Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, June 8, 2025/APO Group/ —
In line with Decision [Assembly/AU/Dec.631(XXVII)] of the African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government and Article 6(g) of the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Statute (2020), which together mandate the APRM to provide support to African countries in the field of credit ratings. The APRM routinely undertakes independent analyses of rating actions and commentaries issued by international credit rating agencies on African sovereigns and multilateral financial institutions.
On 4 June 2025, Fitch Ratings downgraded African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), lowering its long-term foreign currency issuer default rating from ‘BBB’ to ‘BBB-’ with a negative outlook. Fitch justified its decision by citing a perceived increase in credit risk and weak risk management policies, based on its estimate that the bank’s non-performing loans (NPLs) stood at 7.1%. This estimate stems from Fitch’s classification of exposures to the sovereign Governments of Ghana (2.4%), South Sudan (2.1%) and Zambia (0.2%) as NPLs. Notably, this 7.1% figure is significantly higher than the 2.44% ratio reported by Afreximbank in its own disclosures.
The APRM notes with concern Fitch Ratings’ misclassification of Afreximbank’s sovereign exposures to the Governments of Ghana, South Sudan and Zambia as NPLs. This classification raises critical legal, institutional and analytical issues which the APRM strongly contests. The assumption that Ghana, South Sudan and Zambia would default on their loans to Afreximbank is inconsistent with the 1993 Treaty establishing the Bank to which Ghana and Zambia are both founding members, shareholders and signatories. The Multilateral Treaty signed in 1993 is legally binding on all member countries, imposing specific legal obligations related to the Bank’s protection, immunities and financial operations.
By virtue of this Treaty, loans extended by Afreximbank to its member countries are governed by a framework of intergovernmental cooperation and mutual commitment, rather than typical commercial risk principles. It is, therefore, legally incongruent to classify a loan to member countries as non-performing, especially when the borrower states are shareholders in the lender institution, no formal default has occurred and none of the sovereigns have repudiated the obligation.
Fitch’s unilateral treatment of these sovereign exposures – as comparable to market-based commercial loans – despite their backing by treaty obligations and shareholder equity stakes, is flawed. Doing so reflects a misunderstanding of the governance architecture of African financial institutions and the nature of intra-African development finance. Fitch has misinterpreted the invitation extended by Ghana, South Sudan and Zambia to Afreximbank to discuss the loan repayments as signalling an intention to default and/or to lift the Preferred Creditor Status.
The APRM calls upon Fitch Ratings to re-examine its criteria and assumptions in this case and to engage in technical consultations with Afreximbank and other relevant African stakeholders. Objective, transparent and context-intelligent credit assessments are critical to ensuring fair treatment of African institutions in the global financial system. The APRM reaffirms its commitment to promoting accuracy in the credit ratings.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
HKFP holds “The Little Grape’s 5th Anti-Scam Birthday Party” to promote scam prevention messages
The Hong Kong Police Force held “The Little Grape’s 5th Anti-Scam Birthday Party” today (June 8) at Harcourt Garden in Admiralty to celebrate the 5th anniversary of the anti-scam mascot, “The Little Grape”. Through interactive games and fun challenges, the event aimed to boost public awareness of scam prevention.Issued at HKT 18:43
Secretary for Home & Youth Affairs Alice Mak affirmed today that the Government will continue to take a multi-pronged approach towards tackling illegal gambling.
Miss Mak was commenting ahead of a Legislative Council panel meeting tomorrow at which she will present the results of a public consultation on the formulation of a regulatory regime for betting on basketball and the steps the Government proposes to take next.
She told reporters that over 90% of the views gathered the consultation, conducted some months ago, support the formulation of a basketball gambling regime modelled on the current football gambling regime.
She also reiterated that the Government does not encourage any kind of gambling and has taken a multi-pronged approach to combating the issue of illegal gambling.
“The first and the most important one is law enforcement, so through law enforcement we will take serious actions against those illegal gambling organisations and people involved in illegal gambling (which) is in fact a criminal offense and can be subject to a penalty of $50,000 and also nine months in jail.
“The second one is public education; this is very important that we need to let Hong Kong people know the consequences of illegal gambling and we will encourage people to understand how to avoid illegal gambling and in fact gambling. We will take a series of measures and put in more efforts and resources in enhancing public education.
“Thirdly, for those who already have gambling problems, we will provide counselling services. Currently, we have four counselling centres carrying out these counselling services.
“The fourth and last one, we can see it as a last resort. When the illegal gambling problem is so serious, we need to channel the illegal gambling to a regulated gambling regime. With illegal basketball gambling, we are also taking these four approaches.”
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
The Belarusian National Football Stadium, a landmark project built with Chinese support, officially opened here on Saturday evening, with President Alexander Lukashenko attending the inauguration ceremony.
In his speech, Lukashenko expressed sincere gratitude to the Chinese leadership and Chinese partners. He said the stadium reflects both Belarusian national traditions and advanced engineering technology.
As the largest and most modern football stadium in Belarus, it meets the highest international standards. With a seating capacity of over 33,000， the stadium was constructed under a general contract by Beijing Urban Construction Group, said the president.
It has become another landmark building in Minsk, symbolizing the solid friendship between Belarus and China, he added.
Zhang Jiasheng, deputy director of the General Administration of Sport of China, said in his remarks that the completion of the stadium is not only a major accomplishment among China’s technical and economic assistance projects, but also a vivid reflection of the political mutual trust, pragmatic cooperation, and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.
Source: Northern Territory Police and Fire Services
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Colombian Senator Miguel Uribe, a potential presidential contender, was shot in Bogota on Saturday, according to the government and his party, as his wife said he was fighting for his life in hospital.
The 39-year-old senator, who was shot during a campaign event as part of his run for the presidency in 2026, is a member of the opposition conservative Democratic Center party founded by former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe. The two men are not related.
According to a party statement condemning the attack, the senator was hosting a campaign event in a public park in the Fontibon neighborhood in the capital on Saturday when “armed subjects shot him from behind.
The party described the attack as serious, but did not disclose further details on Uribe’s condition. Videos on social media showed a man, identified as Uribe, being tended to after the shooting. He appeared to be bleeding from his head.
Uribe’s wife Maria Claudia Tarazona wrote on her husband’s account on X that he was “fighting for his life.”
Colombia’s Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez said a suspect had been arrested in the shooting and that authorities were investigating whether others were involved. Sanchez said he had visited the hospital where Uribe was being treated.
The government is offering some $730,000 as a reward for information in the case.
Colombia’s presidency issued a statement saying the government “categorically and forcefully” rejected the violent attack, and called for a thorough investigation into the events that took place.
Leftist President Gustavo Petro sympathized with the senator’s family in a message on X saying, “I don’t know how to ease your pain. It is the pain of a mother lost, and of a homeland.”
Petro later said in a speech on Saturday night that the person arrested was a minor and that the investigation would focus on finding who had ordered the attack.
“For now there is nothing more than hypothesis,” Petro said, adding that failures in security protocols would also be looked into.
The United States’ Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement that the U.S. “condemns in the strongest possible terms the attempted assassination” of Uribe, blaming Petro’s “inflammatory rhetoric” for the violence.
Uribe, who is not yet an official presidential candidate for his party, is from a prominent family in Colombia. His father was a businessman and union leader. His mother, journalist Diana Turbay, was kidnapped in 1990 by an armed group under the command of the late cartel leader Pablo Escobar. She was killed during a rescue operation in 1991.
Colombia has for decades been embroiled in a conflict between leftist rebels, criminal groups descended from right-wing paramilitaries, and the government.
Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:
PRETORIA, South Africa, June 8, 2025/APO Group/ —
The second day of the BAL (BAL.NBA.com) Playoffs in Pretoria tipped off with defending champions Petro de Luanda (Angola) taking on APR (Rwanda), with APR coming out on top in a 75-57 win. APR’s Aliou Diarra led all scorers with 19 points, along with 14 rebounds. Nuni Omot also poured in 15 points, along with six boards. Petro de Luanda’s Patrick Gardner scored a team-high 13 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.
In the second seeding game of the night, 2022 BAL champions US Monastir (Tunisia) faced off against last year’s semifinalists, Rivers Hoopers (Nigeria). US Monastir emerged victorious, led by an explosive performance from former NBA Academy Africa student athlete Babacar Sane, who scored 22 points. Patrick Hardy Jr. contributed 17 points and 9 assists. Despite the loss, Rivers Hoopers’ Raphael Putney delivered a game-high 28 points.
