Late Iranian president and foreign minister died in a helicopter crash
Welcome to this week’s Jingjing Newsletter. Let’s continue to explore under-reported sides of world news.
Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi died in a helicopter crash near the Iran- Azerbaijan border on Sunday along with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, an important regional governor, and 5 other passengers. The helicopter took off in a period of low visibility, and the crash appears to have been an accident. Raisi was seen as the most likely successor to the 85-year-old Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has been in power since 1989 and has considerable decision-making powers within the Iranian system. Under Raisi’s presidency, Iran scored several foreign policy successes, including joining the BRICS group of nations and reaching a deal of reconciliation with Saudi Arabia. Khamenei announced Mohammad Mokhber, the nation’s first vice-president, as interim president. Under the Islamic Republic's constitution, a new presidential election must be held within 50 days.
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Defense Minister, Yoav Gallant, along with three leading members of Hamas, on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity over the October 7th attacks on Israel and the war in Gaza. This is the first time the ICC has issued an arrest warrant for a leader of a close US ally. The Biden administration has said they will work with Congress to impose sanctions on the ICC in response to the issuing of the warrant, with leading US lawmakers warning of “consequences” for targeting a close US ally. Neither the US nor Israel is a member of the ICC, but as of 2015, Palestine accepted ICC jurisdiction, giving the court the authority to investigate events in Gaza. You can read the full ICC statement HERE.
On Wednesday, Norway, Ireland, and Spain declared their plans to formally recognize a Palestinian state. The recognition will take effect from 28th May. Slovenia, another EU member state, is also expected to formally recognize Palestine fairly soon after the Slovenian government launched procedures of investigation into the matter on May 9. The Palestinian presidency on Wednesday welcomed the recognition. In a statement, the Palestinian leadership stated that it highly appreciated the contribution of Norway, Ireland, and Spain towards "consecrating the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination on their land and in taking actual steps to support the implementation of the two-state solution." Israel, however, reacted by recalling its ambassadors from Ireland and Norway.
An attempted coup in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) was suppressed on Sunday. The coup appears to have been led by Christian Malanga, a former DRC politician who created a government in exile in Brussels, Belgium, which he christened the "New Zaire." The coup plotters live-streamed their coup via Facebook. In the video, they wore military uniforms and flew the flag of Zaire, the name of the DRC from 1971 to 1997 under the US-aligned regime of Mobutu Sese Seko. Foreign nationals, including at least one US citizen, appear to have been involved in the coup attempt. Malanga appears to be killed during a firefight with the army during the suppression of the coup.
In a surprise move, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said the next election for the British parliament will take place on July 4. By British law, at least one election must be held every five years, but the Prime Minister has the power to set the date of elections to the British parliament. Since the last election was held in November 2019, Sunak had to hold a new election by January 2025. The ruling Conservative party is widely believed to be on course for a historic defeat, with the opposition Labour Party most likely to form the next government. Several of the government’s own Members of Parliament appear to have sent in letters of no confidence in Sunak to the Conservative party in a desperate bid to rid themselves of an unpopular leader. While the rebellion is unlikely to go anywhere, it does highlight the weakness of Sunak’s position as he heads into the election as head of one of the least popular governments in recent history.
On Monday, China unveiled a guideline on promoting the development of smart cities and urban digital transformation to make urban management smarter. The guideline aims to deepen integration between digital technologies and the economy, governance, and life via urban development, combine data into the entire development cycle of the cities, and coordinate technical progress and institutional innovation. To promote such transformation, efforts will be made to establish a platform for urban digitization, improve digital infrastructure, and make institutional innovations to adapt to the demands of digital urban management.
Jingjing’s Highlights in This Week
1. Iranian professor: Millions of Iranians mourn Ebrahim Raisi's death, Western media is nonsense
Will the sudden passing of former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Abdollahian change Iran's domestic and international policies? Professor Seyed Mohammad Marandi from the University of Tehran joins me in this episode to discuss Iran's current situation and prospects after this incident.
2. “Taiwan is a pivotal frontline of battle between Western hegemony and Eastern resistance”
What's next for Taiwan? How come people from both sides of the strait, although having the same root of culture, are somehow divided now? What role does the US play in the Taiwan question? Taiwan compatriot Zhong Xiangyu joined me in Beijing to discuss these issues.
What You May Have Missed This Week in the World.
1. PLA conducts joint military drills surrounding Taiwan island
“The Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) started joint military drills surrounding the island of Taiwan at 7:45 a.m. on Thursday. The drills are being conducted in the Taiwan Straits, the north, south and east of the island of Taiwan, as well as areas around the islands of Kinmen, Matsu, Wuqiu and Dongyin.”
2. CGTN with George Galloway - Taiwan Untangled
“Taiwan, the treasure island of China, boasts breathtaking landscapes and pleasant scenery, carrying the deepest sentiments of the Chinese people. How should we approach the history of Taiwan? Why does the U.S. repeatedly undermine its one-China policy? What hidden motives lie behind its actions?”
3. President Xi chairs symposium, urging further reform centering on Chinese modernization
“Reform is the driving force for development, Xi said. He noted that to deepen reform further on all fronts, efforts should be focused on the overarching goals of improving and developing the socialist system with Chinese characteristics and modernizing China's governance system and capacity.”
4. Israel infuriated by Ireland, Spain, and Norway's recognition of a Palestinian state
“‘The intention of several European countries to recognize a Palestinian state is a reward for terrorism," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement. ‘This would be a terrorist state. It would try to carry out the October 7 massacre again and again - and that, we shall not agree to,’ he said.”
5. Global Times - The more I know China, the more I admire China: Russian political philosopher Aleksandr Dugin
“Russia has lost the West, but discovered the rest, Aleksandr Dugin said in an exclusive interview with the Global Times before Russian President Putin’s state visit to China. Dugin shared why he changed his opinions on China, saying that the more he knows China, the more he admires China.”
6. 'Beyond Algorithms': An anti-war AI production
The conflict in Syria began in March 2011. Eight months later, Rama was born. The war-wrecked city of Aleppo is all she ever knows about the world. In this devastated city, she seeks answers, asking ChatGPT: "What is the world like without war?"
7. BreakThrough News - Losing the Narrative War and Don’t Know What to Do? Blame Russia, China & the Outside Agitator!
8. Eli from Russia - Life in the MOST SANCTIONED COUNTRY in the World
Russia is sanctioned more heavily than North Korea, Syria, and Iran combined. What is life like for everyday Russians under this Western sanctions regime?
Page Editor: Jin Yulin
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