Latest news with #Wang
NDTV
2 hours ago
- Science
- NDTV
New Study Reveals Uranus Generates Its Own Internal Heat
A new study by researchers at the University of Houston has uncovered that Uranus, the seventh planet from the Sun, generates heat from within. Led by Dr Xinyue Wang of the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, the research challenges earlier beliefs that Uranus lacked internal heat. Published in Geophysical Research Letters, the study shows Uranus emits about 12.5% more heat than it receives from the Sun, which is around 1.8 billion miles away. This overturns earlier findings from NASA's Voyager 2 mission in 1986, which had suggested the planet was unusually cold and inactive internally. Dr Wang explained that Uranus is still slowly releasing residual heat from its formation, offering valuable insight into the planet's evolution and origin. While Uranus does produce internal heat, it remains far behind Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune, which emit up to 100% more heat than they absorb from the Sun. "From a scientific perspective, this study helps us better understand Uranus and other giant planets. For future space exploration, I think it strengthens the case for a mission to Uranus," Xinyue Wang said. The amount of heat emitted from Uranus is also influenced by its extremely long seasons, each lasting over 20 years. Scientists believe a solar weather event during Voyager 2's flyby may have affected earlier readings. Additionally, Uranus' moon Miranda is gaining attention for its potential to host alien life. New studies from Johns Hopkins University and the University of North Dakota suggest the moon could have subsurface water, a key ingredient for life and future human exploration. Liming Li, co-author and professor in UH's Department of Physics, said this study could improve planning for NASA's flagship mission to orbit and probe Uranus, an initiative the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine classified as its highest priority for the 2023-32 decade. "By uncovering how Uranus stores and loses heat, we gain valuable insights into the fundamental processes that shape planetary atmospheres, weather systems and climate systems," Li said. "These findings help broaden our perspective on Earth's atmospheric system and the challenges of climate change."
Business Insider
11 hours ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Morgan Stanley downgrades Johns Lyng Group Ltd (JLG) to a Hold
Morgan Stanley analyst Chenny Wang downgraded Johns Lyng Group Ltd to a Hold today and set a price target of A$4.00. The company's shares opened today at A$3.89. Elevate Your Investing Strategy: Take advantage of TipRanks Premium at 50% off! Unlock powerful investing tools, advanced data, and expert analyst insights to help you invest with confidence. Make smarter investment decisions with TipRanks' Smart Investor Picks, delivered to your inbox every week. According to TipRanks, Wang is ranked #2861 out of 9822 analysts. Johns Lyng Group Ltd has an analyst consensus of Hold, with a price target consensus of A$4.00, implying a 2.83% upside from current levels. In a report released yesterday, Jefferies also downgraded the stock to a Hold with a A$4.00 price target. Based on Johns Lyng Group Ltd's latest earnings release for the quarter ending December 31, the company reported a quarterly revenue of A$573.13 million and a net profit of A$14.47 million. In comparison, last year the company earned a revenue of A$610.6 million and had a net profit of A$23.36 million
Epoch Times
14 hours ago
- Epoch Times
Candles and Courage: Stories of Faith During 26 Years of Persecution
SAN DIEGO—Falun Gong practitioners in San Diego held a commemorative event at Ruocco Park on July 11, marking 26 years since the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) launched its nationwide persecution against the peaceful spiritual practice. The event featured an art exhibition and candlelight vigil to honor victims of the ongoing Most of the paintings are based on true stories, according to the organizers. Among them, one titled 'Come Back Daddy' depicted the true story of a family in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province. In the painting, a young girl clutches a commemorative photo of her father, Chen Chengyong, while standing beside her grieving mother. For Wang Hongfa and Deng Yi, now residents of San Diego, the artwork holds deep, personal meaning. 