Get the unmissable news stories of the day.
This is the Beijing Hour, Examining the events that impact and shape China and the rest of the world.
This is the Beijing Hour, one hour of news and information brought to you every weekday.
Now here's your host.
Shane Bigham with you on this Wednesday, October 22nd, 2025.
You're listening to The Beijing Hour, coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
On today's program.
US and Russian officials have postponed a meeting between the leaders of the two countries, without offering a specific date.
Airbuses opened a new assembly line in eastern China for the A320 family of aircraft.
Venezuela says a UN report corroborates its concerns about a deadly US military campaign in the Caribbean.
In business, China's increasingly mechanized farming sector is now harvesting the fall grain crop.
In sports, Arsenal is off to a hot start in the Champions League.
In culture and entertainment, the Louvre is reopened following a brazen daylight heist.
Now the day's top stories.
US and Russian officials say a planned meeting between the leaders of the two countries is postponed with no new date.
They said preparations for a meeting in Budapest were put on hold after a phone call between the US and Russian foreign affairs chiefs.
U.S.
President Donald Trump said he does not want a wasted meeting with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.
A Russian special envoy said the meeting is not cancelled.
The summit delay followed Trump's meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky last week.
Trump ruled out a trilateral summit with Moscow and Kyiv.
Ukrainian President Zelensky has reiterated the country's readiness for a ceasefire.
He said Russia has lost interest in diplomacy after it became clear that Ukraine would not receive long-range missiles.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Moscow's position remains unchanged since the meeting between the Russian and US presidents in Alaska.
He said the call for an immediate ceasefire is equivalent to ignoring the root causes of the conflict.
European nations are working with Ukraine on a 12-point proposal to end the conflict along the current battle lines.
Egyptian sources say Israel has rejected a proposal for Hamas to join a technocratic government in Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, reportedly shared the information with the head of Egypt's General Intelligence Service during a meeting in Jerusalem.
Discussions focused on solidifying the Gaza ceasefire and allowing the deployment of an Egyptian-led international force.
Meanwhile, U.S.
Vice President J.D.
Vance has expressed optimism about the Gaza truce during a visit to Israel.
But the United Nations says the humanitarian support for Gaza is still not enough.
Rami Almagari has more from central Gaza.
The ceasefire is holding after the pose of some kind of strikes. bombarded by Israel.
It is holding for the time being.
For the moment, but in terms of the supplies and the aid, there has been a report issued by the government-run media office in the Gaza Strip suggesting that only 986 truckloads of aid supplies have entered the territory since the ceasefire agreement has been signed between Israel and the mass, mediated by United States, Qatar and Egypt.
And this quantity is not enough, as what is needed for the territory is at least 600 truckloads of those aids to enter the territory.
So the average is about 85 truckloads entering the Gaza Strip over the past ten days per day.
The official statement suggests that there is a big need of the tens.
260000 tents are desperately needed for the time being, as tens of families of those displaced from Gaza City and northern Gaza Strip have been scattered everywhere in the south and central Gaza Strip, with no tents to shelter at.
And that was Rami al-Maghari on the shortage of supplies in Gaza.
The Israel-Egypt meeting in Jerusalem also discussed the reopening of the Rafah border crossing to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid.
Trucks loaded with food and other critical items are lining up near the Rafah border.
Yasser Hakim reports.
Israel's refusal to open the Rafah border crossing, as per the agreement signed in Sharm el-Sheikh.
This has led to the accumulation of aid in Al-Arish city, where we are now, which is the closest city to the Rafah border crossing.
According to UNRWA, there are 4000 aid trucks ready and waiting in the heavily fortified Al-Arij city.
This amount would cover only three months of basic necessities for Palestinians.
The aid includes food, water, diesel, medicine and medical equipment, blankets and tents.
70% of assistance is from Egypt itself.
The rest arrives from around the world by air freight sea or by road from neighboring countries.
Only tens of trucks have been allowed in the last two days, far less than the 400 to 600 aid trucks a day that should enter Gaza as part of the peace agreement.
The famine-hit Gaza city is in dire need of assistance, as the two-year Israeli bombardment, described by the UN as a genocide, has destroyed its infrastructure, including water and electricity sources and health services.
Everyone here is waiting for the results of the meetings that are taking place here in Egypt and in Israel with the mediation efforts from the US, Egypt and Qatar for Israel to allow the opening of the Rabah border crossing for these trucks to enter to Gaza.
That was Yasser Hakim on international efforts to get more aid into Gaza.
Dozens of people lined up at the Bank of Palestine in Deir el-Bala to withdraw money, but returned empty-handed.
The territory has been facing a severe cash shortage since the war between Hamas and Israel began two years ago.
Residents say that the closed banks make life unbearable.
The prices have dropped.
But what good does it do without having the bank open and without money?
It does not matter that the prices have dropped.
I have an account that I haven't used since the beginning of the war where I can get money or deposit money.
Now they froze my account because it is not active.
It is normal.
We have had nothing since the beginning of the war.
We don't know what to do with the bank.
Most Palestinians in Gaza either have worn out banknotes that merchants refuse or go to the commission traders who've charged up to 50 since the war.
Coming up, Airbus has opened a second assembly line in China.
Across China, change is in motion.
How has the country's development transformed daily life from city streets to rural homes?
Join us for a special series exploring how China's transformation is reshaping the everyday experiences of ordinary people from free trade zones to smart transportation.
