Heavy rains kill 16 in Bolivia

04.04.2025, 20:33 9886

China accelerates humanoid robot development for diverse applications

Images | Xinhua/Ju Huanzong

At the Zhongguancun International Innovation Center in Beijing, the humanoid robot Kuavo has become a familiar sight, effortlessly handling reception duties, responding to visitor inquiries, and guiding guests in finding their way through the facility, Xinhua reports.

Standing 1.7 meters tall with advanced cognitive capabilities, Kuavo is our next-generation service robot," said Guo Da, sales manager at Shenzhen-based Leju Robotics. "Currently deployed in universities, exhibition halls and automotive plants, the model is set to enter homes and offer services in the future."

The recently concluded 2025 Zhongguancun Forum highlighted China's progress in robotics, featuring nearly 100 humanoid models performing tasks ranging from musical performances to event hosting.

Driven by rapid advancement in embodied intelligence, China's humanoid robots are evolving at an accelerated pace, extending their reach into both industrial and household applications.

Industry data underscores China's growing leadership in the relevant field. According to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the country holds over 190,000 active robotics patents, accounting for roughly two-thirds of the global total.

According to the Chinese Institute of Electronics, China's humanoid robot market is projected to reach 870 billion yuan (about 120 billion U.S. dollars) by 2030.

Several advanced models are already entering commercial use. Developed by the Beijing Innovation Center of Humanoid Robots, the Tiangong Ultra robot is capable of running at 12 km per hour and climbing 35-cm steps, and is preparing for an upcoming humanoid robot marathon.

Meanwhile, Walker S1, developed by the Shenzhen-based tech company UBTECH, is undergoing precision quality inspections at an Audi production facility.

Government support is further accelerating development. Beijing recently unveiled a three-year action plan for embodied intelligence innovation and industrial growth, backed by a 100-billion-yuan fund. Similar initiatives are underway in Guangdong, Sichuan and Shanxi provinces.

Beijing has identified embodied intelligence as a key focus for next-generation AI development, now transitioning from research to commercialization, said Su Guobin, deputy director of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology.

The development prospects of the industry have been impressive. Leju Robotics Chairman Leng Xiaokun noted that Kuavo received 250 orders in the first quarter, surpassing the company's half-year target.

Unitree Robotics Vice General Manager Wang Qizhou has emphasized efforts to boost production efficiency while shifting from pre-trained to autonomous adaptive systems.

Earlier, it was reported that humanoid robots have attracted attention at the 2025 ZGC Forum Annual Conference.

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04.04.2025, 19:36 9681

Myanmar earthquake leaves ancient town in ruins

Images | aa.com.tr

The magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck Myanmar on March 28 destroyed the ancient city of Ava in the Mandalay Region, causing severe damage to historic pagodas and religious sites, the Myanmar Now website reported Thursday, Anadolu reports.

The quake also killed at least 300 people in Tada-U, a town in central Myanmar about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) from the provincial capital of Mandalay. Locals said that bodies still remain under the rubble.

All buildings and houses in Tada-U have been destroyed by the earthquake," said one resident.

The death toll from the earthquake rose to 3,085 on Thursday, with 4,719 injured and 341 missing, the junta said, according to Myanmar Now, while at least 22 were killed, while 70 others remain missing in neighboring Thailand after an under-construction skyscraper collapsed, according to the Thai Public Broadcasting Service (Thai PBS).

Meanwhile, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said Wednesday that it is preparing a $3 million grant to aid the people of Myanmar, according to Myanmar Now.

The funding will assist with food distribution and provide multi-purpose cash aid, allowing survivors to purchase essentials such as drinking water, medical supplies and materials for shelter.

We are deeply concerned by its impact on the people of Myanmar and are taking swift action to support emergency relief efforts," said Winfried Wicklein, ADB Director General for Southeast Asia.

The UK has pledged up to $12 million in aid for Myanmar, while Australia and the US each committed $2 million. The UN’s Central Emergency Fund has allocated $5 million.

On Wednesday, Australia announced an additional $7 million in aid, while Japan is contributing $6 million and China has donated $13.8 million.

Several South East Asian countries including Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand have also sent teams to help.

China announced Thursday that it has established the first emergency shelter in Myanmar.

China established Myanmar’s first post-quake international relief shelter, providing temporary housing and medical service for 900 displaced individuals," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning wrote on X.

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04.04.2025, 17:27 10096

Italy's Etna Volcano spews ash, lava again

The Mount Etna volcano in southern Italy once again spewed ash and lava, according to media reports Thursday, Anadolu Agency reports.

The Mount Etna volcano in southern Italy once again spewed ash and lava, according to media reports Thursday.

Volcanic activity at the southeast crater of Mount Etna, at 3,357 meters (11,014 feet) in height, continued from Wednesday night to Thursday night, local sources told Anadolu.

The Italian National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) confirmed the activity.

