Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Palmeiras manager Abel Ferreira says teenage winger Estevao won’t be distracted when he faces future club Chelsea in Friday’s Club World Cup quarterfinal.
Estevao is set to join the Premier League side after the tournament, but the 18-year-old remains focused on the Brazilian club’s title push, according to Ferreira.
Palmeiras’ Estevao (L) vies with Botafogo’s Vitinho during the round of 16 football match between Brazil’s Palmeiras and Brazil’s Botafogo at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 in Philadelphia, the United States, June 28, 2025. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling)
“He and the club already knew that this could happen when negotiations were taking place,” Ferreira told reporters on the eve of the match.
“He will do what he has always done and he doesn’t need the coach to tell him anything. He won’t play alone, nobody plays alone. We run for each other, we lose for each other and we win for each other.”
Estevao is yet to register a goal or an assist in the tournament, but Ferreira said the Brazil international had been vital in Palmeiras’ march to the last eight. He expects another influential performance from his brightest star in Philadelphia.
“He will do what he has always done and while he is with us, he will have tasks to fulfill,” Ferreira said. “After his time at Palmeiras ends, he will fulfill them in the new group.”
Palmeiras reached the quarterfinals by beating Brazilian rivals Botafogo 1-0 in the round of 16 while Chelsea advanced with a 4-1 extra-time win over Benfica.
Despite admitting Palmeiras’ status as underdog, Ferreira said his players were daring to dream.
“We have to be realistic and say that Chelsea is better than Palmeiras,” the 46-year-old said. “They bought our best player [Estevao]. That says it all.”
“But it does not invalidate the fact that we have the weapons and ambitions to face our opponents within our resources and strategies. Success for me is when I go to bed knowing that I gave my best. Whether I win or lose, it is the feeling that I gave my all to beat Chelsea.
“We’re going to do our best tomorrow. We have a dream and we’re going to fight for that dream. We’ll keep our eyes open and fight until the end,” Ferreira added.
Infrastructure, Transport and Housing Minister Chris Bishop will travel to New York and Texas tomorrow for a range of meetings across housing, planning, urban development and transport, including a keynote speech at the Urban Design Forum’s Global Exchange Programme.
“In New York I will be holding a series of meetings with city officials and other stakeholders about their introduction of congestion pricing. The early results for New York are very promising, and with legislation allowing time of use charging schemes in New Zealand soon to report back from select committee, I look forward to bringing home lessons learned to ensure our scheme is a success from the start,” Mr Bishop says.
“While in New York, I will meet with Professor Edward Glaeser, a leading global expert on urban economics, to discuss how governments can support affordable, thriving, and productive cities. I will also deliver a keynote speech at the Urban Design Forum’s Global Exchange Programme, highlighting the Coalition Government’s efforts to create a well-functioning urban land and housing system. The Forum is a network of over 1,000 civic leaders committed to making New York a better place to live – a goal I strongly share for New Zealand.
“I will also spend a couple of days in Houston, Texas, the home of affordable housing in the United States. My engagements will focus on conversations with government agencies and local experts about their planning system and funding and financing tools which have seen the city make significant gains in delivering affordable housing.
“The Government’s ‘Going for Housing Growth’ policy draws lessons from the flexible land markets enabled by a liberal planning system in jurisdictions like Texas and I am looking forward to discussing this with local experts.”
Mr Bishop departs for the United States on Saturday 5 July and will return on Sunday 13 July.
Congressman Keith Self released the following statement today after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the “Big Beautiful Bill.” Congressman Self voted in the affirmative. Having passed both chambers of Congress, the bill will now head to President Trump’s desk to be signed into law.
“President Trump has shown true leadership by listening to all voices involved with making the Big Beautiful Bill a success for the American people. Multiple spending issues have now been addressed, and with that, I am confident that we can move forward to ensure that this historic piece of legislation will have a lasting impact for future generations,” Congressman Keith Self said. “While the bill is not perfect, there are significant conservative wins the House Freedom Caucus has achieved, including, among other things, securing nearly $1 trillion in Medicaid savings. HFC moved the bill dramatically to the right on almost every front and at every stage of the process, including overnight, as a small group of us continued working with the White House to address critical policy and spending issues. President John F. Kennedy said, ‘We do these things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.’ In this case, ‘these things’ were hard-fought with a man whom I voted for and for whom I have tremendous respect—President Donald J. Trump. For these reasons, I voted YES on the rule AND final passage of the Big Beautiful Bill.”
Congressman Keith Self released the following statement today after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the “Big Beautiful Bill.” Congressman Self voted in the affirmative. Having passed both chambers of Congress, the bill will now head to President Trump’s desk to be signed into law.
“President Trump has shown true leadership by listening to all voices involved with making the Big Beautiful Bill a success for the American people. Multiple spending issues have now been addressed, and with that, I am confident that we can move forward to ensure that this historic piece of legislation will have a lasting impact for future generations,” Congressman Keith Self said. “While the bill is not perfect, there are significant conservative wins the House Freedom Caucus has achieved, including, among other things, securing nearly $1 trillion in Medicaid savings. HFC moved the bill dramatically to the right on almost every front and at every stage of the process, including overnight, as a small group of us continued working with the White House to address critical policy and spending issues. President John F. Kennedy said, ‘We do these things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.’ In this case, ‘these things’ were hard-fought with a man whom I voted for and for whom I have tremendous respect—President Donald J. Trump. For these reasons, I voted YES on the rule AND final passage of the Big Beautiful Bill.”
Congressman Keith Self released the following statement today after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the “Big Beautiful Bill.” Congressman Self voted in the affirmative. Having passed both chambers of Congress, the bill will now head to President Trump’s desk to be signed into law.
“President Trump has shown true leadership by listening to all voices involved with making the Big Beautiful Bill a success for the American people. Multiple spending issues have now been addressed, and with that, I am confident that we can move forward to ensure that this historic piece of legislation will have a lasting impact for future generations,” Congressman Keith Self said. “While the bill is not perfect, there are significant conservative wins the House Freedom Caucus has achieved, including, among other things, securing nearly $1 trillion in Medicaid savings. HFC moved the bill dramatically to the right on almost every front and at every stage of the process, including overnight, as a small group of us continued working with the White House to address critical policy and spending issues. President John F. Kennedy said, ‘We do these things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.’ In this case, ‘these things’ were hard-fought with a man whom I voted for and for whom I have tremendous respect—President Donald J. Trump. For these reasons, I voted YES on the rule AND final passage of the Big Beautiful Bill.”
Congressman Keith Self released the following statement today after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the “Big Beautiful Bill.” Congressman Self voted in the affirmative. Having passed both chambers of Congress, the bill will now head to President Trump’s desk to be signed into law.
“President Trump has shown true leadership by listening to all voices involved with making the Big Beautiful Bill a success for the American people. Multiple spending issues have now been addressed, and with that, I am confident that we can move forward to ensure that this historic piece of legislation will have a lasting impact for future generations,” Congressman Keith Self said. “While the bill is not perfect, there are significant conservative wins the House Freedom Caucus has achieved, including, among other things, securing nearly $1 trillion in Medicaid savings. HFC moved the bill dramatically to the right on almost every front and at every stage of the process, including overnight, as a small group of us continued working with the White House to address critical policy and spending issues. President John F. Kennedy said, ‘We do these things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.’ In this case, ‘these things’ were hard-fought with a man whom I voted for and for whom I have tremendous respect—President Donald J. Trump. For these reasons, I voted YES on the rule AND final passage of the Big Beautiful Bill.”
