KHARTOUM: On the streets of Sudan’s capital Khartoum, builders clear rubble from houses pockmarked with bullet holes, haul away fallen trees and repair broken power lines, in the city’s first reconstruction effort since war began over two years ago.
Fighting between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which broke out in April 2023, has left the capital battered and hollowed out.
But reconstruction — led by government agencies and youth-led volunteer groups — has finally begun to repair hospitals, schools and water and power networks.
“We are working to restore the state’s infrastructure,” volunteer Mostafa Awad said.
Once a thriving metropolis of nine million people, Khartoum’s skyline is now a jagged silhouette of collapsed buildings.
Electrical poles lean precariously or lie snapped on the ground in the streets. Cars, stripped for parts, sit burnt-out and abandoned, their tires melted into the asphalt.
AFP correspondents saw entire residential blocks standing with their exterior walls ripped away in the fighting.
Danger remains within the soot-stained buildings as authorities slowly work to clear tens of thousands of unexploded bombs left behind by fighters.
The UN warns Khartoum is “heavily contaminated by unexploded ordnance,” and this month said land mines have been discovered across the capital.
Sudan’s war has killed tens of thousands, displaced 13 million and plunged the nation into the world’s worst hunger and displacement crisis.
Until the army pushed the RSF out of Khartoum in March, the capital — where four million alone were displaced by fighting — was a battlefield.
Before they left, paramilitary fighters stripped infrastructure bare, looting everything from medical equipment and water pumps to copper wiring.
“Normally in a war zone, you see massive destruction… but you hardly ever see what happened in Khartoum,” the UN’s resident and humanitarian coordinator Luca Renda said.
“All the cables have been taken away from homes, all the pipes have been destroyed,” he told AFP, describing systematic looting of both small and large-scale items.
Today, power and water systems remain among the city’s greatest challenges.
The head of east Khartoum’s electricity department, Mohamed Al-Bashir, described “massive damage” in the capital’s main transformer stations.
“Some power stations were completely destroyed,” he told AFP, explaining the RSF had “specifically targeted transformer oil and copper cables.”
Vast swathes of Khartoum are without electricity, and with no reliable water supply, a cholera outbreak gripped the city this summer.
Health officials reported up to 1,500 new cases a day in June, according to the UN.
On his first visit to Khartoum last month, Sudan’s prime minister pledged a wide-scale recovery effort.
“Khartoum will return as a proud national capital,” Kamil Idris said.
Even as war rages on elsewhere in the country, the government has begun planning its return from its wartime capital Port Sudan.
On Tuesday, it announced central Khartoum — the devastated business and government district where some of the fiercest battles took place — would be evacuated and redesigned.
The UN estimates the rehabilitation of the capital’s essential facilities to cost around $350 million, while the full rebuilding of Khartoum “will take years and several billion dollars,” Renda told AFP.
Hundreds have rolled up their sleeves to start the long and arduous rebuilding work, but obstacles remain.
“We faced challenges such as the lack of raw materials, especially infrastructure tools, sanitation (supplies) and iron,” said Mohamed El Ser, a construction worker.
“Still, the market is relatively starting to recover,” he told AFP.
In downtown Khartoum, a worker, his hands coated in mud, stacks bricks beside a crumbling building.
AFP correspondents accompanied workers carefully refitting pipes into what once was a family home, while nearby others lifted slabs of concrete and mangled metal into wheelbarrows.
On one road that had been a front line, a man repaired a downed streetlight while others dragged a felled tree onto a flatbed truck.
The UN expects up to two million people to make their way back to Khartoum by the end of the year.
Those who have already returned, estimated to be in the tens of thousands, say life is still difficult, but there’s reason for hope.
“Honestly, there is an improvement in living conditions,” said Ali Mohamed, who recently returned.
“There is more stability now, and real services are beginning to come back, like water, electricity and even basic medical care.”
Author: admin
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Iran’s navy launches country’s first military drill since 12-day war with Israel
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May 9 riots: SC approves bail for Imran Khan in eight cases – Pakistan
The Supreme Court on Thursday approved bail for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founding chairman Imran Khan in eight cases related to May 9 violent incidents, Aaj News reported.
Hearing the bail petition lodged by the PTI founder, a three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Yahya Afridi and comprising Justice Shafi Siddiqui and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb overturned the Lahore High Court (LHC) verdict against Imran in the cases linked to May 9 mayhem.
