Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
At a fully automated production line in south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, cans of energy drinks rolled off conveyors, destined for shelves across China.
Operated by Thai conglomerate T.C. Pharmaceutical Industries Co., Ltd., this 1.3-billion-yuan (about 180.8 million U.S. dollars) facility with four automated production lines exemplifies the deepening foothold of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in China’s consumer market.
Launched in January this year, the plant generated 75 million yuan in first-quarter output value, matching expectations.
“China’s 1.4-billion-strong market, undergoing dual upgrades in consumption and industrial chains, is unlocking opportunities for high-level opening up,” said Bai Ming, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation. “ASEAN, as our close neighbor, is uniquely positioned to share these dividends.”
Despite global trade headwinds, China-ASEAN trade surged 9.2 percent year on year to 2.38 trillion yuan in the first four months of 2025, with ASEAN retaining its position as China’s top trading partner, according to China’s General Administration of Customs (GAC).
Guangxi, the country’s gateway to ASEAN, brings this partnership to life. At a center for China-ASEAN specialty commodities in Nanning, capital of Guangxi, Singaporean specialty dishes and Thai spices sit alongside Cambodian rice — all purchasable with a quick QR code scan.
Since its launch in 2022, the center has featured over 5,500 types of products, serving as a one-stop platform for cross-border trade. Malaysian durian mooncakes find their way to Chinese dining tables via promotional livestreaming, while Chinese cosmetics gain traction in ASEAN markets thanks to multilingual influencers’ skillful introduction.
Such centers tackled what was previously a headache for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in ASEAN — a lack of access to efficient cross-border industrial chains and storage solutions.
“By providing these solutions and value-added supporting services, the center helps SMEs in ASEAN capitalize on China’s ultra-large market, facilitating smoother exchanges of high-quality products between China and ASEAN countries,” said Lu Chunmei, a deputy general manager at the center.
This growing trade between China and ASEAN is also reshaping careers. In the bustling cross-border e-commerce training base of Guangxi International Business Vocational College, Indonesian student Putriyani enthusiastically showcased Chinese specialty products to global buyers via livestreaming. Nearby, her classmates from Vietnam, Thailand and Laos could be seen promoting products in their native languages.
As the first college in Guangxi to offer cross-border e-commerce training programs, this institution graduates some 300 professionals annually, nurturing a talent pool fluent in both ASEAN languages and digital trade.
“As the combined population of China and ASEAN accounts for about a quarter of the world’s total, their integrated development has continuously unleashed market potential, establishing an exemplary model of cooperation amid global headwinds,” said Lyu Daliang, spokesperson for the GAC.
This synergy is set to deepen with the recent completion of negotiations on the Version 3.0 China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (CAFTA), the world’s largest free trade zone among developing countries. The upgraded pact will introduce nine new chapters, including digital economy and support for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises that account for the majority of ASEAN’s business entities.
Feng Gui, a law professor at Guangxi University of Finance and Economics, said the conclusion of CAFTA 3.0 negotiations will significantly enhance industrial capacity, technological collaboration and trade ties between China and ASEAN, accelerating their economic growth and industrialization.
“This breakthrough provides renewed support for the multilateral trading system while charting the right pathway for the majority of countries committed to preserving free trade principles,” he added.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
China’s second-hand car exports to Belt and Road partner countries are surging, with deals worth over 1 billion yuan (about 139 million U.S. dollars) at a trade event held on Wednesday in Chengdu, capital of southwest China’s Sichuan Province, underscoring rising global demand for China’s quality used cars at competitive prices.
The growth follows China’s full opening of used car exports in March 2024, accelerating access to Belt and Road markets where auto consumption is growing, as highlighted at the First Sichuan Used Car Export Supply-Demand Matchmaking Conference, which drew nearly 40 trade groups and buyers from 10 countries including Russia, Iran, Vietnam and Nigeria.
“Buyers arrived with clear purchase needs,” said Huang Ruoyu, who oversees the used car export branch at the China Automobile Dealers Association, adding that Belt and Road partner countries now experiencing auto market upgrades increasingly favor China’s cost-effective offerings.
Georgii Ruabtsev, vice president of the Russian-Asian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, called the event a “bridge” for global demand, while proposing a joint China-Russia used car trading platform.
Iman Ashtari Talkhestani, representing Iran’s Tehran Car Dealers and Exhibitions Union, emphasized investment opportunities by noting that Iran’s used car market is growing rapidly and promising strong returns in the short and long term.
Sichuan exported over 10,000 used cars worth 1.4 billion yuan from January to April 2025, a 32 percent increase year on year, according to Qiao Fang, deputy head of the Sichuan Provincial Department of Commerce, who added that used car exports have become Sichuan’s new trade growth engine.
The province also released an overseas cooperation opportunity list and an industry self-discipline convention at the conference, while setting up contact centers in six countries to drive sustainable global supply chains.
China has launched exports of second-hand cars in May 2019, with an expansion in late 2022 that allowed Sichuan to conduct exports of second-hand cars.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
The China-Germany (China-Europe) Hidden Champions Forum 2025 concluded in Beijing on Tuesday. The importance of investment and collaboration in Chinese market is repeatedly emphasized during three days of in-depth discussions on industrial chain resilience, policy access and new technology cooperation.
The forum brought together over 600 representatives from China and abroad, including company executives, government officials, and industry leaders.
Hidden champions refer to highly successful yet lesser-known small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that are global leaders in terms of market share in their respective niches.
Würth Group is a hidden champion that provides over 125,000 product variants, from screws to chemical-technical products for automotive maintenance, assembly technology, rail transportation, etc.
Harald Unkelbach, board member of Würth Group, highlighted the reliability and predictability of the Chinese market for foreign investors, noting that the group plans to increase its investment in China further, as it has already established 38 affiliated enterprises there.
Amid rapid digitalization, forum participants emphasized the urgent need for SME digital transformation and supply chain modernization.
According to Jiang Xiaojuan, professor at University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, digital platforms are helping SMEs engaged in cross-border research and development address challenges like low levels of product localization and slow development cycles.
Another discussion point was the technological complementarity between China and Germany. Ivka Ocharova from Karlsruhe Institute of Technology noted that while Germany excels in foundational knowledge development and manufacturing technology, China leads in generative AI and applied technologies. This complementary dynamic creates vast potential for cooperation.
The innovation cluster network is one of the attractive aspects of Beijing, the host city of this forum. Beijing ranks third in the World Intellectual Property Organization’s Science and Technology Cluster Ranking 2024 and that its GDP surged 5.2 percent to 4.98 trillion yuan (about 692.69 billion U.S. dollars) last year, noted Mu Peng, vice mayor of Beijing.
Beijing has continued to improve the business environment by aligning with international standards, and over 8,300 foreign-funded enterprises have been established here in the past five years.
Peng Jian, expert at International Cooperation Center of National Development and Reform Commission, pointed to the evolving role of hidden champions, with many transitioning from “in China, for China” to “in China, for the World.” He added that German enterprises set up research and development links in China for products intended for global emerging markets and gain technical inspiration from this process.
Hans-Peter Friedrich, former vice president of the German Bundestag, said that not investing in China means missing out on prime access to Asia’s vast regional market.
Friedrich shared a proverb at the forum that received applause from the guests in attendance: When the winds of change blow, some people build walls, others build windmills. He expressed the hope to collaborate with China to jointly create more “windmills” and promote shared development, especially during period of transformation.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Arsenal is close to completing a deal to sign Spain international midfielder Martin Zubimendi for a fee of 60 million euros (68 million US dollars) from Real Sociedad.
Both the Spanish and UK media report Zubimendi is in London to have his medical check, with the deal expected to be completed in the coming hours.
He will be the second Spain international midfielder to join Arsenal from Real Sociedad in a year after Mikel Merino made the same move in the summer of 2024.
Whereas Merino is used to playing a more advanced role and even ended the season playing as a striker, Zubimendi tends to play in just ahead of the defense in a holding role, although he is capable of pushing further upfield.
Arsenal views him as a replacement for Thomas Partey, who is currently the only true holding midfielder at the club.
26-year-old Zubimendi progressed through the Real Sociedad youth system, making his first team debut at the end of the 2017-18 season, becoming established in the first team in the 2020-21 campaign.
He has made 232 first team appearances, scoring 10 goals, while he has also played 17 times for Spain.
Real Madrid were also interested in signing the midfielder, who nevertheless has preferred a move abroad out of respect for the fans of the club he has so-far represented all his career.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
The seventh stage (SS7) of the Taklimakan Rally unfolded Wednesday, with strong winds and dust storms forcing competitors to slow down on the short, technically moderate 82-kilometer route.
Veteran rider Martin Michek, drawing on extensive off-road experience, was the first to cross the finish line, showing dominant form through the sandstorm again. His Lithuanian teammate, Arunas Gelazninkas, maintained a steady approach, overcoming multiple dune entrapments to complete the stage safely.
Driver Fei Wei and co-driver Qu Shanshun of China compete during Stage 7 of the 2025 Taklimakan Rally in Kashgar, northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, May 28, 2025. (Xinhua/Xin Yuewei)
Among the riders, joy and grit marked the finish.
“The Taklimakan Rally is my life. If there’s a rally, I’ll be here,” said local rider Zakir Yhep.
While the motorcycle field saw a clear leader emerge, the car category remained fiercely competitive. Several top contenders — including Liu Yangui, Fan Gaoxiang and Tao Yongming — remain in close contention for the overall title.
As the rally heads into its final sprint stages through vast dune fields, the stakes are higher than ever.
“We’re sticking to our rhythm and staying consistent,” said Fan. “All the pressure is on our mechanics and support crew. Huge thanks to them for their hard work.”
The rally will pause for its final rest day Thursday before moving into the decisive stages in Makit County, Kashgar Prefecture.
Its official. Samoa’s Parliament will be dissolved next week and the country will have an early return to the polls.
The confirmation comes after a dramatic day in Parliament on Tuesday, which saw the government’s budget voted down at its first reading.
In a live address today, Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata’afa confirmed the dissolution of Parliament.
The official notice of the dissolution of Samoa’s Legislative Assembly. May 2025
“Upon the adjournment of Parliament yesterday, I met with the Head of State and tendered my advice to dissolve Parliament,” she said.
Fiame said that advice was accepted, and the Head of State has confirmed that the official dissolution of Parliament will take place on Tuesday, June 3.
According to Samoa’s constitution, an election must be held within three months of parliament being dissolved.
Fiame reassured the public that constitutional arrangements are in place to ensure the elections are held lawfully and smoothly.
Caretaker mode In the meantime, she said the government would operate in caretaker mode with oversight on public expenditure.
“There are constitutional provisions governing the use of public funds by a caretaker government,” she said.
