A fatal road traffic collision in County Donegal, Republic of Ireland has claimed the life of a teenage male on Saturday afternoon, local law enforcement has confirmed. The crash unfolded at approximately 4:30 p.m. local time along the R252 roadway near the village of Cloghan, involving two vehicles: a private passenger car and a motorbike. The rider of the motorbike, who was a male in his teens, was pronounced dead instantly at the crash site following the incident. No other individuals involved in the collision suffered any injuries, according to initial statements from Gardaí, the national police service of Ireland. In the wake of the crash, investigating officers have issued a public appeal for information to help reconstruct the sequence of events that led to the tragedy. Gardaí are asking any members of the public who were travelling through the Cloghan area between 4:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. local time on Saturday – particularly anyone with dashcam footage from that window – to come forward and share their recordings or any relevant observations with police. As of the latest update, the R252 remains fully closed to through traffic to allow collision investigators to conduct a full forensic examination of the scene, with diversions in place for local and through traffic. The incident comes as road safety advocates continue to push for greater awareness of motorcyclist safety on rural Irish roads, which often feature narrow lanes and higher traffic volumes during weekend travel periods.
分类： society
-
Harbin panda pavilion hosts birthday bash for twin pandas
On a crisp Friday morning in northeast China’s Heilongjiang province, the Sun Island Giant Panda Pavilion in Harbin transformed into a joyful celebration venue, throwing a special birthday bash for its most popular residents: 9-year-old male twin giant pandas Zhi Shi and Zhi Ma.
Named for their unique light-colored markings that resemble cheese and sesame respectively, the fluffy twins marked a milestone both in age and in their new life in northern China. The pair made their big move from the world-famous Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in southwest China’s Sichuan province to Harbin back on August 11, 2025, making Friday’s party their first major birthday celebration held in their new permanent home.
Local zoo staff prepared custom birthday treats shaped like bamboo wreaths and frozen fruit cakes, designed to suit the pandas’ dietary preferences while beating the mild spring temperatures in Harbin. Dozens of visitors and panda enthusiasts gathered around the outdoor enclosure to watch the twins munch on their snacks, explore the celebration-themed enrichment displays, and capture photos of the playful pair.
The relocation of the giant pandas to Harbin has already boosted local tourism, drawing thousands of visitors to the Sun Island pavilion since the twins opened to the public late last year. Friday’s birthday event further highlighted the growing public interest in giant panda conservation and unique wildlife tourism experiences in northern China.
-
Roommate charged with two counts of murder in death, disappearance of two USF students
TAMPA, Florida — Law enforcement officials announced Saturday that formal murder charges have been brought against the former roommate of a missing Bangladeshi doctoral student, nearly two weeks after the student and his girlfriend vanished from the University of South Florida (USF) campus.
Twenty-six-year-old Hisham Abugharbieh, a U.S.-born ex-student at USF, now faces two counts of premeditated first-degree murder with a weapon connected to the disappearances of 27-year-old Zamil Limon and 27-year-old Nahida Bristy, both registered students at the institution, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
Hillsborough County Chief Deputy Joseph Maurer confirmed Friday that partial remains identified as Limon’s were recovered on the Howard Frankland Bridge early Friday. As of Saturday’s announcement, Bristy remains missing, and search operations to locate her are still ongoing across the region.
Abugharbieh was first taken into police custody Friday following a hours-long standoff at his family’s residence, located just north of the USF campus. Officers initially responded to the property following a domestic violence report, and first moved all other family members to a secure location before Abugharbieh barricaded himself inside the home and refused to surrender. A specialized SWAT team, supported by unmanned aerial drones, tactical robots, and trained crisis negotiators, was deployed to the scene before Abugharbieh finally surrendered, walking out with his hands raised and clothed only in a blue towel.
At the time of his initial arrest, Abugharbieh faced a string of preliminary charges including unlawful transportation of a dead body, failure to report a human death, evidence tampering, false imprisonment, and battery. The upgraded first-degree murder charges were filed following initial processing of evidence and identification of Limon’s remains.
A family member of the missing couple shared that Limon and Bristy, both 27, had been planning to marry before their April 16 disappearance. Limon, who was pursuing a doctorate in geography, environmental science and policy, shared an off-campus apartment with Abugharbieh, and was last seen at that residence the day they vanished. Bristy, a graduate student in chemical engineering who lived in on-campus housing, was last spotted one hour later at a campus science building.
