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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 Begum with you.
On this Thursday, May 1st, 2025, you're listening to the Beijing Hour coming to you live from the Chinese capital.
On today's program, China's expecting big tourism numbers amid the ongoing May Day holiday.
China's calling on BRICS countries to champion development, unity and cooperation as well as multilateralism.
Pakistan's calling for international mediation to ease tensions with India along their shared border in the Kashmir region.
In business, Americans are increasingly concerned over tariffs in the economy.
In sports, a first -timer makes it to the Asian Champions League final.
In culture and entertainment, an Italian musical is igniting artistic passion in China.
Now checking the day's top stories.
China is expecting a travel peak on Thursday at the beginning of the Labor Day holiday.
Traffic authorities are expecting more than 1 .4 billion domestic trips throughout the five -day period.
The Ministry of Transport reports that 62 million vehicles will hit the highways nationwide.
the national immigration administration is estimated a daily average of over 2 million cross -border trips Gua Tianqi has observed some trends what people interested is to have some high quality and in -depth travel experience well we know that Beijing is an ancient city with a lot of abundant traveling resources so the local government have also launched ten new routes especially for the travelers who would like to visit Beijing during the May Day holiday And these routes avoided those crowded scenic spots and giving people a chance to experience the authentic taste of these ancient capital.
While some of the routes, including visiting the central axis, while have some experience of the intangible cultural heritage and as well as admiring some flowers, and also some routes, including sports, while you're visiting some Olympic sports venues.
Well, nationwide visiting those off the beaten path destinations is also the trend.
And adding that more and more people would like to extend their immediate holiday into a longer vacation, let's say 10 days or more than 10 days, so the long distance traveler tours are also on the rise.
Well, according to some online booking platforms, the plane tickets to Xinjiang, Xinhai, and Yunnan have doubled compared to the same period last year.
Let's hear what the travelers in towns have to say.
We traveled from Beijing to Xing Yi and found the local food to be affordable.
All kinds of facilities are well equipped and the staff are very warm and welcoming.
We booked the hotel two weeks in advance.
We mainly want to give our children the opportunity to experience rural life where they can be surrounded by lush granary and feel more relaxed.
According to some online booking platforms, A lot of the young people are still the main forces of traveling during the midi holiday this year and the people aged from 20 to 40 accounts for 56 % of the total travelers.
Among other travelers, more than 50 % of them choose to book their accommodations for more than two days which showcases that they would like to arrange more time of their trip and would like to have some in -depth experience.
Meanwhile, China's total film box office revenue for new releases during the holiday has surpassed 100 million yuan.
And Chinese animated hit, Noja 2, has fueled a cultural and economic boom in the mythical figure's fabled birthplace, Sichuan.
Many travelers are using this Labor Day holiday to check out Noja -themed parks, cave rafting, and local delicacies as part of immersive cultural tours.
This place is fantastic.
It blends cutting edge technology with traditional culture.
We're from Qingdu and our kids absolutely love rafting here.
The landscape is truly unique, especially the stunning karst cave formations.
Zheng You in the southwestern province welcomed more than 2 million trips in the first quarter, a nearly 20 per cent increase following the film's release.
The city expects daily visitor numbers to reach a quarter million throughout this holiday break.
Provincial and municipal governments have released coupons for consumers to trade in old products for new ones.
The initiative is set to play a key role in boosting domestic spending.
Consumers have renewed more than 100 million home appliances since the program launched in August. Olivia He reports.
Over the past year, China's trading initiative has steadily gained traction, becoming an important driver of household consumption.
In 2024, more than 17 million home appliances and furniture items were purchased by 64 million households nationwide.
The upgraded subsidies convinced me to finally buy this vacuum.
With 15 % off a 5 ,000 yuan model, I saved over 800 yuan instantly.
It really makes a difference.
A smart deal for sure.
This year, with continued policy support aimed at encouraging new consumption and facilitating supply -side upgrades, consumer engagement in the home appliance and furnishing sectors has continued to rise.
The latest round of trading subsidies features broader coverage, Now including items like microwaves, dishwashers, water purifiers and rice cookers.
Compared to last year, we've seen a distinct shift in consumer priorities.
In 2023, price was the main concern.
People were hunting for the best deals.
But now, more consumers are looking at product quality, innovation and how it can genuinely improve their lifestyle.
Experts believe as these consumer -focused policies continue throughout the year, it not only helps face outdated or energy innovation products but also stimulates innovation and competition among manufacturers.
That was Olivia He on incentives to drive consumption and innovation.
As China looks to bolster the private sector, cities like Guangzhou are taking the lead in reinventing key industries.
In the heart of Guangzhou, there's a US $ 27 billion market cluster.
Its textile industry is responding to national calls for modernization and technological progress.
Huang Fei explains how the sector is adapting and thriving in a rapidly changing landscape.
This is one of China's largest textile hubs nestled among dozens of specialized wholesale markets within a five square kilometer radius in Guangzhou.
Nearly a third of China's textile and accessory trade take place here.
Once a cluster of steel sheds in the 1990s it's now sleek seven -story complex of vendors offices and showrooms. Mr. Pounio Min was among the first to open up shop here.
We started as a trading agent with about 40 people.
Today we have 900 employees.
The market has provided a solid platform to connect with customers.
Over the last 20 years, our industry has shifted from a seller's market to a buyer's market.
