Small State Diplomacy

40 years of US-Israeli aggression against Iran has culminated in the 2026 war of choice and exposure of the limits of US power in a military environment dominated not by naval power and boots on the ground, but by drones and missiles. Tensions first shifted from a 1953 CIA-backed coup to direct military confrontation in 2026, driven by nuclear, geopolitical, economic [energy] and regional power struggles.

Key Historical Precursors

* 1953: The Coup of Mohammad Mosaddegh: The CIA and British intelligence orchestrated a coup to overthrow Iran’s democratically elected Prime Minister, reinstating Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi to protect oil interests.

* 1979: Iranian Revolution and Hostage Crisis: Iran became an Islamic Republic, labeling the US “Great Satan.” Militants held 52 Americans hostage for 444 days, severing formal diplomatic ties.

* 1980–1988: Iran-Iraq War: The US supported Iraq’s invasion of Iran, contributing to deep-seated mistrust.

* 1988: Iran Air Flight 655: The U.S. Navy shot down an Iranian civilian airliner, killing 290 people.

* 2002: “Axis of Evil”: President George W. Bush designated Iran as part of an “axis of evil” after revelations of undeclared nuclear facilities.

Escalation Timeline (2015–2025)

* 2015: Iran Nuclear Deal (JCPOA): The US and allies signed a deal with Iran to curb its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.

* 2018: U.S. Withdrawal: President Trump withdrew from the JCPOA, reimposing “maximum pressure” sanctions.

* 2020: Killing of Qassem Soleimani: A U.S. drone strike killed the Iranian top military leader in Baghdad. Iran responded with missile attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq.

* June 2025: 12-Day Israel-Iran War & US Intervention: Following attacks on Israel-backed groups, Israel and the US engaged in a 12-day offensive, targeting Iranian nuclear facilities (Fordow, Natanz) with bunker-buster bombs.

* Sept 2025: “Snapback” Sanctions: UN sanctions were reimposed on Iran.

The 2026 Iran War (Operation Epic Fury)

* February 28, 2026: Operation Epic Fury Begins: The U.S. and Israel launched over 900 strikes in 12 hours. The campaign targeted Iranian missile sites, air defenses, and leadership.

* March 1-2, 2026: Death of Khamenei: Reports confirmed the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in the initial strikes.

* March 2026: Retaliation and Conflict Expansion: Iran retaliated by striking U.S. military bases in the Middle East, leading to at least six American service member deaths.

* March 2026: Civilian Casualties: Initial strikes included a strike on a girls’ school in Minab, killing over 170 people.

* March 20, 2026: Ongoing Conflict: Despite claims that the nuclear program was “obliterated,” the conflict remained ongoing with shifting goals, with U.S. officials projecting a potential weeks-long campaign.

The US-Israeli war on Iran, officially named Operation Epic Fury, has been used to justify the Trump administration’s attempts to decapitate the theocratic rulers of Iran, destroy Iran’s missile capabilities, navy, and nuclear ambitions, and to stop its funding of regional shia allies, the Houthis, Hezbollah and Hamas.

The June 2025 and February 2026 attacks on Iran, first by Israel and then the United States of America, has confirmed the transformation of the US republic from unipolar hegemon into a neuralgic global tyrant. The Trump administration has completed the post 9/11 transformation of the US into a fiscal military state dedicated to the subordination of the Western hemisphere, Western Asia, Western Pacific, and beyond. Alarmingly, the so-called ‘West,’ under the banner ‘Coalition of the Willing,’ has directly supported the Trump administrations turn to global violence. This quote from US Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, March 2026 illustrates the dangerous Hollywood movie script banality of US ambitions.

“If you kill Americans, if you threaten Americans anywhere on Earth, we will hunt you down without apology and without hesitation and we will kill you”

As the most profound source of aggression and instability in the world the US has not only exposed its state of heightened neuralgia, caused by the rise of China and the Global South, but also its inability to foster diplomatic solutions to global challenges through the global multilateral framework including the United Nations. The US withdrawal from international organisations is a calculated strategy to deflect global abhorrence inspired by its naked aggression and stated objective to regain global hegemony.

