China's parliament rolls out economic, political blue-print; here's what you need to know

March 5 (Reuters) - China's political elite gathered in Beijing on Thursday as President Xi Jinping unveiled a sweeping roadmap for the country's economic and political future, delivered against ‌a backdrop of sharpening tech competition with Washington and mounting geopolitical friction.

The National People's Congress, ‌China's rubber‑stamp legislature, rolled out its Five‑Year Plan outlining goals for growth, budgets, industrial policy and defence - signalling Xi's determination ​to propel the world's second-biggest economy toward technological dominance.

Here are the main highlights from the NPC:

GDP, BUDGET PRIORITIES

China is looking to grow its economy at a 4.5%-5% pace, a touch below the 5% rate achieved last year, opening the door to greater efforts to rebalance the economy.

Beijing also plans steady stimulus to ‌rev up an economy stuck in ⁠a lower post-pandemic gear, setting a budget deficit of 4.0% of gross domestic product, similar to last year.

HIGH-TECH DRIVE AS US RIVALRY SHARPENS

Aiming for technological supremacy amid ⁠a fierce rivalry with the U.S., Beijing is accelerating efforts to achieve greater tech self-reliance; and as the world's largest producer of rare earths, plans are also afoot to strengthen the competitiveness of these crucial minerals ​used in ​products ranging from electric vehicles to aircraft engines and ​defence technologies.

DEFENCE CAPACITY

China will improve combat ‌readiness and accelerate the development of "advanced combat capabilities", Premier Li Qiang said, boosting defence spending by 7% in 2026.

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Military observers are watching closely as Beijing pushes to modernise its forces by 2035 and project military power amid the backdrop of rising regional tensions, including over Taiwan, and global geopolitical strains.

FINANCIAL SYSTEM

China will inject 300 billion yuan ($43.59 billion) into state-owned banks this year and deepen reforms of state-owned ‌financial enterprises, moving to bolster its financial system amid a ​prolonged property crisis and deflationary pressure.

Promising a "childbirth-friendly society" in the ​next five years, Beijing aims to address ​concerns over employment, education and medical care as an ageing and rapidly ‌shrinking population complicates its larger economic goals.

FOOD SECURITY

Grain ​production capacity will be ​raised to around 725 million metric tons over 2026-2030 in efforts to meet the nation's long-term food security objectives, highlighting its heavy reliance on imports of key agricultural products such as ​soybeans, with the U.S. its ‌second-largest supplier.

EMISSION GOALS

The government plans to accelerate cuts in carbon intensity over the next five ​years, marking a shift from targeting energy intensity of its economy to directly targeting ​carbon intensity.

(Reporting by China bureau.Compiled by Shri Navaratnam)

byLucie Johns

in

March 04, 2026

China's parliament rolls out economic, political blue-print; here's what you need to know

March 5 (Reuters) - China's political elite gathered in Beijing on Thursday as President Xi Jinping unveiled a sweep...

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South Africa seeks local production of Gilead's HIV prevention drug

By Jennifer Rigby

LONDON, March 5 (Reuters) - South Africa is asking local drugmakers to start a process to make Gilead Sciences' long-acting HIV prevention drug, lenacapavir, domestically, in a push to bring production ‌to the region where it is most needed.

The government is working alongside international partners, including Unitaid ‌and the United States Pharmacopoeia, to identify which local company could make the twice-yearly injection safely, effectively and affordably, and provide any support ​needed. They will then recommend that company to Gilead.

Gilead, a U.S. pharmaceutical company, granted six voluntary licences in 2024 to generic manufacturers across India, Egypt and Pakistan to produce and supply the drug to 120 low- and middle-income countries. These included South Africa, although there was criticism that no South African drugmakers were included.

A licence for a South African ‌company would be the seventh such deal, ⁠potentially boosting access to a drug many HIV/AIDS experts have said could help bring an end to the 44-year-old pandemic by slashing the numbers of new infections.

Gilead said it ⁠has been open to adding an additional voluntary license for local manufacturing in Sub-Saharan Africa. "Gilead will review the proposals and assess whether required quality standards can be met before any voluntary license is granted," the company said in an email.

AFRICA ​REMAINS EPICENTRE ​OF HIV PANDEMIC

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Despite progress, the African region remains the epicentre ​of the HIV pandemic. South Africa has ‌the highest number of people affected at 8 million – around one in five adults – living with the virus. Several companies in South Africa already make HIV treatments or sterile injectables, like Aspen Pharmacare.

Paul Mashatile, chair of the South African National AIDS Council and deputy president, said making the drug in South Africa would benefit the whole region.

