China

By Hadiza Abdulkadir 

A viral video showing Chinese passengers covering their noses around an African woman has triggered a heated debate online over racism, cultural differences and the use of perfume.

The woman, identified on X as Teebebe (@Acupoftii_), appeared to interpret the passengers’ reaction as racist. The video has since attracted widespread attention, with social media users offering competing explanations for the behaviour.

One of those responding was X user Zhao DaShuai, who argued that the incident may have had less to do with race and more to do with the strength of the woman’s perfume.

“It’s your perfume,” Zhao wrote.

He said many East Asians carry a variant of the ABCC11 gene linked to reduced production of certain compounds associated with underarm odour. According to Zhao, this may mean people in East Asia are less accustomed to strong fragrances.

The claim has prompted further debate, with some users questioning whether covering one’s nose should be interpreted as evidence of racial discrimination, while others argue that the gesture could have been a simple reaction to an unfamiliar smell.

Scientists have established a relationship between variations in the ABCC11 gene and differences in underarm odour, although the prevalence of the relevant variants varies considerably between populations.

The genetic explanation, however, does not establish why the passengers in the video covered their noses. Nor does the video, by itself, provide enough context to determine whether the behaviour was motivated by racism, discomfort with a strong fragrance, or another reason.

The incident has nevertheless revived an online conversation about race, personal fragrance and cultural differences in perceptions of smell, highlighting how an apparently ordinary gesture can carry very different meanings across cultural and racial contexts.

By Hamisu Adamu Dandajeh

Electric vehicles (EVs) are often called “inevitable”. The only question, we’re told, is timing. Nevertheless, the data says otherwise. Even the world’s most electrified economies remain overwhelmingly combustion-powered on the road. Nigeria’s constraints run deeper still. They are not only rooted in physics, minerals and money, but also on political willpower.

Start with Norway. It is the closest thing the world has to a completed EV transition. Battery-electric vehicles made up 96–97% of new car sales in 2025. Decades of tax breaks, toll discounts and bus-lane access built that number. But look at the cars actually on Norwegian roads, not the ones sold this year. Only a third of the total fleet is electric. That is the highest share in the world. And it still leaves two-thirds of Norway’s cars running on combustion. Sales dominance and fleet electrification are not the same thing. That gap is the central fact of this entire debate.

Other countries make the point harder. China crossed 50% EV sales penetration in 2025. Its road fleet is still only about 13% electric. Germany’s EV sales share collapsed from 29% to 19% when subsidies were cut, then recovered to 28% once they returned. Adoption moves with subsidy, not momentum. The US sits at roughly 10% of new car sales, stalled since federal tax credits expired. Japan’s EV sales share fell from 3% to 2% in 2025.

Globally, the EV fleet reached about 116 million units in 2026. The world’s total car fleet exceeds one billion vehicles. China alone holds 61% of all EVs on earth. A 30% sales share this year still means a fleet penetration of five to seven per cent. Cars last fifteen to twenty years. Old stock does not disappear because new sales shift. This is steady progress. It is not imminent replacement.

Nigeria’s problem is a different category of constraint. The national grid serves over 220 million people. It generates between 4,000 and 4,800 megawatts on a good day. That is about 20 watts per person. Pakistan manages 180. Indonesia manages 250. The United States manages 3,530; 176 times Nigeria’s figure. You cannot charge an EV fleet on a grid that cannot keep the lights on. Nigeria’s grid still collapses outright. Generation crashed to 20 megawatts nationwide in January 2026.

Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan targets 60% EV fleet share by 2050. Today, EVs are under 1% of the country’s vehicles. That is a few tens of thousands of cars; by industry estimate, no official figure exists. Import duty waivers pushed nearly 4,000 more EVs into the country in the first half of 2026. They are landing in a market where the grid runs at 30% of installed capacity. Barely half the population has a grid connection at all. Public charging stations number around a dozen nationwide.

Here is the telling part. Nigerian charging operators now run diesel and petrol generators to keep their own chargers working when the grid fails. The EV system depends on the fuels it is meant to replace. A car charged from a diesel generator is not a clean-energy solution. It is a combustion engine with an expensive extension cord.

Electric two- and three-wheelers are the exception. They are gaining real ground, often paired with solar charging. They already beat petrol bikes on lifetime cost. But a solar-charged motorcycle and a grid-dependent passenger car are different problems. Confusing the two is where much of the optimism about Nigeria’s EV transition breaks down.

