The US president, Donald Trump, says that Israel has agreed to terms for a 60-day ceasefire in Gaza. If that sounds familiar, it is.
The idea of a two-month truce has been discussed since the collapse of the last shortlived ceasefire in March. A similar proposal was floated in May, but Hamas viewed it as an enabling mechanism for Israel to continue the war after a brief pause, rather than reaching a permanent peace deal.
As the devastation in Gaza worsens by the day, will this time be any different?
The proposal, put forward by Qatari mediators, reportedly involves Hamas releasing ten living hostages and the bodies of 18 deceased hostages over the 60-day period, in exchange for the release of a number of Palestinian prisoners.
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The remaining 22 hostages would be released if a long-term deal is reached. The 60-day ceasefire period would also involve negotiations for a permanent end to hostilities and a roadmap for post-war governance in Gaza.
But the plan is similar to the eight-week, three-phase ceasefire from January to March of this year, which collapsed after the first phase of hostage exchanges. Since then peace talks have hit a recurrent impasse.
For Hamas, a long-term ceasefire means the permanent end to the war and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. Israel, meanwhile, wants to see the complete removal of Hamas from power, the dismantling and disarming of its military wing and the exile of remaining senior Hamas leaders.
But despite the persistent challenges, there are several reasons that this attempt for a ceasefire might be different. First and foremost is the recent so-called “12-day war” between Israel and Iran, which Israel has trumpeted as a major success for degrading Iran’s nuclear capabilities (although the reality is more nuanced).
The perceived win gives Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, political maneuverability to pursue a ceasefire over the objections of far-right hardliners in his coalition who have threatened to bring down the government in previous rounds.
The Iran-Israel war, in which the US controversially carried out strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites, also revived Trump’s interest in the Middle East. Trump entered office just as the phased Gaza ceasefire deal was being agreed. But Trump put little diplomatic pressure on Israel to engage in serious talks to get from the first phase of the agreement to phase two, allowing the war to resume in March.
Now however, after assisting Israel militarily in Iran, Trump has significant leverage he can use with Netanyahu. He will have the chance to use it (if he chooses) when Netanyahu visits Washington next week.
Both men also view Iran’s weakened position as an opportunity for expanding the Abraham accords. This was the set of agreements normalising relations between Israel and several Arab states, including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco, which Trump brokered at the end of his first term.
Netanyahu has long eyed a US-backed deal with Saudi Arabia, and a smaller-scale declaration with Syria is reportedly now under discussion as well. But those deals can’t move forward while the war in Gaza is going.
Additional obstacles
However, the recurrent obstacles to a deal remain – and it’s unclear if the proposed terms will include guarantees to prevent Israel resuming the war after the 60-day period.
New issues have also arisen since the last round of talks that could create further challenges. Hamas is demanding a return to traditional humanitarian aid distribution in Gaza – or at least the replacement of the controversial US and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).
The GHF’s four distribution sites, located in militarised zones, replaced over 400 previously operating aid points, and more than 400 people have been killed while seeking aid near the sites, since May 26. More than 170 international non-governmental organisations and charities have called for the GHF to be shut down.
Israel’s military control over Gaza has also become further entrenched since the last ceasefire. More than 80% is thought to be covered by evacuation orders – and new orders for north Gaza and Gaza City were issued on June 29 and July 2 respectively.
Israeli officials have described the renewed operations as military pressure on Hamas to accept a ceasefire. But Netanyahu has also spoken openly about long-term military occupation of Gaza.
He recently stated that Israel would remain in “full security control of Gaza” even after the war. Even if a temporary ceasefire is agreed, the road ahead is strewn with difficulties in moving towards a long-lasting ceasefire or reaching an acceptable “day-after” agreement.
Still, the current moment offers an opportunity for a breakthrough. Trump has a renewed interest in getting to a ceasefire and Netanyahu has a rare political window to enter an agreement and get hostages home. Hamas, meanwhile, has been weakened, not only by Israel’s relentless military pounding, but by increasing disillusionment from the people of Gaza, who are desperate for an end to the war.
There is no shortage of reasons to end the war in Gaza. The only question is if Israel and Hamas have the will to do so.
Julie M. Norman does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
After the Egyptian pharaoh Hatshepsut died around 1458 BCE, many statues of her were destroyed. Archaeologists believed that they were targeted in an act of revenge by Thutmose III, her successor. Yet the condition of the statues recovered in the vicinity of her mortuary temple varies and many survive with their faces virtually intact.
Now a new study by archaeologist Jun Yi Wong re-examines the original excavations and offers an alternative explanation. Much of the damage may in fact be from the “ritual deactivation” of the statues and their reuse as raw material. We asked him to explain.
Who was Queen Hatshepsut and why was she important?
Hatshepsut ruled as the pharaoh of Egypt around 3,500 years ago. Her reign was an exceptionally successful one – she was a prolific builder of monuments, and her reign saw great innovations in art and architecture. As a result, some regard her as one of the greatest rulers – male or female – in ancient Egypt. She has also been described as the “first great woman in history”.
Hatshepsut was the wife and half sister of pharaoh Thutmose II. Following the premature death of her husband, she acted as regent for her stepson, the young Thutmose III. However, about seven years later, Hatshepsut ascended the throne and declared herself ruler of Egypt.
Why was it believed her statues were destroyed in revenge?
After her death, Hatshepsut’s names and representations such as statues were systematically erased from her monuments. This event, often called the “proscription” of Hatshepsut, is currently part of my wider research.
There’s little doubt that this destruction began during the time of Thutmose III, since some of Hatshepsut’s erased representations were found concealed by his new constructions.
The statues that formed the subject of my recently published study were discovered in the 1920s. By this time, Thutmose III’s proscription of Hatshepsut was already well known, so it was immediately (and rightly) assumed it was caused during his reign. Some of the broken statues were even found underneath a causeway built by Thutmose III, so there is little doubt that their destruction took place during his reign.
Because the statues were found in fragments, early archaeologists assumed that they must have been broken up violently, perhaps due to Thutmose III’s animosity towards Hatshepsut. For instance, Herbert Winlock, the archaeologist who led the excavations of 1922 to 1928, remarked that Thutmose III must have “decreed the destruction of every portrait of (Hatshepsut) in existence” and that
Every conceivable indignity had been heaped on the likeness of the fallen Queen.
The problem with such an interpretation is that some of Hatshepsut’s statues have survived in relatively good condition, with their faces virtually intact. Why was there such a great variation in the treatment of the statues? That was essentially the main question of my research.
How did you go about finding the answer?
It was clear that the damage to Hatshepsut’s statues was not caused solely by Thutmose III. Many of them were left exposed and not buried, and many were reused as building material. Indeed, not far from where the statues were discovered, the archaeologists found a stone house that was partially built using fragments of her statues.
Of course, the question is to what extent these reuse activities added to the damage of the statues. Fortunately, the archaeologists who excavated the statues left behind field notes that are quite detailed.
Based on this archival material, it is possible to reconstruct the locations in which many of these statues were found.
The results were quite intriguing: statues that are scattered over large areas, or have significant missing parts, tend to have sustained significant damage to their faces. In contrast, statues found in a relatively complete condition typically have their faces fully intact.
In other words, statues that were subjected to heavy reuse activities are far more likely to have sustained facial damage.
Therefore, it is likely that Thutmose III was not responsible for the facial damage sustained by the statues. Instead, the destruction that he was responsible for was far more specific, namely the breaking of these statues across their neck, waist and knees.
This form of treatment is not unique to Hatshepsut’s statues.
Fascinating. So what does this mean?
The practice of breaking royal statues across their neck, waist and knees is common in ancient Egypt. It’s often referred to as the “deactivation” of statues.
For the ancient Egyptians, statues were more than just images. For example, newly made statues underwent a rite known as the opening of the mouth, where they were ritually brought to life. Since statues were regarded as living and powerful objects, their inherent power had to be neutralised before they could be discarded.
Indeed, one of the most extraordinary discoveries in Egyptian archaeology is the Karnak Cachette, where hundreds of royal statues were found buried in a single deposit. The vast majority of the statues have been “deactivated”, even though most of them depict pharaohs who were never subjected to any hostilities after their death.
This suggests that the destruction of Hatshepsut’s statues was motivated mainly by ritualistic and pragmatic reasons, rather than revenge or animosity. This, of course, changes the way that her relationship with Thutmose III is understood.
Jun Yi Wong receives funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
In 1962, poet and Auschwitz survivor Yehiel Dinur took the stand in Jerusalem in the trial of Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann. Dinur was a much-anticipated witness, bearing the audience’s hope this man, a poet, would be able to explain – to capture and to transmit – the experience of Auschwitz, and of the Holocaust; that he could speak the unspeakable. Prosecutor Gideon Hausner hoped such a witness might “do justice to the six million personal tragedies”.
Dinur used the name Katzetnik 135633 in his writings, also translated as “Prisoner 135663”. On the stand, he said: “I believe wholeheartedly that I have to continue to bear this name until the world awakens.”
Awakening, understanding, empathy and change are the sentiments many survivors hope for, or ask for, during and after periods of trauma. The 20th century saw many of those pleas. The 21st century has done no better at honouring the promise, captured in the title of the 1984 Argentinian commission report on forced disappearances, Nunca Mas: never again. No matter how many such pleas appear before the courts, before the aggressors, before those in solidarity, the horrors of war, torture, starvation and genocide seem to happen again – and again.
Three recent books from the region where war was been raging since the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7 2023, and the ensuing war on Gaza, are part of these pleas.
Review: Eyes on Gaza – Plestia Alaqad (Macmillan), Letters from Gaza – edited by Mohammed Al-Zaqzooq & Mahmoud Alshaer (Penguin), Gates of Gaza – Amir Tibon (Scribe)
Eyes on Gaza is an on-the-ground account of the death and destruction of the first 45 days of the war by now 23-year-old Palestinian journalist Plestia Alaqad, who moved to Melbourne with her family in November 2023. Letters from Gaza is a collection of 50 stories, poems and fragments from Palestinian writers enduring the past 20 months. And Gates of Gaza is the story of Israeli journalist Amir Tibon, a resident of Nahal Oz, one of the border kibbutz attacked by Hamas on October 7.