Meanwhile, CJ Afridi has called lawyers of the former prime minister and other party to the Special Prosecutor’s chamber at 1 PM for a detailed verdict.
The bench had on August 12 questioned whether the merit of the case could be touched by the LHC in Imran’s post-arrest bail plea.
On the other hand, a division bench comprising Justice Syed Shahbaz Ali Rizvi and Tariq Mahmood Bajwa had dismissed the incarcerated ex-premier’s bail petition last month, citing his alleged involvement in planning attacks on military installations in anticipation of his arrest on May 9, 2023.
Court acquits Shah Mahmood Qureshi, sentences multiple PTI leaders including Yasmin Rashid
Leaders of the embattled PTI have been facing multiple cases for their alleged involvement in the violent protests that erupted countrywide on May 9, 2023 following arrest of PTI founding chairman Imran Khan in a corruption case.
Imran, who has been in prison since 2023 facing charges of corruption, land fraud and disclosure of official secrets, is also being tried separately on similar charges related to the riots.
The government accused him and other PTI leaders of inciting the May 9, 2023, protests, during which demonstrators attacked military and government buildings, including the army headquarters in Rawalpindi and Jinnah House Lahore.
The former prime minister denies wrongdoing and says all the cases are politically motivated to dismantle his party.
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Trying to solve problems with a smile
At the Europeans, where the 18-year-old said she was just 40 percent prepared, Varfolmeev still finished third in the all-around and claimed gold with the ribbon.
Since June, she’s wrapped her high school diploma, giving her the opportunity for more balance in her life.
“There wasn’t a whole lot of time to take care of myself or do what I like,” she said earlier this year when juggling school and elite-level training.
Now, with graduation behind her, there’s relief.
“Thank god school is over now. I can focus completely on my sport now,” Varfolmeev told dpa.
That’s allowed her to focus fully on her sport, and she says her recent sweep of the German championships was something of a breakthrough.
“This was my strongest competition yet this season,” Varfolmeev said.
The reigning queen of her sport, she knows there will be sky-high expectations in Rio. Varfolmeev is doing her level best not to focus too much on that, though.
“I can’t say that I will have the same success [as in the past] in Rio, but I will give it my all,” she said. “There is always pressure. You need to deal with it.
“All competitions so far this season have been preparation for Worlds,” Varfolmeev concludes.
This week, Rio has her full attention – and all her energy.
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Elevated Leukocyte Counts Signal Diabetes Risk in HIV
TOPLINE:
Higher leukocyte counts, predominantly within the normal range, independently predicted new-onset diabetes in individuals with HIV infection, potentially identifying an increased risk for diabetes up to 10 years before diagnosis.
METHODOLOGY:
- Researchers examined the association between blood leukocyte counts and the risk for new-onset diabetes among individuals of the Swiss HIV Cohort Study from January 2000 to August 2023.
- They included 732 people with HIV infection and diabetes (cases) and 2032 matched control individuals with HIV infection but without diabetes. The median age of all individuals was 54 years, and both groups consisted of approximately 78.7% men.
- New-onset diabetes was defined using the Expert Committee on the Diagnosis and Classification of Diabetes Mellitus criteria: a confirmed plasma glucose level ≥ 7.0 mmol/L (fasting) or ≥ 11.1 mmol/L (non-fasting) with typical symptoms or an A1c level ≥ 6.5%.
- At each 6-monthly visit, the latest leukocyte count was assessed at different intervals before the matching date in cases and control individuals.
TAKEAWAY:
- The median of the most recent leukocyte count was significantly higher in cases than in control individuals (6200 vs 5900 cells per microliter; P < .001).
- Higher leukocyte counts in cases vs control individuals remained significant at multiple timepoints before the diagnosis of diabetes — at years 2 (P = .016), 3 (P < .001), 5 (P = .013), 8 (P < .001), and 10 (P = .003).
- A multivariable analysis showed that compared with individuals in the lowest leukocyte quintile, those in the highest quintile had a significantly increased risk for diabetes (adjusted odds ratio, 2.47; 95% CI, 1.71-3.57).
- Other risk factors included a 2.23-times higher diabetes risk with dyslipidemia, 2.83-times higher risk with overweight, and 2.29-times higher risk with at least 1 year of integrase inhibitor use.
