Source: New Zealand Police (District News)
Great South Road, Penrose is closed at the intersection with Southdown Road following a crash.
The three-vehicle crash was reported to Police just after 2pm.
Initial indications are that there are serious injuries.
Motorists are advised to avoid the area and expect delays.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: New Zealand Police (District News)
Motorists are advised to expect delays after a crash on Waioeka Road (SH2) this evening.
Emergency services were called to the scene, between Waiata Road and Waioeka Pa Road, about 5.30pm, after a truck rolled.
One person has sustained minor injuries. The road is completely blocked and has been closed.
Anyone travelling through the area is advised to take an alternate route, or expect delays.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: New Zealand Police (National News)
Please attribute to Inspector Peter Raynes of Tāmaki Makaurau Police:
One person has died, and two others have been critically injured, after a driver allegedly fled from Police and crashed early this afternoon.
Shortly before 2pm, a Police vehicle sighted a car travelling at excess speed along Great South Road, Penrose, and signalled for it to stop.
It failed to do so and instead fled, crashing with two other cars.
The driver of the vehicle which allegedly failed to stop was transported to hospital in a critical condition.
One person from one of the other vehicles died at the scene, while another was also critically injured.
Another person was in moderate condition.
The Serious Crash Unit is examining the scene, and the road remains closed.
A Critical Incident Investigation has been launched and staff are working to establish the full circumstances surrounding the crash.
We are also working to support those affected and their families, as well as our staff who were involved.
Police have also referred this matter to the Independent Police Conduct Authority.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Source: New Zealand Government
More than 8000 kina have already been removed from Matheson Bay/Te Kohuroa north of Auckland under a special permit issued to deal with the problem of kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says.
“Te Kohuroa Rewilding Initiative’s work removing the kina is a powerful example of a community protecting its local marine habitat.
“It was the first group to be approved for the new permit introduced in October last year to deal with the problem of kina barrens, and they have used it to great effect.”
Four community-led events so far have resulted in more than 8000 kina harvested and culled. More events are planned.
“The mahi is already paying off. Te Kohuroa Rewilding Initiative has observed that kina are not coming back in large numbers to areas that have been cleared, and kelp is beginning to grow in previously barren spots,” Mr Jones says.
“The restoration of kelp forests is crucial in restoring coastal environments that support biodiversity.”
The group is working with Ngāti Manuhiri, the University of Auckland Reef team, and the Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust to design and facilitate its programme to restore the marine ecosystem at Matheson Bay/Te Kohuroa.
“This is exactly what I wanted to see when I introduced the special permit. These activities demonstrate the power local communities can have when given the right tools. It’s also a great opportunity for new generations to take part in community projects, become interested in their local environment, and develop new skills,” Mr Jones says.
“I congratulate Te Kohuroa Rewilding Initiative and all the volunteers who have come together to have such a positive impact on the marine environment they care about.”
Source: China State Council Information Office 3
Myanmar authorities have seized 30.8 kg of heroin and 154,000 stimulant tablets in central Myanmar’s Mandalay region, the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control (CCDAC) said on Saturday.
Acting on a tip-off, anti-narcotics police searched a vehicle in Pyigyitagon township of Mandalay region on March 9 and confiscated the narcotics, and arrested three suspects.
Three other suspects in connection with the case were later arrested.
The seized narcotics are approximately worth over 1 billion kyats (about 476,190 U.S. dollars).
The suspects have been charged under the country’s Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Law, and further investigations were ongoing.
Source: China State Council Information Office 3
This photo taken by a mobile phone shows smoke rising after an airstrike in Sanaa, Yemen, on March 15, 2025. The U.S. warplanes on Saturday night launched airstrikes on several Houthi sites in Yemen’s capital Sanna and the northern province of Saada, killing at least 13, Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported. (Photo by Mohammed Mohammed/Xinhua)
The U.S. warplanes on Saturday night launched airstrikes on several Houthi sites in Yemen’s capital Sanna and the northern province of Saada, killing at least 13, Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported.
“This is an initial toll as the number of death could increase,” the TV cited the Houthi-run health ministry as saying, adding that at least nine others were injured.
The Houthi TV reported four airstrikes in the Al-Jarraf residential neighborhood in northern Sanaa and several other airstrikes on the Shoab residential neighborhood in eastern Sanaa.
Later in the evening, fresh strikes hit sites in the northern part of the province’s namesake central city Saada, the group’s northern main stronghold. No further details were provided by the television.
According to local residents, the strikes in Sanna targeted ammunition and rocket depots near the Houthi-controlled state television station in the Al-Jarraf neighborhood. White smoke plume could be seen rising from the neighborhood, and a series of explosions were triggered following the airstrikes, witnesses added.
Osama Sari, a Houthi official, wrote on X that the strikes on Al-Jarraf neighborhood also damaged parts of the Specialized Modern University near the Airport Road.
Another Houthi source told Xinhua that the airstrikes also targeted two houses of key Houthi leaders.
This is the first military operation conducted by the U.S. military against the Houthi sites since U.S. President Donald Trump assumed power in January and redesigned the group as a “foreign terrorist organization.”
Trump posted on social media Truth Social that the aerial attacks on the “terrorists’ bases, leaders, and missile defenses were to protect American shipping, air, and naval assets, and to restore navigational freedom.”
He also warned Houthis that if they do not stop their attacks “starting today… Hell will rain down upon you like nothing you have ever seen before.”
In the meantime, the U.S. Central Command posted footage on X showing warplanes taking off a U.S. aircraft carrier in the Red Sea, saying that it “initiated a series of operations consisting of precision strikes against Iran-backed Houthi targets across Yemen to defend American interests, deter enemies, and restore freedom of navigation.”
Following the U.S. airstrikes, the Houthis vowed to launch retaliatory attacks, saying “this aggression will not pass without a response,” and that the group is “fully prepared to confront escalation with escalation,” the Houthis’ political bureau said in a statement aired by al-Masirah TV.
On Tuesday, the Houthi group announced that it would resume launching attacks against any Israeli ship in the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and the Bab al-Mandab Strait until the crossings of Gaza Strip are reopened and aid allowed in.
From November 2023 to Jan. 19, the Houthi group, which currently controls much of northern Yemen including the capital Sanaa, had launched dozens of drone and rocket attacks against Israel-linked ships and the Israeli cities to show solidarity with Palestinians amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. The Houthis stopped their attacks on Jan. 19, when the Gaza ceasefire deal took effect.
Source: South Australia Police
Police are investigating the death of a man at North Adelaide this morning.
About 7.45am on Sunday 16 March, police and paramedics responded to reports of a man collapsed on a walking path within Brougham Gardens between Brougham Place and King William Road.
A 54-year-old man from Marden was found unresponsive when police arrived.
Paramedics commenced CPR at the scene before he was rushed to hospital but sadly, the man died.
Eastern District Detectives are investigating the circumstances surrounding the man’s death with assistance of Major Crime officers and Forensic Response.
A postmortem is expected to be carried out tomorrow.
Anyone who was in the vicinity of O’Connell Street or Brougham Gardens between 6am and 8am this morning is asked to contact police.
Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at www.crimestoppersssa.com.au or on 1800 333 000. You can remain anonymous.
Paris-based global media freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has recalled that 20 journalists were killed during the six-year Philippines presidency of Rodrigo Duterte, a regime marked by fierce repression of the press.
Former president Duterte was arrested earlier this week as part of an International Criminal Court investigation into crimes against humanity linked to his merciless war on drugs. He is now in The Hague awaiting trial.
The watchdog has called on the administration of current President Ferdinand Marcos Jr to take strong measures to fully restore the country’s press freedom and combat impunity for the crimes against media committed by Duterte’s regime.
“Just because you’re a journalist you are not exempted from assassination, if you’re a son of a bitch,” Rodrigo Duterte said in his inauguration speech on 30 June 2016, which set the tone for the rest of his mandate — unrestrained violence against journalists and total disregard for press freedom, said RSF in a statement.
During the Duterte regime’s rule, RSF recorded 20 cases of journalists killed while working.
Among them was Jesus Yutrago Malabanan, shot dead after covering Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war for Reuters.
Online harassment surged, particularly targeting women journalists.
Maria Ressa troll target
The most prominent victim was Maria Ressa, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and founder of the news site Rappler, who faced an orchestrated hate campaign led by troll armies allied with the government in response to her commitment to exposing the then-president’s bloody war.
Media outlets critical of President Duterte’s authoritarian excesses were systematically muzzled: the country’s leading television network, ABS-CBN, was forced to shut down; Rappler and Maria Ressa faced repeated lawsuits; and a businessman close to the president took over the country’s leading newspaper, the Philippine Daily Inquirer, raising concerns over its editorial independence.
“The arrest of Rodrigo Duterte is good news for the Filipino journalism community, who were the direct targets of his campaign of terror,” said RSF’s Asia-Pacific bureau director Cédric Alviani.
“President Marcos and his administration must immediately investigate Duterte’s past crimes and take strong measures to fully restore the country’s press freedom.”
The repression carried out during Duterte’s tenure continues to impact on Filipino journalism: investigative journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio has been languishing in prison since her arrest in 2020, still awaiting a verdict in her trial for “financing terrorism” and “illegal possession of firearms” — trumped-up charges that could see her sentenced to 40 years in prison.
With 147 journalists murdered since the restoration of democracy in 1986, the Philippines remains one of the deadliest countries for media workers.
The republic ranked 134th out of 180 in the 2024 RSF World Press Freedom Index.
Source report from Reporters Without Borders. Pacific Media Watch collaborates with RSF.
Source: Minister for Trade
Andrew Clennell: The Trade Minister, Don Farrell, joins me now from Adelaide. Don Farrell, thanks for your time. You’re due to talk to the US Trade Ambassador tomorrow.
Minister for Trade: Pleased to be with you.
Andrew Clennell: And you spoke at two o’clock Friday morning to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. How did your chat with Mr Lutnick go and what are you hoping to achieve with Mr Greer?
Minister for Trade: Look, Andrew, I did speak with Commerce Secretary Lutnick. That’s the second contact we’ve had with one another since he just recently was appointed to that position. I obviously expressed my disappointment that we had not been able to reach an agreement over the suspension of tariffs on steel and aluminium. But I did say that there’s obviously a further review, and you’ve talked about some of the issues that potentially arise, that the U.S. Government is undertaking by the early part of April. I indicated to him that we want to continue to talk with them. I find that discussion is the best way to resolve these issues. Not retaliatory tariffs, but discussion. What we need to do, Andrew, is find out what it is that the Americans want in terms of this relationship between Australia and the United States and then make President Trump an offer he can’t refuse.
Andrew Clennell: And did Howard Lutnick give you any indication of what they might be after? Because obviously you offered them some form of critical minerals deal. Did he give any, any ray of light you had a chance? I mean, I think you’ve said that President Trump allowed Australia or the Prime Minister to believe there was a chance when there wasn’t. Has he given you any suggestion there’s a chance, or was he holding the line and saying, look, this is our America First policy, that’s it.
