s eye and then invent an excuse to talk with them, he says.
Seek your lover in the daytime, says Ovid. Be careful of the night. You won’t choose the right person if you’re drunk. And you can’t see their face properly if it’s too dark – they might be uglier than you think.
Second, Ovid says you need to look presentable. Make sure your clothes are clean and you have a good haircut. Moreover, keep yourself groomed properly at all times:
Do not let your nails project, and let them be free of dirt; nor let any hair be in the hollow of your nostrils. Let not the breath of your mouth be sour and unpleasing.
Ovid’s The Art of Love may be regarded as a kind of love manual. But aside from making personal efforts to find a lover, people could also use matchmakers.
However, matchmaking was a difficult process. Sometimes matchmakers didn’t tell the truth about the situations of the parties involved. So the Athenian writer Xenophon (430–353 BCE) says people were sometimes “victims of deception” in the matchmaking process.
What if you’re not in love?
The ancients recognised that not being in love can be a problem. They thought it bad for your mental and physical health, but also for society more broadly.
For example, the Roman writer Claudius Aelian (2nd–3rd century CE) in his Historical Miscellany says soldiers who are in love will fight better than soldiers who are not in love:
In the heat of battle when war brings men into combat, a man who is not in love could not match one who is. The man untouched by love avoids and runs away from the man who loves, as if he were an outsider uninitiated into the god’s rites, and his bravery depends on his character and physical strength.
According to Aelian, the Spartans had a punishment for men who did not fall in love:
Any man of good appearance and character who did not fall in love with someone well-bred was also fined, because despite his excellence he did not love anyone […] lovers’ affection for their beloved has a remarkable power of stimulating the virtues.
So, when two people are in love, they can inspire each other and bring out the best in one another. Being in love can help a person become better and achieve more.
Fighting for and keeping a lover
If we are lucky, the person we love will also love us back, and we won’t have any love rivals.
But what happens when the person we love is also loved by someone else? We may need to put in more effort to win the affection of that person, but sometimes this brings us into conflicts.
For example, the Roman orator and politician Marcus Tullius Cicero (106–43 BCE), in his On the Orator, tells how Gaius Memmius, Roman tribune of the year 111 BCE, apparently took a bite out of his love rival’s arm, “when he had a quarrel with him at Tarracina over a girlfriend”.
Some ways to keep one’s lover interested that are mentioned in ancient sources include showing off one’s wealth.
For example, in one of the plays of the poet Alexis (375–275 BCE) a young man who is in love puts on a large banquet to impress his girlfriend with a display of wealth. Engagements were at that time sometimes cancelled if it turned out the husband was too poor.
Of course, things did not always work out, and people had grievances against former lovers. One particularly famous invective was from the poet Martial (38–104 CE) to a woman called Manneia:
Manneia, your little dog licks your face and lips. Small wonder that a dog likes eating dung!
Timeless concerns
Today, we often see debates about whether it’s better to stay single or get into a relationship.
The same goes for antiquity. In the 4th-century BCE play Arrephoros or The Pipe Girl by poet Menander, one character says:
If you’ve got any sense, you won’t get married […] I’m married myself – which is why I’m advising you not to do it.
Others lamented that they missed their opportunity for love. So the poet Pindar (6th–5th century BCE) wrote a poem regretting that he could not make the much younger Theoxenus his boyfriend:
You should have picked love’s flowers at the right time, my heart, when you were young. But as for the sparkling rays from Theoxenus’ eyes, whoever looks on them and is not roiled with longing has a black heart forged with cold fire out of steel or iron.
Clearly, finding a lover was as difficult then as it is now.
Konstantine Panegyres 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.
Reunited twins Esther (left) and ShuangjieBarbara Demick
At the end of a long road trip through rural China in 2009, American journalist Barbara Demick had an encounter that would change the course of her life. In the previous days, she had interviewed several parents whose children had been forcibly removed from them by government officials. Demick suspected there may be a link between the missing children and China’s booming international adoption industry.
She had enough for her story, but some instinct compelled her to follow the next lead to remote Gaofeng Village, high in the mountains of Hunan Province.
Her driver could only take her so far. The dirt road ended at a stream, where she was met by local woman Zanhua Zeng and her daughter Shuangjie. They guided her across a makeshift bridge and into the village where “everything was in the process of falling down or going up”.
Zanhua Zeng and daughter Shuangjie, meeting Barbara Demick in a moment that would change all their lives. Barbara Demick
There, she learnt about two-year-old Fangfang, daughter of Zanhua and twin sister of Shuangjie, violently taken from her aunt’s care in 2002. Government officials had told the family they were in breach of China’s One Child Policy and were not allowed to keep the baby. They had no idea what had happened to their daughter and sister.
Zanhua’s parting words were: “Come back again and next time bring my daughter.”
Review: Daughters of the Bamboo Grove: From China to America, A True Story of Abduction, Adoption, and Separated Twins – Barbara Demick (Text)
Extraordinary consequences
At the time, Demick had no premonition of the significance the Zeng family and their story would play in her life – and those of many others. But in writing a front-page report for the Los Angeles Times about the links between China’s stolen children and international adoptions, including a small piece about the missing twin Fangfang, she started a chain of events with extraordinary consequences.
Fangfang (renamed Esther), in the referral photo supplied by the orphanage.
For Zanhua and Shuangjie, it would eventually lead to a reunion with Fangfang, accompanied by Demick, who helped organise it. She was to develop an enduring connection with the family – and with Fangfang’s adoptive American family, too.
Daughters of the Bamboo Grove does what the best stories do: humanises a big issue. In this case, China’s one child policy and the international adoption industry it created.
