CGG Toro: An Evolving Research Centre on the Global Stage – Dr. Shaba

The Director-General of the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) has remarked that the Centre for Geodesy and Geodynamics (CGG) Toro is fast becoming a reckoning force in global Space Geodesy. He made this known during an official working visit on Monday to the Centre in Toro LGA of Bauchi State.

Speaking during an interactive session with the management and Staff of CGG, the Director-General who was accompanied by the Director of Strategic Space Application Dr. Mathew Adepoju condoled with the management and staff over the death of the former Centre Director Dr. Tahir Yakubu. He disclosed that he has come to see areas where the centre can be assisted in order to project it to the world and to better the working conditions of the centre.

To this end, he cautioned all staff to be committed to duty and rally round the Acting Director to achieve desired results. He appealed to them to be good ambassadors especially as leadership change usually comes with new policies and structures.

He equally appealed to members of staff who were promoted last year but are yet to start benefitting from their new structure to be patient as frantic efforts are being made to settle the issue.

In what appeared as the happiest moment, the Director-General announced that the agency is planning and working towards an increase in staff salaries and release of some palliative to staff so as to cushion the effects of the fuel subsidy removal.

He concluded by calling on members of staff to do more in the area of research and bring up good initiatives to support the government considering the harsh economic realities of the country.

Speaking also, the Dr. Adepoju appreciated members of staff for their efforts in building a viable system to have attracted national and international recognition as evident in the visit of the Chinese Space Scientists.

In his remark, the Acting Director of the centre, Dr. Joseph Danasebe Dodo appreciated the Director-General for the visit and prayed for journey mercies.

The Acting Director thereafter took the august visitors on a tour to the proposed Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) spot and other critical facilities at the centre. The Director-General promised to help out in setting up the VLBI in the center.

FG TO COLLABORATE USA ON DIRECT FLIGHTS TO HOUSTON

In a bid to further expand her horizon, the Ministry of Aviation and Aerospace has assured the delegation from the United States of America that the Government of Nigeria will work on their requests for a direct flight from Nigeria to Houston, having a consulate office in Houston city and deepening the Bilateral Relations with the Government of America. This was contained in a press statement signed by the Head, Press and Public Relations, Odutayo Oluseyi.

While receiving the Mayor of Houston Texas, United States of America, Mr. Sylvester Turner and his delegates at the Minister’s conference room today in Abuja, Dr. Meribole said he was glad the present administration is well disposed to investment, tourism and building on the existing bilateral relationship. He assured them that all modalities required for the Bilateral Air Services Agreement between the Nations as regards direct flight to Houston Texas will commence as soon as new Ministers are appointed and deployed appropriately.

Earlier, the Mayor of Houston Texas, Mr. Sylvester Turner appreciated the hospitality they received from the Government of Nigeria stating that their visit to the Government of Nigeria is to build a stronger tie on their existing relationship between the United States and Africa. He reiterated that Houston is Africa’s second largest urban trade partner in the US and home to one of the largest Nigerian diasporas in the country, hence the need for a direct flight there.
He stated further that Houston is a gate way for trade to central and the western United States with strong infrastructure and strategic geographic location and that the visit is to further complement Houston’s efforts to expand their relationship with Nigeria through Healthcare, technology, Agriculture, energy and education.

Commenting, Ambassador Akinyemi Bolaji of Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, assured the Mayor, that the issue of a consulate office in Houston will be considered. He said the Ministry of foreign Affairs will prioritize Houston Texas above others since they are the first to make such request.

Director, Admin and strategy of the Organization of Youth in International Trade and Commerce, Engr. Gambo, Director General/Chief Executive Office, Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau, Engr. Akin Olateru, Chairperson/ C.E.O of Nigeria in Diaspora Commission, Hon. Abike Dabiri Erewa among many other dignitaries were present at the e

NSIB developing new accident investigation templates for all transportation modes

The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) is developing tailored accident investigation templates for the different transportation modes based on its expanded scope.


The process which commenced on Tuesday in Abuja with a consultative meeting with relevant stakeholders in the aviation industry revealed that other stakeholders in the maritime, rail and road transports will be engaged subsequently to develop industry specific guidelines.


On the aviation sector, the forum sought to work them through the proposed amendments to the Bureau’s Civil Aviation (Investigation of Air Accidents and Incidents) Regulation 2019.


Speaking at the event, the NSIB Director General, Engr. Akin Olateru said the “amendments we are trying to implement will help ensure that the Bureau’s Regulations is consistent with the Standard and Recommended Practices (SARPs) set forth in the ICAO Annex 13, which addresses aircraft accident investigation, the evolution of new technologies, and the changes in the industry.”