Plestia Alaqad. Plestia
These are all first-person testimonies of experiences of being under attack, though those attacks differ. We might say they fit into the genre adopted in truth commissions, such as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa: a response to the nation’s years of living under the apartheid laws, discarded when Nelson Mandela took power in 1994.
The commission was one effort to heal from this past. But, like the Eichmann trial, it needed stories to explain the histories of violence, and it needed the pain to be voiced to explain its impacts on communities, families and relationships.
The use of people’s narratives to “bear witness” to the complex layers of legally sanctioned and militarily executed pain, loss and the traumas they can produce, is sometimes effective in helping audiences understand them. The Bringing Them Home Report in 1997 used this form to explain the incidence and impacts of the forced removal of Indigenous children by the Australian state. It was effective as one form of creating a shared reality for all in Australia, who then understood the term “stolen generations” and the pain, loss and genocidal intent to which this phrase refers.
More recently, the Yoorrook Justice Commission in Victoria, Australia’s first formal truth-telling inquiry into historic and ongoing systemic injustices perpetrated against First Nations Peoples by colonisation, has also brought histories of loss, dispossession and abuse to light, using stories. Stories can make sense of the impact incurred through the intertwined web of policies, statistics, discrimination and quotidian violence at the hands of the state.
The work of testimony
The narratives in these books written since October 7 2023 are part of this genre of testimony or storytelling. But at least two of these books are not attempting to explain the past. They might be described better as pleas to stop what the International Court of Justice has called “a plausible genocide” happening in the present.
They are, in one reading, wishes for the world to understand the experience of pain, rage, loss, fear, distress and defeat that accompanies destruction and unbearable loss. A wish for the world to hear, or perhaps feel, the words on the page – and make the pain stop.
They wish the world would “awaken” to what is happening right now.
The dynamic of awakening is the stock in trade of truth commissions. One party testifies or speaks to an experience, and the audience wakes up to what has been happening. As a result, they either change or facilitate change. The truth, captured as testimony, is supposed to set people free. Not just the speaker, but the community of speakers weighed down by history – or by the struggles of the past or the present.
In legal forms the reason to speak is clear. The reason to speak in literature, biographies and works of nonfiction is less clear. What does the author want from us, the readers? But perhaps more importantly, what can we offer?
She wants the genocide to stop. She wants a free Palestine. She wants her home and her life back. The stories in this book show readers outside Gaza some of the life and death of those first six and a half weeks.
Her last entry before she leaves Gaza for Egypt – and then Australia – is dated Day 45. During those 45 days, she puts on a press helmet and jacket, which both give her protection and weigh her down. And then she speaks: to cameras, to followers, to anyone who will listen. Her social media feeds documenting the war gained worldwide attention, her Instagram following rising from around 3,700 to 4.1 million today.
There are too many deaths to be witnessed – by her and the reader. She describes genocide as an understatement for what is occurring in Gaza: “we lose more people than our hearts can handle”. She has seen so much death, heard so many screams. By day 30,
all you can hear is a voice crying for help from under the rubble. You turn your back and walk away, because there’s nothing you can do to help.
But Plestia’s project is more than documenting death. She is careful to show many aspects of life in Gaza. She shows how Palestinians retain relationships, family and pets. How a young boy just needs his “pot plant” from his destroyed house, under skies filled with drones and bombs. This is a plea for the genocide to stop, but it is also a celebration of being Palestinian. It is an homage to life in Gaza.
It is also a plea to see Palestinians as more than numbers – and more than how they are depicted by Israel.
“The world,” she says, “sometimes treats us like terrorists, trying to justify its complacency in allowing us to be massacred. And we know the perception, we read the propaganda just like everyone else. But the reality is that we’re the opposite.”
She describes gentle moments of love and care between her fellow journalists and the people they interview. The children they bring sweets for, the “bird lady” who renames her tortoise “Plestia” after her. Both Plestia the tortoise and the “bird lady” are now living in a tent. She speaks of the doctors who work tirelessly.
In the midst of brutal amputations and unimaginable burns, she recounts the care of a doctor giving cream for a skin rash that has tormented her, diagnosed as a product of her anxiety. Anxiety seems a gentle diagnosis for symptoms produced by witnessing and documenting such brutality.
Anxiety over her helplessness, perhaps, over the lack of sleep, of nourishing food: dwindling even in those first 45 days. Anxiety seems like a Western preoccupation, from this writing distance. What Plestia experiences seems more like layers of embodied distress. Her empathy allows her to feel, perhaps too much. Empathy can be an enemy.
Around page 100, she begins to deteriorate. “It’s funny how genocide changes a person,” she writes, describing herself as “Genocide Plestia”. She’s devastated, exhausted. She has lost hope. The journal entries are shorter, more repetitive.
They recite her helplessness with what Jacqueline Rose, co-director of the Birkbeck Institute for the Humanities, has called the “repetitive thud of referentiality”.
You feel Plestia’s effort to try to speak with some life in the pages, to use writing as a therapeutic tool. You wish it for her, but she has trouble summoning the energy, the life, any hope. As she poignantly quips: “Fake it till you make it doesn’t work during a Genocide”. What is there to say in such relentless days of loss?
You want Plestia to get up, you want a happy ending, for a conclusion to the painful story, but the problem is time. The reader’s time, the reality of time since she wrote her book.
Day 45, her last day in Gaza, is Monday November 20 2023. I read this book in June 2025, 646 days later – and it hasn’t stopped. When Plestia leaves Gaza and finally arrives here in Melbourne, the conditions she describes have been ongoing for more than 20 months. A recently released survey by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research estimates almost 84,000 people died in Gaza between October 2023 and early January 2025, as a result of the war. And that was six months ago.
50 letters from Gaza
The numbers are a way of reducing the experience of grief, devastation, loss (and the viewer’s guilt) to simple digits. Digits have no face and no sound. This is helpful to viewers, but it does not do justice to the 84,000, as Gideon Hausner knew well. No one awakens by hearing the numbers. But they matter.
In Letters from Gaza, psychologist Ahmed Mortaja fears becoming a news story, “a dull number … I don’t want my name and my family name to be reduced to mere numbers, whether odd or even”.
This book, a fragmented collection of 50 poems, stories and accounts, is devoted to giving life to those numbers. To animating the loss, so readers can apply their own imaginations, so we can understand the incomprehensible. It is a collection of fragments of lives since October 7 2023, squeezed into expressive pages. There is no “letter” more than six pages long. They are backed up against each other, permeating one another.
Each letter tells a different story and the same story. Each finds a detail that has no language: flowers in a girl’s hair, dreams of careers that will perhaps never be, the sounds of explosions. They are stories of the impossible search for bread, the longing for a bed and a pillow. And, as in Plestia’s account, they evoke the relentless buzz of the drones in the sky in Gaza: everywhere, all day, every day since October 7 2023. Like tinnitus, like torture.
The book begins with an effort to give names to numbers. On the first page, in the publisher’s note, we read that two of the authors, Sara al-Assar and Basma al-Hor, cannot be contacted. Because of communication lines and constant displacements, the details “may not reflect their current location or circumstances”. Authors may have died or been further displaced. Communication towers are destroyed. Tents are moved as people are moved on. Tents are destroyed.
In Plestia’s accounts, there are displacements to safe zones that then become unsafe, so they move again and again – until the only choice is tents, often without food or blankets. She describes seeing 33,000 people in a displacement shelter, this number increasing daily. Just as numbers are not people, tents are not homes. In Letters from Gaza, the displaced tents are character, metaphor and reality.
The stories are different, as are the deaths and losses within them, but these painful accounts help explain each other. The personal stories help animate words like displacement, refugee camp, genocide, so they do not fall into the pile of legal terms disconnected from names.
But after the United Nations declarations in the opening pages, we hear no more of law – and little of justice. As Palestinian human rights lawyer and founder of the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, Raji Sourani said: Gaza is in danger of becoming “the graveyard of international law”. What is left are stories. The short stories, poems and brief accounts are packaged so they do not ask too much of the reader – just enough to provoke tears, and perhaps donations. Many readers will feel some of the helplessness in these pages.
There are stories of hunger; the loss of grandmothers and children. I cried many times reading this book, but the next story would quickly arrive and sometimes bring relief. There is something sad, but ordinary, about details like a cat who finds a tent too hot. Unlike Plestia’s clear analysis and summation of the genocide in Gaza, the politics of this book are comparably quiet. Not absent, but quiet. The word genocide is mentioned four times, “Holocaust” only once. (I counted.)
In Letters from Gaza, no one says Israel, only “the occupiers”. Husam Maarouf writes, “we no longer want anything from you […] Only to die in safety.” His entry is dated March 1 2024; he may well be dead. Batool Abu Akleen makes simple requests of the reader (or perhaps of God): “I want a grave, I don’t want my corpse to rot in the open road.” But the book seems to intentionally not accuse. We are told:
this is not a book about war. It is a book about human souls that strive to avoid being hunted down by war. It is about how innocents are forced to learn how to survive when everything around them is about killing, destruction and death.
But the accusation is there. How could it not be? Against Israel as occupier and aggressor – and the reader as bystander.
Accusation sometimes comes embedded in questions. “Is one person’s pain greater than another’s?” asks Gaza poet and teacher Doha Kahlout. This question resonates with one inscribed on the Holocaust Memorial Tree in Hungary: “Whose agony is greater than mine?”
When comparing agony, only one can live
Jewish author, philosopher and psychoanalyst Jessica Benjamin, writing on Palestine and Israeli peace struggles, cautions against pitting stories from Israel and Palestine against each other, such that “only one can live”. Only one story, one narrative, one version of pain and loss.
Holding multiple stories of suffering in mind is very difficult: for the survivor, for the listener and even for the psychoanalyst. Many survivors suffer symptoms of trauma that reduce the world to interpretation through their experience of its painful histories.
In Eyes of Gaza, writing from Melbourne, Plestia shows a moment of this:
On the train home, I see a lady with a suitcase, and the first thing that I think of is displacement, imagining how everyone in Gaza carries their whole life in their bag […] Then the announcement: Next Stop […] And I’m snapped back into reality.
In this moment, the suitcase is only read through the lens of the past. It’s what is described colloquially as living in the past – a type of banal flashback, often a symptom of trauma. But when pain colonises bodies and narratives, recognising the pain of others is difficult to see. It may be impossible to see the experiences of the other’s world through any other lens than one’s own pain. Whose agony is greater than mine? is a competitive statement, not a question.
