6.2-magnitude quake hits South of Fiji Islands - GFZ
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An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.2 jolted South of Fiji Islands at 07:43:24 GMT on Sunday, Xinhua reports, citing the GFZ German Research Center for Geosciences.
The epicenter, with a depth of 630.4 km, was initially determined to be at 21.71 degrees south latitude and 179.71 degrees east longitude.
South Korea’s former president Yoon Suk Yeol jailed for life for leading insurrection
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A South Korean court has sentenced the former president Yoon Suk Yeol to life imprisonment with labour over his failed martial law declaration in December 2024, finding him guilty of leading an insurrection and making him the first elected head of state in the country’s democratic era to receive the maximum custodial sentence, The Guardian reports.
The Seoul central district court found that Yoon’s declaration of martial law on 3 December 2024 constituted insurrection, carried out with the intent to disrupt the constitutional order.
Judge Jee Kui-youn said the purpose was "to send troops to the national assembly to blockade the assembly hall and arrest key figures, including the assembly speaker and party leaders, thereby preventing lawmakers from gathering to deliberate or vote".
In sentencing Yoon on Thursday, the court pointed to his lack of apology throughout the proceedings, his unjustified refusal to attend hearings, and the massive social costs his actions inflicted on South Korean society.
The court said the martial law greatly damaged the political neutrality of the military and police and caused South Korea’s political standing and credibility in the international community to decline, leaving society "politically divided and experiencing extreme confrontation".
The court opted for life imprisonment over the death penalty, noting that while the crime was grave, Yoon’s planning did not appear meticulous, he had attempted to limit the use of physical force, and most of his plans ultimately failed.
In a historical digression, the judge traced the history of insurrection law and cited the 1649 execution of England’s Charles I, who led troops into parliament, to establish that even heads of state can commit insurrection by attacking the legislature.
The verdict was broadcast live on national television, capturing Yoon briefly smiling on arrival and later displaying no visible reaction as the sentence was delivered.
Under South Korean law, the charge of leading an insurrection carries three possible penalties: death, life imprisonment with labour, or life imprisonment without labour.
Former prince Andrew arrested at Sandringham estate
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Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, The Guardian reports.
Photographs of unmarked police cars and plainclothes officers at Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate just after 8am were published on Thursday. A statement from Thames Valley police said: "We have today (19/2) arrested a man in his 60s from Norfolk on suspicion of misconduct in public office and are carrying out searches at addresses in Berkshire and Norfolk. The man remains in police custody at this time."
Police have been assessing allegations that Mountbatten-Windsor shared sensitive information with the billionaire child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein when he was a UK trade envoy.
An earthquake of magnitude 5.5 occurred off the coast of Cuba
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An earthquake measuring 5.5 occurred near Cuba, iz.ru reports, citing the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre.
According to him, the epicenter of the seismic event was located 90 km east of the city of Guantanamo, which has a population of about 300 thousand people.
The source of the tremors was at a depth of 15 km. There has been no information about casualties or damage yet.
China to launch first-ever solar probe at Sun-Earth L5 point
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China is planning to launch a new solar exploration satellite, Xihe-2, between 2028 and 2029 to the fifth Lagrange point of the solar-terrestrial system for solar probing and space weather monitoring, CGTN cites the China Media Group.
Xihe-2, also known as the space mission of the Lagrange-V Solar Observatory, was proposed by Nanjing University, the China Meteorological Administration, and the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology.
The solar probe will be deployed to carry out high-precision detection of magnetic fields, reveal three-dimensional solar eruptions and forecast space activities, according to Professor Fang Cheng of Nanjing University, one of the satellite's designers.
The fifth Lagrange point, located approximately 150 million kilometers from Earth, is a gravitational equilibrium position that offers unique advantages for space weather research and monitoring. From this vantage point, Xihe-2 will be able to forecast solar activity four to five days earlier - particularly hazardous space weather events such as solar flares - providing more preparation time for emergency response on Earth, said Wang Jingxiu, a solar physicist at the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Xihe-2 will be the world's first artificial probe sent to the fifth Lagrange point. To date, more than 70 solar probes have been launched globally, yet none has been stationed at this location, according to Li Chuan, chief designer of the science and application system of Xihe and a professor at Nanjing University. He noted that Xihe-2 will therefore offer a new perspective for solar research.
Once at the gravitational equilibrium point, Xihe-2 will require relatively little energy to maintain orbital stability and is designed for a service life of up to seven years, Li added.
China launched its first solar exploration satellite, Xihe, on October 14, 2021, from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre in north China's Shanxi Province. Its mission was to conduct solar H-alpha spectral imaging in a 571-kilometer-altitude orbit.
In ancient Chinese mythology, Xihe is the name of the sun goddess.
Seven killed as landslide, flash floods hit Indonesia's West Java
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At least seven people have been killed after a landslide accompanied by flash floods struck Cisarua Sub-district in West Bandung Regency of Indonesia's West Java Province early Saturday, with hundreds of residents still believed to be missing, Xinhua reports.