Congressman Keith Self released the following statement today after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the “Big Beautiful Bill.” Congressman Self voted in the affirmative. Having passed both chambers of Congress, the bill will now head to President Trump’s desk to be signed into law.
“President Trump has shown true leadership by listening to all voices involved with making the Big Beautiful Bill a success for the American people. Multiple spending issues have now been addressed, and with that, I am confident that we can move forward to ensure that this historic piece of legislation will have a lasting impact for future generations,” Congressman Keith Self said. “While the bill is not perfect, there are significant conservative wins the House Freedom Caucus has achieved, including, among other things, securing nearly $1 trillion in Medicaid savings. HFC moved the bill dramatically to the right on almost every front and at every stage of the process, including overnight, as a small group of us continued working with the White House to address critical policy and spending issues. President John F. Kennedy said, ‘We do these things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.’ In this case, ‘these things’ were hard-fought with a man whom I voted for and for whom I have tremendous respect—President Donald J. Trump. For these reasons, I voted YES on the rule AND final passage of the Big Beautiful Bill.”
The world’s biggest multilateral climate fund said it will make its largest ever series of investments and speed up dealmaking as it looks to help poorer nations respond to global warming.
The Green Climate Fund’s plan to release about $1.2 billion for 17 projects mostly in Asia and Africa follows approval by shareholders including the United States at a meeting this week, against a fractious political backdrop that has seen development aid slashed.
Official development assistance could fall 17% this year after a 9% drop in 2024, the OECD said in a June report, led by hefty cuts to U.S. aid by President Donald Trump.
“At a time when collective climate action is more needed than ever, GCF is stepping up to deliver on its mandate,” GCF Co-Chair Seyni Nafo said in a statement.
The GCF disbursement includes $227 million for an initiative to expand green bond markets in 10 countries. Green bond markets are where companies raise capital for projects that limit climate change or otherwise benefit the environment.
In South Asia, it will invest $200 million in the India Green Finance Facility to scale renewables and energy efficiency, while in East Africa it will invest $150 million in the food system to support nearly 18 million people.
All the projects will bring the GCF investment portfolio to $18 billion across 133 countries. So far, countries have pledged $29.9 billion to the GCF and paid in $21 billion.
As well as releasing more money, the GCF board also approved plans to speed up its work with partner organisations, which can include accredited entities like other multilateral lenders and so-called Direct Access Entities in developing countries.
From an average 30 months to accredit a DAE, the aim is to shorten the time to nine months or less by overhauling its procedures, including carrying out much of the due diligence at the project stage.
The world’s biggest multilateral climate fund said it will make its largest ever series of investments and speed up dealmaking as it looks to help poorer nations respond to global warming.
The Green Climate Fund’s plan to release about $1.2 billion for 17 projects mostly in Asia and Africa follows approval by shareholders including the United States at a meeting this week, against a fractious political backdrop that has seen development aid slashed.
Official development assistance could fall 17% this year after a 9% drop in 2024, the OECD said in a June report, led by hefty cuts to U.S. aid by President Donald Trump.
“At a time when collective climate action is more needed than ever, GCF is stepping up to deliver on its mandate,” GCF Co-Chair Seyni Nafo said in a statement.
The GCF disbursement includes $227 million for an initiative to expand green bond markets in 10 countries. Green bond markets are where companies raise capital for projects that limit climate change or otherwise benefit the environment.
In South Asia, it will invest $200 million in the India Green Finance Facility to scale renewables and energy efficiency, while in East Africa it will invest $150 million in the food system to support nearly 18 million people.
All the projects will bring the GCF investment portfolio to $18 billion across 133 countries. So far, countries have pledged $29.9 billion to the GCF and paid in $21 billion.
As well as releasing more money, the GCF board also approved plans to speed up its work with partner organisations, which can include accredited entities like other multilateral lenders and so-called Direct Access Entities in developing countries.
From an average 30 months to accredit a DAE, the aim is to shorten the time to nine months or less by overhauling its procedures, including carrying out much of the due diligence at the project stage.
The world’s biggest multilateral climate fund said it will make its largest ever series of investments and speed up dealmaking as it looks to help poorer nations respond to global warming.
The Green Climate Fund’s plan to release about $1.2 billion for 17 projects mostly in Asia and Africa follows approval by shareholders including the United States at a meeting this week, against a fractious political backdrop that has seen development aid slashed.
Official development assistance could fall 17% this year after a 9% drop in 2024, the OECD said in a June report, led by hefty cuts to U.S. aid by President Donald Trump.
“At a time when collective climate action is more needed than ever, GCF is stepping up to deliver on its mandate,” GCF Co-Chair Seyni Nafo said in a statement.
The GCF disbursement includes $227 million for an initiative to expand green bond markets in 10 countries. Green bond markets are where companies raise capital for projects that limit climate change or otherwise benefit the environment.
In South Asia, it will invest $200 million in the India Green Finance Facility to scale renewables and energy efficiency, while in East Africa it will invest $150 million in the food system to support nearly 18 million people.
All the projects will bring the GCF investment portfolio to $18 billion across 133 countries. So far, countries have pledged $29.9 billion to the GCF and paid in $21 billion.
As well as releasing more money, the GCF board also approved plans to speed up its work with partner organisations, which can include accredited entities like other multilateral lenders and so-called Direct Access Entities in developing countries.
From an average 30 months to accredit a DAE, the aim is to shorten the time to nine months or less by overhauling its procedures, including carrying out much of the due diligence at the project stage.
The demise of one of Hong Kong’s last major pro-democracy parties, the League of Social Democrats, is the latest blow to the city’s crumbling democratic credentials.
The league is the third major opposition party to disband this year. The announcement coincides with the fifth anniversary this week of the national security law, which was imposed by Beijing to suppress pro-democracy activity.
The loss of this grassroots party, historically populated by bold and colourful characters, vividly illustrates the dying of the light in once-sparkling Hong Kong.
The city is now greyed and labouring under a repressive internal security regime that has crushed civil society’s freedoms and democratic ambitions.
Authoritarian crackdown
The world witnessed Hong Kong at its brightest during the 2014 Umbrella Movement, when hundreds of thousands of pro-democracy protesters camped out on city streets for several months.
We also saw the brutal sequel in 2019, when paramilitarised police sought to put down further civil unrest and protesters fought back.
Since then, “lawfare” has been the preferred strategy of China’s national government and its Hong Kong satellite. The new approach has included a vast security apparatus and aggressive prosecutions.
When Beijing intervened in July 2020, it was nominally about national security. In reality, the new law was designed and used to bring Hongkongers to heel.
Civil freedoms were further curtailed by a home-grown security law, introduced last year to fill the gaps.
International standards such as the Johannesburg Principles, endorsed by the United Nations, require national security laws to be compatible with democratic principles, not to be used to eliminate democratic activity.
Prison or exile
The League of Social Democrats occupied the populist left of the pro-democracy spectrum. It stood apart from contemporaries such as the Democratic Party and the Civic Party, which were dominated by professionals and elites, and have since been disbanded.
The League was most notably represented by the likes of “Long Hair” Leung Kwok-hung– known for his Che Guevara t-shirts and banana-throwing – and broadcaster and journalism academic Raymond Wong Yuk-man, also known as “Mad Dog”.
Despite their rambunctious styles, these men had real political credentials and were repeatedly elected to legislative office. But Leung is now imprisoned for subversion, while Wong has left for Taiwan.
