This is the website page in The Multiplural World of current world news headlines and analysis for the month of June 2026. Items with red headlines indicate they were published in full on the home page of the website; notices of these published items are emailed to website subscribers as they appear. Comments and information in square brackets [ ] are by the website editors. World news headlines for the preceding month of May 2026 are archived here; all previous months of ‘World news headlines and analysis’ (since March 2024) are archived here. The ‘World news’ page of The Multiplural World website is the most active page on the website, updated daily by website editors.
World news headlines and analysis for June 2026
Is a Chinese dream coming to replace the American dream?, commentary by Ken Ip, in South China Morning Post, June 30, 2026 (Dr Ken Ip is an assistant professor specialising in business innovation and entrepreneurship at Saint Francis University, Hong Kong. Read his commentary here in pdf format: Is a Chinese dream coming to replace the American dream?)
China to bring AI into every classroom, RT News, June 30, 2026 According to a new five-year national action plan, the government of China wants students at all levels to learn how to use artificial intelligence
Supreme Court rejects Trump’s attempt to limit birthright citizenship, NBC News, June 30, 2026 The Trump administration sought to upend the historical understanding of the 14th Amendment, which has long been interpreted to extend birthright citizenship broadly
Breakthrough by researchers in China with hypersonic ramjet engine, South China Morning Post, June 30, 2026 (Read the report here in pdf format: Breakthrough by researchers in China with hypersonic ramjet engine)
Lies about ‘turning points’ in the Ukraine war amid growing resistance to military recruiters, report from Ukraine by Dmitri Kovalevich, re-published in The Multiplural World, June 29, 2026 (with related analysis immediately below on this website page) As the NATO proxy war in Ukraine grinds on, official claims of Ukrainian battlefield gains contrast sharply with reports from the front, while mounting conscription resistance and deepening economic strains expose growing cracks (Dmitri Kovalevich is the special correspondent in Ukraine for Al Mayadeen English, where this report first appeared on June 29, 2026. All of his reports from Ukraine dating back to April 2022 are archived here.)
Russia’s red lines are being crossed in Ukraine, interview with John Mearsheimer, broadcast on the YouTube channel ‘Daniel Davis Deep Dive’, June 26, 2026 (54′)
Related: Putin warns the West that Russia is ready for war, interview with Larry Johnson, broadcast on the YouTube channel of Glenn Diesen, June 27, 2026 (46′)
Hezbollah rejects ‘humiliating’ June 26 agreement between Apartheid Israel and Lebanon gov’t, RT News, June 28, 2026…Israel and Lebanon delegations signed a U.S.-backed agreement in Washington on Friday, June 26 in the name of ending months of fighting between the Israel armed forces and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. The deal has been met with mass protests in the streets of Beirut…
Related:
* How the U.S.-Iran ceasefire understanding (MoU) could collapse over Gaza, analysis by Robert Inlakesh, in Al Mayadeen English, June 28, 2026 …A recent call between Hamas official Bassem Naim and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi ended in assurances that the Gaza ceasefire is being discussed amidst the ongoing negotiations between Tehran and Washington. After all, the first clause of the Memorandum of Understanding affirms that the war must end on all fronts…
* Has Iran abandoned Gaza? Decades of unwavering support say otherwise, editorial by Al Mayadeen English, June 24, 2026 The Iran-Gaza debate has exposed a renewed media attempt to suggest Tehran abandoned the disaster-stricken Palestinian enclave and to sow divisions within the Resistance front
Venezuela earthquake death toll rises as rescuers race against time, report by Ricardo Vaz, in Venezuela Analysis, June 26, 2026 [Two earthquakes struck northern Venezuela near the capital city of Caracas on June 24, close to the same hour. As of June 29, some 1,430 people are reported killed by the earthquake, several thousand injured, and some 45,000 reported as missing. The New York Times reports on June 29 some 58,870 buildings were likely damaged or destroyed, a vast figure that underscores the potential for the death toll to climb further.Washington has issued a new ‘general license’ permitting earthquake relief, but has thus far maintained in place its sanctions regime targeting the Venezuelan economy and people.].
Related: Venezuela quakes push fragile health system to the brink, Bloomberg News, June 28, 2026
The harder the U.S. pushes North Korea to denuclearize, the greater the risk to South Korea, commentary by Cheong Wook-sik, in The Hankyoreh, June 28, 2026 It’s time to discuss the North Korean nuclear issue as part of a broader dialogue on creating a world without nuclear war or weapons (Cheong Wook-sik is director of the Hankyoreh Peace Institute and director of the ‘Peace Network’ in South Korea.)
