Get the unmissable news stories of the day.
This is the Beijing Hour.
have pledged to protect free trade at a high level economic and financial dialogue.
A three -way meeting takes place in Istanbul over the Ukraine conflict.
US President Donald Trump has announced $200 billion in deals with the UAE.
In business, China's pilot free trade zones report steady performance in the first quarter.
In sports, Barcelona secures the La Liga title.
In culture and entertainment, young people using digital technology to reimagine traditional ceramics.
Now checking today's top stories.
Chinese Vice Premier He Li -feng says China is willing to work with France to protect an open and cooperative international economic and trade environment.
He co -chaired a high -level economic and financial dialogue between the two countries in Paris.
The Vice Premier pledged to create a favorable investment environment that would invigorate the comprehensive strategic partnership and advance China -Europe cooperation.
French Finance Minister Eric Lombard expressed France's willingness to address global challenges and behold multilateralism and free trade.
Yen Kobstek reports from Paris.
China and France reaffirmed their commitment to deepen economic ties and bilateral cooperation at this 10th high level Economic and Financial Dialogue in Paris.
The talks were co -chaired by Chinese Vice Premier He Lifang and French Finance Minister Eric Lombard underlining the two countries' shared ambition to strengthen the China -France comprehensive strategic partnership.
Vice Premier He highlighted last year's state visit to France by President Xi Jinping, which marked the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.
President Xi and French President Emmanuel Macron had reached consensus on a series of important areas of cooperation.
The Vice -Premier said China is willing to work with France to implement the decisions reached during that visit and in rich areas of mutually beneficial cooperation by creating a favorable trade and investment environment for both countries.
We support the expansion of trade and the investment in both directions.
We are committed to providing fair non -discriminatory and transparent conditions for computation in areas such as agriculture, agri -food, medicine, finance, 5G, energy and the digital economy.
This type of event underlines the strength of the economic ties between our two countries.
Maintaining this dialogue between our countries is more important than ever today, in a world that is marked by greater uncertainty and rising tensions.
During the visit, Vice -Premier Ha met high level representatives from the cosmetics and medical field, as well as the CEO of Airbus.
Vice -Premier He was also shown around a family -run farm in Normandy, underlining the growing possibilities of agricultural cooperation.
New agreements on poultry and breeder eggs were signed as part of a push to boost agricultural trade between France and China.
The event closed with a symposium for French and Chinese entrepreneurs.
During the meeting, most sides also emphasized the importance of bringing high -quality products to Chinese and French consumers while also attracting business to invest in each country, further developing future economic development.
Now as Yen Copesteak reporting on the Chinese vice premier's visit to France, The European Union is revising its trade proposals to the United States, aiming to initiate substantive negotiations.
EU Trade ministers expressed optimism about easing transatlantic trade tensions at their meeting in Brussels.
William Denslow has the details.
It's been a little over a month since Washington declared a 90 day reprieve to sweeping U .S. tariffs announced by Donald Trump on what he called Liberation Day.
Until July, EU exports to the U .S. will be subject to a 10 % duty, which will rise to 20 % if the deal isn't struck by then.
That's on top of existing US tariffs on EU cars, as well as steel and aluminium.
Trade ministers from the EU's 27 member states have gathered in Brussels to discuss the ongoing negotiations between the European Commission and US officials.
Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, Maros Sevkovic, says he's spoken with US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnik and the two sides will ramp up efforts to reach a deal.
We are looking at it from the very angle and from every aspect to ensure a fair, balanced and lasting outcome with a clear objective of securing a comprehensive deal that addresses the full scope of US types.
The EU and US share the largest bilateral trade relationship in the world, representing nearly 30 % of global trade, and more than 40 % of global GDP.
But Washington says bilateral trade is imbalanced.
The bloc maintains the relationship is mutually beneficial.
There's hope among member states that easing trade tensions between the US and China bodes well for the EU.
Hopefully this moment could lead us to deepening of our transatlantic trade relations.
The lesson is negotiate but calmly, stick to our guns, speak softly about carrying a big stick.
The EU is seeking to increase its purchases of US goods by more than $50 billion.
But should the carrot approach fail, the Commission is preparing to use the stick too.
While the EU says tariffs are a lose -lose, news, it's prepping countermeasures to the tune of roughly $107 billion, should the two sides fail to reach an agreement.
Now, as Willem Denslow reporting from Brussels.
US businesses that rely on Chinese goods have reacted with measured relief to the agreement to pause steep tariffs.
However, some are still concerned about what will happen after 90 days.
The temporary reduction, which we hope will be permanent, was great news, actually.
I mean, at 145 % tariff, we were basically frozen.
It was an embargo. We weren't shipping anything.
Now, goods can begin to flow.
Some things that you most want will go out of stock very quickly.
If you have things on your list and things you know you want to get, it's probably better to get it sooner than later.
So tariffs are, the costs of tariffs are assessed when our goods enter the U .S. market.
And for us and probably many companies like us, that's probably past 90 days.
So we don't know what things will look like by the time our goods enter the market.
In China, US orders are coming back as American buyers stockpile imports amid a cool down of trade tensions.
