Hong Kong pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai was sentenced to 20 years in jail for colluding with foreign forces under the city's national security law, marking the harshest punishment yet under the controversial legislation, according to BBC World. The sentence, handed down on Monday, has drawn condemnation from rights groups who view it as a "death sentence" for the 78-year-old.
Lai's sentencing comes after China imposed the national security law following large-scale protests in 2019. The law, which China defends as essential for Hong Kong's stability, has led to the arrest of hundreds. Hong Kong's leader expressed satisfaction with the verdict. Lai, a British citizen, is the most prominent figure to be sentenced under the law.
In other news, Dutch speedskater Jutta Leerdam broke an Olympic record in the 1,000-meter speed skating event at the 2026 Milan Cortina games, leading to an emotional reaction from her fiancé, Jake Paul, according to Fox News. Paul was seen crying in the stands as Leerdam not only won gold but also set a new record with a time of 1:12.31.
Also, survivors of Jeffrey Epstein have called for the full release of files related to the late sex offender, as reported by BBC World. In a 40-second video released in the US on Super Bowl Sunday, survivors from the World Without Exploitation group held up photographs of their younger selves and stated, "we all deserve the truth." The US Department of Justice (DOJ) was legally obligated to make all files public in December of the previous year, but only some have been released, many with redactions. The DOJ said files not published were either unrelated, duplicates, or withheld under deliberative process privilege.
Meanwhile, Teddi Mellencamp reflected on her cancer journey one year after undergoing emergency brain surgery, as reported by Fox News. The former "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" star shared an image from her hospital stay in 2025, where electrodes were positioned across her head prior to a brain scan. Mellencamp, 44, shaved her head to prepare for surgery to remove several tumors.
Finally, the Munich Security Conference warned that the security order that has bound together the West and much of the rest of the world since the end of World War II is under attack from President Trump and like-minded leaders, according to the NY Times. The conference staff wrote that the world has entered an era of "wrecking ball politics" in their 2026 Munich Security Report. The conference, which opens on Friday, has taken on a more urgent tone amid growing concerns.
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