An official autopsy to confirm the exact cause and manner of Limon’s death was scheduled for completion Saturday morning, per Maurer’s Friday statement.
USF university spokespersons confirmed that while Abugharbieh was previously enrolled at the institution, he was not an active student at the time of the couple’s disappearance. Institutional records show he attended USF from the spring 2021 semester through spring 2023, working toward a Bachelor of Science degree in management.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office added that Abugharbieh has a documented history of prior arrests in the county. Court records show he was charged with battery and burglary of an unoccupied residence in September 2023, plus an additional battery charge in May 2023 — all of which were classified as misdemeanor offenses.
As a first-time offender, Abugharbieh was accepted into a court-supervised diversion program for misdemeanor charges. He completed the program in early 2024, and all prior charges against him were formally dismissed. Attempts by outlets to reach his attorney from that prior case Saturday went unanswered.
Additional court records from 2023 show two domestic violence injunctions were filed against Abugharbieh by a family member. A county judge granted one of the requested protective injunctions and denied the second. He has also faced multiple minor charges for traffic violations over the years.
Law enforcement is asking any member of the public with information related to Bristy’s disappearance or the case to contact the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office immediately to assist with the ongoing investigation.
-
Asian surnames fastest-growing in US
Newly released demographic data from the US Census Bureau has uncovered a striking shift in the country’s surname landscape: between 2010 and 2020, three of the most common Chinese surnames claimed the top three spots on the ranking of fastest-growing last names among the 1,000 most frequent surnames across the United States.
According to the census analysis, the population holding the surname Zhang grew by 74% over the decade, outpacing all other surnames. Liu followed with a 62% growth rate, and Wang rounded out the top three with a 54% increase. Beyond the top three, four additional common Chinese surnames secured spots in the top 12: Li, Lin, and Chen landed in the top 10, with growth rates ranging from 37% to 48%, while Wu and Huang claimed 11th and 12th place respectively, both with 36% growth.
The census report notes that nearly all of the 15 fastest-growing surnames in the US over this period are primarily associated with people of Asian, Native Hawaiian, or Other Pacific Islander descent. The only exception is Ali, a name with broad diversity across Hispanic racial and origin groups. This concentrated growth pattern mirrors broader national demographic shifts recorded between 2010 and 2020, when the combined population of Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Other Pacific Islander communities expanded far more rapidly than the overall US population.
Official census figures put the total growth of the Asian American population at 35.5% over the decade, pushing its share of the total US population from 4.8% in 2010 to 6% in 2020. This growth rate was higher than that of every other single racial group, outpaced only by the multiracial population category.
Experts link the rapid rise of common Chinese surnames to the massive surge in Chinese student migration to the US during the 2010s. Data from the Open Doors report, a leading source of international student enrollment statistics, shows that the number of Chinese students studying in the US more than doubled over the decade, jumping from roughly 157,000 in 2010 to more than 372,500 in 2019. In total, more than half a million Chinese students arrived in the US to pursue education between 2010 and 2020, bringing with them the common surnames that dominate modern China’s population profile.
Notably, the ranking of the fastest-growing Chinese surnames in the US closely aligns with the popularity ranking of surnames within China itself. Official Chinese demographic data lists Wang, Li, Zhang, and Liu as the four most common surnames in the country, with Chen, Wu, and Huang also ranking among the top 10 most frequent.
Current US census data already reflects this dominance: eight of the top 10 most common surnames among people identifying as Asian, Native Hawaiian, or Other Pacific Islander in the US are ethnically Chinese surnames. The full top 10 list for this demographic group is Zhang, Huang, Kaur, Vang, Xiong, Xu, Zheng, Zhou, Zhao and Zhu, with only Kaur and Vang not being common Chinese surnames.
Researchers do caution that direct headcount comparisons between older and newer Chinese surname entries are not straightforward, due to historic differences in romanization practices. Early waves of Chinese immigrants, the majority of whom originated from southern China, commonly spelled their surnames using regional dialect transliterations that differ from the standardized Mandarin pinyin system that has become the norm for new arrivals from mainland China over the past two decades.
