Global Pulse

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  • Czech power company ČEZ signs deal with Rolls-Royce SMR to prepare for first small nuclear reactor

    Czech power company ČEZ signs deal with Rolls-Royce SMR to prepare for first small nuclear reactor

    PRAGUE — In a landmark move that advances the development of next-generation nuclear energy across Central Europe, Czech energy utility ČEZ has finalized a new agreement with British firm Rolls-Royce SMR, tasking the company with carrying out preliminary engineering and administrative work for the Czech Republic’s first small modular nuclear reactor (SMR).

    Daniel Beneš, chief executive officer of ČEZ, confirmed Friday that the scope of the initial work covers core project planning and the compilation of all licensing documentation required to secure official building permits for the facility. Per ČEZ’s current timeline, the firm targets securing all necessary regulatory approvals for the SMR project by the end of the decade, with construction set to take place on an existing plot of land at the Temelín nuclear power complex, the country’s second operational large-scale nuclear site.

    The deal marks the latest international expansion of Rolls-Royce SMR’s SMR portfolio, following a contract signed in mid-April with Great Britain Energy – Nuclear, the UK government’s nuclear development agency, to launch design work for the UK’s first domestic SMR fleet. Beneš noted that the Czech reactor will be the British company’s second completed SMR project, coming after the delivery of the first operational unit in the UK.

    ČEZ already holds a 20% stake in Rolls-Royce SMR, and the two firms established a broader strategic partnership that aims to deploy up to 3 gigawatts of new SMR-generated generation capacity across the Czech Republic over the coming decades. The Czech state currently maintains a nearly 70% controlling stake in ČEZ, and the national government has been moving forward with plans to acquire the remaining outstanding shares to take full ownership of the country’s largest energy provider.

    Unlike conventional large-scale nuclear reactors, which typically produce upwards of 1 gigawatt of power each, small modular reactors are designed to generate smaller, more flexible output. Proponents of the technology argue that SMRs can be constructed far more quickly than traditional reactors, come with lower upfront capital costs, and can be scaled incrementally to match local energy demand requirements.

  • Chinese scientists discover 2 new lunar minerals from Chang’e 5 samples

    Chinese scientists discover 2 new lunar minerals from Chang’e 5 samples

    In a landmark breakthrough for lunar exploration, a team of Chinese scientists has made a significant new contribution to global planetary science: the discovery of two previously unknown lunar minerals, sourced from the precious lunar surface samples retrieved by China’s Chang’e 5 mission. The announcement of the find, first reported by China Daily and updated on April 24, 2026, marks another key milestone for China’s expanding deep space exploration program, adding new concrete data to the international scientific community’s understanding of the Moon’s geological composition and formation history.

    Chang’e 5, China’s first mission to successfully collect and return lunar samples to Earth, touched down on the northern region of the Moon’s Oceanus Procellarum in late 2020, bringing back roughly 1.7 kilograms of volcanic basalt and regolith from a previously unsampled young region of the lunar surface. These samples have been the subject of ongoing, rigorous analysis by Chinese planetary scientists in the years following their return, with the latest discovery opening new avenues for research into lunar volcanic activity and the evolution of the inner solar system.

    The identification of two new mineral species is a rare and notable achievement in lunar science, as most lunar minerals have already been cataloged from previous Soviet sample-return missions and Apollo program specimens collected in the 1960s and 1970s. This discovery makes China the third country in the world to successfully identify a new lunar mineral from returned samples, underscoring the rapid progress of the nation’s space science capabilities beyond Earth’s orbit. It also aligns with broader planned advancements in China’s deep space exploration roadmap, which includes the upcoming Tianwen 3 mission scheduled to retrieve samples from Mars by approximately 2031, as outlined in recently updated mission plans shared by Chinese space authorities.

    Scientific communities around the world have repeatedly emphasized the value of new lunar sample data, particularly from the young geologic region sampled by Chang’e 5. This new discovery is expected to support ongoing research into the timing of the Moon’s volcanic cooling, the distribution of resources across the lunar surface, and the origins of impact events that have shaped the Earth-Moon system over billions of years. The find also highlights the critical role that sample-return missions play in advancing human knowledge of planetary bodies, complementing data gathered by remote sensing orbiters and rover missions.

