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The U.S. Supreme Court recently declared that anti-camping laws are constitutional. Following this decision, California Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order on the 25th, directing state agencies to address the issue of homeless encampments. Newsom communicated through social media, instructing local governments to enhance public health and safety by managing the homeless encampments in a safe and humane manner. He emphasized the importance of collaboration and urged the use of state funds to quickly dismantle these encampments.

California has the largest homeless population in the United States, accounting for about one-third of the nation's homeless. According to the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the number of homeless individuals in California surpassed 180,000 in 2023 and continues to grow. From 2021 to 2022, the state government allocated $24 billion (approximately NT$780 billion) for street cleanup and housing reform, with an additional $7.2 billion (approximately NT$234 billion) budgeted to address homelessness. However, the number of homeless individuals has increased, leading to widespread concerns that the situation is out of control.

Although Newsom's statement does not grant him the authority to directly order local governments to take action, the state government can leverage funding to compel compliance. The order aims to address the problem of homeless tents and temporary shelters along highways, in shopping center parking lots, and in parks, as well as to respond to public dissatisfaction with the homelessness issue.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered his fourth speech to the U.S. Congress on the 24th, seeking American support in the Israel-Palestine conflict. He emphasized the strong U.S.-Israel relationship by stating, "Israel's victory is America's victory," and urged continued U.S. military assistance. Netanyahu expressed confidence in the demilitarization and de-radicalization of Gaza after the conflict, believing that victory would lead to the release of hostages.

Despite his address, dozens of Democratic lawmakers, including Vice President Kamala Harris, who had a prior commitment, did not attend. Some Democratic members inside the chamber protested with signs calling Netanyahu a "war criminal," while outside, demonstrators also expressed their opposition. During his speech, Netanyahu referred to the protesters as "a bunch of useful idiots for Iran."

As the U.S. presidential election approaches, Netanyahu expressed gratitude to both Joe Biden and Donald Trump for their support of Israel. He thanked President Biden for his relentless efforts on behalf of the hostages and their families, expressing optimism that these efforts would succeed. He also acknowledged Trump's actions, including recognizing Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights, countering Iran's aggression, and recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital by moving the U.S. embassy there.

Netanyahu strongly linked the fates of the U.S. and Israel, stating, "We are not only defending ourselves; we are also defending you. Our enemies are your enemies, our fight is your fight, our victory is your victory."

On the 25th, Netanyahu met separately with Biden and Harris. On the 26th, he is scheduled to visit Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida for further discussions. According to the White House, Netanyahu and Biden discussed "the situation in Gaza," "the progress of ceasefire efforts," and "the agreement to release hostages." Netanyahu expressed gratitude for Biden's continued support for Israel throughout his 50-year public service career and looked forward to further cooperation on current challenges in the coming months. Harris, who is set to succeed Biden as the Democratic presidential candidate, is not as pro-Israel as Biden. After the meeting, she described their conversation as "frank and constructive." While reaffirming U.S. support for Israel and Israel's right to self-defense, she also conveyed concern for the humanitarian situation in Gaza and stated that she would not remain silent on the issue.

Aris Gavrielatos (left), Consultant at the Ministry of Tourism in Greece, responds by endorsing "The Declaration of World Day of the Power of Hope".

On the 22nd, two landslides occurred in Gofa Zone, southwestern Ethiopia, due to heavy rainfall, resulting in 229 deaths. Among the victims, 148 were men, and 81 were women. The number of missing persons is currently unknown, and the death toll is expected to rise as rescue operations continue.

Gofa Zone is one of the 17 zones in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region (SNNPR) of Ethiopia, located about 320 kilometers from the capital. The area is rugged and hilly, making it difficult to establish large-scale agricultural economies. The residents have long suffered from poverty and food insecurity.

Reports indicate that heavy rain began in Gofa Zone on the night of the 21st, with the first landslide occurring at 10 AM on the 22nd. Many volunteers rushed to the scene to rescue people trapped in their homes. Unfortunately, a second landslide occurred soon after, leading to the deaths of volunteers, including local officials, police officers, teachers, and experts from the health and agricultural sectors.

FOWPAL visits the Municipality of Athens, where they are welcomed by Kostis Papaioannou, Chairman of the Technopolis City of Athens (second from the right), and Ioanna (Jeannie) Yennimata, President of the City of Athens Reception & Solidarity Centre (second from the left), on behalf of the Mayor.

On the 21st, the Supreme Court of Bangladesh revoked the regulation reserving job quotas for privileged groups, hoping to quell the anti-government protests and riots triggered by the job quota privileges. The protests have resulted in 174 deaths. The student leaders of the protests called for a pause in the demonstrations, which had been ongoing for a week. At the students' request, the Bangladeshi government lifted the curfew and restored internet access that had been cut off.

The primary cause of the protests was the government's policy, in place since 1971, of reserving 30% of government jobs for the families of those who participated in the 1971 independence war. This privilege was abolished by the Hasina government in 2018, but last month a lower court unexpectedly reinstated the job quota system, sparking large-scale student protests. The authorities responded to the unrest with suppression measures, including curfews, a nationwide internet and social media shutdown, a suspension of television news broadcasts, and blocking access to local newspaper websites.