Many export -oriented factories and businesses are working hard to fulfil orders.
This is a list of orders from that day 1000 boxes to Los Angeles, 900 boxes to New York.
In America, it's almost impossible to find other alternatives to replace our product.
Our US customers were thrilled about the tariff reductions.
They are very eager to get our products because of the lack of stock.
We are overstocking on goods for the US market but now the orders are normalizing.
I'm confident that the overstocked goods can be shipped out in the 90 -day period.
U .S. bookings for container transport from China more than doubled after the Geneva talks.
Chinese Vice Commerce Minister Li Chenggang says negotiations over China's accession to the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement have made progress.
He attended a ministerial meeting with DEPA members during the Asia Pacific Economic Partnership meeting in South Korea.
The vice minister pledged that China will continue to promote high -level opening up and protect the rule -based international economic and trade order.
He added that China's membership in DEPA will create more market opportunities.
U .S. tariffs dominated discussions at the APEC meeting.
Hsinchang reports from Jeju Island on key agenda items. Well, working -level negotiations are running late into the night on Thursday and into Friday here on Jeju Island here in South Korea.
South Korea, of course, is this year's APEC chair and that's why these preparatory meetings are taking place here in the country.
It also happens to be the first multilateral sort of gathering of trade officials since the US Trump administration announced its sweeping tariffs.
We also know, but not just including the main event, but there's a lot of negotiation happening on the sidelines of these talks.
Just at the beginning of these meetings, APEC releasing an annual report and analysis report saying that the Trump tariffs would really downgrade the region's exports.
Again, if you consider half of the world's exports occur in this region, APEC is now projecting global exports to be about 0 .4 % this year.
That compared to more than 5 % last year.
And also, in terms of economic growth, there's going to be a downgrade of 3 .3 down to 2 .4%.
So, that's sort of the impact that AIPAC is sort of analyzing with these Trump tariffs.
What's also happening is there's a lot of negotiations happening on the sidelines, and especially with the presence of US Trade Representative Jameson Greer here in Jeju Island, there have been a slew of talks on the side lines with nations trying to get some leverage in their talks, including South Korea.
US, Ukrainian and Turkish teams meet in Istanbul.
It's a deal, but not a done deal.
The temporary tariff agreement — reached between China and the United States has brought a glimmer of positivity to a world shrouded in Washington's tariff war.
What immediate impact will the deal have on the course of two -way trade?
Does the agreement have any implications for other countries, currently in talks with the US?
How may Beijing respond, if Washington backtracks?
What may we expect, after the 3 -month pause expires?
Check out this week's Chat Launch. Wherever you listen to podcasts and CGTN Radio.
Now it's eleven minutes past the hour.
Assaults from the Turkish Foreign Ministry says delegations from the US, Ukraine and Turkey have held a meeting in Istanbul.
The negotiators included foreign affairs chiefs from all three countries and other senior officials.
Representatives from Russia are also in Istanbul for a meeting with Ukraine scheduled for Thursday that did not take place.
Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed the first direct talks between Moscow and since March 2022 but decided not to attend.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of not taking the meeting seriously.
Zelenskyy said a ceasefire is the top priority.
The Ukrainian leader met his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara and said he will send a delegation to Istanbul led by his defence minister.
Presidential aide Volodymyr Zelenskyy is heading the Russian delegation.
He has met Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan.
Medinsky said his team has a constructive mind -set.
Mihail Badvid reports.
Russian and Ukrainian delegations failed to come together on Thursday in Istanbul for much -anticipated direct talks between the two countries the first of its kind since March 2022.
Late on Wednesday evening, Russian President Vladimir Putin had announced he wouldn't be attending the Istanbul talks and instead sent a lower -level delegation.
The Russian delegation included presidential adviser Vladimir Medinsky, a senior diplomat and defence officials.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky travelled to Ankara to meet with the Turkish President -Egypt type Erdogan.
Prior to their meeting, Zelensky called the Russian delegation decorative, but after talks with Erdogan, Zelensky announced that he would send a Ukrainian delegation to Istanbul, led by Ukraine's defence minister with a mandate to discuss a ceasefire.
In Istanbul, the head of the Russian delegation, Vladimir Medinsky, said they were prepared to resume negotiations with Ukraine and would discuss possible compromises with Kyiv.
US officials were also present in Turkey.
The Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, stressed that a breakthrough on Ukraine would only happen when President Trump interacts directly with his Russian counterpart, Putin.
EU leaders have also mounted pressure and said new sanctions will be imposed if there no progress in ceasefire talks this week.
Kyiv says Ukrainian officials have spoken with US envoy Keith Kellogg and senior aides to the French, British and German leaders.
The Ukrainian Presidential Chief of Staff, Defence Minister and Foreign Minister attended a meeting in Istanbul.
A senior Hamas official says the group is willing to release all remaining hostages in Gaza if its conditions are met.
Bassam Naim called for an end to the fighting and for humanitarian aid to enter Gaza.
Naim also spoke about U .S. President Donald Trump's efforts in the region, saying he believes Trump is willing and capable of bringing peace.