Quarterfinals Set
Today’s games set up two remaining quarterfinals on Monday – APR vs. Rivers Hoopers, and US Monastir vs. Petro de Luanda.
Tomorrow’s games feature two win-or-go-home quarterfinal matchups as Al Ahli Tripoli (Libya) takes on Kriol Star (Cape Verde) at 4 p.m. before Al Ittihad (Egypt) faces FUS Rabat (Morocco) at 7 p.m. CAT.
The 2025 Basketball Africa League season is reaching fans in 214 countries and territories in 17 languages through free-to-air and paid TV broadcast partnerships, including on Canal+, ESPN, FIBA’s digital platform Courtside 1891 and livestreaming on the NBA App (http://apo-opa.co/45aw4JT), NBA.com, BAL.NBA.com and the BAL’s YouTube (http://apo-opa.co/43NpYwC) channel.
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Anette Hoffmann, Senior Researcher at the Institute for African Studies and Egyptology, University of Cologne
During the first world war (1914-1918) thousands of African men enlisted to fight for France and Britain were captured and held as prisoners in Germany. Their stories and songs were recorded and archived by German linguists, who often didn’t understand a thing they were saying.
Now a recent book called Knowing by Ear listens to these recordings alongside written sources, photographs and artworks to reveal the lives and political views of these colonised Africans from present-day Senegal, Somalia, Togo and Congo.
Anette Hoffmann is a historian whose research and curatorial work engages with historical sound archives. We asked her about her book.
How did these men come to be recorded?
Duke University Press
About 450 recordings with African speakers were made with linguists of the so-called Royal Prussian Phonographic Commission. Their project was opportunistic. They made use of the presence of prisoners of war to further their research.
In many cases these researchers didn’t understand what was being said. The recordings were archived as language samples, yet most were never used, translated, or even listened to for decades.
The many wonderful translators I have worked with over the years are often the first listeners who actually understood what was being said by these men a century before.
What did they talk about?
The European prisoners the linguists recorded were often asked to tell the same Bible story (the parable of the prodigal son). But because of language barriers, African prisoners were often simply asked to speak, tell a story or sing a song.
We can hear some men repeating monotonous word lists or counting, but mostly they spoke of the war, of imprisonment and of the families they hadn’t seen for years.
Abdoulaye Niang from Senegal sings in Wolof. Courtesy Lautarchiv, Berlin275 KB(download)
In the process we hear speakers offer commentary. Senegalese prisoner Abdoulaye Niang, for example, calls Europe’s battlefields an abattoir for the soldiers from Africa. Others sang of the war of the whites, or speak of other forms of colonial exploitation.
When I began working on colonial-era sound archives about 20 years ago, I was stunned by what I heard from African speakers, especially the critique and the alternative versions of colonial history. Often aired during times of duress, such accounts seldom surface in written sources.
Joseph Ntwanumbi from South Africa speaks in isiXhosa. Courtesy Lautarchiv, Berlin673 KB(download)
Clearly, many speakers felt safe to say things because they knew that researchers couldn’t understand them. The words and songs have travelled decades through time yet still sound fresh and provocative.
Can you highlight some of their stories?
The book is arranged around the speakers. Many of them fought in the French army in Europe after being conscripted or recruited in former French colonies, like Abdoulaye Niang. Other African men got caught up in the war and were interned as civilian prisoners, like Mohamed Nur from Somalia, who had lived in Germany from 1911. Joseph Ntwanumbi from South Africa was a stoker on a ship that had docked in Hamburg soon after the war started.
Wilhelm Doegen/Anette Hoffmann Abdoulaye Niang.
In chapter one Niang sings a song about the French army’s recruitment campaign in Dakar and also informs the linguists that the inmates of the camp in Wünsdorf, near Berlin, do not wish to be deported to another camp.
An archive search reveals he was later deported and also that Austrian anthropologists measured his body for racial studies.
His recorded voice speaking in Wolof travelled back home in 2024, as a sound installation I created for the Théodore Monod African Art Museum in Dakar.
Chapter two listens to Mohamed Nur from Somalia. In 1910 he went to Germany to work as a teacher to the children of performers in a so-called Völkerschau (an ethnic show; sometimes called a human zoo, where “primitive” cultures were displayed).
Rudolf Zeller. Mohamed Nur.
After refusing to perform on stage, he found himself stranded in Germany without a passport or money. He worked as a model for a German artist and later as a teacher of Somali at the University of Hamburg. Nur left a rich audio-visual trace in Germany, which speaks of the exploitation of men of colour in German academia as well as by artists. One of his songs comments on the poor treatment of travellers and gives a plea for more hospitality to strangers.
Stephan Bischoff, who grew up in a German mission station in Togo and was working in a shoe shop in Berlin when the war began, appears in the third chapter. His recordings criticise the practices of the Christian colonial evangelising mission. He recalls the destruction of an indigenous shrine in Ghana by German military in 1913.
Photographer unknown/ Albert Kudjabo drumming in a German camp.
Also in chapter three is Albert Kudjabo, who fought in the Belgian army before he was imprisoned in Germany. He mainly recorded drum language, a drummed code based on a tonal language from the Democratic Republic of Congo that German linguists were keen to study. He speaks of the massive socio-cultural changes that mining brought to his home region, which may have caused him to migrate.
Together these songs, stories and accounts speak of a practice of extracting knowledge in prisoner of war camps. But they offer insights and commentary far beyond the “example sentences” that the recordings were meant to be.
Why do these sound archives matter?
As sources of colonial history, the majority of the collections in European sound archives are still untapped, despite the growing scholarly and artistic interest in them in the last decade. This interest is led by decolonial approaches to archives and knowledge production.
The author’s sound installation in Dakar of Niang’s recordings.Anette Hoffmann
Sound collections diversify what’s available as historical texts, they increase the variety of languages and genres that speak of the histories of colonisation. They present alternative accounts and interpretations of history to offer a more balanced view of the past.
– African prisoners made sound recordings in German camps in WW1: this is what they had to say – https://theconversation.com/african-prisoners-made-sound-recordings-in-german-camps-in-ww1-this-is-what-they-had-to-say-254127
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Ekta Patel, Scientist, International Livestock Research Institute
Pastoralist communities, their livestock and diverse wildlife species coexist within a biodiversity-rich landscape stretching along the Kenya–Tanzania border.
However, at this wildlife-livestock interface, local communities face mounting challenges. Shifts in land use, prolonged droughts, erratic rainfall patterns and increasing land degradation are placing growing pressure on the landscape. In addition, conflict between people and wildlife is on the rise, and many households rely on wild animals for food.
Communities in the region eat a wide range of wild animals, from rodents, elephant shrews and birds to small antelopes and larger ungulates like bushbuck. This meat (“bush meat” as it is also popularly known in Africa) provides a valuable source of animal protein and minerals, especially where alternative domestic protein sources are scarce.
Although hunting and consuming wild animals is illegal in Kenya, this is not the case in Tanzania, where certain forms of hunting for wild animals are permitted. Yet in both countries, many people eat wild meat regularly, often without awareness of the risks. These risks include zoonotic disease transmission and potential impacts on wildlife populations.
Wild meat is a known source of zoonotic infections and disease spillover to humans. In fact, as many as three-quarters of emerging infectious diseases originate from wildlife. Illnesses such as anthrax, mpox, Ebola, and HIV have all been linked to close interactions between humans and wild animals.
Despite these risks, wild meat consumption remains widespread, with some households eating it daily or weekly. Preventing future disease outbreaks requires a clear understanding of these health risks, as well as the underlying social, cultural and economic reasons that drive people to rely on wild meat.
We set out to understand why people were eating wild meat along the Kenya-Tanzania border and whether they understood the risks of zoonotic diseases. Cases of anthrax have already been reported in this area.
Our study involved interviews in border communities during the COVID pandemic – the most famous case of zoonotic disease transmission in recent times. We wanted to know whether communities understood the pandemic’s link to wild meat and if this affected their consumption of it.
What stood out was that people at the border settlements kept eating wild meat or even ate more of it. This shows that economic necessity, cultural preferences and limited alternatives remain key drivers even when the world is in crisis.
Though this research was done during COVID-19, it gives us insights into how people react when things get tough, especially when it comes to food and health.
What’s driving wild meat consumption
We found that several factors drove wild meat consumption, despite growing awareness of the health risks.