PM Fiame Naomi Mata’afa in Parliament on Tuesday . . . Parliament will go into caretaker mode. Image: Samoan Govt /RNZ Pacific
“Priority will be given to ensuring that the machinery of government continues to function.”
She also took a moment to thank the public for their prayers and support during this time.
Despite the political instability, Fiame said Samoa’s 63rd Independence Day celebrations would proceed as planned.
The official programme begins with a Thanksgiving Service on Sunday, June 1, at 6pm at Muliwai Cathedral.
This will be followed by a flag-raising ceremony on Monday, June 2, in front of the Government Building at Eleele Fou.
Source: United States Senator for Texas John Cornyn
TYLER – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) joined Sens. Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS), Mark Warner (D-VA), and 44 of his Senate colleagues in introducing the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act, which would improve access to care for seniors enrolled in Medicare Advantage (MA) plans at no cost to American taxpayers. The legislation focuses on streamlining the often cumbersome and time-consuming prior authorization process, ultimately allowing healthcare providers to spend more time on patient care rather than administrative burdens.
“Doctors and health care providers are too often bogged down by unnecessary burdens, which can lead to delayed care and negative outcomes for patients,” said Sen. Cornyn. “By streamlining the prior authorization process under Medicare Advantage, this legislation would cut red tape, improve enrollee experiences, and ensure seniors receive the timely care they deserve.”
Additional cosponsors include U.S. Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH), John Fetterman (D-PA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), James Lankford (R-OK), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Andy Kim (D-NJ), John Boozman (R-AR), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Tina Smith (D-MN), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ted Budd (R-NC), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tim Sheehy (R-MT), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), John Hoeven (R-ND), Rick Scott (R-FL), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Chris Coons (D-DE).
Background:
Prior authorization is a tool used by health plans to reduce unnecessary care by requiring health care providers to get pre-approval for medical services. However, the current system often results in multiple faxes or phone calls by clinicians, which takes precious time away from delivering care. Prior authorization continues to be the number-one administrative burden identified by health care providers, and nearly three out of four Medicare Advantage enrollees are subject to unnecessary delays due to the practice.
The Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act would codify and enhance elements of the Advancing Interoperability and Improving Prior Authorization Processes (e-PA) rule that was finalized by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on January 17, 2024.
Last Congress, the bill was supported by a super majority of members in the Senate (60) and a majority in the House (232), and was unanimously passed by the House in 2022. In 2018, the Office of the Inspector General at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) raised concerns after an audit revealed that Medicare Advantage plans ultimately approved 75% of requests that were originally denied. In 2022, the HHS Office of Inspector General released a report finding that MA plans incorrectly denied beneficiaries’ access to services even though they met Medicare coverage rules.
The Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act would:
Establish an electronic prior authorization process for Medicare Advantage plans, including a standardization for transactions and clinical attachments;
Increase transparency around Medicare Advantage prior authorization requirements and their use;
Clarify HHS’ authority to establish timeframes for e-prior authorization requests, including expedited determinations, real-time decisions for routinely approved items and services, and other prior authorization requests;
Expand beneficiary protections to improve enrollee experiences and outcomes;
Require HHS and other agencies to report to Congress on program integrity efforts and other ways to further improve the e-prior authorization process;
Source: United States Small Business Administration
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced today the opening of a Business Recovery Center (BRC) in Cameron County to assist small businesses, private nonprofit (PNP) organizations, and residents who sustained economic losses and physical damage from severe storms and flooding occurring March 26-28.
Beginning Thursday, May 29, SBA customer service representatives will be on hand at the Business Recovery Center in Harlingen to answer questions and assist with the disaster loan application process. No appointment is necessary, walk-ins are welcome. Those who prefer to schedule an in-person appointment in advance can do so at appointment.sba.gov.
The center’s hours of operation are as follows:
CAMERON COUNTY Business Recovery Center Harlingen Chamber of Commerce 311 E. Tyler Ave. Harlingen, TX 78559
“SBA’s Business Recovery Centers have consistently proven their value to business owners following a disaster,” said Chris Stallings, associate administrator of the Office of Disaster Recovery and Resilience at the SBA. “Business owners can visit these centers to meet face-to-face with specialists who will guide them through the disaster loan application process and connect them with resources to support their recovery.”
Businesses and nonprofits are eligible to apply for business physical disaster loans and may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.
Homeowners and renters are eligible to apply for home and personal property loans and may borrow up to $100,000 to replace or repair personal property, such as clothing, furniture, cars, and appliances. Homeowners may apply for up to $500,000 to replace or repair their primary residence.
Applicants may be eligible for a loan increase of up to 20% of their physical damages, as verified by the SBA, for mitigation purposes. Eligible mitigation improvements include insulating pipes, walls and attics, weather stripping doors and windows, and installing storm windows to help protect property and occupants from future disasters.
The SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program is available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, nurseries, and private nonprofit organizations impacted by financial losses directly related to these disasters. The SBA is unable to provide disaster loans to agricultural producers, farmers, or ranchers, except for small aquaculture enterprises.
EIDLs are available for working capital needs caused by the disaster and are available even if the business or PNP did not suffer any physical damage. The loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable, and other bills not paid due to the disaster.
Interest rates are as low as 4% for small businesses, 3.62% for nonprofits, and 2.75% for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years. Interest does not begin to accrue, and payments are not due until 12 months from the date of the first loan disbursement. The SBA determines eligibility and sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.
To apply online, visit sba.gov/disaster. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
The deadline to return physical damage applications is July 21, 2025. The deadline to return economic injury applications is Feb. 23, 2026.
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About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow, expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.
Few sports have witnessed a transformation as dramatic as darts in recent years.
From its origins as a pub game stereotypically played with cigarette and beer in hand, darts is now serious business.
With surging television ratings and huge demand for live events, the growth of darts continues to leave many sports looking on in envy.
There has been a combination of factors at play – not least one exceptionally prodigious teenager. Before discussing those factors, it’s worth taking a closer look at the numbers.
Becoming big business
Darts sits alongside a select few sports to have achieved significant commercial growth over the past decade.
In addition to the PDC World Championship – the sport’s premier knockout event – viewership records were also broken across the 2024 Premier League Darts season, a league-format competition featuring weekly fixtures between top-ranked players.
Outside the UK, darts viewership also continues to grow.
The Netherlands remains a strong and expanding heartland, while in Germany, viewership for the World Championship final has increased eightfold since 2008.
In Australia, precise viewing figures are not widely available, but the Foxtel Group’s landmark four-year deal with the PDC in 2023 suggests rising demand.
Surging audiences are translating into significantly larger broadcast deals.
In 2025, Sky Sports reportedly outbid Netflix to secure a new £125 million (A$260.3 million) deal for exclusive UK coverage of the PDC for 2026–30. That was double the size of the previous deal.
In contrast, many other sports face stagnation or even sharp declines in media rights value.
For instance, the UK Super League rugby’s rights on Sky Sports fell from £40 million (A$83.3 million) per season in 2021 to £21.5 million (A$44.5 million) in 2024.
Similarly, in soccer, the French Ligue 1’s TV deal with DAZN collapsed due to underwhelming subscriber numbers. Meanwhile, ESPN walked away from its long-standing agreement with Major League Baseball after unsuccessfully trying to cut its US$550 million (A$848 million) annual payment down to $200 million (A$309 million).
Prize money in darts has also exploded.
Next year, the winner of the two-week long World Championship will bank £1 million (A$2.08 million) – doubling this year’s purse.
Like Formula 1 and the UFC, darts benefits from being privately operated.
Without the typical bureaucracy and conflicting interests seen in many traditional sport governing bodies, the PDC can respond more quickly to audience preferences and market opportunities.
This streamlined, commercially driven approach has been key to darts’ growth.
The sport has been expertly tailored to modern audiences.
One of darts’ best-known selling points is the live event experience. The entertainment-first approach is known for loud music, the showmanship of player walk-ons, fancy dress from the crowd and yes, often plenty of alcohol.
The lines are blurred between sport and party and fans love it.
Culturally, darts is seen by many as fun, relatable, and rooted in working-class culture. After all, its heritage is in the pub.
Darts is ideally suited to modern sport media consumption habits: PLD matches last only 20–30 minutes and the up-close TV product works perfectly for social media highlight clips.
It is also one of the few sports where women compete directly against men.
This adds another layer of interest for fans and has helped elevate stars such as Fallon Sherrock, who made headlines in 2019 by becoming the first woman to win a match at the PDC World Championship, eventually reaching the final 32.
A prodigy emerges
The so-called “Littler Effect” has given darts’ profile a significant boost.
The emergence of talented teenager Luke Littler has broken new ground for the sport and drawn global interest.
The English prodigy, who has quickly risen to fame, is by far the sport’s biggest star, but it would be unfair to say darts is a one-man band.
Luke Humphries and Michael van Gerwen enjoy significant profiles while Phil Taylor is regarded as the sport’s greatest player. Australia’s Simon “The Wizard” Whitlock also forged a successful career.
There is also colourful two-time world champion Peter Wright.
Where to from here?
The success of darts reveals much about modern sports audiences and their preferences.
Darts does not rely on traditional ideas of athletic excellence, nor does it fit the Olympic ideal.
Darts’ success stems from remaining authentic to its working-class roots while evolving into an engaging commercial product suited for television, short-form content and digital media.
For darts to fully achieve its global potential, the next step has to be continued international growth. Although it has grown steadily in markets like Australia and throughout Asia, the UK remains darts’ dominant base.
As the global sports marketplace becomes more fragmented and competitive, darts is well positioned to continue growing.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Fatal traffic accident in Mong Kok At 3.16am, a private car driven by a 46-year-old male police officer was travelling along Nathan Road towards Yau Ma Tei. When approaching the junction of Nathan Road and Prince Edward Road West, the private car reportedly knocked down a 60-year-old foreign man who was crossing the road.
The man was trapped under the private car and subsequently rescued. Sustaining multiple injuries, he was rushed to Kwong Wah Hospital in unconscious state and was certified dead at 4.34am.
Investigation by the Special Investigation Team of Traffic, Kowloon West is under way.
Anyone who witnessed the accident or has any information to offer is urged to contact the investigating officers on 3661 9062.
A memory contributed to the Time Capsule by staff member Annabel, who had the opportunity to teach Jimmy Barnes the Vulcan Salute when he attended a graduation ceremony to receive an honorary doctorate, alongside fellow awardee George Takei – who portrayed the captain of the starship Enterprise in the original Star Trek TV series (left).
The University of South Australia’s Time Capsule is a fascinating trip back in time, bursting with vintage, celebrity and quirky memorabilia recorded over more than 150 years, including through preceding institutions.