After president Biden’s failed attempt to collapse the economy and government of Russia, the Trump administration embarked on a grand strategy of global energy domination via the weaponisation of direct and secondary sanctions and unconstitutional tariffs on both allies and adversaries alike and, destructive military interventions in Syria, Venezuela, and Iran. These economic and military attacks compound the regional instability caused by previous US/NATO campaigns against Libya, occupation of Iraq, attempted colour revolutions in the Caucuses and, dénouement of its proxy war in Ukraine.

In its campaign to disarm and suborn Iran, the US has adopted Israels tactics of pre-emptive attacks and assassinations and thereby set a historic precedent for the deceptive use of diplomatic negotiations to cover military preparation, conduct capture and assassination operations against foreign leaders and officials, and to ensure Israeli hegemony, via military superiority underwritten by the US, over the region stretching from the Nile to the Euphrates, including Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen and now Iran.

While questions remain over the ability of Iran to withstand the US/Israeli assaults and maintain national and social stability, the Iranian strategy is to use its advanced missile and drone capabilities to disrupt regional air and sea transport and global energy supply chains by attacking US military bases, closing the Strait of Hormuz and demonstrating its ability to attack oil and gas infrastructure. By overstretching the US’ ability to provide missile interceptors to all bases and regional allies, hold naval forces beyond airstrike distance, force evacuation of US military personnel and increase the economic, political, and social costs of a potential region-wide conflict, Iran seeks to inflict maximum financial, logistical and social damage upon the US and its allies.

However, the predatory tactics and strategies of Israel and the US are accelerating not only the political fragmentation of West Asia, including Türkiye, and Europe, but also US domestic politics. While the EU, especially Germany and the UK, struggle to reindustrialise after the energy shock caused by their failed NATO campaign to topple Vladimir Putin, a second Iran energy shock is likely to further diminish the political, economic and social cohesion of ‘Western’ states, including France, Japan and, most importantly, the United States itself.

The Trump administration faces serious economic challenges over and above the surge in energy, and precious and critical mineral prices caused by its cynical aggression toward Iran. With an already unsustainable national debt of $38 trillion, a declining dollar and treasury values, all-time highs in equities and probable financial bubbles in AI and semiconductor production, sticky inflation, falling living standards, continuing de-industrialisation, the fallout from the Epstein files, and strained relations with nearly all its neighbours and allies, the Trump administration has chosen to double down on territorial expansion, and/or controlling influence, in an attempt to balance its national accounts with resource acquisition and global supply chain control.

Looking deeper, the Trump administration’s disengagement from Europe, imposition of the ‘Donroe Doctrine’ in the western hemisphere and aggression against Iran is not only the desire to dominate global energy and finance markets, but a tyrannical fervour to leverage its new territorial and resource acquisitions, or proxy control thereof, to weaken Russia before returning to its ultimate objective of undermining the security of East and Southeast Asia to contain China.

For the BRICS+ and the Global South, a sustained campaign of de-Americanisation, including limiting US social media and software generally, cultural and religious activities and expulsion of activist NGO’s are as necessary as de-dollarisation and reduced purchases of US goods and services, disposal of US treasuries, and the imposition of carefully crafted sanctions and tariffs - designed to weaken the US military’s ability to operate and sustain expeditionary violence against sovereign states.

Meanwhile, the very fabric of the post-WWII global order has effectively unravelled as the Trump administration attempts to sabotage the global transition to multipolarity, which it sees as the cause of its economic and diplomatic decline, by imposing a new form of global tyranny. Donald Trump’s foreign policy of naked aggression and disregard for sovereignty and international (and domestic) law is generating a wave of “global adversity,” that inadvertently creates the very conditions and motives for further US [Western] decline and Donald Trump’s own downfall - “sic semper tyrannis – thus always to tyrants”.

NB: Dr. Digby James Wren is the Chair of BRCP Geopolitical Risk Advisors (Beijing, Melbourne, Paris, Phnom Penh), Visiting Professor at ICES, France, and publisher of Small State Diplomacy Substack.

As the 2025 SCO Tianjin Summit approaches, we have produced a special program to discuss the expectations for the meeting, what the media can do to promote further collaboration, and the summit's broader significance for the world.

