Source: New Zealand Police
Due to the extent of the spill from the single vehicle crash today at about 11.20am, all four lanes of traffic will be closed for some time.
Motorists should expect significant delays.
Police would like to thank motorists for their understanding and patience.
Traffic management is at the scene and emergency services continue to clear the road.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: Samsung
From June 19 to 22, 2025, Samsung Electronics will collaborate with globally renowned artists to celebrate global diversity, artistic innovation and the power of display technology at Art Basel in Basel 2025, the world’s largest art fair held in Basel, Switzerland.
▲ As Art Basel’s official display partner, Samsung Electronics offers exclusive access to curated exhibition artworks via the Samsung Art Store, also on display onsite at Art Basel in Basel 2025.
With participation from approximately 280 galleries across 42 countries, Art Basel in Basel 2025 offers a comprehensive view of the latest ideas shaping contemporary art today. As the official display partner, Samsung Electronics presents a new digital art experience that brings together art and technology through its premium screens including The Frame, Micro LED and Neo QLED 8K.
Immersive Digital Art Experience: ‘ArtCube’ Draws Visitors Into the World of Art
At Art Basel in Basel 2025, Samsung Electronics unveiled ‘ArtCube,’ a lounge dedicated to digital art experiences on Samsung devices. Created under the theme “Borderless, Dive Into the Art,” ArtCube offers a progressively immersive journey as visitors navigate the space.
Passing through a large LED entrance where the Art Basel in Basel Collection from Samsung Art Store is reinterpreted as digital artworks, visitors discover a space showcasing the full lineup of Samsung Art TVs in the ArtCube. Artworks from the Samsung Art Store, displayed across ‘The Frame,’ ‘Micro LED’ and ‘Neo QLED 8K’ screens, envelope the front and side walls to create a deeply immersive experience — one that makes visitors feel as though they have stepped directly into the art itself.
▲ Samsung Art TVs — including The Frame Pro, MICRO LED and Neo QLED 8K — line the interior walls of ArtCube.
▲ A visitor views Basim Magdy’s artwork on display at ArtCube, part of the Samsung Art Store collection at Art Basel in Basel 2025.
An interactive experience zone, powered by Samsung Art Store, is also featured. Visitors can select an artist showcased in the exhibition, take a photo and generate a personalized selfie in the chosen artist’s style, using generative AI — offering a distinctive and engaging experience.
Bringing Art Into Everyday Life Through the Samsung Art Store
Earlier this week, Samsung Electronics has unveiled a new collection featuring 38 highlighted pieces from Art Basel in Basel 2025, now available on the Samsung Art Store. With this launch, Samsung Art Store subscribers around the world can enjoy a diverse selection of Art Basel artworks from the comfort of their homes — without needing to travel to Basel, Switzerland.
As the official display partner of Art Basel for 2025, Samsung Electronics will continue its participation in the annual exhibitions held in Basel, Hong Kong, Paris and Miami. Through Samsung Art Store, the company aims to make art more accessible and seamlessly integrated into everyday life.
The Samsung Art Store* is a subscription-based art service available on Samsung’s The Frame and QLED TVs. Now accessible in 117 countries, the Samsung Art Store offers more than 3,500 artworks in stunning 4K resolution through collaboration with over 70 leading partners.
▲ Basim Magdy, featured in the Samsung Art Store collection at Art Basel in Basel 2025, views his own work on display at ArtCube.
▲ Visitors take in the vibrant, dreamlike works of Basim Magdy on display at ArtCube, part of Samsung’s digital art showcase at Art Basel in Basel 2025.
▲ A visitor captures Lee Kun-yong’s artwork on display at Samsung ArtCube.
▲ A visitor views Marc Dennis’ artwork on display at Samsung ArtCube.
▲ A vivid portrait in the style of Marc Dennis captures visitors’ attention at ArtCube, part of Samsung’s digital art showcase at Art Basel in Basel 2025.
▲ A vivid portrait in the style of Saya Woolfalk captures visitors’ attention at ArtCube, part of Samsung’s digital art showcase at Art Basel in Basel 2025.
▲ The experience zone highlights the Samsung Art Store and lets visitors create immersive, AI-powered photos with animated elements from featured artworks.
▲ One of the most striking pieces at ArtCube, Basim Magdy’s “The Dictator and His Cockroach Count Their Blessings” merges satire and dreamlike visuals in Samsung’s digital art showcase.
▲ Visitors explore the immersive artworks by Marc Dennis at ArtCube, where his vivid, hyperreal art pieces are brought to life with digital projections.
* All artworks in Samsung Art Store are available with a membership subscription. Artwork availability is subject to change without prior notice and may vary by region.
Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By James Dwyer, Lecturer, School of Social Sciences, University of Tasmania
Late last week, Israel began a wave of attacks on Iran under the banner of Operation Rising Lion, with the stated goal of crippling the Islamic republic’s nuclear program and long-range strike capabilities. At the outset, Israel claimed Iran would soon be able to build nine nuclear weapons, a situation Israel regarded as completely unacceptable.
Following Israeli strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities, and targeted assassinations of Iranian nuclear scientists and key members of the Iranian armed forces, Iran retaliated with a large barrage of ballistic missiles and drones against Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. The first wave consisted of some 200 ballistic missiles and 200 drones.
The conflict continues to escalate, with population centres increasingly being targeted. Israel’s missile defence systems (including the vaunted Iron Dome) have so far staved off most of Iran’s attacks, but the future is uncertain.
Iran possesses a large arsenal of ballistic missiles and long-range drones, alongside other long-range weapons such as cruise missiles. Ballistic missiles travel on a largely fixed path steered by gravity, while cruise missiles can adjust their course as they fly.
Iran is approximately 1,000km from Israel, so the current strikes mostly involve what are classified as medium-range ballistic missiles, alongside long-range drones. It is not clear exactly what type of missile Iran has used in its latest strikes, but the country has several including the Fattah-1 and Emad.
It is very difficult to defend against ballistic missiles. There is not much time between launch and impact, and they come down at very high speed. The longer the missile’s range, the faster and higher it flies.
An incoming missile presents a small, fast-moving target – and defenders may have little time to react.
Israel possesses arguably one of the most effective, battle-tested air defence systems in service today. The system is often described in the media as the “Iron Dome”, but this is not quite correct.
Israel’s defences have several layers, each designed to address threats coming from different ranges.
Iron Dome is just one of these layers: a short range, anti-artillery defence system, designed to intercept short-range artillery shells and rockets.
In essence, Iron Dome consists of a network of radar emitters, command and control facilities, and the interceptors (special surface-to-air missiles). The radar quickly detects incoming threats, the command and control elements decide which are most pressing, and the interceptors are sent to destroy the incoming shells or rockets.
The other layers of Israel’s defence system include David’s Sling, and the Arrow 2 and Arrow 3 interceptors. These are specifically designed to engage longer-range ballistic missiles, both within the atmosphere and at very high altitudes above it (known as exoatmospheric interception).
Spectacular footage has been captured of what are likely exoatmospheric interceptions taking place during this latest conflict, demonstrating Israel’s capacity to engage longer-range missiles.
The US military has comparable missile defence systems. The US Army has the Patriot PAC-3 (comparable to David’s Sling) and THAAD (comparable to Arrow 2), while the US Navy has the Aegis and the SM-3 (comparable to Arrow 3) and the SM-6 (comparable again to Arrow 2).
The US deployed Aegis-equipped warships to support Israel’s defence against missile attacks in 2024, and appears to be preparing to do the same now.
Iran possesses some air defence systems such as the Russian S300 which has some (very limited) ballistic missile defence capabilities, but only against shorter range (and thus slower) ballistic missiles. Further, Israel has been focusing on degrading Iran’s air defences, so it is not clear how many are still operational.
Iran has been focusing on developing technology such as maneuverable warheads, which are harder to defend against. However, it is not clear whether these are yet operational and in Iranian service.
Missile defences are finite. The defender is always limited by the number of interceptors it possesses.
The attacker is also limited by the number of missiles it possesses. However, the defender must often assign multiple interceptors to each attacking missile, in case the first misses or otherwise fails.
The attacker will plan for some losses to interceptors (or mechanical failures) and send what it determines to be enough missiles for at least some to penetrate the defences.
When it comes to ballistic missiles, the advantage lies with the attacker. Ballistic missiles can carry large explosive payloads (or even nuclear warheads), so even a handful of missiles “leaking” past defensive systems can still wreak significant damage.
Israel’s missile defences are unlikely to stop working completely. However, as attacks deplete its stocks of interceptors, the system may become less effective.
As the conflict continues, it may become a race to see who runs out of weapons first. Will it be Iran’s stocks of ballistic missiles and drones, or the interceptors and anti-air munitions of Israel, the US and any other supporters?
It is impossible to say who would prevail in such a race of stockpile attrition. Some reports suggest Iran has fired approximately 1,000 ballistic missiles of an estimated 3,000. However, this still leaves it with an enormous stockpile to use, and it is unclear how fast Iran can make new missiles to replenish its resources.
But we should hope it doesn’t come to that. Beyond the tit-for-tat exchange of missiles, the latest conflict between Israel and Iran risks escalating. If it is not resolved soon, and if the US is drawn into the conflict more directly, we may see broader conflict in the Middle East.
James Dwyer 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.
– ref. How does Israel’s famous air defence work? It’s not just the ‘Iron Dome’ – https://theconversation.com/how-does-israels-famous-air-defence-work-its-not-just-the-iron-dome-259029
Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By James Dwyer, Lecturer, School of Social Sciences, University of Tasmania
Late last week, Israel began a wave of attacks on Iran under the banner of Operation Rising Lion, with the stated goal of crippling the Islamic republic’s nuclear program and long-range strike capabilities. At the outset, Israel claimed Iran would soon be able to build nine nuclear weapons, a situation Israel regarded as completely unacceptable.
Following Israeli strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities, and targeted assassinations of Iranian nuclear scientists and key members of the Iranian armed forces, Iran retaliated with a large barrage of ballistic missiles and drones against Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. The first wave consisted of some 200 ballistic missiles and 200 drones.
The conflict continues to escalate, with population centres increasingly being targeted. Israel’s missile defence systems (including the vaunted Iron Dome) have so far staved off most of Iran’s attacks, but the future is uncertain.
Iran possesses a large arsenal of ballistic missiles and long-range drones, alongside other long-range weapons such as cruise missiles. Ballistic missiles travel on a largely fixed path steered by gravity, while cruise missiles can adjust their course as they fly.