Meanwhile, Israel claims that there's been no progress in the ceasefire talks in Doha.
Jonathan Rege reports from Tel Aviv.
We are hearing reports now saying that the negotiations in Doha have practically ended.
No progress according to what we're hearing.
We know that there's plenty of pressure coming from the American side.
Steve Whitcove, the U .S. envoy, was the one in charge of being in touch with the Israelis.
And as opposed to what Netanyahu does, which is trying to drag time, send a delegation and then wait for them to come back, and more consultations, Steve Whitcove tried the direct approach having several phone calls with the prime minister when he was in a Qatar, and Whitcoff was also here in Israel earlier this week meeting the prime minister.
But again, according to what we're hearing, no progress has been made.
If this is correct, then Israel will probably be now preparing for the expansion of the military campaign.
Israeli sources have said all along that this is something that will happen without any progress once the American President leaves the area.
Now, Jonathon Ruger reporting.
Israel's aid blockade of Gaza is now in its third month with the famine condition seen nearly 20 months ago appearing to be back.
Dozens of Palestinians lined up outside charity kitchens set up amid piles of rubble in Gaza in an attempt to obtain food.
In Beit Lahaya, hungry Palestinians holding empty pots and plastic containers waited outside the kitchen for vegetable soup.
Faten el Madum owns a food distribution charity.
I've been cooking for people for a year and eight months but there has been a real famine for the past three months.
The famine that occurred at the beginning of the war is happening again now.
I used to receive support for 10 to 20 people but today, many more people need food.
In early March, Israel halted the entry of all aid into Gaza including food and medication.
International food security experts have warned that Gaza will likely face famine if Israel doesn't lift its blockade and cease its military campaign.
Insiders say, nearly half a million Palestinians are facing possible starvation and a million more can barely get enough food.
A senior UN official has warned that more and more people are affected by armed conflicts around the world.
Khaled Qiyari is the Assistant Secretary -General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific.
He made the remarks while briefing the Security Council on Thursday.
The number of people affected by armed conflicts, including those reported missing in this context, has only continued to increase.
In 2024 alone, the ICRC registered 56 ,000 new cases of missing persons.
There is no comprehensive figure for those missing in conflicts, but we know enough that the situation is dire." Chiari also welcomed the release of Israeli -American national Idan Alexander, who was previously held hostage in Gaza, describing it as a source of hope, but he also expressed concern over many other Israeli hostages and the situation of Palestinians detained by Israeli authorities, saying that many of them are unaccounted for.
Algeria is switching from French to English as the primary language of instruction at the university level.
Many see the move as a political settlement.
Joy Kiruki -Juma explains.
French is widely used in Algeria's education and business sectors.
But beginning September, all public universities in Algeria will transition first -year medical and scientific courses to English as the primary language of instruction.
Students have welcomed the change.
The Algerian step towards the generalisation of the use of the English language is a sound decision.
As a university student majoring in English, I believe that we have been somewhat late in this decision and we must move more quickly to implement it on the ground.
Scientific research, major institutes in the world and the latest innovations are in English, not French. As a student of knowledge, I believe that French will not open the doors for me to learn about new developments, especially in the advanced scientific field and I highly appreciate the Algerian decision.
Educators say they have noticed the decline in interest in French in favor of English.
To support the transition, new teacher training programs are being developed at universities.
The shift from French, a legacy of French colonial rule, is seen by some as a way for Algeria to distance itself from France, particularly amidst diplomatic tensions.
The deep reasons for this shift, which has been occurring for years, and it stems from the historical and political backgrounds between the 2 countries, And the fact that education in English means obtaining knowledge directly from the source without any other intermediary." Algeria is among several countries transitioning toward English as their main foreign language, both for practical reasons and as France's economic and political influence in Africa wanes.
That was Joy Kiruki -Juma on the language shift in Algeria.
Coming up, US President Donald Trump has announced the 200 billion dollars in deals with the UAE and get ready to dive in.
It's 20 minutes past the hour.
US President Donald Trump has announced $200 billion in deals with the United Arab Emirates during a visit to the Gulf country.
The two countries also agreed to deepen cooperation in artificial intelligence.
Trump told UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al -Nayan that he had no doubt the relationship would get bigger and better.
Adel al -Marroukhi has more on the US president's trip to the UAE.
President Trump was received with an extreme warm welcome from the president of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed and Nahyan and this comes as the UAE and the United States both renew their commitment to one another both leaders showing confidence in the leadership of the other signaling that together they can work to expand ties between the two countries this comes as Mohammad bin Zayed has pledged $1 .4 trillion of investments into the United States within the next 10 years.
The corporation is basically focused on technological aspects, space programs and space technologies as well as AI, which the UAE is extremely interested in.
One of the deals also announced will be allowing the UAE to receive top -tier AI chips for manufacturing NVIDIA.
The US firm will provide about 500 ,000 chips annually to the UAE to support its AI aspirations.
The United Arab Emirates wants to become an AI hub in the Middle East. On the other hand, the UAE also to show its appreciation has provided Trump with the state's highest merit in show of appreciation for Trump, who has become the first president to make a stop here in the UAE in about 17 years.