IN PRACTICE:
“Knowledge that high leukocytes, mostly within the normal range, increase DM [diabetes] risk 10 years in advance and by more than twice in 20% of people with HIV (ie, those in the top leukocyte quintile) may motivate clinicians to place even more emphasis on the optimization of DM risk factors (weight, nutrition, physical activity) and, perhaps, ART [antiretroviral therapy] selection in such persons,” the authors wrote.
SOURCE:
This study was led by Sophia C. Meyer and Zoe Klein, University Center for Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases Service, Kantonsspital Baselland, Bruderholz, Switzerland. It was published online on August 01, 2025, in HIV Medicine.
LIMITATIONS:
The study population predominantly consisted of men, White individuals, and relatively young individuals, potentially limiting generalizability. Nutrition, differential leukocyte counts, inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein and interleukin 6 are not routinely measured in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study, nor is A1c, which may have led to the underestimation of diabetes cases in the present study.
DISCLOSURES:
This study was funded by the Swiss HIV Cohort Study, the Swiss HIV Cohort Study Research Foundation, and the Swiss National Science Foundation. Several authors reported receiving unrestricted grants, consulting fees, fees for being on the data safety monitoring or advisory board, and other financial and nonfinancial support from pharmaceutical companies, including Gilead Sciences, ViiV Healthcare, Pfizer, and Merck.
This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.
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Soccer, Sprints & Stunts Leave Beijing Crowds Stunned
On August 15, Beijing hosted a first-of-its-kind spectacle — the World Humanoid Robot Games — with over 500 android athletes taking the stage. From sprinting duels and kung fu face-offs to chaotic yet thrilling soccer matches, the event delivered a surreal mix of clumsy falls and bursts of jaw-dropping agility. Audiences gasped as machines mirrored human movement with eerie precision, and viral clips have already turned the Games into a global talking point. Take a look…
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DE BEERS GROUP DELIVERS PROGRESS WITH SUSTAINABILITY AND PROVENANCE INITIATIVES, SUPPORTING ENHANCED CONFIDENCE IN DE BEERS-SOURCED DIAMONDS – De Beers Group
DE BEERS GROUP DELIVERS PROGRESS WITH SUSTAINABILITY AND PROVENANCE INITIATIVES, SUPPORTING ENHANCED CONFIDENCE IN DE BEERS-SOURCED DIAMONDS
Progress on Climate, Livelihoods and Nature pillars, coupled with scaling of blockchain-powered Tracr platform, underpins new consumer propositions
De Beers Group today published its 2024 sustainability report, highlighting significant progress across its key focus areas of climate, livelihoods, nature and provenance. These areas were identified as the priorities for De Beers Group’s sustainability work as part of a mid-term review of the Group’s Building Forever sustainability framework initiated last year.
During the course of 2024, De Beers Group made meaningful progress in areas including emissions, safety and conservation. In addition, the business has substantially advanced its work on diamond provenance and traceability, with the blockchain-backed Tracr platform enhancing its effectiveness and scale.
With regards to its focus on climate, De Beers Group has reduced its Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 7% since 2021. The Group focused on developing renewable energy solutions in 2024, working with Envusa Energy to complete the financing of wind and solar plants in South Africa which will meet 100% of the mine’s electricity needs in 2026. De Beers Group also continued the development of the Mmadinare solar PV project in Botswana, completed its Electrification and Alternative Fuels study at Venetia, and launched alternative fuels studies at Debswana, Namdeb and Debmarine Namibia. Moreover, De Beers Group worked with its top 100 strategic partners to develop roadmaps to reduce Scope 3 emissions. De Beers Group has had its near-term emissions reduction targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and has committed to reducing absolute Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 42%, and Scope 3 by 25% by 2030 (from a 2021 base year).
From a livelihoods perspective, De Beers Group made a total tax and economic contribution of $2.9bn in 2024, highlighting the socioeconomic value that responsibly sourced natural diamonds deliver. The Group also achieved its best ever safety performance, with a total recordable injury frequency rate (TRIFR) of 1.2.
Several high-impact programmes continued to drive meaningful change in host countries. Through the EntrepenHER programme, delivered in partnership with UN Women, around 500 more women were supported and the programme expanded to reach 1,500 more female entrepreneurs over the next three years, bringing the total number of women reached to more than 3,100. The Stanford SEED programme, run in collaboration with the Stanford Graduate School of Business, continued to support entrepreneurs across southern Africa and has helped create 3,400 jobs since its launch in 2018. Meanwhile, the GirlEng programme continued in partnership with WomEng and has now supported over 6,500 girls with a focus on STEM subjects since 2019.