Iran is approximately 1,000km from Israel, so the current strikes mostly involve what are classified as medium-range ballistic missiles, alongside long-range drones. It is not clear exactly what type of missile Iran has used in its latest strikes, but the country has several including the Fattah-1 and Emad.
It is very difficult to defend against ballistic missiles. There is not much time between launch and impact, and they come down at very high speed. The longer the missile’s range, the faster and higher it flies.
An incoming missile presents a small, fast-moving target – and defenders may have little time to react.
Israel possesses arguably one of the most effective, battle-tested air defence systems in service today. The system is often described in the media as the “Iron Dome”, but this is not quite correct.
Israel’s defences have several layers, each designed to address threats coming from different ranges.
Iron Dome is just one of these layers: a short range, anti-artillery defence system, designed to intercept short-range artillery shells and rockets.
In essence, Iron Dome consists of a network of radar emitters, command and control facilities, and the interceptors (special surface-to-air missiles). The radar quickly detects incoming threats, the command and control elements decide which are most pressing, and the interceptors are sent to destroy the incoming shells or rockets.
The other layers of Israel’s defence system include David’s Sling, and the Arrow 2 and Arrow 3 interceptors. These are specifically designed to engage longer-range ballistic missiles, both within the atmosphere and at very high altitudes above it (known as exoatmospheric interception).
Spectacular footage has been captured of what are likely exoatmospheric interceptions taking place during this latest conflict, demonstrating Israel’s capacity to engage longer-range missiles.
The US military has comparable missile defence systems. The US Army has the Patriot PAC-3 (comparable to David’s Sling) and THAAD (comparable to Arrow 2), while the US Navy has the Aegis and the SM-3 (comparable to Arrow 3) and the SM-6 (comparable again to Arrow 2).
The US deployed Aegis-equipped warships to support Israel’s defence against missile attacks in 2024, and appears to be preparing to do the same now.
Iran possesses some air defence systems such as the Russian S300 which has some (very limited) ballistic missile defence capabilities, but only against shorter range (and thus slower) ballistic missiles. Further, Israel has been focusing on degrading Iran’s air defences, so it is not clear how many are still operational.
Iran has been focusing on developing technology such as maneuverable warheads, which are harder to defend against. However, it is not clear whether these are yet operational and in Iranian service.
Missile defences are finite. The defender is always limited by the number of interceptors it possesses.
The attacker is also limited by the number of missiles it possesses. However, the defender must often assign multiple interceptors to each attacking missile, in case the first misses or otherwise fails.
The attacker will plan for some losses to interceptors (or mechanical failures) and send what it determines to be enough missiles for at least some to penetrate the defences.
When it comes to ballistic missiles, the advantage lies with the attacker. Ballistic missiles can carry large explosive payloads (or even nuclear warheads), so even a handful of missiles “leaking” past defensive systems can still wreak significant damage.
Israel’s missile defences are unlikely to stop working completely. However, as attacks deplete its stocks of interceptors, the system may become less effective.
As the conflict continues, it may become a race to see who runs out of weapons first. Will it be Iran’s stocks of ballistic missiles and drones, or the interceptors and anti-air munitions of Israel, the US and any other supporters?
It is impossible to say who would prevail in such a race of stockpile attrition. Some reports suggest Iran has fired approximately 1,000 ballistic missiles of an estimated 3,000. However, this still leaves it with an enormous stockpile to use, and it is unclear how fast Iran can make new missiles to replenish its resources.
But we should hope it doesn’t come to that. Beyond the tit-for-tat exchange of missiles, the latest conflict between Israel and Iran risks escalating. If it is not resolved soon, and if the US is drawn into the conflict more directly, we may see broader conflict in the Middle East.
James Dwyer 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.
– ref. How does Israel’s famous air defence work? It’s not just the ‘Iron Dome’ – https://theconversation.com/how-does-israels-famous-air-defence-work-its-not-just-the-iron-dome-259029
Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Kaitlin Cook, DECRA Fellow, Department of Nuclear Physics and Accelerator Applications, Australian National University
Late last week, Israel targeted three of Iran’s key nuclear facilities – Natanz, Isfahan and Fordow, killing several Iranian nuclear scientists. The facilities are heavily fortified and largely underground, and there are conflicting reports of how much damage has been done.
Natanz and Fordow are Iran’s uranium enrichment sites, and Isfahan provides the raw materials, so any damage to these sites would limit Iran’s ability to produce nuclear weapons.
But what exactly is uranium enrichment and why does it raise concerns?
To understand what it means to “enrich” uranium, you need to know a little about uranium isotopes and about splitting the atom in a nuclear fission reaction.
All matter is made of atoms, which in turn are made up of protons, neutrons and electrons. The number of protons is what gives atoms their chemical properties, setting apart the various chemical elements.
Atoms have equal numbers of protons and electrons. Uranium has 92 protons, for example, while carbon has six. However, the same element can have different numbers of neutrons, forming versions of the element called isotopes.
This hardly matters for chemical reactions, but their nuclear reactions can be wildly different.
When we dig uranium out of the ground, 99.27% of it is uranium-238, which has 92 protons and 146 neutrons. Only 0.72% of it is uranium-235 with 92 protons and 143 neutrons (the remaining 0.01% are other isotopes).
For nuclear power reactors or weapons, we need to change the isotope proportions. That’s because of the two main uranium isotopes, only uranium-235 can support a fission chain reaction: one neutron causes an atom to fission, which produces energy and some more neutrons, causing more fission, and so on.
This chain reaction releases a tremendous amount of energy. In a nuclear weapon, the goal is to have this chain reaction occur in a fraction of a second, producing a nuclear explosion.
In a civilian nuclear power plant, the chain reaction is controlled. Nuclear power plants currently produce 9% of the world’s power. Another vital civilian use of nuclear reactions is for producing isotopes used in nuclear medicine for the diagnosis and treatment of various diseases.
To “enrich” uranium means taking the naturally found element and increasing the proportion of uranium-235 while removing uranium-238.
There are a few ways to do this (including new inventions from Australia), but commercially, enrichment is currently done with a centrifuge. This is also the case in Iran’s facilities.
Centrifuges exploit the fact that uranium-238 is about 1% heavier than uranium-235. They take uranium (in gas form) and use rotors to spin it at 50,000 to 70,000 rotations per minute, with the outer walls of the centrifuges moving at 400 to 500 metres per second.
This works much like a salad spinner that throws water to the sides while the salad leaves stay in the centre. The heavier uranium-238 moves to the edges of the centrifuge, leaving the uranium-235 in the middle.
This is only so effective, so the spinning process is done over and over again, building up the percentage of the uranium-235.
Most civilian nuclear reactors use “low enriched uranium” that’s been enriched to between 3% and 5%. This means that 3–5% of the total uranium in the sample is now uranium-235. That’s enough to sustain a chain reaction and make electricity.
To get an explosive chain reaction, uranium-235 needs to be concentrated significantly more than the levels we use in nuclear reactors for making power or medicines.
Technically, a nuclear weapon can be made with as little as 20% uranium-235 (known as “highly enriched uranium”), but the more the uranium is enriched, the smaller and lighter the weapon can be. Countries with nuclear weapons tend to use about 90% enriched, “weapons-grade” uranium.
According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Iran has enriched large quantities of uranium to 60%. It’s actually easier to go from an enrichment of 60% to 90% than it is to get to that initial 60%. That’s because there’s less and less uranium-238 to get rid of.
This is why Iran is considered to be at extreme risk of producing nuclear weapons, and why centrifuge technology for enrichment is kept secret.
Ultimately, the exact same centrifuge technology that produces fuel for civilian reactors can be used to produce nuclear weapons.
Inspectors from the IAEA monitor nuclear facilities worldwide to ensure countries are abiding by the rules set out in the global nuclear non-proliferation treaty. While Iran maintains it’s only enriching uranium for “peaceful purposes”, late last week the IAEA board ruled Iran was in breach of its obligations under the treaty.
Kaitlin Cook receives funding from the Australian Research Council.
– ref. What is uranium enrichment and how is it used for nuclear bombs? A scientist explains – https://theconversation.com/what-is-uranium-enrichment-and-how-is-it-used-for-nuclear-bombs-a-scientist-explains-259031
Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Matt Fitzpatrick, Professor in International History, Flinders University
In the late 1960s, the prevailing opinion among Israeli Shin Bet intelligence officers was that the key to defeating the Palestinian Liberation Organisation was to assassinate its then-leader Yasser Arafat.
The elimination of Arafat, the Shin Bet commander Yehuda Arbel wrote in his diary, was “a precondition to finding a solution to the Palestinian problem.”
For other, even more radical Israelis – such as the ultra-nationalist assassin Yigal Amir – the answer lay elsewhere. They sought the assassination of Israeli leaders such as Yitzak Rabin who wanted peace with the Palestinians.
Despite Rabin’s long personal history as a famed and often ruthless military commander in the 1948 and 1967 Arab-Israeli Wars, Amir stalked and shot Rabin dead in 1995. He believed Rabin had betrayed Israel by signing the Oslo Accords peace deal with Arafat.
It’s been 20 years since Arafat died as possibly the victim of polonium poisoning, and 30 years after the shooting of Rabin. Peace between Israelis and the Palestinians has never been further away.
What Amnesty International and a United Nations Special Committee have called genocidal attacks on Palestinians in Gaza have spilled over into Israeli attacks on the prominent leaders of its enemies in Lebanon and, most recently, Iran.
Since its attacks on Iran began on Friday, Israel has killed numerous military and intelligence leaders, including Iran’s intelligence chief, Mohammad Kazemi; the chief of the armed forces, Mohammad Bagheri; and the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Hossein Salami. At least nine Iranian nuclear scientists have also been killed.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly said:
We got their chief intelligence officer and his deputy in Tehran.
Iran, predictably, has responded with deadly missile attacks on Israel.
Far from having solved the issue of Middle East peace, assassinations continue to pour oil on the flames.
Israeli journalist Ronen Bergman’s book Rise and Kill First argues assassinations have long sat at the heart of Israeli politics.
In the past 75 years, there have been more than 2,700 assassination operations undertaken by Israel. These have, in Bergman’s words, attempted to “stop history” and bypass “statesmanship and political discourse”.
This normalisation of assassinations has been codified in the Israeli expression of “mowing the grass”. This is, as historian Nadim Rouhana has shown, a metaphor for a politics of constant assassination. Enemy “leadership and military facilities must regularly be hit in order to keep them weak.”
The point is not to solve the underlying political questions at issue. Instead, this approach aims to sow fear, dissent and confusion among enemies.
Thousands of assassination operations have not, however, proved sufficient to resolve the long-running conflict between Israel, its neighbours and the Palestinians. The tactic itself is surely overdue for retirement.