Intense competition has pushed us innovate.
For instance, we developed fabrics with high elastic fiber that are anti -bacterial and UV resistant.
China's top leadership this week reaffirmed his support for the private sector vowing to safeguard fair competition and promote technological progress.
In Guangdong textiles remain a pillar of the economy with provincial leaders unveiling plans to modernize the sector.
Traditional industries account for over 70 percent of the value added in large scale manufacturing contribute 65 percent of profits and taxes and employed 75 percent of the workforce.
We must enhance their production quality and efficiency.
This year we aim to support 10 ,000 industrial enterprises and digital transformation and help 1 ,000 companies expand investment and production capacity.
Today's textile trade looks very different from the 80s and businesses need new ways to compete.
That's why the government's decision to revamp this area is crucial.
Once the maze crowded stalls, now the market transforms its foot traffic into creativity, attracting young designers, retail brands and digital entrepreneurs.
That was Huan Fei on the transformation of a textile hub in Southern China.
And coming up, China's senior diplomat has urged the BRICS nations to help promote multilateralism.
A mischievous little monster packed in mystery boxes is setting off a global craze from Asia to North America.
La Boo Boom, the fluffy toothy toy from China, is sending fans camping out overnight and driving resale prices sky -high.
How did a China -made plush toy punch through the thick wall of tariffs and land in America's hottest news stores opening one after another across the country?
What's behind the China May toys unstoppable rise.
Check out this week's chat lounge, wherever you listen to podcasts and see GTN radio.
At 10 minutes past the hour, senior Chinese diplomat, Wang Yi, is calling on BRICS countries to champion development, unity, cooperation, and multilateralism.
He addressed a senior security advisor's meeting in Brasilia and noted the unstoppable trend of the rise of the global south.
with, he said the expanded BRIC should make the group the most reliable force in protecting the rights of developing countries.
He said they can't back down from risk and politics and trade and there is hope if they work together.
Wang Yi arrived in the Brazilian capital after attending a BRIC's foreign ministers meeting in Rio de Janeiro.
Paulo Cabral has more.
The foreign minister of China, Wang Yi had a very busy schedule here in Brazil, both in Rio de Janeiro and here in the capital of Brazil.
Wang Yi had another bilateral meeting with a special advisor of international relations of President Lula da Silva, Marcelo Omori, an ambassador who is possibly one of the closest voices on international relations to President Lula da Silva.
He was already minister of foreign affairs, minister of defense, and was a key name in the creation and the formalization of the BRICS group as a political group, as we see today in the world.
And also Marcelo Omori presided over the meeting of national security advisors of the BRICS countries, which also happened here in Brazil this Wednesday morning, we did have access to the opening statement of Ambassador Salsomori.
And it's interesting, in such a meeting of national security, you would certainly expect talk about peace, about war, about the need to promote peace, for example, in Ukraine and Gaza, and that was very much present.
But it's interesting also that in the current climate the tariff issue also was in the statement of Ambassador Salsomorin.
The trade war threatens the multilateral trade system.
Global production chains are seriously at risk, creating uncertainty that affects income expectations and the prosperity of our people.
We cannot return to a world where negotiations happen mainly on a bilateral basis, despite the risks and challenges.
We remain committed to multilateralism.
Ambassador Sosomon, he also encouraged BRICS nations to take an active role in promoting the peace around the world.
He referred, for example, to an initiative that was brought by China and Brazil one year ago.
It said that these discussions will keep up between these BRICS countries, that he said hopes also between broader global south nations.
That was Paulo Cabral reporting from Brasilia.
South Korea's Supreme Court's overturned presidential front runner Lee Jae Myung's acquittal for violating the election law.
It throws the opposition leaders eligibility to run for president into doubt.
The court decision comes after prosecutors appealed a high court ruling last month that acquitted Lee of lying as a presidential candidate during the 2022 election campaign.
Polls show that the former Democratic Party leaders the front runner with 42 % of voters backing him.
Shane Ham has more from Seoul.
This trial will go back down to the appeals court the sole high court will where they will come with a verdict Based on the decision made by the Supreme Court Why is this significant because of course he is a presumptive nominee to lead the the opposition's presidential run here He is the favorite by all accounts according to latest polls But any sort of conviction more than a fine of seven hundred dollars would mean he would be for the most part, ineligible to run for any public office for a matter of five years.
Now, the question is whether the Seoul High Court will come to a ruling or a decision before that June 3rd presidential election is set.
The Supreme Court acted very expeditiously after this case was brought to their attention just about a month ago.
The Supreme Court chief justice saying that given the gravity of the circumstances and just what's at stake is the need for this fast sort of ruling.
So either way, if that ruling by the Seoul High Court doesn't come before the presidential election, it would still cast a big shadow over Lee Jae -Myung's possible candidacy.
And in more developments out of the June 3rd election, South Korean acting president Han Duk -soo has announced his resignation.
It's widely regarded as a necessary step ahead of his bid for the presidency.
Finance Minister Choi Sung -mok will act in the presidential capacity.
Hanna is the second most popular candidate in the polls with 13 % after Lee J.
Myung. Ukraine and the United States have signed a minerals agreement that will give Washington preferential access to new mineral deals.
The accord also establishes a joint investment fund for Ukraine's reconstruction.
The deal came weeks after a heated debate at the White House when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited with the intention to finalize that document.
