Iringa (Agenzia Fides) – Learning to care for animals on a farm to create a livestock farm and cultivate vegetable gardens to sell the produce at the market. This is the new objective of the “House of Joy,” a facility run by the Consolata Missionary Sisters located on the outskirts of the city of Iringa, Tanzania.Here, the sisters welcome young girls from families in difficulty or who are alone in the world because they are orphans. The minors have the opportunity to attend school until they finish secondary school. The missionaries support their guests until they find decent work.This is why, upon their arrival at the facility, the girls are introduced to manual labor and gardening, as is the case in many Tanzanian families. However, sometimes this is not enough. Thus, to cover expenses and offer new employment opportunities to the girls, a new project was launched last year and has been able to come to fruition in recent weeks thanks to donations from several benefactors.The “House of Joy” now also houses an animal farm: chickens, rabbits, and pigs. Thanks to this farm, the community is beginning to meet its own needs in terms of meat and eggs. The girls also care for the animals and will, in time, be able to find employment in the zootechnical sector. (F.B.) (Agenzia Fides, 19/7/2025)
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Source: People’s Republic of China – Ministry of National Defense
2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931–1945) and the World Anti-Fascist War. The Chinese military has released a short video titled “The Guardians” to showcase the dedication of its soldiers in safeguarding their homeland, ensuring everyday peace and promoting global harmony. Chinese soldiers are deserving of our trust. The Chinese military serves as the guardians of all we hold dear.
As part of ACT Government’s ‘One Government, One Voice’ program, we are transitioning this website across to our . You can access everything you need through this website while it’s happening.
Released 21/07/2025
A new Chair and general members have been appointed to the ACT Climate Change Council for a 3-year term following a recruitment process.
The eight members of the Council are representatives of the Canberra community with a wide range of expertise, skills and experience. Their insights will be vital as the ACT builds a climate-resilient city and community and continues to work on new and innovative methods to achieve net zero by 2045.
The new members work across a variety of areas in the ACT including energy innovation and the energy transition, public health, climate change adaptation and resilience, youth engagement, and social and economic sciences.
Dr Arnagretta Hunter will Chair the Council through her second term on the committee after joining in 2022.
The ACT Government has also appointed the first of 2 dedicated Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander positions, with Stephen Mudford formally joining the Council after participating previously as an Observer. Madison Barancewicz also joins as the Council’s first ever youth representative.
The new appointments of the ACT Climate Change Council are:
Dr Arnagretta Hunter – (Chair)
Stephen Mudford (Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Member)
Madison Barancewicz (General Member)
Dean Spaccavento (General Member)
Professor Jacki Schirmer (General Member)
Associate Professor Rebecca Colvin (General Member)
Dr Rosemary McFarlane (General Member)
Dr Heinz Schandl (General Member)
The new Council will work with the Canberra community to ensure their views can be reflected in the advice provided to the Minister.
Recruitment will be undertaken for a second dedicated Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander position, as outlined in the Climate Change and Greenhouse Gas Reduction Act 2010. The government will continue working with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community to fill this position.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Climate Change, Environment, Energy and Water Suzanne Orr:
The ACT Climate Change Council provides valuable, independent expertise and advice to help guide and inform the development of government climate change and energy policy. The ACT has an ambitious target of becoming a zero-emissions territory by 2045.
Whilst we are making progress towards achieving this goal, there is more work to be done and we need to shift to doing things differently. As a jurisdiction we’ve achieved a lot and we’re now arriving at an increasingly complex and challenging period of the transition.
The diverse skills and expertise of the new ACT Climate Change Council will be important as we investigate further emissions reduction options for hard to abate and complex sectors, such as waste and transport.
The new and diverse Climate Change Council seeks to better represent every corner of the Canberra community. The Council will play an important role in helping to shape the new ACT Climate Change Strategy, with a focus on changing and improving the way we reduce emissions and prepare and adapt for the impacts of climate change.
I want to extend my gratitude to the outgoing members and the outgoing Chair, Professor Mark Howden, who have contributed significantly to the ACT’s nation-leading work on climate action.
I look forward to working with the new Council to provide further benefits for the ACT community.
Quotes attributable to Chair of the ACT Climate Change Council Dr Arnagretta Hunter:
“It is an honour to accept another term with the ACT Climate Change Council and particularly to serve as its Chair. I’ve accepted this role because of the remarkable group that’s been assembled for this Council term. I’d like to thank our remarkable ACT community for their expertise and enthusiasm to be involved, and also congratulate the Minister on her work to achieve what will be a great Council. With diverse skills, deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities of the changing climate, along with genuine community connection I believe the Council will continue to offer frank and fearless advice framed with compassion and engagement for the ACT today and into the future.
“I’m particularly proud to do this work in Canberra. The ACT has been a global leader in climate change action and policy and, along with other significant challenges, climate change remains a focus and priority. The past few years have offered us a glimpse of the challenges to come with increasing extreme weather events as the climate changes, we know that planning for our future is increasingly important.
“This Council will balance our robust understanding of science and communities along with an imagination for our best future. Among other tasks, we will help frame the next iteration of the ACT Climate Change Strategy, offering what we hope is the best evidence and approach for our community”.
Porirua City Council is set to create a memorial for more than 1800 former patients of the local hospital buried in unmarked graves. But Pacific leaders are asking to be “meaningfully involved” in the process, including incorporating prayer, language, and ceremonial practices.
More than 50 people gathered at Porirua Cemetery last month after the council’s plans became public, many of whom are descendants of those buried without headstones.
Cemeteries Manager Daniel Chrisp said it was encouraging to see families engaging with the project.
Chrisp’s team has placed 99 pegs to mark the graves of families who have come forward so far. One attendee told him that it was deeply moving to photograph the site where two relatives were buried.
“It’s fantastic that we’ve got to this point, having the descendants of those in unmarked graves encouraged to be involved,” he said.
“These plots represent mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, children and other relatives, so it’s important to a lot of people.”
The Porirua Lunatic Asylum, which later became Porirua Hospital, operated from 1887 until the 1990s. At its peak in the 1960s, it was one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest hospitals, housing more than 2000 patients and staff.
As part of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care, the government has established a national fund for headstones for unmarked graves.
Porirua City Council has applied for $200,000 to install a memorial that will list every known name.
Some pegs that mark the resting places of former patients buried in unmarked graves at Porirua Cemetery. Image: Porirua Council/RNZ/LDR
Criticism over lack of Pacific consultation Some Pacific community leaders say they were never consulted, despite Pacific people among the deceased.
Porirua Cook Islands Association chairperson Teurukura Tia Kekena said this was the first she had heard of the project, and she was concerned Pacific communities had not been included in conversations so far.
“If there was any unmarked grave and the Porirua City Council is aware of the names, I would have thought they would have contacted the ethnic groups these people belonged to,” she said.
“From a Cook Islands point of view, we need to acknowledge these people. They need to be fully acknowledged.”
Kekena learned about the project only after being contacted by a reporter, despite the council’s ongoing efforts to identify names and place markers for families who have come forward.
The council’s application for funding is part of its response to the Royal Commission of Inquiry.
A photograph shows Porirua Hospital in the early 1900s. Image: Porirua City Council/LDR
Kekena said it was important how the council managed the memorial, adding that it mattered deeply for Cook Islands families and the wider Pacific community, especially those with relatives buried at the site.
Reflect Pacific values She believed that a proper memorial should reflect Pacific values, particularly the importance of faith, family, and cultural protocol.
“It’s huge. It’s connecting us to these people,” she said. “Just thinking about it is getting me emotional.
“Like I said, the Pākehā way of acknowledging is totally different from our way. When we acknowledge, when we go for an unveiling, it’s about family. It’s about family. It’s about family honouring the person that had passed.
“And we do it in a way that we have a service at the graveside with the orometua [minister] present. Yeah, unveil the stone by the family, by the immediate family, if there were any here at that time.”
She also underscored the connection between remembering the deceased and healing intergenerational trauma, particularly given the site’s history with mental health.
Healing the trauma “It helps a lot. It’s a way of healing the trauma. I don’t know how these people came to be buried in an unmarked grave, but to me, it’s like they were just put there and forgotten about.
“I wouldn’t like to have my family buried in a place and be forgotten.”
Kekena urged the council to work closely with the Cook Islands community moving forward and said she would bring the matter back to her association to raise awareness and check possible connections between local families and the names identified.
Yvonne Underhill‑Sem, a Cook Islands community leader and professor of Pacific Studies at the University of Auckland, said the memorial had emotional significance, noting her personal connection to Whenua Tapu as a Porirua native.
“In terms of our Pacific understandings of ancestry, everybody who passes away is still part of our whānau. The fact that we don’t know who they are is unsettling,” she said.
“It would be a real relief to the families involved and to the generations that follow to have those graves named.”
Council reponse A Porirua City Council spokesperson said they had been actively sharing the list of names with the public and encouraged all communities — including Pacific groups, genealogists, and local iwi — to help spread the word.
So far, 99 families have come forward.
“We would encourage any networks such as Pacific, genealogists and local iwi to share the list around for members of the public to get in touch,” the spokesperson said.
Porirua councillors Izzy Ford and Moze Galo say the memorial must reflect Pacific values. Image: Porirua Council/RNZ/LDR
Porirua councillors Izzy Ford and Moze Galo, two of the three Pacific members on the council, said Pacific families must be central to the memorial process. Ford said burial sites carried deep cultural weight for Pacific communities.
“We know that burial sites are more than just places of rest, they are sacred spaces that hold our stories, our ancestry and dignity — they are our connection to those who came before us.”
She said public notices and websites were not enough.
“If we are serious about finding the families of those buried in unmarked graves here in Porirua, we have to go beyond public notices and websites.”
Funding limited Ford said government funding would be limited, and the council must work with trusted Pacific networks to reach families.
“It means partnering with groups who carry trust in our community . . . Pacific churches, elders, and organisations, communicating in our languages through Pacific radio, social media, community events, churches, and health providers.”