Discover the real stories behind China's progress.
China in Motion Only on CGTN Radio.
Eight minutes past the hour.
Airbus has opened a new assembly line for the A320 family of aircraft in the Chinese city of Tianjin, the second of its kind across China and Asia.
The company expects the new facility to be fully operational by early next year.
The production line features Airbus' latest technologies and the highest global standards.
With the new facility, Airbus expects to double its production capacity in China.
CEO Guillaume Fourie says this is part of the company's efforts to tap into the potential of China's aviation market.
The expectations for the growth of aviation in China that has to be supported with a new five-year plan is indeed that we think the demand for new planes in the next 20 years will be roughly 9500 planes.
So it's a lot.
And that's why we are growing and ramping up our production here is to serve that demand.
And we want to continue to be a trustful partner for the success of our Chinese airline partners.
On Tuesday, Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Lantau met with Fori in Beijing.
Wang said the country will further advance Chinese modernization and foster new quality productive forces, adding that this will will create vast opportunities for foreign enterprises, including Airbus.
And with more on the topic.
We're joined by Zhou Mi, a Senior Research Fellow with the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation.
Thanks for being on the program.
How will Airbus' expanded production in China influence the global aviation supply chain?
It's important to know that Airbus is expanding its supply chains around the world.
Maybe after this line, it will have an assembly line to about 10 lines.
I think it's a kind of strategy by Airbus to have a better localization and meet the demand of the market.
We know that Airbus has sold so many planes to China's airlines.
I think it's a really important method for them to have a better and more efficient way of supplying these kinds of airplanes.
So for the localization, I think China is a huge market.
We are not just trying to have a better ability to meet the demand of the Chinese domestic consumers.
The airlines in China are also operating around the world.
That will strengthen the abilities of the airlines and make a better and more efficient way of meeting the demand globally.
What does this collaboration suggest about the outlook for foreign investment and industrial cooperation between China and Europe?
I mean, these two economies are really dependent on the collaboration.
And both of us are really confident and also we are the believer of the collaboration, the free trade.
So as one of the policies, I think that we stick to the principle of the multilateralism.
The cooperation bilaterally is also a real good signal to to encourage both sides to have a better confidence about the cooperation.
For China and the EU, we have such huge complimentary advantages by both sides.
And I think the collaboration will, for instance, the collaboration in the different ways for the high end manufacturing and also the supply chain resilience.
I think that also will bring us more opportunities along the the supply chains, like some of these materials, and also about the possible cooperation in a related manufacturing aspect, and that is a good news for both sides and also the rest of the world.
All right, thanks for joining us this evening.
That was Senior Research Fellow Joe Mi with the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation.
China's financial sector has remained committed to opening up during the 14th five-year plan period that runs until the end of the year.
Authorities have reduced the overall tariff rate to 7.3%.
BNP Paribas ABC Wealth is one of five joint venture wealth management companies in China.
CEO Alexander Verno emphasized the importance of adapting global practices to local conditions.
We've been almost here on the ground in the financial industry in China for 20 years.
So I've been the witness of all this opening.
So I can really appreciate what has been done in the last 20 years, especially in the last six to seven years, where the opening is more and more obvious.
And actually I'm really a testimony of this as a foreigner, being there for so many years that we created between BNPPAM Asset Management and Capital Bank of China Wealth Management is really a good example of this opening.
What we did obviously, is to avoid the copy-paste from overseas global practices here locally.
So we need to adapt, all the frameworks need to be adapted to the local context, which is a huge work but which is one of the conditions to make it a success.
And i would say obviously, the capacity to have a mix of talent people coming here locally and people coming from overseas or overseas background, like me is super, super important to share views, to discuss, to brainstorm and to find the best outcome for the company, having this mixed culture between global firm and local firm.
The joint venture between the Paris Bank and the Agricultural Bank of China opened in 2023 and has headquarters in Shanghai.
The CEO said cross-border cooperation will also help with the development of green strategies.
I think that this Sino-European partnership with our company was very fruitful because both sides understanding that it was like between the two regions, Europe and China, some very important topic that we need to deliver and to make it happen.
Lastly and this is my ultimate goal for the company and hopefully we can be a big contributor is how to generate inflows into the capital market in China investing in green bonds, in ESG-rated equities stock, and so on.
And this is something that we hopefully will be able to develop because, once again, since we are a bridge between China and Europe and overseas people understand overseas what we are doing And as well from its perspective, besides the local investor, we might develop the trust of international investors investing into Chinese assets with this green and ESG methodology.
That was the BNP Paribas ABC Wealth CEO explaining the mutual benefits between Chinese and European firms.
China's commitment to global openness has fueled remarkable achievements in high-quality commercial development over the past five years.
Foreign direct investment surpassed 69 billion U.S. dollars in May.
Foreign-invested enterprises have contributed to one-third of China's total imports and exports and created over 30 million jobs.
China's trade volume hit a record of nearly $6.2 trillion last year, a 32.4% increase from 2020.
It helped China secure its position as the world's largest trading nation for an eighth consecutive year.
Beyond trade and goods, China's extended its visa-free policy to 48 countries.
This policy has paid off, with total spending by inbound tourists reaching 94 billion last year, a 78 increase.
The success of major expos such as the China International Import Expo and the Consumer Products Expo have pushed consumer goods imports to over 1 trillion from 2021 to 2024.