In the war of greater pain, an Israeli child in fear may be read against a Palestinian child enduring the loss of their limbs and their whole family. Only one (story) can live.
To hold two competing stories of pain, loss and agony in mind requires a feat of mental health endurance few are capable of: the Nelson Mandelas of this world. Working in the field of transitional justice, I have met a few.
Most have experienced great loss and know there is no comparison at the level of agony. They resist “the repetitive thud of referentiality” because it drowns out conversation, annihilating curiosity and empathy alike. They know all stories must have their time.
In October 2023, “liberal” London Jewish journalist and filmmaker Michael Segalov, once a “staunch defender of Israel”, tried to hold competing stories. He wrote about seeing Israel–Palestine through the lens of “fear and trauma – of the Shoah, of the Nakba, of generations now born into perpetual fear”.
Early Jewish settlers were not “imperial soldiers”, but “a persecuted population failed by global governments pre and post Holocaust”, he points out. But by 1948, the year after the UN resolution that called for Palestine to be divided into Arab and Jewish states, “more than 750,000 Palestinians were made refugees, 15,000 killed”.
“While these lands might well feel a Jewish ancestral home,” he wrote, “within living memory, it was shared with another people: the majority.” In 1922, in the first census carried out under the British Mandate, the population of Palestine was 763,550: 89% were Arabs and 11% Jewish.
As Palestinian psychiatrist Eyad El Sarraj stressed while talking with Jessica Benjamin during peace negotiations, we must “stand simultaneously for the recognition of all injuries, while at the same time being clear that one side was coming from the position of Occupied and less powerful, the other Occupying and dominating”. Stories matter, politics matters.
And some stories take more time than others – some stories are given more time than others. This is a matter of politics and practicality.
Surviving the October 7 attacks
Israeli journalist Amir Tibon and his family survived the October 7 attack on Kibbutz Nahal Oz, on the Gaza border; they are now internal refugees in northern Israel. He and his partner settled in Nahal Oz and raised a family. On the morning of October 7, they heard the sounds of the attack and raced to their safe room, spending the next five hours in there trying to keep their children – Galia, 3 years old and Carmel, aged 19 months – quiet.
Amir Tibon and his family survived the Oct 7 attack on Kibbutz Nahal Oz, on the Gaza border. Scribe
In discussing Tibon’s book, Gates of Gaza: a story of betrayal, survival and hope in Israel’s borderlands, I risk comparison and competition. Sometimes stories speak to each other, even when they speak to the silences. I resisted this one’s proximity to the above stories. But that is also to resist reality. It is to resist the importance of difference. All experience is valuable, but sometimes comparison reveals inequality.
Plestia knows this well. The survivor guilt of which she writes is part of the hierarchy experienced by all survivors of mass violence. That she and her family survived, that she migrated, is to feel guilt for escaping the fate of those who have been starved, tortured, obliterated.
Yehiel Dinur spoke from this position of guilt on the stand in 1962, saying he was speaking for those who died in Auschwitz. In the face of others’ death, all survivors struggle with justification. Competition is one form of this: Whose agony is greater than mine?
Tibon was a resident of Nahal Oz, having moved there with his partner because of its beauty, nine years before October 7. He describes it as having “a strong, left-wing, liberal political leaning”, and says residents of the border areas are “some of the strongest advocates of Israeli–Palestinian peace”. He writes that the kibbutz movement has, “for decades”, been in favour of “a compromise that would allow Jews and Arabs to share this land, with agreed-upon borders – borders that, of course, would have to be protected”.
In the 300-plus pages, Tibon describes the morning of October 7 in detail. The fear of his children and his partner as they stayed quiet in a safe room for some five hours. The sounds of shootings and desperation as he read pleas and accounts from other residents on the community’s WhatsApp group as the attacks unfolded.
The narrative of that morning is interspersed with accounts from people who survived in his community: his parents, some of those who attended the Nova music festival, and Israeli Defense Force (IDF) soldiers. The narrative moves between that morning and a history of the kibbutz, framed in a history of Israel’s political lurching between right and left – and back again – over the 87 years since its recognition as a nation state by the UN.
In one reading, this is a history book of 87 years – not just an account of five hours. It is a particular history.
The narrative of those five hours is intense, peppered with stories of his parents racing from Tel Aviv to the kibbutz. Tibon’s father is a crucial figure in this narrative. A retired IDF general with “more than three decades” in the military, including combat experience, he seemingly has the capacity to assess situations and navigate a war zone with skill. It is his father who finally knocks on the “safe room” door in the afternoon (about halfway through the book). Tibon reports hearing “a strong bang and a familiar voice” from inside.
The father, we could say, is the embodiment of Tibon’s feelings for – and belief in – a strong, kind Israel. An army general, protective husband and grandfather (in Hebrew, Saba), he is longed for by Tibon’s young children, who “loved their grandparents”, particularly his father, “who pampered and spoiled them at every opportunity”. This grandfather’s presence at the safe-room door allows the family to re-enter the safety of Israel.
If the father is Israel, the sleeping children are its citizens. Carmel and Galia slept through much of the conflict, barely awakened by gunshots. They were rushed to the safe room the moment the shots were heard.
Once you know the stories from Letters of Gaza, it is hard not to compare this to the waking of Mohammed Al Zaqzooq’s three boys – Baraa, Jawad and Basil – to the sound of “Huge missiles in large numbers making terrifying sounds” and the need to flee. Not least, because Amir’s children were barely awakened by shots outside. Their safe room kept the noise muffled and the danger at bay. This is not to say their fear won’t impact on their actions later. Transgenerational trauma has a way of influencing the future.
Mohammed’s children moved quickly, within half an hour, to a refugee camp. At the time of writing, they remain there. His story is five pages long. Amir’s is 300-plus. Amir, an author and award-winning diplomatic correspondent for Haaretz, Israel’s liberal paper of record, has access to a computer, electricity and the security required to think, research and write.
But why does he write this book? In the acknowledgements, he describes himself as needing to be encouraged, unsure of the worth of telling the story of his five hours in the safe room. But he describes much more than five hours.
His book is a story of Israel – and particularly, of its informal settlements. In the early 1950s, he writes, 20 young soldiers – ten men and ten women – were taken by bus to this site to settle it. Nahal Oz is so close to Gaza, it has “agricultural lands which literally touch the border fence”. The kibbutzim functioned as a kind of human border, with increased populations: the 20 broke into couples, then families. Within a few years, they had a small farming community, with a person devoted to security.
Empty land?
This is not a story of military invasion and colonisation, however. It is a story of settlement on land represented as empty. We know this story well in Australia. In this context, it can be a plea for a recognition of innocence.
As Amir tells it, there were no Palestinians in the place before: no one was removed or relocated. Only in passing does he mention the Bedouin who passed through the area before.
In Australia, Irene Watson and Aileen Moreton-Robinson have, in different ways, explained lands do not need to be sites of permanent agriculture to be crucial to the survival of some groups or nations. Borders and settlements can disturb land, law and life regardless of whether houses are demolished or not.
The beauty of Nahal Oz, Amir writes, was due to its access to water and its site on fertile land, where trees provided shelter and probably food. Its loss was likely no small thing to people who required sustenance and shelter as they moved through. After the settlement, they no longer could.
After Israel set up its border there, only Israelis could pass through without being subject to the checkpoints that are well documented sites of humiliation and arbitrary punishment for Palestinians.
By 1997, the walls went up near Nahal Oz. But the walls to shield Nahal Oz from Gaza – and particularly from its people – were not enough. Amir describes the elaborate and extensive tunnels used by Palestinian soldiers to enter Israel (he calls them “terrorists” and “suicide bombers”).
The tunnels became the problem of Palestinian attacks on Israeli settlers. To deal with this problem, the concrete walls were built, reaching 160 metres underground, preventing any permeation. Then, on October 7, the walls could not provide security. Then, there was only the safe room.
The safe room is an obvious metaphor in this book. It is Israel under attack. One of these rooms has been built into every house in the kibbutz, so families can be safe from the mortar attacks from Gaza – a regular occurrence since the 1987 Intifada.
Plestia tells us that the materials for a safe room are not allowed to be brought into Gaza. There are no safe rooms there. Tibon doesn’t mention this; maybe he doesn’t even know this fact, which is its own symptom of the political and social environment in Israel.
He does describe “the unimaginable destruction that Israel has unleashed on Gaza in the aftermath” of the October 7 attacks. He is critical of this “destruction”, though he does not use the term genocide. (There are those who wait for the International Court of Justice to decide if it was more than “plausible” – and there are those who cannot wait.)
Tibon is critical of Israel’s right wing, which cultivates war. He wants peace. But peace here is its own violence.
Like the rhetoric of reconciliation in South Africa, calls for peace can do violence to historical experiences of injustice. There, reconciliation discourse has been criticised, along with its apolitical leanings. Reconciliation in South Africa has largely meant people subject to historical injustices must reconcile themselves to their losses and their reality.
A story attributed to Father Mxolisi Mapanbani, of Tom and Bernard and the bicycle, has been used many times to critique “reconciliation” rhetoric in South Africa. It is helpful here.
Tom and Bernard are friends and live opposite each other. One day, Tom stole Bernard’s bicycle. Every day, Bernard saw Tom cycling to school on it. After some time, Tom went up to Bernard and said, “Let us reconcile and put the past behind us.” Bernard said, “Okay, let’s reconcile – what about the bicycle?” “Oh no,” said Tom, “I’m not talking about the bicycle, I’m talking about reconciliation.”
In the Australian context, after Kevin Rudd’s apology to the stolen generations in 2008, human rights and social justice campaigner Tom Calma described this form of reconciliation as the “unfinished business of justice”.
The apology might have offered some form of acknowledgement, and gone some way toward creating a shared reality on the injustices of the past, but while justice remains unfinished, many are not at peace.
Amir wants peace. He doesn’t want to live in a safe house – but he wants his house and his family to live securely in Nahal Oz. He wants Palestinians to be at peace with this reality.
