Global Pulse

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  • Australia moves to tax Meta, Google and TikTok to fund newsrooms

    Australia moves to tax Meta, Google and TikTok to fund newsrooms

    MELBOURNE, Australia — The Australian government has tabled a groundbreaking new legislative proposal that would impose a revenue-based tax on three major global digital platforms — Meta, Google, and TikTok — to compensate local news creators for their journalistic work, marking the nation’s second attempt in three years to enforce fair compensation for news content shared on big tech services.

    Unveiled on Tuesday, the draft legislation will be submitted to Australia’s Parliament by July 2. The policy, dubbed the News Bargaining Incentive, is structured to push large platforms to negotiate voluntary commercial deals with domestic news organizations. Under the framework, any qualifying platform that declines to strike such agreements will face a 2.25% levy on their annual Australian-generated revenue. If platforms do agree to compensate publishers for news content, they will qualify for tax offsets that reduce their overall financial obligation.

    This proposal comes in response to the failure of Australia’s 2021 regulatory framework, the News Media Bargaining Code. That original law required platforms to negotiate payment for news content with publishers, threatening binding arbitration if no deal was reached. While most major platforms opted to strike initial deals to avoid arbitration rather than face judicial price-setting, many have since refused to renew agreements, opting instead to remove news content from their platforms to avoid payment obligations.

    The Australian government projects the new incentive scheme will generate between AU$200 million and AU$250 million (US$144 million to US$179 million) annually — a figure that matches the highest annual total of platform payments to news outlets under the original 2021 code. Collected funds will be distributed to local news organizations proportional to the number of journalists each outlet employs, according to Communication Minister Anika Wells.

    Prime Minister Anthony Albanese defended the policy, arguing that journalistic work must be fairly compensated rather than exploited by multinational corporations for profit. “It shouldn’t just be able to be taken by a large multinational corporation and used to generate profits for that organisation with no compensation appropriate for the people who produce that creative content,” Albanese told reporters. “We think that investment in journalism is critical to a healthy democracy.” The prime minister also pushed back against potential criticism from the U.S. — where all three targeted firms are based — noting that Australia is a sovereign nation acting in its own national interest.

    Not surprisingly, the proposal has drawn sharp pushback from the targeted digital giants. All three argue the plan is an unfair “digital services tax” that misrepresents the value exchange between platforms and news publishers, and will not create a sustainable future for the Australian news sector.

    Meta argued in an official statement that news organizations voluntarily share content on its platforms because they benefit from the distribution and audience reach the company provides. “The idea that we take their news content is simply wrong,” the company said, adding that the tax would apply even if platforms host no news content at all, calling the policy “a government-mandated transfer of wealth from one industry to another” that would only create a news sector dependent on government subsidies rather than sustainable innovation.

    Google echoed the criticism, saying it already maintains active commercial agreements with Australian news creators. The company also pointed out that the policy arbitrarily excludes other major digital platforms active in Australia, including Microsoft, Snapchat, and OpenAI, despite the changing landscape of how consumers access news. “It ignores the fact that Google already has commercial agreements with the news industry, misunderstands how the ad market changed and mandates payments from some companies while arbitrarily excluding platforms,” Google’s statement read. TikTok has not yet issued a public response to the proposal as of Tuesday.

  • NZ axes plan for WW2 sex slaves statue after Japan protest

    NZ axes plan for WW2 sex slaves statue after Japan protest

    A highly contentious proposal to install a bronze memorial honoring World War II-era ‘comfort women’ — the systemic victims of Japanese military sexual slavery — has been struck down by local authorities in Auckland, New Zealand, following direct diplomatic pushback from Tokyo.

    The planned monument, which would have mirrored the design of dozens of similar memorials across the globe by depicting a seated young girl beside an empty chair to represent all unrecognized victims, was a gift to New Zealand from the Korean Council for Justice and Remembrance, a South Korean non-profit that has spent decades advocating for acknowledgement and redress for the surviving comfort women and the legacy of the atrocity.

    Historians estimate that between 1932 and 1945, more than 200,000 women and girls from across occupied East and Southeast Asia were forced into sexual servitude in Japanese military brothels. The majority of those victims were Korean, with additional large groups hailing from mainland China, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Taiwan. Only a handful of survivors are still alive today, and the movement to erect public memorials is framed by advocates as a way to preserve the historical record of the atrocity for future generations.