Ports in Shanghai are busy welcoming a new wave of global products ahead of the China International Import Expo next month.
One of the busiest ports has received its first batch of seaborne exhibits for the expo.
Wen Hongjie has more.
A container ship carrying a new wave of seaborne exhibits for the China International Import Expo, gently eased into its berth at Shanghai's Weigaoqiao Port.
The Costco Felix Do ship departed from New Zealand's largest port, Auckland, on September 20th.
This shipment primarily consists of dairy products from New Zealand and other goods such as coconut oil from Nei, an island nation in the South Pacific.
As the carrier, Costco has developed a customized logistics plan offering the service of creating a reliable floating refrigerator to ensure the products arrive in Shanghai in optimal condition.
This ship arrived after the seaborne CRIE exhibits from countries like Peru and South Africa, which previously reached Shanghai's Yongshan Port.
The Shanghai General Station of Immigration Inspection has introduced multiple measures to support the CIIE.
The Weigaoqiao Border Inspection Station, in coordination with port authorities, activated a green channel for the shipment by providing services, including pre-arrival inspection and one-stop clearance, streamlining the entire procedure to ensure highly efficient and smooth customs clearance for the CIIE exhibits.
With the expo drawing near, Shanghai is gearing up for a surge in arrivals with exhibitors and exhibit laden ships.
The Shanghai Immigration Inspection authorities also offer hotline services, immigration management services at the exhibition site and more.
This year's CIIE is anticipated to deliver an array of new surprises.
That was Oan Hongjie on preparations for the 8th CIIE in Shanghai.
More global figures have shared their insights on China's achievements and influence as an engine for global growth, as the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China meets this week to discuss a development plan for the next five years.
Former Bundestag member Sevim Dagdalen of Germany and Wired magazine founding executive editor, Kevin Kelly, says China's blueprint is an example for cooperation and development.
The fourth plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee is very important because the world is going through a turbulent period.
We need positive measures that can bring stability, peace and economic security.
China's next stage development plan has been carefully considered and fully discussed.
I'm very much looking forward to it.
By actively cooperating with EU and Europe and through South-South cooperation, China is promoting a fair and orderly multipolar world and achieving win-win outcomes.
I applaud the idea of trying to think about five years or ten years horizon, because the higher and longer your horizon, the more optimistic you can be.
Okay?
And so...
And so I think it's important that everybody in the world try to take a longer view than just the next year.
Those were international expectations for China's 15th five-year plan.
Coming up.
Venezuela says a UN report supports its position on the US military campaign in the Caribbean.
Welcome to Climate Watch, the podcast that brings you the latest on climate change, energy and sustainability, all in under 30 minutes.
Each week we speak with global experts, from energy policy pioneers to wildfire historians, and covering the stories that matter most.
Climate Watch is your go-to source for insightful, inspiring conversations.
Tune in to Climate Watch on your podcast platform and let's navigate the path to a sustainable future together.
Venezuela says the United Nations report condemning US actions in the Caribbean corroborates Caracas' concerns about the US military campaign and that Washington's been fabricating enemies to justify massacres in the Caribbean.
UN human rights experts have described US strikes on suspected drug vessels in the Caribbean as extrajudicial executions and a dangerous escalation.
U.S.
President Donald Trump has ordered strikes on at least six suspected drug vessels in the Caribbean in recent months as part of a campaign against what he called threats from Venezuela and linked to the country's president.
UN experts say the operations have killed at least 27 people.
They violate international law and Venezuela's sovereignty.
The U.S. insists that the attacks are self-defense under the UN Charter.
U.S.
President Donald Trump has rejected any meeting with top Democrats as the government shutdown is entering a fourth week.
The Democrats have doubled down on their demands on key sticking points in the federal funding impasse, calling for health care subsidy extensions and the reinstatement of funding.
John Gilmore has more from Washington.
As the US government shutdown approaches its fourth week, President Donald Trump held talks with Republican lawmakers at the White House, criticized Democrats for the budgetary standoff.
Today I'm calling on every Senate Democrat to stop the madness, to let our country get back.
In the greatest moment in the history of our country in terms of wealth, in terms of job creation and in terms of investment coming in.
These guys go on strike.
Many federal employees, like transportation security administration agents at airports, are on the job but going without paychecks during this crisis, as they are deemed essential workers.
However, active duty military troops are getting paid.
National parks have reduced staffing.
Museums have closed.
Democrats say they will not back down.
Like at the end of the day, this is about the health care of the American people.
And this is about driving down the high cost of living.
No matter what lies or disinformation Republicans continue to try to put out there in the public domain.
Democrats want to extend the subsidies for insurance plans under the Affordable Care Act.
They're due to expire at the end of the year.
The Democrats also want recent cuts in health care programs for the poor and elderly reversed.
Republicans have said if Democrats agree to reopen the government, then they are open to talks.
Democrats want guarantees first.
In the meantime, Trump and the GOP, which controls both the House of Representatives and the Senate, are starting to voice concerns about next year's midterm elections.
We have to win the midterms, otherwise all of the things that we've done so many of them are going to be taken away by the radical left.
Economists warn the shutdown could slow economic growth.
If the paralysis lasts another two weeks, it will become the longest shutdown ever.
The chances of that happening are growing by the hour as Washington's political dysfunction continues.
That was John Gilmore on the potential impacts of an extended U.S. government shutdown.