'We were close friends with that little girl's parents,' Wang said. Before the persecution began, the two couples often practiced Falun Gong together in local parks. Before 1999, Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, had spread rapidly throughout China, attracting tens of millions with its meditative practices and values of truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance—until it was suddenly banned by the regime on July 20, 1999. Related Stories The girl was born a year into the CCP's persecution campaign. Her father was killed for his beliefs before she turned 1 year old. Painting titled "Come Back Daddy." Courtesy of San Diego Falun Dafa Association Survivors Speak Out Wang and Deng were both survivors of severe and repeated torture in Chinese labor camps. They shared their stories during the event, urging Americans to understand the gravity of the CCP's human rights abuses and to resist its global influence. Wang, formerly an engineer in China, was dismissed from his job after refusing to renounce his belief in Falun Gong. In 2003, he was abducted and sent to a forced labor camp, where he endured a form of torture that tightly bound his body into a ball shape, with his head buried in between his legs, using cloth strips. The bindings were repeatedly tightened and loosened to intensify the pain, and he was eventually suspended from the ceiling while tied in that position. Human rights groups have 'My arms were deeply cut and scarred, and for weeks I couldn't move my fingers or take care of myself,' Wang said. 'I feared healing because it only meant more torture was coming.' Falun Gong practitioners light candles in memory of lives lost during 26 years of persecution. Courtesy of San Diego Falun Dafa Association After fleeing to Thailand in 2011, Wang and his wife resettled in San Diego in 2013 through the United Nations refugee program. Deng, his wife, recounted her own experience of torture through force-feeding. After she began a hunger strike to protest her detention, a labor camp doctor inserted a thick tube through her nose and into her stomach—a painful procedure that left the tube in place for hours each day while she was tied to a bed. Weeks later, she was subjected to another method of oral force-feeding. Bound to a custom-made 'force-feeding chair,' Deng was immobilized while seven or eight guards pried open her mouth, inserted a metal spoon down her throat, and poured bowls of porridge directly into her mouth. 'The porridge came too fast to swallow,' she recalled. 'It stayed in my mouth, unable to go down or be spit out. It felt like I was going to choke to death at any moment.' During those days, she endured this method of torture three times a day. UCSD Student, an Orphan, Recalls Childhood Philip Zhu, a graduate student at the University of California, San Diego, also spoke about his childhood under the shadow of the CCP's persecution. Zhu's mother was persecuted to death for practicing Falun Gong when he was just 6 years old. His father, who spent years moving from city to city to avoid harassment and arrest, also died alone. A relative stepped in to raise him. 'I never dared to ask my relatives when exactly my mother died,' Zhu said. 'People were too afraid to talk about Falun Gong, and that made me feel very lonely.' (L–R) Deng Yi, Philip Zhu, Wang Hongfa, and Nathaniel Harris, a community representative from Supervisor Joel Anderson's office. Courtesy of San Diego Falun Dafa Association Zhu now shares Falun Gong's principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance on campus. But even in the United States, he has encountered pro-CCP Chinese students who have tried to intimidate him. 'I'm grateful for the freedom of belief in America,' Zhu said. 'But I also know how fragile it can be if we don't speak out.' Local Officials Offer Support The event drew the support of local leaders and elected officials, several of whom spent time at the park listening to survivors' testimonies and viewing the artwork. Michelle Metschel, a council member from El Cajon, was visibly moved by what she heard. 'I want to share your story ... and show the American people what Falun Gong is doing and how you are promoting peace, and love, and compassion, and truthfulness. I am touched and saddened by the stories I've heard today,' she said. San Diego County Supervisor Joel Anderson issued a proclamation recognizing Falun Gong for its 'unwavering dedication to public education, artistic expression, and the preservation of spiritual freedom.' 'Falun gong is a peaceful spiritual practice root in the core principles of truthfulness, compassion, and forbearance, offering individuals across the globe a path to inner peace, moral clarity and physical well-being,' Anderson wrote. The event 'serves as a powerful testament to those who uphold their beliefs in the face of adversity, while fostering compassion, awareness, and dialogue within our own communities.' Nathaniel Harris, a community representative from Anderson's office, attended the event in person and stayed through the candlelight vigil. 'This event was powerful and moving,' he said. Supervisor Jim Desmond also issued a commendation, stating: 'I offer my heartfelt commendation for your steadfast dedication to truth, compassion, and tolerance in the face of adversity. Your peaceful efforts inspire courage, hope, and resilience. Through your advocacy, you not only raise awareness of transnational repression, but also help protect the fundamental freedoms that unite us all.' Jenny Maeda, a Poway city council member, attended the exhibit with her family and expressed her strong support for the practitioners' courage and message. Max Ellorin, community director for Supervisor Monica Montgomery Steppe, also visited the art exhibit and spoke with practitioners to learn more about the persecution and their continued faith in the face of it.
