Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, June 1 (Xinhua) — China launched a trial visa-free regime for citizens of Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru and Uruguay on Sunday, which will last until May 31, 2026.
This is the first time that China has extended its visa-free policy to Latin American and Caribbean countries. Thus, China has now unilaterally introduced a visa-free regime for 43 countries.
During the above-mentioned period, citizens of these five countries with their ordinary passports can enter China without a visa for the purpose of doing business, making tourist trips, visiting relatives and friends, conducting exchanges and visits, and for transit, and their stay in the country should not exceed 30 days.
Recently, the Chinese side also announced that a visa-free policy will be introduced on a trial basis from June 9, 2025 to June 8, 2026 for those holding ordinary passports from Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain. -0-
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
JERUSALEM, June 1 (Xinhua) — The Israeli military on Saturday confirmed the death of Mohammed Sinwar, a senior Hamas commander and head of the group’s military wing in Gaza, in an airstrike earlier this month.
A joint statement from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the country’s Shin Bet security service said Sinwar was killed on May 13 in a targeted attack on an underground command center located beneath the European Hospital in the southern Gaza Strip. The Israeli military accused Hamas of using the hospital as a cover, putting civilians at risk.
According to the IDF, M. Sinwar, 49, is one of Hamas’s most senior and longest-serving military leaders, and played a key role in planning the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel that led to the current conflict.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Sinwar’s death earlier this week in a speech to the Israeli parliament.
The strike also killed two other senior Hamas commanders: Muhammad Shabana, who led the Rafah Brigade, and Mahdi Quara, commander of the Khan Younis Battalion. The IDF said both men were involved in the October 7, 2023, attack and later led attacks on Israeli troops, including hostage-taking and rocket fire.
Earlier, Gaza health authorities said the Israeli strike had killed at least six people and wounded 40. Hamas has not issued an official statement confirming Sinwar’s death.
M. Sinwar was the younger brother of Yahya Sinwar, the former leader of the Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip, who was killed in a clash with the IDF in October 2024. –0–
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
JERUSALEM, June 1 (Xinhua) — The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Saturday that five militants were killed in operations in the Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours.
According to the statement, a combat team from the IDF’s Paratroopers Brigade found four armed men in the surrounding area on Friday and killed them during a clash.
The IDF added that it had struck and killed Hamas militant Khalil Farwan in the Gaza neighborhood of Sabra, saying he was in charge of weapons production at the movement’s headquarters.
According to the statement, the military also dismantled weapons and explosive devices planted in the ground and destroyed infrastructure, some of which was underground. –0–
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
KHARTOUM, June 1 (Xinhua) — Kamil Idris was sworn in as Sudan’s new prime minister on Saturday before Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of the country’s ruling Transitional Sovereign Council, the council said in a statement.
Following the ceremony, A.F. al-Burhan and other council members met with K. Idris to discuss the government’s priorities, including stabilizing the economy, protecting the livelihoods of civilians and restoring order in all states of the country, the statement said.
The appointment of K. Idris was formally approved on May 19 by a constitutional decree of A.F. Al-Burhan, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Sudanese Armed Forces. The decision was welcomed by the UN, the African Union Commission and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).
Sudan’s prime ministership has been vacant since Abdallah Hamdok resigned in January 2022 following a military coup led by A.F. al-Burhan in October 2021. Hamdok and other civilian leaders were briefly detained and then reinstated under a short-term power-sharing agreement. He resigned weeks later, warning that Sudan was at a “dangerous crossroads” as mass protests against military rule erupted across the country.
K. Idris holds a Doctorate in International Law and previously served as Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization and Secretary General of the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants.
Sudan remains engulfed in conflict between the country’s armed forces and the paramilitary Rapid Intervention Forces, which erupted in April 2023. The fighting has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions more both inside and outside the country, deepening Sudan’s humanitarian crisis. –0–
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
ULAN BATOR, June 1 (Xinhua) — Mongolia celebrated International Children’s Day on Sunday.
To celebrate this significant date, various events were organized in the main square of the Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar, including a parade of Mongolian children, as well as children’s and youth performances and sports competitions among preschoolers.
By the end of 2024, children under the age of 17 made up more than 36.2 percent of Mongolia’s 3.5 million population, according to the country’s National Statistical Committee.
In Mongolia, mothers who have given birth to four or more children and who provide proper care for their health, education, physical, spiritual and moral upbringing are awarded the Order of Maternal Glory.
In 2025, a total of 14,486 mothers across the country received this award. –0–
Big tech sharing economy platforms like Airbnb and Uber are marketed as trustworthy, but a new book by a South African media scholar argues that they are highly vulnerable to scammers who spread delusive speech (a form of disinformation, designed to deceive by criminal intent).
Julie Reid draws from first-hand accounts and over 600 cases from around the world of victims lured into scams or physical danger by fake Airbnb reviews and listings, providing a detailed case study. We asked her five questions about her book.
How do the scams work?
Airbnb is the world’s largest accommodation-sharing platform. It connects property owners who want to rent out their homes with travellers looking for alternatives to traditional hotels. The company recently expanded its offering and now facilitates the booking of other services like personal trainers or caterers along with accommodation rentals.
Airbnb scams happen in several ways. The most obvious is the phantom listing scam. The scammer constructs a fake but attractive listing on Airbnb and accepts payments from unsuspecting guests. It’s only when guests arrive at the address that they discover the property doesn’t exist. Scammers have also learnt to navigate around Airbnb’s review system. Fake positive reviews are produced by scam host networks, making them appear to be authentic.
Bait and switch scams are also common. Here the scam “host” contacts the guest on check-in day claiming the reserved property is suddenly unavailable. They offer alternative accommodation, which the guest later discovers is not as good as the original property they’ve paid for (which is often fictional). The guest pays for a premium rental but is forced to stay in a property that might be unsafe, unclean, or missing amenities.
Scam hosts use misleading, plagiarised, or AI-generated property images and fake descriptions along with fake personal profiles and aliases.
Delusive tactics also redirect guests away from the secure Airbnb payment portal to alternative payment methods. The scammer disappears with the money.
But the danger isn’t limited to financial crimes. The platform’s business model is premised on staying in a stranger’s private property, which can put guests’ personal safety at risk.
Criminal hosts can lure targets into dangerous environments. Once checked in, guests are isolated from public view, housed in a property to which the host has access.
I consider delusive speech a subset of disinformation because it presents intentionally misleading content at scale. But it differs from disinformation in its intentions. It isn’t done to promote a particular cause or gain ideological, military, or political advantage. Delusive speech is motivated purely by criminal intent or nefarious financial gain.
Delusive speech works by hiding in plain sight on platforms we think we can trust, like Airbnb, Booking.com, Uber and others. Often, it’s indistinguishable from honest and genuine content. When users browse Airbnb listings for holiday accommodation, they’re presented with numerous options. A fake property listing looks, sounds and feels exactly the same as a genuine one.