Demick’s book is a story of China, and of incomprehensible government control. But as told through this case of the separated twins, it’s also a story of family, identity, loss and resilience.
It’s personal and moving, but also thoroughly researched, strengthened with compelling and confronting statistics and anecdotes.
The twins’ meeting as young women was documented by Barbara Demick for the Los Angeles Times.
Demick outlines the population growth that led to the introduction of the One Child Policy in 1979 and the rise of the State Family Planning Commission, set up to enforce the law limiting most Chinese families to one child.
“Family Planning morphed into a monstrous organization that dwarfed the police and military in manpower,” she writes. “By the 1990s, it was estimated that eighty-three million Chinese worked at least part-time for Family Planning.” (By comparison, China’s combined armed forces were estimated to number roughly three million at the time.)
The organisation was “intrusive in the extreme”, with female workers having to report when they had their periods and, in some cases, show their blood-stained sanitary pads. After giving birth to their first child, women were forced to have an IUD or were sterilised.
People who violated the law received fines of two to six times their annual income. If violators were civil servants, they could lose their jobs. In rural areas, where people were less reliant on government jobs, the policy was implemented with “brute force”.
People were beaten. Sometimes their homes were demolished or set on fire. “If you violate the policy, your family will be destroyed,” read a sign on a wall not far from the Zeng’s home. Family Planning officials regularly checked even the most remote villages, sometimes tipped off by neighbours.
If a woman was discovered to be pregnant after having a child, she would be forced to undergo an abortion. The methods were “crude, often barbaric,” Demick writes. “Doctors would sometimes induce labor and then kill the baby with an injection of formaldehyde into the cranium before the feet emerged.”
Although Chinese people, particularly those from rural communities, often wanted to have bigger families, they had no power to fight the authorities. Those who tried to quietly subvert the system were ruthlessly punished.
These practices were so common, they were generally accepted. But when government officials started to take babies from families who had defied the policy, resistance grew. Other families started reporting cases like what had happened to Fangfang. Family Planning had forcibly removed children, refusing to provide any details about their whereabouts.
Officials miscalculated in 2005 when they dared to take a boy, Demick writes. He lived in a town, attended school and was not as poor as some of the other affected families. The school made a complaint, which was supported by a local politician. The boy was returned to his family after 29 days.
Hearing about this case emboldened other families to mobilise and fight back. These were among the first families Demick met when she travelled to cover the story of the missing children in 2009.
Child trafficking by ‘good Samaritans’
In the meantime, news was starting to emerge about the child trafficking of children through Chinese orphanages, with “good Samaritans” who “rescued” babies being paid increasingly large amounts of money. “The orphanages were competing with one another to procure babies,” Demick writes.
Chinese babies were in high demand for international adoption, and it had become a lucrative business. One Hunan orphanage director later told police they started a service to allow foreigners to adopt babies in 2001; they were charged a US$3,000 cash donation per baby. In some cases, the babies genuinely needed homes and families, Demick writes, but the payment was “in effect a bounty that incentivised a wave of kidnapping of female babies and toddlers”.
Shaoyang Social Welfare Institute, where Esther spent the last six months of her life in China. Barbara Demick
It gradually became clear that many of the children removed by Family Planning officials were among the wave of Chinese babies and toddlers adopted by families from other countries, all of whom paid significant fees to do so, as well as donating to the orphanages. It was later revealed that orphanages routinely fabricated information about how and where the babies had been reportedly left.
By the time Demick’s reports were published in 2009, nearly 100,000 babies had been sent out of China, more than half to the US. The worldwide number would reach 160,000 by 2024, when China ended its international adoption program.
Demick’s story about stolen babies, plus other reports from within China and elsewhere, stunned the international adoption community and parents of Chinese adoptees around the world. Until then, China was perceived to be the most ethical choice for international adoption. For adoptive parents who now feared their adopted children could be taken from them, the revelations were terrifying, Demick says.
Marsha and Esther (background) in their Texas kitchen. Barbara Demick
One of these parents was a Texan women named Marsha. She and her husband Al had adopted two Chinese girls: Victoria in 1999 and Esther in 2002. Through developing connections among families who had adopted from China, Demick came across Marsha – and realised Esther may be Fangfang: the missing twin.
She was correct. However, the story was far from resolved, which explains, in part, why Demick had plenty of material for her book.
Reporter as dogged detective
Daughters of the Bamboo Grove is a testament to dogged reporting. Demick’s skills as a researcher, interviewer – and effectively, a detective – imbue the book with substance and credibility.
She handles difficult subject matter sensitively, portraying the Zeng family in China and adoptive mother Marsha in the US with empathy. She acknowledges the challenges they faced and recognises their devotion to their children.
Her descriptions of the twin sisters, Shuangjie and Esther, are perceptive and gentle. Restraint is a powerful writing tool and Demick uses it here to great effect.
This is the moment where the twins first meet, outside the Zeng family home in China:
When everybody was out of the van, the two of them stood next to each other, side by side, facing the photographer. Nobody embraced. Nobody spoke. I imagined the twins as bride and groom in an arranged marriage, meeting for the first time, willing to pose for the photographer but not yet able to engage in conversation.
Twins Esther (left) and Shaungjie, separated most of their lives, meet for the first time since babyhood. Barbara Demick
Demick came to this story with the perspectives and limitations of an American journalist, but has gone to remarkable lengths to hear and convey the voices of Chinese people impacted by the One Child Policy.
At the same time, she challenges Western paternalistic ideas around adoption, questioning the view expressed by many she encounters that the Chinese children adopted by Westerners were lucky, guaranteed to have better lives elsewhere.
China’s One Child Policy was not formally abolished until 2015. In its 35 years, it did almost unimaginable damage, concludes Demick:
the policy shattered marriages, led to the deaths of countless children and suicides of parents, and left China with a population expected to continue declining into the next century. It was all encompassing, leaving almost everyone a victim or perpetrator or both.