Four structural constraints hold the combustion engine in place even in wealthy, grid-secure economies. Minerals come first. The cobalt supply gap is projected to widen from 15% to over 25% by 2040. Lithium demand is set to more than triple. The real bottleneck is refining, not mining. China controls most of that capacity, regardless of where the ore comes from. Battery supply chains are nearly as exposed as the oil trade they aim to replace.

Grid capacity is the second constraint, and it is not just a developing-world problem. The US grid faces simultaneous demand growth from data centres, reshored industry, building electrification and EV charging. Data centre demand alone is forecast to more than double by 2035. Ninety per cent of US charging operators cite grid limits, not construction cost, as their biggest obstacle. Lagos and Chicago differ in degree, not in kind.

Fleet turnover is the third. Cars stay on the road for over a decade. Fleet electrification always lags sales electrification. Norway proves it: a third of its fleet is electric, compared with 97% of its sales. Even a Nigeria that hit 100% EV sales tomorrow would run a majority-combustion fleet well into the 2040s.

Heavy-duty transport is the fourth. Electric truck sales more than doubled in 2025. They still make up barely one in ten trucks sold worldwide, and mostly in China. Long-haul freight, shipping, aviation and heavy equipment remain unsolved. Battery energy density per kilogram still trails diesel and jet fuel by a wide margin. These are the vehicles moving most of the world’s freight.

None of this argues against electric vehicles. Norway’s numbers are real. China’s manufacturing scale is real. The direction of travel is toward more electrification. But “more” is not “complete replacement,” and only the first claim survives contact with the data.

Nigeria’s real constraint is a 4,000-megawatt grid serving a quarter-billion people. That leaves meaningful EV penetration limited, for now, to solar-charged two- and three-wheelers and isolated pilot fleets. The industrialised world faces a different but equally real constraint: a mineral supply chain that cannot yet support the scale being promised, a grid under pressure from EVs and data centres at once, and a vehicle stock so large that even a fully electrified sales market takes a decade or more to become a fully electrified road.

The honest forecast is not replacement. It is long, uneven coexistence. EVs will take a growing share of new sales where grids and supply chains allow it. Combustion engines will keep doing the heavy lifting for the existing fleet, and for the jobs battery technology still cannot do. Anyone promising a firm end date for the petrol or diesel engine is selling a story the numbers do not support.

Hamisu Adamu Dandajeh is an Associate Professor of Sustainable Fuels, Energy and Climate Change, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria. Email: hadandajeh@gmail.com

By Hadiza Abdulkadir

China has removed or suspended more than 12,000 university degree programs as part of a sweeping reform aimed at aligning higher education with the country’s economic and technological priorities.

According to data from China’s Ministry of Education, universities revoked or suspended about 12,200 undergraduate programs between 2021 and 2025 while introducing roughly 10,200 new ones. The changes affected more than 30 per cent of university programs nationwide. The cuts were concentrated in arts, humanities, foreign languages, and management-related disciplines.

Programs such as English literature, product design, and public administration were among those affected as universities reviewed courses deemed obsolete or less closely aligned with current labour-market needs.

The reforms come as China seeks to address a graduate employment challenge and strengthen its position in advanced technology industries. Officials and university administrators have increasingly emphasised programs that are seen as supporting national development goals and emerging sectors.

To replace the discontinued programs, universities introduced thousands of new degree offerings focused on advanced technologies and strategic industries. New majors include embodied intelligence, semiconductor engineering, and brain-computer interface technologies, among other fields linked to artificial intelligence and high-tech manufacturing.

The overhaul reflects Beijing’s broader ambition to build a highly skilled workforce capable of supporting innovation, technological self-reliance, and long-term economic growth. Supporters argue the reforms will improve graduate employability, while critics warn that reducing opportunities in the humanities could weaken intellectual diversity and critical inquiry within universities.

As China continues to reshape its higher education system, the reforms are likely to attract close attention from policymakers and educators around the world who are grappling with similar questions about the future of work and the role of universities in a technology-driven economy.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Chinese President Xi Jinping has cautioned United States President Donald Trump that any wrong move on the Taiwan issue could damage ties between both countries and possibly trigger conflict.