Cuba’s strategic adaptation to the siege conditions being imposed by imperialism, analysis by Isaac Saney, re-published in The Multiplural World, June 25, 2025 (Writer Isaac Saney is a Professor and Cuba and Black Studies Specialist in Black African Diaspora Studies and History, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada. His analysis was originally published on Resumen LatinoAmericano (English), June 22, 2026. Enclosed in this posting are extensive, background readings, compiled by the editors of The Multiplural World. These include some discussion of the relevance for today of the New Economic Policy (mixed economy strategy) pioneered by the leading Bolshevik Party and government of the Soviet Union from 1921 until the policy’s premature ending in 1928-29.)
New report reveals true extent of devastation of US Fifth Fleet base and HQ in Bahrain, analysis on the Substack page of Simplicius The Thinker, June 27, 2026 …Note as well that Iran has been making economic waves to secure its future. It is accelerating construction of the new International North-South Transport Corridor linking Iran to Russia, India, the Persian Gulf and more via sea, rail, and road; and it has begun construction of the Iran-Afghanistan-China Rail Corridor…
China ‘on track to surpass United States’ in global goals for human, planet health says annual UN report, report in South China Morning Post, June 26, 2026 The annual report showing global progress on 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals shows the gap between China and USA has closed significantly since 2015 (Here in pdf format: China ‘on track to surpass United States in global goals for human, planet health says annual UN report)
Related: Despite geopolitical headwinds and slow progress, global commitment to the UN’s UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network holds strong, media release published by UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), June 23, 2026 (The full, ‘Sustainable Development Report 2026’ report is 516 pages and is available at the weblink.)
ASMI to join Netherlands trade trip to China despite U.S. sales risk, South China Morning Post, June 26, 2026 ASMI is Europe’s biggest company and it produces the world’s most advanced chipmaking equipmen. It is seeking to boost sales in China as the Netherlands tries to fend off tougher American export controls. (Read the report here in pdf format: ASMI to join Netherlands trade trip to China despite U.S. trade war)
Cuba pushes through sweeping free-market reforms in biggest economic shift since the revolution, Associated Press, June 19, 2026
Related: What to know about Cuba’s economic measures aimed at opening up the island’s economy, Associated Press, June 18, 2026
Russia backs African push for colonial reparations, declares former president Dmitry Medvedev, RT News, June 25, 2026 The former Russian president is also calling for colonialism to be recognized as a crime against humanity
Iran’s loyalists promote a wider nationalism, unveiled women included, New York Times, June 24, 2026 (Here in pdf format: Iran’s loyalists promote a wider nationalism, unveiled women included
The copper crunch: Inside the U.S.-China battle for a critical global supply chain, South China Morning Post, June 23, 2026 Washington’s efforts to rebuild the domestic copper industry are colliding with Chinese dominance in a metal central to advanced tech and defence systems (Read the report here in pdf format: Inside the U.S.-China battle for copper and its critical global supply chain)
South Korea’s AI chip boom a ‘serious concern’ for its economy, South China Morning Post, June 23, 2026 Economists warn the narrow growth will leave industries such as construction, retail, services and small businesses struggling to keep pace (Here in pdf format: South Korea’s AI chip boom a ‘serious concern’ for its economy)
Iran and Oman agree to form joint Strait of Hormuz navigation committee, by Al Mayadeen English (source: agencies), Tuesday, Jun 2026 Iran and Oman have agreed to form a joint committee to discuss future navigation arrangements in the Strait of Hormuz and support continued US-Iran dialogue
A crisis ‘defused’ as blockade lifted, assets to be returned to Iran after Swiss talks, South China Morning Post, Monday, June 22, 2026 Iranian foreign minister says real test is ending conflict in Lebanon, while U.S. vice-president announced says assets must be spent on American goods (Read the report here in pdf format: Crisis defused as U.S. blockade lifted, assets to be returned to Iran after talks in Switzerland)
Related:
* New York Times on June 22: The morning after the first overnight session of renewed talks between the United States and Iran aimed at turning an incomplete truce into a lasting peace deal, the vibes were as warm as the heat wave currently washing over Switzerland… The first talks focused largely on two topics that were supposed to be already settled: How to enforce a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, and how to ensure shipping traffic, including oil tankers, flows freely again through the Strait of Hormuz…
* Washington Post on June 22: Vice President J.D. Vance says Iran has agreed to allow international inspections of its nuclear program, which would restore a measure from President Barack Obama’s 2015 agreement (‘JCPOA’) with Tehran that from which President Donald Trump walked away in 2018…
Japan’s military expansion targeting China hits hidden roadblocks, South China Morning Post, Monday, June 22, 2026 Tokyo’s approach combines security, economic and diplomatic tools to show regional countries an alternative to the China-U.S. dilemma (Here in pdf format: Japan’s military expansion targeting China confronts hidden roadblocks)
Related: Japan’s latest live-fire drill is about offence, not defence PLA Daily charges, South China Morning Post, Monday, June 22, 2026 (Read the report here in pdf format: Japan’s latest live-fire drill is about offence, not defence PLA Daily charges)
CCTV broadcasts China testing its DF-17 hypersonic missile, South China Morning Post, June 22, 2026 (Read the report here in pdf format: CCTV broadcasts China testing its DF-17 hypersonic missile) The missile has a range including the two island chains in the Pacific Ocean that parallel China’s coastline, capable of reaching the U.S. island-military base of Guam
Related: China’s newly-designed Z-20 helicopter boosts China’s military defence, South China Morning Post, June 22, 2026 (Here in pdf format: China’s newly-designed Z-20 helicopter boosts China’s military defence)
Poland’s president strips Ukraine’s Zelensky of Poland’s highest state honor, Euronews, June 20 2026 [President Karol Nawrocki is stripping his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky of the Order of the White Eagle, Poland’s highest state honor awarded to him in April 2023. The moves comes in response to Ukraine naming a military unit after the controversial World War Two Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA). The latter was a paramilitary force that conducted acts of teeror and sabotage against Soviet Ukraine during WW2 and collaborated with Nazi Germany in massacring Jews, Poles, Roma and other nationalities. Tensions between Poland and post-Soviet, ‘independent’ Ukraine have simmered for years over the grim historical record, which Ukraine refuses to acknowledge.]