The online collection already holds almost 400 visual mementos contributed by staff, students, alumni and community members. Yet there’s an element UniSA’s Acting Vice Chancellor Distinguished Professor Marnie Hughes-Warrington AO says is underrepresented – the unfashionable and outdated merchandise she knows is out there.
“I’m challenging the community to dig deep in their bottom drawers and storage boxes, seek out those outdated mugs, shirts, and hats that I know are out there,” Prof Hughes-Warrington says.
The UniSA Time Capsule is a work in progress – a collection of photos, videos and documents celebrating achievements, history and culture across the sweep of the University’s teaching, learning, research and community and campus activities. The goal is to capture special UniSA moments and personal reflections, preserving the University’s past before it joins with the University of Adelaide to begin its new chapter as Adelaide University.
“UniSA has a long legacy,” Prof Hughes-Warrington explains. “Including our antecedent institutions, our history goes back to 1856.
A makeup class for aspiring kindergarten teachers at a UniSA antecedent institution, circa 1960s
“We created this project to help our community tell the UniSA story as it relates to them. This is not a formal history of the University nor a repository for formal University records, it’s a people’s history.”
Prof Hughes-Warrington, a globally acknowledged philosopher and historian with many history publications to her credit, believes museums and history books have an important place in the world but making history accessible to people is what matters most.
“Most people connect with history visually, including through photos, films or television. It was important to us to create an experience where people could make history with us, not by giving us their objects, but by sharing their images, videos or other documents, memories that are important to them.
“History is all around us, it’s what we wear, it’s what we carry around. There is nothing too small that isn’t important in our own stories and the story of UniSA, so we’re absolutely delighted that our community is embracing this project and sharing their own pieces of history.
“Research shows that if people feel they are part of creating history and are involved in that process, they are more likely to contribute, to go and look at it, and the result will be a richer, more authentic story.”
Students in a UniSA antecedent institution’s Aboriginal Task Force program, 1973
Within the Time Capsule, Proppa Stories is capturing and sharing the unique history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders at UniSA.
The UniSA Time Capsule will continue collecting pieces of the University’s history until the end of the year, with many nostalgic, hilarious and proud moments already captured. From the conferral of Nelson Mandela’s honorary doctorate to art classes in the 1800s and teaching Jimmy Barnes the Star Trek Vulcan salute, the rich tapestry of UniSA’s legacy is taking shape for all to enjoy.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
China launches Tianwen-2 to retrieve asteroid samples
Updated: May 29, 2025 07:39Xinhua
China’s Tianwen-2 probe, atop a Long March-3B carrier rocket, lifts off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China’s Sichuan Province, May 29, 2025. China launched its first asteroid sample-return mission, Tianwen-2, in the early hours of Thursday, an endeavour to shed light on the formation and evolution of asteroids and the early solar system. The Tianwen-2 mission aims to achieve multiple goals over a decade-long expedition: collecting samples from the near-Earth asteroid 2016HO3 and exploring the main-belt comet 311P, which is more distant than Mars. [Photo/Xinhua]China’s Tianwen-2 probe, atop a Long March-3B carrier rocket, lifts off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China’s Sichuan Province, May 29, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]China’s Tianwen-2 probe, atop a Long March-3B carrier rocket, lifts off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China’s Sichuan Province, May 29, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]China’s Tianwen-2 probe, atop a Long March-3B carrier rocket, lifts off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China’s Sichuan Province, May 29, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]China’s Tianwen-2 probe, atop a Long March-3B carrier rocket, lifts off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China’s Sichuan Province, May 29, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]China’s Tianwen-2 probe, atop a Long March-3B carrier rocket, lifts off from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China’s Sichuan Province, May 29, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
9th Int’l Festival of Intangible Cultural Heritage held in Chengdu
Updated: May 29, 2025 08:19Xinhua
Visitors learn about Afghan carpets during the 9th International Festival of the Intangible Cultural Heritage held in Chengdu, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, May 28, 2025. The festival kicked off here on Wednesday, during which over 600 items of intangible cultural heritage from more than 60 countries and regions will be displayed. [Photo/Xinhua]Artists perform during the opening ceremony of the 9th International Festival of the Intangible Cultural Heritage held in Chengdu, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, May 28, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]Mai Bo Sang umbrella paintings are displayed during the 9th International Festival of the Intangible Cultural Heritage held in Chengdu, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, May 28, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Wednesday held individual meetings with foreign guests attending the Third China-Pacific Island Countries Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Xiamen, east China’s Fujian Province.
When meeting with Kiribati’s President and Foreign Minister Taneti Maamau, Wang conveyed Chinese President Xi Jinping’s sincere greetings and best wishes.
Wang noted that bilateral ties between China and Kiribati have developed rapidly and achieved fruitful results in various fields since the resumption of diplomatic relations more than five years ago. He said China appreciates Kiribati’s firm adherence to the one-China principle and is willing to work with Kiribati to continue pushing bilateral ties forward.
Maamau said that Kiribati adheres firmly to the one-China policy, and looks forward to strengthening cooperation with China in areas such as people-to-people and cultural exchange, medical and health care, infrastructure, sister-city exchange, the marine economy and climate change.
When meeting with Niue’s Premier and Foreign Minister Dalton Tagelagi, Wang said relations between China and Niue have become a model of equality and common development for countries of all sizes. He called on both countries to enhance cooperation in areas such as infrastructure, green development and climate change.
Tagelagi said that Niue values its relations with China and the close friendship between their two peoples, and supports the three major global initiatives proposed by China, as well as the high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road.
Niue is ready to continue promoting the development of the South Pacific region in the spirit of mutual respect, Tagelagi said.
When meeting with Tonga’s Crown Prince and Minister for Foreign Affairs Tupouto’a ‘Ulukalala, Wang conveyed Xi’s cordial greetings to Tongan King Tupou VI.
Wang said that China supports Tonga firmly in safeguarding its sovereignty, security and development interests, appreciates Tonga’s adherence to the one-China principle, and is willing to work with Tonga to implement the important consensus reached between the leaders of the two countries.
Tupouto’a ‘Ulukalala said that Tonga has always adhered firmly to the one-China policy and is willing to enhance its exchange of ideas with China, and to promote practical cooperation in such fields as health care and education. Tonga has a high appreciation for the concrete measures China has taken to assist Pacific Island countries in dealing with climate change, he added.
When meeting with Solomon Islands’ Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade Peter Shanel Agovaka, Wang said that China is willing to join hands with Solomon Islands to uphold multilateralism, safeguard the basic norms of international relations, and uphold international fairness and justice.
China supports Solomon Islands in its hosting of the 54th Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting this year, Wang said, expressing the hope that both countries will seize the opportunities the meeting presents and work together to promote development.
Agovaka said that Solomon Islands firmly opposes “Taiwan independence” and supports the efforts of the Chinese government to achieve national reunification.
Solomon Islands looks forward to strengthening its practical cooperation with China in areas such as education, policing, medical and health care, and cultural protection, Agovaka said.
When meeting with the Cook Islands’ Minister for Foreign Affairs and Immigration Tingika Elikana, Wang said that China has always attached great importance to its relations with the Cook Islands, and supports the Cook Islands in safeguarding its national sovereignty and in choosing a development path suited to its national conditions independently.
China is willing to work with the Cook Islands to uphold the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, and to build a fair, reasonable, cooperative and win-win global climate governance system, Wang said.
Elikana said that the Cook Islands will firmly adhere to the one-China principle, adding that the foreign ministers’ meeting between China and Pacific Island countries has created an opportunity to deepen cooperation between the two sides and strengthen the unity of the island countries, and that the Cook Islands is in firm support of this.
T&G Global employees Grace Rehu and Sam Carter are combining hands-on work with classroom learning as they grow their careers through study at EIT.
Both are graduates of the New Zealand Certificate in Horticulture (Level 3) at the Hawke’s Bay campus in Taradale and credit the practical, industry-connected programme with helping them build confidence, expand their knowledge and step into leadership roles.
Twenty-three-year-old Grace Rehu (Rangitāne and Taranaki Iwi) works as a block lead at T&G and has been in the industry for more than six years. She began working in horticulture on a strawberry farm as a teenager before joining T&G and eventually transitioning into horticulture full-time. While working at T&G, she also took part in vehicle and machinery training through EIT.
“I enjoy being outdoors and working with the land,” she says. “Studying helped me understand the reasons behind the decisions we make in the field, not just what to do but why.”
Grace was named the 2023 Ahuwhenua Young Māori Grower of the Year, recognised for her passion for horticulture and her commitment to the kaupapa.
Sam Carter, 29, is Assistant Manager at T&G’s Pakowhai sector. He began working in the industry in 2014 while studying a conjoint degree in law and geography at university. After moving into a full-time orchard role and joining T&G in 2023, he completed his Level 3 qualification through EIT last year and is now studying towards the Level 4 Certificate in Horticulture. This year, he has also been selected to compete in the 2025 Hawke’s Bay Young Fruit Grower of the Year competition.
“Studying while working gives you both the theoretical and the practical sides,” he says. “You get to apply what you learn straight away, whether that is pruning, irrigation, pest and disease identification or supervision work. It really builds your confidence.”
Both say the support from T&G has been instrumental to their success.
Sam says EIT’s teaching team also plays a big part. “The tutors come out and check in. They talk with management and with us, so everyone is on the same page. The feedback is always really helpful.”
Clare Buckner, program co-ordinator of the fruit production qualifications, is proud of how EIT can work with employers to support their training needs.
“We have a solid relationship with industry built on a common interest to support our workforce – to not only learn skills in horticulture, but to grow in confidence and self-belief. It is a privilege to be involved with helping workers unlock their potential”.
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey today attended the official opening of a new mental health service, Waiorua.
“It is fantastic to be in the Hawke’s Bay today to open this new service that will offer an alternative safe space to go for adults while they are in their time of need seeking support for mental health and addiction challenges,” Mr Doocey says.
The service will operate in a repurposed building close to the hospital campus and will be connected to the wider acute care model across the region.
“I am pleased to see this service was co-designed across agencies to better serve the people in the Hawke’s Bay who are needing to access support by moving to a cross agency, more joined up approach.”
The service is a collaborative approach between agencies including Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga, Health New Zealand, the New Zealand Police, and the Ministry of Social Development.
“As a result of this new Crisis Respite Service, there will be six new unplanned crisis respite beds opened as an alternative to an admission to an Emergency Department or a mental health inpatient unit,” Mr Doocey says.
“Respite beds offer a welcoming place where people experiencing mental health difficulties can rest and recover in a home-like environment with clinical oversight and short-term residential support.
“This is a powerful example of what can be achieved when agencies work together with a shared purpose of improving the lives of New Zealanders.
“More people in the region will now have access to timely mental health and addiction support. At the end of the day, no matter where you are located, we want you to have access to the care you need and deserve.”