The disaster occurred at around 3:00 a.m. local time. Residents reported hearing a loud rumbling sound before soil and mud swept from Pasirkuning Village toward Pasir Kuda Village.
Dozens of houses were reported to have been buried by landslide debris and mud, causing severe damage to residential areas near the affected site.
Based on preliminary police data, seven bodies had been recovered as of 12:00 p.m. local time on Saturday, while hundreds of other residents were still believed to be trapped or missing, with joint search and rescue teams continuing operations on the ground.
However, rescue operations have been hampered by difficult terrain, thick landslide material and the potential for further rainfall.
Local authorities have urged residents living near the affected area to remain alert and stay away from landslide-prone zones, citing the risk of secondary disasters due to unstable soil conditions.
Over 9,000 flights across U.S. canceled as major winter storm hits - media
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More than 9,000 flights across the United States set to take off over the weekend have been canceled, as a powerful storm forecast to batter large swaths of the country is expected to trigger prolonged power outages and severely disrupt major transportation routes, Xinhua reports, citing the U.S. media.
The report said that about 140 million people were placed under winter storm warnings from New Mexico to New England, with the National Weather Service predicting widespread heavy snow and a band of catastrophic ice stretching from east Texas to North Carolina.
AI-powered "RoboCops" take up traffic duties in Chinese cities
Images | Xinhua
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Donning a police uniform, a reflective vest and a white cap, the robot officer - identified by the badge number "Intelligent Police Unit R001" - looks remarkably human from a distance. Up close, its metallic sleekness and futuristic demeanor have made it a local celebrity, with pedestrians frequently pausing to snap photos of the cyberpunk scene, Xinhua reports.
It is a new colleague capable of assisting us effectively," said Jiang Zihao, a traffic police officer in Wuhu.
According to Jiang, "Intelligent Police Unit R001," an AI-enabled traffic policing robot, is integrated with the city's traffic signal system. It can execute standard traffic command gestures synchronized with changing lights.
Equipped with high-definition cameras and an intelligent voice-broadcasting system, the robot uses large-model algorithms to autonomously identify traffic violations by non-motorized vehicles and pedestrians and deliver on-site warnings.
In addition to stationary duty, the robot is mobile, capable of navigating independently to designated locations on command. Its capabilities also include identifying illegal parking and conducting real-time road monitoring.
The robot can work around the clock," Jiang said, noting that it is expected to ease the workload of the police, especially during peak hours or in extreme weather conditions.
This "RoboCop" is the latest addition to China's growing fleet of AI-powered traffic assistants.
Xiconomics: China's vision for an open world economy in a turbulent era
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The 2026 World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting opened on Monday in the snowy Swiss resort of Davos. As global leaders reconvene in the Alpine town, the world economy is grappling with a familiar yet intensifying set of challenges, most notably a surge in protectionism, unilateralism and hegemonism, Xinhua reports.
Against this backdrop, the vision articulated by Chinese President Xi Jinping in multiple past speeches stands out, offering a clear and consistent compass for global economic governance, one that underscores openness and justice as fundamental anchors for stability and growth.
Translating that vision into concrete actions, China has stepped up development-oriented cooperation with other Global South countries, aligning with their shared concerns amid rising uncertainties and reinforcing calls for a more inclusive and predictable world economic order.
UNILATERALISM EXACTS HEAVY TOLL
Indeed, global economic growth faces significant headwinds as escalating unilateralism and protectionist measures dampen international trade and investment flows. Indermit Gill, the World Bank Group's chief economist, warned that the world economy is set to grow more slowly in the coming years than it did even in the troubled 1990s.
A significant factor behind this slowdown is a new round of tariffs and trade restrictions rolled out by Washington over the past year. As these measures accumulated, the average U.S. import tariff surged from 2.4 percent in early 2025 to nearly 18 percent -- the highest level since the 1930s.
Such arbitrary tariffs are exacting a heavy toll. According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), U.S. growth is expected to slow to 1.8 percent in 2025 and 1.5 percent in 2026, down from an average of 2.5 percent between 2015 and 2019. In Europe, U.S. tariffs on steel, aluminum and automobiles have squeezed supply chains and weakened competitiveness, prompting firms to delay investment, with the UNCTAD forecasting EU growth at just 1.3 percent in 2025.
Xinhua
Furthermore, Washington has wielded tariffs as a tool of geopolitical coercion, not least by threatening to impose punitive tariffs on countries that do not support the U.S. plan to "obtain" Greenland.
The weaponization of U.S. financial tools and rising unilateralism have destabilized global markets, severely constraining the strategic autonomy of developing states, Herman Tiu Laurel, president of the Asian Century Philippines Strategic Studies Institute, a Manila-based think tank, told Xinhua.
World leaders have voiced opposition to such unilateral actions. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has said, "Imposing new sanctions today would be a mistake," while Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has warned against global trade being weaponised against weaker countries.
In a world fracturing along economic faultlines, Xi offered a clear compass. "Countries cannot thrive without an international environment of open cooperation, and no country can afford to retreat into self-imposed isolation," he reminded global audiences.
Addressing the 2025 Virtual BRICS Summit, he reinforced the point: "Economic globalization is an irresistible trend of history."
