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☆ Happy New Year of the Dragon - or Loong?
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

This year, it’s the Year of the Dragon, or more accurately, the “Year of the Loong,” says Chinese state media, using its preferred term for the mythical beast. The Chinese “loong” conjures positivity, nobleness and fortune and therefore should be distinguished linguistically from its Western cousin, state media argues. Chinese media has dedicated coverage and airtime to promote the new nomenclature over the past week or so, though both “dragon” and “loong” are being used interchangeably in English-language reports. “Transcribing long into English ‘loong’ would cause more problems and confusion than translating it as ‘dragon’,” he wrote. He noted that “some patriotic and political sources in the Sinosphere” have been peddling the concept that the Western dragon is fearful.

Persons: ”, Loong ”, it’s, loong, “ loong, Xi Jinping, Loong, John Lee, Wong Tai, Alex Chan Tsz Yuk, Elliott, Bradford Lee Eden, Eden, Eduardo Leal, ‘, Weibo, Victor Mair, Mair, “ loong ”, ” Eden, “ Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Disney, Xinhua, of Library Services, Valparaiso University ,, Tolkien Research, Getty, University of Pennsylvania, Valparaiso University Locations: China, Hong Kong, Beijing, Valparaiso University , Indiana, Macau, Weibo, West

☆ Live updates: Israel-Hamas war, Israeli jets strike Lebanon after rocket fire
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a media conference in Tel Aviv on October 12, 2023. Jacquelyn Martin/AFP/Getty ImagesIsrael's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday reiterated his intention to order concerted military operations in Rafah, vowing that his country will fight “until the absolutely victory.”Netanyahu said “powerful action” would come in the southern Gazan city after the evacuation of civilians from "battle zones." German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock condemned Israel's planned ground offensive, saying it would create a "humanitarian catastrophe.”It comes as the Israeli military said Wednesday that it has struck Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, as the Israel Defense Forces chief of staff warned of an ongoing offensive against targets in the neighboring country. The strikes follow an earlier deadly rocket attack from Lebanon on a northern Israeli city. Here are the latest headlines:

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Jacquelyn Martin, “, ” Netanyahu, Annalena Baerbock, Israel's Organizations: Getty, Israel's, Red Cross, Israel Defense Forces Locations: Tel Aviv, AFP, Rafah, Gazan, Israel, Lebanon, Israeli

☆ Live updates: Israel-Hamas war, Israeli forces launch Rafah airstrikes
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Chris Lau | Deva Lee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Abed Zagout/Anadolu/Getty ImagesThe Israeli military has not yet presented its plan to the government for the evacuation of Rafah, a spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) told CNN on Tuesday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday directed the IDF to plan for the “evacuation of the population” from Rafah, ahead of an anticipated ground assault on the southern Gaza city. "The government has instructed the IDF to devise a plan to achieve our goals, our war goals, in the area of Rafah," IDF spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Peter Lerner told CNN's John Vause on Tuesday. Lerner said the military aims to create a plan that evacuates civilians "out of harm's way" and differentiates civilians from Hamas militants. We have confidence in our ability to differentiate and distinguish," he told Vause, admitting, however, that it comes "not without challenge."

Persons: Abed Zagout, Benjamin Netanyahu, Peter Lerner, CNN's John Vause, Lerner, Vause, We've Organizations: Getty, Israel Defense Forces, CNN, IDF Locations: Rafah, Gaza, Anadolu, Israel

Taylor Swift has arrived at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas to cheer on the Kansas City Chiefs and beau Travis Kelce in tonight's Super Bowl. The NFL and CBS, which is airing tonight's game, shared video of the music mega-star arriving and chatting with rapper Ice Spice and actor Blake Lively. Swift fans were concerned if the multi-Grammy award winning artist would make it to the big game given her tight touring schedule. Swift played the Tokyo Dome in the Japanese capital from February 7 to 10, leaving her little time — given the long-haul flight and large time difference — to get back for the Super Bowl at Allegiant Stadium. The Japanese Embassy put out a statement last week to ease the concerns of fans.

