Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:
The Hospital Authority (HA) announces that as the Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 has been issued, its general out-patient clinics will be closed today (July 20). Outpatients are advised to make a new appointment after the cancellation of the Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8. The service of Accident & Emergency Department of public hospitals remains normal.
The HA has made preparations to cope with the adverse weather conditions and established contingency plans for inclement weather. Drills have been conducted to ensure uninterrupted medical services across all public hospitals. Also, the HA has reminded all clusters to conduct a comprehensive review of their preparedness to effectively respond to adverse weather conditions.
All clusters have allocated additional manpower, food and medical supplies to maintain normal hospital operations. Enhanced inspections have been carried out at various locations within public hospitals, including potential flood-prone areas, drainage systems and trees. Furthermore, contractors of HA construction sites have been instructed to implement proper reinforcement and safety precautionary measures against strong wind and heavy rain to minimise the impact of severe weather.
The HA Major Incident Control Centre will closely monitor the operations of all hospitals and maintain close communication with relevant government departments to ensure public hospital services remain unaffected during adverse weather conditions.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
As Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 (T8) will soon be in force, the Labour Department (LD) today (July 19) reminded employers to make work arrangements for employees during and after tropical cyclone warnings, rainstorm warnings and extreme conditions, including arrangements on reporting for duty, release from work, resumption of work and remote work (if applicable).
An LD spokesman said, “In drawing up and implementing the work arrangements, apart from factors such as operational needs of establishments, employers should give prime consideration to employees’ safety and the feasibility of employees travelling to and from their workplaces. Employers should also give consideration as much as possible to the different situations faced by individual employees, such as their place of residence and the road and traffic conditions in the vicinity, and adopt a sympathetic and flexible approach with due regard to their actual difficulties and needs. For example, employers may permit employees who have difficulties in returning to workplaces to work remotely (if applicable) or allow more time for them to report for duty and resume work.”
If the Government makes an extreme conditions announcement, apart from those required by employers to report for duty at workplaces, employees are advised to stay in the place they are currently in or in safe places when extreme conditions are in force, instead of heading for work. Employees who have already reported for duty at workplaces could continue to work as usual in a safe manner. If the workplaces are in danger, employers should release staff from work early under feasible conditions and in a safe manner, or make available a safe place as temporary shelter for employees. If the working time ends while extreme conditions are still in force, employers can release employees from workplaces in a safe manner or provide a suitable area as temporary shelter for those still at workplaces.
If it is necessary for employees to report for duty at workplaces under adverse weather or extreme conditions, employers should work out arrangements for their transportation, safety, meals, rest places and more. If public transport services are suspended or limited when there is a T8 signal or higher, or extreme conditions are in force, employers should provide safe transport services for employees travelling to and from workplaces, or grant them an extra travelling allowance.
The spokesman reminded employers to observe the statutory liabilities and requirements under the Employment Ordinance, Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance, Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance, Employees’ Compensation Ordinance and Minimum Wage Ordinance.
The LD has published the “Code of Practice in Times of Adverse Weather and ‘Extreme Conditions’”, which provides the major principles, reference guidelines and information on relevant legislation on making work arrangements for the reference of employers and employees. The booklet can be obtained from branch offices of the Labour Relations Division or downloaded from the department’s webpage (www.labour.gov.hk/eng/public/wcp/Rainstorm.pdf).
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Attention duty announcers, radio and TV stations:
Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at suitable intervals:
The Marine Department has received notification from the Hong Kong Pilots Association Limited that due to the tropical cyclone, the pilotage service will be suspended from 10pm today (July 19). Shipowners, agents, masters and other port users are advised to pay attention.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4
Attention TV & Radio Announcers:
The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced that the event IAC 2025: “Ace Agent’s Writing class” Parent-child Creative Workshop scheduled for tomorrow at Cultural Activities Hall, Sai Wan Ho Civic Centre at 3pm has been postponed due to the issuance of Typhoon Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8.
For enquiries, please call 2550 7309 (Sai Wan Ho Civic Centre)
Thailand has accused Cambodia of recently placing landmines in a disputed border area after three soldiers were injured, but Phnom Penh said they had veered off agreed patrol routes and triggered a mine left behind from decades of war.
Thai authorities made the claim after three soldiers were injured, with one losing a foot, by a landmine explosion while on a routine patrol on July 16 on the Thai side of the disputed border area between Ubon Ratchathani and Cambodia’s Preah Vihear province.
Cambodia’s Defence Ministry denied that new mines had been planted, saying in a statement on Sunday the soldiers had strayed from agreed patrol routes into areas that contain unexploded landmines. The country is littered with landmines laid during decades of war.
Thailand’s army said on Monday that 10 freshly laid Russian-made PMN-2 type landmines, which are not used or stockpiled by Thailand, were found between July 18 and July 20 in areas near where the soldiers were injured.
“This is a clear violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Thailand and an outright breach of principles that are fundamental to international law,” Maratee Nalita Andamo, deputy spokesperson for the Thai Foreign Ministry, said on Monday in Bangkok.
Data from the Cambodia Mine Action Centre, which estimates there are still 4 to 6 million landmines scattered across the country, shows five people were killed and a dozen injured by mines and unexploded ordnance in Cambodia in the first four months of 2025.
The area where the mine exploded is near where a Cambodian soldier was killed in May after a brief exchange of gunfire between troops on both sides.
The incident has flared into a broader diplomatic dispute between the Southeast Asian neighbours that has destabilised the Thai government and seen the Prime Minister suspended from office.
Thailand said it will issue a formal condemnation and call for accountability from Cambodia for breaching the anti-landmine convention under the Ottawa Treaty, and the army will also increase vigilance during border patrols.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
FUZHOU, July 21 (Xinhua) — East China’s Fujian Province issued a Level 4 emergency response at 8 a.m. Monday to address the flood threat posed by Typhoon Wipha, the provincial flood and drought relief headquarters said.
Under the influence of the outer circulation of Typhoon Wipha, the sixth this year, heavy rains and downpours have been lashing coastal areas of Fujian Province since Sunday.
According to meteorological services, heavy rains will continue in some areas of the province over the next three days.
The Provincial Flood and Drought Management Headquarters calls for heightened vigilance against severe weather. All districts and agencies must quickly adopt or make necessary adjustments to emergency response measures, with increased emphasis on monitoring, early warning, and joint consultation to assess risks.
It is necessary to carefully formulate and implement a large-scale strategy to mitigate the impact of heavy rainfall disasters and respond to secondary hazards such as flash floods in mountainous areas, floods in small and medium-sized rivers, geological disasters and urban flooding, the headquarters stressed.
On Sunday at around 8:15 p.m., Vipha made landfall for the second time as a strong tropical storm near Hailing Island in Yangjiang, Guangdong Province, southern China. Maximum sustained winds near its epicenter reached 25 meters per second.
China has a four-tier emergency response system, with tier one being the most serious. -0-
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Climate change knows no borders – as Kenya can tell you. The country is routinely hit by weather disasters.
“Every five to ten years, the country experiences either very heavy rains that cause floods or persistent drought,” says Reuben Chepng’ar, the senior manager in the Banking Supervision Department at the Central Bank of Kenya.
By the year 2030, Kenya aspires to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 32%. This work is expected to cost $62 billion, but the government says it can raise only $8 billion. The investment shortfall of $54 billion is expected to come from the private sector and global development institutions, such as the European Investment Bank and the Internal Monetary Fund.
The Central Bank of Kenya is trying to help commercial banks support more green projects, enhance their climate-related risk reporting and attract foreign investors. The Central Bank used technical assistance from the European Investment Bank to create new climate investing and reporting guidelines in the country.
The European Investment Bank collaborated with Kenya’s Central Bank to develop two guidelines under a programme known as Greening Financial Systems technical assistance. EIB consultants worked with the Central Bank and local banks from 2023 to 2025 to develop regulations that commercial banks must follow for climate reporting and green investments.
The EIB support to the Central Bank was financed through the IKI Fund, an EIB trust fund backed by Germany to help climate action initiatives in emerging countries. The IKI Fund highlights the importance of international cooperation and knowledge sharing. Since climate risks transcend borders, coordinated action among global institutions is essential to ensure that local financial systems are aligned with global sustainability objectives. The European Investment Bank oversees a group of trust funds that are financed by EU countries and the European Commission. These funds provide grants, technical assistance and loan guarantees around the world.
Marjan Stojiljkovic was a team lead for the EIB technical assistance programme in Kenya. He is a climate finance consultant who offers training around the world to banks on sustainability reporting requirements and managing risks related to green lending.
“One objective of this project was how to internalise and measure the impacts of climate risk on banking operations in Kenya, because climate risks are real and they have impacts on the financial sector,” Stojiljkovic says.