Iran closes Strait of Hormuz again over continued Israel killings in Lebanon; talks open in Switzerland, Associated Press, June 21, 2026 A negotiating team from Iran is meeting in Switzerland on June 21 with a U.S. team headed by Vice-President J.D. Vance
Related: UNICEF condemns ongoing killing of children in Gaza by Israel military, statement by James Elder, UNICEF spokesperson, June 19, 2026
Japan’s proposal to the G7 countries to stockpile rare earth minerals risks further regional tensions, commentary in South China Morning Post, June 21, 2026 Tokyo’s overtures towards the G7 assume that China is a threat to be countered with economic or security measures (Here in pdf format: Japan’s proposal to the G7 countries to stockpile rare earth minerals risks further regional tensions)
Cuba gov’t approves economic reforms boosting role of private investment, report by Agence France presse, June 17, 2026 The government of Cuba approved a package of reforms on June 17 aimed at opening up more industries to private investment as the island undergoes severe pressure and a major economic crisis due to ongoing U.S. sanctions and in recent months a naval oil blockade…
Related:
* Cuba’s new economic measures: Defending and building socialism under siege, lengthy analysis by Isaac Saney (professor at Dalhousie University, Canada), June 18, 2026
* Popular participation and socialist renewal in Cuba in a time of crisis, essay by Isaac Saney and James Count Early, published in MR Online, Mar 30, 2026
AI development needs reining in whether it creates jobs or not, essay by David Dodwell columnist), in South China Morning Post, June 20, 2026 (Here in pdf format: AI development needs reining in whether it creates jobs or not)
The drone war is a distraction; watch the military front lines, feature military analysis by Sergey Poletaev, in RT News, June 19, 2026 Russia’s push toward the twin industrial cities of Slavyansk and Kramatorsk may matter far more than the headline-grabbing exchange of attacksdeep inside Russia
Related: Russia’s offensive in Donbas gains speed, while anger boils over in Moscow, interview with Russian military analyst Stanislav Krapivnik, broadcast on the YouTube channel of Glenn Diesen, June 18, 2026 (54′)
Can the U.S.-Iran ceasefire agreement survive?, South China Morning Post, June 19, 2026 (Here in pdf format: Can the U.S.-Iran ceasefire agreement survive?)
Related:
* Israel and Hezbollah self-defense force agree to ceasefire in Lebanon beginning Friday, June 20, Reuters news agency, June 19, 2026 [Latest news: U.S.-Iran talks scheduled to take place in Switzerland on Friday, June 20 have been postponed due to ongoing military attacks by Israel in Lebanon. A U.S. government official said on June 19 that a ceasefire had been agreed between Israel and Hezbollah, to come into force on Friday, June 20, 16:00 local time.].