In addition, De Beers Group developed a new 10-year Diamonds for Development Fund as part of its engagements with the Government of the Republic of Botswana for a new Debswana Sales Agreement and Mining Licences.
With respect to nature, De Beers Group managed over 375,000 acres of land for conservation purposes in 2024, ensuring the maintenance of the habitat for a range of endangered, vulnerable and threatened species. The Group relocated 10 white rhino from Botswana to South Africa as part of a rewilding project, and through the Namdeb- Debmarine Foundation partnered with conservation stakeholders to design a seabird rescue facility in Luderitz, Namibia to help prevent the extinction of the African Penguin. Furthermore, De Beers Group continued to partner with National Geographic to protect the source waters of the Okavango Delta through the Okavango Eternal programme.
Alongside the progress made with the sustainability pillars of climate, livelihoods and nature, De Beers Group delivered transformational progress with its work on provenance, advancing and scaling the Tracr blockchain platform in 2024. Nearly three million individual diamonds have been registered on the platform since 2022, with leading producers and suppliers joining the platform, including ODC and Mountain Province, thereby increasing the volume of diamonds on the platform being registered at source. Tracr has also begun providing country of origin information for all De Beers Group-sourced rough diamonds over one carat registered on the platform. In addition, Tracr is undertaking both rough-to-rough and rough-to-polished objective verification of diamonds on the platform, enhancing the levels of assurance it provides throughout the value chain.
Building on the progress delivered with sustainability and provenance, De Beers Group continues to develop consumer propositions that enable people to buy natural diamonds with assurance on their country of origin and impact on the people and places where they are discovered. This includes the launch of a new polished diamond programme called ORIGIN – De Beers Group. In recognition of the growing consumer interest in where a product has come from and the impact it has had along its journey, ORIGIN – De Beers Group enables participating retailers to access polished diamonds that have been sourced by De Beers Group, tracked through the value chain by the Tracr blockchain platform, and accompanied with rich information about each diamond’s unique journey and the meaningful impact it has delivered.
Sandrine Conseiller, CEO of Brands & Diamond Desirability at De Beers Group, said: “At De Beers, we believe a diamond’s journey should be as meaningful as its beauty. That’s why sustainability is embedded in everything we do – from developing renewable energy in our partner countries to advancing gender equity and supporting long-term national development. We’re not just powering our operations sustainably; we’re helping build infrastructure that benefits communities. We’re not just creating opportunities for women within our business; we’re unlocking potential for female students and entrepreneurs across our host nations. And through our enduring partnership with Botswana, we’re securing the future of our supply while investing in the country’s economic development and diversification. Thanks to our provenance platforms like Tracr and the consumer-facing experiences we’re building, we can share these stories with confidence. When someone chooses a De Beers natural diamond, they’re not only celebrating a personal milestone – they are helping shape a brighter future for the people and places behind it.”
The full De Beers Group 2024 sustainability report can be found at: https://www.debeersgroup.com/sustainability/reports-data-and-policies
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Contact
De Beers Group Press Office
[email protected]
About DeBeers Group
Established in 1888, De Beers Group is the world’s leading diamond company with expertise in the exploration, mining, marketing and retailing of diamonds. Together with its joint venture partners, De Beers Group employs more than 20,000 people across the diamond pipeline and is the world’s largest diamond producer by value, with diamond mining operations in Botswana, Canada, Namibia and South Africa. Innovation sits at the heart of De Beers Group’s strategy as it develops a portfolio of offers that span the diamond value chain, including its jewellery houses, De Beers London and Forevermark, and other pioneering solutions such as diamond sourcing and traceability initiatives Tracr and GemFair. De Beers Group also provides leading services and technology to the diamond industry in the form of education and laboratory services and a wide range of diamond sorting, detection and classification technology services. De Beers Group is committed to ‘Building Forever,’ a holistic and integrated approach to sustainability that underpins our efforts to create meaningful impact for the people and places where our diamonds are discovered. Building Forever focuses on three key areas where, through collaborations and partnerships around the globe, we have an enhanced ability to drive positive impact; Livelihoods, Climate and Nature. De Beers Group is a member of the Anglo American plc group. For further information, visit www.debeersgroup.com.