For example, the pinyin spelling Zhang is also commonly recorded as Chang in older records, while Chen may appear as Chan, Huang and Wang are often rendered as Wong, Zhou may be spelled Chou or Chow, Liu appears as Lau or Lew, and Wu can be recorded as Ng, Goh or Woo in historic data.
-
Dozens of sloths died before opening of Sloth World attraction in Florida
A planned Orlando, Florida, sloth exhibit billed as the region’s only purpose-built “slothnarium” has been thrown into chaos after regulators confirmed 31 of the mammals imported for the attraction died months before its scheduled spring opening, triggering widespread scrutiny of animal welfare practices and regulatory gaps in the state’s wildlife permitting system.
According to a report released Friday by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), the bulk of the fatalities stemmed from dangerous, unfit living conditions at a private Florida warehouse where the imported sloths were held awaiting the attraction’s completion. The incident has already prompted additional investigations from multiple state and local regulators, as well as harsh criticism from animal conservation groups and elected officials.
The 31 sloths were imported in two separate shipments to be displayed at Sloth World, a permanent public tourist attraction marketed as a rainforest-inspired sanctuary built specifically to prioritize sloth welfare, located along Orlando’s busy tourist corridor. The FWC’s investigation, obtained by the BBC, details two separate fatal incidents that unfolded between late 2024 and early 2025.
The first shipment, carrying 21 sloths imported from Guyana, arrived in Florida in December 2024. Investigators found the animals were held in a disused warehouse that lacked basic running water and working electricity. Staff purchased portable space heaters to warm the temperature-sensitive tropical mammals, which naturally thrive in constant temperatures between 70°F and 86°F, but the heaters overloaded the building’s electrical system, tripping a circuit breaker that cut off power to the heaters. For at least one full night, the sloths were left without any heating during a week when outdoor low temperatures dropped to 46°F, according to regional historical weather data. All 21 sloths ultimately died from exposure to cold, a condition investigators labeled “cold stun.”
A second shipment of 10 sloths imported from Peru arrived in February 2025. Two of the animals were already dead on arrival, and the remaining eight were found to be severely emaciated. All eight later died from complications linked to their poor pre-existing health, the report confirmed.
When FWC investigators launched their probe, Peter Bandre, who is publicly listed as Sloth World’s vice president and promoted in the attraction’s marketing as “one of the most respected sloth experts in the world,” admitted the warehouse was never properly prepared to receive the animals. He told investigators the shipment could not be canceled after it was already en route, confirming the cold exposure killed the first group of sloths. The FWC also found that on two separate occasions, sloths under Bandre’s care were held in enclosures that failed to meet the state’s minimum captive wildlife welfare standards, resulting in a verbal warning at the time, but no formal citation.
Ben Agresta, owner of Sloth World, has pushed back against the FWC’s findings, dismissing the official report as rife with misinformation. Agresta claims the sloths died from an undetectable virus that produced no visible symptoms and could not be identified even after post-mortem necropsies. The BBC has reached out to Agresta, Sloth World, and its listed representatives for additional comment, but has not received a formal response.
The FWC closed its investigation without issuing any written warnings or formal citations, but an agency spokesperson confirmed that multiple other regulatory bodies are currently conducting separate probes into the incident. Last week, Orange County’s Building Safety Department posted a stop-work order at the warehouse where the sloths were held, citing alleged violations of state building codes and local county regulations.
With regulatory investigations ongoing and the site shuttered by local officials, it remains unclear whether Sloth World will ever open to the public as planned. The 13 surviving sloths intended for the attraction are currently being cared for by another accredited zoo in Central Florida, according to local media reports. While Agresta holds a valid state wildlife permit that allows him to exhibit captive wildlife, the incident has exposed major gaps in Florida’s regulatory framework, according to critics.
Democratic Florida State Representative Anna Eskamani, who has publicly criticized the handling of the case, noted that current rules do not require the FWC to be automatically notified when captive wildlife dies under a permit. She argued that the deaths would likely have never been uncovered without reports from concerned private citizens. “If it wasn’t for everyday people who care and reported these deaths it’s hard to know when FWC would have even learned about the deaths,” Eskamani said.
