Exposure to high levels of the body’s primary stress hormone – cortisol – in preterm fetuses can disrupt normal heart development, potentially increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease in later life.
That’s the finding from a new study led by the University of South Australia (UniSA), showing that elevated cortisol levels in preterm lambs significantly alters molecules that control proper heart development.
The findings, published in Experimental Physiology, offer vital insights into how early life stress may influence heart health in later life and could help inform how corticosteroids are used in pregnancy.
Lead author Professor Janna Morrison, Head of the Early Origins of Adult Health Research Group at UniSA, says preterm birth is a leading cause of neonatal mortality and is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease in adulthood.
“Our research sought to understand how cortisol – whether naturally elevated or via synthetic versions of cortisol to promote lung development – affects the developing cardiovascular system in preterm fetuses,” Prof Morrison says.
“We know that cortisol rises naturally in late pregnancy and plays a critical role in maturing fetal organs in preparation for birth, but we did not know how crucial molecules involved in heart development were impacted by cortisol in the preterm period.
“When cortisol levels rise too early – either due to maternal stress or medical intervention – it may accelerate heart development in ways that aren’t entirely beneficial, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease many years later.”
Pregnancy complications such as gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, obesity and placental insufficiency can lead to a premature increase in cortisol concentrations earlier in gestation that impacts the developing fetus.
To mimic the cortisol levels that are normal in late gestation, researchers administered cortisol to preterm sheep fetuses over seven days and then studied the impact on signalling molecules in the heart.
The results showed significant changes in the heart’s molecular structure.
“We found that elevated levels of cortisol during early heart development disrupt key cardiac pathways by suppressing glucocorticoid receptors and altering molecular signals involved in growth, energy metabolism, and cardio-protection,” says co-author UniSA researcher Dr Reza Amanollahi.
“These disruptions may leave the premature heart more susceptible to cardiovascular instability. Given the close similarities between sheep and human heart development, our findings raise important concerns that prenatal stress could also compromise heart health in preterm human infants.”
Co-lead on the project, Dr Mitchell Lock, says that while antenatal corticosteroids remain critical for improving survival, our research highlights the importance of closely monitoring their use in pregnancy.
“We hope these findings will also help refine the clinical care of preterm babies to support better long-term outcomes.”
A video discussing the findings is available here.
Notes for editors
Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death worldwide and several risk factors such as age, pre-existing conditions and lifestyle contribute to its disease burden. This study explores the causes from a different angle: the influence of stress hormones when the heart is developing in the fetus.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BERLIN, June 22 (Xinhua) — Yuan Jiajun, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee, led a party delegation to visit Germany from June 19 to 22 at the invitation of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD).
Yuan Jiajun met with German Chancellor of the Federal Chancellery Torsten Frey, SPD co-chair Saskia Esken and North Rhine-Westphalia Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst.
Yuan Jiajun also attended a number of events, including a bilateral dialogue on economic and trade cooperation and the launch ceremony of the first ASEAN Express train, an extension of the China-Europe freight rail service.
As a member of the Politburo of the CPC Central Committee said, the important agreements reached by Chinese President Xi Jinping and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz outlined the course for the further development of China-Germany comprehensive strategic partnership.
China, Yuan Jiajun pointed out, hopes to strengthen strategic communication with Germany, unleash the potential of bilateral cooperation, and promote the healthy and stable development of China-Germany and China-EU relations.
The CPC intends to deepen exchanges and contacts with various political parties in Germany to ensure a clear understanding of the goals and tasks of China’s reform and development, and promote the development of bilateral relations through concrete achievements of inter-party exchanges, he said.
Yuan Jiajun assured that Chongqing will implement the important consensus of the leaders of the two countries, expand cooperation with the German side in the fields of technological innovation, trade and economic logistics, green and low-carbon development and industry, so as to contribute to the friendly and mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Germany.
Representatives of the German side, in turn, pointed out that both Germany and China are important major countries, and strengthening cooperation between them will help bring more certainty to the world. According to representatives of the FRG, Germany expects to expand exchanges and cooperation with China at the inter-party and regional levels, strengthen contacts and coordination in international affairs, and promote progress in German-Chinese and European-Chinese relations.
During the visit, Yuan Jiajun also held separate meetings with the heads of Siemens, Mercedes-Benz Group and other representatives of German business and industry circles. He spoke about Xi Jinping Thought on Governance and the significant opportunities for China’s cooperation with other countries provided by the decisions of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee on further comprehensively deepening reform, expanding high-level opening up to external development and achieving high-quality development.
In addition, Yuan Jiajun was present at the signing of agreements on several cooperation projects. –0–
Police are following positive lines of enquiry into an assault at a Sikh Temple in Takanini on Sunday evening.
Two people were treated for minor injuries following the incident which occurred at around 5pm at the Takanini School Road site.
“An offender entered the temple and approached a man known to him, who was at the rear of the temple,” Detective Senior Sergeant Simon Taylor of Counties Manukau CIB says.
“He has begun to assault the man, before bystanders have intervened to stop the offending.”
During this intervention, a second victim has suffered minor injuries.
Security removed the man and he was seen getting into a vehicle before Police arrived on scene.
Detective Senior Sergeant Taylor says Police have since spoken with the driver of the vehicle, after it was stopped in the Manurewa area later in the evening.
Police are following positive lines of enquiry in relation to the offender.
Detective Senior Sergeant Taylor says the incident is not being treated as a hate-motivated crime.
“We acknowledge that this incident was confronting for those who were present at the temple at the time,” Detective Senior Sergeant Taylor says.
“However, we have established that this incident occurred as a result of a dispute between two parties known to each other.
“Both victims have since received treatment at a local medical centre and fortunately no one was seriously injured as a result.”
Police are carrying out reassurance patrols around the temple as a result of the incident.
Anyone with information that can assist enquiries can update Police online now or call 105, using the reference number 250622/3501.
New Zealand’s brightest young energy professionals are focused on raising their collective voice and bringing the energy sector closer together.
After a decade of fostering connection and careers within the energy sector, the Young Energy Professionals Network (YEPN) welcomes two new co-Chairs, Beca’s Industrial Energy Lead Andrew Wallace and Aurecon’s Lead Energy Consultant Danielle Manners.
Manners says she wants the professionals she represents to feel heard within the sector.
“Having ‘young’ in the title shouldn’t detract from the real value we bring to industry. Our members have proven themselves to be a switched-on bunch, who are eager to grow and collaborate together.
“There is so much enthusiasm, potential and fresh thinking that we can harness to really transform the energy sector.”
Her fellow Chairperson Wallace says he’s keen to further elevate the YEPN as a collaborative leader within the energy sector.
“The challenges and opportunities in front of us, including the hard conversations around energy, are best tackled together. I can’t wait to see what we can achieve as we engage with those currently in the network and those who will join us along the way.”
In a joint statement, outgoing co-Chairs Esther Evening and Elliott Powell say the network has grown significantly over their three years at the helm.
“It has been especially rewarding to see YEPN play a role in shaping career pathways, supporting high school and university engagement, and encouraging young people to consider a future in energy.
“The strength of the network today reflects the passion and commitment of the volunteers who have helped make it what it is, and we are proud to have been part of that journey.”
The YEPN was established by the BusinessNZ Energy Council (BEC) in 2015. Executive Director Tina Schirr says leading the YEPN is a strong commitment to the energy sector, and it’s incredible to see new Chairs eager to step up.
“Both Andrew and Danielle are welcome additions to the legacy of the YEPN, bringing fresh insights, new direction, and the kind of leadership needed to tackle energy issues of today.
“BEC thanks Esther and Elliott for their contributions and wishes a warm welcome to Danielle and Andrew. Ten years on, we are thrilled with the YEPN initiative and excited to see what’s next for this innovative group.”
Notes:
– The YEPN is a network designed to upskill its members through knowledge sharing and collaboration within the energy sector
– BEC is New Zealand’s only member organisation of the World Energy Council
Invercargill City Council is set to vote on Tuesday on a change to its procurement policy to exclude companies linked to illegal Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian land.
The proposal was brought by local residents and members of Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa. If adopted, Invercargill would become the latest in a growing wave of local councils – including Christchurch, Nelson, and Environment Canterbury – aligning spending in this way.
“This is about responsible stewardship” said the group, “making sure ratepayer money isn’t used in ways that contradict New Zealand’s foreign policy or international law.”
A staff report released ahead of the vote supports adopting the change into the Council’s Supplier Code of Conduct. It confirms the move aligns with UN Security Council Resolution 2334 – co-sponsored by New Zealand in 2016 under a National government — which called the settlements a “flagrant violation under international law and a major obstacle” to peace.
“Western governments have failed for decades to hold Israel to account,” said the group. “Last year the International Court of Justice ruled Israel’s 57 year long occupation breaches international law on apartheid and racial segregation. No council wants to fund companies complicit in that — this is the moment to act.”
The staff report noted that the proposal, which targets a narrow list of companies named by the UN as involved in illegal settlements, would add weight to government rules which allow companies to be excluded on human rights grounds. Councils, while not legally required, are encouraged by the Auditor-General to follow these to avoid stakeholder challenge.
“International law protects all of us – especially New Zealand as a small country,” the group added. “When we let powerful countries violate the rules with impunity, we all become more vulnerable.”
The initiative has drawn support from a wide range of national and local organisations, including trade unions, faith leaders, and businesses.
The group will present the same proposal to Environment Southland the following day.
S Palliser Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA) Invercargill
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments
Press release
Powering Britain’s future: Electricity bills to be slashed for over 7,000 businesses in major industry shake-up
Industrial Strategy sets out a ten-year plan to boost investment, create good skilled jobs and make Britain the best place to do business
Electricity costs for thousands of businesses to be slashed by up to 25%.
New Industrial Strategy to unlock billions in investment and support 1.1 million new well-paid jobs over the next decade.
Strategy developed in partnership with business, marking a new era of collaboration between government and high growth industries.
Strategy will make the UK the best country to invest in and grow a business, delivering on the Plan for Change.
More than 7,000 British businesses are set to see their electricity bills slashed by up to 25% from 2027, as the Government unveils its bold new Industrial Strategy today [Monday 23 June].
The modern Industrial Strategy sets out a ten-year plan to boost investment, create good skilled jobs and make Britain the best place to do business by tackling two of the biggest barriers facing UK industry – high electricity prices and long waits for grid connections.
British manufacturers currently pay some of the highest electricity prices in the developed world while businesses looking to expand or modernise have faced delays when it comes to connecting to the grid.
For too long these challenges have held back growth and made it harder for British firms to compete. Today’s announcement marks a decisive shift — with government stepping in to support industry and unlock the UK’s economic potential.
From 2027, the new British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme will reduce electricity costs by up to £40 per megawatt hour for over 7,000 electricity-intensive businesses in manufacturing sectors like automotive, aerospace and chemicals.
These firms, which support over 300,000 skilled jobs, will be exempt from paying levies such as the Renewables Obligation, Feed-in Tariffs and the Capacity Market — helping level the playing field and make them more internationally competitive. Eligibility and further details on the exemptions will be determined following consultation, which will be launched shortly.
The government is also increasing support for the most energy-intensive firms — like steel, chemicals, and glass — by covering more of the electricity network charges they normally have to pay through the British Industry Supercharger. These businesses currently get a 60% discount on those charges, but from 2026, that will increase to 90%. This means their electricity bills will go down, helping them stay competitive, protect jobs, and invest in the future.