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., May 28, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — ThoughtSpot, the Agentic Analytics Platform company, today announced significant momentum in the Japanese market, highlighted by the addition of new and existing customers from a variety of industries and the expansion of key strategic partnerships. Over the past year, ThoughtSpot has supported leading organizations across Japan turn to ThoughtSpot to drive AI-powered data-driven decision making and innovation.
With the rapid advancement of AI technologies and increased adoption across industries such as healthcare and automotive, Japan’s generative AI market has seen remarkable growth and is anticipated to reach USD 25.7 billion by 2033. This is reflected among ThoughtSpot’s new and expanding customers, who are in some of Japan’s most respected enterprises, including Toyota, Omron, Kyocera, Seiko Epson, Okumuragumi and JGC. These organizations are leveraging ThoughtSpot’s intuitive search and AI-driven analytics to empower business users, accelerate insights, and unlock new value from their data.
“We’ve built something truly special at ThoughtSpot, and our growth in Japan is a testament to the value we deliver for our customers. Japan represents a massive opportunity for innovation, and we remain committed to supporting customers in the region.” said Ketan Kharkanis, CEO at ThoughtSpot. “We’re proud to help some of the country’s most respected organizations unlock the full power of their data with the latest innovations in AI-driven analytics. As Japanese enterprises accelerate their digital transformation, ThoughtSpot is uniquely positioned to empower every user across all levels of the organization to make smarter, faster decisions. We’re excited to partner with industry leaders and continue investing in local talent, partnerships, and technology to drive the next wave of data-driven growth in Japan.”
ThoughtSpot’s growth in Japan is further fueled by its expanding ecosystem of strategic alliances. The company recently announced a partnership with global IT leader Panasonic Solution Technologies (PSTC), enabling joint customers to harness the power of ThoughtSpot’s agentic analytics platform offerings on Panasonic’s modern cloud data infrastructures, empowering organizations to democratize data usage and accelerate agile decision-making. Additionally, the ongoing collaborations with Kyocera Mirai Envision (KCME) and NTTData Kansai, Zeal among other partnerships continue to deliver integrated solutions that help Japanese businesses modernize their analytics infrastructure and accelerate digital transformation.
This rapid expansion is underpinned by ThoughtSpot’s commitment to local customer success, with dedicated teams supporting implementation, adoption, and ongoing innovation. The company’s investments in bilingual product capabilities and tailored support for Japanese enterprises have been instrumental in driving adoption and satisfaction among customers such as Toyota, who value ThoughtSpot’s ease of use, advanced AI features, and true self-service BI capabilities.
“Japan is a critical market for ThoughtSpot, and we are thrilled to see such strong adoption from industry leaders,” said Kazuyo Yamashita, Country General Manager, ThoughtSpot Japan. “Our team’s relentless focus on customer success and local innovation has enabled us to address unique market needs and deliver real business impact. We are grateful for the trust our customers have placed in us and look forward to deepening these partnerships.”
About ThoughtSpot
ThoughtSpot is the Agentic Analytics Platform that empowers every enterprise to transform insights into action. Our mission is to create a more fact-driven world by delivering a platform where anyone can effortlessly explore any data, ask any question, and uncover actionable insights faster—leading to growth, better business outcomes, and efficiency in their organizations. Agentic AI combined with ThoughtSpot’s intuitive natural language search, every user can confidently discover proactive insights from their business data creating real-time decisioning with impact. The platform’s unified capabilities, along with our agentic AI analyst, Spotter, ensures insights are connected and pervasive, enabling users to create precise, transparent, personalized, and actionable insights with enterprise grade trust, security, and scale. Accessible via the web and mobile app, ThoughtSpot ensures intelligent decision-making happens seamlessly, wherever and whenever needed. For organizations looking to drive value, ThoughtSpot Embedded provides a low-code solution to integrate AI-powered analytics directly into products and services that make every application an intelligent experience, driving data monetization and boosting user engagement for customers. Industry leaders like NVIDIA, Toyota, Hilton Worldwide, Capital One and Matillion rely on ThoughtSpot to transform how their employees and customers take advantage of data to create better business outcomes. Try ThoughtSpot today and experience the new era of analytics.
PR Contact: Lindsay Noonan Director of Communications, ThoughtSpot press@thoughtspot.com
When I despairingly contemplate the horrors and cruelty that Palestinians in Gaza are being subjected to, I sometimes try to put this in the context of where I live.
I live on the Kāpiti Coast in the lower North Island of Aotearoa New Zealand.
Geographically it is around the same size as Gaza. Both have coastlines running their full lengths. But, whereas the population of Gaza is a cramped two million, Kāpiti’s is a mere 56,000.
The Gaza Strip . . . 2 million people living in a cramped outdoor prison about the same size as Kāpiti. Map: politicalbytes.blog
I find it incomprehensible to visualise what it would be like if what is presently happening in Gaza occurred here.
The only similarities between them are coastlines and land mass. One is an outdoor prison while the other’s outdoors is peaceful.
New Zealand and Palestine state recognition Currently Palestine has observer status at the United Nations General Assembly. In May last year, the Assembly voted overwhelmingly in favour of Palestine being granted full membership of the United Nations.
To its credit, New Zealand was among 143 countries that supported the resolution. Nine, including the United States as the strongest backer of Israeli genocide outside Israel, voted against.
However, despite this massive majority, such is the undemocratic structure of the UN that it only requires US opposition in the Security Council to veto the democratic vote.
Notwithstanding New Zealand’s support for Palestine broadening its role in the General Assembly and its support for the two-state solution, the government does not officially recognise Palestine.
While its position on recognition is consistent with that of the genocide-supporting United States, it is inconsistent with the over 75 percent of UN member states who, in March 2025, recognised Palestine as a sovereign state (by 147 of the 193 member states).
NZ Prime Minister Christopher Luxon . . . his government should “correct this obscenity” of not recognising Palestinians’ right to have a sovereign nation. Image: RNZ/politicalbytes.blog/
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s government does have the opportunity to correct this obscenity as Palestine recognition will soon be voted on again by the General Assembly.
In this context it is helpful to put the Hamas-led attack on Israel in its full historical perspective and to consider the reasons justifying the Israeli genocide that followed.
7 October 2023 and genocide justification The origin of the horrific genocide of Palestinians in Gaza and the associated increased persecution, including killings, of Palestinians in the Israeli occupied West Bank (of the River Jordan) was not the attack by Hamas and several other militant Palestinian groups on 7 October 2023.
This attack was on a small Israeli town less than 2 km north of the border. An estimated 1,195 Israelis and visitors were killed.
The genocidal response of the Israeli government that followed this attack can only be justified by three factors:
The Judaism or ancient Jewishness of Palestine in Biblical times overrides the much larger Palestinian population in Mandate Palestine prior to formation of Israel in 1948;
The right of Israelis to self-determination overrides the right of Palestinians to self-determination; and
The value of Israeli lives overrides the value Palestinian lives.
The first factor is the key. The second and third factors are consequential. In order to better appreciate their context, it is first necessary to understand the Nakba.
Understanding the Nakba Rather than the October 2023 attack, the origin of the subsequent genocide goes back more than 70 years to the collective trauma of Palestinians caused by what they call the Nakba (the Disaster).
The foundation year of the Nakba was in 1948, but this was a central feature of the ethnic cleansing that was kicked off between 1947 and 1949.
During this period Zionist military forces attacked major Palestinian cities and destroyed some 530 villages. About 15,000 Palestinians were killed in a series of mass atrocities, including dozens of massacres.
The Nakba – the Palestinian collective trauma in 1948 that started ethnic cleansing by Zionist paramilitary forces. Image: David Robie/APR
During the Nakba in 1948, approximately half of Palestine’s predominantly Arab population, or around 750,000 people, were expelled from their homes or forced to flee. Initially this was through Zionist paramilitaries.
After the establishment of the State of Israel in May this repression was picked up by its military. Massacres, biological warfare (by poisoning village wells) and either complete destruction or depopulation of Palestinian-majority towns, villages, and urban neighbourhoods (which were then given Hebrew names) followed
By the end of the Nakba, 78 percent of the total land area of the former Mandatory Palestine was controlled by Israel.
Genocide to speed up ethnic cleansing Ethnic cleansing was unsuccessfully pursued, with the support of the United Kingdom and France, in the Suez Canal crisis of 1956. More successful was the Six Day War of 1967, which included the military and political occupation of the West Bank and Gaza.
Throughout this period ethnic cleansing was not characterised by genocide. That is, it was not the deliberate and systematic killing or persecution of a large number of people from a particular national or ethnic group with the aim of destroying them.
Israeli ethnic cleansing of Palestinians began in May 1948 and has accelerated to genocide in 2023. Image: politicalbytes.blog
In fact, the acceptance of a two-state solution (Israel and Palestine) under the ill-fated Oslo Accords in 1993 and 1995 put a temporary constraint on the expansion of ethnic cleansing.
Since its creation in 1948, Israel, along with South Africa the same year (until 1994), has been an apartheid state. I discussed this in an earlier Political Bytes post (15 March 2025), When apartheid met Zionism.
However, while sharing the racism, discrimination, brutal violence, repression and massacres inherent in apartheid, it was not characterised by genocide in South Africa; nor was it in Israel for most of its existence until the current escalation of ethnic cleansing in Gaza.
Following 7 October 2023, genocide has become the dominant tool in the ethnic cleansing tool kit. More recently this has included accelerating starvation and the bombing of tents of Gaza Palestinians.
The magnitude of this genocide is discussed further below.
The Biblical claim Zionism is a movement that sought to establish a Jewish nation in Palestine. It was established as a political organisation as late as 1897. It was only some time after this that Zionism became the most influential ideology among Jews generally.
Despite its prevalence, however, there are many Jews who oppose Zionism and play leading roles in the international protests against the genocide in Gaza.
Zionist ideology is based on a view of Palestine in the time of Jesus Christ. Image: politicalbytes.blog
Based on Zionist ideology, the justification for replacing Mandate Palestine with the state of Israel rests on a Biblical argument for the right of Jews to retake their “homeland”. This justification goes back to the time of that charismatic carpenter and prophet Jesus Christ.
The population of Palestine in Jesus’ day was about 500,000 to 600,000 (a little bigger than both greater Wellington and similar to that of Jerusalem today). About 18,000 of these residents were clergy, priests and Levites (a distinct male group within Jewish communities).
Jerusalem itself in biblical times, with a population of 55,000, was a diverse city and pilgrimage centre. It was also home to numerous Diaspora Jewish communities.
In fact, during the 7th century BC at least eight nations were settled within Palestine. In addition to Judaeans, they included Arameans, Samaritans, Phoenicians and Philistines.