Leading sloth conservation organizations had already raised red flags about Sloth World long before the deaths were revealed. The Sloth Institute and the Sloth Conservation Foundation both warned that capturing wild sloths and shipping them long distances for captive exhibits puts the animals at extreme risk of life-threatening health complications stemming from sudden diet changes, stress, and adaptation to artificial environments. Sam Trull, executive director of The Sloth Institute, noted that for many illegally or improperly captured sloths, the stress of transit and captivity proves fatal.
-
A nation built on pan-African principles faces questions about racism
Zambia has long positioned itself as a continental leader in African nationalism and the anti-colonial struggle, yet 60 years after gaining full independence from British rule, dozens of Zambian citizens have spoken to the BBC about a persistent, underreported issue: subtle, systemic racism that continues to marginalize Black Zambians in daily life.
While the discrimination is rarely open or explicit, those who shared their experiences describe feeling like second-class citizens in their own homeland. Accounts range from qualified Black candidates being sidelined for professional roles to being snubbed at hospitality venues and overlooked by rental property landlords. Even amid these accounts, however, many Zambians expressed cautious optimism, noting that open conversations about racial inequity are slowly becoming more mainstream across the country. The Zambian government has rejected claims that racism is a problem within its borders.
Alexander Bwalya, a Black Zambian who requested a pseudonym to protect his privacy, told the BBC he finds it deeply jarring to experience anti-Black racism in a majority-Black African nation. He shared a firsthand account of discrimination at a wine bar in Lusaka, the country’s capital, where he and his friends were told specific high-end bottles of wine were out of stock. Moments later, the same bottles were offered to a white family that arrived after them, with waiters acting openly warm and accommodating to the new group.
When Bwalya and his friends complained to the venue’s manager, they were told to leave if they were unhappy with the service. The argument escalated, and Bwalya claims the white manager used a racial slur against one of his Black friends. Like many others who experience these incidents, Bwalya chose not to file a police report, saying he lacked confidence that authorities would take the claim seriously.
This conversation around race comes 60 years after Kenneth Kaunda, the iconic leader of Zambia’s independence movement, took office as the country’s first president in 1964. Before independence, colonial rule imposed harsh systemic racism: Black Zambians were forced to carry movement-restricting passes, schools and hospitals were legally segregated, and high-paying skilled mining jobs in Zambia’s copper-rich economy were exclusively reserved for white workers.
As president, one of Kaunda’s core policy goals was to empower the Black majority. His signature “Zambianisation” program replaced white executive leaders in key industries with Black Zambian professionals, and he was a vocal international supporter of movements fighting to end white minority rule across southern Africa. Kaunda’s founding vision for the nation was unambiguous: Black Africans would no longer be subjugated, and Zambia would be built on a foundation of equal respect for people of all races, colors, and creeds.
Yet a 2019 report from a United Nations human rights committee found that, like many other post-colonial societies, Zambia has failed to fully address the deep racial and class inequalities left by colonial rule. At the peak of colonial control, white residents made up less than 2% of Zambia’s population, and many left after independence. Today, no official population data tracks the current size of the white community, but all ethnic minorities combined, including Indians, Chinese and Arabs, make up roughly 9% of the total population.
No official public data tracks racial disparities in modern Zambia, but anecdotal reports and grassroots conversations about the issue have exploded across social media in recent years. In one high-profile case earlier this year, a local recruiter from Zambian employment firm Recruitment Matters posted a sales and marketing manager opening that explicitly stated, “THIS ROLE IS CURRENTLY NOT OPEN TO ZAMBIAN NATIONALS; WE ARE LOOKING FOR EXPATS OR FOREIGN RESIDENTS IN ZAMBIA.”
The post went viral across Zambian social media, sparking widespread public anger over its open discrimination. Omar Chanshi, a 37-year-old marketing professional based in Zambia, told the BBC that systemic exclusion from opportunities is a common experience for local workers. “There are contracts and systems and a lot of opportunities that we just don’t have access to as locals,” Chanshi said. “Forget trying to show whether you are the best or most qualified person, you just don’t have access.”
Following the public backlash, the recruiter apologized and deleted the post. The company later issued a formal statement acknowledging the public concern, saying the wording of the post failed to meet the company’s standards and did not reflect its recruitment approach. “Recruitment Matters operates a non-discriminatory, skills-based recruitment policy,” the firm told the BBC.