He noted that “such changes include the provision of the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) establishment Act 2022, which allowed for the transition of the Accident Investigation Bureau Nigeria (AIB-N) to the NSIB, a multi-modal safety investigation agency.”


In view of this, he said NSIB has “made some new inclusions to the previously circulated version of the Bureau’s draft regulation.
Some of the new inclusions in the draft amended regulation include the provision of Family Assistance to accident victims and their families, Safety Data Collection and Processing System (SDCPS), Competent Authority, Mandatory Reporting System and Voluntary Reporting System.”


He said NSIB will ensure updated and standardized regulations is designed for the Bureau, which has been at the forefront of aviation safety promotion since its establishment through the conduct of thorough accident investigation and timely release of reports.


“Under the umbrella of the new NSIB, we would continue to work tirelessly to ensure the continuous safety of air transport in Nigeria and replicate this safety standard in other modes of transportation, thereby, ensuring overall transportation safety in the country” he assured.

Nigeria Times with Economy Footprint

Make Use of Nigeria’s Youthful Technocrats – CSO Urges Tinubu

The Amalgamated Civil Society Organizations of Nigeria (ACN), a non-profit, non-governmental, anti-corruption organization, has called for the inclusion of the youthful Nigerian population into governance.

ACN, which has over a million civil society groups (both CSOs and NGOs), has called for the inclusion of the youthful Nigerian population into governance.

This call is coming as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is about constituting his cabinet and other organs of government since assuming the mantle of leadership.

The Amalgamated CSOs/NGOs said they are joining the clarion call by opinion leaders, traditional rulers, women groups, youth groups and well-meaning Nigerians, that the time of using recycled politicians, failed or disgruntled politicians, is over, as the group observed that the nation was full of youthful technocrats and bureaucrats with a lot of energy that are eagerly waiting to contribute their quota to National Development.

The ACN, therefore, solicited the cooperation of the present administration to look beyond former governors, ministers, and people that have hitherto brought Nigeria to where it is today. The group rather urged President Tinubu to look for viable, virile, professional and youths presently occupying the various offices nationwide and continue to engage them, instead of using worn-out, fatigued and corrupt leaders that have brought the country to its knees.

In a press release, the National President of the Amalgamated CSOs of Nigeria (ACN), Comrade Gbenga Ashiru Abiodun and its General Secretary, Comrade Yakubu Abdullahi, posited that “the continued usage of old hands will not augur well for the country, knowing full well that, most of them are facing graft issues and corruption allegations over their necks.” The group added that, again, “age was not on their side as they no longer have what it takes to preside over 21st Century organizations, as they are fatigued and too old to take modern decisions capable of bringing the desired change.”

The Amalgamated CSOs said President Tinubu was a change agent who is fixed on changing the country. Therefore, he should work with the youthful population, comprising both male and female, to change the narrative on ground as well as look at the possibility of using proactive youths, presently occupying positions of authority who are already doing well with or without supervision.

According to the anti-corruption organization, they want the government to make use of the youths to enable them to head strategic positions in the present administration. They equally appealed to Nigerians to prevail on the President to tow this line that will bring an overall socio-economic development of the nation.

The CSOs noted that the youths are already playing a significant role in governance because “65 per cent of Nigeria’s population is under 25. Therefore, we need to prioritize the affairs of the youthful population like never before. They also echoed that, “the collaborative efforts between generations are vital to achieving a sustainable effective and efficient governance that serves the collective interest of all.”

The Amalgamated group noted that “fresh and viable young people bring fresh perspective to issues and matters that affect the generality of Nigerian,” adding that, the youthful population of people in governance presently can also be taking into cognizance as most of them are doing extremely well, “like the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi and others who are daily changing the narrative in their respective endeavours and have become Nigerian youth ambassadors globally, for making efforts to change from below, under him, the organization has been repositioned and rebranded.”

The ACN also emphasized that the inclusion of youths and young people in the present administration, will promote “inclusivity, diversity and intergenerational dialogue between the old and the new, thereby leading to a robust, more rounded and equitable decision making that is expected in today’s management globally. The CSOs further advised the President to retain, promote, and elevate outstanding young people inherited from previous administrations, looking at some high performing government agencies today led by youths and who are doing the nation proud.

They earnestly called on President Tinubu to discard and retire those so-called leaders that have brought the nation to “where we are today,” as the CSOs noted that “those so-called politicians do not mean well for the country, but only work towards achieving their self-serving agenda.”

The ACN has therefore reiterated that the only way that change can percolate to the grassroots of the country is by using strong, youthful energy backed up by sound decision-making personalities who are desperate to bring change.