Poverty
Economic factors, particularly household income and limited financial means, strongly influenced wild meat consumption, particularly in communities with limited alternative protein sources. For instance, the COVID-19 pandemic had a severe impact on local economies. Tourism, a key source of income for border communities, experienced sharp declines. As household revenues fell, reliance on wild meat as an affordable protein source increased.
Economic stability plays a crucial role in shaping consumption behaviours: 81% of those surveyed at the border settlements indicated they would stop eating wild meat if cheaper alternatives were available.
The type of animal
Perceptions of disease risks varied depending on the species consumed.
Approximately 79% of respondents believed that certain animals posed a higher risks of zoonotic disease transmission. Hyenas were perceived as the most dangerous, followed by primates and snakes. These findings suggest that while economic necessity influences wild meat consumption, risk perception also shapes dietary choices.
Gender plays a role
Men expressed more concern over conservation and health risks than women. Men were also more likely to advocate against selling wild meat. Women exhibited lower concern regarding zoonotic disease risks, including COVID-19. These insights highlight the need for gender-sensitive interventions to address wild meat consumption.
Education levels
Education levels also influenced risk perception. Respondents with formal education displayed a stronger awareness of zoonotic transmission pathways. They were also more receptive to conservation and public health messaging. This highlights the importance of education in promoting safer and more sustainable practices within communities.
National policies
Despite sharing ecosystems and wildlife populations, Kenya and Tanzania have adopted fundamentally different governance approaches to wild meat. This in turn shapes outcomes for conservation, biodiversity and public health.
Kenya follows a centralised and protectionist model. Hunting and consumption of wild animals are prohibited under the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act. This zero-tolerance policy is rooted in strong conservation principles aimed at protecting biodiversity.
However, in practice, it has driven the activity underground, creating a thriving black market. This undermines conservation and enforcement efforts. It also increases the risk of zoonotic disease transmission due to unregulated handling and consumption of wild animals.
Tanzania, by contrast, uses a decentralised, regulated slaughterhouse model. Licensed wild meat hunting and consumption is legal under regulation, particularly through game-controlled areas and permits introduced in 2020. This approach is meant to enable communities to benefit economically from wildlife and reduce incentives for illegal hunting.
The existence of two divergent systems across a porous border creates challenges. These include illegal cross-border trade, conflicting conservation objectives, and uneven protection of biodiversity. There are also difficulties in implementing coordinated surveillance or public health interventions.
The contrasting regulations in Kenya and Tanzania significantly influence wild meat consumption choices.
In Kenya, where wild meat is strictly prohibited, consumption appears to be through informal and unregulated channels. This increases health risks and limits consumer awareness. In contrast, Tanzania’s regulated licensing system provides a legal pathway for access. This makes wild meat consumption more visible and, in some cases, perceived as safer. These differing policies shape how communities access, justify and engage with wild meat, often driving cross-border trade and complicating enforcement and risk communication efforts.
What’s next?
Addressing the risks associated with wild meat trade requires a multifaceted strategy that balances health, equity and sustainability.
We suggest an intervention that prioritises economic stability and ensuring affordable alternative protein sources are accessible, especially in food-insecure settings.
Public health education is also essential. An increasing awareness of zoonotic disease risks can help shift consumption behaviour.
Because men and women perceived the dangers of wild meat consumption differently, gender-sensitive approaches should be integrated. It should also be noted that, although women are rarely the primary hunters, they are often prosecuted for possession or sale of wild meat. Gender disparities on how laws are applied must be addressed.
Legal frameworks and enforcement mechanisms must be strengthened to address cross-border wildlife trade, particularly in regions with differing policies like Kenya and Tanzania. They should also reduce the risks faced by individuals who may unknowingly engage in illegal practices due to a lack of clarity.
We continue to work with national and regional stakeholders. This includes government bodies and technical partners who are actively engaging with us to co-develop One Health solutions. These solutions integrate public health, environmental sustainability and community well-being.
Finally, community engagement and participation should be at the core of any intervention. This will ensure that policies are locally relevant, culturally sensitive and supported by those directly affected to reduce the risks of zoonotic disease spillover.
– Eating wild meat carries serious health risks – why it still happens along the Kenya-Tanzania border – https://theconversation.com/eating-wild-meat-carries-serious-health-risks-why-it-still-happens-along-the-kenya-tanzania-border-252947
Source: People’s Republic of China in Russian – People’s Republic of China in Russian –
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
NEW YORK, June 8 (Xinhua) — U.S. President Donald Trump said Saturday that he has no intention of restoring relations with billionaire Elon Musk and their interaction is over, following their mutual attacks on social media.
In a phone interview with NBC News, the American president noted that he does not plan to talk to I. Musk anytime soon. “I’m too busy with other things,” he said.
Asked if he thought his relationship with the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX was over, Trump said, “I would assume so, yes,” accusing Musk of being “disrespectful.”
In the interview, D. Trump also threatened I. Musk with “serious consequences” if he decides to finance Democratic candidates who oppose the budget bill proposed by the Republicans /“big beautiful law”/.
“If he does this, he will have to pay for it,” the US president said, without revealing what the consequences would be.
The feud between Trump and Musk began with the “big, beautiful law.” In the days leading up to their public spat, Musk criticized the spending bill passed by the House of Representatives last month.
D. Trump said he does not believe that I. Musk’s opposition to the “big beautiful law” jeopardizes the bill’s chances of success. He noted that he is “very confident” that the bill will pass the Senate before July 4. -0-
Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda on Saturday addressed the World Food Safety Day 2025 event, themed “Stop Obesity by Eating Safe and Healthy,” held at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences (NIMHANS) in Bengaluru. Organized by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the event emphasized the critical role of food safety and nutrition in combating obesity and non-communicable diseases.
The event saw the launch of FSSAI’s “Awareness Initiative to Stop Obesity” under the Eat Right India programme, aimed at raising nationwide awareness about the health risks of obesity. Nadda highlighted the alarming rise in obesity, citing the ICMR–India Diabetes (INDIAB) study, which reported a 39.6% increase in urban India and a 23.1% increase in rural areas between 2008 and 2020. He warned that by 2050, one-third of India’s population could be obese if current trends persist.
“For a Viksit Bharat, a healthy India is necessary, and that can be ensured through the right types of food, healthy food habits, and lifestyle,” Nadda said. He urged stakeholders to support the Prime Minister’s call to reduce oil consumption by 10% and emphasized the need to revive traditional foods like millets. He also stressed the vulnerability of children to unhealthy food marketing and called for early awareness to foster better dietary habits.
The campaign promotes inclusivity with communication materials in regional languages and sign language, alongside media outreach through FM radio, railway announcements, and digital platforms. A video featuring chef Ranveer Brar supporting the campaign was also released. Additionally, Nadda launched the Eat Right Activity Book – Your Guide to Eat Right at School, a resource under the Eat Right School initiative, designed to engage schoolchildren in learning about food safety, hygiene, and nutrition through age-appropriate activities.
Nadda praised FSSAI’s innovative “Sugar and Oil Boards,” visual tools placed in schools, workplaces, and public spaces to highlight hidden sugars and fats in everyday foods. He suggested incorporating calorie intake information to enhance their impact and advocated for including food safety awareness in school curricula.
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Anette Hoffmann, Senior Researcher at the Institute for African Studies and Egyptology, University of Cologne
During the first world war (1914-1918) thousands of African men enlisted to fight for France and Britain were captured and held as prisoners in Germany. Their stories and songs were recorded and archived by German linguists, who often didn’t understand a thing they were saying.
Now a recent book called Knowing by Ear listens to these recordings alongside written sources, photographs and artworks to reveal the lives and political views of these colonised Africans from present-day Senegal, Somalia, Togo and Congo.
Anette Hoffmann is a historian whose research and curatorial work engages with historical sound archives. We asked her about her book.
How did these men come to be recorded?
About 450 recordings with African speakers were made with linguists of the so-called Royal Prussian Phonographic Commission. Their project was opportunistic. They made use of the presence of prisoners of war to further their research.
In many cases these researchers didn’t understand what was being said. The recordings were archived as language samples, yet most were never used, translated, or even listened to for decades.
The many wonderful translators I have worked with over the years are often the first listeners who actually understood what was being said by these men a century before.
What did they talk about?
The European prisoners the linguists recorded were often asked to tell the same Bible story (the parable of the prodigal son). But because of language barriers, African prisoners were often simply asked to speak, tell a story or sing a song.
We can hear some men repeating monotonous word lists or counting, but mostly they spoke of the war, of imprisonment and of the families they hadn’t seen for years.
