The Indian stock market opened in the green on Tuesday as heavyweight banking stocks continued to lead amid mixed global cues.
At 9.23 am, Sensex was up 152 points or 0.19 per cent at 82,359 and Nifty was up 38 points or 0.15 per cent at 25,129.
Banking stocks were leading the market. Nifty Bank was up 0.30 per cent, higher than the main indices.
Buying was also seen in the midcap and smallcap stocks. Nifty midcap 100 index was up 45 points or 0.08 per cent at 59,514 and Nifty smallcap 100 index was up 80 points or 0.42 per cent at 19,038.
Among the sectoral indices, PSU bank, financial services, metal, media, energy and private bank were in the green. Pharma, IT, auto and FMCG were in the red.
In the Sensex pack, Eternal, Trent, Tata Steel, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, TCS, BEL, HCLTech, NTPC and SBI were top gainers. Tata Motors, Bajaj Finserv, Sun Pharma, M&M, Bharti Airtel, Maruti Suzuki, L&T, HUL and Asian Paints were top losers.
“The Nifty 50, after a strong rebound from its intraday low of 24,900, surged nearly 225 points to close above the 25,000 mark, forming a bullish candlestick pattern. The rebound from the 50-day EMA indicates a potential trend reversal, though confirmation through follow-up buying is awaited,” said Mandar Bhojane of Choice Equity Broking Private Limited.
On the upside, a sustained move above 25,150 could pave the way toward 25,250. Key support levels remain at 25,000 and 24,900, which may offer favourable risk-reward opportunities for long positions, he added.
Most Asian markets kept to a tight range. Tokyo and Seoul were in the red while Shanghai, Hong Kong and Jakarta were in the green. US markets closed in the mixed zone. Dow Jones was in the red and Nasdaq was in the green.
On July 21, foreign institutional investors (FIIs) were net sellers for the third consecutive session, offloading equities worth Rs 1,681 crore. In contrast, domestic institutional investors (DIIs) remained strong buyers for the 11th straight day, purchasing equities worth Rs 3,578 crore.
Hongkong Post has reported an information security incident involving robotic access to information in the address books of its EC-Ship account holders.
Condemning the attack, its stressed that it will work closely with Police on its investigation into the matter.
Upon identifying the incident, Hongkong Post took immediate measures to block the unauthorised access. It also followed established guidelines and reported the case to Police, the Digital Policy Office, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data and the Security Bureau on the same day. The EC-Ship service has resumed as normal.
Hongkong Post said that based on a preliminary assessment, the incident could involve information in the address books of EC-Ship account holders, including senders’ and recipients’ names, addresses, phone numbers, fax numbers and email addresses. Investigations are ongoing to ascertain the number of account holders affected and whether any personal data leakage is involved. When further updates are available, Hongkong Post will inform affected account holders.
The service added that it is seeking advice from the Digital Policy Office to assist with its investigations, and will further strengthen system security measures.
Hongkong Post also reiterated that it does not send embedded hyperlinks via emails, SMS messages or social media pages for the collection of personal information or requesting for payment. Citizens are advised to refrain from clicking on any embedded links or providing any personal or financial data, and from making payments via suspicious emails or SMS messages alleged to be sent by Hongkong Post.
South Korea’s new finance minister and the country’s top trade envoy will meet in Washington with U.S. counterparts on Friday for talks on U.S. tariffs, Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol said on Tuesday.
The country’s foreign and industry ministers will also visit the U.S. for trade discussions as early as this week, Koo told reporters after a meeting of economic ministers.
Koo took office on Monday.
The four officials complete a new cabinet team under President Lee Jae Myung who was sworn in on June 4 after winning a snap election called after his predecessor’s ouster for trying to declare martial law.
The political turmoil that ensued delayed South Korea’s response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s punishing tariff regime imposed on dozens of trade partners, including key industrial powerhouses that are also security allies.
Koo and Minister for Trade Yeo Han-koo will hold talks with U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on Friday at the request of the U.S. officials, the finance minister said.
“We’ve had discussions from the perspective of national interest and pragmatism and we’ll do our best to prepare a meticulous strategy until we’re leaving,” Koo said, declining to say whether Seoul was hoping to push back the August 1 deadline before reciprocal tariffs set by Trump are due to come in.
Yeo said on Tuesday he would seek to base the talks around forming a manufacturing partnership with the United States.
On Monday, South Korea’s new Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan said tariff talks were in a critical phase that could result in a range of possible outcomes and pledged an all-out effort to wrap up negotiations by August 1.
Trump has vowed to slap tariffs on a range of countries including South Korea to reduce what he called unfair trade imbalances.
On Saturday, Japan’s top tariff negotiator, Ryosei Akazawa, said he planned to visit Washington this week to hold further ministerial-level talks, as Tokyo hopes to clinch a deal by its August 1 deadline.
Gita Gopinath, the No. 2 official at the International Monetary Fund, will leave her post at the end of August to return to Harvard University, the IMF said in a statement on Monday.
IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva will name a successor to Gopinath in “due course,” the IMF said.
Gopinath joined the fund in 2019 as chief economist – the first woman to serve in that role – and was promoted to first deputy managing director in January 2022.
No comment was immediately available from the U.S. Treasury, which manages the dominant U.S. shareholding in the IMF. While European countries have traditionally chosen the Fund’s managing director, the U.S. Treasury has traditionally recommended candidates for the first deputy managing director role.
Gopinath is an Indian-born U.S. citizen.
The timing of the move caught some IMF insiders by surprise, and appears to have been initiated by Gopinath.
Gopinath, who had left Harvard to join the IMF, will return to the university as a professor of economics.
Gopinath’s departure will offer Treasury a chance to recommend a successor at a time when U.S. President Donald Trump is seeking to restructure the global economy and end longstanding U.S. trade deficits with high tariffs on imports from nearly all countries.
She will return to a university that has been in the Trump administration’s crosshairs after it rejected demands to change its governance, hiring, and admissions practices.
Georgieva said Gopinath joined the IMF as a highly respected academic and proved to be an “exceptional intellectual leader” during her time, which included the pandemic and global shocks caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“Gita steered the Fund’s analytical and policy work with clarity, striving for the highest standards of rigorous analysis at a complex time of high uncertainty and rapidly changing global economic environment,” Georgieva said.
Gopinath has also overseen the fund’s multilateral surveillance and analytical work on fiscal and monetary policy, debt, and international trade.
Gopinath said she was grateful for a “once in a lifetime opportunity” to work at the IMF, thanking both Georgieva and the previous IMF chief, Christine Lagarde, who appointed her as chief economist.
“I now return to my roots in academia, where I look forward to continuing to push the research frontier in international finance and macroeconomics to address global challenges, and to training the next generation of economists,” she said in a statement.
Gita Gopinath, the No. 2 official at the International Monetary Fund, will leave her post at the end of August to return to Harvard University, the IMF said in a statement on Monday.
IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva will name a successor to Gopinath in “due course,” the IMF said.
Gopinath joined the fund in 2019 as chief economist – the first woman to serve in that role – and was promoted to first deputy managing director in January 2022.
No comment was immediately available from the U.S. Treasury, which manages the dominant U.S. shareholding in the IMF. While European countries have traditionally chosen the Fund’s managing director, the U.S. Treasury has traditionally recommended candidates for the first deputy managing director role.
Gopinath is an Indian-born U.S. citizen.
The timing of the move caught some IMF insiders by surprise, and appears to have been initiated by Gopinath.
Gopinath, who had left Harvard to join the IMF, will return to the university as a professor of economics.
Gopinath’s departure will offer Treasury a chance to recommend a successor at a time when U.S. President Donald Trump is seeking to restructure the global economy and end longstanding U.S. trade deficits with high tariffs on imports from nearly all countries.
She will return to a university that has been in the Trump administration’s crosshairs after it rejected demands to change its governance, hiring, and admissions practices.
Georgieva said Gopinath joined the IMF as a highly respected academic and proved to be an “exceptional intellectual leader” during her time, which included the pandemic and global shocks caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“Gita steered the Fund’s analytical and policy work with clarity, striving for the highest standards of rigorous analysis at a complex time of high uncertainty and rapidly changing global economic environment,” Georgieva said.
Gopinath has also overseen the fund’s multilateral surveillance and analytical work on fiscal and monetary policy, debt, and international trade.
Gopinath said she was grateful for a “once in a lifetime opportunity” to work at the IMF, thanking both Georgieva and the previous IMF chief, Christine Lagarde, who appointed her as chief economist.
“I now return to my roots in academia, where I look forward to continuing to push the research frontier in international finance and macroeconomics to address global challenges, and to training the next generation of economists,” she said in a statement.
aRepresentatives of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) met in Hai Phong, Viet Nam to finalize their recommendations to APEC Leaders and seven Sectoral Ministerial Meetings to be held in Korea later this year. During the meeting, ABAC members reiterated an urgent call to APEC Leaders to reaffirm their commitment to open, rules-based, non-discriminatory, predictable and competitive markets in the face of mounting trade tensions, policy volatility and global uncertainty.
APEC’s prosperity has long rested on reducing distortions and opening markets, anchored by transparent, rules-based trade but today, that foundation is under threat.
Escalating trade frictions and uncertainty are disrupting supply chains, inflating costs, shaking business confidence and threatening jobs and living standards. This is throttling growth and distracting from the critical work of revitalizing businesses and our economies. In a ‘Statement on Open Markets’, ABAC underscored that the business community needs a return to the stable trade and economic environment that has underpinned decades of prosperity for every APEC economy.
As leaders of the Asia-Pacific business community, ABAC recognizes that artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping our economies, societies and daily lives. Yet the full benefits of AI cannot be realized without robust, efficient and sustainable infrastructure to support its development and deployment. In its Declaration on Sustainable AI Infrastructure and Investment, ABAC reaffirmed its commitment to shaping an AI-powered future that is not only innovative and inclusive, but also environmentally responsible.
Priorities for Inclusive and Sustainable Growth
In the 2025 Report to APEC Leaders, ABAC finalized the recommendations it will present later this year to drive sustainable and inclusive growth in the region including the following:
Accelerating the realization of the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP), with early deliverables like the APEC Centre of Excellence on Paperless Trade, a new equal pay framework and a Greener Trade Framework.
Reforming and modernizing the WTO including making permanent the E-Commerce Moratorium for digital products.
Mobilizing investment to fund energy transitions, digital infrastructure, and disaster response.
Leading in Digital Transformation by ensuring equitable access to secure, sustainable digital infrastructure, shaping responsible AI deployment and governance and developing interoperable digital trade rules.
Strengthening healthcare supply chains and market access for innovations like genomics and AI.
Tackling demographic shifts by promoting workforce participation, labor mobility, skills recognition, pensions reform and leveraging emerging technologies.
ABAC’s work and recommendations are guided by the theme this year—“Bridge. Business. Beyond.” This reflects what is needed to deliver ABAC’s vision: bridge divides, empower businesses to drive growth and look beyond short-term challenges to long-term prosperity.
ABAC stands ready to work with APEC Leaders to shape a future of inclusive, sustainable growth for all.
ABAC 2025 Chairman H.S. Cho thanked His Excellency Luong Cuong, President of Viet Nam, who opened the ABAC meeting.
ABAC expressed its appreciation to ABAC Viet Nam for the excellent arrangements and the leaders of Hai Phong City for supporting the meeting. Prior to the start of the ABAC meeting, members joined participants to the Hai Phong Investment Promotion Conference held prior to their Meeting where they engaged with H.E. President of Viet Nam, Hai Phong City Leaders and local business owners.