* Iran has warned the U.S. to end the war on Lebanon or it may strike Israel without warning, report by Jeremy Scahill, in Drop Site News, June 19, 2026 Tehran believes it won a historic victory over the U.S., but is prepared for the deal to fall apart, a senior Iranian official tells Drop Site News
Energy security dominates two-day, Russia-ASEAN summit meeting, South China Morning Post, June 19, 2026 (Here in pdf format: Energy security dominates Russia-ASEAN summit meeting South China Morning Post, June 19, 2026)
Previously reported:
* Putin calls for national currency settlements at Russia-ASEAN leaders’ summit in Kazan, Russia, RT News, June 18, 2026
* Opening remarks by the President of Russia welcoming delegates to the Russia-ASEAN Summit meeting in Kazan, English transcript published on the website of the President of Russia, June 18, 2026
China hit film ‘Dear You’ to screen worldwide beginning June 26. Reviewed here on June 19, 2026
Apartheid Israel continues seizing territory in Gaza and displacing residents, guest post by Abdel Qader Sabbah, in Drop Site News, June 18, 2026 The apartheid state has now moved its ‘Yellow Line’ of occupation to include 60 per cent of Gaza land, driving out residents in the process
Iran gets major economic lifeline for minimal concessions in tentative deal to halt war in Persian Gulf, New York Times, Thursday, June 18, 2026 An initial agreement by the United States to halt its war against Iran grants major economic benefits to Iran while delaying the toughest concessions that Iran would eventually have to make on its nuclear [energy and science] program… (Here in pdf format: Iran gets major economic lifeline for minimal concessions in tentative deal)
U.S. finally capitulates with ‘memorandum’ of surrender’, analysis published on the Substack page ‘Simplicius The Thinker’, June 16, 2026 The U.S. has finally capitulated in its disastrously failed war against Iran, reportedly drafting a memorandum of understanding which is highly favorable to the Islamic Republic. The U.S. gains as ‘concession’ nothing more than the promise that “Iran will not obtain nuclear weapons”—a position Iran had already long held.
Commercial sailors from India are being killed and wounded in the Strait of Hormuz, Al Jazeera, June 12, 2026 …The United States military has struck three vessels in the Strait of Hormuz this past week, killing three Indian sailors. In all, at least seven Indian sailors have been killed during the U.S./Israel war against Iran launched on February 28. The deaths are complicating the Indian government’s efforts to draw closer to U.S. foreign policy… [Around 18,000 Indian sailors are reported to be employed in the entire Persian Gulf region.].
Related: U.S. attacks in Persian Gulf kill and injure Indian sailors, straining U.S.-India relations, South China Morning Post, June 18, 2026 (Here in pdf format: U.S. attacks in Persian Gulf kill and injure Indian sailors, straining U.S.-India relations)
Indian court throws out criminal fraud cases against NewsClick and founder Prabir Purkayashta, calling the charges ‘gross abuse of the process of law’, by Abdul Rahman, Breakthrough News, June 11 2026 NewsClick and various unions welcomed the verdict, hailing the Delhi High Court ruling as a strong stand in support of independent journalism and a warning against the misuse of state power
A Marxist theory of crisis in the contemporary world, interview with Marxist economist Michal Roberts, re-published in The Multiplural World, June 17, 2026 (This interview with economist Michael Roberts was first published in Chinese in 2025 by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. It was first published in English on June 13, 2026 on the website blog of Michael Roberts. He is a Marxist economist writing from Britain. A new book by Michael Roberts will be published by Haymarket Books in December 2026, titled Time Is Running Out: Depression, Polycrisis, and the World Economy.)
Europe is gearing up for a trade fight with China, but can this change anything?, South China Morning Post, June 17, 2026 As trade tensions between Beijing and Brussels continue to rise, China’s firms in the European Union have been forced to walk a delicate tightrope: expanding their presence in the lucrative market while grappling with heightened regulatory hurdles and rapid geopolitical shifts. In the second part of this three-part series, we look at whether China and the EU are heading for a full-blown trade conflict. (Here in pdf format: Europe is gearing up for a trade fight with China)
Related: China ‘overcapacity’ is a smokescreen for Western protectionism, commentary by Zhou Xiaoming, in South China Morning Post, June 17, 2026 Protectionism will only slow the green energy transition and make the technologies of the future unaffordable for those most in need (Read the commentary here in pdf format: China ‘overcapacity’ is a smokescreen for Western protectionism)
‘We wanted to save lives’, Palestine activists awaiting sentencing tell UK court, by John McEvoy, in Declassified UK, June 12, 2026 Jury mulls case of four protesters who disrupted arms factory in Wolverhampton producing military aircraft parts for Israel
Trump heads to G7 meeting in France as Iran agreement floats and allies ponder their relationship with U.S., New York Times, June 15, 2026 (Here in pdf format: Trump heads to G7 meeting in France as Iran agreement floats and allies ponder their relationship with U.S.)
Related: Trump sought to break Iran’s regime; he settled for reopening Hormuz, Washington Post, Monday, June 15, 2026 An emerging agreement ends a costly war but leaves Iran’s leadership intact and its nuclear energy future still subject to negotiation. (Here in pdf format: Trump sought to break Iran’s regime; he settled for reopening Hormuz)
Ukraine as a laboratory of ‘techno-fascism’, report from Ukraine by Dmitri Kovalevich, re-published in The Multiplural World, June 14, 2026 Ukraine has become a testing ground for Western military technologies, AI-driven warfare, and defense industry interests, with the conflict increasingly serving geopolitical and corporate objectives beyond Ukraine itself. (Dmitri Kovalevich is the special correspondent in Ukraine for Al Mayadeen English, where this report first appeared on June 14, 2026. All of his reports from Ukraine dating back to 2022 are archived here.)