    Japan’s Embassy in Wellington had publicly warned Auckland Council that installing the statue in a public municipal garden would risk severe damage to bilateral diplomatic relations between Japan and New Zealand. In a formal letter to council leadership, Japanese Ambassador Makoto Osawa argued that the memorial would deepen social rifts in New Zealand’s diverse, multiethnic society, particularly between the country’s resident Japanese and Korean communities, who currently coexist peacefully.

    Osawa emphasized that Tokyo does not seek to deny or minimize the history of military sexual slavery during World War II, noting that successive Japanese governments have engaged in sustained diplomatic efforts to address the issue with South Korea over the decades. The ambassador’s pushback echoed a longstanding Japanese policy of opposing public comfort woman memorials in allied countries, a stance that has already triggered diplomatic friction in other parts of the world. In 2018, Osaka cut official sister-city ties with San Francisco after the US city installed a permanent comfort woman memorial in a public park, a move that reflected the depth of Tokyo’s opposition to such monuments.

    In its official explanation for the rejection, Auckland Council’s Land and Property Advisory head Kim O’Neill told the BBC that the recommendation to turn down the proposal grew out of public consultation, which showed a clear lack of broad community support for the project. The rejection was later formalized in a vote by the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board, the local governing body with jurisdiction over the proposed site.

    New Zealand’s national government previously confirmed that Japan had submitted formal diplomatic representations on the statue proposal, but emphasized that decisions around public monuments and memorials fall entirely under the purview of local government and community stakeholders, rather than the national executive. The outcome has reignited debate around the balance of diplomatic courtesy, historical memory, and grassroots advocacy, as activists vow to continue pushing for a public memorial to honor the victims of Japanese military sexual slavery in New Zealand.

  • ‘Two five-eighths’: Trent Hodkinson calls for the Bulldogs to make a change in the halves to fix their attacking woes

    ‘Two five-eighths’: Trent Hodkinson calls for the Bulldogs to make a change in the halves to fix their attacking woes

    As the last Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs halfback to steer the club to an NRL grand final, Trent Hodkinson knows firsthand how positional misalignment can derail a once-promising side. Now, he’s sounding the alarm on a familiar pattern unfolding at Belmore this season, one that mirrors the turbulence that forced him out of the club nearly a decade ago.

    Hodkinson’s legacy with the blue-and-whites remains one of the club’s most celebrated recent chapters. In 2014, just months after he and halves partner Josh Reynolds broke Queensland’s long State of Origin winning streak, Hodkinson led the Bulldogs to the NRL’s ultimate decider. Their successful pairing was built on complementary strengths: Hodkinson served as the chief playmaker, controlling match tempo with a pinpoint kicking game, while Reynolds thrived in the five-eighth role, playing off instinct and creating opportunities with spontaneous play. The dynamic worked seamlessly—until a 2015 roster restructuring pushed Hodkinson out the door to make room for two five-eighths, Reynolds and Moses Mbye. The result was disastrous: in 2016, the Bulldogs posted the lowest point total of any top-eight side in the competition.

    Today, Hodkinson sees the same problematic setup taking shape. Current Bulldogs playmakers Lachlan Galvin and Matt Burton are both natural five-eighths, in his assessment, and the lack of a dedicated, controlling halfback at the No.7 position has left the team’s attack adrift. Through the early part of the 2024 season, Canterbury has scored the second-fewest points of any club in the NRL, a statistic that echoes the 2016 slump.

    NRL Immortal Andrew Johns has already publicly called for Galvin to shift permanently to five-eighth, a recommendation Hodkinson fully endorses. The former Bulldogs playmaker has thrown his support behind two candidates to fill the vacant halfback role: veteran experienced playmaker Sean O’Sullivan, who is already a member of the Bulldogs roster, and young up-and-comer Mitchell Woods, who is currently working his way back from injury.

    “It reminded me of 2015 when it was myself, Josh Reynolds and Moses Mbye, and three couldn’t go into two. I got pushed out of the club but I truly believe Moses and Josh were two five-eighths,” Hodkinson explained. “It’s a similar situation now. I know Lachie’s been playing seven and he played a really good game the other week against Penrith, but I feel like they’re very similar players. Toby Sexton, who left the club last year, was a genuine seven, and you’ve got O’Sullivan there who’s a genuine seven.”