After a series of meetings and workshops, the central bank created two sets of policy guidelines to help commercial banks improve climate risk reporting. One is the Kenya Green Finance Taxonomy and the other is the Climate Risk Management Framework. The green taxonomy is the fourth to be adopted in Africa, after South Africa, Rwanda and Ghana. The taxonomy is based on the EU green taxonomy that provides a clear classification system for sustainable economic activities and guidance on assessment and reporting. One aim is to prevent greenwashing, or the exaggeration of the benefits projects bring. Another aim is to increase sustainable investments, particularly by attracting foreign investment. The climate risk framework was designed to increase transparency in Kenya’s financial sector and encourage businesses to adopt more sustainable practices.
On the morning of 20 July, a 25 truck WFP convoy carrying vital food assistance crossed the Zikim border point destined for starving communities in northern Gaza.
Shortly after passing the final checkpoint beyond the Zikim crossing point into Gaza, the convoy encountered large crowds of civilians anxiously waiting to access desperately needed food supplies.
As the convoy approached, the surrounding crowd came under fire from Israeli tanks, snipers and other gunfire.
We are deeply concerned and saddened by this tragic incident resulting in the loss of countless lives. Many more suffered life-threatening injuries. These people were simply trying to access food to feed themselves and their families on the brink of starvation. This terrible incident underscores the increasingly dangerous conditions under which humanitarian operations are forced to be conducted in Gaza.
Today’s violent incident comes despite assurances from Israeli authorities that humanitarian operational conditions would improve; including that armed forces will not be present nor engage at any stage along humanitarian convoy routes.
There should never, ever, be armed groups near or on our aid convoys, as reiterated on many occasions to all parties to the conflict. Shootings near humanitarian missions, convoys and food distributions must stop immediately. Any violence involving civilians seeking humanitarian aid is completely unacceptable.
We stand firmly by our principles of operating with independence, impartiality and neutrality. It is one of the many reasons why communities trust us.
The World Food Programme continues to call for the protection of all civilians and aid workers delivering life-saving assistance. WFP teams accompanying convoys should not have to risk their own lives in the effort to save others. Without these fundamental conditions in place, we cannot continue providing life-saving support across the Gaza strip.
Gaza’s hunger crisis has reached new levels of desperation. People are dying from lack of humanitarian assistance. Malnutrition is surging with 90,000 women and children in urgent need of treatment. Nearly one person in three is not eating for days. Food aid is the only way for most people to access any food – as the cost of a one-kilogram bag of flour has surged to over USD100 in local markets.
Only a massive scale-up in food aid distributions can stabilize this spiraling situation, calm anxieties and rebuild the trust within communities that more food is coming.
An agreed ceasefire is long overdue. All hostages should be released, and humanitarians should be able to reach the civilian population in Gaza with critical food supplies in a consistent, predictable, orderly and safe manner — wherever they are across the Gaza Strip.
WFP is ready. We have food supplies nearby, experienced teams on the ground, and proven systems in place to respond at scale. We did it before and we can do it again.
We urgently call on the international community and all parties to advocate for, and facilitate, the delivery of life-saving food aid to starving populations inside Gaza – safely, securely, wherever families are, and without obstruction.
Dhaka (Agenzia Fides) – Clashes between supporters of political parties have once again created social instability in Bangladesh. Tensions have flared in recent days in the city of Gopalganj, south of Dhaka, where members of the Awami League, the party of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who has fled abroad, attacked the march of activists from the National Citizen Party, the student party that officially presented itself to voters in early 2025.Following the clashes in Gopalganj, the government imposed a curfew to regain control of the situation, while four people died and 13 were injured in clashes with police.Social tensions are flaring up again as the country nears the finish line of the next general elections, which the interim government Muhammad Yunus, after considerable domestic and international pressure, has announced will be held in April 2026.Sheikh Hasina is currently in India and has been tried for the repression of protesters during the student protests that, in August 2024, brought an end to her 15-year rule. Hasina has been accused of ordering police to fire on protesters (there were numerous casualties), while the exiled leader maintains that the accusations against her are politically motivated.Meanwhile, the Awami League has been banned in Bangladesh, pending the outcome of the trial. The party was barred from participating in the elections after the Election Commission suspended its registration. The measure has exacerbated social polarization and tensions.Meanwhile, the consequences of the collapse of the industrial sector are being felt in the country, with a significant drop in foreign investment, steadily rising inflation, and ever-rising costs for basic goods. “A sense of frustration is growing among people, which could have repercussions in the voting process,” notes a local Fides source in the Catholic community.In a country with 170 million inhabitants, the vast majority of whom are Muslim, Christians and other religious minorities have expressed concern about the return of radical Islamic parties to the political scene. Indeed, Bangladesh’s Supreme Court has overturned the ban on the country’s main Muslim party, which for more than ten years had been relegated to the margins of society by the government of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Jamaat-e-Islami will now be able to participate in the next general elections and is preparing to broaden its base of political consensus. The danger, highlighted especially by civil society organizations and associations, is the influence that Islamist parties could have on the country’s future government. Therefore, the interim government has been asked to complete the process of constitutional reforms before the elections, defining an institutional and legal framework based on the principles of democracy, pluralism, and equality. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 19/7/2025)
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Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
GAZA, July 21 (Xinhua) — At least 14 Palestinians, including a civil defense worker, were killed Sunday in an Israeli airstrike on a college building west of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, Palestinian sources said.
Israeli warplanes fired at least one missile at a building housing displaced people in the al-Mawasi area west of Khan Younis, witnesses said.
Doctors told Xinhua that all the bodies found, as well as the wounded, were taken to hospitals.
The airstrike killed civil defense officer Hani al-Dabour and wounded several members of his team, according to a local government statement. The government called on the international community to fulfill its obligations to “stop Israel’s crimes and ensure full protection for the work crews.”
In a statement on Sunday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that the paratroopers’ brigade, under the command of the 36th Division, had completed its mission in the Khan Yunis area of the Gaza Strip.
“During the operation, the troops eliminated the terrorists in hand-to-hand combat and in cooperation with the Israeli Air Force. They destroyed the terrorists’ infrastructure, including military installations, weapons and explosives depots,” the statement said.
Israel resumed military operations in the Gaza Strip on March 18. Since then, at least 8,066 Palestinians have been killed and 28,939 wounded. The total number of deaths since October 2023 has reached 58,895, with 140,980 injured, the enclave’s health authorities said on Sunday. –0–
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
DAMASCUS, July 21 (Xinhua) — Fierce clashes broke out between Druze militias and Bedouin tribes supporting the interim government in rural areas of southern Syria on Sunday, threatening a fragile ceasefire in the region, activists said.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said large numbers of Bedouin reinforcements had gathered in the villages of Bustan, Dama and Najran, and there were signs of preparations to storm neighbouring Druze areas.
Heavy fighting broke out in the towns of Arika and Umm al-Zeitoun, located along the Damascus-Suwayda highway, with Bedouins reportedly burning homes and looting property. The violence led to the closure of two key roads, further increasing tensions in the already volatile area.
An expected prisoner exchange between the two sides was called off after mortar shells, believed to have been fired from Bedouin positions, landed near the planned transfer site.
At least 1,120 people have been killed since fighting began on July 13, according to the observatory, including more than 100 civilians and dozens of government troops. For now, tensions remain high in the region and the ceasefire remains in jeopardy. –0–
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –
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The Prime Minister got acquainted with the progress of reconstruction of the airport terminal complex and the airfield runway during a working visit to the Amur Region.
Mikhail Mishustin inspected the new airport complex of the Blagoveshchensk International Airport (Ignatievo) named after N.N. Muravyov-Amursky
July 21, 2025
Mikhail Mishustin inspected the new airport complex of the Blagoveshchensk International Airport (Ignatievo) named after N.N. Muravyov-Amursky
July 21, 2025
Mikhail Mishustin with the Governor of the Amur Region Vasily Orlov and the Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic Alexey Chekunkov during a meeting at the Blagoveshchensk airport
July 21, 2025
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Mikhail Mishustin inspected the new airport complex of the Blagoveshchensk International Airport (Ignatievo) named after N.N. Muravyov-Amursky
Construction work on the new airport complex in Blagoveshchensk began in 2023. To date, the installation of the building’s metal structures and 3,000 square meters of wall sandwich panels has been completed, and the installation of facade and stained glass structures is underway. Work is underway inside the building to erect partitions and engineering systems.
The airport’s landscaping area is underway. Its park section will be converted into a recreational area of over 5,500 square meters. It will feature an amphitheater with a canopy, a rock garden, benches, and gazebos for storing luggage carts. The renovated landscaping area will be put into operation in the third quarter of this year.