Related analyses:
* Ukraine’s naval drone program: Origins, development and the agencies behind it, lengthy analysis by Mike Mihajlovic, published on his Substack page ‘Black Mountain Analysis’, June 13, 2026 …The technologies required to construct a basic naval drone are no longer difficult to obtain… As the barriers to entry continue to fall, the threat posed by improvised or commercially derived naval drones is likely to become a permanent feature of the maritime security environment…
* How Russia is responding to new threats by Ukraine military to cut Crimean Corridor using drones, analysis on the Substack page of ‘Simplicius The Thinker’, June 14, 2026 (introduction only; full analysis for subscribers only)
The time for U.S. wishful thinking on North Korea denuclearisation is over, commentary by Gabriela Bernal, in South China Morning Post, June 15, 2026 (Gabriela Bernal publishes an online journal Peninsula Dispatch, with news and analysis of the Korea people’s republic from a biased, Western viewpoint. Read the commentary here in pdf format: The time for U.S. wishful thinking on North Korea denuclearisation is over)
Draft peace agreement between U.S. and Iran links Hormuz strait reopening to sanctions relief, Al Mayadeen English, June 14, 2026
Related:
* Apartheid Israel strikes southern Beirut with artillery and warplanes, Al Mayadeen English, June 14, 2026
* Israel searches for a Red Sea foothold in Somaliland, by Faisal Ali, in Drop Site News, June 13, 2026 Israel is deepening its relationship with the breakaway state of Somaliland
Two reports raise questions whether the U.S. could sustain a war with China, South China Morning Post, June 14, 2026 U.S. watchdog cites ageing aircraft, spare-part shortages, maintenance challenges, expertise gaps, and delays fielding advanced refueling tankers (Here in pdf format: Two reports raise questions whether U.S. could sustain a war with China)
Related: China’s armed forces scientists adapt coastal defenses to shifts in U.S. Navy strategies, South China Morning Post, June 13, 2026 China’s military proposes a strategy to attack out-of-reach American military assets as distance becomes a shield (Read the report here in pdf format: Scientists in China’s armed forces adapt coastal defenses to shifts in U.S. Navy strategies)
China’s navy is deploying a massive, new 155 MM artillery gun, South China Morning Post, June 13, 2026 (here in pdf format: China’s navy is deploying a new, massive 155 MM artillery gun)
Japan’s pragmatic outreach to Russia fuels G7 concern, South China Morning Post, June 13, 2026 (Here in pdf format: Japan’s pragmatic outreach to Russia fuels G7 concern)
How a U.S. defeat is making Iran a world power, interview with international journalist Patrick Henningsen, broadcast on the YouTube channel of Glenn Diesen, June 10, 2026
(57′) (Patrick Henningsen is the founder of the 21st Century Wire website.)
U.S. wars against Iran and Russia leave China stronger, interview with Warwick Powell, broadcast on the YouTube channel of Glenn Diesen, June 10, 2026 (51) (Warwick Powell is Adjunct Professor at the University of the Queensland in Australia, and a Senior Fellow at the Teihe Institute in China.)
What might the Korean peoples republic agree with China in order to obtain official status as a nuclear power?, report in The Hankyoreh, June 8, 2026
…Another key question for the North Korea-China summit is whether Pyongyang will agree to China establishing access via the Tumen River to the East Sea (known in Japan and the West as the ‘Sea of Japan’). Currently, China’s route to the sea is cut off at a point 15 kilometers downstream. It has long sought North Korea and Russia’s consent to gain access to the East Sea, and from there, to the Pacific Ocean. The matter is urgent to the resolution of economic issues in China’s three northwestern provinces, as well as for the advance that access to Arctic routes would provide in strategic competition with the U.S.