A breakdown based on religious faiths (Jews, Christians and Muslims) provides a useful insight into how Palestine has evolved since the time of Jesus. Jews were the majority until the 4th century AD.
By the fifth century they had been supplanted by Christians and then from the 12th century to 1947 Muslims were the largest group. As earlier as the 12th century Arabic had become the dominant language. It should be noted that many Christians were Arabs.
Adding to this evolving diversity of ethnicity is the fact that during this time Palestine had been ruled by four empires — Roman, Persian, Ottoman and British.
Prior to 1948 the population of the region known as Mandate Palestine approximately corresponded to the combined Israel and Palestine today. Throughout its history it has varied in both size and ethnic composition.
The Ottoman census of 1878 provides an indicative demographic profile of its three districts that approximated what became Mandatory Palestine after the end of World War 1.
Group
Population
Percentage
Muslim citizens
403,795
86–87%
Christian citizens
43,659
9%
Jewish citizens
15,011
3%
Jewish (foreign-born)
Est. 5–10,000
1–2%
Total
Up to 472,465
100.0%
In 1882, the Ottoman Empire revealed that the estimated 24,000 Jews in Palestine represented just 0.3 percent of the world’s Jewish population.
The self-determination claim Based on religion the estimated population of Palestine in 1922 was 78 percent Muslim, 11 percent Jewish, and 10 percent Christian.
By 1945 this composition had changed to 58 percent Muslim, 33 percent Jewish and 8 percent Christian. The reason for this shift was the success of the Zionist campaigning for Jews to migrate to Palestine which was accelerated by the Jewish holocaust.
By 15 May 1948, the total population of the state of Israel was 805,900, of which 649,600 (80.6 percent) were Jews with Palestinians being 156,000 (19.4 percent). This turnaround was primarily due to the devastating impact of the Nakba.
Today Israel’s population is over 9.5 million of which over 77 percent are Jewish and more than 20 percent are Palestinian. The latter’s absolute growth is attributable to Israel’s subsequent geographic expansion, particularly in 1967, and a higher birth rate.
Palestine today (parts of West Bank under Israeli occupation). Map: politicalbytes.blog
The current population of the Palestinian Territories, including Gaza, is more than 5.5 million. Compare this with the following brief sample of much smaller self-determination countries — Slovenia (2.2 million), Timor-Leste (1.4 million), and Tonga (104,000).
The population size of the Palestinian Territories is more than half that of Israel. Closer to home it is a little higher than New Zealand.
The only reason why Palestinians continue to be denied the right to self-determination is the Zionist ideological claim linked to the biblical time of Jesus Christ and its consequential strategy of ethnic cleansing.
If it was not for the opposition of the United States, then this right would not have been denied. It has been this opposition that has enabled Israel’s strategy.
Comparative value of Palestinian lives The use of genocide as the latest means of achieving ethnic cleansing highlights how Palestinian lives are valued compared with Israeli lives.
While not of the same magnitude appropriated comparisons have been made with the horrific ethnic cleansing of Jews through the means of the holocaust by Nazi Germany during the Second World War. Per capita the scale of the magnitude gap is reduced considerably.
Since October 2023, according to the Gaza Health Ministry (and confirmed by the World Health Organisation) more than 54,000 Palestinians have been killed. Of those killed over 16,500 were children. Compare this with less than 2000 Israelis killed.
Further, at least 310 UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency) team members have been killed along with over 200 journalists and media workers. Add to this around 1400 healthcare workers including doctors and nurses.
What also can’t be forgotten is the increasing Israeli ethnic cleansing on the occupied West Bank. Around 950 Palestinians, including around 200 children, have also been killed during this same period.
Time for New Zealand to recognise Palestine The above discussion is in the context of the three justifications for supporting the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians strategy that goes back to 1948 and which, since October 2023, is being accelerated by genocide.
First, it requires the conviction that the theology of Judaism in Palestine in the biblical times following the birth of Jesus Christ trumps both the significantly changing demography from the 5th century at least to the mid-20th century and the numerical predominance of Arabs in Mandate Palestine;
Second, and consequentially, it requires the conviction that while Israelis are entitled to self-determination, Palestinians are not; and
Finally, it requires that Israeli lives are much more valuable than Palestinian lives. In fact, the latter have no value at all.
Unless the government, including Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters, shares these convictions (especially the “here and now” second and third) then it should do the right thing first by unequivocally saying so, and then by recognising the right of Palestine to be an independent state.
Ian Powell is a progressive health, labour market and political “no-frills” forensic commentator in New Zealand. A former senior doctors union leader for more than 30 years, he blogs at Second Opinion and Political Bytes, where this article was first published. Republished with the author’s permission.
This can happen when babies come early, when the mother-to-be is in denial, or when they simply don’t know they are pregnant. These out-of-hospital births can increase the risks for both mother and child.
While there haven’t been any New Zealand-specific studies, data from Norway and Ireland show infant mortality rates are two to three times higher for unplanned out-of-hospital births compared to those in medical facilities.
In 2024, Hato Hone St John, Aotearoa New Zealand’s largest ambulance service, responded to 2,745 obstetric emergencies. This accounted for 0.9% of all ambulance patients – similar to comparable countries such as Australia and the United States.
In our new research, we surveyed Hato Hone St John ambulance personnel to better understand their experiences attending unplanned out-of-hospital births. Although such events are rare, personnel must be prepared to provide care for mothers and newborns during any clinical shift.
The 147 responses we received highlighted the need for ongoing and targeted training for staff as they balance supporting the safe arrival of a newborn with patient and whānau-centered care.
Navigating the unknown
EMS personnel reported being dispatched for reports of abdominal or back pain in female patients, only to encounter an unanticipated imminent birth upon arrival.
In many of these cases, patients were unaware of their pregnancies and had received no prior antenatal care. This left EMS personnel to lead labour and birth care without crucial information about gestational age or potential complications. As one paramedic explained:
The call was for non-traumatic back pain. The patient had a cryptic pregnancy and was not aware she was pregnant until I informed her that she was in labour. I was the senior clinician in attendance, we were 25 minutes to a maternity unit that didn’t have surgical facilities and a [neonatal unit].
In some situations, EMS personnel attended teenage patients who were in denial of their pregnancies or fearful it would be discovered by their families.
Attending to the mother’s emotional needs, respecting her dignity and navigating family dynamics compounded existing challenges to providing care. Another paramedic explained:
Attended an 18-year-old that did not know or was in denial that she was pregnant. She had the baby on her own in the bathroom. The parents came home during the birth, and she was too scared to tell them and kept the baby quiet by nursing her. She called an ambulance from the bathroom and told them she didn’t want the parents to know.
Unplanned out-of-hospital birts can test the skills of ambulance staff. hedgehog94/Shutterstock
Practical challenges
Complex births, medical emergencies and limited specialised neonatal equipment required EMS to improvise in such cases. While some focused on skin-to-skin contact between mother and baby, others prepared makeshift blankets using things such as plastic clingfilm to keep their newborn patients warm. An intensive care paramedic said:
I needed to “chew” through the cord with the scissors provided, which was frustrating given the patient was under CPR. Also, I wanted to keep the patient warm as the house was cold and it was winter, so I used the Gladwrap in the ambulance. The roll I had was a new one and very difficult to start up as it shredded. I ended up using the patient’s industrial size wrap with a plastic blade attached.
The distance to a specialised newborn care facility, as well as rules around who could be transported and when, meant mothers and babies sometimes needed separate transport. This distressed mothers and added pressure to already stressful situations. One North Island-based paramedic explained:
The baby was flown to [a tertiary hospital] – great for the baby but very distressing for mum as she had to be transported by road.
Detailed accounts emerged of EMS providing labour and birth care in remote and poorer areas, such as homes with no electricity or heating, far away from hospital facilities and with no back up readily available. Another South Island-based paramedic said:
It was 2 degrees outside and the front door was open. The house was cold, and the mother was standing in the bathroom with the [newborn] lying on the cold floor. I called for backup as the mother had a severe postpartum haemorrhage, and the [newborn] required resuscitation. I was not sent assistance and had to manage the mother and [newborn] by myself during a 15-minute drive to the birth suite at hospital.
The stories shared by New Zealand ambulance personnel not only described their critical role in providing care during labour and birth, but also highlighted a gap in care for women not accessing routine antenatal and birth services.
Training and support needed
Studies from Norway, Australia, the US and the United Kingdom have previously highlighted the need for dedicated EMS training and equipment to support out-of-hospital births.
Change is happening in New Zealand. Recent updates to Hato Hone St John guidelines, resources and training, including education on cultural considerations related to birth, aim to prepare EMS personnel for these unpredictable and high-risk scenarios.
Ongoing training and education will be critical to support clinicians to confidently address birth emergencies while continuing to deliver patient and whānau-centered care.
Vinuli Withanarachchie works for Hato Hone St John.
Bridget Dicker is an employee of Hato Hone St John.
Sarah Maessen works for Hato Hone St John.
Verity Todd receives funding from the Heart Foundation NZ and Health Research Council NZ. She is affiliated with Hato Hone St John.
Source: United States Senator for North Carolina Thom Tillis
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Thom Tillis recently introduced the Care for Military Kids Act, legislation that ensures servicemembers can maintain critical health care coverage and medical services for their children, regardless of where their service takes them.
“Military families make immense sacrifices for our nation, and ensuring their children have consistent access to critical health care should never be a burden placed on them,” said Senator Tillis. “This bipartisan legislation will allow these families to maintain access to care, giving our servicemembers the peace of mind they deserve.”
Background:
The Care for Military Kids Act ensures servicemembers can maintain critical healthcare coverage and medical services for their children no matter where their service takes them. After moving to another state, current Medicaid regulations force military families to reapply for their children’s long-term care benefits through Medicaid since Tricare does not provide that benefit. The bill allows military families to remain on their home state’s Medicaid throughout their military career. The Care for Military Kids Act is endorsed by the National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS), the National Military Families Organization, and Blue Star Families
Full text of the legislation is available HERE.
Headline: AI in process manufacturing: From operational gains to strategic advantage
80% of manufacturers are exploring AI.1Here’s how leaders are moving from pilots to measurable impact.
We see tremendous AI adoption across process manufacturing industries. The focus is shifting from experimenting with pilots to implementing AI in a way that delivers real business value. Leaders are now focused on how to get started and how to ensure a clear return on investment. Artificial Intelligence in Process Manufacturing: Preparing for an AI Future, a new manufacturing signals industry report published by Microsoft with research by IoT Analytics, presents insights into how manufacturers in process industries prioritize technology today and where AI fits into the picture. The report provides valuable insights for navigating the implementation of AI.