For the hundreds of thousands of children sent out of China during this period, the legacy of One Child endures. As Demick writes, they are
citizens of their adopted countries but tethered by blood to another family and country they struggle to comprehend. Living in this in-between space between worlds.
In dedicating Daughters of the Bamboo Grove to Chinese adoptees around the world, Demick says she hopes in some small way it helps them to understand where they came from, and how they got to where they are today.
Kathryn Shine 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.
As tools such as ChatGPT, Copilot and other generative artificial intelligence (AI) systems become part of everyday workflows, more companies are looking for employees who can answer “yes” to this question. In other words, people who can prompt effectively, think with AI, and use it to boost productivity.
In fact, in a growing number of roles, being “AI fluent” is quickly becoming as important as being proficient in office software once was.
But we’ve all had that moment when we’ve asked an AI chatbot a question and received what feels like the most generic, surface level answer. The problem isn’t the AI – you just haven’t given it enough to work with.
Think of it this way. During training, the AI will have “read” virtually everything on the internet. But because it makes predictions, it will give you the most probable, most common response. Without specific guidance, it’s like walking into a restaurant and asking for something good. You’ll likely get the chicken.
Your solution lies in understanding that AI systems excel at adapting to context, but you have to provide it. So how exactly do you do that?
Crafting better prompts
You may have heard the term “prompt engineering”. It might sound like you need to design some kind of technical script to get results.
To get the most out of your AI conversations, it’s important that you convey a few basics about what you want, and how you want it. Our approach follows the acronym CATS – context, angle, task and style.
Context means providing the setting and background information the AI needs. Instead of asking “How do I write a proposal?” try “I’m a nonprofit director writing a grant proposal to a foundation that funds environmental education programs for urban schools”. Upload relevant documents, explain your constraints, and describe your specific situation.
Angle (or attitude) leverages AI’s strength in role-playing and perspective-taking. Rather than getting a neutral response, specify the attitude you want. For example, “Act as a critical peer reviewer and identify weaknesses in my argument” or “Take the perspective of a supportive mentor helping me improve this draft”.
Task is specifically about what you actually want the AI to do. “Help me with my presentation” is vague. But “Give me three ways to make my opening slide more engaging for an audience of small business owners” is actionable.
Style harnesses AI’s ability to adapt to different formats and audiences. Specify whether you want a formal report, a casual email, bullet points for executives, or an explanation suitable for teenagers. Tell the AI what voice you want to use – for example, a formal academic style, technical, engaging or conversational.
In a growing number of roles, being able to use AI is quickly becoming as important as being proficient in office software once was. Shutterstock
Context is everything
Besides crafting a clear, effective prompt, you can also focus on managing the surrounding information – that is to say on “context engineering”. Context engineering refers to everything that surrounds the prompt.
That means thinking about the environment and information the AI has access to: its memory function, instructions leading up to the task, prior conversation history, documents you upload, or examples of what good output looks like.
You should think about prompting as a conversation. If you’re not happy with the first response, push for more, ask for changes, or provide more clarifying information.
Don’t expect the AI to give a ready-made response. Instead, use it to trigger your own thinking. If you feel the AI has produced a lot of good material but you get stuck, copy the best parts into a fresh session and ask it to summarise and continue from there.
Always retain your professional distance and remind yourself that you are the only thinking part in this relationship. And always make sure to check the accuracy of anything an AI produces – errors are increasingly common.
AI systems are remarkably capable, but they need you – and human intelligence – to bridge the gap between their vast generic knowledge and your particular situation. Give them enough context to work with, and they might surprise you with how helpful they can be.
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.
In June, a Traditional Owner cultural burn took place at Ryans Lagoon, 20 minutes outside of Wodonga on Duduroa Country.
The burn, undertaken by Duduroa Dhargal Aboriginal Corporation (DDAC) and supported by both CFA and Forest Fire Management Victoria (FFMVic), was part of an ongoing project to restore Country at the wetland site.
CFA Cultural Heritage Advisor, Michael Sherwen, oversaw the burn for CFA alongside his Vegetation Management team members.
“The wetland has been quite degraded with weeds and biomass accumulation over time. So, the objective of the burn was to reduce that mass and give opportunities for native species to come through.” Michael said.
The restoration of Ryans Lagoon is part of a bigger body of work being done by CFA through the Safer Together approach, which facilitates greater engagement with Traditional Owners.
“It’s been a great opportunity to work collaboratively with the Fire Management sector. But more importantly, working at that grassroots level and enabling Traditional Owners and custodians to apply fire to Country,” Michael said.
“That’s the most important outcome, is having that bottom-up approach.”
Beau Murray, a Water Officer at DDAC, spoke about the impact of the partnership.
“Having the Aunt and Uncles partner with CFA and FFMVic for so long, it’s been a really positive partnership. To have their support with cultural burns, it just works really well.” Beau said.
The recent burn is the third that DDAC have carried out at Ryans Lagoon, and the positive impacts of traditional land management are already prominent.
“It’s been turned from what was previously just a cow paddock into the reserve that it is now. To see that the site is being looked after, after being degraded for so long, it’s really great,” Beau said.
Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee today announced further steps in the Government’s overhaul of the AML/CFT regime, strengthening efforts to combat serious financial crime.
“This Government is serious about targeting criminals, not tying up legitimate businesses in unnecessary red tape,” Mrs McKee says.
“Cabinet has agreed to introduce a bill to strengthen enforcement powers for Police and regulators to crack down on those involved in money laundering.
“It will also establish a new financial sanctions supervisory regime and initiate engagement on a sustainable levy to fund AML/CFT system improvements.