List of Outcomes of the Meeting between the Foreign Ministers of China and India_Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China

On 18 August 2025, H.E. Mr. Wang Yi, Member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China held bilateral talks with H.E. Dr. S.Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister of the Republic of India in New Delhi. The two sides had positive, constructive and forward-looking discussions on bilateral, regional and international issues of common interest and agreed on the following understandings and outcomes:

1.Both sides underscored that the strategic guidance of the leaders of India and China plays an irreplaceable and crucial role in the development of India-China relations. They agreed that a stable, cooperative and forward-looking bilateral relationship is in their mutual interest to realize their development potential fully. They further agreed that both sides should earnestly implement the important common understandings reached between the two leaders and promote the sustained, sound and steady development of India-China relations.

2.The Chinese side welcomed Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's attendance at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit to be held in Tianjin. The Indian side reaffirmed its full support to the Chinese SCO Presidency, and looked forward to a successful SCO Summit with fruitful outcomes.

3.Both sides agreed to support each other in hosting successful diplomatic events. The Chinese side will support India in hosting the 2026 BRICS Summit. The Indian side will support China in hosting the 2027 BRICS Summit.

4.Both sides agreed to explore and resume various official bilateral dialogue mechanisms and exchanges to enhance cooperation and address each other’s concerns and properly manage differences, including holding the Third Meeting of the India-China High-level Mechanism on People-to-People Exchanges in India in 2026.

5.Both sides agreed to continue supporting each other in holding events in 2025 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between India and China.

6.Both sides agreed to resume direct flight connectivity between Chinese mainland and India at the earliest and finalize an updated Air Services Agreement. Both sides also agreed on the facilitation of visas to tourists, businesses, media and other visitors in both directions.

7.Both sides agreed to continue and further expand the scale of Indian pilgrimage to Mount Gang Renpoche/Mt. Kailash and Lake Mapam Yun Tso/Manasarovar in Xizang Autonomous Region of China in 2026.

8.Both sides agreed to facilitate trade and investment flows between the two countries through concrete measures.

9. Both sides agreed to jointly maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas through friendly consultations.

10.Both sides agreed to uphold multilateralism, enhance communication on major international and regional issues,  maintain a rules-based multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core, and promote a multipolar world that safeguards the interest of developing countries.

China FM

Latin America Must Forge Its Own Path Through Pragmatic Partnerships, Says Colombian Content Creator

In a recent discussion, Fernando Muñoz Bernal, a Colombian content creator and advocate for Latin American sovereignty, urged nations within the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) to abandon outdated alliance-based mentalities and instead prioritize practical, solution-oriented partnerships. Speaking candidly about regional challenges, Muñoz emphasised that the future of Latin America hinges not on ideological alignment with global powers but on collaboration with partners who offer tangible benefits tailored to local needs.

Rejecting Camp Politics in Favour of Solutions

Muñoz critiqued the historical tendency of Latin American nations to align themselves with geopolitical blocs, arguing that such alliances often undermine regional autonomy. “The path forward isn’t about choosing camps—it’s about choosing solutions,” he stated. He highlighted China as a model partner, citing its track record of investing in infrastructure, technology, and education as evidence of its reliability. Unlike traditional powers, Muñoz noted, China’s approach emphasizes mutual benefit rather than dominance. “We don’t need to be behind one single country. We can choose whoever offers the best solutions,” he asserted.

Divergent Development Paths: Latin America vs. China

A central theme of Muñoz’s argument was the stark contrast between Latin America’s economic trajectory and China’s rise as a global innovator. While China strategically developed its manufacturing sector, educated its workforce, and embraced technological advancement, Latin America, he argued, lagged due to underinvestment and reliance on raw material exports. “We did not enjoy the possibilities China had to build its manufacturing base or educate its labor force,” Muñoz lamented. This disparity, he stressed, has left the region overly vulnerable to external pressures, such as U.S. tariffs, without the industrial resilience to counterbalance them.

To bridge this gap, Muñoz called for urgent investments in domestic manufacturing, vocational training, and innovation. “We need to educate our people and build industries that allow us to compete globally,” he said. Only through self-reliance, he argued, can Latin America reduce dependency on volatile global markets and external political agendas.

Dispelling Fear, Embracing Opportunity

Muñoz also addressed widespread skepticism toward China in Latin America, attributing it to misinformation propagated by Western media and local elites. “All we hear are fears about China’s influence—what they ‘might do’ or ‘could do,’” he remarked. Such narratives, he argued, overshadow China’s adherence to the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence—a 1953 framework emphasizing mutual respect, non-aggression, and non-interference. “There’s no record of China violating these principles or imposing its will on others,” Muñoz contended, contrasting this with what he described as the United States’ history of interventionism.