Jim Spellman has more.
The US Treasury Department says that more of the details will come out in the coming days.
But here's what we know at this point.
It would give the US access to some mineral deposits in Ukraine.
We're talking about things like titanium, uranium, and graphite.
But Ukraine would remain, would control ownership and maintain control over those resources.
Projects would have to be mutually agreed upon and then the revenues would be split.
this deal also creates what will be known as the United States Ukraine reconstruction investment fund this is a chance for US companies to invest in rebuilding Ukraine after a peace deal is in place this could be billions of dollars going to US companies through this ability to get in and being involved in rebuilding all of the damage including infrastructure that has taken hits during this conflict an earlier version of this deal was expected to been signed back in February on the day of that big blow -up between the Ukraine's President Zelenskyy and President Trump at the Oval Office.
It was unclear whether they'd be able to then come to an agreement, but the two Presidents met in Rome at the Pope's Funeral last weekend and this seems to be on better footing now.
One of the contentious issues that was in an earlier version of this at President Trump's request would require Ukraine to essentially pay back the US military aid that they've given over the last several years that does not appear to be part of this current deal.
Ukraine wanted to sign this for two reasons.
One because they feel that it's essential to have President Trump and the White House involved in these peace talks and the second thing is because they feel in Kiev that if in the reconstruction period after a peace deal when the fighting stops that if there can be US companies in there doing business that the US will have a greater incentive to protect those assets to essentially be a deterrent against the future conflict.
That was Jim Spellman reporting.
The US quarterly GDP has shrunk to its lowest rate in three years amid concerns about sweeping tariffs.
The new numbers contrast a picture of a growing economy that President Donald Trump has painted.
Nathan King breaks it down for us.
The GDP rate contracting the first quarter, 0 .3%, Donald Trump blaming it on Joe Biden.
He may actually be right on this, even though the number is weak though, it actually could have been stronger, but a lot of businesses piled up inventory on imports and that counts against GDP, largely because they're worried about tariffs.
And if you look at consumer spending, it was robust, around 3 % for the quarter.
Now, that suggests the consumers are doing the same thing, stockpiling ahead of tariffs.
But if you hear Trump in his cabinet meeting Wednesday, he did blame Joe Biden.
And I have to start off by saying that's Biden, that's not Trump, because we came in on January, this is the quarterly numbers, and we came in and I was very against everything that Biden was doing in terms of the economy.
And there is something to be said for that, the Trump administration didn't come in towards the end of January, none of their policies really hadn't effect for a month or so, they're terrorists, definitely, or the threat of them at the back end, that's for sure.
He also said that it would be Biden's Q2 numbers as well.
Well, I don't think so.
April, May, June is definitely Trump's, but it could actually be better than expected because imports will come down that will help GDP especially tariffs happen and consumers may spend before prices go up where the tariffs purely hit in about June, July and August. But of course depressed consumer sentiment as we've been seeing could have a negative effect as well.
But going forward remember everyone's been revising down their growth figures and predictions for the U .S. economy.
1 .7 percent said the IMF last week at the World Bank.
IMF meetings that was down at 2 .4 percent in January.
A lot of Wall Street banks thinks it's gonna be even lower.
Several of whom have already called what they say will be a mild but definite recession, at least in the second half of 2025.
That was Nathan King on U .S. economic outlook for this year.
Former U .S. Treasury Secretary Lauren Summers says the fall in the first quarter of GDP is closely related to the Trump administration's policies, especially those on trade.
He warns that the economy will deteriorate if the government does not change its policies.
This is the quintessential self -inflicted policy wound.
There's a market where people can make judgments about the odds of recession, it spiked up this morning.
It is now saying that there's a 7 in 10 chance of recession this year.
What we need is to change course, to set a new steady course away from tariffs as the central element in U .S. economic strategy.
Until we have that in place, I fear that Our economic situation is only going to deteriorate.
We are going in the wrong direction as a country economically right now.
The American people have noticed that prices are higher and they're upset they have to pay more for their daily necessities.
I feel like the prices are ridiculous now.
It's at a point where it's gonna be harder for people to shop because the prices are just insane.
Last week, like literally for the same amount of stuff that I bought, I literally paid like maybe 30, 40 bucks And now it's like seventy five dollars for like three bags of groceries.
It's like completely insane I was in a restaurant depot to buy some aluminum bleed foil the price go up from 42 to 59 16 for the 500 aluminum bleed Well, i'm very upset about the tariffs not necessarily for myself.
But for my client i'm a social worker This is killing all our families.
You know low poor income people, you know, it doesn't matter the skin color the Education, you know, so it is very hard. It's very hard on the on the the low income people even on the working people well, we'll see I think it'll take some time to if Manufacturing can come back to United States.
But in the short term it looks questionable.
It makes me nervous every day I'm nervous about Maybe you losing my job.
I feel a lot of places are unstable right now A New York Times report shows that most American home essentials are imported and almost entirely from China.
Nearly all of their toasters, irons and many kitchen utensils are made in China.
The data shows that Americans can expect shortages and fewer choices in these products.
The Trump administration set a 49 % tariff rate for Cambodia.
Key export industries such as garments and textiles are using the 90 -day suspension to explore other options.
Mao Tsarepant spoke with economists and business execs in Phnom Penh.