This happens on a platform that has built its brand narrative around the concept of trust. Scammers exploit these digital contexts of pre-established trust. When users log on to popular e-commerce or sharing economy platforms, they’re already primed to pay for something. It becomes relatively easy for scammers to delude targets into parting with their money.
Sadly, none of these mechanisms work perfectly. While Airbnb promises to verify properties and host identities, my analysis exposes flaws in these systems. Scammers easily bypass verification tiers through aliases, forged documents and AI-generated material. Airbnb has admitted it needs to address the failures of its verification processes.
My analysis uncovered how scammed guests are routinely denied the opportunity to post reviews of problematic rentals. Opaque terms of service and content policies allow Airbnb customer service agents and executives to justify censoring negative but honest guest reviews.
This means dangerous and fraudulent activity goes publicly unreported and unreviewed, leaving future guests vulnerable. I argue that Airbnb’s review curation mechanisms should be revamped according to internationally recognised human rights frameworks that protect freedom of speech. This would allow for more honest accounts of guest experiences and create a safer online environment.
Perhaps the most common complaint I encountered was that Airbnb doesn’t remove offending listings from its platform, even after a scammed guest provides evidence that the listing was posted by a fraudster. Airbnb must develop an urgent protocol for swiftly removing offending listings when discovered, to protect future guests from falling victim to the same scam trap.
What can users do to protect themselves?
Travellers can protect themselves by being extra cautious. Ask around. Seek recommendations from people you know and trust, and who can verify that the property you are booking actually exists and that the host is trustworthy.
If that isn’t an option, consider an established hotel instead, but book directly with the hotel and not via third party sites like Booking.com where listings can easily be faked. Check on Google Street View to make sure the property is where it claims to be.
Either way, have a Plan B in case things go wrong. Prepare ahead of your trip by deciding what you will do if you find yourself in an unsafe situation. And always, always, buy travel insurance.
Is it part of a bigger problem?
I assessed several digitally initiated scam categories in this book. While my main case study focused on Airbnb, the problem of delusive speech online isn’t unique to this platform. Delusive speech is now carried by all major tech platforms integral to everyday life.
I hope that these examples will boost awareness of the risks of using these apps and sites.
Julie Reid does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Seven women were part of a trailblazing network of feminist scientists in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s in the Boston area in the US. Christa Kuljian is a science writer and historian of science who focuses much of her research on issues of science and society, gender and race. She is the author of two previous books of narrative nonfiction – Sanctuary and Darwin’s Hunch. In her new book Our Science, Ourselves she focuses on the life stories of the seven women. We asked her about her book.
How did you choose the scientists you focused on in the book?
I grew up in the Boston area in the 1970s, and in high school, my parents gave me a copy of the revolutionary guide to women’s health, Our Bodies, Ourselves, which was published by the Boston Women’s Health Book Collective. In the early 1980s, I studied the history of science at Harvard and took a course with Ruth Hubbard called Bio 109: Biology and Women’s Issues.
Hubbard, in 1974, was the first woman to achieve tenure in biology at Harvard, and she features in the book. Her course taught about how scientists, including Charles Darwin, promoted stereotypes and myths about women’s biology. The idea for Our Science, Ourselves grew from that formative experience in Hubbard’s course.
But it also had roots in another, more recent experience. In 2016, I published Darwin’s Hunch: Science, Race and the Search for Human Origins, about the history of palaeoanthropology in South Africa. The book explores questions that some of my history of science professors might have asked. What influence did the social and political context of colonialism and apartheid have on the search for human origins?
After it was published, I was struck by several stories that brought science and sexism into the popular media. In July 2017, James Damore at Google wrote that “the gender gap in tech” likely existed because of biological differences between men and women, and he received support from popular psychologist Jordan Peterson.
In September 2018, an Italian physicist, Alessandro Strumia, said that the low number of women in physics was proof that women were innately less capable than men. He suggested that male scientists were being discriminated against to give opportunities to women.
These statements reminded me of what former Harvard president Larry Summers had said back in 2005. Drawing on the work of psychologist and popular writer Steven Pinker, Summers spoke of women having a “different availability of aptitude” in science and math.
Why were these myths about women’s biology still having an impact in the 21st century? I decided to go back to my class notes and look more closely at Hubbard’s research. Who had she worked with at the time? What were other scientists with a feminist awareness saying in the 1970s and 1980s?
As a result of many interviews, and research in the archives, I discovered a fascinating network of women, all of whom contributed to feminist critiques of science, and ultimately to the field of feminist science studies.
Our Science, Ourselves follows the lives of Ruth Hubbard, Rita Arditti, Evelyn Fox Keller, Evelynn Hammonds, Anne Fausto-Sterling, Banu Subramaniam and Nancy Hopkins.
None of these women scientists were born in Boston, but they all moved there to study, take a job, conduct research, or network with other scientists. Part of what made Boston interesting to me was the critical mass of colleges, universities and scientists, but also the presence of social movements that influenced these women, including Science for the People, the Combahee River Collective and others.
Could you tell us about one or two of these women’s stories?
One of them is Rita Arditti. An Argentinian geneticist at Harvard Medical School, she led a protest in December 1969 at the annual conference of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Boston. Along with 12 colleagues carrying posters and pamphlets, she arrived unannounced at a special luncheon for women scientists, calling for an end to discrimination against women in science. Most of the women ignored Arditti, but Hubbard was in the audience and paid attention. The protest did have a ripple effect on the association.
Over time, Arditti and Hubbard became friends, became active in a new organisation called Science for the People, and began to write not only about discrimination against women scientists, but also about how science portrayed women’s biology in stereotypical ways.
Another is Evelynn Hammonds, who studied physics at Spelman College, a historically Black women’s college in Atlanta. In 1976, she read an important report, The Double Bind: The Price of Being a Minority Woman in Science, co-authored by Shirley Malcom and published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
With Malcom’s encouragement, Hammonds applied to and was accepted at MIT in the Boston area. Over time, she joined a growing network of women who were critiquing their science. She became a teaching assistant for Hubbard and rented an apartment from Arditti, and became a foundational influence in gender, race and the history of science.
Hammonds emphasised that when speaking out against scientific sexism it was important to speak out against scientific racism as well, and that it was critical to address both.
How do the current US administration policies on science and diversity relate to your book?
Sudip Parikh, the CEO of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, said in testimony before the US Senate appropriations committee on 30 April 2025:
The scientific community is in paralysis right now.
The current attack on science has had a major impact, ending funding for important scientific research. Young scientists and science students are concerned for their future. The US administration’s policy of cutting funds to any programmes related to diversity or equity is an onslaught on decades of progress in this area, and will have a grave impact on the scientific research agenda.
There is a growing list of words that have been scrubbed from US government websites and documents, including “women”, “race”, “racism”, “feminism”, “activist” and “bias”. The use of any of these words in scientific research proposals can result in federal funding being cut. For example, the US Food and Drug Administration published an announcement in mid-2024 that discussed the importance of diversity in clinical trials. That document is no longer available on the website.