He urged Latin Americans to assess partnerships based on outcomes rather than rhetoric. “China works with us in a win-win manner. Why not choose them?” he asked, pointing to collaborative projects in renewable energy, telecommunications, and trade as proof of China’s constructive role.

A Call for Paradigm Shifts

For Muñoz, the key takeaway for CELAC nations is clear: sovereignty begins with pragmatic, non-ideological partnerships. He criticized the region’s elites for perpetuating dependency on traditional allies while dismissing alternatives. “We’ve been brainwashed to fear change,” he said, urging citizens to demand leaders who prioritize local development over geopolitical posturing.

Ultimately, Muñoz envisions a Latin America that leverages global partnerships to build self-sufficiency rather than perpetuate subordination. “Our goal should be innovation, not allegiance,” he concluded. As the region grapples with economic uncertainty and shifting global power dynamics, his message underscores the urgency of redefining Latin America’s place in a multipolar world—one partnership at a time.

https://mediawithoutmeans.org/en/

Full Text: President Xi's keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC Forum

BEIJING, May 13 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC (the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum.

The following is the full text of the speech:

Writing a New Chapter in Building

A China-LAC Community with a Shared Future

Keynote Address by H.E. Xi Jinping

President of the People's Republic of China

At the Opening Ceremony

Of the Fourth Ministerial Meeting of the China-CELAC Forum

Beijing, May 13, 2025

Your Excellency President Gustavo Petro,

Your Excellency President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva,

Your Excellency President Gabriel Boric,

Your Excellency President Dilma Rousseff,

Delegates of CELAC Member States,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Friends,

It gives me great pleasure to meet so many old and new friends from Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries in Beijing. On behalf of the Chinese government and people, I extend a warm welcome to you all.

In 2015, LAC delegates and I attended the opening ceremony of the First Ministerial Meeting of the China-CELAC Forum in Beijing, which marked the launch of the China-CELAC Forum. Ten years on, with dedicated nurturing of both sides, the Forum has grown from a tender sapling into a towering tree. This fills me with deep pride and satisfaction.

Although China and the LAC region are geographically distant, the bonds of our friendship stretch back through centuries. As early as in the 16th century, Nao de China, or "Ships of China," laden with friendship, shuttled across the Pacific, marking the dawn of interactions and exchanges between China and the LAC region. From the 1960s onward, as New China established diplomatic ties with some LAC countries, exchanges and cooperation between the two sides became closer and closer. Since the turn of the century and in particular in recent years, China and LAC countries have ushered in a historic era of building a shared future.

We stand shoulder to shoulder and support each other. China appreciates the long-standing commitment of LAC countries that have diplomatic ties with China to the one-China principle. China firmly supports LAC countries in pursuing development paths suited to their national conditions, safeguarding sovereignty and independence, and opposing external interference. In the 1960s, mass rallies and demonstrations took place across China in support of the Panamanian people's rightful claim to sovereignty over the Panama Canal. In the 1970s, during the Latin American campaign for 200-nautical-mile maritime rights, China voiced its resolute and unequivocal support for the legitimate demands of developing countries. For 32 consecutive times since 1992, China has consistently voted for the United Nations (U.N.) General Assembly resolutions calling for an end to the U.S. embargo against Cuba.

We ride the tide of progress together to pursue win-win cooperation. Embracing the trend of economic globalization, China and LAC countries have deepened cooperation in trade, investment, finance, science and technology, infrastructure, and many other fields. Under the framework of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, the two sides have implemented more than 200 infrastructure projects, creating over a million jobs. The China-LAC satellite cooperation program has set a model for high-tech South-South cooperation. The inauguration of Chancay Port in Peru has established a new land-and-sea connectivity link between Asia and Latin America. China has signed free trade agreements with Chile, Peru, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Nicaragua. Last year, trade between China and LAC countries exceeded US$500 billion for the first time, an increase of over 40 times from the beginning of this century.

We unite in tough times to conquer challenges through mutual support. China and LAC countries have collaborated on disaster prevention, mitigation and relief and on joint response to hurricanes, earthquakes and other natural disasters. Since 1993, China has dispatched 38 medical teams to the Caribbean. When the pandemic of the century struck, China was among the first to offer assistance to LAC countries, providing over 300 million doses of vaccines and nearly 40 million units of medical supplies and equipment, and sending multiple teams of medical experts. All this helped protect the lives of hundreds of millions across the region.

