Migratory birds in eastern province of Jiangxi enter breeding season

As temperatures continue to rise, the Poyang Lake in east China's Jiangxi Province has entered the peak breeding season for summer migratory birds, with over 10,000 fledgling egrets and herons thriving in the wetlands.

The Poyang Lake, China's largest freshwater lake, serves as a crucial stopover and breeding habitat for migratory birds.

Each year, more than 200,000 summer migratory birds -- mainly egrets, gray herons, night herons and pond herons -- nest and breed in the lake area, according to local authorities.

"Most of the fledglings have hatched. The earliest batch of egret chicks has already grown up and is now flapping their wings on the branches, learning to fly. In about a month, they will be able to find food on their own. They will also practice flying to prepare for their future long-distance migration," said Tao Duanpei, a park ranger.

Japan's core consumer prices increased 1.4 percent in May from a year earlier, growing for the 57th consecutive month, government data showed Friday.

The increase in the core consumer price index (CPI), excluding volatile fresh food costs, followed a 1.4 percent gain in April, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.

Core-core CPI, which strips away both energy and fresh food to reflect underlying price trends, rose 1.8 percent in May.

Energy costs fell 2.5 percent on year, after a 3.9 percent drop in April, with gasoline prices plunging 7 percent and electricity bills declining 2.4 percent.

Prices for food, excluding fresh items, were up 3.5 percent in the reporting month, slowing from a 4.1 percent rise in April.