And, this, they observed, “can only be achieved by the young people who have a vision already of what they want Nigeria to look like or be in the next millennium.”

They advised that President Tinubu should retire and tell the old brigade to their faces to go and relax and be honourable advisers from the sidelines, “as these groups of people are too old and cannot add value to the system as envisaged by the President who is poised and ready for a change like the young people.”

The CSOs have therefore called on all Nigerians and well-wishers of the present administration to advise the President on this line of action of choosing the youths as against the tired legs, as well as make use of high performing youths presently occupying positions, to bring the needed change and transformation Nigeria so desires.

N’Delta Militant Group Threatened To Shutdown Oil Facilities If Ndiomu Is Not Kick Out Of Pap

…….. Urge Mr President To Caution His Chief Of Staff, SGF, ADC

….. warned Femi Gbajabiamila, Akume and others over unholy alliance with Ndiomu for allege financial inducement over tenure extension.

Niger Delta, Coalition of Militant groups from the Six States of the Niger Delta have joined the call for the removal of the Interim Administrator of Presidential Amnesty Programme, PAP, Maj Gen Barry Tariye Ndiomu (Rtd), declaring that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should not renew his tenure, and Immediately kick Ndiomu out of the office.

The Coalition, made up of the dreaded Supreme Egbesu Freedom Fighters of Niger Delta, Niger Delta Creek Dragon Militant Group and Niger Delta Anti-Corruption Network on monday warned that any attempt for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to renew the tenure of Maj Gen Barry Tariye Ndiomu (Rtd), as Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) may lead to total breakdown of law and order in the Niger Delta and eventually lead to shutting down of all major oil facilities in the creeks of the region.

The Militant Groups, through their leaders and commanders, General Agadagba 1, AKA River Don ( Supreme Egbesu Freedom Fighters of Niger Delta), Gen Osuopele AKA Red Scorpion (Niger Delta Creek Dragon) and General Ebis AKA Thunder (Niger Delta Anti-corruption Network), argued that Ndiomu’s tenure had long elapsed and dose not have any fresh appointment letter from the presidency, therefore he is not expected to continue as the Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty, and for Ndiomu to still remain in that office to act in such capacity is illegal.

The Coalition of the Militant groups in the creek issued after an intensive emergency meeting along the waterways and creeks of Bayelsa State, also alleged that there has been financial misappropriation and diversion of resources meant for the Programme by Ndiomu, and called for strong investigation and prosecution of Ndiomu’s tenure and should be thrown out of the Amnesty office Immediately.

“Our crucial and critical meeting in one of the creeks of Bayelsa State was basically to x-ray the President Bola Tinubu’s administration on the direction it wants to place the Presidential Amnesty Programme on a journey to overhaul and total reformation and what value his government is going to add on ex-militants including the entire development of the Niger Delta region.

“However, we resolved that the first task and demand is that President Tinubu should sack the current Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Mr Barry Ndiomu Immediately without wasting time. “Ndiomu who is a core supporter of the PDP Party, who also released a lot of resources to support former vice president ATIKU Abubakar, the presidential candidate of PDP through a former NSA, who is also a chieftain of the PDP and a close ally to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar against the candidate of APC Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the last Presidential election and we have it on good authority, Ndiomu never supported Bola Ahmed Tinubu neither wanted his victory the candidate of APC to emerge the winner of the last February 29th presidential election.

The Niger Delta Dreaded Militant Group, Supreme Egbesu Freedom Fighters of Niger Delta with the Niger Delta Creek Dragon Militant Group and Niger Delta Anti-Corruption Network will no longer sit and watch and fold our arms in the creek to allow Ndiomu continue stay in that office because it is illegal and unacceptable to us, for the fact that his tenure has elapsed before now, which he knows very well even before President Tinubu was elected and inaugurated on May 29, 2023. “We will not take it anymore for him to be there because we are not blinded or illiterates for one man to play the intelligence of a whole region and continue to embezzle the Amnesty Program funds to himself and his cronies to feed fat.

“The Militant group, Supreme Egbesu Freedom Fighters of Niger Delta with the Niger Delta Creek Dragon Militant Group and Niger Delta Anti-corruption Network, a group made up of young intellectuals with stakeholders of like minds from the region and anti-corruption crusaders with agitating militant leaders in the creek of Bayelsa state.

One of the issues bothering the people of the region that may set the region on fire any moment from now if not properly handled by Mr President, is the long stay of the present Amnesty Program Interim Administrator, Maj Gen Barry Tariye Ndiomu (Rtd), whose appointment has elapsed and expired, and long overdue for removal before President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was sworn in as Commander in Chief., And it is on record that the Interim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme has allegedly misappropriated and diverted funds of the Amnesty office to personal accounts and his cronies outside the country, including other corruption allegations.

