International

The Chinese say “yes I do” to singleness

The fathers and mothers of China who go to the parks with posters to “pair” their sons and daughters are getting their homework going uphill every day, because in these times in addition to not wanting to have offspring – which brings the Government upside down -, young people do not want to get married either.

The figures don’t lie: data released by the Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs this week indicate that the number of marriages registered during 2024 fell to 6.1 million couples, the lowest figure since records began in 1980.

The decrease is also striking because it occurred, according to the lunar calendar, in the “Year of the Dragon”, the only mythological animal of the Chinese horoscope and a period so linked to good omens that couples traditionally scheduled their weddings or the birth of their children under this sign.

But now, in a country whose foundations rest on deep-rooted family values, the trend speaks of a youth that moves away from the millennial tradition quickly and without looking back, but who also, in many cases, does so to avoid the following “mandatory” steps of a list written in stone: having children and assuming the spouse’s family as one’s own.

“The cost of having a child is very high. I feel that life after marriage is not as good as when I am single,” Guo Shengnan, 27, tells EFE.

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This journalist and influencer on social networks also points out other factors, such as that her work career does not leave her time to fall in love and that “there are not many high quality men” in her environment.

“The marriage is not only the union of two people, but also the union of two families behind these two people, which means responsibility. I just want to live a good life for myself and I don’t want to assume those responsibilities,” says Guo.

The question of the family of law has special weight in the case of women. They are expected to take care of their mother-in-law in old age. And the mothers-in-law, in China, rule a lot.

Zhao (surname), a 37-year-old official who clings to his singleness after seeing his married friends “on the verge of collapse,” tells EFE that marriage “is not only the combination of two people, but also the combination of two families.”

“Differences in lifestyle habits, perspectives of life and opinions above all would drive me crazy,” says the interviewee, who affirms that his “patience and tolerance” for relationships every day are less and concludes: “marriage is not the crystallization of love, it can be the grave of life.”

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A walk through the crowded Chinese social networks confirms Guo and Zhao’s feelings.

“I have a younger brother. He can complete the task of getting married,” says an Internet user. Another refuses to “attend to men” and a third states that the purpose of getting married is to have children and since she does not want to have them, she does not need to get married.

In the case of men, economic reasons also arise, from the maintenance to the tradition of the dowry, which is still maintained in many places in a China where decades of one-child policy led to a gender imbalance, with many more men than women today.

“I don’t have a car, just a house in the countryside and a monthly salary of 5,000 yuan (688 dollars or 655 euros). I’m afraid that someone else’s daughter will die of hunger,” laments a user, while another drags an unpaid loan that prevents him from providing the dowry and one who boasts of having “house, car and life” believes that getting married will reduce his quality of life.

On the other hand, in many of the Chinese provinces babies born to unmarried couples cannot be legally registered, a headache for the authorities in the midst of a demographic crisis that has made China lose the title of the most populous country in the world at the hands of India.

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The population of the Asian giant, about 1,411 million inhabitants in the last census, has been decreasing for three years in a row for the first time since 1961, when the failed industrialization policy of the Great Leap Forward produced a famine that took millions of lives.

For now, the countless benefits approved by the Government to stimulate the birth rate – including “allowing” having three children – have fallen on deaf ears.

International

U.S. Senate Rejects Budget, Bringing Government Closer to Shutdown Amid DHS Dispute

The U.S. Senate voted on Thursday against a budget proposal in a move aimed at pressuring changes at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), following the killing of two civilians during a deployment of immigration agents in Minneapolis.

All Senate Democrats and seven Republican lawmakers voted against the bill, which requires 60 votes to advance, pushing the country closer to a partial government shutdown that would cut funding for several agencies, including the Pentagon and the Department of Health.

The rejection came as Senate leaders and the White House continue negotiations on a separate funding package for DHS that would allow reforms to the agency. Proposed measures include banning Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from wearing face coverings and requiring them to use body-worn cameras during operations.

The vote took place just hours after President Donald Trump said he was “close” to reaching an agreement with Democrats and did not believe the federal government would face another shutdown, following last year’s record stoppage.

“I don’t think the Democrats want a shutdown either, so we’ll work in a bipartisan way to avoid it. Hopefully, there will be no government shutdown. We’re working on that right now,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting at the White House.

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International

Trump Says Putin Agreed to One-Week Halt in Attacks on Ukraine Amid Extreme Cold

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he secured a commitment from Russian President Vladimir Putinto halt attacks against Ukraine for one week, citing extreme weather conditions affecting the region.

“Because of the extreme cold (…) I personally asked Putin not to attack Kyiv or other cities and towns for a week. And he agreed. He was very pleasant,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting broadcast by the White House.

Trump acknowledged that several advisers had questioned the decision to make the call.
“A lot of people told me not to waste the call because they wouldn’t agree. And he accepted. And we’re very happy they did, because they don’t need missiles hitting their towns and cities,” the president said.

According to Trump, Ukrainian authorities reacted with surprise to the announcement but welcomed the possibility of a temporary ceasefire.
“It’s extraordinarily cold, record cold (…) They say they’ve never experienced cold like this,” he added.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later commented on the announcement, expressing hope that the agreement would be honored.

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International

Storm Kristin Kills Five in Portugal, Leaves Nearly 500,000 Without Power

Storm Kristin, which battered Portugal with heavy rain and strong winds early Wednesday, has left at least five people dead, while nearly half a million residents remained without electricity as of Thursday, according to updated figures from authorities.

The revised death toll was confirmed to AFP by a spokesperson for the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANPEC). On Wednesday, the agency had reported four fatalities.

Meanwhile, E-Redes, the country’s electricity distribution network operator, said that around 450,000 customers were still without power, particularly in central Portugal.

Emergency services responded to approximately 1,500 incidents between midnight and 8:00 a.m. local time on Wednesday, as the storm caused widespread disruptions.

The Portuguese government described Kristin as an “extreme weather event” that inflicted significant damage across several regions of the country. At the height of the storm, as many as 850,000 households and institutions lost electricity during the early hours of Wednesday.

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Several municipalities ordered the closure of schools, many of which remained shut on Thursday due to ongoing adverse conditions.

Ricardo Costa, regional deputy commander of the Leiria Fire Brigade, said residents continue to seek assistance as rainfall persists.
“Even though the rain is not extremely intense, it is causing extensive damage to homes,” he noted.

In Figueira da Foz, a coastal city in central Portugal, strong winds toppled a giant Ferris wheel, underscoring the severity of the storm.