"Africa can no longer rely on medicines produced elsewhere for diseases that affect us most," said Kenyan President William Ruto, ‌African Union lead on local manufacturing of health commodities.

ACCESS CHALLENGES

In the ​past, low- and middle-income countries waited years for HIV drugs available ​in richer nations. Lenacapavir is already available in ​some African countries through an initiative supported by The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and ‌Malaria and the U.S. government, but demand is ​expected to outstrip supply until ​the generic manufacturers start making the drug.

Those agreements also faced some criticism for excluding middle-income countries like Brazil. A South African company could try to expand access there, too, Unitaid said.

"It's an opportunity to ​open the door further," said Unitaid's director ‌of program, Robert Matiru, although he said a licence for a South African company was the ​key aim.

(Reporting by Jennifer Rigby, additional reporting by Nellie Peyton and Nqobile Dludla in Johannesburg and ​Deena Beasley in Los Angeles; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)

byLucie Johns

in

March 04, 2026

South Africa seeks local production of Gilead's HIV prevention drug

By Jennifer Rigby LONDON, March 5 (Reuters) - South Africa is asking local drugmakers to start a process to ...

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“The Beauty” Finale: Evan Peters on How That Cliffhanger Sets Up Season 2 to 'Explore This World on a Larger Scale' (Exclusive)

Warning: Spoilers forThe Beautyseason 1 two-part finale, which aired on March 4, at 9 p.m. ET, on FX and Hulu

NEED TO KNOW

• Evan Peters discusses the cliffhanger at the end of The Beauty season 1 finale

• The actor says it "beautifully" sets up season 2 and he's excited to see where things go

• Peters also looks back on the twists and turns for his character, FBI agent Cooper Madsen

After 11 wildly entertaining episodes,season 1 ofThe Beautyhas come to a close. As with many ofRyan Murphy's TV productions, the season finale included a number of twists and turns — with a notable cliffhanger involvingEvan Peters' character, FBI agent Cooper Madsen, leaving the actor excited to see what's in store for a potential season 2.

WithByron Frost (Ashton Kutcher)facing mounting lawsuits and pressure from his board of directors, he decides to stop the sale of his miracle body enhancement drug and invest in an antidote.

Seeing an opportunity, Byron's son (Ray Nicholson) is determined to take over the business and put an end to his father's corporate greed for good. Initiating a succession plan, Cooper is enlisted to assassinate Byron, but only if he can get the antidote — which has been developed with nanotech — to reverse the effects of the virus that changed him into a teen and become "normal" again.

The finale then ends with Cooper taking the drug and going through the transformation. While it's unclear what the results are, a version of the FBI agent is seen emerging from his cocoon, with what seemingly appears to be Peters' hand poking out while everyone looks shocked and frightened by what has happened.

"It's a classic cliffhanger," Peters, 39, tells PEOPLE. "I feel like it's what Ryan does best. And it sets things up beautifully — forget the pun — for a season 2 to explore a world that hasThe Beautyunleashed on a larger scale."

He adds, "It made me want to read and then watch what's gonna happen in season 2 just that much more."

When it comes to the series overall, Peters says he was really impressed with what Murphy, 60, and co-creator Matthew Hodgson came up with — especially considering his last collaboration with the prolific TV producer wasDahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Storyon Netflix and follows a number of villainous appearances on various installments ofAmerican Horror Story.

"He's incredible in that he just gives you so many opportunities," the actor says, joking that "just when you think that you're kind of toast, he is like, 'Why don't we make you the guy in this?' "

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Not only was the "good guy" role a notable change of pace for Peters,The Beautyalso let him try some other things on-screen. In addition tolearning several foreign languagesfor the role, "we had some really long action sequences. And then, I have this romantic storyline," he says, adding that "I've never really done that, especially in the Ryan world, so I was pretty thrilled to jump on board with this one."

That romance included the evolving dynamic that unfolded between Cooper and fellow FBI agent Jordan Bennett (firstplayed by Rebecca Hall before Jessica Alexander took overthe role) over the course of season 1. While Jordan kept Cooper at arms length despite having a sexual relationship, which included hooking up while on assignment together, things took a turn after she was unexpectedly infected with the virus and went through her own body transformation.

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Afraid that she would suffer the same fate as the fashion models, whose gruesome deaths kickstarted their international investigation into the origins of the virus, Cooper was determined to figure out what was going on — and save her from dying.