“His capacity to galvanize the Programme is lacking, hence there is no ongoing training program for the Amnesty beneficiaries since Ndiomu was appointed, and the entire program is on standstill since Barry Ndiomu took over the Amnesty office.

“He has no single idea to manage that office neither to move the program forward, he had also refused to pay most of the contractors under the Programme despite they are due for payment, rather making frivolous payments to his family’s and selected allies with cronies in an agreement of remittance of some setting amount of percentage through his associates.

“We want to emphatically state that if President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would not remove Ndiomu and replace him with a competent hand from the region, who in return sacrificed, laboured and play a major role to his emergence as President and Commander In Chief in the last presidential election from the region to be appointed As Special Adviser To Mr President On Niger Delta, and Chairman Presidential Amnesty program, “We have no other choice than to shutdown all major oil facilities in the creeks, in wish that may affect the crude oil production in the creeks of Niger Delta to standstill.

We are not going to give any ultimatum to this decision, because Ndiomu continues stay in that office is a threat to the existing prevailing peace in the Niger Delta region, and Ndiomu should be thrown out of that office with Immediate effect without wasting time, his corrupt activities and non-competency in handling the Amnesty Program is now becoming unbearable, and nobody should blame us or call us for any form of dialogue, if eventually we carry on with our threat regards to this effect.

Meanwhile, The Supreme Egbesu Freedom Fighters of Niger Delta and the other militant groups accused the Chief of Staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, CoS, Rt, Hon Femi Gbajabiamiala, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Senator George Akume, and the Aid De Camp to the President, Lt Col Nurudeen Alonwale Yusuf, recent unholy alliance with the Interim Administrator of the Amnesty Program, Barry Ndiomu over moves to convince Mr President to extend the tenure of Ndiomu is condemnable and provocative.

Exhibition highlights cultural imprint of Maritime Silk Road

By Fu Qisheng

The year 2023 marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Against this backdrop, Fujian Museum in Fuzhou, southeast China’s Fujian province, kicked off an exhibition on the cultural imprint of the Maritime Silk Road in May.

The exhibition is planned to run from May to August. By exhibiting cultural relics, historical materials, and pictures, it aims to highlight the cultural imprint of the Maritime Silk Road and underline the historical and practical significance of harmonious coexistence and the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

The Maritime Silk Road bore witness to the communication and exchanges between the Chinese nation and the outside world on the vast blue ocean. It left to mankind rich cultural heritage, which reflects the diversified and interactive civilizations of the world like a kaleidoscope.

Since the BRI was proposed by China, the Silk Road-theme exhibition has become a hotspot in the cultural industry.

In 2013, Fujian Museum took the lead in holding a joint exhibition of cultural relics featuring the Maritime Silk Road in collaboration with relevant authorities. The exhibition was held in more than 20 countries and regions as well as the United Nations (UN) headquarters, arousing enthusiastic response.

Today, just in time, Fujian Museum is staging another exhibition featuring the Maritime Silk Road.

Facilitating trade in porcelain, silk, tea, and spices, the Maritime Silk Road also served as a path to cultural exchanges, mutual benefit, peace and friendship for various countries along the road.

The ongoing exhibition at Fujian Museum displays 295 pieces (sets) of cultural relics in 35 museums across China, including important archaeological finds. The exhibits represent essences selected from a large number of heritage resources to restore the trade, people-to-people and cultural exchanges along the Maritime Silk Road from different perspectives.

The exhibition highlights the historical scenes and cultural connotations of exchanges and mutual learning among different civilizations. The area is divided into four sections focusing on distinctive topics, namely China’s maritime history, trade in goods, overseas relics in China, and cultural integration. 

The visit begins with the exhibition of China’s maritime history.

The section featuring China’s maritime history serves as the beginning part of the exhibition.

According to ancient books, during China’s Han Dynasty (202 B.C.-A.D. 220), Chinese officials and merchants set sail from Xuwen county in south China’s Guangdong province and Hepu county in south China’s Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, with gold and silk fabrics to ancient countries in Southeast Asia and South Asia to trade for pearls, glass beads, and other exotic products. It is widely believed as one of the signs of the formation of the Maritime Silk Road. 

A lot of archaeological discoveries serve as new evidence for the Maritime Silk Road, such as the cultural relics from West Asia unearthed in ancient tombs of the Han Dynasty in Hepu county, the ancient port site of the starting point of Chinese monk Jianzhen’s sixth voyage to Japan during China’s Tang Dynasty (618-907) – the Huangsipu Site, and the Nanhai No. 1 shipwreck dating back to China’s Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279). 