An immigration enforcement operation on New York City's famous Canal Street has turned chaotic, as bystanders and protesters clashed with federal agents.
The confrontation between the agents and hundreds of angry New Yorkers took place along a busy commercial thoroughfare.
Federal agents have made a number of arrests in the area, while protesters surrounded the officers attempting to block their vehicles from driving off.
Agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Border Patrol and other federal offices threatened the demonstrators with pepper spray before detaining several of them.
More heavily armed agents later arrived and made additional arrests.
Sources say India and the United States are close to reaching a new trade deal that would cut US tariffs on Indian goods to around 15 from the current 50.
The Mint newspaper in India reports that the agreement focuses on energy and agriculture.
U.S.
President Donald Trump said he discussed trade and energy with Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, adding that New Delhi will limit its oil purchases from Russia.
India may also allow more imports of non-genetically modified U.S. corn and soy meal.
The deal could include a system to regularly review tariffs and market access.
Fresh drone attacks have hit the vicinity of Khartoum International Airport in Sudan's capital ahead of its reopening after a two-year closure.
The aviation hub was one of the first sites that the paramilitary RSF attacked at the start of the country's conflict over two years ago.
Capital regions remained relatively calm since the Army reclaimed control earlier this year.
The United Nations said around a million people have returned to the capital within the last 10 months.
Returning residents are facing water shortages and frequent power cuts.
The government says restoring services will take time.
David Mbethi has more.
Since returning home to the war ravaged capital, residents of Khartoum, Omdurman and neighboring Bari have been waking up to new challenges.
Prior to this conflict, many here had open access to safe drinking water.
But now, as the hard work of rebuilding continues, few can boast of such a luxury.
Residents now rely on donkey-drawn carts to transport water from far-flung solar-powered wells, and the cart owners have to endure long hours in queues to fill their containers.
We are suffering greatly from the water crisis.
In fact, all the residents of Bahrain are suffering from water outages.
Even our electricity was cut off and only came back three days ago.
We will carry these containers from here to Arab Square to fill them.
It is a distance of five kilometers just to be able to drink the water.
We haven't had any water for 17 days.
We have resorted to fetching water using donkey carts and rickshaws.
Even the donkey cart owners are exploiting people.
Now two water packages cost 1,000 Sudanese pounds.
The prevailing situation cuts to health care, education and social services, all of which were disrupted by the conflict.
The state of the economy is also in shambles, and the cost of living is taking its toll on many households.
There is also an increase in prices of approximately 100 to 200 percent.
Citizens do not have enough money or sufficient sources of income or business.
So the situation is a war situation.
At the state level, governing authorities say they are working in phases to address the most pressing challenges.
Repairs have already begun on several public amenities. but they say the process will take time.
In the coming period in Khartoum state, we will begin intensive work on basic services, including water electricity health, education and roads, as many roads have been damaged and require annual maintenance and rehabilitation.
Since the army's successful recapture of Khartoum in March, more than 800000 people have returned to the capital.
They finally have a place to call home, but face a long and challenging road to recovery.
That was David Mbethi in Sudan.
The United Nations says violence in Sudan continues to escalate, worsening an already dire humanitarian crisis.
UN spokesperson, Farhan Haque, said that the organization and its partners are expanding relief efforts wherever access is possible.
He said, aid workers are providing food, water and basic medical care to newly displaced people, but current resources fall far short of what's needed.
In the town of Tawala.
An OCHA team met families who had walked for four days to escape the violence in the besieged state capital, El Fasher.
Tawala now hosts more than 600,000 people displaced from El Fasher and surrounding areas.
And many displaced families lack shelter, adequate food, or safe water.
OCHO is coordinating with authorities, donors and partners to mobilize additional capacity, resources and support.
Intensified fighting in Al-Fasher has fueled the displacement spike. as the paramilitary rapid support forces and the military seek to control the city.
The World Health Organization said the fighting's killed at least 40000 people and displaced 12 million others since the conflict began in 2023.
The president of Azerbaijan says his country has lifted all restrictions on the transit of goods to Armenia, a major step toward peace between the two neighbors.
Speaking in Astana Kazakhstan, Ilya Maleev said that the first shipment of Kazakh grain is already crossed under the new arrangement, describing it as proof that peace between the two countries is a reality on the ground.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's office welcomed the move, calling it an important step for regional connectivity and trust building.
The announcement follows the peace deal signed in August, when Washington hosted both leaders to end a decades-long border conflict.
Scientists have found mosquitoes in Iceland for the first time.
The Natural Science Institute of Iceland said two females and one male mosquito appeared about 30 kilometers north of Reykjavik.
It added that the insects may have arrived through ships or shipping containers, though more monitoring in spring will be needed to confirm whether they can survive and spread.
Iceland has long been one of the few places on Earth without mosquitoes.
29 past the hour.
Beijing will see a light rainfall and a low of 5 on Wednesday evening.
Cloudy with a high of 13 on Thursday.
Nanchang is down to 12 overnight under cloudy skies.
Those clouds continue through the day tomorrow with a high of 19.
Sanyal will see heavy rainfall in 21 overnight and then a light rain in 27 degrees.
Elsewhere in Asia, Islamabad 16 this evening, sunny and 28 for Thursday.
Vientiane will be overcast in 20 overnight, then overcast in 27.
Phnom Penh is getting a light rain in 23 and then overcast in 30.
