LIZ TRUSS AND RISHI SUNAK CLASH IN HEATED BBC DEBATE

The battle to become the UK’s next prime minister descended into fierce clashes as Rishi Sunak launched repeated attacks on the economic policies of the favourite Liz Truss in their first head-to-head TV debate. The two Conservative leadership hopefuls traded blows over tax cuts, China and inflation, with the former chancellor Sunak accusing the foreign secretary of seeking “a short-term sugar rush” by cutting national insurance. Truss accused her former colleague of raising taxes to their highest level for 70 years. The exchanges at the BBC debate followed a weekend of deeply personal attacks in the contest, including on-the-record criticisms singling out the former chancellor’s wealth and wardrobe, while Truss has faced claims of being economically illiterate and a former remainer.

CHINA'S POPULATION TO START TO SHRINK BEFORE 2025: GLOBAL TIMES

China's population growth rate has slowed significantly and is expected to turn negative ahead of 2025, the state-backed Global Times reported, citing a senior health official.

Birth data released late on Sunday showed that the number of new births in 2021 was the lowest in decades in several provinces.

The number of births in the central Hunan Province fell below 500,000 for the first time in nearly 60 years, the Global Times said. Only China's southern Guangdong Province had more than 1 million new births, it said.

China is battling to reverse a rapid shrinkage in the natural population growth rate -- the difference between the birth and death rates -- as many young people opt not to have children due to factors including the high cost of rearing children and the pressures of work.

China's population is expected to start to shrink in 2021-2025, the Global Times said, citing Yang Wenzhuang, the head of population and family affairs at the National Health Commission.

A change in China’s laws last year to allow women to have three children has not helped, with many women saying the change comes too late and they have insufficient job security and gender equality.

GAZPROM: NORD STREAM 1 SUPPLY TO EU TO BE CUT FURTHER

Russian energy giant Gazprom says it will once again drastically cut gas supplies to the EU through its main pipeline due to maintenance work.

Gazprom said stopping another turbine at the Nord Stream 1 pipeline would cut daily gas production to 20%, halving the current level of supply.

The German government said there was no technical reason to limit gas supply.

It is likely to make it more difficult for EU countries to replenish their stores of gas before winter.

The Nord Stream 1 pipeline, which pumps gas from Russia to Germany, has been running well below capacity for weeks, and was completely shut down for a 10-day maintenance break earlier this month.

Russia supplied the EU with 40% of its gas last year, and the EU has accused Russia of using energy as a weapon.

On Tuesday energy ministers will meet in Brussels in an attempt to sign off the plans.

But numerous opt-outs are expected amid resistance from some member states.

Gazprom said the latest reduction in supply would begin at 04:00 GMT on Wednesday due to the "technical condition" of one of the last two operating turbines.

But a German economy ministry spokeswoman told AFP news agency: "According to the information we have there is no technical reason for a reduction of deliveries."

Gazprom says the delayed return - because of sanctions - of equipment serviced in Canada has forced it to keep the gas flow through Nord Stream 1 to just 40% of capacity.

"Our product, our rules. We don't play by rules we didn't create," Gazprom chief executive Alexei Miller has said.

RUSSIA GOAL IS TO OUST ZELENSKY GOVT: LAVROV

Russia’s top diplomat said Moscow’s overarching goal in Ukraine is to topple President Volodymyr Zelensky’s government, expressing the Kremlin’s war aims in some of the bluntest terms yet.Speaking to envoys at an Arab League summit in Cairo on Sunday, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said Moscow is determined to help Ukrainians “liberate themselves from the burden of this absolutely unacceptable regime.” He accused Kyiv and its Western allies of spouting propaganda intended to ensure that Ukraine “becomes the eternal enemy of Russia.” Lavrov’s remarks contrasted with the Kremlin’s line early in the war, when it repeatedly emphasized that Russia wasn’t seeking to overthrow Zelensky’s government.

EU APPROVES SMALLPOX VAX FOR MONKEYPOX

Copenhagen : The European Commission has approved a smallpox vaccine for use against monkeypox after the World Health Organization declared monkeypox a global health emergency, the Danish drugmaker that developed the jab said on Monday.

“The European Commission has extended the marketing authorisation for the company’s smallpox vaccine, Imvanex, to include protection from monkeypox” in line with a recommendation by the EU’s medicines watchdog, Bavarian Nordic said in a statement. “The approval. . . is valid in all EU member states as well as in Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. ” On Saturday, the WHO declared the monkeypox outbreak, which has affected nearly 16,000 people in 72 natiosn to be a global health emergency — the highest alarm it can sound.