We uphold solidarity and coordination and rise to global challenges with resolve. Together, China and LAC countries champion true multilateralism, uphold international fairness and justice, advance global governance reform, and promote multipolarization of the world and greater democracy in international relations. We have worked together to address global challenges like climate change, and advance progress in global biodiversity governance. China and Brazil jointly issued a six-point common understanding on the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis, which has been endorsed by more than 110 countries, contributing our wisdom and strength to resolving international hotspot issues.

Facts have shown that China and LAC countries are advancing hand in hand as a community with a shared future. This community of ours is founded upon equality, powered by mutual benefit and win-win, invigorated by openness and inclusiveness, and dedicated to the people's well-being. It exhibits enduring vitality and holds immense promise.

Distinguished Delegates,

Friends,

The century-defining transformation is accelerating across the globe, with multiple risks compounding one another. Such developments make unity and cooperation among nations indispensable for safeguarding global peace and stability and for promoting global development and prosperity. There are no winners in tariff wars or trade wars. Bullying or hegemonism only leads to self-isolation. China and LAC countries are important members of the Global South. Independence and autonomy are our glorious tradition. Development and revitalization are our inherent right. And fairness and justice are our common pursuit. In the face of seething undercurrents of geopolitical and bloc confrontation and the surging tide of unilateralism and protectionism, China stands ready to join hands with our LAC partners to launch five programs that advance our shared development and revitalization, and contribute to a China-LAC community with a shared future.

The first is Solidarity Program. China will work with LAC countries to support each other on issues bearing on our respective core interests and major concerns. We must enhance exchanges in all fields, and strengthen communication and coordination on major international and regional issues. In the next three years, to facilitate our exchanges on national governance best practices, China will invite 300 members from political parties of CELAC member states every year to visit China. China supports the efforts by LAC countries in increasing their influence on the multilateral stage. We will work with LAC countries to firmly safeguard the international system with the U.N. at its core and the international order underpinned by international law, and to speak with one voice in international and regional affairs.

The second is Development Program. China will work with LAC countries to implement the Global Development Initiative. We will resolutely uphold the multilateral trading system, ensure stable, unimpeded global industrial and supply chains, and promote an international environment of openness and cooperation. We should foster greater synergy between our development strategies, expand high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and bolster cooperation in traditional areas such as infrastructure, agriculture and food, and energy and minerals. We should expand cooperation in emerging areas such as clean energy, 5G telecommunications, the digital economy and artificial intelligence, and carry out the China-LAC Science and Technology Partnership. China will increase imports of quality products from LAC countries, and encourage its enterprises to expand investment in the LAC region. We will provide a RMB66 billion yuan credit line to support LAC countries' development.

The third is Civilization Program. China will work with LAC countries to implement the Global Civilization Initiative. We should uphold the vision of equality, mutual learning, dialogue, and inclusiveness between civilizations, and champion humanity's common values of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom. We should enhance China-LAC civilizational exchanges and mutual learning, including through a conference on China-LAC inter-civilizational dialogue. We should deepen cultural and artistic exchanges and cooperation, and hold the Latin American and Caribbean Arts Season. We should strengthen exchanges and cooperation in cultural heritage fields such as joint archaeological projects, conservation and restoration of ancient and historic sites, and museum exhibitions. We should also carry out collaborative studies of ancient civilizations and enhance cooperation to combat illicit trafficking of cultural property.

The fourth is Peace Program. China will work with LAC countries to implement the Global Security Initiative. China supports the Proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace and the Declaration of Member States of the Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean. The two sides should cooperate more closely in disaster governance, cybersecurity, counterterrorism, anti-corruption, narcotics control and combating transnational organized crime so as to safeguard security and stability in the region. China will organize law enforcement training programs tailored to the needs of CELAC member states, and do our best to provide equipment assistance.