The word “peace”, like “reconciliation”, does a lot of work to present Tibon on the side of “the good”. Just like, in Letters From Gaza, the relative lack of the word “genocide” keeps the accusation at bay and politics in the background – and it keeps its calls for recognition of suffering at the fore. In this book about “human souls”, the editors call for a recognition of shared humanity.
Tibon is careful not to group “terrorists” under that name – though he uses a Hebrew word that means exactly that. (Mehablim, he calls the people who attacked Nahal Oz.) Why? Though he writes in English and undoubtably spoke Hebrew throughout the siege, why does he speak of the Palestinian attackers as Mehablim?
The answer might be found in the fact no Palestinian name, beyond former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, appears in these pages. He has interviewed many people, but none of them are Palestinian. Their narrative remains outside his text.
We must find the humanity of the Palestinians in other stories.
If the safe room is a metaphor for Israel, the tent – as described in so many of the stories in Letters from Gaza, and in Plestia’s account of those 45 days – is a metaphor for the lives of Palestinians in Israel, and perhaps the world’s eyes.
A tent is permeable, fragile, disposable. Bodies within it are subject to displacement, starvation, genocide. Every house in Tibon’s kibbutz has a safe room. There have been at least seven bombings of tent camps in Gaza. How can you not do the maths?
Stories, awakening and halting the bombs
Stories demand people are not reduced to mathematics. They place the reader in the scene and plead for identification and understanding. Writing on the Eichmann trial, Holocaust historian and legal scholar Lawrence Douglas describes “the words of the survivors that built a bridge from the accused to the world of ashes”.
Afrikaaner journalist and poet Antje Krog writes, on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa, “In all the stories a landscape is created.”
But this landscape, if it is to have any effect, must be mapped across previous perceptions. For that, it must do damage to the secure world – the pre-existing imaginative landscape – of the reader or of the listener.
Moral philosopher Rai Gaita describes remorse as “a dying to the world”: a little death is required of the listener or reader who is implicated as a bystander, encountering the suffering of others. A death of complacency. A small disintegration that may mean our own peaceful worlds are no longer tenable.
This is why stories, particularly, are mobilised in truth commissions. They animate the impossible numbers – the dry policies and repetitive loss – with scenes of humanity. Testimony – personal stories – link the words (genocide, massacre, terror) to an imagination of a scene, a person, a child or a parent. To people we can identify or empathise with.
Like the two worlds connected in Ahmed Mortaja’s poem, Hubb and Harb, In Letters from Gaza:
tonight I will fall asleep telling myself that the noise outside is fireworks, a celebration and nothing more.
That the frightened screams of children are the gleeful terror of suspense before something long-awaited, like Eid.
Tonight, I will fall asleep scrolling through the photos on my phone, telling myself that my evening with friends wasn’t that great – really, I was bored – so now I’m skimming through memories to pass the time.
If empathy were all it took to halt the counting of the 646 days in Gaza, then Letters from Gaza and Eyes on Gaza would achieve their aim. But empathy rarely produces political change.
Stories – the 50 voices in Letters from Gaza, accounts like Plestia’s – make us cry, perhaps make us donate, but they do not halt the bombs. This, and more, might be what Yehiel Dinur meant when he asked for the world to “awaken”, that it change, that it stop what Tibon calls “the unimaginable destruction”.
Until then, Dinur pledged to remain Katzetnik 135633. Until then, we will likely only know “Genocide Plestia”: “it’s funny how genocide changes a person”.
Juliet Rogers does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Elizabeth Carlen, Living Earth Collaborative Postdoctoral Fellow, Washington University in St. Louis
A Buddhist monk in Hong Kong releases fish and chants prayers during a ceremony to free the spirits of tsunami victims.Samantha Sin/AFP via Getty Images
People often consider evolution to be a process that occurs in nature in the background of human society. But evolution is not separate from human beings. In fact, human cultural practices can influence evolution in wildlife. This influence is highly pronounced in cities, where people drastically alter landscapes to meet their own needs.
Human actions can affect wildlife evolution in a number of ways. If people fragment habitat, separated wildlife populations can evolve to be more and more different from each other. If people change certain local conditions, it can pressure organisms in new ways that mean different genes are favored by natural selection and passed on to offspring – another form of evolution that can be driven by what people do.
In a recent review, evolutionary biologists Marta Szulkin, Colin Garrowayand I, in collaboration with scientists spread across five continents, explored how cultural processes – including religion, politics and war – shape urban evolution. We reviewed dozens of empirical studies about urban wildlife around the globe. Our work highlights which human cultural practices have and continue to shape the evolutionary trajectory of wild animals and plants.
Religious practices
If you’ve traveled internationally, you may have noticed the menu at any one McDonald’s restaurant is shaped by the local culture of its location. In the United Arab Emirates, McDonald’s serves an entirely halal menu. Vegetarian items are common and no beef is served in Indian McDonald’s. And in the United States, McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish is especially popular during Lent when observant Catholics don’t consume meat on Fridays.
Similarly, ecosystems of cities are shaped by local cultural practices. Because all wildlife are connected to the environment, cultural practices that alter the landscape shape the evolution of urban organisms.
Populations of fire salamanders have different genes depending on which side of city walls in Oviedo, Spain, they live on. Patrice Skrzynski via Getty Images
For example, in Oviedo, Spain, people constructed walls around religious buildings between the 12th and 16th centuries. This division of the city led to different populations of fire salamanders inside and outside the walls. Because salamanders can’t scale these walls, those on opposite sides became isolated from each other and unable to pass genes back and forth. In a process that scientists call genetic drift, over time salamanders on the two sides became genetically distinct − evidence of the two populations evolving independently.
Imagine dumping out a handful of M&Ms. Just by chance, some colors might be overrepresented and others might be missing. In the same way, genes that are overrepresented on one side of the wall can be in low numbers or missing on the other side. That’s genetic drift.
Introducing non-native wildlife is another way people can alter urban ecosystems and evolutionary processes. For example, prayer animal release is a practice that started in the fifth or sixth century in some sects of Buddhism. Practitioners who strive to cause no harm to any living creature release captive animals, which benefits the animal and is meant to improve the karma of the person who released it.
However, these animals are often captured from the wild or come from the pet trade, thereby introducing non-native wildlife into the urban ecosystem. Non-natives may compete with local species and contribute to the local extinction of native wildlife. Capturing animals nearby has downsides, too. It can diminish local populations, since many die traveling to the release ceremony. The genetic diversity of these local populations in turn decreases, reducing the population’s ability to survive.
Politically motivated campaigns have shaped wildlife in various ways.
Starting in 1958, for instance, the Chinese Communist Party led a movement to eliminate four species that were considered pests: rats, flies, mosquitoes and sparrows. While the first three are commonly considered pests around the world, sparrows made the list because they were “public animals of capitalism” due to their fondness for grain. The extermination campaign ended up decimating the sparrow population and damaging the entire ecosystem. With sparrows no longer hunting and eating insects, crop pests such as locusts thrived, leading to crop destruction and famine.
In the United States, racial politics may be shaping evolutionary processes in wildlife.
For instance, American highways traverse cities according to political agendas and have often dismantled poor neighborhoods of color to make way for multilane thoroughfares. These highways can change how animals are able to disperse and commingle. For example, they prevent bobcats and coyotes from traveling throughout Los Angeles, leading to similar patterns of population differentiation as seen in fire salamanders in Spain.
Wildlife during and after war
Human religious and political agendas often lead to armed conflict. Wars are known to dramatically alter the environment, as seen in current conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine.
While documenting evolutionary changes to urban wildlife is secondary to keeping people safe during wartime, a handful of studies on wildlife have come out of active war zones. For example, the current Russia-Ukraine war affected the migration of greater spotted eagles. They made large diversions around the active war zone, arriving later than usual at their breeding grounds. The longer route increased the energy the eagles used during migration and likely influenced their fitness during breeding.
Wars limit access to resources for people living in active war zones. The lack of energy to heat homes in Ukraine during the winter has led urban residents to harvest wood from nearby forests. This harvesting will have long-term consequences on forest dynamics, likely altering future evolutionary potential.
A similar example is famine that occurred during the Democratic Republic of Congo’s civil wars (1996-1997, 1998-2003) and led to an increase in bushmeat consumption. This wildlife hunting is known to reduce primate population sizes, making them more susceptible to local extinction.
Even after war, landscapes experience consequences.
For example, the demilitarized zone between North Korea and South Korea is a 160-mile (250-kilometer) barrier, established in 1953, separating the two countries. Heavily fortified with razor wire and landmines, the demilitarized zone has become a de facto nature sanctuary supporting thousands of species, including dozens of endangered species.
The collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War led to the establishment of the European Green Belt, which runs along the same path as the Iron Curtain. This protected ecological network is over 7,800 miles (12,500 kilometers) long, allowing wildlife to move freely across 24 countries in Europe. Like the Korean DMZ, the European Green Belt allows for wildlife to move, breed and exchange genes, despite political boundaries. Politics has removed human influence from these spaces, allowing them to be a safe haven for wildlife.
While researchers have documented a number of examples of wildlife evolving in response to human history and cultural practices, there’s plenty more to uncover. Cultures differ around the world, meaning each city has its own set of variables that shape the evolutionary processes of wildlife. Understanding how these human cultural practices shape evolutionary patterns will allow people to better design cities that support both humans and the wildlife that call these places home.
Ideas for this article were developed as part of a NSF funded Research Coordination Network (DEB 1840663). Elizabeth Carlen was funded by the Living Earth Collaborative.
SEVILLE, Spain – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) welcomes a USD 37 million contribution from the Republic of Korea (ROK) through a new joint initiative to support WFP’s humanitarian operations in crisis areas.
Launched in 2025, the REACH initiative (Responding with Emergency Assistance for Conflict-affected Households) is designed to provide emergency support to vulnerable households impacted by conflict and disaster. The new initiative allows the Republic of Korea to support global humanitarian response in a more strategic and impactful way.
The ROK Ministry of Foreign Affairs and WFP held a meeting on the sidelines of the 4th Development Finance Conference in Seville, Spain, on 1 July, reaffirming their shared commitment to addressing global food crises. The meeting was attended by Rania Dagash-Kamara, WFP Assistant Executive Director for Partnerships and Innovation, and Jina Kim, Second Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the ROK.