According to foreign reports, the job quota system in Bangladesh has long been controversial. On the 21st, the Supreme Court overturned the lower court's decision, mandating that 93% of government jobs be available to the general public, reducing the quota for independence war families to 5%, and reserving 2% for disadvantaged groups and persons with disabilities. This decision aims to calm the protests. However, the protesting students are not satisfied and have stated that they will not stop their demonstrations until the quota system for the descendants of independence war veterans is completely abolished.

After President Joe Biden's debate loss, there were calls within his party for him to withdraw from the presidential race. Ultimately, he chose to announce his exit from the presidential race on the 21st in the U.S. (early morning of the 22nd in Taiwan), endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as his successor. Biden stated that this decision was the "best choice" for the Democratic Party and the United States, and that he would now focus entirely on fulfilling his duties as President.

Facing overwhelming pressure from within his party, Biden announced his withdrawal in a statement on the morning of the 21st, fully supporting Vice President Kamala Harris to run for president on behalf of the Democratic Party, sending shockwaves through the U.S. political scene. Republican candidate and former President Donald Trump wasted no time seizing the opportunity, mocking Harris as a "joke" and claiming it would be easier to defeat her than Biden. He also taunted, "Biden will forget he withdrew by tomorrow morning!" and called for Biden to step down immediately.

Currently, at least 60 Democratic House members, 27 Senators, and 6 governors have expressed their support for Harris as the party's presidential candidate. Additionally, prominent figures such as Bill Clinton and his wife, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and former Secretary of State John Kerry are also backing Harris. Democratic Representative Adam Schiff, who had previously urged Biden to withdraw, praised Biden for leading the U.S. out of the COVID-19 pandemic and saving the economy, calling him one of the greatest presidents of modern times who will be remembered in history. He also expressed his full support for Harris's presidential campaign. Ken Martin, President of the Association of State Democratic Committees (ASDC), stated that after Biden's announcement, the chairs of all 50 states held a phone meeting and unanimously supported Harris's candidacy.

Not yet publicly supporting Harris are Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Democratic leadership member and Majority Whip Dick Durbin, as well as two Democratic heavyweights, former President Barack Obama and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Pelosi, who was among those urging Biden to withdraw, only stated that the nominee should be chosen through an open process. The Democratic Party plans to conduct an online vote in early August to finalize the nominee.

Following Biden's announcement, Democratic fundraising calls have not stopped. The New York Times reported that from around 1 p.m. Eastern Time on the 21st, when Biden announced his withdrawal, to 10 p.m. that night, more than $50 million (about NT$1.6 billion) had been raised. This marked the highest single-day donation amount for the Democratic Party since 2020 and the third highest single-day online donation amount in history, with expectations for further records. Before Biden's withdrawal, the average hourly donations were less than $200,000 (about NT$6.5 million), which soared to a maximum of $11.5 million (about NT$377 million) per hour, demonstrating Harris's significant fundraising power.

Kamala Harris, the first Black female Vice President, is only 1% behind Trump in the polls. If she successfully represents the Democratic Party and defeats Trump, she would become the first African American and South Asian female President in U.S. history, making the November 5th U.S. presidential election a global focal point.

Japanese Defense Minister Minoru Kihara recently visited Europe to sign an agreement with the UK and Italy for the joint development of a new fighter jet. This collaboration, known as the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), is part of the three countries' strategy to counter threats from China, Russia, and North Korea.
The GCAP aims to deploy the new fighter jet by 2035, merging Japan's F-X project with the UK's Tempest project to create a supersonic stealth fighter equipped with advanced radar systems and a virtual cockpit, capable of processing 10,000 times more data than current systems.
The project will be managed by the International Government Organization (GIGO) based in the UK, with contributions from Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the UK's BAE Systems, and Italy's Leonardo. Beyond enhancing military capabilities, this initiative aims to foster industrial and technological cooperation among the three nations and create numerous high-skill jobs. The project also underscores Japan's efforts to expand its international defense partnerships, particularly with European and Indo-Pacific countries.

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, was re-elected on the 18th with the approval of the European Parliament. Known for her decisive leadership, she has guided the EU through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, the conflict with Russia over Ukraine, and the energy crisis over the past five years, earning the title of "Queen of Europe" from Western media.

The European Parliament approved von der Leyen's re-election with an absolute majority of 401 votes in favor and 284 against, surpassing the 383 votes she received five years ago. Von der Leyen is not only the first female President of the European Commission but also the first German citizen to hold the position.

Before the vote, von der Leyen presented her governing agenda for the next five years, emphasizing decisions that will shape Europe's global position for the next 50 years. She committed to continuing the EU's transformation, enhancing the green energy sector and defense investments, and reaffirming the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait. Additionally, she mentioned that the EU will cooperate with countries in the Indo-Pacific, such as Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, and Australia, to develop strategies addressing challenges in cybersecurity, space, critical raw material supplies, and technological advancements.

Tai Ji Men Qigong Academy presents the joyful Tai Ji Celestial Dragon to wish South Pasadena, California, the United States, and the world safety, health, peace, and prosperity.