October 1st, the highest US tourists are 49 % in the region, announced by President Trump on 4th April.
But only this later, the US administration reduced the so -called reciprocal tourist to 10 % for 90 days, opening up the opportunity for negotiation.
For US manufacturers, definitely there will be a big impact.
So manufacturers focusing on US products are now in the middle.
They don't know what should they do at the moment because tariff now from Cambodia to US actually quite high.
As a Hong Kong based investor in Cambodia for over 30 years, Dr Lee sees an opportunity to export more Cambodian goods to the EU where a majority of Cambodia export enjoy duty -free status.
I always say that there will be a light.
Even now the US tariff is so high, it's going to be so high after 90 days.
There is still a big market to Japan or to European Union.
There are still big opportunities there.
He also believes the development of major infrastructure project will help support Cambodia's economy.
Especially like the new canal, and then the new airport, and the railways which connect to China.
Once this logistic infrastructure is built up, it can help the whole country economy.
By reducing the transportation costs, it can also mitigate the tariffs costs.
Cambodia and the US held their first terrorist negotiation on April 16, with more expected to follow.
If this negotiation fails, there will be a significant impact.
It will include the garment and travel goods sector.
Those sectors consist of about 1 ,068 factories and 930 ,000 workers.
The income generated from these sectors is about three billion dollars per year.
So it would significantly impact Cambodia's economy, jobs and income.
The prime minister's letter confirmed that Cambodia would reduce the tariff rate for US goods to 5%.
Second, Cambodia is a least developed country.
Third, Cambodia produces goods that developed countries won't produce.
We asked whether the U .S. would be able to produce these low -cost products it cannot.
In 2024, Cambodia exported 9 .9 billion U .S. dollar to the U .S., marking its Cambodia -like sales market accounted for 37 % of the nation's total export.
That was Mount Xrapitch reporting in Cambodia.
Coming up, Pakistan calls for international mediation amid the recent hostilities involving India.
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At 25 minutes past the hour, the head of Pakistan -controlled Kashmir has called for international mediation amid high tensions with India.
The administrator also said his officials are preparing for a humanitarian response in case of any further escalation.
The two sides have been exchanging fire following an attack that killed 26 tourists in India -controlled Kashmir.
Delhi has launched missiles and Islamabad believes an attack is imminent.
Ravinder Bawat reports.
As the pitch of the military rhetoric between the two neighbours gets higher, the Cabinet Committee on Security, or CCS, chaired by the Prime Minister, reviewed the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
This was the second CCS meet after the attack.
On April 23rd, after the first meeting, India announced series of diplomatic coercive measures against Pakistan.
The Prime Minister met with the defense top brass.
Quoting sources, the media has reported that in the meeting, the Prime Minister said the The armed forces have complete operational freedom to decide the mode, targets and timing of India's response to the Pehelgam terror attack.
Earlier in the evening, Reuters reported, quoting sources that India has objected strongly to unprovoked firing from Pakistan on the border between the two countries in Kashmir during a conversation between their top army officers.
It's the sixth consecutive night.
There has been ceasefire violations across the line of control that separates the two nations.
The army has said that they have responded to the firing in a measured and effective manner.
After the security audit, the government has closed half the tourist sites to the public.
Tensions have escalated with calls here in India for a strong action against Pakistan.
That was Ravinder Bawla in India.
Dozens of Pakistani nationals living in India have been heading home after New Delhi ordered almost all Pakistani citizens to leave the country.
The move comes amid the escalating tensions between the neighbors following last week's deadly attack in Indian -controlled Kashmir.
The deadline for Pakistani citizens to leave passed on Sunday, but many families are still scrambling to cross the border into Punjab state.
Sarah Khan had to travel without her husband, who holds an Indian passport.
She just gave birth to her son two weeks ago.
My request to the Indian government is that we have come to stay here.
My family is here. My home is here.
We request you not to approach my home.
Last week's attack on tourists left 26 dead.
India has described it as a terror attack and accused Pakistan of backing it.
Islamabad has denied any involvement.
Life's returning to normal in Spain and Portugal after the widespread power outage early this week, But authorities have yet to provide further explanation for what caused one of Europe's most serious blackouts.
Adam Bell with energy consultancy Stonehaven suggests that the likely cause is automatic systems not kicking in the way they were meant to.
When there is a frequency oscillation then generators will first of all try to compensate so the fringes will pull the wave up and down.
And if that doesn't work they'll switch off and if one of them switches off then there's less power going through, The other one trips off, the other one trips off.
It all happens very, very, very quickly.
It all happens through all dynamic systems. That's what happened yesterday, it's called a frequency cascade.
Now the cause of that cascade is still unknown.
But the physics of it are very, very well understood.
Reports say Spanish investigators will seek information from the country's grid operator and private energy companies as they probe the cause of that black out.
By early Tuesday workers have restored more than 99 % of energy demand in Spain.
The Southern European nation of 49 million people lost 15 gigawatts, that's equivalent to 60 % of its national demand in just five seconds.
Monday's outage grounded flights, paralyzed metro systems and disrupted mobile communications right across the Iberian Peninsula.
A global study shows that people in emerging economies are more optimistic and trusting of artificial intelligence than those in advanced nations.
According to the study of the University of Melbourne and professional services firm KPMG, two -thirds are now using artificial intelligence on a regular basis.
We're at 29 past the hour.