"He was trying to fix it," Peters says of his character's motivation. "He loves her so much and he wants her to not explode. So, I think the love that he feels for her amplified the need to solve that case and maybe do it in ways that he couldn't have done following the straight and narrow or official way."

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

The actor adds, "He had to go rogue to try to fix the situation and make sure the love of his life survives."

That ultimately led Cooper to take drastic measures of his own, including forming an alliance with one of Byron's corporate competitors, Diana (Ari Graynor), and letting himself get infected with the virus in order to get past Frost's security. The latter move, however, led to an unexpected transformation of his own. Unfortunately for Cooper, he was turned into a teenager (with Hudson Barry taking over the role in episode 9).

"In the early days, Ryan left it open-ended and he was like, 'I'm not sure if he is or not,' " Peters says of his knowledge about his character getting infected and the actor going through a body swap with Barry. "I was always curious how Cooper was gonna solve the situation, whether he was gonna get the antidote or stop the Corporation or what it was gonna be and how it was gonna happen."

"As the episodes came out, I started to become more aware of what was gonna happen," he continues, recalling, "Like, 'Oh, I think he's gonna have to get the beauty in order to figure out the situation and infiltrate the Corporation's corporation.' "

After Hall, 43,  jokes that there's "arguably no better way to do it than as an 11-year-old," Peters quips, "That's right. I envisioned him doing a bunch of backflips like Yoda andStar Wars. But that didn't happen."

As for those horrific transformation moments seen throughout the series, first with Jaquel Spivey turning into Jeremy Pope, then followed by Hall becoming Alexander, 26, as well as Peters eventually becoming Barry,The Studioguest star says that "there was a lot of twisting."

"They worked very, very hard and were very specific, and Ryan was very specific and there was a lot of back and forth and fine-tuning of how it ended up being," Peters adds. "It was a real journey and I think what you see on-screen is a pretty painful, violent transformation sequence."

The Beautyseason 1 is now streaming on Hulu.

Read the original article onPeople

byLucie Johns

in

March 04, 2026

“The Beauty” Finale: Evan Peters on How That Cliffhanger Sets Up Season 2 to 'Explore This World on a Larger Scale' (Exclusive)

Warning: Spoilers forThe Beautyseason 1 two-part finale, which aired on March 4, at 9 p.m. ET, on FX and Hulu ...

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Sydney Sweeney Turns a Simple Nude Bikini Into a Viral Moment for SYRN

Sydney Sweeneyis serving up some serious summer vibes in her recent Instagram post, where she's rocking anude bikini look for SYRN. The Euphoria star's curves are on full display, making it impossible for fans to look away.

Sydney Sweeney stuns in new look for SYRN

Check out Sydney Sweeney turning heads with her new look for SYRN:

SYRN's latest campaign is undoubtedly on point, and Sydney Sweeney's bikini look is the cherry on top. The 28-year-old's latest post features her in an enticing yet comfortable nude bikini and matching shorts, accentuating her toned physique. Sweeney's carefree spirit and radiant smile further add to its appeal, making it impossible to look away from her captivating presence.

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Netizens are going wild over Sydney Sweeney's sizzling bikini look for SYRN, floodingInstagramwith hype comments and praise. "cutie-patootie (who looks comfy)," wrote a fan. Meanwhile, another commented, "Mamma mia." "I need most of this collection," gushed an Instagrammer.

Originally reported by Sibanee Gogoi onMandatory.

The postSydney Sweeney Turns a Simple Nude Bikini Into a Viral Moment for SYRNappeared first onReality Tea.

byLucie Johns

in

March 04, 2026

Sydney Sweeney Turns a Simple Nude Bikini Into a Viral Moment for SYRN

Sydney Sweeneyis serving up some serious summer vibes in her recent Instagram post, where she's rocking anude bikini look for SYRN. Th...

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Federal judge blocks Florida governor's foreign terrorist label of Muslim groups

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A federal judge temporarily blocked the enforcement on Wednesday of an executive order issued last year by Florida Gov. RonDeSantisthat designates two Muslim groups asforeign terrorist organizations.

U.S. District Judge Mark E. Walker wrote in his preliminary injunction that the First Amendment bars the governor from continuing the troubling trend of using an executive office to make a political statement at the expense of others' constitutional rights.

The governor's order targeted the Council on American-Islamic Relations and the Muslim Brotherhood. His office didn't immediately respond Wednesday evening to an email seeking comment about the judge's order.

CAIR and other civil rights groupssuedDeSantis in December, shortly after the executive order was issued. The group has more than 20 chapters across the United States, and its work involves legal actions, advocacy and education outreach. The lawsuit claims the executive order is unlawful and unconstitutional, specifically that DeSantis has usurped the exclusive authority of the federal government to identify and designate terrorist organizations.