This will help around 500 eligible businesses in sectors such as steel, ceramics and glass reduce their costs and protect jobs in industries that are the backbone of our economy and will be delivered at no additional cost to the taxpayer.
These reforms complement the government’s long-term mission for clean power, which is the only way to bring down bills for good by ending the UK’s dependency on volatile fossil fuel markets.
To ensure businesses can grow and hire without delay, the government will also deliver a new Connections Accelerator Service to streamline grid access for major investment projects — including prioritising those that create high-quality jobs and deliver significant economic benefits.
We will work closely with the energy sector, local authorities, Welsh and Scottish Governments, trade unions, and industry to design this service, which we expect to begin operating at the end of 2025. New powers in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, currently before parliament, could also allow the Government to reserve grid capacity for strategically important projects, cutting waiting times and unlocking growth in key sectors.
The Industrial Strategy is a 10-year plan to promote business investment and growth and make it quicker, easier and cheaper to do business in the UK, giving businesses the confidence to invest and create 1.1 million good, well-paid jobs in thriving industries – delivering on this government’s Plan for Change.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said:
This Industrial Strategy marks a turning point for Britain’s economy and a clear break from the short-termism and sticking plasters of the past.
In an era of global economic instability, it delivers the long term certainty and direction British businesses need to invest, innovate and create good jobs that put more money in people’s pockets as part of the plan for change.
This is how we power Britain’s future – by backing the sectors where we lead, removing the barriers that hold us back, and setting out a clear path to build a stronger economy that works for working people. Our message is clear – Britain is back and open for business.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said:
The UK has some of the most innovative businesses in the world and our Plan for Change has provided them with the stability they need to grow and for more to be created.
Today’s Industrial Strategy builds on that progress with a ten-year plan to slash barriers to investment. It’ll see billions of pounds for investment and cutting-edge tech, ease energy costs, and upskill the nation. It will ensure the industries that make Britain great can thrive. It will boost our economy and create jobs that put more money in people’s pockets.
Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said:
We’ve said from day one Britain is back in business under this government, and the £100 billion of investment we’ve secured in the past year shows our Plan for Change is already delivering for working people.
Our Modern Industrial Strategy will ensure the UK is the best country to invest and do business, delivering economic growth that puts more money in people’s pockets and pays for our NHS, schools and military.
Not only does this Strategy prioritise investment to attract billions for new business sites, cutting-edge research, and better transport links, it will also make our industrial electricity prices more competitive.
Tackling energy costs and fixing skills has been the single biggest ask of us from businesses and the greatest challenge they’ve faced – this government has listened, and now we’re taking the bold action needed. Government and business working hand in hand to make working people better of is what this Government promised and what we will deliver.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said:
For too long high electricity costs have held back British businesses, as a result of our reliance on gas sold on volatile international markets.
As part of our modern industrial strategy we’re unlocking the potential of British industry by slashing industrial electricity prices in key sectors.
We’re also doubling down on our clean power strengths with increased investment in growth industries from offshore wind to nuclear. This will deliver on our clean power mission and Plan for Change to bring down bills for households and businesses for good.
The Supercharger and British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme will be funded through reforms to the energy system. The government is reducing costs within the system to free up funding without raising household bills or taxes and intends to also use additional funds from the strengthening of UK carbon pricing, including as a result of linking with the EU carbon market.
We have set out an intention to link emissions trading systems, as part of our new agreement with the European Union to support British businesses. Without an agreement to do this, British industry would have to pay the EU’s carbon tax.
We intend to link our carbon pricing system with the EU’s, we will ensure that money stays in the UK—which allows us to support British companies and British jobs through these schemes.
Building on the Spending Review and the recently announced 10-Year Infrastructure Strategy, the Industrial Strategy is the latest step forward in our plans to deliver national renewal. It will include targeted support for the areas of the country and economy that have the greatest potential to grow, while introducing reforms that will make it easier for all businesses to get ahead.
The Strategy’s bold plan of action includes:
Slash electricity costs by up to 25% from 2027 for electricity-intensive manufacturers in our growth sectors and foundational industries in their supply chain, bringing costs more closely in line with other major economies in Europe.
Unlocking billions in finance for innovative business, especially for SMEs by increasing British Business Bank financial capacity to £25.6 billion, crowding in tens of billions of pounds more in private capital. The includes an additional £4bn for Industrial Strategy Sectors, crowding in billions more in private capital. By investing largely through venture funds, the BBB will back the UK’s most high-growth potential companies.
Upskilling the nation with an extra £1.2 billion each year for skills by 2028-29, and delivering more opportunities to learn and earn in our high-growth sectors including new short courses in relevant skills funded by the Growth and Skills Levy and skills packages targeted at defence digital and engineering.
Reducing regulatory burdens by cutting the administrative costs of regulation for business by 25% and reduce the number of regulators.
Supporting 5,500 more SMEs to adopt new technology through the Made Smarter programme while centralising government support in one place through the Business Growth Service.
Boosting R&D spending to £22.6bn per year by 2029-30 to drive innovation across the IS-8, with more than £2bn for AI over the Spending Review, and £2.8bn for advanced manufacturing over the next ten years. This will leverage in billions more from private investors. Regulatory changes will further clear the path for fast-growing industries and innovative products such as biotechnology, AI, and autonomous vehicles.
Attracting elite global talent to our key sectors, via visa and migration reforms and the new Global Talent Taskforce.
Deepening economic and industrial collaboration with our partners, building on our Industrial Strategy Partnership with Japan and recent deals with the US, India, and the EU.
Reducing planning timelines and cutting costs for developers, by hiring more planners, streamlining pre-application requirements and combining environmental obligations, removing burdens on businesses as well as accelerating house building.
Revolutionising public procurement and reducing barriers for new entrants and SMEs to bolster domestic competitiveness.
Supporting the UK’s city regions and clusters by increasing the supply of investible sites through a new £600m Strategic Sites Accelerator, enhanced regional support from the Office for Investment, National Wealth Fund, and British Business Bank, and more.
The plan focuses on 8 sectors where the UK is already strong and there’s potential for faster growth: Advanced Manufacturing, Clean Energy Industries, Creative Industries, Defence, Digital and Technologies, Financial Services, Life Sciences, and Professional and Business Services. Each growth sector has a bespoke 10-year plan that will attract investment, enable growth and create high-quality, well-paid jobs.
Dame Clare Barclay DBE, Chair of the Industrial Strategy Advisory Council and President of Enterprise & Industry EMEA at Microsoft said:
I welcome today’s Industrial Strategy, which sets out a clear plan to back the UK’s growth driving sectors. It is particularly positive to see the strong focus on skills in areas such as engineering, technology and defence. Commitments such as £187 million for the TechFirst programme will ensure the UK has the skills it needs to support our growth industries and seize transformative opportunities like AI.
Rain Newton-Smith, Chief Executive, CBI said:
Today’s Industrial Strategy announcement is a significant leap forward in the partnership between government and business that sets us on the path to our shared goal of raising living standards across the country.
It sends an unambiguous, positive signal about the nation’s global calling card as well as the direction of travel for the wider economy for the next decade and beyond.
The CBI has long been advocating for a comprehensive industrial strategy, based on the UK’s USP – the sectors and markets where we can compete to win on the global stage.
More competitive energy prices, fast-tracked planning decisions and backing innovation will provide a bedrock for growth. But the global race to attract investment will require a laser-like and unwavering focus on the UK’s overall competitiveness.
Today marks the beginning of delivering this strategy in close partnership, at pace, and with a shared purpose.
Stephen Phipson CBE, CEO at Make UK said:
British industry has been in desperate need for a government who understands our sector and had the strategic vision for a plan for growth. Today’s Industrial Strategy is a giant and much needed step forward taken by the Secretary of State who has seen the potential and provided the keys to help unlock it.
Make UK has led the campaign for a new industrial strategy for many years, highlighting the three major challenges that were diminishing our competitiveness, hampering growth and frustrating productivity gains: a skills crisis, crippling energy costs and, an inability to access capital for new British innovators.
The strategy announced today sets out plans to address all three of these structural failings. Clearly there is much to do as we move towards implementation but, this will send a message across the Country and around the world that Britain is back in business.
Tufan Erginbilgic, Rolls-Royce CEO, said:
The UK Government’s Industrial Strategy commitment to support our world-leading aerospace and nuclear industries shows long-term strategic foresight. Rolls-Royce’s highly differentiated technologies in gas turbines and nuclear capabilities- including SMRs and AMRs- are uniquely placed to deliver economic growth, skilled jobs and attract investment into the UK.
Mike Hawes OBE, SMMT Chief Executive said:
The publication of an Industrial Strategy – one with automotive at its heart – is the policy framework the sector has long-sought and Government has now addressed. Such a strategy – long-term, aligned to a trade strategy and supported by all of Government – is the basis on which the UK automotive sector can regain its global competitiveness. Making the UK the best place to invest now depends on implementation, and implementation at pace, because investment decisions are being made now against a backdrop of fierce competition and geopolitical uncertainty. The number one priority must be addressing the UK’s high cost of energy, enabling the sector to invest in the technologies, the products and the people that will give the UK its competitive edge.
Five sector plans have been published today:
Advanced Manufacturing – Backing our Advanced Manufacturing sector with up to £4.3 billion in funding, including up to £2.8 billion in R&D over the next five years, with the aim of anchoring supply chains in the UK – from increasing vehicle production to 1.35 million, to leading the next generation of technologies for zero emission flight.
Clean Energy Industries – Doubling investment in Clean Energy Industries by 2035, with Great British Energy helping to build the clean power revolution in Britain with a further £700 million in clean energy supply chains, taking the total funding for the Great British Energy Supply Chain fund to £1 billion.
Creative Industries – Maximizing the value of our Creative Industries through a £380 million boost for film and TV, video games, advertising and marketing, music and visual and performing arts will improve access to finance for scale-ups and increase R&D, skills and exports.
Digital and Technologies – Making the UK the European leader for creating and scaling Digital and Technology businesses, with more than £2 billion to drive the AI Action Plan, including a new Sovereign AI Programme, £187 million for training one million young people in tech skills and targeting R&D investment at frontier technologies such as cyber security in Northern Ireland, semiconductors in Wales and quantum technologies in Scotland.
Professional and Business Services – Ensuring our Professional and Business Services becomes the world’s most trusted adviser to global industry, revolutionising the sector across the world through adoption of UK-grown AI and working to secure mutual recognition of professional qualifications agreements overseas.
Notes to editors
The Industrial Strategy will be published on Gov.UK tomorrow.
The Defence, Financial Services and Life Sciences sector plans will be published shortly.
The 7000 businesses are an indicative estimate of how many businesses could be in scope of the scheme. The full scope and eligibility of the scheme will be determined following consultation.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Representative Mike Kelly (R-PA)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) released this statement following military operations in Iran on the evening of Saturday, June 21.
“President Trump is leading with peace through strength. Let’s be clear: Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. May God protect our brave service members who carried out this operation, and may God bless America,” said Rep. Kelly. “This is the most significant show of American strength, commitment and resolve by any sitting American President in our recent history. God Bless the men and women of our American Military for their courage, dedication, commitment and the Leadership of President Trump. You are all in our prayers!”
PM call with Prime Minister Carney of Canada: 22 June 2025
The Prime Minister spoke to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney this evening.
The Prime Minister spoke to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney this evening.
They discussed the grave situation in the Middle East and last night’s action by the United States to tackle the severe threat posed by Iran’s nuclear programme.
Both reiterated their support for a diplomatic solution and agreed that Iran must come back to the negotiating table with the United States as soon as possible.
