The country’s biggest bank has applied for a trademark related to digital currency with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The move has led some to speculate the application for “JPMD” reflects the bank’s growing interest in stablecoins—a type of cryptocurrency that is designed to maintain a value in line with the U.S. dollar.
The application was filed by JPMorganChase on June 15, according to the USPTO’s website. The application listed “JPMD” as a good or service that would provide “trading, exchange, transfer and payment services for digital assets,” among other categories related to cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology.
While the bank has not confirmed its intent to launch a new cryptocurrency, some X users believe that “JPMD” is a reference to an upcoming stablecoin offering. “Stablecoin by JPMorgan is incoming,” one user wrote in a post on X. “$JPMD is the ticker.”
Another X user wrote, “ The world’s biggest bank embracing stablecoin is your sign to stay ultra bullish.”
The social media posts did not offer any additional evidence about the bank’s plans, and JPMorganChase did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fortune.
The speculation comes amid renewed interest in stablecoins as President Donald Trump embraces the industry. A number of companies have been exploring ways to implement stablecoins, which are often used to settle cross-border transactions and to protect fiat-currencies from inflation, into their payment infrastructure.
In March, asset manager Fidelity announced that it was “actively testing” a stablecoin but had no plans to launch the product at this time.
Last month, theWall Street Journal reported that JPMorganChase was involved in conversations with Bank of America, Citigroup, Wells Fargo and other commercial banks about potentially issuing a joint stablecoin, citing people familiar with the matter.
Companies outside of the world of finance are considering stablecoins, too. In May, Fortunereported that Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta was in talks with crypto firms to integrate stablecoins to manage payouts. Earlier this month, Fortunereported that in addition to Meta, Apple, X, AirBnB and Google were all exploring the use of stablecoins.
Whether “JPMD” is a stablecoin or some other type of cryptocurrency, it is not the bank’s first foray into the digital assets space. JPMorgan launched JPM Coin, a cryptocurrency used for the bank’s wholesale payments business, in 2019. The company announced in 2023 that JPM Coin was handling $1 billion of transactions daily.
Until recently, JPMorganChase CEO Jamie Dimon has been a staunch critic of the crypto industry. In 2021, Dimon called Bitcoin, the most popular cryptocurrency, “worthless.” In 2023, he told Congress that the only true use case for crypto is for “criminals, drug traffickers…money laundering, tax avoidance.”
However, as the regulatory environment in the U.S. warms to the idea of digital assets, Dimon has changed his tune. Last month, Dimon announced that JPMorganChase would allow clients to buy Bitcoin but would not custody it.
Fitter and Faster Swim Camps is the proud sponsor of SwimSwam’s College Recruiting Channel and all commitment news. For many, swimming in college is a lifelong dream that is pursued with dedication and determination. Fitter and Faster is proud to honor these athletes and those who supported them on their journey.
Anthony Sanchez from Saratoga Springs, New York, will swim and study at Fordham University in the Bronx beginning next fall. He told SwimSwam:
“I chose Fordham because it’s a place where I felt the most inspired.”
A senior at Saratoga Springs High School, Sanchez holds three team records. He competed at the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Boys Federation Championship in March, swimming the 200 IM (28th place) and 100 breast (23rd place). He also swam breast on the medley relay and contributed to the 400 free relay.
Sanchez does his year-round swimming with Sharks Swim Club (aka Schenectady-Saratoga Swim Club). He had a number of top-8 finishes and three PBs (100 free, 200 fly, and 400 IM) at the Adirondack Gold Short Course Championship, where he came in 4th in the 400 IM, 5th in the 200 breast, 5th in the 200 fly, 8th in the 100 back, and 9th in the 100 breast. Two weeks later he swam the 100 back and 100/200 breast at Ithaca Sectionals.
Last summer, he wrapped up long course season at the Eastern Zone Senior Championships. He finaled in the 100 back and 200 back (with a PB of 2:20.14). He had clocked best times in the 50 free (26.75), 100 free (58.05), 100 back (1:03.76), 100 breast (1:11.57), 200 breast (2:36.45), and 400 IM (5:02.87) at the Adirondack Long Course Championships two weeks earlier.
Best SCY times:
100 breast – 58.68
200 breast – 2:12.22
200 IM – 1:55.00
400 IM – 4:18.12
100 back – 53.14
200 back – 1:58.38
50 free – 22.66
Sanchez will join the Rams next fall with Max Maycher, Quinn MacPhail, Radek Cohen, and Richard Wang.
If you have a commitment to report, please send an email with a photo (landscape, or horizontal, looks best) and a quote to [email protected].
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It is often said in discussions on resource management that there is no Planet B to fall back on once Earth’s resources are depleted. And while that may be true, the rise of digital twins on a planetary scale will not provide us with additional resources—but it will help us manage the ones we have more effectively and gain a clearer understanding of the world we inhabit. The latest example is a digital twin of the Earth unveiled by tech company NVIDIA, designed to deepen our understanding of climate change. Supercomputers, artificial intelligence, research centres, and vast datasets all play a crucial role in this development.