  • Watch: Powerful tornado barrels through northern Oklahoma

    Watch: Powerful tornado barrels through northern Oklahoma

    A destructive tornado has carved a path of disruption through northern Oklahoma, touching down in multiple sections of Enid, a mid-sized community located close to the state’s northern boundary, the National Weather Service has confirmed. Home to roughly 50,000 residents, Enid was caught off guard by the intense weather event, which moved rapidly through the area, bringing with it high winds that threatened property and public safety. Meteorologists from the National Weather Service have verified the tornado’s touchdown, and local emergency management teams are already mobilizing to assess damage, clear blocked roadways, and check on residents who may have been affected by the storm. The event serves as a stark reminder of the unpredictable nature of severe spring and summer weather that commonly impacts the Southern Great Plains, a region colloquially known as Tornado Alley for its frequent rotation of extreme storm systems. As of the initial report, no official casualty or damage estimates have been released, with surveys still ongoing to document the full scope of the tornado’s impact across the city.

  • Pilot program for standardization training in key industries rolled out

    Pilot program for standardization training in key industries rolled out

    China has launched its first ever nationwide pilot initiative that merges professional higher education with systematic standardization training, a landmark move designed to build a skilled workforce that combines deep industry expertise with mastery of uniform industry rule-setting and implementation. The initiative, announced jointly by the State Administration for Market Regulation and the Ministry of Education on Tuesday, has approved 281 individual projects hosted by 253 higher education institutions across 30 of China’s provincial-level administrative regions.

    The training program targets strategically important growth industries and core livelihood sectors, spanning high-priority areas from artificial intelligence and intelligent manufacturing to the fast-expanding low-altitude economy, food quality and safety, and modern consumer and business services. To bridge the gap between academic learning and real-world industry demand, more than 80% of the approved projects have partnered with external stakeholders including manufacturing enterprises, research institutes, and other standardization-focused bodies, bringing 373 separate organizations into the initiative overall. Authorities project the program will train close to 40,000 skilled professionals who combine strong disciplinary foundations with advanced proficiency in standardization knowledge and practice.

    Three distinct training models have been rolled out to cater to different talent development goals, each with clear enrollment and curricular requirements. The foundational public education model requires participating institutions to offer at least three standardization-focused public elective courses, totaling a minimum of three academic credits, and reach at least 400 enrolled students within a two-year timeline. This model is focused on building a broad base of core knowledge in standardization theory and methodological frameworks.

    The targeted professional education model, by contrast, centers on applying standardization practices to on-the-ground industry challenges. Participating institutions must deliver at least four specialized standardization-integrated courses, or one or more “mini-major” programs consisting of no fewer than six courses totaling 10 academic credits. This pathway trains students to apply standardization methodologies to solve complex professional problems in their core fields.

    For institutions aiming to cultivate high-level specialized talent, the multi-degree model supports the creation of full second bachelor’s degree programs in standardization-related fields, requiring a minimum enrollment of 20 students within a four-year implementation window. This pathway is designed to produce senior talent that combines deep expertise in a core industry discipline with advanced specialized knowledge of standardization.

    Leading national higher education institutions including Renmin University of China and Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications are among the selected pilot participants. Industry and academic leaders have widely welcomed the initiative, pointing to a critical nationwide gap in skilled standardization talent that has held back industry growth and global competitiveness.

    Jia Xiaoshuang, an associate professor at Renmin University of China’s School of Information Resource Management, explained that many of China’s top technical experts in cutting-edge fields from high-speed rail to artificial intelligence possess world-class technical skills, but lack training in translating technical concepts into formal standard language. “Standardization is an independent academic discipline, and many technical practitioners remain unfamiliar with its core rules and processes,” she noted. As China works to expand its global industrial influence, demand for professionals capable of drafting national, industry, and group standards has risen sharply, making the pilot program a critical first step to address this gap.

    Jia emphasized the strategic importance of standardization leadership in global trade and technology: “A long-held business adage holds that second-rate companies manufacture products, while first-rate companies set industry standards. If China cannot secure a meaningful voice in global standard-setting, its domestic products and technologies will face significant barriers to gaining widespread international acceptance.”

