A 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck Jishishan county in Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture of Northwest China's Gansu Province on Monday midnight. As of press time, the earthquake has caused 105 fatalities and 186 injuries in Gansu and another 11 were killed in neighboring Qinghai Province.

Chinese President Xi Jinping issued important instructions on Tuesday regarding the earthquake in Gansu, demanding full-scale search and rescue efforts, proper resettlement of affected people, and maximum efforts to ensure the safety of people's lives and property. Premier Li Qiang also issued instructions.

It is the deadliest earthquake in terms of casualties in China following the devastating 2010 earthquake in Yushu, Qinghai Province, and the second-largest in magnitude. 

Notably, since the 2010 Yushu quake, the biggest earthquake had also occurred in Gansu Province with a maximum magnitude of 6.6, resulting in nearly 100 fatalities.

Houses and infrastructure related to water, electricity, and roads in and around the epicenter have been damaged to varying degrees.

It has also been found that the earthquake-stricken area in Gansu experienced mountain collapses, and there was displacement in the supports of a local bridge. 

"I live on the 16th floor and felt the tremors so strongly. The moment of the earthquake was feeling like being tossed up after surging waves… I woke my family up and we rushed down all 16 floors in one breath," A resident living near the epicenter surnamed Qin told media. 

It was freezing cold out there at minus 12 C, and Qin noticed his neighbors also fleeing from surrounding buildings, some wearing down jackets, some wrapped in blankets, and some even bare-chested.

The earthquake also affected the neighboring province of Qinghai. As of 6 am on Tuesday, the earthquake has resulted in 11 deaths and 140 injuries in Haidong city in Qinghai Province. 

Some houses have collapsed in counties and districts such as Minhe, Xunhua, and Hualong. Local electricity lines and communication networks are under urgent repair, and efforts in personnel rescue and disaster assessment are still ongoing.

In light of the severe disaster, the State Council's Earthquake Relief Command and the Ministry of Emergency Management have raised the national earthquake emergency response to Level II. The National Disaster Prevention and Relief Committee and the Ministry of Emergency Management have also elevated the national disaster relief emergency response to Level II.

Following the earthquake, a total of 1,440 firefighters from the national comprehensive fire and rescue teams were deployed to the disaster area for rescue efforts. Additionally, 1,603 firefighters from Gansu and surrounding provinces have been assembled and are on standby.

Army units from the PLA Western Theater Command swiftly prepared for emergency response. Over 300 officers and soldiers were mobilized overnight and arrived in the severely affected area by 4 am Tuesday to commence personnel search and rescue operations, road clearance, and other tasks.

According to Gansu earthquake administration, multiple consecutive tremors occurred late at night, with the maximum magnitude reaching 6.2. A total of 140 aftershocks have been recorded, with the largest measuring 4.1 in magnitude. 

Areas in other regions including Southwest China's Sichuan Province, Northwest China's Shaanxi Province and Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, also experienced tremors.

The China Earthquake Networks Center has organized experts to conduct analysis on the seismic activity near the epicenter in Gansu, which occurred in the southeastern part of the province, approximately three kilometers from the nearest fault line - the northern edge fault of Laji Mountain. 

Preliminary analysis of the focal mechanism indicates that this earthquake was a thrust rupture. 

The active tectonic zone in southeastern Gansu lies in the northern part of the North-South Seismic Belt in China and is an important region on the northeastern edge of the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) Plateau. Due to the long-term compression between the Eurasian Plate and the Indian Plate, intense tectonic activity occurs in this region, characterized by the development of numerous deep-seated faults.

Within a 200-kilometer radius of the epicenter of this earthquake, there have been three earthquakes measuring magnitude 6 or higher since 1900. All were either isolated or main shock-aftershock type earthquakes.

The significant casualties this time also stem from the poor seismic resistance of buildings, relatively dense population in affected areas, and the timing of the quake when people are usually asleep and unable to evacuate in time.

The Earthquake Early Warning System, jointly developed by the Institute of Care-life and the China Earthquake Administration, told the Global Times that it had alerted the regions ahead of the earthquake. 