Persons: Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, Spice, Blake Lively, Scott, Andrea, Swift, “, Chris Lau Organizations: Kansas City Chiefs, NFL, CBS, Tokyo, Super, Allegiant Locations: Las Vegas, Tokyo

☆ Xi’an, China: Ancient city hosts spectacular lantern show
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-11 | by ( Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

But this month, all eyes are on another one of its historic sites – the Xi’an City Wall, said to be one of the world’s most impressive remaining traditional defense systems and one of the only complete ancient city walls left in China. China officially marks the Lantern Festival as the 15th day of the first lunar month (February 24 in 2024). A year-round attractionThe top of Xi'an's City Wall is a popular place for locals and tourists to get some exercise. chuyu/iStockphoto/Getty ImagesWhen not glowing with lanterns, Xi’an’s City Wall provides locals and tourists a relaxing space for cycling, or a breezy stroll, while offering panoramic views. A year earlier, in 2014, then-US First Lady Michelle Obama jumped rope and danced on the Xi’an City Wall.

Persons: netizen, Yuan, Xiao, it’s, Mark Zuckerberg, Michelle Obama Organizations: CNN, Army, Visitors, Lantern Festival ., Festival, Wall, Facebook Locations: China, Xi’an, Weibo, Lantern Festival . China

☆ Live updates: The latest on the Israel-Hamas news
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-10 | by ( Chris Lau | Andrew Raine | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

A woman and children sit outside tents sheltering displaced Palestinians in Rafah, Gaza, on February 8. Satellite images showed this week how a tent city has swelled in size in just a few weeks. Also, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken raised concerns about the expansion into Rafah during meetings with Netanyahu and other Israeli officials this week, two Israeli officials told CNN on Wednesday. Non-governmental organizations issue warnings: Several non-governmental organizations have warned about the humanitarian consequences of Israeli operations in Rafah. Half of UNRWA requests to deliver aid in Gaza denied: The UN's main relief agency in Gaza said Friday that half of its aid mission requests to deliver aid in Gaza since the beginning of the year have been denied.

Persons: Mohammed Abed, Benjamin Netanyahu, “, Vedant Patel, Antony Blinken, Netanyahu, won’t, Philippe Lazzarini Organizations: Getty, United Nations, Israel Defense Forces, CNN, Wednesday, Norwegian Refugee Council, Hamas, The United Nations Relief, Works Agency for Palestine Refugees Locations: Rafah, Gaza, AFP, ”, Israel, United States, Egypt

☆ Fears grow for Australian runner missing in dense bushland for six days
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Australian police are combing a large swathe of bushland in the state of Victoria for a woman who has been missing without a trace since going for a run six days ago. Samantha Murphy left her Ballarat home for a run in the Woowookarung Regional Park at 7am on Sunday, according to Victorian police. But high temperatures over recent days – sometimes reaching 37 degrees Celsius (98 Fahrenheit) – and the length of time she’s been missing have fueled concerns for her safety. Police have released images of missing woman Samantha Murphy, who was last seen leaving her home in Eureka Street, Ballarat East, on Sunday. Speaking alongside his daughter on Thursday, her husband, Michael, urged local residents to report every “little thing” they find relevant.

Persons: Samantha Murphy, Mark Hatt, she’s, Hatt, Murphy, Jess, “, ”, Bob Heaney, Michael, It’ll Organizations: CNN, Australian, Ballarat, Victoria Police, Police, Sunday . State Government, Nine Locations: Victoria, Eureka Street, Victoria Woowookarung, New York City

☆ Chinese city cancels Argentina soccer match after Messi backlash in Hong Kong
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Hong Kong CNN —A city in mainland China has canceled its plan to host a soccer match featuring Argentina’s national team amid a growing backlash in the country against star player Lionel Messi. Messi has faced an outpouring of criticism after he remained on the bench during an exhibition game featuring his Major League Soccer team Inter Miami in Hong Kong. Public relations nightmareMessi stayed on the substitute bench when Inter Miami played the Hong Kong team on February 4, despite repeated requests from the Hong Kong government and organizer, Tatler Asia, for him to get on the field. Messi later said this had been a “shame,” and that he had wanted to participate. “Our aspiration was to create an iconic moment in support of the government’s efforts to remind the world how relevant and exciting Hong Kong is.

