Britain’s network of abandoned coal mines is increasingly being viewed as a potential source of low-carbon heating, as energy developers, local authorities and researchers explore ways to harness warm water trapped underground in former mining workings.

The concept relies on extracting water that has accumulated in disused mines and using heat pump technology to transfer its thermal energy into buildings. While geothermal projects often require costly drilling and carry geological uncertainties, former coal mines provide existing underground infrastructure that can offer access to naturally warmed water.

According to researchers working in the field, mine water temperatures can reach approximately 40 degrees Celsius at depths of around one kilometre. Although those temperatures are lower than those typically associated with conventional geothermal systems, they remain high enough to support heating networks when combined with modern heat pump technologies.

The approach has attracted growing attention in the United Kingdom, where thousands of former coal mines remain beneath towns and cities that developed during the industrial era. Industry specialists say the concentration of former mining infrastructure beneath populated areas creates a potentially significant opportunity to supply heating close to where demand already exists.

Fleur Loveridge, Professor of Geo-Energy Engineering at the University of Leeds, said mine water projects can offer substantial benefits but also involve technical challenges. “The reward on offer is potentially greater but there’s a little more risk in getting there,” she said.

Researchers estimate that around 23,000 flooded coal mines exist across the UK. Many are located beneath or close to residential and commercial districts. According to figures cited by experts in the sector, approximately one-quarter of UK homes, along with a large number of businesses, are situated above or near disused coal mining workings.

That geographical overlap is central to the technology’s appeal. Unlike some renewable energy projects that require extensive transmission infrastructure, mine water heat systems can potentially be developed near existing communities, reducing the distance between energy production and consumption.

The north-east of England has emerged as one of the leading regions for deployment. In Gateshead, Britain’s largest operational mine water heat network supplies energy to a range of public and residential buildings. The network provides heating to Gateshead College, the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art and approximately 350 social housing properties.

The project demonstrates how former industrial infrastructure can be repurposed to support contemporary energy needs. Operators and local authorities involved in the scheme are also examining opportunities for expansion. Current plans include extending the network to an additional 270 private homes as well as a conference centre and hotel.

The development has become one of the most closely watched examples of mine water heating in the UK because it provides practical evidence that the technology can function under British climatic and operating conditions. Energy researchers say such projects are important in assessing long-term performance, reliability and commercial viability.

The potential of mine water heating is not limited to Britain. Similar systems are operating elsewhere in Europe, particularly in regions with long mining histories. In the Dutch city of Heerlen, homes are connected to a district heating network that uses energy extracted from mine water. Local plans envision a substantial expansion of the system over the coming decades, with many thousands of additional dwellings expected to be connected.

Germany has also provided evidence of the technology’s practical application. In the town of Bad Ems, municipal buildings have been heated using mine water for several years. A study published in February examined the performance of the system and reported that the mine water supplying heat to the town hall maintained temperatures of approximately 25 degrees Celsius.

Researchers involved in that study described the resource as significantly underutilised. They concluded that the available thermal energy could support heating for a larger number of buildings than are currently connected to the system.

The European examples have attracted attention from policymakers and energy planners seeking alternatives to fossil-fuel-based heating systems. Heating remains one of the most difficult sectors to decarbonise because of the large energy requirements associated with residential, commercial and public buildings.

Mine water projects offer one possible pathway by reusing infrastructure that already exists underground. Former coal mines often extend across extensive areas and can contain large volumes of water that have gradually warmed through natural geothermal processes. Supporters of the technology argue that this combination of existing infrastructure and available thermal energy creates opportunities that may not require the same level of drilling associated with other geothermal developments.

However, experts note that each site presents unique geological and engineering conditions. Water quality, underground connectivity, pumping requirements and long-term maintenance considerations can vary substantially between locations. As a result, detailed site assessments remain essential before projects can proceed.