    For the fast-evolving artificial intelligence sector, standardization training is an especially urgent priority, according to Gu Xinyu, an associate professor at Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications’ School of Artificial Intelligence. “AI technology is advancing at breakneck speed and penetrating deep into every vertical industry, and it increasingly touches on issues of public safety, data compliance, and cross-system interoperability,” Gu explained. “Without unified, widely accepted standards, the sector will face persistent problems of technical incompatibility, isolated data silos, and unaddressed safety risks.”

    Using intelligent transportation as a case in point, Gu noted that AI can only reach its full transformative potential if all stakeholders adopt common data formats, communication protocols, and interface specifications. “If AI models, sensors, and control systems from different manufacturers cannot connect and share data seamlessly, data silos and fragmented systems will drastically undermine overall system coordination,” she said. “Standardization acts as the critical bridge that moves AI from laboratory prototypes to large-scale industrial deployment, ensuring the technology remains controllable, trustworthy, and interoperable across platforms.”

    In line with the pilot program requirements, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications is integrating “standardization thinking” directly into its core artificial intelligence curriculum. Core AI courses will now include dedicated modules covering intelligent communication standards, AI ethics standards, data quality standards, model development and evaluation standards, and system security standards. “Our goal is to train students not just as technology innovators, but as active participants and even lead formulators of global industry rules — professionals who can embed standardization best practices directly into their technical work,” Gu said.

  • Sánchez sidesteps a Spain-US dispute at NATO, brushing off reported Pentagon email

    Sánchez sidesteps a Spain-US dispute at NATO, brushing off reported Pentagon email

    Amid growing transatlantic friction over U.S. military operations in the Iran war, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has declined to engage with unconfirmed reports that the Pentagon is considering punitive measures against NATO allies that refuse to back American actions. Spain has emerged as a primary target of this potential pushback, after Madrid formally barred U.S. forces tied to the conflict from accessing its military bases and national airspace. The Spanish government has repeatedly justified its position by arguing that U.S.-Israeli military action in Iran violates international law.

    Spain is not alone in its refusal: both France and the United Kingdom have also declined to grant U.S. forces unfettered access to their territories for bombing operations against Iran. Reports of the Pentagon’s internal deliberations first emerged via Reuters, which cited an anonymous U.S. official referencing an internal Defense Department email. The document even raised the possibility of suspending Spain’s full membership in NATO, alongside a proposal to reassess longstanding U.S. support for the United Kingdom’s territorial claim over the Falkland Islands (known as the Islas Malvinas in Argentina).

    Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a European Union summit held in Nicosia, Cyprus, Sánchez pushed back on the unsubstantiated claims. “We do not work with emails,” the prime minister noted. “We work with official documents and positions taken, in this case, by the government of the United States.” He reaffirmed that Spain’s stance remains unchanged: “The position of the government of Spain is clear: absolute collaboration with the allies, but always within the framework of international legality.”

    This tension comes as NATO itself has formally distanced itself from the Iran conflict. Operating on the basis of consensus, the alliance requires the unanimous agreement of all 32 member states to launch collective action. Crucially, NATO’s founding charter also lacks any formal mechanism to suspend or expel a member nation, even if a member disagrees with the policies of one ally. Member states are only permitted to voluntarily exit the alliance, a process that requires one year’s formal notification to other partners. As an institution, NATO’s only direct role tied to the conflict is limited to defending its own sovereign territory.

    The friction has its roots in former U.S. President Donald Trump’s public anger over what he frames as a failure of many NATO allies to back U.S. actions in Iran and assist with security patrols in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil trade chokepoint. Trump has repeatedly questioned the value of U.S. membership in the transatlantic military alliance, and has even threatened to impose trade restrictions on Spain in retaliation for its base access ban. Beyond the Iran war, Spain has also drawn criticism from allies for failing to meet agreed NATO defense spending targets.

    EU officials have voiced confusion over the U.S. criticism of European allies, noting that France and the United Kingdom are already leading a planned effort to secure maritime trade in the Strait of Hormuz once hostilities in Iran end. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas pointed out that Washington has already asked the bloc to deliver exactly the post-conflict support Europe has committed to providing. “When we have had contacts with the American counterparts, then actually their asks for us have been exactly what we are able to offer after the cessation of hostilities,” Kallas said. “Demining, escorting of ships, all of this that we have been discussing.”

    NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, however, has implicitly criticized the position of Spain and other allied holdouts, noting that long-standing bilateral agreements between the U.S. and European allies covering overflight access and base hosting should be honored. To date, several other NATO allies have permitted U.S. warplanes to use their airspace and American military bases on their territory for operations tied to the Iran war.

    Against a backdrop of growing uncertainty over the durability of U.S. security commitments to Europe, EU leaders used the Nicosia summit to debate new frameworks for collective European self-defense. With Cyprus holding the rotating EU presidency through July, Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides confirmed that leaders have instructed the European Commission to draft a strategic blueprint outlining how the bloc would respond if one member requests collective assistance under Article 42.7 of the EU treaties.

    This mutual defense clause has only been invoked once in the bloc’s history, when France requested support following the 2015 terror attacks in Paris. Next month, EU envoys and defense ministers will hold table-top simulation exercises to test how the clause could be activated in future scenarios, mapping out how the bloc can leverage not just its combined military capabilities, but also other policy tools unavailable to NATO—including trade sanctions, border management, and visa restrictions.

  • Radar detects even more human remains in suspected Indigenous burial sites on Rottnest Island

    Radar detects even more human remains in suspected Indigenous burial sites on Rottnest Island

    One of Western Australia’s most beloved tourist destinations, Rottnest Island — better known for its sun-soaked white-sand beaches, iconic wild quokkas and postcard-perfect coastal views — is now at the center of a sobering discovery that pulls back the curtain on the site’s brutal colonial history.

    The discovery began earlier this month, when construction crews carrying out upgrades for a new bus stop near Holy Trinity Church, located on the island roughly 19 kilometers off the coast of Perth, uncovered a set of unidentified human bones. Work on the infrastructure project immediately halted after the find, triggering a joint investigation by local police and the state’s lead archaeologist. Subsequent forensic testing confirmed the remains were of Indigenous ancestry and dated to historical times, aligning with the island’s dark past as a 19th and early 20th century Aboriginal prison.

    To determine if more unmarked graves sat beneath the construction site, authorities deployed ground-penetrating radar to survey the surrounding area. The advanced scanning technology has now identified 12 separate locations across the site that show strong potential to be unmarked burial sites. Further archaeological and anthropological work is required to confirm the findings and analyze any potential remains at the sites.

    Rottnest Island, known by its traditional name Wadjemup to the local Whadjuk Noongar people, has a long and violent colonial history that is often overshadowed by its modern reputation as a top global tourist spot. From 1838 to 1931, the island operated as a forced labour camp and prison for Indigenous Australian men and boys, holding more than 4,000 prisoners over the near-century of operation. Many incarcerated people died on the island from poor conditions, abuse and disease, and scores are believed to be buried in unmarked graves across the site.

    In a joint statement from the Rottnest Island Authority (RIA) and the Whadjuk Aboriginal Corporation (WAC), representatives acknowledged the profound cultural and spiritual importance of Wadjemup to the Whadjuk Noongar people and all Aboriginal Australian communities. The organizations confirmed that since the initial discovery of remains, they have collaborated closely to uphold traditional cultural protocols and guide all decision-making around site protection and management with cultural respect.

    “We acknowledge and express our deep regret for the significant distress this incident and subsequent investigations has caused Aboriginal people,” the statement added. Moving forward, all work at the site will remain paused while experts work with Indigenous stakeholders to conduct further investigations and plan next steps that honor the cultural significance of the area.

  • ‘Extremely high’ radiation detected inside Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant’s reactor

    ‘Extremely high’ radiation detected inside Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant’s reactor

    Fifteen years after a catastrophic 9.0-magnitude earthquake and devastating tsunami triggered one of the worst nuclear accidents in modern history, plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings (TEPCO) has made a landmark measurement inside the crippled Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant: “extremely high” radiation levels detected within the facility’s No. 2 reactor.

    Published by TEPCO this Thursday, the findings mark the first time that operational staff have successfully recorded radiation readings inside one of the three reactors that suffered full core meltdowns during the 2011 disaster. According to Japan’s national public broadcaster NHK, the measurement was collected on April 16, when a fiberscope fitted with specialized radiation detection hardware was fed through existing plant piping into the sealed reactor chamber.