Persons: Lionel Messi, Messi, jeered, hasn’t, XFEST, ” Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Argentina’s, Major League Soccer, Inter Miami, Hangzhou Sports Bureau, Hangzhou Olympic Sports, Argentina, Beijing Workers, Hong Kong, Hong, Tatler Asia, Vissel Locations: Hong Kong, China, Hangzhou, Argentina, Nigeria, Ivory, Vissel Kobe, Japan, Beijing, Asia

☆ Messi’s ‘miracle’ return stirs Chinese anger and conspiracy theories
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Simone Mccarthy | Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

“(He) played in five of the six preseason games and only missed the game in Hong Kong, China! Don’t come to China, China doesn’t welcome you,” another user wrote in a post liked by 20,000 others. “Why didn’t Messi play in Hong Kong or participate in the handshake with HK (the Hong Kong) chief executive? Messi's no-show sparks an outcry in Hong Kong on February 4, 2024. One social media user noted that it was not only Messi who played in Tokyo, but not Hong Kong.

Persons: Lionel Messi, Messi didn’t, Messi, “ Messi, Hong Kong, Kenneth Fok, Hu Xijin, didn’t Messi, ” Hu, ”, Louise Delmotte, “ Don’t, Hong, David Beckham, Beckham, Gerardo “ Tata ” Martino, Luis Suárez couldn’t, Philip Fong, “, nimbly, Regina Ip, ” “ Messi, Kenneth Chan, Taylor Swift, ’ Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Sunday, Major League Soccer, Inter Miami, Vissel, Hong, CNN, Weibo, HK, Global Times, Inter, National Basketball Association, Houston Rockets, Soccer, Ardent, Messi, Argentina national, Australia, Inter Miami's, Getty, The Inter Miami, Hong Kong Baptist University Locations: China, Hong Kong, Argentine, Japan, Vissel Kobe, Tokyo, Beijing, State, China’s Sichuan, Argentina, AFP, Asia

☆ Hong Kong officials demand answers for Lionel Messi no-show
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Hong Kong CNN —The Hong Kong government’s repeated requests for Lionel Messi to play in a sell-out soccer match went unanswered Sunday, a city official said, as cheers turned to jeers for the Argentine soccer legend. Meanwhile, the Hong Kong government, which provided more than $2 million in grants to the match organizer, also said it was “extremely disappointed” the star did not play. Fans make their feelings clear after Lionel Messi's Hong Kong no-show. ‘We do feel a bit scammed’“Messi mania” had captured Hong Kong with Inter Miami’s arrival on Friday as fans swarmed the Major League Soccer team’s hotel. Meanwhile, the stadium reached full capacity during the Inter Miami’s open training session the evening before the match.

Persons: Hong Kong government’s, Lionel Messi, jeers, –, Messi, Ballon, Kevin Yeung, XFEST, Lionel Messi's, Justin Chin, Yeung, “, ” Yeung, Gerardo “ Tata ” Martino, ‘, ’ “ Messi, ”, Ada Kam, Luis Suárez Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Hong Kong, Inter Miami’s, Hong, Hong Kong XI, Culture, Bloomberg, Getty, Inter, Major League Soccer team’s, CNN, Nigeria Locations: Hong Kong, Hong, Argentine, Lionel Messi's Hong Kong, Miami, Inter Miami’s, Tokyo, China, Argentina, Hangzhou, Ivory Coast, Beijing

A screengrab from a video, geolocated by CNN to the town of Qaim, Iraq, shows the aftermath of US military strikes in the area according to the Iraqi Military. US officials say the strikes hit four facilities in Syria and three in Iraq, where security officials reported damage in the city of Al-Qaim. The sites allegedly belonged to various Iran-backed militias, which the US blames for the strike in Jordan. The US does not plan to strike inside Iran: A senior official with the Biden administration told CNN the US will not strike inside Iran – only focusing on targets outside of the country. Striking inside Iran would have been a huge escalation, and officials have telegraphed that is unlikely to happen.

Persons: Joe Biden, Lloyd Austin, Biden, Jordan, Douglas Sims, Sims, John Kirby Organizations: CNN, White House, Pentagon, Defense, Air Force, National Security Locations: Qaim, Iraq, Iraqi, Jordan, Syria, Al, Iran, Israel, Lebanon, Yemen, Gen

☆ Taylor Swift will make it home from Tokyo in time for the Super Bowl, Japanese Embassy says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Swift is scheduled to play the Tokyo Dome in the Japanese capital from February 7 to 10, leaving her little time – given the long-haul flight and large time difference – to get back for the Super Bowl at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on February 11. Still, as the Japanese Embassy’s statement shows, Taylor-mania is hardly confined to the NFL or even America. In Asia, the singer sparked a ticketing frenzy after announcing that she would be playing six shows in Singapore and four in Tokyo. So fierce has the competition been that fans have taken to calling it the “Great War” for tickets. After her Tokyo shows – and hopefully for fans, an appearance in Vegas – Swift is expected to return overseas for seven shows in Australia.