    Beyond naming O’Sullivan as an immediate option, Hodkinson is pushing for the club to give the talented 19-year-old Woods an opportunity at the top level. As a member of the coaching staff for New South Wales’ under-19s Origin side, Hodkinson has seen Woods’ ability firsthand, and says the young prospect fits the profile of a traditional game-controlling halfback the club desperately needs.

    “I’m not the coach there and (Cameron) Ciraldo gets paid the big money to make the decisions, but I’d even like to see young ‘Woodsy’,” he said. “We had him last year in the 19s Origin team and he’s a genuine seven. I haven’t seen him too much the last 6-8 months with how he’s going physically, but he’d be more than capable to step up.”

    Hodkinson also suggested Galvin, who has a large physical frame, could make a successful transition to lock if the club opts to bring in a dedicated halfback. He added that while Galvin turned in an impressive performance against the Panthers recently, the young playmaker needs to improve consistency to hold the No.7 role long-term.

    Against the common modern argument that the halfback and five-eighth positions are interchangeable—just numbers on the back of a jersey—Hodkinson stands firm that the two roles remain distinct. “I still think they’re unique positions, I really do,” he said. “You’ve got to have that one dominant half and that guy that steers them around the field. They’re similar at times but I think they’re still separate positions. You’ve got a seven, a halfback, and you’ve got a six, a five-eighth. As much as they’re compared to being very similar, they’re still very different in a way.”

    Woods, who turns 20 next month, faces ongoing speculation over whether he is mature enough for the intensity of NRL football. But Hodkinson argues that young playmakers can only prove their readiness at the top level by being given an opportunity to compete.

    “You probably don’t know until you give them a crack and get out there and then they’ve just got to figure it out themselves,” he said. “I’m sure there’s plenty of eyes at the Dogs or at multiple clubs that know when these young fellas are ready to make the step. It’s exciting, there are some really good, talented young halves coming through and I’m excited to see how they all go.”

    For now, the Bulldogs’ coaching staff led by Ciraldo holds the final call on how the club will resolve its halves puzzle, but Hodkinson’s warning echoes across Belmore: failing to address the current positional imbalance could lead to a repeat of the struggles that derailed the side nearly a decade ago.

  • Australian shares hit longest losing streak in years on inflation fears

    Australian shares hit longest losing streak in years on inflation fears

    Australia’s benchmark share market extended its downward trajectory into a sixth consecutive trading session on Tuesday, marking its longest losing run in more than two years, as spiking crude oil prices and widespread investor anticipation of a key upcoming inflation reading dragged most sectors lower.

    The flagship S&P/ASX 200 shed 55.70 points, a 0.64% decline, to close at 8710.70, while the wider All Ordinaries index followed a similar path, falling 55.80 points or 0.62% to settle at 8935. The Australian dollar also weakened against the U.S. dollar, ending the session at 71.63 U.S. cents. This six-session losing streak is the longest the ASX 200 has recorded since June 2022.

    Out of the 11 major market sectors, nine closed in negative territory, with only the energy sector delivering consistent gains, lifted directly by the ongoing rally in global oil prices. International benchmark Brent Crude climbed an additional 2.5% to hit $US110 per barrel on Tuesday, as traders monitored stalled negotiations over a potential U.S.-Iran peace deal that has stoked concerns over global oil supply disruptions.

    Major Australian energy names logged solid gains on the back of rising crude prices: Woodside Energy saw its shares rise 0.84% to $32.40, oil and gas producer Santos gained 1.18% to close at $7.74, and fuel retailer Ampol added 1.27% to end the day at $34.26.

    These energy gains were more than offset by broad declines across consumer discretionary, healthcare, and materials sectors, as investors braced for Wednesday’s critical inflation data release. Markets fear that a hotter-than-expected inflation reading will give the Reserve Bank of Australia justification to resume its cycle of interest rate hikes, a prospect that has weighed heavily on rate-sensitive sectors.

    Leading the declines in consumer discretionary stocks, conglomerate Wesfarmers dropped 2.10% to $72.31, gaming giant Aristocrat Leisure fell 4.21% to $46.20, and Lights Wonder slipped 3.27% to $116.32. In the healthcare space, biotechnology leader CSL extended its recent downward trend, falling 2.22% to $128.90, Sigma Healthcare declined 0.72% to $2.75, and medical technology firm Pro Medicus dropped 1.53% to $136.