Leung Kwok-hung was sentenced to subversion under the national security law. Edwin Kwok/Shutterstock
Party leaders such as Jimmy Sham Tsz-kit and Figo Chan Ho-wun were also prominent within the Civil Human Rights Front. It was responsible for the annual July 1 protest march that attracted hundreds of thousands of people every year. The front is yet another pro-democracy organisation that has dissolved.
Sham and Chan have been jailed for subversion and unlawful assembly under the colonial-era Public Order Ordinance, which has been used to prosecute hundreds of activists.
Zero tolerance
The demise of these diverse organisations are not natural occurrences, but the result of a deliberate authoritarian programme.
Under China, Hong Kong’s political system has been half democratic at best. But it now resembles something from the darkest days of colonialism, with pre-approved candidates, appointed legislators and zero tolerance for critical voices.
Activists and watchdogs are stymied by the national security law. It criminalises – among other things – engagement and lobbying with international organisations and foreign governments.
Then there are the millions of ordinary Hongkongers whose dreams of a liberal and self-governing region under mainland China’s umbrella – as promised in the lead up to the 1997 handover – have been shattered.
But countless ex-protesters remain in the city, where it is impermissible to speak critically of power, and where mandatory patriotic education may ensure new generations will never even think to speak up.
Much blame lies with the British, who failed to institute democratic elections until the last gasp of their rule in Hong Kong. This was despite the colony tolerating liberalism and habit-forming democratic activity over a longer period.
Now China, after almost three decades in charge, has responded to democratic challenges by defaulting to authoritarian control. Hong Kong can only be grateful it has been spared a Tiananmen-style incident. Nor has it experienced the full genocidal extent of the so-called “peripheries playbook” Beijing has used in Tibet and Xinjiang.
Turmoil and authoritarian swings in the United States and elsewhere give China an opportunity to present as a voice of reason on the international stage.
But we should not forget its commitment to repressive politics at home, nor what its support of belligerent regimes such as Putin’s Russia might mean for Taiwan, the region and the world.
Above all, we should not forget the people, in Hong Kong and elsewhere, who made it their life’s work to achieve democracy only to be rewarded with prison or exile.
Brendan Clift 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.
The demise of one of Hong Kong’s last major pro-democracy parties, the League of Social Democrats, is the latest blow to the city’s crumbling democratic credentials.
The league is the third major opposition party to disband this year. The announcement coincides with the fifth anniversary this week of the national security law, which was imposed by Beijing to suppress pro-democracy activity.
The loss of this grassroots party, historically populated by bold and colourful characters, vividly illustrates the dying of the light in once-sparkling Hong Kong.
The city is now greyed and labouring under a repressive internal security regime that has crushed civil society’s freedoms and democratic ambitions.
Authoritarian crackdown
The world witnessed Hong Kong at its brightest during the 2014 Umbrella Movement, when hundreds of thousands of pro-democracy protesters camped out on city streets for several months.
We also saw the brutal sequel in 2019, when paramilitarised police sought to put down further civil unrest and protesters fought back.
Since then, “lawfare” has been the preferred strategy of China’s national government and its Hong Kong satellite. The new approach has included a vast security apparatus and aggressive prosecutions.
When Beijing intervened in July 2020, it was nominally about national security. In reality, the new law was designed and used to bring Hongkongers to heel.
Civil freedoms were further curtailed by a home-grown security law, introduced last year to fill the gaps.
International standards such as the Johannesburg Principles, endorsed by the United Nations, require national security laws to be compatible with democratic principles, not to be used to eliminate democratic activity.
Prison or exile
The League of Social Democrats occupied the populist left of the pro-democracy spectrum. It stood apart from contemporaries such as the Democratic Party and the Civic Party, which were dominated by professionals and elites, and have since been disbanded.
The League was most notably represented by the likes of “Long Hair” Leung Kwok-hung– known for his Che Guevara t-shirts and banana-throwing – and broadcaster and journalism academic Raymond Wong Yuk-man, also known as “Mad Dog”.
Despite their rambunctious styles, these men had real political credentials and were repeatedly elected to legislative office. But Leung is now imprisoned for subversion, while Wong has left for Taiwan.
Leung Kwok-hung was sentenced to subversion under the national security law. Edwin Kwok/Shutterstock
Party leaders such as Jimmy Sham Tsz-kit and Figo Chan Ho-wun were also prominent within the Civil Human Rights Front. It was responsible for the annual July 1 protest march that attracted hundreds of thousands of people every year. The front is yet another pro-democracy organisation that has dissolved.
Sham and Chan have been jailed for subversion and unlawful assembly under the colonial-era Public Order Ordinance, which has been used to prosecute hundreds of activists.
Zero tolerance
The demise of these diverse organisations are not natural occurrences, but the result of a deliberate authoritarian programme.
Under China, Hong Kong’s political system has been half democratic at best. But it now resembles something from the darkest days of colonialism, with pre-approved candidates, appointed legislators and zero tolerance for critical voices.
Activists and watchdogs are stymied by the national security law. It criminalises – among other things – engagement and lobbying with international organisations and foreign governments.
Then there are the millions of ordinary Hongkongers whose dreams of a liberal and self-governing region under mainland China’s umbrella – as promised in the lead up to the 1997 handover – have been shattered.
But countless ex-protesters remain in the city, where it is impermissible to speak critically of power, and where mandatory patriotic education may ensure new generations will never even think to speak up.
Much blame lies with the British, who failed to institute democratic elections until the last gasp of their rule in Hong Kong. This was despite the colony tolerating liberalism and habit-forming democratic activity over a longer period.
Now China, after almost three decades in charge, has responded to democratic challenges by defaulting to authoritarian control. Hong Kong can only be grateful it has been spared a Tiananmen-style incident. Nor has it experienced the full genocidal extent of the so-called “peripheries playbook” Beijing has used in Tibet and Xinjiang.
Turmoil and authoritarian swings in the United States and elsewhere give China an opportunity to present as a voice of reason on the international stage.
But we should not forget its commitment to repressive politics at home, nor what its support of belligerent regimes such as Putin’s Russia might mean for Taiwan, the region and the world.
Above all, we should not forget the people, in Hong Kong and elsewhere, who made it their life’s work to achieve democracy only to be rewarded with prison or exile.
Brendan Clift 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.
The demise of one of Hong Kong’s last major pro-democracy parties, the League of Social Democrats, is the latest blow to the city’s crumbling democratic credentials.
The league is the third major opposition party to disband this year. The announcement coincides with the fifth anniversary this week of the national security law, which was imposed by Beijing to suppress pro-democracy activity.
The loss of this grassroots party, historically populated by bold and colourful characters, vividly illustrates the dying of the light in once-sparkling Hong Kong.
The city is now greyed and labouring under a repressive internal security regime that has crushed civil society’s freedoms and democratic ambitions.
Authoritarian crackdown
The world witnessed Hong Kong at its brightest during the 2014 Umbrella Movement, when hundreds of thousands of pro-democracy protesters camped out on city streets for several months.
We also saw the brutal sequel in 2019, when paramilitarised police sought to put down further civil unrest and protesters fought back.
Since then, “lawfare” has been the preferred strategy of China’s national government and its Hong Kong satellite. The new approach has included a vast security apparatus and aggressive prosecutions.
When Beijing intervened in July 2020, it was nominally about national security. In reality, the new law was designed and used to bring Hongkongers to heel.
Civil freedoms were further curtailed by a home-grown security law, introduced last year to fill the gaps.
International standards such as the Johannesburg Principles, endorsed by the United Nations, require national security laws to be compatible with democratic principles, not to be used to eliminate democratic activity.