For further information, please contact:
Hyungkon Park (Mr), ABAC Executive Director 2025 at +82 2 6050 3686 and [email protected] Antonio Basilio (Mr), Director of the ABAC Secretariat at +63 917 849 3351 and [email protected]
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
The 10th National Forum of the Rehabilitation Industry and Universal Design “Hope for Technology”, dedicated to demonstrating comprehensive solutions for creating an accessible environment, modern technologies for people with disabilities, was held in Moscow on July 10-11. The large-scale exhibition display of Russian manufacturers presented more than 450 domestic solutions in 9 areas: prostheses, orthoses and functional units, rehabilitation equipment and exercise machines. The biomechanics and medical engineering group of the Novosibirsk State University, which consists of students from several faculties, presented its developments to the professional community. This scientific group was created on the basis of Mathematical center in Akademgorodok
The exhibition of assistive technologies was attended by the head of the group, candidate of physical and mathematical sciences Vladimir Serdyukov, 4th year students Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics of NSU Daria Korostovskaya and Alexander Niukkanen, 3rd year student Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics of NSU Tatyana Shashkina, 5th year student Institute of Medicine and Medical Technologies NSU Sofia Eksharova, 2nd year master’s student Faculty of Mechanics and Mathematics of NSU Andrey Karavan, Master’s degree graduate Faculty of Geology and Geophysics of NSU Innokenty Serdyuk and postgraduate student of the Institute of Thermal Physics SB RAS Konstantin Lebeda. Young researchers got acquainted with developments in the field of assistive technologies, learned a lot of interesting things, showed the results of their projects, received feedback and acquired valuable contacts for further cooperation.
At their stand, the young researchers presented a motion capture system for studying the kinematics of patients’ walking, as well as an adaptive prosthetic socket for a hand prosthesis using 3D printing technology.
The group also presented its latest developments: a 3D-printed prosthetic foot for activity levels 1–2 and insoles for gait biomechanics diagnostics for amputees, which will complement and improve the motion capture system.
— The most feedback was received by one of our new developments, which was tested for the first time at the forum — a foot prosthesis printed on a 3D printer. Working on this project, we set ourselves the following goal: to make a foot prosthesis that would have a low cost, be easy to manufacture, have the ability to be personalized and manufactured in a short time using simple equipment, which would increase its availability, but at the same time maintain the general biomechanics of walking. An important point is that our prosthesis belongs to activity levels 1-2 and is intended only for walking, but is not suitable for running or sports. To develop the geometry, a digital stand was used that imitates human loads when walking. This way, we were able to create a prosthesis geometry that meets the goal, — said Andrey Karavan.
For the precise design of the prosthesis, 3D modeling and load analysis technologies in Ansys were used. Manufacturing using FDM printing technology took about 12 hours. The weight of the finished product was about 700 grams. This project received financial support from the Ministry of Science and Innovation Policy of the Novosibirsk Region.
The first time a patient tested a printed prosthesis was at the forum. The guys offered to test and evaluate it to the head of the prosthetic center “Instep” (St. Petersburg), who is an amputee himself.
— He liked that the sole is non-slip – even on wet floor tiles, which allows the user to take a shower without the risk of falling. However, he pointed out the shortcomings and shortcomings regarding the geometry of the product and made constructive suggestions for its improvement. His opinion is very important to us, and taking this feedback into account, we will adjust the prosthesis model and organize re-testing on other amputees. It will not be difficult to make adjustments due to the simplicity of the technology, — explained Daria Korostovskaya.
Another new development of the NSU biomechanics and medical engineering group attracted great interest from the forum participants — a pressure insole that will accurately determine the step phases and gait asymmetry. This “smart” insole was previously tested together with a motion capture system for analyzing gait kinematics. The invention will allow specialists in prosthetic centers to analyze the distribution of the load between healthy and amputated limbs, evaluate the distribution of pressure on the foot or prosthesis, and the dynamics of rehabilitation outside the clinic. This project received support from the FSI Foundation as part of the Student Startup competition.
— The video we recorded while testing this insole shows the distribution of the load on the foot when walking. It is important that it allows us to divide the gait cycles into support and transfer phases. We have the opportunity to analyze their ratio and draw conclusions about the gait asymmetry indicator of amputees, which is important for monitoring rehabilitation and correct placement of the prosthesis. When diagnosing the biomechanics of amputees’ gait, such insoles are placed in shoes under both the patient’s healthy foot and the prosthesis. To transmit and read data from the insole, we developed software for processing and visualizing the data, — said Tatyana Shashkina.
Young researchers plan to combine the motion capture system with a “smart” insole. During early research, the guys came to the conclusion that combining these technical solutions will allow for a more complete gait analysis. The motion capture system records the kinematics of the gait, and the insole records the pressure of the foot and prosthesis on the surface. By combining these data, it is possible to track the biomechanical indicators and symmetry of the patient’s gait, which is of great importance for assessing the progress of rehabilitation and adjusting the prosthesis settings.
This development has attracted great interest from representatives of prosthetic centers, some of whom have expressed interest in testing it in their institutions and working together. Among them are the Alorto prosthetic and orthopedic center (Barnaul) and the Ortho-Innovation prosthetic center (Moscow).
— We will be glad to cooperate with these and other prosthetic centers, including because during joint testing we will be able to replenish the database of gait kinematics of patients with lower limb amputations, which we are currently forming in the course of joint work with the Novosibirsk branch of the Moscow Prosthetic and Orthopedic Enterprise. In addition, at the forum we received a request to develop an adaptive prosthetic socket for a leg using 3D printing technology, similar to our existing development of a prosthetic socket for an arm. This is exactly what we intend to do in the near future, — Vladimir Serdyukov summed up.
Material prepared by: Elena Panfilo, NSU press service
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
A food delivery man rides after snow in Xining, capital of northwest China’s Qinghai Province, Nov. 4, 2018. [Photo/Xinhua]
China’s latest efforts to regulate the promotional activities of major food delivery platforms and urge rational competition will help maintain market order and promote the healthy and orderly development of the platform economy, experts said.
These platforms should ramp up technological innovation, optimize delivery networks and adopt differentiated strategies to further improve user experience and prevent cutthroat competition, they added.
Their comments came after the State Administration for Market Regulation on Friday summoned three food delivery platforms — Ele.me, Meituan and JD — calling on them to strictly adhere to e-commerce, fair competition and food safety laws, and assume more professional responsibility.
The regulator urged the three platform companies to further regulate promotional activities, participate in competition rationally, and foster a healthy ecosystem that benefits consumers, merchants, delivery riders and platform operators so as to promote the regulated, healthy and sustainable development of the catering services sector.
The authority’s meeting with major food delivery platforms followed the recent fierce competition in the country’s instant retail sector — with players offering huge discounts and subsidies to grab a bigger slice of the pie — which triggered a relentless price war.
“The latest move has demonstrated the government’s firm determination to maintain fair market order, signaling its ‘zero-tolerance’ attitude toward disorderly subsidies and vicious competition,” said Jiang Han, a senior analyst at market consultancy Pangoal, adding that the regulated and healthy development of the food delivery sector is directly related to consumers’ rights and interests.
It is of great significance to safeguard a fair and orderly market environment and avoid the “involution-style” competition in the food delivery sector, which is experiencing a price war, as major platforms have continuously stepped up subsidies to compete for market share, leading to the compression of merchants’ profits and the decline in consumer experience, Jiang said.
He said platform enterprises should provide differentiated innovative services, such as optimizing delivery efficiency, enhancing food safety standards and improving after-sales services, thereby creating a healthy competition environment, and promoting the high-quality and sustained development of the food delivery sector.
In May, the SAMR and four other government departments summoned major food delivery platforms to address prominent issues related to competition in the food delivery sector and to rectify unfair market practices.
The regulator called on the platforms to comply with laws and regulations, fulfill social responsibilities, strengthen internal management, engage in fair and orderly competition, and better safeguard the rights and interests of consumers, merchants and delivery staff.
Cao Lei, director of the Internet Economy Institute, a domestic consultancy, said the continuous steep discounts will pose challenges to platform companies’ profitability, intensify competition and further squeeze the survival space of small and medium-sized merchants.
Cao said the platforms should increase investments in technologies such as artificial intelligence-powered algorithms and intelligent scheduling to enhance fulfillment efficiency, while optimizing supply chain management, safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of consumers, and improving the welfare of delivery staff.
Zhu Keli, founding director of the China Institute of New Economy, said it is important that platform enterprises pool more resources into technologies and optimize cost structure through highly efficient inventory management and intelligent warehousing systems.
DUMAGUETE, Philippines, July 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitget, the leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company, is deepening its commitment to digital inclusion in the Philippines by expanding its PayFi Islands initiative to Negros Oriental. This next phase will bring Starlink-powered high-speed internet to Apo Elementary School and the Arts and Design Collective Dumaguete (ADCD), tackling long-standing connectivity challenges in education and the creative sector.
In many parts of Negros Oriental, including remote islands like Apo and urban centers such as Dumaguete, reliable internet access remains elusive. Outdated infrastructure, like microwave radio links, continues to limit bandwidth and reliability, cutting communities off from modern tools and opportunities. This digital divide has sent a ripple effect through key sectors, such as education and creative industries, hindering access to information, digital tools, and, in turn, economic opportunities.
Bitget Starlink being presented to Apo Elementary School
Bitget’s latest deployment brings high-speed Starlink internet to two key communities in Negros Oriental, each facing distinct yet equally urgent digital challenges. After years of limited resources and unreliable internet, Apo Elementary School, the only public school on Apo Island, will finally be connected through Starlink. This new access will unlock digital learning tools, teacher development programs, and broader educational networks, creating new opportunities for academic growth and long-term empowerment in a community that has long relied on fishing.
Bitget Starlink being presented to Arts and Design Collective Dumaguete (ADCD)
Meanwhile, in Dumaguete, Bitget partnered with the Arts and Design Collective Dumaguete (ADCD), a vibrant creative hub preparing to launch a maker’s space for local artists and entrepreneurs. Previously held back by poor internet access, this space will now offer digital tools, fabrication technologies, and pathways to global collaboration, enabling the city’s creative sector to thrive in the digital economy.
“Access to the internet is access to opportunities,” said Vugar Usi Zade, COO of Bitget. “With PayFi Islands, we’re connecting people to education, to the digital economy, to more opportunities. These communities deserve to be part of the future, and we’re here to help make that happen.”
Scheduled for full deployment in July 2025, the project includes hardware installation, subscription support, and community training. The expansion in Negros Oriental is part of Bitget’s second phase in bridging the digital divide in Philippine Island communities. In May 2025, Bitget’s Starlink Program first introduced reliable connectivity to Siargao’s Espoir School of Life and Barangay Pitogo. As Bitget continues its rollout, these initiatives lay the foundation for Bitget’s broader educational and empowerment programs, Blockchain4Youth and Blockchain4Her. These programs will introduce blockchain literacy, financial education, and decentralized technology training to students and women-led cooperatives in the region, ensuring that the new digital infrastructure becomes a platform for sustainable development.
The Blockchain4Youth initiative highlights a powerful message that true crypto adoption begins with access. From the classrooms of Apo Island to the creative studios of Dumaguete, this expansion reflects Bitget’s long-term commitment to inclusion, empowerment, and building a future where no one is left offline.
About Bitget
Established in 2018, Bitget is the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company. Serving over 120 million users in 150+ countries and regions, the Bitget exchange is committed to helping users trade smarter with its pioneering copy trading feature and other trading solutions, while offering real-time access to Bitcoin price, Ethereum price, and other cryptocurrency prices. Formerly known as BitKeep, Bitget Wallet is a leading non-custodial crypto wallet supporting 130+ blockchains and millions of tokens. It offers multi-chain trading, staking, payments, and direct access to 20,000+ DApps, with advanced swaps and market insights built into a single platform.
Bitget is driving crypto adoption through strategic partnerships, such as its role as the Official Crypto Partner of the World’s Top Football League, LALIGA, in EASTERN, SEA and LATAM markets, as well as a global partner of Turkish National athletes Buse Tosun Çavuşoğlu (Wrestling world champion), Samet Gümüş (Boxing gold medalist) and İlkin Aydın (Volleyball national team), to inspire the global community to embrace the future of cryptocurrency.