Israel has been far from alone in this strategy of assassination and killing.
Former US President Barack Obama oversaw the extra-judicial killing of Osama Bin Laden, for instance.
After what Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch denounced as a flawed trial, former US President George W. Bush welcomed the hanging of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein as “an important milestone on Iraq’s course to becoming a democracy”.
Current US President Donald Trump oversaw the assassination of Iran’s leader of clandestine military operations, Qassem Soleimani, in 2020.
More recently, however, Trump appears to have baulked at granting Netanyahu permission to kill Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
And it’s worth noting the US Department of Justice last year brought charges against an Iranian man who said he’d been tasked with killing Trump.
Elsewhere, in Vladimir Putin’s Russia, it’s common for senior political and media opponents to be shot in the streets. Frequently they also “fall” out of high windows, are killed in plane crashes or succumb to mystery “illnesses”.
Extra-judicial killings, however, have a poor record as a mechanism for solving political problems.
Cutting off the hydra’s head has generally led to its often immediate replacement by another equally or more ideologically committed person, as has already happened in Iran. Perhaps they too await the next round of “mowing the grass”.
But as the latest Israeli strikes in Iran and elsewhere show, solving the underlying issue is rarely the point.
In situations where finding a lasting negotiated settlement would mean painful concessions or strategic risks, assassinations prove simply too tempting. They circumvent the difficulties and complexities of diplomacy while avoiding the need to concede power or territory.
As many have concluded, however, assassinations have never killed resistance. They have never killed the ideas and experiences that give birth to resistance in the first place.
Nor have they offered lasting security to those who have ordered the lethal strike.
Enduring security requires that, at some point, someone grasp the nettle and look to the underlying issues.
The alternative is the continuation of the brutal pattern of strike and counter-strike for generations to come.
Matt Fitzpatrick receives funding from the Australian Research Council.
– ref. Iran war: from the Middle East to America, history shows you cannot assassinate your way to peace – https://theconversation.com/iran-war-from-the-middle-east-to-america-history-shows-you-cannot-assassinate-your-way-to-peace-259038
Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Natasha Heap, Program Director for the Bachelor of Aviation, University of Southern Queensland
The Middle East is a region of intense beauty and ancient kingdoms. It has also repeatedly endured periods of geopolitical instability over many centuries.
Today, geopolitical, socio-political and religious tensions persist. The world is currently watching as longstanding regional tensions come to a head in the shocking and escalating conflict between Israel and Iran.
The global airline industry takes a special interest in how such tensions play out. This airspace is a crucial corridor linking Europe, Asia and Africa.
The Middle East is now home to several of the world’s largest international airlines: Emirates, Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways. These airlines’ home bases – Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi, respectively – have become pivotal hubs in international aviation.
Keeping passengers safe will be all airlines’ highest priority. What could an escalating conflict mean for both the airlines and the travelling public?
History shows that the civil airline industry and military conflict do not mix. On July 3 1988, the USS Vincennes, a US navy warship, fired two surface-to-air missiles and shot down Iran Air Flight 655, an international passenger service over the Persian Gulf.
More recently, on July 17 2014, Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 was shot down over eastern Ukraine as the battle between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian separatists continued.
Understandably, global airlines are very risk-averse when it comes to military conflict. The International Civil Aviation Organization requires airlines to implement and maintain a Safety Management System (SMS).
One of the main concerns – known as “pillars” – of the SMS is “safety risk management”. This includes the processes to identify hazards, assess risks and implement risk mitigation strategies.
The risk-management departments of airlines transiting the Middle East region will have been working hard on these strategies.
The most immediate and obvious evidence of such strategies being put in place are changes to aircraft routing, either by cancelling or suspending flights or making changes to the flight plans. This is to ensure aircraft avoid the airspace where military conflicts are flaring.
At the time of writing, a quick look at flight tracking website Flightradar24 shows global aircraft traffic avoiding the airspace of Iran, Iraq, Syria, Israel, Jordan, Palestine and Lebanon. The airspace over Ukraine is also devoid of air traffic.
Rerouting, however, creates its own challenges. Condensing the path of the traffic into smaller, more congested areas can push aircraft into and over areas that are not necessarily equipped to deal with such a large increase in traffic.
Having more aircraft in a smaller amount of available safe airspace creates challenges for air traffic control services and the pilots operating the aircraft.
Avoiding areas of conflict is one of the most visible forms of airline risk management. This may add time to the length of a planned flight, leading to higher fuel consumption and other logistical challenges. This will add to the airlines’ operating costs.
There will be no impact on the cost of tickets already purchased. But if the instability in the region continues, we may see airline ticket prices increase.
It is not just the avoidance of airspace in the region that could place upward pressure on the cost of flying. Airliners run on Jet-A1 fuel, produced from oil.
If Iran closes the Strait of Hormuz, the “world’s most important oil transit chokepoint”, this could see the cost of oil, and in turn Jet-A1, significantly increase. Increasing fuel costs will be passed on the paying passenger. However, some experts believe such a move is unlikely.
The major aviation hubs in the Middle East provide increased global connectivity, enabling passengers to travel seamlessly between continents.
Increased regional instability has the potential to disrupt this global connectivity. In the event of a prolonged conflict, airlines operating in and around the region may find they have increased insurance costs. Such costs would eventually find their way passed on to consumers through higher ticket prices.
Across the globe, airlines and governments are issuing travel advisories and warnings. The onus is on the travelling public to stay informed about changes to flight status, and potential delays.
Such warnings and advisories can lead to a drop in passenger confidence, which may then lead to a drop in bookings both into and onwards from the region.
Until the increase in instability in the Middle East, global airline passenger traffic numbers were larger than pre-pandemic figures. Strong growth had been predicted in the coming decades.
Anything that results in falling passenger confidence could negatively impact these figures, leading to slowed growth and affecting airline profitability.
Despite high-profile disasters, aviation remains the safest form of transport. As airlines deal with these challenges they will constantly work to keep flights safe and to win back passenger confidence in this unpredictable situation.
Natasha Heap 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.
– ref. The Middle East is a major flight hub. How do airlines keep passengers safe during conflict? – https://theconversation.com/the-middle-east-is-a-major-flight-hub-how-do-airlines-keep-passengers-safe-during-conflict-259034
Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Anastasia Hronis, Clinical Psychologist, University of Technology Sydney
Ever find yourself unable to stop scrolling through your phone, chasing that next funny video or interesting post?
Or maybe you’ve felt a rush of excitement when you achieve a goal, eat a delicious meal, or fill your online shopping cart.
Why do some experiences feel so rewarding, while others leave us feeling flat? Well, dopamine might be responsible for that. Here’s what it does in our brains and bodies.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter – a chemical messenger that facilitates communication between the brain and the central nervous system. It sends messages between different parts of your nervous system, helping your body and brain coordinate everything from your movement to your mood.
Dopamine is most known for its role in short-term pleasure, and the boost we get from things such as eating tasty foods, drinking alcohol, scrolling social media or falling in love.
Dopamine also assists with learning, maintaining focus and attention, and helps us store memories.
It even plays a role in kidney function by regulating the levels of salt and water we excrete.
Conversely, low levels of dopamine have been linked to neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson’s disease.
Dopamine is not just active when we do pleasurable things. It’s active beforehand and it drives us to pursue pleasure.
Say I go to a cafe and decide to buy a doughnut. When I bite into the doughnut, it tastes fantastic. Dopamine surges and I experience pleasure.
The next time I walk past the cafe, dopamine is already active. It remembers the doughnut I had last time and how delicious it was. Dopamine drives me to walk back into the cafe, purchase another doughnut and eat it.
From an evolutionary perspective, dopamine was incredibly important and it ensured survival of the species. It motivated behaviours such as hunting and foraging for food. It reinforced the pursuit of finding shelter and safety and keeping away from predators. And it motivated people to seek out mates and to reproduce.
However, modern technology has amplified the effects of dopamine, leading to negative consequences. Activities such as excessive social media use, gambling, consuming alcohol, drug use, sex, pornography and gaming can stimulate dopamine release, creating cycles of addiction and compulsive behaviours.
Our brain is constantly releasing small amounts of dopamine at a “baseline” rate. This is because dopamine is crucial to the functioning of our brain and body, irrespective of pleasure.
Everyone has a different baseline, influenced by genetic factors such as our DRD2 dopamine receptor genes. Some people produce and metabolise dopamine faster than other people. Our baseline levels can also be influenced by sleep, nutrition and stress in our lives.
Given we all have a baseline of dopamine, our experience of pleasure at any given time is relative to our baseline rate and relative to what has come before.
If I play games on my phone all morning and get a dopamine release from that, then I eat something tasty for morning tea, I may not experience the same level of fulfilment or enjoyment that I would have had I not played those games.
The brain works hard to regulate itself and it won’t allow us to be in a constant state of dopamine “highs”. This means we can build a tolerance to certain exciting activities if we seek them out too much, as the brain wants to avoid being in a state of constant dopamine “highs”.
Thankfully, there are healthy, non-addictive ways to boost your dopamine levels.
Exercise is one of the most effective methods for boosting dopamine naturally. Physical activities such as walking, running, cycling, or even dancing can trigger the release of dopamine, leading to improved mood and greater motivation.
Research has shown listening to music you enjoy makes your brain release more dopamine, giving you a pleasurable experience.
And of course, spending time with people whose company we enjoy is another great way to activate dopamine.
Incorporating these habits into daily life can support your brain’s natural dopamine production and help you enjoy lasting improvements in motivation, mood and overall health.
Anastasia Hronis is the author of The Dopamine Brain: Your Science-Backed Guide to Balancing Pleasure and Purpose, published by Penguin Books Aus & NZ.
– ref. Dopamine can make it hard to put down our phone or abandon the online shopping cart. Here’s why – https://theconversation.com/dopamine-can-make-it-hard-to-put-down-our-phone-or-abandon-the-online-shopping-cart-heres-why-254811
Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Alison Cole, Composer and Lecturer in Screen Composition, Sydney Conservatorium of Music, University of Sydney
Our experience of the world often involves hearing our environment before seeing it. Whether it’s the sound of something moving through nearby water, or the rustling of vegetation, our fear of the unseen is rooted in our survival instincts as a species.
Cinematic sound and music taps into these somewhat unsettling instincts – and this is exactly what director Steven Spielberg and composer John Williams achieved in the iconic 1975 thriller Jaws. The sound design and musical score work in tandem to confront the audience with a mysterious killer animal.
In what is arguably the film’s most iconic scene, featuring beach swimmers’ legs flailing underwater, the shark remains largely unseen – yet the sound perfectly conveys the threat at large.