Minister for Trade: Look, it wasn’t a pessimistic conversation, I’m pleased to say, Andrew. but look, he gave, you know, no assurances about what might happen in the next round of negotiations. Our job is to sit down and continue to talk. I think the important thing here to understand, Andrew, is that when President Trump, in his first iteration, gave Australia an exemption to Prime Minister Turnbull, it was one of over 30 exemptions that the United States gave to a range of countries around the world. So, more than 30 countries, including most of our competitors in the American market, were able to get an exemption. On this occasion, not one country, not one country got an exemption on either steel or aluminium. Now, that’s obviously, we think that’s bad news. We think it’s bad news, obviously, for the companies that trade in Australia with the United States. It’s also bad news for the Americans because what that has done is simply pushed up the price of steel and aluminium in the US market and that has to have an impact both on, on inflation and on jobs. So, part of my job is to continue to put the arguments to the Americans that in fact, this is the wrong policy to adopt. We should actually be doing the opposite. We should be making more free trade, more fair trade, rather than less trade.
And of course, one of the things that we’ve done in government is diversify our trading relationship. So, we have new agreements with the United Kingdom, we’ve got new agreements with India. I think we’re just about to get another offer from the Indians to even expand our trading relationship with India. We’ve signed a new agreement with the United Arab Emirates. This is like dealing with the Woolies warehouse of the Middle East. If you can get your products into the United Arab Emirates, then you can get it all around the Middle East. On Tuesday night, I spoke with my Korean counterpart, Mr. Ahn, and we’ve got identical problems with the United States. Of course, they sell a lot more steel into the United States than we do. But we are talking about how we can expand our relationship with Korea so that we can sell more product into Korea.
So, it’s a two-pronged approach. Andrew, we are continuing the discussions with the United States. We’ll continue to discuss. We’re not going down the track of some countries in applying retaliatory tariffs. I don’t think that will work, it hasn’t worked for any other country, why would it work for us? We want to explain our position and we want to get those exemptions for Australian companies because it’s good for prosperity in the United States, but it’s also good for prosperity in Australia.
Andrew Clennell: Well, I think you’ve got Buckley’s chance of arguing free and fair trade to the Trump administration, to be frank Minister, but what’s the worst-case scenario here? What’s the worst-case scenario? $30 billion, our exports to the U.S. Could we lose it all?
Minister for Trade: Look, I don’t believe so, Andrew. And just on that first point you made, Buckley’s chance. When I came to this job three years ago, we had $20 billion worth of trade bans in China. People told me, look, you will never, never, ever get that trade back. At the end of last year, the last of the products that had been subject to those trade impediments, namely crayfish, we got back into China. And since then, in the first month of that new trade, we got $188 million of crayfish sold into China. You can reverse these decisions, Andrew, so, don’t give up on us just yet. You can get countries to realise. You can get countries if you keep talking to them and you keep making your arguments, which is exactly what I intend to do. If you keep making your arguments, you can in fact convince countries that the policies that they are adopting are in fact counterproductive, just as they were with China.
Andrew Clennell: Okay, but what’s the worst-case scenario? What’s the worst-case scenario here?
Minister for Trade: Look, I wish I could tell you exactly what the American Government is finally going to do. To be honest with you, I suspect they don’t even know themselves right now. They’re conducting this review. They’re conducting the review in respect of every single trade agreement they have. It’s not just Australia, it’s every country. And my job in the discussions that go on in this coming week and in the weeks ahead is to get the best result for Australian producers, and that’s what I intend to do. And it’ll only be by reaching out, by having discussions, by putting our point of view that we’re going to get an acceptable outcome here.
Andrew Clennell: In any of these discussions, do you talk about the prospect of a phone call between Prime Minister Albanese and President Trump?
Minister for Trade: Oh, that’s way above my pay grade, I’m afraid, Andrew.
Andrew Clennell: Is it though? Kevin Rudd asks.
Minister for Trade: Well, he’s the ambassador, of course he asks, and that’s the job of the ambassador to do that representation on behalf of the Australian Prime Minister.
Andrew Clennell: How many times has he asked, do you know?
Minister for Trade: No, I don’t know the answer to that question, Andrew. But you know, we were amongst the first countries to ring President Trump when he was elected and congratulated him. The Prime Minister did that. And we of course got a second phone call with him to express our concerns about the direction that he was taking in respect of tariffs.
To the best of my knowledge, we were the only country in the world where he said, I’m going to give some consideration to not applying these tariffs to you. Now, I know we didn’t get the exemption in the end, but we were the only country that at least got him to say, look, we’re going to give some consideration to this. Ultimately, the consideration was that they would not do it.
As I’ve said on Sky previously, the people around President Trump, particularly Mr. Navarro, I think, were determined that they weren’t going to go down the track that they went down last time. So, I mentioned before over 30 countries got exemptions for steel and aluminium. They were determined, the people around President Trump were determined not to go down that track again. They were going to apply the tariffs, the 25 per cent tariffs, and no country was going to get an exemption. But look, we will continue to talk. As I said, I’ve spoken to Commerce Secretary Lutnick on Friday morning, tomorrow US time, so, Tuesday morning, I think 7:30, I’m going to have my conversation with Jamieson Greer. We’re going to work out firstly what it is that the Americans want out of this arrangement, because it’s still not clear to me what it is that they are seeking. But once we find that out, we’ll work through this issue and we’ll work through it in Australia’s national interest.
Andrew Clennell: Why haven’t you been to the US, yourself?
Minister for Trade: Look, can I say this, Andrew, modern communications these days, a telephone call, a video conference, which is what I’ll be doing with Jamieson Greer, Ambassador Greer, on Tuesday, we’re getting our message across. After that first conversation between President Trump and Prime Minister Albanese, we embarked on a course of action which was determined in consultation with the officials in the United States about how best to progress our concerns about the introduction or the reintroduction of tariffs. We followed that. We followed that course of action and we followed it until last Wednesday when it became clear that the Americans were not going to give us an exemption. So, we had a plan. We had a plan for how we deal with this issue. We were hopeful, certainly based on early discussions, that we would get a successful result here. In the event that that didn’t happen. But we’re not giving up. We’re continuing the talks. And in fact, in lots of ways, the talks will be beefed up in the weeks and the months ahead as we try and resolve all of these issues, but these are not easy issues, Andrew.
Andrew Clennell: No, they’re not. But Peter Dutton says you haven’t got the relationships. He’s pointed the finger at Kevin Rudd. The suggestion is Albanese, the Prime Minister, was seen as too close to Joe Biden. Penny Wong found out from the media that this had occurred. What do you say to all that? I mean, his contention as we go into an election campaign is their government would have better luck with the US Administration. What do you say to that?
Minister for Trade: Look, Peter Dutton couldn’t go two rounds with a revolving door Andrew. What happened? When we came to government, there were $20 billion worth of tariffs and trade impediments with the Chinese. If Peter Dutton’s so good at building relationships and solving problems, they didn’t get a cent, they didn’t get a cent or a single tariff removed in that previous three years in government. We got the best result or the best response of any country in the world. We got a consideration by the President to review these tariffs. Now ok, it didn’t ultimately result in us getting the tariffs removed and we accept that. We accept that situation. I’d ask your listeners, who do you think is going to be better to negotiate with the United States? Somebody with a proven record of getting results or somebody, when they had the opportunity to get some results, did nothing. Did nothing. They did nothing.
Andrew Clennell: What would a tariff do to the beef industry?
Minister for Trade: It would certainly have a clearly a negative impact. The United States I think is, if it’s not the largest export market for our beef industry, it would have a significant impact. We are expanding our beef exports, our beef exports right now thanks to the Albanese Labor Government, are the best that they’ve ever been. We’re exporting more beef than we ever have. The significance, of course to the United States about our beef exports is that most of it goes into McDonald’s hamburgers. And if you push up the price of those beef exports by 25 per cent or 10 per cent or whatever the figure is, then you simply push up the price of hamburgers in the United States. It doesn’t make any sense, Andrew. It doesn’t make any sense at all.
Andrew Clennell: Sure.
Minister for Trade: You want to be pushing prices down. You don’t want to be pushing them up.
Andrew Clennell: Indeed. There’s also speculation the trade war could harm the PBS somehow and cause pharmaceutical prices to go up. How would that occur and what do you make of that speculation?
Minister for Trade: Well, it simply is speculation. That’s all it is, Andrew. I’ve not heard one comment from any person in the United States that refers to the PBS. We’ve got a terrific health system. We’re continuing to improve all the time. Minister Butler is always coming up with new ideas to improve our health system. The PBS is an essential part of our health system and there will be absolutely nothing that the Americans can do to impact on our health system or the PBS system. And we certainly, we certainly would not contemplate doing anything at any stage that makes our health system more expensive. We want to put downward pressure on the cost of health and we’re going to continue to do that, especially if we get re-elected in a few weeks’ time.
Andrew Clennell: It’s been reported the deal that Australia put on the table was access to our critical minerals like lithium, manganese, what’s the nature of that deal? Presumably America would still have to pay for the minerals. Would they get the minerals at a cheaper rate? Would they have the first right of refusal on the minerals? What are the minerals to be used for? Making mobile phones, electric cars and the like?
Minister for Trade: Yeah, look, Australia is very fortunate in the sense that we have either the largest or the second largest reserves of all critical minerals and rare earths in the world. Now, critical minerals are different from other minerals. If you go up to the Pilbara, you can see iron ore as far as the eye can see, Andrew. Critical minerals tend to be in much smaller deposits and they’re much deeper down. Two things about that. They are more expensive to extract and they take longer to dig out of the ground and they don’t last as long so you’ve got to keep finding new resources. What this means for what we were proposing to the Americans was continued and improved investment in getting access to those critical minerals. We’ve got some of the most sophisticated miners in Australia, Andrew. We’ve got a very sophisticated mining operation here, much more sophisticated than the Americans. But the thing we often don’t have is access to capital. So, the offer to the Americans was, look, we’ll work with you. You want these critical minerals, you want them for electric batteries in cars, you’ve mentioned some of the other things, mobile phones, all of these sorts of things. But the process of extraction is expensive, we need capital. We want to work with other countries. We want to particularly work, for instance, with the Europeans. We’ve made them some offers in this regard. It’s not about cheaper prices, it’s not about preferred access. It’s about ensuring that they’ve got a reliable supply chain to ensure that when they need these critical minerals, you’ve got a reliable country like Australia who can provide them.
Andrew Clennell: So, would that be Australian money or American money? When you talk about increased investment –
Minister for Trade: Both. Both.
Andrew Clennell: Okay. So, an Australian financial offer was put on the table?
Minister for Trade: No, it wasn’t a financial offer in that sense. It was a way forward to try and get support both in Australia and in the United States for extracting these critical minerals. So, if we’re going to go down the track of decarbonising our economies, this is the way we need to go. But it’s going to require investment, significant investment. The Australian Government is already making significant investments in this area. But to get to where we want to get to in terms of that net zero project, then we need more investment and –
Andrew Clennell: Do you see the hand of Elon Musk? Do you see the hand of Elon Musk in any of this? The keenness of the Americans for these critical minerals.