Abdoulaye Niang from Senegal sings in Wolof. Courtesy Lautarchiv, Berlin275 KB(download)
In the process we hear speakers offer commentary. Senegalese prisoner Abdoulaye Niang, for example, calls Europe’s battlefields an abattoir for the soldiers from Africa. Others sang of the war of the whites, or speak of other forms of colonial exploitation.
When I began working on colonial-era sound archives about 20 years ago, I was stunned by what I heard from African speakers, especially the critique and the alternative versions of colonial history. Often aired during times of duress, such accounts seldom surface in written sources.
Joseph Ntwanumbi from South Africa speaks in isiXhosa. Courtesy Lautarchiv, Berlin673 KB(download)
Clearly, many speakers felt safe to say things because they knew that researchers couldn’t understand them. The words and songs have travelled decades through time yet still sound fresh and provocative.
Can you highlight some of their stories?
The book is arranged around the speakers. Many of them fought in the French army in Europe after being conscripted or recruited in former French colonies, like Abdoulaye Niang. Other African men got caught up in the war and were interned as civilian prisoners, like Mohamed Nur from Somalia, who had lived in Germany from 1911. Joseph Ntwanumbi from South Africa was a stoker on a ship that had docked in Hamburg soon after the war started.
In chapter one Niang sings a song about the French army’s recruitment campaign in Dakar and also informs the linguists that the inmates of the camp in Wünsdorf, near Berlin, do not wish to be deported to another camp.
An archive search reveals he was later deported and also that Austrian anthropologists measured his body for racial studies.
His recorded voice speaking in Wolof travelled back home in 2024, as a sound installation I created for the Théodore Monod African Art Museum in Dakar.
Chapter two listens to Mohamed Nur from Somalia. In 1910 he went to Germany to work as a teacher to the children of performers in a so-called Völkerschau (an ethnic show; sometimes called a human zoo, where “primitive” cultures were displayed).
After refusing to perform on stage, he found himself stranded in Germany without a passport or money. He worked as a model for a German artist and later as a teacher of Somali at the University of Hamburg. Nur left a rich audio-visual trace in Germany, which speaks of the exploitation of men of colour in German academia as well as by artists. One of his songs comments on the poor treatment of travellers and gives a plea for more hospitality to strangers.
Stephan Bischoff, who grew up in a German mission station in Togo and was working in a shoe shop in Berlin when the war began, appears in the third chapter. His recordings criticise the practices of the Christian colonial evangelising mission. He recalls the destruction of an indigenous shrine in Ghana by German military in 1913.
Also in chapter three is Albert Kudjabo, who fought in the Belgian army before he was imprisoned in Germany. He mainly recorded drum language, a drummed code based on a tonal language from the Democratic Republic of Congo that German linguists were keen to study. He speaks of the massive socio-cultural changes that mining brought to his home region, which may have caused him to migrate.
Together these songs, stories and accounts speak of a practice of extracting knowledge in prisoner of war camps. But they offer insights and commentary far beyond the “example sentences” that the recordings were meant to be.
Why do these sound archives matter?
As sources of colonial history, the majority of the collections in European sound archives are still untapped, despite the growing scholarly and artistic interest in them in the last decade. This interest is led by decolonial approaches to archives and knowledge production.
Sound collections diversify what’s available as historical texts, they increase the variety of languages and genres that speak of the histories of colonisation. They present alternative accounts and interpretations of history to offer a more balanced view of the past.
Anette Hoffmann 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.
Pastoralist communities, their livestock and diverse wildlife species coexist within a biodiversity-rich landscape stretching along the Kenya–Tanzania border.
However, at this wildlife-livestock interface, local communities face mounting challenges. Shifts in land use, prolonged droughts, erratic rainfall patterns and increasing land degradation are placing growing pressure on the landscape. In addition, conflict between people and wildlife is on the rise, and many households rely on wild animals for food.
Communities in the region eat a wide range of wild animals, from rodents, elephant shrews and birds to small antelopes and larger ungulates like bushbuck. This meat (“bush meat” as it is also popularly known in Africa) provides a valuable source of animal protein and minerals, especially where alternative domestic protein sources are scarce.
Although hunting and consuming wild animals is illegal in Kenya, this is not the case in Tanzania, where certain forms of hunting for wild animals are permitted. Yet in both countries, many people eat wild meat regularly, often without awareness of the risks. These risks include zoonotic disease transmission and potential impacts on wildlife populations.
Wild meat is a known source of zoonotic infections and disease spillover to humans. In fact, as many as three-quarters of emerging infectious diseases originate from wildlife. Illnesses such as anthrax, mpox, Ebola, and HIV have all been linked to close interactions between humans and wild animals.
Despite these risks, wild meat consumption remains widespread, with some households eating it daily or weekly. Preventing future disease outbreaks requires a clear understanding of these health risks, as well as the underlying social, cultural and economic reasons that drive people to rely on wild meat.
We set out to understand why people were eating wild meat along the Kenya-Tanzania border and whether they understood the risks of zoonotic diseases. Cases of anthrax have already been reported in this area.
Our study involved interviews in border communities during the COVID pandemic – the most famous case of zoonotic disease transmission in recent times. We wanted to know whether communities understood the pandemic’s link to wild meat and if this affected their consumption of it.
What stood out was that people at the border settlements kept eating wild meat or even ate more of it. This shows that economic necessity, cultural preferences and limited alternatives remain key drivers even when the world is in crisis.
Though this research was done during COVID-19, it gives us insights into how people react when things get tough, especially when it comes to food and health.
What’s driving wild meat consumption
We found that several factors drove wild meat consumption, despite growing awareness of the health risks.
Poverty
Economic factors, particularly household income and limited financial means, strongly influenced wild meat consumption, particularly in communities with limited alternative protein sources. For instance, the COVID-19 pandemic had a severe impact on local economies. Tourism, a key source of income for border communities, experienced sharp declines. As household revenues fell, reliance on wild meat as an affordable protein source increased.
Economic stability plays a crucial role in shaping consumption behaviours: 81% of those surveyed at the border settlements indicated they would stop eating wild meat if cheaper alternatives were available.
The type of animal
Perceptions of disease risks varied depending on the species consumed.
Approximately 79% of respondents believed that certain animals posed a higher risks of zoonotic disease transmission. Hyenas were perceived as the most dangerous, followed by primates and snakes. These findings suggest that while economic necessity influences wild meat consumption, risk perception also shapes dietary choices.
Gender plays a role
Men expressed more concern over conservation and health risks than women. Men were also more likely to advocate against selling wild meat. Women exhibited lower concern regarding zoonotic disease risks, including COVID-19. These insights highlight the need for gender-sensitive interventions to address wild meat consumption.
Education levels
Education levels also influenced risk perception. Respondents with formal education displayed a stronger awareness of zoonotic transmission pathways. They were also more receptive to conservation and public health messaging. This highlights the importance of education in promoting safer and more sustainable practices within communities.
National policies
Despite sharing ecosystems and wildlife populations, Kenya and Tanzania have adopted fundamentally different governance approaches to wild meat. This in turn shapes outcomes for conservation, biodiversity and public health.
Kenya follows a centralised and protectionist model. Hunting and consumption of wild animals are prohibited under the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act. This zero-tolerance policy is rooted in strong conservation principles aimed at protecting biodiversity.
However, in practice, it has driven the activity underground, creating a thriving black market. This undermines conservation and enforcement efforts. It also increases the risk of zoonotic disease transmission due to unregulated handling and consumption of wild animals.
Tanzania, by contrast, uses a decentralised, regulated slaughterhouse model. Licensed wild meat hunting and consumption is legal under regulation, particularly through game-controlled areas and permits introduced in 2020. This approach is meant to enable communities to benefit economically from wildlife and reduce incentives for illegal hunting.
The existence of two divergent systems across a porous border creates challenges. These include illegal cross-border trade, conflicting conservation objectives, and uneven protection of biodiversity. There are also difficulties in implementing coordinated surveillance or public health interventions.
The contrasting regulations in Kenya and Tanzania significantly influence wild meat consumption choices.
In Kenya, where wild meat is strictly prohibited, consumption appears to be through informal and unregulated channels. This increases health risks and limits consumer awareness. In contrast, Tanzania’s regulated licensing system provides a legal pathway for access. This makes wild meat consumption more visible and, in some cases, perceived as safer. These differing policies shape how communities access, justify and engage with wild meat, often driving cross-border trade and complicating enforcement and risk communication efforts.