Film composers aim to create soundscapes that will profoundly move and influence their audience. And they express these intentions through the use of musical elements such as rhythm, harmony, tempo, form, dynamics, melody and texture.
In Jaws, the initial encounter with the shark opens innocently with the sound of an offshore buoy and its clanging bell. The scene is established both musically and atmospherically to evoke a sense of isolation for the two characters enjoying a late-night swim on an empty beach.
But once we hear the the low strings, followed by the central two-note motif played on a tuba, we know something sinister is afoot.
This compositional technique of alternating between two notes at an increasing speed has long been employed by composers, including by Antonín Dvořák in his 1893 work New World Symphony.
John Williams reportedly used six basses, eight cellos, four trombones and a tuba to create the blend of low frequencies that would go on to define his entire Jaws score.
The bass instruments emphasise the lower end of the musical frequency spectrum, evoking a dark timbre that conveys depth, power and intensity. String players can use various bowing techniques, such as staccato and marcato, to deliver dark and even menacing tones, especially in the lower registers.
Meanwhile, there is a marked absence of tonality in the repeating E–F notes, played with increasing speed on the tuba. Coupled with the intensifying dynamics in the instrumental blend, this accelerating two-note motif signals the looming danger before we even see it – tapping into our instinctive fear of the unknown.
The use of the two-note motif and lower-end orchestration characterises a composition style that aims to unsettle and disorientate the audience. Another example of this style can be heard in Bernard Herrmann’s car crash scene audio in North by Northwest (1959).
Similarly, in Sergei Prokofiev’s Scythian Suite, the opening of the second movement (Dance of the Pagan Gods) uses an alternating D#–E motif.
The elasticity of Williams’ motif allows the two notes to be played on different instruments throughout the soundtrack, exploring various timbral possibilities to induce a kaleidoscope of fear, panic and dread.
What is it that makes the Jaws soundtrack so psychologically confronting, even without the visuals? Music scholars have various theories. Some suggest the two notes imitate the sound of human respiration, while others have proposed the theme evokes the heartbeat of a shark.
Williams explained his approach in an interview with the Los Angeles Times:
I fiddled around with the idea of creating something that was very … brainless […] Meaning something could be very repetitious, very visceral, and grab you in your gut, not in your brain. […] It could be something you could play very softly, which would indicate that the shark is far away when all you see is water. Brainless music that gets louder and gets closer to you, something is gonna swallow you up.
Williams plays with the audience’s emotions throughout the film’s score, culminating in the scene Man Against Beast – a celebration of thematic development and heightened orchestration.
The film’s iconic soundtrack has created a legacy that extends beyond the visual. And this suggests the score isn’t just a soundtrack – but a character in its own right.
By using music to reveal what is hidden, Williams creates an intense emotional experience rife with anticipation and tension. The score’s two-note motif showcases his genius – and serves as a sonic shorthand that has kept a generation behind the breakers of every beach.
Alison Cole 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.
– ref. Jaws at 50: how two musical notes terrified an entire generation – https://theconversation.com/jaws-at-50-how-two-musical-notes-terrified-an-entire-generation-258068
Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Cameron Shackell, Sessional Academic, School of Information Systems, Queensland University of Technology
Our cultural touchstones series looks at influential works.
Gilles Deleuze was one of the most original and imaginative thinkers of postwar France. A lifelong teacher, he spent most of his career at the University of Paris VIII, influencing generations of students but largely shunning the mantle of public intellectual.
His complex, creative books mix philosophy, literature, film and politics – not to give clear answers, but to spark new ways of thinking.
Postscript on the Societies of Control, published 35 years ago in the countercultural L’Autre Journal is Deleuze at his most accessible and prophetic.
Written at a time when the Cold War was ending, computers were becoming more common, and the internet was beginning to connect institutions, the essay describes the emergence of a new kind of society – one not ruled by a single stern voice but by the soft hum of networks.
Postscript was written as an update to the work of Deleuze’s contemporary Michel Foucault, who had died in 1984. Deleuze called it a “postscript” not just because of its brevity (it’s only around 2,300 words in English translation) but to highlight he wasn’t refuting Foucault, just building on his work.
From the 18th to early 20th centuries, Foucault had argued, Western societies were “disciplinary societies”. Schools, factories, prisons and hospitals – institutions with walls, schedules, routines and clear expectations – moulded behaviour. People were trained, observed, tested and corrected as they passed from one institution to the next.
Read more:
‘A dark masterpiece’: Foucault’s Discipline and Punish at 50
But in the late 20th century, Deleuze saw something shifting. He thought the stodgy old disciplinary institutions were “in a generalized crisis” due to technological advances and a new form of capitalism that demanded more flexibility in workers and consumers.
New systems of management and technology were starting to reshape people without sending them through traditional institutions. Deleuze wrote presciently, for example, that “perpetual training tends to replace the school, and continuous control to replace the examination”.
In business, he saw a growing idea of “salary according to merit”, transforming work into “challenges, contests, and highly comic group sessions” – something much at odds with the old model of the standard wage and the assembly line. Traditional government institutions like hospitals and the classic factory were embracing the model of the corporation, driven always by a profit motive and the need for better human tools.
To Deleuze, all this meant people were becoming more “free-floating” – they could be still playing socially useful roles but were being gently steered into them. This greater freedom, however, required a new system to keep everyone in line. He called this “modulation” to underline its dynamic, enveloping nature.
Deleuze described modulation as “a self-deforming cast that will continuously change from one moment to the other”. He meant that people were beginning to live in an environment where everything shape-shifts to encourage or discourage us in the right direction without explicitly putting up walls.
A prime example of how modulation has since become commonplace is nudging – the use of psychological techniques, often subtle and data-driven, to shape people’s behaviour.
Nudging didn’t really exist in 1990, but governments and tech companies use nudges all the time now. We’re nudged to eat healthier, buy, save, recycle, donate. Web sites use “dark patterns” – tricky designs that steer (or nudge) us toward certain choices. Social media feeds use algorithms to exclude us if we say the wrong thing. In fact, entire teams of behavioural scientists operate behind the scenes to manipulate many aspects of our lives.
Nudges can be good and can save us from poor choices, but their newfound moral acceptability (sometimes called libertarian paternalism) is very much a clue that Deleuze’s control society has arrived.
Deleuze, who died in 1995, wrote Postscript before the advent of the smartphone, but he foresaw that an “electronic collar” would assume a central role in society. He envisaged a “computer that tracks each person’s position – licit or illicit – and effects a universal modulation.”
Smartphones more than fit the bill. In the old disciplinary ways, they track where we go, what we search for, what we buy, how many steps we take, even how well we sleep. But if we apply Deleuze’s ideas to these phones, detailed surveillance is no longer their most important function. Our phones present and curate options.
In effect, they shape how we see the world. When you scroll through news or social media, for instance, you’re reading about a version of the world built just for you, designed to keep you looking, clicking and reacting – and keep you very finely attuned to what is acceptable or dangerous behaviour.
In Deleuze’s terms, this is pure modulation: not a forceful “No” but a softly spoken, “How about this?” Your phone doesn’t lock you in – it draws you in. It shapes what you see, rewards your cooperation, ignores your silence, and always keeps score. And it does this 24/7. You might unlock it hundreds of times a day. And each time it’s updated to guide your next move more precisely.
At the same time our phones quietly turn us into a set of credentials useful for regulating physical access to workplaces, bank accounts, information: In the societies of control, writes Deleuze, “what is important is no longer either a signature or a number, but a code: the code is a password.”
Deleuze warned that, in a control society: “Individuals have become ‘dividuals,’ and masses have become samples, data, markets, or ‘banks.’” A dividual to Deleuze is a person transformed into a set of data points and metrics.
You are your credit rating, your search history, your likes and clicks – a different dataset to every institution. Such fragments are used to make decisions about you until they effectively replace you. In fact, for Deleuze a dividual has internalised this treatment and thinks of themselves as a net worth, a mortgage size, a car value – psychological anchors for control.
He illustrates this point with healthcare, predicting a
new medicine ‘without doctor or patient’ that singles out potential sick people and subjects at risk, which in no way attests to individuation.
How many health decisions are now made for us collectively before we ever see a doctor? We should be grateful for advances in public health and epidemiology, but this has certainly impacted our individuality and how we are treated.
An unsettling part of Deleuze’s perspective is that control doesn’t usually feel like control. It’s often dressed up as convenience, efficiency or progress. You set up internet-linked video cameras because then you can work from home. You agree to long terms and conditions because your banking app won’t work otherwise.
One problem is there are no longer clear barriers we can rail against. As Deleuze said:
In disciplinary societies one was always starting again (from school to the barracks, from the barracks to the factory), while in control societies one is never finished with anything.
Control doesn’t always crush – it can enable. Digital networks bring real freedom, economic possibility, even joy. We move more easily – both mentally and geographically – than ever before. But while we move, it always inside a kind of invisible map shaped by capitalism.
It’s no conspiracy because nobody has the whole map. So it’s difficult to work out exactly what action, if any, to take. As Deleuze concludes: “The coils of a serpent are even more complex than the burrows of a molehill.”
Postscript doesn’t offer a political program beyond the sardonic comment that:
Many young people strangely boast of being ‘motivated’ […] It’s up to them to discover what they’re being made to serve.
There are ways to resist control. Some people demand more privacy or digital rights. Others opt out selectively – logging off, turning off, refusing to be nudged. Some look to art as a way of resisting its smooth grip. These acts – however small – may offer what Deleuze and his collaborator, the French psychiatrist and philosopher Félix Guattari, called lines of flight: creative ways to move not just against control, but beyond it.
The real message of Postscript, however, is its invitation to consider a timeless perspective. Any society must have a way to make people useful. So, what kind of society do we want? What kinds of restrictions are we willing to live under? And, crucial to this current age, how explicit should control be?
Cameron Shackell 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.
– ref. Computers tracking us, people as data points: Gilles Deleuze’s 1990 Postcript on the Societies of Control was eerily prescient – https://theconversation.com/computers-tracking-us-people-as-data-points-gilles-deleuzes-1990-postcript-on-the-societies-of-control-was-eerily-prescient-254579
Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Frank Jotzo, Professor, Crawford School of Public Policy and Director, Centre for Climate and Energy Policy, Australian National University
Australia is among the world’s top three exporters of LNG and second-largest exporter of coal. When burned overseas, these exports result in 1.1 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions a year – almost three times Australia’s domestic emissions.
Emissions embedded in Australia’s exports do not count towards our national emissions targets. But they contribute to climate change – and they’re the reason for Australia’s international reputation as a fossil-fuel economy.