Together they vowed to expand further trade and investments and military cooperation between the two countries.
With the UAE Trump concludes his Middle East tour that has included a huge investments promise from three countries Saudi Arabia Qatar and the UAE.
Politics was also on top of that agenda including a possible that was a review of US president Donald Trump's visits to the Middle East. Vienna Zoo has held a welcome ceremony for two giant pandas from China.
Lan Yun and He Feng, both born in 2020, arrived a few weeks ago and will stay in the Austrian capital for 10 years.
They are the first international giant panda conservation project of the year.
Austrian President Alexander van der Bellen called the bears a symbol of the partnership between China and Austria.
Johannes Plissberg reports from Vienna.
While Lan Yun and her friend could be seen enjoying Austrian -grown bamboo, the area outside their new home was turned into a diplomatic event, as delegations from China and Austria officially welcomed the two giant pandas to Vienna with a traditional lion dance.
It's a very nice moment today to welcome the pairs in Austria in Tiergarten Schömbrund.
While some areas of international relations can lead to tensions, panda exchanges certainly do not.
Since the 1960s, China has been sharing its iconic pandas to foster friendly relations across the globe.
Cooperations like these create trust, they bring nations closer together, we shouldn't underestimate the impact of these seemingly small occasions despite all the differences that may exist and the Giant Pandas are a symbol of the Chinese -Austrian Partnership.
Today giant Pandas like Lanyun and Hefeng are no longer considered and endangered species.
Thanks to strict conservation measures in China, the population has almost doubled since the 1980s.
Like ambassadors, they will become mascots of friendship between the two countries and their peoples.
The giant panda is a national treasure of China, a jewel in the diversity of the earth species and a precious treasure of ecological civilization.
Vienna's Tiergarten Schonbronn, which is the world's oldest zoo, has been working with China's Wildlife Conservation Association for over two decades.
Last year the joint efforts were extended for a further 10 years.
That's the length of time Lan Yun and He Feng, who were born in 2020, are due to stay in Vienna.
Both sides are hoping that they are settling into their new home and perhaps make it a family residence in the future.
This was a report about two giant pandas starting a new life in Austria.
Regions in China are finding new ways to attract international visitors as the country expands its visa waiver programme.
In the latest expansion, travellers from five South American countries can now enter China without a visa.
Meanwhile, those from Mexico who enter China through designated ports and stay in certain areas can stay for up to 10 days under the transit visa policy.
Alastair Boverstock has more.
Xiejiang, China, with amazing landscapes, traditional culture, and booming business, is one of the country's most popular regions for tourists.
Given growing travel interest, relaxed Chinese visa requirements and increasing airline connectivity across the Pacific, the region is working to attract more international visitors from Latin America, bringing its tourism roadshow to Mexico City earlier this week.
China has expanded its transit visa allowance to 10 days for 54 countries including Mexico.
The Chinese people receive foreign visitors with hospitality and friendliness, and our openness defines our interaction with the world.
The event, with its cultural display for tourism industry leaders and officials, showcased the best of what the region has to offer.
Cristal Pelayo directs the International Affairs and Parliamentary Relations Committee in Mexico's Federal Congress and says cultural connections are vital.
China always sees us.
China continues to surprise us, and there is a marvelous relationship between our two countries, So this was a great event to generate interest and encourage more Mexicans to visit China.
Figures show US -bound tourism from Mexico is down by about 20 percent since Donald Trump returned to the White House.
And with some 13 million Mexicans likely to travel internationally each year, this shift presents a great opportunity to offer up alternative destinations.
This is a big opportunity.
Mexico is one of Latin America's largest countries and all of China's provinces are working hard to encourage visitors, tourists and business people alike to visit modern China.
Xie Jiang welcomed over 218 million visitors over the first three months of this year and following this event we will now be hoping for even more from across the Pacific.
That was Alastair Bervestock on China's appeal to Mexico.
The World Health Organization has revealed deeper health impact caused by COVID -19 on lots of lives, longevity and overall health and well -being.
In its World Health Statistics report, the WHO says global life expectancy fell by 1 .8 years between 2019 and 2021, the largest drop in recent history.
Acting director Haidong Wan of the WHO Department of Data and Analytics says they've seen mixed progress towards the organisation's triple billion targets.
The report also shows that premature deaths from non -communicable diseases such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer are increasing and account for the majority of deaths among people under 70.
Officials say tobacco use and air pollution are major factors behind this trend.
And now it's 29 minutes past the hour checking the forecast for the day.
Beijing is down to 14 on Friday evening.
Saturday will be cloudy with a high of 25.
Nanchang is 23 tonight, tomorrow showers with a high of 29.
Elsewhere in Asia, Islamabad is 22 tonight.
Saturday will be sunny with a high of 44.
Vientiane is 25 overnight, then slight rain and 36.
But Japan is 25 overnight tomorrow's light rain and 33.
In Africa, Nairobi will see light rain with a high of 24 on Saturday.
Kampala is 20 overnight then the light rain and 25.
Now, it's time for a short break.