The fifth is People-to-People Connectivity Program. In the next three years, China will provide CELAC member states with 3,500 government scholarships, 10,000 training opportunities in China, 500 International Chinese Language Teachers Scholarships, 300 training opportunities for poverty reduction professionals, and 1,000 funded placements through the Chinese Bridge program. We will initiate 300 "small and beautiful" livelihood projects, actively promote vocational education cooperation programs such as Luban Workshop, and support CELAC member states in developing Chinese language education. We will also launch an exhibition of Chinese films and TV programs under The Bond, and work with LAC countries to translate and introduce 10 premium TV dramas and audiovisual programs annually to each other. China will host the China-LAC tourism dialogue with LAC countries. To facilitate friendly exchanges, China has decided to implement a visa exemption for five LAC countries as the first step, and will expand this policy coverage at proper times.

Distinguished Delegates,

Friends,

As an 11th-century Chinese poet wrote, "Life's greatest joy comes from finding kindred spirits." Latin America has a similar proverb which goes, "The one who has a friend has a treasure." No matter how the world changes, China will always stand by LAC countries as a good friend and a good partner. Let us march forward together on our paths toward modernization, working together to write a new chapter in building a China-LAC community with a shared future. ■

https://english.news.cn/20250513/2d9c7e8de4eb40ec873c314793ec880b/c.html

Featured contributor Dr. Yasir Masood delivers a poignant commentary on the ongoing conflict in Gaza, highlighting the severe humanitarian crisis faced by Palestinians under the colonial Zionist project. It describes the devastating impact of the apartheid regime, which inflicts war crimes against the innocent, including children, turning their homes into rubble. Dr. Masood questions the morality of such acts and the silence of the international community, framing it as collaboration.

It challenges the notion of security justifying slaughter and criticizes the hypocrisy of those promoting human rights while supporting the destruction of Palestinian lives. Dr. Masood’s narrative underscores the ideological underpinnings of the violence, masked as liberal democracy, and calls out the double standards of those who finance and support these actions while preaching civilization.

Dr. Masood appeals to the global community to recognize the atrocities in Gaza, asking whether they will continue to ignore the suffering or take a stand, as China has called for. He advocates for an immediate ceasefire, the provision of humanitarian aid, and the establishment of peace that respects Palestinian dignity. Dr. Masood emphasises that choosing to remain silent is equivalent to taking sides in the conflict, urging for a collective outcry against the violations in Gaza.

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-04-30/Will-Gaza-remain-under-the-rubble-of-screaming-silence--1CZFDadErGo/p.html

Thirteen killed, dozens under rubble as Israel bombs Gaza amid food crisis

The entire Strip, with a population of two million people, may be on the brink of famine as the World Food Programme runs out of supplies.

Four victims, at least, were killed in a strike on a home in the city’s Sabra neighbourhood on Saturday, with the residents forced to dig the ground with their bare hands to reach people buried in the debris.

Mahmoud Basal, spokesman for Gaza’s civil defence agency, said a lack of rescue equipment has prevented emergency workers from reaching those buried underneath the collapsed building bombed by Israel before dawn.

“Our crews cannot reach them because of the lack of the necessary machinery,” he told the AFP news agency.

Earlier this week, Israeli aircraft destroyed 40 engineering vehicles the civil defence teams were using to remove heavy debris during rescue operations.

Israeli air raids also hit other parts of the Strip on Saturday, including al-Mawasi and Khan Younis, as the besieged territory faces impending mass starvation amid an ongoing genocide.

After 18 months of the Israeli military invasion that has killed more than 51,000 Palestinians, the situation in Gaza “is probably the worst” it has been, the United Nations warned.

The UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) on Friday said the entire Strip, with a population of two million people, may be on the brink of famine and aid kitchens are “expected to fully run out of food in the coming days”.

Israel’s ongoing blockade has meant no food, fuel or medicine has entered Gaza for two months. For many Palestinians in Gaza, community kitchens were their only source of nutrition after Israeli forces destroyed almost all food production facilities.

WFP has appealed to the international community to put pressure on Israel to lift the blockade, saying more than 116,000 metric tonnes of food assistance – enough to feed one million people for up to four months – are already positioned for delivery “as soon as borders reopen”.

Reporting from Deir el-Balah on Saturday, Al Jazeera’s Tareq Abu Azzoum said the humanitarian crisis in the besieged territory “has reached a very unprecedented breaking point”.

“Civilians are really struggling to cope with this crisis,” he said.

Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA, said the crisis was “man-made”.

Michael Fakhri, UN rapporteur on the right to food, said Israel is “executing this starvation campaign with no repercussions”.

The World Health Organization said the situation was no different for medical supplies, with WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus pleading on X for the aid blockade to end.