“The new approach will deliver more clarity and consistency for businesses while maintaining a strong focus on preventing criminal misuse of the financial system.
“An upper limit will be set on how much cash can be transferred internationally ($5,000 per transfer), reducing the ability of the criminal organisation to move its funds offshore.
“We will also make it more difficult for criminals to convert cash to high-risk assets such as crypto currencies by banning crypto ATMs.
“We will also enable the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) to order banks and other businesses subject to the AML/CFT Act to provide ongoing relevant information on persons of interest. The FIU will also be able to order the production of important contextual information other businesses on the financial activities of persons of interest. This will enable the more effective development of the financial intelligence needed to bring the criminals to justice.
“Since 2019, the global financial and regulatory landscape has shifted significantly. We need a smarter, more agile AML/CFT system – one that targets criminals ability to launder money, while enabling New Zealand businesses to operate efficiently and competitively.
“Already, progress is being made. Two amendment bills currently before Parliament will remove some of the most burdensome compliance requirements, delivering practical relief for businesses by the end of the year.
“I have also this week announced plans to remove address verification requirements for many lower-risk customers and relax due diligence requirements for lower-risk trusts.
“This means businesses can focus their time and resources where the real risks lie, rather than being stuck chasing paperwork from low-risk clients.
“These are the types of issues businesses have raised with us, and we’re acting. This is not about dropping standards, it’s about applying them intelligently.
“We want New Zealand to be one of the easiest places in the world to do legitimate business and one of the hardest for criminals to hide. By cutting unnecessary red tape, we’re giving honest businesses room to grow, while sharpening our focus on serious threats,” Mrs McKee says.
Targeted consultation with industry and stakeholders will begin shortly to inform the new national strategy and levy framework.
Associate Justice Minister Nicole McKee today announced further steps in the Government’s overhaul of the AML/CFT regime, strengthening efforts to combat serious financial crime.
“This Government is serious about targeting criminals, not tying up legitimate businesses in unnecessary red tape,” Mrs McKee says.
“Cabinet has agreed to introduce a bill to strengthen enforcement powers for Police and regulators to crack down on those involved in money laundering.
“It will also establish a new financial sanctions supervisory regime and initiate engagement on a sustainable levy to fund AML/CFT system improvements.
“The new approach will deliver more clarity and consistency for businesses while maintaining a strong focus on preventing criminal misuse of the financial system.
“An upper limit will be set on how much cash can be transferred internationally ($5,000 per transfer), reducing the ability of the criminal organisation to move its funds offshore.
“We will also make it more difficult for criminals to convert cash to high-risk assets such as crypto currencies by banning crypto ATMs.
“We will also enable the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) to order banks and other businesses subject to the AML/CFT Act to provide ongoing relevant information on persons of interest. The FIU will also be able to order the production of important contextual information other businesses on the financial activities of persons of interest. This will enable the more effective development of the financial intelligence needed to bring the criminals to justice.
“Since 2019, the global financial and regulatory landscape has shifted significantly. We need a smarter, more agile AML/CFT system – one that targets criminals ability to launder money, while enabling New Zealand businesses to operate efficiently and competitively.
“Already, progress is being made. Two amendment bills currently before Parliament will remove some of the most burdensome compliance requirements, delivering practical relief for businesses by the end of the year.
“I have also this week announced plans to remove address verification requirements for many lower-risk customers and relax due diligence requirements for lower-risk trusts.
“This means businesses can focus their time and resources where the real risks lie, rather than being stuck chasing paperwork from low-risk clients.
“These are the types of issues businesses have raised with us, and we’re acting. This is not about dropping standards, it’s about applying them intelligently.
“We want New Zealand to be one of the easiest places in the world to do legitimate business and one of the hardest for criminals to hide. By cutting unnecessary red tape, we’re giving honest businesses room to grow, while sharpening our focus on serious threats,” Mrs McKee says.
Targeted consultation with industry and stakeholders will begin shortly to inform the new national strategy and levy framework.
LIMASSOL, Cyprus, July 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — WeTrade Group, a leading global financial broker, has achieved a significant milestone by securing a licence from the ASIC for its Australian entity, WeTrade Capital (Australia) Pty Ltd (Licence No. 544624). This licence is a key part of WeTrade’s plan to grow in Asia-Pacific and operate with strong regulatory oversight.
Trusted Trading, Backed by Australian Regulation
The ASIC licence enables WeTrade to provide regulated financial services in Australia, one of the world’s most respected and well-regulated financial markets. This move follows WeTrade’s recent expansion into Europe and demonstrates the company’s ongoing commitment to delivering secure and transparent trading experiences globally.
A Word from WeTrade’s CEO: Why This Matters
“We are proud to add another prestigious licence to our growing global portfolio. Securing the ASIC licence not only reinforces our reputation as a trusted, multi-asset broker, but also enables us to offer enhanced protection and regulated financial services to more clients worldwide,” said George Miltiadou, CEO of WeTrade.
For clients, this matters because regulation by ASIC, one of the world’s most respected financial authorities, means greater trust and accountability. It assures traders that WeTrade operates under strict Australian financial laws, with transparent practices and strong safeguards in place to protect client funds.
In an industry where trust is everything, being regulated helps clients trade with greater confidence, knowing they are working with a broker that meets the highest standards of compliance and integrity.
In Trust We Trade – Strengthening Global Presence
This latest authorisation expands WeTrade’s international regulatory footprint and positions the Group to pursue new opportunities in Australia and surrounding markets. It also underscores the Group’s focus on operating under the supervision of respected regulatory bodies around the world.
As WeTrade expands its global reach, the focus remains clear: build a safer, more transparent, and more rewarding trading experience for clients everywhere.
