BEIJING, July 11 (Reuters) - China has for the first time set renewable energy mandates for the steel, cement, and polysilicon industries, as well as for some data centres, according to a National Development and Reform Commission notice on Friday.

Beijing's renewable portfolio standards, or RPS, set out targets for the percentage of power consumption that the various industries must obtain from renewables in each province.

"Simply put: heavy industry must buy green," Fishman wrote of the new regulations. Newly built data centres in so-called national hub nodes must use at least 80% green electricity, while targets for the other industries vary by province.

NEW DELHI, Aug 6 (Reuters) - Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit China for the first time in over seven years, a government source said on Wednesday, in a further sign of a diplomatic thaw with Beijing as tensions with the United States rise.

Modi will go to China for a summit of the multilateral Shanghai Cooperation Organisation that begins on Aug. 31, the government source, with direct knowledge of the matter, told Reuters. India's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

His trip will come at a time when India's relationship with the U.S. faces its most serious crisis in years after President Donald Trump imposed the highest tariffs among Asian peers on goods imported from India, and has threatened an unspecified further penalty for New Delhi's purchases of Russian oil.

This is a video by a guy who spent years at the Shaolin temple himself. It's pretty funny

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/33770890

Israeli Ambassador to the United States Dr. Michael (Yechiel) Leiter warned Thursday of “troubling signs” that China is helping Iran rebuild its ballistic missile program, damaged significantly during recent hostilities between the two countries.

Asked about Israel’s message to Beijing, Leiter acknowledged that Israel cannot unilaterally influence Chinese policy. However, he stressed that Israel stands with the United States in efforts to limit China’s regional influence.

“There's no reason why we couldn't have good relations with the people of China,” he said. “But we certainly don't want to see China acting alongside those who threaten our very existence. Let's not forget—even after the 12-day war, [Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali] Khamenei continues to say that his objective is to destroy the Jewish state. Why would anybody want to be partners with somebody who says they want to destroy a state?”

Early results of an unprecedented vote in Taiwan aimed at ousting politicians accused of being too close to China indicate that all have retained their seats.

Thousands of Taiwanese went to the polls on Saturday in what has been termed as the "dabamian", or Great Recall vote, initiated by a civic movement.

Early results show that a majority of voters in every district voted no, which means none of the lawmakers have to vacate their seats.

The opposition maintains its slim majority - for now. Another round of recall voting will be held in August for seven other seats.

https://archive.ph/U4SFl

Egypt has officially confirmed its deployment of the Chinese HQ-9B long-range air defence system, a move that marks a notable enhancement of its military capabilities and reflects a growing partnership with Beijing. This confirmation came from retired Major General Samir Farag, a former high-ranking official in the Egyptian Armed Forces, during an interview on Sada El-Balad TV.

Farag revealed that Egypt’s arsenal includes various modern defence systems, with the HQ-9B—a system comparable to Russia’s S-400—being a key component. This disclosure, reported by Israeli media outlet nziv, reveals Egypt’s strategic shift toward diversifying its arms suppliers and strengthening its air defence network. The HQ-9B’s advanced capabilities, including its ability to engage a wide array of aerial threats, position Egypt to better address regional security challenges while navigating complex geopolitical dynamics.

The HQ-9B, developed by China’s Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, is a long-range surface-to-air missile system designed to counter fighter jets, cruise missiles, and short-range ballistic missiles. With an operational range of up to 200 kilometres and an altitude ceiling of 27 kilometres, it offers robust protection against modern threats. The system’s radar, believed to be a variant of the HT-233 model, employs active electronically scanned array (AESA) technology, enabling it to detect low-observable targets like stealth aircraft at extended ranges. This radar also allows the HQ-9B to track multiple threats simultaneously, enhancing its effectiveness in high-intensity scenarios. Each launcher can carry up to eight missiles, double the capacity of earlier versions, and its command-and-control architecture supports integration with other air defence assets, creating a layered defence network.

More than 20 countries are convening in Bogota next week to declare “concrete measures against Israel’s violations of international law”, diplomats told Middle East Eye.

The “emergency summit” is due to be held on 15-16 July, co-hosted by the governments of Colombia and South Africa as co-chairs of The Hague Group, to coordinate diplomatic and legal action to counter what they describe as “a climate of impunity” enabled by Israel and its powerful allies.

The founding members of the group included Bolivia, Colombia, Cuba, Honduras, Malaysia, Namibia, Senegal and South Africa.

States due to take part in the summit include Algeria, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, China, Cuba, Djibouti, Honduras, Indonesia, Ireland, Lebanon, Malaysia, Namibia, Nicaragua, Oman, Portugal, Spain, Qatar, Turkey, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Uruguay, and Palestine.