Minister for Trade: Well, look, they didn’t accept our offer. So, if Mr Musk was involved in this, then he doesn’t appear to have influenced the result, if that was what he was after. To the best of my knowledge, Mr. Musk was not involved in any of these discussions that I –
Andrew Clennell: All right, no worries. We’re nearly out of time. Overnight, the PM reiterated in a meeting with European leaders he would consider sending peacekeepers to Ukraine if there was peace. That’ll be controversial with a lot of Australians because it’s not our region. We know Peter Dutton doesn’t support this. Is the PM trying to muscle up here after Peter Dutton has continually called him weak? What’s the motivation to get involved in this conflict?
Minister for Trade: Andrew, for the last 80 years, in other words, since the end of World War II, Australia has been involved in peacekeeping missions all the way around the world. We’ve come out right from day one, Prime Minister Albanese has been very clear and very strong on this, we support Ukraine. Ukraine’s fight for democracy. Ukraine’s fight for its sovereignty is Australia’s fight. It’s Australia’s fight. We’ve made significant financial contributions to Ukraine to ensure that they can defend themselves from this illegal and immoral monster, Putin, and we’ll continue to do that. And if Prime Minister Starmer says, look, will you contribute to peacekeeping? I think that’s the right thing to do. Look, it’s not all about popularity and so forth, but it’s the right thing to do. We want to see peace around the world. The best thing that Australia can do in terms of any international relationship is to support peace. And if we can make a contribution to that peacekeeping effort, then I think we should. And I think Mr. Dutton is completely on the wrong track here. Australians support the Ukrainian fight. I was on the steps of Parliament House just a couple of weeks ago with Premier Malinauskas. His background is Lithuanian. He knows exactly what happens if you don’t stand up to bullies like Putin. It’s in our interest to defend democracy in Ukraine. It’s in our interest to be part of a peacekeeping force when there’s peace.
Andrew Clennell: Finally, and briefly, there was something of a blow to the government late last week with the default market offer out, that Australians face price rises of up to 10 per cent on their power bills. Will the government’s electricity subsidy be extended and increased in the budget?
Minister for Trade: Well, you know the answer to that question, Andrew. You’ll have to ask the Treasurer, and you’ve only got a few more sleeps to find out what’s going to be in the next budget.
Andrew Clennell: Well, I might ask him on the show next week. Thanks very much, Don Farrell.
Minister for Trade: Nice talking with you Andrew.
Source: China State Council Information Office 3
Audience enter the cinema for the Indonesian premiere of Chinese animated film Ne Zha 2 at CGV Grand Indonesia in Jakarta, Indonesia, March 15, 2025. (Xinhua/Xu Qin)
Chinese animated blockbuster “Ne Zha 2,” the highest-grossing animated film of all time, premiered in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Saturday, with a packed theater of eager moviegoers.
Throughout the screening, Indonesian moviegoers were fully immersed in the movie, responding with laughter, gasp, and applause. Notably, the audience was moved and hailed spontaneously, showing their excitement and appreciation.
After the screening, many young viewers gathered near the “Ne Zha 2” posters to film videos, eagerly recommending the movie to others.
Oscar Prajnaphalla, head of marketing at Warner Bros. Indonesia, the movie’s local distributor, expressed his admiration. “This is the first Chinese movie we have distributed, and I must say, ‘Ne Zha 2’ left a strong impression. The animation is top-notch, the production quality is outstanding, and the story is deeply engaging. It’s a film that truly captivates the audience.”
“Seeing today’s response, it’s clear that viewers were highly impressed by the animation and storytelling. I do not doubt that through word-of-mouth, ‘Ne Zha 2’ will attract even more moviegoers. We look forward to bringing more exceptional Chinese films to the Indonesian market in the future,” he added.
For many Indonesians, “Ne Zha 2” marks their first experience with Chinese animated movies. Local moviegoer Syarah Prasetyo described it as a visually stunning film that kept her engaged throughout.
“The plot twists kept me engaged, and the depiction of parental love resonated deeply with our culture, making it easy to connect with. The humor and emotional moments were well-balanced, making the entire viewing experience incredibly enjoyable. I genuinely look forward to seeing more outstanding Chinese movies at Indonesian cinemas,” she said.
“Ne Zha 2” will officially hit screens in Indonesia on March 21.
Source: China State Council Information Office 3
Participants pose for a group photo after a forum during the 2024 Tsinghua International Conference on Art & Design Education (ICADE 2024) in Milan, Nov. 16, 2024. [Photo courtesy of AADTHU]
Tsinghua University ranked No. 1 in Asia and No. 14 globally for arts and design, and No. 2 in Asia and No. 3 worldwide for art history in the 15th edition of the QS World University Rankings by Subject, released on March 12 by global higher education analytics firm Quacquarelli Symonds.
Both disciplines are part of the Academy of Arts & Design, Tsinghua University (AADTHU). Notably, the art and design discipline rose 10 places in the global rankings, while the art history climbed 2 places.
In its largest-ever subject rankings, Quacquarelli Symonds compared over 21,000 academic programs, taken by students at more than 1,700 universities across 100 countries and regions, spanning 55 subjects and five faculty areas. The Chinese mainland ranked third globally with 1,230 subjects listed, trailing only the United States and the United Kingdom.
According to AADTHU’s official website, the academy’s achievements are deeply rooted in its strong commitment to constructing an integrated interdisciplinary system and to pioneering internationalized education.
By leading the reform of global art education, AADTHU is crafting a new professional development blueprint with an open approach. It is deepening its strategy of integrating art and science, advancing the development of interdisciplinary talent, and fostering innovation in technology and design, cultivating professionals with expertise in both the sciences and humanities.
In 2024, the academy invited 44 professors from prestigious global institutions, alongside artists, designers and industry leaders, for short-term programs. These initiatives featured 30 lectures, eight courses and two workshops, drawing over 1,000 faculty and student participants. Beyond this, the academy hosted 42 distinguished international experts as keynote speakers at conferences it either organized or co-hosted.
Notable events from 2024 include an opening forum on the integration of art design and industry innovation in the era of artificial intelligence (AI) at Milan Academic Week in Milan, Italy, in January, as well as the 6th Art and Science International Symposium held in Beijing in March. Meanwhile, the 2024 Tsinghua International Conference on Art & Design Education (ICADE 2024), themed “New Dimensions: Imagination Beyond the Horizon,” and the exhibition “From the Seine to Guanghua Road: Modernization of Art Deco” were successfully held in Milan and Beijing, respectively, in November.
Further highlights from last year include the “Arts and Crafts Artworks Exhibition of AADTHU” held in Wakayama prefecture, Japan, and a special exhibition and international symposium on Dunhuang art research, which opened at the China-France Fashion Week in Paris, France. “Brilliance of Cooperation: The Olympic Art Exhibition of Tsinghua University” was also held in Lausanne, Switzerland, in October.
Additionally, Tsinghua University’s doctoral degree authorization points for the first-level disciplines of both art studies and design studies successfully passed an on-site evaluation in October by experts from peer higher education institutions. Earlier this year in January, the China Scientometrics and Bibliometrics Research Center of CNKI also named 11 faculty members from AADTHU as “2024 CNKI Highly Cited Scholars.” CNKI stands for China National Knowledge Infrastructure, a leading online academic database.
AADTHU offers a diverse range of disciplines across 10 departments, including textile and fashion design, ceramic design, visual communication design, environmental art design, industrial design, information art & design, painting, sculpture, arts and crafts, and art history. The academy also features specialized offices for research, international exchanges, and art galleries.
The academy’s website also showed in recent years, AADTHU has continued to enhance its international standards, strengthen global academic exchanges, and expand its influence in international art education. Its art and design discipline, among the earliest in China to grant master’s and doctoral degrees, consistently ranks first nationally, emphasizing interdisciplinary, innovative, and globally competent talent development. AADTHU’s Department of Art History has also ranked among the top in national evaluations, with over half of its graduates securing positions at universities, museums, and research institutions.
AADTHU pledges to use its expertise to support a global community with a shared future. Guided by the principle of “art for life, design for livelihood,” it is contributing to addressing rural revitalization, livelihood development and global issues, making art a force for progress and contributing Tsinghua’s wisdom to world civilization.
Source: China State Council Information Office 3
Cultural creative products of Chinese animated film Ne Zha 2 are pictured in a toy store in Chengdu, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, March 4, 2025. (Xinhua/Lu Youyi)
Chinese animated blockbuster “Ne Zha 2” has soared past Disney’s “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” to claim the fifth spot on the all-time global box office charts, further solidifying its status as both a cultural and commercial phenomenon.
According to data from ticketing platform Maoyan as of Saturday, the film’s global earnings — including presales — have surpassed 15.019 billion yuan (about 2.09 billion U.S. dollars), a milestone reached just 45 days after its release during the Chinese New Year on Jan. 29.
This latest feat adds to an impressive list of records for the film, which became the first film to gross 1 billion U.S. dollars in a single market, the first non-Hollywood title to enter the billion-dollar club, and the highest-grossing animated movie of all time worldwide.
MILESTONE FOR CHINESE CINEMA
Directed by Yang Yu, known as Jiaozi, the sequel to 2019’s “Ne Zha” — which grossed 5 billion yuan and topped the Chinese box office that year — has redefined the ceiling for single-film earnings in Chinese cinema. Over 98 percent of its revenue has come from the Chinese mainland, according to Maoyan data.
“This success has not only boosted the confidence of creators but also showcased the resilience and immense growth potential of the Chinese market,” said Lai Li, a Maoyan analyst.
The film’s roots run deep in Chinese mythology, continuing the story of the boy god Nezha as he and his ally Aobing struggle to rebuild their physical forms. With the help of the immortal Taiyi Zhenren, they navigate a journey of self-discovery, fate and defiance.
The story’s rich mythology, dazzling animation and universal themes have struck a chord with audiences. “‘Ne Zha 2’ is a miracle and a peak in Chinese cinema, a record that may remain unbroken for a long time,” said Chen Xuguang, director of the Institute of Film, Television and Theatre at Peking University.
EXPANDING GLOBAL REACH WITH ACCLAIM
The film’s technical achievements are just as remarkable. With nearly 2,000 visual effects shots and contributions from 138 animation studios, “Ne Zha 2” exemplifies the growing strength of China’s creative industry.
Since its international rollout began on Feb. 13 in Australia and New Zealand, “Ne Zha 2” has steadily expanded its global footprint. It opened in North America the following day, shattering the region’s 20-year-old opening weekend record for a Chinese-language film.
Sheila Sofian, a professor at the University of Southern California and a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, praised the film’s production design, sound design, and music, calling it “mind-blowing” in a video interview shared by China Media Group.
After debuting in Singapore on March 6, “Ne Zha 2” launched this week in the Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand, with further Southeast Asian rollouts planned in the coming weeks.
Its European expansion is also underway. On Friday, the film held preview screenings in Britain and Ireland ahead of its official March 21 release in both countries, with further European rollouts to follow.