Get the Artificial Intelligence in Process Manufacturing report
AI adoption is accelerating and entering a new phase
AI is gaining real traction in process manufacturing. Building on investments in Internet of Things (IoT), automation, and advanced process controls, manufacturers are focused on how AI can drive enterprise-wide decision-making and long-term value. This shift is no longer about if AI is worth pursuing—it’s about how to start effectively and drive measurable impact. As manufacturers move from pilot programs to broader deployment, the opportunity extends beyond task-level automation. AI is enabling predictive, real-time decision making across operations, research and development (R&D), and the supply chain—unlocking value that legacy systems can’t deliver alone. From my conversations with customers, the biggest barrier to generative AI isn’t the technology, it’s getting the data right.
This next phase of AI adoption depends on strong data foundations, grounded in enterprise data and context, with clear business alignment, and an organization-wide readiness to operationalize insights. Manufacturers that get this right are already seeing the results.
AI is supporting real business priorities
AI is helping manufacturers tackle two of their top business priorities: improving operational efficiency and driving revenue growth. By reducing waste, minimizing downtime, and optimizing output, AI-powered insights enable targeted operational improvements. The same data intelligence also fuels research and development (R&D), accelerates time-to-market, and uncovers opportunities for market expansion and business differentiation. One global chemical company reported that AI helped reduce the time-to-market for molecular enhancements from six months to just six to eight weeks1—a powerful example of how operational innovation translates into business acceleration.
The signals report also explores how industrial AI drives benefits beyond cost and throughput, from better data integration to improved customer satisfaction—ultimately enabling smarter, faster decisions across the value chain.
AI use cases with measurable business impact
The signals report surfaces real-world use cases where AI is delivering measurable results—not just technical improvements, but business transformation. From reducing downtime to accelerating product development, industrial leaders are applying AI in areas such as:
Process optimization
Sustainability, energy efficiency, and waste reduction
Research and development
Predictive maintenance and analytics
Adoption is scaling fast: 80% of manufacturers surveyed are either using or planning to adopt generative AI. These solutions are driving change across every level of the organization—from frontline operations to management decision-making.
A rubber and plastics manufacturer reported significant improvements to plastic design for more efficient production. A chemical company achieved a 90% reduction in demand forecasting costs and dramatically accelerated knowledge retrieval—enabling users to access answers in seconds instead of days.1 And in the words of one life sciences organization: “Our employees have more power to support farmers, help cure diseases and see consumers healthier.”1
These examples offer a compelling view into how industrial AI is already reshaping core operations, creating value well beyond the pilot stage.
Addressing security and complexity head-on
As more manufacturers embrace AI, leading organizations are not just navigating challenges—they’re building the strategies to overcome them. The signals report highlights two areas that require thoughtful planning: security and system complexity.
Security remains a key consideration. Nearly half of respondents say concerns around data protection—from IP theft to regulatory compliance—impact their AI adoption decisions. In industries where uptime, safety, and proprietary processes are critical, protecting sensitive data is non-negotiable.
Fortunately, security and AI aren’t mutually exclusive. Companies are investing in responsible AI practices, secure architectures, and governance models that enable innovation without compromising protection.
Complexity is the other major hurdle. Legacy systems often lack interoperability, and introducing AI may require adapting long-standing workflows. But many manufacturers are proving that modernization is possible—and that the payoff is worth it.
The signals report offers guidance on how to approach these challenges with the right foundation, so AI becomes a source of advantage, not friction.
Laying the foundation
Successful AI adoption requires a strong governance framework—it’s not about experimenting endlessly with every possible AI use case but rather focusing on the most strategic use cases that will deliver business value. Building this framework requires the right foundation to scale impact over time. Leading manufacturers are taking a structured approach: aligning AI investments to business goals, modernizing infrastructure, and investing in the skills needed to sustain innovation.
The signals report outlines four practical steps manufacturers are taking to move from isolated pilots to enterprise-wide transformation:
Identify business needs
Embrace structural flexibility
Get the data in order
Use AI to develop workforce capabilities
These are more than recommendations—they reflect what real manufacturers are doing to turn AI into a competitive advantage. And for many, AI is no longer optional, but essential to unlocking the next wave of efficiency, innovation, and competitiveness. The signals report brings each step to life with examples from the field.
Download the full report on Artificial Intelligence in Process Manufacturing to explore the research, benchmark your readiness, and take your next step toward AI-powered transformation.
Preparing for an AI future
Artificial Intelligence in Process Manufacturing
1 Artificial Intelligence in Process Manufacturing
Yury Gomez
Global Chief Commercial & Strategy Officer, Process Manufacturing Industry, Microsoft
Yury is the Global Chief Commercial & Strategy Officer for Process Manufacturing at Microsoft. With over 20 years of industry experience, she leads the GTM strategy and execution to help Fortune 500 manufacturers innovate at scale with AI and digital tech, driving end-to-end transformation and overcoming adoption hurdles to accelerate industry impact.
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Julia Henning, PhD Candidate in Feline Behaviour, School of Animal and Veterinary Science, University of Adelaide
Ever wonder if your cat could pick you out of a line up?
New research suggests they could … but maybe not in the way you would expect.
Previous research has found that only 54% of cats could recognise humans by their face alone.
So how does your cat know it’s you?
Studying the sniff
A new study published today in PLOS One suggests your cat can recognise you by your smell. This feat has not been studied before and may reveal another layer of depth within cat-human bonds.
Cats often get a bad rap for being aloof or uncaring about the people in their lives, but a growing number of studies are finding the opposite to be true. We now know that cats learn the names we give them, cats and their guardians form their own communication style, and most cats will pick human social interaction over food, a choice even dogs struggle with.
And now, thanks to this most recent study, we know that cats can identify their people by smell, something they also rely on to identify their close feline social groups.
The study, by Yutaro Miyairi and colleagues at Tokyo University of Agriculture, investigated the ability of 30 cats to differentiate between their guardian and an unknown person based on scent alone.
Cats in the study were presented with a plastic tube containing swab samples from under the armpit, behind the ear and between the toes of either the cat’s guardian or of a human they had never met. As a control, cats were also presented with an empty plastic tube.
The results?
Cats in the study spent longer sniffing the scent of an unknown person compared to the scent of their guardian or the empty tube.
A shorter sniffing time suggests that when cats came across the smell of their guardian, they recognised it quickly and moved along. But when they came to the swabs from an unknown person, the cat sniffed longer, using their superior sense of smell to gather information about the scent.
Similar patterns have been observed previously, with kittens sniffing the odour of unknown female cats longer than the odour of their own mother, and adult cats sniffing the faeces of unfamiliar cats longer than those within their social group.
The findings of this new study may indicate that we, too, are in our cats’ social circle.
Cats do use their sense of smell to tell apart familiar and unfamiliar cats. Chris Boyer/Unsplash
The brain and the nose
The study also found a tendency for cats to sniff familiar scents with their left nostril, while unknown scents were more often sniffed using their right. But when cats became familiar with a scent after sniffing for a while, they switched nostrils from the right to the left.
While this may sound like an odd finding, it’s a pattern that has also been observed in dogs. Current research suggests this nostril preference may indicate that cats process and classify new information using their right brain hemisphere, while the left hemisphere takes over when a routine response is established.
Cats will sniff things with different nostrils depending on whether the information is familiar or not. Kevin Knezic/Unsplash
Why scent?
Cats rely on scent to gather information about the world around them and to communicate.
Scent exchange (through cheek-to-cheek rubbing and grooming each other) is used as a way to recognise cats in the same social circle, maintain group cohesion, and identify unfamiliar cats or other animals that may pose a threat or need to be avoided.
Familiar scents can also be comforting to cats, reducing stress and anxiety and creating a sense of security within their environment.
When you come back from a holiday, if you notice your cat being distant and acting like you’re a total stranger, it might be because you smell like one. Try taking a shower using your usual home products and put on some of your regular home clothing. The familiar scents should help you and your cat settle back into your old dynamic sooner.
And remember, if your cat spends a lot of time sniffing someone else, it’s not because they prefer them. It’s likely because your scent is familiar and requires less work. Instead of being new and interesting, it might do something even better: help your cat feel at home.
Julia Henning does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
The following article contains material that some readers might find distressing.
Around the world, knives are a popular weapon of choice among criminals. In Australia, for example, they are the most common weapon used in homicides. And in countries such as the United Kingdom and Canada, knife crime has recently been on the rise.
As common as they are, stabbings are also difficult to investigate. Our new study, published this week in WIREs Forensic Science, presents the most comprehensive review to date of the methods used by forensic investigators for the reconstruction of knife crimes. It also highlights the limitations of these methods and introduces mechanical and robotic stabbing machines as a solution.
These technologies could significantly enhance forensic science and criminal investigations in the pursuit of justice.
An intensely personal act of violence
Stabbing is an intensely personal act of violence, carefully planned or opportunistic. It reflects not just an intent to harm but also a direct, physical engagement with the victim.
Forensic investigators will rely on a range of evidence to investigate a stabbing. For example, they will gather statements from any witnesses. But witnesses’ memory can be affected by issues such as shock, lighting conditions or their vantage point.
Forensic investigators will also gather physical evidence left behind after a stabbing. This can include bloodstain patterns, sharp-force damage in wounds and clothing, and impression evidence. It can also include trace evidence such as DNA, fibres, soil, glass and pollen from the victims clothing or suspected weapon.
This physical evidence is crucial for the next step of a criminal investigation: reconstructing a crime scene.
Knife cuts from a blunt blade (left) and a sharp blade (right) in cotton fabric reveal distinct yarn and fibre patterns, which forensic experts analyse to help identify the weapon used. Stevie Ziogos
A forensic puzzle
Investigators reconstruct a crime scene to determine the type of weapon used, estimate whether the stabbing was intentional or not and how forceful it was. But many variables complicate the analysis.
For example, the attacker’s (or attackers’) physical characteristics such as their size, strength or preferred hand, their familiarity and experience in handling knives can all influence the stabbing motion. So too can the characteristics of a knife.
The victim’s build, positioning, area of impact, and even the number of clothing layers they have on can also affect how a blade enters the body. For example, stabbing with a kitchen knife and slashing with a machete leave vastly different injuries, just as a thick jacket can slow or deflect a blade.
Reconstructing a stabbing is a forensic puzzle. It requires a combination of scientific analysis, investigative techniques and the collaborative effort of experts. Each specialist provides a comprehensive perspective on the victim, the weapon, the manner in which it was used, and the impact of the surrounding environment.
An accurate simulated stabbing
In many stabbing investigations, it is necessary to confirm evidence through simulation.
Our new research focuses on the different ways stabbing simulations are conducted. It provides an overview of current methodologies used to reconstruct sharp-force events, especially considering the role of clothing in the reconstruction.