They looked forward to continuing their discussions at NATO this week.
The Government is enabling more tāmariki access to full immersion learning in safe, warm and dry classrooms.
A $28 million investment will deliver 20 new classrooms across four Māori Medium and Kaupapa Māori Education kura and the commencement of a permanent site for a kura north of Auckland – Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngāringaomatariki. The announcement was made at Takaparawhau, Bastion Point, during Matariki Hautapu celebrations with Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei.
“This Matariki, I am proud to be celebrating the Māori New Year with investing in the future of our tāmariki so they have the spaces and support they need to flourish,” Education Minister Erica Stanford says.
The new classrooms will be built at the following kura:
8 classrooms at Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Ara Whanui in Lower Hutt
6 classrooms at Te Wharekura o Arowhenua in Invercargill
4 classrooms at Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Hokianga in Kaikohe
2 classrooms at Te Wharekura o Kirikiriroa in Hamilton
The investment includes the first stage of a long-awaited new school for Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngāringaomatariki in Kaiwaka. Once complete, it will have 19 classrooms and be designed to support future Wharekura expansion.
Construction on these projects is expected to begin within the next 12 months, using modular building methods to accelerate delivery and ensure cost-efficiency.
“Safe, warm and dry learning environments are essential for effective teaching and learning. By using modular construction, we can deliver classrooms more quickly and make our investment go further.”
This Government committed $50 million through Budget 2025 to deliver up to 50 classrooms for Māori Medium and Kaupapa Māori Education for approximately 1,100 ākonga. This is part of a wider programme of investment in Māori Medium and Kaupapa Māori Education.
This includes:
$10 million to launch a new Virtual Learning Network (VLN) for STEM education (Science, Engineering, Technology and Mathematics).
$4.5 million to develop comprehensive new te reo matatini and STEM curriculum resources and teacher supports.
$2.1 million to develop a new Māori Studies subject for Years 11–13.
$14 million into training and support for up to 51,000 teachers/kaiako.
$4.8 million to appoint seven new curriculum advisors for Māori Medium and Kaupapa Māori Education.
$4.1 million to support the sustainability and data capability of the Kōhanga Reo Network.
$3.5 million to support WAI 3310 Waitangi Tribunal Education Services and Outcomes Kaupapa Inquiry.
“We remain committed to properly resourcing our bilingual education system and lifting achievement for Māori students. That includes ensuring our tāmariki have warm, safe and dry classrooms to thrive in,” Ms Stanford says.
One of the most sought-after items of 2025 isn’t a designer handbag or the latest tech gadget. It’s a plush elf with a snaggle-toothed grin.
Labubu (拉布布) is a global sensation. From David Beckham and Rihanna to Dua Lipa and Blackpink’s Lisa, celebrities – and even members of the Thai royal family – have been spotted showcasing their Labubu collections.
Created in 2015 by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung for his picture-book series The Monsters, Labubu gained mass popularity when toy company Pop Mart began releasing it as blind-box collectables in 2019. The toys are often sold in these blind-boxes, where people don’t know what make they’ve bought until after opening the box.
The niche designer toy has since spiralled into a multi billion-dollar obsession. Plushies sell out within minutes, fans queue for hours, and rare editions like the human-sized mint-green-coloured Labubu have fetched over A$230,000 at auction.
Labubu isn’t just a toy. It’s a glimpse of how China’s long-awaited soft power is beginning to take shape in unexpected ways.
None of these efforts have matched the spontaneous global appeal of this small plush creature. Unlike Japan’s government-funded “Cool Japan” initiative launched in 2010, or South Korea’s highly coordinated export of creative industries, Labubu succeeded without central planning. It went viral organically: fanned by fandoms, fuelled by TikTok and amplified by celebrity endorsements.
Now, China is starting to look “cool” to the outside world.
Pop Mart’s blind-box sales model taps into the same reward mechanisms as online gaming. More than buying a toy, it’s about the thrill of unboxing the rarest edition, the social status of ownership, and the resale value of a seemingly childish product. This cultural product is emotionally charged and economically strategic.
Labubu uses ‘blind boxes’ – where buyers don’t know what model they’ll get – to emotionally hook collectors. Tatiana Diuvbanova/Shutterstock
For China, Labubu represents an unintentional yet potent form of soft power: a quirky figure that makes the country feel playful, creative and emotionally accessible.
In an era when global perceptions of China are often shaped by geopolitics, surveillance, and authoritarianism, Labubu seems to offer something different – something disarming.
How Japan and Korea use cultural exports
Japan, long celebrated for its exports of anime, fashion, and food culture, launched its “Cool Japan” strategy in 2010 to formalise and promote its creative industries abroad.
The initiative helped amplify global interest in sectors such as anime and cuisine but it often struggled with bureaucratic inefficiency, market misjudgements and unclear performance metrics.
Many of the country’s cultural successes – from Pokémon and Studio Ghibli to ramen and izakaya – were largely driven by market forces and fan communities, rather than by the government.
South Korea provides a more recent, effective model. The Korean Wave, or hallyu, has been heavily supported by state investment and infrastructure.
From the film Parasite to global icons such as K-Pop band BTS, South Korea’s cultural output has earned international acclaim and helped rebrand the nation on the world stage.
Importantly, it was a case of soft power being harnessed intentionally and strategically, with entertainment at the forefront of foreign policy.
Labubu represents a third model: accidental soft power born from a commercial ecosystem in China increasingly focused on intellectual property (IP), lifestyle branding and consumer-driven trends.
The emotional politics of toys
Beyond its political implications, the Labubu craze reflects wider shifts in global consumer culture. Today’s toy market is no longer just for children.
The adult “kidult” sector, driven by nostalgia, comfort-seeking, and collectability, is rising.
The frenzy over Labubu is part of this trend, where millennials and Gen Z buyers invest in emotionally charged objects as expressions of identity, status and belonging.
The popularity of labubu has seen long lines at PopMart shops around the world, like this one in South Jakarta. petanicupu/Shutterstock
At the same time, Labubu represents a growing intersection between play and finance. The resale markettreats plushies like speculative assets. Their scarcity creates value; their emotional resonance creates demand.
It’s capitalism with a fuzzy face.
Not everything is cuddly. In cities like London or Seoul, Pop Mart was forced to suspend sales after scuffles broke out among fans competing to buy the toys. And a surge in global counterfeits has raised growing concerns over IP protection and consumer trust.
The rise of China’s soft power
Labubu may look like a mischievous little elf, but it carries serious cultural weight.
It reflects a China that is no longer just a producer of goods, but a producer of desire.
It’s tempting to see Labubu as a fad like fidget spinners, Beanie Babies, or Tamagotchis. But it signals something deeper: a shift in how Chinese cultural products can evoke emotion, status and aspiration on a global scale.
This tiny plush toy took nearly a decade to become a global sensation. China’s hopes of fully realising its soft power potential may take even longer. But if Labubu is any indication, the way forward may depend less on state-led campaigns and more on organic, bottom-up cultural momentum.
Ming Gao receives funding from the Swedish Research Council. This research was produced with support from the Swedish Research Council grant “Moved Apart” (nr. 2022-01864). Ming Gao is a member of Lund University Profile Area: Human Rights.
One of the most sought-after items of 2025 isn’t a designer handbag or the latest tech gadget. It’s a plush elf with a snaggle-toothed grin.
Labubu (拉布布) is a global sensation. From David Beckham and Rihanna to Dua Lipa and Blackpink’s Lisa, celebrities – and even members of the Thai royal family – have been spotted showcasing their Labubu collections.
Created in 2015 by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung for his picture-book series The Monsters, Labubu gained mass popularity when toy company Pop Mart began releasing it as blind-box collectables in 2019. The toys are often sold in these blind-boxes, where people don’t know what make they’ve bought until after opening the box.
The niche designer toy has since spiralled into a multi billion-dollar obsession. Plushies sell out within minutes, fans queue for hours, and rare editions like the human-sized mint-green-coloured Labubu have fetched over A$230,000 at auction.
Labubu isn’t just a toy. It’s a glimpse of how China’s long-awaited soft power is beginning to take shape in unexpected ways.
None of these efforts have matched the spontaneous global appeal of this small plush creature. Unlike Japan’s government-funded “Cool Japan” initiative launched in 2010, or South Korea’s highly coordinated export of creative industries, Labubu succeeded without central planning. It went viral organically: fanned by fandoms, fuelled by TikTok and amplified by celebrity endorsements.
Now, China is starting to look “cool” to the outside world.
Pop Mart’s blind-box sales model taps into the same reward mechanisms as online gaming. More than buying a toy, it’s about the thrill of unboxing the rarest edition, the social status of ownership, and the resale value of a seemingly childish product. This cultural product is emotionally charged and economically strategic.
Labubu uses ‘blind boxes’ – where buyers don’t know what model they’ll get – to emotionally hook collectors. Tatiana Diuvbanova/Shutterstock
For China, Labubu represents an unintentional yet potent form of soft power: a quirky figure that makes the country feel playful, creative and emotionally accessible.
In an era when global perceptions of China are often shaped by geopolitics, surveillance, and authoritarianism, Labubu seems to offer something different – something disarming.
How Japan and Korea use cultural exports
Japan, long celebrated for its exports of anime, fashion, and food culture, launched its “Cool Japan” strategy in 2010 to formalise and promote its creative industries abroad.
The initiative helped amplify global interest in sectors such as anime and cuisine but it often struggled with bureaucratic inefficiency, market misjudgements and unclear performance metrics.
Many of the country’s cultural successes – from Pokémon and Studio Ghibli to ramen and izakaya – were largely driven by market forces and fan communities, rather than by the government.
South Korea provides a more recent, effective model. The Korean Wave, or hallyu, has been heavily supported by state investment and infrastructure.
From the film Parasite to global icons such as K-Pop band BTS, South Korea’s cultural output has earned international acclaim and helped rebrand the nation on the world stage.
Importantly, it was a case of soft power being harnessed intentionally and strategically, with entertainment at the forefront of foreign policy.
Labubu represents a third model: accidental soft power born from a commercial ecosystem in China increasingly focused on intellectual property (IP), lifestyle branding and consumer-driven trends.
The emotional politics of toys
Beyond its political implications, the Labubu craze reflects wider shifts in global consumer culture. Today’s toy market is no longer just for children.
The adult “kidult” sector, driven by nostalgia, comfort-seeking, and collectability, is rising.
The frenzy over Labubu is part of this trend, where millennials and Gen Z buyers invest in emotionally charged objects as expressions of identity, status and belonging.
The popularity of labubu has seen long lines at PopMart shops around the world, like this one in South Jakarta. petanicupu/Shutterstock
At the same time, Labubu represents a growing intersection between play and finance. The resale markettreats plushies like speculative assets. Their scarcity creates value; their emotional resonance creates demand.
It’s capitalism with a fuzzy face.
Not everything is cuddly. In cities like London or Seoul, Pop Mart was forced to suspend sales after scuffles broke out among fans competing to buy the toys. And a surge in global counterfeits has raised growing concerns over IP protection and consumer trust.
The rise of China’s soft power
Labubu may look like a mischievous little elf, but it carries serious cultural weight.
It reflects a China that is no longer just a producer of goods, but a producer of desire.
It’s tempting to see Labubu as a fad like fidget spinners, Beanie Babies, or Tamagotchis. But it signals something deeper: a shift in how Chinese cultural products can evoke emotion, status and aspiration on a global scale.
