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Shenzhou-19 crew to reside on space station for six months

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By Liu Shiyao, Yu Sinan, People’s Daily

At 4:27 am Beijing time on Oct. 30, a dazzling beam of light illuminated the pitch-black night sky. The Shenzhou-19 crewed spaceship, atop a Long March-2F carrier rocket, took off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China and headed towards the Chinese space station.

At 12:51 pm on Oct. 30, the Shenzhou-19 crew successfully joined the Shenzhou-18 crew in the space station. After finishing handover, the crew of China’s Shenzhou-18 spacecraft returned to the Dongfeng landing site in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on Nov. 4.

Cai Xuzhe, born in the 1970s, serves as the commander of the Shenzhou-19 crew. It is the first time for him to be in this position.With this ongoing mission, he set a new record for the shortest interval between two spaceflights for Chinese astronauts.

Crew members Song Lingdong and Wang Haoze, both born in the 1990s, are on their first spaceflight mission. Prior to being selected, Wang was a senior engineer at the Academy of Aerospace Propulsion Technology, China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. She is China’s only female space flight engineer and the third Chinese woman to participate in a crewed spaceflight mission.

The Shenzhou-19 mission marks the fourth crewed flight in the application and development phase of China’s space station and the 33rd flight of China’s manned space program.

Its primary goals are to complete an in-orbit crew rotation with the Shenzhou-18 crew, reside on the space station for about half a year, conduct space science and application experiments, perform extravehicular activities (EVAs), manage cargo entry and exit, install and recover space debris protection devices and other external equipment on the space station, and engage in science education, public welfare activities, and other payload tests. The aim is to further improve the operation efficiency of the space station and maximize the comprehensive benefits of its applications.

It is reported that the Shenzhou-19 mission will carry out 86 space science research and technology experiments, covering various fields including space life science, microgravity fundamental physics, space material science, space medicine and new space technologies.

The Shenzhou-19 crew will conduct structural analysis of protein crystal growth and non-equilibrium dynamics of soft matter under microgravity conditions.

The astronauts are expected to advance frontier research into basic theories, the development of new materials, the physiological effect mechanism of space radiation and weightlessness, hypomagnetic biological effects and molecular mechanisms.

A report on the scientific research and application development of the space station Tiangong is slated for release on the second anniversary of its completion, to introduce the representative results achieved by the space station since it was sent to orbit

According to Lin Xiqiang, spokesperson for the China Manned Space Agency, the selection of the fourth-batch Chinese astronauts concluded in May this year. Ten astronaut candidates made to the final list, including eight space pilots and two payload experts. Their training started this August.

The fourth-batch Chinese astronauts will not only perform tasks related to the space station, but also prepare for future manned lunar missions. Therefore, their training subjects emphasize essential skills such as living, working and maintaining health in a weightless environment. They will also master specialized skills including EVAs, equipment maintenance, and space science experiments.

Besides, they will develop capabilities in spacecraft operation, lunar rover driving, celestial navigation, geological fieldwork, as well as adapting from weightlessness in space to walking with loads on the lunar surface.

China is pressing ahead with its mission to land astronauts on the Moon by 2030, moving quickly with development and construction to turn this goal into reality.

The production and ground tests of prototypes of the Long March-10 carrier rocket, the manned spacecraft Mengzhou, the lunar lander Lanyue, the spacesuit to be worn by astronautsand the manned lunar rover are underway as planned.

A series of major tests have been completed, including the integrated airdrop test for the spacecraft, and the separation test for the two modules of the lander.

The scientific research objectives and overall payload plan for the manned flight tests and the first manned lunar mission have been basically determined. The development and construction of systems such as launch sites, telemetry and communication, and landing sites are progressing in an orderly manner as planned.

Lin said that currently, the first batch of payloads selected under cooperation between China and the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs are conducting experiments in orbit. Simultaneously, efforts are being made with relevant countries to promote the implementation of more joint experimental research, consultations, selection and training of astronauts to participate in flights to the Chinese space station.

Lin said the China’s space station serves not only as a national asset but also as a platform for advancing space technology and bringing benefits to all of humanity. The world is always welcome to participate in flight missions of the Chinese space station.

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Trump begins mass layoffs at Voice of America

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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.

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Judge blocks Trump from deporting non-citizens using wartime law

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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.

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China’s new chapter in global innovation

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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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