JAKARTA, 16 July 2025 – Reflecting on a decade of impact, the annual UL Research Institutes’-ASEAN-US Science Prize for Women celebrates the significance of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) across the ASEAN region. This year’s prize is launched in partnership between UL Research Institutes (ULRI), UL Standards & Engagements (ULSE), the US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC), and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), with support from Google. The Prize continues to highlight its ongoing commitment to advancing gender equality and promoting scientific excellence in the ASEAN region.
2025 Theme: Generative AI for Smart Water Management
This year’s theme, “Generative AI for Smart Water Management”, emphasizes the transformative potential of Generative AI in addressing pressing water-related challenges. This theme focuses on groundbreaking research that harnesses Generative AI to deliver smarter, more sustainable, and resilient water management systems. Applications are welcomed across various sectors, including urban development, agriculture, environmental sustainability, and disaster risk reduction.
Competition Categories and Prizes
Eligible candidates will compete in two categories based on their stage of career:
Mid-career Scientist category (those 45 years of age and under)
Senior Scientist category (those 46 years of age and over)
Finalists will be invited to participate in a final judging session and attend the official award ceremony, which will be held during the ASEAN Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation (COSTI) meetings in Bangkok, Thailand in October 2025.
Winners will be awarded $12,500 each, with runner-ups awarded $5,000 each, thanks to the generous sponsorship of the UL Research Institutes (ULRI).
ASEAN COSTI Chair emphasises the value of this initiative in strengthening regional resilience: “This year’s theme, Generative AI for Smart Water Management, could not be more timely. Across ASEAN, the impacts of climate change and water scarcity are growing concerns. The work of women scientists in leveraging cutting-edge technologies like AI is essential to shaping more inclusive, sustainable, and date-driven solutions. COSTI is proud to continue this initiative of championing scientific excellence and gender equity in ASEAN.”
Interim President and Chief Executive Officer of USABC, Amb. (ret) Brian McFeeters, highlights the inaugural opportunity of USABC to contribute to this year’s Science Prize: “We are proud to support the 2025 Science Prize for Women, an initiative pivotal for recognising the excellence of women researchers in STEM across ASEAN. We are incredibly honoured to showcase the contribution of ASEAN women researchers in solving regional challenges through cutting-edge research in environmental governance, artificial intelligence (AI), and an innovation-led ASEAN. The Council would also like to thank Google for their valuable support in this year’s Prize.”
Google’s support for this year’s Prize further highlights the significance of innovation in tackling ASEAN’s most pressing challenges. Their commitment to the inclusive development of AI particularly aligns with the Prize’s focus on prompting science-based solutions and empowering women researchers to lead in the region’s digital and environmental transformation.
In their remarks, ULRI noted that, “The health of our environment is inseparable from the safety of our communities.” said Chris Cramer, Chief Research Officer for UL Research Institutes. “This year’s Science Prize spotlights innovative research in generative AI for smart water management—empowering us to better predict and mitigate environmental risks, preserve vital ecosystems, protect water quality, and foster a more resilient planet for all.”
Call for Applications
We invite women scientists from all ten ASEAN member states who hold doctoral degrees relevant to this year’s theme to apply. This is a unique opportunity for ASEAN women researchers to showcase their impactful research and innovations in utilising Generative AI for the purpose of smart water management.
For more information, please visit the ULRI’s ASEAN-U.S Science Prize for Women website here.
Applications will close by 20 August 2025.
Queries can be directed to scienceprize4women@gmail.com.
The post 2025 Science Prize for Women “Generative AI for Smart Water Management” appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.
Company announcement no. 39 / 2025 Schindellegi, Switzerland – 25 July 2025
Reporting of transactions made by persons discharging managerial responsibilities
Pursuant to the Market Abuse Regulation Article 19, Trifork Group AG (Swiss company registration number CHE-474.101.854) (“Trifork”) hereby notifies receipt of information of the following transactions made by persons discharging managerial responsibilities in Trifork in connection with fixed salaries paid in shares. Reference is made to company announcement no. 1/2025 on 21 January 2025.
1.
Details of the person discharging managerial responsibilities/person closely associated
a)
Name
Jørn Larsen
2.
Reason for the notification
a)
Position/status
CEO
b)
Initial notification/ Amendment
Initial notification
3.
Details of the issuer, emission allowance market participant, auction platform, auctioneer or auction monitor
a)
Name
Trifork Group AG
b)
LEI
8945004BYZKXPESTBL36
4.1
Details of the transaction(s)
a)
Description of the financial instrument, type of instrument
Identification code
Shares
ISIN CH1111227810
b)
Nature of the transaction
A share of 25% of the fixed monthly salary is paid out in shares as described in the company announcement no. 1/2025.
c)
Price(s) and volume(s)
Price(s)
Volume(s)
DKK 0
1,142
d)
Aggregated information — Aggregated volume — Price
N/A
e)
Date of the transaction
25 July 2025
f)
Place of the transaction
Outside a trading venue
1.
Details of the person discharging managerial responsibilities/person closely associated
a)
Name
Kristian Wulf-Andersen
2.
Reason for the notification
a)
Position/status
CFO
b)
Initial notification/ Amendment
Initial notification
3.
Details of the issuer, emission allowance market participant, auction platform, auctioneer or auction monitor
a)
Name
Trifork Group AG
b)
LEI
8945004BYZKXPESTBL36
4.1
Details of the transaction(s)
a)
Description of the financial instrument, type of instrument
Identification code
Shares
ISIN CH1111227810
b)
Nature of the transaction
A share of 10% of the fixed monthly salary is paid out in shares as described in the company announcement no. 1/2025.
c)
Price(s) and volume(s)
Price(s)
Volume(s)
DKK 0
304
d)
Aggregated information — Aggregated volume — Price
N/A
e)
Date of the transaction
25 July 2025
f)
Place of the transaction
Outside a trading venue
Investor and media contact Frederik Svanholm, Group Investment Director, frsv@trifork.com, +41 79 357 73 17
About Trifork Trifork (Nasdaq Copenhagen: TRIFOR) is a pioneering global technology company, empowering enterprise and public sector customers with innovative digital products and solutions. With 1,215 professionals across 71 business units in 16 countries, Trifork specializes in designing, building, and operating advanced software across sectors such as public administration, healthcare, manufacturing, logistics, energy, financial services, retail, and real estate. The Group’s R&D arm, Trifork Labs, drives innovation by investing in and developing synergistic, high-potential technology companies. Learn more at trifork.com.
A leaked document has revealed secretive plans to revise terror laws in New Zealand so that people can be charged over statements deemed to constitute material support for a proscribed organisation.
It shows the government also wants to widen the criteria for proscribing organisations to include groups that are judged to “facilitate” or “promote and encourage” terrorist acts.
The changes would see the South Pacific nation falling in line with increasingly repressive Western countries like the UK, where scores of independent journalists and anti-genocide protesters have been arrested and charged under terrorism laws in recent months.
The consultation document, handed over to the New Zealand Council for Civil Liberties (NZCCL), reveals the government has been in contact with a small number of unnamed groups this year over plans to legally redefine what material support involves, so that public statements or gestures involving insignia like flags can lead to charges if construed as support for proscribed groups.
As part of a proposal to revise the Terrorism Suppression Act, the document suggests the process for designating organisations as terror groups should be changed by “expanding the threshold to enable more modern types of entities to be designated, such as those that ‘facilitate’ or ‘promote and encourage’ terrorist acts”.
The Ministry of Justice has been contacted in an attempt to ascertain which groups it has been consulting with and why it believed the changes were necessary.
NZCCL chairman Thomas Beagle told Mick Hall In Context his group was concerned the proposed changes were a further attempt to limit the rights of New Zealanders to engage in political protest.
‘What’s going on?’ “When you look at the proposal to expand the Terrorism Suppression Act, alongside the Police and IPCA conspiring to propose a law change to ban political protest without government permission, you really have to wonder what’s going on,” he said.
A report by the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) in February proposed to give police the right to ban protests if they believed there was a high chance of public disorder and threats to public safety.
That would potentially mean bans on Palestinian solidarity protests if far right counter protestErs posed a threat of violent confrontation.
The stand-alone legislation would put New Zealand in line with other Five Eyes and NATO-aligned security jurisdictions such as Australia, the United Kingdom, and Canada.
Beagle points out proposed changes to terror laws would suppress freedom of speech and further undermine freedom of assembly and the right to protest.
“We’ve seen what’s happening with the state’s abuse of terrorism suppression laws in the UK and are horrified that they have sunk so far and so quickly,” he said.
More than 100 people were arrested across the UK on suspicion of supporting Palestine Action, a non-violent protest group proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the British government earlier this month.
Arrests in social media clips Social media clips showed pensioners aggressively arrested while attending rallies in Liverpool, London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Bristol and Truro over the weekend.
Independent journalists and academics have also faced state repression under the UK’s Terrorism Act.
Among those targeted was Electronic Intifada journalist Asa Winstanley, who had his home raided and devices seized in October last year as part of the opaque counter-terror drive “Operation Incessantness”.
Independent journalist Asa Winstanley . . . his home was raided and devices seized in October last year as part of “Operation Incessantness”. Image: R Witts Photography/mickhall.substack.com
Journalist Richard Medhurst has had a terror investigation hanging over his head since being detained at Heathrow Airport in August last year and charged under section 8 of the Terrorism Act. Activist and independent journalist Sarah Wilkinson had her house raided in the same month.
Others have faced similar intimidation and threats of jail. In November 2024, Jewish academic Haim Bresheeth was charged after police alleged he had expressed support for a “proscribed organisation” during a speech outside the London residence of the Israeli ambassador to the UK.
Meanwhile, dozens of members of Palestine Action are in jail facing terror charges. The vast majority are being held on remand where they may wait two years before going to trial — a common state tactic to take activists off the street and incarcerate them, knowing the chances of conviction are slim when they eventually go to court.
‘Targeted amendments’ The document says the New Zealand government wants to progress “targeted amendments” to the Act, creating or amending offences “to capture contemporary behaviours and activities of concern” like “public expressions of support for a terrorist act or designated entities, for example by showing insignia or distributing propaganda or instructional material.”
Protesters highlight the proscription of Palestine Action outside the British Embassy at The Hague on July 20. No arrests were made following 80 arrests by Dutch police the week before. Image: Defend Our Juries/mickhall.substack.com
It suggests that the existing process for proscribing an organisation is slow and cumbersome, noting that: “Specific provisions need to be followed to designate entities not on a UN list, but the decision-making process is lengthy and the designation period is short. This impacts timely decision-making and the usefulness of designation as a tool to prevent terrorism.”
It proposes to improve “the timeliness of the process, by considering changes to who the decision-maker is” and extending the renewal period from three to five years.
The document suggests consulting the Attorney-General over designation-related decisions to ensure legal requirements are met may not be required and questions whether the designation process requiring the Prime Minister to review decisions twice is necessary. It asks whether others, like the Foreign Minister, should be involved in the decision-making process.
Beagle believes the secretive proposals pose a threat to New Zealand’s liberal democracy.
“Political protest is an important part of New Zealand’s history,” he said.
“Whether it’s the environment, worker’s rights, feminism, Māori issues, homosexual law reform or any number of other issues, political protest has had a big part in forming what Aotearoa New Zealand is today.
Protected under Bill of Rights “It’s a right protected by New Zealand’s Bill of Rights and is a critical part of being a functioning democracy.”
The terror laws revision forms part of a wider trend of legislating to close down dissent over New Zealand’s foreign policy, now closely aligned with NATO and US interests.
The government is also widening the definition of foreign interference in a way that could see people who “should have known” that they were being used by a foreign state to undermine New Zealand’s interests prosecuted.
The Crimes (Countering Foreign Interference) Amendment Bill, which passed its first reading in Parliament on November 19, would criminalise the act of foreign interference, while also increasing powers of unwarranted searches by authorities.
The Bill is effectively a reintroduction of the country’s old colonial sedition laws inherited from Britain, the broadness of the law having allowed it to be used against communists, trade unionists and indigenous rights activists.
A leaked document has revealed secretive plans to revise terror laws in New Zealand so that people can be charged over statements deemed to constitute material support for a proscribed organisation.
It shows the government also wants to widen the criteria for proscribing organisations to include groups that are judged to “facilitate” or “promote and encourage” terrorist acts.