A joint statement released after a China-Russia summit in May said the two sides would continue trilateral discussions with the North on the matter of ocean access via the Tumen River. China has already obtained consent from Russian President Vladimir Putin, leaving only the matter of persuading North Korea. This essentially provides Pyongyang with a major card to play with Beijing…
How the CIA conjured Ukrainian nationalism, historical essay by Kit Klarenberg (columnist), in Al Mayadeen English, June 9, 2026
EU threat of trade war against China is a strategic farce, commentary in South China Morning Post, June 11, 2026 (The writer Jianlu Bi is a senior fellow at the Foreign Policy in Focus think tank at the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, DC and a research fellow at the Charhar Institute in Beijing. Read the commentary here in pdf format: EU threat of trade war against China is a strategic farce)
China’s yuan-denominated cross-border payment system sets record for transaction volume in a single day, putting the euro on notice, South China Morning Post, June 11, 2026 The U.S. dollar is still dominant, but a slump in Europe may see China’s currency gain strength and reach the No 2 spot in global settlements (Here in pdf format: China’s yuan-denominated cross-border payment system sets record for transaction volume in a single day, putting the euro on notice)
President Xi Jinping and first lady Peng Liyuan head ceremony at Korea War monument in Pyongyang on June 10, evoking ‘eternal historical memory’. South China Morning Post, June 10, 2026 (Read the report here in pdf format, with photos: President Xi Jinping and first lady Peng Liyuan head ceremony at Korea War monument in Pyongyang on June 10)
Forget Weimar Germany, it’s Japan’s Taisho period we need to talk about, by Alex Lo (columnist), South China Morning Post, June 10, 2026 As analysts warn about the far-right’s gains in Germany, we must also reckon with the historical events that prompted Japanese militarism (Here in pdf format: Forget Weimar Germany, it’s Japan’s Taisho period we need to talk about)
China’s EV giants are breathing new life into Europe’s ailing car industry, South China Morning Post, June 10, 2026 From Chery in Britain to SAIC in Spain, Chinese carmakers are investing in new plants and revitalising old ones as they localise production (Here in pdf format: China’s EV giants are breathing new life into Europe’s ailing car industry)
China’s hypersonic rail gun passes milestone in live-firing test, South China Morning Post, June 10, 2026 Prototype survives extreme environment and shows a weapon could be a potential war-winner (Here in pdf format: China’s hypersonic rail gun passes milestone in live-firing test)
Israel intensifies the killing in Gaza as the world looks away, by Abdel Qader Sabbah and Sharif Abdel, Drop Site News, June 9, 2026
Iran establishes escalation dominance with first-ever non-retaliatory strike on Israel, analysis published on the Substack page of ‘Simplicius The Thinker’, June 8, 2026
Related:
* Israel bet everything on war with Iran, and lost, interview with military analyst Lawrence Wilkerson, broadcast on the YouTube channel of Glenn Diesen, June 9, 2026 (61′)
China’s President Xi Jinping arrives in Korea peoples republic on first foreign visit of the year, pledges ‘unwavering’ support, South China Morning Post, June 8, 2026 (Read the report here in pdf format: China’s President Xi Jinping arrives in Korea peoples republic on first foreign visit of the year, pledges ‘unwavering’ support)
Related:
* Brief report by Xinhua news agency, with extensive photos, June 8, 2026
* Pyongyang rolls out the red carpet as Xi Jinping is welcomed with pomp and ceremony, South China Morning Post, June 9, 2026 (Here in pdf format: Pyongyang rolls out the red carpet as Xi Jinping is welcomed with pomp and ceremony)
* China’s trade with North Korea rebounds to a modest, nine-year high as deeper ties vowed, South China Morning Post, June 9, 2026 (Here in pdf format: China’s trade with North Korea rebounds to a modest, nine-year high)
Further analysis:
* China’s president arrives in a North Korea armed with advanced warships, AI drones and nuclear weapons, South China Morning Post, June 9, 2026 (Here in pdf format: China’s president arrives in a North Korea armed with advanced warships, AI drones and nuclear weapons)
* China’s relations with the people’s republic of Korea (‘North Korea), interview with Carl Zha (host of YouTube interview program ‘Silk Road’), June 9, 2026 (app. 20′)
The ‘Greater Israel’ project is collapsing, interview with Chas Freeman (former U.S. a
Who will account for another U.S. foreign policy failure, this time over Iran?, commentary by Peter Beinart (liberal columnist), in New York Times, June 7, 2026 Donald Trump is conducting a real-world test of what happens when hawks in Washington get what they’ve been urging for decades: all-out war with Iran (Here in pdf format: Who will account for another U.S. foreign policy failure, this time over Iran?)