In Africa, Nairobi is getting moderate rainfall and 24 degrees on Thursday.
It's time for a short break.
So far this hour, US and Russian officials have postponed a meeting between the leaders of the two countries, without offering a new specific date.
Airbuses opened a new assembly line in eastern China for the A320 family of aircraft.
And Venezuela says a UN report corroborates its concerns about a deadly US military campaign in the Caribbean.
Shane Bigham with you.
Stay with us here on The Beijing Hour.
Ever wondered what's actually going on in Africa through the perspective of an African?
How are things really going between China and Africa?
What's the narrative of this relationship?
Well, get a perspective with China Africa Talk.
Hear from African diplomats, entrepreneurs, academics, Chinese natives, and more.
Get on our wavelength every week to find out what's real with China Africa Talk.
Find us on your favorite podcast.
We'll see you there.
Examining the events that impact and shape China and the rest of the world.
This is the Beijing Hour, one hour of news and information brought to you every weekday.
Now here's your host, Shane Diggum, with you on this Wednesday.
Still to come...
In business, China's increasingly mechanized farming sector is now harvesting the fall grain crop.
In sports, Arsenal's off to a hot start in the Champions League.
In culture and entertainment, the Louvre is reopened following a brazen daylight heist.
To contact us, you can email radio at cgtn.com or follow our ex-account at cgtnradio.
But first, with the check of the day's headlines, here's Tianyu.
Thank you, Shane.
The Chinese mainland says Taiwan compatriots will be invited to attend a ceremony on marking the 80th anniversary of Taiwan's recovery from Japanese rule, which will be held later this month.
A State Council Taiwan Affairs Office spokesperson says the commemoration also coincides with the 80th anniversary of China's victory in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War.
Zhu Fenglian noted, Taiwan's recovery was a hard-won victory, forged through the sacrifices of the Chinese people, including those from Taiwan.
She said the event aims to unite Chinese people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait and safeguard the achievements of Taiwan's return to the motherland.
The Chinese Defense Ministry says its military acted lawfully and professionally in expelling an Australian aircraft that entered Chinese airspace over the Xisha Islands.
Beijing says Australia's accusations of unsafe behavior distort the facts, adding it has launched a strong protest against and urged Canberra to stop provocations to avoid harming Thais.
The ministry says China will continue to safeguard its sovereignty and regional stability.
Preliminary data from the German Statistics Office shows that China has regained its status of Germany's top trading partner in the first eight months of the year.
The United States was Germany's largest trading partner last year, ending an eight-year streak for China.
The dynamics shifted under renewed U.S. tariffs on global partners.
German exports to the U.S. fell 7.4% from January to August, while exports to China also declined.
Imports from China jumped 8.3%.
China's Commerce Minister has pledged to advance modernization and foster new quality productive forces during a meeting with Airbus CEO, Guillaume Fauré.
The aerospace company has inaugurated its latest, final assembly line for the A320 family of aircraft, the second of its kind in China and across Asia.
Wang expressed the hope that Airbus will deepen cooperation with China and deliver more high-quality aviation products and services.
Forey said Airbus has confidence in the Chinese economy and the development of China's civil aviation sector.
He said the firm is committed to deepening its presence in the Chinese market.
Former Thai Prime Minister, Pei Tung-tung Chinnawat has announced her resignation as Fatah Party leader.
She expressed the intention to initiate an overhaul of the party before the next election.
Peter Tong said she decided to step down to allow the party to reinvent itself and become more complete.
Peter Tong confirmed that she will remain a party member and head of the Fei Tai family.
The decision came after the Constitutional Court removed Peyton Tom from office in August for ethics violations.
Police in Uganda say at least 63 people are dead in a road accident on a major highway in the western parts of the African country.
The crash involved four vehicles.
Two collided head-on and set off a chain reaction that caused the other vehicles to flip.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the driver of the bus attempted to overtake a truck when it ran into another bus.
And finally, an appeals court in Colombia has overturned the conviction of former president Alvaro Uribe for bribery and witness tampering.
The court announced its decision on Tuesday, saying the earlier verdict has structural deficiencies, vague reasoning and a lack of thorough analysis.
Uribe had been sentenced to 12 years of house arrest in August after prosecutors accused him of trying to influence witnesses who linked him to paramilitary groups in the 1990s.
The 73-year-old denied the charges and called the case a form of political persecution.
The case has stirred political debate as Colombia prepares for next year's elections.
Thank you very much.
That was Tianyu with Headlines.
Coming up in business.
China's increasingly mechanized farming sector is now harvesting the fall grain crop.
Thank you, Shane.
First on the equity markets in Asia.
Stocks on the Chinese mainland fell on Wednesday, led by gold shares, after global gold prices dropped.
The Shanghai Composite stayed nearly flat, while the Shenzhen Component slipped 0.6%.
In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index dropped about 0.8%.
Tokyo stocks were unchanged, with the Nikkei closing nearly flat.
Farmers across China have harvested nearly 80 percent of the autumn grain, including corn, soybeans and rice.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs says cold weather is prompting an accelerated harvest.
In Xinjiang, the cotton harvest is in full swing across more than 8,000 hectares of fields.
Technologies such as smart irrigation and mechanized harvesting are helping boost yields and quality in the city of Tuofan.
A local cotton grower says farming is now fully mechanized.
I have planted 600 more of cotton this year.
The yield and quality are both good.
All fields are harvested by machines.