The changes would see the South Pacific nation falling in line with increasingly repressive Western countries like the UK, where scores of independent journalists and anti-genocide protesters have been arrested and charged under terrorism laws in recent months.
The consultation document, handed over to the New Zealand Council for Civil Liberties (NZCCL), reveals the government has been in contact with a small number of unnamed groups this year over plans to legally redefine what material support involves, so that public statements or gestures involving insignia like flags can lead to charges if construed as support for proscribed groups.
As part of a proposal to revise the Terrorism Suppression Act, the document suggests the process for designating organisations as terror groups should be changed by “expanding the threshold to enable more modern types of entities to be designated, such as those that ‘facilitate’ or ‘promote and encourage’ terrorist acts”.
The Ministry of Justice has been contacted in an attempt to ascertain which groups it has been consulting with and why it believed the changes were necessary.
NZCCL chairman Thomas Beagle told Mick Hall In Context his group was concerned the proposed changes were a further attempt to limit the rights of New Zealanders to engage in political protest.
‘What’s going on?’ “When you look at the proposal to expand the Terrorism Suppression Act, alongside the Police and IPCA conspiring to propose a law change to ban political protest without government permission, you really have to wonder what’s going on,” he said.
A report by the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) in February proposed to give police the right to ban protests if they believed there was a high chance of public disorder and threats to public safety.
That would potentially mean bans on Palestinian solidarity protests if far right counter protestErs posed a threat of violent confrontation.
The stand-alone legislation would put New Zealand in line with other Five Eyes and NATO-aligned security jurisdictions such as Australia, the United Kingdom, and Canada.
Beagle points out proposed changes to terror laws would suppress freedom of speech and further undermine freedom of assembly and the right to protest.
“We’ve seen what’s happening with the state’s abuse of terrorism suppression laws in the UK and are horrified that they have sunk so far and so quickly,” he said.
More than 100 people were arrested across the UK on suspicion of supporting Palestine Action, a non-violent protest group proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the British government earlier this month.
Arrests in social media clips Social media clips showed pensioners aggressively arrested while attending rallies in Liverpool, London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Bristol and Truro over the weekend.
Independent journalists and academics have also faced state repression under the UK’s Terrorism Act.
Among those targeted was Electronic Intifada journalist Asa Winstanley, who had his home raided and devices seized in October last year as part of the opaque counter-terror drive “Operation Incessantness”.
Independent journalist Asa Winstanley . . . his home was raided and devices seized in October last year as part of “Operation Incessantness”. Image: R Witts Photography/mickhall.substack.com
Journalist Richard Medhurst has had a terror investigation hanging over his head since being detained at Heathrow Airport in August last year and charged under section 8 of the Terrorism Act. Activist and independent journalist Sarah Wilkinson had her house raided in the same month.
Others have faced similar intimidation and threats of jail. In November 2024, Jewish academic Haim Bresheeth was charged after police alleged he had expressed support for a “proscribed organisation” during a speech outside the London residence of the Israeli ambassador to the UK.
Meanwhile, dozens of members of Palestine Action are in jail facing terror charges. The vast majority are being held on remand where they may wait two years before going to trial — a common state tactic to take activists off the street and incarcerate them, knowing the chances of conviction are slim when they eventually go to court.
‘Targeted amendments’ The document says the New Zealand government wants to progress “targeted amendments” to the Act, creating or amending offences “to capture contemporary behaviours and activities of concern” like “public expressions of support for a terrorist act or designated entities, for example by showing insignia or distributing propaganda or instructional material.”
Protesters highlight the proscription of Palestine Action outside the British Embassy at The Hague on July 20. No arrests were made following 80 arrests by Dutch police the week before. Image: Defend Our Juries/mickhall.substack.com
It suggests that the existing process for proscribing an organisation is slow and cumbersome, noting that: “Specific provisions need to be followed to designate entities not on a UN list, but the decision-making process is lengthy and the designation period is short. This impacts timely decision-making and the usefulness of designation as a tool to prevent terrorism.”
It proposes to improve “the timeliness of the process, by considering changes to who the decision-maker is” and extending the renewal period from three to five years.
The document suggests consulting the Attorney-General over designation-related decisions to ensure legal requirements are met may not be required and questions whether the designation process requiring the Prime Minister to review decisions twice is necessary. It asks whether others, like the Foreign Minister, should be involved in the decision-making process.
Beagle believes the secretive proposals pose a threat to New Zealand’s liberal democracy.
“Political protest is an important part of New Zealand’s history,” he said.
“Whether it’s the environment, worker’s rights, feminism, Māori issues, homosexual law reform or any number of other issues, political protest has had a big part in forming what Aotearoa New Zealand is today.
Protected under Bill of Rights “It’s a right protected by New Zealand’s Bill of Rights and is a critical part of being a functioning democracy.”
The terror laws revision forms part of a wider trend of legislating to close down dissent over New Zealand’s foreign policy, now closely aligned with NATO and US interests.
The government is also widening the definition of foreign interference in a way that could see people who “should have known” that they were being used by a foreign state to undermine New Zealand’s interests prosecuted.
The Crimes (Countering Foreign Interference) Amendment Bill, which passed its first reading in Parliament on November 19, would criminalise the act of foreign interference, while also increasing powers of unwarranted searches by authorities.
The Bill is effectively a reintroduction of the country’s old colonial sedition laws inherited from Britain, the broadness of the law having allowed it to be used against communists, trade unionists and indigenous rights activists.
A leaked document has revealed secretive plans to revise terror laws in New Zealand so that people can be charged over statements deemed to constitute material support for a proscribed organisation.
It shows the government also wants to widen the criteria for proscribing organisations to include groups that are judged to “facilitate” or “promote and encourage” terrorist acts.
The changes would see the South Pacific nation falling in line with increasingly repressive Western countries like the UK, where scores of independent journalists and anti-genocide protesters have been arrested and charged under terrorism laws in recent months.
The consultation document, handed over to the New Zealand Council for Civil Liberties (NZCCL), reveals the government has been in contact with a small number of unnamed groups this year over plans to legally redefine what material support involves, so that public statements or gestures involving insignia like flags can lead to charges if construed as support for proscribed groups.
As part of a proposal to revise the Terrorism Suppression Act, the document suggests the process for designating organisations as terror groups should be changed by “expanding the threshold to enable more modern types of entities to be designated, such as those that ‘facilitate’ or ‘promote and encourage’ terrorist acts”.
The Ministry of Justice has been contacted in an attempt to ascertain which groups it has been consulting with and why it believed the changes were necessary.
NZCCL chairman Thomas Beagle told Mick Hall In Context his group was concerned the proposed changes were a further attempt to limit the rights of New Zealanders to engage in political protest.
‘What’s going on?’ “When you look at the proposal to expand the Terrorism Suppression Act, alongside the Police and IPCA conspiring to propose a law change to ban political protest without government permission, you really have to wonder what’s going on,” he said.
A report by the Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) in February proposed to give police the right to ban protests if they believed there was a high chance of public disorder and threats to public safety.
That would potentially mean bans on Palestinian solidarity protests if far right counter protestErs posed a threat of violent confrontation.
The stand-alone legislation would put New Zealand in line with other Five Eyes and NATO-aligned security jurisdictions such as Australia, the United Kingdom, and Canada.
Beagle points out proposed changes to terror laws would suppress freedom of speech and further undermine freedom of assembly and the right to protest.
“We’ve seen what’s happening with the state’s abuse of terrorism suppression laws in the UK and are horrified that they have sunk so far and so quickly,” he said.
More than 100 people were arrested across the UK on suspicion of supporting Palestine Action, a non-violent protest group proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the British government earlier this month.
Arrests in social media clips Social media clips showed pensioners aggressively arrested while attending rallies in Liverpool, London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Bristol and Truro over the weekend.
Independent journalists and academics have also faced state repression under the UK’s Terrorism Act.
Among those targeted was Electronic Intifada journalist Asa Winstanley, who had his home raided and devices seized in October last year as part of the opaque counter-terror drive “Operation Incessantness”.
Independent journalist Asa Winstanley . . . his home was raided and devices seized in October last year as part of “Operation Incessantness”. Image: R Witts Photography/mickhall.substack.com
Journalist Richard Medhurst has had a terror investigation hanging over his head since being detained at Heathrow Airport in August last year and charged under section 8 of the Terrorism Act. Activist and independent journalist Sarah Wilkinson had her house raided in the same month.
Others have faced similar intimidation and threats of jail. In November 2024, Jewish academic Haim Bresheeth was charged after police alleged he had expressed support for a “proscribed organisation” during a speech outside the London residence of the Israeli ambassador to the UK.
Meanwhile, dozens of members of Palestine Action are in jail facing terror charges. The vast majority are being held on remand where they may wait two years before going to trial — a common state tactic to take activists off the street and incarcerate them, knowing the chances of conviction are slim when they eventually go to court.
‘Targeted amendments’ The document says the New Zealand government wants to progress “targeted amendments” to the Act, creating or amending offences “to capture contemporary behaviours and activities of concern” like “public expressions of support for a terrorist act or designated entities, for example by showing insignia or distributing propaganda or instructional material.”
Protesters highlight the proscription of Palestine Action outside the British Embassy at The Hague on July 20. No arrests were made following 80 arrests by Dutch police the week before. Image: Defend Our Juries/mickhall.substack.com
It suggests that the existing process for proscribing an organisation is slow and cumbersome, noting that: “Specific provisions need to be followed to designate entities not on a UN list, but the decision-making process is lengthy and the designation period is short. This impacts timely decision-making and the usefulness of designation as a tool to prevent terrorism.”
It proposes to improve “the timeliness of the process, by considering changes to who the decision-maker is” and extending the renewal period from three to five years.
The document suggests consulting the Attorney-General over designation-related decisions to ensure legal requirements are met may not be required and questions whether the designation process requiring the Prime Minister to review decisions twice is necessary. It asks whether others, like the Foreign Minister, should be involved in the decision-making process.
Beagle believes the secretive proposals pose a threat to New Zealand’s liberal democracy.
“Political protest is an important part of New Zealand’s history,” he said.
“Whether it’s the environment, worker’s rights, feminism, Māori issues, homosexual law reform or any number of other issues, political protest has had a big part in forming what Aotearoa New Zealand is today.
Protected under Bill of Rights “It’s a right protected by New Zealand’s Bill of Rights and is a critical part of being a functioning democracy.”
The terror laws revision forms part of a wider trend of legislating to close down dissent over New Zealand’s foreign policy, now closely aligned with NATO and US interests.
The government is also widening the definition of foreign interference in a way that could see people who “should have known” that they were being used by a foreign state to undermine New Zealand’s interests prosecuted.
The Crimes (Countering Foreign Interference) Amendment Bill, which passed its first reading in Parliament on November 19, would criminalise the act of foreign interference, while also increasing powers of unwarranted searches by authorities.
The Bill is effectively a reintroduction of the country’s old colonial sedition laws inherited from Britain, the broadness of the law having allowed it to be used against communists, trade unionists and indigenous rights activists.
A man has been jailed for 13 years at the Old Bailey on Thursday, 24 July after robbing and running over a man, leaving him to die in the street in Erith in 2019. He will serve a further 5 years on license.
Errol Woodger, 38 (18.12.1986) of Mottisfont Road, Abbey Wood, was found guilty at the same court of robbery and manslaughter of 51-year-old Marc Allen following a three-week trial that concluded on Tuesday, 15 April 2025.
On Sunday, 29 December 2019, Marc Allen interrupted Errol Woodger robbing items from his flat on Peareswood Road, Erith, including his car keys.
Mr Allen attempted to stop Woodger driving off in his car, but Woodger deliberately drove the car at him, running him over and causing him fatal injuries. Mr Allen was taken to hospital but never regained consciousness and died on Wednesday, 29 January 2020.
Woodger was charged with robbery and murder on Wednesday, 19 June 2024 and was remanded into custody.
At trial, Woodger was found guilty of one count of manslaughter and one count of robbery.
Detective Sergeant Nick Bale, of the Met’s Homicide Command, said:
“Our thoughts remain with Marc’s family and loved ones.
“I’d like to thank the Homicide team who led on this investigation and the members of the public who were able to help us. The response we received to our appeal for information and witnesses following Marc’s senseless death directly led to Mr Woodger’s arrest and charges nearly five years after this tragic incident.
“A man was fatally injured in a brutal way and died as a result – outside his home where he should have felt safe. I can only hope that this sentence goes some way in providing a sense of justice to Marc’s family.”