Prison or exile
The League of Social Democrats occupied the populist left of the pro-democracy spectrum. It stood apart from contemporaries such as the Democratic Party and the Civic Party, which were dominated by professionals and elites, and have since been disbanded.
The League was most notably represented by the likes of “Long Hair” Leung Kwok-hung– known for his Che Guevara t-shirts and banana-throwing – and broadcaster and journalism academic Raymond Wong Yuk-man, also known as “Mad Dog”.
Despite their rambunctious styles, these men had real political credentials and were repeatedly elected to legislative office. But Leung is now imprisoned for subversion, while Wong has left for Taiwan.
Leung Kwok-hung was sentenced to subversion under the national security law. Edwin Kwok/Shutterstock
Party leaders such as Jimmy Sham Tsz-kit and Figo Chan Ho-wun were also prominent within the Civil Human Rights Front. It was responsible for the annual July 1 protest march that attracted hundreds of thousands of people every year. The front is yet another pro-democracy organisation that has dissolved.
Sham and Chan have been jailed for subversion and unlawful assembly under the colonial-era Public Order Ordinance, which has been used to prosecute hundreds of activists.
Zero tolerance
The demise of these diverse organisations are not natural occurrences, but the result of a deliberate authoritarian programme.
Under China, Hong Kong’s political system has been half democratic at best. But it now resembles something from the darkest days of colonialism, with pre-approved candidates, appointed legislators and zero tolerance for critical voices.
Activists and watchdogs are stymied by the national security law. It criminalises – among other things – engagement and lobbying with international organisations and foreign governments.
Then there are the millions of ordinary Hongkongers whose dreams of a liberal and self-governing region under mainland China’s umbrella – as promised in the lead up to the 1997 handover – have been shattered.
But countless ex-protesters remain in the city, where it is impermissible to speak critically of power, and where mandatory patriotic education may ensure new generations will never even think to speak up.
Much blame lies with the British, who failed to institute democratic elections until the last gasp of their rule in Hong Kong. This was despite the colony tolerating liberalism and habit-forming democratic activity over a longer period.
Now China, after almost three decades in charge, has responded to democratic challenges by defaulting to authoritarian control. Hong Kong can only be grateful it has been spared a Tiananmen-style incident. Nor has it experienced the full genocidal extent of the so-called “peripheries playbook” Beijing has used in Tibet and Xinjiang.
Turmoil and authoritarian swings in the United States and elsewhere give China an opportunity to present as a voice of reason on the international stage.
But we should not forget its commitment to repressive politics at home, nor what its support of belligerent regimes such as Putin’s Russia might mean for Taiwan, the region and the world.
Above all, we should not forget the people, in Hong Kong and elsewhere, who made it their life’s work to achieve democracy only to be rewarded with prison or exile.
Brendan Clift 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.
San Francisco, CA, July 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitcoin has once again asserted its dominance in the digital asset space, recently breaking through the $110,149.8 mark and signaling renewed investor confidence in its long-term value. As Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), Ripple (XRP), and other major cryptocurrencies also ride the wave of bullish momentum, blockchain activity and capital inflows are surging across the board.
In this climate of opportunity, more investors are turning to low-risk, passive income strategies—and leading the charge is BTC Miner, a next-generation cloud mining platform offering high returns, seamless access, and fully automated daily payouts.
BTC Miner: Turning Passive Mining Into Reliable High-Yield Income
Unlike traditional mining setups that require hardware, maintenance, and technical know-how, BTC Miner makes crypto mining accessible to all through cloud-based smart contracts. Users simply register, select a mining contract, and receive stable and remarkably high daily earnings—with no need for physical equipment or technical expertise.
Contracts are short-term and flexible, ranging from 1 to 13 days, with clear terms and real-time profits. Some options deliver annualized returns exceeding 300%, making BTC Miner one of the most attractive passive earning tools on the market.
New users receive $500 worth of cloud mining power upon registration—no deposit required. This bonus can be used to activate real contracts, and all profits generated are 100% yours to keep.
This feature alone has attracted tens of millions of users from the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, and beyond. The platform has earned praise for its fast payouts, transparent earnings, and beginner-friendly design.
To reward community growth, BTC Miner offers a two-tier affiliate program:
Level 1 Bonus – 7%: Earn 7% of every contract purchased by users you refer.
Level 2 Bonus – 2%: Also earn 2% from purchases made by people invited by your referrals.
All referral rewards are credited instantly, with no limits or lock-ups, and can be withdrawn or reinvested freely.
Fully FCA Registered – Legal and Transparent
BTC Miner is operated by a UK-registered company that is officially listed under the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Company registration details and credentials are publicly verifiable on the UK government website, making BTC Miner one of the few cloud mining platforms to offer both high returns and regulatory credibility.
Supported cryptocurrencies: BTC, USDT (TRC20/ERC20), ETH, LTC, USDC, BNB, XRP, DOGE, BCH, SOL, and more.
A New Era of “Risk-Free” Passive Crypto Income
As Bitcoin ETFs gain momentum and global monetary policy eases, the crypto landscape is shifting from high-risk speculation toward structured portfolio allocation. BTC Miner provides the ideal gateway for both newcomers and experienced investors to harness blockchain income with zero technical complexity and low barriers to entry.
Whether you’re looking to grow your holdings or build passive cash flow, BTC Miner transforms cloud mining into a stable, hands-free wealth strategy.
BTC Miner: Where crypto mining meets real-world simplicity and unmatched rewards.
San Francisco, CA, July 03, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitcoin has once again asserted its dominance in the digital asset space, recently breaking through the $110,149.8 mark and signaling renewed investor confidence in its long-term value. As Ethereum (ETH), Solana (SOL), Ripple (XRP), and other major cryptocurrencies also ride the wave of bullish momentum, blockchain activity and capital inflows are surging across the board.
In this climate of opportunity, more investors are turning to low-risk, passive income strategies—and leading the charge is BTC Miner, a next-generation cloud mining platform offering high returns, seamless access, and fully automated daily payouts.
BTC Miner: Turning Passive Mining Into Reliable High-Yield Income
Unlike traditional mining setups that require hardware, maintenance, and technical know-how, BTC Miner makes crypto mining accessible to all through cloud-based smart contracts. Users simply register, select a mining contract, and receive stable and remarkably high daily earnings—with no need for physical equipment or technical expertise.
Contracts are short-term and flexible, ranging from 1 to 13 days, with clear terms and real-time profits. Some options deliver annualized returns exceeding 300%, making BTC Miner one of the most attractive passive earning tools on the market.
New users receive $500 worth of cloud mining power upon registration—no deposit required. This bonus can be used to activate real contracts, and all profits generated are 100% yours to keep.
This feature alone has attracted tens of millions of users from the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, and beyond. The platform has earned praise for its fast payouts, transparent earnings, and beginner-friendly design.
To reward community growth, BTC Miner offers a two-tier affiliate program:
Level 1 Bonus – 7%: Earn 7% of every contract purchased by users you refer.
Level 2 Bonus – 2%: Also earn 2% from purchases made by people invited by your referrals.
All referral rewards are credited instantly, with no limits or lock-ups, and can be withdrawn or reinvested freely.
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ADVANCING PLANS TO THROW THE GREATEST BIRTHDAY PARTY IN AMERICAN HISTORY:
Today, President Donald J. Trump launched the year-long Great American State Fair in celebration of America’s 250th birthday. The Great American State Fair will begin in Iowa and travel to state fairs across the country. The celebration will culminate with a festival on the National Mall in 2026.