This tiny plush toy took nearly a decade to become a global sensation. China’s hopes of fully realising its soft power potential may take even longer. But if Labubu is any indication, the way forward may depend less on state-led campaigns and more on organic, bottom-up cultural momentum.
Ming Gao receives funding from the Swedish Research Council. This research was produced with support from the Swedish Research Council grant “Moved Apart” (nr. 2022-01864). Ming Gao is a member of Lund University Profile Area: Human Rights.
How Australian pregnant women are tested for gestational diabetes is set to change, with new national guidelines released today.
Changes are expected to lead to fewer diagnoses in women at lower risk, reducing the burden of extra monitoring and intervention. Meanwhile the changes focus care and support towards women and babies who will benefit most.
These latest recommendations form the first update in screening for gestational diabetes in more than a decade, and potentially affect more than 280,000 pregnant women a year across Australia.
What is gestational diabetes? Why do we test for it?
Gestational diabetes (also known as gestational diabetes mellitus) is one of the most common medical complications of pregnancy. It affects nearly one in five pregnancies in Australia.
It is defined by abnormally high levels of glucose (sugar) in the blood that are first picked up during pregnancy.
Most of the time gestational diabetes goes away after the birth. But women with gestational diabetes are at least seven times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes later in life.
In Australia, routine screening for gestational diabetes is recommended for all pregnant women. This will continue.
That’s because treatment reduces the risk of poorer pregnancy outcomes. This includes
babies being born very large – a condition called macrosomia – which can lead to difficult births, and a caesarean. Treatment also reduces the risk of pre-eclampsia, when women have high blood pressure and protein in their urine, and other serious pregnancy complications.
Screening for gestational diabetes is also an opportunity to identify women who may benefit from diabetes prevention programs and ways to support their long-term health, including support with nutrition and physical activity.
Why is testing changing?
Most women benefit from detection and treatment. However, for some women, a diagnosis can have negative impacts. This often relates to how care is delivered.
Women have described feeling shame and stigma after the diagnosis. Others report challenges accessing the care and support they need during pregnancy. This may include access to specialist doctors, allied health professionals and clinics. Some women have restricted their diet in an unhealthy way, without appropriate supervision by a health professional. Some have had to change their preferred maternity care provider or location of birth because their pregnancy is now considered higher risk.
So we must diagnose the condition in women when the benefits outweigh the potential costs.
Diagnosing gestational diabetes is based on having blood glucose levels above a certain threshold.
However, there is no clear level above which the risk of complications starts to increase. And determining the best thresholds to identify who does, and who does not, have gestational diabetes has been subject to much research and debate.
Globally, screening approaches and diagnostic criteria vary substantially. There are differences in who is recommended to be screened, when in pregnancy screening should occur, which tests should be used, and what the diagnostic glucose levels should be.
So, what changes?
The new recommendations are the result of reviewing up-to-date evidence with input from a wide range of professional and consumer groups.
Screening will continue
All pregnant women who don’t already have a diagnosis of pre-pregnancy diabetes, or gestational diabetes, will still be recommended screening at between 24 and 28 weeks’ gestation. They’ll still have an oral glucose tolerance test, a measure of how the body processes sugar. The test involves fasting overnight, and having a blood test in the morning before drinking a sugary drink. Then there are two more blood tests over two hours. However, fewer women will have this test twice in their pregnancy.
Changes mean more targeted care
The following changes mean health services should be able to reorient resources to ensure women have access to the care they need to support healthier pregnancies, including early support for women who need it most:
women with risk factors of existing, undiagnosed diabetes (such as a higher body-mass index or BMI, or a previous large baby) will be screened in the first trimester, with a single, non-fasting blood test (known as HbA1c)
fewer women will have an oral glucose tolerance test early in the pregnancy, ideally between ten and 14 weeks gestation. This early testing will be reserved for women with specific risk factors, such as gestational diabetes in a previous pregnancy, or a high level on the HbA1c test
women will only be diagnosed if their blood glucose level is above new, higher cut-off points for the oral glucose tolerance test, for tests conducted early or later in the pregnancy.
Which tests do I need?
These changes will be implemented over coming months. So women are encouraged to speak to their maternity care provider about how the changes apply to them.
Alexis Shub is a board director of the Australasian Diabetes in Pregnancy Society. She has received research funding from ADIPS.
Matthew Hare has received research funding from the NHMRC, MRFF, Diabetes Australia, Australian Diabetes Society, Royal Australasian College of Physicians, Viertel Charitable Foundation and Australian government Department of Health. He has received honoraria for consultancies, steering committees and invited talks from Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly, Boehringer Ingelheim and AstraZeneca. He is president and board chair of the Australasian Diabetes in Pregnancy Society, and a member of the Australian Diabetes Society and Endocrine Society of Australia.
Susan de Jersey has received research funding from the NHMRC, MRFF, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital Foundation, Diabetes Australia, Metro North Health. She is a member of Dietitians Australia, Australian Diabetes Educators Association, and is vice chair and board director of the Australasian Diabetes in Pregnancy Society.
How Australian pregnant women are tested for gestational diabetes is set to change, with new national guidelines released today.
Changes are expected to lead to fewer diagnoses in women at lower risk, reducing the burden of extra monitoring and intervention. Meanwhile the changes focus care and support towards women and babies who will benefit most.
These latest recommendations form the first update in screening for gestational diabetes in more than a decade, and potentially affect more than 280,000 pregnant women a year across Australia.
What is gestational diabetes? Why do we test for it?
Gestational diabetes (also known as gestational diabetes mellitus) is one of the most common medical complications of pregnancy. It affects nearly one in five pregnancies in Australia.
It is defined by abnormally high levels of glucose (sugar) in the blood that are first picked up during pregnancy.
Most of the time gestational diabetes goes away after the birth. But women with gestational diabetes are at least seven times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes later in life.
In Australia, routine screening for gestational diabetes is recommended for all pregnant women. This will continue.
That’s because treatment reduces the risk of poorer pregnancy outcomes. This includes
babies being born very large – a condition called macrosomia – which can lead to difficult births, and a caesarean. Treatment also reduces the risk of pre-eclampsia, when women have high blood pressure and protein in their urine, and other serious pregnancy complications.
Screening for gestational diabetes is also an opportunity to identify women who may benefit from diabetes prevention programs and ways to support their long-term health, including support with nutrition and physical activity.
Why is testing changing?
Most women benefit from detection and treatment. However, for some women, a diagnosis can have negative impacts. This often relates to how care is delivered.
Women have described feeling shame and stigma after the diagnosis. Others report challenges accessing the care and support they need during pregnancy. This may include access to specialist doctors, allied health professionals and clinics. Some women have restricted their diet in an unhealthy way, without appropriate supervision by a health professional. Some have had to change their preferred maternity care provider or location of birth because their pregnancy is now considered higher risk.
So we must diagnose the condition in women when the benefits outweigh the potential costs.
Diagnosing gestational diabetes is based on having blood glucose levels above a certain threshold.
However, there is no clear level above which the risk of complications starts to increase. And determining the best thresholds to identify who does, and who does not, have gestational diabetes has been subject to much research and debate.
Globally, screening approaches and diagnostic criteria vary substantially. There are differences in who is recommended to be screened, when in pregnancy screening should occur, which tests should be used, and what the diagnostic glucose levels should be.
So, what changes?
The new recommendations are the result of reviewing up-to-date evidence with input from a wide range of professional and consumer groups.
Screening will continue
All pregnant women who don’t already have a diagnosis of pre-pregnancy diabetes, or gestational diabetes, will still be recommended screening at between 24 and 28 weeks’ gestation. They’ll still have an oral glucose tolerance test, a measure of how the body processes sugar. The test involves fasting overnight, and having a blood test in the morning before drinking a sugary drink. Then there are two more blood tests over two hours. However, fewer women will have this test twice in their pregnancy.
Changes mean more targeted care
The following changes mean health services should be able to reorient resources to ensure women have access to the care they need to support healthier pregnancies, including early support for women who need it most:
women with risk factors of existing, undiagnosed diabetes (such as a higher body-mass index or BMI, or a previous large baby) will be screened in the first trimester, with a single, non-fasting blood test (known as HbA1c)
fewer women will have an oral glucose tolerance test early in the pregnancy, ideally between ten and 14 weeks gestation. This early testing will be reserved for women with specific risk factors, such as gestational diabetes in a previous pregnancy, or a high level on the HbA1c test
women will only be diagnosed if their blood glucose level is above new, higher cut-off points for the oral glucose tolerance test, for tests conducted early or later in the pregnancy.
Which tests do I need?
These changes will be implemented over coming months. So women are encouraged to speak to their maternity care provider about how the changes apply to them.
Alexis Shub is a board director of the Australasian Diabetes in Pregnancy Society. She has received research funding from ADIPS.
Matthew Hare has received research funding from the NHMRC, MRFF, Diabetes Australia, Australian Diabetes Society, Royal Australasian College of Physicians, Viertel Charitable Foundation and Australian government Department of Health. He has received honoraria for consultancies, steering committees and invited talks from Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly, Boehringer Ingelheim and AstraZeneca. He is president and board chair of the Australasian Diabetes in Pregnancy Society, and a member of the Australian Diabetes Society and Endocrine Society of Australia.
Susan de Jersey has received research funding from the NHMRC, MRFF, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital Foundation, Diabetes Australia, Metro North Health. She is a member of Dietitians Australia, Australian Diabetes Educators Association, and is vice chair and board director of the Australasian Diabetes in Pregnancy Society.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nick William Smith, Associate Investigator in Nutritional Science, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University
The latest update to the New Zealand food composition database, a comprehensive collection of nutrient data collated jointly by Plant & Food Research and the Ministry of Health, brings more than just numbers: it adds insights into culturally important foods and their role in diets.
For the first time, certain traditional foods such as rēwena (Māori bread) and ingredients such as natto, paneer, jackfruit and lentils are included. Alongside these are modern supermarket staples, including lactose-free yoghurts and dairy-free cheeses.
As New Zealand’s population continues to diversify and people’s food choices evolve, the database is keeping pace, ensuring everyone’s plate is represented. The latest update introduces 191 new or updated food records, each with a detailed list of all nutrients, from a wide range of culturally relevant, plant-based and speciality diet foods. These include:
traditional Māori foods such as rēwena
ethnic staples, including natto, paneer, black beans
high-protein yoghurts, dairy-free cheeses and lactose-free options, reflecting market trends.
New Zealanders’ changing food habits
New Zealand’s population is becoming more ethnically diverse. The 2023 census shows nearly a third of New Zealand residents were born overseas and the population of people with Asian ethnicity is the fastest growing in the country. Our supermarkets and food services reflect these changes in their offering.
At the same time, demand is growing for plant-based options, allergen-friendly foods and products tailored to different dietary needs. The database update captures these shifts, offering data on foods that might previously have been overlooked or underestimated.
For example, including rēwena means nutrition professionals working with Māori communities or individuals can offer tailored advice using culturally relevant foods. Including natto or paneer gives dietitians more information to support New Zealanders of Asian or Indian heritage.
Rēwena includes potato and is higher in protein and dietary fibre than most white breads. Shutterstock/EQRoy
The newly added foods weren’t chosen at random. They reflect real changes in the way New Zealanders eat, informed by surveys that reflect the quantities of foods consumed and also how important they are for delivering essential nutrients. The additions also capture new products available in supermarkets or significant changes in recipes.
Foods are collected from around the country to represent our geographically spread population. They are then sent for independent lab analysis to quantify their content of macro (proteins, carbohydrates, fats) and micronutrients (minerals and vitamins).