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Imad Wasim stars as Falcons edge Knight Riders in CPL 2025 – Cricket
Imad Wasim of Antigua & Barbuda Falcons bats during the Men’s 2025 Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League match between Antigua & Barbuda Falcons v Trinbago Knight Riders at Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground on August 20, 2025 in St John’s, Antigua and Barbuda. – CPL T20 ANTIGUA: Captain and all-rounder Imad Wasim led from the front as Antigua and Barbuda Falcons secured an eight-run victory over the Trinbago Knight Riders at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound, in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2025.
Batting first, the Falcons posted 167-6 in their 20 overs, thanks to a crucial 69-run partnership for the sixth wicket between Imad Wasim and Fabian Allen.
Allen top-scored with a quickfire 45 off 20 balls, hitting three boundaries and three sixes, while Wasim added 39 off 27 deliveries with one boundary and two sixes.
Opening wicketkeeper-batter Jewel Andrew contributed 22 off 25 balls, but other Falcons batters struggled to make significant contributions.
For the Knight Riders, spinner Usman Tariq claimed 2/37 in four overs, supported by Nathan Edward, who also picked up two wickets.
Pacer Mohammad Amir and all-rounder Akeal Hosein took one wicket each.
Chasing 168, the Knight Riders were restricted to 159-6 in 20 overs despite aggressive innings from all-rounder Kieron Pollard and opener Colin Munro.
Munro produced a blistering 44 off 18 balls, including eight boundaries and a six, while Pollard remained unbeaten on 43 off 28 deliveries, striking three boundaries and four sixes.
Keacy Carty chipped in with 35 off 31 balls, but the rest of the lineup failed to build on the platform.
For the Falcons, Obed McCoy was the standout with a match-winning 4/39 in four overs, while Rahkeem Cornwall and Shakib Al Hasan picked up two wickets apiece to seal the win.
It is pertinent to mention that the Imad Wasim-led Falcons currently top the points table, having secured two wins and one loss in four matches, with one game ending in a no result.
They have accumulated five points and have a net run rate of -0.535.
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Frank Caprio: Champion of kind justice Judge Caprio die at 88
Wia dis foto come from, Getty Images
Article Information US celebrity judge and social media star Frank Caprio don die at di age 88, im fmily confam.
Di Rhodes Island judge die afta e dey diagnosed wit pancreatic cancer, im family announce on im official Instagram account. E dey remembered for im “warmth” and “unwavering belief in di goodness of pipo”.
Caprio serve as chief judge of di municipal court of Providence, Rhode Island, from 1985 to 2023.
David Caprio, im son, thank di fans for dia love and support and dem encourage pipo to “spread a little kindness” for im papa memory.
Beloved for im compassion and humour for di courtroom, videos of Judge Caprio as e dey preside ova cases on im hit show Caught in Providence dey get billions of views on social media, wey earn am di title of di “nicest judge for di world”.
For di Instagram statement to im 3.4 million followers, Judge Caprio dey remembered for di “countless acts of kindness e inspire”.
“Im warmth, humour, and kindness don leave ogbonge mark on everybody wey know am,” di statement tok.
Judge Caprio bin preside ova thousands of cases for im hometown of Providence, Rhode Island bifor e start im TV career.
Di company behind Caught in Providence, Debmar-Mercury, don pay tribute to Judge Caprio “unique brand of compassion and common sense approach”.
“We go miss am dearly,” co-presidents Mort Marcus and Ira Bernstein tok for inside statement.
During dia operation, Caught in Providence bin dey nominated for three Daytime Emmys, Judge Caprio get two of im own nominations last year.
Im signature courtroom style don produce viral clips wey include wia e invite children to siddon wit am behind di bench during cases, to announce a “mini-judge” plushie of himself.
One TikTok video wey showcase im morning routine – show as e dey brush im teeth, sign im book and watch videos of im own show – di video get more dan 5m views.
For inside one 2019 interview, Judge Caprio tok say im courtroom proceedings “dey show a slice of life of Rhode Island wey dey very interesting, and e dey show di same issues pipo dey experience nationwide”.
Afta dem diagnose am wit pancreatic cancer for 2023, Judge Caprio say “I dey fully prepared to fight as hard I can” and e thank im followers for dia support.
For one of im last social media posts, Judge Caprio bin announce say im don go back to hospital afta e suffer one “setback” for im treatment and e ask im followers for dia prayers.