Samsung Electronics America today announced Installment payments will be available to Samsung Wallet users in select states 1 beginning July 25 with expansion to all states planned by the end of 2025. Building on the recent rollout of Tap to Transfer,2 the new feature offers greater flexibility and convenience when paying in-store with Samsung Wallet by allowing the customer to separate their purchase into smaller payments.
“Our phones go with us everywhere, so we’re making the Samsung Wallet experience as helpful as possible,” said Drew Blackard, Senior Vice President of Mobile Product Management at Samsung Electronics America. “As a comprehensive tool for all of your digital essentials, Wallet is all about flexibility and convenience, and with the addition of Installment payments, we’re making the payment experience even more versatile, providing users with options to make purchases on their own terms.”
Powered by a partnership with Splitit,3 there is no need to apply for a new account or undergo a credit check to use the new feature.4 When making a purchase using Samsung Wallet, simply tap the “Pay in installments” option that appears under any of your eligible credit cards.5
After completing the purchase in-store, select from four different installment plans6 to find an option that meets your budget and preferred timeline. After the transaction is complete, you can keep tabs on all payments directly in Samsung Wallet.
Samsung Wallet is just a swipe away on millions of Galaxy smartphones offering convenient access to your digital essentials — from IDs and memberships to digital keys, payment cards and more — directly on your mobile device.
To learn more about Samsung Wallet features and device compatibility, visit https://www.samsung.com.
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – Government of the Russian Federation –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
The theme of the plenary session is “Environmental challenges: towards sustainable development”.
Joint photo session of the heads of delegations of the International Environmental Conference
July 25, 2025
Heads of Delegations of the International Environmental Conference
July 25, 2025
Previous news Next news
Joint photo session of the heads of delegations of the International Environmental Conference
The International Environmental Conference is taking place on July 25 in the Altai Republic on the territory of the Manzherok resort. Eight countries are participating in it: the Russian Federation, the Republic of Armenia, the Republic of Belarus, the Kyrgyz Republic, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Republic of Tajikistan, the Republic of Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. All states are long-standing partners and interact on environmental issues both bilaterally and within the framework of international associations.
The international conference will open with a plenary session entitled “Environmental Challenges: Towards Sustainable Development,” in which the prime ministers of Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan will talk about the environmental and ecological agendas of their countries.
Ministers of natural resources, ecology and the environment will speak at the expert session “How to maintain the global water balance?”. The heads of departments will discuss how climate change affects water resources and what measures need to be taken now to minimize the consequences.
Drive
The thematic session “Ecological tourism: the calling card of the state” is devoted to issues of regulating anthropogenic load on natural complexes, the role of ecotourism in economic development, issues of developing and equipping ecological routes and the functioning of transboundary reserves and national parks, and joint projects.
The conference will also discuss the development of transboundary ecotourism, protection of specially protected natural areas and conservation of biodiversity. For example, the joint efforts of five countries to restore the snow leopard population: the rare cat lives only in Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
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.
I Am Hope joins forces with Seventh Wonder for a nationwide partnership
Australian singer-songwriter Bloom, one of the country’s most powerful vocalists, is bringing her acclaimed show Seventh Wonder Performs Fleetwood Mac to New Zealand this September — and this time, it’s for a cause close to home.
Teaming up with mental health charity I Am Hope, the tour will raise funds and awareness for Gumboot Friday, the charity’s free youth counselling programme. Donation points will be available at all shows, with fundraising also happening online via Givealittle.
“We’re proud to be backing this tour — and even prouder of the heart behind it,” says Mike King, founder of I Am Hope. “Bloom isn’t just one of the best voices you’ll hear live — she’s someone who truly understands the power of using your platform for good. She’s showing up for our young people in a way that’s real, generous, and community-led. We hope Kiwis support her the same way she’s supporting us.”
Best known for her powerhouse tributes to Adele, Stevie Nicks and Amy Winehouse, Bloom has sold out theatres across Australia and earned the praise of Mick Fleetwood himself, who called her performance “spooky good.” Behind the music, Bloom uses her platform for good — having raised more than $30,000 for Parkinson’s disease and shining a light on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.
“As an artist, I’ve seen how music can heal—and teaming up with I Am Hope lets us turn that connection into real support for young people who need it most.” Bloom, front woman of Seventh Wonder.
Managed by Dennis Dunstan, former co-manager of Fleetwood Mac, Bloom will perform a six-stop NZ tour with her band, Seventh Wonder, from 12–20 September. A special guest appearance from Mike King is also on the cards, with final show details to be announced soon.
Tasmania Police has today welcomed 30 new constables into its ranks, with recruit course 1/2025 officially graduating from the police academy. Commissioner Donna Adams and Education and Training Commander Damien George were among those in attendance at the police academy at Rokeby to congratulate the new constables – 18 men and 12 women – on their achievements. Recruits will be assigned to Bellerive, Bridgewater, Burnie, Devonport, Glenorchy, Hobart and Launceston stations. Constable Kyan Clay, of Hobart and Constable Bailey Jupp, of Penguin, have been awarded the dux of course and runner-up dux of course, respectively. Commander George said the 30 new officers had worked hard over a 28-week training course and were ready to begin serving the community. “Each one of these recruits should be extremely proud of what they have already achieved, and I look forward to seeing where their new career takes them,” he said. “They’re stepping into roles which are anything but ordinary, with each shift offering a new opportunity to serve and engage with our communities.” With ages spanning 18 to 51, the new police constables bring a range of past career and life experiences to their new roles. Dux of the course Constable Kyan Clay, 27, is starting his policing career after previously working as an electrical engineer with Powerlink in Queensland. Constable Clay said he was excited by the challenges and opportunities ahead. “Becoming a constable, that process has given me a lot of confidence. To me that role means being someone who is approachable, who can make people feel safe and can bring justice to the community. “I am really looking forward to being in the community and helping people.” Also graduating on Friday was former Launceston real estate agent Jayne Bayles who, at 51, is one of the more mature-aged recruits to pass the course. Friday’s ceremony marked the third graduating class of new constables in 2025, with 22 constables graduating in January and 15 constables in April. The next graduating class is in late September. Commander George said policing was a dynamic and rewarding career and encouraged people interested in being a Tasmania Police officer to take the next step. For more information about Tasmania Police recruitment, visit https://recruitment.police.tas.gov.au/
Efforts to end the relentless siege of Gaza have been set back by the abrupt end to peace talks in Qatar.
Both the United States and Israel have withdrawn their negotiating teams, accusing Hamas of a “lack of desire to reach a ceasefire”.
US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff says it would appear Hamas never wanted a deal:
While the mediators have made a great effort, Hamas does not appear to be coordinated or acting in good faith. We will now consider alternative options to bring the hostages home and try to create a more stable environment for the people in Gaza
State Department spokesman Tommy Piggott reads Steve Witkoff’s statement on the collapse of the Gaza peace talks.
The disappointing development coincides with mounting fears of a widespread famine in Gaza and a historic decision by France to formally recognise a Palestinian state.
French President Emmanuel Macron says there is no alternative for the sake of security of the Middle East:
True to its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognise the State of Palestine
What will these developments mean for the conflict in Gaza and the broader security of the Middle East?
‘Humanitarian catastrophe’
The failure to reach a truce means there is no end in sight to the Israeli siege of Gaza which has devastated the territory for more than 21 months.
Amid mounting fears of mass starvation, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says Gaza is in the grip of a “humanitarian catastrophe”. He is urging Israel to comply immediately with its obligations under international law:
Israel’s denial of aid and the killing of civilians, including children, seeking access to water and food cannot be defended or ignored.
According to the United Nations Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA, more than 100 people – most of them children – have died of hunger. One in five children in Gaza City is malnourished, with the number of cases rising every day.
Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini says with little food aid entering Gaza, people are
neither dead nor alive, they are walking corpses […] most children our teams are seeing are emaciated, weak and at high risk of dying if they don’t get the treatment they urgently need.
The UN and more than 100 aid groups blame Israel’s blockade of almost all aid into the territory for the lack of food.
Lazzarini says UNRWA has 6,000 trucks of emergency supplies waiting in Jordan and Egypt. He is urging Israel – which continues to blame Hamas for cases of malnutrition – to allow the humanitarian assistance into Gaza.
It included a 60-day truce, during which time Hamas would release ten living Israeli hostages and the remains of 18 others. In exchange, Israel would release a number of Palestinian prisoners, and humanitarian aid to Gaza would be significantly increased.
During the ceasefire, both sides would engage in negotiations toward a lasting truce.
While specific details of the current sticking points remain unclear, previous statements from both parties suggest the disagreement centres on what would follow any temporary ceasefire.
Israel is reportedly seeking to maintain a permanent military presence in Gaza to allow for a rapid resumption of operations if needed. In contrast, Hamas is demanding a pathway toward a complete end to hostilities.
A lack of mutual trust has dramatically clouded the negotiations.
From Israel’s perspective, any ceasefire must not result in Hamas regaining control of Gaza, as this would allow the group to rebuild its power and potentially launch another cross-border attack.
However, Hamas has repeatedly said it is willing to hand over power to any other Palestinian group in pursuit of a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders. This could include the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), which governs the West Bank and has long recognised Israel.
Support for a Palestinian state
Israeli leaders have occasionally paid lip service to a Palestinian state. But they have described such an entity as “less than a state” or a “state-minus” – a formulation that falls short of both Palestinian aspirations and international legal standards.
In response to the worsening humanitarian situation, some Western countries have moved to fully recognise a Palestinian state, viewing it as a step toward a permanent resolution of one of the longest-running conflicts in the Middle East.
Macron’s announcement France will officially recognise a full Palestinian state in September is a major development.
France is now the most prominent Western power to take this position. It follows more than 140 countries – including more than a dozen in Europe – that have already recognised statehood.
While largely symbolic, the move adds diplomatic pressure on Israel amid the ongoing war and aid crisis in Gaza.
However, the announcement was immediately condemned by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who claimed recognition “rewards terror” and
risks creating another Iranian proxy, just as Gaza became. A Palestinian state in these conditions would be a launch pad to annihilate Israel – not to live in peace beside it.
Annexing Gaza?
A Palestinian state is unacceptable to Israel.
Further evidence was recently presented in a revealing TV interview by former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak who stated Netanyahu had deliberately empowered Hamas in order to block a two-state solution.
Instead there is mounting evidence Israel is seeking to annex the entirety of Palestinian land and relocate Palestinians to neighbouring countries.
Given the current uncertainty, it appears unlikely a new ceasefire will be reached in the near future, especially as it remains unclear whether the US withdrawal from the negotiations was a genuine policy shift or merely a strategic negotiating tactic.
Ali Mamouri 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 green-headed tanager (_Tangara seledon_) has a hidden layer of plumage that is white underneath the orange feathers and black underneath the blue and green feathers.Daniel Field
Birds are perhaps the most colourful group of animals, bringing a splash of colour to the natural world around us every day. Indeed, exclusively black and white birds – such as magpies – are in the minority.
However, new research by a team from Princeton University in the United States has revealed a surprising trick in which birds use those boring black and white feathers to make their colours even more vivid.
Male golden tanagers (Tangara arthus) have hidden layers of white which make their plumage brighter, while females have hidden layers of black which make their plumage darker. Daniel Field
In the study, published today in Science Advances, Rosalyn Price-Waldman and her colleagues discovered that if coloured feathers are placed over a layer of either white or black underlying feathers, their colours are enhanced.
A particularly striking discovery was that in some species the different colour of males and females wasn’t due to the colour the two sexes put into the feathers, but rather in the amount of white or black in the layer underneath.
Why birds are so bright – and how they do it
Typically, male birds have more vivid colours than females. As Charles Darwin first explained, the most colourful males are more likely to attract mates and produce more offspring than those that aren’t as vivid. This process of “sexual selection” is the evolutionary force that has resulted in most of the colours we see in birds today.
Evolution is a process that rewards clever solutions in the competition among males to stand out in the crowd. Depositing a layer of black underneath patches of bright blue feathers has enabled males to produce that extra vibrancy that helps them in the competition for mates.
The blue feathers of a red-necked tanager (Tangara cyanocephala) stand out against a black underlayer. Rosalyn Price-Waldman
The reason the black layer works so well is that it absorbs all the light that passes through the top layer of coloured feathers. The colour we see is blue because those top feathers have a fine structure that scatters light in a particular way, and reflects light in the blue part of the spectrum.