To date, the modernization of the airfield complex has been almost completely completed using federal budget funds. A new artificial runway, 3,000 m long and 45 m wide, capable of accommodating all types of aircraft, is already being successfully used. It received its first flight in December 2023. A new taxiway, aprons, treatment facilities, an emergency rescue station, and a patrol road have also been put into operation.
The small aircraft apron is currently being reconstructed. Two more taxiways are planned to be put into operation by the end of the year.
Over 6 years, the passenger flow of Blagoveshchensk airport has grown more than 2.2 times – from 418 thousand people in 2018 to 928 thousand in 2024. More than a million passengers are expected in 2025.
Since May 2025, the regional highway Blagoveshchensk – Bibikovo, which connects the regional capital with the Ignatievo International Airport, has also been reconstructed. The project provides for the expansion of the road to four lanes and the separation of flows, as well as a comprehensive modernization of utility networks and outdoor lighting systems, the reconstruction of communication networks, electrical and heating networks, the organization of storm sewers and water drainage.
Today, the section of the Blagoveshchensk-Bibikovo road, running from the regional capital to the settlement of Aeroport, is the busiest highway in the region.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
SPC AC 210502
Day 2 Convective Outlook NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK 1202 AM CDT Mon Jul 21 2025
Valid 221200Z – 231200Z
…THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TUESDAY INTO TUESDAY NIGHT ACROSS PARTS OF SOUTHEASTERN NORTH DAKOTA…NORTHEASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA…MUCH OF CENTRAL MINNESOTA…AND ADJACENT NORTHWESTERN WISCONSIN…
…SUMMARY… Scattered strong thunderstorm development may impact parts of the northern Rockies and Great Plains into Upper Midwest Tuesday into Tuesday night, posing at least some risk for severe weather.
…Discussion… Models continue to indicate that an increasingly prominent mid-level high will evolve across parts of the middle Mississippi/lower Ohio Valley region during this period, within persistent ridging encompassing much of the interior U.S. Modest, anticyclonic flow around the northern periphery of the broader ridging is likely to be maintained across the northern Great Basin through the Dakotas and Upper Midwest, Great Lakes and adjacent portions of Ontario and Quebec. It appears that mid-level ridging will also remain prominent across much of the northeastern Pacific, though it may begin to undergo some suppression.
Between the ridging, weak mid-level troughing is likely to linger across the Pacific coast vicinity. As one much more significant short wave trough and embedded cyclone in higher latitudes progress slowly toward the Hudson Bay vicinity, it still appears that one smaller-scale short wave perturbation emerging from the Pacific Northwest may accelerate across and northeast of the mountains of western Montana. However, models now generally indicate that a slightly stronger perturbation may linger to the southwest, across the northern intermountain region.
In lower levels, a cold front trailing the higher latitude cyclone is forecast to advance across the international border into the northern Great Plains late Tuesday into Tuesday night. It appears another cold front may make further progress southward though the southern Atlantic coast vicinity, well south of the mid-latitude westerlies.
…Northern Rockies/Great Plains into Upper Midwest… Beneath the warm mid-level ridging, in the wake of a prior frontal passage, seasonably moist boundary layer air is forecast to surge from the middle Missouri Valley and adjacent Great Plains toward the Upper Midwest/adjacent Great Lakes, in advance of the front approaching from the Canadian Prairies. This moisture appears likely to once again contribute to moderate to large potential instability within modestly deep pre-frontal surface troughing, aided by insolation and the presence of generally steep tropospheric lapse rates, though with warm, capping layers aloft.
Near the southern periphery of a belt of strengthening southwesterly mid-level flow, it still appears that this environment will become at least conditionally supportive of organized convective development. However, south of the international border, forcing for ascent to support convective development is likely to be mostly tied to subtle perturbations progressing around the northern periphery of the mid-level ridging, which remain uncertain at this time.
There does appear a general consensus that stronger boundary-layer heating, within the lee surface troughing, will occur roughly in a narrow corridor from the western South Dakota/Nebraska state border vicinity through northeastern South Dakota/adjacent west central Minnesota by late afternoon, with a zone of strengthening differential heating extending east-southeastward across central Minnesota. It is possible that the boundary intersection could become a focus for isolated late afternoon supercell development, with warm advection along the zone of differential surface heating, aided by a strengthening southerly low-level jet impinging on it, contributing to an upscale growing cluster of storms Tuesday evening. However, due to the warm and capping air aloft, and possible weak upper support for ascent, this remains rather uncertain.
With a more substantive short wave perturbation lingering back across the northern intermountain region, models suggest that more substantive destabilization is possible on moistening low-level northeasterly to easterly flow into the higher terrain of south central through southeastern Montana. Aided by the pronounced veering of winds from near surface to mid-levels, it appears that deep-layer shear may become conducive to isolated to widely scattered supercell development late Tuesday afternoon and evening.
…South Carolina into Georgia… Although lapse rates may be modest, high moisture content along/ahead of the slowly southwestward advancing cold front may support the development of modest CAPE and contribute to an environment conducive to convection capable of producing a few strong downbursts. It is also possible that unsaturated layers may be sufficient to contribute to broader cold pools accompanied by potentially damaging winds along the gust fronts.
..Kerr.. 07/21/2025
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Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
SPC AC 210552
Day 1 Convective Outlook NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK 1252 AM CDT Mon Jul 21 2025
Valid 211200Z – 221200Z
…THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PARTS OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN MONTANA…
…SUMMARY… Severe thunderstorms capable of producing severe wind gusts, large hail, and perhaps a tornado or two are expected across parts of the northern Great Plains. Additional isolated strong to severe storms are possible in the central Plains.
…Synopsis… Modest amplification of an upper-level ridge is expected across the Plains into the Upper Midwest today. In the Northwest, the upper-level trough will take on a more neutral tilt before progressing eastward by Tuesday morning. At the surface, modest lee troughing will be in place within the northern/central High Plains regions. An outflow boundary is likely to be situated somewhere in the North Dakota/South Dakota border vicinity. Farther east into Minnesota, a warm front like feature will arc southeastward into the lower Ohio Valley. Strong to extreme buoyancy is forecast to develop within parts of the northern/central Plains.
…Montana into western North Dakota… The highest confidence in the development of severe storms is within the terrain of central Montana. Additional storms may develop in the vicinity of the Big Horns and move into southeast Montana. Mid-level heights will be rising through the morning/afternoon so initiation could be somewhat delayed. Subtle mid-level height falls will occur during the evening, however. With a belt of strong mid-level winds across the region, initial storms should be supercellular. Large hail and severe wind gusts will be the initial hazards. With storms developing in somewhat drier air, it is possible they will be outflow dominant and not maintain their cellular mode as they move northeast into greater moisture. The environment will be conditionally favorable for 2+ inch hail, but the spatial extent of this threat is not certain. Severe wind gusts will likely become more common later in the evening as activity grows upscale.
…Dakotas into Minnesota/Mid-Missouri Valley… Two clusters of convection are ongoing in the Dakotas. Based on current surface observations, this activity is expected to generally move eastward along the North Dakota/South Dakota border. What occurs with the outflow from this activity into this afternoon will play a role in the severe potential within parts of the Dakotas. Strong to extreme buoyancy will be present south of the outflow. Forcing for ascent will be weak. Storm development will depend on the timing of the early morning convection and subsequent heating/mesoscale lift during the afternoon. A weak surface low in western South Dakota may lead to some locally enhanced convergence along the outflow and trigger storms. This scenario is also not certain.
Effective shear of 40-45 kts and MLCAPE likely above 4000 J/kg will support intense, organized storms. Initial storms would be capable large hail, severe winds, and perhaps a tornado or two. Storms that do develop would eventually grow upscale and potentially produce a swatch of severe winds. Model guidance varies on the timing/location of this activity. There is some potential for a cluster/MCS to propagate along the warm front feature into central Minnesota. Other solutions show the MCS moving into the greater buoyancy toward the Mid-Missouri Valley. Given some capping can be expected, storms may not develop at all. The marginal risk has been expanded to account for these possibilities, but confidence remains too low for a categorical upgrade at this time.
…Central High Plains… Strong heating near the surface trough should promote isolated to widely scattered storms from the Palmer Divide into the Nebraska Panhandle. Effective shear of 25-30 kts (generally weaker with southern extent) will allow for marginally organized storms. Severe wind gusts are the main concern as storms develop in the drier air. Some potential for large hail may also exist if storms can persist into greater moisture to the east.