This section has put on display relevant cultural relics to depict three major historical events in China’s maritime history: Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty dispatching ships and envoys from Hepu and Xuwen to foreign countries, Chinese envoys’ missions to ancient state Goryeo during China’s Song Dynasty (960-1279), and the famous Chinese navigator Zheng He’s voyages to the Western Seas during China’s early Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). 

Among the exhibits in this section, the gold ingots housed by the Hubei Provincial Museum are displayed, which date back to the reign of Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty. The exhibits, engraved with inscriptions of purchase records from the West, are tangible evidence of Zheng He’s voyages to the Western Seas.

The exhibition section for trade in goods mainly focuses on porcelain, silk and tea, three categories of exports from China in ancient times representing the influence of Chinese civilization overseas.

Porcelain has played an important role in trade along the Maritime Silk Road. The porcelains exhibited in this section include celadon porcelain wares made in the famous Yue kilns and Longquan kilns in east China’s Zhejiang province, white porcelain found in kilns in north China’s Hebei province, multi-colored porcelain wares such as the tri-colored glazed pottery of the Tang Dynasty, and blue and white porcelains of different styles.

A wide-sleeve long robe found in the tomb of Huang Sheng, a girl who lived in the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279) in Fuzhou, is on display in this exhibition section. The tomb is praised as a treasury of silk in the Southern Song Dynasty for its numerous and diverse silk fabrics unearthed.

Fujian’s silk fabrics manufacturing industry embraced unprecedented prosperity during the Song Dynasty. The decoration techniques including adorning fabrics with gold, colored drawing, and embroidery were widely used to beautify clothes.

Traces of such techniques have also been found in silk fabrics unearthed in China’s neighboring countries, which can fully prove Fujian’s position as one of the major production bases of silk exports in the Song Dynasty.

Various kinds of tea sets from the Tang and Song dynasties are also shown in this section, including a glass saucer and teacup as well as a silver tea roller discovered in the underground palace in Famen Temple in northwest China’s Shaanxi province. The tea roller belonged to Emperor Xizong of the Tang Dynasty, who used it before ascending the throne.

The third exhibition section featuring imported goods from ancient China manifests the inclusiveness of the Chinese civilization. Exhibits include such cultural relics as imported gem ornaments and glass artifacts unearthed from Guangxi, Hunan and Fujian provinces.

Among these exhibits, a peacock blue-glazed pottery bottle from the period of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms (907-979) is the most precious treasure of Fujian Museum. It is so far the best-preserved peacock blue-glazed ware unearthed in China.

The large pottery bottle is shaped like an olive and evenly covered with blue glaze on its outer surface, conveying a sense of exotic beauty. Experts believe that this pottery ware was likely imported from ancient Persian regions in West Asia.

Various censers and spices are also exhibited in this section. Besides, a special experience zone has been set up through joint efforts of Fujian Museum and Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, in a bid to create an interactive experience for visitors. 

The last section of the exhibition features the integration of diverse cultures. A white-glazed sitting statue of Chinese sea goddess Mazu made in a kiln in Dehua county during the Ming Dynasty is rather representative of the cultural relics exhibited.

The statue is made of white and delicate porcelain and a bright and smooth layer of glaze, with the glaze sparkling with a slight yellow tinge. It depicts the scene of Mazu sitting upright in a grand gown and with a square flat-topped crown on her head, vividly showing the sea goddess’ solicitude for people making a living on the sea.

White porcelains produced by kilns in Dehua enjoyed great popularity in the Ming and Qing dynasties. They were sold to regions as far as Europe.

The Maritime Silk Road is old and yet still vibrant. It is a route on the sea that has helped improve people’s well-being to create a better life, as well as a link that has enhanced exchanges and mutual learning among different civilizations.

Today, new cultural connotations are being injected into the ancient Maritime Silk Road. By showing the road’s historical and practical significance through relics and storytelling, the exhibition on the cultural imprint of the Maritime Silk Road has unfolded a scroll of harmonious coexistence, common understanding and mutual appreciation between the Chinese civilization and civilizations of various countries around the world.

Giant pandas, envoys of harmony, friendship, inclusiveness

By Ma Tianxiao

Giant panda Ai Bao, leased by China to South Korea, gave birth to a pair of baby pandas on July 7. They are the first pair of giant panda cubs born overseas this year, as well as the first panda twins ever born in South Korea.

People all over the world love giant pandas. The animal traces back to the ancestral panda genus Ailurarctos 8 to 9 million years ago and was recorded by many ancient Chinese books. It has been considered a valuable animal since ancient times because of the legends about it and its scarcity.