    AMP’s chief economist Shane Oliver warned that headline inflation is likely to spike to 5% in the March quarter data, driven by surging fuel costs and rising insurance premiums. “We are going to see a spike,” Oliver noted. “On our rough estimates fuel prices rose by 30 per cent in the month of March – a bit less for petrol, a lot more for diesel – and that is on its own going to add more than one percentage point to inflation.”

    Major mining stocks also slumped, pressured by rising operational fuel costs and a 1.14% drop in gold prices to US$4628 per ounce. BHP fell 1.30% to $55.43, Rio Tinto slipped 0.47% to $172.12, though Fortescue Metals bucked the broader trend to climb 1.72% to $20.11. Gold producers were hit particularly hard: Northern Star Resources dropped 2.89% to $21.50, Evolution Mining fell 2.98% to $12.69, and Newmont sank 4.50% to $158.69.

    Beyond domestic inflation expectations, market volatility continues to be driven by geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, according to Kyle Rodda, senior financial market analyst at Capital.com. Rodda noted that equity prices have fluctuated wildly on unconfirmed reports about potential plans to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil chokepoint. He added that those reports lack credibility, as follow-up negotiations between parties have failed to materialize, former U.S. President Donald Trump has rejected the proposed deal, and military forces continue to build up around the Persian Gulf.

    Interestingly, while Australian markets grappled with downside pressure, Wall Street notched another all-time record high during overnight trading on Monday.

    In individual company news, Domino’s Pizza Australia saw its shares plunge 10.70% to $15.85, mirroring a selloff in its U.S.-listed parent company after the American fast food giant reported first-quarter sales that missed analyst expectations. The company blamed weak consumer sentiment, intense industry competition, and ongoing cost-of-living pressures for the underperformance. Bega Cheese also dropped 4.28% to $5.59 even though the company did not release any price-sensitive new information to the market. In contrast, Reliance World rallied 3.68% to $3.15 after the firm confirmed its full-year trading outlook for the 2026 fiscal year ending June 30.

  • White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner shooting suspect charged with attempted assassination

    White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner shooting suspect charged with attempted assassination

    On April 27, 2026, senior U.S. law enforcement officials held an official press conference at the Department of Justice in Washington D.C. to update the public on a high-stakes security incident that unfolded the previous weekend at the annual White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner. At the briefing, officials displayed images of the arsenal recovered from 31-year-old suspect Cole Tomas Allen, who is now facing federal charges for orchestrating an assassination plot targeting former president and current officeholder Donald Trump.

    Following the Saturday night shooting incident, Allen appeared for his first federal court hearing at the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on Monday, where prosecutors formally levied three criminal counts against him: attempted assassination of the sitting U.S. president, illegal interstate transportation of firearms, and unlawful discharge of a weapon during the commission of a violent felony.

    Per CNBC reporting citing prosecution filings, when law enforcement officers took Allen into custody, he was found in possession of a 12-gauge pump-action shotgun, a .38 caliber handgun, three bladed weapons, and a cache of additional dangerous equipment. Law enforcement investigators have since reconstructed the suspect’s pre-attack movements, confirming that Allen traveled cross-country from his home state of California to Washington D.C. via passenger train, and smuggled his full arsenal into the Washington Hilton — the venue hosting the high-profile dinner — before launching his attack.

    Shortly before he attempted to breach security, Allen sent an email to family members that laid out his premeditated plan in explicit terms. In the message, he identified senior Trump administration officials as his intended targets, ranked in order of priority from highest to lowest. He also wrote, “I walk in with multiple weapons and not a single person there considers the possibility that I could be a threat.”

    Live event footage captured the chaotic moments of the attack: Allen attempted to rush past a magnetometer security checkpoint, triggering an immediate exchange of gunfire between the suspect and responding Secret Service agents. One Secret Service officer was wounded in the shootout before Allen was apprehended.

    Immediately following the incident, Trump, First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and all sitting Cabinet members were rapidly evacuated from the event venue to secure locations. Live broadcasts from the scene showed hundreds of attendees scrambling for cover, crouching behind dinner tables to avoid stray gunfire.

    U.S. Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi confirmed the incident in an early post on X, noting that the agency launched a full investigation into the shooting near the dinner’s main security screening area in close coordination with the Metropolitan Police Department of D.C.