Beijing's down to 13 degrees on Thursday evening.
It'll be cloudy in 21 on Friday.
Nanjiang's down to 18, then clouds in 32.
elsewhere in Asia, Islamabad's 22 this evening.
A slight rainfall in 33 on Friday.
Vientiane's at 24 overnight, then a slight rain in 35.
But on Penns down to 24.
And then a slight rain and 33 on Friday.
It's time for a short break.
So far this hour China is expecting a big tourism number amid the ongoing May Day holiday.
China is calling on BRICS countries to champion development unity cooperation and multilateralism.
And Pakistan's calling for international mediation to ease tensions with India along their shared border in the Kashmir region.
Shane Bigam with you.
Stay with us here on the Beijing Hour.
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 whispers of glaciers.
Even the solid ground beneath our feet.
Right there, in the mist 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 Waveren every week to find out what's real with China -Africa Talk.
Find us on your favorite podcast. We'll see you there.
hour of news and information brought to you every weekday now here's your host Shane bigham with you on this thursday still to come in business americans are increasingly concerned over tariffs and the economy in sports the first timer makes it to the asian champions league final in culture and entertainment an italian musical is igniting artistic passion in china to contact us you can email radio at cgtn .com or follow our x account at cgtn radio Now, a check of the day's headline news.
Senior Chinese diplomat Wang Yi has urged BRICS countries to become defenders of the right to development for the global south.
He was speaking during a meeting of BRICS national security advisors in Brasilia.
Wang also urged members from the group of major emerging economies to promote inclusiveness, win -win cooperation, and multilateralism.
South Korea's Supreme Courts overturned an acquittal of Democratic Party presidential candidate Lee Jae Myung in his election law violation case.
Chief Justice Cho Hee Dae said Lee made false statements during the 2022 presidential campaign.
In his decision, the Supreme Court dismissed the Seoul High Court's ruling in March that had cleared Lee of any wrongdoing.
That acquittal had overturned lower court's earlier conviction, which sentenced Lee to one year in prison suspended for two years.
Prosecutors had sought a two -year sentence at both trials.
The case will now return to Lehi Court for a retrial just over a month before the snap election that's coming up in June.
The United States and Ukraine have signed a minerals deal promoted by U .S. President Donald Trump.
That will give the U .S. access to Ukraine's rich reserves of critical minerals for tech and defense industries.
The U .S. Treasury Department said Washington and Kyiv also signed an agreement to establish a Reconstruction Investment Fund.
The department said the partnership will allow mutual assets, talents and capabilities to accelerate Ukraine's economic recovery.
U .S. Treasury Secretary Scott Besan said the deal aims to send a signal to Russia about Washington's support for a peace process that centers on a prosperous Ukraine over the long -term.
Russia's Economic Development Ministry projects that the country's gas production will grow by 1 .7 % this year.
It forecasts that total production will reach 695 .4 billion cubic metres.
The Ministry also expects Russia's liquefied natural gas exports to jump by 15 % with a slight increase in pipeline gas exports.
India's restricted military and commercial aircraft link with Pakistan from entering its airspace until May 24.
He comes 6 days after Pakistan closed its airspace to Indian Airlines following a deadly attack in a tourist region in Indian -controlled Kashmir.
The head of Pakistan -controlled Kashmir has called for international mediation amid high tensions with India.
The administrator also said his officials are preparing for a humanitarian response in case of any further escalation.
The U .N. aid agency for Palestinians has condemned the two -month Israeli blockade on Gaza as silent killer of the most vulnerable in the community.
Giulia Turme's spokesperson for UNRWA.
It's almost been two months of a very tight siege.
I'm sure you're all aware they've banned the entry of humanitarian supplies and commercial supplies, like food vaccines for children and fuel included.
The siege on Gaza is the silent killer, is a silent killer of children, of older people and the most vulnerable in the community.
Tuma says Israel has denied entry into Gaza for thousands of trucks carrying relief supplies.
According to UNRWA, destructive attacks on the southern city of Rafah have left it obliterated.
The agency says Israel's displacement orders have impacted over 90 % of Rafah.
That's up to around 150 ,000 people.
Former U .S. Vice President Kamala Harris says President Donald Trump is abandoning America's ideals instead of working to advance them.
Speaking at an event marking the 20th anniversary of an organization that trains Democratic women, Harris suggested that the Trump administration was enacting an agenda that she described as narrow and self -serving.
An agenda to slash public education.
an agenda to shrink government and then privatize its services, all while giving tax breaks to the wealthiest among us.
By the way, an agenda that is not lowering costs, not making life more affordable, and not what they promised.
Harris also warned that the rules and laws that are key to governing the U .S. were in danger.
Her speech came a day after Trump marked 100 days in office, touting economic achievements that others say don't exist. North Korea has held the construction of a new bridge, linking it to Russia, as a significant development for bilateral relations.
The two countries began construction over the Tumen River on Wednesday.
Discussions over the project lasted for years.
It was finalized during Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to North Korea last year.
According to the South Korean lawmakers, Pyongyang is also discussing industrial modernization in 14 sectors with aid from Russia, including in metals, aviation, energy and tourism.
Coming up in business, Americans are increasingly concerned over tariffs and the economy.
The Beijing Hour, your window on China and the rest of the world.
