China expects record 790 mln cross-regional trips during three-day Qingming holiday

China expects a total of 790 million passenger trips to have been taken during the three-day Qingming Festival holiday.

That's an increase of over seven percent from a year ago.

According to official estimates, the average daily traffic volume on the country's expressways reached around 59 million vehicles.

The national railway network is expected to have handled more than 53.7 million passenger trips, up 8.2 percent.

Over the period, online travel platforms reported a 136 percent increase in bookings for short-distance trips, with flower viewing tours, in particular, saw a 55 percent rise.

Tourist attractions across the country have also recorded high footfall.

On the first day of the holiday, Huangshan Mountain in eastern China welcomed more than 233,000 visitors, a surge of 54 percent.

Beijing, Nanjing, Xi'an, Chongqing, and Suzhou were among the most popular destinations.

Chinese Coast Guard expels Japanese vessel around Diaoyu Dao Islands 

The China Coast Guard has expelled a Japanese fishing vessel near the Diaoyu Dao Islands in the East China Sea.

The boat unlawfully entered China's territorial waters on Saturday and Sunday.

The CCG issued warnings and drove the Japanese ship out of the area.

It said Diaoyu Dao and its affiliated islands are inherent Chinese territory, while urging the Japanese side to cease all illegal activities.

The China Coast Guard says it will continue to conduct law enforcement operations to safeguard national sovereignty and maritime rights.

Anti-Trump protests held in cities across U.S.

Hundreds of thousands of Americans have taken to the streets to protest the Trump administration's policies.

Over a thousand rallies have been staged and planned across all 50 U.S. states over the weekend.

Many participants are especially angered by the latest round of import duties on goods entering the country.

According to a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll, President Donald Trump's approval rating has dropped to 43%, its lowest point since he began the second term in January.

China reaffirms resolve to open up despite challenging global trade landscape

China has strongly condemned the United States for imposing tariffs on all trading partners, including China.

Beijing said Washington's move infringes on other countries' legitimate rights, violates World Trade Organization rules and disrupts global economic stability.

Beijing reiterated China's commitment to high-level opening up and sharing development opportunities with the world.

UN "gravely concerned" as violence pushes civilians to flee Khartoum

The United Nations has said it is gravely concerned by reports of civilians fleeing the Sudanese capital Khartoum amid fears of extra-judicial killings.

The war in Sudan broke out in April 2023 between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

It has driven more than 14 million people from their homes, and pushed parts of the country into famine.

Verstappen holds off McLarens to win F1 Japanese Grand Prix

Red Bull's Max Verstappen has held off the McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to take his first win of the 2025 Formula 1 season in the Japanese Grand Prix.

In the Drivers' Championship, Norris still leads with 62 points, but Verstappen has closed to within one point of the Briton, with Piastri trailing behind on 49 points.