Aligned with its global impact strategy, Bitget has joined hands with UNICEF to support blockchain education for 1.1 million people by 2027. In the world of motorsports, Bitget is the exclusive cryptocurrency exchange partner of MotoGP™, one of the world’s most thrilling championships.
Risk Warning:Digital asset prices are subject to fluctuation and may experience significant volatility. Investors are advised to only allocate funds they can afford to lose. The value of any investment may be impacted, and there is a possibility that financial objectives may not be met, nor the principal investment recovered. Independent financial advice should always be sought, and personal financial experience and standing carefully considered. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. Bitget accepts no liability for any potential losses incurred. Nothing contained herein should be construed as financial advice. For further information, please refer to our Terms of Use.
Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
Sky TV has agreed to fully acquire TV3 owner Discovery New Zealand for $1.
Discovery NZ is a part of US media giant Warner Bros Discovery, and operates channel Three and online streaming platform ThreeNow.
NZX-listed Sky said the deal would be completed on a cash-free, debt-free basis, with completion expected on August 1.
Sky expected the deal to deliver revenue diversification and uplift of around $95 million a year.
Sky expected Discovery NZ’s operations to deliver sustainable underlying earnings growth of at least $10 million from the 2028 financial year.
Sky chief executive Sophie Moloney said it was a compelling opportunity for the company, with net integration costs of about $6.5 million.
“This is a compelling opportunity for Sky that directly supports our ambition to be Aotearoa New Zealand’s most engaging and essential media company,” she said.
Confidential advance notice Sky said it gave the Commerce Commission confidential advance notice of the transaction, and the commission did not intend to consider the acquisition further.
Warner Bros Discovery Australia and NZ managing director Michael Brooks said it was a “fantastic outcome” for both companies.
“The continued challenges faced by the New Zealand media industry are well documented, and over the past 12 months, the Discovery NZ team has worked to deliver a new, more sustainable business model following a significant restructure in 2024,” Brooks said.
“While this business is not commercially viable as a standalone asset in WBD’s New Zealand portfolio, we see the value Three and ThreeNow can bring to Sky’s existing offering of complementary assets.”
Sky said on completion, Discovery NZ’s balance sheet would be clear of some long-term obligations, including property leases and content commitments, and would include assets such as the ThreeNow platform.
Sky said irrespective of the transaction, the company was confident of achieving its 30 cents a share dividend target for 2026.
‘Massive change’ for NZ media – ThreeNews to continue Founder of The Spinoff and media commentator Duncan Greive said the deal would give Sky more reach and was a “massive change” in New Zealand’s media landscape.
He noted Sky’s existing free-to-air presence via Sky Open (formerly Prime), but said acquiring Three gave it the second-most popular audience outlet on TV.
“Because of the inertia of how people use television, Three is just a much more accessible channel and one that’s been around longer,” Greive said.
“To have basically the second-most popular channel in the country as part of their stable just means they’ve got a lot more ad inventory, much bigger audiences.”
It also gave Sky another outlet for their content, and would allow it to compete further against TVNZ, both linear and online, Greive said.
He said there may be a question mark around the long-term future of Three’s news service, which was produced by Stuff.
No reference to ThreeNews Sky made no reference to ThreeNews in its announcement. However, Stuff confirmed ThreeNews would continue for now.
“Stuff’s delivery of ThreeNews is part of the deal but there are also now lots of new opportunities ahead that we are excited to explore together,” Stuff owner Sinead Boucher said in a statement.
On the deal itself, Boucher said she was “delighted” to see Three back in New Zealand ownership under Sky.
If Rupert Murdoch becomes a white knight standing up to a rampantly bullying US president, the world has moved into the upside-down.
This is, after all, the media mogul whose US television network, Fox News, actively supported Donald Trump’s Big Lie about the 2020 presidential election result and paid out a US$787 million (about A$1.2 billion) lawsuit for doing so.
It is also the network that supplied several members of Trump’s inner circle, including former Fox host, now controversial Defense Secretary, Pete Hegseth.
But that is where we are after Trump filed a writ on July 18 after Murdoch’s financial newspaper, The Wall Street Journal, published an article about a hand-drawn card Trump is alleged to have sent to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in 2003. The newspaper reported:
A pair of small arcs denotes the woman’s breasts, and the future president’s signature is a squiggly “Donald” below her waist, mimicking pubic hair.
The Journal said it has seen the letter but did not republish it. The letter allegedly concluded:
Happy Birthday – and may every day be another wonderful secret.
The card was apparently Trump’s contribution to a birthday album compiled for Epstein by the latter’s partner Ghislaine Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year sentence after being found guilty of sex trafficking in 2021.
Trump was furious. He told his Truth Social audience he had warned Murdoch the letter was fake. He wrote, “Mr Murdoch stated that he would take care of it but obviously did not have the power to do so,” referring to Murdoch handing leadership of News Corporation to his eldest son Lachlan in 2023.
Trump is being pincered. On one side, The Wall Street Journal is a respected newspaper that speaks to literate, wealthy Americans who remain deeply sceptical about Trump’s radical initiative on tariffs, which it described in an editorial as “the dumbest trade war in history”.
On the other side is the conspiracy theory-thirsty MAGA base who have been told for years that there was a massive conspiracy around Epstein’s apparent suicide in 2019 that included the so-called deep state, Democrat elites and, no doubt, the Clintons.
Trump, who loves pro wrestling as well as adopting its garish theatrics, might characterise his lawsuit against Murdoch as a smackdown to rival Hulk Hogan vs Andre the Giant in the 1980s.
To adopt wrestling argot, though, it is a rare battle between two heels.
A friendship of powerful convenience
Murdoch and Trump’s relationship is longstanding but convoluted. The key to understanding it is that both men are ruthlessly transactional.
Exposure in Murdoch’s New York Post in the 1980s and ‘90s was crucial to building Trump’s reputation.
Not that Murdoch particularly likes Trump. Yes, Murdoch attended his second inauguration, albeit in a back row behind the newly favoured big tech media moguls. He was also seen sitting in the Oval Office a few days later looking quite at home.
But this was pure power-display politics, not the behaviour of a friend.
Remember Murdoch’s derision on hearing Trump was considering standing for office before the 2016 election, and his promotion of Ron De Santis in the primaries before Trump’s second term. Murdoch’s political hero has always been Ronald Reagan. Trump has laid waste to the Republican Party of Reagan.
Murdoch knows what the rest of sane America knows: Trump is downright weird, if not dangerous. This, of course, only makes Murdoch’s complicity in Trump’s rise to power, and Fox News’ continued boosterism of Trump, all the more appalling.
But, in keeping with Murdoch’s relationship to power throughout his career, what he helps make, he also helps destroy. Perhaps now it’s Trump’s turn to be unmade. As a former Murdoch lieutenant told The Financial Times over the weekend:
he’s testing out: Is Trump losing his base? And where do I need to be to stay in the heart of the base?
And here is Murdoch’s great advantage, and his looming threat.
A double-edged sword
The advantage comes with the scope of Murdoch’s media empire, which operates like a federation of different mastheads, each with their own market and aspirations. While Fox News panders to the MAGA base, and The New York Post juices its New York audience, The Wall Street Journal speaks, and listens, to business. Each audience has different needs, meaning they’re often presented with the same news in very different ways, or sometimes different news entirely.
Like a federation, though, News Corp uses its various operations to drive the type of change that affects all its markets.
It might work like this. The Wall Street Journal breaks a story that’s so shocking it begins to chip away at MAGA’s unquestioning loyalty of Trump. This process is, of course, willingly aided by the rest of the media. The resulting groundswell eventually allows Fox News and the Post to tentatively follow their audiences into questioning, and then perhaps criticising, Trump.
Fox News audiences could slowly begin to question Trump, or abandon the network entirely. NurPhoto/Getty
The threat is that before that groundswell builds, Murdoch is seriously vulnerable to criticism from a still dominant Trump, who can turn conspiracy-prone audiences away from Fox News with just a social media post. Trump has already been busy doing just that, saying he is looking forward to getting Murdoch onto the witness stand for his lawsuit.
If the Fox audience decides it’s the proprietor who’s behind this denigration of Trump, they may decide to boycott their own favoured media channel, even though Fox’s programming hasn’t yet started questioning Trump.
The Murdochs’ fear of audience backlash was a major factor in Fox’s promulgation of the Big Lie after Trump’s defeat in 2020. The fear their audience might defect to Newsmax or some other right-wing media outfit is just as real today.
History littered with fakery
We also need to consider that Trump might be right. What if the letter is a fake?
Murdoch has form when it comes to high-profile exposés that turn out to be fiction. Who can forget the Hitler Diaries in 1983, which we now know Murdoch knew were fake before he published.
Think also of the Pauline Hanson photos, allegedly of her posing in lingerie, all of which were quickly proved to be fake after they were published by Murdoch’s Australian tabloids in 2009.
There was also The Sun’s despicable and wilfully wrong campaign against Elton John in 1987 and the same paper’s continueddenigration of the people of Liverpool following the Hillsborough stadium disaster in 1989.
But while Murdoch’s News Corp has a history of confection and fakery, the Wall Street Journal has a reputation for straight reportage, albeit through a conservative lens. Since Murdoch bought it in 2007, it has been engaged in its own internal battle for editorial standards.
Media rolling over
What Trump won’t get from Murdoch is the same acquiescence he’s enjoyed from America’s ABC and CBS networks, which have both handed over tens of millions of dollars in defamation settlements following dubious claims by Trump about the nature of their coverage.
In December 2024, ABC’s owner Disney settled and agreed to pay US$15 million (A$23 million) to Trump’s presidential library. The president sued after a presenter said Trump was found guilty of raping E. Jean Carroll.
Trump had actually been found guilty by a jury in a civil trial of sexually abusing and defaming Carroll and was ordered to pay her US$5 million (A$7.6 million).
CBS’ parent company, Paramount, did similarly after being sued by the president, agreeing in early July to settle and pay US$16 million (A$24.5 million) to Trump’s library. This was despite earlier saying the case was “completely without merit”.
Beware the legal microscope
From Trump’s viewpoint, two prominent media companies have been cowed. But his campaign against critical media doesn’t stop there.
Last week, congress passed a bill cancelling federal funding for the country’s two public-service media outlets, the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and National Public Radio (NPR).
Also last week, CBS announced the cancellation of Stephen Colbert’s stridently critical comedy show, although CBS claims this is just a cost-cutting exercise and not about appeasing a bully in the White House.
Presuming the reported birthday letter is real, Murdoch will not bend so easily. And that’s when it will be important to pay attention, because at some point Trump’s lawyers will advise him about the dangers of depositions and discovery: the legal processes that force parties to a dispute to reveal what they have and what they know.
If the Epstein files do implicate Trump, the legal fight won’t last long and the media campaign against him will only intensify.
Right now we have the spectre of Murdoch joining that other disaffected mogul, Elon Musk, in a moral crusade against Trump, the man they both helped make. The implications are head-spinning.
As global bullies, the three of them probably deserve each other. But we, the public, surely deserve better than any of them.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Australia’s 48th parliament has a record 112 women members. Ten of those women are independents.
As they take their seats in the chamber, they’ll be realising the aspirations of some of Australia’s first suffragists who, more than a century ago, staunchly supported independent representation, but failed to gain traction at the ballot box.
Our earliest female political aspirants, Catherine Spence in Adelaide, Rose Scott in Sydney and Vida Goldstein in Melbourne, eschewed party politics, believing significant social issues should transcend political boundaries.
Recent close contests in the electorates of Bradfield and the eponymous Goldstein echoed the challenges of female independent candidates across time.