37 past the hour. Stock markets on the Chinese Mainlander closed on Thursday due to the May Day holiday.
The Hong Kong stock market is also closed because of that holiday.
In Japan the stock market finished higher Thursday.
The Nikkei was up 1 .1%.
In the U .S., the S &P 500 gained a tenth of a percent on Wednesday, the Dow Jones was up by 3 10ths, the Nasdaq was nearly flat.
Our data shows that the U .S. economy shrank by 0 .3 % in the first quarter.
The decrease comes amid tariff policies that have increased uncertainty and dampened confidence.
The latest figure follows a 2 .4 % GDP growth in the fourth quarter.
Corinna Mitchell has more.
The headline number wasn't great, however, it wasn't all doom and gloom.
So it is important to dig down and look into the data.
So on an annualized basis, first quarter GDP for the U .S. showed a contraction of three tenths of one percent.
Now that's on the advanced estimate.
It is the first time we've seen a contraction since 2022.
two it's a far cry from the growth we saw in the previous quarter of 2 .4 percent so important to dig deeper and find out why we saw these numbers the biggest reason why is because we saw a swell of imports into the US to the tune of 41 .3 percent.
That is a massive number and now these imports are seen as a subtraction when calculating GDP.
Analysts say the sheer volume of those imports accounted for a 5 percent swing on the GDP number.
So why did we see these mass increase in imports?
It's because US businesses predominantly with foreign exposure, they were trying to get ahead of potential Trump tariffs, because remember, earlier in the year, they didn't know the size or scale of these tariffs.
So they were front -loading inventory, stockpiling maybe for one, two, three months, to try and get ahead of the uncertainty and wait for everything to play out.
So this is where the good news lies, because analysts do say that if the number of imports is seen going down in the coming months, it's very much reversible and that could right side GDP.
But the other concern they have is consumer spending.
That's been a bright spot.
But this time round in the first quarter, we saw that go up by one point eight percent.
But it's a far cry off from the four percent that we saw in the last quarter.
So it's kind of a perfect storm.
Consumers are buying less and the inventories are much higher.
Now, on the flip side, exports was a bright spot.
We saw those go up by 1 .8 percent and then also businesses invested in their companies particularly buying things like equipment, we saw a surge on that.
So, it really was due to those imports tied to the tariffs that helped deliver this pretty disappointing GDP print.
As Karina Mitchell reporting.
The Eurozone's GDP grew by 0 .4 percent in the first quarter outpacing the U .S. for the first time in nearly three years.
The economy of the European Union grew by 0 .3 % in the first quarter.
Spain led with a 0 .6 % increase while France and the Netherlands disappointed with only 0 .1 % growth.
Germany recorded a 0 .2 % increase in Italy exceeded expectations with a 0 .3 % expansion.
But analysts are expecting a stagnant economic performance in the coming months.
Citing the negative impact of trade tensions, William Denslow has more from Brussels.
This preliminary GDP estimate of 0 .4 % growth for the first quarter in the Eurozone was twice as strong as economists had expected.
Economic growth in the wider European Union meanwhile was up at 0 .3%.
Slightly less. The EU's two largest economies Germany and France continue to see sluggish growth, ticking up by 0 .2 % and 0 .1 % in Q1.
GDP for the euro area is up 1 .2 percent compared to the same quarter of last year, and analysts say the growth was fueled in part by the threat of looming US tariffs.
This data was collected before the Trump administration's announcement in early April that could see EU exports slapped with a duty of up to 20 percent.
The US and EU shared the world's largest bilateral trade relationship, and European Commission officials say negotiations are ongoing to de -escalate trade tensions.
The International Monetary Fund downgraded Europe's economic outlook for both 2025 and 2026.
Citing those trade tensions, the IMF's new projections are for 0 .8 % growth this year and 1 .2 % in 2026.
And let's fear Europe's sluggish economy is hampered by a lack of innovation, with economists calling for more action to make the continent attractive for startups.
At the start of the year, the European Commission unveiled its competitiveness compass with an aim to become a global leader in innovation, decarbonization and security.
The EU describes tariffs as taxes on both businesses and consumers that could complicate the bloc's broader economic objectives.
That was William Denslow reporting.
China's adopted its first fundamental law on promoting the private sector.
That law is expected to create even more favourable conditions for the growth of the private economy and ensure fair market competition for all types of entities.
Yang Heqing is with the Legislative Affairs Commission under China's National People's Congress Standing Committee.
The law consistently upholds principles of equal treatment, fair competition and equal protection.
It stipulates that economic organizations, including private ones, can interfere outside an active list of market access on an equal basis, in accordance with the law.
The law also provides for the implementation of a fair competition review system, regular clearance of market access barriers and prohibits restrictions or exclusion for private enterprises in public or resource trading activities.
The new legislation takes effect May 20th.
By the end of March, though, Acheon was home to more than 57 million registered private enterprises, accounting for over 92 percent of all businesses in the country.
The Export -Import Bank of China dispersed more than 300 billion yuan in loans to the country's foreign trade sector in the first quarter.
The loan balance in foreign trade has reached 2 .4 trillion yuan.
Since the beginning of the year, the China Ex -Im Bank has introduced a series of targeted measures to support the steady development of foreign trade, with a particular focus on private and small and medium -size enterprises.
The China Ex -Im Bank is a state funded and state owned policy bank supporting China's foreign trade investment and international economic cooperation.