Chinese medical team arrives in DR Congo to help fight Ebola, ‘filling US void’, South China Morning Post, June 8, 2026 Specialists begin three-month frontline mission to contain outbreak across mining region dense with Beijing-backed mineral investments (Read the report here in pdf format: Chinese medical team arrives in DR Congo to help fight Ebola, ‘filling US void’)
Related: Ebola cases top 500, RT News, June 8, 2026 More than 90 deaths have been recorded across three provinces in DR Congo, the health authorities report
Pro-EU ruling party wins controversial Armenia vote, RT News, June 8, 2026 Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan is poised to stay in office, potentially causing a breakup with key partner Russia
Background:
* June 7 legislative election in Armenia to determine the country’s future orientation: Continued relations with Russia, or be swayed by EU siren song? Reference: Report by Associated Press, June 7, 2026
* Armenia prime minister is ‘falling into a trap set by the EU’, says diaspora leader on the eve of legislative election in the country, RT News, June 6, 2026
Ukraine is running out of heroes, so it’s digging up dead Nazis, analysis by Dmitry Plotnikov, in RT News, June 8, 2026 A wave of symbolic re-burial rituals in Ukraine is exposing the fragile foundation of Ukraine’s ultra-nationalist identity project
As 12.7 million students prepare to graduate, China’s gov’t urges state enterprises and internet companies to offer more jobs, South China Morning Post, Sunday, June 7, 2026 A record cohort of university graduates is entering a relatively weak Chinese job market (Read the report here in pdf format: As 12.7 million students prepare to graduate, China’s gov’t urges state enterprises and internet companies to offer more jobs) In its latest effort to support the employment of millions of fresh graduates, China is mobilising state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and major private technology firms to expand hiring, marking one of its broadest labour market interventions in recent years…
Also in SCMP: Less than ten per cent of Chinese public worried about AI destroying jobs: survey, SCMP, May 26, 2026 China is better positioned than many other nations to lead in artificial intelligence due to the public’s “strikingly positive” attitude towards the technology, according to a new survey by University College London. Less than 10 per cent of respondents in China worried that AI would make it harder to find a job and about one-third believed the technology would create more high-skilled work, the survey found…
Related: China’s gig economy is an employment reservoir, but living from it is difficult and the the well may be drying up, South China Morning Post, Sunday, June 7, 2026 More than 200 million people in China are flexibly employed, but AI adoption, unstable income and poor social security make positions precarious (Here in pdf format: China’s gig economy is an employment reservoir, but living off of it is difficult and the the well may be drying up)
Vladimir Putin delivers speech to the St, Petersburg International Economic Forum on June 5, reviewing the state of the Russian economy and its place in the world, English translation of the speech, published on the website of the President of Russia, June 5, 2026 [The bulk of the speech examines the state of the economy of Russia and its prospects for continued growth.]
…Let me reiterate: the roots of today’s global turbulence lie in the ongoing transition from a vertical, hierarchical model – one that primarily served the interests of a limited number of states – to a far more complex, distributed, and multipolar international order [emphasis added]. What does this mean in practice? Above all, it means that the geography of economic growth is changing, with new centres of development emerging across the countries of the Global South. And, colleagues, as you can clearly see for yourselves, this is not a political slogan; it is an objective reality. In these countries, populations are growing, the middle class is taking shape, industrial capacity is expanding, and domestic markets are developing. As a result, new cities, roads, ports, energy infrastructure, and digital networks are being built. At the same time, these nations are establishing their own financial institutions, educational systems, and scientific and technological centres.
In this context, I would like to emphasise that the world becomes more equitable when economic growth is distributed more broadly and opportunities become available to billions of people who have long remained on the periphery of the global economy. It is very important that these new centres of growth seek to shape their own development paths, increase their share of value creation, and build their own brands, standards, and capabilities…
[Following their May 19, 20 summit in Beijing, President Xi Jinping and President Putin approved the Joint Declaration on the Formation of a Multipolar World and a New Type of International Relations. ‘This document demonstrates the firm resolve and responsibility of China and Russia, as leading powers, to jointly promote a more equitable and rational global governance system.’ Russian language text here.]
Exchange on June 5 by Vladimir Putin with Russian and foreign journalists attending the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, transcript in English published on the website of the President of Russia, June 5, 2026 [Much of exchange discussed the current state of the proxy war being waged in Ukraine against Russia by the NATO-member Western powers, its origins and the prospects for ending it.]
Europe’s fears about China trade threat miss the point, commentary by David Dodwell (business columnist), South China Morning Post, June 5, 2026 How are Beijing’s successful industrial policies any different from those used by Europe, the U.S. or the ‘Asian tigers’ in the past? (Read the commentary here in pdf format: Europe’s fears about China trade threat miss the point)
As Trump pushes deportations, a skyrocketing caseload strains immigration courts, report in New York Times, Saturday, June 6, 2026 A federal surge has more than doubled caseloads within some immigration courts nationwide. Lawyers say the tactic is causing errors and confusion (Here in pdf format: As Trump pushes deportations, a skyrocketing caseload strains immigration courts