A well-planned simulation must account for key variables affecting damage to the body and textiles. These factors fall into three categories:
Pre-impact (garment type, weapon and assailant-victim characteristics)
Impact (stabbing method, force and angle)
Post-impact (body decomposition, manipulation, contamination and environmental effects).
While adding more parameters can improve the realism of a simulation, it may also introduce complexity that reduces accuracy. Because of this, careful planning is pivotal.
A mix of methods is best
The choice of simulation method depends on available personnel, tools and funding. Approaches are typically categorised as manual or mechanical, with emerging research exploring the potential of robotic systems.
Manual simulations rely on human effort to replicate stabbing motions. They remain widely used in forensic testing and provide valuable insights into wound characteristics, biomechanics, and protective materials. But they can be subjective, particularly in force estimation and motion consistency.
Mechanical simulations address this issue by using devices for controlled, repeatable tests. While they reduce variability, they are often limited by restricted motion, force constraints, and a lack of standardisation in forensic protocols.
Robotic simulations offer a promising alternative. They combine the adaptability of manual approaches with the precision and repeatability of mechanical systems.
However, their forensic application is still being developed. They also face challenges such as cost, accessibility, professional expertise and the need for validation in real-world casework.
Our research suggests that combining manual simulations with robotic and mechanical systems can enhance the accuracy and reliability of stabbing simulations. The manual approach can be used to train robotic systems that replicate human actions while ensuring consistent and controlled measurements.
By adopting this combined approach, forensic science can bridge crucial gaps in crime scene reconstruction. In turn, this would improve the interpretation of stabbing incidents and the pursuit of justice.
We acknowledge that the research discussed in this article was conducted in collaboration with Dr. Kari Pitts, ChemCentre.
Alasdair Dempsey, Ian Dadour, and Stevie Ziogos do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
United States President Donald Trump was “not happy” with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, this week.
For three consecutive nights, from Friday to Sunday, Russia launched about 900 drones and scores of missiles at Ukraine. At least 18 people were killed, including three children.
“We’re in the middle of talking and he’s shooting rockets into Kyiv and other cities,” Trump told reporters on Sunday, after Putin ordered the largest air assault on Ukraine’s civilians in its three-year war.
Following up on his remarks, Trump posted on social media that Putin had “gone absolutely CRAZY!”
Putin is not crazy. He is a tactician with a long-term goal: to make Russia a great power again and secure his place in the history books as the re-builder of Russia’s imperial might.
Trump announced after a phone call with Putin on May 19 that Russia and Ukraine would “immediately start negotiations” towards a ceasefire.
With his latest air campaign on Ukraine, however, Putin is threatening to destroy the goodwill he’s built up in Washington, where Trump has been consistently soft on Russia and tough on his allies.
So, what is Putin’s strategy? Why is he launching these massive air bombardments on Ukrainian civilians now?
Putin sees weakness in the West
One theory is these attacks are somehow preparations for a major offensive. That makes little sense.
Attacking military facilities, weapons depots or even frontline troops are useful preparations for an impending attack. Indiscriminate bombing of civilians, meanwhile, is a sign of either desperation or impatience.
The US also sent bombers to Japan in the final stages of the war because the American public became tired of seeing their sons, husbands, brothers and fathers die on Pacific islands they had never heard of. The war had dragged on forever by this point, and there seemed no end in sight.
Is Putin desperate or impatient? Likely the latter.
From the perspective of the Kremlin, Russia’s strategic situation is as good as it has been for years.
The US is trying to destroy itself through trade wars and boorish diplomacy. Trump clearly dislikes Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and hopes the war will somehow end if he just demands it.
Europe is continuing to back Ukraine. However, for the time being, it still needs US support because its entire security structure is built around NATO and US strength, both economic and military.
What Putin sees when he surveys the international scene is weakness. In his thinking, such weakness needs to be exploited – now is the time to hurt Ukraine as much as possible, and hope it will crack. Analysts call this a “cognitive warfare effort”.
Indiscriminate air war on civilians is the only means Putin currently has to pressure Ukraine. His army has been advancing, but painfully slowly. There is no breakthrough in sight, even once the spring muds dry and the summer fighting season starts in earnest.
Russia has gradually advanced in Ukraine throughout 2024, but with no perceivable change in the overall situation. Putin does not command precision weapons or super spies, which he could use to take out Ukraine’s leadership.
All he can do is rain death on women, children and the elderly from relatively cheap, unsophisticated weapons, such as drones. He now has these in large supply, thanks to ramping up military production at home.
Bombing campaigns do not end wars
A strategic air war on civilians seldom works, however.
Japan’s surrender in 1945 is an exception, but it is misleading in many ways. The Americans had flattened Japan’s cities for a while already, just not using their new atomic weapons. Japan had already lost the war and the real question was if there would be a bloody US invasion or surrender.
And as the US dropped its two nuclear bombs in August of that year, the Red Army joined the fight, racing across Manchuria to help occupy Japanese territories.
In Germany, the British-American bombings from 1942 onwards certainly had an effect on war production, as they killed workers and destroyed factories. But they did not incapacitate the German army and certainly did not break morale.
Instead, the bombings led to embitterment and a closing of ranks around the regime. German society fought to the last moment. It did so not just despite, but because of the air war. The German army was eventually defeated by the ground troops of the Red Army, who took Berlin in an incredibly bloody fight.
Other historical failures are even more spectacular. The US air force dropped 864,000 tons of bombs on North Vietnam during an air campaign of more than 300,000 sorties lasting from 1965 to late 1968. The North Vietnamese lost maybe 29,000 people (dead and wounded), more than half of them civilians. The Americans and their South Vietnamese allies still lost the war.
Putin’s air war will likely follow the historical pattern: it has further embittered the Ukrainians, who know very well that what comes from the east is not liberation.
Another summer of fighting lies ahead. Ukraine’s friends in the democratic world need to urgently redouble their efforts to support Ukraine. The misguided hopes that Putin would somehow “make a deal” lie under the rubble his drones leave behind in Ukraine’s cities.
Mark Edele receives funding from the Australian Research Council.
Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
Senator Markey joined by local leaders, advocates in Chelsea
Boston (May 28, 2025) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), co-chair of the Senate Climate Change Task Force and a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, today hosted a walking tour and press conference in Chelsea after the Trump administration announced the termination of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program, cancelling over $90 million in climate resilience funding for Massachusetts communities. The canceled funding includes $50 million awarded to the cities of Chelsea and Everett for their Island End River Coastal Flood Resilience Project. The project includes the construction of a storm surge barrier and storm surge control facility, as well as ecological restoration of the marshes in the Mystic River tributary. With cancelled funding, this multi-year effort to protect residents and businesses from flooding is now at risk.
“To rip away $50 million of federal funding from Chelsea and Everett is an act of climate injustice. The Trump administration’s reckless decision to terminate disaster resiliency funding not only harms communities on the frontline of the climate crisis but also has repercussions far beyond,” said Senator Markey. “This funding isn’t a budget line—it’s a lifeline for our constituents. Cancelling it will directly harm our constituents and our economy. It will cost us as we pay and pay and pay again to clean up and rebuild flood after flood that are only becoming more frequent and more severe. It is penny wise and billions of destruction and damage foolish. For months, the Trump administration has made it clear they do not care about our health, safety, or resiliency, and they do not care about the long-term, long-dreamed visions of our communities to build a future safe from climate change.”
Senator Markey was joined on the walking tour and at the press conference by Chelsea City Manager Fidel Maltez; State Senator Sal DiDomenico; State Representative Judith Garcia; Gladys Vega, Executive Director of La Colaborativa; and John Walkey, Director of Climate Justice & Waterfront Initiatives at GreenRoots.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Jimmy Gomez (CA-34)
Los Angeles, CA — Today, Representative Jimmy Gomez (CA-34) hosted a roundtable with the Korean business community in LA to hear firsthand how Trump’s tariffs is disrupting trade, delaying shipments, and raising the cost of essential goods. He also shared his push to end Trump’s tariffs, prevent him from punishing allies, and put Congress back in charge of trade.
“Today I met with Korean American business owners in Koreatown who are being hit hard by Trump’s reckless tariffs — prices are up, shipments are delayed, and it’s getting harder to plan for tomorrow,” said Rep. Jimmy Gomez. “These aren’t just numbers on a spreadsheet, they’re family-run shops, local jobs, and people trying to build a future. I’m fighting to end Trump’s damaging tariffs and stop him from punishing our allies because our community needs trade policies that help them thrive, not ones that drive up costs for customers or threaten their businesses.”
During the discussion, Korean American businesses discussed how these tariffs and tax policies have driven up container fees and import duties, while causing uncertainty that makes it hard to grow or plan. Many also stressed the need for better workforce development support and a business environment that works for small businesses in LA.
Rep. Jimmy Gomez — a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, which oversees trade — has been holding the administration accountable in committee and led the Congressional Dads Caucus in calling out the harm to working families, and fighting to pass legislation to shut down Trump’s global tariffs. He recently visited the Port of LA to hear directly from port staff and highlight the real-world consequences of President Trump’s tariffs on imported goods — including a projected 35% drop in cargo volume next week.
“Every child deserves the chance to thrive and today I’m proud to announce a $266 million investment in Budget 2025 to clear waitlists, expand the Early Intervention Service, and reach thousands more children with the support they need to succeed,” Education Minister Erica Stanford says.
“For too long, families have faced unacceptable delays accessing the Early Intervention Service. This investment will fix that by clearing the backlog, expanding support to the end of Year 1, and significantly increasing our workforce capacity,” Stanford says.
“We are not only expanding the size of the service, we are changing how it’s delivered,” Stanford says. “We will contract NGOs and private providers to deliver specialist services alongside the Ministry, ensuring children with additional needs get the support they need faster.
“This Government is absolutely focused on getting help to the child, wherever they are, and however it’s needed. If that means using trusted private providers and NGOs to deliver services at pace, that’s exactly what we’ll do,” Stanford says. “Families don’t care who employs the speech-language therapist or the psychologist, they just want the support their child needs. And we are determined to do whatever it takes to make sure they receive it.”
As part of the Budget 2025 package, the investment will deliver:
More than 560 additional full-time equivalent specialists, including educational psychologists, speech language therapists, occupational therapists, and early intervention teachers.
An expansion of the Early Intervention Service through to the end of Year 1, reaching around 4,000 additional children with learning and behavioural needs.
Reduction of existing waitlists, ensuring more than 3,000 children currently waiting will receive support sooner.
Increased support for the 7,100 children already in the service, with greater access to specialists and interventions.
900,000 additional teacher aide hours per year from 2028, to assist young learners receiving EIS support.
This investment reflects the Government’s commitment to a social investment approach by targeting resources early, where they will make the greatest long-term difference. “The evidence is clear: the earlier we intervene, the better the outcomes for children, families, and New Zealand. Early intervention reduces the need for more intensive support later and gives every child that needs it the best possible start.