The 137th China import and export fair, popularly known as the Canton Fair, has entered its third phase, launched on April 15th.
This year's Canton Fair has three theme phases, advanced manufacturing, quality home living and better life, which focuses on daily products.
Huang Fei is here again with details from Guangzhou.
Today is the start of phase three of the Spring Canton Fair and it's busier more than usual.
It comes after a very successful second phase with a record number of overseas participants and in fact the turnout so far has been amazing.
Over 220 ,000 overseas buyers have attended the first two phases so far with intended deals worth two billion US dollars already signed.
This is incredible given that this year's fair opens just weeks after the U .S. launched a fresh round of tariffs on China, 245 per cent on Chinese goods, tariffs on Chinese goods.
That announcement actually landing on the first day of the first phase and yet we saw a 20 per cent increase in overseas participants in that phase.
Of course, that phase centred on advanced manufacturing, something that China already has a lot of advantage.
There was even a dedicated robot section for the first time, featuring 46 leading companies from human noise to commercial bots.
Now, Phase 2, which showcased mainly home appliances, again, focused pretty much on technology as well.
There was maybe a quarter of the exhibitors considered little giants or high -tech firms with niche manufacturing capabilities.
And now, we're in Phase 3 and it's all about home textiles, toys, gifts, accessories, East fashion.
So there is a huge amount of quality and range.
And this fair is like looking at the world's largest catalogue, and there's clearly a huge amount of interest from the rest of the world, especially from the global South, over 12 ,000 companies are participating in this third phase, including hundreds of importers from 30 countries.
As Hwang Fei reporting.
You're listening to the Beijing Hour.
Coming up in sports, a first timer makes it to the Asian Champions League final.
Olympic champion Jiang Qingwen faces a crisis of confidence with puzzling inconsistency on the tour.
Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic, stumbles through a winless clay season with his quest for 100th title Henny in the balance.
What's behind their struggles?
Unpack the pressure, the strategy and the stakes in the latest episode of Sideline Story.
Subscribe now on your favourite podcast platforms. 47 past now, and turning to sports.
In football Kawasaki Frontail has entered the Asian Champions League Final for the first time in its history.
The Japanese club beat Al Nasser 3 -2 in the semis.
Head coach Shigetoshi Hasibi puts the victory down to the players' mental strength.
It was a very difficult game, but we were able to give 100 percent of our strength.
We considered it a goal.
So we didn't do enough to prevent it, but we scored again and the players were really active I think that's why we won today's game.
Cristiano Ronaldo had chances to score for the Riyadh club But he failed to do so.
Head coach Stefano Pioli says the defeat should not be put down to tactical problems I understand all of the questions, your criticisms, your doubts about how we played but it wasn't a tactical problem Our opponents play exactly as we expected Tazuyu Ito is a player with exactly the same strains as the Japanese players we met last match. We added that it's hard for them to digest the defeat and that they made too many mistakes to be able to win the match. Kawasaki will face El Ali Saudi in the final.
Both teams are looking for their first continental title.
Barcelona's tied Inter Milan with a 3 -0 draw in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semi -final at home.
Barca's trying to reach their first final since 2015 when it collected its fifth title.
Coach Hansi Flick says his team played brilliantly after a bad start.
The performance of the team with the ball was really unbelievable.
So it's like the style, the way we played football was today in the Champions League semifinal was pretty good.
And at the end, we started not well, so we received two goals.
One of them was set pieces, the third goal was all set pieces, we know that they are one of the best team in the set pieces in Europe." Inter Milan's aiming for its second final in three years.
Head coach Simone Nzagi says the semi -final game was great but there's still regret.
We have a team with fantastic players coming here to play a game of this magnitude against probably the most offensive and most beautiful team in the world.
At this moment we must feel proud.
But this isn't enough.
There is a bit of regret because in the second half we led 2 -0 and then 3 -2.
The goal disallowed by Henrik Mkhitaryan.
I saw it clearly." The two teams will compete in the second leg next week.
The winner will either face Paris Saint -Germain or Arsenal in the final.
Manchester United's manager says winning the trophy of the UEFA Europa League could be a turning point for the club.
Ruben Amorim made the remarks ahead of the club's first leg semi -final matchup against Athletic Bilbao.
Everybody knows that is really important for our season, we know that nothing is going to save our season but this can be huge, winning a trophy and also to to get in in Champions League to have European games next year could change a lot of things in our club even in in summer.
Athletic Bilbao coach Ernesto Valverde says he's wary of his team's opponent but still remains confident he's asked his players not to underestimate Man United.
We're playing against Man United one of biggest clubs in Europe and with one of the strongest records in the Premier League.
We know they are capable of winning the Europa League in a split second.
So we keep that in mind from the start.
But at the same time, I don't know who the favourite is.
I'm not sure whether being the favourite is an advantage or not." The winner will face either Tottenham Hotspur or Bodo Climpt in the final.
In badminton, defending champion China's advance to the knockout stages of the Suderman Cup.
It beat Thailand 4 -1 in the last round of the group matches, sitting atop Group A.
The host nation had comfortable wins in men's singles and all three doubles.
It lost only in the women's singles game, with Inthanan Rachnek beating Wang Zhiyi.
In snooker, Zhao Xintong's become the fourth Chinese player to reach the semifinals of World Snooker Championships.