It provided warning to the Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture located 56 kilometers from the epicenter 12 seconds before the quake, and some 20 seconds to regions adjacent, including Gansu's capital city of Lanzhou. 

Preliminary statistics show that domestically manufactured mobile phones, televisions, and other devices equipped with the warning system were able to issue alerts in advance within the affected earthquake zone. 

The ruins of an ancient city in Nanjing, East China's Jiangsu Province, have recently been dated to more than 3,000 years ago. The discovery has pushed back the recorded history of Nanjing by 600 years.

The discovered site has been identified as the ancient city of Changgan, which was once been depicted by China's great Tang Dynasty (618-907) literati Li Bai in his poetry collection Ballad of Changgan.

The ancient city reveals circular trenches, wall foundations, water wells and a sacrificial pit for a pig. Consecutive excavations over the past six years have gradually unveiled the architectural layout of the city site.

The circular trenches, in particular, are considered a distinctive feature that signifies the site's past as a city.

"In ancient times, trenches played a crucial role in a city's defense. Therefore, the presence of a defensive system featuring trenches and walls is a significant indication of an ancient city," stated Chen Dahai, the lead archaeologist of the project and an associate professor at the Nanjing Archaeological Research Institute.

The site was discovered to trace back more than 3,000 years, indicating its establishment during the Shang (c. 1600 BC-1046 BC) and Zhou (1046 BC-256 BC) dynasties.

This discovery has extended Nanjing's recorded history by an additional 600 years.

Historian Fang Gang told the Global Times that "the city of Nanjing was traditionally believed to have been founded 2,500 years ago." It is renowned for being the capital of the country for 13 dynasties, including the notable Song (420-479) and Ming (1368-1644) dynasties.

"The dating of the discovery places it around 3,100 years ago. It stands as a remarkable archaeological find in Nanjing in 2023," said Wang Wei, chairman of the Chinese Archaeology Council and also chief expert for China's Project to Trace the Origins of Chinese Civilization.

Archaeologist Lu Zhaojun told the Global Times that the new discovery may also provide "details about ancient Chinese peoples' cultural practices, ritual beliefs as well as their daily lives."

He also emphasized that, in addition to architectural remains, the site should contain artifacts that belonged to people living 3,000 years ago.

Several pieces of pottery with orderly triangle decorations were discovered at the site. These wares are diverse and include ritual vessels such as the ding (a ritual food vessel).

Archaeologist Wang Meng, a specialist in Shang and Zhou dynasty archaeology, told the Global Times that "pottery" was the primary medium for crafting utensils during that era. In addition to the ding, pottery dou and gui were commonly used as cooking utensils, serving as "dishes or containers for liquids, typically wine."

"Those patterns like the triangles decorating the pottery wares are also interesting. They are the results of the exchanges between the cultures of northern and southern China," Wang noted.

Pig bones and charcoal substances were also found at the site, documenting the lives of the Shang and Zhou people.

The ancient city of Changan was discovered within the Nanjing's West Street Ruins and is located close to another historical site called the Porcelain Tower of Nanjing, also known as Dabaoen Temple.

The West Street Ruins cover a total excavation area of 12,000 square meters. More than 10,000 pieces of various archaeological items have been found at the site, including the "ancient city of Changgan."

"I've visited the West Street Ruins once. It is huge and has a lot of interesting discoveries like brick kilns and small alleys that were created by ancient people. You can see the lively city scene back then," Wang noted.

"The new discovery, along with the West Street Ruins' history shows the historical continuity of Chinese culture," Wang emphasized.

Both the West Street Ruins and its Changgan ancient city are now part of the West Street Archaeological Site Park program. The program is dedicated to better exhibiting the historical site to the public through cultural events and activities.

Children cheer during celebrations to mark the 60th anniversary of Kenya's independence at Uhuru Gardens in Nairobi, Kenya, on Dec. 12, 2023. Kenya's Jamhuri Day or Independence Day, observed on Dec. 12 each year, is one of the most important national holidays in Kenya. Kenya obtained its independence from the United Kingdom on Dec. 12, 1963.(Photo: Xinhua)

NBA superstars used to visit China during their season break, connecting avid basketball fans who are thousands miles away from North America. 