    The incident marks the latest in a growing wave of political violence that has rocked the United States in recent years. Trump has been the target of multiple assassination attempts and repeated death threats both during his 2024 presidential campaign and his current second term in office. The most high-profile prior attack came in July 2024, when a shooter opened fire on Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, leaving the then-candidate with minor injuries after he narrowly escaped the assault.

  • Russian superyacht sails through Strait of Hormuz despite blockade

    Russian superyacht sails through Strait of Hormuz despite blockade

    Against a backdrop of heightened geopolitical tension and a largely blockaded critical global shipping lane, a luxury superyacht tied to one of Vladimir Putin’s closest sanctioned allies has completed a rare passage through the Strait of Hormuz, drawing new attention to deepening diplomatic ties between Iran and Russia.

    The 142-meter Nord, a multi-deck floating palace valued at an estimated $500 million that comes equipped with a swimming pool, private submarine, and full helipad, set out from Dubai on Friday night and reached the Al Mouj marina in Muscat, Oman by Sunday morning, according to tracking data from the Marine Traffic platform. While the vessel is formally registered to a company controlled by the wife of Alexey Mordashov – Russia’s wealthiest businessman, per Forbes, with an estimated net worth of $37 billion – open source records confirm the superyacht is ultimately linked to Mordashov himself, a long-time ally of Putin who has been hit with sweeping sanctions from the U.S., EU, and UK since Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It remains unknown whether Mordashov was aboard the vessel during the transit.

    The rare voyage comes at a moment of extreme volatility in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow Gulf waterway that carries roughly one-fifth of the world’s global crude oil and liquefied natural gas supplies. After former U.S. President Donald Trump announced a U.S. military blockade of Iranian ports, Iran has restricted most commercial and private shipping through the channel, leaving current traffic at a small fraction of pre-conflict levels. The ongoing standoff has sent global energy prices soaring: international benchmark Brent crude climbed to $109 per barrel on Monday, deepening economic uncertainty for markets worldwide. With most private vessels avoiding the contested waterway entirely, Nord is one of only a handful of private craft to complete the transit in recent months.

    Parallel to the shipping disruption, this week has seen high-level diplomatic engagement between Iran and Russia aimed at solidifying their growing strategic partnership. On Monday, Putin hosted an Iranian delegation led by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in St. Petersburg, where both leaders reaffirmed their mutual solidarity against Western pressure. Speaking after the meeting, Araghchi emphasized that recent global events have only underscored the depth of the two nations’ alliance, writing on social media platform X: “As our relationship continues to grow, we are grateful for solidarity and welcome Russia’s support for diplomacy.” Araghchi shared public photos of himself shaking hands and smiling with both Putin and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

    For his part, Putin told the Iranian delegation that the Iranian people are “courageously fighting” for their national sovereignty in the face of pressure from the U.S. and Israel, according to Russian state news agency Tass. The high-level talks come as long-term peace negotiations between the U.S. and Iran remain stalled, leaving the status of the Strait of Hormuz and global energy security unresolved.

    For years following the imposition of Western sanctions on Mordashov, Western governments have pushed other nations to seize Nord and freeze the billionaire’s other assets. Previous attempts to take control of the superyacht have failed, however, with both Hong Kong and the Maldives declining to impound the vessel despite repeated international calls for action.

  • Successful robot trial of smart eldercare

    Successful robot trial of smart eldercare

    Against the backdrop of a rapidly aging population and a fast-growing domestic robotics industry, southern Beijing’s Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area – widely known as Beijing E-Town – has launched an ambitious pilot project to test how smart technology can transform eldercare services for local communities. The 1,100-square-meter smart eldercare hub, which opened its doors in March in the district’s Ronghua subdistrict, blends the functions of a community activity center, a cutting-edge robotics showroom and a prototype nursing facility, marking one of China’s first large-scale trials of integrated robotic care for older adults.

    Ronghua subdistrict, like many urban areas across China, faces stark demographic shifts: official data shows more than 25 percent of its residents are aged 60 and above, with that share rising to 35 percent in some residential neighborhoods. To address growing demand for eldercare that goes beyond the basic assistance offered by traditional community care stations, local officials decided to leverage Beijing E-Town’s global reputation as a leading robotics manufacturing and innovation hub by integrating local tech firms’ products into daily elder services.