Cedric Behrel, managing director of Trinity CineAsia, which holds theatrical distribution rights for “Ne Zha 2” across 37 territories, including the UK, Ireland, Germany, France and Spain, described the film’s European launch as “unprecedented in scope.”
INDUSTRY-WIDE, CULTURAL IMPACT
“Ne Zha 2” has struck a deep emotional chord with audiences. One Maoyan user reflected on the film’s themes of prejudice and resilience, writing, “The line ‘prejudice in people’s hearts is like an unmovable mountain’ rings true… Even I, from a humble background, used to judge others based on their family background.”
Another viewer, a high school student preparing for China’s tough college entrance exams, found personal inspiration: “With 100 days left until the exam, ‘Ne Zha 2’ reminded me that my potential is limitless. If there’s no path ahead, I’ll carve one out myself!”
Largely driven by “Ne Zha 2,” China’s box office revenue during the 2025 Spring Festival holiday hit a record high, injecting much-needed optimism into the country’s film industry, which saw earnings fall by 23 percent in 2024 compared to 2023, and by 34 percent from the pre-pandemic peak in 2019.
Dong Wenxin, a film critic and manager of a cinema in Jinan, Shandong Province, emphasized the film’s industry-wide impact. “‘Ne Zha 2’ hasn’t drained the market but expanded it. More people are paying attention to theatrical releases and are willing to support quality content,” she told Xinhua. “We owe a lot to ‘Ne Zha 2’ — it’s proof that great commercial blockbusters can sustain a healthy market cycle.”
Beyond its domestic success, “Ne Zha 2” is poised to serve as a cultural bridge, offering global audiences a window into China’s rich mythology and traditions.
Yin Hong, vice chairman of the China Film Association and a professor at Tsinghua University, told Xinhua that the success of “Ne Zha 2” reflects the dynamism of China’s creative industries, the enduring appeal of its traditional culture, and the potential for Chinese stories to captivate audiences all over the world.
In a video interview, Jiaozi reflected on the personal journey the “Ne Zha” films have taken him on, revealing how the series has evolved from his own passion into a broad cultural phenomenon. “The first step was creating something I loved, and domestic audiences loved it too,” he said. “Over time, I’ve worked to improve it, to refine my craft. I believe that one day, new ideas, deeper meanings, and a new soul will emerge from it, and the whole world will be able to appreciate it.”
Source: China State Council Information Office
The upcoming Global Summit of Women, set to take place in Beijing in the latter half of this year, holds great significance for advancing the spirit of the 1995 World Conference on Women, a Chinese official has said.
Huang Xiaowei, deputy head of the National Working Committee on Children and Women of the State Council, made the remarks on Monday at the ongoing 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69) at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York.
Marking the 30th anniversary of the 1995 World Conference on Women in Beijing, China will co-host the Global Summit of Women with UN Women later this year, Huang told the CSW69.
“This is not only a tribute to and continuation of history, but also a commitment to and innovation for the future,” she said, highlighting the summit’s crucial role in fostering global solidarity, carrying forward the legacy of the 1995 conference, and accelerating the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action to build a community with a shared future for mankind.
Huang noted that as the host country of the 1995 conference, China has consistently honored its commitments to promoting the synchronized development of women alongside economic and social progress.
Huang underscored the historic achievements of Chinese women, sharing insights into the country’s efforts to advance gender equality. She also outlined China’s comprehensive policy framework and implementation strategies, which focus on strengthening institutional support, increasing investment and empowering women.
Over the past 30 years, China has made remarkable strides in poverty alleviation, healthcare, education, and other key areas concerning women’s well-being, reflecting the rapid progress of women’s development in the modern era.
During discussions at the UN session, representatives from various countries expressed confidence that the upcoming Global Summit of Women will help forge consensus, accelerate tangible action, and inject fresh momentum into global efforts for women’s advancement.
They also voiced hope that China would continue to play a leadership role, particularly as the global push for gender equality faces mounting challenges.
Beyond her participation in multilateral activities, including a general debate, a ministerial roundtable, thematic side events and a Chinese-hosted reception, Huang also held several meetings with Sima Bahous, UN under-secretary-general and executive director of UN Women, as well as senior officials from various countries.
CSW69, the UN’s largest annual event dedicated to gender equality and women’s empowerment, is expected to conclude on March 21.
By Mar-Vic Cagurangan in Hagatna, Guam
Debate on Guam’s future as a US territory has intensified with its legislature due to vote on a non-binding resolution to become a US state amid mounting Pacific geostrategic tensions and expansionist declarations by the Trump administration.
Located closer to Beijing than Hawai’i, Guam serves as a key US strategic asset, known as the “tip of the spear,” with 10,000 military personnel, an air base for F-35 fighters and B-2 bombers and home port for Virginia-class nuclear submarines.
The small US territory of 166,000 people is also listed by the UN for decolonisation and last year became an associate member at the Pacific Islands Forum.
Local Senator William A. Parkinson introduced the resolution to the legislature last Wednesday and called for Guam to be fully integrated into the American union, possibly as the 51st state.
“We are standing in a moment of history where two great empires are standing face-to-face with each other, about to go to war,” Parkinson said at a press conference on Thursday.
“We have to be real about what’s going on in this part of the world. We are a tiny island but we are too strategically important to be left alone. Stay with America or do we let ourselves be absorbed by China?”
His resolution states the decision “must be built upon the informed consent of the people of Guam through a referendum”.
Trump’s expansionist policies
Parkinson’s resolution comes as US President Donald Trump advocates territorially expansionist policies, particularly towards the strategically located Danish-ruled autonomous territory of Greenland and America’s northern neighbour, Canada.
“This one moment in time, this one moment in history, the stars are aligning so that the geopolitics of the United States favour statehood for Guam,” Parkinson said. “This is an opportunity we cannot pass up.”
As a territory, Guam residents are American citizens but they cannot vote for the US president and their lone delegate to the Congress has no voting power on the floor.
The US acquired Guam, along with Puerto Rico, in 1898 after winning the Spanish-American War, and both remain unincorporated territories to this day.
Independence advocates and representatives from the Guam Commission on Decolonisation regularly testify at the UN’s Decolonisation Committee, where the island has been listed as a Non-Self-Governing Territory since 1946.
Commission on Decolonisation executive director Melvin Won Pat-Borja said he was not opposed to statehood but is concerned if any decision on Guam’s status was left to the US.
“Decolonisation is the right of the colonised,” he said while attending Parkinson’s press conference, the Pacific Daily News reported.
‘Hands of our coloniser’
“It’s counterintuitive to say that, ‘we’re seeking a path forward, a path out of this inequity,’ and then turn around and put it right back in the hands of our coloniser.
“No matter what status any of us prefer, ultimately that is not for any one of us to decide, but it is up to a collective decision that we have to come to, and the only way to do it is via referendum,” he said, reports Kuam News.
With the geostrategic competition between the US and China in the Pacific, Guam has become increasingly significant in supporting American naval and air operations, especially in the event of a conflict over Taiwan or in the South China Sea.
The two US bases have seen Guam’s economy become heavily reliant on military investments and tourism.
The Defence Department holds about 25 percent of Guam’s land and is preparing to spend billions to upgrade the island’s military infrastructure as another 5000 American marines relocate there from Japan’s Okinawa islands.
Guam is also within range of Chinese and North Korean ballistic missiles and the US has trialed a defence system, with the first tests held in December.
The “moment in history” for statehood may also be defined by the Trump administration spending cuts, Guam Governor Lou Leon Guerrero warned in her “state of the island” address on Wednesday.
Military presence leveraged
The island has in recent years leveraged the increased military presence to demand federal assistance and the territory’s treasury relies on at least US$0.5 billion in annual funding.
“Let us be clear about this: Guam cannot be the linchpin of American security in the Asian-Pacific if nearly 14,000 of our residents are without shelter, because housing aid to Guam is cut, or if 36,000 of our people lose access to Medicaid and Medicare coverage keeping them healthy, alive and out of poverty,” Guerrero said.
Parkinson’s proposed legislative resolution calls for an end to 125-plus years of US colonial uncertainty.
“The people of Guam, as the rightful stewards of their homeland, must assert their inalienable right to self-determination,” states the resolution, including that there be a “full examination of statehood or enhanced autonomous status for Guam.”
“Granting Guam equal political status would signal unequivocally that Guam is an integral part of the United States, deterring adversaries who might otherwise perceive Guam as a mere expendable outpost.”
If adopted by the Guam legislature, the non-binding resolution would be transmitted to the White House.
A local statute enacted in 2000 for a political status plebiscite on statehood, independence or free association has become bogged down in US courts.
‘Reject colonial status quo’
Neil Weare, a former Guam resident and co-director of Right to Democracy, said the self-determination process must be centred on what the people of Guam want, “not just what’s best for US national security”.
“Right to Democracy does not take a position on political status, other than to reject the undemocratic and colonial status quo,” Weare said on behalf of the nonprofit organisation that advocates for rights and self-determination in US territories.
“People can have different views on what is the best solution to this problem, but we should all be in agreement that the continued undemocratic rule of millions of people in US territories is wrong and needs to end.”
He said the 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence next year can open a new venue for a conversation about key concepts — such as the “consent of the governed” — involving Guam and other US territories.
Republished from BenarNews with permission.
Source: China State Council Information Office 2
Generous childcare subsidies have been reported across China as part of the country’s holistic efforts to boost birth rates, making news headlines and sparking heated discussions.
The latest news came from Hohhot, capital of north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The city announced this week that it will offer a one-time subsidy of 10,000 yuan (about 1,394 U.S. dollars) to couples having their first child. A second child will receive 10,000 yuan per year until he/she reaches five years old.
For the third child or more, the annual subsidy is 10,000 yuan until the child turns 10, with the total amount reaching 100,000 yuan, a relatively high amount compared with other cities and roughly twice the annual income of local citizens.
Official statistics show that the per capita disposable income in Hohhot stood at 49,200 yuan in 2024. The generous cash reward is believed to become a relief for couples who are hesitant to have children due to financial concerns.
“The policy made us more assured in making our mind to having a second child. The subsidies can reduce the financial costs, especially for maternity and childcare,” said Yang Lixin, 30, who works at a private firm in Hohhot and already has a five-year-old.
The policy came on the heels of the recent conclusion of the annual national legislative session, during which the government work report was adopted and, for the first time, vowed to “provide childcare subsidies.”
“We will formulate policies on boosting birth rates, provide childcare subsidies, vigorously develop integrated nursery and childcare services, and increase public-interest childcare services,” the report reads.
Also during the legislative session, Director of the National Health Commission (NHC) Lei Haichao said that the commission was working with relevant departments to draft a childcare subsidy operational plan, and the public would see direct, beneficiary measures and corresponding policy arrangements in due course.
The inclusion of childcare subsidies in the government work report signals China’s commitment to supporting fertility intentions with tangible financial assistance, said political advisor Ni Bangwen. He called for further efforts to issue comprehensive measures to support childbearing families.