Galo agreed and said the memorial must reflect Pacific values in both design and feeling.
“It should feel warm, colourful, spiritual, and welcoming. Include Pacific designs, carvings, and symbols . . . there should be room for prayer, music, and quiet reflection,” he said.
“Being seen and heard brings healing, honour, and helps restore our connection to our ancestors. It reminds our families that we belong, that our history matters, and that our voice is valued in this space.”
Galo said the work must continue beyond the unveiling.
“Community involvement shouldn’t stop after the memorial is built, we should have a role in how it’s maintained and used in the future.
“These were real people, with families, love, and lives that mattered. Some were buried without names, without ceremony, and that left a deep pain. Honouring them now is a step toward healing, and a way of saying, you were never forgotten.”
Members of the public who recognise a family name on the list are encouraged to get in touch by emailing cemeteries@poriruacity.govt.nz.
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air. Asia Pacific Report is a partner in the project.
The Love Your Community roadshow will be visiting Pendeford Dovecotes TMO, Ryefield, on Wednesday 30 July, the Cannock Road Gurdwara on Thursday 7 August, Lanesfield Church on Wednesday 13 August, and St Joseph’s Church, Coalway Road, on Wednesday 20 August. Each fun day will run from 11am to 3pm and everyone is welcome.
Partners including the City of Wolverhampton Council, community organisations and charities, the police and other service providers will be on hand to provide a day of fun activities, wellbeing and practical support for people of all ages across 4 distinct zones.
The Kids and Family Zone will include a bouncy castle and physical play, face painting, henna art and craft activities, while the Wellbeing Zone will offer a calm and supportive environment providing information and advice from partners like Rethink and the NHS as well as mindfulness sessions and journalling activities designed to promote self care and reflection.
Elsewhere, the Advice and Support Zone will offer residents financial tips, energy efficiency guidance and support with managing household budgets along with gardening workshops to encourage sustainable living and community greening, and the Sports and Physical Activity Zone will feature kickabouts with Wolves Foundation, calisthenics demonstrations, interactive sessions led by WV Active and appearances by Wolves mascots Wolfie and Wendy.
Visitors will also be encouraged to contribute to the Love Your Community Wall, sharing what they value about their neighbourhood, contributing ideas for local improvements, and making a pledge to support positive change in their community.
Councillor Obaida Ahmed, Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Community, said: “These Love Your Community events will bring residents together for fun, connection, and support. They are a great chance for people to find out more about what is going on locally, discover services that can make their lives easier, and share their ideas to improve their neighbourhood.
“The Love Your Community initiative is designed to empower and encourage people to take pride in their local area through community events, shared spaces, support networks and inclusive activities.
“This is important because we know that, when residents feel seen, heard, and included, their neighbourhoods flourish – and so does our city. So please come along, join the fun, and help shape the future of your community.”
The Dutch economy is among the most developed globally and has drawn strength from deep integration in global value chains. It has weathered shocks well, yet its resilience is being tested, again—this time by a confluence of trade tensions and domestic policy uncertainty. The economy is at capacity, with elevated inflation, and increasingly binding constraints in the labor market, housing, emissions space, and the electricity grid. Futureproofing the economy will require policies that tackle these bottlenecks and align with a vision for sustainable long-term growth.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
TOKYO, July 21 (Xinhua) — The coalition led by Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) may lose its majority in the House of Councillors (upper house of parliament) in Sunday’s elections, public broadcaster NHK reported.
According to NHK, the LDP-Komeito coalition will not be able to secure the 125 seats needed to maintain a majority.
The House of Councillors consists of 248 members. The term of office of statesmen is 6 years. Every three years, half of the composition of the House is renewed.
The main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan is expected to increase its seat count, while the Democratic Party for the People (DPPP) and the Sanseito Party are also expected to make significant gains, NHK forecasts. –0–
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Monday vowed to stay in office despite a significant electoral setback in the House of Councillors election, where the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its coalition partner failed to secure a majority.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday afternoon, Ishiba acknowledged the disappointing results and expressed a strong sense of responsibility.
“What is most important right now is to avoid causing stagnation in national politics,” he said, vowing efforts to fulfill the responsibilities as the leading party.
His remarks came amid growing public dissatisfaction over rising living costs and policy missteps, which analysts say contributed to the poor performance of the ruling bloc.
According to the final vote count completed in the early hours of Monday, the LDP secured only 39 seats of the 125 contested seats in the upper house election, while Komeito took eight, below their combined target of 50.
Even with their existing non-contested seats of 75, they now held fewer than the 125 seats needed for a majority in the 248-member upper chamber.
Despite the setback, Ishiba emphasized the need for stability and continuity in government, and formally declared his intention to continue serving as prime minister.
Police are investigating two incidents reported by residents in the Kingborough area relating to the use of small, homemade explosive-type devices. In these incidents on Saturday night, damage was reported to property, including three separate vehicles. Police located a complete exhibit of one of these devices at the scene of a vehicle damage in Kingston Beach. This item has been taken for analysis and forensic examination, and investigations continue. These are believed to be isolated incidents, with no intent to target anyone. If members of the public find an aluminium foil-wrapped parcel or device, about 8cm long, they are advised to leave it alone and contact police. Police are calling for information relating to any persons or vehicles seen in the area of Ewing Avenue, Kingston Beach, about 9pm on Saturday and Beach Road and Endeavour Avenue, at Margate, about 9:30pm. If anyone has information regarding the incidents, they are urged to contact Kingston police on 131 44 or report anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1800 333 000 or www.crimestopperstas.com.au Please quote OR 780 411.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
GAZA, July 21 (Xinhua) — At least 14 Palestinians, including a civil defense worker, were killed Sunday in an Israeli airstrike on a college building west of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, Palestinian sources said.
Israeli warplanes fired at least one missile at a building housing displaced people in the al-Mawasi area west of Khan Younis, witnesses said.
Doctors told Xinhua that all the bodies found, as well as the wounded, were taken to hospitals.
The airstrike killed civil defense officer Hani al-Dabour and wounded several members of his team, according to a local government statement. The government called on the international community to fulfill its obligations to “stop Israel’s crimes and ensure full protection for the work crews.”
In a statement on Sunday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that the paratroopers’ brigade, under the command of the 36th Division, had completed its mission in the Khan Yunis area of the Gaza Strip.
“During the operation, the troops eliminated the terrorists in hand-to-hand combat and in cooperation with the Israeli Air Force. They destroyed the terrorists’ infrastructure, including military installations, weapons and explosives depots,” the statement said.
Israel resumed military operations in the Gaza Strip on March 18. Since then, at least 8,066 Palestinians have been killed and 28,939 wounded. The total number of deaths since October 2023 has reached 58,895, with 140,980 injured, the enclave’s health authorities said on Sunday. –0–
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
DAMASCUS, July 21 (Xinhua) — Fierce clashes broke out between Druze militias and Bedouin tribes supporting the interim government in rural areas of southern Syria on Sunday, threatening a fragile ceasefire in the region, activists said.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said large numbers of Bedouin reinforcements had gathered in the villages of Bustan, Dama and Najran, and there were signs of preparations to storm neighbouring Druze areas.
Heavy fighting broke out in the towns of Arika and Umm al-Zeitoun, located along the Damascus-Suwayda highway, with Bedouins reportedly burning homes and looting property. The violence led to the closure of two key roads, further increasing tensions in the already volatile area.
An expected prisoner exchange between the two sides was called off after mortar shells, believed to have been fired from Bedouin positions, landed near the planned transfer site.
At least 1,120 people have been killed since fighting began on July 13, according to the observatory, including more than 100 civilians and dozens of government troops. For now, tensions remain high in the region and the ceasefire remains in jeopardy. –0–
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
The Prime Minister got acquainted with the progress of the border crossing reconstruction and visited the Kanikurgan customs and logistics terminal.
Mikhail Mishustin inspected the automobile checkpoint across the state border of Kani-Kurgan. With the Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic Alexey Chekunkov, the Minister of Transport Andrey Nikitin, the Governor of the Amur Region Vasily Orlov and the Head of the Border Department of the FSB of Russia for the Amur Region Yevgeny Trukhanov
Kani-Kurgan is one of the key border crossings on the Russian-Chinese border. On June 10, 2022, the official ceremony of opening the movement of freight transport through the border bridge crossing took place and the first trucks went through the Kani-Kurgan-Heihe checkpoint. The nature of the international traffic is freight and passenger.
Currently, a temporary scheme of operation of the automobile checkpoint (ACP) with restrictions on infrastructure and throughput capacity has been implemented on the Russian side. The temporary scheme was created for the period until the completion of the creation of the permanent ACP Kani-Kurgan. At the same time, on the Chinese side, a permanent ACP with a throughput capacity of 1,100 vehicles per day operates.
To launch the movement of freight transport in the conditions of the temporary scheme of work of the APP Kani-Kurgan, the service “Electronic queue for vehicles” was created. With the efforts of the attracted investor, at a distance of 4 km from the APP, an accumulation site for 250 trucks for registration and waiting for departure to the checkpoint was equipped. Own software for managing the process of formation of the queue of vehicles was developed and implemented.
As of July 7, 2025, over 170 thousand vehicles have crossed the bridge during the entire period of operation. This year, the maximum level of traffic flow was recorded in May and amounted to 7943 vehicles, and the average daily figure was 265 vehicles per day.
Packaging, tires, auto parts, equipment, building materials, clothing, electrical appliances, wheeled special equipment and cars are imported through the border bridge crossing. Soybean and sea buckthorn oil, legumes, lumber, veneer, cosmetics, raw materials for Chinese traditional medicine, and dry milk are exported.
Since August 2023, transportation of dangerous goods has been open. Helium, liquefied natural gas (LNG), liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) are currently exported. In 2025, the export flow of transport with dangerous goods increased from 91 vehicles in January to 225 vehicles in June.
In addition, a regular international passenger route between the cities of Blagoveshchensk and Heihe was opened via the bridge on December 10, 2024.