Despite those challenges, interest in mine water heating continues to grow as governments and energy providers seek ways to reduce carbon emissions while improving energy security. Existing projects in Britain, the Netherlands and Germany are increasingly being viewed as practical case studies for how former industrial assets can contribute to modern heating networks.

Loveridge said the Lanchester Wines installation in north-east England provides an important demonstration of the concept’s viability. “It does show that it works, and it works in UK conditions,” she said. “It’s great that they’re securing the future of it.”

British transport authorities are examining the wider use of drones for road inspections and infrastructure monitoring after a series of simulation tests suggested the technology is unlikely to create significant safety risks for motorists.

The trials, conducted by National Highways, assessed how drivers reacted to drones operating near roads and highways. The programme forms part of a broader effort to evaluate whether unmanned aircraft can be deployed more extensively for surveying roads, bridges and other transport assets while reducing risks faced by human inspectors.

Officials involved in the project say interest in the findings has extended beyond the United Kingdom, with transport agencies in several countries exploring whether similar approaches could be incorporated into their own infrastructure management programmes.

According to project representatives, authorities in Australia and the United States have expressed interest in the methodology developed during the British trials. The testing framework is designed to assess not only whether drivers notice drones operating nearby, but also whether their presence creates measurable safety concerns or distraction.

Murdoch, who was involved in the project, said international counterparts were closely monitoring the results.

“We’ve had some interest from colleagues in Australia who are looking potentially to do some of their things to their road authorities,” he said. “And in the US as well, they’re looking at opportunities for this, but this kind of methodology is quite interesting and novel, so I think it’s something that globally we’re seeing a strong interest in.”

The research programme involved 120 regular drivers and an additional group of 19 heavy goods vehicle operators. Researchers included truck drivers in the study to determine whether those operating larger vehicles responded differently to drone activity near roads compared with motorists driving passenger vehicles.

The results indicated that approximately half of participants noticed the drones during the simulations. However, considerably fewer respondents reported viewing the aircraft as hazardous or dangerous. The findings suggest that visibility alone does not necessarily translate into concerns about road safety.

Transport officials view the results as an important step in determining whether drones can become a routine component of road network management. Infrastructure inspections frequently require personnel to work in potentially hazardous environments, including busy highways, elevated structures and restricted-access locations. Authorities argue that drones could reduce the need for workers to enter such areas while also improving operational efficiency.

Callum Brown, Senior Adviser on Airspace Standards at National Highways, described the testing programme as a significant milestone in evaluating the future role of unmanned aircraft in transport operations.

Brown said smaller drones are likely to offer one of the safest and most efficient methods for surveying roads, bridges and associated infrastructure in the years ahead. Their ability to gather visual data without requiring lane closures or direct human access to difficult locations has become an increasingly attractive proposition for transport authorities seeking to reduce disruption and operational costs.

National Highways believes the research represents a significant advancement in understanding how drone operations can be integrated into the road environment at scale. Brown noted that while comparable experiments had previously been conducted elsewhere, the British programme sought to establish a framework that could potentially be applied across an entire national road network.

“They did some tests similar to this in Massachusetts,” Brown said. “But in terms of trying to apply this nationally, this is a world first. We’re at the cutting edge for this and it’s something we’ve been building to for about six years now.”

The development comes as governments and infrastructure operators increasingly explore the use of unmanned aerial systems for inspection, maintenance and monitoring activities. Advances in drone technology have expanded their capabilities, allowing operators to collect detailed imagery and survey data while limiting the need for workers to undertake potentially dangerous tasks.

For transport agencies, the technology offers the possibility of inspecting structures and road corridors more frequently and with greater flexibility than traditional methods. However, questions regarding public acceptance, airspace management and driver distraction have remained key considerations in determining how broadly such systems can be deployed.

The National Highways trials were designed to address some of those concerns by placing participants in simulated driving environments and evaluating their reactions to drone activity. Researchers sought to determine whether the presence of aircraft near roadways would affect concentration levels or influence perceptions of safety.