Persons: Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, Swift, Taylor, Kelce, –, “, ”, Vegas – Swift Organizations: CNN, Super, Embassy, Tokyo, Chiefs, Kansas City Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers, NFL, Chicago Bears, Singapore Locations: Washington, Las Vegas, Tokyo, Las Vagas, Japan, ”, America, Asia, Singapore, Vegas, Australia

☆ Heavy snow, rain threaten travel chaos during China’s Lunar New Year
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Hong Kong CNN —Heavy snow and rain is forecast to hit central and eastern China in the coming days, threatening travel plans for hundreds of millions of Chinese workers heading home for the Lunar New Year. However, Xu Jun, chief forecaster from the Central Meteorological Observatory, told CCTV the forecast snowfall won’t be as heavy or widespread as that experienced around the holiday season 16 years ago. “The rain and snow overlap with the peak period of Spring Festival travel. This has posed risks to safe (travel) and brought inconvenience to the transportation,” weather expert Wang Lijuan, from China Meteorological Administration, told CCTV. Xu, from the Central Meteorological Observatory, told CCTV freezing rain could affect many provinces over an area as wide as 43,000 square kilometers (16,600 square miles).

Persons: Xu Jun, Wang Lijuan, Xu Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Central Meteorological Observatory, Meteorological, Festival, China Meteorological Administration, Central Meteorological Locations: Hong Kong, China, Hebei, Henan, Shandong, Liaoning, Hubei, Zhengzhou, China's, Xinjiang, Anhui, Weibo, Mohe, Heilongjiang

☆ Live updates: The latest on Israel's war in Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-20 | by ( Chris Lau | Andrew Raine | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: 1 min

Intense Israeli bombardment and heavy fighting in the area around a large hospital in southern Gaza killed at least 29 people Friday, according to Palestinian state news agency WAFA. Khan Younis has been the epicenter of Israel's ground operation in recent weeks. The fighting has forced thousands of Gazans to flee the area, many of them already displaced from northern neighborhoods where Israel first launched its offensive. Displaced Palestinians continue to arrive in overcrowded Rafah, near the border with Egypt, by "the thousands," a United Nations human rights official said Friday. There, they shelter in makeshift tents with little food or clean water.

Persons: WAFA, Khan Younis Organizations: Nasser Hospital, United Locations: Gaza, Nasser, Khan, Israel, Rafah, Egypt, United Nations

☆ At least 13 dead in school dormitory fire in China
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Akanksha Sharma | Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —At least 13 people have died in a fire at a school dormitory in central China, according to Chinese state media. The fire broke out around 11 p.m. Friday evening local time at Yingcai School near the city of Nanyang, Henan province, Xinhua reported. Local authorities are investigating the cause of the fire, the report said, adding that a “person in charge of the school” had been detained. Parents who spoke to the newspaper said students at the boarding school are allowed to go home once every 10 days, for four days. Such a tragedy will cause such great pain for these 13 families,” the user wrote.

Persons: ” Organizations: CNN, Yingcai School, Xinhua, Firefighters, Beijing, Daily, Weibo, Saturday Locations: China, Nanyang, Henan province

☆ Belarus adopts new military doctrine involving nuclear weapons
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Mariya Knight | Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Belarus on Friday adopted a new military doctrine that – if approved – would be the first step toward deploying nuclear weapons across the country. The Union State of Belarus and Russia Treaty sets up a legal basis for a wide-ranging alliance between the two countries. Baltic states reinforce bordersThe move by Belarus came as neighboring Baltic states signed an agreement to reinforce their borders with Belarus and Russia. During an interview with state news agency Belta in August last year, Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko said his country did not “bring nuclear weapons here in order to scare someone.”“Nuclear weapons represent a strong deterring factor. But these are tactical nuclear weapons, not strategic ones.