Including new foods ensures the database stays relevant for a modern, multicultural population and provides accurate nutrition information for consumers, healthcare providers, food businesses and researchers. This facilitates future national surveys to more accurately capture the diversity of New Zealand diets and their implications for population nutrition.
Where these new foods sit in a healthy diet
With the addition of 74 new food components, including detailed profiles of fatty acids and a new method for measuring dietary fibre, the database doesn’t just tell us what is in our food, but also how these foods contribute to nutrition.
Many of the newly included foods are rich in protein, dietary fibre or plant-based nutrients. This is true for rēwena, which includes potato and is higher in protein and dietary fibre than most white breads. Black beans and lentils are affordable sources of protein and iron, while jackfruit offers a low-fat, meat-like texture for vegetarian meals.
The database is reviewed and updated every two years to reflect what people are actually eating. With 2,857 foods and 434 nutrient components now in the system, it offers an unparalleled window into New Zealand’s food supply and provides information to support national nutrition surveys and dietary intake studies.
The data also supports educational resources, such as those produced by organisations that encourage New Zealanders to eat fruits and vegetables.
The food composition database is New Zealand’s most comprehensive source of high-quality nutrient data. It is used by researchers, the food industry, public health agencies and regulators to develop and reformulate products, create accurate nutrition labels, model dietary trends and monitor how changing food habits affect nutrition.
Nick William Smith works for Plant & Food Research.
Carolyn Elizabeth Lister does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Nick William Smith, Associate Investigator in Nutritional Science, Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University
The latest update to the New Zealand food composition database, a comprehensive collection of nutrient data collated jointly by Plant & Food Research and the Ministry of Health, brings more than just numbers: it adds insights into culturally important foods and their role in diets.
For the first time, certain traditional foods such as rēwena (Māori bread) and ingredients such as natto, paneer, jackfruit and lentils are included. Alongside these are modern supermarket staples, including lactose-free yoghurts and dairy-free cheeses.
As New Zealand’s population continues to diversify and people’s food choices evolve, the database is keeping pace, ensuring everyone’s plate is represented. The latest update introduces 191 new or updated food records, each with a detailed list of all nutrients, from a wide range of culturally relevant, plant-based and speciality diet foods. These include:
traditional Māori foods such as rēwena
ethnic staples, including natto, paneer, black beans
high-protein yoghurts, dairy-free cheeses and lactose-free options, reflecting market trends.
New Zealanders’ changing food habits
New Zealand’s population is becoming more ethnically diverse. The 2023 census shows nearly a third of New Zealand residents were born overseas and the population of people with Asian ethnicity is the fastest growing in the country. Our supermarkets and food services reflect these changes in their offering.
At the same time, demand is growing for plant-based options, allergen-friendly foods and products tailored to different dietary needs. The database update captures these shifts, offering data on foods that might previously have been overlooked or underestimated.
For example, including rēwena means nutrition professionals working with Māori communities or individuals can offer tailored advice using culturally relevant foods. Including natto or paneer gives dietitians more information to support New Zealanders of Asian or Indian heritage.
Rēwena includes potato and is higher in protein and dietary fibre than most white breads. Shutterstock/EQRoy
The newly added foods weren’t chosen at random. They reflect real changes in the way New Zealanders eat, informed by surveys that reflect the quantities of foods consumed and also how important they are for delivering essential nutrients. The additions also capture new products available in supermarkets or significant changes in recipes.
Foods are collected from around the country to represent our geographically spread population. They are then sent for independent lab analysis to quantify their content of macro (proteins, carbohydrates, fats) and micronutrients (minerals and vitamins).
Including new foods ensures the database stays relevant for a modern, multicultural population and provides accurate nutrition information for consumers, healthcare providers, food businesses and researchers. This facilitates future national surveys to more accurately capture the diversity of New Zealand diets and their implications for population nutrition.
Where these new foods sit in a healthy diet
With the addition of 74 new food components, including detailed profiles of fatty acids and a new method for measuring dietary fibre, the database doesn’t just tell us what is in our food, but also how these foods contribute to nutrition.
Many of the newly included foods are rich in protein, dietary fibre or plant-based nutrients. This is true for rēwena, which includes potato and is higher in protein and dietary fibre than most white breads. Black beans and lentils are affordable sources of protein and iron, while jackfruit offers a low-fat, meat-like texture for vegetarian meals.
The database is reviewed and updated every two years to reflect what people are actually eating. With 2,857 foods and 434 nutrient components now in the system, it offers an unparalleled window into New Zealand’s food supply and provides information to support national nutrition surveys and dietary intake studies.
The data also supports educational resources, such as those produced by organisations that encourage New Zealanders to eat fruits and vegetables.
The food composition database is New Zealand’s most comprehensive source of high-quality nutrient data. It is used by researchers, the food industry, public health agencies and regulators to develop and reformulate products, create accurate nutrition labels, model dietary trends and monitor how changing food habits affect nutrition.
Nick William Smith works for Plant & Food Research.
Carolyn Elizabeth Lister does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28)
Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Congressman Henry Cuellar, Ph.D. (TX-28), released the following statement in response to United States strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities:
“Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons is a direct threat to the safety of the United States, our allies, and the stability of the Middle East. The regime has made its intentions clear by developing its nuclear program in secret, violating international agreements, and refusing transparency with global inspectors.
“At the same time, Iran has built and sustained a violent network of terrorist proxies across the region. The regime trains, funds, and commands Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, and the Houthis in Yemen. These groups launch attacks on civilians, American military personnel, and our regional partners. Their actions are not spontaneous. They are orchestrated by a regime that embraces terrorism as a tool of statecraft.
“The United States has responded with precision and purpose. Our forces have taken necessary action to dismantle Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and disrupt its military capabilities. These operations reflect our determination to defend American lives, protect our partners, and hold the Iranian regime accountable. But let me be clear: Congress must play a decisive role in any decision involving the deployment of American troops into harm’s way.
“As a senior member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, I remain focused on ensuring our military and national security agencies have the tools they need to keep our country safe. We owe it to our servicemembers and the American people to approach this moment with bipartisan resolve and constitutional responsibility. Congress needs to be actively engaged to achieve these goals.”
Source: United States Senator for New York Kirsten Gillibrand
Addressing U.S. strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, issued the following statement:
“I am grateful that no U.S. service members were harmed during the military operation against Iran’s nuclear facilities. I am praying for American troops and citizens in the region, and I will be working with state and local partners to ensure New Yorkers here at home are safe.
Throughout my career, I have been a steadfast champion of Israel, leading U.S. support for Iron Dome and initiatives to strengthen the alliance between our nations. I have long supported efforts to ensure that Iran, the foremost exporter of terrorism in the world, cannot obtain a nuclear weapon.
However, I am deeply concerned by President Trump’s decision to unilaterally launch these attacks without seeking congressional authorization, as required by the Constitution. The Trump administration must fully explain to the American people the rationale for this military action and a strategy to avoid being mired in another Middle Eastern war, and it must give Congress a full intelligence briefing immediately.
No further military actions should be allowed without proper congressional approval.
Avoiding further escalation is essential to the peace and security of Israel, the U.S., and our partners in the region. I urge the president and Iran to pursue a diplomatic resolution to this conflict.”
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) can confirm that the Iranian nuclear sites of Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan have been hit, following U.S. aerial attacks overnight, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said today.
Based on an analysis of the information available to it, the IAEA assessed that there has been extensive additional damage at the sprawling Esfahan site, which had already been struck several times by Israel since it began targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities on 13 June, Director General Grossi said.
The IAEA had previously reported that several buildings at the Esfahan complex were damaged, some of which may have contained nuclear material.
“The latest attacks early this morning damaged other buildings in Esfahan. In addition, we have established that entrances to underground tunnels at the site were impacted,” Director General Grossi said.
The extent of damage to the Fordow uranium enrichment facility – built deep inside a mountain in central Iran – was not immediately possible to assess in view of its underground location and the penetrating nature of the bombs used.
“It is clear that Fordow was also directly impacted, but the degree of damage inside the uranium enrichment halls can’t be determined with certainty,” Director General Grossi said.
Iran’s other enrichment site, Natanz, which has previously been extensively damaged, was again attacked during the strikes last night with ground-penetrating munitions.
The Director General said the IAEA has been informed by the Iranian regulatory authorities that there has been no increase in off-site radiation levels after the latest attacks on the three Iranian nuclear sites.
Director General Grossi stressed the paramount importance of the countries involved urgently embarking on a diplomatic path aimed at ending the hostilities.
This would also enable the IAEA to resume its crucial verification activities in Iran, including of its stockpile of more than 400 kg of highly enriched uranium, which Agency inspectors last verified a few days before the military conflict began.
“We need to try to go back to the negotiating table as soon as possible. We have to allow the IAEA inspectors to return. The IAEA is ready to play its indispensable role in this process. We have been talking to Iran, we have been talking to the United States. We have to work for peace,” Director General Grossi said.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) can confirm that the Iranian nuclear sites of Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan have been hit, following U.S. aerial attacks overnight, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said today.
Based on an analysis of the information available to it, the IAEA assessed that there has been extensive additional damage at the sprawling Esfahan site, which had already been struck several times by Israel since it began targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities on 13 June, Director General Grossi said.
The IAEA had previously reported that several buildings at the Esfahan complex were damaged, some of which may have contained nuclear material.
“The latest attacks early this morning damaged other buildings in Esfahan. In addition, we have established that entrances to underground tunnels at the site were impacted,” Director General Grossi said.
The extent of damage to the Fordow uranium enrichment facility – built deep inside a mountain in central Iran – was not immediately possible to assess in view of its underground location and the penetrating nature of the bombs used.
“It is clear that Fordow was also directly impacted, but the degree of damage inside the uranium enrichment halls can’t be determined with certainty,” Director General Grossi said.
Iran’s other enrichment site, Natanz, which has previously been extensively damaged, was again attacked during the strikes last night with ground-penetrating munitions.
The Director General said the IAEA has been informed by the Iranian regulatory authorities that there has been no increase in off-site radiation levels after the latest attacks on the three Iranian nuclear sites.
Director General Grossi stressed the paramount importance of the countries involved urgently embarking on a diplomatic path aimed at ending the hostilities.
This would also enable the IAEA to resume its crucial verification activities in Iran, including of its stockpile of more than 400 kg of highly enriched uranium, which Agency inspectors last verified a few days before the military conflict began.
“We need to try to go back to the negotiating table as soon as possible. We have to allow the IAEA inspectors to return. The IAEA is ready to play its indispensable role in this process. We have been talking to Iran, we have been talking to the United States. We have to work for peace,” Director General Grossi said.
Source: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) –
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) can confirm that the Iranian nuclear sites of Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan have been hit, following U.S. aerial attacks overnight, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi said today.
Based on an analysis of the information available to it, the IAEA assessed that there has been extensive additional damage at the sprawling Esfahan site, which had already been struck several times by Israel since it began targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities on 13 June, Director General Grossi said.
The IAEA had previously reported that several buildings at the Esfahan complex were damaged, some of which may have contained nuclear material.
“The latest attacks early this morning damaged other buildings in Esfahan. In addition, we have established that entrances to underground tunnels at the site were impacted,” Director General Grossi said.
The extent of damage to the Fordow uranium enrichment facility – built deep inside a mountain in central Iran – was not immediately possible to assess in view of its underground location and the penetrating nature of the bombs used.