The feathers appear particularly vivid blue because the light in other wavelengths is absorbed by the under-layer. If the under-layer was paler, some of the light in the other parts of the light spectrum would bounce back and the blue would not “pop out” as much.
Different tricks for different colours
Interestingly, in the new study, the researchers found that for yellow feathers the opposite trick works. Yellow feathers contain yellow pigments – carotenoids – and in this case they are enhanced if they have a white under-layer.
The white layer reflects light that passes through the yellow feathers, and this increases the brightness of these yellow patches, making them more striking in contrast to surrounding patches of colour.
The red feather tips of a scarlet-rumped tanager (Ramphocelus passerinii) are enhanced by the white feathers beneath them. Rosalyn Price-Waldman
A surprisingly common technique
The authors focused most of their work on species of tanager, typically very colourful fruit-eating birds that are native to Central and South America.
However, once they had discovered what was happening in tanagers, they checked to see if it was occurring in other birds.
The vivid blue colouring of the Australian splendid fairy wren (Malurus splendens) is enhanced by an underlayer of colourless feathers. Robbie Goodall / Getty Images
This additional work revealed that the use of black and white underlying feathers to enhance colour is found in many other bird families, including the Australian fairy wrens which have such vivid blue colouration.
This widespread use of black and white across so many different species suggests birds have been enhancing the production of colour in this clever way for tens of millions of years, and that it is widely used across birds.
The color of the vibrant red crown of this red-capped manakin (Ceratopipra mentalis) is magnified by a hidden layer of white plumage. Daniel Field
The study is important because it helps us to understand how complex traits such as colour can evolve in nature. It may also help us to improve the production of vibrant colours in our own architecture, art and fashion.
Simon Griffith receives funding from the Australian Research Council.
In the village of Nagigi, Fiji, the ocean isn’t just a resource – it’s part of the community’s identity. But in recent years, villagers have seen the sea behave differently. Tides are pushing inland. Once abundant, fish are now harder to find. Sandy beaches and coconut trees have been washed away.
Like many coastal communities, including those across the Pacific Islands region, this village is now under real pressure from climate change and declining fish stocks. Methods of fishing are no longer guaranteed, while extreme weather and coastal erosion threaten homes and land. As one villager told us:
we can’t find fish easily, not compared to previous times […] some fish species we used to see before are no longer around.
When stories like this get publicity, they’re often framed as a story of loss. Pacific Islanders can be portrayed as passive victims of climate change.
But Nagigi’s experience isn’t just about vulnerability. As our new research shows, it’s about the actions people are taking to cope with the changes already here. In response to falling fish numbers and to diversify livelihoods, women leaders launched a new aquaculture project, and they have replanted mangroves to slow the advance of the sea.
Adaptation is uneven. Many people don’t want to or can’t leave their homes. But as climate change intensifies, change will be unavoidable. Nagigi’s experience points to the importance of communities working collectively to respond to threats.
Unwelcome change is here
The communities we focus on, Nagigi village (population 630) and Bia-I-Cake settlement (population 60), are located on Savusavu Bay in Vanua Levu, Fiji’s second largest island. Fishing and marine resources are central to their livelihoods and food security.
In 2021 and 2023, we ran group discussions (known as talanoa) and interviews to find out about changes seen and adaptations made.
Nagigi residents have noticed unwelcome changes in recent years. As one woman told us:
sometimes the sea is coming further onto the land, so there’s a lot of sea intrusion into the plantations, flooding even on land where it never used to be
Tides are pushing ashore in Nagigi, threatening infrastructure. Celia McMichael, CC BY-NC-ND
In 2016, the devastating Tropical Cyclone Winston destroyed homes and forced some Nagigi residents to move inland to customary mataqali land owned by their clan.
As one resident said:
our relocation was smooth because […] we just moved to our own land, our mataqali land.
But some residents didn’t have access to this land, while others weren’t willing to move away from the coast. One man told us:
leave us here. I think if I don’t smell or hear the ocean for one day I would be devastated.
Adaptation is happening
One striking aspect of adaptation in Nagigi has been the leadership of women, particularly in the small Bia-I-Cake settlement.
In recent years, the Bia-I-Cake Women’s Cooperative has launched a small-scale aquaculture project to farm tilapia and carp to tackle falling fish stocks in the ocean, tackle rising food insecurity and create new livelihoods.
Women in the cooperative have built fish ponds, learned how to rear fish to a good size and began selling the fish, including by live streaming the sale. The project was supported by a small grant from the United Nations Development Programme and the Women’s Fund Fiji.
Recently, the cooperative’s women have moved into mangrove replanting to slow coastal erosion and built a greenhouse to farm new crops.
As one woman told us, these efforts show women “have the capacity to build a sustainable, secure and thriving community”.
The community’s responses draw on traditional social structures and values, such as respect for Vanua – the Fijian and Pacific concept of how land, sea, people, customs and spiritual beliefs are interconnected – as well as stewardship of natural resources and collective decision-making through clans and elders, both women and men.
Nagigi residents have moved to temporarily close some customary fishing grounds to give fish populations a chance to recover. The village is also considering declaring a locally-managed marine area (known as a tabu). This is a response to climate impacts as well as damage to reefs, pollution and overfishing.
For generations, village residents have protected local ecosystems which in turn support the village. But what is new is how these practices are being strengthened and formalised to respond to new challenges.
A women’s cooperative have built aquaculture ponds to raise and sell fish. Celia McMichael, CC BY-NC-ND
Adaptation is uneven
While adaptation is producing some successes, it is unevenly spread. Not everyone has access to customary land for relocation and not every household can afford to rebuild damaged homes.
What Nagigi teaches us, though, is the importance of local adaptation. Villagers have demonstrated how a community can anticipate risks, respond to change and threats, recover from damage and take advantage of new opportunities.
Small communities are not just passive sites of loss. They are collectives of strength, agency and ingenuity. As adaptation efforts scale up across the Pacific, it is important to recognise and support local initiatives such as those in Nagigi.
Sharing effective adaptation methods can give ideas and hope to other communities under real pressure from climate change and other threats.
Many communities are doing their best to adapt often undertaking community-led adaptation, even despite the limited access Pacific nations have to global climate finance.
Nagigi’s example shows unwelcome climatic and environmental changes are already arriving. But it’s also about finding ways to live well amid uncertainty and escalating risk by using place, tradition and community.
The authors acknowledge the support of the people of Nagigi and Bia-I-Cake, and especially the Bia-I-Cake Women’s Cooperative, for sharing their time and insights.
Celia McMichael receives funding from the Australian Research Council (ARC).
Merewalesi Yee 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.
We’re constantly being reminded by news articles and social media posts that we should be getting more sleep. You probably don’t need to hear it again – not sleeping enough is bad for your brain, heart and overall health, not to mention your skin and sex drive.
But what about sleeping “too much”? Recent reports that sleeping more than nine hours could be worse for your health than sleeping too little may have you throwing up your hands in despair.
It can be hard not to feel confused and worried. But how much sleep do we need? And what can sleeping a lot really tell us about our health? Let’s unpack the evidence.
Sleep is essential for our health
Along with nutrition and physical activity, sleep is an essential pillar of health.
During sleep, physiological processes occur that allow our bodies to function effectively when we are awake. These include processes involved in muscle recovery, memory consolidation and emotional regulation.
The Sleep Health Foundation – Australia’s leading not-for-profit organisation that provides evidence-based information on sleep health – recommends adults get seven to nine hours of sleep per night.
Some people are naturally short sleepers and can function well with less than seven hours.
However, for most of us, sleeping less than seven hours will have negative effects. These may be short term; for example, the day after a poor night’s sleep you might have less energy, worse mood, feel more stressed and find it harder to concentrate at work.
So, it’s clear that not getting enough sleep is bad for us. But what about too much sleep?
Could too much sleep be bad?
In a recent study, researchers reviewed the results of 79 other studies that followed people for at least one year and measured how sleep duration impacts the risk of poor health or dying to see if there was an overall trend.
They found people who slept for short durations – less than seven hours a night – had a 14% higher risk of dying in the study period, compared to those who slept between seven and eight hours. This is not surprising given the established health risks of poor sleep.
However, the researchers also found those who slept a lot – which they defined as more than nine hours a night – had a greater risk of dying: 34% higher than people who slept seven to eight hours.
This supports similar research from 2018, which combined results from 74 previous studies that followed the sleep and health of participants across time, ranging from one to 30 years. It found sleeping more than nine hours was associated with a 14% increased risk of dying in the study period.
Research has also shown sleeping too long (meaning more than required for your age) is linked to health problems such as depression, chronic pain, weight gain and metabolic disorders.
This may sound alarming. But it’s crucial to remember these studies have only found a link between sleeping too long and poor health – this doesn’t mean sleeping too long is the cause of health problems or death.
Multiple factors may influence the relationship between sleeping a lot and having poor health.
It’s common for people with chronic health problems to consistently sleep for long periods. Their bodies may need additional rest to support recovery, or they may spend more time in bed due to symptoms or medication side effects.
People with chronic health problems may also not be getting high quality sleep, and may stay in bed for longer to try and get some extra sleep.
Additionally, we know risk factors for poor health, such as smoking and being overweight, are also associated with poor sleep.
This means people may be sleeping more because of existing health problems or lifestyle behaviours, not that sleeping more is causing the poor health.
Put simply, sleeping may be a symptom of poor health, not the cause.
What’s the ideal amount?
The reasons some people sleep a little and others sleep a lot depend on individual differences – and we don’t yet fully understand these.
Our sleep needs can be related to age. Teenagers often want to sleep more and may physically need to, with sleep recommendations for teens being slightly higher than adults at eight to ten hours. Teens may also go to bed and wake up later.
Older adults may want to spend more time in bed. However, unless they have a sleep disorder, the amount they need to sleep will be the same as when they were younger.
But most adults will require seven to nine hours, so this is the healthy window to aim for.
It’s not just about how much sleep you get. Good quality sleep and a consistent bed time and wake time are just as important – if not more so – for your overall health.
The bottom line
Given many Australian adults are not receiving the recommended amount of sleep, we should focus on how to make sure we get enough sleep, rather than worrying we are getting too much.
To give yourself the best chance of a good night’s sleep, get sunlight and stay active during the day, and try to keep a regular sleep and wake time. In the hour before bed, avoid screens, do something relaxing, and make sure your sleep space is quiet, dark, and comfortable.
If you notice you are regularly sleeping much longer than usual, it could be your body’s way of telling you something else is going on. If you’re struggling with sleep or are concerned, speak with your GP. You can also explore the resources on the Sleep Health Foundation website.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Never Let Me Go has been translated into over 50 languages. It has been adapted into a film, two stage plays, and a ten-part Japanese television series. A critical and commercial success, the novel has been reissued in an anniversary edition with a fresh introduction from the author.
A spate of reappraisals has accompanied this anniversary: “An impossibly sad novel […] it made me cry several times […] sadness spilled off every page.” “No matter how many times I read it,” one critic wrote, “Never Let Me Go breaks my heart all over again.”
These brief excerpts are clear: the novel pulls us into a morass of sadness that never lets us go. “I’ve usually been praised for producing stuff that makes people cry,” Ishiguro has said. “They gave me a Nobel prize for it.”
Strange and familiar
I want to reconsider the emotional charge of Never Let Me Go.
The deluge of tears attested to by critics hinges on the relationship Ishiguro meticulously crafts between narrator and reader. This is initiated in the novel’s first lines. Ishiguro places us in an alternative 1990s England. His opening gambit will be familiar to novel readers:
My name is Kathy H. I’m thirty-one years old, and I’ve been a carer now for over eleven years. That sounds long enough, I know, but actually they want me to go on for another eight months […] My donors have always tended to do much better than expected.
Within a few pages, the narration slips into Kathy’s recollections of her idyllic 1970s youth at a boarding school called Hailsham. We are immersed in a childhood world of friendship and exclusion, jealousy and love. This is a recognisable world. Ishiguro’s first-person narration affords the reader vicarious access to Kathy’s interior tangle of emotion, desire and reflection, such that we can recognise something of ourselves in her.
Yet something is amiss in her narration. Flat and rather affectless, it is a decidedly less curious, less passionate and more tempered mode of narration than we might expect. The threadbare texture frays the narrative world. What are we to make of the opaque references to “carer”, “they” and “donors”?
