[Air Conditioner Exports Reach 107.9 Billion Yuan in First Half of Year: Chinese Manufacturing Brings Coolness to Europe] In the first half of this year, my country's exports of home appliances such as air conditioners, fans, and refrigerators totaled 107.91 billion yuan. Looking at specific countries, in the first five months of this year, China's air conditioner exports to countries such as France, the Netherlands, and Belgium saw significant year-on-year growth. Many Chinese air conditioner models were snapped up as soon as they hit the market, leading to shortages in some countries. The hot sales of air conditioners in Europe are due to two main factors: the widespread and prolonged heatwave in Europe this year, and the low household air conditioner ownership rate across Europe, resulting in a large supply-demand gap. Amidst the sweltering heat, Chinese manufacturing once again met the surge in demand, bringing coolness and comfort to European consumers. (Xinhua News Agency)

[Netanyahu Reiterates Rejection of Trump's Gaza Plan, Israeli Military Reduces Operations, Caught in a Dilemma Before Election] (1) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated his rejection of US President Donald Trump's latest Gaza plan in a televised address, despite the Israeli military having effectively halted large-scale attacks under pressure from the US. Netanyahu is seeking re-election on October 27, but his poll numbers are poor, and he is caught between far-right ministers and his key ally, Trump, who hopes to push for an end to the conflict through a 15-point roadmap. (2) Since the Trump Peace Council representatives met with Netanyahu, the Israeli military has reduced the scale of its attacks. Informed sources say that Israel has agreed to act only against "immediate threats" and no longer conduct targeted killings almost daily as before. Mladenov said that discussions on the new roadmap are still ongoing. (3) The differences between the two sides are: Netanyahu clearly stated that Israel does not accept the 15-point document and will not withdraw its troops until Hamas disarms; while Trump said last month that Hamas had agreed to lay down its weapons, Hamas avoided the term "disarmament," saying that it agreed to hand over its weapons to the US-backed Palestinian technocratic government for safekeeping, but emphasized that implementation depends on Israel fulfilling its commitments first. (4) Hamas senior official Naeem said the organization remains committed to the Cairo Roadmap and hopes that the mediators and the US will put pressure on Netanyahu. Far-right Finance Minister Smotrih supported Netanyahu's position, saying that the military cannot withdraw an inch from Gaza. (5) Since the ceasefire agreement was reached in October 2025, Israeli attacks have killed more than 1,250 people in Gaza (mostly civilians), and four Israeli soldiers have been killed. The Israeli army has occupied and cleared two-thirds of Gaza, and more than 2 million residents are trapped in a narrow coastal strip, most of whom live in temporary tents or damaged buildings.

The Nikkei 225 index has just broken through the 66,400.00 mark, currently trading at 66,399.56, up 1.21% on the day.