Hypersonic missiles, underwater vehicles and robot dogs were the stars of a parade in Beijing last week to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. In a display of military might that offered a "rare look" at China's new armory, said The New York Times, a cavalcade of missiles and armored vehicles rolled through Tiananmen Square as jets "screamed across the sky."

What are these latest weapons? 
China showed off its liquid-fueled intercontinental strategic nuclear missiles, which have the "entire world under its strike range," according to state media. Beijing also revealed its first air-launched nuclear missile, the JL-1, which was displayed on a military truck. 

Experts say China's new hypersonic missiles are the "finest set in the world," said The Times. They have a range of 746 miles and a Mach 8 speed and are designed to take out ships at sea. 

Prompted by the destruction of Russia's tanks by Ukrainian artillery and drones in their ongoing war, China's military has also been equipped with lighter, more agile new tanks to replace the standard PLA Type 99A. And Beijing paraded two types of extra-large uncrewed underwater vehicles, said The Independent, as well as lasers able to intercept drone attacks and other "low-end threats." 

But it was the robot dogs who "stole the show," said Indian news site Mathrubhumi. The "unsettling wolves" have "enhanced combat features, including mounted cameras for real-time reconnaissance" and "precision strike capability," to be deployed in what Beijing calls "intelligentized warfare." 

What does it mean for the rest of the world? 
The new weaponry is an "open message" that China's restoration as a superpower is "almost complete," said The Times. As to what it might do with that power, new armored ground vehicles indicate that Beijing may be preparing for "possible rapid deployment" to Taiwan, said The New York Times. The world should also pay attention to the new mobile truck- and ship-mounted laser air defence weapons, said CNN, as they could represent a major barrier to any enemy's "ability to blunt Chinese military movements."

Protests over political corruption and an ongoing effort to regulate social media have plunged Nepal into a state of civic unrest. Led predominantly by younger organizers and activists, demonstrations have emerged as Nepal's government banned (and then returned) access to popular platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp and YouTube for failing to register their products under a new national law. 

At least 19 people have been killed and dozens more injured amid protests in the Nepali capital of Kathmandu since yesterday. More than simply a matter of access to apps, the Nepali protests have become a generational conflict over the region's future.

'Robust space for debate' faces 'censorship'
Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli resigned today in an unsuccessful effort to quell the disquiet. Critics accused his government of "trying to curtail freedom of expression" in a nation where free speech is "highly prized," said The New York Times. 

Nepal generally offers "robust space for debate," while similar freedoms have "shrunk" in neighboring countries. So the government's social media regulatory effort, requiring that companies "appoint a liaison office or point in the country," has been "widely criticized as a tool for censorship and punishing government opponents who voice their protests online," said The Associated Press. 

The government claims it's not "banning" social media platforms but trying to "bring them in line with Nepali law," said the BBC. That explanation has not been enough for many Nepalese, who "heeded a call by demonstrators describing themselves as Generation Z" to gather at the parliamentary building in Kathmandu yesterday. There, authorities used force including "water cannons, batons and firing rubber bullets," resulting in the day's double-digit fatalities, said the network. 

Dissatisfaction over 'disbelief in authority'
Experts have warned the Nepali government that yesterday's violent clashes were an "outburst of accumulated frustrations of youths caused by corruption, bad governance, abuse of power, and the arrogance of the successive governments and political parties," said The Kathmandu Post. The protests are "fueled by the frustration of youth and their disbelief in authority, as they feel sidelined from decision-making," said Yog Raj Lamichhane, an assistant professor at Nepal's Pokhara University, to Al Jazeera. While the social media ban may have "added fuel to the unrest," the broader grievances "extend far deeper" and are "rooted in longstanding neglect and the silencing of youth voices" in Nepal.

New Zealand police discovered the remote campsite of Tom Phillips and his three children in Waikato after a four-year manhunt ended yesterday. Phillips, who had no legal custody of his kids and had been living off-grid with them to avoid appearing in court, was shot dead after he reportedly shot an officer following a farm shop break-in.
New Zealand Police

Hurtling through the clouds in a metal tube does a mean number on our bodies. But there are ways to mitigate the deleterious effects of getting from New York to San Francisco in six hours. 

Moisturize 
If you suspect airplane air is extra dry, you are correct. Planes have "very low humidity levels, often below 20%," said Dr. Maham Khan, a consulting dermatologist at London's Cadogan Clinic, to Women's Health. To battle this, apply a heavy-duty moisturizer the night before traveling, then a "hydrating mist" in-flight, plus a "light moisturizer" and an SPF, as "UV radiation at high altitudes is more intense."

Consider compression socks 
Some health professionals plug the power of the compression sock, a tool to "help promote better circulation and reduce the risk of DVT [deep-vein thrombosis] during air travel," said the Mayo Clinic. But this reduction claim "doesn't have compelling scientific evidence to back it except for people already at high risk," said Dr. Robert H. Shmerling, the former Clinical Chief of Rheumatology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, to Harvard Health Publishing. Those at high-risk are obese, pregnant or have a history of blood clots. 

Stretch those muscles
Yes, an in-flight knee raise, shoulder shrug or neck roll is a smart idea. Consider, too, the power of limbering before and after a trip. Moving your "hips and lower back the morning of or right before flying will help prevent those aches and stiffness," Matt Kite, a certified strength and conditioning specialist and the director of education of D1 Training, said to Self magazine.