What’s next?
Addressing the risks associated with wild meat trade requires a multifaceted strategy that balances health, equity and sustainability.
We suggest an intervention that prioritises economic stability and ensuring affordable alternative protein sources are accessible, especially in food-insecure settings.
Public health education is also essential. An increasing awareness of zoonotic disease risks can help shift consumption behaviour.
Because men and women perceived the dangers of wild meat consumption differently, gender-sensitive approaches should be integrated. It should also be noted that, although women are rarely the primary hunters, they are often prosecuted for possession or sale of wild meat. Gender disparities on how laws are applied must be addressed.
Legal frameworks and enforcement mechanisms must be strengthened to address cross-border wildlife trade, particularly in regions with differing policies like Kenya and Tanzania. They should also reduce the risks faced by individuals who may unknowingly engage in illegal practices due to a lack of clarity.
We continue to work with national and regional stakeholders. This includes government bodies and technical partners who are actively engaging with us to co-develop One Health solutions. These solutions integrate public health, environmental sustainability and community well-being.
Finally, community engagement and participation should be at the core of any intervention. This will ensure that policies are locally relevant, culturally sensitive and supported by those directly affected to reduce the risks of zoonotic disease spillover.
The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
HANGZHOU, June 8 — On a stretch of beach in Taizhou, east China’s Zhejiang Province, Wang Zhongfu, 68, bends to pick up discarded plastic bottles and tattered fishing nets.
Wang is one of thousands participating in Blue Circle, a marine plastic recycling program that, initiated in 2020, utilizes blockchain technology and the Internet of Things to track the full life cycle of marine plastic waste — from collection to remanufacturing and resale.
Developed by Zhejiang Province’s Department of Ecology and Environment and Zhejiang Lanjing Technology Co., Ltd., Blue Circle is the country’s largest program of its kind.
In 2023, it received the United Nations 2023 Champions of the Earth award in the category of Entrepreneurial Vision for its efforts to tackle marine plastic pollution. According to the UN Environment Programme, the award is the UN’s highest environmental honor.
“We reduce plastic waste in the ocean and help people get additional income from waste collection,” said Kong Chen, who oversees a Blue Circle plastic waste station known as Little Blue Home, located on Dachen Island, some 29 nautical miles from Taizhou’s coast. He noted that the station transported over 20 tonnes of marine waste in 2024.
Blue Circle pays 0.20 yuan (almost 3 U.S. cents) for every plastic bottle collected — a price several times higher than the market average. This is designed to supplement the incomes of many locals.
“The initiative motivates people to join in on environmental protection and improve their incomes. People out fishing can consciously collect plastic waste while working on the sea,” Kong said, noting that participants like Wang can earn some 1,000 yuan this way each month.
People can trace the journey of recycled plastic by scanning QR codes on goods, such as car parts, suitcases, and phone cases, made from certified plastic collected from the ocean. The plastic waste is cleaned and processed into granules for industrial use at Veolia Huafei Polymer Technology (Zhejiang) Co., Ltd. in Anji County, Zhejiang’s Huzhou City.
“Since 2022, we have processed tens of millions of plastic bottles from Blue Circle,” said Fu Xianwei, the company’s operations director. Fu added that certified marine plastic granules can sell for over 1.3 times the price of regular recycled plastic, and products made from these granules have higher added value.
“Once fishermen can profit and businesses are motivated, marine plastic waste management enters a virtuous cycle,” said Ye Zongsen, an official of the Jiaojiang district branch of the Taizhou Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau.
The initiative has expanded across Zhejiang’s coastal areas, with approximately 1,360 residents, 10,000 vessels and seven recycling companies joining to date. In Zhejiang alone, the program has collected 15,000 tonnes of marine waste, including over 2,900 tonnes of plastic waste. It has also spread to seven other provinces, including China’s southernmost island province of Hainan.
Dachen Island in Jiaojiang District is a model of marine-friendly development. Dozens of wind turbines atop the island’s ridge generate an average of 60 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per year, which is five times the amount the island consumes, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 45,000 tonnes.
Surplus electricity is delivered to the mainland via undersea power cables, according to Jiang Weijian, director of the Dachen Power Supply Station of State Grid Zhejiang Power Co., Ltd.
Green power has spurred many changes, including all-electric buses, electric oxygen and ice production in fisheries, and the gradual use of electric stoves in guesthouses on the island.
Additionally, Dachen’s low-carbon solid waste treatment station and wastewater treatment plant have increased the top water quality proportion in nearshore areas to 98 percent.
As its environment improves, the island is seeing a tourism boom. Last year, Dachen welcomed 200,000 tourists and raked in 170 million yuan in related revenue.
“As the scenery improves, our B&B business is thriving,” said Dachen resident Kong Qinglei, who started his B&B business on the island in 2020. Its revenue exceeded 1 million yuan in 2024.
The island is also capitalizing on its marine resources. Famous for its yellow croaker, the island has 14 yellow croaker farming companies and its production hit 10,005 tonnes last year — an amount worth over 1.1 billion yuan. The industry has created fishing jobs for nearly 300 people.
Local authorities are now encouraging the development of maritime leisure travel and souvenir industries. Some guesthouse owners are even combining their businesses with yellow croaker farming.
The island is also pioneering the blue carbon and forest carbon trade. “Funds have been directed to a common prosperity fund for marine protection, and to marine farmers and island residents,” said Yang Haifei, a township official on the island.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
A pioneering international initiative for hadal zone exploration, led by Chinese scientists, has received official approval from the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030).
The Global Hadal Exploration Programme (GHEP), spearheaded by Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering (IDSSE) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), aims to transform fragmented hadal research into a coordinated global mission to explore, understand and protect the planet’s most inaccessible marine ecosystems.
The hadal zone comprises primarily of ocean trenches, particularly from a depth of 6,000 meters to the bottom of the ocean up to about 11,000 meters. The hadal environment is characterized by extreme depths and pressures, darkness, low temperatures, frequent earthquakes, and peculiar living forms.
For a long time, the hadal trenches have been among the most under-explored and mysterious areas on Earth due to technological limitations.
China has been a key driver of deep-sea exploration over the past decade through sustained sci-tech advancements. In 2014, the CAS launched the Hadal Science and Technology Program, followed by a historic dive to the Mariana Trench’s 10,000-meter depths in 2016. By 2022, the CAS initiated the Global Trench Dive and Exploration Programme, leveraging its cutting-edge manned submersible Fendouzhe (Striver) and the Tansuo research vessels.
“Venturing deeper is about understanding our ocean so we can coexist with it,” said Du Mengran, a lead researcher at IDSSE.
“Global cooperation in these ‘untouched zones’ will redefine the boundaries of marine science and provide critical knowledge for deep-sea conservation and sustainable use,” she said.
To date, Chinese scientists have collaborated with 145 researchers from 10 countries, exploring nine hadal trenches worldwide, including the Mariana, the Kermadec and Puysegur trenches.
Starting from this year, GHEP will unify international research on extreme environments, life evolution, and geological processes in the hadal zone. The program will establish international research hubs, organize joint deep-diving expeditions, and host regular symposia while offering training and open access to samples, data, and facilities — particularly for young scientists, Du added.
GHEP brings together research institutions from New Zealand, Denmark, Germany, Chile, France, Indonesia, Brazil, Russia, India, Cook Islands, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, Portugal and other countries.
The market share of electric passenger vehicles (EVs) in India accelerated past the 4 per cent mark in May this year, from 2.6 per cent in the same month of the previous year, reflecting the increasing popularity of electric cars among Indian buyers as the country transitions to green mobility, data compiled by the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) shows.
The share of electric passenger sales in May is also 0.5 percentage points higher than the 3.5 per cent share in April as part of the rising trend.
The retail data shows 12,304 electric cars were sold during the month, compared to just 8,029 units in May 2024. The sales of electric cars in April this year stood at 12,233 units.
“This is an important milestone in our industry’s journey towards electrification. This growth has been driven by improvements in battery technology, better range, and lower costs compared to earlier electric PV models,” Fada CEO Saharsh Damani said.
Tata Motors maintained its market leadership in the electric car segment by selling 4,351 units during the month. Its closest competitor, JSW MG Motor, reported a strong year-on-year surge of 149 per cent, selling 3,765 electric cars in May, while Mahindra & Mahindra was ranked third with 2,632 units sold during the month. These top three electric car companies account for as much as over 87 per cent of total sales in the segment, according to FADA figures
However, FADA projects that global supply-chain headwinds (rare-earth constraints in EV components, geopolitical tensions) may limit urban consumer sentiment and exert cost pressure.