    The facility operates through a unique three-party collaboration model designed to combine public oversight, private sector efficiency and industry innovation. The local subdistrict government provides core funding and regulatory oversight, while a private service operator manages day-to-day operations for visitors. A state-backed platform called the “Robot Mall” curates and supplies robotic systems from 24 different domestic robotics companies, creating a living testing ground for new eldercare-focused technologies.

    To date, 43 distinct robots have been rolled out across the hub’s four floors, serving a wide range of needs from dining to recreation to rehabilitation. At the ground-floor cafeteria, a stainless-steel robotic chef handles automated stir-frying with consistent mechanical precision, never requiring a day off, while an automated pancake-maker greets visitors near the entrance. On the third floor, AI-powered massage robots offer on-demand therapeutic care, and the fourth floor houses powered exoskeleton suits designed to support older adults with limited mobility. A robotic chess opponent in the recreation room provides interactive entertainment for visitors looking for leisure activity.

    Unlike traditional eldercare facilities, this pilot hub is designed to iterate quickly based on user feedback. In the first month of operation alone, around 10 of the deployed robots were pulled from service for adjustments and modifications to better meet the needs of older visitors.

    For many older visitors like 74-year-old Ren, who travels an hour by bus from her home to visit the hub for a second time, the facility already solves a common everyday challenge for aging adults: access to affordable, nutritious daily meals. “The cafeteria is very good, and the food is delicious,” Ren said. She initially came to the hub to address what she calls the “dining problem” that many older adults face when cooking for themselves becomes difficult. “When I can’t take care of myself anymore, then I’ll think about how to get through those days. For now, I just need good meals.” While Ren has not yet tried the facility’s high-tech rehabilitation and massage robots, she embodies the target user group that Beijing E-Town is aiming to serve with this smart eldercare model, which seeks to match the district’s robust robotics innovation capacity to the pressing national need for expanded, high-quality eldercare.

    As China’s population continues to age, policymakers and industry leaders are increasingly turning to technological solutions to ease strain on traditional care systems, and the successful refinement of this model could see it rolled out to other communities across the country in coming years.

  • AFL 2026: Richmond has lost two of its luckless young guns for an undetermined period of time

    AFL 2026: Richmond has lost two of its luckless young guns for an undetermined period of time

    The Richmond Tigers Australian Football League club has been dealt a fresh injury blow, with two of its young high-potential players set for extended time off the field after suffering new setbacks in training and VFL competition over the past week.

    First-round draft pick Josh Smillie, who has yet to make his senior AFL debut after being recruited by Richmond at the end of 2024, re-teared a previous quad injury during a low-intensity kicking drill at club training last week. Ben Serpell, Richmond’s high performance manager, confirmed that while the re-injury did not damage the original surgical site where Smillie underwent treatment for his prior quad issue, there is currently no confirmed timeline for the young talent’s return to competitive play.

    “To be clear, the original surgical site’s still intact, so we are going to shift him back to the TBC time frame,” Serpell told reporters. The high performance manager also acknowledged the deep frustration both players are feeling after their latest setbacks, noting that the entire club shares that disappointment. “Both Josh’s (Smillie and Gibcus) are clearly very frustrated with their injuries at this point in time, as is everyone at the Club. I think at this point in time it’s really important that we get our arms around these guys and support them through their respective recoveries and make sure that we get behind them as they progress forward.”

    The injury news is similarly discouraging for key defender Josh Gibcus, who picked up an ACL strain during a Victorian Football League (VFL) match over the weekend. Gibcus was initially assessed for the knee injury in the first quarter of the game, cleared to return to play, but reported ongoing discomfort in the days following the match. A follow-up MRI confirmed the strain, which Serpell emphasized is not a full rupture, and did not occur on the same knee that Gibcus previously had reconstruction surgery on.

    As the injury is an uncommon presentation, club medical staff will consult multiple specialist surgeons to weigh treatment options, including a non-surgical path that has already proven successful for another of the club’s players. “It is an uncommon injury, so we need to be considered with our approach for his return to play. We need to consult a number of different surgeons. We can see, for instance, Gab Seymour from our women’s program sustained a similar injury last year. She didn’t go through surgery, and she’s back out training. So we are hoping for the best for Josh,” Serpell said. The club plans to update supporters once a clear treatment and recovery plan is finalized for Gibcus, who will remain sidelined in the interim while the club assesses its options.