CHINA'S APPROACH
China's approach to the global economy, as Xi observed, has consistently emphasized openness, cooperation and a long-term perspective on economic globalization.
Whether you like it or not, the global economy is the big ocean that you cannot escape from," Xi said in his 2017 WEF speech, warning that attempts to cut off the flows of capital, technology and people would only run counter to economic reality.
In July 2025, he told a group of new ambassadors to China that China will steadfastly expand high-standard opening up and share the benefit of its supersized market, so that the country's advancement will bring new opportunities for other countries and inject greater certainty into global economic growth.
China's emphasis on openness, inclusiveness, and fairness speaks directly to the core aspirations of developing countries, which have long sought a global economic system that enables growth rather than constrains it," Lewis Ndichu, director of research at the Nairobi-based Centre for China Africa Policy, told Xinhua.
For many in the Global South, openness is not about unfettered liberalization but about meaningful access to markets, technology and finance on equitable terms. China's proposals resonate because they recognize this distinction and place development at the center of globalization," he said.
Amid evolving global dynamics, China has been resolutely committed to reform and opening-up. The launch of the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP) in December 2025 exemplifies China's push for high-standard opening up, with expanded zero-tariff coverage and more market-oriented, business-friendly rules facilitating freer flows of goods.
Xinhua
During a trip to Hainan, Xi described the FTP as a landmark move reflecting China's commitment to unwaveringly expand high-standard opening-up and promote an open world economy.
Hainan should play a leading role in advancing high-standard opening up through strengthening coordinated development with the neighboring Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and deeply integrating into the Belt and Road cooperation, he added.
Thanks to its strategic location, the Hainan FTP is expected to serve as a new platform for international engagements in various sectors -- from tourism and modern services to high-tech industries and agriculture -- benefiting ASEAN countries in particular, said Christine Susanna Tjhin, director of strategic communication and research at Indonesia's Gentala Institute.
FAIRER ECONOMIC ORDER
Amidst global economic storms, Global South countries bear the brunt of the economic squeeze, a fact crystallized in a recent World Bank finding: by the end of 2025, nearly all advanced economies had seen per capita incomes rise above their 2019 levels, while about one in four developing economies remained below pre-pandemic income levels.
Rising uncertainty and geopolitical fragmentation, alongside slower growth, are currently the most worrying challenges for the global economy, especially for developing countries that depend on open trade and stable investment flows," Deni Friawan, an economic researcher at the Jakarta-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Xinhua.
As a result, more developing countries are increasingly calling for fairer participation in economic globalization.
In December 2024, Xi held a meeting with the leaders of major international economic organizations, reaffirmed China's commitment to collaborative global progress: "China is ready to work with the major international economic organizations to practice multilateralism, promote international cooperation and support the development of Global South countries, so as to advance an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and build a just world of common development."
Global South economies require a balanced international environment that combines openness, stability, and access to affordable financing," said Asif Javed, associate research fellow at Pakistan's Sustainable Development Policy Institute. "Trade and investment should be fair and inclusive so that developing countries may integrate into global value chains."
This growing chorus for partnership is now materializing in the economic realm. The expansion of trade and supply chain cooperation under the upgraded China-ASEAN Free Trade Area 3.0 framework and the steady implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area both underscored a growing willingness among emerging economies to seek stability through more coordinated economic engagement.
There is a clear convergence between President Xi's emphasis on dialogue-based governance and the Global South's aspiration for a more balanced and cooperative global economic order," Alok Kumar Pathak, associate fellow at the BRICS Institute India, told Xinhua.
That convergence, observers noted, is increasingly reflected in projects under various initiatives. In Africa alone, China has helped build and upgrade over 10,000 km of railways, nearly 100,000 km of roads, while rolling out more than 200,000 km of fiber-optic cable, supporting industrialization and regional connectivity.
Xinhua
The Chinese-built Magufuli Bridge across Lake Victoria in Tanzania was inaugurated in June 2025, marking another landmark project under the Belt and Road Initiative. As the longest bridge in East and Central Africa, it not only improves local transportation but also enhances connectivity with neighboring countries. The bridge stands as a symbol of Tanzania's self-reliance and a catalyst for regional development, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan said at the inauguration ceremony.
On top of infrastructure, China's growing role in technology transfer and digitalization is reshaping development possibilities, said Ndichu. "Its engagement increasingly emphasizes capacity building, skills development, and value-chain integration rather than simple resource extraction."
China functions as both a stabilizing anchor and a key driver of industrial upgrading across the Global South," said Herman Tiu Laurel.
By prioritizing infrastructure development and technological innovation, China offers developing countries the practical means to build sustainable growth and achieve genuine economic autonomy," he said.
Ismael Buchanan, senior lecturer in the Department of Political Science at the University of Rwanda, said China's emphasis on inclusiveness aligns with the desire to ensure that the benefits of globalization are shared more broadly, rather than concentrated in a few advanced economies.
China has offered additional development options for Global South countries. This engagement complements existing international efforts and contributes to a more diversified and balanced global economic system," he added.