..Wendt/Dean.. 07/21/2025
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Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
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Jul 21, 2025 0100 UTC Day 1 Convective Outlook
Click to see valid 1Z – 12Z Day 1 Convective Outlook
Updated: Mon Jul 21 01:04:33 UTC 2025 (Print Version | | )
Probabilistic to Categorical Outlook Conversion Table
Forecast Discussion
SPC AC 210104
Day 1 Convective Outlook NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK 0804 PM CDT Sun Jul 20 2025
Valid 210100Z – 211200Z
…THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PARTS OF THE NORTHERN/CENTRAL PLAINS…PARTS OF THE LOWER/MIDDLE OHIO VALLEY…
…SUMMARY… Widely scattered severe storms remain possible in parts of the northern/central Plains. Additional strong to severe storms are possible in parts of the lower/middle Ohio Valley.
…Ohio Valley… An MCV moving into Illinois is continuing to promote convection along a stationary boundary. Though deep-layer shear is modest, strong buoyancy is still in place. A couple of more organized clusters may produce wind damage as they move southeastward this evening. A brief tornado near the boundary could also occur.
…Northern/central Plains… Several supercells are ongoing in parts of eastern Montana into southwest South Dakota. Steep mid-level lapse rates and strong shear will continue to promote storms capable of large/very-large hail and severe wind gusts. Farther south, isolated but intense supercells have persisted in south-central South Dakota into north-central Nebraska. Large/very-large hail and severe gusts are the main concerns, but low-level shear will increase modestly this evening and a tornado will remain possible.
…Kansas/Missouri… As the low-level jet increases this evening, warm advection is expected to initiate convection in northern Missouri and perhaps northeast Kansas. Given around 3000+ J/kg MLCAPE, the stronger storms may produce isolated strong/damaging winds later this evening.
..Wendt.. 07/21/2025
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Australia’s climate is changing. To avoid catastrophic disruptions from successive supercharged disasters, society must adapt. But change takes time and it’s not always clear how much progress we’re making.
We wanted to find out what Australia’s governments, industries and local groups are doing to adapt to climate change. Our work culminated in the Australian Adaptation Database, which captures more than 700 initiatives so far.
Standout examples from this first national stocktake include Ramblers Reef in Victoria – an artificial reef of rocks and shells 500 metres offshore that has helped reduce coastal erosion. In Adelaide, urban cooling and greening projects are transforming the city and suburbs across 17 councils .
Our project shows climate adaptation is happening in Australia, but there’s plenty of room for improvement. The more society can do now to prepare for change, the better off we’ll be in the long run.
Why track Australia’s progress in climate adaptation? First, it enables progress to be reported efficiently to governments and international bodies such as the United Nations.
The database also helps people share knowledge. Anyone striving to improve their resilience to climate change can look to the database for ideas and inspiration.
The data was mainly gathered from conversations we had with people in state and territory government departments, local government associations, not-for-profit organisations and private companies across Australia.
On Wednesday, we will present the database at the opening of the national Climate Adaptation 2025 conference in Perth.
The project shows the vast range of ways Australians are preparing for a warmer world. Examples include:
planting trees to cool cities such as Adelaide and rural towns such as Birchip in Victoria
Anyone can explore and search the database. It’s not an exhaustive record of all climate adaptation in Australia, but provides more detail than ever before. It’s constantly being updated as new examples are added.
But the database is only as good as the information we feed into it, so we need everyone to contribute. All you need to do is hit the “submit an entry” button on the homepage to get started.
Artificial reefs such as Ramblers Reef help slow erosion (ABC News)
The role of government: local, state and federal
Much work to date in climate adaptation has involved laying the foundations for practical actions.
For example, South Australia’s Climate Ready Coasts program aims to improve planning for coastal hazards. This joint effort between state and local governments make sense, given both have a role to play, and it helps ensure adaptation actions are efficient and coordinated.
At the federal level, the Australian government has focused on funding for national disasters such as the Future Drought Fund. Another example, the Infrastructure Betterment Fund, involves making roads, rail, bridges and other infrastructure more resilient to climate change.
Australia is yet to release its first National Adaptation Plan. This document is expected to clarify the federal role in climate adaptation.
The private sector
The private sector is beginning to adapt to climate change. Examples include:
Change is hard, but Australia is finally making some progress in climate adaptation. Markus Spiske, Unsplash., CC BY
What’s next?
Our research shows the policy and governance mechanisms to drive adaptation are largely in place. The knowledge and networks to support meaningful action are gradually being developed.
But the next “heavy lifting” phase – putting plans into action – is yet to begin in earnest.
There’s a clear need to channel funding to those best placed to deliver frontline projects and programs, especially local governments and community organisations.
The Australian Local Government Association is calling for a A$400 million climate adaptation fund to support Australian councils to deliver place-based adaptation actions.
This research is part of a three-year project exploring how to encourage and promote best practice in adapting to climate change across Australia.
The next step is to measure progress around climate adaptation, which is difficult and rarely done – even though it’s required under the Paris Agreement.
The good news is Australia has made a start, but there is much more to do to ensure the wellbeing of our country through a changing climate.
Tia Brullo receives funding from the National Environmental Science Program Climate Systems Hub Project Number CS2.1
Elissa Waters receives funding from the National Environmental Science Program Climate Systems Hub Project Number CS2.1 and Australian Climate Service.
Jon Barnett receives funding from the National Environmental Science Program Climate Systems Hub Project Number CS2.1
Sarah Boulter receives funding from the National Environmental Science Program Climate Systems Hub.
India’s benchmark indices opened on a cautious note Monday, as uncertainty surrounding the India-US trade deal weighed on investor sentiment and capped early gains.
The Nifty rose 30.60 points, or 0.12 per cent, to open at 24,999, while the Sensex added 160.80 points, or 0.20 per cent, to start at 81,918.53. However, both indices quickly gave up their gains. By 9:20 am, the Sensex had slipped 50 points, or 0.05 per cent, to 81,714, and the Nifty was down 17 points, or 0.07 per cent, at 24,951.
Analysts attribute the weak start to investor unease over the lack of progress in the fifth and latest round of India-US trade negotiations.
“The failure to reach a breakthrough in the trade talks is pushing countries to pursue multilateral FTAs to reduce reliance on the US,” said Ajay Bagga, banking and market expert. “The final signing of the India-UK FTA this week will symbolize a broader shift towards multilateralism in a post-Pan-Americana world.”
India and the UK had concluded negotiations on their FTA in May. Bagga stressed the need for India to deepen trade ties through new and existing FTAs, especially with ASEAN countries, where current terms favor imports over exports.
Adding to the market pressure are concerns over a lackluster Q1 earnings season and ongoing uncertainty around US tariff policies. A potential US-India tariff deal is being closely watched as a possible trigger for market recovery.
Another factor influencing sentiment is the flood of primary market activity. With several large IPOs and qualified institutional placements (QIPs) lined up, investors are diverting funds away from the secondary market. Promoters and private equity firms continue to dilute stakes, adding to the supply overhang.
Meanwhile, a potentially positive development could emerge on the policy front. The NITI Aayog has reportedly recommended allowing automatic approvals for Chinese investments of up to 24 per cent in Indian companies, a move that could revive Chinese capital inflows and signal India’s openness to alternatives beyond the US.
On the NSE, all major broad-market indices were under pressure. The Nifty 100 dropped 0.13 per cent, Nifty Midcap 100 slipped 0.10 per cent, and Nifty Smallcap 100 fell by 0.10 per cent.
Sectorally, only Nifty Media, Nifty Metal, and Nifty Realty showed gains. The rest lagged, with Nifty Auto down 0.37 per cent, Nifty FMCG lower by 0.32 per cent, Nifty IT falling 0.67 per cent, and Nifty PSU Bank declining the most, by 0.70 per cent.
“The Nifty 50 did not perform well last week, ending down by 181 points. Back-to-back bearish candles indicate that sellers are in control, which could push prices further down,” said Sunil Gurjar, SEBI-registered analyst and founder of Alphamojo Financial Services. “A breakdown below 25,250 would signal a strong downtrend. The 24,650 level could act as crucial support. If breached, it may confirm further downside. That said, prices remain above key moving averages, hinting at underlying strength.”
Residents reported calm in Syria’s Sweida on Sunday after the Islamist-led government announced that Bedouin fighters had withdrawn from the predominantly Druze city and a U.S. envoy signalled that a deal to end days of fighting was being implemented.
With hundreds reported killed, the Sweida bloodshed is a major test for interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa, prompting Israel to launch airstrikes against government forces last week as it declared support for the Druze.Fighting continued on Saturday despite a ceasefire call.
Interior Minister Anas Khattab said on Sunday that internal security forces had managed to calm the situation and enforce the ceasefire, “paving the way for a prisoner exchange and the gradual return of stability throughout the governorate”.