Related: U.S. Senate approves $70 billion expenditure to fund ICE and Border Patrol for the new three years, Associated Press, June 5, 2026
Hezbollah rejects Lebanon ceasefire brokered by U.S. as Israeli military continues deadly attacks, Reuters news agency, June 4, 2026
EU, China hold talks as another EU trade war looms, South China Morning Post, June 5, 2026 (Read the report here in pdf format: EU, China hold talks as another EU trade war looms)
U.S. House of Representatives votes 215-208 to end Trump’s Iran war; the gesture is symbolic, but it further weakens the Trump regime’s warmaking. Analysis in Al Jazeera, June 3, 2026
Related analysis: U.S. House’s delivers stunning rebuke to Trump, undermining American position in talks with Iran, analysis in Globe and Mail (Canada), June 3, 2026 (Here in pdf format: U.S. House delivers rebuke to Trump over Iran war, undermining his regime’s position in talks)
U.S. wallows in Iran war stalemate of its own making, analysis on the Substack page of ‘Simplicius The Thinker, June 2, 2026 We’ve hit another doldrums phase of international conflicts as Trump’s promises to end both the Ukraine and Iranian wars have fallen flat, with all hope now lost. The New York Times managed to get a bead on this development on May 31, noting that both the Russians and Iranians have essentially “tired” of Trump’s wiles and U.S. tricks in general, preferring to take their chances in war over continuing pointless, bad-faith negotiations with a deceitful and decrepit American regime. The authors note that virtually all of Trump’s “peace” initiatives have flunked and floundered, including the Gaza ‘Board of Peace’ which is revealed as essentially bankrupt with not a single monetary pledge or active initiative… For their part, the Russian government has quietly made clear that they are tired of periodic visits from the president’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and Mr. Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, according to people familiar with the negotiations. They say they want a stable, diplomatic process, with working groups and regular meetings. They also want an American ambassador to Russia — a job that has been open, astoundingly, for nearly a year…
The grim, bloody history of the WW2-era heros of the Zelensky regime in Ukraine, lengthy historical essay by Petr Lavrenin, in RT News, June 3, 2026
Russian foreign ministry slams Western media for ignoring the May 23 massacre by Ukraine at teacher college in Starobelsk in Russia’s, Lugansk republic, RT News, June 3, 2026
Related: Drone attacks by Ukraine coinciding with opening of annual St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, RT News, June 3, 2026 Vladimir Putin will deliver a major speech to the annual event on June 5
Kiev attacked, Ukraine’s frontlines fall, and Belarus enters the war, interview with Stanislav Krapivnik (former U.S. Marine, returned to Russia living in Moscow), broadcast on the YouTube program of Glenn Diesen, June 2, 2026 (55′)
‘Reality check’ for Japan as Britain’s funding shortfall threatens a joint fighter jet project, South China Morning Post, June 3, 2026 (Here in pdf format: ‘Reality check’ for Japan as Britain’s funding shortfall threatens a joint fighter jet project)
Second wave of retaliatory strikes by Russia against military targets in Ukraine following Ukraine attack on May 23 against girls school in town of Starobelsk, Russian republic of Lugansk, report by TASS news service, June 2, 2026 (From RT News on June 2: …Moscow previously warned it would carry out “systematic and consistent strikes” on Ukraine’s military infrastructure, including drone production facilities, command posts, and “decision-making centers,” in response to the terrorist attack on May 23. Ukrainian forces struck a college dormitory in the town of Starobelsk in several waves of drone attacks late at night while students were asleep, killing 21 people, mostly teenage girls, and injuring 70 others…)
Related: Meeting with officials by President V. Putin on support measures for the victims of Ukraine’s May 23 terrorist attack against the teacher training school in Lugansk, report on the website of the President of Russia, June 1, 2026
Background:
* 21 girls and adolescents killed in Ukrainian drone strike on Russian school dorm, RT News, May 23, 2026 …The attack targeted the Starobelsk Professional College, a teacher training school located in the town of Starobelsk in Russia’s Lugansk People’s Republic. Russia’s UN envoy Vassily Nebenzia told an emergency UN Security Council session that the strike was carried out “deliberately” at night, when the dormitory was full…
* Foreign journalists visit Russian college dorm struck by Ukrainian drones, CNN and BBC take a pass, RT News, May 24, 2026
Israel’s ‘final solution’ to its Gaza problem is well underway, by Gideon Levy, re-published from the Israel daily newspaper Haaretz, in Pearls And Irritations (liberal, online journal in Australia), June 2, 2026
Mega dam project revival in northern Myanmar state of Kachin risks backlash from pro-autonomy rebels, report in South China Morning Post, June 2, 2026 (Read the report here in pdf format: Mega-dam project revival in northern Myanmar state of Kachin risks backlash from pro-autonomy rebels)
Related: Far-right Indian PM Modio welcomes leader of Myanmar junta, pledges deeper ties, Associated Press, June 2, 2026 …The visit is Min Aung Hlaing’s first to India since he was sworn in as president in April following an election that critics say was designed to cement the military’s hold on power. His last visit to India was in 2019, when he was serving as Myanmar’s military chief. India shares a 1,643-kilometer (1,020-mile) border with Myanmar and a maritime boundary in the Bay of Bengal. The country hosts thousands of refugees from Myanmar, many of whom fled fighting in northwestern Chin state and other conflict-affected areas…
Philippines’ bet on shaky investment pledges from the U.S. risks China’s ire, by Richard Javad Heydarian, in South China Morning Post, June 2, 2026 The ‘Pax Silica’ plan to make the Philippines a vital node in a U.S.-led tech supply chain is built on seemingly speculative promises and risks riling China (Here in pdf format: Philippines’ bet on shaky investment pledges from the U.S. risks China’s ire )