Feedback from participants suggested that most drivers adapted quickly to the simulated environment and generally did not regard drones as a major source of distraction.

One participant, 49-year-old Kevin McKeown, said he initially found the virtual reality component of the experiment unusual but ultimately experienced no difficulty associated with the drone operations.

“It was a bit surreal like a video game, but if it increases health and safety and takes away an element of risk then I’m all for it,” McKeown said.

He added that motorists should be capable of maintaining focus despite the presence of drones operating above roadways.

“And if you can get distracted by a drone flying 10 metres overhead then I think you’ve got bigger issues than just a drone, and I’m not too sure you should be driving a car in the first place,” he said.

The findings are expected to contribute to ongoing discussions about how drones can be incorporated into national infrastructure management systems as authorities seek safer and more efficient methods of monitoring roads and public assets.

The opening week of the 2026 FIFA World Cup has offered a striking portrait of a tournament shaped as much by geography and culture as by the football itself, with reporters travelling across the United States describing an event marked by vast distances, packed stadiums, growing public engagement and an unmistakable fascination with global football icons.

As the group stage gathered momentum, matches across the United States drew large crowds and generated growing interest among local communities. Yet the tournament has also highlighted the challenges of staging football’s biggest competition across one of the world’s largest countries, where enthusiasm for the event can vary dramatically from one region to another.

Journalists covering the competition reported sharply contrasting experiences between host cities. In some locations, football has dominated public conversation, filling bars, restaurants and public spaces with supporters following matches from around the globe. In others, the World Cup has remained largely absent from daily life despite being staged within the same country.

The contrast was particularly visible in Texas, one of the tournament’s key host regions. Supporters of Mexico, Brazil and Colombia were reported to have packed entertainment districts in Houston, while stadiums in Dallas featured large numbers of fans wearing shirts bearing the name and number of Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.

At the same time, observers described encountering residents who remained largely unfamiliar with the tournament or its format. The differing levels of engagement underscored the complexity of hosting a World Cup in a nation with deeply established sporting traditions centered on American football, basketball and baseball.

Despite those challenges, football has steadily gained visibility throughout the opening week. Reporters noted that conversations about the tournament have increasingly moved beyond dedicated fan communities and into mainstream public life. Matches have become a regular feature in bars, restaurants and public gathering places, while discussions about results and performances have become more common among Americans who may not traditionally follow international football.

The tournament’s scale has also emerged as a defining theme. Journalists travelling between venues described distances that far exceed those experienced at recent World Cups. Los Angeles alone stretches across a geographical footprint larger than the entire distance separating the two furthest stadiums used during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The scale is reflected not only in travel logistics but also in the infrastructure supporting the event. Several reporters highlighted the size and sophistication of American stadiums, particularly SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and the venue in Dallas, both of which feature massive video displays and capacities that rank among the largest in world sport.

These venues have become central attractions in their own right, showcasing the United States’ ability to host major sporting events on a grand scale. While organizers have faced criticism in some areas regarding logistics and costs, observers broadly acknowledged the quality of the facilities being used throughout the tournament.

Beyond infrastructure, local hospitality has received positive reviews from visiting journalists. Across multiple host cities, residents were described as welcoming and eager to engage with supporters travelling from abroad. The atmosphere in urban centres hosting matches has generally been characterized as energetic and inclusive, contributing to a festival-like environment despite the challenges posed by long travel distances.

The football itself has largely met expectations during the tournament’s opening phase. Several matches have delivered dramatic results and high-quality performances, helping maintain momentum during a congested schedule that has featured games across multiple time zones.

One of the most discussed themes of the opening week has been the resurgence of traditional goal-scoring forwards. A series of standout performances from some of the game’s most prolific strikers has become a major storyline.

Observers pointed to impressive displays by Swedish forwards Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres, whose partnership drew widespread praise. They were followed by goals and influential performances from some of football’s most recognizable names, including French star Kylian Mbappé, Norwegian striker Erling Haaland, Argentine captain Lionel Messi and England forward Harry Kane.