The 28 -year -old breeze passed Chris Wakelin 13 -5.
Zhou admitted that mentally he was not as sharp as he was earlier in the tournament.
Although the score might look like an easy win, honestly, neither me nor my opponent were at our best today.
We both made a lot of mistakes and just kept handing each other chances.
I was fighting to find my rhythm the whole match because I know I can play way better than that.
But I guess after playing non -stop for over 20 days in these tough conditions, my focus and mental sharpness just weren't there.
Physically, I felt fine, but this match was noticeably different from my usual performances.
Still, I've learned from this experience, and now I know how to handle tournaments of this intensity in the future." Salvagiau next face seven time world champion Ronny O 'Sullivan in the semi -final, O 'Sullivan Salvagiau's compatriot Sir Jiahui Thursday9, the 49 year -old is heading to his 14th semi -final at the Crucible Theater.
In tennis world number one Rita Spalenka is one step closer to reaching the Madrid Open final for a fourth time in five years.
She edged past Marta Kostiuk in the semis and will next face Alina Svitolina in the semi -finals.
Sen bulenka won the madrid open in 2021 and 23 before losing to Igor Schwantek in last year's final.
Schwantek secured a place in the semis by defeating Madison Keyes.
On the men's side, Gabriel Dialo saved three match points to upset Grigor Dimitrov, reaching the quarterfinals of the Masters 1000 tournament for the first time in his career.
Just ahead in culture and entertainment, an Italian musical is igniting artistic passion in You're listening to the Beijing Hour, 60 minutes of comprehensive news, your window on China and the world.
Turning to culture and entertainment, an Italian musical adapted from an epic masterpiece by Poet Dante is on a tour across China.
The Divine comedies debuted in Chongqing, igniting artistic passion in the southwestern Chinese city.
It reportedly toured China with 58 performances in 15 cities including Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong.
And Zhang Shuang has more.
this musical inspired by the Italian point, dante's eponymous poem blends rock pop and operatic elements, employing a rich musical vocabulary to reconstruct dante's philosophically profound epic world.
Danté's narrative poem, the Divine Comedy composed between 1307 and 1321 chronicles Danté's journey through infernal prerogatory and ultimately paradise, guided by his beloved significantly influencing the European Renaissance.
The box office performance has, thus far, exceeded projections, with the premiere performance already sold out.
We anticipate that this production will continue to garner significant acclaim and broader audience engagement within the Chinese market.
In the 14th century, Italian explorer Marco Polo, born in Venice, embarked on a significant journey along the Silk Road, encountering your venerable, ancient civilization.
Dante, a contemporary of Marco Polo, penned a divine comedy during Polo's travels.
Now, over seven centuries later we return to China bearing the gift of the Italian literature.
I believe this is crucial as art, music, dance, history, and culture can forge a substantial bridge between our two great civilizations, united by beauty itself.
Recently the eight principal performers engaged in a mid and great at Chongqing Grand Theater offering a unique opportunity for direct interaction with the media and devoted fans.
The creative team shared anecdotes from rehearsals and their initial impressions of Chongqing.
Furthermore, they presented a 15 -minute excerpt from their performance, which included a dark, evocative portrayal of Dante's struggles from the Inferno, and a rendition of soaring Aria from the Paradise section, which captivated the audience.
The performance of the Chinese song Jasmine Flower, Song in Union, deeply resonated with the Chinese attendees.
The musical divine comedy captivates audiences through its grand stage aesthetics and a fusion of modern symphonic music with Italian operatic styles.
The production structured in three canticles, inferno, purgatorio, and a paradiso, reconstructs Dante's philosophical world through a rage musical.
It is during the scene where Dante and Virgil recline to rest that Dante sings this particular passage.
I hold this piece in especially high regard, as it resonates with profound personal significance, while the central message undoubtedly revolves around love.
It also serves as an invitation for all to embrace art.
For, as some have proclaimed, art and beauty shall redeem the world.
Since its premiere in 2007, the production has innovatively integrated acrobatics, dance, and contemporary multimedia techniques.
Through immersed 3D projections and striking visual artistry, the audience is transported on a journey exploring the soul and life that transcends time and space.
This tour is not merely an artistic strength but also a testament to the friendly relations between the two nations.
And that was Zhang Shuang reporting.
57 past the hour. Checking the forecast before we go for the date.
Beijing is down to 13 degrees Thursday evening.
Friday is cloudy and 21 degrees.
Nanshong is down to 18.
That's followed by clouds in 32.
elsewhere in Asia. Islamabad is 22 overnight.
it's getting a slight rainfall in 33 on Friday.
Vientiane's down to 24, then a slight rain in 35.
Phnom Penh's 24 this evening then some rainfall in 33.
In Africa Naorobi will get a slight rainfall in 26 degrees on Friday.
Compadre is down to 20, then a slight rain in 25, Juba is 24 this evening and then some rainfall in 39 degrees Celsius.
And finally to Oceania, Port Vile up 24 overnight, a slight rainfall in 30 on Friday.
That's it for this edition of the Beijing Hour.
Making news today, China is expecting big tourism numbers amid the ongoing May Day holiday.
And China is calling on BRICS countries to champion development, unity, cooperation and multilateralism.
On behalf of the staff, this is Shane Begum 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.
Find The Beijing Hour 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 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 the 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, boatman, 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
