CHINA - Chinese President Xi Jinping is on a state visit to Europe. On what is his first trip to the EU since 2019, he has visited France and Hungary and concluded the tour in Serbia. The trip comes at a pivotal moment, when European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is attempting to flip the EU institution against China, having initiated dozens of probes on Chinese products in recent weeks. Likewise, the US has aggressively ramped up rhetoric accusing Beijing, accusing it of complicity in the Ukraine conflict, designed of course to undermine Xi’s credibility on his trip.

USA - Previous attempts to throttle Beijing’s technological development have largely failed. The White House is considering banning the export of advanced AI models – the software underpinning systems like ChatGPT – to China, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing government sources. Such a ban would be enforced by the US Department of Commerce, the sources said. In determining which AI models to ban, they said that the department would likely calculate how much computing power is required to train a model, and restrict the export of the most power-hungry, and therefore advanced, versions.

USA - University protesters advocating for Palestinian rights have been found to be distributing pro-Hamas propaganda that supports the genocide of Jews and the elimination of Israel, according to evidence discovered on campuses across the United States. In addition to the propaganda, police found weapons, chains, and steel cables intended for barricading doors, and buckets of rocks and bricks to assault police. Of the 79 people arrested in connection with the UT protest, 45 had no affiliation with the university. Similar situations have occurred at other campuses, with UC San Diego officials citing “significant dangers” in calling police to shut down an encampment where weapons, shields, and other tools for vandalism were found.

USA - As spring gardening approaches, a new contender has entered the fray — the genetically modified (GM) Purple Tomato. Unlike its GM predecessors, the GM Purple Tomato is not destined solely for the fields of commercial agriculture — it has made its debut in the backyards of home gardeners across the United States. With claims of heightened antioxidant levels and potential health benefits, this novel creation has stirred both excitement and controversy among consumers and scientists alike. Biotech investors hope it can usher in a new era of public trust in genetically engineered foods while skeptics worry the tomatoes’ near-total lack of regulation or review may hide dangers to human health and/or the environment. The genesis of the GM Purple Tomato marks a significant milestone in agricultural biotechnology.

USA - The Boy Scouts of America is no longer the image of Americana innocence — and it now seems that it never actually was in the first place. The organization has announced that it is now changing its name to “Scouting America” in order to promote inclusivity and explore diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. “Can I remind America that this is an organization that has 83,000 lawsuits against them for sexual misconduct on young boys?” Jaco Booyens asks, adding, “We’re just going to change the name and welcome more dysfunction, because we are welcoming more dysfunction.”

UK - Things might look a little grim for small-c conservatives in British politics right now. But there is some good news from the front line in Britain's culture wars. All hail the anti-woke revolution! The backlash against intrusive 'progressive' diktats, imposed trans ideology and politically-correct language is gathering pace, from hospitals and schools to public loos. In another blow to the gender extremists, the Government is introducing new rules designed to 'halt the march of gender-neutral toilets' in non-domestic premises. New buildings such as bars, restaurants, shopping centres and offices will be required to provide single-sex toilet facilities for men and women 'to alleviate safety, privacy and dignity concerns'.

ISRAEL - The Israeli bombing campaign has damaged or destroyed 72% of all homes in the Gaza Strip. The UN said on Thursday that the scale of destruction in Gaza hasn’t been seen since World War II and that it would take a minimum of 16 years to rebuild homes in the Strip. “We have not seen anything like this since 1945,” said Abdallah al-Dardari, a UN assistant secretary-general. “That intensity, in such a short time and the massive scale of destruction.” Al-Dardari said 72% of all residential buildings in Gaza have been partially or completely destroyed. “The United Nations Development Programme’s initial estimates for the reconstruction of… the Gaza Strip surpass $30 billion and could reach up to $40 billion,” al-Dardari said.

ISRAEL - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed not to yield to international pressure to stop the war in Gaza. In a speech marking Holocaust Remembrance Day on Sunday, the Israeli leader said that the Jewish state will continue to “defend” itself even if its allies abandon it. The Israeli government has found itself under increasing international pressure to halt its offensive in Gaza and agree to a ceasefire. The US, the biggest supplier of weapons to Israel, has faced mounting calls from the UN, pro-Palestinian protesters, and human rights organizations to stop sending arms to the country. “I say to the leaders of the world, no amount of pressure, no decision by any international forum, will stop Israel from defending itself,” Netanyahu said during a memorial ceremony in Jerusalem for the six million Jews killed by Nazi Germany during World War II. “We will fight the monsters of Hamas and destroy them for good. If Israel is forced to stand alone, Israel will stand alone,” he added.