Their success has shifted attention toward elite finishers after several recent international tournaments in which creative midfielders and versatile attacking players often dominated tactical discussions. The concentration of goals from established strikers has provided one of the competition’s most compelling narratives.

Off the field, political considerations have remained present but relatively subdued. U.S. President Donald Trump has maintained a lower profile than some observers anticipated during the tournament’s opening week. His absence from the United States’ opening match against Paraguay attracted attention, particularly given expectations that his presence could have generated additional media focus beyond the football itself.

While political figures have occasionally intersected with major sporting events in the United States, tournament organizers appear to have avoided major distractions during the opening phase, allowing attention to remain largely focused on matches and supporters.

Weather and geography have also produced memorable moments. Journalists reported experiencing severe weather alerts, including tornado warnings in Kansas City, highlighting another challenge associated with staging a nationwide sporting event during the North American summer.

Yet for many covering the competition, the most striking impression has been the sheer diversity of experiences occurring simultaneously across the host nation. In some cities, football has become the dominant cultural event of the moment. In others, daily life continues largely unaffected by the tournament.

That coexistence of intense enthusiasm and relative indifference may ultimately be one of the defining characteristics of the 2026 World Cup. The tournament has demonstrated that the United States possesses both the infrastructure and the audience necessary to host football on an unprecedented scale, while also revealing the complexities of introducing a global sporting spectacle into a country whose sporting landscape remains remarkably varied and regionally distinct.

As the group stage progresses, attendance figures, growing public interest and strong on-field performances suggest that football has firmly established itself at the centre of the sporting conversation. Whether that momentum continues through the knockout rounds may determine how the tournament is ultimately remembered, but its opening week has already delivered a vivid demonstration of the opportunities and contradictions that accompany a World Cup hosted across the vast expanse of the United States.

For many people, music serves as a soundtrack to particular moments in life. For one woman navigating years of fertility treatment, a single song became something far more significant: a source of comfort, motivation and emotional strength during one of the most challenging periods she would ever face.

The track was Titanium, the globally successful dance anthem performed by Australian singer-songwriter Sia and produced by French DJ David Guetta. Released in 2011, the song’s message of endurance and defiance resonated with millions of listeners worldwide. For one prospective mother undergoing repeated rounds of fertility treatment, however, its meaning became deeply personal.

The years spent pursuing pregnancy through in vitro fertilisation (IVF) were marked by a relentless cycle of appointments, tests and uncertainty. Medical consultations became routine. Blood tests, hormone monitoring and scans punctuated daily life, while every outcome carried the potential for either hope or disappointment.

During that period, Titanium evolved from a popular radio hit into a ritual. Before appointments and after difficult consultations, the song became a familiar companion. Its soaring chorus and themes of perseverance offered a brief but powerful sense of control amid circumstances largely dictated by medical procedures and biological uncertainty.

Listening to the song became a habit. Each time it played, it delivered the same emotional effect: a temporary surge of confidence and determination. The volume would rise, car windows would come down and the lyrics would be sung loudly, regardless of vocal ability. The experience provided a release from the anxiety and vulnerability that often accompany fertility treatment.

The emotional attachment deepened as the IVF journey progressed. In May 2012, when she and her husband travelled to the clinic for another embryo transfer, the song accompanied them. It was there again during the drive home from scans confirming the pregnancy was progressing successfully.

As the pregnancy advanced through the critical early milestones, the track became associated not only with the struggle to conceive but also with the possibility that years of effort might finally produce the outcome they had hoped for.

Pregnancy after fertility treatment can bring its own set of anxieties. Each medical appointment can feel like a test, and many prospective parents remain cautious even as positive milestones accumulate. Throughout those months, the song continued to provide reassurance and emotional reinforcement.

The long-awaited breakthrough came in January 2013 with the birth of the couple’s first son.

The family’s story did not end there. Fifteen months later, a second son was born following another IVF procedure using the couple’s remaining fertilised embryos. Four years after that, a third son arrived without fertility treatment.