Reuters images showed interior ministry forces near the city, blocking the road in front of members of tribes congregated there. The Interior Ministry said late on Saturday that Bedouin fighters had left the city.
U.S. envoy Tom Barrack said the sides had “navigated to a pause and cessation of hostilities”. “The next foundation stone on a path to inclusion, and lasting de-escalation, is a complete exchange of hostages and detainees, the logistics of which are in process,” he wrote on X.
Kenan Azzam, a dentist, said there was an uneasy calm but the city’s residents were struggling with a lack of water and electricity. “The hospitals are a disaster and out of service, and there are still so many dead and wounded,” he said by phone.
Another resident, Raed Khazaal, said aid was urgently needed. “Houses are destroyed … The smell of corpses is spread throughout the national hospital,” he said in a voice message to Reuters from Sweida.
The Syrian state news agency said an aid convoy sent to the city by the government was refused entry while aid organised by the Syrian Red Crescent was let in. A source familiar with the situation said local factions in Sweida had turned back the government convoy.
Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported on Sunday that Israel sent urgent medical aid to the Druze in Sweida and the step was coordinated with Washington and Syria. Spokespeople for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Foreign Ministry and the military did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The Druze are a small but influential minority in Syria, Israel and Lebanon who follow a religion that is an offshoot of a branch of Shi’ite Islam. Some hardline Sunnis deem their beliefs heretical.
The fighting began a week ago with clashes between Bedouin and Druze fighters. Damascus sent troops to quell the fighting, but they were drawn into the violence and accused of widespread violations against the Druze.
Residents of the predominantly Druze city said friends and neighbours were shot at close range in their homes or in the streets by Syrian troops, identified by their fatigues and insignia.
Sharaa on Thursday promised to protect the rights of Druze and to hold to account those who committed violations against “our Druze people”.
He has blamed the violence on “outlaw groups”.
While Sharaa has won U.S. backing since meeting President Donald Trump in May, the violence has underscored the challenge he faces stitching back together a country shattered by 14 years of conflict, and added to pressures on its mosaic of sectarian and ethnic groups.
COASTAL VIOLENCE
After Israel bombed Syrian government forces in Sweida and hit the defence ministry in Damascus last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had established a policy demanding the demilitarisation of territory near the border, stretching from the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights to the Druze Mountain, east of Sweida.
He also said Israel would protect the Druze.
The United States however said it did not support the Israeli strikes. On Friday, an Israeli official said Israel agreed to allow Syrian forces limited access to the Sweida area for two days.
A Syrian security source told Reuters that internal security forces had taken up positions near Sweida, establishing checkpoints in western and eastern parts of the province where retreating tribal fighters had gathered.
On Sunday, Sharaa received the report of an inquiry into violence in Syria’s coastal region in March, where Reuters reported in June that Syrian forces killed 1,500 members of the Alawite minority following attacks on security forces.
The presidency said it would review the inquiry’s conclusions and ensure steps to “bring about justice” and prevent the recurrence of “such violations”. It called on the inquiry to hold a news conference on its findings – if appropriate – as soon as possible.
The Syrian Network for Human Rights said on July 18 it had documented the deaths of at least 321 people in Sweida province since July 13. The preliminary toll included civilians, women, children, Bedouin fighters, members of local groups and members of the security forces, it said, and the dead included people killed in field executions by both sides.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, another monitoring group, has reported a death toll of at least 940 people.
A tenuous ceasefire has taken hold in Syria’s Suwayda province after a week of sectarian violence between Druze fighters, Bedouin tribes, and government forces, which killed over 800 people, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). Announced by President Ahmed al-Sharaa on July 19, the truce is holding, with security forces deployed to enforce peace and oversee the withdrawal of Bedouin fighters from Suwayda city. The conflict began on July 13, triggered by the abduction of a Druze merchant on the Damascus highway, escalating tensions in the Druze-majority province. Government forces, accused of siding with Bedouin fighters and committing abuses against Druze civilians, intensified the clashes. Israel responded with airstrikes on Syrian military targets, citing protection of the Druze minority.
A US-brokered ceasefire between Syria and Israel on July 18, followed by al-Sharaa’s comprehensive truce, has shown progress. Druze leader Sheikh Hikmat al-Hijri endorsed the agreement, calling for safe passage for Bedouin fighters and humanitarian aid for civilians. While earlier ceasefires failed, the latest has seen Bedouin fighters leave Suwayda city, with security checkpoints established.
Skepticism persists among some Druze leaders, wary of the government’s Sunni Islamist leanings. The UN and international actors, including the US and EU, welcomed the ceasefire but urged accountability for reported atrocities, including executions. The violence displaced many, with Suwayda’s hospitals overwhelmed, reporting over 300 casualties since last Monday.
Israel targeted the Syrian Defense Ministry headquarters and a site near the presidential palace, marking a rare escalation. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned of ‘painful blows’ if Syrian forces did not withdraw from the south President al-Sharaa’s interim government, in power since ousting Bashar al-Assad in 2024, faces challenges in unifying Syria’s diverse groups. The ceasefire’s success depends on enforcing security and addressing sectarian grievances to prevent further unrest.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, July 21 (Xinhua) — China’s National Flood and Drought Control Headquarters on Sunday raised the flood and typhoon response in the southern provinces of Guangdong and Hainan to Level 3 in response to Typhoon Wipha.
The Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region remains in a Level 4 emergency response mode due to the typhoon.
According to meteorologists, heavy rains are likely in some areas of Hainan and Guangdong provinces from Sunday to Monday.
Meanwhile, central authorities including the National Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Commission, the Ministry of Emergency Management and the State Food and Material Administration have sent a batch of relief supplies to Guangdong and Hainan. The supplies include 33,000 items such as folding beds, blankets and lamps.
China has a four-tier emergency response system, with tier one being the most serious. -0-
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source of the information. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Russia is ready to move quickly toward a settlement on Ukraine, but the main objective is to achieve its goals, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Sunday.
President Vladimir Putin “has repeatedly spoken of his desire to bring the Ukrainian settlement to a peaceful conclusion as soon as possible,” Peskov told state television in an interview. “This is a long process, it requires effort, and it is not easy.”
“Our goals are clear, they are obvious, they do not change,” he added.
Russian officials have said repeatedly that any peace deal hinges on Ukraine withdrawing forces from four regions, renouncing its NATO bid and halting NATO troop deployments.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday that his officials have proposed holding a new round of peace talks with Moscow this week. “Everything should be done to achieve a ceasefire,” he said in his evening address to the nation.
On July 14, U.S. President Donald Trump, during a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office, said the United States will send weapons to Ukraine through NATO, and threatened “severe tariffs” targeting Russia if a ceasefire deal is not reached in 50 days.
Russia rejected Trump’s 50-day ultimatum, dismissing the threat as unacceptable.
The suspect is a criminal illegal alien from the Dominican Republic was apprehended at the southern border and released into the country under the Biden Administration
WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of Homeland Security lodged a detainer against an illegal alien accused of ambushing and shooting a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer who was off duty in New York City in Fort Washington Park under the George Washington Bridge on July 19 at approximately 11:51 PM ET.
A witness of the attack—believed to be an attempted robbery—states that she and the victim were sitting on the rocks by the water when 2 subjects on a scooter drove up to them and the passenger got off the back and approached them with a firearm drawn. The off-duty CBP officer responded by withdrawing his own firearm in self defense.
The CBP officer was shot in his right arm and left cheek. Thankfully, the officer is in stable condition at the hospital.
One of the assailants is Miguel Francisco Mora Nunez, a criminal illegal alien from the Dominican Republic. He illegally entered the United States on April 4, 2023, and was released by the Biden Administration into the country.
This criminal illegal alien’s rap sheet includes:
On October 11, 2023, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) arrested and charged Nunez with felony grand larceny, petit larceny, and reckless driving.
On October 01, 2024, the NYPD arrested and charged Nunez with 2nd and 3rd degree assault.
On November 30, 2024, the NYPD arrested Nunez for criminal contempt. On January 13, 2025, he was again attested for criminal contempt.
On February 21, 2025, the Leominster Police Department in Massachusetts issued a criminal warrant for Nunez for armed robbery with a firearm.
After failing to show up for his immigration hearing a judge issued Nunez a final order of removal on November 6, 2024.
“This violent criminal illegal alien had multiple run-ins with NYPD for assault and felony grand larceny before he ambushed and shot a CBP officer. The Biden Administration arrested this criminal illegal alien at the border and chose to release him into our country to terrorize Americans. We are thankful that our brave law enforcement officer is in stable condition,” said Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. “Sanctuary city politicians allowed this to happen. This suffering is a direct result of lawless sanctuary city policies. Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, DHS will flood the zone in sanctuary cities and remove these criminals one by one. We will not be deterred: if you break America’s laws we will hunt you down, arrest you, and deport you.”