At least 2,062 people have been killed in Gaza since Israel resumed its deadly campaign against Hamas on March 18, and more than 50,000 since October 7, 2023. Hamas’s attack on Israel killed 1,218 people, mostly civilians.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/4/26/13-killed-dozens-under-rubble-as-israel-bombs-gaza-amid-food-crisis

Israel warns of 'larger' Gaza assault as air strikes kill at least 55

Israeli air strikes on Gaza Thursday killed at least 55 people as the military warned of a wider assault if the remaining hostages seized during Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel were not released. The strikes came amid mounting pressure from Israeli officials and expanding evacuation orders, deepening the humanitarian crisis in the war-torn enclave.

Gaza rescue teams and medics said Israeli air strikes killed at least 55 people on Thursday, as the military threatened an even larger offensive if hostages were not freed soon.

Israel resumed its military assault in the Gaza Strip on March 18, after the collapse of a two-month ceasefire that had brought a temporary halt to fighting in the blockaded Palestinian territory.

Israel's army chief, visiting troops in Gaza on Thursday, threatened to expand the offensive in Gaza if hostages seized during Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel were not released.

"If we do not see progress in the return of the hostages in the near future, we will expand our activities to a larger and more significant operation," Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir said.

The warning came as the army issued fresh evacuation orders for northern areas of Gaza ahead of a planned attack.

Earlier in the day, six members of one family – a couple and their four children – were killed when an air strike levelled their home in northern Gaza City, the civil defence agency said in a statement.

Nidal al-Sarafiti, a relative, said the strike happened as the family was sleeping.

"What can I say? The destruction has spared no one," he told AFP.

Nine people were killed and several wounded in another strike on a former police station in the Jabalia area of northern Gaza, according to a statement from the Indonesian hospital, where the casualties were taken.

"Everyone started running and screaming, not knowing what to do from the horror and severity of the bombing," said Abdel Qader Sabah, 23, from Jabalia.

Israel's military said it struck a Hamas "command and control centre" in the area but did not say whether it was the police station.

In another deadly attack, the bodies of 12 people were recovered after the Hajj Ali family home, also in Jabalia, was struck, the civil defence said.

Another 28 people were killed in strikes across the territory, medics and the civil defence agency reported.

They came as the Israeli military ordered Palestinians living in the northern areas of Beit Hanoun and Sheikh Zayed to evacuate ahead of an attack.

"Due to ongoing terrorist activities and sniper fire against IDF troops in the area, the IDF is intensely operating in the area," the military's Arabic-language spokesman Avichay Adraee said on X.

The United Nations has warned that Israel's expanding evacuation orders across Gaza are resulting in the "forcible transfer" of people into ever-shrinking areas.

Aid agencies estimate that the vast majority of Gaza's 2.4 million residents have been displaced at least once since the war began.

Killed 'one by one'

In the aftermath of a strike in Khan Younis, AFP footage showed bodies on the ground, including those of a young woman and a boy in body bags, surrounded by grieving relatives kissing and stroking their faces.

"One by one we are getting martyred, dying in pieces," said Rania al-Jumla who lost her sister in another strike in Khan Younis.

Since Israel resumed its military operations, at least 1,978 people have been killed in Gaza, raising the overall death toll to at least 51,355 since the war began, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.

The military acknowledged on Thursday that Israeli tank fire had killed a UN worker in the central Gaza city of Deir el-Balah last month, according to an investigation's initial findings.

It had initially denied operating in the area where a Bulgarian employee of United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) was killed on March 19.

Bulgaria said it had received an "official apology" from Israel over the killing.

The findings came after the military on Sunday reported on a separate probe into the killing of 15 Palestinian emergency workers in Gaza.

It admitted that operational failures led to their deaths, and said a field commander would be dismissed.

The war was ignited by the Hamas-led October 7 attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.

During the attack, militants also abducted 251 people and took them to Gaza. Of those, 58 remain in captivity, including 34 the military says are dead.

Israeli officials maintain that the ongoing military campaign is essential to securing the release of the remaining hostages.

However, many families of the captives, along with thousands of protesters, have strongly criticised the authorities for pressing ahead with the offensive rather than striking a deal.

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20250424-gaza-rescuers-say-israeli-strikes-kill-53

The Cannibalisation of allies and partners by the Trump administration highlights the increasing importance of China and its stabilising role for both the world economy and multilateralism.