“To parents across the country, this is my message to you: help is on the way. We are clearing the backlog, building a stronger and more responsive service, and putting your child’s needs at the centre of our education system. You shouldn’t have to fight to get support—and with this investment, we’re making sure you won’t have to.
“This is a transformational shift,” Stanford says. “We’re building a future-facing service that keeps up with demand and delivers for kids. Every child deserves that chance and this Government is backing them from day one.”
Source: United Kingdom National Police Chiefs Council
The National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) Contact Portfolio today (29 May) announces a significant step forward in policing transparency and efficiency: the publication of monthly 101 call wait time data. This initiative demonstrates the continued commitment of police forces across England and Wales to improving public contact, responsiveness, and service accessibility.
Starting with figures for the financial year 2024/25, the data – published on Police.uk – will offer the public clearer insights into how long it takes to reach their local force via 101. The publication of these figures reflects years of dedicated efforts to modernise police contact systems, introduce technology-driven solutions, and provide greater accountability to the communities that police serve.
Policing Efforts Cut 101 Call Wait Times to Just 32 Seconds
Significant advancements in contact management, including enhanced digital triage, AI-driven call routing, and smarter resourcing strategies, have led to a remarkable reduction in 101 call wait times across the country – now just 30 seconds.
This achievement reflects the dedication of forces in adopting modern solutions and refining call-handling processes to ensure that members of the public receive swift assistance when they need it. Investments in intelligent queuing systems, workforce optimisation, and automated call-back technology have played a pivotal role in delivering these improvements.
The NPCC Contact Management Portfolio remains committed to further refining these systems, driving innovation, and maintaining the highest standards in public service efficiency.
T/DCC Catherine Akehurst is the outgoing NPCC Contact Management Lead and has led the development and implementation of this initiative. She said:
“This marks a defining moment in how policing connects with the public. The journey to reach this point has been one of collaboration, dedication, and sheer determination by colleagues across forces who have worked tirelessly to modernise contact management.
“From refining call-handling processes to integrating new technologies, every step has been guided by a commitment to ensuring that people who need assistance can access it efficiently. I want to extend my sincere thanks to everyone who has contributed their expertise and passion to this project; it is their ingenuity and perseverance that have made this possible.”
DCC Simon Megicks is the Digital Public Contact Lead and new NPCC Contact Management Lead. He added:
“Publishing this data is not only about transparency – it is about progress. Police forces are now leveraging artificial intelligence, digital call-routing, and smarter triage systems to enhance contact management like never before. We are at the forefront of technological transformation in policing, ensuring that public interactions become more efficient, seamless, and responsive.
“I want to thank T/DCC Catherine Akehurst and all those who have worked to bring us to this moment. Now, we move forward – continuing to evolve, innovate, and push the boundaries of what is possible in contact management. The future is bright, and this initiative is just the beginning of what’s to come.”
“This new standard in transparency and data publication reinforces policing’s commitment to continuous improvement in service accessibility, responsiveness, and efficiency. As forces integrate smarter digital solutions and refine operational processes, the focus remains on providing reliable and responsive contact management for communities across the country.”
Think Before You Call – Keep Emergency Lines Clear This Summer
With summer approaching, police forces are preparing for a surge in calls. The warmer months bring an increase in demand, and it’s essential that emergency lines remain clear for those who truly need urgent help.
999 is for emergencies only – serious crimes, threats to life, and situations requiring immediate police response. 101 should be used for genuine police matters, such as reporting non-urgent crime or seeking advice from your local force.
Unfortunately, we receive a surprising number of unnecessary calls, which clog up the system and delay responses for those in real need. Some examples include complaints about fast-food orders, requests for lost remote controls, and even enquiries about celebrity gossip.
Here are some unexpected examples of emergency calls that, in reality, were far from urgent:
Cambridgeshire Police received calls from individuals asking for assistance with homework and even placing requests for fast food.
Gloucestershire Police were dialled on 999 over a spilled cup of coffee and grievances about car wash employees.
Hertfordshire Constabulary had a caller seeking nothing more than a phone number for a taxi service.
Police urge the public to pause and consider before calling – if the issue isn’t police-related, it could be taking time away from someone in distress. Let’s keep the lines open for those who truly need help and ensure our emergency services can focus on keeping communities safe.
Many police forces now offer digital contact options, making it easier for people to get the help they need without picking up the phone.
Police.uk provides a range of services to help people report crimes, seek support, and access policing information. Here are some key services available:
Reporting Crimes – You can report incidents such as theft, fraud, domestic abuse, hate crimes, and missing persons online.
Advice & Support – The site offers guidance on staying safe, dealing with crime, and understanding your rights.
Local Policing Information – Find out about crime rates, policing teams, and safety initiatives in your area.
Performance & Statistics – Access data on police effectiveness and crime trends across the UK.
StreetSafe – A tool that allows people to highlight areas where they feel unsafe, helping police improve public safety.
The Police.UK app, available on Google Play and the iOS App Store, makes reporting crime and accessing vital policing information easier than ever. Whether you want to track local crime trends, find practical safety advice for your home, or stay updated on your local police team’s activities, the app puts essential services at your fingertips. Any contact made through the app is handled by the same trained professionals who manage 101 calls, ensuring consistent and reliable support.
More support for neurodivergent children in mainstream schools
Around 300,000 children across 1,200 primary schools to benefit from earlier and better neurodiversity support.
Around 300,000 children, including those with conditions such as autism, ADHD, and dyslexia, will be better supported to achieve and thrive as the government expands successful programme to help boost attendance and behaviour.
Backed by £9.5 million in government funding, the Partnership for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS) programme – which supports neurodiverse students by training teachers to identify and better meet their needs and improves parental engagement – will be extended for another year across a further 1,200 schools.
One in seven children are estimated to be neurodiverse, and a lack of specialist training and awareness to support them means they often face bullying, higher rates of suspensions due to challenging behaviour, absence, and poor mental health.
The positive impact of the PINs programme is already being seen in 1,600 primary schools which have previously taken part, with staff reporting increased attendance, improved behaviour, and better pupil wellbeing – which in turn benefits the entire school community.
It ensures mainstream primary schools are more inclusive, enabling more children with SEN to thrive with their peers, meaning special schools can cater to those with the most complex needs – in line with the Government’s vision for a reformed SEND system as part of its Plan for Change.
Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson said:
The impact on life chances when there is a lack of appropriate support for neurodivergent children can be devastating.
We want a different future for children with SEND: inclusive and tailored to meet their needs, so everyone has the chance to achieve and thrive, and excellence is for every child.
As part of our Plan for Change, we are determined to fix the broken SEND system and restore the trust of parents by ensuring schools have the tools to better identify and support children before issues escalate to crisis point.
Some neurodivergent children are highly sensitive to loud noises or bright lights, leading to sensory overload which makes it difficult to learn, while others have difficulty understanding social cues or communication, leading to feelings of isolation.
Others can find skills such as managing time difficult, impacting their ability to complete tasks, and some may experience hyperactivity or difficulties with emotional regulation, which make behaviour challenging. On top of this, some pupils ‘mask’, which can lead to increased anxiety and burnout.
Through the PINS programme, specialist education and health professionals provide vital training to school staff to better identify conditions and access interventions tailored to their specific needs, and to better understand how to interact with neurodivergent children in a supportive way.
Schools are also expected to host termly meetings with parents and carers, allowing them to feedback on the school’s approach to supporting children’s needs, increasing parental confidence.
Carfield Primary School in Yorkshire received support from a speech and language team and occupational therapist through the PINS programme which helped teachers better identify and support children’s needs.
They now open the school gates earlier and stagger their lunch time for pupils to ensure there is a calmer, more regulated school environment to avoid overstimulation. Plus, each child has a profile for teachers to understand their individualised needs.
Parent at the school, Abi Olajide, said:
My son was finding some aspects of school difficult and I felt isolated until I was invited to a parents’ forum which made me feel like I wasn’t alone and we were in it together.
We got the opportunity to encourage one another as parents and better learn how to support our children’s needs. My son’s class teacher is marvellous and is always giving updates on how he’s getting on. Before PINs, I didn’t know what to do but now the school and parents are all linked up and work in partnership.
My son has improved in reading and in his enjoyment of school and he is starting to have better relationships with his peers. I feel really grateful for PINs because of all the support my son is getting, and how well he is now doing at school.
Bethan Arthur, SENCO and Deputy Head Teacher at the school, said:
We have seen a massive improvement in the schools’ relationship with parents and a significant improvement in children’s attendance – from 93% to 95%, which has been supported by engaging with the PINS programme.
Tom Cahill, National Director for learning disability and autism at NHS England, said:
It is fantastic news that thousands more neurodivergent children are to be better supported to thrive in mainstream primary schools.
I visited a PINS primary school and saw first hand how health professionals can support schools in meeting the needs of neurodivergent children – I heard from parents who appreciated the support without the need for diagnoses or waiting lists.
Effective partnerships between local NHS systems, local authorities, schools and parent carer forums allows schools to access specialist health professionals to provide advice and training. Strengthening relationships between schools and parent carers ultimately leads to improved children’s experiences at school and provides us with a blueprint for the future.
Sarah Clarke and Jo Harrison, Directors and Co-Chairs of the National Network of Parent Carer Forums said:
The PINS programme has been an inspiring initiative, bringing together educators, health professionals, and parents to ensure neurodivergent children receive the support they need in their local schools.
Through close collaboration with families and Parent Carer Forums, the programme has strengthened communication and mutual understanding between schools and families, leading to reduced isolation for those with SEND and improved access to additional support services. This collective effort has created a powerful network of expertise dedicated to improving outcomes for all neurodivergent children.
The Government established its Neurodivergence “Task and Finish Group”, led by Professor Karen Guldberg, which brings together a group of experts to drive understanding of how to improve inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, in a way that works for neurodivergent children and young people.
Professor Karen Guldberg, the Chair of the Neurodivergence Task and Finish Group, said:
I welcome the expansion of the Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS) programme. It focuses on strengthening the knowledge, understanding and skills of those who support neurodiverse children and young people in mainstream schools.
It is an excellent example of strong partnership work between education, health and parent carers to meet the needs of neurodiverse children and young people.
This comes as £740 million has been invested to encourage councils to create more specialist places in mainstream schools, driving inclusivity and enabling more children to achieve and thrive at their local school.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
The programme is funded by the Department for Education (DfE) and supported by the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) and NHS England (NHSE).
[Neurodiversity
NHS England
Workforce, training and education](https://www.hee.nhs.uk/our-work/pharmacy/transforming/initial/foundation/resources/edi/neurodiversity)