    At a measurement point roughly five meters above the reactor’s base, the device recorded a radiation dose of 4.7 sieverts per hour — a level officially categorized as “extremely high” by nuclear safety standards. To put this figure in context, a full-body exposure of just 5 sieverts is estimated to cause fatal radiation poisoning in half of all affected humans, highlighting the extreme hazards still present inside the damaged facility more than a decade after the accident.

    TEPCO officials confirmed that the new readings confirm the continued presence of a substantial volume of molten nuclear debris inside the No. 2 reactor. In the wake of the 2011 disaster, all three of the plant’s operating reactors (Units 1 through 3) suffered complete core meltdowns when the tsunami knocked out backup power for cooling systems, leaving behind an estimated total of 880 metric tons of highly radioactive molten debris spread across the three damaged reactor chambers.

    Moving forward, TEPCO announced it will conduct deeper analysis of the collected data to refine existing models of debris distribution, and will continue developing safe methodologies to eventually remove the radioactive material from the reactors. The removal of this debris is universally recognized as the single greatest technical hurdle to the full decommissioning of the Fukushima Daiichi plant, a decades-long project that has faced repeated delays and unforeseen challenges since cleanup efforts began.

  • US companies welcome start of tariff refund

    US companies welcome start of tariff refund

    On Monday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) launched a long-awaited online claims portal called CAPE, opening the door for thousands of American importing businesses to seek refunds on billions of dollars in unlawfully collected tariffs, a development that has been widely welcomed across the country’s business and retail sectors.

    The refund process comes nearly three months after the U.S. Supreme Court issued a landmark 6-3 ruling striking down former President Donald Trump’s broad tariff regime, which was imposed under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The court found that the Trump administration had misused the emergency-focused legislation to enact sweeping levies, ordering CBP to return up to $166 billion in levies collected from importers over the course of the policy. By March 4 of this year, more than 330,000 importers had filed over 53 million import entries subject to the contested tariffs, government data shows. The newly launched CAPE portal will initially process approximately 63 percent of all eligible claims.

    The tariffs in question targeted a wide range of consumer and industrial goods, including home appliances, apparel, electronics, machinery, toys, and games, with Chinese goods facing some of the highest levies, reaching at least 47 percent. As one of the United States’ top three trading partners, China saw a sharp decline in exports to the U.S. under the policy: 2025 data from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative shows total U.S. goods imports from China fell to $308.4 billion, a 29.7 percent drop of $130.4 billion from 2024 levels.

    The rollout of the refund portal marks the conclusion of a years-long legal battle, led by major retail and logistics firms including Costco, Revlon, Toyota, Nintendo of America, and FedEx, which were joined by more than 3,000 businesses in suing the Trump administration over the unlawful tariffs. Within minutes of the portal going live, businesses across the country began submitting claims, with some reporting minor early technical glitches that CBP has committed to addressing rapidly. Jay Foreman, CEO of Florida-based toymaker Basic Fun!, told reporters he had instructed his team to begin filing claims immediately once the system opened, calling the launch a long-awaited win for his business.

    Industry groups have praised CBP for meeting the court-mandated timeline to launch the first phase of the refund program. Jonathan Gold, vice president for supply chain and customs policy at the National Retail Federation (NRF) — the world’s largest retail trade association, whose members span from small independent grocers to major department stores — called the opening of CAPE a significant milestone for hundreds of thousands of impacted businesses. “Although Phase 1 is limited in scope, it is an important step forward for the hundreds of thousands of businesses impacted,” Gold said in a statement to China Daily. “We are hearing a range of experiences from members as users begin filing early claims in the system, which is to be expected. CBP is working quickly to identify and address issues as they arise.”

    The Supreme Court’s ruling represents a major reversal of one of the core planks of Trump’s trade agenda, and trade experts note that any future attempt to impose similar broad tariffs under alternative legal statutes will face significant hurdles. Gary C. Hufbauer, nonresident senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics and an expert in international trade, noted that the majority opinion creates major barriers for any administration seeking to reuse similar emergency trade measures. “The majority opinion implies that Trump will face an uphill battle if he invokes other statutes (Sections 338, 122, 232 and 301),” Hufbauer explained.