Victoria Phiri Chitungu, a historian and director of Livingstone Museum, argues that Kaunda’s zero-tolerance stance on overt discrimination simply pushed racism underground rather than eliminating it. “The obvious racist signs and acceptance of racism was no longer welcome and people were aware of that,” Chitungu explained. “But people started conforming to behave in ways that would not show racism. That doesn’t mean that it’s now absent.”
Chitungu and fellow Zambian historian Chanda Penda note that while Zambia faces its own challenges with racism, it is not an outlier on the continent. Both point to far more severe discrimination they have observed in post-apartheid South Africa, where stark racial inequality remains rampant 30 years after the end of formal segregation.
Malama Muleba, a Lusaka-based estate agent, told the BBC he does not see racism as a pervasive national crisis, but he confirms it is a widespread, open secret within the property rental sector. When landlords and property managers screen prospective tenants, Muleba says, white skin is still widely equated with financial stability. “If a person’s skin colour is white, people look at it, they see stability,” Muleba said. “They say: ‘OK, this person will be able to pay the rent or they will be able to not give me problems.’ Personally, it makes me feel a bit disappointed, but on the other side, it’s the reality.”
Most of Zambia’s small white population, which includes both foreign expats and Zambian citizens, is concentrated in major urban centers and tourist hubs including Lusaka, Livingstone and Mkushi. Many white residents in Lusaka work for large multinational corporations, a demographic detail that has reinforced a widespread link between race and perceived wealth. Multiple Zambians who spoke to the BBC highlighted this intersection of race and class, noting that service providers often assume non-Black customers are wealthier and receive better treatment as a result.
One common experience of discrimination came up repeatedly in the BBC’s interviews: preferential queue jumping for non-Black customers at public and private services. “When it comes to accessing certain services, you’ll find maybe there’s a queue and you’ve got some black Zambians, you’ve got some Indians and you’ve got a few white people there,” Muleba explained. “You’ll find in certain situations the white man will come first in getting attended to. The other Zambians will be looking among each other saying: ‘Look, we have been here long before this white man came here!’”
Many observers note that it is often Black employees who provide this preferential treatment to non-Black customers in retail banks, coffee shops and retail stores. Some Zambians argue that this dynamic is not always rooted in personal prejudice: one Black citizen told the BBC that preferential treatment often tracks perceived wealth and class as much as race, with wealthy Black drivers in nice cars or with Western accents receiving the same elevated service.
Zambia’s government has firmly denied that any form of racism exists in the country. Government spokesperson Cornelius Mweeta says anyone who claims racism is a problem is simply trying to sensationalize the issue for attention. “I’ll challenge any citizen out there to state that racism is a problem in Zambia. If there is somebody who has said that is a problem, I think perhaps they just wanted to sensationalise. Everyone is living harmoniously,” Mweeta said.
Historian Penda agrees that racism in Zambia is almost entirely subtle, not overt, and traces its roots to cultural dynamics that predate modern independence. He argues that the deference to white people was culturally embedded long before colonial rule ended, rooted in the ancient regional legend of Luchele, a mystical white-appointed figure said to help ancestral communities found their kingdoms. When European colonialists and missionaries arrived in the late 19th century, many Zambian communities who had never seen white people before identified the newcomers as Luchele and treated them with reverence normally reserved for divine figures.
“So from my perspective, it is not a big surprise that even up to now, we have this high esteem for white people – this racial imbalance has been passed down as from history,” Penda said.
Adrian Scarlett, a white British man who has lived in Zambia for three years and is married to a Black Zambian woman, says he still struggles to comprehend how racial inequality can persist in a majority-Black African nation. Scarlett, who lives in Livingstone, says there are still exclusive private venues where Black Zambians are effectively unwelcome, forming all-white social cliques that gather for evening and weekend events.
Scarlett originally built a large social media following under the alias Bye Bye Fatman documenting his weight loss journey, but today his content, which reaches more than 520,000 followers across Facebook and TikTok, focuses heavily on exposing and discussing racial inequality in Zambia. Some of his white friends have cut ties with him over his activism, but he says the response from Black Zambians has been overwhelmingly positive.
