Residents in Tel Aviv, Israel, are spending nights in underground rail stations, turning commuter platforms into makeshift shelters as sirens warn of missile strikes that could prove deadly if not intercepted.
One of Tel Aviv's largest light rail stations, a space typically filled with commuters, has now been transformed into a temporary shelter for civilians seeking safety.
Seeking relief from constant disruption, local residents have brought mattresses and daily supplies into Tel Aviv's underground stations, choosing to spend the night there rather than repeatedly rushing to shelters each time sirens warn of incoming missiles.
Sirens and loud blasts were heard in Tel Aviv before dawn on Thursday as the Israeli military announced that its air defense systems were working to intercept a missile attack from Iran.
The joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Tehran and several other Iranian cities starting on Feb 28, have killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, some of his family members, top military commanders, and civilians. Iran responded through several waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and U.S. assets in the region.
Tel Aviv residents shelter in underground stations amid missile sirens
China will roll out a series of targeted measures to stabilize investment and unlock greater space for private capital, an official said on Thursday.
Chen Changsheng, deputy director of the State Council Research Office who participated in the drafting of this year's Government Work Report, made the statement at a press briefing held in Beijing.
He noted that China will leverage the guiding role of government funding and the driving effect of major projects to shore up investment.
Total government investment this year is set to exceed five trillion yuan (about 725 billion U.S. dollars), which will come from central budget investment and local government special bonds for major national strategies and security capacity building projects and equipment upgrades. Meanwhile, 109 major projects have been planned in the draft outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030).
China will also stimulate investment by opening up more application scenarios for businesses.
On the traditional front, a long-term mechanism will be improved to encourage private enterprises to participate in major national projects. For emerging sectors, China will further open scenarios in biomedicine, aerospace, and the low-altitude economy.
"Low-altitude economy has developed rapidly in recent years, with sound applications seen in fields such as agriculture, forestry plant protection, as well as surveying and inspection. Going forward, we will accelerate the opening of airspace resources and streamline approval procedures for low-altitude flights. This will unlock new scenarios including low-altitude logistics and urban management. Similar new opportunities can also be found in service robots and other sectors, all of which will create new space for private investment," Chen said.
By deepening reforms to further unlock investment potential, China will ease market access in the service sector, speed up revisions to the Bidding Law and the Government Procurement Law, and advance price reforms to broaden investment access for more enterprises.
"We will see a new round of investment potential unleashed. Major projects including the national water network, a new round of power grid upgrades, new generation communication networks, and computing power networks will drive massive investment, including demand from urban development. In addition, the campaign this year to expand and upgrade the service sector and the development of emerging industries will further expand space for private investment," Chen noted.
China to take measures to boost investment, expand space for private investment in 2026: official