China, which is the dominant supplier of rare earth magnets, a critical component for the manufacture of electric vehicles, has started imposing restrictions on exports, which could pose supply chain problems.
“If the supply situation for rare earth materials doesn’t improve, we could see production slowdowns that may impact retail sales in the near future,” Damani said.
Meanwhile, the government notified guidelines on Monday for its forward-looking scheme to enable fresh investments from global manufacturers in the electric cars segment and promote India as a global manufacturing hub for e-vehicles.
To encourage global manufacturers such as US tech giant Tesla to invest under the scheme, the approved applicants will be allowed to import completely built-in units (CBUs) of electric four-wheelers with a minimum CIF (cost insurance and freight value) of $35,000 at reduced customs duty of 15 per cent for a period of five years from the date that the application is approved.
Approved applicants would be required to make a minimum investment of Rs 4,150 crore in line with the provisions of the scheme.
The maximum number of e-4Ws allowed to be imported at the reduced duty rate will be capped at 8,000 units per year. The carryover of unutilized annual import limits would be permitted.
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 8 (Xinhua) — The body of former senior military official Xu Qiliang was cremated in Beijing on Sunday.
Xi Jinping and other Party and state leaders including Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang and Li Si bid farewell to Xu Qiliang at the Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery on Sunday.
On June 2, Xu Qiliang died of illness at the age of 75 in Beijing. -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
BEIJING, June 8 (Xinhua) — The first China-Central Asia international tourist train returned to Xi’an, capital of northwest China’s Shaanxi Province, at around 6 p.m. Beijing time on Saturday, the Shaanxi Daily newspaper reported.
A train carrying more than 200 passengers departed from Xi’an to Almaty, Kazakhstan, on May 29. It left China via the Khorgos railway checkpoint in Northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region.
After the train arrived in Almaty, a Humanitarian and Tourism Exchange Week was held between the cities of Xi’an and Almaty, which included a variety of events, including the demonstration of intangible cultural heritage, promotion of traditional Chinese medicine culture, interaction in the sports field, and exchanges in the field of archaeology.
According to the publication, the launch of the said international tourist train accelerates deepened cooperation between the cities of Xi’an and Almaty, will significantly contribute to the development of tourism in the areas along its route and will give impetus to regional economic cooperation.
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.
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 – Ministry of National Defense
BEIJING, June 8 (Xinhua) — The remains of China’s former senior military official Xu Qiliang were cremated in Beijing on Sunday.
Xi Jinping, along with other Party and state leaders including Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang and Li Xi, bid farewell to Xu at the Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery on Sunday.
On June 2, Xu died of illness at the age of 75 in Beijing.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
This photo shows the report, titled “Making the South China Sea a Sea of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation: China’s Actions” and published in both Chinese and English, released by Xinhua Institute, a think tank affiliated with Xinhua News Agency, on World Oceans Day, June 8, 2025. (Xinhua/Li He)
Xinhua Institute, a think tank affiliated with Xinhua News Agency, on Sunday released a report highlighting China’s commitment to building the South China Sea into a sea of peace, friendship, and cooperation.
The report, titled “Making the South China Sea a Sea of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation: China’s Actions” and published in both Chinese and English, noted that China has always been a steadfast advocate, promoter, and guardian of peace and stability in the South China Sea.
According to the report, China has long maintained that peace and stability in these waters depend on collaborative efforts between China and member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Through deepened trust and cooperation across political, economic, and cultural spheres, this partnership has created lasting mutual benefits. Consequently, China has emerged as a reliable force for maintaining regional peace and stability while promoting cooperation and development in the South China Sea.
The report stated that China has always adhered to the principles of building the South China Sea into a sea of peace, friendship, and cooperation: equal-footed consultation, rule-based co-management, mutually beneficial cooperation, and a constructive role.
The report called on China and ASEAN countries to ensure that the solutions of the South China Sea issues remain in their own hands, to adhere to sound principles and direction in addressing the issues, and to continue upholding the notion of a maritime community with a shared future.
The report also called for joint efforts by China and ASEAN countries to build the South China Sea into a sea of peace, friendship, and cooperation that benefits the people of all regional countries.
The think tank report has received positive evaluations from experts. They believe the report comprehensively explained China’s practical achievements, insights, and pathways in advocating for the South China Sea to become a sea of peace, friendship, and cooperation, marking a significant academic contribution to the study of South China Sea issues.
Zhang Jie, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, noted that the report not only offered historical depth but also summarized the latest developments in the South China Sea situation. It further clarified China’s principled stance and comprehensively demonstrated China’s positive contributions to the peace and stability of the South China Sea based on facts.
Yang Xiao, a research fellow at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, stated that the report, with a vision for a better future in the South China Sea, creatively explained and summarized China’s consistent adherence to the principles on South China Sea issues. Those principles serve as the foundation for China-ASEAN dialogue, cooperation, and constructive development, carrying significant theoretical and practical importance for the future, consensus-building, and bridging differences.
Ma Chao, associate research fellow at the Maritime Silk Road Research Institute of Hainan Normal University, believed that China, upholding the concept of a maritime community with a shared future, has deepened cooperation with parties in the South China Sea. The report once again demonstrated China’s sincere commitment to maintaining peace and stability in the region, helping the international community better understand, appreciate, and respect China’s stance on the South China Sea.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
The China Film Administration gathered domestic and international filmmakers at a Beijing launch event on June 6 to promote upcoming summer releases, aiming to boost audience interest and inject new vitality into China’s film market.
Film authorities and industry executives announce the summer film lineup and new initiatives at a launch event in Beijing, June 6, 2025. [Photo courtesy of China Movie Channel]
The summer season, the year’s longest film release window, draws major attention from industry professionals and audiences nationwide. More than 60 domestic and international films are slated for release during the season.
Domestic films this summer span a range of genres, including historical dramas, suspense thrillers, action films, comedies and animated features, offering a variety of choices for audiences.
Among the most anticipated projects is “Dong Ji Island,” which tells the story of fishermen from the Dongji Islands who resisted Japanese invaders during World War II while undertaking a perilous international maritime rescue mission inspired by the Lisbon Maru incident. Another highly awaited title is “The Lychee Road,” which follows a minor Tang dynasty official’s arduous journey to deliver lychees to the imperial court as a royal fruit envoy.
Chinese filmmakers introduce their summer releases at a launch event in Beijing, June 6, 2025. [Photo courtesy of China Movie Channel]
The lineup also includes “She’s Got No Name,” which is based on a high-profile Shanghai murder case. Meanwhile, the romantic drama “Love List” follows the relationships and personal development of three couples. Suspense titles such as “Malice” and “Unspoken” offer psychological thrills with intricate, mind-bending narratives.
Several animated films are set to debut this summer. Titles include Shanghai Animation Film Studio’s “Nobody,” adapted from a popular web series, and Light Chaser Animation’s “Curious Tales of a Temple,” inspired by Pu Songling’s “Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio.” Franchise sequels such as “The Legend of Hei 2” and “Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf: Bright New Dawn” are also scheduled for release, targeting younger audiences.
Executives from the Chinese branches of major Hollywood studios also unveiled their summer film lineup. High-profile imported titles include upcoming tentpoles such as “Superman,” “F1: The Movie,” “How to Train Your Dragon,” “Jurassic World: Rebirth,” “Elio,” “The Smurfs” and “Better Man.” Current theatrical releases include “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning” and “The Karate Kid: Legends.”
Hollywood studio representatives present their summer releases at a launch event in Beijing, June 6, 2025. [Photo courtesy of China Movie Channel]
The event also introduced initiatives to promote summer moviegoing and film-themed cultural tourism. The China Movie Channel launched a nationwide “Film Week” campaign under the guidance of the China Film Administration, appointing directors Zhang Yimou and Feng Xiaogang, along with actors Wu Jing and Zhang Yi, as ambassadors. Thirty-four filmmakers representing all 31 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities, as well as Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, shared stories about their cinemas to kick off the tour.
Marking the 120th anniversary of Chinese cinema, the campaign seeks to promote film culture and strengthen local economies through tailored strategies in each province. Under the “one province, one week, one plan” approach, filmmakers and communities will connect through film screenings, special events and creative collaborations.