In July 2026, the White House Task Force on Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday, in partnership with the America 250 Commission, will host the Great American State Fair on the National Mall.
This will be a unifying, patriotic, family-friendly event that will feature exhibits from all 50 states and attract visitors from around the world.
Over the next year, state and county fairs will be part of the Great American State Fair and feature America 250 programming.
Additional America 250 celebrations announced by President Trump at the kick-off celebration include the Patriot Games, an athletic competition for high school students across the country.
Led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., the Patriot Games will be a nationally televised first-of-its-kind youth athletics competition featuring athletes from all 50 states.
The One Big Beautiful Bill includes funding for events, celebrations, and activities in support of America 250.
As we prepare to celebrate this momentous milestone in our nation’s history, President Trump has invited communities of faith to pray for our country and to give thanks for the gift of freedom.
CELEBRATING AMERICAN GREATNESS: To honor America’s founding in 1776, President Trump will showcase our nation and celebrate American greatness.
President Trump will create a new outdoor “National Garden of American Heroes” park featuring statues of 250 American heroes.
The One Big Beautiful Bill includes funding to create these statues and build this new national landmark.
The events and initiatives announced today are just a few of the many underway.
Every Department and Agency has robust plans to celebrate our nation’s 250th birthday.
Every federal building will be patriotically decorated for a set period of time in 2026.
The America 250 Commission and the White House Task Force are working with the private sector on this grand celebration.
The America 250 Commission has major tentpole initiatives planned, including “America Innovate” expositions showcasing American innovation over the last 250 years and what America can achieve in the future.
PROMISES MADE, PROMISES KEPT: President Trump is fulfilling his campaign promise to “give America’s founding in 1776 the incredible anniversary it truly deserves.”
President Trump is delivering and expanding upon his promise in 2023 to host a year-long Great American State Fair.
President Trump is delivering on his promise in 2023 to create the brand-new Patriot Games.
President Trump is following through on his promise in 2023 to bring back the National Garden of American Heroes to honor the greatest Americans of all time.
When President Trump returned to office, he immediately signed an Executive Order to sustain the momentum from his first term to build a National Garden of American Heroes and protect America’s monuments from vandalism.
President Trump is following through on his invitation to encourage America’s religious communities to pray for our nation.
Tariffs and geopolitical conflicts have created uncertainty around the world. But how does the new trade environment affect inflation and the economy? How can central banks adapt? And what is the potential impact on the dominance of the US dollar ?
In the third episode of our special Sintra series of the ECB Podcast, our host Paul Gordon talks to London School of Economics Professor Silvana Tenreyro.
The views expressed are those of the speakers and not necessarily those of the European Central Bank.
Published on 4 July 2025 and recorded on 1 July 2025.
In this episode:
01:30 How is the world economy doing?
What developments are having an impact on our economy today? And what uncertainties are arising from tariffs, trade fragmentation and armed conflicts in different parts of the world?
03:30 Tariffs, trade fragmentation and the economy
How can trade tariffs and fragmentation affect economic growth and inflation in the euro area and beyond?
06:25 How are prices changing?
How are prices changing in different countries? Will tariffs cause prices in the United States to rise, and those in Asia and Europe to fall? And why?
07:55 Lessons for central banks
Given the extremely high level of uncertainty, what lessons from past shocks can central banks apply in the future? Why do we need clearly defined frameworks? And what role do governments play?
09:55 How can governments prepare for potential shocks?
Investing in technologies that are difficult to substitute, diversifying energy sources and creating buffers for critical inputs – why it’s crucial that governments have a strategy to withstand various shocks.
12:05 What is a dominant currency?
When is a currency considered internationally “dominant”? And what dominant currencies have there been in the past?
13:40 Dollar dominance and monetary policy transmission
Does dollar dominance in international trade transactions reduce the effectiveness of monetary policy?
17:30 The future of dollar dominance
How will the dominance of the US dollar develop in the future? Is its role as a primary reserve currency at risk due to the Trump Administration’s policies?
19:10 What keeps you up at night?
What happens to our economy if there is a sudden shortage of a certain input? What impact will AI have if it remains largely unregulated? And what do stablecoins and digital currencies mean for our economy?
21:00 Our guest’s hot tip
Silvana shares her hot tip with our listeners.
Further readings:
Michael McLeay and Silvana Tenreyro: Dollar dominance and the transmission of monetary policy
Sintra Series episode 1/4: Price stability in times of change
Sintra Series episode 2/4: Adapting to change: Ensuring price stability in a new geopolitical era
Silvana’s hot tip: I’m still here/Ainda estou aqui
Congressman Russell Fry (SC-07) Releases Statement on Passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Russell Fry (SC-07) released the following statement following passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act:
“The One Big Beautiful Bill is a game-changer for hardworking Americans. With this bill, House Republicans and President Trump have delivered real results—lower taxes, less red tape, and more freedom for working families—and prevented the largest tax increase in our nation’s history.
This legislation eliminates tax on tips and overtime, gives seniors a well-deserved tax break, and reins in reckless spending with over $1 trillion in savings. It strengthens our border, prioritizes American energy, and puts money back where it belongs—in the pockets of the American people.
This would not have been possible without the leadership of Speaker Mike Johnson and President Donald J. Trump. The One Big Beautiful Bill is proof that when Republicans are in charge, America wins.”
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
People attend a memorial ceremony in Tehran, Iran, July 2, 2025. Memorial ceremonies were held here on Wednesday for people who lost their lives in Israeli attacks. [Photo/Xinhua]
U.S. President Donald Trump said that he did not make any progress during his phone call earlier on Thursday with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin over Iran and the Ukraine conflict.
“No, I didn’t make any progress with him today at all,” Trump told reporters. “I’m not happy about that.”
“We had a call. It was a pretty long call. We talked about a lot of things, including Iran, and we also talked about, as you know, the war with Ukraine,” said Trump.
During the phone call, which lasted about an hour, Putin said that Moscow would achieve its goals in the conflict with Ukraine, including the elimination of its root causes, according to Russian presidential aide Yury Ushakov.
“Our president said that Russia will achieve its goals, namely to eliminate the well-known root causes that led to the current state of affairs, to the current harsh confrontation. And Russia will not give up on these goals,” Ushakov said.
Putin’s aide said that Russia is ready for the third round of talks with Ukraine, adding that Putin and Trump did not discuss the specifics of what would be discussed during the possible negotiations.
Putin and Trump confirmed their mutual interest in implementing a series of economic projects between Russia and the United States, including in energy and space, Ushakov said.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
This panoramic aerial photo taken on Jan. 10, 2023 shows a view of Lujiazui area in the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone in east China’s Shanghai. [Photo/Xinhua]
China ranks fourth in terms of its global financial competitiveness this year, following the United States, United Kingdom and Japan, with China’s rank one place higher than last year, according to a new report released at the Digital Finance Forum during the Global Digital Economy Conference 2025 in Beijing.
The report, which evaluates 31 countries globally and was released by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences on Thursday, states the gap between the scores of China and the US has narrowed for four consecutive years.
Global financial competitiveness is defined as the ability of an economy’s financial system to allocate financial resources and manage risks more effectively on a global scale compared to other economies, thereby promoting economic growth and social development, according to the CASS.
“For segmented indicators, China’s financial technology competitiveness has ranked third for two straight years, and this year’s score is significantly higher than last year, driven by notable development potential of China’s fintech industry,” said Liu Dongmin, a senior research fellow at the Institute of World Economics and Politics of the CASS.