In the period from 1945, the US dominated global manufacturing with over 50% of the world’s total output.

The US domination was manifest in its preponderant military and industrial complex,

but it also began to decline almost immediately as the US attempted to subordinate the world economy and political activities to its own global vision of hegemony.

And then there was the 1949 communist revolution and the imposition of a bamboo curtain by the Americans as they reneged on their Cairo declaration and decided to not return Taiwan directly to China.

Contemporary Xinjiang, a region in northwest China known for its diverse ethnic cultures and stunning landscapes, has seen a burgeoning youth scene that blends outdoor adventure, extreme sports, music, and art. This vibrant subculture reflects the region's unique blend of tradition and modernity, as young people embrace global trends while staying rooted in their local heritage.

### Outdoor Adventure and Extreme Sports

Xinjiang's dramatic geography, featuring the Tian Shan mountains, vast deserts, and pristine lakes, makes it a haven for outdoor enthusiasts. Young adventurers are increasingly drawn to activities like rock climbing, hiking, and mountain biking. The Tian Shan range, with its snow-capped peaks and rugged trails, is a hotspot for mountaineering and trekking. In winter, skiing and snowboarding have gained popularity, with resorts like Silk Road Ski Resort near Urumqi attracting both locals and tourists.

Extreme sports are also on the rise. Paragliding, BASE jumping, and off-road driving are becoming more common, particularly among urban youth seeking adrenaline-pumping experiences. The Taklamakan Desert, one of the world's largest sandy deserts, offers a unique backdrop for dune bashing and desert camping, while the Karakoram Highway provides thrilling opportunities for motorbike tours and high-altitude cycling.

### Music Scene

Xinjiang's music scene is a dynamic fusion of traditional and modern influences. Uyghur, Kazakh, and other ethnic groups have rich musical traditions, featuring instruments like the dutar (a two-stringed lute) and rawap (a plucked string instrument). These traditional sounds are increasingly being blended with contemporary genres like hip-hop, rock, and electronic music.

Young musicians in Xinjiang are using platforms like Douyin (TikTok) and NetEase Cloud Music to share their work, gaining both local and national followings. Urumqi, the regional capital, has a growing number of live music venues and festivals that showcase this eclectic mix. The Xinjiang International Folk Music Festival, for example, highlights both traditional and modern performances, drawing artists and audiences from across the region and beyond.

### Art and Cultural Expression

The art scene in Xinjiang is equally vibrant, with young artists exploring themes of identity, heritage, and modernity. Traditional crafts like carpet weaving, pottery, and embroidery are being reimagined by contemporary artists who incorporate modern designs and techniques. Street art and graffiti are also gaining traction, particularly in urban areas, where they serve as a form of self-expression and social commentary.

Galleries and cultural centers in cities like Urumqi and Kashgar provide platforms for young artists to exhibit their work. These spaces often host exhibitions, workshops, and collaborative projects that bring together artists from different ethnic backgrounds, fostering a sense of unity and creativity.

### Youth Culture and Community

The youth outdoor adventure, extreme sports, music, and art scenes in Xinjiang are not just about individual pursuits; they are also about building community. Social media plays a crucial role in connecting like-minded individuals, organizing events, and sharing experiences. Online forums and groups dedicated to specific activities or interests help young people find companions for their adventures or collaborators for their artistic projects.

In a region often characterized by its cultural and ethnic diversity, these activities provide a common ground for young people to come together, celebrate their shared passions, and bridge cultural divides. Whether it's through a challenging hike in the mountains, a pulsating music festival, or a collaborative art project, the youth of Xinjiang are carving out a vibrant, inclusive, and dynamic cultural landscape.

The rapid turnover of G7 leaders has become a farce. Economic turmoil, a major change in global industrial investment and a river of US sanctions and the Team Trump tariff avalanche expected this year provide the bulk of today’s episode.

A quick update on ASEAN and Cambodia FDI and the outlook for Trump tariffs on the world’s largest trade partnership between China and ASEAN.

Australia’s sustainability transition is highly dependent on China’s EVs, but so is the UK and many are countries.

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Belt and Road update

Episode 8 covers Cambodia's Techo Funan Canal & China's involvement & investment attitude as well as an update on risks to the Belt & Road in West Asia, Red Sea, Mediterranean, Africa & Ukraine.

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