The women in Our Science, Ourselves made important contributions by highlighting how scientific institutions historically have been exclusionary. They also shone a light on how scientific research questions and analysis can be biased (rather than always neutral or objective), thereby affecting the knowledge they produce.
The tools that feminist science studies has developed are critical to the sciences because they ask new questions, and develop new methodologies that help science account for gender and racial bias. Who is doing science? Who decides on the research questions? Who offers analysis and who benefits?
The US administration’s actions are a major setback for science and scientific research, as well as gender, race and sexuality studies, which have made vital contributions to science, medicine and technology. The history of these fields and the life stories of some of the dynamic women in them, can offer readers inspiration for the present moment.
Our Science, Ourselves is available from University of Massachusetts Press and Amazon in the US, on Kindle, and from Love Books in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Christa Kuljian received research funding from Harvard University’s Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America and from the Consortium for History of Science, Technology and Medicine (CHSTM) in Philadelphia. She is a member of the History of Science Society.
The Savanes region in northern Togo, bordering Burkina Faso, has become an area of insecurity since a jihadist attack in 2021. This security crisis is part of a broader context of growing destabilisation in west African countries, centred on the Sahel region. It led to the creation of the Alliance of Sahel States in July 2024. The survey also covered perceptions of foreign influence in Togo and discrimination against women and girls.
Koffi Amessou Adaba, a political sociologist and one of the lead authors of the study, shares insights into the survey’s key findings, and the potential implications for Togo’s future.
What are the key findings of the survey?
The survey, which involved 53,444 people, reveals that 64% of Togolese believe the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger from the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) to form the Alliance of Sahel States is “somewhat” or “very” justified. This view is driven by three main factors:
• a perception that Ecowas is influenced by foreign powers
• a widespread rejection of Ecowas sanctions against Sahel states
• the belief that Ecowas failed to provide military support during those countries’ security crises.
In addition, 54% of Togolese consider the presence of Russia (or the Wagner Group, now known as Africa Corps) in the Alliance of Sahel States to be beneficial. This trust in a non-western external actor reflects a profound shift in geopolitical perceptions in the region.
Another important finding of this study is that 54% of Togolese believe their country would benefit from leaving Ecowas to join the Alliance of Sahel States.
But opinions are split on whether the Alliance of Sahel States helps or hurts west African integration: 39% believe it doesn’t undermine regional integration, but 37% think it does.
How do you make sense of the Togolese push to leave Ecowas?
This sentiment reflects growing frustration with Ecowas, which many Togolese now see as out of touch with the region’s realities.
The bloc is widely perceived as being too close to foreign powers and ineffective in responding to major security threats. Its repeated failures to help resolve Togo’s political crises (of 2005 and 2017 for example) have only deepened public disillusionment.
This frustration is unfolding alongside a broader wave of pan-Africanism in the region, marked by a growing rejection of former colonial powers and their institutional ties.
But this momentum should be approached with caution. The desire to leave Ecowas reflects anger and a strong appetite for change, not necessarily a clear assessment of the economic and diplomatic fallout such a move could bring.
What do respondents think about terrorism in the north of the country?
Nearly six in ten Togolese (59%) say they trust the government to contain or root out the terror threat. This shows broad support for official counter-terrorism efforts, although some question the current strategy.
Opinions are especially split on how the crisis is communicated. Some find the messaging vague or lacking in transparency. Others think it helps keep people alert without sparking panic.
The survey reveals deeper concerns. Even Togolese outside conflict zones report growing insecurity. The northern crisis appears to be fuelling nationwide anxiety.
Since tensions flared, Togo has been neutral. It has not openly condemned the Alliance of Sahel States countries and has maintained its membership of Ecowas. This careful stance reflects national sentiment – which leans towards support for the Alliance of Sahel States – while preserving Togo’s strategic and economic interests.
Togo’s careful balancing act remains its safest bet. The truth is, no one knows what the future holds for the Alliance of Sahel States bloc. But this middle ground gives Togo strategic flexibility regardless of how regional politics evolve.
Togo’s position leaves it well-placed either way. If the Alliance of Sahel States countries rejoin Ecowas, Togo keeps its influence. If they don’t, it still benefits from its neutrality.
Ultimately, Togo should keep playing this diplomatic card. Its measured approach offers rare stability in a volatile region.
Koffi Améssou Adaba does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
Attention TV/radio announcers:
Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at regular intervals:
Here is an item of interest to swimmers.
The Leisure and Cultural Services Department announced today (June 1) that Sheung Shui Swimming Pool in the North District has been temporarily closed for cleaning and superchlorination following the discovery of a small amount of vomit in the pool.
It will be reopened at 8.30pm today.
The department appeals to swimmers to be considerate and to keep the swimming pools clean. They are advised not to swim after a full meal and should use the toilet facilities if necessary before swimming.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Two students wait for the final of the 18th “Chinese Bridge” Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign Secondary School Students in Zambia, in Lusaka, Zambia, May 30, 2025. The Confucius Institute at the University of Zambia on Friday hosted the final round of the Chinese language proficiency competition.
The event featured 10 students competing in the final of the 24th “Chinese Bridge” Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students in Zambia, and nine students in the 18th “Chinese Bridge” Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign Secondary School Students in Zambia. (Xinhua/Peng Lijun)
The Confucius Institute at the University of Zambia on Friday hosted the final round of the Chinese language proficiency competition.
The event featured 10 students competing in the final of the 24th “Chinese Bridge” Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students in Zambia, and nine students in the 18th “Chinese Bridge” Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign Secondary School Students in Zambia.
Participants demonstrated their proficiency in the Chinese language and showcased their knowledge of Chinese culture through poetry recitations and performances of Chinese pop songs.
Speaking at the opening of the event, Wang Sheng, minister counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Zambia, said the Chinese Bridge competition serves not only as a platform for language and cultural expression, but also as a bridge connecting China with the rest of the world.
He encouraged the students to use the competition as a springboard for continuous personal development and cultural exchange. “I hope that through the Chinese Bridge competition, more and more Zambian youth will develop a passion for the Chinese language, master it, and gain a deeper appreciation of China from a multidimensional and comprehensive perspective,” he said.
Wang further said China and Zambia are all-weather friends and that cooperation in all sectors, including people-to-people exchanges, has grown, guided by the principles of mutual respect, equality, and common development.
He urged young people to embrace the development opportunities brought about by the friendship between the two countries through learning the Chinese language.
Felix Masiye, acting vice-chancellor of the University of Zambia, praised the Chinese language for being a vital bridge that connects nations and cultures, facilitates access to technology and business, and fosters people-to-people relationships.
Masiye commended the Confucius Institute for its role in promoting the learning of Chinese in Zambia and for training local teachers. He said such efforts would significantly contribute to the widespread teaching and adoption of the language across the country.