About WeTrade
WeTrade is a globally recognised financial broker, founded in 2015, offering innovative online trading services across a diverse range of CFD instruments. Known for its strong client protection, ultra-low spreads, and award-winning loyalty programs, WeTrade is dedicated to making trading both successful and rewarding.
Disclaimer: This press release is provided by WeTrade. 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. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice. Investing in crypto and mining related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector–including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining–complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed. 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. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility.
Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.
LIMASSOL, Cyprus, July 08, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — WeTrade Group, a leading global financial broker, has achieved a significant milestone by securing a licence from the ASIC for its Australian entity, WeTrade Capital (Australia) Pty Ltd (Licence No. 544624). This licence is a key part of WeTrade’s plan to grow in Asia-Pacific and operate with strong regulatory oversight.
Trusted Trading, Backed by Australian Regulation
The ASIC licence enables WeTrade to provide regulated financial services in Australia, one of the world’s most respected and well-regulated financial markets. This move follows WeTrade’s recent expansion into Europe and demonstrates the company’s ongoing commitment to delivering secure and transparent trading experiences globally.
A Word from WeTrade’s CEO: Why This Matters
“We are proud to add another prestigious licence to our growing global portfolio. Securing the ASIC licence not only reinforces our reputation as a trusted, multi-asset broker, but also enables us to offer enhanced protection and regulated financial services to more clients worldwide,” said George Miltiadou, CEO of WeTrade.
For clients, this matters because regulation by ASIC, one of the world’s most respected financial authorities, means greater trust and accountability. It assures traders that WeTrade operates under strict Australian financial laws, with transparent practices and strong safeguards in place to protect client funds.
In an industry where trust is everything, being regulated helps clients trade with greater confidence, knowing they are working with a broker that meets the highest standards of compliance and integrity.
In Trust We Trade – Strengthening Global Presence
This latest authorisation expands WeTrade’s international regulatory footprint and positions the Group to pursue new opportunities in Australia and surrounding markets. It also underscores the Group’s focus on operating under the supervision of respected regulatory bodies around the world.
As WeTrade expands its global reach, the focus remains clear: build a safer, more transparent, and more rewarding trading experience for clients everywhere.
About WeTrade
WeTrade is a globally recognised financial broker, founded in 2015, offering innovative online trading services across a diverse range of CFD instruments. Known for its strong client protection, ultra-low spreads, and award-winning loyalty programs, WeTrade is dedicated to making trading both successful and rewarding.
Disclaimer: This press release is provided by WeTrade. 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. We do not endorse, verify, or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any information presented. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, investment, or trading advice. Investing in crypto and mining related opportunities involves significant risks, including the potential loss of capital. Readers are strongly encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a qualified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. However, due to the inherently speculative nature of the blockchain sector–including cryptocurrency, NFTs, and mining–complete accuracy cannot always be guaranteed. 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. Speculate only with funds that you can afford to lose. In the event of any legal claims or charges against this article, we accept no liability or responsibility.
Legal Disclaimer: This media platform provides the content of this article on an “as-is” basis, without any warranties or representations of any kind, express or implied. We do not assume any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information presented herein. Any concerns, complaints, or copyright issues related to this article should be directed to the content provider mentioned above.
The offer pops up in your social media feed. The website is professional and the imagery illustrates an Australian coastal region, or chic inner-CBD scene.
The brand name indicates this exclusive fashion retailer is based in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, or an exclusive enclave such as Double Bay or Byron Bay.
The businesses have history, having apparently been “established” 30–40 years ago, and a story. The owners have reluctantly decided to close or relocate, resulting in significant discounts.
However, behind the illusion of prestige and luxury, is cheap, poorly manufactured clothing from Chinese factories.
The ACCC’s Targeting Scams report estimated Australians lost A$2.74 billion in 2023. Most losses were from investment scams ($1.3 billion), remote access scams ($256 million), and romance scams ($201.1 million).
However, online ghost store scams are so new, researchers and government agencies have not yet had time to measure the financial impact these businesses are having on consumers or legitimate fashion businesses.
It is possible a consumer, once stung by a ghost store scam, will be less likely to shop with a legitimate online fashion retailer.
This type of emerging scam was touched on in a 2015 report called Framework for a Taxonomy of Fraud. The report noted there were businesses selling “worthless or non-existent products”. Their sites made:
misleading claims about products that are exaggerated, undervalued, or non-existent.
Since the beginning of 2025, the ACCC reports it has received at least 360 complaints about 60 online ghost retailers. It says many more may be operating across several social media sites.
Tricky tactics
Ghost stores use a variety of tactics to attract unsuspecting customers.
Price: Customers regularly assume higher prices mean higher quality. Most customers seeing a “leather” jacket for $19.74 on Temu would expect low quality. However, a silk maxi-dress from Everly Melbourne reduced from $209.95 to $82.95 – a 60% saving – seems reasonable and reflective of normal mid-season clearance pricing. That fact it’s still priced at more than $80 also implies good quality.
Cosmopolitan localism: Researchers have reported that so-called cosmopolitan localism fosters meaningful consumer relationships with brands. Consumers are more likely to trust a business based in Melbourne or Byron Bay over one based internationally.
Adding images of a physical store front creates credibility and “realness”. Customers feel confident to buy from a little business based in Melbourne, Sydney or somewhere well known to them.
Storytelling: Storytelling can influence shoppers’ emotions and affect purchasing. It helps stimulate deeper emotional connections to a brand. Ghost stores will regularly create a narrative around “going out of business” to justify price discounts and pull on heart-strings.