Ai Bao arrived in South Korea in March 2016 on a 15-year lease and joint international research. As a matter of fact, sending giant pandas overseas is not an exclusive practice of modern China. Two pandas were sent to Japan’s Emperor Tenmu by Wu Zetian, China’s only empress in the early Tang Dynasty (618-907).

Since the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, giant pandas have officially “assumed office” as “diplomatic envoys” and were sent to the Soviet Union and North Korea as national gifts.

When then U.S. President Richard Nixon visited China in 1972, the Chinese government gave the United States two pandas, Xing Xing and Ling Ling, as gifts. About 20,000 people came out for the panda pair’s first day of public viewing in the United States.

Out of the consideration of panda protection and propagation, China stopped sending giant pandas as gifts to foreign countries since the 1980s and instead continued its panda diplomacy through research cooperation.

According to statistics, China has carried out panda conservation and research cooperation projects with 22 zoos in 17 countries. As of 2022, there were 64 giant pandas and their cubs living outside China.

Giant pandas have become an important signature of Chinese diplomacy and friendship. Every panda going or living abroad has its interesting stories. For instance, the Japan-born giant panda Xiang Xiang got its name from more than 300,000 suggestions from the public; the Berlin Zoo invited 12 tenors to sing “Happy Birthday To You” to celebrate giant panda Jiao Qing’s birthday; Ouwehands Zoo in the Netherlands has built a special “Pandasia” for giant pandas Wu Wen and Xing Ya that covers more than 9,000 square meters; Australia’s Adelaide Zoo grows 15 species of bamboos so as to provide fresh bamboos to giant pandas Wang Wang and Fu Ni.

Currently, giant panda images are more and more appearing in major events, from the 1990 Asian Games mascot Pan Pan the Panda, to Jingjing, one of the mascots of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Besides, the China International Import Expo, the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games and the Chengdu 2021 FISU Summer World University Games also used panda as their mascots. Panda has been on the logo of the World Wide Fund for Nature since the organization was established.

China places extremely high importance on wild life conservation. Giant pandas, which are rare and distributed in a narrow range, are under key protection in the country.

Since the 1970s, China has launched a series of major projects of panda protection aiming at conserving the animal’s habitats, establishing panda reserves and strengthening artificial propagation of pandas. Many universities, under the support and guidance of the Chinese government, started panda-related surveys, protection and research on captive breeding technologies.

Thanks to these efforts, giant pandas were downgraded from “critically endangered” to “vulnerable” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature(IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species in 2016.

In October 2021, the Giant Panda National Park was officially set up. Stretching through Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu provinces, the national park is of vital significance for protecting rare species, stabilizing giant pandas’ propagation, promoting biodiversity conservation and improving human-nature harmony.

Giant pandas have been representing harmony, friendship and inclusiveness since the ancient times. It is hoped that this cute animal can better co-exist with mankind on planet Earth.

(Ma Tianxiao is a lecturer with the College of Life and Environmental Sciences of Minzu University of China, and a member of the working group of the China’s Fourth National Giant Panda Census)

Nasarawa: Transmission of result was 99.9.%, could be uploaded online or offline- INEC

…..witness responsible for training individuals on the use of BVAS Machines, confirmed presiding officers responsible for transmitting Form EC8A to server.

The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Lafia, the capital of Nasarawa state, has received certified copies of BVAS (Biometric Voter Authentication System) and IREV (INEC Results Viewing) results as evidence presented by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in their case against the declaration of Alhaji Audu Sule of the All Progressive Congress (APC) as the winner of the March 18th Governorship election.

During the recent hearings that spanned three days, witnesses subpoenaed by the tribunal submitted various documents, including BVAS Reports, IRev CTC Printouts of Form EC8A, payment receipts, and satisfaction pages.

These documents are crucial in supporting the PDP’s claims of irregularities, result mutilation, and inflation in specific polling units and electoral wards across the state.

The admissibility of the subpoenaed witnesses and their presented documents faced objections from the respondents’ counsel, who reserved their arguments for the address stage. These objections, along with the petitioner’s responses, are expected to be addressed at an appropriate time.

One of the subpoenaed witnesses, a Deputy Director of Information/Communication Technology (ICT) at the INEC National Headquarters in Abuja, clarified their role in the election process. The witness confirmed their presence at the INEC National Control Room during the March 18th Guber Election, where they supervised the real-time transmission of Form EC8A to the INEC IRev Portal/server.

The witness, responsible for training individuals on the use of BVAS Machines and generating reports from the INEC IRev server, confirmed that presiding officers were responsible for transmitting Form EC8A to the server. They also verified that a vast majority of the Polling Units’ results (99.67%) were successfully uploaded to the INEC IRev Portal.