Local governments have put into action. More than 20 provincial-level regions in China had explored offering childcare subsidies at different levels, according to earlier data from the NHC.
For instance, Shenyang, the capital of northeast China’s Liaoning Province, provided a monthly subsidy of 500 yuan to local families for their third child until the child turns three, according to a document issued in 2023.
Many Chinese people have expressed their expectation for such policies to be expanded to their hometowns. “Hope it can be spread across the country as soon as possible,” a netizen from south China’s Guangdong Province commented.
The birth incentives have proved feasible and effective in Tianmen, a fifth-tier city with a population of 1.6 million in Hubei Province. Since the city implemented birth-boosting measures, which include childbirth and childcare subsidies, housing rewards as well as maternal leave allowances, the number of newborns rose by 17 percent last year after declining for eight consecutive years.
As one of the world’s most populous countries, China faces profound demographic challenges due to a dwindling number of newborns and a growing aging population. The country’s birth rate and number of newborns both dropped for seven consecutive years before reporting rises in 2024, while the population aged 60 and above reached 310 million last year.
To boost its birth rate, China has implemented a slew of supportive policies in recent years. It phased out its one-child policy by allowing married couples to have two children in 2016 and announced support for couples looking to have a third child in 2021.
In addition to financial support, other incentive measures include increased childcare services, extended maternity leave, and strengthened support in education, housing and employment, all aimed at fostering a birth-friendly society.
Childcare services have been improved nationwide to create better situations for parents. In Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, community-based childcare centers launched full-day care, half-day care, temporary care, and hourly care for infants and children, providing convenient and reliable childcare options for residents.
Moreover, maternity leave in China has been generally extended to over 158 days, along with spousal paternity leave and parental leave, making new mothers feel increasingly supported.
Longer maternity leave as well as additional spousal leave and parental leave could enhance family cohesion and alleviate caregiving burdens. Meanwhile, economic subsidies eased the financial pressure on families raising children, thereby boosting their willingness to have more children, said Mi Hong, director of the Institute for Population and Development Studies at Zhejiang University.
Providing childcare subsidies is also relevant to enterprises. “A significant portion of our key employees are of childbearing age. Childcare subsidies will help retain talent and enable the company’s sustainable development,” said Sheng Jing, the human resources chief of a data-tech company in north China’s Tianjin Municipality.
“Enterprises should provide heartfelt support to employees who raise children and explore a new way to balance working and child-rearing,” said Wang Zhen, a lawmaker and entrepreneur of Inner Mongolia.
Source: China State Council Information Office 2
With an extensive coastline, China is turning to the vast ocean to bolster food security by building modern marine ranches.
The construction of marine ranches, dubbed “blue granaries” in the vast blue ocean, highlights the nation’s efforts to diversify food supplies. With more investment and innovative technologies, China’s marine ranching industry is playing a role in strengthening food security.
This file photo shows a marine ranch with eight giant aquaculture cages located 42 nautical miles off the coast of Yantai in east China’s Shandong Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
FOOD SECURITY
Chinese leaders have underscored the importance of utilizing both land and sea resources to enhance food production to feed a population of over 1.4 billion.
This year’s “No. 1 central document” stresses that work must be done to build a diversified food supply system and adopt an all-encompassing approach to agriculture and food.
It says that efforts will be made to expand food resources through multiple channels, including promoting the high-quality development of fisheries and supporting the development of deep-sea and far-sea aquaculture and the construction of marine ranches.
An aerial drone photo taken on March 13, 2025 shows fishers driving boats to the fish farming area at a marine ranch in Rongcheng City, east China’s Shandong Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
In recent years, marine ranching has gained momentum along China’s coast. In 2024, the city of Shanwei, in the southern province of Guangdong, invested more than 2 billion yuan (about 279 million U.S. dollars) to build eight marine ranches as well as cold chain and sales facilities.
To date, China has built more than 180 national-level marine ranches. The eastern province of Shandong ranked top with 71 national-level marine ranches, accounting for 38 percent of the country’s total, said Zhang Jiandong, head of the Oceanic Administration of Shandong Province.
SMART AQUACULTURE
The technological advances, including automated feeding and underwater imaging systems, have transformed the aquaculture industry.
As the spring aquatic farming season started recently, Liu Yulei started his work on a marine ranch with eight giant aquaculture cages located 42 nautical miles off the coast of Yantai.
An aerial drone photo taken on March 13, 2025 shows fishers driving boats to the fish farming area at a marine ranch in Rongcheng City, east China’s Shandong Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
Each cage, 68 meters long and wide, could enclose 94,000 cubic meters of seawater, providing an optimal environment for 1 million fish with an annual fish catch of 1,000 tonnes.
“The fish farm is built here with Class I water quality and suitable temperature and salinity,” Liu said. “With strong currents moving at 1.5 meters per second, the water in the cage could be completely refreshed within dozens of seconds, much more frequently than in traditional aquaculture facilities.”
Modern technology has made fish farming more efficient. “Work on the marine ranch is busy but far easier than traditional fish farming. Only four workers can oversee a cage,” Liu added.
Each giant cage is equipped with advanced sonar, lidar and binocular vision systems that allow workers to monitor the fish population, distribution and health, equipment, water quality, hydrology, and meteorological conditions in real time.
This file photo shows a marine ranch with eight giant aquaculture cages located 42 nautical miles off the coast of Yantai in east China’s Shandong Province. [Photo/Xinhua]
“We used to lack proper feeding knowledge, which led to excessive food waste accumulating on the seabed. Now, with scientific breeding, we have significantly improved both quality and output while also protecting the marine environment,” said Luan Jianguo from another marine ranch off Changdao Island of Yantai.
A local fishing company purchases juvenile fish of certain sizes from local seafood farmers. The partnership means a faster return on investment, lower financial risks, and a larger seafood production with better quality.
NEW OPPORTUNITIES
Marine ranching also creates new business opportunities as some ranches offer travel services to tap into the consumer market better.
Off the coast of Yantai’s Laishan District, the “Genghai No. 1” ecological marine ranch complex integrates aquaculture and tourism facilities to generate additional revenues.
On weekends, tourists visit the complex for an immersive marine experience. On the main deck, visitors can engage in interactive activities such as a “deep-sea elevator” simulation using VR and AR devices. They can also participate in recreational fishing and enjoy the sea view.
“We provide 71 sea-view hotel rooms, and guests can also enjoy freshly caught seafood at our canteen,” said Yan Haidong, deputy general manager of Shandong Ocean Harvest Corporation, which operates the complex.
Low carbon is also at the core of the complex’s operation. “Our total installed solar and wind power capacity is 426 kW, with power generation of approximately 500,000 kWh annually,” Yan added.
Source: China State Council Information Office
Chinese car brands have become key players in Türkiye’s automotive market with their competitive prices and long-term dedication to investment, an Istanbul-based industry veteran said recently.
Semih Eryukseldi, a professional with over 15 years of experience in Türkiye’s automotive sector and currently working for Otobit, an online automobile auction platform, told Xinhua in an interview on Friday that Chinese car brands such as Chery, MG, and BYD have achieved long-term success in Türkiye with continued investment for sustainable growth.
Eryukseldi made the remarks in response to a report published on March 4 by Türkiye’s Automotive Distributors’ and Mobility Association (ODMD), which showed that Chinese car brands made significant sales growth in 2024.
According to the ODMD report, Chery sold 57,047 vehicles in Türkiye last year, up by 40.54 percent year-on-year, boosted by its competitively priced Tiggo series that appeal to a wide range of consumers.
Chery quickly gained a strong foothold in the Turkish market and “sold a significant number of vehicles” by offering highly available vehicles “with its price advantage,” outpacing other brands struggling with availability, Eryukseldi said.
MG, known for its electric and hybrid models, sold 17,162 vehicles in Türkiye in 2024, an 18.70-percent increase compared to the figures in 2023, the report showed.
“MG made a very quick entry into Türkiye starting in 2021 and quickly reached a wide customer base with various models, including electric, gasoline, and hybrid cars, across different segments,” Eryukseldi noted.
According to the ODMD report, BYD saw the largest percentage increase in sales last year, up by 892.97 percent from 2023 to reach 8,331 vehicles in 2024.
Notably, the brand sold 5,341 vehicles in the first two months of 2025, up by more than 10 times compared to the same period in 2024, showed the report.
This surge, driven by BYD’s investment commitment in Türkiye, “has boosted BYD’s impact in the Turkish market,” Eryukseldi said.
Source: China State Council Information Office
African youth have been urged to leverage the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement to tap into broader continental market and economic opportunities.
Experts and policymakers made the call on Saturday during a continental youth-themed meeting organized by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) under the theme of “Making the African Continental Free Trade Area work for African young people: opportunities, challenges and the way forward,” at the UN Conference Center in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa.
Addressing the meeting, Executive Secretary of the UNECA Claver Gatete emphasized that the effective implementation of the continental free trade pact requires concerted efforts toward empowering Africa’s youth as the continent’s future, with 60 percent of Africa’s population under the age of 25.
“We are in a situation where we are facing very serious challenges, and these challenges will continue and will be carried forward by you as young people. That is why empowering the young people becomes very important,” Gatete told African youth.
The UNECA chief emphasized that in the face of a rapidly changing world, the African continent needs to urgently address socio-economic development challenges. He stressed the need to meaningfully engage the youth in key decision-making and development initiatives as a sustainable approach to addressing the challenges.
“We are facing big challenges, where poverty levels are still very high as 476 million Africans are poor, 600 million Africans do not have electricity, and only 37 percent of Africans have access to the internet. This is not a good situation,” Gatete said.
Highlighting the AfCFTA’s critical role in unlocking economic opportunities while also augmenting job creation, he urged African youth to harness the opportunities presented through the growing intra-African trade anchored by the AfCFTA.
Experts, policymakers, and youth representatives at the meeting underscored that growth must create decent work, social inclusion, and poverty reduction, in which the AfCFTA injects the much-needed impetus.
Ethiopian State Minister for Youth Affairs Muna Ahmed underscored that as Africa strives for the AfCFTA’s success, the continent needs to place the major aspirations and challenges of its burgeoning youth central to the free trade pact’s implementation process.
“The AfCFTA presents a historic opportunity to unlock the immense potential of Africa’s young people by expanding access to markets, fostering innovation, and creating sustainable employment opportunities,” the state minister said.
According to the AfCFTA Secretariat, trading under the AfCFTA has gained momentum, as 48 African countries have deposited their instruments of ratification to the African Union (AU).
The AfCFTA envisaged transforming Africa into the world’s largest free trade area. When fully implemented, it is expected to create a single market for goods and services for about 1.4 billion people across Africa, with a combined gross domestic product of 3.4 trillion U.S. dollars, according to the AU.
The meeting, which was held on the margins of the 57th session of the Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, explored opportunities for African youth to leverage in the implementation of the AfCFTA. The meeting also deliberated on the development challenges affecting young Africans.
Source: China State Council Information Office
NASA and SpaceX launched a new crewed mission to the International Space Station (ISS) on Friday to bring home two NASA astronauts who have been stranded in space since last June.