“It is clear that Fordow was also directly impacted, but the degree of damage inside the uranium enrichment halls can’t be determined with certainty,” Director General Grossi said.
Iran’s other enrichment site, Natanz, which has previously been extensively damaged, was again attacked during the strikes last night with ground-penetrating munitions.
The Director General said the IAEA has been informed by the Iranian regulatory authorities that there has been no increase in off-site radiation levels after the latest attacks on the three Iranian nuclear sites.
Director General Grossi stressed the paramount importance of the countries involved urgently embarking on a diplomatic path aimed at ending the hostilities.
This would also enable the IAEA to resume its crucial verification activities in Iran, including of its stockpile of more than 400 kg of highly enriched uranium, which Agency inspectors last verified a few days before the military conflict began.
“We need to try to go back to the negotiating table as soon as possible. We have to allow the IAEA inspectors to return. The IAEA is ready to play its indispensable role in this process. We have been talking to Iran, we have been talking to the United States. We have to work for peace,” Director General Grossi said.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Frank J. Mrvan (IN)
Washington, DC– Today, Congressman Frank J. Mrvan released the following statement regarding the recent U.S. military action in Iran.
“Let me be clear, no one believes Iran should be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon.
However, the decision to conduct military action and send our brave servicemembers into harm’s way must only be made after deliberate and careful consideration, in close consultation with Congress and a coalition of our allies.
“I do not believe that the Administration’s decision has met that standard in this instance.
Our priority now must be to re-engage with our allies and Israel to de-escalate tensions in the Middle East, and prevent our nation from being drawn into another prolonged military conflict in the region.
“The Administration must also fulfill their Constitutional responsibilities to communicate with Congress on this situation and to do so without delay.”
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
ASTANA, June 22 (Xinhua) — Director General of China’s Xinhua News Agency Fu Hua and Kazakh Presidential Aide Arman Kyrykbayev exchanged copies of a signed cooperation agreement in the Kazakh capital Astana on Sunday.
According to the agreement, the Xinhua New Media Center will support the Central Communications Service under the President of Kazakhstan in the field of new media technologies and provide consulting services of the think tank for the development of Kazakhstan’s big data and computing centers, as well as for the construction and operation of the China-Kazakhstan Exchange and Cooperation Center. In addition, the parties agreed to carry out labor exchanges and training.
The Kazakh side hopes that the exchange and cooperation center will provide support in such areas as cultural innovation, Kazakh-Chinese settlements, ensuring uninterrupted trade, cross-border transactions with intellectual property, personnel exchange and training. –0–
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee’s Subcommittee on the Near East, South Asia, Central Asia, and Counterterrorism, and a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, released a statement following U.S. strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities.
“While we wait to learn more about the results of U.S. strikes on Iran and whether or not we have damaged Iran’s nuclear infrastructure beyond repair, I thank our U.S. servicemembers for carrying out this limited, targeted, and hopefully decisive action,” said Senator Rosen. “The Iranian Regime has made it clear that they will do everything in their power to destroy the United States and Israel, and their nuclear program has been a means to that end. That is why I have never wavered in my firm belief that Iran cannot be allowed to develop or obtain a nuclear weapon.”
“As we await confirmation of the impact of last night’s mission, the President must involve Congress before taking any further U.S. military action against Iran and must respect Congress’s sole constitutional role in the authorization of the use of force,” Senator Rosen continued. “I look forward to being briefed by the Administration this week on the intelligence that led to U.S. strikes and how we plan to protect American servicemembers from retaliation. My thoughts are with our servicemembers who carried out these strikes, and I continue to pray for the safety of U.S. troops and personnel still in the region.”
Senator Rosen has been a steadfast advocate for strengthening our national security, combating terrorism, supporting Israel and other U.S. allies in the Middle East, and countering threats from Iran’s authoritarian regime and limiting its ability to pursue nuclear weapons. Senator Rosen has led bipartisan efforts to freeze Iranian assets, tighten oil sanctions, and ensure the regime is held accountable. Senator Rosen continues to support strong U.S. foreign policy priorities focused on safeguarding global stability.
Extreme heat can become lethal quickly. A young man cools off at Washington, D.C.’s Yards Park during a heat wave in 2021.Olivier Douliery/AFP via Getty Images
For many people, summer is their favorite season, a time for cookouts, beach trips and other outdoor activities. However, summer also brings the risk of dangerously high temperatures and humidity.
The Weather Prediction Center’s heat forecast shows the maximum temperatures states can expect to see at some point during the week of June 23-27, 2025. NOAA Weather Prediction Center
Even in places where heat is recognized as a dangerous health threat, people can be caught off guard as the thermometer creeps higher, on average, each year. In some cases, dangerous heat can arise quickly. In 2021, a young family died of heat stroke on a California trail after setting out for a hike when temperatures were still in the 70s Fahrenheit (low to mid 20s Celsius).
I study health risks in a warming climate as a professor of public health, and I’ve seen heat become a growing concern. Here are some of the key warning signs to watch for when temperatures rise – and ways to keep cool when the heat and humidity get too high.
Mild forms of heat-related illness include heat cramps and heat rash, both of which can be caused by extensive sweating during hot conditions. Cooling the body and drinking cool fluids can help.
When heat-related illnesses progress into heat exhaustion, the situation is more serious. Heat exhaustion includes symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, excessive sweating, feeling weak, thirst and getting a headache.
Construction workers are often out in the heat for long periods of time, including during this heat wave in Los Angeles in July 2024. Etienne Laurent/AFP via Getty Images
Heat exhaustion is a signal that the body is losing its ability to maintain a stable core temperature. Immediate action such as moving to a cool, ideally air-conditioned space, drinking liquids, loosening clothes and applying wet cloths are some of the recommended steps that can help keep heat exhaustion from progressing to the most dangerous form of heat-related illness, heat stroke.
Signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke, from the National Weather Service and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. NOAA/CDC
Typically, someone suffering heat stroke has exhausted their reserves of sweat and salt to stay cool, so sweating eventually stops during heat stroke. Their cognitive ability fails, and they cannot remove themselves from danger. Heat stroke can cause seizures or put someone into a coma as their core temperature rises. If the condition is not treated immediately, and the core temperature continues to rise, heat stroke becomes fatal.
Because heat exhaustion can lead to heat stroke, addressing heat-related illnesses before they progress is vital.
How to tell when the heat is too high
Heat risk isn’t just about temperature – humidity also increases the risk of heat-related illnesses because it affects how well sweating will cool the human body when it gets hot.
Instead of just looking at temperature when planning outdoor activities, check the heat index, which accounts for heat illness risk associated with temperature and relative humidity.
It doesn’t take very high temperatures or very high humidity for the heat index to enter dangerous territory.
A heat index chart shows how heat and humidity combine for dangerous conditions. NOAA
However, the heat index is still a conservative measure of the impact of heat on humans, particularly for outdoor workers and athletes at summer practices. This is because temperature measurements used in weather forecasting are taken in the shade and are not exposed to direct sunlight. If someone is outside and exposed to the direct sun, the actual heat index can be as much as 15 F higher than the heat index chart indicates.
A more sophisticated measurement of heat effects on human health is what’s known as the wet-bulb globe temperature, which takes into account other variables, such as wind speed and cloud cover. Neither takes into account a person’s physical exertion, which also raises their body temperature, whether working at a construction site or playing soccer.
Tips for staying safe in a heat wave
How can you stay cool when heat waves set in? The answer depends in part on where you are, but the main points are the same:
Avoid strenuous outdoor activities in high temperatures if possible. If you start to feel symptoms of heat-related illnesses, drink fluids that will hydrate you. Find shade, rest, and use cool, damp cloths to lower your body temperature. If you see signs of heat stroke in someone else, call for medical help.
Be careful with fans. Fans can be useful if the temperature isn’t too high because they wick sweat away from the body and induce evaporative cooling. But at very high temperatures, they can accelerate heat buildup in the body and lead to dangerous conditions. If indoor temperatures reaches 95 degrees or higher, using fans can actually be dangerous and raise the risk of heat-related illnesses.
Find a cooling center, library or community center where you can get inside and rest in an air-conditioned space in the hottest hours. In places such as Phoenix, where high temperatures are a regular hazard, cooling centers are typically opened in summer. Northern cities are also opening cooling centers as heat waves occur there more frequently than they did in the past. Urban areas with a lot of pavement and buildings – known as heat islands – can have temperatures well above the city’s average.
Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Drink plenty of fluids, and don’t forget about the importance of electrolytes. Heat-related dehydration can occur when people sweat excessively, losing water and necessary salts from the body. Some sports drinks or rehydration fluids restore electrolytes and hydration levels.
Older adults and people with disabilities often face higher risks from heat waves, particularly if they can’t easily move to a cooler environment. Communities and neighbors can help protect vulnerable populations by providing cooling centers and bottled water and making regular wellness checks during high heat.
Summer can be a season of fun. Just remember the risks, keep an eye on your friends and neighbors when temperatures rise, and plan ahead so you can beat the heat.
This article, originally published June 19, 2025, has been updated with new heat advisories and forecasts.
Brian Bossak is not currently receiving relevant external funding for heat-related illness research. In 2017-2019, he served as a consultant on a heat-related research award from the Southeastern Coastal Center for Agricultural Health and
Safety at the University of Florida.
Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jeffrey Fields, Professor of the Practice of International Relations, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
People observe fire and smoke from an Israeli airstrike on an oil depot in Tehran, Iran, on June 15, 2025. Stringer/Getty Images
The two countries have been particularly hostile to each other since Iranian students took over the U.S. Embassy in Tehran in November 1979, resulting in economic sanctions and the severing of formal diplomatic relations between the nations.
Some of the major events in U.S.-Iran relations highlight the differences between the nations’ views, but others arguably presented real opportunities for reconciliation.
In 1951, the Iranian Parliament chose a new prime minister, Mossadegh, who then led lawmakers to vote in favor of taking over the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company, expelling the company’s British owners and saying they wanted to turn oil profits into investments in the Iranian people. The U.S. feared disruption in the global oil supply and worried about Iran falling prey to Soviet influence. The British feared the loss of cheap Iranian oil.
President Dwight Eisenhower decided it was best for the U.S. and the U.K. to get rid of Mossadegh. Operation Ajax, a joint CIA-British operation, convinced the Shah of Iran, the country’s monarch, to dismiss Mossadegh and drive him from office by force. Mossadegh was replaced by a much more Western-friendly prime minister, handpicked by the CIA.
Demonstrators in Tehran demand the establishment of an Islamic republic. AP Photo/Saris
1979: Revolutionaries oust the shah, take hostages
After more than 25 years of relative stability in U.S.-Iran relations, the Iranian public had grown unhappy with the social and economic conditions that developed under the dictatorial rule of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.
Iranian students at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran show a blindfolded American hostage to the crowd in November 1979. AP Photo
In October 1979, President Jimmy Carter agreed to allow the shah to come to the U.S. to seek advanced medical treatment. Outraged Iranian students stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran on Nov. 4, taking 52 Americans hostage. That convinced Carter to sever U.S. diplomatic relations with Iran on April 7, 1980.
Two weeks later, the U.S. military launched a mission to rescue the hostages, but it failed, with aircraft crashes killing eight U.S. servicemembers.
The shah died in Egypt in July 1980, but the hostages weren’t released until Jan. 20, 1981, after 444 days of captivity.
An Iranian cleric, left, and an Iranian soldier wear gas masks to protect themselves against Iraqi chemical-weapons attacks in May 1988. Kaveh Kazemi/Getty Images
The U.S. was concerned that the conflict would limit the flow of Middle Eastern oil and wanted to ensure the conflict didn’t affect its close ally, Saudi Arabia.