Mubanga Museba, a student at Kasama Girls Secondary School in northern Zambia, emerged victorious in the secondary school category. She expressed her joy over the victory, noting that the outcome was unexpected given the high level of competition among the contestants.
Museba said she began learning Chinese out of love and passion for the language, as well as a desire for self-development.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, June 1 (Xinhua) — On a warm weekend in early summer, thousands of muddy, out of breath but determined children ran, crawled and climbed during the Spartan Kids obstacle race in Beijing.
The race, which was held on May 24-25 at the Universal Beijing Resort theme park, namely the Universal CityWalk, involved children aged 4 to 14, who covered distances of 3 to 5 km with 18 to 26 obstacles. The children jumped over walls, climbed nets and clung to bars, while their parents applauded wildly from the sidelines.
“There are definitely times when my kids feel exhausted and want to give up, but that’s part of growing up,” six-time Olympic champion Ma Long said after jogging alongside his sons.
The growing popularity of events like the Spartan Kids obstacle race reflects a growing interest in children’s fitness in China, as well as a national push to get more children physically active, especially at a time when childhood obesity is becoming a major public health issue.
Nearly 19 percent of children in China aged 6 to 17 are overweight or obese, according to the National Health Commission (NHC). Research suggests that the overweight and obesity rate among Chinese children could reach 31.8 percent by 2030.
In response, China is stepping up efforts to reverse this trend. Notably, a three-year national weight-loss campaign was launched in 2024, while the government is also calling for stricter weight control measures among infants, children and adolescents.
In April 2025, the NHC issued a notice calling on relevant hospitals, including children’s hospitals and traditional Chinese medicine hospitals, to establish specialized weight loss clinics.
The country is also placing greater emphasis on physical education in schools. In Beijing, new guidelines call for more intensive physical education classes designed to make students “work up a sweat.”
Liang Jiaqi, a 12-year-old fifth-grader in Beijing, is one of many students embracing the breaks. His school now offers daily physical education classes, as well as regular long breaks that provide plenty of time for active recreation.
He said running is his favourite way to stay active, and he has also recently taken up table tennis, playing the sport daily with his younger brother and his neighbouring friends.
“Sports makes me feel relaxed and happy,” he said. “I have made new friends and I eat better after training.”
On International Children’s Day this year, Liang Jiaqi is putting her passion into practice by competing in orienteering. “It sounds fun and creative! I hope I can do it!” -0-
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Moscow, June 1 /Xinhua/ – Bryansk Region Governor Alexander Bogomaz announced on the Rossiya 24 TV channel that a bridge was blown up while a train was moving.
“There was an explosion on the bridge on the highway while the train was moving, which had 388 passengers,” A. Bogomaz said on air.
On Sunday night, a bridge collapsed in the Vygonichsky District of the Bryansk Region. Due to the collapse of the span structure of the automobile bridge as a result of illegal interference in transport activities, the locomotive and carriages of passenger train number 86 on the Klimov-Moscow route derailed.
The regional governor had previously reported seven deaths and 66 injuries. A reserve train has been assigned to transport passengers of train number 86 Klimov-Moscow. –0–
Big tech sharing economy platforms like Airbnb and Uber are marketed as trustworthy, but a new book by a South African media scholar argues that they are highly vulnerable to scammers who spread delusive speech (a form of disinformation, designed to deceive by criminal intent).
Julie Reid draws from first-hand accounts and over 600 cases from around the world of victims lured into scams or physical danger by fake Airbnb reviews and listings, providing a detailed case study. We asked her five questions about her book.
How do the scams work?
Airbnb is the world’s largest accommodation-sharing platform. It connects property owners who want to rent out their homes with travellers looking for alternatives to traditional hotels. The company recently expanded its offering and now facilitates the booking of other services like personal trainers or caterers along with accommodation rentals.
Routledge
Airbnb scams happen in several ways. The most obvious is the phantom listing scam. The scammer constructs a fake but attractive listing on Airbnb and accepts payments from unsuspecting guests. It’s only when guests arrive at the address that they discover the property doesn’t exist. Scammers have also learnt to navigate around Airbnb’s review system. Fake positive reviews are produced by scam host networks, making them appear to be authentic.
Bait and switch scams are also common. Here the scam “host” contacts the guest on check-in day claiming the reserved property is suddenly unavailable. They offer alternative accommodation, which the guest later discovers is not as good as the original property they’ve paid for (which is often fictional). The guest pays for a premium rental but is forced to stay in a property that might be unsafe, unclean, or missing amenities.
Scam hosts use misleading, plagiarised, or AI-generated property images and fake descriptions along with fake personal profiles and aliases.
Delusive tactics also redirect guests away from the secure Airbnb payment portal to alternative payment methods. The scammer disappears with the money.
But the danger isn’t limited to financial crimes. The platform’s business model is premised on staying in a stranger’s private property, which can put guests’ personal safety at risk.
Criminal hosts can lure targets into dangerous environments. Once checked in, guests are isolated from public view, housed in a property to which the host has access.
I consider delusive speech a subset of disinformation because it presents intentionally misleading content at scale. But it differs from disinformation in its intentions. It isn’t done to promote a particular cause or gain ideological, military, or political advantage. Delusive speech is motivated purely by criminal intent or nefarious financial gain.
Delusive speech works by hiding in plain sight on platforms we think we can trust, like Airbnb, Booking.com, Uber and others. Often, it’s indistinguishable from honest and genuine content. When users browse Airbnb listings for holiday accommodation, they’re presented with numerous options. A fake property listing looks, sounds and feels exactly the same as a genuine one.
This happens on a platform that has built its brand narrative around the concept of trust. Scammers exploit these digital contexts of pre-established trust. When users log on to popular e-commerce or sharing economy platforms, they’re already primed to pay for something. It becomes relatively easy for scammers to delude targets into parting with their money.
Sadly, none of these mechanisms work perfectly. While Airbnb promises to verify properties and host identities, my analysis exposes flaws in these systems. Scammers easily bypass verification tiers through aliases, forged documents and AI-generated material. Airbnb has admitted it needs to address the failures of its verification processes.
My analysis uncovered how scammed guests are routinely denied the opportunity to post reviews of problematic rentals. Opaque terms of service and content policies allow Airbnb customer service agents and executives to justify censoring negative but honest guest reviews.
This means dangerous and fraudulent activity goes publicly unreported and unreviewed, leaving future guests vulnerable. I argue that Airbnb’s review curation mechanisms should be revamped according to internationally recognised human rights frameworks that protect freedom of speech. This would allow for more honest accounts of guest experiences and create a safer online environment.
Perhaps the most common complaint I encountered was that Airbnb doesn’t remove offending listings from its platform, even after a scammed guest provides evidence that the listing was posted by a fraudster. Airbnb must develop an urgent protocol for swiftly removing offending listings when discovered, to protect future guests from falling victim to the same scam trap.