Australia’ first female candidate
Spence had been declined preselection for the nascent Labor Party in 1896. This was when women in South Australia, including Aboriginal women, became the first in Australia to have the right not only to vote, but also to stand for parliament.
Spence believed issues of social justice and electoral reform should override party allegiance.
The following year, Spence nominated for the federal convention to draft a Constitution for the new Australian parliament. Her strongest commitment was to proportional voting based on the Hare system of the single transferable vote, which was ultimately introduced to the Australian Senate in 1948. Spence believed this was the fairest electoral system to give voice to minority concerns.
She was the only woman to nominate. Although not elected, she won her place in history as Australia’s first female political candidate.
Acknowledging her defeat, Spence reflected:
I stood or fell on a question which both parties thought it expedient to ignore […] I look on my position in the poll as very satisfactory.
Similarly, Goldstein, the first woman to stand for Australia’s federal parliament in 1903, viewed her loss as “virtually a victory”. She explained to her supporters:
I stood as a protest against press domination and the creation of the vicious system of machine politics. I had the prejudice of ages to fight, and yet I secured more than half of the votes of the candidate heading the polls.
Although she did not stand for office, she brought together politicians across the divide with people of influence from the judiciary, publishing and the arts at her Friday evening salons.
Despite her privileged background and private income, Scott’s political leanings were towards socialism.
For more than 20 years she corresponded regularly with both Spence and Goldstein. Their extant letters reveal shared concerns for equal pay and education for women and child welfare.
Significant NSW legislation was reputedly drafted on Scott’s rosewood dining table. She remained staunchly opposed to party politics, scrawling her endorsement across a copy of The Inebriates Act 1900 “non-party and non-sectarian”.
Scott joined Goldstein on the hustings and furnished letters of support in Goldstein’s campaign pamphlets.
Spence, however, recalling the bitter lesson of her own candidature, wrote:
I am not at all sure that Vida Goldstein is wise in standing for the Senate. Women do not vote as women for women.
Successive, but unsuccessful attempts
Like Spence, Goldstein was hampered by misinformation, with questions asked about her eligibility to stand for parliament. Both lacked the financial support available to their opponents backed by party organisations.
Goldstein was attacked in the conservative press for her views on home and marriage. Comments on her dress and appearance trivialised reporting of her political message. Labor newspapers proclaimed that support for Goldstein would split the vote and result in a defeat of Labor’s candidates.
Vida Goldstein tried to enter politics numerous times, but faced many obstacles. Museums Vcitoria
Spence escaped similar attention because she was short, stout and in her seventies when she campaigned.
Goldstein nominated for the Senate again in 1910, campaigning for equal pay and federal reform of marriage and divorce laws.
Although she polled higher than in 1903, her campaign was hampered by lack of funds and negative press coverage.
Party politics had become more polarised. Many women were now actively joining the Labor Party or supporting the conservative Australian Women’s National League.
Between 1910 and her final tilt for the Senate in 1917, Goldstein stood twice for the seat of Kooyong, currently held for a second term by independent MP Monique Ryan.
Goldstein stood as a progressive independent for Kooyong in 1912. Labor did not field a candidate. She polled around half the votes of her male opponent. She stood again in 1915, remaining frank and uncompromising on her independent status:
as a non-party candidate I had difficulties to face that confronted no other candidate. The non-party candidate does not get the support of the party press. And the other special prejudice I have to fight is that of sex.
While their work towards women’s suffrage is acknowledged, the broader social and political contributions of our early feminists are often overlooked. When the right to vote still seemed unobtainable, they were lobbying for fairer divorce, child welfare, prevention of domestic violence and equal pay. Political representation seemed a step too far.
“None of these women could have imagined a Julia Gillard. It would have made their heads spin to think that a woman could be prime minister,” says historian Clare Wright.
An Australian parliament with majority of cabinet positions held by women, with women leading both the opposition in the House of Representatives and the government in the Senate, would leave them stunned, but triumphant.
Elizabeth Chappell previously received funding from the Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) scholarship 2021-2024
Source: United Nations General Assembly and Security Council
The following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the ministerial segment of the high-level political forum on sustainable development, in New York today:
This year’s high-level political forum arrives at a time of profound challenge — but also real possibility. Despite enormous headwinds, we have seen just in the last two months what can be achieved when countries come together with conviction and focus.
We saw it in Geneva, where the World Health Assembly adopted the Pandemic Agreement — a vital step toward a safer, more equitable global health architecture. We saw it in Nice at the third UN Ocean Conference, where Governments committed to expand marine protected areas and tackle plastic pollution and illegal fishing.
And we saw it in Sevilla at the fourth International Financing for Development Conference, where countries agreed on a new vision for global finance — one that expands fiscal space, lowers the cost of capital, and ensures developing countries have a stronger voice and participation in the organizations that shape their future.
These are not isolated wins. They are signs of momentum. Signs that multilateralism can deliver. Signs that transformation is not only necessary — it is possible. And that is the spirit we bring to this high-level political forum.
This forum is about renewing our common promise — to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all. We also recognize the deep linkages between development and peace.
We meet against the backdrop of global conflicts that are pushing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) further out of reach. That’s why we must keep working for peace in the Middle East.
Over the weekend in Gaza, we saw yet more mass shootings and killings of people seeking UN aid for their families — an atrocious and inhumane act which I utterly condemn.
We need an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the immediate release of all hostages, and unimpeded humanitarian access as a first step to achieve the two-State solution. We need the ceasefire between Iran and Israel to hold. We need a just and lasting peace in Ukraine based on the UN Charter, international law and UN resolutions.
We need an end to the horror and bloodshed in Sudan. And the list goes on, from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Somalia, from the Sahel to Myanmar.
At every step, we know sustainable peace requires sustainable development. The Sustainable Development Goals are not a dream. They are a plan. A plan to keep our promises — to the most vulnerable people, to each other, and to future generations. People win when we channel our energy into development.
Since 2015, millions more people have access to electricity, clean cooking, and the internet. Social protection now reaches over half the world’s population — up from just a quarter a decade ago. More girls are completing school. Child marriage is declining. Women’s representation is growing — from the boardrooms of business to the halls of political power.
But we must face a tough reality: Only 35 per cent of SDG targets are on track or making moderate progress. Nearly half are moving too slowly. And 18 per cent are going backwards.
Meanwhile, the global economy is slowing. Trade tensions are rising. Inequalities are growing. Aid budgets are being decimated while military spending soars. And mistrust, division and outright conflicts are placing the international problem-solving system under unprecedented strain. We cannot sugarcoat these facts. But we must not surrender to them either.
The SDGs are still within reach — if we act with urgency and ambition. This year’s forum focuses on five critical Goals: health, gender equality, decent work, life below water, and global partnerships. All are essential. All are interconnected. All can spur change across other goals.
On health, COVID-19 exposed and deepened inequalities — and today, far too many people still lack access to basic care. We know what works. We must boost investment in universal health coverage, rooted in strong primary care and prevention, reaching those furthest behind first.
On gender equality, gaps remain wide. Women and girls face systemic barriers — from violence and discrimination to unpaid care and limited political voice.
But we also see growing momentum: from grassroots movements to national reforms. Now is the time to turn that momentum into transformation — with rights-based policies, accountability, and real financing into programmes that support inclusion and equality for women and girls.
On decent work, the global economy is leaving billions behind. Over 2 billion people are in informal jobs Youth unemployment is stubbornly high. But we have tools to change this.
The Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection is helping countries invest in expanded social protection initiatives, skills training, and the creation of sustainable livelihoods — including in growing industries like clean energy.
Tomorrow, I will deliver an address on the enormous opportunities of the renewables revolution. The upcoming World Summit on Social Development can help spur further progress.
On life below water, our ocean and the communities that count on it are paying the price of overfishing, pollution, and climate change. We must deliver on the commitments of the Nice Ocean Conference — to protect marine ecosystems and support the millions who depend on them. And, finally, on global partnerships — SDG 17 — we need to strengthen all the elements that can support progress.
This means investing in science, data, and local capacity. And harnessing digital innovation — including artificial intelligence — to accelerate progress, not deepen divides.
Throughout, we must recognize the need to reform the unfair global financial system, which no longer represents today’s world or the challenges faced by developing countries.
We must ensure a reform for developing countries to have a stronger voice and greater participation to help advance the Sustainable Development Goals on the ground.
The Sevilla Commitment that emerged from the Conference on Financing for Development includes important steps: Through new domestic and global commitments that can channel public and private finance to the areas of greatest need.
By increasing the capacity of Governments to substantially mobilize domestic resources, including through tax reform. And by establishing a more effective framework for debt relief and tripling the lending capacity of multilateral development banks to the benefit of developing countries.
In the coming year, we must keep building. We must strengthen and scale up partnerships that deliver — including with the private sector and civil society organizations and local authorities.
We must embed long-term thinking into every decision, as we committed in the Declaration on Future Generations. And we must continue to learn from each other.
Voluntary national reviews — the backbone of this forum — are more than reports. They are acts of accountability. They are journeys of self-discovery as countries develop and build. And they are templates for other countries to follow and learn from.
By the end of this high-level political forum, we will have surpassed 400 reviews — with over 150 countries presenting more than once. That is a powerful signal of commitment. A clear demonstration that solutions exist and can be replicated and expanded.
With five years left, it’s time to transform these sparks of transformation into a blaze of progress — for all countries. Let us act with determination, justice and direction. And let’s deliver on development — for people and for planet.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
A spokesperson for China’s Ministry of Commerce on Monday expressed strong dissatisfaction and firm opposition to the European Union’s (EU) decision to include Chinese companies and financial institutions in its 18th round of sanctions against Russia.
Responding to a media inquiry, the spokesperson said the EU had disregarded China’s multiple representations and objections by unilaterally including Chinese companies in its sanctions list and imposing penalties on two Chinese financial institutions based on groundless accusations.
The spokesperson emphasized that China consistently opposes unilateral sanctions that lack basis in international law and authorization from the United Nations Security Council.
The EU’s actions contradict the consensus reached between Chinese and EU leaders, and will seriously undermine China-EU economic and trade ties as well as financial cooperation, the spokesperson added.
China urges the EU to immediately cease its erroneous practice of including Chinese enterprises and financial institutions in its sanctions list, the spokesperson said. The spokesperson added that China will take necessary measures to firmly protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies and financial institutions.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
The Hubei Humanoid Robotics Industry Chain Matchmaking Conference was held on July 16 during the 3rd China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE) in Beijing, with the theme “Synergizing Cutting-Edge Innovations, Empowering New Quality Productive Forces.”
Yu Jianlong, vice chairman of the CCPIT, speaks at the Hubei Humanoid Robotics Industry Chain Matchmaking Conference during the 3rd CISCE in Beijing, July 16, 2025. [Photo courtesy of CISCE Organizing Committee]
The event gathered over 400 participants, including ambassadors to China, academic experts, industry leaders and senior financial executives. Through keynote speeches, presentations, project promotions, product launches and strategic cooperation signings, the conference comprehensively showcased Hubei province’s advantages and potential in humanoid robot development. It facilitated precise connections across the industrial chain while injecting momentum into global humanoid robotics collaboration.
Yu Jianlong, vice chairman of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), stated at the event that as a pivotal hub where the Belt and Road Initiative intersects with the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Hubei boasts distinct geographical advantages, abundant sci-tech and educational resources, a robust innovation ecosystem and strong openness. In recent years, the province has demonstrated vigorous development momentum in humanoid robotics — from smart manufacturing to core component R&D, and from application scenarios to industrial ecosystem development.
“At this year’s CISCE, Hubei established the exclusive humanoid robotics exhibition zone, featuring 22 provincial enterprises showcasing over 80 exhibits — including 20 fully-integrated humanoid robots — collectively demonstrating Hubei’s complete industrial chain ecosystem for humanoid robotics,” Yu noted.