Layout: A professionally developed website, with high-quality images, detailed product information, online payment methods and order tracking, creates the illusion of authenticity. Researchers have found luxury brand website designs can create a strong sense of luxury. This increases a willingness to buy.
How to spot a “ghost”
When the post indicates “closing today” or “closing down sale ends tonight”, it is very easy to impulsively jump in to take advantage of the savings. However, before you click, check for these red flags:
The website does not provide a contact phone number or physical address for the store. There might just be an email address or web form. Simply entering the suspected store into google maps will indicate no physical location.
The website domain is “.com” rather than “.com.au”. This indicates the store is not an Australian-based business.
Is the business registered? ABN Lookup is the free public view of the Australian Business Register – a quick search will identify that the Double Bay designer isn’t registered locally.
Review platforms, including Trustpilot, often have negative reviews for the business, whereas the business’ website only features very positive reviews.
The images of products or even the owner maybe AI generated. For example, Harry – Melbourne, is apparently an artisan watchmaker. However, simply right-clicking on the image reveals Harry is an AI-generated image.
A cautionary note
Online shopping is risky. You can’t physically touch or interact with the product to determine its quality. Three types of risks are common when shopping online. These are performance risk (it doesn’t work, doesn’t fit well, or the quality is poor), financial risk (losing your money on a poor-quality product), and time-loss risk (refund processing takes weeks).
As such, customers must trust the online retailer to act honestly and describe products accurately. When trust is breached, consumers will naturally become cautious even about legitimate online retailers.
As ghost stores scams increasingly populate social media feeds, unsuspecting consumers will continue to get caught out. This will leave legitimate retailers exposed to scepticism and mistrust.
Gary Mortimer receives funding from the Building Employer Confidence and Inclusion in Disability Grant, AusIndustry Entrepreneurs’ Program, National Clothing Textiles Stewardship Scheme, National Retail Association and Australian Retailers Association.
The United Nations is urging governments to accelerate efforts to make trade systems more inclusive and sustainable, highlighting limited support for vulnerable groups including small and medium-sized enterprises, women traders and the agricultural sector despite steady progress in broader trade facilitation.
“The global trading environment has recently faced unprecedented challenges. Extensive tariff measures have introduced uncertainty and increased trade costs, while broader disruptions have exposed vulnerabilities in global supply chains. These tr
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Following is the speech by the Financial Secretary, Mr Paul Chan, at the Hong Kong – Korea Capital Markets Conference held in Seoul, Korea today (July 9):
Mr Seo (Chairman of the Korea Financial Investment Association, Mr Seo Yoo-seok), Greg (Managing Director and Head of Markets, the Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited, Mr Gregory Yu), Ms Ding Chen (Chief Executive Officer of CSOP Asset Management Limited), ladies and gentlemen, Hong Kong: what’s up
NZ Post committed to cutting its emissions by 32% by 2030 (based on 2018 levels), but recently announced it would abandon its climate target.
The company was part of the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi), the leading international body allowing businesses worldwide to set and validate targets which they can then promote as backed by science.
More than 10,000 businesses have joined SBTi and the database currently includes 36 New Zealand businesses with active targets or commitments.
NZ Post was one of the early adopters of SBTi in New Zealand. Its initial commitment in 2018 included not only the company’s own direct emissions (known as scope 1) but also purchased energy (scope 2) and other indirect emissions (known as scope 3, such as emissions from air freight or waste disposal).
In the past few years, NZ Post has signalled its intention to update its target to pursue even greater reductions of 42%. In 2023, it made a commitment to align itself with a pathway to achieve net zero by 2050.
But the company has now decided to fully withdraw from SBTi. NZ Post’s website announcement states:
After careful consideration and a thorough assessment of both technical feasibility and financial implications, it has become clear that our target is no longer feasible at a technical level and, given the scale of investment required, under present economic conditions.
NZ Post seems to have found itself in the contradiction between economic objectives and climate action. Ambitious climate action seems to rarely win such a battle.
The company was already questioning its ability to meet its SBTi targets in its 2022 and 2023 climate disclosures. Its parcel volumes were growing and it struggled with emissions associated with heavy freight and aviation.
It also stated its emissions had increased due to the acquisition of Fliway Group, improved supply-chain data, and emission factor changes. This indicated it would struggle to meet even less ambitious climate targets.
Why this is a problem
One might commend NZ Post for their transparency in disclosing their decision to withdraw from SBTi. However, so far the announcement hasn’t been included in the company’s media releases and remains tucked away in the sustainability section.
The broader issue is that businesses can use SBTi to gain reputational value without following up with required decarbonisation. The current SBTi setup has some limitations that allow such behaviour.
For instance, companies can make an SBTi commitment and promote it for two years before having to submit an actual target for validation. Businesses can also promote their SBTi targets for years without making required progress. Finally, some SBTi businesses provide limited reporting, making assessment of their progress difficult.
In a 2025 consultation, SBTi acknowledged some of these problems and signalled its plan to enhance tracking and accountability.
Climate action vs profitability
There are other issues that make transparency limited. For instance, businesses such as Air New Zealand seem to be able to withdraw from the SBTi and fully disappear from the SBTi public target dashboard, making it difficult to track those that have decided to withdraw.
In business contexts, climate action remains subordinate to profitability and revenue growth objectives. Hence, not many businesses are willing to pursue all potential ways to meet their targets as this would require making difficult decisions around economic objectives.
Many companies struggle to make progress towards science-based goals or don’t have credible transition plans aligned with the goal to keep overall warming at 1.5°C.
The question remains whether the current SBTi engagement of businesses genuinely reflects ambitious climate action or whether it is merely designed to give stakeholders the impression of global progress through symbolic commitments.
The more organisations committed to the science-based reductions, the greater our collective ability to achieve decarbonisation.