On the bright side, Australia boasts huge potential for low-cost renewable energy and a knack for resource industries.
We can, and should, become a “renewable energy superpower”. This term refers to the potential for Australia to use its bountiful renewable energy resources to make commodities such as iron, ammonia and other products and fuels in “green” or low-emissions ways.
So how does Australia give salience to this idea on the global stage, while our fossil fuel exports continue? The solution could be a new net-zero target for Australia, in which emissions from green exports are tallied up against those from fossil fuel exports.
If the clean energy transition eventuates, green exports from Australia will rise over time. This will help reduce the use of coal, gas and oil elsewhere in the world.
Meanwhile, coal exports – and later, gas exports – will fall. This will happen irrespective of Australia’s policies, as the world economy decarbonises and demand for fossil fuels slows.
At some point, we can expect emissions avoided by our green commodity exports to surpass those from remaining coal and gas exports. Australia would then reach what could be termed “net-zero export emissions”.
Adopting this net-zero target as a national policy would give a concrete yardstick to Australia’s green-export ambitions. It could also invigorate Australia’s climate policy and boost investor confidence.
A different approach would be to set targets only for green exports, and this could be how we get started. Ultimately, a net-zero target wrapping up both green and fossil-fuel exports would speak most directly to the goal of tackling climate change, and is likely to have more impact on the international stage.
The below chart shows an illustrative decline in emissions embedded in Australia’s coal and LNG (liquified natural gas) exports, out to 2050.*
It’s hard to pin down when Australia might reach net-zero exports. It depends on several factors. How quickly will the cost of clean energy and green-commodity technologies fall? How competitively can Australia produce green goods compared to other nations? What policies will be adopted in Australia and overseas – and will they work?
The magnitudes are sobering. Take iron, for example. Australia currently exports 900 million tonnes of iron ore a year. This is processed overseas to about 560 million tonnes of iron.
To fully compensate for emissions currently embedded in Australia’s coal and gas exports, Australia would need to process about the same amount of green iron – around 550 million tonnes – on home soil every year.
To reach this figure, we assume 0.1 tonnes of CO₂-equivalent is created per tonne of green iron, compared to about 2.1 tonnes of CO₂-equivalent per tonne of iron resulting from conventional blast furnace production.
Achieving this would require keeping iron ore production at current levels and processing it all in Australia, which is unlikely to be realistic.
Thankfully, the task of reaching net-zero export emissions will be smaller in future, as global coal and gas demand falls. But exactly how this will translate to Australian exports is highly uncertain.
Let’s suppose Australia’s exports evolved on the same trajectory as they might under current climate policies and pledges for the global coal and gas trade.
In this case, embedded emissions from Australia’s coal and gas exports would be about 360 million tonnes in 2050. This includes about 120 million tonnes from LNG exports – much of it locked in by the extension to Woodside’s North West Shelf project off Western Australia.
Hypothetically, the 360 million tonnes of emissions could be negated by a mix of green exports. They include 102 million tonnes of green iron (saving 204 million tonnes of CO₂), and 11 million tonnes of green ammonia (saving about 23 million tonnes of CO₂), and the remainder covered by a combination of green aluminium, silicon, methanol and transport fuels.
Judgement calls would be needed about which commodities to include in the target. The composition of green exports suggested above is akin to assumptions about Australia’s potential global market share outlined by The Superpower Institute.
Importantly, it’s hard to predict with certainty the greenhouse gas emissions displaced elsewhere in the world by Australia’s green exports. So, the estimates should be understood as broad illustrations, and not as exact as the accounting used to calculate countries’ domestic emissions.
The precise year chosen for reaching a net-zero target for export emissions may well be less important than the commitment that, at some point, Australia’s green energy exports will exceed fossil fuel exports. This would establish the notion that Australia has the capacity and willingness to help the world decarbonise.
The export target could be part of Australia’s updated emissions pledge due to be submitted to the United Nations by September this year. The pledge, known as a Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), is required by signatories to the Paris Agreement.
Each nation is expected to detail its national emissions target for 2035. But nations can make additional pledges towards the world’s climate change effort. You could call it an “NDC+”.
So Australia could outline an indicative goal for net-zero exports – perhaps alongside other pledges such as leveraging climate change finance for developing countries, or helping our Pacific neighbours adapt to climate change impacts.
As a large fossil fuels exporter, Australia would earn kudos for showing it has a positive agenda for change.
And if Australia wins the bid to host the COP31 climate conference next year, a plan to reduce export emissions could be a major rallying point.
* Underlying data for the chart showing an expected decline in future emissions embedded in Australia’s coal and LNG exports:
Exports in 2022–23: coal, 9.6 exajoules (EJ); LNG, 4.5 EJ, from Australian Energy Update. This was multiplied by an emissions factor 90.2 for coal (MtCO₂-e/EJ) and 51.5 for LNG (MtCO₂-e/EJ), as drawn from the Australian National Greenhouse Accounts Factors
Exports for 2035 and 2050: this assumes a trend aligned with the IEA’s Announced Pledges Scenario, as outlined in the World Energy Outlook 2024. Note the percentage changes from 2023 to 2035 and 2050 for coal (-45% and -73% respectively) and for LNG (+9% and -47% respectively.) These figures do not distinguish between steam coal for power and metallurgical coal.
Frank Jotzo leads research projects on climate, energy and industry policy. He is a commissioner with the NSW Net Zero Commission and chairs the Queensland Clean Economy Expert Panel.
Annette Zou works on research projects on climate policy and decarbonisation and has previously worked with The Superpower Institute
– ref. Australia could become the world’s first net-zero exporter of fossil fuels – here’s how – https://theconversation.com/australia-could-become-the-worlds-first-net-zero-exporter-of-fossil-fuels-heres-how-259037
Source: The Conversation – Global Perspectives – By Luke Hartigan, Lecturer in Economics, University of Sydney
The tax cuts bill currently being debated by the US Senate will add another US$3 trillion (A$4.6 trillion) to US debt. President Donald Trump calls it the “big, beautiful bill”; his erstwhile policy adviser Elon Musk called it a “disgusting abomination”.
Foreign investors have already been rattled by Trump’s upending of the global trade system. The eruption of war in the Middle East would usually lead to “flight to safety” buying of the US dollar, but the dollar has barely budged. That suggests US assets are not seen as the safe haven they used to be.
Greg Combet, chair of Australia’s own sovereign wealth fund, the Future Fund, outlined many of the new risks arising from US policies in a speech on Tuesday.
As investors turn cautious on the US, at some point the surging US debt pile will become unsustainable. That could risk a financial crisis. But at what point does that happen?
When talking about the sustainability of US government debt, we have to distinguish between total debt and public debt.
Public debt is owed to individuals, companies, foreign governments and investors. This accounts for about 80% of total US debt. The remainder is intra-governmental debt held by government agencies and the Federal Reserve.
Public debt is a more correct measure of US government debt. And it is much less than the headline total government debt amount that is frequently quoted, which is running at US$36 trillion or 121% of GDP.
Governments are not like households. They can feasibly roll over debt indefinitely and don’t technically need to repay it, unlike a personal credit card. And countries such as the US that issue debt in their own currency can’t technically default unless they choose to.
Debt also serves a useful role. It is the main way a government funds infrastructure projects. It is an important channel for monetary policy, because the US Federal Reserve sets the benchmark interest rate that affects borrowing costs across the economy. And because the US government issues bonds, known as Treasuries, to finance the debt, this is an important asset for investors.
There is probably some limit to the amount of debt the US government can issue. But we don’t really know what this amount is, and we won’t know until we get there. Additionally, the US’s reserve currency status, due to the US dollar’s dominant role in international finance, gives the US government more leeway than other governments.
What is important is the government’s ability to service its debt – that is, to pay the interest cost. This depends on two components: growth in economic activity, and the interest rate on government debt.
If economic growth on average is higher than the interest rate, then the government’s effective interest cost is negative and it could sustainably carry its existing debt burden.
The interest cost of US government debt has surged recently following a series of Federal Reserve interest rate hikes in 2022 and 2023 to quell inflation.
The US government is now spending more on interest payments than on defence – about US$882 billion annually. This will soon start crowding out spending in other areas, unless taxes are raised or further spending cuts made.
The turmoil caused by Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs and heightened uncertainty about future government policy are expected to weaken US economic growth and raise inflation. This, coupled with the recent credit downgrade of US government debt by ratings agency Moody’s, is likely to put upward pressure on US interest rates, further increasing the servicing cost of US government debt.
Moody’s cited concerns about the growth of US federal debt. This comes as the US House of Representatives passed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”, which seeks to extend the 2017 tax cuts indefinitely while slashing social spending. This has caused some to question the sustainability of the US government’s fiscal position.
The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office estimates the bill will add a further US$3 trillion to government debt over the ten years to 2034, increasing debt to 124% of GDP. And this would increase to US$4.5 trillion over ten years and take debt to 128% of GDP if some tax initiatives were made permanent.
Also troubling is Section 899 of the bill, known as the “revenge tax”. This controversial provision raises the tax payable by foreign investors and could further deter foreign investment, potentially making US government debt even less attractive.
The passing of the tax and spending bill is unlikely to cause a financial crisis in the US. But the US could be entering into a period of “fiscal dominance”, which is just as concerning.
In this situation, the independence of the Federal Reserve might be compromised if it is pressured to support the US government’s fiscal position. It would do this by keeping interest rates lower than otherwise, or buying government debt to support the government instead of targeting inflation. Trump has already been putting pressure on Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell, demanding he cut rates immediately.
This could lead to much higher inflation in the US, as occurred in Germany in the 1920s, and more recently in Argentina and Turkey.
Luke Hartigan receives funding from the Australian Research Council (DP230100959)
– ref. How high can US debt go before it triggers a financial crisis? – https://theconversation.com/how-high-can-us-debt-go-before-it-triggers-a-financial-crisis-258812
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand
Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand lauded Senate passage of the GENIUS Act, landmark legislation that will establish a regulatory framework for stablecoins. Senator Gillibrand was the lead Democratic senator on the bill and shepherded the legislation through to final passage.
“Senate passage of the GENIUS Act is a landmark moment in the bipartisan effort to regulate stablecoins. This bill will enable U.S. businesses and consumers to take advantage of the next generation of financial innovation,” said Gillibrand. “A product of months of bipartisan negotiations, the GENIUS Act will protect consumers, enable responsible innovation, and safeguard the dominance of the U.S. dollar. The bill targets illicit finance, places limitations on Big Tech, puts in place ethical guardrails, and strengthens national security. I want to extend my sincere gratitude to Senators Hagerty, Scott, Alsobrooks and Lummis, who worked tirelessly to find common ground and produce this excellent legislation. The GENIUS Act will position our country for the 21st century, and I will continue working to ensure it is signed into law.”
