World News Roundup: China urges restraint as U.S. military searches for balloon remnants; How China's balloon over America steered its way into spying history and more

Speaking to reporters aboard the plane returning from a trip to Africa on Sunday, Francis also rejected claims by some conservative that Benedict, who died on Aug. 31, was embittered by some of current pope's decisions. Five Palestinian militants dead in Israeli W.Bank raid Israeli forces killed five Hamas militants on Monday during a raid on a refugee camp near the occupied West Bank city of Jericho, the Palestinian armed group and Israeli sources said.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

China urges restraint as U.S. military searches for balloon remnants

Beijing on Monday urged Washington to show restraint as the U.S. military searched for remnants of what it believes was a Chinese surveillance balloon it shot down over the Atlantic but which China says was a civilian craft that accidentally drifted astray. The balloon drama has further strained tense relations, prompting Washington to cancel a planned visit over the weekend to Beijing by Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

How China's balloon over America steered its way into spying history

When China's suspected surveillance balloon first passed into U.S. airspace north of Alaska's Aleutian Islands on Jan. 28, American officials believed there was a good chance it would keep traveling on a northern trajectory over sparsely populated areas. But two days later the balloon did something unexpected: it slowed down, almost loitering, over Canada. Then it changed course and headed south on a new trajectory that would eventually take it over the U.S. state of Idaho, officials said.

Ukraine's defence ministry in turmoil as Russia readies offensive

Ukraine sent mixed messages over the fate of its defence minister on Monday, leaving a key post in its war effort in doubt even as it braces for a new Russian offensive. The questions left dangling over Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov were the first public sign of serious disarray in Ukraine's wartime leadership, until now remarkably united during almost a year of all-out Russian military assault.

Senior Taiwan opposition leader to visit China amid continued tensions

A senior leader of the Kuomintang (KMT), Taiwan's main opposition party, will visit China this week and meet its top Taiwan policy-maker, the party said on Monday, amid continued military and political tensions between the two sides. China has during the past three years ramped up pressure on Taiwan to accept Chinese sovereignty, including staging regular military drills near the democratically governed island. Taiwan's government rejects China's territorial claims.

Major earthquake hits Turkey, Syria; hundreds dead, many trapped

More than 1,400 people were killed and thousands injured on Monday when a huge earthquake struck central Turkey and northwest Syria, pulversing apartment blocks and heaping more destruction on Syrian cities already devastated by years of war.

The magnitude 7.8 quake, which hit in the early darkness of a winter morning, worst to strike Turkey this century. It was also felt in Cyprus and Lebanon. It was followed in the early afternoon by another large quake, magnitude 7.7.

Hong Kong court makes landmark ruling protecting transgender rights

Hong Kong's top court on Monday ruled that the policy of barring transgender people from changing their gender shown on ID cards unless they undergo full sex reassignment surgery violates their rights and is unconstitutional. The Court of Final Appeal unanimously sided with appeals launched by transgender activists Henry Tse and another appellant identified as “Q” and quashed the Commissioner of Registration’s decision to refuse their applications to change their gender on their Hong Kong Identity Cards.

Pope says Church conservatives exploited death of ex-pope Benedict

Pope Francis has said some in the conservative wing of the Roman Catholic Church had exploited the death of the former pope, Benedict, in an unethical way for their own gains. Speaking to reporters aboard the plane returning from a trip to Africa on Sunday, Francis also rejected claims by some conservative that Benedict, who died on Aug. 31, was embittered by some of current pope's decisions.

Five Palestinian militants dead in Israeli W.Bank raid

Israeli forces killed five Hamas militants on Monday during a raid on a refugee camp near the occupied West Bank city of Jericho, the Palestinian armed group and Israeli sources said. Hamas's armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, said it would avenge the death of its members killed in the Aqbat Jabr refugee camp raid, which Israel said was aimed at capturing gunmen who had attempted a shooting attack on Israelis.

Exclusive-Huge chunk of plants, animals in U.S. at risk of extinction -report

A leading conservation research group found that 40% of animals and 34% of plants in the United States are at risk of extinction, while 41% of ecosystems are facing collapse. Everything from crayfish and cacti to freshwater mussels and iconic American species such as the Venus flytrap are in danger of disappearing, a report released on Monday found.

Landmark Hong Kong national security trial opens two years after arrests

The much-anticipated trial of 16 Hong Kong democracy activists charged under a national security law imposed by Beijing began on Monday with security tight for a case that some observers say will be a test of the city's judicial independence. The defendants are those who pleaded not guilty out of 47 arrested in a dawn raid in January 2021 and charged with conspiracy to commit subversion for participating in an unofficial primary election organised by democracy supporters in 2020.