Scarlett argues that these open conversations are long overdue, a sentiment echoed by Bwalya, who says Zambia desperately needs honest public dialogue about race. Bwalya says he is glad more people are willing to talk about the issue openly now, and he hopes the growing conversation will eventually lead to a national reckoning that revives the egalitarian, anti-racist vision of Zambia’s founding father.
-
Tianjin event highlights China’s emphasis on career planning
Against the backdrop of a projected all-time high of 12.7 million college graduates entering China’s job market this year, policymakers and educational institutions are ramping up focus on proactive career planning and better alignment between academic curricula and evolving industry needs to boost graduate employment outcomes, according to education experts and industry insiders.
This national push for more targeted career preparation took center stage at the 3rd National College Students Career Planning Competition held recently in Tianjin, a landmark event that drew unprecedented participation: 20.55 million students from 2,833 universities across the country, a cohort that makes up nearly half of China’s total undergraduate and vocational college student population. Unlike traditional academic competitions, this event integrated structured career planning presentations with on-site job fairs and structured networking sessions connecting campus participants with corporate recruiters, giving students direct, firsthand access to potential employers and real-world insights into industry talent demands.
Yang Ming, director of the Student Ideological Education and Management Office at the Tianjin Municipal Education Commission, emphasized that early preparation is non-negotiable for today’s job seekers. “Students need to begin exploring different industries, building hands-on practical experience, and refining their professional skill sets long before graduation to maintain a competitive edge in a tight job market,” he noted.
Educators across the country echoed that the competition serves a dual purpose: it not only benefits students but also helps close the longstanding gap between classroom learning and workplace requirements. Qi Jiachao, an administrator from Zhejiang Textile Institute, explained that the event creates valuable feedback loops for academic institutions. “It lets educators gain a clearer, up-to-date understanding of what industries actually need from new graduates, allowing us to adjust our course content to prioritize practical, job-ready skills that align with market demand,” Qi said.
For many participants, the competition has already had a transformative impact on their professional trajectories, helping them narrow down and solidify their long-term career goals. Zhou Meicen, a visually impaired vocational student from Guangxi Vocational Technical College, used the competition to refine her focus on developing AI-generated content tailored for children with special needs. “Through this process, I gained a far deeper understanding of current AIGC industry trends and the specific skills employers in this niche field are looking for,” Zhou said. “It has made me much more determined to build my expertise and contribute to supporting children with special needs.”
Another participant, Zou Juan from Tongling Vocational Technical College, is combining traditional Chinese pastry-making techniques with traditional cultural elements and nutrient-dense, healthier ingredients to meet evolving modern consumer preferences, a niche business concept she refined through her competition participation.
The growing focus on intentional career planning comes as the job market faces new pressures: alongside the record graduate cohort, rapid advancements in artificial intelligence and other cutting-edge emerging technologies have reshaped labor demand, tightening overall employment capacity in many sectors. Li Xi, a lecturer in innovation and entrepreneurship at Guangxi Vocational Technical College, stressed that structured support for career development is more critical than ever. “Higher education institutions need to expand practical training programs to help students build solid professional foundations, while platforms like this national competition give students the space to clarify their career goals and systematically prepare for the demands of the job market,” Li said. “Effective, early career guidance is not just an added support—it is a critical factor in shaping young people’s future success.”
-
International students join Chongqing University’s language and book day
On April 23, 2026, a date that marks both International Chinese Language Day and World Book Day, Chongqing University hosted a full day of immersive cultural events designed to advance the global outreach of Chinese language learning and build a lasting campus culture centered on reading. Held within the walls of one of the institution’s main library facilities, the gathering brought together more than 70 attendees, a diverse group that included international students hailing from countries across the globe alongside domestic Chinese learners and educators.
The event’s schedule centered on interactive activities crafted to bridge cultural divides and deepen mutual understanding through shared engagement with language and literature. Attendees took part in structured themed performances and open reading exchanges, creating space for organic cross-cultural dialogue that extended far beyond surface-level interaction. A dedicated working session focused on expanding collaborative resource sharing between Chinese and international academic study platforms, with participants diving into bilingual reading exchanges that showcased the skills of visiting international students, many of whom delivered moving recitations of classic Chinese prose.