U.S. officials moderated their usual opposition to those illegal and inhumane weapons because the U.S. State Department did not “wish to play into Iran’s hands by fueling its propaganda against Iraq.” In 1988, the war ended in a stalemate. More than 500,000 military and 100,000 civilians died.
1981-1986: US secretly sells weapons to Iran
The U.S. imposed an arms embargo after Iran was designated a state sponsor of terrorism in 1984. That left the Iranian military, in the middle of its war with Iraq, desperate for weapons and aircraft and vehicle parts to keep fighting.
The last shipment, of anti-tank missiles, was in October 1986. In November 1986, a Lebanese magazine exposed the deal. That revelation sparked the Iran-Contra scandal in the U.S., with Reagan’s officials found to have collected money from Iran for the weapons and illegally sent those funds to anti-socialist rebels – the Contras – in Nicaragua.
At a mass funeral for 76 of the 290 people killed in the shootdown of Iran Air 655, mourners hold up a sign depicting the incident. AP Photo/CP/Mohammad Sayyad
Either during or just after that exchange of gunfire, the Vincennes crew mistook a passing civilian Airbus passenger jet for an Iranian F-14 fighter. They shot it down, killing all 290 people aboard.
The U.S. called it a “tragic and regrettable accident,” but Iran believed the plane’s downing was intentional. In 1996, the U.S. agreed to pay US$131.8 million in compensation to Iran.
1997-1998: The US seeks contact
In August 1997, a moderate reformer, Mohammad Khatami, won Iran’s presidential election.
U.S. President Bill Clinton sensed an opportunity. He sent a message to Tehran through the Swiss ambassador there, proposing direct government-to-government talks.
Shortly thereafter, in early January 1998, Khatami gave an interview to CNN in which he expressed “respect for the great American people,” denounced terrorism and recommended an “exchange of professors, writers, scholars, artists, journalists and tourists” between the United States and Iran.
However, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei didn’t agree, so not much came of the mutual overtures as Clinton’s time in office came to an end.
In his 2002 State of the Union address, President George W. Bush characterized Iran, Iraq and North Korea as constituting an “Axis of Evil” supporting terrorism and pursuing weapons of mass destruction, straining relations even further.
Inside these buildings at the Natanz nuclear facility in Iran, technicians enrich uranium. AP Photo/Vahid Salemi
That was a violation of the terms of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, which Iran had signed, requiring countries to disclose their nuclear-related facilities to international inspectors.
One of those formerly secret locations, Natanz, housed centrifuges for enriching uranium, which could be used in civilian nuclear reactors or enriched further for weapons.
Starting in roughly 2005, U.S. and Israeli government cyberattackers together reportedly targeted the Natanz centrifuges with a custom-made piece of malicious software that became known as Stuxnet.
An excerpt of the document sent from Iran, via the Swiss government, to the U.S. State Department in 2003, appears to seek talks between the U.S. and Iran. Washington Post via Scribd
In May 2003, senior Iranian officials quietly contacted the State Department through the Swiss embassy in Iran, seeking “a dialogue ‘in mutual respect,’” addressing four big issues: nuclear weapons, terrorism, Palestinian resistance and stability in Iraq.
Hardliners in the Bush administration weren’t interested in any major reconciliation, though Secretary of State Colin Powell favored dialogue and other officials had met with Iran about al-Qaida.
When Iranian hardliner Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was elected president of Iran in 2005, the opportunity died. The following year, Ahmadinejad made his own overture to Washington in an 18-page letter to President Bush. The letter was widely dismissed; a senior State Department official told me in profane terms that it amounted to nothing.
After a decade of unsuccessful attempts to rein in Iran’s nuclear ambitions, the Obama administration undertook a direct diplomatic approach beginning in 2013.
Iran, the U.S., China, France, Germany, Russia and the United Kingdom signed the deal in 2015. It severely limited Iran’s capacity to enrich uranium and mandated that international inspectors monitor and enforce Iran’s compliance with the agreement.
In return, Iran was granted relief from international and U.S. economic sanctions. Though the inspectors regularly certified that Iran was abiding by the agreement’s terms, President Donald Trump withdrew from the agreement in May 2018.
2020: US drones kill Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani
At the time, the Trump administration asserted that Soleimani was directing an imminent attack against U.S. assets in the region, but officials have not provided clear evidence to support that claim.
Hamas’ brazen attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, provoked a fearsome militarized response from Israel that continues today and served to severely weaken Iran’s proxies in the region, especially Hamas – the perpetrator of the attacks – and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
2025: Trump 2.0 and Iran
Trump saw an opportunity to forge a new nuclear deal with Iran and to pursue other business deals with Tehran. Once inaugurated for his second term, Trump appointed Steve Witkoff, a real estate investor who is the president’s friend, to serve as special envoy for the Middle East and to lead negotiations.
Negotiations for a nuclear deal between Washington and Tehran began in April, but the countries did not reach a deal. They were planning a new round of talks when Israel struck Iran with a series of airstrikes on June 13, forcing the White House to reconsider is position.
On June 22, in the early morning hours, the U.S. chose to act decisively in an attempt to cripple Iran’s nuclear capacity, bombing three nuclear sites and causing what Pentagon officials called “severe damage.” Iran vowed to retaliate.
This story has been updated to reflect the U.S. bombing of Iranian nuclear sites on June 22, 2025.
Jeffrey Fields receives funding from the Carnegie Corporation of New York and Schmidt Futures.
This story was written by Elssa Gbeily, a former strategic communications consultant for the UN Department of Peace Operations focused on gender, peace and security.
Every June, Pride Month highlights the rights and identities of LGBTIQ+* people. For the UN and its peacekeepers, Pride is more than a celebration—it is a call to uphold our shared responsibility to protect the rights and dignity of all people, no matter their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Many peacekeeping missions operate in environments where LGBTIQ+ people face stigma, discrimination, or legal barriers. Despite these challenges, missions are finding context-sensitive ways to support rights-based inclusion without jeopardizing their impartiality or host country relations.
For the UN peacekeeping missions in Kosovo** and Cyprus, advancing the rights of LGBTIQ+ people has become not only a human rights imperative, but a concrete strategy for building trust, strengthening social cohesion, and preventing conflict.
On the island of Cyprus, Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots live on either side of a UN-administered buffer zone. Although Cyprus became independent in 1960 with a constitution intended to balance the interests of both communities, a series of constitutional crises led to the outbreak of violence in 1963. A UN peacekeeping mission, UNFICYP, was subsequently established and today helps maintain peace along the buffer zone.
Fostering trust and reconciliation between the two communities is a key part of UNFICYP’s work to promote peace. The mission works with civil society, diplomats, international organizations and local communities to host events that bring people together and has found an ally in the LGBTIQ+ community as a powerful agent for reconciliation.
Working with LGBTIQ+ communities from both sides of the island, the mission has supported Pride events across the island, including a Queer film festival and a joint conference on LGBTIQ+ rights in health and education that was organized by local organizations and the British High Commission, and hosted inside the UN buffer zone.
“For me, it really highlights how despite obstacles we are able to gather, we were able to organize collective events, and we are able to show a way forward,” explains Theo Ieronymides, a local Cypriot and co-founder of the Queer Collective, an initiative that connects LGBTIQ+ persons across the divide.
By supporting initiatives that build bridges between Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriot communities, UNFICYP and its LGBTIQ+ partners are fostering mutual recognition and breaking down identity-based divisions that fuel tensions.
“LGBTIQ+ people, and those working with them to secure their rights, have proved time and again the value of communities in providing support and driving change,” emphasized UN Secretary-General António Guterres in May.
Supporting human rights in Kosovo for inclusive governance and durable conflict resolution
Following the 1999 conflict in Kosovo, which left deep divisions between ethnic communities, the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) promotes human rights and fosters reconciliation. Advancing LGBTIQ+ rights is integral to this work, as inclusion and equality are key to building trust and achieving lasting peace.
Together with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), UNMIK has supported efforts to combat discrimination—such as supporting Kosovo’s first-ever Pride parade in 2017.
UNMIK also serves on Kosovo’s Advisory and Coordination Group on LGBTI Rights, alongside government, civil society and international actors. It provides technical input, particularly on anti-discrimination policy, and helped draft the upcoming “Action Plan for the Rights of LGBTI Persons in Kosovo 2024–2026”—the first of its kind in Kosovo. The plan covers health, education and culture, anti-discrimination, and awareness-raising, and seeks to enhance cooperation between government institutions and civil society.
UNMIK supports the Civil Society Human Rights Network—a coalition of seven local organizations defending marginalized groups, including LGBTIQ+ persons. The network documents rights violations, promotes legal reform, and raises awareness. Its 2024 report highlights issues such as hate crimes and lack of healthcare and shelter, urging legislative action to protect gender identity and legalize same-sex unions.
By working with the LGBTIQ+ community and other partners to combat inequality and discrimination, UNMIK plays a vital role in promoting human rights, reconciliation and security in Kosovo. These actions not only benefit the LGBTIQ+ community, they help build a more inclusive, cohesive society where peace is more likely to be sustained for future generations.
The experiences of Cyprus and Kosovo offer valuable lessons for other missions seeking to promote inclusion in deeply divided contexts, demonstrating that even in fragile environments, small, locally driven initiatives can lay the groundwork for broader societal transformation.
LGBTIQ+ inclusion as a foundation for lasting peace
In June 2024, the UN launched its inaugural strategy to mainstream LGBTIQ+ inclusion across all areas of its work, including peacekeeping. Building on the UN Free & Equal campaign, launched in 2013 by the UN Human Rights Office, the strategy strengthens the UN’s commitment to recognizing the rights, needs and contributions of LGBTIQ+ persons. Together, these initiatives seek to enhance the inclusiveness and effectiveness of peace, humanitarian and development efforts.
Implementing this vision in peacekeeping contexts can present challenges. “Many UN missions are deployed to countries where issues related to LGBTIQ+ people are taboo and LGBTIQ+ persons and organizations can face legal restrictions, which can make these issues difficult to raise,” says Albert Trithart, a research fellow at the International Peace Institute and author of one of the first reports on LGBTIQ+ inclusion in UN peacekeeping.
However, he sees the adoption of the LBGTIQ+ strategy as an opportunity. “The strategy requires UN missions—and the whole UN Secretariat—to integrate the protection and promotion of the rights of LGBTIQ+ persons in programming and to ‘ensure safe and meaningful engagement of LGBTIQ+ persons in programmes and policies that impact them.’” He sees many areas where peacekeeping can help advance LGBTIQ+ rights, and peace more broadly, as part of their current work. “One area is reporting. Violence against LGBTIQ+ people is often invisible, especially in contexts of armed conflict. Missions that are already reporting on conflict-related sexual violence could help draw attention to violence specifically targeting people on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity.” By better understanding the dynamics of violence, peacekeeping missions can better address them and more effectively promote security.
Together, UN Peacekeeping, UN Member States and our other partners can expand on the work being done with LGBTIQ+ communities to protect their rights and advance more inclusive, sustainable peace. “Working as one, we must push to repeal discriminatory laws, combat violence and harmful practices, and end the scapegoating of marginalized communities,” said Secretary-General Guterres in May. “We will not rest until the rights of all are a reality, no matter who they are or whom they love.”