He emphasized that the CCPIT will continue expanding its enterprise service network and international partnerships, working with Hubei to establish high-quality cooperation platforms for Chinese and foreign enterprises. This will help position Hubei’s humanoid robotics industry as a standout brand in developing new quality productive forces.
Hu Zhonghai, director of the Hubei Sub-Council of the CCPIT, stated in his address that the humanoid robotics industry represents strategic high ground for developing new quality productive forces — serving as both a “barometer” for technological revolution and an “accelerator” for industrial upgrading. He emphasized Hubei’s ideal environment for robotics innovation, with its unique geographic advantages, strong industrial ecosystem support and superior open policies.
The joint exhibition booth of Hubei humanoid robotics enterprises during the 3rd CISCE in Beijing, July 19, 2025. [Photo/China.org.cn]
He noted the province has prioritized eight major projects, including breakthroughs in humanoid robotics, with 325 Global Fortune 500 companies having now established operations in Hubei. The province is firmly implementing its humanoid robotics industry roadmap targeting initial progress within one year, visible results in three years, and substantial momentum in five years.
Li Zhengxiang, chairman of the Hubei Humanoid Robotics Innovation Center, stated that the center is currently one of China’s largest and most scenario-rich innovation hubs for humanoid robotics. “Through a five-dimensional approach featuring platform leadership, industrial cluster development, financial support, talent empowerment and application scenario implementation, we will build a nationally influential ecosystem for the humanoid robotics industry,” he said.
Zhao Xingwei, legal representative of JCBot and professor at the School of Mechanical Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), explained that JCBot has achieved industrialization with technical support from the team of academicians at HUST. The company’s products currently serve over 10 application fields, including industrial production, cultural tourism, emergency firefighting, inspection and warehousing. He emphasized JCBot will continue advancing R&D to expand into higher-value applications and support industrial upgrading.
During the new product launch session, Lou Kaiqi, deputy general manager of Hubei Optics Valley Dongzhi Embodied Intelligence Technology Co. Ltd., unveiled the company’s new humanoid robot model. Lou explained that the robot has already been deployed in various applications including exhibition hall docent services, retail guidance, reception duties and commercial performances, with plans for future expansion into government services, industrial operations, elderly care and other sectors.
A humanoid robot waves to the audience at the Hubei Humanoid Robotics Industry Chain Matchmaking Conference during the 3rd CISCE in Beijing, July 16, 2025. [Photo courtesy of CISCE Organizing Committee]
Shao Renjie, deputy director of integration at Hubei Kofon Intelligent Transmission Co. Ltd., unveiled a new drive joint module for humanoid robots at the event. The module integrates core components including high-torque motors, reducers and controllers, featuring high power density, precision control and lightweight design to meet dexterous movement requirements for humanoid robots. Shao noted that the launch of this module helps fill critical gaps in Hubei’s supply chain for humanoid robotics core components, strengthening local industrial self-sufficiency and control capabilities.
At the matchmaking conference, the Hubei Humanoid Robotics Industry Alliance signed strategic cooperation framework agreements with three partners: the Zhejiang Robot Industry Association, the National and Local Co-Built Humanoid Robotics Innovation Center, and the Zhongguancun Rongzhi Specialized Robotics Alliance. Under the agreements, the four parties will collaborate deeply on technology R&D, market expansion and talent exchange to build a stronger robotics ecosystem, enabling resource sharing and complementary advantages to collectively enhance competitiveness in humanoid robotics.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
China’s Guangxi supports housing projects construction in urban areas
Updated: July 22, 2025 08:47Xinhua
An aerial drone photo taken on July 21, 2025 shows an urban village renovation project in Nanning City, south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Since this year, Guangxi’s provincial department of finance has raised a total of about 3.4 billion yuan (473.9 million U.S. dollars) in financial subsidies to support the construction of affordable housing projects in urban areas, which has improved the public demand for high-quality housing. [Photo/Xinhua]Workers work at a construction site of an urban village renovation project in Nanning City, south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, July 21, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ERAG Energie & Rohstoff AG PCC (the “Acquiror), a private investment a private investment holding company incorporated in Liechtenstein, announces that on July 17, 2025, the Acquiror, along with two joint actors HMS Bergbau AG (“HMS”) and LaVo Verwaltungsgesellschaft MBH (“LaVo”), acquired Common Shares of Belmont Resources Inc. (TSX-V: BEA) (the “Issuer”). The Issuer completed a private placement of Common Shares, issuing a total of 26,300,00 shares at a price of $0.045 per share for proceeds of $1,183,500 (the “Private Placement”). Under the Private Placement, the Acquiror purchased 4,000,000 Common Shares, HMS purchased 15,000,000 Common Shares and LaVo purchased 7,300,000 Common Shares.
The Private Placement was the second tranche of a larger private placement in which the Issuer issued a total of 30,300,000 Common Shares.
Immediately prior to the closing of the Private Placement, the Acquiror held 14,000,000 Common Shares of the Issuer and HMS held 9,200,000 Common Shares of the Issuer, for a total combined holding of 23,200,000 Common Shares, representing approximately 21.8% of the Issuer’s issued and outstanding Shares .
As a result of the completion of the Private Placement, the Acquiror now holds 18,000,000 Common Shares, HMS holds 24,200,000 Common Shares and LaVo holds 7,300,000 Common Shares, for combined holdings of 49,500,000 Common Shares, representing approximately 37.4% of the Issuer’s issued and outstanding Common Shares.
The Acquiror, HMS and LaVo purchased Common Shares under the Private Placement for business and investment purposes. The Acquiror, HMS and LaVo may, depending on market and other conditions, increase or decrease their beneficial ownership of or control or direction over the Issuer’s securities, whether in the open market, by privately negotiated agreements or otherwise, subject to a number of factors, including general market conditions and other available investment and business opportunities.
The Acquiror has filed an Early Warning Report pursuant to National Instrument 62-103F1 The Early Warning System and Related Take-Over Bid and Insider Reporting Issues describing the above transaction with the applicable securities regulatory authorities. To obtain a copy of the early warning report filed by the Acquiror, please contact the Acquiror c/o Gritt Bürger at +41 79 214 1614 or refer to the Company’s SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca.
ERAG Energie & Rohstoff AG PCC Concordanz Anstalt Austrasse 42 9490 Vaduz Liechtenstein Gritt Bürger, Director finance@erag.biz
WASHINGTON, July 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, Texas parents gathered outside the White House for a solemn memorial and press conference following the catastrophic flooding in Kerr County that claimed more than 120 lives, including 27 children attending summer camp.
Organized by impacted families and the Make Polluters Pay, a campaign by Fossil Free Media, the memorial featured a powerful visual display of 27 children’s camp trunks on the Ellipse Lawn—each representing a young life lost. Parents placed yellow roses atop the trunks in silence before delivering impassioned remarks demanding federal accountability and urgent action to protect children from worsening climate-driven disasters.
The ceremony concluded with a stirring performance by a local choir, who sang “Lean on Me” and “Rise Like the Water” as families stood arm in arm, calling for justice and change.
Parents directly blamed the Trump administration’s cuts to disaster preparedness and early warning systems, including FEMA, NOAA, and the National Weather Service, which they say left communities vulnerable. Texas Senator Ted Cruz, who chairs the Senate Commerce Committee, recently inserted language into H.R. 1 that slashed millions from NOAA programs essential for flood forecasting and public alerts.
“We know that this administration, by destroying renewable energy and using our tax dollars to prop up the fossil fuel industry, an industry that earned $102 billion dollars last year, is doing everything it can to supercharge this climate crisis,” said Texan and momSamantha Gore. “To also be defunding our NWS and NOAA, the agencies we use to keep our children safe, at the same time is unthinkable. How dare they. Parents won’t sit back while our children die from floods that shouldn’t have been supercharged, from DOGE cuts that put their lives on the line, and from weather services not being funded. What are they thinking? We won’t back down. They are destroying everything we love.”
In addition to demanding the restoration of life-saving public programs, demonstrators called on President Trump and Congress to hold fossil fuel companies financially accountable for the damage their pollution has caused.
“Texans are grieving because public safety systems were dismantled to serve fossil fuel interests,” said Cassidy DiPaola, spokesperson for the Make Polluters Pay campaign. “Senator Cruz helped cut flood forecasting programs days before the storm. Now families are paying the price while polluters and their allies deflect blame. Texans deserve accountability, not excuses.”
Speakers stressed that the Kerr County tragedy reflects a growing pattern of climate disasters that will only intensify without bold action and restoration of critical safeguards.
“It feels like we’ve lost our way as a country in a very short time. In the six months since this administration has been in charge they have encouraged, enabled, allowed a temporary government agency, one with no oversight, to wantonly cut budgets and offer early retirements for roles that are crucial to the safety of our communities. There were other serious failures at lower levels of government, all of which directly contributed to the loss of dozens of children’s lives. These weren’t accidents or acts of God. These were intentional choices. Let that sink in,” said Texan and mom Helen Waters. “ This event affected me deeply as I grew up going to summer camp in the area and I have close friends who were caught in the flooding and nearly died. However it’s clear to me that this has, and will, happen in other places. We must fight for a social contract with reliable and accountable.”
“As an Austin mom, I’ve been feeling the losses of the children from my community in a very visceral, immediate way,” said Texan and mom Eileen McGinnis. “As the founder of The Parents’ Climate Community, a climate nonprofit in Central Texas, I was moved to join because it’s also vital to connect these losses, this collective grief, to a larger story: kids around the world are bearing the brunt of climate change’s impacts, and we are failing to protect them.”
To speak with parents or campaign representatives, please contact: Cassidy DiPaola | Fossil Free Media | cassidy@fossilfree.media | 401-441-7196
WASHINGTON, July 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, Texas parents gathered outside the White House for a solemn memorial and press conference following the catastrophic flooding in Kerr County that claimed more than 120 lives, including 27 children attending summer camp.
Organized by impacted families and the Make Polluters Pay, a campaign by Fossil Free Media, the memorial featured a powerful visual display of 27 children’s camp trunks on the Ellipse Lawn—each representing a young life lost. Parents placed yellow roses atop the trunks in silence before delivering impassioned remarks demanding federal accountability and urgent action to protect children from worsening climate-driven disasters.
The ceremony concluded with a stirring performance by a local choir, who sang “Lean on Me” and “Rise Like the Water” as families stood arm in arm, calling for justice and change.
Parents directly blamed the Trump administration’s cuts to disaster preparedness and early warning systems, including FEMA, NOAA, and the National Weather Service, which they say left communities vulnerable. Texas Senator Ted Cruz, who chairs the Senate Commerce Committee, recently inserted language into H.R. 1 that slashed millions from NOAA programs essential for flood forecasting and public alerts.
“We know that this administration, by destroying renewable energy and using our tax dollars to prop up the fossil fuel industry, an industry that earned $102 billion dollars last year, is doing everything it can to supercharge this climate crisis,” said Texan and momSamantha Gore. “To also be defunding our NWS and NOAA, the agencies we use to keep our children safe, at the same time is unthinkable. How dare they. Parents won’t sit back while our children die from floods that shouldn’t have been supercharged, from DOGE cuts that put their lives on the line, and from weather services not being funded. What are they thinking? We won’t back down. They are destroying everything we love.”
In addition to demanding the restoration of life-saving public programs, demonstrators called on President Trump and Congress to hold fossil fuel companies financially accountable for the damage their pollution has caused.
“Texans are grieving because public safety systems were dismantled to serve fossil fuel interests,” said Cassidy DiPaola, spokesperson for the Make Polluters Pay campaign. “Senator Cruz helped cut flood forecasting programs days before the storm. Now families are paying the price while polluters and their allies deflect blame. Texans deserve accountability, not excuses.”
Speakers stressed that the Kerr County tragedy reflects a growing pattern of climate disasters that will only intensify without bold action and restoration of critical safeguards.