Meanwhile, the score of China’s fintech industry development potential index increased from 35.12 last year to 57.25 this year, and this ranking has risen from 12th last year to fourth place globally this year. Among the sub indicators, the AI talent index in China has risen from eighth place last year to fourth place this year, the report said.
Major economies globally are actively promoting the growth of the digital economy, and China’s digital finance market is highly dynamic and ranks top in the world in terms of its market size, said Li Dongrong, former deputy governor of the People’s Bank of China.
Last year, the market size of global digital finance exceeded $4.5 trillion, and China’s digital finance market size reached $3.2 trillion, becoming an important engine driving global growth, according to industry research company ChinaIRN.
“China’s development of digital finance technology, especially mobile payment technology, is globally leading. Leveraging on the growth of digital technology, China’s financial services have effectively covered areas that were previously difficult to reach and the country has made effective breakthroughs in inclusive finance,” Li said at the forum.
Chen Wenhui, former vice-chairman of the former China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission, said China’s application of artificial intelligence technology in the financial industry is accelerating. The digital wave has brought and will bring comprehensive transformation to the economy and society. AI is on a track with high certainty, and the financial sector should pay close attention to it.
Source: United States Senator for Mississippi Roger Wicker
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., detailed the provisions of the reconciliation bill which President Trump will soon sign into law.
“The reconciliation bill is an investment in the future of the United States. Through this legislation, the Senate secured a down payment on a generational upgrade for our nation’s defense capabilities. Many of the key provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will be cemented and expanded. This will stimulate the economy and benefit job creators across the country. Additionally, this legislation will help secure the southern border and unleash American energy production. This legislation delivers on the promises Republicans made to the American people in November.”
Click here for the full legislative text.
Below is a list of provisions in the reconciliation bill that benefit Mississippians:
Key tax cuts from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act are made permanent with an adjustment for inflation.
This reconciliation bill delivers the largest tax cut for the middle class in American history.
The Child Tax Credit is doubled from $1,000 to $2,000, and the legislation increases tax credits available for childcare expenses.
The adoption tax credit is now partially refundable, making it more affordable for families to manage costs related to adoption.
A 20 percent small business deduction is maintained, ensuring small businesses can continue to invest in themselves and their employees.
A 53 percent long-run wage increase for Mississippians. This legislation ensures Mississippians will take home more dollars and have improved economic security.
Research and development expenditures will be fully expensed for small business owners. This provision encourages innovation, boosts productivity, and improves competitiveness for businesses across Mississippi.
The creation of permanent opportunity zones. Making opportunity zones permanent provides certainty for the individuals and companies that utilize the credit and invest in underserved communities.
Up to a $25,000 deduction for qualified cash tips received in occupations that customarily receive tips, available to both employees and independent contractors.
The 1099-K reporting threshold increased to $20,000 and 200 transactions. This will reduce burdensome red tape and unnecessary regulations imposed by Democrats in 2021, improving economic activity and job creation across Mississippi.
The New Market Tax Credit is made permanent, driving investment in rural and underutilized areas across Mississippi.
Work requirements will now be required for Medicaid coverage, ensuring these benefits are available to those who are truly in need of care. This provision will also eliminate much of the waste, fraud, and abuse within Medicaid.
Medicaid is no longer available for illegal immigrants.
There is an allocated $50 billion over five fiscal years for states to carry out rural health transformation plans. This funding would be available to improve access to hospitals and ensure the financial stability of rural hospitals.
This legislation repeals $6 billion in climate related Green New Deal funds, restores lease sales blocked by the Biden administration, cuts permitting red tape, and funds resupplying the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) with American-sourced energy.
All unspent funds and unobligated money in the Inflation Reduction Act will be rescinded.
The methane tax is paused for the next 10 years, stopping Democrats’ natural gas tax hike, which would have increased gas prices and continued Biden’s inflationary policies.
The Federal Communications Commissions’ (FCC) spectrum auction authority is restored until September 30, 2034. The FCC would be required to auction at least 800 megahertz—500 megahertz of Federal and 300 megahertz of non-Federal spectrum—within an eight-year period.
There is an allocated $4.3 billion for the procurement of Polar Security Cutters, which are built at the Bollinger Shipbuilding’s Pascagoula yard.
A total of $175 billion on funding for securing the southern border, including:
$46.5 billion for Customs and Border Protection for construction of the border wall.
$45 billion for expanding ICE detention capacity.
$4.1 billion for border patrol agents, air and marine agents, and field support personnel.
$6 billion for border technology and screening upgrades.
$10 billion in grant funding to reimburse states for border security expenses.
The John C. Stennis Space Center will receive $120 million for infrastructure modernization projects. As NASA’s largest rocket propulsion test facility, these investments will enable NASA to update aging facilities and support development to attract commercial companies to the site.
The Space Launch System for Artemis Missions IV and V receives $4.1 billion. All engines in the Artemis program are tested at the Stennis Center. This will enable additional testing of engines for Artemis V to continue at the Stennis Center.
The legislation narrows the Supplemental Nutrition Assistant Program (SNAP) exceptions for work requirements for able-bodied adults, ensures benefits are available for those who truly need it.
SNAP is no longer available for illegal immigrants.
Commodities reference prices are increased to account for inflation so farmers and cattlemen can produce food here in the United States. It is imperative we are not relying on other nations for the food to feed our nation.
Farm-raised fish producers who experience losses associated with bird predation are eligible for emergency assistance in the event of a disaster.
The competitive research grants included in this bill for agriculture research facilities will ensure the next generation of students have access to cutting-edge facilities and research opportunities.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau funding would be decreased by 45 percent, limiting this unaccountable federal entity from issuing needless bureaucratic regulations that reduce consumer access to financial services.
As Chairman of the Armed Services Committee, Chairman Wicker secured a total of $150 billion for investment in our military. Below are a few of those provisions:
$25 billion for the Golden Dome for America. This missile defense system will shield our homeland and troops in the age of hypersonic weapons.
$29 billion for shipbuilding and the Maritime Industrial Base. Expands the size and enhances the capability of our naval fleet. Invests in autonomous surface and subsurface technology. Builds capacity and improves infrastructure in the maritime industrial base.
$15 billion for nuclear deterrence. Accelerates modernization of the triad. Improves readiness of our current nuclear deterrent. Invests in infrastructure needed to restore America’s ability to manufacture nuclear weapons.
$350 million to replace antiquated business systems and inject automation and AI at the DOD. This funding would support DOGE so that the DOD can finish its first audit by end of 2028.
$16 billion to improve readiness, including through modernization of depots, additional spare parts for aircraft, and expanded naval maintenance.
$9 billion for service member quality of life. These funds increase allowances and special pays, as well as improvements to housing, healthcare, childcare, and education.
$16 billion to expedite innovation to the warfighter. This legislation increases scale production of innovative low-cost and next-generation weapons like drones, counter-drone tech, low-cost munitions, and artificial intelligence.
Today, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) championed the House of Representatives’ passage of the President’s landmark reconciliation legislation, the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act, in which the senator secured the largest expansion ever of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA), as well as an additional $1 billion in funding for Missouri Medicaid providers and recipients.
Senator Hawley originally called on Congress to compensate victims of government-caused nuclear radiation on July 13, 2023. After nearly two years of negotiations—and two separate passages of RECA packages by the Senate in2023 and 2024—the senator’s hard-fought expansion of RECA now heads to President Trump’s desk to be signed into law.