This uncanny tension between the strange and the familiar simmers until a third of the way through the novel, when a “guardian” at Hailsham reveals the students’ futures:
Your lives are set out for you. You’ll become adults, then before you’re old, before you’re even middle-aged, you’ll start to donate your vital organs. That’s what each of you was created to do.
Good liberals
Kathy is a clone, condemned to death so her organs can be harvested for “normals”. That this heartless system “reduces the most hardened critics to tears” comes as no surprise. After all, Ishiguro has evoked the familiar genre of the 19th-century boarding-school bildungsroman to encourage us to believe that this is a form of subjectivity we can share. This bildung – the German word for “formation” – is not an integration into society but rather a dismemberment by society.
That this does not provoke anger, in readers and characters alike, does come as a surprise. For if the proclamation of the students’ fates is not distressing enough, Ishiguro forces us to confront the clones’ response or, rather, the lack thereof. There are no incandescent flashes of fury or even mild expressions of dismay.
Instead, the clones are “pretty relieved” when the speech stops. Knowledge of their impending death passes them like a ship in the night, inciting “surprisingly little discussion”. In this disconcerting silence, the relation between reader and clone is mediated through another genre: science fiction.
The bildungsroman and science fiction, identification and misidentification, intimacy and estrangement – these are the tools of Ishiguro’s trade. He manipulates them, and us, with precision. There is intimacy as we recognise that the students’ everyday lives – reading novels, creating art, playing sport – are much like our own. There is estrangement as we realise that the clones are willingly cooperating in their own deaths. They will “donate” and “complete” in the narrative’s chilling terms.
In other words, we cry because the clones are just like us, but our anger towards the machinery of donation is blunted because the clones are not yet us, in that their complicity eerily lacks our instinct for self-preservation.
Confident that we will take ourselves as the measuring stick, Ishiguro compels us to adopt a position of superiority characterised by a paternalistic ethos of sympathy and care. In this way, he persuades us to read as good liberals. We acknowledge the humanity of the clones and embrace the diversity of our common condition. At the same time, we are complacent in the knowledge that we are almost the same, but not quite. We are insulated by a disavowed difference.
An abstract formal equality, evacuated of concrete historical content, is precisely what is expressed when the same critics who praise the novel’s melancholic tone claim that Ishiguro shows us “what it is to be human” or that he enlivens this otherwise “meaningless cliche”.
Is Ishiguro doing anything more than offering a banal endorsement of common humanity? It seems to me that he is, and in doing so he is summoning our liberal sentiments only to turn them against us.
The mechanism he uses is as old as the novel form itself: the romance plot. Romance leads to the happily-ever-after of marriage: a perfect union in which each person completes the other.
Not long after we learn that Kathy and her friends are clones destined to die, we become privy to a rumour: students who can prove they are “properly in love” are eligible for a “deferral” of their donations. To fast-forward through the novel’s tangled romance plot to the denouement, Kathy and Tommy – a fellow clone – track down Hailsham’s former administrator to plead their case. Not only is their request for deferral rejected, but the possibility of deferral is dispelled as a pernicious rumour.
The allure of romance has been a lure, a cold steel trap in the guise of a warm embrace. Ishiguro dangles the promise of romance only to expose its sinister echoes in the donation system.
The “completion” of romance is macabrely inverted. Completion through matrimonial union with an ideal other is transformed into the “donation” of organs, which completes an unknown “normal”, whose life can continue as a result of the clone’s death.
Cover of the first edition of Never Let Me Go (2005)
Ishiguro positions us so that we are unwittingly aligned with the “normal” population, whose “overwhelming concern was that their own children, their spouses, their parents, their friends, did not die from cancer, motor neuron disease, heart disease”.
What we want the clones to do (resist their fates) and the means of doing so (romance) are revealed as responsible for the donation system. If we want Kathy and Tommy to live because they love each other – and we do because Ishiguro has compelled us to care for them – then we are endorsing the logic that designates them as disposable in the first place.
The anger Ishiguro has deliberately blunted returns, redoubled. Our care is transformed into complicity. We, rather than the clones, are the targets of Ishiguro’s ire.
Translating this into political terms, Ishiguro is giving aesthetic form to neoliberalism’s eclipse of liberalism. It is no coincidence that Never Let Me Go takes place in England between the 1970s and 1990s, the exact period of neoliberalism’s emergence and consolidation.
But this is no simple transition. Never Let Me Go implies that liberalism is the ghost in the neoliberal machine. The novel is a representation of a vicious neoliberal class system, where those who can afford replacement parts can substantiate the fantasy of liberal individualism, while those who can’t serve as replacement parts.
In this sense, Ishiguro can be read as posing a series of incisive questions, not simply offering the platitude that we are all human. What are the costs of love? Why is there a trade-off between caring for those close to us and caring for those who are distant? How do our claims of shared humanity pave the way for domination? Why do we assume that our way of life is superior because it is predicated on liberal principles? How do we break from a callous system in which we too are complicit?
Twenty years on, these questions are as relevant as ever. To begin answering them, perhaps we have to wipe the tears from our eyes and turn to anger.
Matthew Taft 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.
Efforts to end the relentless siege of Gaza have been set back by the abrupt end to peace talks in Qatar.
Both the United States and Israel have withdrawn their negotiating teams, accusing Hamas of a “lack of desire to reach a ceasefire”.
US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff says it would appear Hamas never wanted a deal:
While the mediators have made a great effort, Hamas does not appear to be coordinated or acting in good faith. We will now consider alternative options to bring the hostages home and try to create a more stable environment for the people in Gaza
State Department spokesman Tommy Piggott reads Steve Witkoff’s statement on the collapse of the Gaza peace talks.
The disappointing development coincides with mounting fears of a widespread famine in Gaza and a historic decision by France to formally recognise a Palestinian state.
French President Emmanuel Macron says there is no alternative for the sake of security of the Middle East:
True to its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognise the State of Palestine
What will these developments mean for the conflict in Gaza and the broader security of the Middle East?
‘Humanitarian catastrophe’
The failure to reach a truce means there is no end in sight to the Israeli siege of Gaza which has devastated the territory for more than 21 months.
Amid mounting fears of mass starvation, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says Gaza is in the grip of a “humanitarian catastrophe”. He is urging Israel to comply immediately with its obligations under international law:
Israel’s denial of aid and the killing of civilians, including children, seeking access to water and food cannot be defended or ignored.
According to the United Nations Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA, more than 100 people – most of them children – have died of hunger. One in five children in Gaza City is malnourished, with the number of cases rising every day.
Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini says with little food aid entering Gaza, people are
neither dead nor alive, they are walking corpses […] most children our teams are seeing are emaciated, weak and at high risk of dying if they don’t get the treatment they urgently need.
The UN and more than 100 aid groups blame Israel’s blockade of almost all aid into the territory for the lack of food.
Lazzarini says UNRWA has 6,000 trucks of emergency supplies waiting in Jordan and Egypt. He is urging Israel – which continues to blame Hamas for cases of malnutrition – to allow the humanitarian assistance into Gaza.
It included a 60-day truce, during which time Hamas would release ten living Israeli hostages and the remains of 18 others. In exchange, Israel would release a number of Palestinian prisoners, and humanitarian aid to Gaza would be significantly increased.
During the ceasefire, both sides would engage in negotiations toward a lasting truce.
While specific details of the current sticking points remain unclear, previous statements from both parties suggest the disagreement centres on what would follow any temporary ceasefire.
Israel is reportedly seeking to maintain a permanent military presence in Gaza to allow for a rapid resumption of operations if needed. In contrast, Hamas is demanding a pathway toward a complete end to hostilities.
A lack of mutual trust has dramatically clouded the negotiations.
From Israel’s perspective, any ceasefire must not result in Hamas regaining control of Gaza, as this would allow the group to rebuild its power and potentially launch another cross-border attack.
However, Hamas has repeatedly said it is willing to hand over power to any other Palestinian group in pursuit of a Palestinian state based on the 1967 borders. This could include the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), which governs the West Bank and has long recognised Israel.
Support for a Palestinian state
Israeli leaders have occasionally paid lip service to a Palestinian state. But they have described such an entity as “less than a state” or a “state-minus” – a formulation that falls short of both Palestinian aspirations and international legal standards.
In response to the worsening humanitarian situation, some Western countries have moved to fully recognise a Palestinian state, viewing it as a step toward a permanent resolution of one of the longest-running conflicts in the Middle East.
Macron’s announcement France will officially recognise a full Palestinian state in September is a major development.
France is now the most prominent Western power to take this position. It follows more than 140 countries – including more than a dozen in Europe – that have already recognised statehood.
While largely symbolic, the move adds diplomatic pressure on Israel amid the ongoing war and aid crisis in Gaza.
However, the announcement was immediately condemned by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who claimed recognition “rewards terror” and
risks creating another Iranian proxy, just as Gaza became. A Palestinian state in these conditions would be a launch pad to annihilate Israel – not to live in peace beside it.
Annexing Gaza?
A Palestinian state is unacceptable to Israel.
Further evidence was recently presented in a revealing TV interview by former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak who stated Netanyahu had deliberately empowered Hamas in order to block a two-state solution.
Instead there is mounting evidence Israel is seeking to annex the entirety of Palestinian land and relocate Palestinians to neighbouring countries.
Given the current uncertainty, it appears unlikely a new ceasefire will be reached in the near future, especially as it remains unclear whether the US withdrawal from the negotiations was a genuine policy shift or merely a strategic negotiating tactic.
Ali Mamouri 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.
Regular practice of yoga may reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by as much as 40% among individuals at high risk, according to a new report titled ‘Yoga and Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes’. The findings were presented on Thursday to the Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, J.P. Nadda, in the presence of Union Minister for Science & Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh.
The report, based on evidence-backed research, was prepared by the Research Society for the Study of Diabetes in India (RSSDI), one of India’s largest organizations of diabetes researchers and healthcare professionals. It was led by Dr. S.V. Madhu, former President of RSSDI and current head of the Department of Endocrinology at the University College of Medical Sciences, Delhi.
Unlike earlier studies that mainly focused on managing diabetes through yoga, this study emphasizes prevention. It assessed the impact of yoga on individuals with a predisposition to Type 2 diabetes—such as those with a family history or other risk factors—and found a significant 40% reduction in their risk when yoga was practiced regularly.
“This is one of the first scientific attempts to document yoga’s role in preventing Type 2 diabetes,” said Dr. Jitendra Singh, who is also a noted diabetologist. He emphasized that the study provides a much-needed focus on preventive healthcare, aligning with India’s broader wellness goals.
The report also identified specific yoga asanas (postures) that may be particularly effective in lowering diabetes risk, although details on these asanas are yet to be elaborated for clinical recommendations.
While the current findings are based on non-clinical observations, further scrutiny and validation are underway. Additionally, the Department of Biotechnology is supporting similar studies to explore how traditional wellness practices like yoga can be integrated into modern preventive and therapeutic health strategies.
Calling the findings a “reaffirmation of India’s wellness heritage grounded in modern science,” Dr. Singh said, “This study shows how ancient practices like yoga, when subjected to scientific investigation, can yield real-world solutions for public health.”
Over 3.52 lakh devotees have undertaken the ongoing Amarnath Yatra till Thursday, as another batch of pilgrims departed for the Kashmir Valley on Friday, officials said.
“Another batch of 2,896 yatris left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas in Jammu on Friday in two escorted convoys, heading towards the two designated base camps,” officials stated.
The first convoy, comprising 42 vehicles and carrying 790 pilgrims, departed at 3:30 a.m. for the Baltal base camp. The second convoy, consisting of 75 vehicles and carrying 2,106 pilgrims, left at 4:18 a.m. for the Pahalgam base camp.
On Thursday, ‘Chhari Mubarak’ (Lord Shiva’s Holy Mace) was taken to the historic Shankaracharya Temple in Srinagar for the customary puja, performed on the occasion of ‘Haryali Amavasya’ (Shravan Amavasya) by a group of sadhus led by Mahant Deependra Giri. This ritual is a part of the age-old tradition associated with the annual pilgrimage.
Today, the Chhari Mubarak will be carried to the Sharika Bhawani Temple atop the Hari Parvat hillock in Srinagar for another round of traditional worship.
The Chhari Mubarak is scheduled to begin its final journey towards the Amarnath cave shrine from Dashnami Akhara Temple in Srinagar on August 4 and will reach the holy cave on August 9, marking the official conclusion of this year’s Yatra.