Additional initiatives include field trips for filmmakers across China to conduct creative research. The event also introduced new activities as part of the ongoing “China Film Consumption Year” campaign, rolling out summer-specific public-benefit measures such as discounted tickets and expanded audience benefits.
Source: People’s Republic of China – State Council News
The remains of China’s former senior military official Xu Qiliang were cremated in Beijing on Sunday.
Xi Jinping, along with other Party and state leaders including Li Qiang, Zhao Leji, Wang Huning, Cai Qi, Ding Xuexiang and Li Xi, bid farewell to Xu at the Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery on Sunday.
On June 2, Xu died of illness at the age of 75 in Beijing.
Secretary for Development Bernadette Linn said today the Water Supplies Department (WSD) will replace an upstream section of water pipe in response to water incidents at Queen’s Hill Estate and Shan Lai Court in Fanling, with work commencing this year.
Ms Linn made the announcement after visiting an upstream location in the water supply network for the two places with Director of Water Supplies Roger Wong and an expert group comprising three experts from the Drinking Water Safety Advisory Committee (DWSAC).
They were there to inspect a screen filter and learn about the planned work at the location.
The Government briefed the expert group on its assessment that a section of steel pipe with bitumen protective coating on its inner wall, at Ping Che Road, is believed to be the source of sediment in the water at Queen’s Hill Estate and Shan Lai Court. The section is about 400 metres long and 600 millimetres in diameter.
The expert group considered the assessment reasonable.
Ms Linn said the WSD will use advanced technologies, including robots, to assess the condition of the bitumen coating inside the pipe, to further ascertain the specific cause of the sediment.
An investigation report will be submitted to the DWSAC for review within two weeks.
Ms Linn added that the WSD will replace the 400m-long section of pipe and that the works will commence within this year.
At present, non-bitumen protective coating is used on the inner wall of over 90% of water piping in Hong Kong.
On the 700 kilometres of water pipes with bitumen protective coating, the WSD has installed over 1,000 screen filters at suitable locations.
Ms Linn said the WSD will review whether it is necessary to install extra screen filters at other locations. The WSD will also formulate a longer-term plan for the replacement of water pipes and will submit a proposal to the Development Bureau for review.
Under the supervision of Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong, policy bureaus and departments have commenced work to follow up on four directives put forward by the Chief Executive after a high-level steering meeting yesterday.
The WSD has increased the frequency of water testing at the two locations in Fanling, with water samples being collected daily from water tanks at Queen’s Hill Estate, which comprises seven buildings, a community centre and a shopping mall, and all six buildings at Shan Lai Court.
The results are being released daily on the WSD’s website, and posted in the lobbies of each building at Queen’s Hill Estate and Shan Lai Court.
To ensure residents can feel at ease when consuming water, the WSD will also continue to arrange for water tanks at the estates to provide a temporary water supply.
In addition, the WSD will promptly address any inquiries received via its 24-hour hotline, on 2824 5000.
Furthermore, the Housing Department (HD) will again thoroughly clean the water tanks in every building at Queen’s Hill Estate and Shan Lai Court within the next seven days.
The HD has installed a total of 22 high-efficiency filtration devices at the ground-level water inlets of all 13 buildings. These devices will be inspected twice daily to ensure proper operation. The expenses for these measures will be fully borne by the Government.
Residents who observe any issues with water quality can call their management office, which will follow up on the call and conduct on-site inspections.
The Home & Youth Affairs Bureau and the Home Affairs Department will gather District Council members, members of the North District’s “three district committees”, and the six sub-teams of the North District Care Teams, to conduct home visits today and tomorrow.
The teams reached over 850 households during today’s visit, with the majority of these reporting that water quality has substantially improved.
In addition, three street booths will be set up at key locations in Queen’s Hill Estate and Shan Lai Court to give residents updates and practical information, and to register cases for assistance.
Secretary for Financial Services & the Treasury Christopher Hui was due to depart today on a visit to the UK and Norway, and will meet government financial officials and representatives from the business sectors in both countries. He will also speak at a number of events.
Mr Hui will return to Hong Kong on June 13. During his absence, Under Secretary for Financial Services & the Treasury Joseph Chan will be the Acting Secretary.
Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
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Jun 8, 2025 0600 UTC Day 2 Convective Outlook
Updated: Sun Jun 8 05:47:20 UTC 2025 (Print Version | | )
Probabilistic to Categorical Outlook Conversion Table
Forecast Discussion
SPC AC 080547
Day 2 Convective Outlook NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK 1247 AM CDT Sun Jun 08 2025
Valid 091200Z – 101200Z
…THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN THE SOUTHEAST TO THE UPPER OH VALLEY…
…SUMMARY… Scattered damaging winds, a couple tornadoes, and isolated severe hail are possible across the Southeast into the Upper Ohio Valley on Monday into Monday evening.
…Southeast… Below-average confidence exists for this forecast with large spread across D2 guidance in the handling of an early-morning MCS and attendant MCV in the MS vicinity, amid modest background wind fields outside of the MCV influence. Most guidance indicates convection should intensify towards midday, along and downstream of the large-scale outflow as the boundary layer destabilizes across the Deep South. Some guidance indicates convection may redevelop behind it and become the primary corridor for damaging winds during the afternoon. For now, have maintained a broad level 2-SLGT risk for scattered damaging winds to the South Atlantic Coast.
…Upper OH Valley… A belt of strong mid-level southwesterlies ahead of an upper Great Lakes vertically stacked cyclone should generally remain along to the cool side of a weak cold front shifting east. Most guidance has trended up with the degree of boundary-layer heating ahead of the front, which will be required to boost buoyancy amid marginal mid-level lapse rates. A corridor of primarily scattered damaging winds, along with a tornado and isolated severe hail, may develop amid modest MLCAPE of 500-1500 J/kg. With a confined buoyancy plume, convection should weaken as it spreads towards the northern Appalachians on Monday evening.
…NM/TX… An intense and large MCS on Sunday should drive a composite outflow/cold front into central/south TX, with a meridional arc over central to western NM. Scattered to numerous afternoon storms will probably remain tied to the higher terrain of northern/central NM with an isolated severe hail/wind threat amid marginal deep-layer shear. Isolated storms are also possible near the front from the southern Trans-Pecos through southeast TX with a severe hail/wind threat. Isolated elevated convection may form with weak low-level warm theta-e advection north of the front on Monday evening/night. Sufficient effective bulk shear and elevated buoyancy may exist for a few storms capable of severe hail.
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Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
SPC AC 080600
Day 1 Convective Outlook NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK 0100 AM CDT Sun Jun 08 2025
Valid 081200Z – 091200Z
…THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN OKLAHOMA INTO NORTHERN TEXAS…
…THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS SEPARATELY ALONG THE EAST COAST…
…SUMMARY… A severe weather outbreak is possible across the southern Plains today. A few tornadoes, destructive wind gusts of 80-100 mph, and giant hail up to 5 inches in diameter are likely. Strong gusts, and perhaps a couple of tornadoes, are also possible along portions of the East Coast.
…Synopsis…
***A severe weather outbreak is possible across the southern Plains today***
A broad mid-level trough will deepen across the Great Lakes into the OH Valley, with multiple embedded mid-level impulses poised to pivot around the upper trough across the southern Plains to the Southeast and Atlantic Seaboard today. A broad northwesterly upper-flow regime will become established across the Plains States into the MS Valley, with modest mid-level flow contributing to strong deep-layer shear. Beneath this stronger flow/shear and cold temperatures aloft will be rich low-level moisture, which will support extreme instability, especially in the southern Plains. Here, a volatile setup for severe weather will exist. All severe hazards are expected, with destructive wind gusts and giant hail likely. The severe threat should persist to some degree into the Lower MS Valley after dark. A severe risk will also accompany storms along parts of the East Coast, as passing mid-level impulses provide enough lift and shear atop a moist, unstable airmass.
…Southern Plains into the Lower MS Valley… A diffuse baroclinic zone will be positioned across the TX Panhandle, southeast into central or southern OK at the start of the period. It is unclear how prolific convection will be during the morning to early afternoon. Latest high-resolution model guidance consensus suggests that these storms should not be overly intense, nor should their impact on the free warm sector be overly detrimental. Assuming this is the case, strong daytime heating, amid some high level cirrus clouds, should support surface temperatures reaching 90 F amid mid 70s F dewpoints. Given robust boundary layer heating of this moisture beneath 8-9 C/km mid-level lapse rates, widespread extreme buoyancy should develop by afternoon. Forecast soundings show deep, wide CAPE profiles, with over 5000 J/kg MLCAPE possible (perhaps locally higher in spots). At the same time, modest veering with height in the lowest few hundred mb, and northwesterly flow in the 500-200 mb increasing to 50-70 kts, will promote 50+ kts of effective bulk shear (elongated hodographs with small low-level curvature).