To all the radiation survivors and nuclear veterans across the country: WE DID IT. Today, we have prevailed. Your country thanks you and honors your sacrifice. #MAHA
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) July 3, 2025
HUGE WIN for Missouri – after 5 decades, survivors of nuclear radiation will FINALLY be compensated by the government that poisoned them
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) July 3, 2025
Senator Hawley’s RECA provision will deliver long-overdue compensation and health care for survivors of radiation-linked cancers in the St. Louis and St. Charles areas, dating back from negligently exposed Manhattan Project waste. This provision will also expand compensation for uranium miners and downwinders in Western states who were exposed to fallout. The larger reconciliation bill will also deliver major relief for working people, such as no taxes on overtime, no taxes on tips, and a larger child tax credit for families.
Following negotiations between Senate GOP Leadership and Senator Hawley, the reconciliation legislation includes a new $50 billion fund for rural hospitals. This means that Missouri is set to receive approximately $1 billion in new funding to support providers and Medicaid recipients over the next five years. Senator Hawley also secured the delay of any Medicaid reductions.
The following statement is from Communications Workers of America President Claude Cummings Jr.
Members of the House and Senate who voted to pass President Trump’s budget should be ashamed of themselves. The budget is a giveaway to their billionaire backers and an insult to working people, who will not be fooled by the self-serving rhetoric of the President and Congressional Republican leadership.
Seventeen million Americans will lose their health care and millions more will see their costs increase. Hospitals and other healthcare facilities, particularly in rural areas, will close. Millions of working people, including thousands of CWA members, will lose their jobs as essential programs are cut to fund the abduction of our co-workers and neighbors by masked gunmen. Meanwhile, corporations will send record profits to Wall Street thanks to huge tax breaks and incentives to send even more jobs overseas.
This fight is not over. People from every Congressional District in our country spoke out in opposition to this terrible bill. As we celebrate our country’s beginnings, we rededicate ourselves to its founding principles. We will organize, mobilize, and vote to make sure that our government works for all people, not just the very rich who are using their wealth to control our politics.
Wes receiving a Meritorious Service Award in 2004.
Wes was born on August 17, 1938, in Newton, MA, and lived most of his early life in the Boston and San Francisco Bay areas. He studied at Harvard, where he majored in geology with a minor in government (BA, 1961). Receiving a Harvard Sheldon Fellowship, he traveled around the world alone in 1961-62. In 1963, he drove his Volkswagen van to Panama and back. After two years at Harvard graduate school in international affairs, he withdrew, alienated by bitterness over the Vietnam War. Between 1966 and 1970, Wes was a National Park Service naturalist at Muir Woods, Glacier Bay, Grand Canyon, Olympic, and Death Valley national parks.
Wes returned to graduate school at the University of California, Berkeley, in 1970, intending to map Precambrian stratigraphy in Death Valley. Instead, he met Prof. Ian Carmichael and soon found himself studying igneous petrology and volcanology in an exceptionally fruitful environment with talented fellow students, including his future wife, Gail Mahood (geology professor at Stanford University). That period was characterized by the advent of precise and comprehensive trace-element analyses, the transformation from wet chemistry to X-ray fluorescence, and from mineral picking to the then still-primitive electron microprobe. Wes’s 1977 PhD on the Bishop Tuff ignited a global interest in large-scale silicic volcanism and magmatism that continues undiminished. He joined the USGS in 1977, where he remained a research leader for his whole career.
The many outstanding features of Wes’s productive career reflect his intertwined interests in mapping volcanoes and understanding large-scale magmatic processes. He combined the two (with a sometimes-intimidating gravitas) through numerous intensive, field-focused studies mostly in the U.S. and Chile. For more than 45 years, he did so with Judy Fierstein, an indefatigable field collaborator and the artistic talent behind their many geologic maps. Their work made heavy use of USGS analytical facilities and was made possible by the high-quality geochronology provided by the USGS argon dating laboratory.
Several facets of Wes’s research, often made with U.S. and international collaborators, stand out:
Wes’s petrologic study of the rhyolitic Bishop Tuff, pioneering in its detail and comprehensiveness, challenged models for generating wide ranges in trace-element abundances in the erupted products. After what Wes himself referred to as “…the wild-goose chase of Soret effects in magma chambers,” his subsequent comparisons with other ignimbrites and related plutonic systems and the efforts of many other workers led to what has become widely known as the “mush model,” which is now a central paradigm for the generation of silicic magmas.
Turning to the ultimate driver of silicic magmatism, Wes recognized the fundamentally basaltic nature of most continental crustal magmatism and developed enduring concepts for what are now termed trans-crustal magmatic systems. His original 1981 concepts were further developed in 1988 to outline (using Chilean examples) the roles of crustal thickness and deep crustal processes (the MASH model) in the generation of arc magmas.
At the Yellowstone Plateau volcanic field, Wes and his colleagues were the first to document the contrast between the narrow ∂18O range in the ignimbrites and the much lighter isotopic values of the earliest post-collapse lavas. His interpretation, that meteoric water was involved, initiated much research on the role of hydrothermally altered crust in the origins of low-d18O rhyolites and influenced the understanding of upper crustal silicic magma bodies.
Studies of the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes in Alaska yielded fundamental insights into how a complicated volcanic plumbing system beneath Novarupta and Katmai caldera led to a remarkable diversity of magmas erupting in the 1912 eruption.
Wes’s contribution to the 1986 geologic map of the island of Pantelleria in Italy stands as the most detailed study of a peralkaline rhyolite volcanic center. It remains an important contribution to understanding the physical volcanology of low-viscosity felsic magmas and their associated calderas, as well as the chronology of volcanic ashes across the Mediterranean.
Late in his career Wes turned to his love of basic field geology and stratigraphy and published compelling studies on the landscape evolution of eastern Sierra Nevada, including the geology and geomorphology of the Long Valley Caldera region, the evolution of the Owens River gorge, and the nature and timing of development of the eastern Sierra Nevada escarpment.
A major legacy of Wes’ productive career at the USGS are the detailed geologic maps and descriptions of volcanic histories for Mount Adams, Mount Baker, Three Sisters, and Simcoe Mountains in the Cascade Range of Washington and Oregon; Mammoth Mountain and Long Valley Caldera in eastern California; Katmai in Alaska; Quizapu-Descabezado and Laguna del Maule in Chile, and Pantelleria in Italy. In Wes’s words: “I’ve emphasized on-foot authentic geologic mapping of blank spots on the map, largely in wilderness or otherwise uninhabited areas.”
Wes received wide recognition and awards during his career, including Fellow of the Geological Society of America (1985), Fellow (1995) and Bowen Award (1985) from the American Geophysical Union, Thorarinsson Medalist of the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth’s Interior (2004), and a Meritorious Service Award from the Department of the Interior (2004). Wes and Judy Fierstein jointly received the 2019 Florence Bascom Mapping Award from the Geological Society of America. In response to the award, Wes noted that it “celebrated what I love doing best.”
Wes was an avid reader and maintained a broad knowledge of global affairs, which was seeded by his travels through the Harvard Sheldon Fellowship. To colleagues, he offered three-thousand-year perspectives on the roots of conflicts in the Middle East and Europe. Before starting fieldwork each day, he scrutinized and read aloud portions of the daily academic commentary on current domestic affairs.