Indian Express
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Jaishankar's visit to China reflects a thaw in ties — there will be challenges
Five years after the military standoff between India and China along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's meetings with China's President Xi Jinping, Foreign Minister Wang Yi, and Liu Jianchao (head of the International Department of the Chinese Communist Party) signal an intent to repair the relationship with Beijing. Minister Jaishankar's visit to China this week — his first since the 2020 skirmishes — for the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers meeting, taken alongside recent instances of widening engagement, reflects a thaw in bilateral ties. Recall that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Xi met on the sidelines of the BRICS summit last October, shortly after a new border patrolling arrangement was announced and a few days before the disengagement process officially concluded. Since then, NSA Ajit Doval, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri have all visited China. Other signs that the India-China relationship has been moving in a positive direction include an understanding to expedite the restoration of direct flights and easing of visa restrictions, and resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. While Jaishankar has said that 'a far-seeing lens' should be used for rebuilding ties, some key issues remain unresolved. Post-disengagement, the de-escalation process — the withdrawal of troops from forward positions — hasn't begun at the border. China's restrictive trade practices, such as curbs on critical exports like rare earth magnets and high-tech manufacturing machinery, continue to be a stumbling block. These concerns were conveyed by Jaishankar to Wang, along with a pointed reminder that the SCO was founded to fight 'three evils': Terrorism, separatism, and extremism. At the same time, in an increasingly turbulent world order, and especially with an unpredictable occupant of the White House, re-engagement with China, or what Wang recently described as a 'cooperative pas de deux of the dragon and the elephant', is pragmatic policy. For example, the US and NATO threatening to sanction countries doing business with Russia — a move that would hit India and China hardest — underscores the need for a partnership. The fact, however, is that China continues to view its relationship with India primarily through a lens of competition, not cooperation. The most recent example is China's growing military cooperation with Pakistan during Operation Sindoor. The power gap is also widening. India runs a trade deficit of over $100 billion with China. The latter continues to scale up its defence budget and capabilities. China also leads in critical technologies like AI, quantum computing, and rare earths. And Beijing is steadily strengthening its influence across South Asia, luring countries strategically important to India into its own fold — Bangladesh, most recently. India must, therefore, remain vigilant. Alongside dialogue, to increase its leverage, New Delhi must focus on getting its own house in order: Accelerate economic reform, bolster technological capacity, and foster social and political unity. Some members of the Opposition have criticised Jaishankar's China outreach. His calibrated diplomacy, however, was necessary. The China question demands long-term, strategic clarity at the domestic level as well. And on the foreign policy front, New Delhi must widen its engagement across the neighbourhood and beyond, to prevent Beijing from gaining a decisive upper hand in the region.
The Diplomat
17 hours ago
- Business
- The Diplomat
China's Position on Russia and Ukraine Is a Warning to the West and the Pacific
Wang Yi's remarks confirm what many have long suspected: China's interests are best served not by stability, peace, or sovereignty, but by a prolonged conflict. The recent revelation that Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told EU leaders that Beijing does not want to see Russia lose its war in Ukraine is not just a diplomatic slip; it is a moment of clarity. Behind closed doors, China has dropped the mask of neutrality and revealed a sobering truth: it views a Russian defeat not as a moral failure or geopolitical catastrophe, but as a threat to its own strategic ambitions. This quiet admission, made to the EU's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, cuts sharply against Beijing's carefully curated public stance. China claims it is a disinterested bystander in the Ukraine conflict. However, Wang's remarks confirm what many in global diplomatic circles have long suspected: China's interests are best served not by stability, peace, or sovereignty, but by a distracted, divided, and weakened West. To understand why, we must revisit the so-called 'no limits' partnership between China and Russia, announced just weeks before the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Although not a formal military alliance, this strategic pact underscores a shared worldview. Both nations resent the dominance of liberal democracies and seek to reshape the global order in their own authoritarian image. Since the invasion, China has supported Russia's economy through trade, provided diplomatic cover in international forums, and participated in joint military exercises. At the same time, it continues to claim neutrality, masking its support for Russia behind the guise of plausible deniability. Wang's frank admission reveals the deeper logic behind this alignment. If Russia collapses in Ukraine, the United States and its allies will be free to pivot fully toward the Indo-Pacific and focus on deterring China's growing assertiveness, especially regarding Taiwan. In this strategic calculation, the prolongation of war, and the suffering it causes, is considered an acceptable cost if it keeps the West overextended. This is a profoundly cynical and destabilizing position. It confirms that, in the eyes of China's leadership, values such as territorial integrity, international law, and the protection of civilians are expendable. It also exposes a chilling willingness to allow or even encourage ongoing conflict if doing so creates space for China to advance its own interests. As an alumna of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), I have worked alongside legislators from democracies large and small who see this moment for what it truly is: a test. China is not simply observing how the West responds to Russia's invasion. It is studying our unity, our resilience, and our tolerance for risk. The outcome in Ukraine will directly influence Beijing's decisions regarding Taiwan and its broader conduct across the Indo-Pacific. In the Pacific, this challenge is no longer hypothetical. It is unfolding in real time. Through cyber influence operations and debt-leveraged infrastructure projects with potential military uses, Beijing is actively reshaping the region's strategic landscape. For small island developing states, whose survival depends on the integrity of international law and multilateral institutions, any erosion of those norms poses a direct threat to sovereignty and self-determination. This is why continued support for Ukraine is not solely about defending the right of a European nation to exist. It is about upholding a global order that protects all nations, especially those that are small and vulnerable. If Ukraine is forced into a territorial compromise, or if the West retreats under pressure, it will send a dangerous message to authoritarian powers everywhere: that aggression is effective, that might makes right, and that democracies lack the resolve for prolonged resistance. China's leaders are betting on that retreat. Wang Yi's comments were not an error in diplomacy. They were an intentional signal. It is now the responsibility of all of us, from Brussels to the Blue Pacific, to respond with unity, determination, and an unshakeable commitment to the values that have preserved peace for generations. If we fail to meet this moment, the next confrontation may arrive much closer to home.