The spacecraft lifted off aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in the state of Florida at 7:03 p.m. Friday Eastern Time (2303 GMT), according to a NASA live broadcast.
About two and a half minutes after the launch, SpaceX confirmed the successful separation of the rocket’s first stage. The first stage booster landed at Landing Zone 1 located near the launch pad.
The spacecraft is currently en route to the ISS. It will take about 28.5 hours for the spacecraft to autonomously dock to the space station, scheduled at 11:30 p.m. Saturday Eastern Time (0330 GMT Sunday), NASA said.
The new mission, codenamed Crew-10, carries NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Takuya Onishi, and cosmonaut Kirill Peskov with Russian state space corporation Roscosmos to the ISS.
During their mission, Crew-10 is scheduled to conduct material flammability tests to contribute to future spacecraft and facility designs, NASA said, adding that the crew will engage with students worldwide via the ISS ham radio program and use the program’s existing hardware to test a backup lunar navigation solution.
Also, one crew member will conduct an integrated study to monitor and analyze physiological and psychological changes in the human body, providing valuable insights for future deep space missions.
Following the arrival of Crew-10 to the orbital laboratory, NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission — which includes NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, Butch Wilmore, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov — will return to Earth.
Williams and Wilmore have been stuck in space since last June due to technical problems of Boeing’s Starliner which took them to the ISS.
The two astronauts were initially scheduled for an eight-day mission in space, but numerous issues were detected during their trip to the ISS, including helium leaks and propulsion issues. As a result, NASA deemed the Starliner spacecraft unsafe to return with astronauts on board.
While the Starliner spacecraft returned to Earth last September, Williams and Wilmore remained aboard the ISS for several additional months.
Source: China State Council Information Office
Myanmar authorities have seized 30.8 kg of heroin and 154,000 stimulant tablets in central Myanmar’s Mandalay region, the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control (CCDAC) said on Saturday.
Acting on a tip-off, anti-narcotics police searched a vehicle in Pyigyitagon township of Mandalay region on March 9 and confiscated the narcotics, and arrested three suspects.
Three other suspects in connection with the case were later arrested.
The seized narcotics are approximately worth over 1 billion kyats (about 476,190 U.S. dollars).
The suspects have been charged under the country’s Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Law, and further investigations were ongoing.
Source: China State Council Information Office
The U.S. warplanes on Saturday night launched airstrikes on several Houthi sites in Yemen’s capital Sanna and the northern province of Saada, killing at least 13, Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported.
“This is an initial toll as the number of death could increase,” the TV cited the Houthi-run health ministry as saying, adding that at least nine others were injured.
The Houthi TV reported four airstrikes in the Al-Jarraf residential neighborhood in northern Sanaa and several other airstrikes on the Shoab residential neighborhood in eastern Sanaa.
Later in the evening, fresh strikes hit sites in the northern part of the province’s namesake central city Saada, the group’s northern main stronghold. No further details were provided by the television.
According to local residents, the strikes in Sanna targeted ammunition and rocket depots near the Houthi-controlled state television station in the Al-Jarraf neighborhood. White smoke plume could be seen rising from the neighborhood, and a series of explosions were triggered following the airstrikes, witnesses added.
Osama Sari, a Houthi official, wrote on X that the strikes on Al-Jarraf neighborhood also damaged parts of the Specialized Modern University near the Airport Road.
Another Houthi source told Xinhua that the airstrikes also targeted two houses of key Houthi leaders.
This is the first military operation conducted by the U.S. military against the Houthi sites since U.S. President Donald Trump assumed power in January and redesigned the group as a “foreign terrorist organization.”
Trump posted on social media Truth Social that the aerial attacks on the “terrorists’ bases, leaders, and missile defenses were to protect American shipping, air, and naval assets, and to restore navigational freedom.”
He also warned Houthis that if they do not stop their attacks “starting today… Hell will rain down upon you like nothing you have ever seen before.”
In the meantime, the U.S. Central Command posted footage on X showing warplanes taking off a U.S. aircraft carrier in the Red Sea, saying that it “initiated a series of operations consisting of precision strikes against Iran-backed Houthi targets across Yemen to defend American interests, deter enemies, and restore freedom of navigation.”
Following the U.S. airstrikes, the Houthis vowed to launch retaliatory attacks, saying “this aggression will not pass without a response,” and that the group is “fully prepared to confront escalation with escalation,” the Houthis’ political bureau said in a statement aired by al-Masirah TV.
On Tuesday, the Houthi group announced that it would resume launching attacks against any Israeli ship in the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and the Bab al-Mandab Strait until the crossings of Gaza Strip are reopened and aid allowed in.
From November 2023 to Jan. 19, the Houthi group, which currently controls much of northern Yemen including the capital Sanaa, had launched dozens of drone and rocket attacks against Israel-linked ships and the Israeli cities to show solidarity with Palestinians amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. The Houthis stopped their attacks on Jan. 19, when the Gaza ceasefire deal took effect.
Source: China State Council Information Office
Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese president, attends the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting via video link and delivers a keynote address in Beijing, capital of China, March 15, 2023. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)
In the book-lined office of Professor Stelios Virvidakis at the University of Athens, Greece’s oldest and most esteemed academic institution, a letter is carefully preserved like a precious, delicate bridge model.
It came from Chinese President Xi Jinping, delivered to congratulate the inauguration of the Center of Chinese and Greek Ancient Civilizations in the time-honored university in February 2023.
“It was a delightful surprise to us all,” said Virvidakis, his philosopher’s gaze softening at the memory.
In the letter, Xi noted that over 2,000 years ago, China and Greece, two civilizations glittering at each end of the Eurasian continent, made groundbreaking contributions to the evolution of human civilization.
Now, he pointed out, it is of profound historical and contemporary significance for them to work together to promote exchanges and mutual learning and enhance the development of all civilizations.
The well-preserved letter reflects Xi’s broader vision of fostering cross-cultural dialogue and mutual learning as a catalyst for global peace and development, a vision that has been driving his diplomatic action worldwide.
That aspiration is best embodied in his Global Civilization Initiative (GCI), launched at a conference between the Communist Party of China (CPC) and global political parties in 2023, where he stressed that tolerance, coexistence, exchanges and mutual learning among different civilizations play an irreplaceable role in advancing humanity’s modernization process when the future of all countries are closely connected.
With the GCI marking its second anniversary on Saturday, Xi’s vision — to build a world where civilizations don’t collide but converse — has become ever more relevant, standing both as a nod to ancient ties and as a bold stitch in a fraying global tapestry.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and foreign leaders arrive to attend the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)
In recent years, some scholars and politicians in the West have been peddling once again the clash of civilizations theory, first proposed by American political scientist Samuel Huntington in 1993. They portray some civilizations as superior to others and seek to divide countries through ideological and racial lines.
On the background of the resurgence of such sentiments is a world undergoing unprecedented transformations rarely seen in a century. Global South countries, on a collective rise, are demanding their legitimate right to modernization in louder voices, while the global deficits in peace, security, development and governance are growing ever larger.
In Xi’s eyes, no civilization in the world is superior to others, and every civilization is equal and unique. “Civilizations have come in different colors, and such diversity renders exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations relevant and valuable,” he said in a speech at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris in 2014.
Months after he put forward the GCI in 2023, Xi explained at an event in San Francisco that the initiative is meant “to urge the international community to address the imbalance between material and cultural advancement and jointly promote continued progress of human civilization.”
China’s global initiatives, including the GCI, advocate for an egalitarian and inclusive order in pursuit of just and coherent global governance, said Ong Tee Keat, president of the Belt and Road Initiative Caucus for Asia Pacific and a former transport minister of Malaysia.
In the meantime, he said, “the GCI has driven home a clear message that all nations have the right to choose their own development paths in their pursuit of modernization, which is not necessarily synonymous with Westernization.”
In September 2024, at the opening ceremony of the summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, Xi put forward 10 partnership actions for modernization, with the first being “Partnership Action for Mutual Learning among Civilizations.”
“China will enhance people-to-people and cultural exchanges with Africa, champion mutual respect, inclusiveness and coexistence of different civilizations on our way to modernization, and strive together for more fruitful outcomes under the GCI,” Xi said.
As the world order designed to serve the interests of Western powers no longer meets the evolving needs and aspirations of Global South countries, a call for change is a natural response, said Ong, the Malaysian expert.
“This must occur … free from any mental subordination. Only then can an environment conducive to a nation’s modernization and development be established,” he said. “In this respect, the GCI undoubtedly serves as a potent enabler.”
Source: US Department of Health and Human Services – 3
Summary
Company Announcement Date:
March 15, 2025
FDA Publish Date:
March 15, 2025
Product Type:
Animal & Veterinary
Reason for Announcement:
Recall Reason Description
Possible Bird Flu Health Risk
Company Name:
Savage Pet
Brand Name:
Brand Name(s)
Savage Pet
Product Description:
Product Description
Cat Food Chicken
Company Announcement
Savage Pet of El Cajon, CA is recalling 66 Large Chicken Boxes 84 oz. and 74 Small Chicken Boxes 21 oz. with the lot code/best by date of 11152026 because it has the potential to contain H5N1, also known as bird flu .
Savage Cat Food Large Chicken Boxes and Small Chicken Boxes were distributed to retailers in California, Colorado, New York, Pennsylvania and Washington.
People who fed cats the recalled products should watch for symptoms of bird flu, including fever, lethargy, low appetite, reddened or inflamed eyes, discharge from the eyes and nose, difficulty breathing, and neurological signs like tremors, stiff body movements, seizure, lack of coordination, or blindness. People with cats exhibiting these signs after feeding this product should immediately contact their veterinarian.
While no human infections have been identified among people handling raw pet food products, humans can become infected if live virus gets into a person’s eyes, nose, or mouth. People should wash their hands while handling raw products and sanitize contact surfaces. People who handled the recalled products should watch for symptoms of bird flu, including eye redness or irritation (conjunctivitis), cough, sore throat, sneezing, runny/stuffy nose, muscle/body aches, headaches, fatigue, fever, trouble breathing, seizures, rash, diarrhea, nausea, and/or vomiting. People exhibiting these signs after having contact with this product should contact their healthcare provider and local health department.
In February, Savage Pet was made aware of one cat in Colorado who contracted H5N1, got sick and recovered. Colorado State University Laboratory tested sealed packets of Savage Cat Food using PCR testing for H5N1. The PCR test results were “non-negative”. The product with “non-negative” PCR results was sent to the National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa for virus isolation testing.
The product in question was removed from the market while awaiting final test results. On 02/17/25 every retailer who may have received the lot code in question was contacted and informed to return it for proper destruction.
On 03/06/25 the NVSL virus isolation testing results confirmed the virus to be negative.
On 3/13/2025 Savage Pet was made aware of an additional case in New York of a kitten that was feeding lot 11152026 who contracted avian flu. Further testing is ongoing.
To ensure maximum safety we are modifying our market withdrawal to a recall.
The product with lot code/best by date of 11152026 was distributed in November 2024. The boxes are cardboard and contain individual plastic packets inside. The lot code/best by date is stamped on the bottom and on each packet.