Due to the ash clouds, INGV issued a red code warning for airplanes passing through the region, according to local media reports.

Mount Etna is one of the world's most active volcanoes, with an almost constant state of activity. The last time it erupted significantly was on Nov. 13-16.

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03.04.2025, 16:40 21501

China successfully launches new satellite

China sent a new satellite into space on Thursday from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China's Shanxi Province, Xinhua reports.

The satellite, Tianping-3A 02, was launched at 10:12 a.m. (Beijing Time) aboard a Long March-6 carrier rocket and entered its preset orbit successfully.

The satellite will be primarily used for the calibration of ground-based radar equipment and radar cross section (RCS) measurement. It will support imaging experiments for ground-based optical equipment and monitoring tests of the low-orbit space environment, while also providing services for atmospheric space environment measurement and orbital prediction model correction.

The launch marks the 568th flight mission of the Long March carrier rocket series.

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03.04.2025, 14:05 21296

Myanmar earthquake death toll surpasses 3,000 as rescuers search for survivors

Images | aa.com.tr

Rescuers continued efforts to reach survivors as the death toll from last Friday's strong 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Myanmar exceeded 3,000 with hundreds still missing, state media reported on Thursday, Anadolu Agency reports.

Fatalities rose to 3,003 on Wednesday, with 4,515 injured and 351 missing, Myanmar's Embassy in Japan said on Facebook.

At least 15 were killed, while 72 others remain missing in neighboring Thailand after an under-construction skyscraper collapsed due to the earthquake with the epicenter in the Sagaing region of Myanmar.

The massive earthquakes with magnitudes 7.7 and 6.4 last Friday struck mostly the Southeast Asian nation's central region -- home to 28 million people -- toppling buildings, and leaving communities without food, water, and shelter.

Weather authorities have forecast unseasonal rains beginning on April 11, which could present a new challenge for rescue and aid workers trying to reach people in the civil war-stricken country.

Some 53 aid flights have so far landed in Myanmar, while over 1,900 rescue workers arrived from 15 countries, including Southeast Asian neighbors, as well as China, India, and Russia.

On Wednesday, the country's ruling military declared a three-week ceasefire against rebels to allow rescue operations.

A statement by the military said the truce, to last until April 22, would facilitate relief operations in the wake of the disaster.

The move came after a major rebel alliance declared a ceasefire on Tuesday to assist the humanitarian efforts.

Myanmar has experienced 66 aftershocks ranging from magnitudes 2.8 to 7.5 since Friday, according to the country's Department of Meteorology and Hydrology.

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02.04.2025, 21:41 33391

Myanmar earthquake death toll rises to 2,886

Images | wam.ae

The death toll from the earthquake in Myanmar has risen to 2,886, with 4,639 injured, while 373 people remain missing as search efforts for survivors continue, WAM reports.

The 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Myanmar on Friday, causing extensive damage in the capital, Naypyidaw, as well as in Mandalay, the country's second-largest city.

Myanmar on Monday declared seven days of national mourning over a powerful earthquake of a 7.7-magnitude that struck central Myanmar last Friday.

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02.04.2025, 19:43 33146

Explosion at fireworks warehouse in India kills at least 21

An explosion at an illegal firecracker factory in western India left 21 people dead and several others injured on Tuesday, officials said, WAM reports.

The fiery blast sent chunks of rock, metal and body parts flying far from the factory complex in the town of Deesa in Gujarat state.

There was a huge blast in the factory, causing the concrete roof to collapse," government spokesman Rishikesh Patel said, confirming many deaths and injuries.

The force of the explosion was so powerful that people were reportedly hurled 200 to 300 metres away from the site.

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01.04.2025, 21:43 44921

Myanmar junta chief says quake death toll rises to 2,700: reports

Images | kyodonews.net

The death toll from the powerful earthquake that struck central Myanmar has risen to more than 2,700, with over 4,500 people injured, the country's military chief said Tuesday, according to local media reports, Kyodo reports.

As aftershocks, a shortage of heavy machinery and an intermittent supply of electricity continue to hamper search and rescue operations, junta chief Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing said the number of the dead is expected to exceed 3,000, adding that more than 440 people are missing, local media reported.

Rescue teams from China and Russia have started their operations in Mandalay, Myanmar's second-largest city, near the epicenter of the magnitude 7.7 quake that hit in the early afternoon on Friday. Other countries including Thailand, India and Singapore have dispatched rescuers to the quake-hit country.

Search efforts also continued in Bangkok, with the death toll in Thailand rising to 20 on Tuesday.

Many of those killed in the neighboring country were crew members working at a high-rise building under construction in the Thai capital, rescue operation agencies said, adding about 80 people are still missing.

The Thai industry ministry has launched an investigation at the site of the collapsed building as the steel used in its construction could have been substandard, according to ministry officials.

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Heavy rains kill 16 in Bolivia

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