Model and author Maye Musk sent Lunar New Year greetings to the Chinese people from New York City on Thursday.
Maye Musk, also mother of Tesla CEO Elon Musk, sent her greetings while attending a promotion event of the China Media Group (CMG)'s Spring Festival Gala.
"Last year, I was there around the Lunar New Year. And we saw the celebrations that were magnificent. Well, I wish you the best hosting and that you all have a great time, and celebrate, and look forward to a wonderful year. I wish everyone at the China Media Group and Chinese people a really happy New Year. I want you to have a better year than the last year," she said.
As the Year of the Snake approaches, the "Prelude to the Spring Festival Gala" event was held by the CMG in New York City on Thursday evening, celebrating the rich traditions of the Chinese Lunar New Year.
The event, themed around the "Spring Festival -- Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity," showcases traditional Chinese Spring Festival customs and representative intangible cultural heritage projects, enabling more people to catch an early glimpse of the annual Spring Festival Gala.
The gala, also known as "Chunwan" in Chinese, has been broadcast live annually since 1983 and is regarded as a major cultural symbol for the traditional Lunar New Year celebrations in China.
This year's gala, which is set to be aired on Jan. 28, will be the first one after the inclusion of Spring Festival on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2024.
Maye Musk sends Lunar New Year greetings to Chinese people
The Iranian government is focusing on public concerns and maintaining stable supplies of essential goods amid recent protests, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a televised interview on Sunday.
In the city of Karaj, northwest of the capital Tehran, daily life has largely continued as normal. A video filmed by a local resident on Sunday shows food stores open and grocery shelves fully stocked.
"This is the block near my home, and there are some food stores here. Daily life continues here. Last night we did not see many protests in Karaj. Right now the city is very safe. This is a grocery store close to my home. All the food is available; nothing is in shortage. Here are noodles and different types of beans. Here are dairy products, cheese, and yogurt. I also checked other grocery stores and didn't see any shortages. Everything is available," said local resident Ali Reza.
Iranian officials have described recent disturbances as acts orchestrated by the "enemy," including some carried out by well-trained and armed "terrorists." The incidents have caused casualties among security personnel and civilians, as well as property damage.
The Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani has directed authorities to severely punish the "terrorists."
Meanwhile, Iran's police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said on Sunday that the police had raised alert levels and arrested several leaders of the troublemakers during the operations on Saturday.
President Pezeshkian noted in the interview that the normal demands of the Iranian people are reasonable and justified, but they must realize that triggering riots and carrying out terrorist acts are the enemy's attempts to undermine the country. He urged the public to remain vigilant.
Also on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that Tehran would regard U.S. and Israeli bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" if Washington takes military action against Iran. His remarks followed media reports saying U.S. President Donald Trump is "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran.
Iranian state media reported that at least 109 members of Iran's security forces have been killed in clashes since the protests began 14 days ago. Meanwhile, human rights groups based outside the country said the number of protesters killed has exceeded 200, though the figure could not be independently verified.
The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and sanctions imposed by the United States.
Iranian president says government focusing on ensuring supplies amid protests