“The Republic of Korea-WFP REACH initiative is more than a funding mechanism – it is a strategic partnership built on trust and shared values,” said Rania Dagash-Kamara, WFP Assistant Executive Director. “The ROK’s continued solidarity helps WFP’s response in unprecedented humanitarian crises, delivering life-saving assistance to communities in places like Palestine, Sudan, and Syria.”
Under the REACH initiative, WFP will deliver emergency relief, including food assistance, cash-based transfers, and nutrition support with a focus on helping vulnerable households stabilize their livelihoods. The initiative showcases ROK’s humanitarian leadership and commitment to global solidarity, playing a critical role in saving lives and delivering hope in times of crisis.
In 2024, the Republic of Korea contributed over USD 200 million to WFP, becoming one of WFP’s top five government donors. Having once received assistance from WFP more than 60 years ago, ROK has transitioned into a leading donor – an inspiring testament to progress in the fight against hunger.
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The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.
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WHO welcomes the approval by the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) of the first ever Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) agreement focused on Pandemic Preparedness and Response.
On 25 June 2025, the Executive Board approved a new 30-month RSF arrangement to support Jordan’s efforts to address long-term vulnerabilities including strengthening capacity to respond to health emergencies and future pandemics. This support—amounting to up to US$ 700 million—will help enhance financial and policy capacity to mitigate those risks. In the context of declining external aid and a worldwide health financing crisis, this support represents a significant opportunity to boost domestic funding and invest in building resilient, sustainable health systems.
“The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for new sources of financing to bolster health systems to make them more able to prevent and detect epidemics and pandemics, and to respond and withstand them when they strike,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “WHO is proud to be working with the IMF and the World Bank to unlock financing from the Resilience and Sustainability Trust, and support countries to put it to work for a safer world.”
In the aftermath of the COVID-19 crisis, the Resilience and Sustainability Trust (RST) was established by the IMF in 2022 as a new loan-based funding mechanism. It aims to provide affordable, long-term financing to low- and lower-middle-income countries to address climate change and challenges preparing and responding to pandemics. The RST leverages Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) contributed by higher-income countries and offers financing with a 20-year maturity and a 10½-year grace period. While several RSF agreements have already been approved for climate-related purposes, this marks the first RSF arrangement approved by the IMF Executive Board specifically for pandemic preparedness and response and health-related objectives.
In 2024 WHO signed an agreement with the IMF and the World Bank Group to provide technical support for the definition and implementation of country-level RSF arrangements. In Jordan, WHO collaborated closely with the Ministry of Health to identify relevant policy measures aimed at strengthening the financing and operational preparedness system. This includes efforts to consolidate the budgetary and overall governance framework that will serve as the foundation for future health emergency response. Moving forward, WHO teams across the Organization are committed to supporting the implementation of these reform measures in collaboration with the IMF, national authorities, and local partners as part of the RSF arrangement.
All eyes will be on Chiang Mai this Saturday as India face Thailand in a winner-takes-all clash for a place at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026.
After more than two months of preparation and three dominant wins in the group stage, the Blue Tigresses are one match away from rewriting history. India have never qualified for the Asian Cup through the qualifiers route — the last time they featured was in 2003, when there were none. They did play in the 2022 edition as hosts but were forced to withdraw due to a COVID-19 outbreak.
The stakes are higher this time. The path to a first-ever FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2027 runs through Australia. “Qualification right now would be a huge boost for Indian football overall,” head coach Crispin Chettri said. “It would inspire more young girls to take up the sport and help the women’s game grow. For those already in the national team, it’s a chance to test themselves against Asia’s best — and possibly the world’s.”
On paper, Thailand hold the edge. They are ranked 46th in the world, 24 spots above India, and have qualified for nine consecutive Asian Cups and two World Cups (2015, 2019). Yet in the qualifiers so far, the two teams have been neck and neck. India thrashed Mongolia 13-0, Timor Leste 4-0, and Iraq 5-0. Thailand beat the same opponents 11-0, 4-0, and 7-0. Both sides boast a +22 goal difference — setting up a knockout in every sense. If scores remain level after 90 minutes, the tie will be decided on penalties.
Chettri knows Saturday’s test will be tougher but insists the approach remains unchanged. “We’ve respected every opponent and prepared diligently. Thailand are a stronger side and deserve that respect — but our plan is to finish the job in 90 minutes. We’re not thinking about penalties.”
Midfielders Anju Tamang and Sangita Basfore know what to expect. The duo featured when India lost narrowly to Thailand 1-0 at the 2023 Asian Games in China. “They’re a quality side,” said Tamang, who has a goal and two assists so far. “They like to keep the ball and play quick, short passes. We have to fight hard and play with the right spirit to get the win.”
For India, the equation is simple: a win in Chiang Mai keeps the dream alive — and brings the 2027 World Cup one step closer.
All eyes will be on Chiang Mai this Saturday as India face Thailand in a winner-takes-all clash for a place at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Australia 2026.
After more than two months of preparation and three dominant wins in the group stage, the Blue Tigresses are one match away from rewriting history. India have never qualified for the Asian Cup through the qualifiers route — the last time they featured was in 2003, when there were none. They did play in the 2022 edition as hosts but were forced to withdraw due to a COVID-19 outbreak.
The stakes are higher this time. The path to a first-ever FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2027 runs through Australia. “Qualification right now would be a huge boost for Indian football overall,” head coach Crispin Chettri said. “It would inspire more young girls to take up the sport and help the women’s game grow. For those already in the national team, it’s a chance to test themselves against Asia’s best — and possibly the world’s.”
On paper, Thailand hold the edge. They are ranked 46th in the world, 24 spots above India, and have qualified for nine consecutive Asian Cups and two World Cups (2015, 2019). Yet in the qualifiers so far, the two teams have been neck and neck. India thrashed Mongolia 13-0, Timor Leste 4-0, and Iraq 5-0. Thailand beat the same opponents 11-0, 4-0, and 7-0. Both sides boast a +22 goal difference — setting up a knockout in every sense. If scores remain level after 90 minutes, the tie will be decided on penalties.
Chettri knows Saturday’s test will be tougher but insists the approach remains unchanged. “We’ve respected every opponent and prepared diligently. Thailand are a stronger side and deserve that respect — but our plan is to finish the job in 90 minutes. We’re not thinking about penalties.”
Midfielders Anju Tamang and Sangita Basfore know what to expect. The duo featured when India lost narrowly to Thailand 1-0 at the 2023 Asian Games in China. “They’re a quality side,” said Tamang, who has a goal and two assists so far. “They like to keep the ball and play quick, short passes. We have to fight hard and play with the right spirit to get the win.”
For India, the equation is simple: a win in Chiang Mai keeps the dream alive — and brings the 2027 World Cup one step closer.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
TEHRAN, July 4 (Xinhua) — Iran still views diplomacy as an effective means of settling disputes, provided the other side is sincerely committed to these solutions in practice, President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Friday.
As noted in a statement published on the website of the Iranian presidential office, M. Pezeshkian made the corresponding judgment at a meeting with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon in Khankendi, Azerbaijan, where he attended the 17th summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) earlier that day.
M. Pezeshkian recalled that while Iran was seeking to resolve existing problems through negotiations with the West, especially with the United States, Israel began to carry out airstrikes against it.
“Iran continues to see negotiations and diplomacy as effective solutions to resolve differences, provided that the other side shows in practice that it is committed to these solutions,” he added.
The Tajik president, for his part, condemned Israel’s “aggression” against Iran, stressing that all parties need to return to the negotiating table and remain committed to diplomacy to resolve differences.
The statement said the presidents also called for accelerating the implementation of previously signed bilateral cooperation agreements in various fields, especially in the economy, trade and culture. –0–
On 1 July 2025, His Excellency Mr. Thanawat Sirikul, Ambassador of Thailand to Egypt, met with members of the Thai Student Association in Cairo under the Royal Patronage (TSA in Cairo), 70th Committee, at the Royal Thai Embassy in Cairo. During the meeting, the Ambassador highlighted the Thai Government’s student-related policy to enhance national competitiveness through the promotion of digital skills and Artificial Intelligence (AI). He also underscored the importance of foreign language proficiency—particularly in English and Arabic—as these skills are increasingly in demand in Thailand’s tourism and hospitality sectors. Furthermore, in light of the current fragile security situation in the region, the Ambassador emphasized the need for students to stay informed and updated on regional developments by following the news regularly.
On this occasion, the Embassy also introduced a new online certificate issuance system designed to streamline and expedite the processing of official documents. This system will be especially useful for students requiring certificates for purposes such as academic applications or scholarship requests. Additionally, members of the TSA in Cairo presented their planned activities for the upcoming semester break. These include more than ten initiatives covering areas such as academics, sports and recreation, and the overall well-being of Thai students in Cairo. In response, the Embassy expressed its continued commitment to supporting the initiatives of the TSA in Cairo.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Royal Thai Embassy, Cairo, Egypt.
The Kingdom of Morocco and the Republic of Ecuador reiterated on Friday in Rabat their mutual willingness to further strengthen the development of their bilateral relations.
Following the meeting held between the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Mr. Nasser Bourita, and the Ecuadorian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility, Mrs. Gabriela Sommerfeld, both parties underscored the outstanding bilateral ties of friendship and solidarity, and agreed on the importance of sustaining these exchanges and regularly reviewing them to further strengthen cooperation.
The ministers stressed that International Law is fundamentally based on mutual respect for the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence of States, as well as on fulfilling obligations under treaties and other sources of international law.
Bourita and Sommerfeld said they were pleased with the convergence of their views on regional and international issues and reiterated their commitment to working for global peace and security.
They agreed to pool efforts to address global challenges within various international and multilateral bodies, such as climate change, gender issues, human rights, the blue and green agendas, food security, health, pandemic prevention and response, and combating insecurity and corruption.
The two sides also tackled the significance of implementing the SDGs in an integrated and holistic manner to eradicate poverty and fight climate change while promoting sustainable land use and water management.
During their meeting, the two ministers also exchanged views on regional and international issues, including the situations in Africa and Latin America, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
They reaffirmed the importance of people-to-people exchanges in strengthening mutual understanding, friendship, and cooperation in communication, culture, education, sports, arts, youth, civil society, and the economy.