“It feels like we’ve lost our way as a country in a very short time. In the six months since this administration has been in charge they have encouraged, enabled, allowed a temporary government agency, one with no oversight, to wantonly cut budgets and offer early retirements for roles that are crucial to the safety of our communities. There were other serious failures at lower levels of government, all of which directly contributed to the loss of dozens of children’s lives. These weren’t accidents or acts of God. These were intentional choices. Let that sink in,” said Texan and mom Helen Waters. “ This event affected me deeply as I grew up going to summer camp in the area and I have close friends who were caught in the flooding and nearly died. However it’s clear to me that this has, and will, happen in other places. We must fight for a social contract with reliable and accountable.”
“As an Austin mom, I’ve been feeling the losses of the children from my community in a very visceral, immediate way,” said Texan and mom Eileen McGinnis. “As the founder of The Parents’ Climate Community, a climate nonprofit in Central Texas, I was moved to join because it’s also vital to connect these losses, this collective grief, to a larger story: kids around the world are bearing the brunt of climate change’s impacts, and we are failing to protect them.”
To speak with parents or campaign representatives, please contact: Cassidy DiPaola | Fossil Free Media | cassidy@fossilfree.media | 401-441-7196
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Lauren Boebert (Colorado, 3)
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Congresswoman Lauren Boebert (CO-04) successfully passed H.R. 131, the “Finish the Arkansas Valley Conduit” Act, through the U.S. House of Representatives on Monday evening by voice vote. The bill eliminates interest payments on construction costs endured by non-federal entities and extends the repayment period to 75 years, allowing local communities more flexibility to finish their investments in this critical project. Congressman Jeff Hurd (CO-03) is a cosponsor of the bill, while Colorado Senator Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper have introduced companion legislation in the U.S. Senate.
Upon completion, the Arkansas Valley Conduit would provide access to clean water to 50,000 residents in Southeast Colorado, including Bent, Crowley, Prowers, Kiowa and Baca Counties. The project was originally started in 1962 and has been delayed by bureaucracy and, most recently, rising construction and labor costs. The “Finish the AVC” Act addresses these issues in an effort to make this long-standing vision a finished product.
“This is a major victory for Southeast Coloradans with my ‘Finish the AVC Act’ passing through the U.S. House of Representatives,”said Congresswoman Boebert.“Every Coloradan should have reliable access to clean water, which keeps families healthy and allows economic development to move forward. It’s been more than six decades since the Arkansas Valley Conduit was originally approved; Coloradans are done waiting on this project. I’m grateful to my House colleagues for their support and I will fight to make sure this bill now passes through the Senate so President Trump can sign this bill in the near future.”
“Access to reliable, clean water is fundamental to the health and prosperity of our rural communities, and the Arkansas Valley Conduit has remained an unfinished promise for far too long,”said Congressman Jeff Hurd (CO-03).“I’m proud to cosponsor this legislation with Congresswoman Boebert to remove financial barriers and help get this vital project across the finish line. This will strengthen agriculture, support families, and fuel economic growth across Southeast Colorado — a win for everyone who calls this region home.”
“Rural water providers in our area often struggle to secure the funding needed to meet the needs of the communities they serve. Completing the Arkansas Valley Conduit (AVC), which has been stalled for decades as labor and construction costs continue to rise, would help reduce the financial burden on these providers and enhance their ability to deliver a higher quality and a more reliable water supply,”said Prowers County Commissioners Ty Harmon, Roger Cook, and Roger Stagner.“In addition to supporting households and businesses, a stable water supply is essential for agriculture — the backbone of our community’s economy. Reliable water access ensures that farmers and ranchers can maintain production, adapt to drought conditions, and sustain the long-term viability of their operations. We’re grateful for Congresswoman Boebert’s work on this project and her efforts to support Southeast Colorado.”
“In the West, it is critical that we have sound water infrastructure to meet communities’ needs,”said House Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (AR-04).“Rep. Boebert’s legislation will help get the Arkansas Valley Conduit project across the finish line more than 60 years after it was authorized. I thank her for her work to move this important project forward and her leadership on western water issues.”
The full text of Congresswoman Boebert’s H.R. 131 can be read HERE.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Lauren Boebert (Colorado, 3)
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Congresswoman Lauren Boebert (CO-04) successfully passed H.R. 131, the “Finish the Arkansas Valley Conduit” Act, through the U.S. House of Representatives on Monday evening by voice vote. The bill eliminates interest payments on construction costs endured by non-federal entities and extends the repayment period to 75 years, allowing local communities more flexibility to finish their investments in this critical project. Congressman Jeff Hurd (CO-03) is a cosponsor of the bill, while Colorado Senator Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper have introduced companion legislation in the U.S. Senate.
Upon completion, the Arkansas Valley Conduit would provide access to clean water to 50,000 residents in Southeast Colorado, including Bent, Crowley, Prowers, Kiowa and Baca Counties. The project was originally started in 1962 and has been delayed by bureaucracy and, most recently, rising construction and labor costs. The “Finish the AVC” Act addresses these issues in an effort to make this long-standing vision a finished product.
“This is a major victory for Southeast Coloradans with my ‘Finish the AVC Act’ passing through the U.S. House of Representatives,”said Congresswoman Boebert.“Every Coloradan should have reliable access to clean water, which keeps families healthy and allows economic development to move forward. It’s been more than six decades since the Arkansas Valley Conduit was originally approved; Coloradans are done waiting on this project. I’m grateful to my House colleagues for their support and I will fight to make sure this bill now passes through the Senate so President Trump can sign this bill in the near future.”
“Access to reliable, clean water is fundamental to the health and prosperity of our rural communities, and the Arkansas Valley Conduit has remained an unfinished promise for far too long,”said Congressman Jeff Hurd (CO-03).“I’m proud to cosponsor this legislation with Congresswoman Boebert to remove financial barriers and help get this vital project across the finish line. This will strengthen agriculture, support families, and fuel economic growth across Southeast Colorado — a win for everyone who calls this region home.”
“Rural water providers in our area often struggle to secure the funding needed to meet the needs of the communities they serve. Completing the Arkansas Valley Conduit (AVC), which has been stalled for decades as labor and construction costs continue to rise, would help reduce the financial burden on these providers and enhance their ability to deliver a higher quality and a more reliable water supply,”said Prowers County Commissioners Ty Harmon, Roger Cook, and Roger Stagner.“In addition to supporting households and businesses, a stable water supply is essential for agriculture — the backbone of our community’s economy. Reliable water access ensures that farmers and ranchers can maintain production, adapt to drought conditions, and sustain the long-term viability of their operations. We’re grateful for Congresswoman Boebert’s work on this project and her efforts to support Southeast Colorado.”
“In the West, it is critical that we have sound water infrastructure to meet communities’ needs,”said House Natural Resources Chairman Bruce Westerman (AR-04).“Rep. Boebert’s legislation will help get the Arkansas Valley Conduit project across the finish line more than 60 years after it was authorized. I thank her for her work to move this important project forward and her leadership on western water issues.”
The full text of Congresswoman Boebert’s H.R. 131 can be read HERE.
Source: United States Senator for Rhode Island Jack Reed
NORTH KINGSTOWN, RI – U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressman Seth Magaziner today announced a new $274,596 federal grant for the J. Goodison Co. shipyard at the Quonset Business Park. The federal funding comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration Small Shipyards Grant program.
The federal funds will be used by J. Goodison to modernize equipment and purchase 21 new welder units and a 200-ton press brake to enhance fabrication and welding capabilities. Reliable welding equipment will ensure that projects can be completed in the most efficient manner and reduce the need for outsourcing. This project will help increase the company’s capabilities, improve efficiency and productivity, and create opportunities to provide competitive service.
“This is good news for J. Goodison and Rhode Island’s maritime industry. Ensuring Rhode Island shipyard’s have the best machinery available to meet their needs increases productivity and efficiency and expands capacity at Quonset. Small shipyards like J. Goodison make big contributions to our economy by building and maintaining the vessels that drive our economy. We’ve got to keep them competitive. I will continue working to bring investment to Rhode Island’s ports, shipbuilders, and shipyards,” said Senator Reed, a member of the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development and Related Agencies (THUD) Appropriations Subcommittee. Senator Reed led efforts to restore funding for the Small Shipyard program after it lapsed for several years.
“I’m glad to join Senator Reed in helping ensure that Ocean State shipyards have everything they need to grow and create jobs,” said Senator Whitehouse. “Congratulations to J. Goodison on winning this competitive grant, which will support even more economic activity at Quonset.”
“This federal funding will help J. Goodison modernize its operations, boost productivity, and create good-paying jobs right here in Rhode Island,” said Congressman Magaziner. “I will keep fighting to bring home funds that strengthen the state’s shipyards and grow the local maritime economy.”
“We thank Senators Reed and Whitehouse and the entire Rhode Island Congressional delegation for their leadership in supporting this project,” said Jack Goodison, President and CEO of J. Goodison Co. “Our State and region succeed when we work together to modernize our shipyards with newer equipment that this grant will help fund.”
Founded in 1999, J. Goodison is a veteran-owned small business specializing in full-service marine maintenance. In 2016, the company opened a waterfront shipyard facility in the Quonset Business Park in North Kingstown. Due to its location and capabilities, the shipyard has become an important asset for marine operators along the Eastern Seaboard. The commercial fishing industry, passenger ferry operators, marine towing operators, and the United States Coast Guard all rely on J. Goodison’s vessel repair services.
MARAD’s Small Shipyard Grant Program is a competitive grant program designed to support small shipyard projects that make capital and related improvements or provide training for workers in shipbuilding, ship repair, and associated industries.
In fiscal year 2024, the Small Shipyard Grant Program received 78 grant applications from shipbuilding or repair companies nationwide requesting just under $50 million. The program allocated $8.75 million in available federal funds.
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
The partner of the financial house “Solid” the Foundation for the support of the disabled “Philanthropist” announces the start of collecting applications for participation in the XIII International Award “Philanthropist” for outstanding achievements of the disabled in the field of culture and art. The prize fund of each Laureate will be 200,000 rubles. Applications for the competition are accepted until August 31, 2025.
Organizers
Government of the Russian Federation Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation Government of Moscow Russian Academy of Arts All-Russian Society of Disabled People Philanthropist Foundation
Nominations
Performing Arts Fine Arts Literary Arts
Awarded once every two years
The bonus fund is formed from extra-budgetary sources.
Each nomination has several sub-nominations.
Special prizes
“For the preservation of folk art traditions” “For novelty and originality in creativity” “Overcoming. Beyond the Possible” “To Growing Hopes” “To a statesman and public figure for providing effective assistance to disabled people and their public organizations” “Defender of the Fatherland” (The prize is awarded solely on the recommendation of the jury members from the nominations presented above to a disabled person who is a participant in local military conflicts or combat operations. Has a monetary equivalent). “For providing effective assistance to disabled people and their public organizations” – awarded to a statesman and/or public figure (has no monetary value); “To a philanthropist and patron of the arts” – awarded to business representatives for providing charitable and sponsorship assistance to disabled people and their public organizations (has no monetary value).
The XIII Ceremony of the “International Philanthropist Award for Outstanding Achievements of Disabled People in Culture and Art” will be held on December 2, 2025 in Moscow. Executive Directorate of the Award – Philanthropist Foundation for the Support of Disabled People 101000, Moscow, Moroseyka St., Building 3/13, Building 1.
Detailed information is available on the Foundation’s websiteGDV.filanthrop.ruTel.: 7 917 557-69-90
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Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Scott Peters (52nd District of California)
Washington, DC – Today, Representatives Scott Peters (D-CA-50) and Blake Moore (R-UT-01) and Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Jim Banks (R-IN) reintroduced the bipartisan, bicameral Build More Housing Near Transit Act to encourage the construction of low- and middle-income housing in transit-served, walkable locations. Rep. Peters previously introduced a standalone House version of the legislation in 2019 and a bicameral version in 2021 and 2023.