So far this hour, China and France have pledged to protect free trade at a high -level economic and financial dialogue.
A three -way meeting takes place in Istanbul over the Ukrainian conflict.
Tianlu, we'll stay with you here on the Beijing arrow.
Listen up. Can you hear the heartbeat of our world?
It's vibrant and pulsating with the essence of life itself.
From the stem of trees to the gurgle of rivers, from the silent strength of mountains to the icy whispers of glaciers even the solid ground beneath our feet and right there in the midst of all beats the heart of humanity.
What if those other heartbeats were to stop would ours keep on ticking?
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. Hello with you on this Friday.
Still to come… In business, China's pilot free trade zones report steady performance in the first quarter.
In sports, Barcelona secures the La Liga title.
In culture and entertainment, young people are using digital technology to reimagine traditional ceramics.
To contact us, you can email radio at cgtn dot com or follow our ex -account at cgtnradio.
But first checking today's headline news.
Here's Wang Zhaofeng.
Thank you Tianlu. Chinese President Xi Jinping has called on people with disabilities to overcome difficulties and challenges and pursue their dreams. He made remarks ahead of the 35th national day of assisting persons with disabilities on Sunday.
President Xi urged efforts to improve social security and services to protect their rights.
He stressed the community is an important force in Chinese modernization and requires special care.
Chinese Vice President Han Zheng has expressed hope that the U .S. business community will play a greater role in promoting bilateral relations and common interests.
He told Invesco Chairperson Richard Wagner that the two countries should resolve differences and disputes through equal dialogue.
Han welcomed Invesco to continue deepening cooperation with China.
Wagner said that his company and the U .S. business community are delighted by the progress in U .S.-China economic and trade talks, and that they will continue to explore the Chinese market.
Russia and Ukraine have had their first direct talks since March 2022, as delegations met in Istanbul.
It comes after a three -way meeting among Ukraine, the United States and Turkey.
A United Nations report says the global economy has been experiencing a period of uncertainty.
The UN Development Department of Economic and Social Affairs has just released its world economic situation and Prospects mid -year report.
Shantanu Mukherjee is the department director.
In January this year, we were expecting two years of stable, if sub -power, growth.
And since then, prospects have diminished accompanied by significant volatility across various dimensions.
So now, we are forecasting global economic growth at 2 .4 % for 2025 and 2 .5 % for 2026.
This is the downward revision of 0 .4 percentage points each year back from what we were expecting in January.
The officials said that although this is not a recession, the slowdown is affecting most countries and regions.
Among the most severely hit are the least developed countries whose growth prospects for 2025 have fallen from 4 .6 to 4 .1, which is a drop by a full half percentage point in just a few months.
Now that translates into a loss of billions in economic output for the most disadvantaged of countries.
He added that uncertainty makes it more likely that investment growth will continue to fall worldwide and he warned that the fiscal situation is becoming increasingly challenging among developing countries.
However, he said that the overall global economy is reasonably healthy and a downgrade is not extreme.
The UN official said the resolving uncertainties early and completely will help individuals and businesses make positive economic decisions this year.
The UN has announced that it will not participate in the US -backed humanitarian operation in Gaza due to a lack of impartiality, neutrality and independence.
A UN spokesperson says the distribution plan does not align with the organization's fundamental principles.
The U .S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation plans to begin operations in Gaza by the end of the month.
However, U .N. aid chief Tom Fletcher described the plan as a thick leaf for further violence and the displacement of Palestinians in the strip.
According to media reports, the foundation intends to collaborate with private U .S. security and logistics firms to transport aid into Gaza for distribution by aid groups.
Israel has vowed to facilitate the effort without being involved in aid deliveries.
China has voiced its support for the reform of United Nations peacekeeping operations.
Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun delivered a speech at the UN Peacekeeping Ministerial 2025 in Berlin.
Describing China as a firm supporter to UN peacekeeping operations, Dong said such missions have offered hope for peace to people suffering from the scourge of war.
He also said China will work with various parties to act on the Global Security Initiative.
And finally, in Romania, the country is bracing for a presidential runoff this weekend between the leader of the second -largest party in the legislature and the mayor of the capital, Bucharest. George Simen is the leader of the Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, such to the frontrunner status in the May 4th rerun.
Nikas Ordane, the independent Bucharest mayor, rose to prominence as a civic activist fighting against illegal real estate projects.
The vote comes as Romania is gripped by a political crisis after Topcourt overturned the previous election, in which the far -right candidate Kalin George Cescu has won the first round.
Thank you very much. That was Wang Zhehong with Headline News.
Coming up in business, China's pilot -free trade zones report steady performance in the first quarter.
Thank you Tianlu. Chinese Mainland Stocks closed lower on Friday with the Shanghai Composite Index down 0 .4%, while the Shenzhen Component Index ended nearly flat.
Wang puppet has more The mainland stocks extended their losses as market sentiment came under pressure.
The Shanghai composite index lost to 0 .4%, while the Shenzhen component index was slightly down, and the Blue Chip CSI 300 index fell 0 .46%, with its financial sector subindex lower by 1 .1%, the consumer staples sectors down by 1%, and the real estate index down 0 .2%.