The other suspect remains at large. Anonymous tips may be reported on this form and via the toll-free ICE tip line, (866) 347-2423.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
The photo released by Israel Defense Forces on May 19, 2025 shows Israeli troops during an operation in the Gaza Strip. [Photo/Xinhua]
Nearly two years into a multi-front conflict, Israel has made apparent military gains: crippling Hamas’ infrastructure in Gaza, striking deep into Iran, and dealing blows to Hezbollah in Lebanon. Yet the country remains stuck in a prolonged war, with no clear exit strategy in sight.
Analysts say that while Israel’s military campaign has made some progress, the absence of a coherent political strategy has left its broader objectives undefined. The government’s push to deepen ties with Arab states has come alongside a deliberate sidelining of the Palestinian issue, limiting prospects for long-term regional reconciliation.
The war in Gaza has caused widespread destruction, decimated much of the enclave’s infrastructure, and killed at least 58,895 people, according to Gaza-based health authorities. The humanitarian toll has drawn international concern, but shows little sign of prompting a shift in Israeli policy.
Critics argue the war’s continuation primarily serves the interests of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing coalition, which includes far-right and ultra-Orthodox parties. Netanyahu, who is standing trial on corruption charges, has faced internal divisions and consistently poor polling. Recent surveys suggest his coalition partners would not win enough seats to form a government if elections were held today.
“The coalition now is actually committed to continuing the war,” said Roee Kibrik, head of research at Mitvim – The Israeli Institute for Regional Foreign Policies. “Its survival depends on the war’s continuation.”
Kibrik said the government appears willing to pursue only limited hostage deals that would avoid ending the war. “If we analyze whether peace or diplomacy is possible under this government, the answer is no,” he said.
Talks are ongoing in Doha over a possible hostage deal with Hamas. Netanyahu said on Friday that Israel was discussing the release of captives and a potential 60-day ceasefire in Gaza, but blamed Hamas for not engaging seriously.
Also on Friday, Abu Ubaida, spokesperson for Hamas’ armed wing, said in a televised address that Hamas had repeatedly offered to release all hostages as part of a comprehensive ceasefire deal, but Israel had rejected it. “If the enemy obstructs or withdraws from this round, as it has every time, we cannot guarantee a return to partial deals,” he warned.
Opposition leaders and families of hostages have accused Netanyahu of prolonging the war for political survival. Demonstrators regularly hold signs reading “The war is killing the hostages,” and describe the conflict as politically motivated to preserve Netanyahu’s rule.
“The current ruling coalition is focused on staying in power,” said Eyal Zisser, vice rector of Tel Aviv University and a Middle East expert. “Early elections would be disastrous for all coalition members: every poll shows they would lose.”
To maintain the alliance, he said, Netanyahu must accommodate competing demands: far-right factions insist on continuing the war, while ultra-Orthodox parties seek expanded budgets and draft exemptions.
Both Zisser and Kibrik believe that the government is not only avoiding diplomatic progress but actively undermining it. “There can be no Palestinian state,” Zisser said, summarizing the coalition’s position. “They oppose even granting autonomy.”
“Israel wants peace with Arab countries but is not prepared to give anything in return regarding the Palestinians,” he pointed out.
Genuine progress toward a two-state solution could unlock broad regional cooperation and opportunities, Kibrik said, “but with this government, that option is off the table.”
Man charged with drug and fraud offences in Burnie
Monday, 21 July 2025 – 10:35 am.
Police have charged a 37-year-old man with significant drug and fraud offences, following a recent operation in Western Tasmania. Detective Inspector Michelle Elmer said the operation, which has been running since May 2025, was led by the Western Criminal Investigation Branch and involved a range of specialist police resources. “The man was arrested on Friday during a planned search of a Burnie residence, where police located a quantity of methylamphetamine, anabolic steroids and two illegal firearms,” she said. “He was charged with a number of offences including trafficking in a controlled substance, selling a controlled drug, fraud, personation, dealing with the proceeds of crime, and several firearm offences.” “Police will allege the man committed multiple fraud offences relating to prescription medications and impersonating a general practitioner, through an online business.” He was remanded in custody to reappear in the Burnie Magistrates Court this morning.
During the devastating magnitude 7.7 Myanmar earthquake on March 28 this year, a CCTV camera captured the moment the plate boundary moved, providing the first direct visual evidence of plate tectonics in action.
Tectonic plate boundaries are where chunks of Earth’s crust slide past each other – not smoothly, but in sudden, violent ruptures.
The footage shows Earth’s surface lurching sideways, like a gigantic conveyor belt switched on for just a second, as the fault slips.
What we’re seeing is the propagation of a large earthquake rupture – the primary mechanism that accommodates plate boundary motion at Earth’s surface. These shear fractures travel at several kilometres per second, making them notoriously difficult to observe.
This video explains the moment Myanmar’s Sagaing Fault ruptured in a large earthquake, allowing the tectonic plate boundary to shift. Research: https://doi.org/10.1785/0320250024.
These rare events, separated by centuries, have shaped our planet’s surface over millions of years, creating features such as Aotearoa New Zealand’s Alpine Fault and the Southern Alps.
Until now, seismologists have relied on distant seismic instruments to infer how faults rupture during large earthquakes. This video sheds new light on the process that radiates seismic energy and causes the ground to shake.
Analysis of the video
In our new study, we analysed the video frame by frame. We used a technique called pixel cross-correlation to reveal that the fault slipped 2.5 metres sideways over a duration of just 1.3 seconds, with a maximum speed of 3.2 metres per second.
The total sideways movement in this earthquake is typical of strike-slip fault ruptures, which move the land sideways (in contrast to faults that move land up and down).
But the short duration is a major discovery.
The timing of when a fault starts and stops slipping is especially difficult to measure from distant recordings, because the seismic signal becomes smeared as it travels through Earth.
In this case, the short duration of motion reveals a pulse-like rupture – a concentrated burst of slip that propagates along the fault like a ripple travels down a rug when it’s flicked from one end.
Capturing this kind of detail is fundamental to understanding how earthquakes work, and it helps us better anticipate the ground shaking likely to occur in future large events.
Validation of the ‘slickenline’ hypothesis
Our analysis also revealed something more subtle about the way the fault moved.
Called “slickenlines”, these geological scratch marks on the fault record the direction of slip.
Our work shows the slickenlines we see on outcrops are curved in a manner similar to the curvature seen in the CCTV footage. Based on our video analysis, we can be certain that curved slip occurs, giving credence to our interpretations based on geological observations.
In our earlier research, we used computer models to show that curved slickenlines could emerge naturally when an earthquake propagates in a particular direction. The Myanmar rupture, which is known to have travelled north to south, matches the direction predicted by our models.
This alignment is important. It gives us confidence in using geological evidence to determine the rupture direction of past earthquakes, such as the curved slickenlines left behind after the New Zealand Alpine Fault’s 1717 earthquake.
This first glimpse of a fault in motion shows the potential for video to become a powerful new tool in seismology. With more strategic deployments, future earthquakes could be documented with similar detail, offering further insight into the dynamics of fault rupture, potentially revolutionising our understanding of earthquake physics.
Jesse Kearse receives funding from Royal Society Te Apārangi Marsden Fund.
Think back to a time you helped someone move a heavy object, such as a couch. While at first the task may have appeared simple, it actually required a suite of advanced behaviours.
The job needed verbal commands for social coordination (“pivot!”) and anticipation of near-future events (moving other furniture out of the way). It also required a clear, shared vision of the final goal (which room to take the couch to).
It’s a small but satisfying example of human cooperation. But before we all get too pleased with ourselves, consider that ants – creatures with tiny brains and no capacity for speech – routinely pull off feats that rival, and sometimes exceed, our own.
Ants routinely pull off feats that rival, and sometimes exceed, our own. Andre Moura/Pexels
Understanding ant intelligence
Earth is literally crawling with ants. Scientists estimate there are at least 20 quadrillion ants on Earth. That’s 20 followed by 15 zeros – more ants than stars in our galaxy!
These incredible insects are amongst the most successful organisms on the planet. Part of the success comes from an ability to form complex societies, ranging from a few individuals to millions. And those societies, or colonies, are remarkably co-operative.
Take, for example, ants’ abilities to move large food items. To do it, they mobilise teams of dozens – or even hundreds – of fellow workers. Together, they efficiently work together to transport the load back to the nest.