The Kanikurgan customs and logistics terminal was put into operation in the fourth quarter of 2023. Total area – 180 thousand sq. m. Usable area of the temporary storage warehouse – 22 thousand sq. m. Capacity – simultaneous placement of at least 600 large-capacity vehicles.
The terminal provides comprehensive customs services for import and export cargo flows all year round, 24 hours a day. The complex includes 2 sites:
— cargo clearance and customs control area. There is a temporary storage warehouse with an area of 3 thousand square meters. The premises provide a loading area for all types of vehicles, rack storage of cargo is organized, and a fleet of equipment has been purchased;
— a cargo complex. It has 2 transshipment terminals, cold and dry warehouses, including a multi-temperature one.
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.
JB Park, President and CEO, Samsung Southwest Asia
Samsung, India’s largest consumer electronics brand, today announced that it’s recently-launched – Galaxy Z Fold7, Galaxy ZFlip7 and Galaxy Z Flip7 FE smartphones – have received record pre-orders, signaling huge consumer demand and excitement for the brand’s seventh generation of foldable smartphones. Galaxy Z Fold7, Galaxy ZFlip7 and Galaxy Z Flip7 FE secured 210,000 pre-orders in the first 48 hours, breaking previous records, and nearly equaling the pre-orders received for Galaxy S25 series earlier this year.
“The record pre-orders for our ‘made in India’ foldable smartphones reinforce our belief that young Indian consumers are quick to adopt latest technology. Galaxy Z Fold7 delivers our most advanced smartphone experience yet – powerful, immersive, intelligent, and portable all in one. Galaxy Z Flip7 adapts, anticipates and empowers users, unlocking a smarter, more intuitive way to engage with the world. Powered by the new One UI 8 and Android 16 right out of the box, the new devices deliver true multimodal AI experiences. The success of the new devices are a stepping stone for our larger goal – the mainstreaming of foldable smartphones in India,” said JB Park, President and CEO, Samsung Southwest Asia.
Galaxy Z Fold7 seamlessly blends precision engineering and powerful intelligence to elevate everyday interactions – all in its thinnest and lightest design to date. At just 215 grams, Galaxy Z Fold7 is even lighter than Galaxy S25 Ultra. It is just 8.9 mm thick when folded and 4.2 mm thick when unfolded. It delivers the premium performance and experience of an ultra smartphone, while unlocking new levels of efficiency and productivity with a larger, more immersive display when unfolded.
Galaxy Z Flip7, a compact AI phone with multimodal capabilities, is powered by a new FlexWindow. Small enough to slip into a pocket, yet powerful enough to deliver the handiest assistance, it melds Galaxy AI with a new edge-to-edge FlexWindow, a flagship level camera and an ultra-compact and iconic design. From intuitive voice AI to the best selfie capabilities, Galaxy Z Flip7 is an intelligent pocket-sized companion built for seamless interaction and everyday reliability. Weighing just 188 grams and measuring only 13.7mm when folded, Galaxy Z Flip7 is the slimmest Galaxy Z Flip yet.
While Galaxy Z Fold7 is available in stunning colours such as Blue Shadow, Silver Shadow and Jet Black; the Galaxy Z Flip7 comes in Blue Shadow, Jet Black and Coral Red. Galaxy Z Flip 7FE comes in Black and White colours. Apart from this, consumers buying the Galaxy Z Fold7 and Galaxy Z Flip7 through Samsung.com will have an additional colour to choose from – Mint.
Both devices bring multimodal AI capabilities, delivering experiences that maximize the benefits of the expansive foldable display of the Galaxy Z Fold7 to boost productivity. Designed as a true multimodal agent, One UI 8 seamlessly combines large-screen multitasking with intelligent tools that understand what users’ type, say and even see. Thanks to Google’s Gemini Live, users can share their screen in real time while speaking with the AI assistant — enabling contextual requests based on what’s visible. In addition, One UI 8 brings enhanced privacy to personalized AI experiences with the new Knox Enhanced Encrypted Protection (KEEP). KEEP creates encrypted, app-specific storage environments within the device’s secures storage area, ensuring each app can access only its own sensitive information and nothing more.
The main display on Galaxy Z Fold7 is 11% larger than the previous generation. The 8-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X main display offers ultra-rich contrast, true blacks and vibrant detail that makes everything pop. It also gets Vision Booster and up to 2,600 nits of peak brightness.
The Armor FlexHinge on Galaxy Z Fold7 is thinner and lighter, thanks to an enhanced water droplet design and newly implemented multi-rail structure that reduces visible creasing. The cover display is made with Corning® Gorilla® Glass Ceramic 2, a new glass ceramic that has crystals intricately embedded within its glass matrix. Advanced Armor Aluminum in the frame and hinge housing increases strength and hardness by 10%. The main display is restructured to be thinner and lighter — yet stronger. This was achieved by implementing the Titanium plate layer. Additionally, Ultra-Thin Glass (UTG) was increased to be 50% thicker, making the display tougher.
Powered by the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, Galaxy Fold7 delivers stupendous performance boosts of 41% in NPU, 38% in CPU, and 26% in GPU compared to the previous generation. This power fuels Galaxy Z Fold7’s ability to process more AI experiences on-device without compromise. In addition, with the first 200MP wide-angle camera in the Galaxy Z series, it captures 4x more detail, producing images that are 44% brighter. In addition, Samsung’s next-generation ProVisual Engine processes images faster.
Galaxy Z Flip7 comes with a stunning FlexWindow display, which brings essentials front and center and makes it easy to type out quick messages. The 4.1-inch Super AMOLED FlexWindow is the largest ever on a Galaxy Z Flip7, with edge-to-edge usability that enables users to see and do more on the cover screen. With 2,600 nits of peak brightness, the FlexWindow gets an upgrade with Vision Booster, enhancing outdoor visibility so users can stay connected wherever they are. The main display is a 6.9-inch Dynamic AMOLED 2X, built for an ultra-smooth, immersive experience.
The cover and back of Galaxy Z Flip7 are protected by Corning® Gorilla® Glass Victus® 2. The Armor FlexHinge is thinner than the hinge on the previous generation and features a restructured design and high-strength materials for smoother folds and long-lasting durability. A robust Armor Aluminum Frame provides a tough exterior for resilience. The 4,300mAh battery is the largest ever on a Galaxy Z Flipdelivering up to 31 hours of video play time on a single charge.
Galaxy Z Flip7 FE features a 6.7-inch Main Display for an immersive viewing experience. The 50MP FlexCam enables high-quality selfies and video in Flex Mode, letting users capture content hands-free, without even opening the device.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (3rd District of Ohio)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Tonight, Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (OH-03) issued the following statement after voting NO on the House-passed Republican rescissions package, which claws back billions in funding already approved by Congress for programs that help keep Americans safe at home and abroad.
“Just weeks after Republicans shoveled trillions in tax breaks to billionaires, their unnecessary clawback of approved funding once again shows that Trump and House Republicans will always put their wealthy donors first and everyday Americans last.
This reckless measure doesn’t make government more efficient or meaningfully reduce the deficit. It hurts Ohio families. It slashes funding for local public broadcasting, which Central Ohio families rely on for resources like PBS Kids programming, classroom resources, coverage of local news and high school sports, and emergency alerts that keep our communities safe. More than $13 million in annual federal funding supports these crucial services in Ohio alone, and losing this funding could force stations to scale back or shut down completely.
Globally, the Republican clawback guts billions from programs that provide clean water and health care to millions and basic education to tens of millions of children in developing nations. Republicans are rubber-stamping President Trump and Elon Musk’s reckless DOGE demands, undermining American leadership and security abroad.
House Democrats will keep working to meaningfully improve the lives of the American people.”
Australia’s climate is changing. To avoid catastrophic disruptions from successive supercharged disasters, society must adapt. But change takes time and it’s not always clear how much progress we’re making.
We wanted to find out what Australia’s governments, industries and local groups are doing to adapt to climate change. Our work culminated in the Australian Adaptation Database, which captures more than 700 initiatives so far.
Standout examples from this first national stocktake include Ramblers Reef in Victoria – an artificial reef of rocks and shells 500 metres offshore that has helped reduce coastal erosion. In Adelaide, urban cooling and greening projects are transforming the city and suburbs across 17 councils .
Our project shows climate adaptation is happening in Australia, but there’s plenty of room for improvement. The more society can do now to prepare for change, the better off we’ll be in the long run.
Why track Australia’s progress in climate adaptation? First, it enables progress to be reported efficiently to governments and international bodies such as the United Nations.
The database also helps people share knowledge. Anyone striving to improve their resilience to climate change can look to the database for ideas and inspiration.
The data was mainly gathered from conversations we had with people in state and territory government departments, local government associations, not-for-profit organisations and private companies across Australia.
On Wednesday, we will present the database at the opening of the national Climate Adaptation 2025 conference in Perth.
The project shows the vast range of ways Australians are preparing for a warmer world. Examples include:
planting trees to cool cities such as Adelaide and rural towns such as Birchip in Victoria
Anyone can explore and search the database. It’s not an exhaustive record of all climate adaptation in Australia, but provides more detail than ever before. It’s constantly being updated as new examples are added.
But the database is only as good as the information we feed into it, so we need everyone to contribute. All you need to do is hit the “submit an entry” button on the homepage to get started.
Artificial reefs such as Ramblers Reef help slow erosion (ABC News)
The role of government: local, state and federal
Much work to date in climate adaptation has involved laying the foundations for practical actions.
For example, South Australia’s Climate Ready Coasts program aims to improve planning for coastal hazards. This joint effort between state and local governments make sense, given both have a role to play, and it helps ensure adaptation actions are efficient and coordinated.
At the federal level, the Australian government has focused on funding for national disasters such as the Future Drought Fund. Another example, the Infrastructure Betterment Fund, involves making roads, rail, bridges and other infrastructure more resilient to climate change.
Australia is yet to release its first National Adaptation Plan. This document is expected to clarify the federal role in climate adaptation.