The bill incentivizes the development of more housing near transit stops by tying the competition for federal transit funding to state and local housing plans along transit corridors. According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, the United States has a shortage of 7.1 million affordable rental homes. In San Diego County alone, there is a shortage of nearly 100,000 homes for extremely low-income renters and that gap is nearly one million homes statewide. It is clear California is not doing enough to keep pace with growing demand – in 2024, the state only permitted 114,069 homes, according to California’s Housing and Community Development Department. Since 2021, San Diego County has permitted only 48,765 homes, just 28.4 percent of the total needed to meet demand according to the Regional Housing Needs Allocation formula.
“The cost of housing remains the greatest barrier to prosperity in California, forcing people to move farther and farther from where they work, which means longer commutes and more air pollution,” said Rep. Peters. “Our bill will get more cars off the road by maximizing federal investments in public transportation and will increase affordable housing options for families across the country. As a Co-Chair of the YIMBY Caucus and founding member of the growth–oriented Build America Caucus in Congress, I look forward to getting this commonsense legislation across the finish line to help relieve the pressure on cost-burdened Americans.”
“Housing has consistently been one of the most pressing issues for Utahns since I joined Congress. In some ways, Utah is a victim of its own success. Our incredible quality of life, economic opportunity, and low unemployment rates have put significant strains on our housing market, which has priced out young families from starter homes and presented major challenges to servicemembers at Hill Air Force Base,” said Rep. Moore. “I’m proud to introduce legislation that will condition federal transit grants on whether states are reducing zoning barriers for housing near new bus or rapid transit lines, something that Utah has already been doing for years through the leadership of partners such as UTA along the Wasatch Front and Connect in Cache Valley. The end result will bring more of Utah’s common-sense policies to Washington and help more families find affordable and accessible homes.”
“The clearest way out of our national housing shortage is by building more housing,” said Senator Schatz. “Our bipartisan bill incentivizes cities and towns to build housing when they expand or redevelop their public transit systems. This will help put more families in homes, grow local economies, and cut carbon pollution. It’s a win for everyone.”
“This bill makes it easier for communities to build homes for working families by cutting red tape and giving them the freedom to create strong, family-friendly neighborhoods near public transit,” said Senator Banks.
The Build More Housing Near Transit Act would direct the Department of Transportation to incentivize local governments to promote housing development and regional growth in and around the transit corridors of future New Starts projects. Specifically, this bill will amend U.S. Code Section 5309, which governs the application process for capital investment grants to:
Direct the Secretary of Transportation to boost a transit project’s rating if the project includes pro-housing policies for areas along the project route;
Define pro-housing policies as a state or local action to remove regulatory barriers to constructing or preserving housing, reduce or eliminate parking minimums or minimum lot sizes, establish by-right approval processes for multi-family housing, commit substantial public property to affordable housing development or preservation, and eliminate or raise residential property height limits; and
Engage the Department of Housing and Urban Development to develop a methodology to evaluate the merits of the pro-housing policies documented in a CIG application.
A letter of support from more than 100 national, state, and local groups, including Circulate San Diego, is available here. A full list of supporting organizations is available here.
“In San Diego we have made a conscious effort to spur housing development along our growing public transit system,” said City of San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria. “The Build More Housing Near Transit Act will provide additional incentives to create affordable housing near transit, helping our region address both our housing affordability and climate crises.”
“America is experiencing a severe housing shortage that affects every aspect of American lives and the economy,” said Mike Kingsella, CEO of Up for Growth Action. “The Build More Housing Near Transit Act addresses the critical link between transportation and housing and would create greater access to affordable commutes and abundant housing. We applaud the lead sponsors for introducing this bill, serving as an example of how the federal government can use its leverage to ensure the right types of housing are available in the places people want to live.
“The United States needs to build millions of new homes and rental units for low- and middle-income Americans,” said David Dworkin, President and CEO, National Housing Conference (NHC). “The Build More Housing Near Transit Act would help unlock supply and smarter, more efficient development by linking housing and transit planning and development. Transit-oriented development can help reduce costs, grow local economies, increase affordable housing supply, and increase access to opportunities for families. The National Housing Conference is proud to endorse this legislation, and we are grateful to the leadership of Representatives Scott Peters and Blake Moore, and Senators Brian Schatz and Jim Banks.”
“For decades, the federal government has funded mass transit projects in cities whose growth control laws do not allow people to live near and ride on transit,” said Alex Armlovich, Senior Housing Policy Analyst, Niskanen Center. “The Build More Housing Near Transit Act finally corrects this. It protects transit riders and the federal taxpayer from spending scarce transit capital on projects doomed by rigid zoning regulations to low housing growth and low future ridership, while uplifting projects in localities that welcome housing & transit ridership growth. This bill is the essential first step in restoring bipartisan confidence in America’s mass transit investments for taxpayers and transit riders alike.”
New Zealand’s economy is showing signs of strain, and a growing body of evidence points toliquidity shortagesand over manipulated interest rates as key culprits.
While global macroeconomic policies and domestic shifts play some part, theReserve Bank’s aggressive interest rate strategymay have overcorrected, leaving the economy with limited liquidity.
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) raised the Official Cash Rate (OCR) from a pandemic low of 0.25% to a peak of 5.5%.
This high rate was intended to tame inflation. Trend Analysis research demonstrated in 2023 that the inflationary measures were based on an over reliance of CPI (consumer price index) as a core indicator.
Research showed that prior to the GFC, CPI and other inflationary measures were effectively identifying real inflation. However, post COVID the macro-economy environment changed and most markets proactively began to hide inflationary indicators.
Prices had increased while goods delivered, the type and level of services, and manufactured products supplied to consumers saw substantive reductions in volume, scope, size, and quality. This hid core components of inflationary pressures.
Moreover, we noted in our earlier release “RBNZ Potential Catalyst Of New Inflationary Cycle” that although indexed inflation had cooled in some areas, debt based inflation was rapidly growing and the over tightening had unintended consequences.
Liquidity in financial markets has significantly declined, with investors and banks showing reduced appetite for risk and tightly managed credit extension.New research indicates that there is a lack of liquidity in the New Zealand economy. This liquidity crunch is not theoretical as it is playing out in the housing market.
Despite a significant drop in home prices since the pandemic peak,affordability remains elusive. In lower-cost regions, new homes (priced below national averages) require mortgage repayments that exceed reasonable thresholds for most households.
Even with large deposits, the 30-year mortgage repayments remain burdensome, especially as interest rates hover well above pre-pandemic norms. Such mortgage repayments based on current interest rates do not make financial sense to most potential buyers.
Additionally, we find that housing inventory is now rising at an unsustainable rate. There are over 36,000 properties for sale nationwide. Yet buyers remain hesitant becauseborrowing costs are remain so prohibitive.
This disconnect between price correction and repayment feasibility underscores the deeper issue:monetary policy has potentially throttled liquidity to the point of economic stagnation.
New Zealand’s economic decline appears to be a result of not merely a cyclical but a structural decline.
The over-manipulation of interest rates has drained liquidity, stifled investment, and distorted housing affordability. Moreover, it has induced a debt based inflation. One substantive example are regional councils that adjusted rates increases to compensate for increased borrowing costs reflected in the high interest rates.
Until monetary policy recalibrates to support sustainable growth, the economy will remain in a downward loop of suppressed demand due to constrained liquidity.
Trend Analysis Network is a think tank based in New Zealand created to identify and publish analytical results of future tr
Source: United States Senator for Idaho Mike Crapo
Washington, D.C.–The One Big Beautiful Bill Act invests in workers, delivering on President Trump’s promises to end tax on tips and overtime for millions of hardworking Americans. It also lessens the administrative burden on gig workers and small businesses.
“This legislation enables the tipped and hourly workers who keep our economy running to keep more of each hard-earned paycheck,” said Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo (R-Idaho).
Key wins:
No tax on tips for millions of tipped workers.
No tax on overtime for millions of America’s hourly workers.
Repeals the Democrats’ onerous IRS reporting requirements on gig workers.
Increases the 1099-MISC threshold, reducing the paperwork burden for small businesses and workers.
What they are saying:
“We greatly appreciate the Senate’s inclusion of other AICPA priorities in its bill, particularly: repealing the American Rescue Plan Act’s lowered threshold for Form 1099-K to $600 for an unlimited number of transactions; and increasing the filing threshold for Forms 1099-NEC and Forms 1099-MISC from $600 to $2,000, adjusted for inflation.” – AICPA
“The Coalition for 1099-K Fairness strongly supports the Senate Finance package’s inclusion of language to raise the 1099-K reporting threshold. This commonsense provision would increase the threshold to over $20,000 in total payments and more than 200 transactions per calendar year—effectively stopping the implementation of a burdensome $600 threshold, regardless of transaction count, scheduled to take effect in 2026 under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARP).” – Coalition for 1099K Fairness
London, United Kingdom , July 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A new US stablecoin bill passed in July 2025 is further improving regulatory clarity and opening the door to institutional adoption. Ripple’s USD-backed stablecoin, RLUSD, is fully collateralized by cash and US Treasuries and issued on the XRP Ledger. For investors who hold a large amount of XRP, PBKMiner provides a safe, compliant and scalable way to convert their assets into a high-yield passive income source. Users do not need to sell their positions or bear the risk of currency price fluctuations. They only need to top up and purchase computing power contracts to automatically obtain stable income every day. How to make money through cloud mining? Traditional cryptocurrency mining requires high hardware investment, complex technical configuration and continuous electricity consumption, but now, cloud mining has completely changed all this. Users can easily participate in mining by simply renting remote computing power through an online platform.
Against the backdrop of the continued rise in the global cryptocurrency market, PBKMiner officially launched the XRP mining new user incentive plan, with “zero threshold, high returns” as the core, to help new and old users easily participate in digital currency mining. The platform quickly became the focus of the industry with its innovative reward mechanism, flexible contract selection, and transparent profit model. XRP Cloud Mining Now Available—Easy, Smart, and Profitable XRP has long been recognized for its role in cross-border payments and institutional financing, and now PBKMiner’s latest innovation – user-friendly cloud mining, takes XRP to the next level. Users can mine XRP directly or take advantage of PBKMiner’s intelligent AI engine, which automatically transfers mining power to the highest-yielding assets, including BTC, ETH, DOGE, USDC, and more. Earnings will be paid daily in the cryptocurrency of your choice, providing a reliable source of income regardless of market fluctuations. Whether you are a novice or an experienced investor, the PBKMiner platform allows you to earn continuous cryptocurrency income anytime, anywhere. Why does PBKMiner’s XRP mining stand out? – Available to Everyone: No technical skills, no hardware, no complications — just click to earn. – XRP Native: Handle XRP from deposits to withdrawals in one ecosystem. – Smart, Stable Returns: AI Mining Strategies Deliver Stable Yields Across Assets. – Built-in Flexibility: Choose to mine XRP or diversify into other top cryptocurrencies — all from one contract. – Global Instant Access: Start mining securely from anywhere in the world via your browser or app. Start earning income in just three easy steps: 1. Sign up–Create an account and get a $10 welcome bonus. 2. Choose a plan– Choose a short-term or long-term contract (1-55 days available). 3. Start earning– Track your daily rewards and withdraw them in your preferred token.