The opposite is true as well. The decision of NZ Post and other companies to drop their SBTi targets may diminish the collective ability of businesses in New Zealand to achieve decarbonisation aligning with global climate goals.
SBTi’s plan to implement new monitoring and reporting mechanisms would enhance accountability. However, it will not make meeting targets any easier. Committing to and promoting ambitious but potentially unrealistic targets can cause reputational damage.
A safer pathway for many businesses wanting to do as much as they can within the boundaries of the current economic system may be a public disclosure of their support for climate action, transparency about the actions the business is taking, and providing transparent and detailed emissions reporting.
Pii-Tuulia Nikula 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.
Can an increase in defence spending affect investments in green energy and digital infrastructure? What do US tariff threats mean for the ECB? How does the ECB support smaller countries in the Eurosystem? And is AI an opportunity or a risk for the financial future?
In the last episode of our Sintra series, our host Stefania Secola takes us on a walk around the ECB Forum and gets top experts to answer your questions.
The views expressed are those of the speakers and not necessarily those of the European Central Bank.
Published on 9 July 2025 and recorded during the ECB Forum on Central Banking in Sintra between 30 June and 2 July 2025.
In this episode:
02:05 Defence spending
Can an increase in defence spending affect investments in green energy and digital infrastructure?
08:08 Tariffs
How do US tariff threats affect the economy? What do they mean for the ECB? And what are the opportunities for Europe?
14:14 Smaller vs. bigger economies in the Eurosystem
Does the ECB prioritise bigger economies over smaller ones? Do smaller countries, such as Slovenia, benefit from the ECB’s monetary policy?
18:55 Artificial intelligence
Is AI an opportunity or a risk for the financial future?
Further readings:
Gensler, G., Johnson, S., Panizza, U. and Weder di Mauro, B.: The Economic Consequences of The Second Trump Administration: A Preliminary Assessment
https://cepr.org/publications/books-and-reports/economic-consequences-second-trump-administration-preliminary
The ECB Podcast: AI: economic game changer or job taker?
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 9 (Xinhua) — China on Tuesday released a document supporting the development of zero- or near-zero-carbon-emission industrial parks, aiming to accelerate the country’s green transformation.
A document released by China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and other government departments calls on regions with suitable conditions to build zero-carbon or near-zero-carbon industrial parks that can reduce carbon emissions “to almost zero” through advance planning and design, technology and management standards, etc.
The document outlines eight major tasks in such aspects as transforming energy structures, improving energy efficiency, optimizing industrial structures, promoting resource conservation, upgrading infrastructure, applying advanced technologies, improving energy consumption and carbon dioxide emission management, and promoting the reform and innovation of industrial parks.
To support the construction of zero-carbon industrial parks, the SCRR said it would use existing funding channels and encourage local authorities to provide financial support for the construction of industrial parks.
Industrial parks will also be supported in attracting talent, technology and professional institutions to promote the upgrading of energy-saving systems, carbon accounting and carbon footprint certification of products. -0-
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Ekaterinburg /Russia/, July 9 /Xinhua/ – The Russian-Chinese EXPO, which is being held for the 9th time, is one of the key events influencing the development of trade and economic cooperation between the two countries, said Russian Trade Representative to China Alexey Dakhnovsky.
“The Russian-Chinese EXPO is one of the key events influencing the development of bilateral trade and economic cooperation,” A. Dakhnovsky said in an interview with the Xinhua news agency.
According to him, the significance of this event is difficult to overestimate. Russia and China have created a “basis for deepening cooperation, in order to develop industrial cooperation, technology transfer, investment cooperation, in order to work in innovative areas. And it is very important, A. Dakhnovsky is sure, that the Russian-Chinese EXPO is taking place simultaneously with the Innoprom exhibition, the largest exhibition in Russia demonstrating the achievements of Russian industry. “It seems to me that Chinese companies and Russian companies should use the chance they have to intensify bilateral cooperation in new areas,” the trade representative noted.
Touching on the topic of regional cooperation, he said that the main event of EXPO for many years has been the regional forum, in which representatives of many Chinese and Russian regions participate.
“We already have quite a lot of agreements between regions on cooperation, on twinning. These agreements need to be translated into a more practical plane, that is, against the background of developing humanitarian cooperation, we should also develop practical things, that is, trade, investment and technological cooperation,” A. Dakhnovsky emphasized. –0–
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
MINSK, July 9 (Xinhua) — The new car market in Belarus grew by 21.3 percent in the first half of 2025. A total of 24,634 cars were sold in the country over the six months, the Belarusian Automobile Association (BAA) reported on Tuesday.
At the same time, BAA noted that the actual growth of the Belarusian market for new cars is due to sales in the first quarter of this year, and since April, the country’s car market has been stagnating. Since March, the number of banks offering loans for the purchase of cars has significantly decreased. In addition, new restrictions have come into effect in the leasing segment for individuals in Belarus.
“As a result, in June, for the first time in the last year, the new car market showed a decline. In total, 3,841 cars were sold in June of this year, which is 13 percent lower than the sales of official dealers in the same period of 2024,” BAA noted.
The BAA also noted that good sales results last month were shown by brands that were able to offer financing options for the purchase of their models.
As for electric vehicles, the BAA reported that the emerging trend towards growth in the electric transport market in the country continues to gain momentum. Thus, 664 electric cars were sold in June, which amounted to more than 17 percent of all passenger car sales excluding commercial vehicles. –0–
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, July 9 — China’s Tianzhou-8 cargo craft has re-entered the atmosphere in a controlled manner at 6:42 a.m. (Beijing Time) Wednesday, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).
Most of the spacecraft’s components burned up during the re-entry, and a small amount of its debris fell into the scheduled safe waters, said the CMSA.