The private sector
The private sector is beginning to adapt to climate change. Examples include:
Change is hard, but Australia is finally making some progress in climate adaptation. Markus Spiske, Unsplash., CC BY
What’s next?
Our research shows the policy and governance mechanisms to drive adaptation are largely in place. The knowledge and networks to support meaningful action are gradually being developed.
But the next “heavy lifting” phase – putting plans into action – is yet to begin in earnest.
There’s a clear need to channel funding to those best placed to deliver frontline projects and programs, especially local governments and community organisations.
The Australian Local Government Association is calling for a A$400 million climate adaptation fund to support Australian councils to deliver place-based adaptation actions.
This research is part of a three-year project exploring how to encourage and promote best practice in adapting to climate change across Australia.
The next step is to measure progress around climate adaptation, which is difficult and rarely done – even though it’s required under the Paris Agreement.
The good news is Australia has made a start, but there is much more to do to ensure the wellbeing of our country through a changing climate.
Tia Brullo receives funding from the National Environmental Science Program Climate Systems Hub Project Number CS2.1
Elissa Waters receives funding from the National Environmental Science Program Climate Systems Hub Project Number CS2.1 and Australian Climate Service.
Jon Barnett receives funding from the National Environmental Science Program Climate Systems Hub Project Number CS2.1
Sarah Boulter receives funding from the National Environmental Science Program Climate Systems Hub.
President John Dramani Mahama was in Agavedzi on Saturday for a groundbreaking ceremony for the second phase of the Blekusu Coastal Protection Project.
The project, a significant initiative that will protect lives and livelihoods in the Ketu South Municipality of the Volta Region, was met with palpable joy and deep gratitude from the chiefs and people of the Some and Aflao Traditional Areas, who gathered to witness the realisation of a long-awaited development.
The ceremony saw an emotional outpouring of appreciation, as community members sang praises and danced, celebrating the President’s commitment to addressing their decades-long struggle against severe tidal erosion.
Upon completion in four years, the project, which will protect an 8-kilometre stretch of coastline, is set to bring immense relief to the communities of Blekusu, Agavedzi, Salakope, Amutsinu, and Adina.
Messrs Amandi Holding Limited is the contractor and will deliver 37 groins, extensive dune restoration, reinforced embankments, and other critical shoreline defence structures.
President Mahama stated that the project is a comprehensive one that will extend beyond mere coastal protection.
“Aside from the coastal protection works, government has incorporated vital development projects to enhance the lives of the people in the affected area,” he noted.
These integrated initiatives include a modern fish market, cold storage and processing facilities for fisherfolk, dedicated spaces for fish drying and smoking, a car park, and a lorry station. Additionally, public sanitation facilities and a comprehensive waste collection system will be provided.
“The sea has taken a lot from this community. It has taken land, it has taken livelihoods, and it has taken our peace of mind. But today, I stand here to say no more will the sea consume our land”, the President said.
“We are here to reclaim what has been lost, to rebuild stronger, to offer our children a future where they are not forced to flee their homes because of rising tidal waves.”
President Mahama added that the Blekusu Coastal Protection Project and other ongoing infrastructure developments reflect his government’s strong dedication to building a better Ghana.
“This is not merely symbolic,” he asserted, “but a clear demonstration of what responsive leadership can do when it listens, when it cares, and when it acts.”
Phase I of the project, covering 4.3 kilometres of coastal defence works, commenced in 2015 under the Presidency of Mahama to mitigate the serious threat of tidal erosion in Ketu South.
While that phase offered significant relief, the President lamented, “Unfortunately, for nearly a decade after this, the second phase of the project stalled. Despite repeated appeals by residents, Members of Parliament, traditional authorities, and civil society, the project did not commence.”
The President specifically referenced the devastating tidal waves that pounded the communities in 2017 and again in 2021, recalling the harrowing images.
I can still picture the videos and photos showing the aftermath of these tidal waves,” he said, highlighting “the pain, the anxiety, the fear that was etched on the faces of our fellow citizens.”
He reaffirmed the pledge he made earlier this year during his visit to the Volta Region, promising swift action.
“And today, I am proud to say that this commitment is being fulfilled. Your cries have not been in vain. Your voices will no longer be ignored. Today is your day – a day of renewal and a day of reassurance.”
President Mahama also announced progress on the West Africa Coastal Areas (WACA) Programme, designed to enhance coastal resilience across the sub-region.
Currently awaiting approval, the WACA project is envisioned to extend coastal protection from where the Blekusu project ends, all the way to Aflao, securing Ghana’s vital 550-kilometre coastline, which supports countless livelihoods through fishing, trade, and tourism.
lign=”center”>There is no power on the planet to dictate India how to handle its affairs-VP We work in tandem, we have mutual respect, diplomatic dialogues. But at the end of the day, we are sovereign, we take our own decisions-VP Is it required to have wrestling sessions as to who said what?, VP expresses concern Our object is not to just simply grow our economy, Our object is to develop the people-VP Vice-President Addresses Officer Trainees of the Indian Defence Estates Service (IDES) 2024 Batch
Vice-President, Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar today said that, “Don’t be guided by narratives outside. All decisions in this country, a sovereign nation, are taken by its leadership. There is no power on the planet to dictate India how to handle its affairs. We do live in a nation and nations that are a comity. We work in togetherness, we work in tandem. We have mutual respect, diplomatic dialogues. But at the end of the day, we are sovereign, we take our own decisions.”
He underlined, “Is it required to play every bad ball? Is it required to have wrestling sessions as to who said what? One who scores good runs on the cricket pitch always leaves bad balls. They are tempting, but not attempted. And those who attempt, you have safe gloves of the wicket keeper and someone in the gully.”
“There will be challenges. Challenges will be to create divisiveness. For example, we have seen global conflagrations — two of them in particular, you know them. These have become open-ended. Look at the devastation of property, human lives, and their misery. And look at our calibration. We taught a lesson — taught it well. We chose Bahawalpur and Muridke, and then brought it to a temporary conclusion. ‘Operation Sindoor’ is not over — it continues. Some people ask the question — why was it stopped? We are a nation that believes in peace, nonviolence, a land of Buddha, Mahavira, and Gandhi. We do not wish to kill even living beings — how can we target human beings? The idea was to generate sanity, to generate a sense of humanity in the others”, he added.
Addressing the officer trainees of Indian Defence Estates Service (IDES) 2024 batch at the Vice-President’s Enclave today, Shri Dhankhar stated, “ Our demographic dividend is a global envy. 65% of our population is below 35 years of age. The median age of this country is 28, whereas that of China and the U.S. is around 38–39, and Japan, 48. Now, you are the chosen ones. You’ve got the opportunity to serve Bharat, home to one-sixth of humanity. And look at the area of your working. If you commit yourself, keeping into view our civilizational ethos, we are a unique nation. No nation can boast or claim to be closer to us — five thousand years of heritage, culture, legacy, knowledge, wisdom, repository. In such a situation — eighteen lakh acres? If you engage — which you are engaging, your seniors are engaging — you can define to the entire country, how to manage the estates, how to manage ecology, how to manage the environment, how to raise herbal gardens, what is sustainable development, how to protect and how to use modern technology.”
“One aspect about which I am slightly concerned. Development, civilian development, close to the proximity of your states, requires your sanction. That sanction often gets into the domain of discretion and suffers delay. I would urge — evolve a mechanism or a protocol. Let people know about it — what height they can have. Why should the system come into play? With the kind of technology we have, we should be fully aware. Why can’t we put it on one platform? This is the area — if your building is coming up here, height will be this. Yet agencies have to be hired. People have to pay for it. Delay takes place. Now you can take the lead. You will earn the goodwill of the people around”, he added.
Expressing his concern over rising coaching centres in the country he stated, “Coaching is needed for skill. Coaching is needed to make you self-dependent. If for a limited number of seats, all over the country there are coaching centers vying with one another for advertisement space in newspapers. Not one — one page, two pages, three pages, sometimes four pages in a row. And what a spectacle — putting you boys and girls in photographs. No, this is not Bharat. We can’t have commodification and commercialisation. We have to believe in Gurukul. You have to come out of — youth has to come out of the silos. You have to know the opportunities elsewhere. Those opportunities are also very necessary for the development of the nation….I am not against anyone, but why should coaching become an integral part of education? After more than three decades, the nation has been blessed after getting input from stakeholders in hundreds of thousands, National Education Policy. Why coaching? Coach has to improve your skill. We can’t have people cramming and then getting through. We want thinking minds to get in and go there. Always bear that in mind”.
Talking about ‘Viksit Bharat’ he stated, “ Our object is not to just simply grow our economy. Our object is to develop the people. Viksit Bharat is not our dream. It is not even our destination now. We are marching in that direction. Every day we are progressing towards that direction, and that’s a big challenge because 10 years of phenomenal development has given the people a taste of development. People of my generation never believed…there will be a toilet in the house, a gas connection in the house, internet connection, piped water, roads close by, school or health center, such world-class trains to travel. No. We never imagined. So the nation now has become globally the most aspirational nation in the world.”
Shri Rajesh Kumar Singh, Defence Secretary, Govt. of India, Shri S.N. Gupta, Director General, Defence Estates, Shri Sanjeev Kumar, Director, NIDEM and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.
WISeKey and SEALSQ Confirm New Cross-Border Center of Excellence for the 4th Industrial Revolution Activated Between La Line and Gibraltar
Gibraltar/La Línea – July 21, 2025 – WISeKey International Holding Ltd (“WISeKey” or “Company”) (SIX: WIHN, NASDAQ: WKEY), a leading global cybersecurity, blockchain, and IoT company, and its subsidiary, SEALSQ Corp (NASDAQ: LAES) (“SEALSQ”), a company that focuses on developing and selling Semiconductors, PKI, and Post-Quantum technology hardware and software products today announced that a transformative initiative launched several years ago to establish LLG4IRir.com a Cross-Border Deeptech Center of Excellence (the “Center”) for the 4th Industrial Revolution is now being formally activated, following the historic agreement between Spain and the United Kingdom on Gibraltar’s post-Brexit border status.