They also expressed their strong commitment to boosting investments through fluid commercial information exchange, promoting strategic alliances with the private sector, and actively supporting initiatives that facilitate and expand bilateral trade, in order to multiply business opportunities and explore the potential for diversified trade and investment between the two countries.
The two parties explored collaborative prospects within various Atlantic cooperation initiatives. They also voiced their aspiration to make this space a geostrategic framework for dialogue, aimed at promoting development and ensuring security and solidarity, as well as bringing together the peoples of the Global South and North.
Regarding migration, Morocco and Ecuador commended the efforts made in the area, especially within the framework of the Marrakesh Pact, the Rabat Process, and the Los Angeles Declaration, and reaffirmed their shared commitment to dynamic mobility that enables a safe, smooth, and orderly movement of people.
The two officials also expressed their shared will to further strengthen the bilateral legal framework to address common areas of interest in cooperation.
To this end, the ministers welcomed the signing of two legal instruments: a Memorandum of Understanding on diplomatic training and exchange of experiences between Morocco’s Institute of Training, Research, and Diplomatic Studies (IMFRED) and the “Galo Plaza Lasso” Diplomatic Academy of the Ecuadorian Foreign Affairs Ministry; and a Memorandum of Understanding establishing a mechanism for bilateral political consultations.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Kingdom of Morocco – Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Baku, July 4 (Xinhua) — Azerbaijan hosted the 17th summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), which was held in the city of Khankendi on Friday under the chairmanship of President Ilham Aliyev, the organization’s secretariat said.
The motto of the event is “A New Vision for a Sustainable and Climate-Resilient Future”.
The summit was attended by representatives of all 10 ECO member states: Azerbaijan, Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Afghanistan.
The summit agenda covered issues such as trade expansion, sustainable development, climate change, development of transport corridors and institutional strengthening. The summit participants reaffirmed their commitment to deepening cooperation in energy, science, education, tourism and inclusive growth.
Participants welcomed the ceasefire between Iran and Israel as a step toward de-escalation and stressed the need for diplomatic solutions. There was a call for the expansion of nuclear-weapon-free zones.
It was announced that the next ECO summit will be held in Iran in 2027. –0–
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
JERUSALEM, July 4 (Xinhua) — The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced in a statement on Friday that it has now established operational control over more than 65 percent of the Gaza Strip.
The statement was accompanied by a military map showing areas under Israeli control, primarily in the northern, southern and eastern parts of the Palestinian enclave, as well as IDF deployment zones throughout the region.
According to Israeli television channel Channel 12 News, when the Israeli military resumed its offensive in Gaza in March, it set a goal of controlling 75 percent of the territory.
The IDF also said it had killed more than 100 militants in Gaza over the past week, including four senior commanders. Since March 18, the Israeli Air Force has struck more than 7,500 military infrastructure sites, including weapons depots, rocket launch sites and underground bunkers.
Israel’s offensive, which began in October 2023, has left at least 57,130 documented Palestinians dead and 135,173 wounded, Gaza health authorities said Thursday. –0–
From 2 to 3 July 2025, Eurojust and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Justice jointly hosted a successful workshop in Abu Dhabi, marking a significant advancement in the fight against transnational organised crime. The event brought together 25 participants, including prosecutors from all Public Prosecution departments of the seven emirates of the UAE, central authority staff, and representatives from the UAE’s Interpol office. Attendees had the opportunity to exchange best practices, tackle common challenges, and strengthen existing partnership.
The workshop centered on presenting Eurojust’s mandate and activities to UAE counterparts, while discussing the respective roles in international judicial cooperation, cybercrime, money laundering, and asset recovery. Eurojust’s representatives shared their knowledge and experience, emphasizing the critical importance of cooperation and coordination in tackling complex, cross-border crimes. The event also served as a platform for constructive dialogue and knowledge exchange. By exploring ways to enhance collaboration, participants sought to identify opportunities for more effective cooperation between the UAE and EU Member States in combating organised crime.
The workshop is a key deliverable under the framework of the 8th UAE–EU Structural Dialogue on Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT). This dialogue aims to strengthen cooperation between the UAE and the EU in the areas of anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism.
In Abu Dhabi, the Eurojust delegation, led by Vice-President José de la Mata, also took part in several high-level meetings, including discussions with the UAE Minister of Justice Abdullah Al Nuaimi, the EU Ambassador to the UAE Lucie Berger as well as Ambassadors and representatives from EU Member States.
Eurojust’s collaboration with the UAE is part of its broader efforts to strengthen cooperation with third countries, and to promote the rule of law and justice globally. The workshop was supported by the CTJUST project.
Question for written answer E-002583/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Loucas Fourlas (PPE)
There has been an increase in the number of cases of second-hand vehicles being illegally imported from the United Kingdom into the Republic of Cyprus via non-EU countries – mainly Bulgaria. Some cases show that administrative loopholes and rules governing the movement of vehicles in the EU are being exploited to avoid customs and fiscal checks. These practices undermine public security, tax fairness and transparency in the second-hand vehicle market.
In view of this, can the Commission answer the following:
1.Is it aware of these practices and the dangers they pose?
2.Does it intend to strengthen the framework for cooperation between customs authorities in the Member States to deal with such phenomena?
3.What measures does it propose to ensure the traceability of a vehicle’s movements between countries in the EU?
Question for written answer E-002583/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Loucas Fourlas (PPE)
There has been an increase in the number of cases of second-hand vehicles being illegally imported from the United Kingdom into the Republic of Cyprus via non-EU countries – mainly Bulgaria. Some cases show that administrative loopholes and rules governing the movement of vehicles in the EU are being exploited to avoid customs and fiscal checks. These practices undermine public security, tax fairness and transparency in the second-hand vehicle market.
In view of this, can the Commission answer the following:
1.Is it aware of these practices and the dangers they pose?
2.Does it intend to strengthen the framework for cooperation between customs authorities in the Member States to deal with such phenomena?
3.What measures does it propose to ensure the traceability of a vehicle’s movements between countries in the EU?
Question for written answer E-002579/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Kostas Papadakis (NI)
The introduction of the SAFE Regulation is evidence of the EU’s deeper involvement in dangerous war planning and a shift to the ‘war economy’, in the context of competition with Russia, China and the US. The regulation envisages the participation of ‘like-minded third countries’, such as Türkiye – a country which challenges the borders and sovereign rights of Member States such as Greece, while occupying 37 % of the territory of Cyprus without recognising it.
In view of this, can the Commission say:
1.What view does it take of the fact that the SAFE Regulation intensifies competition between the EU and China, Russia and the US, promoting dangerous planning and a deeper involvement in war, actions which are already jeopardising – and harming – the safety ordinary people?
2.What view does it take of the need – which is at odds with the EU’s war economy plans – to raise salaries and pensions, to reinstate 13th and 14th salaries and pensions for public sector employees and to increase health, education and welfare expenditure in order to meet the needs of workers rather than to finance groups in the EU’s war industry, which, through their dangerous planning, create new avenues for profit, with unpredictable risks for ordinary people?
3.What view does it take of the fact that the SAFE Regulation involves so-called ‘third countries’, including Ukraine on the grounds of Russia’s invasion and occupation of its territories, while Türkiye – a country which has, among other things, invaded and occupied territories of Cyprus, an EU Member State, since 1974 and which challenges the borders and sovereign rights of Greece – is participating in the same programme?
The next meeting of the Delegation for Relations with Palestine will take place on Wednesday, 9 July 2025, 17.00-18.30, in Strasbourg, (Room CHURCHILL 200).
The main issue in the agenda will be an exchange of views on the resource theft and humanitarian needs (including the right to water) in the Occupied Palestinian Territories with
· Ms Rasha Abu Dayyeh, PENGON Head of Advocacy;
· Ms Bushra Khalidi, from Oxfam’s Policy lead in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Gaza;
· Mr Monther Shoblaq, Director General of the Coastal Municipalities Water Utility, Gaza.
The Commission is aware of flights by Turkish air carriers between Ercan Airport and Türkiye even though the airport has not been designated by the Republic of Cyprus, in accordance with Article 68 of the Chicago Convention, for use for international air services.
Moreover, in the absence of an air services agreement in force between the Republic of Cyprus and Türkiye, such operations are not permitted, in accordance with Article 6 of the same Convention.
The Commission considers that in line with the 2024 Türkiye Report[1] which sets out Türkiye’s obligations on the normalisation of relations with Cyprus, Türkiye is expected to actively support negotiations on a fair, comprehensive and viable settlement of the Cyprus issue, in accordance with relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions and the EU’s founding principles and acquis.
As for potential sanctions by the Commission, it should be noted that there is no agreement on air services between the EU and Türkiye. Such an agreement might allow the Commission to directly address the situation and adopt measures on such air carriers.
Air services between the Member States and Türkiye (including those operated by Turkish air carriers) are currently governed by the respective air services agreements in force between Member States and Türkiye.
Any decision on adopting restrictive measures (sanctions) under the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy is for the Council to make under Article 31 Treaty on European Union[2].
HE President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro met today in Caracas with HE Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi.
The meeting discussed aspects of cooperation between the two countries and ways to enhance and promote them, in addition to the latest regional and international developments, particularly in Latin America, the Gaza Strip and the occupied Palestinian territories. Discussions also addressed the joint Qatari mediation efforts aimed at achieving a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, as well as a range of issues of mutual interest.
HE the Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized the State of Qatar’s commitment to enhancing its partnership with the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in all areas. He also underscored the importance of intensifying joint efforts to promote stability throughout the Latin American region.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department today (July 4) said that subsequent to yesterday’s announcement that kinds of prepackaged turkey bacon originated from the United States (US) might have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, a follow-up investigation showed that an importer had imported one of the affected products. The CFS urged the public not to consume the product. The trade should stop using or selling the affected batch of the product immediately if they possess it.
Product details are as follows:
Product name: Oscar Mayer Turkey Bacon Original Place of origin: US Pack size (Universal Product Code/Lot number) and use-by dates: (1) 12oz (071871548601/RS40), July 18 to August 2, 2025; (2) 36oz (071871548748/RS19, RS40 and RS42), July 23 to September 4, 2025; and (3) 48oz (071871548793/RS19, RS40 and RS42), July 18 to September 4, 2025
“The CFS has been closely following up on the notice issued by United States Department of Agriculture indicating that the above-mentioned product might have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes and is being recalled. Upon learning of the incident, the CFS immediately followed up on the incident, and learnt during the follow-up investigation that an importer (Etak International Limited) had imported one of the concerned products (pack size: 12oz; use-by date: July 26, 2025).”