The warning came on Thursday as the two leaders met in Beijing for a high-profile summit that focused on trade, security and regional tensions.

Trump arrived in China with warm remarks for his host. He described Xi as a “great leader” and “friend”. The American president also invited the Chinese leader to visit the White House in September.

Despite the cordial atmosphere at the start of the meeting, Xi made it clear that Taiwan remains Beijing’s top concern in relations with Washington.

“The Taiwan question is the most important issue in China-US relations,” Xi said, according to remarks released by Chinese state media after the talks began.

“If mishandled, the two nations could collide or even come into conflict, pushing the entire China-US relationship into a highly perilous situation,” he added.

The discussions between both leaders reportedly lasted for two hours and 15 minutes at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Xi also urged both nations to maintain cooperation instead of rivalry. He said China and the United States “should be partners and not rivals”.

Trump, who is facing domestic pressure over the ongoing conflict involving Iran, described the summit as highly significant.

“There are those who say this may be the biggest summit ever,” Trump said during brief remarks after a welcoming ceremony in Beijing.

The ceremony featured an honour guard and children waving flowers and flags to welcome the American delegation.

According to China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Xi told Trump that earlier negotiations between Chinese and American economic officials in South Korea produced “balanced and positive outcomes”.

Al Jazeera correspondent Katrina Yu, who reported from Beijing, said Chinese authorities appeared willing to manage disagreements with Washington on several issues, including trade, Iran and technology.

However, she noted that Taiwan remains a red line for Beijing.

“But there is one issue China and President Xi cannot be flexible on. That is Taiwan,” Yu said.

“And everything that Beijing has offered in the last few hours – niceties, friendliness, reaching out a hand to cooperate more closely – is not free and is conditional on one thing: Washington accepts that there is only one China and that Beijing is very serious about getting Taiwan under its control.”

By Muhammad Abubakar

A military court in China has sentenced former Defence Minister Li Shangfu to death for corruption, with a two-year reprieve on the execution of the sentence, state broadcaster China Central Television reported.

Li, who previously served as one of China’s top military officials, was found guilty of corruption-related offences following an investigation by Chinese authorities. Under China’s legal system, a death sentence with a two-year reprieve is often commuted to life imprisonment if the convict is deemed to have shown good behaviour during the suspension period.

The ruling marks another major development in China’s sweeping anti-corruption campaign, which has targeted senior political and military figures in recent years. Li was removed from office in 2023 after months out of public view, fuelling speculation about investigations into alleged misconduct within the military establishment.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, on Wednesday held talks with China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, in Beijing as tensions continue to rise over the Strait of Hormuz.

The visit comes just one week before United States President Donald Trump is expected in Beijing for a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping scheduled for May 14 and 15.

China’s state news agency, Xinhua, confirmed that the meeting between both officials had commenced, although it did not disclose details of the discussions.

This trip marks Araghchi’s first visit to China, a key ally of Tehran, since the US-Israel war on Iran began on February 28. Since the outbreak of the conflict, both ministers have maintained contact through several phone conversations.

In Washington, DC, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he hopes China will urge Iran to ease its grip on the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial route for global oil and gas shipments.

Iran shut the strait shortly after the conflict started, a move that triggered a sharp rise in fuel and fertiliser prices and unsettled the global economy.

Although a ceasefire was reached in April, the United States later imposed a blockade on Iranian ports in an effort to pressure Tehran into accepting its conditions for peace.

Reporting from Beijing, Al Jazeera’s Katrina Yu said the meeting is expected to focus mainly on sustaining the ceasefire and reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

“We know that China has been very critical of the US’s naval blockade on Iranian ports, calling it dangerous. But increasingly, Beijing has also been critical of Iran’s decision to continually close that vital chokepoint,” Yu said.

She added that China may seek clarity from Iran on its future actions, while Tehran is also looking for assurances of continued Chinese support.

“Iran will need Chinese backing, for example, at the United Nations, to continue to block any action that would put any additional sanctions on Iran because of its closure of the strait,” Yu said.

“Reportedly, the Iranian foreign minister is looking for clarity from Beijing as to what it will put on the table when Xi meets with Trump, and whether Beijing will be making any concessions to Washington that could make Tehran nervous.”

China, on its part, is said to be seeking guarantees from Iran that it will avoid any escalation ahead of the high-level meeting between Xi and Trump.