Persons: Viktor Khrenin, ”, Khrenin, “, Vladimir Putin, Alexander Lukashenko, Hanno Pevkur Organizations: CNN, ” Belarusian, Belarus ’, Collective Security, Organization, Union State, NATO, The Union, The Union State of, Russia Treaty, Belarusian People’s Assembly, Novosti, UN, OSCE, ” Minsk, Estonian Defense Ministry, Estonian Minister of Defense, Belta Locations: Belarus, Republic of Belarus, Russian, Russia, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, The Union State, The Union State of Belarus, Ukraine, NATO, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Baltic, Estonia, Estonian

Dr. Deborah Harrington appears on CNN on Wednesday, January 17. “There is no antenatal care for women… and the women I saw were really severely anemic,” she said. Fourteen were directly hit, based on the evidence collected and verified by CNN and analyzed by experts. The Hamas-run Ministry of Health in Gaza says Israel “has deliberately targeted 150 health institutions, putting 30 hospitals and 53 health centers out of service, and targeting 122 ambulances." CNN cannot independently verify these numbers and CNN has reached out to the Israeli military for comment.

Persons: Deborah Harrington, Dr, CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, Harrington, “, ” Harrington, …, ”, Israel “ Organizations: CNN, Al, Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, International Rescue, Medical Aid, Palestine, Hamas, of Health Locations: British, Aqsa, Gaza, Israel

☆ Live updates: Israel-Hamas war, Gaza famine, Houthi attacks
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Children cry out for food relief in Rafah, Gaza on December 31, 2023. Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua/Getty ImagesIsrael's war in Gaza has brought famine with "such incredible speed," the United Nations’ relief chief told CNN on Monday, as he warned that hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are starving in the besieged enclave. "It's been an extraordinary and holy unwelcome aspect of the Gazan war," he said. Last week, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said Israel had denied critical supplies from entering northern Gaza. "We worry for the security of Israel as much as the security of Gaza," he said.

Persons: Rizek Abdeljawad, CNN's Christiane Amanpour, It's, Israel, Griffiths, Monday Organizations: Getty, United Nations, CNN, UN, Humanitarian Affairs, Emergency, UN Office, Palestinian, of Health Locations: Rafah, Gaza, Xinhua, Israel

☆ Hundreds of thousands are starving in Gaza as famine arrives at ‘incredible speed,’ UN aid chief says
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Helen Regan | Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Israel’s war in Gaza has brought famine with “such incredible speed,” the United Nations’ emergency relief chief told CNN on Monday, as he warned that hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are starving in the besieged enclave. Griffiths told CNN Monday that work to provide humanitarian aid to 300,000 Gazans who remain in the north of the strip continues to be a challenge. “People in Gaza risk dying of hunger just miles from trucks filled with food,” said WFP head Cindy McCain. People wait for food relief in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, on December 31, 2023. But the agencies echoed relief chief Griffiths’ warning that humanitarian aid alone cannot reverse the worsening hunger among Gaza’s population.

Persons: CNN —, “, ” Martin Griffiths, CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, “ It’s, ”, Israel, Griffiths, Rizek Abdeljawad, Monday, Cindy McCain, Salwa, ” Tibi, Shadi Bleha, Catherine Russell, ” Russell, Phillipe Lazzarini Organizations: CNN, United Nations, UN, Humanitarian Affairs, Emergency, UN Office, Palestinian, Getty, of Health, Food Programme, UN Children’s Fund, UNICEF, World Health Organization, “, Food Security, IPC, Palestine Refugee Agency Locations: Gaza, Rafah, Xinhua, Israel, Palestine

The Houthis have claimed responsibility for an attack carried out on an American vessel in the Gulf of Aden on Monday. The Yemeni militant group "carried out a military operation targeting an American ship in the Gulf of Aden, with a number of appropriate naval missiles," Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree announced in a live video statement on Monday, adding that the hits were "accurate and direct." The United States Central Command said in a statement earlier that the ship in question, the M/V Gibraltar Eagle, sustained minor damage and did not report any injuries. The Houthis promised that any future strikes on Yemen will not go unanswered.

