The US secretary of state insists that Washington’s policy on the island is “unchanged” after Xi Jinping said mishandling the issue could lead to conflict | Washington’s policy on Taiwan remains unchanged and any attempt by China to break the status quo would be a “terrible mistake,” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said. [...] During the trip, Chinese leader Xi Jinping named Taiwan as “the most important issue in China-US relations,” warning that if the two nations fail to handle it correctly, they “may clash or even come into conflict.”

■ Xi, Trump have restricted meeting in Beijing (Global Times)
✅ China Sent a Tough Message to Trump… Did He Understand It? (Larry C. Johnson)
✅ Trump Goes To China (Moon of Alabama) (05/13/26)

Elena Panina | Washington is preparing to bring charges against 94-year-old former Cuban leader Raúl Castro in connection with a 1996 case involving aircraft belonging to the humanitarian organization Brothers to the Rescue, which the Cuban military was accused of shooting down, Reuters reports.

❖ In a wider perspective, this points to a familiar pattern. First come sanctions, economic strangulation, and attempts at international isolation. Then come charges of some form of “terrorism” against symbolic figures. And then the opportunity arises to speak not of a political conflict, but of “the prosecution of criminals.” This is precisely the model the U.S. used against Nicolás Maduro—right up to his abduction by U.S. special forces. ● According to Reuters, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida is exploring the possibility of bringing criminal charges against other high-ranking officials from the Island of Liberty. ● It is telling that the case against Castro was revived nearly 30 years after the events in question. This is clearly no coincidence. Nor is the full-blown energy crisis that has erupted in Cuba recently due to the U.S. blockade, accompanied by statements from American officials calling for “fundamental changes.”

❖ Earlier, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov emphasized Cuba’s importance. And this is entirely justified, especially since we are capable of neutralizing the U.S.’s main leverage—the energy stranglehold on Cuba. Cuba, as well as the stability of its society, is critically dependent on fuel imports. Organizing regular fuel deliveries, for example, as part of humanitarian efforts, appears to be a perfectly feasible task for Russia. (DeepL) (Photo: Reuters)

■ Cuba hosts CIA chief as US blockade pushes island into worst blackout crisis in decades (The Cradle)
■ CIA chief delivers message from Trump to Cuba (PHOTOS) (RT)

The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) is investigating over 120 US-funded biological laboratories abroad. DNI Tulsi Gabbard said her team will identify lab locations, pathogens, and research, aiming to halt dangerous gain-of-function experiments that threaten global health and safety. | The US operates over 300 biological laboratories abroad, including more than 40 in Ukraine. A US intelligence investigation into these facilities signals growing concern over biosafety and security risks.

🚩 Remember how the West laughed at Russia’s ‘biolabs’ claims? The facts: (05/14/26)

Leo Hohmann | The answer is hiding in plain sight but nobody is looking or asking the right questions. | If you ask the typical Georgian why this extremely costly war was launched in the first place, many will parrot Trumpian talking points about having to stop Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. Some might also repeat the dubious claim that we had to get revenge on a regime that’s been “killing Americans for 47 years.” ■ I have discussed the real reasons this war was launched in multiple articles, and tops among them is an effort, a very risky effort, to cut China off from the vital oil and gas resources it relies on from the Middle East. Roughly 54 percent of China’s energy resources come from the Middle East. ■ And with President Trump’s big summit with Chinese leader Xi Xinping approaching on May 14, I felt it was timely to remind my readers of one of my most important articles, first published on Feb. 9, three weeks before the war started on Feb. 28. To understand this war, you must understand that it has every bit as much to do with China as it does Iran. ■ So please read the Feb. 9 article here and reread it if you don’t remember the details.

Israeli attacks have devastated Lebanon’s farmland, livestock, and irrigation systems, worsening food insecurity and rural economic collapse. Over 65% of Lebanon’s agricultural land is now heavily damaged amid ongoing aggression since 2023. | South Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley are the backbone of the agriculture sector in Lebanon. Making up more than 65% of Lebanon’s total agricultural land, they have become the foundation of life and rural continuity for the country, as local communities depend heavily on olive groves, tobacco cultivation, livestock production, poultry farming, and seasonal harvests for both income and food security. For many Lebanese villages, farming is not merely an occupation but a central component of local identity.