Longhorn crazy ants (Paratrechina longicornis) are even known to clear debris from a path before a heavy object arrives – seemingly anticipating its trajectory and preparing the way.
One experiment pit longhorn crazy ants against humans, all tasked with moving T-shaped objects (scaled to body size) through tight spaces. In some trials, the human teams were not permitted to speak or use gestures.
And the result? Ants performed better in larger groups compared to smaller ones, showing the clear benefits of collective action. In contrast, human performance did not improve with group size. And when communication was restricted, human performance declined as group size increased.
All this highlights how ants rely on collective intelligence, without the need for central control or sophisticated cognition.
Expert farmers
Humanity’s invention of agriculture 12,000 years ago is understandably hailed as one of our greatest achievements.
But leaf cutter ants beat us to it. These ants (from the species Atta and Acromyrmex) evolved to undertake large-scale agriculture about 55 million years ago.
These ants cut and transport fresh leaves not to eat directly, but to feed a fungus that serves as their main food source.
This evolutionary partnership allows the ants to feed colonies with populations in the millions.
Remarkably, leaf cutter ants have also evolved a form of biological pest control to protect their crops from bacteria. Some worker ants patrol the gardens, detecting infected sections of the fungus. Then they apply antibiotics produced by bacteria that live on their bodies.
As these farmed insects feed on plant sap, they excrete a sugary liquid the ants eagerly collect. In return, ants serve as bodyguards, defending their tiny livestock from predators such as ladybirds and lacewings.
In some species, queen ants gently carry sap-sucking insects in their jaws as they fly off to start new colonies. Fossilised ants preserved in amber suggest this behaviour evolved up to 20 million years ago, long before humans domesticated animals.
Ant medicine
Medical care may seem like a distinctly human innovation. But several ant species have evolved sophisticated ways to treat injuries.
When a Florida carpenter ant (Camponotus floridanus) is injured during a battle between colonies, its nest-mates will amputate a damaged limb to prevent infection from spreading. Ants receiving this battlefield care are more likely to survive than ants left untreated.
Army ants (Eciton burchellii) join their bodies together to form structures. These include bridges across gaps on the forest floor, and “scaffolds” across steep terrain to prevent other ants from slipping.
Even the nest is made of hundreds of thousands of ants joined together, complete with tunnels and chambers housing the larvae and the queen. The entire structure is packed up and rebuilt each day, after the colony emigrates a few hundred metres into the forest.
They also form a line of workers that pull leaves together in treetops to form nests. Once the leaves are winched into place, other ants arrive with ant larvae in their jaws. Each larva produces a tiny blob of silk which the ants use to glue the leaves together.
Fire ants (Solenopsis invicta), a major pest species, owes its invasive success partly to a unique method of dispersal.
When their underground nests are flooded by rain, the ants join together into a huge raft which floats on a layer of buoyant larvae. These rafts can ride floodwaters in safety for hundreds of kilometres, until the ants reach dry land.
When their nests are flooded, fire ants join together into a huge raft. TheCoz/Wikimedia, CC BY
Lessons for humanity?
Humans rightly take pride in our greatest achievements – agriculture, medicine, engineering and building civilisations. But remarkably, ants mastered these innovations millions of years before we did.
Ants may be tiny – but by working together they can build complex societies and solve many problems. They might even teach humans a thing or two.
Tanya Latty co-founded and volunteers for conservation organisation Invertebrates Australia, is former president of the Australasian Society for the Study of Animal Behaviour and is on the education committee for the Australian Entomological Society. She receives funding from the Australian Research Council, NSW Saving our Species, and Agrifutures Australia
Chris R. Reid receives funding from the Australian Research Council and Macquarie University. He is secretary of the Australasian Society for the Study of Animal Behaviour and is on the education committee for the Australasian Entomological Society.
While public attention has been focused on the domestic fast-track consenting process for infrastructure and mining, Associate Minister of Finance David Seymour has been pushing through another fast-track process – this time for foreign investment in New Zealand. But it has had almost no public scrutiny.
There are valid concerns that piecemeal reforms to the current act have made it complex and unwieldy. But the new bill is equally convoluted and would significantly reduce effective scrutiny of foreign investments – especially in forestry.
A three-step test
Step one of a three-step process set out in the bill gives the regulator – the Overseas Investment Office which sits within Land Information NZ – 15 days to decide whether a proposed investment would be a risk to New Zealand’s “national interest”.
If they don’t perceive a risk, or that initial assessment is not completed in time, the application is automatically approved.
Transactions involving fisheries quotas and various land categories, or any other applications the regulator identifies, will require a “national interest” assessment under stage two.
These would be assessed against a “ministerial letter” that sets out the government’s general policy and preferred approach to conducting the assessment, including any conditions on approvals.
Other mandatory factors to be considered in the second stage include the act’s new “purpose” to increase economic opportunity through “timely consent” of less sensitive investments. The new test would allow scrutiny of the character and capability of the investor to be omitted altogether.
If the regulator considers the national interest test is not met, or the transaction is “contrary to the national interest”, the minister of finance then makes a decision based on their assessment of those factors.
Inadequate regulatory process
Seymour has blamed the current screening regime for low volumes of foreign investment. But Treasury’s 2024 regulatory impact statement on the proposed changes to international investment screening acknowledges many other factors that influence investor decisions.
Moreover, the Treasury statement acknowledges public views that foreign investment rules should “manage a wide range of risks” and “that there is inherent non-economic value in retaining domestic ownership of certain assets”.
Treasury officials also recognised a range of other public concerns, including profits going offshore, loss of jobs, and foreign control of iconic businesses.
The regulatory impact statement did not cover these factors because it was required to consider only the coalition commitment. The Treasury panel reported “notable limitations” on the bill’s quality assurance process.
A fuller review was “infeasible” because it could not be completed in the time required, and would be broader than necessary to meet the coalition commitment to amend the act in the prescribed way.
The requirement to implement the bill in this parliamentary term meant the options officials could consider, even within the scope of the coalition agreement, were further limited.
Time constraints meant “users and key stakeholders have not been consulted”, according to the Treasury statement. Environmental and other risks would have to be managed through other regulations. There is no reference to te Tiriti o Waitangi or mana whenua engagement.
Forestry ‘slash’ after Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023: no need to consider foreign investors’ track records. Getty Images
No ‘benefit to NZ’ test
While the bill largely retains a version of the current screening regime for residential and farm land, it removes existing forestry activities from that definition (but not new forestry on non-forest land). It also removes extraction of water for bottling, or other bulk extraction for human consumption, from special vetting.
Where sensitive land (such as islands, coastal areas, conservation and wahi tapu land) is not residential or farm land, it would be removed from special screening rules currently applied for land.
There would no longer be a need to consider investors’ track records or apply a “benefit to New Zealand” test. Regulators may or may not be empowered to impose conditions such as replanting or cleaning up slash.
The official documents don’t explain the rationale for this. But it looks like a win for Regional Development Minister Shane Jones, and was perhaps the price of NZ First’s support.
Finally, these changes could be locked in through New Zealand’s free trade agreements. Several such agreements say New Zealand’s investment regime cannot become more restrictive than the 2005 act and its regulations.
A “ratchet clause” would lock in any further liberalisation through this bill, from which there is no going back.
However, another annex in those free trade agreements could be interpreted as allowing some flexibility to alter the screening rules and criteria in the future. None of the official documents address this crucial question. As an academic expert in this area I am uncertain about the risk.
But the lack of clarity underlines the problems exemplified in this bill. It is another example of coalition agreements bypassing democratic scrutiny and informed decision making. More public debate and broad analysis is needed on the bill and its implications.
Jane Kelsey has received funding from the Marsden Fund for research related to New Zealand’s foreign investment regime and international agreements.