Meanwhile, President Trump has announced a temporary halt to a US military mission aimed at escorting stranded vessels through the Strait of Hormuz.

The operation, which started earlier in the week, had heightened tensions after the US military claimed it destroyed several Iranian boats that allegedly tried to disrupt the effort. The United Arab Emirates also accused Iran of launching missile and drone attacks, including one that caused a fire at an oil facility. Tehran has denied involvement.

Trump wrote on Truth Social that the pause followed appeals “on the request of Pakistan and other Countries” and because “Great Progress has been made toward a Complete and Final Agreement with Representatives of Iran”.

Pakistan has been playing a leading role in mediating between Washington and Tehran. Direct talks were held in Islamabad on April 11 and 12, but both sides failed to reach an agreement.

Key disagreements remain, including US demands for Iran to stop all nuclear enrichment activities, while Tehran insists on maintaining control over the Strait of Hormuz.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

China has lifted import tariffs on goods from 53 African countries. The new policy grants duty-free access to almost all nations on the continent, except Eswatini.

The measure took effect on Friday. It applies to African countries that maintain diplomatic relations with Beijing. Eswatini remains the only country left out because it has formal ties with Taiwan, which China considers part of its territory.

China had earlier removed tariffs on products from 33 least-developed African countries in December 2024. The latest move adds 20 more countries to the arrangement. According to Global Times, these nations will enjoy preferential duty-free access until 30 April 2028.

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce said the decision would boost the competitiveness of African exports in its market. Products expected to benefit include cocoa from Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, citrus and wine from South Africa, as well as coffee and avocados from Kenya.

Officials also said the policy could support the growth of processing industries across Africa and attract more investment into the sector.

Lin Jian, a spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry, described the move as an “expression of China’s willingness to voluntarily expand openness and assume more international responsibilities”.

“It aims to share opportunities with Africa and achieve common development,” he said.

China remains Africa’s largest trading partner. In 2025, it imported goods worth more than £90 billion from the continent. This represents an increase of 5.4 per cent compared to the previous year. Total trade between both sides reached £255 billion.

The chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, welcomed the development. He said the policy was “very timely” as African economies face global economic challenges and rising protectionist measures.

“I would like to express, on behalf of the African Union Commission, our sincere gratitude for this very brotherly gesture that all Africans appreciate,” he said.

The tariff removal forms part of China’s broader economic plan under its 15th Five-Year Plan covering 2026 to 2030. The plan focuses on expanding market access and strengthening trade and investment ties.

Lauren Johnston, a research fellow at the AustChina Institute, said the expanded access could increase agricultural exports. She noted it may also “help elevate rural incomes, improve rural productivity, and ultimately reduce hunger and poverty”.

However, some experts believe tariff cuts alone may not solve Africa’s trade challenges. Jervin Naidoo, a political analyst at Oxford Economics Africa, said that “many African economies still face structural constraints such as limited industrial capacity, weak logistics, and reliance on raw commodity exports, which tariff reductions alone cannot address”.

Fresh US intelligence assessments indicate that China could be preparing to supply Iran with new air defense systems in the coming weeks, according to three individuals familiar with the findings, as reported by Cable News Network (CNN).

The development comes shortly after Beijing played a role in brokering a fragile ceasefire that halted recent hostilities between Iran and the United States. The timing is sensitive as President Donald Trump is expected to travel to China next month for talks with President Xi Jinping.

Officials say the intelligence points to possible efforts by Iran to use the pause in fighting to rebuild parts of its military capability with assistance from foreign partners.

Two sources said there are signs that China may attempt to route the weapons through third-party countries in order to conceal their origin.

The weapons in question are believed to be shoulder-fired anti-aircraft systems known as MANPADS. According to the sources, such systems posed a threat to low-flying US military aircraft during the recent five-week conflict and could do so again if fighting resumes.

China has denied the claims. A spokesperson for its embassy in Washington said, “China has never provided weapons to any party to the conflict; the information in question is untrue.”

The spokesperson added, “As a responsible major country, China consistently fulfills its international obligations. We urge the U.S. side to refrain from making baseless allegations, maliciously drawing connections, and engaging in sensationalism; we hope that relevant parties will do more to help de-escalate tensions.”

Earlier, the embassy maintained that Beijing had “been working to help bring about a ceasefire and end to the conflict” since the outbreak of the US-Israel-Iran war.

