Antarctic cold blast grips New Zealand’s South Island

China has reached a turning point in its energy story. For the very first time, coal supplied less than half the country’s electricity over a six-month stretch, according to officials who spoke on Thursday. Between January and June, coal made up 49.7 percent of total power generation. That figure came from Xing Yiteng, a senior official at the energy administration’s planning office. It marks a steep fall from 65.5 percent back in 2016, based on earlier government data. Clean energy sources picked up the slack. Renewables reached 41.2 percent of the total mix, crossing the 40 percent line for the first time ever. Wind and solar alone made up nearly a quarter of all power generated, a huge leap from just under 10 percent in 2020. The remaining share came from natural gas and nuclear plants. Despite this progress, experts warn that coal use in raw terms might actually increase this year. Electricity demand across China is rising quickly, driven by more electric vehicles on the road, a boom in AI-related data centers, and steady growth in exports. Beijing has pledged that coal use will peak no later than 2030, with wind and solar expected to reach 30 percent of the power mix by then. Gao Yuhe, who works as a project manager at Greenpeace East Asia, thinks that milestone might actually arrive two years early, by 2028. She credited this to the rapid spread of home solar systems paired with battery storage, along with more flexible electricity markets that make better use of renewable supply. China still burns far more coal than most major economies, mainly because it has large domestic reserves and limited natural gas access. For comparison, coal accounted for just 17 percent of America’s utility-scale power output last year, with natural gas covering 41 percent. China’s coal reliance, though, remains lower than India’s, where coal and lignite made up 69 percent of electricity generation last year. Interestingly, China still imported close to 500 million metric tons of coal last year, even with domestic output reaching 4.83 billion tons, mostly to supply power plants along the coast. If coal consumption keeps falling, major exporters like Indonesia, Mongolia, Australia, and Russia could feel the impact, depending on global price trends. Meanwhile, coal remains central to China’s coal-to-chemicals industry, where many facilities continue relying on cheap, locally produced coal to stay competitive.

Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed support for Brazil’s efforts to protect its sovereignty and resist foreign interference during a phone conversation with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, according to Chinese state media. The discussion took place just months before Brazil’s closely watched presidential election and against the backdrop of growing trade and diplomatic tensions with the United States. According to China’s Xinhua news agency, Xi praised Brazil’s role on the international stage and said Beijing values the country’s influence in global affairs. He stated that China supports Brazil in defending its independence, rejecting outside interference, and contributing to regional and international peace and stability. The phone call comes less than three months before Brazilians head to the polls in an election expected to be highly competitive. President Lula is seeking another term and faces a challenge from right wing candidate Flavio Bolsonaro, the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro. The Brazilian presidency said the two leaders also discussed strengthening economic cooperation. Both sides agreed on the importance of accelerating negotiations for a trade agreement between China and Mercosur, the South American trade bloc that includes Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Such an agreement could expand trade opportunities between the region and the world’s second largest economy. During the conversation, which lasted more than an hour, Lula reaffirmed his commitment to expanding Brazil’s international trade network. He said his government is working to diversify export markets and reduce dependence on a limited number of trading partners, particularly as Brazil faces increased tariff pressure from the United States. Relations between Brasilia and Washington have become more strained in recent months. The United States introduced two additional rounds of tariffs on a range of Brazilian products this month, following a significant tariff increase imposed last year. The measures were linked to political tensions surrounding the legal case that resulted in former president Jair Bolsonaro being sentenced to prison over an alleged coup plot. Lula has strongly criticized the tariffs, arguing that they amount to political pressure during an election year. He has accused Washington of attempting to influence Brazil’s domestic affairs through economic measures, an allegation the United States has rejected. Diplomatic tensions have also surfaced over election related issues. According to diplomatic sources, Brazil recently refused entry visas for two American officials who planned to visit the country’s election authorities ahead of the October vote. The move reflected growing sensitivity within the Brazilian government over foreign involvement in electoral matters. Meanwhile, Flavio Bolsonaro has continued to question the reliability of Brazil’s electronic voting system despite repeated assurances from election officials that it is secure. His claims have echoed similar allegations made by US President Donald Trump regarding American elections, although no credible evidence has supported those accusations. While the Chinese government highlighted Xi’s support for Brazil in resisting external interference, the official statement released by the Brazilian presidency did not specifically mention that part of the discussion. Instead, it focused on economic cooperation and the importance of strengthening trade ties between Brazil, China, and the Mercosur bloc. The conversation underscores the increasingly close relationship between Beijing and Brasilia at a time when Brazil is balancing political challenges at home with shifting economic and diplomatic dynamics on the global stage.

Indian authorities have suspended a police officer after he fired an AK-47 rifle into the air while attempting to disperse student protesters in the eastern state of Bihar. The incident has intensified criticism of the government’s handling of nationwide demonstrations that recently led to the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The confrontation took place on Saturday in the city of Siwan, where students were protesting against alleged irregularities in national examinations and broader concerns about unemployment. Videos shared on social media showed a police officer in riot gear running toward a crowd of protesters before pointing his assault rifle into the air and firing at least three rounds. Police later confirmed that the footage was authentic. Senior Bihar police official Nilesh Kumar said no one was injured during the incident. He explained that the suspended officer belonged to an intelligence unit that normally deals with dangerous criminals and had been issued the rifle as part of his official duties. However, Kumar said the weapon was used inappropriately because the protesters were students and did not pose a threat that justified such action. He said the officer’s conduct could not be defended under any circumstances and confirmed that disciplinary proceedings had begun. According to Kumar, further action will be taken following an investigation into the incident. The protests began after question papers for a national medical college entrance examination were leaked in May. More than two million students had taken the exam before authorities were forced to order a retest because of the security breach. The controversy sparked widespread anger among young people who accused the government of failing to protect the integrity of the examination process. As demonstrations grew larger, students also began raising concerns about rising unemployment and fears that artificial intelligence could reduce future job opportunities, especially in India’s information technology and outsourcing sectors. These issues helped expand the movement beyond the examination scandal, drawing support from students across different parts of the country. Public pressure eventually led to the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who stepped down after nearly five weeks of protests. Despite the resignation, demonstrations have continued as students demand broader reforms and greater accountability from the government. The police response has faced increasing criticism. Officers have been accused of using excessive force against demonstrators, including beating students with batons and firing tear gas during a large march toward India’s parliament in New Delhi earlier this month. Human rights advocates and opposition leaders argue that authorities have responded too aggressively to mostly peaceful protests. Speaking in parliament, Congress Party president Mallikarjun Kharge condemned the police action and described it as one of the most serious attacks on democratic rights in recent years. He said reports that an assault rifle had been used against student protesters in Bihar were deeply troubling and called for those responsible to be held accountable. Parliamentary proceedings were repeatedly disrupted as opposition lawmakers raised the issue and demanded answers from the government. Ministers did not immediately respond before both houses were adjourned amid heated exchanges. The controversy also drew attention from India’s judiciary. Supreme Court Justice Ujjal Bhuyan expressed concern about what he described as the shrinking space for people to express different opinions in the country. In a public speech, he said the right to voice opinions and participate in peaceful demonstrations is a fundamental freedom guaranteed to every citizen. His remarks were seen as an unusual intervention by a sitting judge and added to growing calls for restraint in the handling of public protests.