Redlands earthquake: 3.4-magnitude quake hits Southern California
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A 3.4-magnitude earthquake struck near Redlands in Southern California on Friday evening, close to the border between Riverside and San Bernardino counties, Qazinform News Agency reports, citing the U.S. Geological Survey.
According to the USGS, the tremor occurred at 6:40 p.m. local time approximately 4 miles southwest of Redlands. The earthquake originated at a shallow depth of around 2 miles below the surface.
The latest seismic event marks the third notable earthquake recorded in the Inland Empire region this week. Earlier on Friday, a 3.3-magnitude quake was reported in the same area, while a separate 3.1-magnitude tremor struck San Bernardino County on Wednesday morning.
Authorities continue to remind residents and visitors across California to stay prepared for seismic activity. The state’s Earthquake Readiness Guide notes that earthquakes may occur at any moment and encourages individuals, families, and businesses to use preparedness plans and early warning technologies to respond quickly during emergencies.
Xinhua releases report on China's cultural consciousness in advancing high-quality development
Images | A guest reads a copy of the think tank report titled The Theory of Cultural Empowerment: China's Cultural Consciousness in Marching Toward High-Quality Development during a forum in Athens, Greece, on May 7, 2026. The report was released on Thursday by Xinhua Institute, a think tank affiliated with Xinhua News Agency, during a forum on exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations to mark the 20th anniversary of the China-Greece comprehensive strategic partnership. (Xinhua/Peng Ziyang)
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The Xinhua Institute, a think tank affiliated with Xinhua News Agency, released a report titled "The Theory of Cultural Empowerment: China's Cultural Consciousness in Marching Toward High-Quality Development" on Thursday, Xinhua reports.
The report was issued during a forum on exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations to mark the 20th anniversary of the China-Greece comprehensive strategic partnership.
The report systematically elaborates on the underlying logic of empowering economic and social development through culture, along with China's practices, methodology and global inspirations in this field.
For China, empowering economic and social development with culture is an inevitable requirement for the new stage of development, a contemporary innovation of Marxist cultural theory, and a strategic choice amid the evolving global landscape of competition and cooperation among civilizations, said the report.
Guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, China is leveraging culture to foster new drivers of economic growth, unleash consumer vitality, promote effective social governance, and build momentum for development, it said.
Scholars attending the forum said that empowering economic and social development through culture provides crucial theoretical guidance and practical pathways for addressing global development bottlenecks, promoting both material progress and cultural-ethical advancement, and building a community with a shared future for humanity.
Full text: The Theory of Cultural Empowerment: China's Cultural Consciousness in Marching Toward High-Quality Development
This photo shows a copy of the think tank report titled The Theory of Cultural Empowerment: China's Cultural Consciousness in Marching Toward High-Quality Development. The report was released on Thursday by Xinhua Institute, a think tank affiliated with Xinhua News Agency, during a forum on exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations to mark the 20th anniversary of the China-Greece comprehensive strategic partnership. (Xinhua/Li He)
Trump evacuated from White House Correspondents' Dinner after security incident
Images | Xinhua
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U.S. President Donald Trump has been evacuated from the White House Correspondents' Dinner after what appears to be a security incident at the event, according to a live broadcast on Saturday night, Xinhua reports.
Attendees were seen on the live broadcast ducking around their tables and taking cover. Multiple news outlets reported that gunshots were heard in the White House ballroom.
Organizers announced that the program will resume momentarily, but did not offer more details.
This would mark Trump's first time attending the White House Correspondents' Dinner.
China's Green Glow-Up: Foreigners stunned by urban oases
Images | news.cn
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Across Chinese cities, lush greenery, well-maintained parks, and clean streets have become a common sight. The pleasant environment and fresh air deeply impress overseas visitors. China's commitment to ecological construction has greatly improved urban landscapes, winning wide recognition from the international community, news.cn reports.
Trump says U.S. will blockade Strait of Hormuz after Iran peace talks fail
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President Donald Trump on Sunday said the U.S. will blockade the Strait of Hormuz after talks held in Pakistan to end the Iran war hit the skids, cnbc.com reports.
Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the Finest in the World, will begin the process of BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz," Trump said in a post to his social media platform Truth Social. "The Blockade will begin shortly. Other Countries will be involved with this Blockade. Iran will not be allowed to profit off this Illegal Act of EXTORTION."
NASA's Artemis II splashes down off southern U.S. California coast
Images | NASA
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Four astronauts returned safely to Earth on Friday after completing a 10-day mission around the Moon, the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) said.
The capsule Orion touched down at about 17:07 local time (0007 GMT on Saturday) in the Pacific Ocean, some 96 km off the San Diego coast, California, according to NASA. It was the first crewed lunar mission since Apollo 17 in 1972, Xinhua reports.
After splashing down, Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman said that all four crew members are in good condition.
77 killed, 137 injured in rain-related incidents in Afghanistan
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Flash floods caused by torrential rains have claimed 77 lives and left 137 others injured across Afghanistan, the country's National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said in a statement on Saturday.
According to the NDMA, the heavy deluge has either destroyed or partially damaged 3,466 homes. The floodwaters also washed away 337 km of roads, inundated 11,676 acres of farmland, and caused severe damage to 121 water canals and irrigation networks. The authority further noted that a total of 5,811 families have been affected by the latest natural disasters so far, Xinhua reported.
Afghanistan's meteorological department has forecast more heavy rainfall in the coming days, warning of a heightened risk of flooding, particularly in remote and vulnerable areas.
About an hour's drive from Beijing, a futuristic city is rising on the North China Plain - the Xiong'an New Area, Xinhua reports.
In recent years, Xiong'an has responded to the national call for innovation-driven development. Technology is not an abstract concept in Xiong'an. It has taken shape in perceptible smart living scenarios.
In April 2017, China decided to establish the Xiong'an New Area as part of a strategy to promote the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.
China’s humanoid robot with lifelike expressions can smile, emote during interactions
Images | naked-science.ru/Yuhang Hu
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China’s humanoid robotics industry is entering a new phase, not just focused on mobility and industrial automation, but increasingly on something more human - the face, interestingengineering.com reports.
Recent developments in hyperrealistic humanoid robot faces have gone viral online, sparking debate over whether lifelike appearance will become the key to commercial success in humanoid robotics.
The discussion gained momentum after a video shared by robotics researcher Yuhang Hu, the founder of Shouxing Technology, on X on March 22.
The video showed a humanoid robot woman displaying extremely realistic facial expressions, blinking naturally, scanning the room, and reacting to its surroundings.