Judge Caprio dey survived by im wife, Joyce Caprio, of almost 60 years, dia five children, seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
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Hide-and-seek proves bonobos have memory skills like humans
A series of hide-and-seek tests show that bonobos rely on memory to keep track of several familiar people at once, even when they’re out of sight. The results reveal mental map-making skills once assumed to be uniquely human.
The study, led by Johns Hopkins University’s Social and Cognitive Origins Group, documents these abilities in a bonobo named Kanzi. The findings speak to how animals manage complex social worlds and where humans and apes overlap.
The myth of human-only minds
Study senior author Chris Krupenye is an assistant professor at Johns Hopkins who studies how animals think.
“People think social intelligence is a thing that makes humans unique,” said Krupenye. “We have to manage so many different relationships, we might have a range of cognitive tools for doing so that will only be found in ultra-social species like humans,”
“But most of us who study apes have a strong intuition that, because the social world is so important for them too, they must, like humans, be keeping track of these critical social partners,” he said. “They must share with us at least the foundations of our rich social intelligence.”
Humans routinely keep mental tabs on others. If a partner leaves the room, their location stays active in the mind. For bonobos and chimpanzees, who often move through dense forests where companions flicker in and out of view, such memory would be useful – perhaps essential.
Testing bonobo memory skills
Kanzi faced a simple setup with demanding implications. Two caregivers he knew well hid behind two of three identical barriers.
An experimenter then showed Kanzi a photo of one caregiver and asked him to point to where that person was. Trials were repeated in varied orders to prevent rote guessing.
“Kanzi very quickly understood the task and performed well,” said lead author Luz Carvajal, a Ph.D. student in Krupenye’s lab who studies apes’ knowledge of their social relationships.
The team then removed visual cues altogether. Caregivers hid where Kanzi could not see them choose a barrier. From behind the screens they each called out, “Hi Kanzi,” letting him hear who was where.
Only then did the experimenter show a photo of one caregiver and ask Kanzi to indicate their location.
“Here he also performed above chance, and especially well with one of his two caregivers,” Carvajal said. “He does have the capacity to use voice as a marker for identity. This face matches this voice.”
Faces and voices connected
While the bonobo made mistakes – as humans do in memory tasks – the pattern was clear. Kanzi kept separate, accurate records of multiple individuals at once, and he could connect a face with a voice to a place.
“Across these studies, the results suggest that Kanzi has a memory of these individuals that brings together their vocal and visual identities – who they are and what they sound like, and where they are in space,” Krupenye said.
“If he hears them he might imagine what they look like. If he sees them, he might bring to mind an idea of what they sound like,” he said. “We think this is one integrated memory. He’s using the same photo prompt to refer to an individual whether he can see them or not.”
That kind of “bound” memory – linking identity across senses and locations – helps explain how bonobos manage fission-fusion societies, where subgroups split and reunite through the day.
It suggests a shared foundation for the social cognition humans rely on to plan, coordinate, and reconnect.
Bonobo memory, human insight
Field studies have long hinted that great apes mentally track groupmates and recognize familiar voices and faces even after years apart.
Chimpanzees, for instance, can pick out known humans wearing masks. But controlled tests of tracking multiple individuals at once were missing. Kanzi’s performance fills that gap and pushes the conversation forward.
The results also broaden what “voice recognition” means in apes. Bonobos had not been tested on matching voices to specific individuals hidden from view. Here, voice alone guided correct choices, at rates above chance, and in some cases with striking accuracy.
Deep origins of social life
The team now wants to expand the study with new questions: How many individuals can apes track at once? Does performance hold up over minutes, hours, or days? What happens when the voices are recorded, filtered, or partially masked?
The answers could reveal the limits of these mental maps and the cues apes, including bonobos, rely on.
“These animals are rich and complex,” Krupenye said. “Even if we just want to understand ourselves better, there’s an urgency to this work – and to saving this endangered species.”
Human and ape social minds
The findings also blur the line between human and ape social minds. Apes are not planning cities or managing calendars, but they can bind identities across senses, track several individuals at once, and call up that knowledge on demand – much like we do.
For species that must coordinate movement, negotiate alliances, and reunite after separation, those abilities are not luxuries. They are survival tools.
Kanzi’s success suggests the roots of our social lives run deeper than our species – and they’re still visible, if we know how to play the right game of hide-and-seek.
The study is published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
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