Senator Gillibrand, alongside Senators Hagerty (R-TN), Scott (R-SC), Lummis (R-WY), and Alsobrooks (D-MD), introduced the GENIUS Act earlier this year. The bill passed out of the Senate Banking Committee with bipartisan support in March 2025.
Senator Gillibrand has been working on cryptocurrency legislation since 2022, when she and Senator Lummis introduced the Lummis-Gillibrand Responsible Financial Innovation Act, a comprehensive bipartisan framework for cryptocurrency regulation. The framework was re-introduced in 2023. In 2024, Gillibrand and Lummis also introduced a stablecoin bill that included many of the provisions that passed in the GENIUS Act.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for North Carolina Thom Tillis
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Chris Coons (D-DE) announced that Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) have joined the Patent Eligibility Restoration Act (PERA) as cosponsors. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation will restore patent eligibility to important inventions across many fields while also resolving legitimate concerns over the patenting of mere ideas, the mere discovery of what already exists in nature, and social and cultural content that everyone agrees is beyond the scope of the patent system. It also affirms the basic principle that the patent system is central to promoting technology-based innovation.
“In recent years the Supreme Court has expanded judicial exceptions to such a degree that patent eligibility has gone from being a coarse filter to a fine one – resulting in U.S. inventors being unable to obtain patents in areas where our economic peers offer protections, such as for diagnostic medicine and for artificial intelligence,” said Senator Tillis. “Patent eligibility is but one of four criteria that determines whether a patent application can be issued as a patent. PERA will expand the aperture of patent eligibility – it does not automatically render something patentable – and will ensure that the U.S. does not shut the door to innovations that is welcomed by the patent systems of our economic peers. We cannot allow the U.S. to fall behind on the global stage and I’m glad to see more of my Senate colleagues recognize this pressing need.”
“When American innovators know their ideas are eligible for patent protection, they take the risks that push us into the future – whether that’s the next groundbreaking medical test or the latest AI technology,” said Senator Coons. “PERA restores clarity to the law on what can be patented and what cannot – guidance that federal courts have been requesting for years and that the Supreme Court has refused to provide. I’m excited to welcome my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to this bill. This is another step toward providing America’s inventors with the stable legal foundation they need to produce the cutting-edge technologies that power our economy.”
“Our patent system must fuel innovation and secure America’s competitive edge over adversaries like Communist China,” said Senator Blackburn. “The bipartisan Patent Eligibility Restoration Act would restore patent eligibility for important inventions across many critical fields to ensure America remains ahead of the curve when it comes to technological innovation.”
“A series of Supreme Court decisions restricting patent eligibility have constricted American innovation,” said Senator Hirono. “The Patent Eligibility Restoration Act will help clarify patent eligibility law, encouraging technological innovation to help ensure that our country does not fall behind on innovation. Importantly, this legislation only affects patent eligibility, it does nothing to affect the many other requirements for patentability.”
Background:
Unfortunately, due to a series of Supreme Court decisions, patent eligibility law in the United States has become confused, constricted, and unclear in recent years. This has resulted in a wide range of well-documented negative impacts – inconsistent case decisions, uncertainty in innovation and investment communities, and unpredictable business outcomes.
As of 2021, all 12 then-sitting judges of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit lamented the state of the law. Witnesses and stakeholders from a wide array of industries, fields, interest groups, and academia have testified and submitted comments confirming the uncertainty and detailing the detrimental effects of patent eligibility confusion in the United States. There is now widespread bipartisan agreement in Congress and across all recent Administrations that reforms are necessary to restore the United States to a position of global strength and leadership in key areas of technology and innovation, such as medical diagnostics, biotechnology, personalized medicine, artificial intelligence, 5G, and blockchain.
The Patent Eligibility Restoration Act achieves this critical goal by restoring patent eligibility to important inventions across many fields, while also resolving legitimate concerns over patenting of mere ideas, the mere discovery of what already exists in nature, and social and cultural content that everyone agrees is beyond the scope of the patent system, which is a system aimed at promoting technology-based innovation. As a general approach, the Patent Eligibility Restoration Act maintains the existing statutory categories of eligible subject matter, which have worked well for over two centuries, but eliminates the overly malleable set of current judicial exceptions – replacing them with five specific, defined statutory exclusions. By eliminating and replacing the current judicial exceptions, the Patent Eligibility Restoration Act provides predictable patent eligibility for important computer-implemented technological developments and medical advances, creating a solid bedrock for America’s innovation future.
Full text of the bill is available HERE.
Source: United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC)
Three major French financial institutions, including two of the country’s largest banks and the state’s public investment arm, have announced their rejection of deep sea mining during the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) last week in Nice.
The three institutions are:
BNP Paribas – France’s largest and Europe’s second largest bank. BNP Paribasconfirms it does not invest in deep sea mining projects due to the intrinsic environmental and social risks involved.
Crédit Agricole – The second largest bank in France and the world’s largest cooperative financial institution. Crédit Agricole stated it will not finance deep sea mining projects until it has been proven that such operations pose no significant harm to marine ecosystems.
Groupe Caisse des Dépôts – The public investment arm of the French Government, which also holds a majority stake in La Banque Postale. The Group has pledged to exclude all financing and investment in companies whose main activity is deep sea mining, as well as in deep sea mining projects.
Amundi Asset Management also made a statement that it seeks to avoid investment in companies “involved in deep sea mining and/or exploration”.
This now brings to 24 the number of financial institutions who exclude deep sea mining in some form.
Deep Sea Mining Campaign Finance Advocacy Officer Andy Whitmore says: “This is a truly significant outcome from UNOC. Until recently no French financiers had matched their Government’s position calling for a ban. This UN Ocean Conference, co-hosted by France, was the perfect opportunity for the most important national players to step up and be counted”
These financial announcements are a sign of global concern pushing itself on to the agenda. World leaders renewed calls for a global moratorium on the dangerous industry, with French President Emmanuel Macron denouncing it as “madness”, with UN Secretary-General António Guterres responding to recent announcements from President Trump by warning that the deep sea “cannot become the Wild West.” Slovenia, Latvia, Cyprus and the Marshall Islands also announced their support for a moratorium or precautionary pause, bringing the number of like-minded countries to 37.
Andy Whitmore concluded “the events at UNOC have added further momentum to the financial establishment rejecting deep sea mining. The recent unseemly rush to mine is creating push-back from the financial world, as much as from governments and civil society.”
18 JUNE 2025 – Equinor has today been awarded a new exploration opportunity in Brazil, providing the potential for deepening the company’s position in the country.
Equinor has deepened its position in the Santos basin after winning the S-M-1617 block during Brazil’s 5th Open Permanent Concession bid round.
“We are pleased with our success in today’s bidding round, securing a new exploration opportunity in Brazil – a core country in our international portfolio. The license is in close proximity to the S-M-1378 block we already own, an area with strong potential that we can leverage to reinforce our position in the Santos basin. This award provides us with longevity options for Brazil and demonstrates our continuous commitment and appetite to grow in the country,” says Veronica Coelho, Senior Vice President and Brazil Country Manager.
The S-M-1617 license in Brazil was secured by Equinor on a 100% basis with a total signature bonus of around 30.5 million Brazilian Real (around 5.5 MUSD).
The block is located 60 kilometers away from the S-M-1378 block already owned by Equinor. This is an addition to our existing opportunity set in Brazil and demonstrates the company’s continued commitment and growth ambition in the country. Equinor will now work to conduct necessary geological and geophysical assessments for future exploration activities.
Facts about Brazil:
Equinor as an international operator has been present in Brazil for more than two decades and sees the country as a core area for long-term growth.
The S-M-1617 license is located in the Santos basin, 400 kilometres off the coast, in water depths up to 2600 metres.
Equinor is progressing as an operator of the Bacalhau and Raia projects, in the Santos and Campos basins respectively.
Beyond oil and gas, Equinor is expanding investments into renewable energy with onshore assets already in operation and more projects under development through its subsidiary Rio Energy.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced an award of $1,906,102 through the Airport Infrastructure Grant (AIG) program for projects at several airports across North Dakota. The funding will be distributed as follows:
The AIG Program was established by the fully-paid-for Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to provide airports with funding for modernization and safety projects. Since its creation, airports in North Dakota have received over $49 million in program funding.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn)
WATCH KLOBUCHAR’S FULL REMARKS HERE
WASHINGTON —On the Senate Floor, U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith delivered remarks honoring the life and legacy of Representative Melissa Hortman, former Minnesota House speaker, and her husband Mark Hortman.
A transcript of the Senator Klobuchar’s floor speech is below:
Mr. President, I rise today with my colleague from Minnesota, Senator Smith, to honor two Minnesotans who are friends of ours, who were taken from us this weekend in a shocking act of political violence: Representative Melissa Hortman, our former Speaker of the House and her husband, Mark Hortman.
I’m also continuing to pray for State Senator John Hoffman and his wife Yvette, who survived a brutal assassination attempt. John took nine bullets and Yvette took eight, and they are continuing to recover in the hospital. I’ve been in touch with Yvette, and she is grateful for the outpouring of support from all over the country for their family.
And I want to extend my enormous gratitude to the hundreds and hundreds of local, state and federal law enforcement who worked tirelessly over the course of a 43-hour manhunt to apprehend the suspect. They ran toward the danger. They risked their lives, and because of their bravery and diligence, our state was able to breathe a sigh of relief Sunday night knowing that this man was no longer at large.
The local officers from Brooklyn Park, Minnesota also stopped further assassinations, along with other officers, in the moment by going over to check on legislators after learning about what had happened at Senator Hoffman’s house. We now know that the assassin went to two other legislators’ homes in between the two shootings that night, and in one case, sped off after being spotted by the police.
While it was too late to save Melissa and Mark, the officers’ decision to check on their house allowed them to spot the assassin, separate him from his vehicle, and begin the manhunt.
But right now, we want to focus on who Melissa and Mark were as people. They were great neighbors, wonderful friends and great parents to their beloved children, Sophie and Colin.
Melissa is someone that I wish the whole Senate and the whole nation knew. We treasured her in Minnesota. She was the epitome of what you want in a public servant. She went into it for all the right reasons.
She grew up in Spring Lake Park and Andover Minnesota, working at her family’s used auto parts company in Blaine in the summers. After leaving for college, she came back to Minnesota for law school and began her career in our state.