President Donald Trump said on Thursday he would not destroy Elon Musk’s companies by taking away federal subsidies and that he wants the billionaire tech entrepreneur’s businesses to thrive.
The remarks follow a public clash with his former close ally over his tax bill. In July, the space and automotive billionaire announced the formation of a new political party, saying Trump’s “big, beautiful” tax bill would bankrupt America.
“Everyone is stating that I will destroy Elon’s companies by taking away some, if not all, of the large scale subsidies he receives from the U.S. Government. This is not so!” Trump said in a social media post.
“I want Elon, and all businesses within our Country, to THRIVE.”
In a post on X, Musk said the “subsidies” Trump was talking about simply do not exist.
SpaceX won the NASA contracts by doing a better job for less money, he added. “Moving those contracts to other aerospace companies would leave astronauts stranded and taxpayers on the hook for twice as much!”
The president’s social media post came on the heels of Musk’s warningto Tesla TSLA.O investors on Wednesday that U.S. government cuts in support for electric vehicle makers could lead to a “few rough quarters” for the company.
Though Musk has often said government subsidies should be eliminated, Tesla has historically benefited from billions of dollars in tax credits and other policy benefits because of its business in clean transportation and renewable energy.
Sweeping tax and budget legislation approved by Congress, and signed by Trump, will halt$7,500 tax credits for buying or leasing new electric vehicles on September 30, as well as a $4,000 used EV credit, that have helped spur their sales in recent years.
Before the relationship soured, Musk had spent more than a quarter of a billion dollars to help Trump win November’s presidential election and led the Department of Government Efficiency’s chaotic effort to slash the budget and cut the federal workforce.
The Tesla CEO left the administration in late May to refocus on his tech empire.
Trump and Musk fell out shortly afterward when Musk openly denounced the Republican president’s tax-cut and spending bill, leading to threats by Trump to cancel billions of dollars worth of federal government contracts with Musk’s companies.
A week after the June spat, Reuters reported the White House had directed the Defense Department and NASA to gather details on billions of dollars in SpaceX contracts to ready possible retaliation against the businessman and his companies.
Musk’s SpaceX had been considered a frontrunner to build out Trump’s $175-billion Golden Dome missile defense shield and remains a natural choice for key elements of the project.
But sources familiar with the matter told Reuters this week that the administration is expanding its search for partners to build Golden Dome as tension with Musk threatens SpaceX’s dominance in the program.
Thailand and Cambodia exchanged heavy artillery fire on Friday as their worst fighting in more than a decade stretched for a second day, despite calls from the region and beyond for an immediate ceasefire in an escalating border conflict that has killed at least 16 people.
Thailand’s military reported clashes from before dawn in the Ubon Ratchathani and Surin provinces and said Cambodia had used artillery and Russian-made BM-21 rocket systems. Authorities said 100,000 people had been evacuated from conflict areas on the Thai side.
“Cambodian forces have conducted sustained bombardment utilising heavy weapons, field artillery and BM-21 rocket systems,” the Thai military said in a statement.
“Thai forces have responded with appropriate supporting fire in accordance with the tactical situation.”
Both sides blamed each other for starting the conflict on Thursday at a disputed border area, which quickly escalated from small arms fire to heavy shelling in at least six locations 209 km (130 miles) apart along a frontier where sovereignty has been disputed for more than a century.
Reuters journalists in Surin province reported hearing intermittent bursts of explosions on Friday, amid a heavy presence of armed Thai soldiers along roads and gas stations in the largely agrarian area.
A Thai military convoy, including around a dozen trucks, armoured vehicles and tanks, cut across provincial roads ringed by paddy fields and moved toward the border.
The fighting erupted on Thursday just hours after Thailand recalled its ambassador to Phnom Penh the previous night and expelled Cambodia’s envoy, in response to a second Thai soldier losing a limb to a landmine that Bangkok alleged had been laid recently by rival troops. Cambodia has dismissed that as baseless.
DEATH TOLL RISES
The Thai death toll rose to 15 as of early Friday, 14 of them civilians, according to the health ministry. It said 46 people were wounded, including 15 soldiers.
Cambodia’s national government has not provided details of any casualties or evacuations of civilians. A government spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the latest clashes.
Meth Meas Pheakdey, spokesperson for the provincial administration of Cambodia’s Oddar Meanchey province, said one civilian had been killed and five were wounded, with 1,500 families evacuated.
Thailand had positioned six F-16 fighter jets on Thursday in a rare combat deployment, one of which was mobilised to strike a Cambodian military target, among measures Cambodia called “reckless and brutal military aggression”.
Thailand’s use of an F-16 underlines its military advantage over Cambodia, which has no fighter aircraft and significantly less defence hardware and personnel, according to the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies
The United States, a long-time treaty ally of Thailand, called for an “immediate cessation of hostilities, protection of civilians and a peaceful resolution.”
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, of which Thailand and Cambodia are members, said he had spoken to leaders of both countries and urged them to find a peaceful way out.
“I welcome the positive signals and willingness shown by both Bangkok and Phnom Penh to consider this path forward. Malaysia stands ready to assist and facilitate this process in the spirit of ASEAN unity and shared responsibility,” he said in a social media post late on Thursday.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Visitors learn about a flying vehicle at the International Advanced Air Mobility Expo in east China’s Shanghai on July 23, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
Eyeing China’s booming low-altitude mobility sector, a number of companies unveiled their latest cutting-edge products and solutions at the first International Advanced Air Mobility Expo, which kicked off on Wednesday in Shanghai and will run through Saturday.
With participation of nearly 300 exhibitors from around the globe, the event is expected to attract over 50,000 visitors, event organizers said.
A variety of electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft are on display. For example, Vector5 — the world’s first large payload eVTOL aircraft designed by Vision Aero Ltd for emergency medical service and search and rescue — was unveiled at the event.
With a maximum payload of 680 kilograms and takeoff weight of 3,180 kg, the seven-seat eVTOL aircraft developed by the Xi’an, Shaanxi province-based company is equipped with sufficient medical devices and fixation systems for stretchers. Compared with existing medevac helicopters, the eco-friendly aircraft can greatly reduce costs and improve efficiency when dealing with emergency rescue demands.
“We expect to roll out a more cost-effective model compared to traditional helicopters with Vector5, by cutting the purchase cost by about 50 percent, thanks to the complete supply chain in China,” said Hu Yiqiang, general manager of the company.
“The low-altitude economy is booming in China, and we see potential market demand for eVTOL aircraft in the medical service sector.”
Also eyeing overseas markets, Vision Aeronautics is expanding its layout worldwide in regions such as Europe, the Middle East and Southeast Asia.
During the expo, unmanned aircraft designed for logistics and transportation also attracted large crowds. Among them, the “Air Jeep” AI-101 — a super short take-off and landing (SuperSTOL) intelligent aircraft developed by McLean (Shanghai) Intelligent Technology Co Ltd — made its world debut at the expo.
With a take-off and landing distance shorter than 40 meters and a minimum takeoff distance of 7 meters, the large fixed-wing unmanned aircraft is tailored for courier services within 600 kilometers, said the company.
“The number of deliveries soared over 160-fold from 2010 to 2024 in China. Our aircraft can carry 500 kg of goods, and require no general aviation airports or long runways to take off or land. Logistics firms are in urgent need of such aircraft, which has been rushing us forward,” said Ma Liqi, co-founder and CEO of McLean.
Big names from overseas are also at the expo. Sky Enterprises Inc from the United States is displaying its amphibious aircraft RC-3 Seabee for the first time in China.
The model can adapt to complex take-off and landing scenarios such as water surfaces, grasslands, snowy fields and sandy areas. Its first version was produced in 1946, and since then, it has been widely applied in over 30 countries in fields such as tourism, transportation, emergency rescue, logistics and express delivery, forest fire fighting and border patrols.
The aircraft has been through comprehensive upgrades to improve its load and endurance performance so as to tap into the Chinese market. Planning to obtain Chinese certificates within 10 months, the company said it is looking to launch a manufacturing base in the country, and deliver its upgraded aircraft around the end of next year.
Celia Chen, CEO of the company, said: “We believe this is the best time for us to enter China as we see the nation’s great efforts in promoting the low-altitude economy, which gives us full confidence and solid support. The nation has a well-developed supply chain and advanced artificial intelligence technologies, and we hope to take such advantages to carry the classic aircraft forward.”
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
This photo taken on March 9, 2025 shows the one-eighth vacuum chamber and overall installation system, one of the key subsystems of the Comprehensive Research Facility for Fusion Technology (CRAFT), in Hefei, capital of east China’s Anhui Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
China has set up a state-owned fusion energy company in its latest drive to commercialize fusion power, aiming to harness an almost inexhaustible source of clean energy.
China Fusion Energy Co. Ltd (CFEC), a subsidiary of the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), was unveiled in Shanghai this week with a registered capital of 15 billion yuan (about 2.1 billion U.S. dollars).
The newly-founded firm, positioned as an innovation driver for advancing China’s fusion engineering and commercialization, is tasked with developing platforms for technological research and capital operations, the CFEC said.
China announced prioritized support for core future energy technologies in 2024, with a focus on nuclear fusion, in a bid to fast-track the transition of this cutting-edge technology from the lab to practical application.
Shanghai is doubling down on its nuclear ambitions, striving to build a world-class hub for nuclear equipment manufacturing and advanced fusion research and development, while securing double-digit annual growth for its nuclear power sector through 2025.
China Fusion Energy signed a cooperation agreement for a fusion innovation consortium with Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China Electrical Equipment Group, Shanghai Electric and Shenergy Group. Many of these local heavyweights in the traditional power generation sector are poised to secure market share in upstream and downstream fusion-related equipment.
CITIC Securities estimates that the global nuclear fusion device market could reach a scale of 2.26 trillion yuan between 2030 and 2035.
In March, a team from Energy Singularity in Shanghai achieved a breakthrough in high-temperature superconducting tokamak technology, with their magnet surpassing the previous record set by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Commonwealth Fusion Systems in the United States.
This Shanghai startup has announced a plan to complete its next-generation tokamak by 2027, targeting a 10-fold energy gain, a critical milestone for commercial fusion viability.
In addition to the eastern Chinese manufacturing hub, two inland provinces in China have significantly expanded scientific research and investment in the fusion energy sector.
East China’s Anhui Province is actively constructing the Burning Plasma Experimental Superconducting Tokamak (BEST) in its capital Hefei, which is expected to demonstrate fusion electricity generation for the first time in history.
The massive facility, an upgraded version of the record-breaking Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak currently operational at a research institute in the city, is also expected to be completed by 2027.
Fusion Energy Tech., the Hefei-based company building the BEST, is another large firm with majority state-owned capital stakes and a registered capital of 14.5 billion yuan. Chinese automaker NIO is one of its major shareholders.
Engineers there are aiming to construct a fusion engineering demonstration reactor, based on the BEST project. Commercial operations are projected to start somewhere between 2040 and 2050.
Separately, research and commercial entities in southwest China’s Sichuan Province are exploring various technical routes to harvesting fusion energy, including tokamak, linear field-reversed configuration (FRC), inertial confinement and magnetically driven fusion.
Last Friday, a Chengdu-based fusion startup achieved plasma ignition in its FRC device, the HHMAX-901, marking a significant milestone toward scaling the technology for commercial use. Similarly, U.S.-based Helion Energy plans to adopt this approach and is expected to begin supplying power to Microsoft by 2028.
Earlier this month, the Sichuan provincial government released its plan to support the development of “controlled nuclear fusion” as a future industry.
A recent analysis by MIT Technology Review suggests that China’s robust industrial base could allow its emerging fusion energy sector to “climb the learning curve much faster and more effectively” than its global competitors.
China’s industrial might in thin-film processing, large metal-alloy structures and power electronics provides a strong foundation to establish the upstream supply chain for fusion, according to the article.
The journal specifically highlighted China’s strengths in large-scale power electronics, which are also used in similar systems such as high-speed rail and renewable microgrids.
Zhou Lisha, a researcher at the China Enterprise Reform and Development Society, noted that the establishment of CFEC will boost the sector’s technical and innovation capabilities, and propel the rapid development of the “artificial sun” industry.
Despite its promising prospects, CNNC, CFEC’s parent company, has cautioned that controlled nuclear fusion is still in the developmental stage, with uncertainties and even risks of commercial failure.