One of the day’s most memorable discussions came from an unexpected pair: Wu Jiaming, a junior student at the university’s Meishi Film Academy, and Jeerapairojkul Supatcha, a Thai graduate student from Bangkok pursuing a master’s degree in International Chinese Education. Together, they explored how core philosophical concepts from the ancient Chinese text *Tao Te Ching* can be applied to modern everyday life, drawing connections between centuries-old wisdom and contemporary personal and professional challenges.
Following the literary exchanges, professional librarians from Chongqing University led a practical training session for attendees, introducing the group to leading authoritative literature databases spanning both Chinese and international academic collections. The session included hands-on demonstrations of cutting-edge AI-powered literature search tools, with tailored guidance to help students leverage campus library resources more effectively for their research and personal reading goals.
A standout highlight of the full-day celebration was a hands-on intangible cultural heritage experience, where participants got the chance to create and fly hand-painted traditional Chinese kites. The activity gave both domestic and international students an up-close, tangible encounter with the artistry and cultural depth of long-standing Chinese traditions, moving beyond textbook learning to immersive cultural engagement.
To cap off the day’s events, organizers awarded honorary certificates to students who stood out for their contributions to performances and reading exchanges, recognizing their effort and engagement in celebrating the dual occasion. The event overall served as a vivid example of how academic institutions can foster cross-cultural connection, expand global access to Chinese language and culture, and nurture a lasting love of reading among diverse student communities.
-
Shanghai Ocean University celebrates diverse cultures
On a vibrant spring Friday on its Shanghai campus, Shanghai Ocean University brought global cultures together under one roof, hosting its eighth annual International Culture Festival alongside Chinese Language Day to celebrate the rich tapestry of backgrounds that make up its student community. The day-long event filled campus grounds with interactive experiences from across the globe, featuring authentic international cuisines, live traditional performances from multiple regions, and immersive cultural exhibitions that let attendees explore global heritage firsthand.
Addressing the gathered students and organizers, Jiang Min, vice-president of Shanghai Ocean University, reflected on the institution’s seven-decade legacy of welcoming global learners. Over 71 years of international education programming, the university has hosted students from 116 different countries around the world, building a long-standing tradition of cross-cultural exchange that shapes its academic community today.
Jiang emphasized the university’s commitment to fostering global harmony, expressing her hope that every international student studying at the institution would embrace their role as a cultural envoy. Through their connections and experiences, she noted, students can help turn the vision of harmonious coexistence and shared prosperity across all five continents into a tangible reality.
For Benter Anyango, a Kenyan doctoral student completing her research at the university, the event is a reflection of the far-reaching impact of studying in China. Beyond the classroom, Anyango explained, the experience of studying at Shanghai Ocean University offers international students far more than academic knowledge and expanded professional networks. It equips them with the unique tools and perspective needed to build meaningful bridges between less economically developed nations, growing emerging economies, and the world’s most advanced economic powers, creating connections that drive mutual progress long after graduation.
-
Why is this game only legal across Australia one day a year?
Across Australia, there is a unique traditional betting game that holds a peculiar legal status: it can only be played legally across the entire nation on one single day each year. That game is two-up, a simple yet beloved coin-tossing gambling activity that is deeply woven into the country’s wartime history and cultural identity.
The origins of this one-day legal exception stretch back to World War I, when Australian soldiers stationed overseas regularly gathered to play two-up between deployments. For troops facing the uncertainty and horror of battle, the game became more than just a form of recreation—it was a way to build camaraderie, lift collective morale, and hold onto a small piece of home while thousands of miles from Australian soil. Many soldiers continued to play the game after returning home, passing down the tradition through generations of families and veteran communities.
Over time, general gambling laws across most Australian jurisdictions restricted unlicensed two-up games, reflecting broader regulations around betting activities. To honor the game’s deep ties to Australian military history and the sacrifices of Anzac (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) soldiers, lawmakers carved out a special exemption: two-up can be played legally anywhere in the country on April 25, the national holiday that commemorates the Anzac landing at Gallipoli in 1915.
Today, the annual tradition of playing two-up on Anzac Day remains a beloved part of commemorations across the country. Pubs, RSL (Returned and Services League) clubs, and community gathering spots set up games, where participants of all ages join in, not just for the chance to win bets, but to connect with the nation’s wartime heritage and pay tribute to the service members who first popularized the game a century ago.