Do not feed the recalled product to pets or animals. Do not sell or donate the recalled products. Consumers who have purchased this lot code are urged to immediately return it to their retailer for proper destruction and a full refund.
For more information contact us at info@savagecatfood.com or by calling 619.270.0295.
Company Contact Information
Product Photos
Source: Samsung
Samsung Electronics today announced that approximately 80 models in its 2025 TV, monitor and soundbar lineups have received Product Carbon Reduction1 and Product Carbon Footprint2 certifications from TÜV Rheinland, a globally recognized certification organization based in Germany. This marks the fifth consecutive year that the premium lineups, Neo QLED 8K and Neo QLED, have received certifications, reinforcing the company’s continued efforts in carbon reduction.
“Samsung Electronics is committed to driving technological innovation for a sustainable future,” said Taeyong Son, Executive Vice President of Visual Display Business at Samsung Electronics. “As the world’s leading TV manufacturer, we will continue to be at the forefront of establishing a more energy-efficient ecosystem that benefits consumers.”
Following last year’s certification of 60 models across the Neo QLED, OLED and Lifestyle TV categories, Samsung has further increased its number of certified products in 2025 to include QLED TVs. In addition, the company is also working towards obtaining certification for its Color E-Paper lineup later this year.
The certifications from TÜV Rheinland are awarded following a rigorous evaluation of a product’s entire lifecycle — including manufacturing, transportation, usage and disposal — based on internationally recognized sustainability standards. By assessing and verifying carbon emissions at each stage, these certifications highlight Samsung’s efforts to reduce environmental impact across its product lineup.
In particular, the Product Carbon Reduction certification is granted to products that have already received a Product Carbon Footprint certification and further demonstrate a measurable reduction in carbon emissions compared to their predecessors.
Samsung’s leadership in energy-efficient display technology dates back to 2021, when the Neo QLED became the first 4K and higher-resolution TV to earn the Reducing CO2 certification. Since then, Samsung has continually expanded its portfolio of environmentally certified products, including QLED, Crystal UHD, Lifestyle TVs, OLED TVs and a wide range of monitors and digital signage products.
For more information on Samsung’s 2025 TV lineup, please visit www.samsung.com.
1 38 Certified models include Neo QLED 8K(QN990F, QN950F), Neo QLED 4K(QN90F, QN85F), OLED(S95F 55”/65”, S90F, S85F 77”/83”), The Frame Pro(LS03FW), LCD Signage(QMC 43”, 50”, 55”, 75”), and Soundbar(Q930F, Q800F, QS700F) products.1 42 Certified models include Neo QLED 8K(QN900F), Neo QLED 4K(QN80F, QN70F), OLED(S95F 77”/83”, S85F 55”/65”), The Frame(LS03F), QLED(Q8F, Q7F), Viewfinity S80UD, S80D, QMC 65’’/85’’, Soundbar(Q990F), EMDX 32″.
Source: United States Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (ATF)
WASHINGTON – Jevaughn Mark, 33, of Washington D.C., pleaded guilty today in connection with a conspiracy that distributed large amounts of fentanyl and cocaine in the metropolitan area, and included the sale of fentanyl that resulted in the December 2023 deaths of two District men.
Mark, aka “Ledo,” pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 500 grams or more of cocaine, and to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. before U.S. District Court Judge Tanya S. Chutkan. Sentencing is scheduled for June 13, 2025.
The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Edward R. Martin, Jr., Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent in Charge Ibrar A. Mian of the Washington Division, and Chief Pamela A. Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Mark had been charged with eight counts of unlawful distribution (of fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin) and distributing 40 grams or more of fentanyl between January 10, 2024, and March 13, 2024. The charges stemmed from six controlled purchases in which undercover DEA and MPD taskforce officers (UC-DEA/MPD) contacted Mark and purchased narcotics. In each instance, the UC-DEA/MPD agents requested to buy “Special K” or ketamine. In every instance, he supplied a mixture of fentanyl and other substances, including heroin, but not ketamine.
After obtaining an indictment, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Mark’s primary residence and recovered two firearms, cocaine, fentanyl, about $38,000 in cash, body armor vests, and drug trafficking paraphernalia.
On June 13, 2024, Jevaughn Mark was charged in a second superseding indictment in connection with distributing fentanyl and cocaine on December 26, 2023, that resulted in the deaths of two men, Brandon Román and Robert Barletta, at their home in Northwest Washington. Pursuant to the plea agreement, Mark admitted to causing the death of both individuals by selling “ketamine” (which was actually fentanyl) to one victim who shared the drugs with the other victim. Both men were found unresponsive the day after Mark sold them the “ketamine.”
The case is being investigated by the DEA’s Washington Division and the Metropolitan Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Iris McCranie and Dan Seidel, of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses (VRTO) section.
24cr143
Source: Country Fire Service – South Australia
Issued for KATARAPKO ISLAND approximately 10 km from Berri in the Riverland, South Australia.
The CFS, SA Metropolitan Fire Service, Department for Environment and Water, SA Police and SA State Emergency Services are responding to multiple ignitions near Katarapko Island.
Firefighters on approximately 26 trucks, supported by aircraft and boats, are on scene working to quickly extinguish the blazes.
The cause of the fires is yet to be determined and Fire Investigators have been notified.
Smoke may be impacting communities and roads in the area, and visibility may be reduced. You should stay informed and be aware of the health impacts of smoke on yourself and others.
Emergency services may be working on and around roads in the area, and motorists are advised to stay away. If you need to travel on roads in the area, please take care and drive to the local conditions.
Message ID 0008374
US Senate News:
Source: The White House
It has been over a year since a U.S.-flagged commercial ship safely sailed through the Suez Canal, the Red Sea, or the Gulf of Aden. No terrorist force will stop American commercial and naval vessels from freely sailing the Waterways of the World.
Our economic and national security have been under attack by the Houthis for too long. Today, President Trump’s action and leadership are moving to end this.
Shipping Disruption
Houthi attacks against shipping since 2023 have caused a sustained negative effect on global trade and the economic security of the United States. A 2024 Defense Intelligence Agency report detailed how container shipping through the Red Sea has precipitously declined due to Houthi attacks.
Before their attacks, 25,000 merchant ships passed through the Red Sea annually. The current number has dropped to around 10,000 ships annually.
Imports of consumer goods and cars to the United States, as well as agricultural exports from our own Gulf of America, have been rerouted due to the Houthi attacks.
In November 2023, the Houthis seized the ship M/V Galaxy Leader and began to attack commercial ships with anti-ship missiles and unmanned vehicles.
Houthi attacks caused approximately 75% of U.S.- and UK-affiliated vessels to reroute around Africa instead of transiting the Red Sea. Traveling around Africa takes an average of ten days longer than sailing through the Red Sea. Additional fuel costs are roughly one million dollars more for each voyage around Africa.
Higher shipping rates caused by Houthi attacks probably increased global consumer goods inflation between 0.6 and 0.7 percent in 2024.
Impacts to Allies and Partners
The Red Sea serves a primary conduit for trade between Europe and Asia. Around 95% of ships traveling between Europe and Asia normally would go through the Red Sea.
Out of the top ten importers (by value) of trade through the Red Sea, five are EU nations.
Houthi attacks caused approximately 60% of EU-affiliated vessels to reroute around Africa instead of transiting the Red Sea
The Houthis have attacked U.S. warships 174 times and commercial vessels 145 times since 2023.2023
October 19, 2023: The USS Carney, a U.S. Navy destroyer, intercepted multiple missiles launched from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen. These missiles posed a threat to U.S. forces.
November 19, 2023: The Houthis attacked and seized the M/V Galaxy Leader and held the multinational crew hostage for over a year.
December 3, 2023: Houthi forces launched missiles and drones targeting three commercial ships in the Red Sea. The USS Carney responded to distress calls and intercepted three drones during this assault.
December 16, 2023: The USS Carney engaged and destroyed 14 drones launched by the Houthis in the southern Red Sea, preventing potential attacks on U.S. military and commercial maritime vessels.
December 26, 2023: The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and USS Gravely responded to a distress call from the commercial vessel Maersk Hangzhou, which was under attack by Houthi forces. U.S. Navy helicopters engaged, resulting in the sinking of three Houthi boats.
December 30, 2023: Houthi forces fired anti-ship ballistic missiles targeting the USS Gravely. The destroyer successfully intercepted the incoming missiles, preventing any damage.
2024
January 10, 2024: The Houthis launched a large-scale missile and drone attack against U.S. and UK naval forces in the Red Sea. The coordinated defense successfully neutralized all incoming threats.
January 15, 2024: The Houthis rebels targeted the U.S.-owned M/V Gibraltar Eagle with a missile, resulting in damage to the vessel.
January 17, 2024: The Houthi rebels targeted the U.S.-owned cargo ship Genco Picardy in the Gulf of Aden using drones, resulting in damage to the vessel.
January 26, 2024: The oil tanker Marlin Luanda, linked to British interests, was attacked by Houthi missiles in the Gulf of Aden, causing a fire onboard.
August 21, 2024: The Houthi rebels attack the Greek-flagged oil tanker M/V Sounion, threatening a massive oil-spill and followed by a months-long salvage effort.
September 27, 2024: The USS Spruance, USS Stockdale, and USS Indianapolis were targeted by a barrage of missiles and drones launched by Houthi forces in the Red Sea. All threats were intercepted without any damage to the U.S. warships.
November 11, 2024: Houthi forces launched a coordinated attack involving drones, ballistic missiles, and cruise missiles against the USS Spruance and USS Stockdale in the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. The U.S. destroyers successfully intercepted all incoming threats.
December 1, 2024: While escorting U.S.-flagged merchant vessels in the Gulf of Aden, the USS Stockdale and USS O’Kane intercepted multiple missiles and drones launched by Houthi forces, ensuring the safety of the convoy.
December 9–10, 2024: The USS Stockdale and USS O’Kane again faced Houthi-launched drones and missiles while escorting merchant vessels in the Gulf of Aden. All threats were neutralized without any damage.
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator for Kansas Roger Marshall
Washington – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) participated in the confirmation hearing today for President Donald Trump’s Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator nominee, Dr. Mehmet Oz, in the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance.
Dr. Mehmet Oz is a world-class heart surgeon and would be the first doctor at the helm of CMS in more than a decade. He knows the health care system inside and out, as he’s lived it throughout his career, starting with a joint M.D.-MBA education. Having invented life-saving devices, hosted a successful TV show, and touched the lives of millions of patients across the nation, Dr. Oz brings a much-needed perspective to Make America Healthy Again.
[embedded content]
Click HERE or on the image above to watch Senator Marshall’s full line of questioning.
Highlights from Dr. Oz’s confirmation hearing include:
On Dr. Oz’s background:
Senator Marshall: “Why did you go into medicine? And what are some of the highlights or the most rewarding parts of your career?”
