India Could Resume Direct Flights to China After Four Years Amid Thaw in Ties

South China Morning Post,

India looks set to resume direct passenger flights to China after a four-year hiatus, signaling a potential thaw in relations between the two nations as border tensions ease and calls for increased economic cooperation grow louder.

Flights between India and China were suspended during the pandemic in 2020 and, except for a few repatriation flights, never resumed even after both countries lifted their COVID-19 travel restrictions.

Last week, India’s Civil Aviation Minister, Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, met with his Chinese counterpart, Song Zhiyong, at the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Civil Aviation in Delhi. The meeting is seen as a step toward restoring direct air connectivity between the two nations.

Scientists Reveal How Many Chemicals Enter Our Bodies From Food Packaging

The Washington Post,

Shrink-wrap around raw meat, takeout containers, and plastic bottles filled with soft drinks are just a few of the food packaging materials we encounter daily. A new study released Monday reveals the chemical toll of such packaging and its potential impact on human health.

Researchers from Switzerland and other countries have discovered that out of roughly 14,000 known chemicals used in food packaging, 3,601 — or about 25% — have been found in the human body, detected in samples of blood, hair, or breast milk. These chemicals include metals, volatile organic compounds, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), phthalates, and many others known to disrupt the endocrine system and cause cancer or other diseases.

While the study, published in the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology, did not directly examine links to illnesses, the researchers believe their inventory of chemicals will aid future research into health risks.

Suspect in Assassination Attempt on Trump Waited Near Golf Course for 12 Hours

Associated Press,

The man suspected of attempting to assassinate Donald Trump camped near a Florida golf course for nearly 12 hours with food and a rifle, waiting for the former president. A Secret Service agent spotted and thwarted the potential attack by firing in the suspect’s direction, according to court documents filed Monday.

Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, did not fire any shots, never had Trump in his sights, and fled after the agent opened fire. He was later arrested in a neighboring county.

Routh appeared in federal court in West Palm Beach to face federal firearms charges, initiating a criminal case amid a tense presidential race already marked by violence. This is the second assassination attempt on Trump’s life in as many months, raising concerns about his security in what the Secret Service has called an “unprecedented and hyper-dynamic threat environment.”

Deadly Floods Strike Central Europe, Poland Fortifies Towns

Reuters,

Volunteers in the Polish town of Nysa fortified floodwalls on Tuesday to stem swollen rivers after heavy rains and flooding devastated central Europe, claiming at least 18 lives. Rivers continue to overflow in the Czech Republic, with the Danube rising in Slovakia and Hungary. Austria is also affected by the floods.

The worst-hit areas include the Czech-Polish border, where rivers filled with debris have destroyed towns, collapsed bridges, and caused severe property damage. Poland has declared a state of disaster in the affected regions, setting aside 1 billion zlotys ($260.38 million) for flood victims.

In Nysa, a town of 40,000 residents, volunteers and rescue workers worked overnight to reinforce a broken embankment with sandbags. “We had to escape, even though we have several floors,” said Sabina Jakubowska, a 45-year-old resident.

Poland’s National Fire Chief, Mariusz Feltynowski, confirmed that the embankment had been sealed with assistance from military helicopters. Meanwhile, the historic city of Wroclaw is bracing for a flood surge along the Odra (Oder) River.

Authorities have filled 75% of a giant reservoir near the Czech border to reduce water levels and prevent a repeat of the 1997 floods that devastated Wroclaw.