Foreign
Beijing develops China’s first large model of atmospheric environment monitoring
By Pan Xutao, Hua Yiran, People’s Daily
On the streets of Beijing, residents may notice a uniquely designed van with sampling tubes mounted on its roof and the words “Mobile Atmospheric Monitoring” painted on its sides in Chinese.
The van is equipped with a mass spectrometer that can analyze the air it takes in and measure volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the surrounding area within five seconds. It is reported that the VOCs data will be uploaded in real-time to the Supervision-Monitoring-Inspection (SMI) mechanism developed by the Beijing Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau.
The bureau has also developed a large model to support the SMI mechanism, employing advanced technologies such as big data and artificial intelligence. Supported by an innovative monitoring network, intelligent analysis techniques, and an efficient dispatching system, the model has contributed to the continuous improvement of air quality in Beijing.
Data quality is essential as it forms the cornerstone and foundation of large models. To enhance the quality of data, the large model has created a multi-dimensional sensing system that boasts different functions such as aerial surveillance and ground patrols, and involves economic and social operation data such as electricity consumption. It combines over 200,000 smart sensing devices, collecting hundreds of millions of data points on a daily basis.
The large model has reportedly identified and flagged over 10,000 problems, offering effective assistance in pollution control and regular monitoring.
With the help of remote satellite sensing technology, the large model can intelligently identify more than 10 types of targets such as bare land, with an accuracy rate of 90 percent. Meanwhile, mobile monitoring vehicles can patrol the ground, measuring VOCs in real-time, achieving second-level response, intelligent traceability, and closed-loop regulation.
“The large model has incorporated over 50 types of databases, including data related to air quality monitoring and pollution sources. It also includes a database focused on environmental protection knowledge, comprising more than 1 million documents such as environmental standards, regulations, research reports, and papers,” said Shen Xiu’e, head of the Beijing Municipal Ecological and Environmental Monitoring Center.
These data enable the large model to perform intelligent analysis, forecasting, precise tracing, and clue mining, Shen added.
The large model can also monitor electricity consumption at industrial facilities on a minute-by-minute basis. It can identify discrepancies in production and pollution control activities by intelligently matching and analyzing data.
“Using electricity monitoring technology, we have included over 1,000 key enterprises that emit air pollutants and more than 6,000 monitoring points into the system. If a company’s production facility uses electricity while its pollution control equipment is not in operation, the system will capture and record this anomaly,” Shen explained.
On June 20, the model detected that the printing machines and other production equipment of a company were running day and night, but the pollution control facilities appeared to only operate during the day and were inactive at night. After a thorough analysis, the problem was flagged and sent to Beijing’s district-level law enforcement department for further steps.
In Beijing, there is also an air pollution control platform enabled by the SMI mechanism, which is a large screen showing real-time air quality and forecast results on the left, meteorological data, pollution source data, and dispatch information in the center, and four major categories of problems including mobile sources, industrial sources, dust sources, and environmental hotspots, along with the results of targeted pollution control measures on the right.
Li Xiang, an official with Beijing’s Comprehensive Law Enforcement Team for Ecological and Environmental Protection, described a case of problem detection and resolution. “The system alerted us to a high VOC concentration point near an auto repair shop, likely caused by the shop itself, so we conducted an on-site inspection,” said Li.
Upon entering the shop, Li and other law enforcement officers inspected the paint spraying and baking room, discovering that some of the activated carbon filters were overdue for replacement, and there were gaps in the carbon plates, allowing untreated exhaust to escape.
The team demanded the auto repair shop to immediately rectify the issue and handed the case over to local authorities for appropriate penalties. After the corrective actions were completed, officials returned for a re-inspection, confirming that the VOC levels had returned to normal.
The air pollution control platform can rapidly assess air quality, comprehensively analyze pollution trends, intelligently trace pollution sources, coordinate resources across districts and localities, dynamically track activity levels, and thereby effectively analyze and monitor major pollution sources.
The SMI mechanism and other technologies have significantly enhanced pollution control efficiency in Beijing, helping protect and maintain the ecological environment.
According to data from the Beijing Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau, from January to July this year, the average concentration of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in Beijing was 33 micrograms per cubic meter. Besides, the Chinese capital recorded a total of 150 days of good air quality during the same period, an increase of 7 days from a year ago.
Foreign
Trump begins mass layoffs at Voice of America