The outcome represented a remarkable change from the uncertainty that had defined earlier years. Yet the family remains conscious that fertility treatment does not produce the same result for everyone who undertakes it.

Globally, IVF has enabled millions of births since its introduction, but success rates vary considerably depending on factors including age, medical history and individual circumstances. For many families, treatment involves repeated cycles, substantial emotional strain and, in some cases, heartbreaking disappointment.

That reality has shaped the way the woman views her own experience. She describes her family as extraordinarily fortunate and remains aware that others facing similar challenges may not receive the same outcome despite investing equal effort, hope and resilience.

More than a decade after the birth of her first child, Titanium continues to occupy a unique place in family life.

The song has become widely recognised within the household as her personal anthem. Unlike most of the music she listens to, it remains one of the few mainstream dance tracks that has retained a permanent place on her playlists. Its significance is no longer connected solely to fertility treatment but to a broader story of overcoming adversity.

Her children have grown up understanding its importance. Whenever the song appears on television or streaming services, they call her into the room. The track has become shorthand for a chapter of family history that predates many of their own memories but helped shape the family they know today.

Its symbolic role extends beyond the home. When she prepared a playlist to mark her 15th wedding anniversary, Titanium was chosen to represent 2011, the year when the fertility journey intensified and the song first became part of daily life. More recently, her husband sent her a voice message from a bar after hearing it playing in the background, immediately recognising the connection it still holds.

The experience reflects a broader truth about fertility treatment and prolonged medical struggles. Such journeys often become all-consuming, narrowing a person’s focus until nearly every decision, thought and emotion is filtered through the desire to achieve a successful pregnancy.

For those fortunate enough to reach that goal, life eventually expands beyond the treatment cycle. New priorities emerge, and the medical appointments that once dominated everyday existence begin to fade into memory.

Yet certain reminders remain.

For this mother, Titanium endures as a reminder not only of what she endured but of the determination required to navigate years of uncertainty. The fertility treatment ended long ago, but the emotions attached to the song never disappeared.

Today, when life presents new challenges and a moment of strength is required, the ritual remains largely unchanged. Alone in the car, she lowers the window, turns up the volume and lets the familiar chorus fill the space once again.

What began as a chart-topping pop song has become a permanent marker of resilience, carrying the memory of a struggle overcome and a family ultimately formed against long odds.

Long before social media became a permanent archive of personal histories, the internet felt like a separate world—an experimental space where teenagers could reinvent themselves, seek attention and make mistakes without fully understanding the consequences.

For many who came of age during the early years of online culture, that period now occupies a complicated place in memory. It was a time of freedom and creativity, but also one marked by impulsive behaviour, anonymity and an emerging culture of online cruelty that few fully understood.

One writer reflecting on that era recalled posting an embarrassing homemade video online as a teenager. At the time, the experience generated attention from strangers and attracted criticism, mockery and ridicule. Yet the reaction failed to provoke the level of concern that similar attention might generate today.

Looking back, the indifference is difficult to explain. Part of it may have stemmed from the novelty of online visibility. For teenagers growing up during the early years of user-generated content, any form of attention often felt valuable. Online audiences still seemed distant and abstract, existing separately from everyday life.

The internet had not yet become synonymous with society itself. Social media platforms had not fully merged digital and offline identities, and many young users viewed online communities as niche subcultures rather than extensions of the real world.

The cultural context was also different. The cautionary stories now associated with viral fame, online harassment and digital permanence had yet to become common. Few teenagers considered how online content might affect future careers, relationships or reputations.

Yet the writer’s reflection extends beyond the experience of being mocked online. More uncomfortable memories emerge from the realization that participation in internet culture often involved contributing to the very behaviours that caused harm.

Only months after becoming the target of ridicule, the writer posted a cruel comment on another viral video featuring a much younger child. The video showed a girl singing about her brother, a soldier serving in a war zone. As the clip gained widespread attention, thousands of viewers watched and commented.