What can users do to protect themselves?
Travellers can protect themselves by being extra cautious. Ask around. Seek recommendations from people you know and trust, and who can verify that the property you are booking actually exists and that the host is trustworthy.
If that isn’t an option, consider an established hotel instead, but book directly with the hotel and not via third party sites like Booking.com where listings can easily be faked. Check on Google Street View to make sure the property is where it claims to be.
Either way, have a Plan B in case things go wrong. Prepare ahead of your trip by deciding what you will do if you find yourself in an unsafe situation. And always, always, buy travel insurance.
Is it part of a bigger problem?
I assessed several digitally initiated scam categories in this book. While my main case study focused on Airbnb, the problem of delusive speech online isn’t unique to this platform. Delusive speech is now carried by all major tech platforms integral to everyday life.
I hope that these examples will boost awareness of the risks of using these apps and sites.
– Airbnb scams: new book explores thriving criminal activity on big tech platforms – https://theconversation.com/airbnb-scams-new-book-explores-thriving-criminal-activity-on-big-tech-platforms-256806
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Christa Kuljian, Research Associate, WiSER, University of the Witwatersrand
Seven women were part of a trailblazing network of feminist scientists in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s in the Boston area in the US. Christa Kuljian is a science writer and historian of science who focuses much of her research on issues of science and society, gender and race. She is the author of two previous books of narrative nonfiction – Sanctuary and Darwin’s Hunch. In her new book Our Science, Ourselves she focuses on the life stories of the seven women. We asked her about her book.
How did you choose the scientists you focused on in the book?
I grew up in the Boston area in the 1970s, and in high school, my parents gave me a copy of the revolutionary guide to women’s health, Our Bodies, Ourselves, which was published by the Boston Women’s Health Book Collective. In the early 1980s, I studied the history of science at Harvard and took a course with Ruth Hubbard called Bio 109: Biology and Women’s Issues.
Hubbard, in 1974, was the first woman to achieve tenure in biology at Harvard, and she features in the book. Her course taught about how scientists, including Charles Darwin, promoted stereotypes and myths about women’s biology. The idea for Our Science, Ourselves grew from that formative experience in Hubbard’s course.
But it also had roots in another, more recent experience. In 2016, I published Darwin’s Hunch: Science, Race and the Search for Human Origins, about the history of palaeoanthropology in South Africa. The book explores questions that some of my history of science professors might have asked. What influence did the social and political context of colonialism and apartheid have on the search for human origins?
After it was published, I was struck by several stories that brought science and sexism into the popular media. In July 2017, James Damore at Google wrote that “the gender gap in tech” likely existed because of biological differences between men and women, and he received support from popular psychologist Jordan Peterson.
In September 2018, an Italian physicist, Alessandro Strumia, said that the low number of women in physics was proof that women were innately less capable than men. He suggested that male scientists were being discriminated against to give opportunities to women.
These statements reminded me of what former Harvard president Larry Summers had said back in 2005. Drawing on the work of psychologist and popular writer Steven Pinker, Summers spoke of women having a “different availability of aptitude” in science and math.
Why were these myths about women’s biology still having an impact in the 21st century? I decided to go back to my class notes and look more closely at Hubbard’s research. Who had she worked with at the time? What were other scientists with a feminist awareness saying in the 1970s and 1980s?
As a result of many interviews, and research in the archives, I discovered a fascinating network of women, all of whom contributed to feminist critiques of science, and ultimately to the field of feminist science studies.
Our Science, Ourselves follows the lives of Ruth Hubbard, Rita Arditti, Evelyn Fox Keller, Evelynn Hammonds, Anne Fausto-Sterling, Banu Subramaniam and Nancy Hopkins.
None of these women scientists were born in Boston, but they all moved there to study, take a job, conduct research, or network with other scientists. Part of what made Boston interesting to me was the critical mass of colleges, universities and scientists, but also the presence of social movements that influenced these women, including Science for the People, the Combahee River Collective and others.
Could you tell us about one or two of these women’s stories?
One of them is Rita Arditti. An Argentinian geneticist at Harvard Medical School, she led a protest in December 1969 at the annual conference of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Boston. Along with 12 colleagues carrying posters and pamphlets, she arrived unannounced at a special luncheon for women scientists, calling for an end to discrimination against women in science. Most of the women ignored Arditti, but Hubbard was in the audience and paid attention. The protest did have a ripple effect on the association.
Rita Arditti in the lab circa late 1960s. Courtesy Federicho Muchnik.
Over time, Arditti and Hubbard became friends, became active in a new organisation called Science for the People, and began to write not only about discrimination against women scientists, but also about how science portrayed women’s biology in stereotypical ways.
Ruth Hubbard and student Kathy Kleeman in the lab, circa early 1970s. Photography by Starr Ockenga, courtesy Schlesinger Library, Harvard University.
Another is Evelynn Hammonds, who studied physics at Spelman College, a historically Black women’s college in Atlanta. In 1976, she read an important report, The Double Bind: The Price of Being a Minority Woman in Science, co-authored by Shirley Malcom and published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Evelynn Hammonds at the podium, 1994. Courtesy MIT Museum.
With Malcom’s encouragement, Hammonds applied to and was accepted at MIT in the Boston area. Over time, she joined a growing network of women who were critiquing their science. She became a teaching assistant for Hubbard and rented an apartment from Arditti, and became a foundational influence in gender, race and the history of science.
Hammonds emphasised that when speaking out against scientific sexism it was important to speak out against scientific racism as well, and that it was critical to address both.
How do the current US administration policies on science and diversity relate to your book?
Sudip Parikh, the CEO of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, said in testimony before the US Senate appropriations committee on 30 April 2025:
The scientific community is in paralysis right now.
The current attack on science has had a major impact, ending funding for important scientific research. Young scientists and science students are concerned for their future. The US administration’s policy of cutting funds to any programmes related to diversity or equity is an onslaught on decades of progress in this area, and will have a grave impact on the scientific research agenda.
There is a growing list of words that have been scrubbed from US government websites and documents, including “women”, “race”, “racism”, “feminism”, “activist” and “bias”. The use of any of these words in scientific research proposals can result in federal funding being cut. For example, the US Food and Drug Administration published an announcement in mid-2024 that discussed the importance of diversity in clinical trials. That document is no longer available on the website.
The women in Our Science, Ourselves made important contributions by highlighting how scientific institutions historically have been exclusionary. They also shone a light on how scientific research questions and analysis can be biased (rather than always neutral or objective), thereby affecting the knowledge they produce.
The tools that feminist science studies has developed are critical to the sciences because they ask new questions, and develop new methodologies that help science account for gender and racial bias. Who is doing science? Who decides on the research questions? Who offers analysis and who benefits?
The US administration’s actions are a major setback for science and scientific research, as well as gender, race and sexuality studies, which have made vital contributions to science, medicine and technology. The history of these fields and the life stories of some of the dynamic women in them, can offer readers inspiration for the present moment.