Dr. Oz: “I don’t think there’s a joy greater than looking a patient in the eyes and recognizing that you’re there for each other, that nothing will get in the way of you providing the best care possible. It’s not that there won’t ever be problems, but you’ll be there emotionally supporting them.
“And if you’ve been gifted with teachers, as I was, that could educate me about how to take care of patients, you get to watch them get better and feel a joy inside your heart that can’t be matched in another field…
“I think it’s why I went into medicine, because I saw my father go into the hospital and do things like putting needles in people, which looks painful, but the patients would smile and thank him for it, paradoxically.
“And that’s why I think it’s also appropriate for physicians, as you have.. and other physicians on this committee, Dr. Cassidy, to enter government, because we’re trained to tell people things that they need to hear but aren’t pleasant, but that’s how you get the system to work better.”
On Dr. Oz’s prescription to Make America Healthy Again:
Senator Marshall: “My grandma always said, if you have your health, you have everything. And America doesn’t have her health right now. 60% of us have a chronic disease. Several people pointed out this country is spending multiples more than other countries do to take care of our sick.
“There’s not enough sick care out there to save Medicare and Medicaid.
“You and I came here to save Medicare and Medicaid, but part of that is making America healthy again, so that we don’t have to do as many heart bypasses and give as much insulin and diabetic drugs.
“What is your prescription for America? How do you work with Medicare and Medicaid patients to help America become healthy again?”
Dr. Oz: “The deeper promise that we should all be making to America is we’re going to make it easy for America to do the right thing when it comes to their health. Some of these decisions are not difficult. Some of them need to be simplified, and some of them need to be reminded frequently.
“Senator Wyden and I had spoken about this a little bit, the idea of giving incentives to patients is an idea that I think is a worthy one, especially for Medicaid beneficiaries. If people don’t feel like it matters what they do, if they don’t think they have agency over their future… then they’re not going to take proactive steps to reduce their diabetes or another action that would dramatically reduce their life expectancy and their cost to the health care system.
“There’s a lot of opportunity for us to do this, and we should be innovative and explore ideas. And I think there’s an ecosystem we can build together to engender that kind of enthusiasm from people on the outside of medicine who want to make it better. We have got to challenge the incumbents and the system to have new ideas bubble to the top so we can pick the winners based on competition.”
Senator Marshall: “We’re not going to save Medicare and Medicaid unless we Make America Healthy Again.”
On maternal care, how to save Medicare and Medicaid:
Senator Marshall: “I’m going to talk just a second about maternal care. I came to this body, the other side of the Capitol, and people were talking about maternal mortality then. We were seeing a big spike in it. And I asked people, “Why? What? How come?” And we didn’t have an answer.
“… And not surprising to me, the number one killer of pregnant women that delivered that year after is actually suicide and fentanyl poisoning, overdose. We don’t need to study it more. We need action, early access to prenatal care to be the other action point as well…
“Half of our patients, half the patients I delivered, were Medicaid patients. They need access to care, and we also need to stop the flow of fentanyl.
“My last question though, speak briefly to how price tags and health care savings accounts turn patients into consumers again, and how that might actually help save Medicare and Medicaid?”
Dr. Oz: “There’s a lot we can do with health savings accounts. We could even investigate new ways of using them. Maybe they should be part of your estate and passed on to your children, because so many families don’t really have anything to pass on.
“It would incentivize behaviors even at the end of life. But I think there’s an opportunity for us to give consumerism, give the power of the purse back to the American people, especially if they’re beneficiaries on Medicare, and let them make the wisest decisions they can.
“They got to that age by making some good decisions, and so we might as well let them keep going.”
Source: US Federal Emergency Management Agency
Headline: If FEMA Initially Finds You Ineligible for Assistance, You Still Have Options
If FEMA Initially Finds You Ineligible for Assistance, You Still Have Options
LOS ANGELES – If you received a letter from FEMA that says you’re ineligible for assistance, you still have options
A quick fix, like providing more information, may change FEMA’s initial determination
Duplication of benefits is a common reason for a FEMA ineligibility determination
If you already accepted an insurance settlement or other benefit for the damage or loss, by law, FEMA cannot cover it
You may also be found ineligible if your home was damaged but is still safe, and sanitary
FEMA grants are primarily meant to make a home habitable, rather than returning it to pre-wildfire condition
Sometimes, however, an ineligibility determination can stem from misinformation, inadequate information, or changes in your circumstances and may be reversed
Be sure to read your FEMA determination letter carefully
It specifies why you are ineligible and recommends actions that may change the initial determination
When Might an Ineligibility Determination be Reversed?If you told FEMA you are insured, but later your insurance company denies your claim, or your settlement is insufficient to meet your needs, you should update FEMA with that information
Describe the damage or losses and provide reliable documentation from your insurer that shows your claims have been denied or excluded
Damage to your home may not have become apparent until later
If you reported no home damage when you applied with FEMA but later discover the home is no longer habitable, let FEMA know
In some cases, your application is simply missing proof of occupancy or identity
If FEMA is unable to verify occupancy of your primary residence, you may provide utility bills, a bank or credit card statement, phone bills, pay stubs, a driver’s license, state-issued ID card or voter registration card showing the damaged dwelling’s address
Also, FEMA needs to verify your identity with a valid Social Security number
To verify identity, provide FEMA with a copy of your Social Security card, accompanied by federal or state-issued identification
All FEMA Applicants Have a Right to AppealYou can appeal a decision or award amount by sending documents to FEMA that demonstrate your eligibility and need for additional assistance
FEMA determination letters explain the reason you are ineligible and the types of documents that may help you appeal
Documentation or estimates supporting your claim are all that are required to appeal a FEMA decision
You can also fill out the Appeal Request Form included with your FEMA decision letter
Appeals must be submitted within 60 days of the date on the FEMA decision letter
To file an appeal:For an American Sign Language video on how to Appeal, visit FEMA R9: Determination Letters and Appeals (ASL PSA)Upload documents to your disaster assistance account at DisasterAssistance
gov
Mail to: FEMA, P
O
Box 10055, Hyattsville, MD 20782-8055
Fax to 1-800-827-8112 with Attention: FEMA – Individuals & Households Program
Visit a Disaster Recovery Center (DRC)
To find your nearest DRC, visit fema
gov/drc
If you have questions or need to speak about your ineligibility status, call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362
For the latest information about California’s recovery, visit fema
gov/disaster/4856
Follow FEMA Region 9 @FEMARegion9 on X or follow FEMA on online, on X @FEMA or @FEMAEspanol, on FEMA’s Facebook page or Espanol page and at FEMA’s YouTube account
For preparedness information follow the Ready Campaign on X at @Ready
gov, on Instagram @Ready
gov or on the Ready Facebook page
California is committed to supporting residents impacted by the Los Angeles Hurricane-Force Firestorm as they navigate the recovery process
Visit CA
gov/LAFires for up-to-date information on disaster recovery programs, important deadlines, and how to apply for assistance
alberto
pillot
Sat, 03/15/2025 – 16:59
US Senate News:
Source: United States Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn)
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Representatives Robert Aderholt (R-AL) and Danny Davis (D-IL) led a bipartisan group of members of Congress in calling on President Trump and the Administration to work on behalf of families devastated by the People’s Republic of China’s decision to halt its intercountry adoption program.
“We write to you on behalf of hundreds of children and American families who have been devastated by the People’s Republic of China’s decision to halt its intercountry adoption Program,” wrote the Senators. “We request that you act in the best interest of these children and engage the Chinese government to finalize these pending adoption cases.”
“The sudden termination of China’s adoption program in August 2024 only exacerbated our concern for these children’s well-being,” the Senators continued. “Many of these children have special health care needs, and some will soon age out of care systems without the support of a permanent family. … We urge you to elevate this engagement and press the Chinese government to finalize pending adoption cases so these children may finally be united with their adoptive families in the United States.”
The letter was also signed by Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Katie Britt (R-AL), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Susan Collins (R-ME), Ted Cruz (R-TX), John Curtis (R-UT), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Joni Ernst (R-IA), John Fetterman (D-PA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), John Hoeven (R-ND), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Angus King (I-ME), James Lankford (R-OK), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Bernie Moreno (R-OH), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Patty Murray (D-WA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Rand Paul (R-KY), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tina Smith (D-MN), Dan Sullivan (R-AK), John Thune (R-SD), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Todd Young (R-IN), and Representatives Brian Babin (R-TX), Don Bacon (R-NE), Andy Biggs (R-AZ) Vern Buchanan (R-FL), Tim Burchett (R-TN), Kat Cammack (R-FL), Mike Carey (R-OH), Dan Crenshaw (R-TX), Suzan DelBene (D-WA), Scott DesJarlais (R-TN), Julie Fedorchak (R-ND), Randy Feenstra (R-IA), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Charles Fleischmann (R-TN), Tony Gonzales (R-TX), Sam Graves (R-MO), Mark Green (R-TN), H. Morgan Griffith (R-VA), Glenn Grothman (R-WI), Brett Guthrie (R-KY), Abraham Hamadeh (R-AZ), Diana Harshbarger (R-TN), Ashley Hinson (R-IA), Erin Houchin (R-IN), Julie Johnson (D-TX), Thomas Kean (R-NJ), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Darin LaHood (R-IL), Julia Letlow (R-LA), Barry Loudermilk (R-GA), Richard McCormick (R-GA), Morgan McGarvey (D-KY), Mark Messmer (R-IN), Carol Miller (R-WV), Ralph Norman (R-SC), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Zachary Nunn (R-IA), Andrew Ogles (R-TN), Bob Onder (R-MO), Gary Palmer (R-AL), Brittany Pettersen (D-CO), August Pfluger (R-TX), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), John Rutherford (R-FL), Hillary Scholten (D-MI), Keith Self (R-TX), Jefferson Shreve (IN), Adam Smith (D-WA), Lloyd Smucker (R-PA), Eric Sorensen (D-IL), Greg Stanton (D-AZ), Pete Stauber (R-MN), Haley Stevens (D-WI), Eric Swalwell (D-CA), William Timmons (R-SC), Jill Tokuda (D-HI), Paul Tonko (D-NY), and Daniel Webster (R-FL).
The full text of the letter is available here and below.
Dear President Trump:
We write to you on behalf of hundreds of children and American families who have been devastated by the People’s Republic of China’s decision to halt its intercountry adoption program. We request that you act in the best interest of these children and engage the Chinese government to finalize these pending adoption cases.
As members of the Congressional Coalition on Adoption and other Members of Congress who share these concerns, the safety of adopted children and hundreds of would-be adoptees is our top priority. The sudden termination of China’s adoption program in August 2024 only exacerbated our concern for these children’s well-being. Many of these children have special health care needs, and some will soon age out of care systems without the support of a permanent family. It is particularly critical that these children have access to the care and support that they need — which hundreds of American families approved for adoption are willing to provide.
We understand that the State Department is working on behalf of these families and seeking clarity on the Chinese government’s decision. We urge you to elevate this engagement and press the Chinese government to finalize pending adoption cases so these children may finally be united with their adoptive families in the United States.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter. We are prepared to work closely with you to ensure these children are welcomed into safe and stable homes.