Main features of PBKMiner’s XRP cloud mining contract – Full XRP Ecosystem Integration: Deposit, mine, and withdraw XRP seamlessly on the platform. – Multi-currency mining support: Earn XRP, BTC, ETH, DOGE, USDC, USDT, SOL, LTC, BCH, and more. – AI Revenue Optimization: Proprietary algorithms optimize mining allocations for peak profitability. – 100% Remote Access: No hardware required – fully accessible via the PBKMiner app or browser. – Capital Protection: All contracts return full principal at expiration, minimizing risk while maximizing potential. Flexible mining contracts to meet various budget needs PBKMiner offers a variety of XRP-based cloud mining contracts designed for flexibility, predictable income, and effective risk management: $10 contract – 1 day – earn $0.6 $100 contract – 2 days – earn $3.5 per day $500 contract – 5 days – earn $6.5 per day $5,000 contract – 30 days – earn $77.50 per day $30,000 contract – 50 days – earn $525.00 per day Whether you are investing for the first time or building a long-term portfolio, PBKMiner offers transparent, low-risk contracts that bring a steady daily XRP income. Click here to explore all XRP contracts. About PBKMiner Founded in 2019, PBKMiner represents a new generation of AI-driven cloud mining technology, with data, performance, and trust as pillars. The platform supports cloud mining of XRP, BTC, ETH, LTC, DOGE, and SOL. It has helped millions of users around the world earn passive crypto income through secure, AI-driven cloud mining. With the launch of XRP mining, the platform now combines retail-level accessibility with institutional-grade technology. Users can choose to mine XRP directly, or invest in the best performing digital assets – all in a secure, fully remote environment. A PBKMiner spokesperson said: “XRP has always been fast, efficient and scalable. Now, it can also be mined securely, remotely and profitably. We have removed all barriers so that anyone can participate in the future of XRP.” The market may rise and fall, but your mining income can remain stable. Especially suitable for investors who seek sustainable long-term returns rather than speculative gains. For full details and participation options please visit: https://pbkminer.com Disclaimer: The information provided in this press release does not constitute an investment solicitation, nor does it constitute investment advice, financial advice, or a trading recommendation. Cryptocurrency mining and staking involve risks and may result in the loss of funds. It is strongly recommended that you perform due diligence before investing or trading in cryptocurrencies and securities, including consulting a professional financial advisor.
Los Angeles, California, July 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — XRP has had a great week, hitting an eye-popping $3.66 on Friday, a massive 90% increase from April levels. Now just a stone’s throw away from XRP’s legendary peak of $3.84 during the 2018 bull run, as enthusiasm in the cryptocurrency market soars, PBKMiner has officially launched a groundbreaking innovation: Ripple’s XRP cloud mining contract – no hardware required, daily rewards, and fully remote access for users around the world. The upward trend continues as global financial institutions increasingly adopt Ripple’s liquidity framework. As tokenized assets and stablecoins gradually become mainstream, XRP is more than just a cryptocurrency, it is gradually becoming the backbone of Ripple’s plan to unlock more than $100 trillion in global liquidity. As a neutral digital bridge asset, XRP enables fast settlement between different currencies, assets and networks.
“The current XRP ecosystem has entered the fast lane. PBKMiner’s goal is to help users seize this growth opportunity. Without hardware and maintenance, users can easily participate in mining and obtain daily income.” PBKMiner’s operations director said, “We see that short- and medium-term contracts are particularly popular among young users and novice investors because they have a low entry barrier, short cycle and fast returns.” XRP Cloud Mining Now Available—Easy, Smart, and Profitable XRP has long been recognized for its role in cross-border payments and institutional financing, and now PBKMiner’s latest innovation – user-friendly cloud mining, takes XRP to the next level. Users can mine XRP directly or take advantage of PBKMiner’s intelligent AI engine, which automatically transfers mining power to the highest-yielding assets, including BTC, ETH, DOGE, USDC, and more. Earnings will be paid daily in the cryptocurrency of your choice, providing a reliable source of income regardless of market fluctuations. Whether you are a novice or an experienced investor, with the PBKMiner AI cloud mining platform, you don’t need to buy mining machines or professional skills, and everyone can easily participate in mining. In just three steps, you can start your journey of passive income from digital assets. Start earning income in just three easy steps:
Choose a plan– Select a short-term or long-term contract (1-55 days available).
Start earning– Track your daily rewards and withdraw them in your preferred token.
Why is PBKMiner’s XRP mining so unique and leading? ◆ XRP Integration: Activate mining contracts instantly with XRP. ◆ Available to everyone: No technical skills, no hardware, no complex operations – just click to make money. ◆ AI Intelligent Optimization: Artificial Intelligence mining strategies can bring stable returns in a variety of assets. ◆ Built-in flexibility: Choose to mine XRP or diversify to other top cryptocurrencies – all with just one contract. ◆ Global instant access: Start mining securely from anywhere in the world through a browser or app. ◆ Environmentally compliant operations: Mining operations use green energy and fully comply with UK and global standards
Mining contract solutions to suit every budget and strategy: PBKMiner offers a variety of XRP-based cloud mining contracts designed for flexibility, predictable income, and effective risk management: $10 contract – 1 day – earn $0.6 $100 contract – 2 days – earn $3.5 per day $500 contract – 5 days – earn $6.5 per day $5,000 contract – 30 days – earn $77.50 per day $30,000 contract – 50 days – earn $525.00 per day Whether you are investing for the first time or building a long-term portfolio, PBKMiner offers transparent, low-risk contracts that bring a steady daily XRP income. These data are not predictions, but real experiences of millions of users, thanks to PBKMiner’s profit optimization based on artificial intelligence and result-centric mining model. Click here to explore all mining contracts. Key features of PBKMiner’s XRP cloud mining contract: 1. Focus on XRP ecosystem integration: Take advantage of XRP’s fast settlement speed to seamlessly deposit, mine and withdraw XRP on the platform. 2. Multi-currency mining support: Support earning XRP, BTC, ETH, DOGE, USDC, USDT, SOL, LTC and BCH, etc. 3. AI-driven income optimization: Advanced proprietary algorithms optimize mining allocation to achieve maximum profitability and reduce costs. 4. No hardware required: 100 remote access, cloud-based operations are fully accessible through the PBKMiner application or browser. 5. Fund security protection: Daily automatic settlement, clear and traceable returns, all contracts return the full principal at maturity, minimize risks, and fully protect user assets. 6. Technology and service: An experienced team of experts and customer service staff are at your service 24/7.
About PBKMiner
As a leading digital asset management platform, since its establishment in 2019, PBKMiner has expanded its cloud mining business for XRP, BTC, ETH, LTC, DOGE and SOL in 183+ countries and regions, serving millions of active users around the world. Relying on a strong technical background and stable mining infrastructure, it makes cryptocurrency mining smarter, simpler and more inclusive, eliminating the technical barriers of traditional mining, and providing a transparent and low-risk stable mining income, especially for investors who seek sustainable long-term returns rather than speculative gains. For full details and participation options, please visit: https://pbkminer.com Disclaimer: The information provided in this press release does not constitute an investment solicitation, nor does it constitute investment advice, financial advice, or a trading recommendation. Cryptocurrency mining and staking involve risks and may result in the loss of funds. It is strongly recommended that you perform due diligence before investing or trading in cryptocurrencies and securities, including consulting a professional financial advisor.
Washington, D.C, July 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Driven by US cryptocurrency legislation, Ripple XRP surged to $3.65, a record high. PBKMiner provides an AI-driven approach: XRP dedicated cloud mining contracts, allowing users to use Ripple (XRP) to immediately start Bitcoin cloud mining to achieve daily XRP and BTC daily income. Ripple’s native token, XRP, hit a new all-time high of $3.65, reaching a major milestone. The surge came after the U.S. House of Representatives passed two important cryptocurrency-focused legislative bills, the GENIUS Act and the CLARITY Act. The GENIUS Act represents the framework to establish the first federally regulated stablecoin system, and Ripple’s RLUSD is expected to serve as its underlying asset.
As the global cryptocurrency market expands, UK-based cloud mining platform PBKMiner has released a new XRP mining contract, redefining the way users can participate in cryptocurrency mining. The application brings a seamless experience to users who want to earn passive income through Ripple (XRP), Bitcoin, Dogecoin, Litecoin and other mainstream digital assets, without the need to own hardware or technical expertise. XRP Cloud Mining Now Available—Easy, Smart, and Profitable XRP has long been recognized for its role in cross-border payments and institutional financing, and now PBKMiner’s latest innovation – user-friendly cloud mining, takes XRP to the next level. Users can mine XRP directly or take advantage of PBKMiner’s intelligent AI engine, which automatically transfers mining power to the highest-yielding assets, including BTC, ETH, DOGE, USDC, and more. Earnings will be paid daily in the cryptocurrency of your choice, providing a reliable source of income regardless of market fluctuations. Whether you are a novice or an experienced investor, with the PBKMiner AI cloud mining platform, you don’t need to buy mining machines or professional skills, and everyone can easily participate in mining. In just three steps, you can start your journey of passive income from digital assets. Start earning income in just three easy steps: 1. Sign up – Create an account and get a $10 welcome bonus. 2. Choose a plan – Choose a short-term or long-term contract (1-55 days available). 3. Start earning – Track your daily rewards and withdraw them in your preferred token. Why is PBKMiner’s XRP mining so unique and leading? ◆ XRP Integration: Activate mining contracts instantly with XRP. ◆ Available to everyone: No technical skills, no hardware, no complex operations – just click to make money. ◆ AI Intelligent Optimization: Artificial Intelligence mining strategies can bring stable returns in a variety of assets. ◆ Built-in flexibility: Choose to mine XRP or diversify to other top cryptocurrencies – all with just one contract. ◆ Global instant access: Start mining securely from anywhere in the world through a browser or app. ◆ Environmentally compliant operations: Mining operations use green energy and fully comply with UK and global standards
Mining contract solutions to suit every budget and strategy: PBKMiner offers a variety of XRP-based cloud mining contracts designed for flexibility, predictable income, and effective risk management: $10 contract – 1 day – earn $0.6 $100 contract – 2 days – earn $3.5 per day $500 contract – 5 days – earn $6.5 per day $5,000 contract – 30 days – earn $77.50 per day $30,000 contract – 50 days – earn $525.00 per day Whether you are investing for the first time or building a long-term portfolio, PBKMiner offers transparent, low-risk contracts that bring a steady daily XRP income. These data are not predictions, but real experiences of millions of users, thanks to PBKMiner’s profit optimization based on artificial intelligence and result-centric mining model. Click here to explore all mining contracts. Key features of PBKMiner’s XRP cloud mining contract: 1. Focus on XRP ecosystem integration: Take advantage of XRP’s fast settlement speed to seamlessly deposit, mine and withdraw XRP on the platform. 2. Multi-currency mining support: Support earning XRP, BTC, ETH, DOGE, USDC, USDT, SOL, LTC and BCH, etc. 3. AI-driven income optimization: Advanced proprietary algorithms optimize mining allocation to achieve maximum profitability and reduce costs. 4. No hardware required: 100 remote access, cloud-based operations are fully accessible through the PBKMiner application or browser. 5. Fund security protection: Daily automatic settlement, clear and traceable returns, all contracts return the full principal at maturity, minimize risks, and fully protect user assets. 6. Technology and service: An experienced team of experts and customer service staff are at your service 24/7. About PBKMiner As a leading digital asset management platform, since its establishment in 2019, PBKMiner has expanded its cloud mining business for XRP, BTC, ETH, LTC, DOGE and SOL in 183+ countries and regions, serving millions of active users around the world. Relying on a strong technical background and stable mining infrastructure, it makes cryptocurrency mining smarter, simpler and more inclusive, eliminating the technical barriers of traditional mining, and providing a transparent and low-risk stable mining income, especially for investors who seek sustainable long-term returns rather than speculative gains. For full details and participation options, please visit: https://pbkminer.com Disclaimer: The information provided in this press release does not constitute an investment solicitation, nor does it constitute investment advice, financial advice, or a trading recommendation. Cryptocurrency mining and staking involve risks and may result in the loss of funds. It is strongly recommended that you perform due diligence before investing or trading in cryptocurrencies and securities, including consulting a professional financial advisor.