Imvanex, the only one to have won approval for the prevention of monkeypox disease in the US and Canada, had in the EU only been approved to treat smallpox

XI TIGHTENS SECURITY GRIP AHEAD OF 3RD TERM

China’s internal security forces have stepped up ideological training to ensure full loyalty to President Xi Jinping as he prepares to begin a third-term later this year, top security officials said on Monday.

Officers of the Ministry of Public Security (MPS), the powerful internal security apparatus that includes all police, made a point to pledge their loyalty to Mr. Xi in a rare interaction with journalists, part of an on-going campaign by every Ministry to underline their achievements after 10 years at the helm of Mr. Xi, who will begin his third-term as Party General Secretary following a once-in-five-year Congress expected in October.

Observers in Beijing describe the MPS as one of two key levers of hard power for Mr. Xi to ensure his continued control over the Party, the other being the armed forces, which he heads as Chairman of the Central Military Commission.

Sun Maoli, part of the MPS Party Committee, told reporters that “defending political security is a priority”.

“Public security authorities at all levels made the in-depth study and implementation of Xi Jinping Thought as their primary political task,” added Wu Deqing, who heads personnel training for the MPS and its estimated more than 2 million police force.

TAIWAN HOLDS DRILLS AMID CHINA TENSIONS

Taiwan on Monday staged air raid and military drills, coinciding with concerns over a forceful Chinese response to a possible visit to the island by U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.

Air raid sirens were sounded in Taipei and the military was holding its annual drills, including joint air and sea exercises and the mobilisation of tanks and troops.

In Taipei, police directed people to shelters when a siren went off shortly after lunchtime. Streets emptied and shops closed.

“In recent years, Chinese military planes have frequently harassed Taiwan, and the war between Russia and Ukraine broke out in February this year,” Taipei Mayor Ko Wen-je told reporters, referring to concerns that a similar conflict could break out in East Asia.

Ms. Pelosi has not confirmed when, or even if, she will visit. President Joe Biden’s administration is believed to be critical of a possible trip, both for the problematic timing and the lack of coordination with the White House.

POPE APOLOGISES FOR SCHOOL ABUSES IN CANADA

Pope Francis on Monday apologised to Canada’s native people on their land for the Catholic Church’s role in schools where indigenous children were abused, branding forced cultural assimilation a “deplorable evil” and “disastrous error.”

Speaking near the site of two former schools in Maskwacis, in Alberta, the Pope went even further, apologising for Christian support of the overall “colonising mentality” of the times and calling for a “serious investigation” of the schools to assist survivors and descendants in healing.

“With shame and unambiguously, I humbly beg forgiveness for the evil committed by so many Christians against the indigenous peoples,” Pope Francis said in the town.

MULTIPLE SHOOTINGS OF HOMELESS PEOPLE IN CANADA; SUSPECT HELD

Langley : Canadian police reported multiple shootings of homeless people on Monday in aVancouver suburb and said a suspect was in custody. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said most of the shootings were in downtown Langley. There was one report of a shooting in neighbouring Langley township. Police Sgt Rebecca Parslow said she had no immediate details on the victims’ conditions. Mounties issued a mobile alert about 6. 30am (local time), telling people to avoid the area. Police closed off a main route through the centre of the city. Authorities later issued an alert saying the suspect was in custody. Authorities initially said they were unsure if the shooter acted alone. But police later said the man in custody is believed to be solely responsible. A homicide team confirmed on social media that its investigators deployed to Langley to help the mounted police. Langley is about 48km southeast of Vancouver.

In an alert sent to residents’ phones, police said the suspect was described as a white man in overalls and a camouflage tshirt. An eyewitness saw two black SUVs, similar to those used by police emergency response teams, in a ditch near one of the shooting sites.

RECORD HEAT IN CHINA AS MERCURY SOARS ABOVE 41°C

Beijing : Cities across China were on red alert for heatwaves on Monday, as tens of millions of people were warned to stay indoors and record temperatures strained energy supply. Chinais sweating through one of its hottest summers on record. In the eastern provinces of Zhejiang and Fujian, the mercury rose above 41°C over the weekend, reaching all-time highs in two cities. People in areas under red heat alerts — mostly concentrated in the southeast and northwest — are being ordered to “cease all outdoor activities” and “pay special attention to fire prevention,” the national meteorological service said in multiple notices over the weekend.

Saturday marked the “Great Heat” day on China’s calendar, long recognised as the hottest period of the year, but this summer has been exceptionally warm. Earlier this month Shanghai recorded its highest air temperature — 40. 9°C — since records began in 1873. The scorching heat sent hundreds of people to the beach in Fujian’s Xiamen city on Sunday, while others hid from the sun under hats and face coverings.