Launched on Nov. 15, 2024 from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in the southern island province of Hainan, the Tianzhou-8 was loaded with supplies for astronauts, propellants, and devices for applications and experiments.
The Tianzhou-8 separated from the orbiting Tiangong space station combination on Tuesday and then entered its independent flight phase.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, July 9 — China’s Tianzhou-8 cargo craft has re-entered the atmosphere in a controlled manner at 6:42 a.m. (Beijing Time) Wednesday, according to the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA).
Most of the spacecraft’s components burned up during the re-entry, and a small amount of its debris fell into the scheduled safe waters, said the CMSA.
Launched on Nov. 15, 2024 from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in the southern island province of Hainan, the Tianzhou-8 was loaded with supplies for astronauts, propellants, and devices for applications and experiments.
The Tianzhou-8 separated from the orbiting Tiangong space station combination on Tuesday and then entered its independent flight phase.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
The 15th National Games, to be jointly organized by Guangdong province and the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions, will accelerate the integrated development of the Greater Bay Area, according to a news conference held in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong on Tuesday.
Under the guidance of the General Administration of Sport, the China Disabled Persons’ Federation and the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, the three regions have reached consensus in six key areas through high-density communication and negotiations, said Huang Mingzhong, director of the office of the 15th National Games Organizing Committee.
“The areas are cross-border events, port clearance, personnel and vehicle documents, food safety, green event management and event schedule,” Huang said at the news conference, which disclosed the progress of the three regions’ joint organizing work for the 15th National Games.
“The three regions have now explored a joint competition model of ‘three regions with three similarities’, indicating ‘same frequency communication, concerted decision-making and synchronous execution’,” he said.
“Taking the emblem design as an example, our emblem consists of three petals. With Guangdong’s kapok, Hong Kong’s bauhinia and Macao’s lotus overlapping and rotating, it forms a concentric floral pattern, symbolizing the unity and deep integration of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area,” said Huang, who is also deputy secretary-general of the Guangdong provincial government.
Huang revealed that the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Road Cycling Race, as a part of the 15th National Games, will take place in the three regions.
“At that time, cyclists will depart from Zhuhai and first reach Macao via the Macao Bridge and then arrive at Hong Kong’s Lantau Island via Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge,” said Huang.
Zhang Zhihua, deputy director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Guangdong province, said relevant departments have set up a dedicated channel at entry and exit ports, allowing relevant delegations to enter and leave whenever they need.
“We have also opened a green channel for our ticket holders, with nationwide application for entry and exit documents,” he said.
“With special treatment for entry and exit, we will contribute to the development of a one-hour life circle within the GBA,” said Zhang, who is also the deputy director of the coordinating department of the 15th National Games Organizing Committee.
During the National Games, visitors can enjoy entry and exit without the need to show documents, he said.
The 15th National Games, the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities, and the 9th National Special Olympic Games, are expected to attract more than 6,000 athletes from the Chinese mainland to cross the borders to Hong Kong and Macao to compete, while another more than 3,000 athletes from the two Chinese SARs are expected to come to the mainland for the competition, according to Zhang.
Guangzhou will host the opening ceremony, while Shenzhen, which borders Hong Kong, will host the closing ceremony.
The 15th National Games will take place from Nov 9 to 21.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
The 15th National Games, to be jointly organized by Guangdong province and the Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions, will accelerate the integrated development of the Greater Bay Area, according to a news conference held in Guangzhou, capital of Guangdong on Tuesday.
Under the guidance of the General Administration of Sport, the China Disabled Persons’ Federation and the Hong Kong and Macao Work Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, the three regions have reached consensus in six key areas through high-density communication and negotiations, said Huang Mingzhong, director of the office of the 15th National Games Organizing Committee.
“The areas are cross-border events, port clearance, personnel and vehicle documents, food safety, green event management and event schedule,” Huang said at the news conference, which disclosed the progress of the three regions’ joint organizing work for the 15th National Games.
“The three regions have now explored a joint competition model of ‘three regions with three similarities’, indicating ‘same frequency communication, concerted decision-making and synchronous execution’,” he said.
“Taking the emblem design as an example, our emblem consists of three petals. With Guangdong’s kapok, Hong Kong’s bauhinia and Macao’s lotus overlapping and rotating, it forms a concentric floral pattern, symbolizing the unity and deep integration of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area,” said Huang, who is also deputy secretary-general of the Guangdong provincial government.
Huang revealed that the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Road Cycling Race, as a part of the 15th National Games, will take place in the three regions.
“At that time, cyclists will depart from Zhuhai and first reach Macao via the Macao Bridge and then arrive at Hong Kong’s Lantau Island via Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge,” said Huang.
Zhang Zhihua, deputy director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the People’s Government of Guangdong province, said relevant departments have set up a dedicated channel at entry and exit ports, allowing relevant delegations to enter and leave whenever they need.
“We have also opened a green channel for our ticket holders, with nationwide application for entry and exit documents,” he said.
“With special treatment for entry and exit, we will contribute to the development of a one-hour life circle within the GBA,” said Zhang, who is also the deputy director of the coordinating department of the 15th National Games Organizing Committee.
During the National Games, visitors can enjoy entry and exit without the need to show documents, he said.
The 15th National Games, the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities, and the 9th National Special Olympic Games, are expected to attract more than 6,000 athletes from the Chinese mainland to cross the borders to Hong Kong and Macao to compete, while another more than 3,000 athletes from the two Chinese SARs are expected to come to the mainland for the competition, according to Zhang.
Guangzhou will host the opening ceremony, while Shenzhen, which borders Hong Kong, will host the closing ceremony.
The 15th National Games will take place from Nov 9 to 21.