  • New policy to strengthen rights for new occupations

    New policy to strengthen rights for new occupations

    Against a backdrop of explosive growth in China’s gig economy and rising concerns over unfair working conditions for flexible employees, China’s top governing bodies have introduced a landmark policy framework designed to safeguard the legal rights and interests of workers in new forms of employment. The policy, made public on April 27, 2026 by the General Offices of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the State Council, addresses widespread industry abuses that have accompanied the sector’s rapid expansion, when more than 240 million people now work in flexible roles across the country. According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, approximately 84 million of these workers hold positions in emerging occupations including food delivery riders, ride-hailing drivers, parcel couriers and online livestreamers. The new regulation sets clear, phased goals for industry reform: by 2027, all gig workers are expected to benefit from standardized labor protocols, safer working environments and fully enforceable legal rights protections. Over a three to five-year implementation window, the entire regulatory system will mature, fostering more harmonious labor relations, greater social recognition for flexible occupations, and enabling comprehensive personal development for gig workers. A key innovation introduced by the policy is the nation’s first mandatory algorithm filing system, which requires all digital employment platforms to complete regular third-party reviews and verification of their operational algorithms. The regulation explicitly guarantees gig workers three core algorithm-related rights: the right to be informed of algorithm rule changes, the right to participate in rule-setting discussions, and the right to voice opposition to unfair algorithm design. When platforms adjust core algorithm parameters that directly impact workers’ livelihoods — including income distribution rules, service pricing structures and estimated delivery timeframes — they are legally required to solicit and consider feedback from trade unions and elected gig worker representatives. The policy also targets the harmful “involution-style” cutthroat competition that has become endemic in the platform economy, where extreme price wars and efficiency overemphasis have suppressed worker wages and intensified job-related stress. Regulatory authorities are directed to strictly prevent infringement on new employment groups’ rights, with mandates to investigate unfair commission schemes, unequal distribution of customer order traffic, and abusive exercise of market dominance by large platforms. To address gaps in social support for mobile flexible workers, the policy expands access to basic public services tied to workers’ habitual residence rather than formal household registration, allowing social service coverage to follow workers as they relocate across provincial and municipal boundaries. It also calls for strengthening the national social security system, including expanding pilot programs for mandatory work-related injury insurance and gradually incorporating gig workers into the national housing provident fund system that provides subsidized housing support. Industry and labor experts have praised the policy as a transformative institutional innovation for modern labor governance in China. Tang Daisheng, a professor of economics and management at Beijing Jiaotong University, noted that the framework replaces the previous unregulated ecosystem driven by uncontrolled capital expansion and opaque algorithmic optimization with a new, fairer operating environment. Under the new system, platforms are required to operate in full compliance with labor laws, algorithmic decision-making is transparent and equitable, and gig workers are guaranteed access to decent, dignified work. “The policy directly targets the current practice where large platform companies seize market share through destructive subsidy wars, a race to the bottom that leaves workers with meager incomes and systematically eroded rights,” Tang explained. “This reform will force platforms to shift their competitive focus to improving service quality and user experience, rather than increasing profits by squeezing gig workers.” Tang added that the mandatory algorithm filing system requires platforms to disclose core algorithm logic, underlying data sources and decision-making rules to regulators before new algorithms are deployed, shifting the previous reactive regulatory model — where intervention only occurred after worker rights were already violated — to a proactive prevention-focused governance model. This new structure allows regulators to trace violations directly to their source and hold platform leadership legally accountable for abuses. The policy builds on earlier regulatory actions to curb unfair platform practices: in July 2025, the State Administration for Market Regulation summoned executives from three of China’s largest food delivery platforms — Taobao Instant Commerce (formerly Ele.me), Meituan, and JD.com — to demand compliance with e-commerce, anti-unfair competition, and food safety laws. The summons was issued in response to a rampant industry price war that included low-threshold consumer coupons, free delivery vouchers and even zero-cost promotional items that put extreme downward pressure on rider earnings. For gig workers already navigating grueling daily schedules, the new rules bring long-awaited relief to longstanding grievances. Yan Dongjian, a Meituan delivery rider based in Beijing, told reporters he works 12-hour shifts even during slow business seasons, earning roughly 400 yuan ($59) per day. During the busier winter peak season, his daily income can climb to 500 to 600 yuan with platform performance incentives. “The biggest challenge we face is traffic safety,” Yan said. “Road accidents are extremely common. We’re all just here to earn a living, but the platform-imposed delivery time limits are unreasonably tight.” He explained that a typical 25 to 26-minute delivery window already includes time spent waiting for restaurants to prepare orders, leaving almost no buffer for unexpected delays. If a restaurant falls behind on cooking, riders are automatically penalized for lateness, creating constant, high-stress pressure throughout every shift. Yan noted that the new regulations will curb one of the most common worker grievances: arbitrary fine deductions from platform operators. “Platforms used to dock pay for any small delay with no room for appeal. Now they won’t be able to do that as easily,” he said. Yang Bin, a Beijing-based ride-hailing driver who now takes nearly all of his passenger orders through mobile platform apps, echoed the widespread hope for meaningful change, while noting that consistent implementation will be the key to success. Yang has long raised concerns about unfair order dispatch algorithms that allocate more high-value trips to a small subset of drivers, leaving many full-time drivers with inconsistent incomes. “If the new rules are actually enforced, and every driver gets fair treatment with more balanced order distribution, this will be a huge win for all of us,” Yang said.