She was always devoted to her community. She was a girl scout leader and taught Sunday School at her local Catholic Church, and she was always one of the first to raise her hand when someone needed a volunteer for, well, just about anything, including training service dogs for veterans. One of them, Gilbert, was just too friendly for service, and so their family adopted him and loved him very much. Sadly, he was shot that night, and the two children had to make the decision to put him down this weekend. How they loved that dog.
Melissa and I first ran for public office around the same time, both with little kids. Me, for the county attorney’s office, her for the state legislature. That’s how I got to know her. I was the county attorney. She was running for legislature. We went door to door together, and it seemed like she knew everyone in the district already.
She was elected in 2004 and served in the Minnesota House for 20 years. And she left a lasting impact. As a legislator, she authored legislation that created Minnesota’s solar energy standard. As minority leader, she guided her caucus with conviction and a sense of humor. And she wasn’t afraid to call out the all-male card game taking place during debates.
When her colleagues chose to make her the speaker, her first order of business was getting rid of the speaker’s mute button. As she said at the time, “I have a gavel…and a gavel is good enough for me.”
Melissa was one of the most consequential speakers in the history of our state. She knew no limits in terms of trying to get people together, trying to get things done. And while I cannot believe she is gone, Minnesotans will be feeling the impact of her leadership forever.
When a Minnesota student gets a free school lunch, that’s Melissa.
When a Minnesota parent is able to take paid leave to spend those early, precious moments with a newborn, that’s Melissa.
When a Minnesota voter casts a ballot without facing unfair discrimination, that’s Melissa.
When a woman is able to access reproductive care in our state, that’s Melissa, and when our state achieves 100% clean energy by 2040, that will be because of Melissa.
And when we had a tied state house this year, it was Melissa who forged a power sharing agreement and a budget with her Republican counterpart.
She was a generational leader, and she led with integrity and with courage. She, like her husband, Mark, who also was accomplished in business and a kind, kind person, they were compassionate and they were smart, and they were just nice to everyone. And I can’t believe they are gone.
The polarization in our country, the divisions, the online hate, needs to stop. Violence has absolutely no place in our democracy. We need to come together and bring down the rhetoric. We must be united in the face of this attack. It was simply un-American.
That’s why the entire Minnesota delegation, Democrats and Republicans, including Senator Smith, including Congressman Emmer, came together over the weekend to call this violence out. We spoke with one voice to condemn it, and in our state, Melissa’s colleagues on both sides of the aisle have done the same.
We need to recognize the reality that there are unbalanced people out there. Read things online, they believe them. They act on them.
We have seen this too many times. There are many things we can do as a body to fix this problem, and I’m sure in the days to come, we will offer legislation on security and all kinds of things. But we don’t need to pass a law for people to turn down the rhetoric, to treat each other with decency and respect, to act a little more like Melissa and Mark.
Mr. President, Melissa and Mark Hortman were the best of us. I am shattered to have lost them, but eternally grateful to have known them.
I want to end by sharing a message from their beloved kids, Sophie and Colin. They wrote this just last night: “This tragedy must become a moment for us to come together. Hold your loved ones a little closer, love your neighbors and treat each other with kindness and respect. The best way to honor our parents’ memory,” they said,”is to do something, whether big or small, to make our community just a little better for someone else.”
I urge my colleagues to hear that message, and I’m honored to be here with my wonderful colleague, Senator Smith. Thank you and I yield the floor.
Source: Government of Canada – Prime Minister
Today, the Prime Minister, Mark Carney, met with the President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, at the 2025 G7 Leaders’ Summit in Kananaskis, Alberta.
Building on the longstanding relationship between Canada and Mexico, the leaders discussed the close economic integration that has benefited workers and businesses in both nations.
Prime Minister Carney and President Sheinbaum discussed shared G7 priorities, including economic and energy security as well as building reliable supply chains.
The leaders agreed to deepen bilateral collaboration at the ministerial level, with a focus on trade, energy, agriculture, and security.
They also emphasized the importance of safeguarding North American competitiveness and rules-based trade in the lead-up to the review of CUSMA.
Prime Minister Carney and President Sheinbaum agreed to remain in close contact and looked forward to meeting again in Mexico in the coming months.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Robot-related industries boom in Beijing
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
A new extended reality (XR) experience based on the Terracotta Warriors, titled “The Empire Code: Terracotta Warriors – Secrets of the First Emperor’s Mausoleum,” was unveiled on June 14 at the 27th Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF).
Wang Yuan, general producer and chairwoman of Xi’an Hongwen Digital Technology Co., introduces “The Empire Code” at the opening of the XR section during the 27th Shanghai International Film Festival, June 14, 2025. [Photo courtesy of Xi’an Hongwen Digital Technology]
“The Empire Code,” the first XR project officially authorized by Emperor Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum, draws on the famous Terracotta Warrior pits and other archaeological discoveries from the UNESCO World Heritage site in Xi’an, Shaanxi province. The interactive underground tomb experience is designed to set a new standard for presenting Chinese civilization in the digital age.
The project was unveiled at the launch of the festival’s SIFF XR section. Wang Yuan, general producer and chairwoman of Xi’an Hongwen Digital Technology, a joint venture between Shaanxi Culture Industry Investment Group and HTC, said the team was not using technology to resurrect cultural relics, but to allow them to “open history’s door through technology.”
“Virtual reality serves as a radiant bridge across time, connecting ancient wisdom, eternal art and future imagination,” she added.
A poster for “The Empire Code: Terracotta Warriors – Secrets of the First Emperor’s Mausoleum.” [Image courtesy of Xi’an Hongwen Digital Technology]
Along with a trailer and poster launched in Shanghai, audiences can preview a five-minute immersive experience during the festival. The full version is set to open this summer in Beijing and Xi’an.
The project will also be presented at the festival’s International Film & TV Market, where organizers aim to showcase China’s digital cultural solutions and technological expertise to a global audience.
“The Empire Code” brings together specialists in archaeology, filmmaking and virtual reality. Historical accuracy is overseen by Zhang Weixing, a researcher at Northwest University’s Collaborative Research Center for Archaeology of the Silk Roads and former head of Emperor Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum Site excavation team. Acclaimed director Jin Tiemu crafts the narrative, while production designer Huo Tingxiao recreates authentic Qin dynasty visuals. The project also draws on technical expertise from HTC Vive Arts, which has partnered with more than 70 museums worldwide, and Wevr, known for its work in 3D and game development.
A man experiences a preview of “The Empire Code” during the 27th Shanghai International Film Festival on June 14, 2025. [Photo courtesy of SIFF Organizing Committee]
The project uses XR technology such as 5K ultra-high-definition rendering, six degrees of freedom motion tracking and gesture controls to create an immersive experience aimed at minimizing motion sickness.
Producers say the cross-disciplinary effort combines cultural, artistic and technological elements, providing an interactive way to share China’s history while maintaining cultural authenticity.
“The Empire Code” was announced alongside several upcoming projects at SIFF XR, including virtual reality adaptations of China’s animated blockbuster “Chang An,” Jules Verne’s “Journey to the Center of the Earth” and the historical VR film “Creation of the Gods Prequel: A Female General in Shang Dynasty’s Golden Age.”
Other highlights include the sci-fi VR experience “The Devourer,” based on renowned writer Liu Cixin’s short story in which players defend Earth from aliens, and the location-based mixed reality piece “A Tapestry of a Legendary Land,” adapted from the popular dance drama that immerses audiences in Song dynasty artistry.
The opening of the XR section at the 27th Shanghai International Film Festival, June 14, 2025. [Photo courtesy of Xi’an Hongwen Digital Technology]
SIFF XR, a collaboration between the 27th SIFF and the Putuo Culture and Tourism Bureau, ran from June 14 to 16. The event showcased 16 domestic and international feature films, including several global and Asian premieres.
Highlights included “Mnemosyne,” inspired by the classical Chinese opera “The Peony Pavilion,” and “Golog Unbounded,” which explores the natural landscapes of Qinghai province. Attendees could also explore the anime universe of “Gundam” and experience narrative-driven works such as “Nana Lou” and “Jack & Flo.”
By combining film, gaming, performance and tourism, SIFF XR offered immersive experiences that blurred the line between cinema and reality.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
China’s foreign exchange market saw stable operations in May, with a net inflow of cross-border capital, the State Administration of Foreign Exchange said on Tuesday.
Last month, China’s non-banking sectors, including enterprises and individuals, recorded a net cross-border capital inflow of 33 billion U.S. dollars, according to data released by the administration.
The country’s net inflow of cross-border capital from the trade of goods remained at a high level, while foreign investors increased their holdings of domestic stocks compared to the previous month, said Li Bin, deputy head of the administration.
Net capital outflows related to areas such as the trade of services and outbound direct investment remained generally stable, Li said.
In May, foreign exchange purchases completed by banks totaled 192.7 billion U.S. dollars, while sales totaled 181.4 billion U.S. dollars.
Market expectations remained stable, with banks registering a foreign exchange settlement surplus, Li said.
China’s economy is performing steadily and exhibiting growth momentum, which will continue to provide solid support for the sound operations of the foreign exchange market, Li said.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
An increasing number of exhibitors from the United States will participate in the third China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE) this July, signaling their confidence in the Chinese economy despite anti-globalization headwinds, the event organizer said Tuesday.
The number of U.S. exhibitors is expected to increase by 15 percent compared with the previous edition, and 60 percent of them are Global Fortune 500 companies, said Yu Jianlong, vice president of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), at a press conference.
U.S. tech giant Nvidia is expected to make its debut at the expo. During his visit to Beijing in April, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang met with CCPIT chairman Ren Hongbin and emphasized that China is a very important market for Nvidia, expressing the company’s willingness to continue cooperation with China.
Overseas participants at the upcoming expo are estimated to account for 35 percent of the total of 650 exhibitors from 75 countries, regions and international organizations, with half of the overseas participants coming from Europe and the United States, according to Yu.
“Against the backdrop of a complex international situation and anti-globalization headwinds, the gathering of so many friends from all over the world, especially those from the global business community, is a vote of confidence in the expo and also in China’s economic development,” Yu said.
The third CISCE will take place in Beijing from July 16 to 20, with Thailand as the guest country of honor.
As the world’s first national-level exhibition focusing on supply chains, the expo is an internationally shared public product. First held in 2023, the expo has contributed to building more secure, stable, open and inclusive global industrial and supply chains, according to the CCPIT.
Last year, U.S. companies made a strong presence at the second edition of the expo in Beijing, with well-known American firms such as Apple and Tesla seeking to further tap into China’s vast market.