The overall turnover of Shanghai and Shenzhen markets was 1 .09 trillion yuan down 62 .9 billion yuan from the previous session.
Sector -wise, shares of robot and smart driving sectors were outperforming.
But on the flip side, shares of logistics, beauty care, insurance and bio sectors were leading losses.
On the news front, stocks related to the industrial chain of automatic emergency braking system, also known as AEBS, outperformed across the board. Recently, the highly concerned mandatory national standard, technical requirements, and test methods for AEBS of light vehicles has been drafted and entered the stage of public consultation.
After the implementation of the standard, all passenger cars must be equipped with AEBS.
So related shares like Zhejiang VI Science and Technology, Longhorn Auto, Zhejiang Asia Pacific Mechanical and Electronic all hit their upper daily limit.
Well, we know that ABS is a vital function and active safety and the foundation of high -level intelligent driving.
It can effectively reduce rear -end and collision accidents caused by drivers' distracted and fatigued driving.
There was market analyst Wang Yin.
Meanwhile, the Hong Kong -Hansson index closed down about half a percent.
The Japanese Nikkei index trimmed early losses and was almost flat on Friday.
Official data shows that China's digital industry generated 8 .5 trillion yuan, or about 1 .2 trillion USD, in revenue in the first quarter, a 9 .4 % increase from the same period last year.
Revenue in manufacturing rose 10 % while digital revenue in services climbed 8 .2%.
By the end of March, the number of 5G base stations in China had surpassed 4 .3 million with a user penetration rate of 75%.
Key sectors of the digital economy have remained stable.
The software industry generated 3 .1 trillion yuan in revenue, marking a 10 % year -on -year increase.
China is committed to using digital technology to transform and upgrade its traditional industries.
China's pilot free trade zones reported a robust performance in trade in the first quarter.
Total imports and exports increased by 2 .2 percent over a year ago, reaching 278 billion USD, surpassing the national average growth rate.
On Thursday, the Commerce Ministry pledged to implement an upgraded strategy to enhance the quality of free trade zones, thereby reinforcing their role as key platforms for China's reform and opening up.
He Youchian is a spokesperson for the Commerce Ministry.
We will benchmark against high standard rules such as the CPTPP and DEPA to conduct broader and deeper institutional opening -up trials, including developing service trade and facilitating cross -border data flows.
We will support pilot free -trade zones in carrying out integrated innovation across entire industrial chains, focusing on key sectors including biomedicine, equipment manufacturing, — marine economy and shipping logistics — aiming to cultivate more world -leading, advanced industrial clusters.
Last month, China released a guideline to improve the country's pilot -free trade zones and promote high standard opening up and high -quality development.
A new report shows that U .S. retail sales increased by only 0 .1 percent in April, which a major slowdown compared to the 1 .7 % growth recorded in March. Advanced estimates show that U .S. retail and food service sales totaled $724 billion in April, marking a 0 .1 % increase from the previous month and a 5 .2 % increase from a year ago.
According to a report by the U .S. Census Bureau, total sales for the February through April period increased 4 .8 % over a year ago.
American companies responsible for transporting goods to Walmart and other retailers are expecting big job losses due to recent tariff increases.
Ady Stjensson spoke with some workers at two of the busiest ports in the world.
The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, the busiest port complex in the Western Hemisphere, Together, they handle nearly a third of all container shipments to the United States and they're among the biggest employers in the region.
Well, we come up here and we go to the union, various union halls through our job calls and get assigned to our positions on various ships.
And what everyone's talking about right now is how the tariffs could affect us and our jobs.
The disruption caused by U .S. tariffs is becoming clearer, especially with the decline in the number of container ships coming from China.
So again, it's going to be interesting to see what the unintended consequences may be, which is loss of jobs.
And of course when you lose jobs, unemployment goes up, there is less consumer spending, and two -thirds of our GDP is based on consumer spending.
So, if you look at that formula, we have concerns about the future.
The CEO of the Port Of LA says every four containers means a job, and he predicts a sharp decline in dock work for employees.
Many workers like Robert Spakowski are already bracing for impact.
And there'll be only so many jobs to go around, and a lot of guys looking for work.
So, it was spelled out by some of the dispatchers at the unions that this is a concern, this is probably going to be happening and its going to affect us all.
So, you know, it�s our livelihood, we�re concerned about it and there�s thousands of workers down here that are watching the news everyday seeing what�s going to happen.
It�s still hard to predict the exact toll and the timeline for the impact caused by tariffs but here in Los Angeles and Long Beach the busiest ports in the nation which moved 20 million containers last year are already showing a 44 percent drop in docked vessels in the week of May 4 compared to last year and shipping experts predict that number could go higher if the current tariffs remain in place." That was Ediz Tianzen reporting.
Australia's Trade Minister says the re -elected federal government of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese wants to do more business with China.
Don Farrell said Australia would resist pressure from the US to impose tariffs on imports from China and will instead make decisions based on national interests.
He made a comment in a recent interview with Australian media.