Strategically located near Gibraltar Airport, this innovative Center will act as a shared technological and industrial hub bridging La Línea de la Concepción (Spain) and Gibraltar (UK). It aims to provide a collaborative platform for companies working in advanced technologies including Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Computing, the Internet of Things, AI, Space, Cybersecurity, and Semiconductors, aiming to position the region as a global epicenter of innovation.
The recent UK–EU agreement facilitates the free and secure movement of people and goods across the border, unlocking opportunity for the Company to realize the full potential of this ambitious project and enabling seamless cooperation between the two jurisdictions.
Meetings held with the Gibraltar government and the Mayor of La Línea have resulted in unanimous support for the project. The Center is recognized as a mutually beneficial opportunity: Gibraltar-based companies will gain access to European Union technology legislation and platforms, while Spanish businesses located at the Center will benefit from cooperation with Gibraltar and potential partnerships with African innovation ecosystems, reinforcing the region’s status as a tri-continental innovation gateway.
First Milestone: Manufacturing Plant for Post-Quantum Communication Devices Under the LLG4IR.com cross-border framework, the first physical installation is planned to be a secure manufacturing facility in La Línea dedicated to producing post-quantum-ready communication devices. These devices are intended to form the foundation of a secure communications infrastructure designed to operate seamlessly with satellite constellations, providing quantum-resilient, end-to-end communications across industries.
This facility is also expected to host the initial manufacturing operations for WISeSat.Space, WISeKey’s secure space communication platform. Production would begin as soon as the site becomes operational, establishing La Línea as a new hub for secure aerospace and telecommunications manufacturing.
In parallel, SEALSQ has allocated a dedicated budget to develop its first post-quantum communication device manufacturing plant, confirming its commitment to secure, satellite-linked, next-generation technologies. This plant will produce devices that connect directly with WISeSat.Space’s satellite constellation, delivering resilient, quantum-secure data flows critical to sectors such as defense, logistics, healthcare, and energy.
Additionally, WISeKey and SEALSQ have signed a memorandum of understanding with the regional port authority to implement Smart Container Technology, allowing maritime cargo containers, even in mid-sea transit, to connect directly with satellites. This will enable real-time, secure, blockchain-verifiable logistics tracking, bolstering supply chain transparency and resilience on a global scale.
A Quantum Corridor for Europe’s Digital Sovereignty The Center is a vital node in the expanding Post-Quantum Corridor, a high-tech European network being developed by SEALSQ and WISeKey to enable secure, quantum-resilient infrastructure from chip to satellite. This strategic corridor connects key technology hubs including:
• La Línea de la Concepción • Gibraltar • Malaga Technology Park • Murcia – home of the QUANTIX Semiconductor Center • Aix-en-Provence – SEALSQ Semiconductor R&D Center and Operational Headquarters • Grenoble – IC’ALPS Advanced Chip Development Lab • Geneva – WISeKey and SEALSQ Global R&D and Cybersecurity Centers
The Quantum Corridor will also integrate leading universities across the region to foster academic–industry collaboration and talent development. It will provide a dynamic environment for quantum, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity companies to work together, co-developing the secure, intelligent technologies of the future, from next-generation encryption to space-based AI systems and quantum processors.
In the coming weeks, SEALSQ will engage a leading international consulting firm to develop a comprehensive business and technology integration plan for the Cross-Border Center. This strategic study will guide the implementation of the project, from infrastructure to ecosystem development. It will be aligned with existing studies already underway in Gibraltar focused on shared prosperity, helping to shape a unified master plan for the successful and coordinated execution of the initiative on both sides of the border.
Public and Private Funding Synergies The project will benefit from grants and allocation of funding available for this type of strategic activity, particularly those supporting innovation, digital infrastructure, and cross-border cooperation. This public support will be complemented by investment from the private sector on a pari passu basis, ensuring a balanced and sustainable funding model that drives both economic development and technological leadership.
“Think of the Center as an aircraft carrier for innovation,” said Carlos Moreira, CEO of WISeKey. “Companies can land, refuel with knowledge and infrastructure, and take off again stronger. Instead of each company reinventing the wheel, they plug into a common ecosystem, just like plugging into the electricity grid.”
The LLG4IR.com Cross-Border Center of Excellence will serve as a launchpad for collaborative research, startup incubation, international joint ventures, and workforce training programs, aligned with the long-term strategies of the European Union, the United Kingdom, and key private-sector stakeholders.
Further announcements regarding the Center’s commissioning, founding partners, and investment roadmap will follow in the coming weeks.
About WISeKey WISeKey International Holding Ltd (“WISeKey”, SIX: WIHN; Nasdaq: WKEY) is a global leader in cybersecurity, digital identity, and IoT solutions platform. It operates as a Swiss-based holding company through several operational subsidiaries, each dedicated to specific aspects of its technology portfolio. The subsidiaries include (i) SEALSQ Corp (Nasdaq: LAES), which focuses on semiconductors, PKI, and post-quantum technology products, (ii) WISeKey SA which specializes in RoT and PKI solutions for secure authentication and identification in IoT, Blockchain, and AI, (iii) WISeSat AG which focuses on space technology for secure satellite communication, specifically for IoT applications, (iv) WISe.ART Corp which focuses on trusted blockchain NFTs and operates the WISe.ART marketplace for secure NFT transactions, and (v) SEALCOIN AG which focuses on decentralized physical internet with DePIN technology and house the development of the SEALCOIN platform.
Each subsidiary contributes to WISeKey’s mission of securing the internet while focusing on their respective areas of research and expertise. Their technologies seamlessly integrate into the comprehensive WISeKey platform. WISeKey secures digital identity ecosystems for individuals and objects using Blockchain, AI, and IoT technologies. With over 1.6 billion microchips deployed across various IoT sectors, WISeKey plays a vital role in securing the Internet of Everything. The company’s semiconductors generate valuable Big Data that, when analyzed with AI, enable predictive equipment failure prevention. Trusted by the OISTE/WISeKey cryptographic Root of Trust, WISeKey provides secure authentication and identification for IoT, Blockchain, and AI applications. The WISeKey Root of Trust ensures the integrity of online transactions between objects and people. For more information on WISeKey’s strategic direction and its subsidiary companies, please visit www.wisekey.com.
Disclaimer This communication expressly or implicitly contains certain forward-looking statements concerning WISeKey International Holding Ltd and its business. Such statements involve certain known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which could cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of WISeKey International Holding Ltd to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. WISeKey International Holding Ltd is providing this communication as of this date and does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
This press release does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities, and it does not constitute an offering prospectus within the meaning of the Swiss Financial Services Act (“FinSA”), the FinSa’s predecessor legislation or advertising within the meaning of the FinSA. Investors must rely on their own evaluation of WISeKey and its securities, including the merits and risks involved. Nothing contained herein is, or shall be relied on as, a promise or representation as to the future performance of WISeKey.
Press and InvestorContacts
WISeKey International Holding Ltd Company Contact: Carlos Moreira Chairman & CEO Tel: +41 22 594 3000 info@wisekey.com
WISeKey Investor Relations (US) The Equity Group Inc. Lena Cati Tel: +1 212 836-9611 lcati@theequitygroup.com
Over 300,000 yatris have undertaken the ongoing Amarnath Yatra in the 18 days since it began on July 3. With 20 days still left for the yatra’s conclusion on August 9, the figure is likely to exceed the official estimate of 3.5 lakh this year.
Officials said that as of Sunday, 3.07 lakh pilgrims had ‘darshan’ inside the holy cave shrine.
“Another batch of 3,791 yatris left Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas today for the Valley in two escorted convoys. The first convoy of 52 vehicles carrying 1,208 yatris to the Baltal base camp left at 3:33 a.m., while the second convoy of 96 vehicles carrying 2,583 yatris to the Pahalgam base camp left at 4:06 a.m.,” officials said.
J&K Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha, who is also the chairman of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), visited the Baltal base camp on Sunday. The L-G chaired a meeting of officials to review the arrangements made for the smooth conduct of the yatra. He had lunch with the yatris at one of the ‘Langars’ at Baltal and also interacted with them. The L-G expressed satisfaction with both the security and other arrangements made for the yatra.
This year, the Bhumi Pujan of ‘Chhari Mubarak’ (Lord Shiva’s Holy Mace) was performed at Pahalgam on July 10. The Chhari Mubarak was taken to Pahalgam by a group of seers led by its sole custodian, Mahant Swami Deependra Giri, from its seat at the Dashnami Akhara Building in Srinagar.
In Pahalgam, the Chhari Mubarak was taken to the Gauri Shankar temple, where the Bhumi Pujan was held. It was then taken back to its seat at the Dashnami Akhara building. It will begin its final journey towards the cave shrine from the Dashnami Akhara temple in Srinagar on August 4 and will reach the holy cave shrine on August 9, marking the official conclusion of the yatra.
Authorities have made extensive multi-tier security arrangements for this year’s Amarnath Yatra, as this takes place after the cowardly attack of April 22 in which Pakistan-backed terrorists killed 26 civilians after segregating them based on faith in the Baisaran meadow of Pahalgam. An additional 180 companies of CAPFs have been brought in to augment the existing strength of the Army, BSF, CRPF, SSB, and the local police. The Army has deployed over 8,000 specially trained commandos to secure the passage of the yatris.
This year, the yatra started on July 3 and will end after 38 days on August 9, coinciding with Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan.
Yatris approach the holy cave shrine, situated 3,888 metres above sea level in the Kashmir Himalayas, from either the traditional Pahalgam route or the shorter Baltal route. Those using the Pahalgam route pass through Chandanwari, Sheshnag, and Panchtarni to reach the cave shrine, covering a distance of 46 km on foot over four days. Those using the shorter Baltal route trek 14 km to reach the shrine and can return to the base camp the same day after having darshan.
No helicopter services are available to yatris this year due to security reasons.
The cave shrine houses an ice stalagmite structure that wanes and waxes with the phases of the moon. Devotees believe the structure symbolizes the mythical powers of Lord Shiva.