The writer remembers sitting with a friend, encouraging one another to post a message intended purely to provoke. There was no political statement, no sophisticated critique and no deeper motivation. The attraction lay in the simplicity of causing harm and the apparent absence of consequences.

Years later, the comment remains vivid in memory precisely because of its cruelty.

The episode illustrates a broader reality about online behaviour, particularly among young users. The internet often blurs traditional social boundaries and reduces the immediate consequences that typically discourage harmful conduct in face-to-face interactions. Actions that might feel unthinkable in person can appear trivial behind a screen.

For many people who grew up during the formative years of social media, these experiences have become sources of lingering anxiety. Not necessarily because they expect old posts to resurface, but because they understand how profoundly digital records can shape public perception.

The concern reflects one of the defining tensions of the modern internet age. On one hand, public accountability can expose harmful behaviour and challenge individuals to take responsibility for their actions. On the other, the permanence of digital records can make youthful mistakes difficult to escape, even decades later.

The writer acknowledges this dilemma directly. While there is no argument that harmful conduct should be ignored or excused, there is concern about the extent to which adolescent mistakes have become permanently preserved.

The issue is particularly relevant for younger generations who have grown up documenting much larger portions of their lives online. Every photograph, comment, joke and opinion can potentially become part of a lasting digital footprint.

For those who entered adulthood before social media became ubiquitous, there is often a sense of relief that many early platforms disappeared. Websites such as Myspace and Bebo contained countless awkward photographs, experimental identities and embarrassing moments that effectively vanished when the platforms declined.

Older generations, meanwhile, often express gratitude that they reached adulthood before social media existed at all.

Yet nostalgia can sometimes oversimplify the past. The writer argues that growing up during the transitional period between the offline and fully digital eras offered both advantages and disadvantages.

The internet provided opportunities to experiment with identity, creativity and self-expression. Teenagers could explore different versions of themselves, interact with people outside their immediate communities and participate in emerging online cultures.

At the same time, that freedom occasionally enabled harmful behaviour. The same distance that encouraged experimentation could also encourage cruelty. Anonymity and detachment often made it easier to forget that real people existed behind screens.

The contrast becomes especially apparent when observing younger family members navigating social media today. The writer describes watching younger cousins delete their Instagram posts and begin again, carefully curating new digital identities while attempting to erase traces of earlier versions of themselves.

The reaction is mixed. There is sadness in seeing personal histories discarded and reconstructed. Yet there is also relief. Unlike previous generations, many young people recognize early that their online presence may follow them indefinitely.

That awareness has become an essential part of modern adolescence. Teenagers now grow up understanding that jokes, opinions and impulsive decisions can outlive the circumstances in which they were made.

The internet promised permanence, connection and limitless self-expression. It delivered all three. What it did not provide was an easy way to leave the past behind.

For those who grew up during the internet’s formative years, that reality remains both a source of gratitude and regret. The freedom to experiment shaped who they became, but some of the traces left behind still linger, long after the people who created them have changed.

The trip comes as Iran seeks to reinforce diplomatic engagement with regional partners after the Switzerland discussions, which marked a significant phase in contacts between Tehran and the United States.

According to the IRNA state news agency, one of the principal objectives of Pezeshkian’s visit is to convey Iran’s appreciation to Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for Islamabad’s role in facilitating communication between Tehran and Washington.

Habibollah Abbasi, director of public relations at the Iranian president’s office, said the visit would include discussions linked to Pakistan’s mediation efforts and broader bilateral relations between the neighboring countries.

Pakistan has maintained diplomatic channels with both Iran and the United States and has periodically sought to support dialogue aimed at reducing regional tensions. The mediation role highlighted by Tehran reflects Islamabad’s efforts to position itself as a facilitator in regional diplomacy.

Neither Iranian nor Pakistani officials disclosed further details regarding the agenda of the visit, including whether new agreements or joint initiatives would be announced during Pezeshkian’s stay.