The importer concerned has stopped sales and removed from shelves the affected product, and has initiated a recall according to the CFS’s instructions. Members of the public may call its hotline at 2526 2371 during office hours for enquiries about the recall of the product concerned.
“Listeria monocytogenes can be easily destroyed by cooking but can survive and multiply at refrigerator temperature. Most healthy individuals do not develop symptoms or only have mild symptoms like fever, muscle pain, headache, nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea when infected. However, severe complications such as septicaemia, meningitis or even death may occur in newborns, the elderly and those with a weaker immune system. Although infected pregnant women may just experience mild symptoms generally, the infection of Listeria monocytogenes may cause miscarriage, infant death, preterm birth, or severe infection in newborns,” the spokesman said.
“In order to reduce the risk of listeriosis, susceptible populations such as pregnant women should consume freshly prepared hot food where possible, reheat chilled food until it is hot all the way through, and avoid high-risk foods, including ready-to-eat food such as cold cuts, cold smoked seafood, soft cheeses, salads, etc, or cook them thoroughly before consumption, even if they are presented as part of a dish.”
The CFS will alert the trade to the incident, and will continue to follow up and take appropriate action. The investigation is ongoing.
Source: Rosneft – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
The shareholders approved the payment of dividends for 2024 in the amount of 14.68 roubles per share. July 20, 2025 was set as the dividend record date.
The shareholders have also elected a new Board of Directors consisting of 11 members:
Andrey I. Akimov – Chairman of the Management Board, Gazprombank (Joint-Stock Company);
Pedro A. Aquino, Jr. – Chief Executive Officer of OIL & PETROLEUM HOLDINGS INTERNATIONAL RESOURCES LIMITED, Independent Director (Republic of the Philippines);
Faizal Alsuwaidi – Representative of Qatar Investment Authority (the State of Qatar);
Hamad Rashid Al-Mohannadi – Representative of Qatar Investment Authority (the State of Qatar);
Mohammed Bin Saleh Al-Sada – Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Doha University of Science and Technology, Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors of Nesma Infrastructure & Technology, Member of the Advisory Committee of the Governing Body of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Independent Director (the State of Qatar);
Viktor G. Martynov – Rector of Gubkin Russian State University of Oil and Gas (National Research University), Independent Director;
Alexander D. Nekipelov – Director of Moscow School of Economics at the Lomonosov Moscow State University, Independent Director;
Alexander V. Novak – Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation;
Maxim S. Oreshkin – Deputy Head of the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation;
Govind Kottis Satish – Managing Director of VALUE PROLIFIC CONSULTING SERVICES PRIVATE LIMITED, Independent Director (Republic of India);
Igor I. Sechin – Chief Executive Officer, Chairman of the Management Board of Rosneft Oil Company.
The Meeting of Shareholders has also approved the Annual Report and Financial Statements, and decided to elect an Audit Commission consisting of five members.
Department of Information and Advertising Rosneft Oil Company July 4, 2025
These materials contain statements regarding future events and expectations that are forward-looking estimates. Any statement in these materials that is not historical information is a forward-looking statement that involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the expected results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. We assume no obligation to adjust the data contained herein to reflect actual results, changes in underlying assumptions or factors affecting the forward-looking statements.
Please note; this information is the raw content received directly from the information source. This is exactly what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
U.S. oil and gas company VAALCO Energy has begun refurbishing its FPSO facility at the Baobab field in Block CI-40, offshore Ivory Coast. The modernization is set to increase production beyond the current 2,891 barrels of oil equivalent per day and extend the field’s economic life. A new drilling campaign is planned for 2026 to further develop both the Baobab field and the nearby Kossipo discovery. In addition, VAALCO farmed into Block CI-705 as operator in March 2025, reinforcing its long-term commitment to Ivory Coast’s energy sector.
In line with the African Energy Week: Invest in African Energies agenda – which centers on maximizing resource development to end energy poverty and drive industrial growth – VAALCO Energy is participating in the 2025 edition as a Platinum Partner. Held under the theme, Invest in African Energy: Positioning Africa as the Global Energy Champion, this year’s event will spotlight the contributions of companies like VAALCO in unlocking the continent’s estimated 125 billion barrels of crude oil and 620 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. With over 600 million people in Africa lacking access to reliable electricity and 900 million without clean cooking solutions, Africa’s hydrocarbon resources remain critical to closing the energy access gap.
Recognizing this, VAALCO is expanding its investments and footprint across key African markets. In Gabon, the company operates the Etame Marin block with a 58.8% working interest and is preparing to launch a new drilling campaign in Q3 2025. To support its efforts in both Gabon and Ivory Coast, VAALCO secured a $300 million revolving credit facility from Standard Bank of South Africa in March 2025.
In Egypt, VAALCO brought five new wells online in 2025, boosting daily output and enhancing regional energy stability. The company also identified new reserves and a production zone during a Q4 2024 exploration campaign. Its Egyptian portfolio spans the Eastern Desert – including the West Gharib, West Bakr and North West Gharib concessions – as well as the South Ghazalat concession in the Western Desert.
Meanwhile, in Equatorial Guinea, VAALCO is progressing toward FID for the Venus field development in Block P, with front-end engineering and design currently underway. Drilling is set to commence following FID, with first oil targeted for 2026. As the company scales up its operations across the continent, AEW: Invest in African Energies offers a strategic platform for VAALCO to engage with partners, investors, buyers and regulators and to solidify its role in advancing Africa’s industrialization.
“VAALCO Energy’s growing footprint across Africa speaks to the vast opportunities available on the continent. Their commitment to investing in infrastructure, boosting production and supporting local economies aligns perfectly with our mission to position Africa as a global energy frontier,” states Tomás Gerbasio, VP of Commercial and Strategic Engagement, African Energy Chamber.
– on behalf of African Energy Chamber.
About African Energy Week: AEW: Invest in African Energies is the platform of choice for project operators, financiers, technology providers and government, and has emerged as the official place to sign deals in African energy. Visit www.AECWeek.com for more information about this exciting event.
Detectives are appealing to the public to help trace a suspect, after shots were heard in Ladywell Fields, Catford.
Officers are releasing an image of the suspect, who fled the scene on a motorbike shortly after the incident.
Police were called to Ladywell Fields at 15:43hrs on Tuesday 14 May after gunshots were heard by several witnesses.
No injuries were reported and no arrests have been made at this stage.
Detective Inspector Jordan Gardner from the Trident Reactive team leading the investigation, said:
“My team are following multiple lines of inquiry in this investigation, which I know has caused concern in the community.
“We are now asking the public to help us in identifying this suspect and are also asking if anyone recognises the pictured motorbike. If you recall seeing it, either on the day of the incident, parked in a driveway or specific location, or know someone who may have been using it in recent years – please get in touch.”
If anyone has any information that can help, please contact the police on 101 quoting CAD5273/14MAY.
To remain anonymous, call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
DAMASCUS, July 4 (Xinhua) — An unspecified fire broke out on Friday afternoon in the bushes near the Qasr al-Shaab presidential palace located on a mountaintop overlooking the capital Damascus, filling much of the area with thick black smoke, local media and eyewitnesses reported.
According to the Syrian state television channel Al-Ikhbariya, the fire broke out in the kitchen in one of the residence’s gardens, and not inside the building.
The report said that civil defense forces are currently trying to contain the fire.
A nearby Xinhua reporter said he saw huge plumes of smoke filling the Mazzeh district in the west of the Syrian capital. –0–
Luxembourg – 4 July 2025 - Subsea 7 S.A. (Oslo Børs: SUBC, ADR: SUBCY) today announced the award of sizeable1 contract offshore Egypt.
Subsea7 will be responsible for the engineering, procurement, commissioning and installation of flexible pipelines, umbilicals, and associated subsea components for a tie back to existing infrastructures.
Project management and engineering work will begin immediately at Subsea7’s offices in France, Portugal, and Egypt. Offshore activity is expected to start in 2026.
David Bertin, Subsea7’s Senior Vice President GPC East, said: “Our early engagement has been instrumental in shaping a shared vision and delivering innovative, efficient solutions. This award is a testament to the strength of our collaboration, our proven track record, and our commitment to safe, high-quality execution. We are pleased to be able to support our client in enabling and executing such a strategically important project in Egypt.”
(1) Subsea7 defines a sizeable contract as being between $50 million and $150 million
******************************************************************************* Subsea7 is a global leader in the delivery of offshore projects and services for the evolving energy industry, creating sustainable value by being the industry’s partner and employer of choice in delivering the efficient offshore solutions the world needs.
Subsea7 is listed on the Oslo Børs (SUBC), ISIN LU0075646355, LEI 222100AIF0CBCY80AH62.
