African leaders have called for slavery reparations from former colonial powers at the 38th AU Summit in Ethiopia.

From the 15th to the 19th century, at least 12.5 million Africans were kidnapped, forcibly transported by mostly European merchants, and sold into slavery.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in an address to the summit that the bitter fruit of the transatlantic slave trade and colonial exploitation is having a lasting impact on the continent.

How can Africans and people of African descent secure the justice they're calling for? And what forms could reparations for slavery take?

Host Zhao Ying is joined by Dr. He Wenping, Africa expert and Senior Research Fellow at Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; Adams Bodomo, Chair Professor of African Linguistics and Literatures, University of Vienna; William Worger, Professor Emeritus, Department of History, UCLA.

① US President Donald Trump has warned Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy that he better quickly negotiate an end to the war with Russia, or risk not having a country to lead. Why has Trump used an extended social media post to lash out at Zelenskyy? (00:49)

② We take a look at China’s 20-point action plan to stabilize foreign investment in 2025. (13:35)

③ A poll shows one in five German voters remains undecided, with only days until the parliamentary elections. We explore the turbulence of Germany’s upcoming elections? (25:03)

④ South Africa is hosting a G20 foreign ministers’ meeting in Johannesburg, but without the presence of the US. Why is the US under Trump determined to be a bad boy within the G20? (34:49)

⑤ NASA is reportedly losing four key senior officials close to its flagship moon program. We explore the uncertainties that the program is faced with. (44:01)

① Chairing a meeting of the United Nations Security Council, China’s foreign minister said that China supports all Ukraine peace efforts, and that Gaza is not a bargaining chip for political trade-offs. What is China’s approach to resolving hotspots? (00:52)

② Senior US and Russian officials have held their first face-to-face meeting since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. We explore the key signals from the meeting. (12:33)

③ We take a look at DeepSeek’s latest development: revealing its Native Sparse Attention, a new mechanism designed to enhance the efficiency of long-context training and inference in AI models. (24:55)

④ Clean energy contributed 10 percent to China’s GDP in 2024, according to new analysis. What does this number indicate? (34:18)

⑤ The parliament of Vietnam has approved an $8 billion rail link to China. What economic potentials could this project create? (44:15)

① During a visit to Dublin, China’s foreign minister said China is ready to enhance cooperation with Ireland. What’s the significance of widening China-Ireland cooperation against the backdrop of the rising tide of unilateralism and protectionism globally? (00:52)

② In an emergency meeting in Paris, European leaders stressed support for Ukraine but disagreed on sending peacekeeping soldiers to Ukraine. We explore the sentiments in Europe on Ukraine and security amid a significant US policy shift. (14:31)

③ The US State Department has dropped a statement from its website stating that Washington does not support Taiwan independence. Does the removal signal a fundamental shift in Washington’s policy on the Taiwan question? (25:17)

④ We explore US President Donald Trump’s move to cut off financial aid to South Africa and even refuse to respond to Pretoria’s request for talks. (34:25)

⑤ Japan’s economy recovered in second half but barely grew in 2024. (42:38)

① At a symposium with prominent private entrepreneurs, President Xi Jinping pledged steady support to advance the healthy and high-quality development of China’s private enterprises. We explore a shift towards renewed top-level support for the private sector signaled by China’s top leadership. (00:50)

② At the Munich Security Conference, China’s foreign minister pledged that China will be a stabilizing force in a multipolar system. What is China’s view on multi-polarization? (14:33)

③ French President Emmanuel Macron is convening an emergency meeting of European leaders in Paris. What is the main source of anxiety and fear for Europe right now? (25:05)

④ The Cook Islands’ prime minister has defended a new agreement with China, saying it aligns with the country's long-term interests. Are third parties justified to scrutinize this agreement? (32:40)

⑤ Apple has picked Alibaba to launch AI features in China. What’s at stake in this partnership? (42:02)

Chinese animated film Ne Zha 2 which has seen a meteoric rise at the box office, hit 10 billion yuan (about 1.4 billion USD) as of Thursday, becoming the first Asian film to break into the top 20 of global box office rankings. What are the key factors behind this remarkable success?

Host Ge Anna is joined by Helen Han (Han Hua), Co-founder and secretary general of Beijing Club for International Dialogue; Mao Keji, Fellow at the Harvard-Yenching Institute, and Professor Qu Qiang, Fellow of Belt and Road Research Center at Minzu University of China.

①The US and Russian leaders have talked over phone and are planning to meet in person. Is an end to the three-year old Russia-Ukraine conflict on the horizon? (00:35)

②A new report by Munich Security Conference says the world is shifting from US leadership toward multi-polarity. What's driving this transformation? (24:57)

③Canada premiers take diplomatic push against tariffs to White House. (34:15)

④Why are gold prices soaring amid US President Donald Trump's tariffs? (43:37)

①China has called for common development and security in the field of AI. (00:39)

②The Bank of England cuts main interest rate to 4.5%, the lowest since June 2023. (13:26)

③World's largest EV battery maker CATL has filed for listing on the Hong Kong stock exchange. (24:04)

④A Chinese mainland spokesperson expressed the wish that "Ne Zha 2" will be screened in Taiwan soon. (33:52)

⑤Romania's President has resigned to preempt an impeachment bid by opposition parties in parliament. (44:00)