The visit takes place amid continued diplomatic activity in the region following the Switzerland talks, with governments assessing opportunities for broader engagement and stability through dialogue.

Pezeshkian’s meetings in Pakistan are expected to focus on bilateral cooperation as well as regional and international developments of mutual interest, according to Iranian state media.

The reduction marks a gradual easing in the number of ships affected by disruptions in one of the world’s most critical maritime trade corridors, although Japanese shipping companies remain cautious about resuming normal operations through the Strait.

A spokesperson for the association said on Monday that shipping firms would independently determine when to restart transits through the waterway after confirming safe passage conditions, including assurances that no mines are present.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on X on Friday that a vessel carrying three Japanese crew members had exited the Gulf and was heading to Japan. The vessel was not identified. Its departure means all 24 Japanese crew members who were in the Gulf when the conflict began have now left the region.

The association said Japan is advocating for international organizations, including the International Maritime Organization, to take the lead in developing fair and coordinated procedures to facilitate the orderly departure of vessels still stranded in the Gulf.

The immediate focus remains ensuring the safe movement of ships currently trapped in the area, the spokesperson said, adding that there are no plans at present for vessels to transit the Strait of Hormuz to load cargo.

Shipping activity through the strategic waterway declined sharply on Sunday after Iran announced it had once again closed the Strait, citing what it described as Israeli and U.S. violations of an interim peace agreement, according to shipping data.

The Strait of Hormuz is a vital route for global energy exports, and disruptions to navigation through the passage are closely monitored by governments, shipping operators and energy markets worldwide.

The surfers, among the few remaining practitioners of the sport in the Gaza Strip, gather on Gaza City’s coastline where the sounds of crashing waves contrast sharply with the devastation left by years of conflict.

“This sport is indescribable. When you catch a wave, ride it, glide along it, that feeling can’t be put into words,” said 23-year-old Taheen Abu Assi, who learned surfing from his father and grandfather.

Abu Assi said the conflict had not diminished his commitment to the sport, describing surfing as a rare source of relief amid uncertainty.

“We learned little by little, and even with the war, the shelling, and the destruction, we’re still continuing with this sport, because it lets us breathe and makes us feel safe,” he said.

Although a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect in October after two years of war, violence continues to affect daily life in the coastal enclave. Both sides have accused each other of repeated violations of the truce.

The dangers extend beyond land. In recent months, local medical officials and security sources have reported incidents involving fishermen injured by Israeli fire near Gaza’s coastline.

“The situation is still unstable,” Abu Assi said. “At any moment, shells or explosives could land near you.”

Despite the risks, the surfers paddle into the Mediterranean, temporarily escaping the pressures of life in a territory where large areas have been devastated by conflict and hundreds of thousands remain displaced.

The sport faces additional challenges due to shortages of specialized equipment caused by wartime disruptions and continuing restrictions on imports.

“One of the biggest challenges and difficulties we face as surfers in the Gaza Strip is the lack of tools and equipment specific to this sport,” said 19-year-old Abdel Rahim Al-Ustadh.

According to Al-Ustadh, surf wax is unavailable in Gaza, forcing surfers to improvise with candle wax to maintain grip on their boards.

Many rely on aging equipment that has survived years of use. Holding a worn surfboard estimated to be nearly 20 years old, Al-Ustadh said preserving existing boards was critical because replacing them was virtually impossible.

“As surfers, we treat these boards like great treasures to us, because losing any board or having it confiscated threatens our ability to continue in this sport,” he said.

The conflict has dramatically reduced Gaza’s surfing community. Khalil Abu Jiyab, 18, said a team of 17 surfers existed before the war, but only three remain active today due to equipment shortages and the loss of boards.

“I’ve been surfing for 13 years now, and my hopes have almost been shattered,” Abu Jiyab said, while expressing a desire to one day compete outside Gaza.