  • Prada launches Indian-made sandals after cultural appropriation backlash

    Prada launches Indian-made sandals after cultural appropriation backlash

    Nearly 12 months after drawing widespread public criticism for failing to credit the Indian origins of a similar footwear design, Italian luxury fashion house Prada has officially released a limited-edition collection of sandals drawing inspiration from India’s centuries-old traditional Kolhapuri sandal craft.

    Rooted in a craft tradition stretching all the way back to the 12th century, authentic Kolhapuri sandals take their name from Kolhapur, a city in India’s western state of Maharashtra, where the style first emerged. The handcrafted leather footwear, traditionally produced by local artisans across Maharashtra and neighboring Karnataka, earned Geographical Indication (GI) status from the Indian government in 2019, a legal designation that protects the product’s regional authenticity and origin. For decades, mass-produced and authentic traditional versions of the sandals have retailed in local Indian markets for between 500 and 1,000 Indian rupees, equal to roughly $5 to $10. By contrast, Prada’s new luxury iteration carries a retail price of €750, or approximately $881, per pair.

    The controversy that preceded this launch dates back to June 2024, when Prada first unveiled a nearly identical toe-loop sandal design during its Milan Fashion Week presentation. At that time, the brand labeled the item simply as “leather sandals,” making no mention of its connection to the traditional Indian craft, sparking broad backlash across social media and fashion circles over accusations of cultural appropriation. Prada later issued a public acknowledgment confirming the design’s roots in the Indian Kolhapuri tradition.

    For this official commercial release, Prada has emphasized its commitment to centering the original craft and its creators. The company confirms that every pair of the new limited-edition sandals is handcrafted by experienced artisans based in Maharashtra and Karnataka, the traditional home of the craft. The collection is currently available for purchase through 40 Prada retail locations around the world, as well as via the brand’s global e-commerce platform. In a public statement, Prada framed the new line as a deliberate cross-cultural collaboration, noting that the collection “combines traditional techniques with contemporary design and premium materials,” creating what the brand describes as “a dialogue between Indian heritage and modern luxury expression.”

    Beyond the new sandal line, Prada has also announced a multi-year initiative to invest directly in the Kolhapuri artisan community. In partnership with two leading Indian design institutes, the brand is launching a three-year skills training program for artisans working in eight Indian districts with deep ties to Kolhapuri sandal production. The program will deliver six-month structured training modules to a total of 180 participating artisans, with a select group of top participants offered the opportunity to pursue advanced training at the Prada Group Academy based in Italy.

    Lorenzo Bertelli, head of corporate social responsibility for the Prada Group, explained that the core goal of the initiative is to empower local craft communities. “This project aims to support artisans by strengthening skills, preserving traditional knowledge and helping local communities sustain the craft,” Bertelli said. Tanu Kashyap, director general of the National Institute of Fashion Technology — one of the Indian partner organizations for the training program — added that the collaboration will also create new global opportunities for traditional Indian craft. The program will help open access to international luxury markets, raising global awareness of India’s rich handicraft heritage, Kashyap noted.

    The Prada collaboration has reignited long-running debates within the global fashion industry about the ethical use of traditional South Asian crafts by large international luxury brands. For years, designers and cultural heritage advocates have raised concerns that international brands often draw on traditional craft and design motifs from South Asia without providing adequate credit, compensation, or support to the original communities that developed and preserved those practices over generations.