    For most American importing businesses, timely refunds are not just a financial boost — they are a critical lifeline. Hufbauer’s research found that through early 2026, most businesses absorbed nearly all tariff costs rather than passing full increases directly to consumers. With average tariffs equal to roughly 15 percent of import value, and most U.S. firms operating on profit margins of less than 10 percent, the levies created significant financial strain that many businesses have been unable to absorb long-term. “Even absorbing a 10 percent tariff has a big adverse impact on most firms, since their profit margins are typically under 10 percent. For most firms, timely refunds are essential,” Hufbauer said.

    Business advocacy groups across the country have echoed that sentiment, emphasizing the broad economic benefits of rapid refunds. Neil Bradley, executive vice president and chief policy officer at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, noted that the refunds will provide critical relief to more than 200,000 small business importers across the country. “Swift refunds of the impermissible tariffs will be meaningful for the more than 200,000 small business importers in this country and will help support stronger economic growth this year,” Bradley said.

    Gold added that the relief will allow businesses to restart paused investments in their operations, workforces, and customers. The U.S. retail sector, the nation’s largest private-sector employer, contributes $5.3 trillion to annual U.S. GDP, making the tariff relief a significant driver of broader economic activity. Some major firms, including Costco and FedEx, have already signaled they plan to pass a portion of their refund savings to consumers through lower prices, though Hufbauer noted that widespread immediate direct consumer refunds should not be expected. Legal and business groups across the U.S. are currently working to help eligible businesses understand their rights and navigate the claims process to secure the refunds they are owed.

  • Red Cross envoy applauds Beijing’s humanitarian action

    Red Cross envoy applauds Beijing’s humanitarian action

    On the 10th anniversary of a landmark bilateral envoy role, the International Committee of the Red Cross’ top representative to China has publicly praised Beijing’s growing contribution to global humanitarian efforts, highlighting its unwavering commitment to upholding international humanitarian law and diplomatic work to de-escalate global crises.

    Balthasar Staehelin, who serves both as the personal envoy of the ICRC President to China and head of the ICRC East Asia Regional Delegation based in Beijing, is the third official to hold the unique envoy post. The position, created in 2016, was the first country-specific envoy role the ICRC had ever established, a designation Staehelin says carries profound symbolic weight for the organization’s relationship with China.

    “The creation and continuation of this role clearly signals that the ICRC recognizes China’s rising global influence, and that we have a critical need to deepen constructive dialogue with both Chinese government bodies and civil society organizations,” Staehelin explained in his remarks, marking 10 years since the post was first created.

    Over the past decade, collaboration between the ICRC and Chinese stakeholders has expanded dramatically, Staehelin noted. Amid a global surge in active armed conflicts, ICRC teams operating in conflict zones now routinely coordinate with Chinese diplomatic missions, UN peacekeeping contingents deployed by China, and Chinese firms operating abroad. The organization also partners with Chinese companies active across Africa to build capacity for corporate social responsibility and safe operations in high-risk unstable environments, spanning a far broader scope of engagement than ever before.

    During his nearly three years of work based in China, Staehelin has observed a growing willingness among Chinese stakeholders to explore new avenues for contributing to international conflict resolution. He pointed to policy guidance laid out in China’s 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), which outlines a clear trajectory toward expanded engagement in international humanitarian assistance. “We are already seeing increased funding allocations and grants directed to international humanitarian organizations, as well as expanded bilateral aid. There is a clear upward trend of doing more, and that is very positive,” he said.

    This policy shift is backed by tangible on-the-ground action. Recent high-profile examples include emergency cash aid delivered to southern African nations hit by catastrophic flooding earlier this year, and ongoing implementation of a $100 million humanitarian aid pledge for Palestine announced by China last December.

    Staehelin also drew attention to China’s increasingly active role in international conflict mediation, pointing to two landmark breakthroughs brokered by Beijing: the 2023 reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran, and the historic Beijing Declaration signed by competing Palestinian factions. He further highlighted the launch of the International Organization for Mediation (IOMed), the world’s first intergovernmental legal organization focused exclusively on resolving international disputes through mediation, which was initiated by China and is hosted in Hong Kong.