A quasi-stationary cold front will be draped somewhere along the KS/OK border into MO, with a dryline positioned in far western TX during the afternoon. With maximum daytime heating and minimal MLCINH, robust convective initiation is expected along these boundaries around mid-afternoon. Given the extreme buoyancy/shear parameter space, the more isolated, discrete storms should quickly become intense supercells capable of a few tornadoes, severe gusts (perhaps exceeding 75 mph), and large hail. 2+ inch diameter hail should become commonplace if multiple supercells can sustain themselves, with giant hail (perhaps over 5 inches in diameter) possible. Though much more conditional, an intense tornado could develop somewhere in the eastern TX Panhandle if a longer-lived, inflow-dominant supercell manages to materialize and optimally ingest the extreme buoyancy while also traversing the diffuse baroclinic boundary. However, confidence in this scenario is too low for the introduction of higher tornado probabilities at this time.
At some point during the afternoon early evening, supercell cold pool mergers should support the development of either one intense MCS (perhaps in the form of a bow echo), or multiple small but intense bowing segments. Should a bow echo form, widespread severe winds are likely. In either scenario, gust magnitudes may potentially reaching 80-100 mph, hence the maintenance of a Category 4/Moderate Risk. An MCS should progress toward the lower MS Valley during the evening into the overnight, with a lingering severe wind threat that should gradually subside with time.
…Portions of the Mid Atlantic… By early afternoon, thunderstorms should increase in both coverage and intensity ahead of a weak surface low and associated weak mid-level impulse. These storms will move into an airmass characterized by mid to upper 70s F temperatures and 70 F dewpoints, overspread by modest mid-level lapse rates (resulting in over 1500 J/kg MLCAPE). Considerable veering with height will support elongated hodographs with appreciable low-level curvature, with multicells and supercells the expected storm mode. Damaging gusts and large hail may accompany the stronger storms. A few tornadoes may occur with any supercells that interact with a baroclinic boundary across eastern VA.
…Portions of the Southeast Atlantic Coastline… From mid morning to early afternoon, diurnal heating of a moist, weakly capped boundary layer will result in surface temperatures reaching 90 F amid 70 F surface dewpoints, with MLCAPE exceeding 2000 J/kg in spots. Overall deep-layer flow/shear should be modest at best, with forecast soundings showing predominantly short hodographs. Given the moderate to strong instability in place, multicells are the expected mode of convection. While some hail cannot be ruled out with the stronger storms (given modest mid-level lapse rates), the main threat with these storms should be strong wind gusts.
..Squitieri/Kerr.. 06/08/2025
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Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
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Source: US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
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Archived Convective ProductsTo view convective products for a previous day, type in the date you wish to retrieve (e.g. 20040529 for May 29, 2004). Data available since January 1, 2004.
Over the past 11 years, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has witnessed a transformative shift in women’s empowerment, redefining their role from passive beneficiaries to active nation-builders. With women and children comprising 67.7% of India’s population, the Modi government has made Nari Shakti(women’s power) a cornerstone of national progress, driving policies that empower women across health, education, housing, sanitation, financial inclusion, and leadership. As India strides into Amrit Kaal, women are leading the charge toward a stronger, more inclusive nation.
A Lifecycle Approach to Empowerment
“Women are not just homemakers; they are nation-builders,” Prime Minister Modi has repeatedly emphasized. Since 2014, the government has adopted a comprehensive, lifecycle-based approach to empower women at every stage of life. From landmark legislation like the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, which reserves 33% of seats in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies for women, to schemes like Beti Bachao Beti Padhao and Mission Shakti, the focus has shifted from women’s development to women-led development. These initiatives have boosted women’s participation in education (especially STEM), entrepreneurship, public service, and even defense, fostering inclusive and sustainable growth.
Health and Nutrition: Building a Strong Foundation
The government’s fight against malnutrition has gained momentum through Mission POSHAN 2.0, a ₹1.81 lakh crore initiative (2021–26) targeting children, adolescent girls, pregnant women, and lactating mothers. By integrating nutrition, health, and community efforts, POSHAN Abhiyaan (launched in 2018) uses digital tools like the Poshan Tracker—winner of the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration 2024—to drive real-time monitoring and behavioral change. As of March 2025, 99.02% of beneficiaries are Aadhaar-verified, and a face authentication module ensures transparency in distributing Take-Home Rations.
Under Mission Saksham Anganwadi, 24,533 Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) have been upgraded into Saksham Anganwadis, with a target of transforming 2 lakh AWCs by 2026. The Poshan Bhi Padhai Bhi initiative has trained 36,463 State-Level Master Trainers and 4,65,719 Anganwadi workers to provide quality pre-school education alongside nutrition. The Suposhit Gram Panchayat Abhiyaan, launched in December 2024, rewards 1,000 Gram Panchayats for exemplary work in improving nutrition outcomes.
Maternal and neonatal care has also seen significant advancements. The Janani Shishu Suraksha Karyakram (JSSK) has supported over 16.60 crore beneficiaries since 2014, reducing out-of-pocket expenses for antenatal and postnatal care. The Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) has aided 11.07 crore women by promoting institutional deliveries, while Surakshit Matritva Aashwasan (SUMAN) ensures zero-cost healthcare for pregnant women and newborns in 90,015 certified facilities. The Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) provides ₹5,000 cash benefits to support maternal health, and the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) ensures early detection of high-risk pregnancies.
Dignity Through Infrastructure
The Modi government has prioritized dignity in daily life through transformative schemes. Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Gramin (PMAY-G) has provided homes to 2.75 crore beneficiaries, with 73% being women, granting them security and decision-making power. The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) has distributed 10.33 crore LPG connections, freeing women from hazardous cooking fumes. The Swachh Bharat Mission has built over 12 crore toilets, ensuring safety and hygiene for women, with 93% reporting reduced fear of harm or infection. The Jal Jeevan Mission has delivered 15.6 crore tap water connections, empowering women by saving time and involving them in water management.
Education and Financial Security
The Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign has improved the sex ratio at birth from 918 (2014–15) to 930 (2023–24) and increased girls’ school enrollment to 78% by 2023–24. The Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY), celebrating a decade in 2025, has opened over 4.2 crore accounts, securing the financial future of girls.
Women in Leadership
Women are breaking barriers across sectors. The first batch of female cadets graduated from the National Defence Academy in May 2025, and women have played pivotal roles in missions like Chandrayaan-3. India leads globally in female STEM graduates and pilots. Legal reforms such as the abolition of Triple Talaq, the proposal to raise the minimum marriage age for women from 18 to 21 years, and the extension of maternity leave to 26 weeks have significantly advanced women’s empowerment in India. These measures have supported greater access to education and employment for women, while also promoting their health and well-being. Additionally, the abrogation of Article 35A has granted women in Jammu & Kashmir equal property rights, further strengthening gender equality in the region.
Economic Empowerment
The Pradhan Mantri MUDRA Yojana (PMMY) has sanctioned ₹34.11 lakh crore across 52.5 crore loan accounts, with 68% benefiting women entrepreneurs. The Stand-Up India Scheme has provided over ₹47,704 crore to 2.04 lakh women borrowers. The Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM) has mobilized 10.05 crore women into 90.90 lakh Self-Help Groups, with the Lakhpati Didi Initiative enabling 1.48 crore women to earn ₹1 lakh annually.
Safety and Security: Mission Shakti
Mission Shakti, with its Sambal and Samarthya pillars, ensures women’s safety and self-reliance. Sambal includes 819 operational One Stop Centres (OSCs), assisting 10.98 lakh women, and the Women Helpline, handling 214.78 lakh calls. The SHe-Box Portal addresses workplace harassment, and Nari Adalat promotes women-led justice at the grassroots. Samarthya supports 2.92 lakh women through Shakti Sadan and 5.07 lakh through Sakhi Niwas. The AbKoiBahanaNahi campaign, launched in November 2024, combats gender-based violence.
A New Era for Nari Shakti
Over the past decade, the Modi government has transformed women’s welfare into a movement of leadership and agency. From space missions to grassroots governance, Indian women are shaping the nation’s destiny.