Residents reported calm in Syria’s Sweida on Sunday after the Islamist-led government announced that Bedouin fighters had withdrawn from the predominantly Druze city and a U.S. envoy signalled that a deal to end days of fighting was being implemented.
With hundreds reported killed, the Sweida bloodshed is a major test for interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, prompting Israel to launch airstrikes against government forces last week as it declared support for the Druze.Fighting continued on Saturday despite a ceasefire call.
Interior Minister Anas Khattab said on Sunday that internal security forces had managed to calm the situation and enforce the ceasefire, “paving the way for a prisoner exchange and the gradual return of stability throughout the governorate”.
Reuters images showed interior ministry forces near the city, blocking the road in front of members of tribes congregated there. The Interior Ministry said late on Saturday that Bedouin fighters had left the city.
U.S. envoy Tom Barrack said the sides had “navigated to a pause and cessation of hostilities”. “The next foundation stone on a path to inclusion, and lasting de-escalation, is a complete exchange of hostages and detainees, the logistics of which are in process,” he wrote on X.
Kenan Azzam, a dentist, said there was an uneasy calm but the city’s residents were struggling with a lack of water and electricity. “The hospitals are a disaster and out of service, and there are still so many dead and wounded,” he said by phone.
Another resident, Raed Khazaal, said aid was urgently needed. “Houses are destroyed … The smell of corpses is spread throughout the national hospital,” he said in a voice message to Reuters from Sweida.
The Syrian state news agency said an aid convoy sent to the city by the government was refused entry while aid organised by the Syrian Red Crescent was let in. A source familiar with the situation said local factions in Sweida had turned back the government convoy.
Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported on Sunday that Israel sent urgent medical aid to the Druze in Sweida and the step was coordinated with Washington and Syria. Spokespeople for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Foreign Ministry and the military did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The Druze are a small but influential minority in Syria, Israel and Lebanon who follow a religion that is an offshoot of a branch of Shi’ite Islam. Some hardline Sunnis deem their beliefs heretical.
The fighting began a week ago with clashes between Bedouin and Druze fighters. Damascus sent troops to quell the fighting, but they were drawn into the violence and accused of widespread violations against the Druze.
Residents of the predominantly Druze city said friends and neighbours were shot at close range in their homes or in the streets by Syrian troops, identified by their fatigues and insignia.
Sharaa on Thursday promised to protect the rights of Druze and to hold to account those who committed violations against “our Druze people”.
He has blamed the violence on “outlaw groups”.
While Sharaa has won U.S. backing since meeting President Donald Trump in May, the violence has underscored the challenge he faces stitching back together a country shattered by 14 years of conflict, and added to pressures on its mosaic of sectarian and ethnic groups.
COASTAL VIOLENCE
After Israel bombed Syrian government forces in Sweida and hit the defence ministry in Damascus last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had established a policy demanding the demilitarisation of territory near the border, stretching from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights to the Druze Mountain, east of Sweida.
He also said Israel would protect the Druze.
The United States however said it did not support the Israeli strikes. On Friday, an Israeli official said Israel agreed to allow Syrian forces limited access to the Sweida area for two days.
A Syrian security source told Reuters that internal security forces had taken up positions near Sweida, establishing checkpoints in western and eastern parts of the province where retreating tribal fighters had gathered.
On Sunday, Sharaa received the report of an inquiry into violence in Syria’s coastal region in March, where Reuters reported in June that Syrian forces killed 1,500 members of the Alawite minority following attacks on security forces.
The presidency said it would review the inquiry’s conclusions and ensure steps to “bring about justice” and prevent the recurrence of “such violations”. It called on the inquiry to hold a news conference on its findings – if appropriate – as soon as possible.
The Syrian Network for Human Rights said on July 18 it had documented the deaths of at least 321 people in Sweida province since July 13. The preliminary toll included civilians, women, children, Bedouin fighters, members of local groups and members of the security forces, it said, and the dead included people killed in field executions by both sides.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, another monitoring group, has reported a death toll of at least 940 people.
A new medical school will be established at the University of Waikato as part of the Government’s plan to build a stronger health workforce, Health Minister Simeon Brown and Universities Minister Dr Shane Reti say.
“Cabinet has approved the business case for the new school, which will have a strong focus on primary care and rural health,” Mr Brown says.
“With $82.85 million in Government funding and over $150 million from the University, supported by philanthropic investment, this is a substantial commitment to education and regional development in the Waikato.
“Today’s decision will enable the University of Waikato to begin construction on new teaching facilities later this year and start planning for clinical placements, while giving more students the opportunity to study medicine in New Zealand.”
The school will offer a graduate-entry programme, providing a flexible new pathway into medicine that helps attract a broader range of students and build a stronger, more diverse workforce.
“It’s an innovative model that supports our focus on strengthening primary care, making it easier for people to see their doctor – helping Kiwis stay well and out of hospital.
“It also builds on the University’s recent additions of nursing, pharmacy, and midwifery programmes, demonstrating a strong and growing commitment to developing New Zealand’s health workforce.”
A full cost-benefit analysis was presented to Cabinet before any proposal was finalised, as part of the National – ACT coalition agreement.
Mr Brown says the school builds on the Government’s record investment in the health system and workforce.
“Today’s announcement adds 120 doctor training places each year, starting in 2028 – a significant boost to our long-term pipeline of homegrown medical workforce.
“This is on top of the 100 additional medical training places that are being added over the term of this Government across the University of Auckland and University of Otago.”
Dr Reti says the decision represents a significant step forward for both the University of Waikato and the wider region.
“This is a major milestone for the University and a real boost for tertiary education in the Waikato.
“It strengthens the University’s position as a leader in education, training, and research, and creates new academic and economic opportunities for Hamilton, the Waikato, and rural communities.
“By expanding access to medical training, we’re creating new opportunities for students from across the region and beyond, while also helping to future-proof the local workforce.
“This is exactly the kind of forward-thinking initiative this Government wants to see from our universities – investing in regional growth, building local capability, and delivering on the needs of rural communities.”
Japan’s ruling coalition lost control of the upper house in an election on Sunday, further weakening Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s grip on power even as he vowed to remain party leader, citing a looming tariff deadline with the United States.
While the ballot does not directly determine whether Ishiba’s administration will fall, it heaps pressure on the embattled leader who also lost control of the more powerful lower house in October.
Ishiba’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and coalition partner Komeito returned 47 seats, short of the 50 seats it needed to ensure a majority in the 248-seat upper chamber in an election where half the seats were up for grabs.
That comes on top of its worst showing in 15 years in October’s lower house election, a vote which has left Ishiba’s administration vulnerable to no-confidence motions and calls from within his own party for leadership change.
Speaking late on Sunday evening after exit polls closed, Ishiba told NHK he “solemnly” accepted the “harsh result”.
“We are engaged in extremely critical tariff negotiations with the United States…we must never ruin these negotiations. It is only natural to devote our complete dedication and energy to realizing our national interests,” he later told TV Tokyo.
Asked whether he intended to stay on as premier, he said “that’s right”.
Japan, the world’s fourth largest economy, faces a deadline of August 1 to strike a trade deal with the United States or face punishing tariffs in its largest export market.
The main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party finished second with 22 seats.
Meanwhile, the far-right Sanseito party announced its arrival in mainstream politics, adding 14 seats to one elected previously. Launched on YouTube a few years ago, the populist party found wider appeal with its ‘Japanese First’ campaign and warnings about a “silent invasion” of foreigners.
‘HAMMERED HOME’
Opposition parties advocating for tax cuts and welfare spending struck a chord with voters, as rising consumer prices – particularly a jump in the cost of rice – have sowed frustration at the government’s response.
“The LDP was largely playing defence in this election, being on the wrong side of a key voter issue,” said David Boling, a director at consulting firm Eurasia Group.
“Polls show that most households want a cut to the consumption tax to address inflation, something that the LDP opposes. Opposition parties seized on it and hammered that message home.”
The LDP has been urging fiscal restraint, with one eye on a very jittery government bond market, as investors worry about Japan’s ability to refinance the world’s largest debt pile. Any concessions the LDP must now strike with opposition parties to pass policy will only further elevate those nerves, analysts say.
“The ruling party will have to compromise in order to gain the cooperation of the opposition, and the budget will continue to expand,” said Yu Uchiyama, a politics professor at the University of Tokyo.
“Overseas investors’ evaluation of the Japan economy will also be quite harsh.”
Sanseito, which first emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic spreading conspiracy theories about vaccinations and a cabal of global elites, is among those advocating fiscal expansion.
But it is its tough talk on immigration that has grabbed attention, dragging once-fringe political rhetoric into the mainstream.
It remains to be seen whether the party can follow the path of other far-right parties with which it has drawn comparisons, such as Germany’s AfD and Reform UK.
“I am attending graduate school but there are no Japanese around me. All of them are foreigners,” said Yu Nagai, a 25-year-old student who voted for Sanseito earlier on Sunday.
“When I look at the way compensation and money are spent on foreigners, I think that Japanese people are a bit disrespected,” Nagai said after casting his ballot at a polling station in Tokyo’s Shinjuku ward.
Japan, the world’s fastest aging society, saw foreign-born residents hit a record of about 3.8 million last year.
That is still just 3% of the total population, a much smaller fraction than in the United States and Europe, but comes amid a tourism boom that has made foreigners far more visible across the country.
A tenuous ceasefire has taken hold in Syria’s Suwayda province after a week of sectarian violence between Druze fighters, Bedouin tribes, and government forces, which killed over 800 people, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). Announced by President Ahmed al-Sharaa on July 19, the truce is holding, with security forces deployed to enforce peace and oversee the withdrawal of Bedouin fighters from Suwayda city. The conflict began on July 13, triggered by the abduction of a Druze merchant on the Damascus highway, escalating tensions in the Druze-majority province. Government forces, accused of siding with Bedouin fighters and committing abuses against Druze civilians, intensified the clashes. Israel responded with airstrikes on Syrian military targets, citing protection of the Druze minority.