Moreover, the witness emphasized that BVAS Machines could transmit Form EC8A to the INEC IRev server either online or offline as required. They acknowledged their familiarity with the electoral guidelines, manuals, and the 2022 Act as Amended, asserting that the election was conducted substantially in compliance with these regulations.

Notably, the witness acknowledged that the petitioner had obtained certified true copies of the documents presented in court and affirmed that these documents were consistent with the publicly available ones on the IRev server.

Following the cross-examinations, the Petitioner’s counsel requested the discharge of the witness from the stand. Additionally, they asked for the proper numbering of Form EC8A code 011 of Ashige Ward, Lafia LGA, which was tendered on June 24th, 2023, to ensure clarity.

The counsel also requested that the BVAS Machines mentioned in previous proceedings be brought by the Nasarawa State INEC subpoena witness on the next adjourned date to expedite the justice process.

The chairman of the three-man Governorship Election Petition Panel, Mr. Ezekiel Ajayi, graciously adjourned the Tribunal sitting to July 25th, 26th, 27th, 28th, and 29th, 2023, for the continuation of the hearing.

The Tribunal’s upcoming proceedings hold the promise of shedding further light on the disputed election, providing a vital platform for the presentation of evidence and arguments from both the petitioners and the respondents.

China’s FAST telescope finds key evidence for existence of nanohertz gravitational waves

By Wu Yuehui, People’s Daily

China’s Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST) recently found key evidence for the existence of nanohertz gravitational waves.

The research was conducted by the Chinese Pulsar Timing Array (CPTA) collaboration, which comprises researchers from the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (NAOC) and other institutes. Their findings were published online in the academic journal Research in Astronomy and Astrophysics (RAA) on June 29.

The finding indicates China’s leading position in the world in terms of the studies on nanohertz gravitational waves.

According to Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity, space-time is curved. Acceleration of massive objects disturbs the surrounding space-time and produces “ripples” which are known as gravitational waves.

Li Kejia, a researcher with the NAOC, told People’s Daily that the detection of nanohertz gravitational waves helps astronomers better understand the origins of the universe.

The signals of gravitational waves are extremely weak, but they offer a direct method for probing masses that do not emit light. Therefore, astronomers have long aimed to detect and use gravitational waves to aid in the observation of the universe.

Objects of greater mass produce gravitational waves of lower frequency. “For example, the most massive celestial body in the universe, the supermassive black hole binaries in the center of galaxies, mainly generate gravitational waves in the nanohertz band,” said Li.

Using nanohertz gravitational waves in cosmic observation is thus hugely important in studying key problems in contemporary astrophysics such as supermassive black holes, the history of galaxy mergers, and the formation of large-scale structures in the universe. Global physicists and astronomers have been racing to detect nanohertz gravitational waves.

Xu Heng, associate researcher with the NAOC noted that the detection of nanohertz gravitational waves can be very challenging due to their extremely low frequency, where the corresponding period can be as long as several years and wavelengths up to several light-years.

“Using FAST-like large radio telescopes to conduct long-term timing observation of millisecond pulsars with extreme rotational stability is the only known method for effectively detecting nanohertz gravitational waves,” he added.

Regional pulsar timing array collaborations, including the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves, the European Pulsar Timing Array and the Australian Parkes Pulsar Timing Array, have been collecting pulsar timing data for more than 20 years, with the aim of detecting nanohertz gravitational waves.

Taking advantage of FAST’s high sensitivity, the CPTA research team monitored 57 millisecond pulsars, which formed a Galactic-scale gravitational wave detector sensitive to nanohertz gravitational waves. They found key evidence for quadrupole correlation signatures compatible with the prediction of nanohertz gravitational waves at a 4.6-sigma statistical confidence level(with a false alarm probability of two in a million).

The team used independently developed data analysis software and data processing algorithms to achieve its breakthrough at the same time as other international groups. Independent data processing pipelines produced compatible results.

Luis C.Ho, Chair Professor of Peking University noted that it was a scientific prediction that the mergers of supermassive blackholes produce nanohertz gravitational waves, and this long-anticipated prediction has finally been proved by the CPTA research team.

Ho called the finding an important scientific breakthrough that carries lasting and huge significance. It not only has profound impacts on the study of galaxy evolution and supermassive blackholes, but also has opened a brand-new window for gravitational-wave astrophysics, he noted.

Village in north China’s Hebei prospers as land of music

By Zhang Tengyang, People’s Daily

As the sun rose, the Zhouwo Music Town came into view in Zhouwo village, which is less than 10 kilometers away from the county seat of Wuqiang county, Hengshui city, north China’s Hebei province.

