Heavy rain forces school closures across multiple cities in Hainan

Torrential rainfall triggered by a severe tropical depression has been battering south China's Hainan Province, shutting down schools, kindergartens and offline after-school training programs across multiple cities and counties in the region on Monday, as authorities issued warnings for mountain torrents and geological disasters to mitigate secondary risks.

In Wanning, a coastal city in eastern Hainan, education authorities ordered all primary and secondary schools and kindergartens to close for one day on Monday, following a Sunday notice that halted all offline after-school training activities across the city.

Ma Baoyu, director of the Party affairs and the administrative center at Hainan Wanning Middle School, outlined the school's student safety protocols.

"Day students left campus in staggered groups, and each homeroom teacher called parents individually to confirm their children had been picked up safely. Boarding students have been arranged in the school’s secure dormitory zones, with faculty members on site to provide round-the-clock care and supervision," he said.

Beyond Wanning, kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, and off-campus training institutions in a total of ten cities and counties, including Sanya, Qionghai, Lingshui Li Autonomous County, Qiongzhong Li and Miao Autonomous County, and Ledong Li Autonomous County, remained closed on Monday.

Local education bureaus will determine class resumption dates based on real-time weather developments.

The Ministry of Water Resources and the China Meteorological Administration jointly issued an orange-level flash flood warning on Sunday evening, forecasting elevated risk of mountain torrents in southwestern Hainan through 20:00 Monday, with a broader yellow warning covering southern parts of the island province.

Separately, the Ministry of Natural Resources and the China Meteorological Administration issued a yellow-level geological hazard risk warning on Sunday evening, citing high risk of geological hazards in central and southern Hainan, as well as parts of southern Xizang Autonomous Region, through 20:00 Monday.

Heavy rain forces school closures across multiple cities in Hainan

Chinese President Xi Jinping's recent remarks advocating for enhanced cooperation among BRICS countries help amplify the voice of the Global South in global governance, said an Egyptian expert.

In his address on the second day of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, India, on Sunday, Xi called on BRICS countries to strengthen unity among the Global South and play an active, stabilizing and positive role in global affairs.

Xi also outlined concrete proposals to further strengthen greater BRICS cooperation, with a focus on emerging areas including artificial intelligence, trade, digital industries and manufacturing.

Ahmed Qandeel, deputy director of the Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, said Xi's remarks are widely acclaimed in Egypt as they align with the country's vision of a more just and representative international order for the Global South.

"Chinese President Xi Jinping's proposals on BRICS' role in development have been highly commended, as they align with Egypt's vision of establishing an international system that is more equitable and representative of the Global South nations -- a system that is grounded in the principle of respect for national sovereignty. This entails reforming global governance institutions and ensuring that nations of the Global South have a voice that effectively articulates their interests, including regarding trade conducted in local currencies," said Qandeel.

Xi's call for stronger BRICS cooperation helps amplify Global South's voice: Egyptian expert