Welcome back to Wednesday! Traveling to a library conference for the rest of the week, so here are some headlines from around the world:

Fears intensify of return to civil war as South Sudan vice-president arrested
South Sudan’s first vice-president and main opposition leader, Riek Machar, has been placed under house arrest, prompting a warning from the UN that the country is at risk of relapsing into widespread conflict.

Machar’s party said his arrest had in effect collapsed the peace deal that ended the 2013-2018 civil war.

China looks south as it seeks to reduce reliance on a capricious United States
Chinese vice-premier Ding Xuexiang has pledged to give stronger policy support to the Chinese economy as he delivered the keynote speech at a forum focused on bolstering the country’s role in Asia and ties with the global south.

With the tariffs on Chinese goods mounting, China is trying to find a foundation for growth that does not rely on an increasingly capricious United States. At the Boao Forum for Asia, a conference in south China’s Hainan province, Chinese officials and academics stressed the need for partnerships with global south countries. Despite its rapid economic growth in the past three decades, China still identifies as being part of this group.

Turkish opposition rallies in defence of jailed Istanbul mayor in mass protest
Turkey’s main opposition has rallied in defence of the jailed Istanbul mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, in a move to sustain the largest anti-government demonstrations in years.

Hundreds of thousands of people attended the protest called by the head of the opposition Republican People’s party (CHP) in a spot far from the Istanbul city centre. The party leader, Özgur Özel, claimed 2.2 million people attended.

Myanmar earthquake: death toll passes 1,600 as search for survivors continues
The death toll from a huge earthquake that hit Myanmar has passed 1,600, as rescuers continue a desperate search for survivors and aid agencies warn of an “extremely difficult” response amid the country’s continuing conflict.

The shallow 7.7-magnitude quake struck central Myanmar on Friday afternoon, and was followed minutes later by a 6.7-magnitude aftershock. Witness reports and social media footage suggest extensive damage in Mandalay, Myanmar’s second biggest city, where buildings, religious sites and main roads were either destroyed or damaged.

Be kind and thoughtful today. Cheers.