    “All these developments point to a shifting landscape: China is not only becoming more active in delivering humanitarian aid, it is also emerging as a key actor that proposes tangible solutions to global conflicts,” Staehelin said.

    He traced this growing engagement to deep-rooted cultural values that align closely with the ICRC’s core mission. “A strong ethos of solidarity and people-to-people connection is deeply embedded in Chinese society. The idea of shared common humanity runs through Chinese thought and tradition, and that aligns perfectly with the ICRC’s humanitarian mission,” he added.

    Staehelin also noted strong alignment between the ICRC’s core ideals and China’s Global Governance Initiative. “China’s approach to global policy is fundamentally people-centered. This focus on people is where our two frameworks strongly resonate. The emphasis on delivering tangible, on-the-ground impact and upholding international humanitarian law are core elements of China’s Global Governance Initiative that the ICRC fully identifies with.”

    That shared commitment was formalized in September 2024, when China joined the ICRC and five other nations to co-launch the Global Initiative to Galvanize Political Commitment to International Humanitarian Law. “China brought its significant political influence and global weight to launch this initiative, and that is deeply appreciated by the ICRC,” Staehelin said. “What we also see, and what we hope all nations will emulate, is that China consistently and explicitly references the importance of international humanitarian law in its global policy proposals.”

    Staehelin emphasized that China’s consistent reaffirmation of respect for international humanitarian law in UN forums and conflict resolution proposals fills a critical global need. “It is essential to maintain a global consensus that international humanitarian law is absolutely vital to protect civilian lives and create the conditions for lasting stability and peace,” he said.

    Drawing on three decades of experience in international humanitarian work, Staehelin also offered a stark assessment of the current global context. “We have seen the number of active armed conflicts double over the past 15 years. At the same time, many countries are increasing defense spending while cutting overseas development assistance budgets. That means needs are growing faster than ever, but available funding is shrinking,” he noted.

  • In photos: North India braces for heatwaves as temperatures cross 40C

    In photos: North India braces for heatwaves as temperatures cross 40C

    As India enters the peak of its pre-monsoon summer season, the country’s official meteorological department has issued an urgent heatwave warning for swathes of northern, central and western India, with the national capital Delhi bracing for severe extreme heat conditions over the coming weekend.

    The alert follows a record-breaking hot day on Thursday, when thermometers in multiple parts of Delhi pushed past the 40-degree Celsius mark, marking one of the highest daily temperature readings recorded in the city so far this year. Forecasters added that abnormal above-average temperatures will persist across Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, two large states in central and western India, for at least the next 48 to 72 hours, with temperatures projected to climb an additional 2 to 3 degrees Celsius across northern and central regions by Friday.

    Extreme summer heat is a life-threatening hazard across India, where prolonged exposure to scorching conditions triggers a range of heat-related illnesses that have claimed hundreds of lives in severe heatwave seasons in recent years. In response to the rising risk, Delhi’s education department moved earlier this week to implement protective guidelines for schools across the capital. The new rules require schools to suspend all outdoor open-air classes, limit or move large daily school assemblies indoors, and install regular hydration reminders, with bells scheduled to ring every 45 to 60 minutes to prompt students to drink water.

    The looming heatwave also underscores the growing impact of human-caused climate change on India’s weather patterns, according to recent research. A 2024 analysis published in the leading medical journal *The Lancet* found that nearly one-third of all heatwave days recorded across India in 2024 were directly attributable to long-term global warming driven by climate change. The research also quantified the massive economic toll of rising heat: in 2024 alone, excessive heat exposure cost India an estimated 247 billion potential labor hours, most lost in the high-exposure agriculture and construction sectors, adding up to a total economic loss of roughly $194 billion (around £151 billion).

    Public health experts warn that prolonged exposure to extreme heat overwhelms the human body’s natural temperature regulation system, creating severe health risks that can turn fatal for vulnerable groups. Common complications include dehydration, heatstroke, and heightened cardiovascular stress, with outdoor laborers, elderly residents, infants and young children facing the highest risk of severe outcomes. Beyond health impacts, extreme heat also exacerbates existing infrastructure gaps, with vulnerable communities in informal urban settlements facing heightened water shortages as demand for drinking water surges during heatwaves.