Our Science, Ourselves is available from University of Massachusetts Press and Amazon in the US, on Kindle, and from Love Books in Johannesburg, South Africa.
– Sexism in science: 7 women whose trailblazing work shattered stereotypes – https://theconversation.com/sexism-in-science-7-women-whose-trailblazing-work-shattered-stereotypes-257265
The Savanes region in northern Togo, bordering Burkina Faso, has become an area of insecurity since a jihadist attack in 2021. This security crisis is part of a broader context of growing destabilisation in west African countries, centred on the Sahel region. It led to the creation of the Alliance of Sahel States in July 2024. The survey also covered perceptions of foreign influence in Togo and discrimination against women and girls.
Koffi Amessou Adaba, a political sociologist and one of the lead authors of the study, shares insights into the survey’s key findings, and the potential implications for Togo’s future.
What are the key findings of the survey?
The survey, which involved 53,444 people, reveals that 64% of Togolese believe the withdrawal of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger from the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) to form the Alliance of Sahel States is “somewhat” or “very” justified. This view is driven by three main factors:
• a perception that Ecowas is influenced by foreign powers
• a widespread rejection of Ecowas sanctions against Sahel states
• the belief that Ecowas failed to provide military support during those countries’ security crises.
In addition, 54% of Togolese consider the presence of Russia (or the Wagner Group, now known as Africa Corps) in the Alliance of Sahel States to be beneficial. This trust in a non-western external actor reflects a profound shift in geopolitical perceptions in the region.
Another important finding of this study is that 54% of Togolese believe their country would benefit from leaving Ecowas to join the Alliance of Sahel States.
But opinions are split on whether the Alliance of Sahel States helps or hurts west African integration: 39% believe it doesn’t undermine regional integration, but 37% think it does.
How do you make sense of the Togolese push to leave Ecowas?
This sentiment reflects growing frustration with Ecowas, which many Togolese now see as out of touch with the region’s realities.
The bloc is widely perceived as being too close to foreign powers and ineffective in responding to major security threats. Its repeated failures to help resolve Togo’s political crises (of 2005 and 2017 for example) have only deepened public disillusionment.
This frustration is unfolding alongside a broader wave of pan-Africanism in the region, marked by a growing rejection of former colonial powers and their institutional ties.
But this momentum should be approached with caution. The desire to leave Ecowas reflects anger and a strong appetite for change, not necessarily a clear assessment of the economic and diplomatic fallout such a move could bring.
What do respondents think about terrorism in the north of the country?
Nearly six in ten Togolese (59%) say they trust the government to contain or root out the terror threat. This shows broad support for official counter-terrorism efforts, although some question the current strategy.
Opinions are especially split on how the crisis is communicated. Some find the messaging vague or lacking in transparency. Others think it helps keep people alert without sparking panic.
The survey reveals deeper concerns. Even Togolese outside conflict zones report growing insecurity. The northern crisis appears to be fuelling nationwide anxiety.
Since tensions flared, Togo has been neutral. It has not openly condemned the Alliance of Sahel States countries and has maintained its membership of Ecowas. This careful stance reflects national sentiment – which leans towards support for the Alliance of Sahel States – while preserving Togo’s strategic and economic interests.
Togo’s careful balancing act remains its safest bet. The truth is, no one knows what the future holds for the Alliance of Sahel States bloc. But this middle ground gives Togo strategic flexibility regardless of how regional politics evolve.
Togo’s position leaves it well-placed either way. If the Alliance of Sahel States countries rejoin Ecowas, Togo keeps its influence. If they don’t, it still benefits from its neutrality.
Ultimately, Togo should keep playing this diplomatic card. Its measured approach offers rare stability in a volatile region.
– Togo’s citizens want to leave Ecowas – new survey suggests why – https://theconversation.com/togos-citizens-want-to-leave-ecowas-new-survey-suggests-why-256928
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
A show is staged to welcome visitors at the LEGOLAND Shanghai Resort in Shanghai, east China, May 31, 2025. The resort began internal proof and trial operations Saturday, and is set to officially open to the public on July 5. (Xinhua/Chen Aiping)
Visitors are pictured at the LEGOLAND Shanghai Resort in Shanghai, east China, May 31, 2025. The resort began internal proof and trial operations Saturday, and is set to officially open to the public on July 5. (Xinhua/Chen Aiping)
Visitors are pictured at the LEGOLAND Shanghai Resort in Shanghai, east China, May 31, 2025. The resort began internal proof and trial operations Saturday, and is set to officially open to the public on July 5. (Xinhua/Chen Aiping)
Visitors have their access verified by a facial recognition device at the entrance to the LEGOLAND Shanghai Resort in Shanghai, east China, May 31, 2025. The resort began internal proof and trial operations Saturday, and is set to officially open to the public on July 5. (Xinhua/Chen Aiping)
A recreational facility is on test run at the LEGOLAND Shanghai Resort in Shanghai, east China, May 31, 2025. The resort began internal proof and trial operations Saturday, and is set to officially open to the public on July 5. (Xinhua/Chen Aiping)
Visitors are pictured at the LEGOLAND Shanghai Resort in Shanghai, east China, May 31, 2025. The resort began internal proof and trial operations Saturday, and is set to officially open to the public on July 5. (Xinhua/Chen Aiping)
A visitor enjoys herself at the LEGOLAND Shanghai Resort in Shanghai, east China, May 31, 2025. The resort began internal proof and trial operations Saturday, and is set to officially open to the public on July 5. (Xinhua/Chen Aiping)
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Children students celebrate after participating in a tennis summer camp at a tennis club in Beijing, China, Aug. 14, 2024. (Xinhua/Cai Yang)
On a warm weekend in early summer, thousands of muddy, panting and determined children sprinted, crawled and climbed their way through the obstacle-packed Spartan Kids race in Beijing.
The race, held May 24-25 at Beijing’s Universal CityWalk, drew children aged 4 to 14 to tackle 3-to-5-kilometer courses featuring 18 to 26 obstacles. Kids vaulted over walls, scaled nets and grappled with monkey bars, while parents cheered wildly from the sidelines.
“There are definitely moments when my children feel exhausted and want to give up, but that’s how they grow,” said six-time Olympic gold medalist Ma Long, after running alongside his sons.
The rising popularity of events like the Spartan Kids race reflects a growing interest in children’s fitness in China, alongside a national push to get more kids moving — especially at a time when childhood obesity is becoming a serious public health concern.
According to the National Health Commission (NHC), nearly 19 percent of Chinese children aged 6 to 17 are classified as overweight or obese. Research predicts that overweight and obesity rates among Chinese children could reach 31.8 percent by 2030.
In response, China is stepping up efforts to alter this trend. Notably, a three-year national weight management campaign was launched in 2024, while the government is also calling for stronger weight control measures among infants, children and adolescents.