For many of Gaza’s remaining surfers, the sea continues to offer a rare sense of freedom in an environment shaped by conflict and uncertainty.

“There’s nothing in Gaza you can really look forward to except the sea,” Abu Jiyab said. “The only outlet in Gaza is the sea; without it, life would have vanished long ago.”

Guterres, widely known by his nom de guerre “Lu Olo,” died at Prince Court Medical Center in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where he had been receiving intensive care treatment, according to a statement posted on his official Facebook account. The cause of death was not disclosed.

His death marks the passing of one of the most prominent leaders of Timor-Leste’s independence generation, whose political career spanned the resistance movement, constitution-building process and the presidency of Southeast Asia’s youngest nation.

Guterres served as president from 2017 to 2022 after decades of involvement in the campaign that culminated in Timor-Leste’s independence in 2002.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim paid tribute to Guterres, describing him as a leader who remained devoted to the ideals of freedom and democratic nation-building throughout his life.

The Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor (Fretilin), the political party Guterres led for many years, said his death represented a profound loss for those committed to a sovereign and democratic Timor-Leste. The party credited him with promoting national unity, dialogue, peace and political stability during his years in public service.

Born on Sept. 7, 1954, in Ossu in the Viqueque district of what was then Portuguese Timor, Guterres emerged as a key figure in the resistance movement following Indonesia’s invasion in 1975. He later became one of the leading political figures guiding the territory through its transition toward independence after the United Nations-backed referendum of 1999.

In 2001, Guterres was elected president of the Constituent Assembly, overseeing the drafting of the country’s constitution ahead of formal independence. Following independence in 2002, he became the first speaker of the National Parliament.

After several unsuccessful presidential campaigns, Guterres secured victory in the 2017 election and served a single five-year term. In 2022, he was defeated in his bid for re-election by current President Jose Ramos-Horta, another veteran of the independence movement and Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

His political career reflected the trajectory of Timor-Leste itself, from anti-colonial and resistance struggles to democratic governance and state institution-building.

Guterres is survived by his wife, Cidalia Lopes Nobre Mouzinho Guterres, and their children. Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.

The cocaine, estimated to have a street value of A$816 million ($572 million), was discovered on June 19 at a semi-rural property in the western Sydney suburb of Londonderry, the Queensland Joint Organised Crime Taskforce said on Monday.

Investigators said the drugs were hidden in plastic tubs buried in underground bunkers accessible through false floors installed inside three shipping containers on the property.

Two Sydney men, aged 21 and 25, were arrested at the scene and charged with possessing a commercial quantity of an illicit drug. If convicted, they face potential life sentences under Australian law.

The seizure surpasses Australia’s previous record cocaine interception of 2.34 metric tons, recovered from a fishing vessel near K’gari, formerly known as Fraser Island, off the Queensland coast in 2024.

Authorities allege the shipment entered Australia through Midge Point in Queensland before being transported approximately 1,800 kilometers by road to Sydney by an organized crime network.

Police believe the drugs originated from the same mother ship linked to an earlier seizure of 178 kilograms of cocaine and 142 kilograms of methamphetamine in Queensland. Six individuals have already been charged in connection with that investigation.

Investigators suspect the vessel involved is the Belize-flagged cargo ship MV Wealth, which has been detained by authorities in the Solomon Islands over suspected links to transnational organized crime activities.

The Solomon Islands lie roughly 2,000 kilometers northeast of Queensland and have increasingly attracted law enforcement attention as authorities monitor trafficking routes across the Pacific region.

Australian Federal Police Commander Stephen Jay said criminal syndicates were increasingly exploiting Queensland’s extensive 13,000-kilometer coastline to import illicit drugs into Australia.

The seizure highlights the continued attraction of the Australian narcotics market to international trafficking organizations. Law enforcement agencies note that Australians pay some of the highest prices globally for cocaine, making the country a highly profitable destination for organized crime groups despite intensified border enforcement and interdiction efforts.

Investigations into the trafficking network and the origins of the shipment remain ongoing.