A US-brokered ceasefire between Syria and Israel on July 18, followed by al-Sharaa’s comprehensive truce, has shown progress. Druze leader Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri endorsed the agreement, calling for safe passage for Bedouin fighters and humanitarian aid for civilians. While earlier ceasefires failed, the latest has seen Bedouin fighters leave Suwayda city, with security checkpoints established.
Skepticism persists among some Druze leaders, wary of the government’s Sunni Islamist leanings. The UN and international actors, including the US and EU, welcomed the ceasefire but urged accountability for reported atrocities, including executions. The violence displaced many, with Suwayda’s hospitals overwhelmed, reporting over 300 casualties since last Monday.
Israel targeted the Syrian Defense Ministry headquarters and a site near the presidential palace, marking a rare escalation. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned of ‘painful blows’ if Syrian forces did not withdraw from the south President al-Sharaa’s interim government, in power since ousting Bashar al-Assad in 2024, faces challenges in unifying Syria’s diverse groups. The ceasefire’s success depends on enforcing security and addressing sectarian grievances to prevent further unrest.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Dressed in vibrant outfits, Li Xiaochao and her daughter beamed at the camera, joyfully exclaiming, “We’re at Namtso, and we’re so excited!” The dazzling blue lake shimmered behind them, framed by the snow-capped Mount Nyainqentanglha.
Located in southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, Namtso Lake is regarded by Tibetans as the “heavenly lake.” Standing at an elevation of 4,718 meters, it is the highest saltwater lake in the world.
Traveling all the way from Cangzhou in north China’s Hebei Province, Li and her group spent the past week exploring some of Xizang’s most famous landmarks, including the Jokhang Temple, Potala Palace, the Yarlung Zangbo River Grand Canyon, and the Mount Qomolangma scenic area.
“This is actually my second time in Xizang, and my first visit was back in 2008,” Li said.
“The changes over the past 17 years have been incredible. The development here has been rapid, the locals are as warm and welcoming as ever, and the infrastructure has improved tremendously. Even after all these years, my experience this time has been just as wonderful,” she added.
Renowned for its breathtaking scenery, Namtso Lake attracted 5.11 million domestic and international tourists between 2014 and 2024.
“As of mid-July this year, we have welcomed about 150,000 tourists,” said Zhang Longquan, chairman of the Namtso Lake scenic area protection and development company, noting that the company’s revenue has boosted local livelihoods by creating jobs, such as hiring herdsmen to provide horses and yaks for tourists, and by distributing dividends to them.
“I earn about 9,000 yuan (about 1,259 U.S. dollars) per month without having to work far from home,” said Sigya, 26, a resident of a nearby village.
To better protect the lake’s ecosystem, the company has upgraded the surrounding infrastructure, including introducing eco-friendly public toilets and electric sightseeing buses. “Wildlife diversity in the area has significantly increased in recent years,” Zhang said.
About 500 km away, the Sapukonglagabo Mountain scenic area in Biru County, Nagqu City, is famous for its magnificent snow-capped mountains, spectacular glaciers, and abundant wildlife. Its main peak soars to nearly 7,000 meters above sea level.
Wang Liming and her family, who have been on a road trip through several provinces, arrived at the scenic area on Saturday.
“Despite the challenges of altitude sickness, the stunning landscapes of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau always leave us in awe. The climate here is wonderful and the intangible cultural heritage performances by Tibetan artists are truly unique,” said Wang, who comes from northeast China’s Liaoning Province. “The exhaustion of the long drive was absolutely worth it.”
Drolma, a local resident of Biru County, spent her weekend picnicking with family in the scenic area. “We are so happy to see more tourists from home and abroad visiting Xizang. Many locals have jumped on the tourism bandwagon, increasing their incomes as the industry grows,” she added.
“The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, known as ‘world’s third pole,’ spans vast regions including Xizang and Qinghai Province, boasting unique natural resources and magnificent landscapes that have long captivated global travelers,” said Luo Hui, an associate researcher of the China Tibetology Research Center.
“In recent years, the central government and local authorities in Xizang have vigorously promoted the high-quality development of the tourism industry. Through measures such as introducing supportive policies, creating distinctive tourism brands, and optimizing diverse travel routes, they are striving to make the region a world-class tourist destination,” Luo added.
In the first half of this year, Xizang saw 31.28 million tourist visits, up 11.67 percent year on year, according to the regional culture and tourism department. Of the total, inbound tourist arrivals surged 31.2 percent to 196,400.
Tourism revenue in the region totaled 31.55 billion yuan in the same period, marking a 10.18 percent year-on-year increase.
While these aim to improve the scheme’s sustainability, they risk making an already complex system even harder to navigate.
A common question participants ask is: what happens if they overspend or underspend on their NDIS budgets?
There isn’t a simple answer. But let’s unpack the components of budgets and set out some practical tips for NDIS participants.
What is driving this round of NDIS reforms?
Concerns about the growing NDIS budget prompted the government to limit annual growth to a target of 8% a year by mid-2026.
One cost pressure the government has identified is intra-plan inflation. This happens when NDIS participants spend their budget before the end of their plan, meaning they need to ask for extra funding within their plan timeframe.
In the 12 months to February 2024, the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) – the body responsible for the NDIS – estimated intra-plan inflation costs more than A$3.3 billion. Around 15% of participants spend their budget before the end of their plan.
Several changes are now in place to address this.
What causes plans to be overspent (or underspent)?
Overspending occurs when a participant runs out of funding before the end of their plan period.
This can happen when a participant receives a plan that is insufficient to meet their needs, which is more common with first plans.
It can also occur when a participant has a change in circumstances which means their support needs change, so they increase their spending before their plan can be reviewed.
In both circumstances, participants must request additional funding so they can keep receiving supports.
This can occur because of confusion over what is funded and how funds can be spent.
But it can also be because of a lack of appropriate services near where the participant lives.
Research shows Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with psychosocial disability (from mental health issues such as schizophrenia or post-traumatic stress disorder) and people living in rural and remote areas are more likely to underspend.
What an NDIS plan includes
Each NDIS plan includes a total budget amount, which is the amount of funding allocated for all supports expected to last for the full duration of their plan.
But this doesn’t mean participants can use this budget in whatever way they want.
Participant spending needs to meet a set of criteria and can only be spent in the way the NDIA describes.
NDIS supports are provided in plans using four support categories:
core supports – help with everyday activities such as personal care, household tasks and support to join in community activities
capacity-building supports – help to build or maintain skills and independence such as behaviour support, employment-related support and therapies
capital supports – high-cost assistive technologies, home modifications and specialist disability accommodation
recurring supports – regularly paid directly to a participant’s account and typically include costs for transport.
In each category, supports are labelled either flexible or stated. Flexible supports allow for some discretion in how funds are used.
“Assistance with daily life” can cover a range of tasks including household cleaning or meal preparation. These core support funds tend to be the most flexible.
Stated supports, on the other hand, must be used exactly as the plan describes.
Not all plans have funds in every category.
Importantly, funds can’t be shifted from one category to another. You can’t, for example, use core funding for capacity building supports.
New funding periods introduced
In May, changes were introduced for new plans, meaning funds are released over set time periods.
While the total value of the plan remains the same, there are now limits on when funds can be accessed and how long they need to last.
Funding can be allocated over different periods:
quarterly – released in three-month blocks so spending is spread over the full length of the plan
monthly – for high-cost ongoing supports such as supported independent living
up-front – funding for one-off supports such as assistive technology can be released in full at the start of a plan.
Participants may have different funding periods for different parts of their plan, although most funds will likely be released quarterly.
If funds aren’t used in an allocated period they roll over into the next time block in the same plan.
However, any funds left unused at the end of the full plan duration are returned to the NDIS funding pool.
What’s the government trying to do?
The change means participants can’t draw on future allocations if funds for a current period run out. Nor can funds be shifted between categories.
If a plan is exhausted, participants may be left without support or face out-of-pocket costs, particularly if plans are self-managed.
Service-providers may stop delivering support if they’re notified that a participant’s budget has run out.
In some cases, the NDIS may consider persistent overspending as a sign the participant cannot effectively manage their plan. This could result in the NDIA taking over management of their plan.
If a participant consistently finds their funds run out early, or if they need more funds because their circumstances change and they need more support, they can request a review of their plan to seek more funding.
However, requesting a plan review can sometimes affect other areas of a participant’s plan. So some people may be reluctant to ask for a review and instead try to manage with less supports than they need.
A number of disability rights organisations have spoken out against these changes, stating they have the potential to impact NDIS participants’ autonomy, safety and wellbeing.
Tips for NDIS participants to manage their plans
Ensure you understand your plan and how the funds are split between support categories and funding periods. It might be helpful to discuss this with a family member, friend or support coordinator.
Remember, not everyone gets everything they ask for in their plan, so make sure you’re clear on the funding you received.
If your plan seems insufficient for your needs, consider asking for a review.
A good way to ensure your spending stays on track is to set budget goals for a plan. There are several different apps and software programs that can help with this.
Finally, a range of websites offer advice and resources to help NDIS participants understand their budgets and spending. You can sometimes claim for these resources within your NDIS funding.
Helen Dickinson receives funding from Australian Research Council., National Health and Medical Research Council. Medical Research Future Fund and Australian governments.
Glenda Bishop receives funding from the Medical Research Future Fund.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, also president of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), meets the press at the LDP headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, July 20, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
The coalition led by Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is certain to lose its majority in the House of Councillors following Sunday’s election, public broadcaster NHK reported.
NHK said that the coalition of the LDP and Komeito is set to fall short of the 125 seats needed for a majority in the 248-seat upper house of parliament.
The House of Councillors is made up of 248 members with fixed six-year terms. Elections are held every three years, with half the seats up for election each time. In Sunday’s vote, a total of 125 seats, including one to fill a vacancy, were up for grabs.
Meanwhile, the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan is expected to expand its seat count, while the Democratic Party for the People and Sanseito look set to make significant gains, NHK projected.
