A lively birthday party was held for the beloved giant panda cub named "Mei Zhu," who turned one-year-old on Wednesday, at a zoo in Guangzhou City of south China's Guangdong Province.
Mei Zhu is one of the top stars at the Chimelong Safari Park. She was born at the zoo on June 18, 2024 to mother Meng Meng, the eldest of the world's only giant panda triplets who will soon turn 11-years-old.
An interesting "Zhuazhou" ceremony was held to celebrate Mei Zhu's first birthday. Literally meaning "pick" and "anniversary," Zhuazhou is a Chinese ritual held when a child turns one year old. The parents will put various objects that symbolize career choices or personality traits for the baby to grasp.
The keepers used carrots and bamboo shoots to make edible Zhuazhou objects to enrich Mei Zhu's play area, entertaining the curious baby bear.
During the birthday party, Mei Zhu was weighed and given a physical check-up, with the young cub said to be growing healthily to 27.1 kilograms and in good condition, according to a staff member at the Chimelong Safari Park.
"Being 178 grams at birth, Mei Zhu has grown into a playful and cute little princess. Currently, she is still very dependent on breast milk. She mainly feeds on breast milk and eats a small amount of bamboo shoots and leaves," said Chen Shuqing, a panda keeper.
1st birthday party held for beloved giant panda Mei Zhu
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