After the COVID-19 pandemic put a halt to such activities, Greek star Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks led the list of NBA players resuming trips to the world's most populous country where basketball remains highly popular. 

Despite not being the first NBA star to visit China this year, the presence of Antetokounmpo - known in China as "Letter Bro" due to the difficulty of pronouncing his surname - backed by his honors such as back-to-back NBA regular season MVP awards in 2019 and 2020 as well as an NBA championship title in 2021, ignited a wave of fervent excitement among fans.

Though this was not his first trip to China, the "Greek Freak" seemed to embrace his nickname, even posting a picture on Instagram on his flight to China, captioned as "Greetings from the Letter Bro!" 

The popularity of Letter Bro in China was evident as the fans followed his bus by taking pictures, with them wearing the Bucks shirt with Antetokounmpo's name and number on it. 

Now without any competitive schedule, Antetokounmpo, on a promotional tour this time, got more time to interact with fans. Before coming to Beijing, he tried dragon boat and lion dance and visited a local school to unveil a new basketball court in Guangzhou, capital of South China's Guangdong Province. 

In Beijing, he taught students how to do the basketball trick Euro step after refereeing a game between two student team. 

Among many other highlights, he emphasized to the players that "having fun" is the most vital part of maintaining passion for the sport.

Additionally, Antetokounmpo participated in a training session with China's national under-16 basketball team in Beijing on Saturday. 

This demonstrates his willingness to engage with young basketball players and share his knowledge and skills with them. Bearing the accolades he has won, Antetokounmpo could inspire and motivate young players to pursue their passion for the sport.

Such a promotional tour brings significant commercial opportunities for players for sure, but it could also serve as a platform for cultural exchange. 

It enables the NBA stars to interact closely with Chinese players and fans, fostering a love for sports in general and basketball in particular, especially among the youngsters. 

It also allows Chinese fans to witness firsthand the skills and charisma of their favorite stars.

This exchange of cultures enriches the fan experience and fosters a sense of unity among basketball enthusiasts worldwide.

Antetokounmpo's visit highlights the power of sports in bridging cultural gaps and promoting mutual understanding, as it showcases the vibrant and passionate basketball culture in China. 

Basketball has become a universal language, bringing people together by transcending borders. 

Through his interactions with Chinese fans and players, he exemplifies the positive impact that athletes can have beyond the court. 

His visit not only elevates the sport but also reinforces the importance of fostering connections and understanding between different cultures.

 Through basketball, we can celebrate our shared love for the game and appreciate the diverse beauty of our global community.

China's Guo Hanyu won the women's singles tennis gold medal at the FISU Games on Sunday by making a comeback victory over Chinese Taipei player Yang Ya-yi 2-6, 6-1,6-1 

"The FISU Games have been fruitful for me," Guo told reporters after the match, as Sunday's win came on top of her silver medal in the women's doubles with teammate Jiang Xinyu on Saturday.

"I enjoyed the match today after seeing room for improvement in yesterday's defeat," said the Southwest University student athlete, who had won the doubles title in the previous FISU Games in 2019 in Napoli, Italy. 

Guo was one of the two flagbearers for China at the opening ceremony of the FISU Games. She said it gave her more of a boost rather than pressure. 

"It gives me a little pressure but more importantly impetus," Guo told the Global Times.

Guo played the match under the gaze of tennis great Zheng Jie, one of the Chinese female tennis trailblazers who won the Grand Slam doubles title at the Australian Open and the Wimbledon Championships in 2006.

Zheng, who is a Chengdu native and now a vice president of the Chinese Tennis Association (CTA), has been promoting tennis among the young generation in the recent years.

In 2010, she initiated youth tournaments with the aim of increasing the number of opportunities for young players to compete. 

Over the past 14 years, the CTA has incorporated more than 90 youth tournaments into their ranking system, providing ample chances for aspiring young talents to showcase their skills. 

"Nowadays, young Chinese tennis players, if they are willing to play, can find matches to play, which is something I never could even imagine during my playing career," Zheng told the Global Times. 

Fans watching the game at the Sichuan International Tennis Center in Chengdu, capital of Southwest China's Sichuan Province, were troubled by the rain, as it has postponed the men's singles as well as pairs final.