The Government’s target is to award the contract in 2026 with a view to commissioning the system in 2031.
The system is designated to be about 3.5 km long with six stations. The termini will be connected to the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal and MTR Kai Tak Station respectively, with intermediate stations at Shing King Street, Kai Tak Sky Garden, Shing Fung Road Park and Kai Tak Sports Park, serving a population and visitors of around 50,000 residing and working in the area.
The Government explained that the system will connect the former runway area of Kai Tak to the existing MTR Kai Tak Station, strengthening the connectivity among residential and commercial developments as well as tourism, cultural and recreational, sports and community facilities within the area, while connecting with the existing railway network.
It added that the system will not be affected by road traffic conditions because it will be operated in an elevated mode and separated from at-grade traffic.
Depending on the system to be adopted eventually, the estimated journey time from the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal to the MTR Kai Tak Station will be about 10 minutes.
The Government has collected public views on the system earlier through multiple channels, including consultations with the Kowloon City District Council and the Harbourfront Commission’s Task Force on Kai Tak Harbourfront Development, and exchanging views with relevant Legislative Council members and stakeholders.
Under the Railways Ordinance, members of the public may object to the scheme from today until September 23. Additionally, those with compensable interests can claim compensation.
VICTORIA, Seychelles, July 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitget, the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company, has kickstarted the next phase of its King’s Cup Global Invitational (KCGI) 2025 with today marking the official start of Team Battle. With a massive 6,000,000 USDT promotion pool and exclusive prizes ranging from LALIGA VIP tickets to MotoGP passes, Team Battle marks the beginning of an electrifying community showdown. Team Battle will run from July 24 till August 12.
From July 14 to July 23, traders across the globe formed alliances, uniting regional communities and rallying behind captains in preparation for the most competitive season of KCGI yet. Whether you’re a seasoned trader, a strategy-driven team leader, or a rising star in the crypto world, KCGI 2025 is the ultimate platform to showcase your trading skills and team synergy.
“The Team Battle brings KCGI’s spirit of global collaboration to life,” said Gracy Chen, CEO of Bitget. “As traders rally behind captains and compete across borders, the trading tournament unites celebrating community power, strategic thinking, and Web3’s long-term growth.”
Over 1,300 teams have already joined the tournament, and registration remains open until August 9 for teams still working to meet the minimum requirement of 10 members. Bitget continues to encourage users to form diverse, dynamic squads. To qualify for a share of the 3,000,000 USDT team battle prize pool, teams must have at least 10 members and achieve a combined trading volume of 30,000 USDT. The prize pool includes:
1.2M USDT for top-performing teams by PnL
1.2M USDT for top regional teams by ROI
300K USDT each for individual PnL and ROI rankings
Team captains also enjoy exclusive perks, including ROI reset cards, dedicated recognition, and up to 10% of team rewards if they lead their squads to victory. To further energize team captains, Bitget has introduced a Team Leader Award, allocating a total of 100,000 USDT worth of BGB to reward the first 200 captains whose teams meet the eligibility criteria. This early mover incentive recognizes the leadership and initiative of captains who mobilize their communities swiftly and effectively.
This year’s tournament emphasizes collaboration, strategic planning, and region-based unity, making it an ideal playground for traders to leverage each other’s strengths. Diverse teams can combine different styles—from high-frequency specialists to long-term visionaries—creating an environment where collective intelligence wins.
With live leaderboards soon to go live, every trade counts. As communities compete across APAC, LATAM, MENA, Europe, and beyond, friendly rivalries are forming, and social channels are lighting up with battle cries. The leaderboard momentum is designed to inspire competitive spirit and keep audiences engaged with every twist and turn.
To fuel the buzz, Bitget will spotlight milestone achievements and standout teams across its global marketing channels, bringing well-earned attention to breakout performers.
Join the action and follow the tournament live via Bitget’s official KCGI page.
About Bitget
Established in 2018, Bitget is the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company. Serving over 120 million users in 150+ countries and regions, the Bitget exchange is committed to helping users trade smarter with its pioneering copy trading feature and other trading solutions, while offering real-time access to Bitcoin price, Ethereum price, and other cryptocurrency prices. Formerly known as BitKeep, Bitget Wallet is a leading non-custodial crypto wallet supporting 130+ blockchains and millions of tokens. It offers multi-chain trading, staking, payments, and direct access to 20,000+ DApps, with advanced swaps and market insights built into a single platform.
Bitget is driving crypto adoption through strategic partnerships, such as its role as the Official Crypto Partner of the World’s Top Football League, LALIGA, in EASTERN, SEA and LATAM markets, as well as a global partner of Turkish National athletes Buse Tosun Çavuşoğlu (Wrestling world champion), Samet Gümüş (Boxing gold medalist) and İlkin Aydın (Volleyball national team), to inspire the global community to embrace the future of cryptocurrency.
Aligned with its global impact strategy, Bitget has joined hands with UNICEF to support blockchain education for 1.1 million people by 2027. In the world of motorsports, Bitget is the exclusive cryptocurrency exchange partner of MotoGP™, one of the world’s most thrilling championships.
Risk Warning:Digital asset prices are subject to fluctuation and may experience significant volatility. Investors are advised to only allocate funds they can afford to lose. The value of any investment may be impacted, and there is a possibility that financial objectives may not be met, nor the principal investment recovered. Independent financial advice should always be sought, and personal financial experience and standing carefully considered. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future results. Bitget accepts no liability for any potential losses incurred. Nothing contained herein should be construed as financial advice. For further information, please refer to our Terms of Use.
This week, the World Health Organization (WHO) raised concerns about a surge in the number of cases of a mosquito-borne viral infection called chikungunya.
Diana Rojas Alvarez, a medical officer at the WHO, highlighted an outbreak occurring across La Réunion and Mayotte. These small islands in the Indian Ocean were previously hit during an epidemic of the virus in 2004–05.
Between August 2024 and May 2025, more than 47,500 confirmed cases and 12 deaths from chikungunya were reported in La Réunion. Some 116 cases were reported in Mayotte between March and May this year.
So, what is chikungunya, how does it spread, and should we be worried here in Australia?
What are the symptoms?
The main symptoms of chikungunya include fever, joint pain and joint swelling. However, other symptoms may include headache, rash, muscle pain, nausea and tiredness. On rare occasions, chikungunya can be fatal.
Some people are more prone to having worse symptoms, including infants, older adults, and people with pre-existing medical conditions.
There’s no specific treatment for chikungunya other than managing the pain with medications, such as paracetamol.
Most people recover after a few weeks, but some people can experience ongoing tiredness and joint pains for many months, or even years.
How does it spread?
Infected female mosquitoes spread chikungunya. The mosquitoes become infected when they feed on a person carrying the virus in their blood. Once infected, the virus reproduces in the mosquito, and then they can transmit it to other people when the mosquitoes bite them.
A. aegypti and A. albopictus look similar and can be easily confused. Both are about 4–7 millimetres in size and have similar black and white markings on their thorax and legs.
Both are day-time biters, unlike other mosquitoes that typically bite at dawn or dusk. They’re known as “ankle biters” because they mainly bite exposed legs and ankles. These aggressive mosquitoes bite multiple times and are known to follow people indoors to get their meal of human blood.
Chikungunya was first documented in Tanzania in 1952. While outbreaks initially occurred across Africa and Asia, over time the virus has spread around the world. As of December 2024, local transmission of chikungunya had been reported in 119 countries and territories.
A key contributor to the proliferation of chikungunya is climate change. Warmer temperatures, altered rainfall patterns, and increased humidity are creating ideal conditions for mosquito breeding. This allows the mosquitoes to adapt to new environments and therefore expand into new habitats.
The increase is also partly because chikungunya has evolved and been introduced into new populations, whose immune systems have not previously been exposed to the virus.
A. aegypti mosquitoes are now found in areas across north, central and southern Queensland, while A. albopictus is currently still only found in the Torres Strait.
Nonetheless, to date, there have been no recorded cases of chikungunya transmission within Australia.
But cases do occur in people who have recently travelled overseas, most often to South and Southeast Asia, or the Pacific Islands.
In 2023 there were 42 cases of chikungunya recorded in Australia, 70 in 2024, and 90 so far in 2025. Previous years have seen figures above 100, however numbers in recent years may have been lower due to COVID impacting travel.
As climate change continues to support the spread of A. aegypti and A. albopictus, the risk of transmission within Australia increases.
Two vaccines are approved for use in the United States against chikungunya, but there’s currently no vaccine approved in Australia. The only way to reduce your risk of infection is to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes.
People travelling to places where chikungunya is known to occur should wear loose-fitting and light-coloured clothing with enclosed shoes, use insect repellent, close windows and consider using mosquito bed nets. Taking these steps also reduces the risk of other mosquito-borne infections, such as dengue fever.
If you travel to a place where chikungunya occurs and you get bitten by mosquitoes, monitor yourself for signs and symptoms.
If you become unwell, see a doctor immediately.
Jacqueline Stephens is affiliated with the Australasian Epidemiological Association and the International Network for Epidemiology in Policy.
Jill Carr is affiliated with the Australasian Virology Society and receives funding from The National Health and Medical Research Council to study viral diseases.
As part of ACT Government’s ‘One Government, One Voice’ program, we are transitioning this website across to our . You can access everything you need through this website while it’s happening.
Released 25/07/2025
A new pilot program is removing barriers preventing people in the justice system from accessing life-saving healthcare.
Launched this month at ACT Community Corrections’ city office, the 12-month initiative allows clients on corrections or parole orders to access free, confidential testing and treatment for hepatitis C while fulfilling their reporting obligations.
Minister for Corrections, Dr Marisa Paterson, toured the testing site today to mark World Hepatitis Day, which calls for urgent action to remove the financial, social and systemic obstacles that stand in the way of hepatitis elimination and liver cancer prevention.
“World Hepatitis Day reminds us that no one should miss out on care because of stigma or circumstance,” Dr Paterson said.
“This pilot brings testing and treatment directly to people who need it most, in an accessible, familiar location.
“The program reflects the ACT Government’s commitment to improving health outcomes for all Canberrans”
Hepatitis C is a significant public health concern in Australia, with individuals in correctional settings disproportionately affected due to socio-economic factors such as drug use, mental health issues, homelessness, financial and social disadvantage.
The pilot program offers quick, finger-prick testing, with results available within minutes for antibody tests, or within an hour for GeneXpert testing for those previously infected. Individuals who test positive can access free treatment with direct-acting antivirals, which cure the virus in 99 per cent of cases.
The pilot also provides continuity of care for detainees transitioning from the Alexander Maconochie Centre back into the community.
An evaluation will be conducted after 12 months to assess its impact and explore opportunities to expand the model.
Quotes attributable to ACT Corrective Services Commissioner Leanne Close:
“This is about removing barriers and building trust. By embedding care into a familiar environment, we’re making it easier for people to say yes to testing and treatment.
“Treatment is simple, effective, and free. But for many, the hardest part is getting started. This program breaks down those first barriers and supports people every step of the way.”
Quotes attributable to Hepatitis ACT CEO Sarah Ahmed:
“This pilot is about removing the barriers that too often prevent people in the justice system from accessing life-saving healthcare. Hepatitis C is now curable, yet too many people, particularly those with complex or marginalised lives, remain undiagnosed or untreated.
“This pilot program demonstrates what’s possible when not-for-profit, health and justice systems collaborate to remove barriers to care. By offering free, fast, and confidential testing and treatment in a community-based corrections setting, we are not only delivering on public health goals, but we are also ensuring that all Canberrans, regardless of their circumstances, can access the care they need.”
As part of ACT Government’s ‘One Government, One Voice’ program, we are transitioning this website across to our . You can access everything you need through this website while it’s happening.
Released 25/07/2025
Thirteen Canberra-based artists and arts groups will share in over $415,000 in funding through the first round of the ACT Government’s 2025 Arts Activities ($5,000 to $50,000) program, supporting a diverse range of creative projects across literature, music, digital games, screen, dance, theatre and visual arts.
The funding will assist artists to create, develop and promote their work locally, nationally and internationally, and supports the ACT Government’s commitment to strengthening Canberra’s identity as Australia’s Arts Capital.