Retopia New games capture distinctive stories, landscapes and communities from across the country Screen Australia has today announced the latest games and gaming events to be supported through the agency’s industry-leading funding programs – providing $1.4 million for gamemakers to upskill and develop stand-out projects. The funding supports 26 games including a hand-drawn puzzle game about a flooded village rebuilding after climate catastrophe, a point-and-click visual novel with small town mysteries to solve, and an action-adventure RPG (Role-Playing Game) about a brave native mouse. It also supports the Freeplay 2025 Events Series, solidifying the agency’s commitment to foster a sector that has both a robust sense of independence and a strong community focus. In 2024-25, the agency invested $3 million into the tenacious local industry which included support for 49 games and 200 Australian gamemakers. Initiatives like the Future Leaders Delegation and support for ten Festivals and Events provided Australian independent gamemakers the opportunity to showcase over 270 games for national and international audiences. Minister for the Arts Tony Burke said, “Digital Games are a billion dollar global industry and Australia’s sector is growing every year. This funding ensures that we’re backing home-grown talent in order to be at the top of the leader board.” Screen Australia Head of Games Joey Egger said, “What struck me about these projects is the depth of talent and the distinctiveness of the content; the diversity of our culture, communities, landscapes and stories really shines through. We’re seeing games being developed all across the country including regional towns such as Wallabadah in New South Wales and Toongabbie in Victoria.” “It’s also incredibly exciting to see another round of projects transitioning from the Emerging Gamemakers Fund through to the Games Production Fund. It reinforces our unique position as an end-to-end avenue for Australian gamemakers to take their projects from concept to prototype, to production and then launch.” The past 12 months have seen five games from the Emerging Gamemakers Fund progressing to the Games Production Fund: Monster Snap (WA), Rocketcard Defence (ACT), Wyrmspace Tactics (VIC) and L8R SK8R (QLD), as well as Management in Space (NSW). Funded games include:
Ashes (VIC): For fans of graphic novels and interactive fiction, seasoned players and those new to games, comes adventure game Ashes. The creative team includes producer/developer Clea Frost, lead developer Nick Loki, 2D artists Phoenix Waddell and Jennifer Reuter and composer Trent Francis. It follows 16-year-old skater Azar Warren who, after witnessing a murder, takes refuge in a rural compound with her estranged grandfather. Buru and The Old People (NSW): A narrative-driven adventure game set in a vibrant anthropomorphic world rich in Indigenous storytelling. Buru and The Old People is from creative director and recipient of the ‘Rising Star’ award at the 2024 Australian Game Developer Awards Benjamin Armstrong, producer Brooke Collard (Yokai), 2D artist Letoya Muraru, and composer Alexander Tulett. Nothing To Do Summer Vacation – Part 1 (NT): A unique point and click visual novel game from lead programmer Adam Prenger and creative director Mel Stringer, an accomplished illustrator and comic artist making her exciting debut in games. In this game, Summer is bored out of her mind in the small town of Driftwood, until fresh mysteries come calling to be uncovered. Penguin Colony (VIC): A stylish action-adventure game from producer Megan Faulkner, audio engineer David Mason and creative director Naphtali Faulkner, the developer behind the Independent Games Festival Grand Prize-winning Umurangi Generation. In Penguin Colony, players explore the depths of Antarctica at their own pace as different penguins – unravelling difficult truths along the way. Retopia (NSW): From creative lead Jennyfer Ong, lead designer Nicholas King and lead producer James Lockrey, this cosy management game is the latest project from the Australian Game Developer Awards’ 2024 Studio of the Year, Chaos Theory Games. Retopia follows a cast of quirky robot companions as they restore life to a collapsed world by salvaging lost technology, rebuilding community, and nurturing a floating sanctuary in the sky. The game continues Chaos Theory’s tradition of values-driven development after the success of the award-winning Crab God. Fern: Seed Guardian (WA): An action-adventure RPG from creative director Sophie Till and technical director Jamie Dougall. In a fantastical Australian bushland, a brave native mouse battles an encroaching, mysterious goo. She must overcome not only this encroaching danger but also her deep fears, as the Goo uses them to manipulate her perception of reality. Slumbering Woods (QLD): An evocative, hand-drawn puzzle adventure game with a unique crafting and building twist from creative director Svitlana Amelina, lead developer Oleg Chernyshenko and sound designer Jane Wei. In a world recovering from a long-past climate catastrophe, players help a flooded village thrive, rebuild and find their way home along the way. Slumbering Woods is financed with support from Screen Queensland’s Games Grants.
Additional projects supported through the Games Production Fund include Bravest Coconut (QLD), Mission Delta (VIC), Dungeon Breakers (NSW) and Rocketcard Defence (ACT). Additional projects supported through the Emerging Gamemakers Fund include SCAV (VIC), Pixellated (VIC), Dead Zone Mycologist (VIC), Dicot (VIC), Ash and Earth: Wilderness Reclaimed (NSW), Spin Spirits (WA), Eclipsia (NSW), Untitled Cube Game (Working Title) (QLD), Stewards of Nu Juno (QLD), Displaced: Oath of Tomes (VIC),Kaiju Critters (QLD)and Trinket (NSW). For the full list of funded gamemakers and projects supported throughout the 2024-25FY, please see the Games blocklines here. Applications for the Emerging Gamemakers Fund and Games Production Fund are now open. For more information about Games funding at Screen Australia and to apply, click here. For accompanying image assets, click here. Ashes Media enquiries Jessica Parry | Senior Publicist (Mon, Tue, Thu) + 61 428 767 836 | [email protected] All other general/non-media enquiries Sydney + 61 2 8113 5800 | Melbourne + 61 3 8682 1900 | [email protected]
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
China’s State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters on Sunday upgraded its emergency response for flood and typhoon control to Level III in the southern provinces of Guangdong and Hainan in response to Typhoon Wipha.
It maintained the Level IV emergency response to the typhoon in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
According to meteorological forecasts, Wipha is likely to bring rainstorms and heavy downpours to parts of Hainan and Guangdong from Sunday to Monday.
Meanwhile, a batch of relief supplies had been dispatched to Guangdong and Hainan by central authorities including the office of the national commission for disaster prevention, reduction and relief, the Ministry of Emergency Management, and the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration. These supplies comprise 33,000 items such as folding beds, quilts and lamps.
China has a four-tier emergency response system, with Level I being the most severe response.
Work begins soon on a major flood resilience project – Hakanui Straight (formerly Nesbitt’s Dip) – on State Highway 2 near Te Karaka.
The upgrade will see an 850 metres long flood-prone section of the highway raised by 3 metres, new drainage installed, the main culvert for Hakanui Stream replaced and safety barriers installed.
The work is being delivered by Transport Rebuild East Coast (TREC) and local contractor crews, and is one of two projects which have been added to the recovery programme funded by savings found from other projects. The second project will involve flood resilience on SH35 at Rototahe.
TREC project manager Richard Bayley says the work will keep communities connected and freight moving and ensure a stronger, safer and more reliable route.
Mr Bayley says in the past this stretch of road had to close during heavy weather events because the area is prone to flooding.
“These closures create disruption for communities and the flow of freight, as well as causing safety risks for emergency services.
“To reduce the risk of future flooding, we’re raising the highway and upgrading drainage, making it stronger, safer, and more reliable for everyday travel and emergency response.
“The Hakanui Straight project spans a vital link for freight between the Bay of Plenty and the East Coast, and ensuring its resilience is essential for businesses, residents, and regional connectivity,” says Mr Bayley.
The improvements being made are particularly significant for Te Karaka residents, who faced severe flooding during Cyclone Gabrielle when water breached the stopbanks of the Waipaoa River. In the early hours of 14 February 2023, around 500 residents evacuated to surrounding hills, watching as the floodwaters overtook their homes, workplaces, and marae.
Kaitiaki of Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Pimia Wehi, says working with TREC throughout the design process has been crucial in ensuring the upgrade meets the community’s needs.
“This is a huge step forward for Te Karaka, Puha, and Whatatutu. The devastation of Cyclone Gabrielle is still fresh in our minds as families lost their homes, businesses were destroyed, and many of us were stranded without communication for more than a day,” says Pimia Wehi.
“Seeing this work begin is a relief. It means our people will have better access to emergency routes and won’t have to face being completely cut off again.”
Mr Bayley says early enabling work, such as the site office establishment, fencing and services relocation, is expected to begin this week, weather permitting.
“Road users aren’t likely to notice too much activity until the physical work begins, which is expected next month.
“At that stage, short traffic delays are expected while crews carry out the upgrades. Traffic will be managed by closing the road shoulder during early works, followed by one lane closures with stop/go to maintain two-way traffic during major works with reduced speed limits along the work site.
“Please drive to the conditions and be aware of the increased truck movements and trucks crossing the road.”
About the name Hakanui Straight
The project name is ‘Hakanui Straight’ but was formerly Nesbitt’s Dip. This is a change requested by hapū and Iwi representatives as the name reflects the area’s cultural and historical significance. The Hakanui Stream was important for local food gathering, mahinga kai, and as a travel route for waka.
With the road being elevated to ensure safer and quicker evacuations during floods, ‘Straight’ (rather than ‘Dip’), embodies strength, directness, and a clear path forward.
What’s changing at Hakanui Straight?
An 850-metre section of SH2 will be raised by approximately three metres to reduce flood risks and keep the road open in severe weather.
The Hakanui Stream culvert will be upgraded with a larger, 1.8-metre-diameter structure to handle higher water volumes, prevent highway flooding and allow safe fish passage to protect local aquatic life.
