The town of Raub in Malaysia is experiencing economic growth due to China's increasing demand for durians, especially the premium Musang King variety, which has become a symbol of luxury and status in China. This surge in demand has revitalized durian farming in the region, making it a key player in the global durian market, despite challenges such as food safety concerns and competition from emerging suppliers like Hainan, China.
Despite constraints like lack of advanced lithography machines, Chinese AI researchers believe China is closing in on the US in technology leadership due to increased innovation and risk-taking, with some Chinese startups debuting strongly on the stock market and efforts underway to develop cutting-edge semiconductor manufacturing tools.
China has developed the CHIEF1900, the world's most powerful hypergravity machine capable of generating forces nearly 2,000 times Earth's gravity, enabling researchers to simulate extreme conditions for studying materials, structures, and catastrophic events, surpassing previous centrifuge records and opening new avenues for scientific discovery.
Research indicates that Chinese crackdowns on fentanyl significantly contributed to a 34% decline in U.S. overdose deaths, suggesting diplomatic pressure was more effective than street-level arrests in disrupting the illicit drug trade and saving lives.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that Australia and India have been invited to a G7 finance ministers' meeting in Washington to discuss securing critical mineral supplies, amid concerns over China's dominance in the sector and efforts by Western countries to diversify their supply chains.
Warships from China, Russia, Iran, and other countries participated in the weeklong naval drill 'Will For Peace 2026' off South Africa, focusing on maritime safety, counter-terrorism, and cooperation, amid geopolitical tensions and criticism from South African opposition parties.
China's 'artificial sun' reactor, EAST, has broken a major fusion limit by maintaining plasma stability at densities 1.3 to 1.65 times beyond the Greenwald Limit, advancing nuclear fusion research and bringing humanity closer to potential clean, limitless energy. This achievement, published in Science Advances, demonstrates progress in overcoming key challenges in fusion technology, which could inform future reactors like ITER.
Chinese, Russian, and Iranian warships have arrived in South Africa for a week of naval exercises amid heightened geopolitical tensions following US military actions in Venezuela and sanctions on oil tankers, with the drills aimed at safeguarding shipping lanes and regional stability.
China's Chinese Space Station Telescope (CSST), also known as Xuntian, has completed a high-quality scientific data simulation, marking a key step toward its 2026 launch. The telescope features advanced optical systems with a 2-meter aperture, designed for wide-field, multi-color imaging to study galaxies, stars, and exoplanets, promising significant contributions to astrophysics and cosmology. It will operate independently and dock with China's space station for maintenance, supporting long-term space-based scientific exploration.
Russia has significantly reduced its oil production due to difficulties in delivering crude to major buyers India and China, exacerbated by US sanctions and recent Ukrainian strikes, leading to a decline of over 100,000 barrels per day in December and a surplus of unsold oil at sea.
China, Russia, and Iran have sent ships to South Africa for naval exercises called Will for Peace 2026, involving Brics Plus nations, amid rising tensions over US military actions and expanding alliances. The exercises include joint maritime safety operations, but Iran's participation has raised concerns among Western critics, highlighting shifting geopolitical alliances and South Africa's balancing act in a complex international landscape.
A Russian naval vessel joined Chinese and Iranian warships off South Africa for a week-long military exercise called 'Will for Peace 2026,' involving BRICS nations and aimed at enhancing regional maritime stability, amid tensions with the US over South Africa's diplomatic ties with Russia and Iran.
Researchers in China have successfully pushed the plasma density in their EAST nuclear fusion reactor beyond the long-standing Greenwald limit, achieving higher densities while maintaining stability, which could advance fusion energy development.
US Vice President JD Vance warned Europe to take Trump's threats to acquire Greenland seriously, highlighting concerns over US intentions amid China's and Russia's interests, with ongoing diplomatic discussions involving Denmark and Greenland to address the situation.
China has intensified its criticism of Japan's recent moves towards nuclear armament, accusing Tokyo of violating non-nuclear principles and threatening regional stability, while Japan denies these claims amid ongoing tensions over defense policies and regional security concerns.