Among the successful recipients, Paul House has received support to create a multi-media installation for the National Gallery of Victoria’s Country Road Biennale in 2026. Zora Kerr will be able to develop a prototype for the digital game ‘I Am This Castle’, Dance artist Sugar Kaye Grefaldeo will stage Fortūna, a new dance/theatre work, while James Batchelor will present his new dance work Resonance at the Canberra Theatre Centre. In literature, Marissa McDowell received funding to develop imagiNATION, a project imagining the future through First Nations storytellers, poets and animators.
Minister for Business, Arts and Creative Industries Michael Pettersson congratulated the successful applicants:
“Congratulations to all the successful recipients of the first round of Arts Activities funding. I’m excited by the diversity and creativity of the projects that this funding will support and look forward to seeing the outcomes.”
“The continuation of this type of support for Canberra’s unique creative industries is essential in establishing ourselves as Australia’s Arts Capital. This funding enables creative individuals to be innovative and develop and grow their art, while nurturing our region’s creative and diverse arts sector.”
Arts Activities $5 to $50K funding is open twice a year and provides support for one-off projects that help artists develop their skills and practice, assist their careers and employment, and enable them to engage with audiences through exhibitions and performances in the ACT, interstate and internationally.
The next round of Arts Activities $5 to $50K funding is currently open and will close on 31 July at 5pm.
“This endeavour celebrates the creativity, resilience, and heritage of First Nation culture, fostering connection, understanding, and empowerment. Our project will captivate audiences at film festivals, through light projections, literature and audio recordings, sharing the richness of First Nation culture globally.
Being selected for this support is a tremendous honour, affirming Black & White Films commitment to amplifying First Nation voices and fuelling our passion for storytelling and cultural expression. We are excited and grateful to embark on this journey to realise our project’s potential.”
Quotes attributable to Zora Kerr:
“My team and I are building a digital game based on my story of growing up transgender. That’s important because humans understand each other through stories, they’re how we build compassion, respect and empathy. Our stories make us feel seen, represented, and accepted.
As a game developer I couldn’t be happier that my game was funded, and as a Canberran, it fills my heart with pride that our city values and financially supports diverse people and communities to tell authentic stories.”
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
MINSK, July 25 /Xinhua/ — Chinese-Belarusian relations have entered a high-speed development trajectory and reached the highest level in history, Chinese Ambassador to Belarus Zhang Wenchuan said at a press conference here on Thursday.
“Under the strategic leadership of Chinese President Xi Jinping and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Chinese-Belarusian relations have entered a high-speed development trajectory, reaching a historically high level and becoming a model of mutual respect, trust and mutually beneficial cooperation between states,” the diplomat noted.
He also stressed that mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries is progressing in every way. “In the first half of 2025, the volume of bilateral trade exceeded 4 billion US dollars, which is 3.8 percent more than in the same period last year,” Zhang Wenchuan said.
In addition, the ambassador noted that cooperation between the two countries within the framework of the Belt and Road initiative is progressing at an accelerated pace.
“The Great Stone China-Belarus Industrial Park has already registered 152 residents from 15 countries with a total declared investment of over $1.5 billion, and has created over 3,100 jobs. In May, the China-Europe freight train was officially launched on the Beijing-Minsk route. In June, the National Football Stadium, built with China’s support, was officially opened in Belarus,” Zhang Wenchuan said. –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: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
Bill Text (PDF)|One Pager (PDF)
Washington (July 24, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Representative Lateefah Simon (CA-12) today announced the reintroduction of the Disability and Age in Jury Service Nondiscrimination Act, legislation that would prohibit discrimination in federal jury service based on disability or age. Federal law currently prohibits excluding a person from federal jury service on account of “race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or economic status,” but not on account of disability or age.
The Disability and Age in Jury Service Nondiscrimination Act would add protections to federal law for age and disability to prevent the discriminatory exclusion of capable jurors. This legislation would ensure that disabled jurors who are at least 18 years of age and are able to perform their duties with reasonable accommodations—including deaf and blind individuals who may use sign language or braille—would not be disqualified on the basis of disability. Twenty-eight states, including Massachusetts and California, have enacted laws that prohibit the exclusion or disqualification of people with a disability from state jury service. Meanwhile, eleven states have laws that prohibit age-based discrimination for state jury service.
“Every American adult deserves the chance to fulfill their sacred civic duty and serve on a jury, no matter their age or disability,” said Senator Markey. “Our legislation creates equal opportunity for jury service and ensures that federal juries across the nation fully represent the diversity of our communities. Discrimination in jury selection stands in the way of achieving justice and fairness in our legal system. I am proud to lead this bill with Representatives Simon and continue to protect the rights of seniors and Americans with disabilities.”
“The discrimination, exclusion, and disqualification of disabled and elderly jurors from our federal courts based on outdated stereotypes and assumptions prevents our judicial system from embodying the ideals of justice and equality for all.” said Representative Simon. “As the first congenitally blind Member of Congress, I believe we must bring the voices of the disability community to the policy-making table and that our stories must be reflected in our policies. I thank Senator Markey for his partnership on our legislation that would ensure equal access and opportunity to participate our judicial system for all members of our community regardless of their ability or age.”
The bill is cosponsored in the Senate by Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), John Fetterman (D-Penn.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and in the House of Representatives by Nikema Williams (GA-05), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Henry C. “Hank” Johnson (GA-04), Rashida Tlaib (MI-12), Robin L. Kelly (IL-02), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05), Emanuel Cleaver, II (MO-05), Dave Min (CA-47), Jared Huffman (CA-02), and Summer Lee (PA-12).
The Disability and Age in Jury Service Nondiscrimination Act is endorsed by American Association for Justice, American Association of People with Disabilities, American Bar Association, American Council of the Blind, American Foundation for the Blind, American Geriatrics Society, Bay State Council of the Blind, Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, Disability Rights California, Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund (DREDF), Epilepsy Foundation, Gerontological Society of America, Hearing Loss Association of America, Justice in Aging, National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD), National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, National Association of the Deaf, National Council on Independent Living, National Disabilities Rights Network, National Federation of the Blind, National Organization on Disability, Paralyzed Veterans of America, SOLVE ME/CFS, the Arc of the United States, United Spinal Association, and VisionServe Alliance.
“No American should be denied the right to serve on a federal jury because of their age or physical disability, and it’s a cornerstone of democracy that juries be reflective of the communities in which they serve,” said Linda Lipsen, CEO of the American Association for Justice. “AAJ strongly supports the Disability and Age in Jury Service Nondiscrimination Act, and we thank Senator Markey and Congresswoman Simon for their leadership on this important issue.”
“Trial by jury is a cornerstone of our legal system, and diverse and representative juries are essential to fair deliberations and just outcomes. Diverse juries, with representation from all groups, not only promote community confidence in verdicts, but actually lead to better decision making. Jury service should be accessible to all members of our communities. NACDL is proud to support legislation that helps move us closer to that goal,” said Andrew S. Birrell, President of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
“A true jury of one’s peers must reflect the full diversity of our communities,” said Claire Stanley, Director of Advocacy and Governmental Affairs for the American Council of the Blind. “People who are blind or have low vision cannot be left out of the judicial process. They deserve the same opportunity and share the same responsibility to serve on a jury of their peers.”
“AFB applauds the reintroduction of this important bill that ensures that people who are blind or have low vision are allowed to carry out their civic duty to serve on juries alongside their peers. Recognizing that most people become blind later in life, we appreciate that this bill prohibits age-related discrimination as well as disability discrimination, and we look forward to a time when all people are able to participate fully in the judicial system without prejudice,” said Stephanie Enyart, Chief Public Policy and Research Officer at American Foundation for the Blind.
“Many Deaf and hard of hearing people have participated in jury duty. This bill will ensure consistency across the nation, ensuring that those individuals are not excluded from performing their civil obligations,” said Interim CEO Dr. Bobbie Beth Scoggins of the National Association of the Deaf.
“People with disabilities have served successfully as jurors in state courts for many years, thanks to the Americans with Disabilities Act and other laws. It is long past time for our federal jury system to catch up and end discrimination that prevents people with disabilities from serving as federal jurors,” said Jennifer Mathis, deputy director of the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law.
“The right to serve on a jury is a fundamental component of civic engagement and equal justice under law. Yet far too often, people with disabilities are excluded from jury service based on outdated assumptions and discriminatory practices. We commend Senator Markey and Representative Simon for introducing this critical legislation, which affirms that disability and age should never be barriers to full participation in our democracy,” said Eric Buehlmann, Deputy Executive Director for Public Policy, National Disability Rights Network (NDRN).
“Jury service is a fundamental part of free and equal citizenship. This bill ensures that people with disabilities are not denied the right to serve on a jury because of outdated assumptions about what we can or cannot do. The disability community looks forward to bringing its wealth of experiences and perspectives to federal juries across the country,” said Eric Harris, Associate Executive Director of External Affairs at Disability Rights California.
In July 2023, Senator Markey and then-Representative Anna Eshoo (CA-16) reintroduced the Communications, Video, and Technology Accessibility Act (CVTA) to amend the CVAA due to the proliferation of emerging technologies since 2010. The CVTA would strengthen standards for television programming and emergency communication; expand accessibility requirements, including closed captions and audio descriptions, to online platforms and video conferencing services; and equip the federal government with the ability to improve the accessibility of emerging technologies. In 2022, Senator Markey and then-Representative Katie Porter (CA-45) introduced the Disabled Jurors Nondiscrimination Act, legislation that prohibits excluding a person from federal jury service on account of disability.
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
Over 120,000 people are held in solitary confinement in the United States
Bill Text (PDF)
Washington (July 24, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Representative Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA-37) today announced the reintroduction of the End Solitary Confinement Act, legislation that would end solitary confinement in federal prisons, jails, and detention centers, with limited exceptions. This bill would create minimum standards for incarceration, including by requiring that facilities give detainees access to out-of-cell interaction and recreation and by capping the length of solitary confinement at four hours.
Solitary confinement has many different names, including “restrictive housing” in Massachusetts. Individuals held in solitary confinement can be isolated in a small, concrete, windowless cell for 22 hours or longer. Placement in solitary for any length of time, whether days or even hours, can cause severe, long-term harm. Individuals held in solitary confinement may suffer serious adverse effects on their mental and physical health, including an increased risk of suicide, heart disease, anxiety, and depression. Solitary confinement is also disproportionately inflicted on Black, Brown, and LGBTQ+ individuals, as well as on vulnerable populations, including persons with preexisting mental health illnesses.
“Solitary confinement is a cruel and unnecessary practice that has no place in our country. This practice isn’t rehabilitation, it’s torture,” said Senator Markey. “Forcing people, including those from vulnerable groups, into small, cramped, concrete prison cells without human interaction for hours, days, weeks, and even months on end is inhumane. I am proud to introduce this legislation, alongside Representative Kamlager-Dove, to move us closer to ending solitary confinement, once and for all.”
“Solitary confinement is torture, period,” said Congresswoman Kamlager-Dove. “This outdated practice, dating back to the 1800s, does nothing to promote rehabilitation. Research consistently shows it causes severe mental health issues, intensifies existing barriers to recovery, and disproportionately harms incarcerated Black, Brown, and LGBTQ+ individuals. We must abolish solitary confinement entirely—and I’m proud to lead the charge with this bill that will finally end its use in the United States.”
Cosponsors in the Senate include Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore).
This legislation is endorsed by the American Civil Liberties Union, Center for Constitutional Rights, Vera Institute of Justice, National Religious Campaign Against Torture, Unlock the Box Campaign, the #HALTsolitary Campaign, and Zealous.
Specifically, the End Solitary Confinement Act would:
End solitary confinement in federal prisons, jails and other detention settings with limited exceptions, including a 4-hour maximum for emergency de-escalation;
Protect vulnerable populations, including elderly individuals and pregnant persons, from placement in solitary confinement;
Ensure detainees have meaningful access to out-of-cell time, group programming, and basic needs and services;
Impose strict due process protections, including access to representation and neutral decision-makers;
Create oversight and enforcement mechanisms, including mandatory reporting, a private cause of action, oversight by a community monitoring body, and enhanced media access; and
Incentivize states and municipalities to adopt similar bans on solitary confinement.
Senator Markey has worked consistently to reform prison practices and provide resources to formerly and currently incarcerated people. Senator Markey and Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) introduced the Fair Chance Jobs Month Resolution in May 2025, to ensure that formerly incarcerated individuals have a fair chance at securing good-paying, stable employment. In February 2024, Senator Markey sent a letter to then-Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm urging the Department of Energy (DOE) to make good-paying clean energy jobs accessible to currently and formerly incarcerated people.