They are fast, efficient and cause very little loss.
Extremely convenient.
In recent years, TourFan has promoted high-quality cotton varieties and optimized crop layouts based on local conditions.
Official Deng Chen says they made efforts to ensure a smooth harvest.
We are now at the peak of the harvest season.
To help growers collect cotton, we arranged harvesters in advance and focused on pricing, quality and allocation to keep the process running smoothly.
Farmers have harvested more than 60 of the city's cotton so far and they expect to finish the harvest by the end of the month.
A county in Henan province has transformed barren hills into camellia groves.
The fruits of these trees produce a valuable oil that has boosted the local economy.
Villagers and entrepreneurs are working together to build a sustainable business that helps lift the county out of poverty.
Hojin reports.
Fifteen years ago, Guangshan County was once dotted with stretches of barren hills.
Now it's unfolding into a vibrant canvas of lucid waters and lush mountains.
In the past, these were all barren hills, or what we call firewood hills.
Local farmers would chop scrub trees from the mountains to use as firewood.
Lanketing these hills are these evergreen camelia trees, a species distinguished among the world's four major woody oil crops, alongside oil palm, olive and coconut.
Every part of the Camilla tree can be a treasure.
For example, the fruit can produce oil and the tree leaves can be biopesticides, and the tree itself can protect the soil and purify the air.
The camellia flowers can be a source for honey.
The oil extracted from its seeds can also be used to make cosmetics and so on.
Embedded in the local folklore is evidence of the economic prosperity camellia trees have delivered to communities here.
We have a saying one mu of camellia trees yields 100 gene of oil-bringing wealth to build houses and families.
These trees can live over 100 years, with a peak fruiting period lasting up to 80 years, meaning one generation's planting can benefit three generations.
Yet achieving oil production maturity requires approximately 10 years of growth for the camellia, raising critical questions about the community's welfare in the near term.
How can residents sustain their livelihoods during this interim period?
Because camellia trees have a lengthy growth cycle, typically taking 8 to 10 years to reach productive maturity, the first decade demands continuous investment without generating returns.
That's why we reinvest profits from tea cultivation, seedling nurseries and other industries to subsidize the camellia plantations.
First, we facilitate land transfer from local villagers, increasing their income through rental payments.
Second, the year-round maintenance of our plantations creates steady jobs During peak seasons like spring tea harvesting the over 130 hectare plantation requires 500 to 800 workers to meet daily operational demands.
Initially, villagers were skeptical.
We paid daily wages immediately after each work session noon payment for morning tasks, evening for afternoon tasks.
Now payments are made three times a year during rice transplanting season, when farmers need fertilizer funds, before September school start for children's expenses and finally Before Chinese New Year for festival preparations.
To develop a viable industry, achieving scale and intensive operations is essential.
With tea plantations currently underutilized.
We should implement agroforestry and multi-tiered farming systems, raising cattle goats, chickens and free-range pigs across these lands.
The county's forest coverage is now approaching 50 percent.
This thriving ecosystem is drawing more visitors to Guangshan and boosting its green economy.
That was Houjin reporting.
This year's Double Eleven shopping festival has kicked off with strong sales across e-commerce platforms.
Tmall reports that in the first hour, 80 brands saw sales top 100 million yuan, or about 14 million US dollars.
More than 30,000 brands doubled their turnover compared with last year.
Consumer electronics continued rapid growth, with AI-related products up nearly 200% from last year.
Home appliance and furniture brands also more than doubled their sales.
Platforms have offered discounts, shopping subsidies and used AI tools to guide shoppers and boost sales.
Home coffee maker sales have been surging in China this year.
Government subsidies and the spread of coffee culture have fueled the trend.
Consumer Kuangjia Xian says the subsidies helped lower the price of a machine by about 15%.
We just moved into our new place and bought a coffee maker online for about 2,600 yuan.
With a 15% state subsidy and store discounts, we saved nearly 1,000 yuan.
From January to August, domestic coffee machine sales reached nearly 2 million units, up more than 75.
The market is expected to grow to about $1.5 billion by 2029.
Manager Zhang Chunlai and a coffee machine manufacturer says domestic demand continues to rise.
Since January, our domestic sales revenue has increased by at least 50%.
Three years ago, most of our business came from exports.
Now the domestic market makes up 60 to 70 percent of our total sales.
Meanwhile, cafes across China are offering classes to teach customers how to create latte art like professional baristas.
Hollywood has long been the center of global entertainment, but that dominance may be fading.
With rising production costs and fewer international blockbusters, US studios are facing growing competition from around the world.
Eddie Stinson reports from Los Angeles.
Once, US studios looked to China for blockbuster profits, a market that, at its peak, delivered hundreds of millions per release.
But that partnership is fading fast.
China now is a huge film market.
So Chinese filmmakers actually don't need to make films for an overseas market.
There are films like Nu Jia and Nu Jia 2 that were just box office smash hits.
According to Reuters, US films now make up only about 5 of China's box office, down from nearly 30 a decade ago.
In response to the recent US tariffs, China has further restricted imports of Hollywood films.
And we're in a moment in time where I think the American century is over.
The period of 100 years of Hollywood dominance over global popular culture is definitively closed.
And what we're going to see in the next decades is a battle between Asian, and particularly East Asian, superpowers for the global marketplace and for the imagination of people around the world.