Despite the defeat, Shigeru Ishiba has expressed his intention to stay on as Japan’s prime minister, adding that the LDP must fulfill its responsibility as the ruling party.
Ishiba told NHK that his party has so far secured enough seats to be the leading party in the upper house, and that he has to fulfill the pledges he made during the election campaign, such as wage hikes to counter rising prices.
The embattled prime minister is expected to hold a press conference on Monday, while all major opposition parties have expressed reluctance to help the ruling bloc by forming an expanded coalition.
In the October 2024 general election, the ruling coalition already lost its majority in the more powerful House of Representatives, or lower house, forcing Ishiba to form Japan’s first minority government in over three decades.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
With its sizeable assets neutralized by Japan’s run-and-gun game, the Chinese women’s team has crashed out of its home Asia Cup earlier than expected, with alarm bells ringing for the future.
A perennial continental power, proud of its talented supply of towering post players, the Chinese women’s basketball program has learned the hard way how the modern game has evolved into a competition of sheer speed, sharpness and an intensity delivered at a much faster pace.
China’s towering center Zhang Ziyu seen during the third-place playoff against South Korea at the FIBA Women’s Asia Cup on Sunday. The defending champion took a bronze with a big 101-66 win, one day after its loss to Japan in the semifinals on Saturday. XINHUA
The lesson was a harsh one after Team China, as defending champion and a higher-ranked favorite, suffered a 90-81 semifinal loss to Japan on Saturday in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, missing out on the final of the FIBA continental showpiece for the first time in eight years.
After overpowering the same opponent twice in warm-up games last month, Team China soon realized on Saturday that its size advantage wouldn’t help that much on a night when Japan felt a need for speed — and opened the game firing on all cylinders.
In an incredible display, Japan’s teen star Kokoro Tanaka set the tone by scoring 21 of her 27 total points in the first quarter alone.
She caught the host off guard by hitting five 3-pointers in a row, tearing China’s slow-rotating zone defense apart, while silencing the crowd at the Shenzhen Sports Center Gymnasium.
China, though, came back strongly in the second quarter, relying on its towering combo of 6-foot-10 forward Han Xu and 7-foot-5 center Zhang Ziyu, to take a 51-49 lead into halftime.
However, Japan’s sharp-shooting trio of Yuki Miyazawa, Norika Konno and Stephanie Mawuli all stepped up following the interval, connecting with a barrage of deep 3s and fast counterattacks to rebuild Japan’s early advantage.
Captain Maki Takada then plunged the dagger in further, hitting one from near the rim with 32.3 seconds left to settle the eventual scoreline and help avenge Japan’s narrow 73-71 defeat to China in the 2023 Asia Cup final in Sydney.
Leading China on a heartbreaking night for the national side was forward Yang Shuyu, who finished with 19 points.
Former WNBA star Han contributed 18 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, while teen prodigy Zhang, who is making her senior international debut in Shenzhen, finished with 17 points and nine rebounds in 20 minutes, the longest she’s played across four games.
China’s head coach Gong Luming hailed his players’ efforts in trying to put up a fight, but admitted his team has a lot of catching-up to do.
“We learned a tough lesson from today’s loss. We have to figure out how to adapt our game, particularly with our twin towers on court, to the fast-paced, sharp-shooting modern game,” Gong said at the post-match news conference.
“We didn’t manage to guard them well enough on the perimeter, failing to contain their 3-pointers as well as we planned.
“We are still in a building process, though. We are not going to make any radical changes in our plans for the future, or give up on our strength altogether. We will learn, adapt and improve to achieve the ultimate goal at the 2028 Olympic Games.”
Citing the fast-evolving international game, Han suggests more young talent should seek opportunities to ply their trade overseas, despite lower average salaries, even in the WNBA, compared to China’s domestic league.
“The world has moved far ahead of us, with the game changing in how it is supposed to be played and how to win,” said Han, who played with WNBA’s New York Liberty for two separate seasons in 2019 and 2021.
“We saw that after a disappointing Olympic campaign last year in Paris, and today was another painful reminder.
“I will try to make my way back into an overseas league to keep honing my individual game next season, and I hope more will follow me in order to improve in a more competitive environment.”
Japan’s head coach Corey Gaines attributed the successful revenge mission to his players’ perfect execution of a tailored game plan against the host.
“That was a game where the players followed the game plan,” Gaines said. We had a strategy going into the game, and they executed it. China countered, we changed to another game plan.”
“And they really kept their heads during the game, and they executed what we talked about. That win is for the players,” continued Gaines. “The players won that game. They really did their job.”
Data released by Statistics New Zealand today shows that the cost-of-living crisis is getting worse as inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index rose annually to 2.7%, said NZCTU Te Kauae Kaimahi Economist Craig Renney.
“This marks the third straight quarter in which annual inflation has increased, up from 2.2% in December 2024. A key reason why inflation didn’t break out of the 1-3% target barrier is that petrol pricing was down. Excluding petrol, annual inflation was 3.2%,” said Renney.
“The data shows that prices rose most in areas that are particularly hard to manage for middle- and low-income groups. Household energy rose 9.1%, with gas prices rising 15.4%. Dairy and eggs rose 9.9%. Dwelling and contents insurance rose 10%. Rates are up 12.2%.
“This increase is likely to put further pressure on households, particularly those on the minimum wage – who received a pay rise of just 1.5% in April. When last measured, 48% of workers got a pay rise less than 2%, while 59% got a pay rise less of than 3%. It is these workers who are paying the price of the cost-of-living crisis.
“The Government has made a mess of the economy. Rents are still rising faster than general inflation, despite billions in tax breaks. Food pricing is rising at 4.2% despite the governments claims to be focused on supermarket competition. Workers are paying the price for the Government’s inaction.
“The economy is stumbling and is likely heading back to negative growth, and the Government has consistently cut investment. Trade tariffs and uncertainty are likely to add further concerns to growth. The cost of tertiary education rose significantly due to the removal of first year free – making it harder to access skills training during rising unemployment,” said Renney.
New University of South Australia research is providing evidence of biological triggers of oil production in oats, a discovery that will help processing and potentially drive further demand for Australian-grown oats.
While Australia is the world’s second-largest exporter of oats, high oil content in oat grains creates challenges during milling, reducing processing efficiency and limiting product innovation – particularly in high-demand sectors like oat flour and plant-based proteins.
Researchers from the University of South Australia, the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), and the University of Adelaide are collaborating on research designed to better understand the biological processes responsible for oil synthesis in oat grains.
In this study, two contemporary varieties of oats were examined using spatial imaging techniques to track oil build-up during grain development. Researchers then applied ‘omics’ technologies – lipidomics and proteomics – to analyse lipid and protein expression, which provided key insights into the biological mechanisms involved in the actual formation of the grain, including those relating to oil synthesis.
The UniSA findings have provided further evidence of the mechanisms that underlie the amount of oil in an oat grain. These findings will help to guide future breeding efforts for naturally lower-oil oat varieties, improving milling yields and creating new value-added opportunities across the oat supply chain.
UniSA PhD candidate, Darren Lau, says that current oil removal methods are inefficient and that low-oil breeding programs will aid industry growth.
“While oil can be removed from partially milled oat flakes – using supercritical carbon dioxide prior to further milling – this approach is laborious and expensive,” he says.
“Breeding low-oil oat varieties is a cost-effective approach but requires further understanding of oil production in oats. This is where our research is critical.
“Our analysis has identified several key enzymes that are involved in oil synthesis which could be genetically manipulated to lower oil content of oat grains.
“Reducing oil content could also unlock new opportunities in sectors like oat flour and alternative proteins, which could significantly strengthen Australia’s position in the market.”
Lowering oil content in oat grains will enhance processing and product versatility, positioning them alongside traditional cereal staples like barley, maize, wheat, and rice, and further driving industry growth.
The UniSA findings are being used by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) oat grain quality consortium to improve suitability for milling and food/beverage ingredient development. Additional research is continuing within the consortium that will build on the study’s findings to further inform breeding efforts aimed at reducing oil content in oats.
“The consortia are currently working on a larger and more diverse oat cohort to further investigate molecular markers and nutrient partitioning of oil in oats,” Lau says.
“The consortia are also investigating one of the key enzymes validated in this study to determine whether manipulating or removing it can lower oil content, and how that affects the growth of the plant.”
SARDI Project Lead Dr Janine Croser, says the study’s findings provide further evidence of key pathways involved in oat oil biosynthesis.
“This research provides important insights into the biological mechanisms underlying varietal differences of oil production in developing oat grains,” Dr Croser says.
“We expect that the development of low-oil lines will improve efficiencies in the flour milling process and potentially lead to novel uses for oats.
“With demand for plant-based foods on the rise, we anticipate the oat grain quality consortium research will help put Australia at the forefront of oat innovation – supporting growers, processors, and exporters alike.”
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Displaced Palestinians wait to receive free food from a food distribution center in Gaza City, on July 14, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
At least 18 Palestinians died in the past 24 hours due to hunger in Gaza, bringing the total death toll of hunger in the enclave since March to 86, including 76 children, the Gaza-based health authorities said Sunday.
What is happening in Gaza, home to more than two million people, is a “silent massacre,” it said in a press statement, adding that about 17,000 children suffer from severe malnutrition in the enclave.
It demanded immediate opening of the crossings to allow the entry of food and medicine.
Meanwhile, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East said in a statement on social media platform X that “Israeli authorities are starving civilians in Gaza, including one million children.”
It urged lifting the Israeli blockade on Gaza.
Also on Sunday, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa said the situation in Gaza is “unbelievable and unreasonable.”
According to a statement issued by his office, Mustafa called for stopping the bleeding in Gaza, reconstructing the enclave, and “unifying Gaza and its institutions with national institutions” so as to “establish the state on the ground.”
At least 8,066 Palestinians have been killed and 28,939 others injured since Israel renewed its intensive strikes in Gaza on March 18, bringing the total death toll since October 2023 to 58,895, and injuries to 140,980, Gaza-based health authorities said earlier on Sunday.
