Adorable animals at the Shanghai Wild Animal Park on Wednesday enjoyed tailored feasts prepared by caretakers to mark the Little New Year, inviting a cheerful atmosphere at the zoo ahead of the Spring Festival.
Little New Year, or "Xiao Nian" in Chinese, typically falls a week before the Lunar New Year and is observed on Jan 22 and 23 this year.
Visitors at the zoo eagerly gathered around enclosures as resident animals received their celebration meals. For the beloved pandas, keepers prepared a feast of fruits such as grapes, sugarcane, and dragon fruit, along with fresh bamboo leaves, bamboo shoots and specially made steamed buns.
"The animals enjoy eating the New Year meal, as if they know the New Year is approaching, which adds to the festive atmosphere," said a visitor.
Orangutans at the zoo received their own lavish treats, including java apple, star fruit, and durian - fruits that don't typically appear in their regular diet, providing ample enrichment during these days of celebration.
The zoo also made some innovative changes to the red pandas' meals. In addition to the usual apples and bamboo leaves, caretakers added red dates, grapes, bamboo shoots and sugar oranges, which were strung together and hung in the trees where the precious critters usually roam.
Animals at Shanghai zoo enjoy special feasts for 'Little New Year'
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said on Monday that Iran has obtained extensive documents and evidence linking the recent unrest across the country to the U.S. and Israel, noting that Mossad agents attempted to direct such "terrorist acts."
Araghchi said at a press conference in Tehran that since Dec 28, 2025, Iran had seen peaceful demonstrations organized by industry associations and economic professional. In the following days, more participants joined, and the situation gradually escalated from peaceful rallies into violent clashes.
Beginning on Jan 8, terrorists and armed groups carrying weapons entered protest sites and opened fire on police and civilians, with the aim of steering demonstrations toward violence, bloodshed and chaos, he said.
"Israeli media reports are rife with claims that Israel has designed and conducted operations in Iran. Mr. [Mike] Pompeo, who was Trump's CIA director, said on his X that 'Happy New Year to every Iranian in the streets. Also to every Mossad agent walking beside them.' This clearly shows that Mossad agents attempted to direct such terrorist acts," the minister said. Addressing military threats from the U.S. and Israel, Araghchi said Iran does not seek war but is fully prepared to face up to war. He added that Iran is ready for serious and pragmatic negotiations with the U.S., but the talks must be based on fairness, equality and mutual respect, rather than unilateral pressure or directives from Washington.
On the same day, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei condemned the U.S. and Israel at a regular press briefing in Tehran. He said the two countries have made "extensive interventionist remarks" regarding Iran's situation, saying such statements are intended to foment chaos, violence and instability.
The spokesman said Iran is closely monitoring the development of the situation and remains fully prepared, warning that Iran's armed forces will respond to any act of aggression by its enemies.
Mossad agents attempt to direct terrorist acts: Iranian FM