In April 2025, the NHC issued a notice encouraging eligible hospitals, including children’s hospitals and traditional Chinese medicine hospitals, to establish specialized weight management clinics.
The country is also placing greater emphasis on physical education (PE) in schools. In Beijing, new guidelines call for more intense PE classes, designed to make students “work up a sweat.”
George Liang, aged 12 and a fifth grader in Beijing, is one of many students embracing the change. His school now has a PE class every day, along with regular long recess sessions that ensure plenty of time for outdoor activities.
Liang revealed that running is his favorite way to stay active, while more recently he has also developed a love for table tennis, playing this sport daily with his younger brother and neighborhood friends.
“Sports make me feel relaxed and happy,” he said. “I’ve made new friends, and I eat better after exercising.”
This Children’s Day, Liang is putting his passion into action by competing in an orienteering race. “It sounds fun and creative! I hope I can do a great job!”
Meanwhile, Hunan Province in central China has invited local sports clubs to co-teach school lessons, including swimming classes led by professional coaches. Shenzhen, located in south China’s Guangdong Province, began requiring one PE class per day at schools in early 2024, a decision which has seen the percentage of students earning “good” or “excellent” marks in national fitness tests increasing by over six percent in this city.
Many families have shown enthusiasm for this shift in their own ways. In the case of Keke, who traveled from nearby Tianjin Municipality in north China to compete in Beijing, the Spartan race has become more than a sporting event for her family — instead becoming a way of life.
“This is our sixth Spartan race,” said Keke’s mother. “We join whenever there’s a race in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, if we are free. This time, we also visited Universal Studios in Beijing. It has become our family tradition — fitness, travel and quality time all rolled into one.”
At the finish line of the Spartan Kids race in the Chinese capital, kids could be seen sharing high-fives in celebration while parents snapped muddy selfies, prompting multiple Olympic champion Ma to exclaim: “I just hope they keep loving sports. And to all the parents out there — keep cheering and keep believing, your kids will go further than we ever did.”
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
The NT Police Force is calling for information in relation to an aggravated assault that occurred along Lee Point Road in Leanyer this morning.
Around 8:40am, police received reports of a male allegedly restraining a female from behind whilst he threatened her with a broken glass bottle. The victim screamed and the male fled the scene on foot before police arrival. It is alleged he ran across Lee Point Road toward Canaris Street in Wanguri.
Investigations remain ongoing.
Anyone with information in relation to this incident, particularly anyone with dash cam footage from the area at the time, is urged to contact police on 131 444. You can anonymously report crime via Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday extended warm birthday greetings to Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Mansukh Mandaviya, lauding his energetic efforts in promoting fitness, youth empowerment, and making India a sporting powerhouse.
In a post on X, the Prime Minister wrote, “Best wishes to Shri Mansukh Mandaviya Ji on his birthday. He is energetically working towards making India a sporting powerhouse and empowering our youth. Equally commendable are his efforts towards the welfare of our workers, who play a key role in building a self-reliant India. May he lead a long and healthy life.”
On the occasion of his birthday, Minister Mandaviya led the 25th edition of the nationwide ‘Fit India Sundays on Cycle’ initiative in Delhi. This edition was dedicated to the soldiers involved in Operation Sindoor.
“Today’s edition is a tribute to our bravehearts who were part of Operation Sindoor. It is heartening to see citizens across the country pedal together for fitness and for our nation’s heroes,” he said.
The ‘Fit Sunday’ movement witnessed enthusiastic participation across over 5,000 locations, continuing the momentum of 24 consecutive Sundays of public cycling events under the Fit India Movement. The initiative has evolved into a nationwide fitness campaign encouraging citizens to prioritize health and wellness.
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari also greeted Mandaviya, saying, “My colleague in the Union Cabinet, Shri @mansukhmandviya ji, I wish you a very happy birthday. I pray to God for your good health, long life and happy life.”
Born in Bhavnagar, Gujarat, in 1972, Mandaviya began his political career early, becoming the youngest MLA in Gujarat at the age of 28 in 2002.
He was first inducted into the Union Cabinet in 2016 and held various portfolios, including Shipping, Road Transport, and Chemicals and Fertilisers. In 2021, he was elevated to Cabinet rank and appointed as Minister of Health and Family Welfare. In 2024, under the third Modi government, he took charge as Minister of Labour & Employment and Youth Affairs & Sports.
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
BEIJING, June 1 (Xinhua) — Cargo volume at Chinese ports grew steadily in the first four months of 2025, indicating continued resilience of the Chinese economy amid external uncertainty.
According to data from the Ministry of Transport of the People’s Republic of China, cargo turnover at Chinese ports increased by 3.7 percent year-on-year to 5.75 billion tons during the reporting period.
During the specified period of time, 110 million standard containers (20-foot equivalent, TEU) were handled in the country’s ports, which is 7.9 percent more than a year earlier.
In April alone, cargo turnover at ports across the country increased by 4.8 percent year-on-year to 1.53 billion tons, while the growth rate of this indicator decreased by 0.1 percentage points month-on-month. -0-
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
URUMQI, June 1 (Xinhua) — The first China-Central Asia international tourist train on the Xi’an-Almaty route with more than 200 passengers left China via the Khorgos railway checkpoint in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Saturday and headed to Almaty in Kazakhstan.
The tourist train departed from Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, Northwest China, on May 29. According to the schedule, it will leave Almaty on June 5 and return to Xi’an on June 7.
The Khorgos railway checkpoint administration worked closely with local customs, border inspection and other agencies to ensure that passengers could exchange tickets smoothly, undergo inspection at the checkpoint and leave the country efficiently.
Let us recall that 2024 was the Year of Kazakhstan Tourism in China, and 2025 has been declared the Year of China Tourism in Kazakhstan.
According to Li Jiang, deputy head of Horgos Customs, the launch of the above-mentioned international tourist train has laid a new foundation for deepening connectivity and promoting people-to-people exchanges between China and Central Asian countries.
According to available information, Almaty will host the Week of Humanitarian and Tourist Exchanges between the cities of Xi’an and Almaty, which will include a number of exhibitions, meetings, lectures and friendly football matches.
The activities will include a display of intangible cultural heritage, an exhibition of cultural relics, promotion of traditional Chinese medicine culture, academic exchanges in archaeology, and a meeting of female entrepreneurs from the two countries.
In May 2023, China and Kazakhstan signed an intergovernmental agreement on mutual exemption from visa requirements, which officially came into force in November of the same year.
Kazakhstan is becoming a popular destination among Chinese tourists. According to statistics, by the end of 2024, the Chinese tourist flow to this Central Asian country amounted to 655 thousand people-times, which is 78 percent more than the previous year. -0-
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
URUMQI, June 1 (Xinhua) — The first China-Central Asia international tourist train on the Xi’an-Almaty route with more than 200 passengers left China via the Khorgos railway checkpoint in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on Saturday and headed to Almaty in Kazakhstan.