ISRAEL - Israel has taken a 'very significant step' towards its goal of destroying Hamas with the Rafah crossing seizure, Netanyahu has said. The Israeli Prime Minister dismissed Hamas' proposals to return 33 hostages, which the terror group said could be either alive or dead. 'During the first phase, Hamas releases 33 Israeli detainees (alive or corpses),' Hamas said when it laid out the conditions for the ceasefire deal they had agreed to, according to the Times of Israel. Netanyahu's office said the proposal was 'far from Israel's essential demands', but the government would still send negotiators for talks. This comes just hours after an Israeli tank brigade seized control of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt.

USA - The US has piled pressure on Benjamin Netanyahu to agree a ceasefire deal with Hamas, arguing the two sides should be able to “close the remaining gaps” in negotiations “very soon”. John Kirby, the White House’s national security spokesman, on Tuesday urged negotiators to come to an agreement after Israel launched a “limited” assault on Rafah, in the south of Gaza. Israel rejected a deal proposed by Hamas on Monday, dashing Palestinian hopes of a ceasefire in exchange for the release of remaining hostages captured on Oct 7.

UK - AstraZeneca pulls Covid vaccine after admitting potentially deadly rare side effect. The company says the decision is "commercial" and that the vaccine has been superseded by new inoculations. The Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid vaccine is set to be withdrawn after the pharmaceutical giant admitted it can cause a rare and potentially dangerous side effect. The company has voluntarily withdrawn its "market authorisation" in the European Union, a move which came into force on Tuesday. The vaccine was championed by the-then Prime Minister Boris Johnson as a "triumph for British science", being credited with saving more than six million lives. AstraZeneca said the vaccine - which is known as Vaxzevria - was no longer being manufactured or supplied and has since been superseded by updated vaccines that tackle new Covid variants. The firm said it was therefore a "commercial reason" to withdraw its use.

USA - The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It’s a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion. The organization, steeped in tradition, has made seismic changes after decades of turmoil, from finally allowing gay youth to welcoming girls throughout its ranks. With an eye on increasing flagging membership numbers, the Irving, Texas-based organization announced the name change Tuesday at its annual meeting in Florida. “In the next 100 years we want any youth in America to feel very, very welcome to come into our programs,” Roger Krone, who took over last fall as president and chief executive officer, said in an interview before the announcement.

MIDDLE EAST - Israel has launched a rocket attack on Rafah which allegedly killed five after dismissing Hamas accepting a Gaza ceasefire proposal as a 'ruse'. Hamas issued a statement earlier today saying its supreme leader, Ismail Haniyeh, had delivered the news in a phone call with Qatar's prime minister and Egypt's intelligence minister. But an Israeli official said the proposal that Hamas had accepted was a 'softened' version of an Egyptian proposal, which included 'far-reaching' conclusions that Israel could not accept. 'This would appear to be a ruse intended to make Israel look like the side refusing a deal,' said the Israeli official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. News of Hamas' announcement sent people in Rafah cheering in the streets, hoping the deal meant an Israeli attack had been averted - but these hopes were shattered late Monday when Israel reportedly carried out intense air strikes on the city at 10pm local time (9pm British time).

RUSSIA - One weapon in particular appears to be causing the Kremlin tyrant sleepless nights. The imminent delivery of the US fighter jets is causing panic in the Kremlin and Russia's Ministry of Defence, which issued a strongly worded warning to NATO on Monday. “As the Russian side has repeatedly pointed out, we cannot ignore the fact that these aircraft belong to dual-equipped platforms - non-nuclear and nuclear," said a spokesman. "Aircraft of this type have for many years formed the basis of the aircraft fleet, which is used in the so-called 'joint nuclear missions' of NATO." The statement went on to say that "the regime in Kyiv and its Western sponsors should realise that their reckless steps are bringing the situation closer to the point where it will attain 'critical mass' and explode".

UK - Labour suffered, in its otherwise successful local election performance, from the loss of the “Muslim vote”. I put inverted commas round the phrase because I dislike the idea that a religion enjoins support for a political party. Nevertheless, it is true that Muslim activists in Britain seem obsessed with Israel-Gaza. It is the subject of the angry weekly marches in London which menace Jews and block the streets. It is what causes the protests on university campuses.