President Trump said earlier this week that a US F-15 fighter jet downed over Iran was struck by a “handheld shoulder missile, [a] heat-seeking missile.” Iran had earlier claimed it used a “new” air defense system, though it did not disclose details. It remains unclear whether the system was of Chinese origin.

Analysts say any transfer of MANPADS would signal a shift in China’s level of support for Iran since the US and Israel began joint military operations in February. While Chinese firms have continued supplying dual-use technologies to Iran, direct involvement by the Chinese government in weapons transfers would represent a significant escalation.

High-level engagements between Washington and Beijing have continued alongside ceasefire discussions, and Trump’s planned visit is expected to address several of these concerns.

One source familiar with the intelligence said China appears to be balancing its interests. Beijing is seen as avoiding direct involvement in the conflict while maintaining ties with Iran, a key supplier of oil, and preserving plausible deniability.

Sources also noted that China could frame any support as defensive in nature. This position could distinguish its actions from Russia, which has reportedly supported Iran with intelligence sharing during the conflict.

Iran maintains long-standing military and economic ties with both China and Russia. It has also supported Moscow in its war in Ukraine, including the supply of Shahed drones, while continuing to export much of its sanctioned oil to China.

By Hadiza Abdulkadir

China has announced a $200,000 humanitarian donation to support the families of students killed in a missile strike on a school in Iran earlier in the war, according to reports by Agence France-Presse (AFP).

In a statement on Friday, China’s foreign ministry said the Chinese Red Cross Society will channel the funds through the Iranian Red Crescent Society to assist the parents of the victims.

Beijing described the incident as an “indiscriminate” missile strike carried out by the United States that resulted in the deaths of several students. The donation, officials said, will serve as emergency humanitarian assistance intended for “condolences and compensations” to the bereaved families.

China also reiterated its call for the protection of civilians, particularly children, during armed conflicts.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Some commercial ships travelling through the Strait of Hormuz and nearby Gulf waters have begun identifying themselves as linked to China in an apparent effort to avoid attacks since the start of the Iran war.

Marine traffic data shows that several vessels in the Gulf and the Gulf of Oman altered their destination signals to short messages such as “CHINA OWNER” or “CHINA OWNER&CREW”. The Associated Press reviewed the data from the ship-tracking platform MarineTraffic.

At least eight vessels adopted the practice. Some of them later continued their journey through the strait toward their destinations. Others remained within the surrounding waters.

Security analysts say the move appears intended to lower the chances of being targeted. Ana Subasic, a trade risk analyst at data and analytics firm Kpler, which owns MarineTraffic, explained the reason behind the signals.

“The main goal of vessels publicly identifying themselves as ‘Chinese’ while transiting the Gulf or the Strait of Hormuz is primarily to reduce the risk of being attacked rather than to facilitate passage through the strait itself,” she said.

According to analysts, Iran and groups allied with it have generally avoided striking vessels connected to China. Observers attribute this to Beijing’s relatively neutral position and its strong economic ties with Tehran.

Kun Cao, client director at consulting firm Reddal, said the message carried by such signals is clear. “The message is more like ‘do not mistake me for the kind of ship you said you would hit,’” he said.

Attacks on ships in the Gulf and surrounding waters have raised alarm among global shipping companies. Reports indicate that at least 19 commercial vessels in the region have sustained damage since the conflict began.

MarineTraffic data also shows that most of the ships using the China identification messages do not sail under the Chinese flag. Several of them are registered in countries such as Panama and the Marshall Islands.

Cao explained that the nationality of a ship’s flag often does not reflect the origin of its owner in international shipping.

Experts say the effectiveness of the tactic remains uncertain. Rico Luman, a senior economist at Dutch bank ING who specialises in transport and logistics, said many cargo ships have strong business links with China through ownership, operations or cargo.

Destination signals are short messages that ship crews manually enter into their vessel’s tracking system. The information is broadcast publicly and usually indicates the ship’s next port.

Subasic said the messages help improve navigation safety and allow ports to prepare for arriving vessels. However, the information is not always verified immediately.

Because of that, she said, “some vessels occasionally use it to display additional information or signals, such as references to ownership or nationality.”

A similar tactic appeared earlier during attacks by Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi group in the Red Sea. At that time, some ships also declared links to China in an attempt to reduce the risk of being targeted.