The injunction will halt the executive order's enforcement while the lawsuit moves forward.

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"The question before this Court is whether the Governor can, in a non-emergency situation, unilaterally designate one of the largest Muslim civil rights groups in America as a 'terrorist organization' and withhold government benefits from anyone providing material support or resources to the group," Walker wrote.

Anti-Muslim bias has persisted indifferent formssince Sept. 11, 2001, and there has been a rise inIslamophobiaduring more than two years of war in Gaza.

CAIR said in the Florida lawsuit that it has always condemned terrorism and violence. The lawsuit alleges DeSantis targeted the group for defending the free speech rights of people in cases where state officials and officials elsewhere tried to punish or silence those who expressed support for Palestinian human rights.

The executive order also gives the same "foreign terrorist" label to theMuslim Brotherhood, a pan-Arab Islamist political movement. President Donald Trumpin Januaryissued an executive order that designates three Middle Eastern branches of the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist organizations.

The governor's order instructs Florida agencies to prevent the two groups and those who have provided them material support from receiving contracts, employment and funds from a state executive or cabinet agency.

Florida has an estimated 500,000 Muslim residents, according to CAIR.

byLucie Johns

in

March 04, 2026

Federal judge blocks Florida governor's foreign terrorist label of Muslim groups

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A federal judge temporarily blocked the enforcement on Wednesday of an executive order issued l...

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Fired “Matlock” star David Del Rio initiates arbitration against CBS, citing 'professional and reputational harm'

David Del Rio has entered arbitration against CBS.

Key points

• The actor was fired from Matlock in October after the network investigated an incident involving him.

• A representative says Del Rio will "present real-time text communications and evidence that directly contradicts prior public characterizations of the interaction at issue."

David Del Rio is taking action against CBS.

The formerMatlockstar, who wasdismissed from the legal dramain October following an investigation into an incident involving him, has entered arbitration against the network.

"David Del Rio has initiated arbitration against CBS Studios to address false and misleading allegations that caused substantial professional and reputational harm," the actor's attorney, Shawn Holley, said in a statement provided toEntertainment Weekly.

Holley said Del Rio will "present real-time text communications and evidence that directly contradicts prior public characterizations of the interaction at issue." She added, "This evidence was not fully considered before adverse employment action was taken."

Holley's statement concluded, "Mr. Del Rio looks forward to resolving this matter through the appropriate legal forum and has faith that a full evidentiary review will establish the truth and restore his professional reputation."

Holley's statement marks the first official statement that Del Rio or any of his representatives have released since his exit fromMatlock.

CBS declined to comment on the matter.

Del Rio played up-and-coming lawyer Billy Martinez on the first season ofMatlock. He had already completed work on several episodes on the show's second season when he was dismissed from the show just before it premiered last fall.

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Last month, EW learned that CBSreopened its investigationinto the incident in question, and subsequently stood by its decision to remove Del Rio from the show.

Upon Del Rio's exit, Billy was written out of the series. The actor's last appearance on the show came in the Dec. 4 episode, "Prior Bad Acts." In the following episode, the season 2 midseason finale "Call It a Christmas Gift," Del Rio's character takes a "personal day" and does not appear on screen.

In that episode, Billy's colleague and friend Sarah (played by Leah Lewis) talks to him on the phone as he tells her that his girlfriend, Claudia (Bella Ortiz), has experienced a miscarriage, indicating that Billy will take time away from his responsibilities at the Jacobson Moore law firm. Billy did not return in the show's most recent episode, the midseason premiere "Collateral," thoughKathy Bates' Matty said the team has "got him covered."

Deadline Hollywood previously reportedthat the incident in question concerned a sexual assault allegation involving Del Rio's costar Lewis; Del Rio has previously denied the allegation,according to TMZ.

Lewis has not commented on the situation directly, though she posted a vague statement on her Instagram Stories shortly after news of Del Rio's departure broke.

"Mom is here, we're moving forward in love and strength. I'm in good hands," the actress wrote. "Thank you to everybody for any kind of support and care. Truly, we're moving forward in strength. Key word, strength. Please, let that be the takeaway."

Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with ourEW Dispatch newsletter.

Last month, LewiscelebratedMatlockbeing renewed for a third season, sharing her appreciation for the show's executive producers as well as "to the oodles of guest stars we've had come on this show and make it SO rich every single week, and to our hard working and incredible crew that is allllways showing up with even more warmth, professionalism and creativity every season."

Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly

byLucie Johns

in

March 04, 2026

Fired “Matlock” star David Del Rio initiates arbitration against CBS, citing 'professional and reputational harm'

David Del Rio has entered arbitration against CBS. Key points The actor was fired from Matlock in October a...

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Gloves Found in Nancy Guthrie Case Traced to Nearby Restaurant Worker, as Sheriff Explains What This Means

In the early morning hours of Feb. 1, Nancy Guthrie was taken against her will from the Tucson, Ariz., home where she raised her three children, including Today show co-host Savannah Guthrie, police said

NEED TO KNOW

• On Feb. 10, authorities released chilling Nest surveillance camera pictures and video showing an armed assailant at Nancy's front door wearing a mask and gloves

• Now, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos has revealed that investigators have identified DNA on a glove found two miles from Nancy's house on Feb. 15

In mid-February, two weeks afterNancy Guthriemysteriously vanished in the early morning hours, a glove was found two miles from her Tucson, Ariz., home that looked similar to the ones a masked man was seen wearing on surveillance footage from her front porch.

The glove was tested for DNA, with many hoping it would lead to clues as to who took the 84-year-old mother ofTodayshow co-hostSavannah Guthrie— and why.

In an interview withlocal outlet KVOA, Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos revealed that investigators were able to find a match to the DNA found on one of the gloves.

"There was some talk and discussion that it was police officers out in the field just discarding [the gloves], that is so far from the truth," Nanos told the outlet.

"We knew that at that time, we believed wholeheartedly that those gloves belonged to a restaurant and guess what? The owner of the glove, we found working at a restaurant across the street," Nanos said.

"It has nothing to do with the case," Nanos said, per KVOA.

He did not specify which restaurant the person works at or if investigators questioned that individual.

He also said other gloves sent to a Florida lab could be different and DNA testing could take a while, the outlet reported.

"It's a challenge because we know we have DNA, but now we have to deal with that mixture and how we're going to separate it," Nanos said.

Nancy was taken from her Tucson, Ariz., home in the early morning hours of Sunday, Feb. 1, police said.

Her family called 911 at 12:03 p.m. that day after the mother of three failed to join friends to watch a virtual church service.

The Pima County Sheriff's Office, later joined by the FBI, launched a massive investigation into Nancy's disappearance, saying they believed shewas taken against her will.

Concern for Nancy deepened when Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos revealed that blood spatter found on the front porch belonged to her.

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Even more chilling were Nest camerasurveillance photos and video footageauthorities released on Feb. 10 showing a masked, armed man on Nancy's front porch in the early morning hours of Feb. 1.

The FBI Phoenix office sharedadditional details describing the suspectas "a male, approximately 5'9" - 5'10" tall, with an average build. In the video, he is wearing a black, 25-liter 'Ozark Trail Hiker Pack' backpack" that may have been purchased at Walmart.

Investigators revealed that Guthrie's doorbell camera was disconnectedat 1:47 a.m., local time. Shortly after, at 2:12 a.m., the camera detected a dark figure walking toward the house. Sixteen minutes later, at 2:28 a.m., Guthrie's pacemaker was disconnected from the pacemaker app on her cellphone, authorities said.

Law enforcement worked tirelessly to try to find Nancy, to no avail.

In late February, however, a couple who live on a back road about 2.5 miles from Nancy's homereleased new footage, obtained byFOX News, showing a car speeding down the road minutes after police believe she was abducted.

One of the videos the couple released was recorded at around 2:36 a.m. on Feb. 1, about eight minutes after Nancy's pacemaker last synced with her iPhone, according to the sheriff's timeline.

The Pima County Sheriff's Office told FOX News andNBC Newsthey are aware of the newly released Ring camera footage, but didn't say whether the footage will help the case.

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Since their mother went missing, Savannah and her siblings have been awaiting any word about what happened to her.

On Feb. 24, Savannah released an emotional new video saying the Guthrie family is offering up toa $1 million rewardfor any information leading to Nancy's recovery. The family is also donating $500,000 to theNational Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

The FBI's$100,000 rewardfor information remains active.

Anyone with information about Nancy Guthrie's disappearance is asked to contact 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or the Pima County Sheriff's Department at 520-351-4900.

Read the original article onPeople

byLucie Johns

in

March 04, 2026

Gloves Found in Nancy Guthrie Case Traced to Nearby Restaurant Worker, as Sheriff Explains What This Means

In the early morning hours of Feb. 1, Nancy Guthrie was taken against her will from the Tucson, Ariz., home where she ra...

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