Data shows Australian exports to China were worth $219 billion AUD or $140 billion in 2023 compared with AU $33 .5 billion for exports to the U .S. Albanese confirmed on Monday that Faro will remain in the trade and tourism portfolio which he has held since 2022.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban says Chinese investments have become an indispensable engine of Hungary's economic growth.
He was speaking after Chinese carmaker BYD announced the establishment of his European business headquarters and a new R &D center in Budapest. Orbin said strategic cooperation with China will help Hungary enter the new technological area as China is a leader in this industry's technology.
Orbin also emphasized Hungary's connectivity strategy saying his country aims to be a meeting point for Eastern and Western capital, trade and innovation.
The BYD project will create 2 ,000 jobs primarily for university -trained engineers.
The project also includes strategic partnerships with Hungarian universities and vocational institutions to link research and development efforts with local talent.
And finally, a Chinese ocean -going car carrier had set sail on its maiden voyage to Europe carrying 7 ,000 Chinese -made vehicles.
The NG Ansheng is the world's largest car carrier in terms of capacity.
It measures 228 meters in length and can carry up to 9 ,500 standard vehicles.
Its departure from Shanghai is a milestone that surpasses the record set just weeks earlier by the BYD Shenzhen.
That vessel had previously hailed the title of the world's largest car carrier in operation.
Analysts say this reflects the rapid growth of China's mid - to high -end manufacturing sector.
That was Tianyu with Business.
Coming up in Sports, Barcelona secures the La Liga title.
Carlo Ancelotti's shock move to coach Brazil has fans asking can the club legend end Brazil's 25 -year World Cup drops?
This week on Sideline Story we unpack Ancelotti's bold leap into international management and why super -star club coaches often falter on the global stage including former Guangzhou boss Machel Lippi's rocky stint with team China.
For our fiery analysis and bold predictions, subscribe to Sightline Story wherever you get your podcasts.
Thank you Tianlu First in football Barcelona secured their 28th La Liga title with a 2 -0 win over Espanyol.
This victory earned them an unassailable 7 -point lead over Real Madrid, with only two games remaining.
La Minha Mall scored opener in the 53rd minute despite their late win against Mallorca on day before.
Famile Lopez sealed Wayne deep into established time, assisted by Yamal, confirming the title.
This victory brings Hansi Flick's team to 85 points.
This also marks a stellar debut season for Flick as Barcelona also won the Copa del Rey title, achieving a domestic double.
Flick says he was impressed by Barca's family atmosphere this season.
For me the most important thing is you feel like we're a family.
He's very fantastic, everyone in this club has his job and he's doing great with a lot of passion, with a lot of really good attitude, mentality and everyone knows how important he is also for this club, for this team and this helps me a lot to reach our goals and of course the players, on the atmosphere, in the dressing room.
This is so great. I never had this before.
The game was briefly delayed due to a car accident outside the stadium that injured several fans.
Barca struggled in the first half with Wojciech Szczysny making key saves.
However, Yamil's moment of brilliance shifted momentum.
With Espanyol down to 10 men late in the game, Lopet's goal kicked off the celebrations.
Telling tennis, Coco Gauff battled past Zheng Qingwen 7 -6, 4 -6, 7 -6 in the Marathon Italian Open semifinal, lasting over three and a half hours.
In the match, marked by well -to -momentum swings, the former US Open winner reached her first final in Rome with a gritty win.
She let a 5 -3 lead slip away in the first set, but capitalized on Zheng's double faults to win a hard -fought first set, which featured 35 unforced errors from both players.
Joan hit back with an early break in the second set to force a third set, but after failing to serve out the match, the Olympic champion faulted in the final tiebreak.
The American held her nerve to secure a spot in her second consecutive WTA 1000 final following her run -up finish in Madrid.
Meanwhile, Jasmine Paolini became the first Italian woman in over a decade, to reach the Italian Open final when she defeated American Peyton Stearns 7 -5 -6 -1.
Paudini is the first Italian to advance to the final in Rome since her doubles partner Sarah Irani lost to Serena Williams in 2014.
In the men's singles, Yannick Sinner has delivered a dominant performance in front of his home crowd, cruising past the Casper Route 6 -0 -1 to reach semifinals of the Italian Open.
The top CD The Italian came out firing winning 16 of the first 18 points.
He controlled match with the powerful Grant's strokes from both sides, dismantling Roots, who had recently captured his first ATP Masters 1000 title in Madrid.
Zina's victory marked his 25th straight Tour level win and earned him a semifinal clash with American Tommy Paul, who earlier beat Hilbert Hatcutt 7663.
The 16th Tour of Hainan International Road Cycling Race is wrapping up in the southern Chinese province for five days.
Over 140 athletes from 20 teams raced across the island.
Despite the challenge, the riders say the route allows them to fully enjoy the island's diverse scenery.
Lin Wu reports from Hainan.
This year's race includes five stages covering Shanghai, Wanming, Lingxue and Sanya.
Yes, the race is beautiful because Hainan island is very beautiful.
I have never been here before but I enjoy and I would like to come back here for next year also.
The Tour of Hainan is a UCI2 Pro level race.
we have some very high -level riders participating in the competitions.