Contact for investment community enquiries: Katherine Tonks Investor Relations Director Tel +44 20 8210 5568 ir@subsea7.com
Contact for media enquiries: Hariom Cavalcante Communications Manager Tel +33 59 69 01 02 Hariom.Cavalcante@subsea7.com
Forward-Looking Statements: This document may contain ‘forward-looking statements’ (within the meaning of the safe harbour provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995). These statements relate to our current expectations, beliefs, intentions, assumptions or strategies regarding the future and are subject to known and unknown risks that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as ‘anticipate’, ‘believe’, ‘estimate’, ‘expect’, ‘future’, ‘goal’, ‘intend’, ‘likely’ ‘may’, ‘plan’, ‘project’, ‘seek’, ‘should’, ‘strategy’ ‘will’, and similar expressions. The principal risks which could affect future operations of the Group are described in the ‘Risk Management’ section of the Group’s Annual Report and Consolidated Financial Statements. Factors that may cause actual and future results and trends to differ materially from our forward-looking statements include (but are not limited to): (i) our ability to deliver fixed price projects in accordance with client expectations and within the parameters of our bids, and to avoid cost overruns; (ii) our ability to collect receivables, negotiate variation orders and collect the related revenue; (iii) our ability to recover costs on significant projects; (iv) capital expenditure by oil and gas companies, which is affected by fluctuations in the price of, and demand for, crude oil and natural gas; (v) unanticipated delays or cancellation of projects included in our backlog; (vi) competition and price fluctuations in the markets and businesses in which we operate; (vii) the loss of, or deterioration in our relationship with, any significant clients; (viii) the outcome of legal proceedings or governmental inquiries; (ix) uncertainties inherent in operating internationally, including economic, political and social instability, boycotts or embargoes, labour unrest, changes in foreign governmental regulations, corruption and currency fluctuations; (x) the effects of a pandemic or epidemic or a natural disaster; (xi) liability to third parties for the failure of our joint venture partners to fulfil their obligations; (xii) changes in, or our failure to comply with, applicable laws and regulations (including regulatory measures addressing climate change); (xiii) operating hazards, including spills, environmental damage, personal or property damage and business interruptions caused by adverse weather; (xiv) equipment or mechanical failures, which could increase costs, impair revenue and result in penalties for failure to meet project completion requirements; (xv) the timely delivery of vessels on order and the timely completion of ship conversion programmes; (xvi) our ability to keep pace with technological changes and the impact of potential information technology, cyber security or data security breaches; (xvii) global availability at scale and commercially viability of suitable alternative vessel fuels; and (xviii) the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting. Many of these factors are beyond our ability to control or predict. Given these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on the forward-looking statements. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this document. We undertake no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
This stock exchange release was published by Katherine Tonks, Investor Relations, Subsea7, on 4 July 2025 at 18:10 CET.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BERLIN, July 4 (Xinhua) — At least 23 people were injured, one of them seriously, after a FlixBus long-distance bus traveling from Denmark to Austria overturned early Friday in northeastern Germany, German police said.
The accident occurred at around 2:40 a.m. local time on the A19 motorway in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern as the bus traveled to Berlin. According to law enforcement, the passenger with the most serious injuries remained trapped inside the vehicle for two hours before being rescued and airlifted to a Berlin hospital.
The police noted that information about the number of victims and the severity of their injuries is not final, since the investigation is ongoing.
There were 54 passengers and two drivers on the bus at the time of the accident. According to local media, the passengers included citizens of at least 20 countries, including Germany, Denmark, Ukraine, France, Italy, Australia, Syria, Japan and China. –0–
bp South Africa – a subsidiary of global energy major bp – is undergoing a strategic transformation to modernize its services, infrastructure and customer experience across the country. In May 2025, the company launched a comprehensive nationwide upgrade of its existing service stations and announced plans to construct 40 new retail sites equipped with expanded offerings, including electric vehicle charging stations and a low-carbon battery rental service. These efforts underscore bp South Africa’s commitment to driving innovation while addressing energy poverty and decarbonization.
As part of this strategic evolution, bp South Africa returns to African Energy Week (AEW) 2025: Invest in African Energies as a Platinum Partner, reaffirming its commitment to Africa’s energy future. Held under the theme Positioning Africa as the Global Energy Champion, AEW: Invest in African Energies serves as the continent’s premier platform for high-level dialogue, deal-making and partnership-building. The event brings together key stakeholders to accelerate progress toward a just and inclusive energy transition.
AEW: Invest in African Energies is the platform of choice for project operators, financiers, technology providers and government, and has emerged as the official place to sign deals in African energy. Visitwww.AECWeek.comfor more information about this exciting event.
In line with its growth strategy, bp South Africa is enhancing fuel logistics through partnerships with DP World and Makwande Supply & Distribution, ensuring more efficient and cost-effective delivery of petroleum products nationwide. The company signed an agreement with the two logistics firms in 2024, enabling bp South Africa to outsource highly-specialized, non-core functions These initiatives aim to improve fuel accessibility and operational resilience across urban and rural markets.
Beyond infrastructure, bp South Africa is deeply invested in local economic development, gender empowerment and inclusive growth. The company places a strong emphasis on diversity, with various programs being implemented to empower local businesses, enhance skills development and outreach. Notably, through a R58 million partnership with the Small Enterprise Finance Agency, bp South Africa is supporting black-owned SMEs with funding and technical skills to operate service stations, contributing to broader economic empowerment. A cooperation agreement was signed in 2023, aimed at supporting black-owned businesses across the country’s fuel retain space.
bp in Africa
These efforts align with the broader goals of the larger bp group to advance energy projects in Africa. Driven by a commitment to innovation and inclusive growth, bp is scaling up its operations across the continent through strategic investments and partnerships. In Angola, the company merged its assets with those of energy major Eni in 2022, creating Azule Energy – the country’s largest independent equity producer of oil and gas. Azule Energy targets 250,000 barrels per day in Angola, with several projects coming online in the coming months. These include the Agogo Integrated West Hub Development and Angola’s first non-associated gas project. In the MSGBC region, bp leads the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim LNG project – situated on the maritime border of Senegal and Mauritania. The project achieved first gas flow in January 2025. The company also plays a major role in North Africa’s gas sector. Notably, in February 2025, bp went onstream with the second-phase development of the Raven field, offshore Egypt. In Libya, the company is driving a multi-well drilling campaign following its return to the country in 2024. These investments underscore bp’s commitment to Africa.
“bp South Africa has played a foundational role in shaping the country’s energy sector for over 100 years. As the energy landscape evolves, the company’s inclusive approach, focus on innovation and support for women and entrepreneurs will continue playing an instrumental part in driving sustainable solutions,” said NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.
Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia, July 4, 2025 — The town of Mahone Bay will be better protected from the impacts of climate change after an investment of $928,000 from the federal government, $922,100 from Coastal Action, and $16,950 from the town of Mahone Bay.
Jessica Fancy-Landry, Member of Parliament for South Shore–St. Margarets, on behalf of the Honourable Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada; Her Worship Suzanne Lohnes-Croft, Mayor of the Town of Mahone Bay; and Jordan Veinot, Climate Change Program Manager, Coastal Action gathered today to make this announcement.
Mahone Bay is vulnerable to flooding, coastal erosion, and contaminated stormwater runoff entering the harbour due to sea level rise, storm surge, and increased precipitation. To protect the town, Coastal Action, a non-profit environmental organization based in Mahone Bay, is leading on a project that will reduce flooding and mitigate coastal erosion.
The project will include the construction of a living shoreline, a nearshore breakwater, a tidal wetland, and a raised dyke along 100 metres of Edgewater Street in Mahone Bay. A living shoreline is a stabilized, vegetated bank that uses native plants and natural materials to prevent erosion while supporting habitat. A nearshore breakwater, in this case rock sills, is a separate, detached structure—typically made of hard materials and placed parallel to the shore—that reduces wave energy before it reaches the shoreline, offering additional protection to the area behind it. This project will build on the success of a 60 metre site that was installed in 2022 as a pilot project.
Investments in natural infrastructure bring tangible benefits to communities by improving access to nature, providing cleaner air and water, protecting and preserving biodiversity and wildlife habitats.
At least 15 Palestinians were killed overnight in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza, according to local health officials, as U.S. President Donald Trump said he expected Hamas to respond to his “final proposal” for a ceasefire in Gaza in the next 24 hours.
Health officials at the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, said the Israeli military had carried out an airstrike on a tent encampment west of the city around 2 a.m., killing 15 Palestinians displaced by nearly two years of war.
The Israeli military had no immediate comment.
Later on Friday, Palestinians gathered to perform funeral prayers before burying those killed overnight.
“The ceasefire will come, and I have lost my brother? There should have been a ceasefire long ago before I lost my brother,” said 13-year-old Mayar Al Farr as she wept. Her brother, Mahmoud, was among those killed.
Adlar Mouamar said her nephew, Ashraf, was also killed. “Our hearts are broken. We ask the world, we don’t want food…We want them to end the bloodshed. We want them to stop this war.”
Trump earlier said it would probably be known in 24 hours whether Hamas has accepted a ceasefire between the Palestinian militant group and Israel.
On Tuesday, the president announced that Israel had accepted the conditions needed to finalise a 60-day ceasefire with Hamas, during which the parties would work towards ending the war.
Hamas, which has previously declared it would only agree to a deal for a permanent end to the war, has said it was studying the proposal, but given no public indication whether it would accept or reject it.
‘MAKE THE DEAL’
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is yet to comment on Trump’s ceasefire announcement. While some members of his right-wing coalition oppose a deal, others have indicated their support.
Netanyahu has repeatedly said Hamas must be disarmed, a position the militant group has so far refused to discuss.
In Tel Aviv, families and friends of hostages held in Gaza were among demonstrators who gathered outside a U.S. Embassy building on U.S. Independence Day, calling on Trump to secure a deal for all of the captives.
Demonstrators set up a symbolic Shabbat dinner table, placing 50 empty chairs to represent those who are still held in Gaza. Banners hung nearby displaying a post by Trump from his Truth Social platform that read, “MAKE THE DEAL IN GAZA. GET THE HOSTAGES BACK!!!”
The Sabbath, or Shabbat, observed from Friday evening to Saturday nightfall, is often marked by Jewish families with a traditional Friday night dinner.
“Only you can make the deal. We want one beautiful deal. One beautiful hostage deal,” said Gideon Rosenberg, 48, from Tel Aviv.
Rosenberg was wearing a shirt with the image of hostage Avinatan Or, one of his employees who was abducted by Palestinian militants from the Nova musical festival on October 7, 2023. He is among the 20 hostages who are believed to be alive after more than 600 days of captivity.
Ruby Chen, 55, the father of 19-year-old American-Israeli Itay, who is believed to have been killed after being taken captive, urged Netanyahu to return from his meeting with Trump in Washington on Monday with a deal that brings back all hostages.
“Let this United States Independence Day mark the beginning of a lasting peace…, one that secures the sacred value of human life and one that bestows dignity to the deceased hostages by ensuring their return to proper burial,” he said, also appealing to Trump.
Itay Chen, also a German national, was serving as an Israeli soldier when Hamas carried out its surprise attack on October 7, 2023, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking another 251 hostage.
Israel’s retaliatory war against Hamas has devastated Gaza, which the militant group has ruled for almost two decades but now only controls in parts, displacing most of the population of more than 2 million and triggering widespread hunger.
More than 57,000 Palestinians have been killed in nearly two years of fighting, most of them civilians, according to local health officials.
