Erinome: Hello everyone, welcome back to our daily news chat! I'm Erinome.
Enceladus: And I'm Enceladus. Let's see what's happening around the world today.
Erinome: Okay, first, economic data from 30 provinces in China is out. You know that? 17 places had GDP growth faster than the national average.
Enceladus: Wow, that's interesting. Which place was the fastest?
Erinome: Tibet, with a growth rate of 7.0%. And Shenzhen's Nanshan District became the first district in China with a GDP over one trillion yuan.
Enceladus: That's a lot of money for one district! Haha. What's next?
Erinome: The statistics bureau said that in 2025, large industrial companies in China made a total profit of about 7.4 trillion yuan. That's a small increase of 0.6% compared to the year before.
Enceladus: Um, a small growth, but still growth, right? Any news about workers?
Erinome: Yes! The human resources department revised the rules for paid annual leave for workers. They want to help make sure companies actually give workers their paid holidays.
Enceladus: Oh, that's good news for many people. Everyone needs a good rest.
Erinome: True. Also, three government departments said they will give some money to people who choose eco-friendly burials, like tree burials where no ashes are kept.
Enceladus: Sad topic, but it's good for the environment. You know that?
Erinome: Yeah. Now, about the stock market. More than 500 companies in China's A-share market expect to lose money in their yearly reports. 53 of them expect to lose over 1 billion yuan each.
Enceladus: Oh no, that's a lot of 'poor students' in the stock market class.
Erinome: Haha, right. On a brighter note, the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences just started a new college called the Interstellar Flight College. It will train people for deep space exploration.
Enceladus: Wow, that sounds like something from a movie! Space is so cool.
Erinome: And Chinese scientists made a big achievement. They created a superconductor magnet with a center magnetic field of 35.6 Tesla. That's a new world record!
Enceladus: Amazing! Our scientists are working hard. Any sports news?
Erinome: Yes! The Chinese team for the Milan Winter Olympics has been formed. It includes many champions like Gu Ailing, Su Yiming, and Xu Mengtao.
Enceladus: Wow, I remember them! I hope they win more medals.
Erinome: Me too. Now, about health. Officials say China has not found any cases of the Nipah virus disease. They say it has a relatively small impact on China.
Enceladus: That's a relief.
Erinome: Also, the Wuhan Institute of Virology found a drug that works against the Nipah virus. Good news for research.
Enceladus: Very good. Is there news from other countries?
Erinome: Yes. Japanese media report that Japan is having record heavy snow. Many flights are canceled, and about 7000 people are stuck at airports. Some Chinese internet users said they are stuck in Japan too.
Enceladus: Oh no, that's terrible weather. I hope they stay safe and warm.
Erinome: Foreign media also report a ferry accident in the Philippines. 18 people died, and 10 are still missing. The president, Marcos, ordered a full investigation.
Enceladus: How sad. I hope they find the missing people soon.
Erinome: In America, US media say the US has officially left the Paris Agreement on climate change.
Enceladus: Really? What did the United Nations say?
Erinome: The UN responded that countries must fulfill their duties to fight climate change. Also, a winter storm in the US has caused at least 30 deaths, and nearly 558,000 users still have no electricity.
Enceladus: That's a lot of problems at once. Very sad.
Erinome: Also, former US President Trump said he will raise tariffs on many goods from South Korea to 25%. South Korean officials are very confused and some will go to the US to talk about it.
Enceladus: Hmm, that will make things more expensive.
Erinome: French media say France's National Assembly passed a law. It bans children under 15 years old from using social media.
Enceladus: Wow, that's a strict rule for kids. Maybe parents will like it.
Erinome: Maybe. Finally, Indian media say Prime Minister Modi announced that India and the European Union have reached a free trade agreement. The agreement covers 25% of the world's GDP and one-third of global trade.
Enceladus: That's a very big trade deal! It will affect many people.
Erinome: Yes, it will. Okay, that's it for today's news. A lot happened!
Enceladus: Indeed. Thanks for listening, everyone. Let's talk again next time. Bye!