The route includes flat, climbing and downhill sections.
I think it is very exciting and intense.
It's a great way to promote cycling culture in Hainan.
This year's race passes through two of Hainan's most iconic tourism routes.
Hainan's Round the Island Tourist Highway and the Ring Road surround the Hainan Tropical Rainforest National Park, with an aim to showcase the island's natural beauty and culture throughout the event.
We designed the race route based on the excellent geographical features and climatic environment advantages and carry out cultural tourism promotion activities during the event so that foreign competitors can feel of local characteristics.
The race helps to present the natural environment and local tourism cultural resources attracting more cycling enthusiasts to Tengkang -ti for in -depth traveling.
Founded in 2006 the tour of Hainan has grown to become one of the highest level and most influential road cycling races in Asia.
That was Lingguo reporting.
Thank you very much. Now it's Yangguan with sports.
Just ahead in cultural and entertainment young people are using digital technology to reimagine traditional ceramics.
Experience the musical classics of the east. mingle with the masters of chinese music Music talks, witness the sound of antiquity and modernity 53 minutes past the hour turning to culture and entertainment As an intangible cultural heritage of Jinhua Zhejiang province The Wuzhou Qion represents the city's history and culture Today more and more young people are joining the effort to preserve this thousand -year old tradition.
Two young individuals are using digital technology to give the Wu Zhou Qin a fresh look.
Zhang Mengyuan has more.
In the studio of Tan Tou village, Wuyi County, Zhang Kai is using a carving knife to create Wu Zhou Qin pieces.
This summer, he will graduate from university.
He merges digital technology with Woo Jo Kiln to create his graduation work.
I believe digital media art and Woo Jo Kiln can complement each other.
New technologies can offer new designs or inspiration for Woo Jo Kiln.
Zhang Kai uses a tablet to hand draw designs and uses digital modelling to assist in completing the work.
He also uses design software to extract ancient patterns for innovative works.
For example, I find a suitable pattern from Bronzeware, copy it on a tablet and then use Photoshop for layout before I can actually apply it to the pottery, transforming flat designs into three -dimensional objects.
Another young artist, Wu Sittong, graduated from the University in 2022.
He was deeply attracted by the profound cultural heritage and exquisite skills of Wu Zhongqing and has dedicated himself to studying and preserving it.
Our pottery should move beyond its functional purpose.
Like the development of contemporary Japanese pottery, they first sealed the openings of bottles and jars to emphasize that pottery isn't primarily about its news.
Young artists are also showcasing their works on social media.
They think that digital technology can breathe new life into the inheritance and development of wuzhouqun.
As summer arrives, China's performing arts scene is heating up.
From Beijing to the southern provinces, fresh original productions are drawing crowds and reviving interest in live theatre, a national drama exhibition is connecting cities and new performances are offering fresh perspectives on family, memory, and connection.
Ding Suyue has more.
Across the country, the performing arts market is gaining momentum at Summer's Waters Inn.
In Beijing and the Southwestern city of Luoshen, the tense China original Drummer invitation exhibition is presenting a series of well -known productions to local audiences.
In the capital, the Beijing People's Art Theater is staging a series of acclaimed productions complemented by immersive artistic experiences.
Among them is Goodnight Mom, a two -character play that delves into themes of family, dignity and emotional connection through a mother -daughter conversation.
The China Guangdong Song and Dance Theater is presenting People Living in the Flowers a dance drama exploring the band between a mother with Alzheimer's and her son.
Set against the backdrop of Lin Nan culture, the performance reflects the emotional texture of everyday life.
With heartfelt stories and bold, artistic vision, that summer's theater season is not only bringing audiences back to the stage, but close to one another.
That was Ding Su Ye reporting.
Now it's 57 minutes past the hour, checking the forecast before we go.
Beijing is down to 14 on Friday evening.
Saturday will be cloudy with a high of 25.
Nanshan is 23 tonight.
Tomorrow showers with a high of 29.
Elsewhere in Asia, Islamabad is 22 tonight, Saturday will be sunny and 44.
Vientiane is 25 overnight, tomorrow will be slight rain and 36.
Phnom Penh is 25 overnight, tomorrow slight rain and 33.
In Africa, Nairobi will see slight rain with a high of 24 on Saturday.
That's it for this edition of the Beijing Hour Making News today.
China and France have pledged to protect free trade at high level economic and financial dialogue.
Russia and Ukraine have held their first direct talks since March 2022, following a three -way meeting among delegations from Ukraine, the US and Turkey in Istanbul.
US President Donald Trump has announced $200 billion in deals with the UAE.
On behalf of the staff, this is Tien Lu -in, the Chinese capital, for the news.
Join us for the next edition of the Beijing Hour and open a window to the world together.
at precisely 6pm Beijing time.
We meet you on podcast and on air every weekday.
The Beijing Hour, your window on China and the rest of the world.
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 the 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 history economy and culture of northern china today about 100 million people live within its water basin making up nearly nine percent 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 boatman 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, talked 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.
or in our 12 part series, the Yellow River mosaic, available only on CGTN radio.