The upcoming expo will feature a new exhibition area dedicated to the innovation chain, aimed at promoting the commercialization of lab-developed technologies and fostering seamless integration between the innovation and industrial chains, the CCPIT said.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
A worker cleans Land Rover cars at a Jaguar Land Rover dealership in Reading Britain on June 24, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua]
Britain and the United States have formally signed a partial bilateral trade agreement during the G7 summit in Canada, according to a press release issued by the UK government on Tuesday.
The agreement, first announced in May, includes tariff reductions on British car and aerospace exports, but several key sectors, notably steel, aluminium and pharmaceuticals, remain unresolved.
The deal came into effect after U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order to implement it. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who met with Trump at the summit, confirmed that the core tariff reduction measures would take effect “immediately.”
Under the agreement, the U.S. will reduce tariffs on up to 100,000 British-made cars per year from 27.5 percent to 10 percent. It also removes the 10 percent U.S. tariff on British aerospace products, including jet engines and aircraft components, a measure expected to take effect by the end of the month.
Britain has also agreed to a quota of 1.4 billion litres of tariff-free U.S. bioethanol imports, a volume roughly equivalent to the country’s total annual domestic demand. In return, the U.S. has committed to allowing limited British beef exports.
The British government said all American agricultural imports would still need to meet Britain’s food safety and animal welfare standards. However, British bioethanol producers and farming groups have expressed concern that the influx of U.S. products could undercut local industries.
Despite these developments, large parts of the agreement remain incomplete. According to reports by the Financial Times, both sides are still in negotiations over steel and aluminium tariffs.
Although Britain currently benefits from an exemption to the new 50 percent global steel duty announced by Trump, it continues to face a 25 percent tariff.
British officials said that final arrangements have been delayed due to “technical and legal” challenges, including U.S. rules requiring that steel must be “melted and poured” in its country of origin. Much of Britain’s steel is processed from imported material and may not qualify under that definition.
People walk past a Boots store in Manchester, Britain, on July 9, 2020. [Photo/Xinhua]
Pharmaceuticals represent another unresolved area. While the British government says both sides aim to secure “significantly preferential outcomes” for the British pharmaceutical industry, no binding provisions have been announced.
According to British media, Starmer has appointed his senior business adviser Varun Chandra to lead a delegation to Washington this week. The team, which includes embassy trade officials, is expected to focus on finalising the remaining elements of the agreement.
Industry analysts and trade experts have pointed out that the deal is limited in scope and relies on executive action rather than formal legislation. This raises questions about the long-term stability of the agreement, particularly if there is a change in U.S. leadership.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
U.S. retail sales declined sharply in May, missing analysts’ expectations, amid concerns that President Donald Trump’s tariffs could damage the economy, according to data released on Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC).
Retail sales fell 0.9 percent, exceeding the 0.6 percent drop that economists had forecast.
The decline reflected growing worries that the Trump administration’s sweeping tariffs might slow down consumer activity.
One major factor in the decline was a drop in auto sales. Many consumers made large purchases earlier in anticipation of tariff announcements, avoiding car dealerships in May.
In addition to auto sales, building materials and garden supply stores saw a 2.7 percent decline. Lower energy prices led to a 2 percent drop in revenue at gas stations. Sales at food and beverage stores were down 0.7 percent, including a 0.8 percent decline at grocery stores. Health and personal care store sales edged down 0.1 percent.
“Today’s data suggests consumers are downshifting,” Ellen Zentner, chief economic strategist at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, told reporters.
Following the report, U.S. stock futures remained in negative territory, and Treasury yields also fell.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Expectations are high ahead of Real Madrid’s debut at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, as they face Al Hilal at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Wednesday.
The match marks Xabi Alonso’s first official game as Real Madrid head coach. Although the former Madrid midfielder and ex-Bayer Leverkusen boss has had just over a week with the squad, all eyes will be on what early changes he has implemented.
Kylian Mbappe (R) of Real Madrid vies with Josko Gvardiol of Manchester City during the UEFA Champions League knockout phase play-off second leg football match between Real Madrid and Manchester City in Madrid, Spain, on Feb. 19, 2025. (Photo by Gustavo Valiente/Xinhua)
Under former coach Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid covered among the least distance on the pitch and rarely applied a high press, instead relying on the pace of Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo to hit on the break.
Alonso favored a high-pressing style at Leverkusen, with his players disrupting opponents’ buildup from the back. Whether he can instill that mentality in Madrid after only a few sessions, particularly in Miami’s heat, remains to be seen.
At Leverkusen, Alonso frequently deployed a back three with attacking full-backs. It is unclear if he will adopt a similar system with Madrid.
The arrival of Trent Alexander-Arnold from Liverpool supports the use of wing-backs, and the England international appears poised to make his Real Madrid debut, along with Dean Huijsen, who signed from Bournemouth.
Huijsen impressed during the recent international break. His height and composure on the ball offer Madrid added flexibility, and it’s easy to envision Mbappe and Vinicius exploiting gaps behind Al Hilal’s defense as Huijsen delivers long passes from deep.
Vinicius remains under scrutiny following a disappointing domestic campaign, while Alonso must also finalize his central midfield pairing, likely Fede Valverde and possibly Dani Ceballos.
Al Hilal’s lineup features several players familiar to Spanish fans, including former Barcelona and Manchester City defender Joao Cancelo, forward Malcom, and former Atletico Madrid left-back Renan Lodi.
With a sell-out crowd expected, the match promises to provide a strong benchmark of the Saudi League’s level against one of Europe’s top clubs.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Premier League club Brighton and Hove Albion has signed Italian international central defender Diego Coppola from Hellas Verona for an undisclosed fee.
Lautaro Martinez (R) of FC Inter vies with Diego Coppola of Hellas Verona during the Serie A 19th round football match between FC Inter and Hellas Verona in Milan, Italy, Jan. 6, 2024. (Photo by Alberto Lingria/Xinhua)
Coppola has agreed a five-year contract with ‘the Seagulls’ and will help cover for the loss of Spain international Dean Huijsen, who signed for Madrid earlier in the summer for 50 million pounds (68 million U.S. dollars).
Coppola, who is currently with the Italian U-21 side at the European Championships in Slovakia, made his debut for Hellas Verona in 2021 and made 81 first team appearances for the club.
“Diego is an exciting addition for the club. Although he is still young, he is tall, strong and mobile, and he will give us a real physical presence,” commented Brighton head coach Fabian Hurzeler on the club website.
Hurzeler highlighted the “impressive progress” the defender has made, adding he “deserved his call-up to the Italian national team.”
Coppola is Brighton’s second signing of the summer, with striker Charalampos Kostoulas also arriving from Greek outfit Olympiakos.
Launching new study abroad and research collaboration partnerships with top Chinese universities and research institutes is the focus of Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington’s involvement in the Prime Minister’s trade delegation to China.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Nic Smith is delighted to be participating in this visit to China to formalise these arrangements which offer exciting opportunities to future students interested in coming to study in Aotearoa New Zealand, as well as forge new research collaborations.
These partnerships include a major research partnership with Shanghai’s prestigious Fudan University, focused on public health, biotechnology, and climate science, as well as articulation and study abroad agreements with one of China’s largest universities, Zhengzhou University.
This visit provides an important opportunity for Victoria University of Wellington to position itself as a top choice for students to consider when looking at studying overseas, says Professor Smith.
“We are committed to deepening our partnerships with China’s leading institutions—united by a shared ambition to blend academic excellence with global citizenship.
“Together, we are preparing the next generation to lead with knowledge, empathy, and purpose.”
“Being part of this delegation reflects New Zealand’s recognition of universities as engines of innovation, diplomacy, and enduring global relationships. It is a privilege to represent our sector and reinforce education’s vital role in connecting nations.”
Prime Minister Rt Hon Christopher Luxon says New Zealand’s education sector is globally respected for its quality, innovation, and commitment to partnership.
“Our universities, including Victoria University of Wellington, play a key role in fostering long-term academic and research collaborations with countries like China. These connections not only support student mobility and world-class research but also strengthen the broader relationship between our two countries.”
Victoria University of Wellington already maintains deep connections and a broad reach across China through longstanding research partnerships, student mobility programmes, and alumni networks.
The University first signed an agreement with Xiamen University in the 1980s, and its Confucius Institute was opened by Chinese President Xi Jinping during his visit to New Zealand in 2010. It is a founding partner of the New Zealand Centre at Peking University and hosts the pre-eminent New Zealand Contemporary Chinese Research Centre.
In 2023, Victoria University of Wellington welcomed its first cohort of students enrolled at a Joint Institute through a partnership with China’s largest university—Zhengzhou University, a globally ranked university with around 73,000 students.
Professor Smith says universities play a crucial role in international dialogue as the world faces increasingly complex challenges.
“In a world facing complex, interconnected challenges—from climate change to public health—our researchers are advancing global solutions. This delegation is a powerful opportunity to showcase how collaboration across borders strengthens those efforts.”
“At Victoria University of Wellington, we see education not simply as a journey, but as a launchpad—for discovery, for leadership, and for impact. We are proud to support the aspirations of students who will shape the future of our world.”
The University will also be launching the Kitea Impact Programme—a leadership development initiative for future global changemakers—and a work integrated learning programme which provides students with hands-on experience in real-world projects while offering New Zealand businesses deeper insights into the Chinese market and access to top talent.
Professor Smith will participate in official events and meetings in Beijing and Shanghai and will reinforce Victoria University of Wellington’s commitment to China by signing partnership agreements with a number of prestigious Chinese universities.
About the partnerships
A new report that pulls together the most recent data on drug consumption, prevalence of use, price and availability shows illicit drug use continues to steadily increase across the board, with the NZ Drug Foundation warning that investment in harm reduction, early intervention and support hasn’t kept pace. (ref. https://drugfoundation.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=12b1eb03b683b7209e15a8fcb&id=94b2792155&e=19a223383c )
The Foundation’s latest annual Drug use in Aotearoa report for 2023/24 shows sharp increases in methamphetamine and cocaine consumption, and an uptick in frequency of use.
Drug Foundation Executive Director Sarah Helm says the report underlines the need for greater investment in harm reduction and support services.
“This report shows there is more need than ever for accessible harm reduction information and early intervention so that we can help people prevent issues before they arise,” she says.
“The sharp increase in cocaine and methamphetamine use has happened against the backdrop of long-term under-investment in addiction services and the sector is now under intense strain. We urgently need to turn that around.”
While New Zealand has historically seen low levels of cocaine use, consumption increased 229% in 2024 compared with the previous three years’ average. Methamphetamine use increased 74% over the same period.
Helm says the report also shows that people are using cocaine and methamphetamine more often.
“Information from the NZ Drug Tr
