Fire aboard foreign‑flagged cargo vessel at Qingdao shipyard kills many and leaves missing

A blaze erupted on the cargo ship Ocean Melody while it was docked for repairs at the Beihai Shipbuilding yard in Qingdao, a major port on China’s northeastern coast. The vessel, sailing under a Liberian flag, had 42 people on board; twelve were safely evacuated and five were taken to hospital with injuries. Several crew members remain unaccounted for. President Xi Jinping issued instructions to accelerate rescue efforts for any missing persons, and Premier Li Qiang called for the rescue of those trapped and for medical treatment of the injured.