*LGBTIQ+ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ+) persons
**References to Kosovo shall be understood to be in the context of Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999)
SCARPERIA E SAN PIERO, Italy, June 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitget, the leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company, is teaming up with MotoGP, the highest class of motorcycle road racing events, in a high-octane partnership that merges the breakneck speed of racing with the high-stakes precision of crypto trading. As the newly minted Regional Partner for select Grand Prix events across Europe and Southeast Asia, Bitget is bringing crypto onto the track, and into the fast lane.
Kicking off at the iconic Mugello Circuit during the Italian Grand Prix, the collaboration marks a new era where precision engineering meets algorithmic agility, and where every second, like every trade, has the power to make it count.
Bitget’s partnership will speed across multiple marquee MotoGP events in 2025, including Italy, Germany, Spain, and Indonesia, bringing together fans of motorsport and crypto under one roaring banner of performance, resilience, and speed.
“Racing is a sport of milliseconds; crypto is a market of micro-decisions. This partnership is our way of showing the world that success — on the track or on the charts — comes down to smart moves and fearless execution,” said Gracy Chen, CEO at Bitget.“We’re excited to join MotoGP in putting power, precision, and potential into the hands of every user and every fan.”
At the heart of the campaign is three-time MotoGP World Champion Jorge Lorenzo, whose relentless pursuit of perfection makes him a fitting icon for Bitget’s iconic “Make It Count” slogan.
“I’ve always believed that you win races not just on instinct — but by making every lap, every line, every second count. It’s the same mindset Bitget brings to trading, and I’m proud to be part of this story,” said Jorge Lorenzo. “The worlds of MotoGP and crypto aren’t as different as they seem — they both reward those who stay sharp and think fast.”
The campaign features trackside activations, exclusive VIP experiences, and a series of cross-platform digital initiatives. At Mugello, KOLs and media will get behind-the-scenes access to the paddock and rider interactions, blending all the high-octane energy of race weekend, wrapped in a sleek, Bitget-branded experience.
“MotoGP is built on precision, innovation, and high-speed decisions — values that align naturally with Bitget,” agreed MotoGP CCO Dan Rossomondo.
This collaboration follows Bitget’s headline partnerships with Lionel Messi, Juventus, and LALIGA, reinforcing its track record in bridging the gap between crypto and culture. With over 120 million users globally and a daily trading volume topping $20 billion, Bitget continues to shift the narrative from volatility to victory.
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 at the forefront of 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.
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.
About MotoGP
Faster. Forward. Fearless. Since 1949, MotoGP™ has grown into a global sports and entertainment brand with an incredible legacy and an even more exciting future. Each season, the greatest riders from across the globe come together to race the fastest prototype motorcycles on some of the world’s greatest racetracks – creating the most exciting sport on Earth.
SCARPERIA E SAN PIERO, Italy, June 22, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bitget, the leading cryptocurrency exchange and Web3 company, is teaming up with MotoGP, the highest class of motorcycle road racing events, in a high-octane partnership that merges the breakneck speed of racing with the high-stakes precision of crypto trading. As the newly minted Regional Partner for select Grand Prix events across Europe and Southeast Asia, Bitget is bringing crypto onto the track, and into the fast lane.
Kicking off at the iconic Mugello Circuit during the Italian Grand Prix, the collaboration marks a new era where precision engineering meets algorithmic agility, and where every second, like every trade, has the power to make it count.
Bitget’s partnership will speed across multiple marquee MotoGP events in 2025, including Italy, Germany, Spain, and Indonesia, bringing together fans of motorsport and crypto under one roaring banner of performance, resilience, and speed.
“Racing is a sport of milliseconds; crypto is a market of micro-decisions. This partnership is our way of showing the world that success — on the track or on the charts — comes down to smart moves and fearless execution,” said Gracy Chen, CEO at Bitget.“We’re excited to join MotoGP in putting power, precision, and potential into the hands of every user and every fan.”
At the heart of the campaign is three-time MotoGP World Champion Jorge Lorenzo, whose relentless pursuit of perfection makes him a fitting icon for Bitget’s iconic “Make It Count” slogan.
“I’ve always believed that you win races not just on instinct — but by making every lap, every line, every second count. It’s the same mindset Bitget brings to trading, and I’m proud to be part of this story,” said Jorge Lorenzo. “The worlds of MotoGP and crypto aren’t as different as they seem — they both reward those who stay sharp and think fast.”
The campaign features trackside activations, exclusive VIP experiences, and a series of cross-platform digital initiatives. At Mugello, KOLs and media will get behind-the-scenes access to the paddock and rider interactions, blending all the high-octane energy of race weekend, wrapped in a sleek, Bitget-branded experience.
“MotoGP is built on precision, innovation, and high-speed decisions — values that align naturally with Bitget,” agreed MotoGP CCO Dan Rossomondo.
This collaboration follows Bitget’s headline partnerships with Lionel Messi, Juventus, and LALIGA, reinforcing its track record in bridging the gap between crypto and culture. With over 120 million users globally and a daily trading volume topping $20 billion, Bitget continues to shift the narrative from volatility to victory.
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 at the forefront of 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.
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.
About MotoGP
Faster. Forward. Fearless. Since 1949, MotoGP™ has grown into a global sports and entertainment brand with an incredible legacy and an even more exciting future. Each season, the greatest riders from across the globe come together to race the fastest prototype motorcycles on some of the world’s greatest racetracks – creating the most exciting sport on Earth.
In the early hours of June 22, 2025, local time, the United States attacked three nuclear facilities in Iran with “bunker buster” bombs and Tomahawk missiles.
The Conversation U.S. turned to Javed Ali, an expert on Middle East affairs at the University of Michigan and a former senior official at the National Security Council during the first Trump administration, to talk through why Trump chose now to act and what the potential repercussions could be.
What do we know about the nature and timing of US involvement?
President Trump has been forcefully hinting for days days that such a strike could happen, while at the same time opening up a window of negotiation by suggesting as late as June 20 that he would make a decision “within the next two weeks.” We know Trump can be very unpredictable, but he must have assessed that the current conditions presented an opportunity for U.S. action.
Trump met with the National Security Council twice in the days leading up to the strike. Typically at such meetings the president is presented with a menu of military options, which usually boil down to three: a narrow option, a middle ground and a “if you really want to go big” strike.
The one he picked, I would argue, is somewhere between the narrow option and the middle ground one.
The “go big” options would have been an attack on nuclear sites and Iranian leadership – be that senior members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, or possibly the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The more narrow approach would have been just one facility, likely to have been Fordo – a deeply fortified uranium enrichment site buried within a mountain.
What did occur was a strike there, but also at two other sites – Isfahan and Natanz.
U.S. military chiefs confirmed that that 12 GBU-57s – the so-called 30,000-pound bunker busters – were dropped by B-2 bombers on Fordo, and two on Isfahan.
That suggests to me that the military goal of the operation was to destroy Iran’s ability to produce and or store highly enriched uranium in a one-time strike rather than drag the U.S. into a more prolonged conflict.
Has the strike achieved Trump’s objectives?
It will take some time to properly assess the extent to which Iran’s ability to produce or store highly enriched uranium has been damaged.
Certainly we know that the bombs hit their targets, and they have been damaged – but to what extent is not immediately clear. General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that all three target sites had suffered “extremely severe damage and destruction” – possibly rolling back from Trump’s “fully obliterated” assessment. Perhaps most tellingly, Iran has not commented yet on the extent of the damage.
But to Trump, the objective was not just military but political, too. Trump has long said “no” to a nuclear Iran while at the same time has expressed that he has no desire to drag the U.S. into another war.
And this strike may allow Trump to achieve those seemingly contradictory goals. If U.S. initial assessments are correct, Iran’s nuclear program will have been severely compromised. But the strikes won’t necessarily pull U.S. into the conflict fully – unless Iran retaliates in such a way that necessitates further U.S. action.
And that is what Iran’s supreme leader and his military generals will need to work out: Should Iran retaliate and, if so, is it prepared to deal with a heavier U.S. military response – especially when there is no end in sight to its current conflict with Israel.
An operational timeline of a strike on Iran is displayed during a news conference with U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on June 22, 2025. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
What options does Iran have to retaliate against US?
Iran has in the past tried to respond proportionately to any attack. But here is the problem for Iran’s leaders: There is no feasible proportionate response to the United States. Iran has no capability to hit nuclear plants in the U.S. – either conventionally or through unconventional warfare.
But there are tens of thousands of U.S. troops in the region, stationed in Iraq, Syria, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar and Jordan. All are in range of Iran’s ballistic, drones or cruise missiles.
But that military inventory has been depleted – both by using ballistic missiles in waves of attacks against Israel and by Israel hitting missile launch and storage sites in Iran.
Similarly, Tehran’s capacity to respond through one of its proxy or aligned groups in the region has been degraded. Hezbollah in Lebanon and Gaza’s Hamas – both of whom have ties to Iran – are in survival mode following damaging attacks from Israel over the past 18 months.
The Houthis in Yemen are in many ways the “last man standing” in Iran’s so-called “Axis of Resistance.” But the Houthis have limited capability and know that if they do attack U.S. assets, they will likely get hit hard. During Operation Rough Rider from March to May this year, the Trump administration launched over 1,000 strikes against the Houthis.
Meanwhile Shia militias in Iraq and Syria that could be encouraged to attack U.S. bases haven’t been active in months.
Of course, Iran could look outside the region. In the past the country has been involved in assassinations, kidnappings and terror attacks abroad that were organized through its Quds Force or via operatives of MOIS, its intelligence service.
But for Iran’s leaders, it is increasingly looking like a lose-lose proposition. If they don’t respond in a meaningful way, they look weak and more vulnerable. But if they do hit U.S. targets in any meaningful way, they will invite a stronger U.S. involvement in the conflict, as Trump has warned.
On that occasion, Iran promised a strong retaliation. Its retaliatory attack against the U.S. Ain al-Asad air base in Iraq involved 27 ballistic missiles and caused the physical destruction of some of the facilities on base as well as traumatic brain injury-type symptoms to dozens of troops and personnel, but no deaths. Nevertheless, after this both the U.S. and Iran then backed off from deepening the conflict.
The circumstances now are very different. Iran is already at war with Israel. Moreover, the U.S. went after Iran’s crown jewels – its nuclear program – and it was on Iranian territory. Nonetheless, Khameini knows that if he retaliates, he risks provoking a larger response.
Trump suggested ‘further attacks’ could occur. What could that entail?
The U.S. has suggested that it has the intelligence and ability to hit senior leadership in Iran. And any “go big option” would have likely involved strikes on key personnel. Similarly there could be plans to hit the Iranian economy by attacking oil and gas targets.
A satellite image of the Fordo nuclear facility in Iran prior to the U.S. strike on June 22, 2025. Maxar/Getty
But such actions risk either damaging the global economy or drawing the U.S. deeper into the conflict – it would evolve from a “one and done” strike to a cycle of attacks and responses. And that could widen political cracks between hawks in the administration and parts of Trump’s MAGA faithful who are against the U.S. being involved in overseas wars.
Is there any opportunity of a return to diplomacy?
Trump has not closed his “two weeks” window for talks – theoretically it is still open.
But will Iran come to table? Leaders there had already said they were not willing to entertain any deal while under attack from Israel. Araghchi, Iran’s foreign minister, said after the U.S. strikes that the time for diplomacy had now passed.
In any event, you have to ask, what can Iran come to the table with? Do they have much of a nuclear program anymore? And if not, what would they try to negotiate? It would seem, using one of Trump’s phrases, they “don’t have the cards” to make much of a deal.
Javed Ali does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
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