Once considered the entertainment capital of the world, Hollywood has seen a gradual exodus of film productions in recent years to countries like Canada, New Zealand and the UK, offering better tax incentives along with cheaper production costs and in an effort to protect Hollywood's economic interests.
California's Governor Gavin Newsom more than doubled the state's film and tax credit program to $750 million this summer.
Some industry executives hope it may help reverse the trend.
I think Los Angeles will be a thriving hub.
I mean, we had the fires, we had the strikes, we had the COVID.
So I think a lot of people left, but I think they're coming back.
And I think movies that see what I saw and the success we will have, hopefully, will come back.
That's what the US President, Donald Trump, says he wants to achieve by imposing tariffs on foreign-made movies, leaving many executives worried about Hollywood's global standing.
That was Edith Tian-san in Los Angeles.
Thank you very much.
That's Do Hong-yu with Business.
Coming up in sports, Arsenal's off to a hot start in the Champions League.
Sideline Story brings you all things sports related.
The hottest topics, latest events, juiciest stories, all with a very personal take.
Subscribe to Sideline Story Podcast for heated sports discussions covering events that are happening in China and around the world.
47 past now.
And turning to sports, here's Yang Guang.
Thank you, Shane.
We start with football.
Arsenal has power to a third straight win in the Champions League, with a dominant 4-0 victory over Atletico Madrid at Emirates Stadium.
After a tense first half, the hosts took control when Gabriel headed in a Declan Rice free-kick just before the hour mark.
Gabriel Martinelli doubled the lead seven minutes later, before Victor Jokic struck twice, ending his nine-game scoring drought and sealing a memorable night for the Gunners.
Snow manager Mikel Arteta spoke highly of Jokic's performance.
All of us, because he makes us a much better team.
I think we've become much more unpredictable.
He's so physical.
He opens the spaces for everybody.
The way he presses the ball, holds the ball.
It's just phenomenal.
And then, yeah, that's on the cake.
And the biggest thing that we're going to...
The win extends Arsenal's unbeaten run to nine matches and puts them firmly on course for the Champions League knockout stage with nine points from three games.
Atlantico remains on 3 points after seeing their 6th match unbeaten streak in all competitions come to a sudden halt.
Elsewhere, Paris Saint-Germain scored three times in seven minutes at the end of a chaotic first-half crush hosted by a Leverkusen 7-2 in the Champions League, with both teams playing much of the match with 10 men.
William Pacho gave the visitors an early lead before Leverkusen equalized from the penalty spots, only for Deziki Dewey to put PSG ahead.
Kvicak, Raskalia and Duve struck again before half-time leaving the home side reeling.
Nuno Mendes ended fifth early in the second half with Leverkusen briefly pulling one back.
Ousmane Dembele, back from injury, tapped in sixth and Virginia completed the route in stoppage time.
Leverkusen head coach, Kasper Heumann, says the losses in the earlier rounds have added extra pressure on the team.
Yeah, I think we lost a couple of points in the first two matches.
We cannot expect us to compete against Paris in the way we are right now building up.
Paris is a fantastic team and this is the third season they have been building up this way of playing and with this group of players, and they are playing at a very, very high level.
We cannot expect to be there right now.
But the challenge is that we lost a couple of points in the first two matches where we should have had a win.
Of course, it puts more pressure on us on the next games.
The win gives PSG a club record-equalling sixth consecutive Champions League victory and a perfect nine points from three games, while Leverkusen remains with just two points.
Staying in the Champions League, Barcelona stormed to a 6-1 victory over Olympiacos, powered by a hat-trick from Firmin Lopez and two goals from Marcus Rashford.
The scoring began early, with Firmin opening the net in the 7th minute and doubling his tally before half-time, putting Barcelona firmly in control.
Olympiacos briefly reduced the deficit from a penalty, but their momentum ended when San Diego Hesse was sent off in the 57th minute.
Barcelona capitalised on the numerical advantage, adding a new third goal from the penalty spot before Rashford struck twice and Firmin completed his hat-trick.
Barca head coach Hansi Fleck lauded Firmin's effort.
He has potential, of course, that you can see today.
It was totally different.
It was totally different with his dynamic, with his also in front of the goal, his he's so dangerous for the opponent and for us it's important to have him on our team and of course it's good because he's good with the ball, he's against the ball.
The victory keeps Barcelona on course in the group stage and provides a morale boost ahead of Saturday's high-profile El Clasico against Real Madrid.
In other action, Inter Milan cruised to a 4-0 win at Union Saint-Gilles, once making it three wins from three in the competition.
Erling Haaland extended his scoring streak to 12 matches as Manchester City secured a 2-0 victory at Villarreal.
PSV Eindhoven came from behind to beat Napoli 6-2, with Dennis Mann scoring twice for the Dutch side's first Champions League win of the season.
And finally, in the NBA, Jimmy Butler scored 31 points and Stephen Curry added 23, as the Golden State Warriors opened the season with a 119-101 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.
Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Heald each contributed 17 points, with Kuminga grabbing 9 rebounds as the Warriors pulled away with an 18-4 run early in the second half.
Golden State shot over 42 from three and made 26 of 29 free throws, with Butler perfect from the line.
Luka Doncic led Lakers with 43 points, 12 rebounds and 9 assists, while Austin Reeves added 26 points.
The entry Aiton scored 10 but Los Angeles struggled from three-point range and free-throw line.
The Warriors turned a one-point halftime lead into a double-digit advantage and laid shots from Draymond Green, Butler and Curry sealed victory.
