China's National Cultural Heritage Administration published a list of the 10 most important discoveries in 2025 with excavations in very different regions of the country, covering both the dawn of Chinese civilisation and the evolution of imperial dynasties. This is part of Xi Jinping's drive to boost cultural identity.

Leo XIV spoke about his apostolic visit, "a message of peace" amid "wars" and "violations of international law,” an opportunity for “African peoples [. . .] to make their voices heard”, “strengthening bridges" in Algeria, and “countering the various forms of neo-colonialism” in Cameroon. In Angola, hope can resist the “empty promises of the powerful." The pope also mentioned the song by prisoners in Bata praising God.

The government has given the green light to a railway corridor linking the bauxite deposits at Sijimali and Kutrumali. The decision comes after violent clashes with local communities, who denounce land expropriation, environmental damage and violations of their rights, which are also enshrined in law. The government defends the project in the name of development, but protests against mining expansion have been ongoing for three years.

Several civilians, including two minors, are among the 19 people killed in the province of Negros Occidental during an operation by the 79th Infantry Battalion. The carnage highlights how activists and community workers are caught up in the war against the communist New People's Army. This comes at the time the Philippines holds the rotating presidency of Association of Southeast Asian Nations. For the ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights, the latest incident “violates international humanitarian law”.

This is what emerges from the report “Children in Statistics 2025” compiled by TurkStat. In 1970, children accounted for 48.5% of the population; today they account for 24.8%. Regional disparities in infant mortality; the southeastern regions have the highest number of children. Record numbers also for minors in prison, in pretrial detention, or convicted. A new law against social media use by those under 15.

Today's headlines: Diplomatic crisis between Ukraine and Israel over a Russian grain ship from the occupied territories docked at the port of Haifa; China extends duty-free status to all African countries, previously limited to the 33 poorest nations; In Orissa, a man takes his sister’s skeleton to a bank to obtain funds from her bank account that had previously been denied.