Wes was also a lifelong runner. He ran cross-country for the Harvard Crimson, and he finished in 29th place in the 1960 Boston Marathon. While traveling the world on the Sheldon Fellowship, he spent two months training at an immersion running camp in Australia. Between 1955 and 1972, Wes competed in the Dipsea Race for a grueling 12 km over the flank of Mt. Tamalpais, just north of San Francisco. On June 6, 2025, just two weeks before his death, Wes was inducted into the Dipsea Foundation Hall of Fame. In his acceptance speech, he said, “Distance running can be as much a lifestyle as a competitive sport. At age 87, I still hit the road for an hour every day – 365 days – slower every year, but the mentality and fitness support my geological day job,” and “there’s a spiritual component – the freedom of the hills – the simple gift of communion with the landscape.”
Wes was an outstanding geologist who had broad interests, including aspects of regional geology well outside of his recognized specialties in volcanology and igneous petrology. His insights and contributions have been of the highest quality and promise to last over time. At the time of his death, Wes was still carrying out work in the Sierra Nevada, the Mono Basin, the Cima volcanic field (all in California), and the Mina volcanics in western Nevada near where he died. His body of work, meticulously detailed, authoritatively stated, and contained within beautifully written papers, remains as an enduring memorial to his creativity, knowledge, and influence.
Contributed by: Charlie Bacon, Andy Calvert, Judy Fierstein, Shaul Hurwitz, Jake Lowenstern, Tom Sisson (all USGS Volcano Science Center), Gail Mahood (Stanford University), and Colin Wilson (Victoria University, NZ)
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (USVI)
For Immediate Release Contact: Tionee Scotland July 3, 2025 202-808-6129
PRESS RELEASE
PLASKETT AND MOYLAN INTRODUCE BIPARTISAN BILL TO ESTABLISH CONGRESSIONAL TASK FORCE ON TERRITORY VOTING RIGHTS
Washington, DC – Today—July 3, 2025—Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett (D-U.S. Virgin Islands) and Congressman James Moylan (R-Guam), introduced bipartisan legislation to establish a fifteen-member Congressional Task Force to develop a report on a path for Voting Rights for United States Citizen Residents of Territories, which will be terminated upon issuing its report to Congress. The announcement comes on Emancipation Day in the U.S. Virgin Islands, underscoring the historical significance of expanding democratic participation for all Americans.
This legislation builds upon the framework established by House Democrats in the 116th and 117th Congresses in the For the People Act – when the Task Force provision received broad bipartisan support. The Task Force is structured to maintain bipartisan representation from both the House of Representatives and the United States Senate.
“Today, on Emancipation Day in the U.S. Virgin Islands, we take a critical step toward addressing one of the most glaring inequities in our democracy. The timing of this announcement honors the historic significance of July 3, 1848, when enslaved people in the Danish West Indies—now the U.S. Virgin Islands—gained their freedom, marking a pivotal moment in the fight for equal rights and representation.” said Congresswoman Plaskett.
“More than 3.5 million Americans living in U.S. territories are denied the fundamental right to vote for President and lack full representation in Congress. The last five territories of the United States remain in a perpetual limbo status with no path to full inclusion for residents. Congress has a constitutional responsibility for the territories, and this legislation will provide an avenue for Congress to examine access to the ballot for its residents and address this democratic deficit,” Plaskett continued.
“Territories proudly send their sons and daughters in harm’s way to serve in our Armed Forces at higher rates than the States. Yet, we cannot vote for our Commander-in-Chief, nor vote in the House of Representatives, nor have our voices heard in the Senate,” Congressman Moylan stated. “The task force we are seeking to establish would study the long-term effects that this has and what barriers there are to voting representations. It is important that we look at how we can guarantee American citizens in the Territories have a seat at the table.”
“As Congressman Moylan shared, residents of our territories serve in the armed forces in disproportionate numbers but cannot vote for their Commander in Chief. This Task Force takes vital steps to address the inclusion of residents of the U.S. Territories, where millions of Americans currently lack equal representation and equal voting power. We cannot continue to accept second-class citizenship for Americans based solely on their geographic location.” Plaskett emphasized.
“I would like to thank Congressman Moylan for his partnership in co-leading this legislation and invite my colleagues to join us in our fight for fundamental fairness and ensuring that all Americans have a voice in their government, regardless of which territory or state they call home,” Plaskett concluded.
Background
The fifteen-member Congressional Task Force will be appointed by congressional leadership from both parties to ensure bipartisan representation. The Task Force is required to provide a status update to Congress 180 days after enactment and submit a comprehensive report within one year examining impediments to voting rights in territories and recommended changes for full and equal representation. The Task Force has authority to hold hearings, consult with territorial governments, and utilize existing congressional resources before terminating upon submitting its final report.
SANTA RITA, Guam — The U.S. Coast Guard, in close collaboration with the Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency, safely towed the 47-foot motor vessel Lucky Harvest to Agana Boat Basin on July 1 after the vessel’s crew experienced an engine failure due to a coolant leak.
SANTA RITA, Guam — The U.S. Coast Guard, in close collaboration with the Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency, safely towed the 47-foot motor vessel Lucky Harvest to Agana Boat Basin on July 1 after the vessel’s crew experienced an engine failure due to a coolant leak.
SANTA RITA, Guam — The U.S. Coast Guard, in close collaboration with the Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency, safely towed the 47-foot motor vessel Lucky Harvest to Agana Boat Basin on July 1 after the vessel’s crew experienced an engine failure due to a coolant leak.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
China urges the United States to abide by the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiqués, and stop advancing the so-called Taiwan-related act, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Thursday.
Spokesperson Mao Ning made the remarks at a regular press briefing when asked to comment on the adoption of the so-called “Taiwan Non-Discrimination Act” by the U.S. House of Representatives, requiring the U.S. government to support China’s Taiwan region in joining the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Mao stressed that there is only one China in the world and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory. The government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legitimate government representing the whole of China.
Taiwan has no basis, reason or right to participate in the United Nations or other international organizations, whose membership is confined to sovereign states, Mao noted.
China urges the United States to abide by the one-China principle and the three China-U.S. joint communiqués, observe the international law and the basic norms governing international relations, stop advancing the so-called Taiwan-related act, stop using the Taiwan question to interfere in China’s internal affairs, and stop sending wrong signals to “Taiwan independence” separatist forces.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Thursday that the European Union (EU) is “ready for a deal” with the United States to resolve ongoing tariff disputes. However, she emphasized that the bloc is also preparing for the possibility of no satisfactory agreement being reached to defend Europe’s interests.
Von der Leyen made the remarks during a visit to Aarhus. Noting that the deadline is July 9, she pointed out that trade between the EU and the United States amounts to 1.5 trillion euros (1.77 trillion U.S. dollars). “It’s a huge task,” she was quoted as saying in a statement issued by the Commission.
Emphasizing that the goal is to reach “an agreement in principle,” von der Leyen acknowledged that it would be impossible to finalize a detailed deal within such a timeframe due to the vast scale of trade between the two sides.
She warned that if the talks fail, the EU would not hesitate to implement retaliatory measures. “We want a negotiated solution,” she said, “But you all know that at the same time, we are preparing for the possibility that no satisfactory agreement is reached.”
“All the instruments are on the table,” She added.
European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security Maros Sefcovic is currently in Washington, holding discussions with U.S. trade representatives in an effort to secure a deal.
Meanwhile, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also urged both sides to strike “a quick and simple agreement,” stressing such a deal is vital for key sectors, including pharmaceuticals, engineering, and automotive manufacturing.
Currently, the United States imposes a 25 percent tariff on EU cars and auto parts, and a 50 percent tariff on steel and aluminum products. The United States is also considering expanding tariffs to cover timber, aerospace components, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and critical minerals. (1 euro = 1.18 U.S. dollars)