Persons: Yahya Saree Organizations: United States Central Command Locations: Gulf, Aden, Yemeni, American, Brig, Gibraltar, Yemen

The US military launched further strikes on the Houthi rebels in Yemen overnight Friday into Saturday local time, taking out a radar site after striking nearly 30 locations Thursday evening in a joint US-UK effort. US President Joe Biden said he ordered the strikes "in direct response" to the rebels' attacks on commercial shipping vessels in the Red Sea, which the group says are aimed at pressuring Israel into ceasing its heavy bombardment of Gaza. US Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield told the UN Security Council Friday the strikes were intended to "restore stability in the Red Sea," despite repeated warning from the Houthis of retaliation — and fears of the conflict in Gaza further spreading throughout the Middle East. Here's what else you need to know today:

Persons: Joe Biden, United Nations Linda Thomas, Greenfield Organizations: US, Israel, United Nations, UN Locations: Yemen, Red, Gaza

☆ Five-foot Toy Story 3 bear draws the crowds at Costco’s first store in ‘China’s Silicon Valley’
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-13 | by ( Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Costco unveiled its new 44,500-square-meter store in the city often dubbed China’s “Silicon Valley” on Friday, drawing large crowds in search of bargains and imported products. People line up outside the Costco store in Shenzhen, China, during its launch on January 12, 2024. Social media was awash with images of people taking home the giant version of the bear, measuring five feet tall. Lots-o-Huggin' Bear was among the more popular products on offer at the Costco store in Shenzhen during its launch on January 12, 2024. In China, Costco faces intense competition from online shopping platforms, such as Taobao and Pinduoduo, in a market where consumers are accustomed to online retail.

Persons: Costco’s, ” Kim Lin, Lin, ”, Olin Wang Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Costco, CNN, Social, Sam’s, Walmart Locations: Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China, Shanghai

☆ Live updates: Israel-Hamas war, Gaza airstrikes, UN warns of 'apocalyptic' situation
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

The situation at the Kamal Adwan hospital in northern Gaza is deteriorating as Israeli troops advance toward the facility, according to journalists in the complex speaking to CNN Tuesday. In an audio message sent from the hospital, journalist Mahmoud Al-Sabbah said the facility was surrounded. Another journalist at the hospital, Anas Al-Sharif, told CNN “the situation is very difficult.”He said there was artillery fire and airstrikes within the immediate vicinity. “The entire medical system has collapsed inside the hospital, and whoever gets injured ends as a martyr inside the hospital,” Al Sharif said. CNN cannot verify the number of casualties at the hospital, where an unknown number of displaced civilians are also taking shelter.

Persons: Kamal, Mahmoud Al, Sabbah, ” Al, Anas Al, Sharif, ” Al Sharif, Yoav Gallant, Kamal Adwan Organizations: CNN, Israeli, Israel Defense Forces Locations: Gaza, Gaza City

Video and witness accounts indicate there have been multiple strikes in the area of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza on Tuesday, with many casualties being taken to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital. In one video, a blanket appears to be covering a dead body as people at the scene prepare to move the body. "Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital is the only hospital in the central area and cannot accommodate such a large number of people, especially considering that massacres against our people are still ongoing," he said. "There is a major crisis, particularly because we do not have enough beds, especially in the overcrowded emergency room." Another video filmed in Deir al-Balah shows a Palestine Red Crescent Society ambulance fleeing the scene of nearby artillery fire, according to the aid agency.

Persons: Khalil Al Daqran, Al Daqran Organizations: Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, CNN, Al, Al Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, Red Crescent Society Locations: Deir, Gaza, Aqsa, Deir al, Al Aqsa, Deir Al, Egypt, Rafah

☆ Live updates: Israel-Hamas war, Gaza airstrikes, IDF offensive
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-02 | by ( Chris Lau | Andrew Raine | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Samir Hussein/WireImage/Getty ImagesAcclaimed artist Abel "The Weeknd" Tesfaye is providing four million meals to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to help people in Gaza, the UN's body has said. Tesfaye, who is a UN Goodwill Ambassador, has directed $2.5 million from his XO Humanitarian Fund towards WFP humanitarian efforts in Gaza, according to WFP's statement Friday. The WFP didn't indicate when the aid could reach Gaza. His XO Humanitarian Fund, which was established in partnership with WFP USA in 2022, has raised $5 million to date. The first $2.5 million of the fund went to support emergency food assistance to women and children in Ethiopia, and the rest will be allocated to the Gaza response, according to the statement.

Persons: Samir Hussein, Abel, Tesfaye, Corrine Fleisher, ” Organizations: United Nations, Food Programme, UN Goodwill, Fund, USA Locations: London, Gaza, Ethiopia

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