The Trump administration has initiated sweeping layoffs at Voice of America (VOA) and other U.S.-funded international broadcasters, effectively dismantling institutions long seen as critical for American influence abroad.
On Sunday, contractors working for VOA received an email notification that their employment would be terminated by the end of March. “You must cease all work immediately and are not permitted to access any agency buildings or systems,” the email read, according to multiple staff members who confirmed the development.
The move, which comes just a day after all employees were placed on administrative leave, disproportionately affects non-English-language services, where contractors make up a significant portion of the workforce. Many of these contractors are not U.S. citizens and may now face visa issues, further complicating their status in the country.
While most full-time staff remain employed for now, they have been told not to work, leaving VOA and its sister organizations in a state of uncertainty. Some services, unable to produce new programming, have resorted to playing music.
VOA, founded during World War II, has been a critical tool for U.S. public diplomacy, broadcasting in 49 languages to audiences in countries where press freedom is restricted. However, President Trump signed an executive order on Friday targeting its parent organization, the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), as part of broader federal budget cuts.
The cuts extend beyond VOA, affecting other U.S.-funded media entities such as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Free Asia, Radio Farda (which broadcasts in Persian to Iran), and Alhurra, an Arabic-language network launched after the 2003 Iraq invasion. The administration argues that taxpayers should not fund what it calls “radical propaganda,” despite VOA’s longstanding editorial independence.
Liam Scott, a VOA journalist covering press freedom and disinformation, expressed concern over the decision. “I’ve covered press freedom for a long time, and I’ve never seen something like what’s happened in the U.S. over the past couple of months,” he wrote on social media.
The move has drawn international attention, particularly from China and Russia, which have been expanding their own state-funded media efforts. The Chinese state-run *Global Times* reacted with an editorial declaring that “the monopoly of information held by traditional Western media is being shattered.”
Trump’s administration has pursued aggressive cuts across federal agencies, including eliminating most foreign aid and significantly reducing the Department of Education. With input from tech billionaire Elon Musk, Trump has focused on reducing government size to facilitate tax cuts.
As the global media landscape shifts, the dismantling of U.S.-funded broadcasters leaves a vacuum that could be filled by rival state-controlled networks. Whether Congress or legal challenges will intervene remains to be seen, but for now, the future of America’s international broadcasting efforts hangs in the balance.
Foreign
Judge blocks Trump from deporting non-citizens using wartime law

A federal judge has temporarily halted the Trump administration’s attempt to deport migrants allegedly linked to the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua under a wartime law.
US District Judge James Boasberg issued a restraining order preventing the administration from using the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to expel undocumented migrants accused of gang ties. The order initially protected five individuals challenging the deportation but was later expanded to all affected noncitizens in US custody.
Boasberg also directed that any planes carrying these migrants be returned to the United States. “Any plane containing these folks that is going to take off or is in the air needs to be returned,” he ruled. The restraining order will remain in effect for 14 days or until further court action.
The Trump administration invoked the Alien Enemies Act, citing Tren de Aragua as a terrorist organization that has “unlawfully infiltrated the United States” and is engaging in hostile actions. However, civil rights groups, including the ACLU, argue that the gang’s activities do not meet the legal definition of an invasion.
The Justice Department has appealed the ruling, while the case continues in court.
Foreign
China’s new chapter in global innovation

By Gu Yekai, Liu Yiqing, People’s Daily
At a smart construction project site managed by China State Construction Engineering Corporation, a quiet technological revolution is underway. Amid cranes and concrete, engineers are deploying advanced artificial intelligence (AI) systems that could fundamentally reshape the construction industry.
Li Fengjian, an AI specialistwith Xianyuan Technology, detailed how the company’s latest intelligent system – built on a large model – adapts to complex construction environments.”Engineering machinery equipped with intelligent agents can adjust its operations automatically in response to weather conditions,” Li explained, adding that a spatiotemporal sensing network further enhances the system, providing real-time tracking of both personnel and materials throughout the construction site.
In February this year, Xianyuan Technology rapidly integrated its self-developed model with DeepSeek-R1, effectively blending a general-purpose framework with industry-specific models. This integration, Li noted, has produced a solution capable of delivering expert-level performance in challenging, dynamic environments. The firm is based in the Shanghai Foundation Model Innovation Center, aburgeoning AI incubator that now hosts over 200 innovative enterprises.
China’s technological transformation extends well beyond the construction sector. Overthe past three decades, the country has evolved from its initial forays into internet connectivity to becoming a key player in global digital innovation.
Here, a steady stream of technological innovations are emerging, from the early days of emails and web browsing to the cutting-edge technologies represented by DeepSeek and the dynamic evolution of social media.
Wu Jianping, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Engineering and headof the Zhongguancun Laboratory, pointed out that while China had introduced only one internet standard before 2005, it now contributes to over 200 worldwide. Such strides illustrate the country’s concerted push toward high-level technological self-reliance – a journey marked by both persistence and determination.
Beyond the digital realm, China is makingsignificant inroads in aerospace, new energy, and other high-tech sectors. It has transitioned from being a follower to standing shoulder-to-shoulder with global leaders, and in some areas, even taking the lead. Wu attributed these achievements to a dynamic ecosystem of policy reforms and talent cultivation that encourages creativity and technical expertise at every level.
Amid intensifying international competition, collaborative research and the integration of new technologies with traditional industries are central to China’s high-quality economic development.
Mei Linhai, a researcher at China’s State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Intelligence, remarked that the age of AI calls for continuous exploration. “In this era, everyone is an innovator. Only by persistently pushing the boundaries can we remain at the forefront of both technological and industrial development,” Mei observed.
In the field of general-purpose AI, Mei emphasized that independent innovation is paramount. He advocates for a self-driven industrial ecosystem that leveragesbreakthrough technologies to boost productivity and unlock new possibilities, Mei said.
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