Mathias Döpfner, CEO of Axel Springer (owner of Politico):

We shall all be Zionists.

Mathias Döpfner, CEO of Axel Springer (owner of Politico):

In England, members of the Green Party, which most disturbingly mixes climate activism with anti-semitism, say Zionism is racism.

There must be a misunderstanding here. It is not Zionism that is racism. It is anti-Zionism that is racism.

NEW: Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif publicly signals Türkiye and Qatar could join the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement (SMDA) Pakistan signed with Saudi Arabia:

If Qatar and Türkiye also join this existing agreement, it will be a welcome development.

The original pact treats aggression against one as aggression against both.

China's missile buildup is accelerating fast.

Bloomberg tracked 81 listed Chinese companies supplying the country's two state missile makers (CASIC and CASC).

In 2025, nearly 40% of them hit record revenues — the highest share since Xi took power in 2013 — with combined sales up 20% to $28 billion.

That contrasts with flat or declining revenue among China's 300 largest companies overall.

The Pentagon estimates China now has 3,150+ ballistic missiles — up 147% since 2015.

Its arsenal can reach Guam, Tokyo, and beyond.

Some risks: China's anti-corruption purge of top generals and defense scientists may slow procurement, and defense budget growth is at its slowest since 2022.

China quietly more than doubled production efficiency for its most advanced stealth fighter jet by converting a Chengdu factory to fully autonomous "dark factory" operations.

AI-driven machines and autonomous vehicles running nearly 24/7, no lights needed.

The plant now produces structural components for the J-20 ("Mighty Dragon") — China's F-22 equivalent — with minimal human involvement, cutting costs and removing round-the-clock staffing.

Mass production of the J-20 began in 2020.

Source: SCMP

King Charles III:

My ministers will proceed with the introduction of digital ID that will modernize how citizens interact with public services.

Israel's Mossad chief made at least two secret visits to the UAE to coordinate the ongoing war against Iran.

The UAE has gone well beyond quiet diplomacy.

It struck Iranian targets itself (including the Lavan Island refinery) and is hosting Israeli Iron Dome systems and personnel to defend against Iran.

Israel's Shin Bet chief made similar visits around the same period.

Source: WSJ

The UAE is now building anti-drone defenses around oil storage facilities.

Not cheap netting, but systems capable of stopping heavy UAVs.

NOW: Trump arrives in Beijing for his China visit.

NEW: Gunfire erupted at the Philippines Senate.

Philippine Senator Bato dela Rosa — a top architect of Duterte's bloody drug war — is trying to evade an ICC arrest warrant.

He is under "protective custody" at the Senate.

The ICC charges him with crimes against humanity for his role in thousands of extrajudicial killings.

NOW: Trump is in China, and Elon Musk is with him too.

A group of 8–10 masked men attacked two German soldiers near NATO's operational headquarters in Brunssum, Netherlands.

The soldiers were off-duty and in civilian clothes when the group stopped them, demanded money, then beat one of them while shouting "We hate NATO."

No arrests were made.

Source: Spiegel

Serbia and NATO are holding their first-ever joint military exercise — roughly 600 troops, running until May 23.

NATO bombed Belgrade less than 30 years ago during the Kosovo war.

Serbia officially stays neutral and still buys weapons from Russia and China.

Source: Al Jazeera

German carmaker Volkswagen is close to a joint venture with Israeli defense firm Rafael to convert a VW plant in Osnabrück from car manufacturing to building military trucks for the Iron Dome and possibly Iron Beam laser defense systems.

Missiles and core components stay made in Israel.

Germany handles the vehicles and assembly.

Source: Bloomberg

Chinese satellite imagery startup, MizarVision, got sanctioned by the US Treasury for tracking and publishing open-source images of American bombers during the US-Israel strikes on Iran.

MizarVision then posted the Treasury sanctions notice as a recruitment ad, essentially using it as a job perk.

"Welcome to join us," it read.

WATCH: Poland's Eurovision contestant Alicja Szemplińska walked out of an interview when asked if she had a message for Israeli fans.

The U.S. and China may launch a limited “managed trade” deal at the Trump–Xi summit, focusing on reducing tariffs on roughly $30 billion worth of non-sensitive goods each.

Instead of pushing China to change its economic system, Washington is now aiming for targeted trade balance goals while keeping restrictions on strategic technologies in place.

Likely areas for tariff relief include U.S. energy and agricultural exports and some Chinese consumer goods.

Source: Reuters

Some European and German officials are quietly discussing whether Angela Merkel could help mediate Ukraine-Russia talks.

Unlike Schröder, she still has credibility in much of Europe, personally knows both Putin and Zelensky, and speaks Russian.

Merkel’s office says nobody has approached her, and she hasn’t said whether she’d even consider the role.

Source: Spiegel

Hezbollah FPV drone targets a lone Israeli soldier.