And we swear Shea Gilchrist Alexander scored 35 points, including two from the free throw line, with 23 seconds remaining in double overtime, lifting the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 125-124 home win over the Houston Rockets in the season opener.
All right.
Thank you very much.
That was Yang Guang with sports.
Coming up in culture and entertainment, the Louvre reopened following a brazen daylight heist.
From north to south, east to west, people in China are chasing their dreams and leaving their mark.
Want to know how they beat the odds and made a difference?
Footprints brings you the true life stories of their journeys.
53 past the hour.
In culture and entertainment.
The Louvre Museum in Paris is reopened three days after thieves stole royal jewels valued at around 88 million euros or over 100 million US dollars.
The heist took place early Sunday at the museum's Apollo Gallery, where the French crowned diamonds are displayed.
Officials say the entire theft lasted less than eight minutes.
Police have launched a major investigation involving about 100 officers, while the French cultural ministry has also ordered an internal review.
Authorities confirmed that the Louvre security system functioned during the incident, though details of how the thieves gained access remain unclear.
Eight 19th century pieces were taken, including diadems, necklaces and brooches, once belonging to French royalty and Napoleon's family.
The 12th Wujian Theatre Festival has transformed the scenic town in Zhejiang Province into a global stage for storytelling and cultural exchange.
Running until October 26, the festival features 25 plays from 10 countries and regions, along with 18 entries in the Emerging Theatre Artists Competition.
One of the highlights is Anthropolis Marathon from Germany, blending Greek myths with collaboration between German and Chinese artists.
It's also a true East meets West collaboration featuring German and Chinese artists.
Director Karim Bayer says the joint performance has been inspiring.
Since debuting in 2013, the Wujian Theatre Festival has become a major platform for young international talent, while boosting local tourism and enriching the town's cultural life.
Armed with brushes and sketchbooks, they wander through parks, streets and old neighborhoods, turning ordinary city scenes into works of art.
Yang Yan has more.
It's Saturday noon.
I'm at Zhonggu Lou bell and drum towers in northern Beijing meeting up with Urban Sketches Beijing group.
Every week members gather to explore different parts of the city and practice on location joy.
Urban Sketches Beijing was founded in 2015.
Over the past decade, its members have gathered almost every weekend, nearly 300 times in total, to sketch the city's changing seasons and landscapes.
Fei Mao, one of the founders, said the group has now grown to more than 5,000 members.
This is about treating art and offline drawing as a lifestyle and sticking with it.
Over the past 10 years, we have made sketching and recording daily life a regular habit.
In the process, you've also unintentionally documented the city's changes.
Yes, our model is to record the city's changes with our brushes.
Sometimes, a hutong we sketched one year will be gone the next. but it remains in our drawings.
Many members have recorded the transformation of areas like the West City through their sketches.
While I decided to give watercolor painting a try I know I'm not very good at it but, to be honest, after a rough start I actually felt quite peaceful.
It really helped me relax.
This kind of calming experience is also what keeps members like Hong Jie coming back every weekend to finish a sketch.
Actually, we're less interested in sketching places that are too new or modern.
Instead, we prefer the older, more distinctive spots, those with history, culture and a sense of age.
They're like pieces of art that have aged beautifully, and we feel it's important to protect and record them before they disappear.
Urban Sketch is a global movement with communities in cities and countries around the world.
Mr. Kang from Singapore is also part of the sketching group in his home country.
I think it's about the feeling.
It's just not the same.
For example, if I come here with my wife, take a quick photo and leave, I won't really remember the place.
But if I sit here for an hour or two and sketch it, no matter how good or bad the drawing is, when I look at the sketch later, I remember everything.
The mood, the memory, even the weather.
During a family trip to Beijing, he found a unique way to experience and connect with the city through drawing.
That was Jung Yan reporting from Beijing.
The Chinese capital will see a light rainfall in 5 degrees on Wednesday evening.
It's cloudy in 13 on Thursday.
Nanchang's cloudy in 12 overnight, then cloudy in 19 degrees.
Sanya will see heavy rainfall in 21 overnight, then rain in 27.
That's it for this edition of the beijing hour.
Making news today, us and russian officials have postponed a meeting between the leaders of the two countries and airbus has opened the new assembly line in eastern china for the a320 family of aircraft.
On behalf of the staff, Shane Bingham in the Chinese capital, hoping you'll join us for the next edition of the Beijing Hour and open a window to the world together.
He can't live without the Yellow River in his eyes.
The Yellow River is so noble and elegant.
Both my grandpa and dad made a living from the river.
Would you like to move away from the Yellow River?
I don't think I will.
I love it so much.
The Yellow River, the second longest river in China, is regarded as a shaping force in the history, economy and culture of northern China.
Today, about 100 million people live within its water basin, making up nearly 9 of the country's population.
How is climate change felt at its headwaters?
And what are the locals doing to cope with it?
What are the descendants of the boatmen doing?
What has kept some people from leaving their home village by the river?
And what has drawn others back?
Could the fading fishing community revive in a time of digital transformation?
From 2021 to 2024.
Our reporters visited the upper, middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River.
Talk to the herders farmers boatmen, fishermen and eco-activists who share a close bond with the river.
And present their stories in pictures, podcasts and videos.
All in our 12-part series, The Yellow River Mosaic.
Available only on CGTN Radio.