The tourist train departed from Xi’an, Shaanxi Province, Northwest China, on May 29. According to the schedule, it will leave Almaty on June 5 and return to Xi’an on June 7.
The Khorgos railway checkpoint administration worked closely with local customs, border inspection and other agencies to ensure that passengers could exchange tickets smoothly, undergo inspection at the checkpoint and leave the country efficiently.
Let us recall that 2024 was the Year of Kazakhstan Tourism in China, and 2025 has been declared the Year of China Tourism in Kazakhstan.
According to Li Jiang, deputy head of Horgos Customs, the launch of the above-mentioned international tourist train has laid a new foundation for deepening connectivity and promoting people-to-people exchanges between China and Central Asian countries.
According to available information, Almaty will host the Week of Humanitarian and Tourist Exchanges between the cities of Xi’an and Almaty, which will include a number of exhibitions, meetings, lectures and friendly football matches.
The activities will include a display of intangible cultural heritage, an exhibition of cultural relics, promotion of traditional Chinese medicine culture, academic exchanges in archaeology, and a meeting of female entrepreneurs from the two countries.
In May 2023, China and Kazakhstan signed an intergovernmental agreement on mutual exemption from visa requirements, which officially came into force in November of the same year.
Kazakhstan is becoming a popular destination among Chinese tourists. According to statistics, by the end of 2024, the Chinese tourist flow to this Central Asian country amounted to 655 thousand people-times, which is 78 percent more than the previous year. -0-
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
NAIROBI, June 1 (Xinhua) — The 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) will be held in Baku, capital of Azerbaijan, in May 2026, it was announced on Friday at the resumed second session of the Assembly of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) in Nairobi, capital of Kenya.
UN-Habitat Executive Director Anacláudia Rossbach said WUF13 would draw the world’s attention to the urgent need to address the global housing crisis and its central role in sustainable urban development.
She noted that the forum is one of the largest UN platforms where various parties come together to exchange views, build partnerships and take action on priority issues to promote the development of sustainable cities and communities in line with the priorities of the New Urban Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.
WUF13 will be held under the theme “Housing Around the World: Safe and Sustainable Cities and Communities” and will focus on practical solutions that integrate housing into broader urban systems, such as climate change adaptation, land and tenure security, inclusive governance and locally-driven development, said Rossbach.
Anar Guliyev, WUF13 National Coordinator and Chairman of the State Committee for Urban Development and Architecture of Azerbaijan, said the country’s government is committed to working closely with a wide range of partners to ensure the success of the five-day forum.
Since its inception, the World Urban Forum has been held in 12 cities around the world. –0–
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
JAKARTA, June 1 (Xinhua) — The death toll from a quarry landslide in Indonesia’s West Java province has risen to 17, with eight still missing, acting head of the provincial search and rescue agency’s operations unit Mamang Fatmono said on Saturday.
The number of rescuers was increased from 10 on Friday to 27 on Saturday, he said, adding that further landslides were threatening rescue efforts at the Gunung Kuda mine in Bobos village, Cirebon regency.
The search for missing victims of Friday’s landslides continues.
A state of emergency was declared after the disaster, local authorities said. –0–
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
SINGAPORE, June 1 (Xinhua) — Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said here Saturday that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is committed to promoting open and fair trade while recognizing the potential risks associated with global fragmentation.
In a special speech at the 22nd Shangri-La Dialogue Security Conference, he noted that maintaining ASEAN’s autonomy is “not about resisting others” but “about strengthening ourselves.”
The same spirit underpinned the statement by ASEAN leaders on global economic and trade uncertainty at the Kuala Lumpur summit earlier this week, Ibrahim said, adding that summit participants warned “of the dangers of unilateral action, equivalent tariffs and the growing risk of global fragmentation.”
“We reaffirmed ASEAN’s commitment to an open, predictable and rules-based trading system,” the prime minister said, adding that “open markets create the kind of interdependence between countries that encourages prudence rather than confrontation.”
Economic openness is a source of balance both between and within countries, allowing us to address pressing issues affecting the population, such as poverty, social inequality or even the digital divide, said A. Ibrahim.
This year’s Shangri-La Dialogue conference, which runs from Friday to Sunday, is attended by representatives from 47 countries, including 40 ministerial-level delegates, 20 chiefs of defence delegates, more than 20 senior defence officials and eminent academics, according to Singapore’s Ministry of Defence. -0-
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Moscow, June 1 /Xinhua/ — A bridge collapsed on Sunday night in the Zheleznogorsk district of the Kursk region at the 48th km of the Trosna-Kalinovka highway. This was reported by the acting governor of the region Alexander Khinshtein on his Telegram channel.
According to the report, part of the train fell down onto the road, which was located under the bridge. The Ministry of Emergency Situations managed to localize the fire of the diesel locomotive. The remaining trains are on the railway platform.
One of the locomotive drivers has injured his legs, the acting governor of Kursk Oblast added. –0–
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
TOKYO, June 1 (Xinhua) — Political leaders and former heads of state from across Asia have expressed concern over the U.S. government’s tariff policies, calling for stronger unity among Asian countries to overcome common challenges.
Speaking at the 30th Future of Asia Forum held in Tokyo from May 29 to 30, Singapore’s Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong warned that the current global trading order was under threat.
He called on Asian countries to unite in addressing trade issues arising from US tariffs and stressed the importance of enhancing cooperation within ASEAN and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), especially in the areas of trade and industry.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said trade wars were undermining the free, open, inclusive and rules-based multilateral trading system, disproportionately affecting the most vulnerable. He called for unity among countries facing pressure over tariffs.
Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith stressed the importance of peaceful coexistence and mutual respect, noting that while Laos has limited trade with the United States, high tariffs could still affect its economy and investment climate.
Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung said the US tariffs were having a significant impact on Vietnam’s exports and investments.
Former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has criticised US tariff measures, saying they could hurt the American economy and raise the cost of living at home.
The Future of Asia Forum, organized by Nikkei, has been held annually since 1995. This year’s event is themed “Challenging Asia in a Turbulent World.” –0–
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
Cargo throughput at ports in China rose steadily during the first four months of 2025, signaling continued resilience in the world’s second-largest economy despite external uncertainties.
The country’s cargo throughput at ports totaled 5.75 billion tonnes during the January-April period, up 3.7 percent year on year, data from the Ministry of Transport showed.
Container throughput, a leading gauge of trade health, increased 7.9 percent year on year during this period to reach 110 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), according to the ministry.
In April alone, the country’s cargo throughput at ports climbed 4.8 percent from a year earlier to 1.53 billion tonnes — with the pace of growth slightly down from an increase of 4.9 percent registered in March.
Separate data from the National Bureau of Statistics on Saturday revealed that China’s purchasing managers’ index (PMI) for the manufacturing sector had edged up to 49.5 in May from 49 in April, with the sub-index for new orders rising to 49.8 from 49.2 — as production accelerated and market expectations strengthened.