Taking a walk in the village, one can hear piano music played on a loudspeaker, see streets painted with pictures of guitars and pianos, signboards in the shape of cassettes and drum-shaped dustbins, and find a musical instrument museum which preserves 1,500 musical instruments. In Zhouwo village, elements of music can be found everywhere.

“Our small village has become a town of music filled with artistic atmosphere,” said Zhou Zhixue, head of the villagers’ committee of Zhouwo. Zhou said that one third of the village’s residents work in musical instrument factories.

How has the small village been able to build a music town?

In the 1980s, there was a surging demand for Western musical instruments in China. Chen Xuekong, a villager in Zhouwo, spotted business opportunities in the market. With musical instrument manufacturing techniques he had learnt in another place, Chen went back to Wuqiang and opened the county’s first musical instrument factory in cooperation with the villagers.

By learning techniques from technicians of musical instrument factories in big cities, the local villagers had continuously improved the quality of products they made.

The musical instrument factory later developed into the Jinyin Group, becoming a manufacturer of medium- and high-end products and gradually entering the global market.

The Jinyin Group produces more than 100 types of musical instruments, including woodwind instruments, brass instruments, the violin family and the guitar family.

The company’s annual output of Western wind instruments has hit one million, achieving an annual output value of 426 million yuan (about $59.25 million).

The musical instrument industry has created employment for local villagers and increased their incomes. However, the “soft power” of the village remained the same.

Therefore, the local government decided to expand the industrial chain and incorporate music into people’s lives by building a music town that would produce musical instruments and provide travel experience for tourists.

The local government upgraded and renovated infrastructure and invited a culture and tourism company to make an overall renovation plan for the village.

While retaining the original appearance of residential houses in the village, the company renovated the residential dwellings and added an artistic touch to them. In 2012, the Zhouwo Music Town was preliminarily completed.

The music town has over 80 courtyards that are designed into B&B hotels, coffeehouses, and musical instrument experience stores. A music experience center and a musical instrument museum, which are newly built, are open to college students and teachers, industry insiders and film and television production companies from home and abroad.

In July 2022, the Zhouwo Music Town was rated as a national 4A scenic area in China.

In recent years, the music town has stepped up efforts to promote itself online and offline, having held many cultural exchange events, including the China Guitar Festival and open-air concerts, which saw the participation of many nationally and internationally renowned musicians, singers and bands.

In addition to watching performances, tourists can also go on a tour in the music town, see how musical instruments are made, and buy musical instruments.

At a musical instrument experience store, Han Qiang, a salesperson, showed a guitar to tourists and played it, winning their applause.

Before turning 40, Han was a farmer. “I planted crops on about 0.5 hectares of land and occasionally worked at construction sites,” said Han.

Han cultivated an interest in the guitar when he was a construction worker working for the renovation project of Zhouwo village. He became a salesperson and a guitarist at a guitar store in the music town after he turned 40.

“Sometimes I can sell three to four guitars and violins a day and earn 70,000 yuan (about $9,736) a year,” said Han.

Today, Zhouwo village has become a distinctive music town that intergrates musical instrument production, sightseeing, experience and teaching activities, art performances and catering and accommodation. The village’s music, cultural and tourism industries sees burgeoning growth.

The annual per capita income of residents in Zhouwo village has increased to 25,000 yuan today from more than 3,000 yuan before the music town was built. The music town has driven the development of six nearby villages.

Enterprises related to musical instrument manufacturing have also developed in Wuqiang, helping the county become an important exporter of musical instruments in China.

Currently, there are a total of 63 musical instrument manufacturing enterprises in Wuqiang and they have achieved collective and large-scale development. More than 10,000 people in the county are engaged in musical instrument manufacturing. In 2022, the operating revenue of the musical instrument industry in Wuqiang county exceeded 1.91 billion yuan.

The many musical events held in Wuqiang have enabled the seeds of music to start to take root in the hearts of local people. The music town has provided public welfare courses for local residents many times, inviting professional music teachers to teach the villagers to play musical instruments on a regular basis. The musical instruments were provided by local enterprises.

On a summer night, many bands consisting of local residents performed at a square in the village, winning rounds of cheers from the audiences. A band called “The Old Boy,” comprised of Han and several other villagers, also joined the performance.

“I get different feelings when I listen to music and my life has been enriched by music,” said Zhou Jinxiang, a saxophone enthusiast.

The local government in Wuqiang has launched a project of introducing musical instruments at middle schools, primary schools and kindergartens in the county. It has provided more than 1,200 musical instruments for local schools, trained more than 140 full-time and part-time music teachers, and carried out the pilot project in 15 schools. The project has seen the participation of more than 10,000 students.