Earth’s new digital twin
The Taiwanese tech giant has launched a new platform called Earth-2: a digital twin of the planet designed to simulate the climate and predict extreme weather events with high precision. This tool enables scientists, governments, and businesses to anticipate events such as storms or droughts with unprecedented resolution—and in far less time than current forecasting methods.
Artificial intelligence for weather forecasting
At the heart of Earth-2 is an AI model capable of generating detailed climate predictions using existing datasets. The system learns to identify patterns in weather behaviour, allowing it to produce forecasts that are not only faster and more accurate but also more energy-efficient. Among its most promising features is the ability to detect hazardous phenomena—such as typhoons or air turbulence—well in advance.
Real-world applications across the globe
Various organisations are already beginning to adopt this technology. Taiwan’s meteorological agency, for example, plans to use it to improve typhoon alerts and carry out evacuations earlier. Private companies are also getting on board—The Weather Company, for instance, will use Earth-2 to visualise forecasts in 3D virtual environments to support better decision-making.
A digital twin in the cloud
This forecasting power is underpinned by a robust cloud infrastructure, allowing the platform to be accessed from anywhere in the world in real time. Earth-2 also provides 3D visualisations of meteorological phenomena—from wind maps to hurricane simulations—making it a valuable resource for scientists, emergency response teams, and urban planners alike.
Other worlds are possible
Earth-2 is not the first attempt to create a digital twin of the planet. Advances in AI, big data, sensor networks and supercomputing have made it possible to handle data volumes that were unimaginable only a few years ago. And the uses of planetary-scale twins go far beyond meteorology—they also offer the ability to monitor a wide range of environmental factors. Three major initiatives currently stand out:
1. Destination Earth (DestinE)
Destination Earth is one of the most ambitious global projects in this field. Led by the European Commission, it aims to create a highly detailed digital replica of the planet to simulate the Earth system with great precision. Launched in 2022, the initiative integrates vast environmental datasets, high-resolution predictive models and AI tools. Based on the MareNostrum 5 supercomputer in Barcelona, the platform can simulate the impact of climate change, track extreme weather trends and analyse interactions between human activity and ecosystems.
What makes DestinE unique is its open, collaborative framework. It is designed as a public infrastructure accessible to European governments, researchers and businesses to enhance climate planning, resource management and disaster preparedness. The platform includes three main components: a simulation model of the Earth system, an accessible service portal, and a secure, interoperable data repository. It is being developed with the support of organisations such as the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) and the European Space Agency (ESA).
2. Earth System Digital Twin
NASA has also embarked on developing a digital twin of Earth as part of its long-term planetary observation strategy. The goal is to build a dynamic virtual model of the Earth system that brings together satellite observations, climate simulations and AI-driven forecasting. This will allow scientists and policymakers to explore various what-if scenarios—such as the potential effects of reduced carbon emissions or increased deforestation in specific regions.
One of the most distinctive features of NASA’s digital twin is its integrated perspective: it does not just simulate the climate, but also incorporates ocean dynamics, atmospheric systems, biospheric processes and human activity. This approach will be key to anticipating events like droughts, wildfires or disruptions in the water cycle. Designed to evolve continuously, the model incorporates new data in real time to deliver an increasingly accurate picture of Earth’s condition.
3. Digital Twin Earth
The European Space Agency is working on its own version, known as Digital Twin Earth. This project focuses on continuous, high-precision monitoring of the planet from space. It leverages the Copernicus satellite constellation, along with land-based sensors, to feed a virtual model that mirrors global environmental conditions. The aim is to equip scientists and decision-makers with a powerful tool for assessing climate change impacts, predicting natural disasters and designing mitigation strategies.
ESA’s approach stands out for its combination of analytical and visual capabilities. Alongside numerical simulations, the platform offers interactive visualisations that help users better grasp Earth system dynamics. It also places a strong emphasis on sustainability and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Practical uses include water resource management, precision farming, wildfire tracking and analysis of greenhouse gas emissions.
Of course, at a smaller scale, digital twins are already used in many other domains—from energy systems to infrastructure. If you’re interested in how they are being applied in construction, take a look at a recent article we published on the topic.
On Saturday, two state lawmakers from Minnesota were gunned down in their homes in what Governor Tim Walz called a “politically motivated assassination” attempt. The attacks left one politician dead and the other seriously injured.
The suspect, Vance Luther Boelter, was taken into custody in rural woodland after a day-long manhunt. He has been charged with multiple counts of murder at the state and federal level.
During a press conference on Monday, officials said that Mr Boelter allegedly also attempted to kill two other state lawmakers on Saturday.
Who were the victims?
State representative Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, were shot and killed in their home, the governor said.
She had served in the Minnesota House of Representatives for 20 years, and was speaker of the chamber from 2019 to 2025.
Under her tenure, Minnesota Democrats passed a variety of liberal legislation that included the expansion of abortion rights and legalisation of recreational marijuana.
She was also known for working across the aisle. In one of her final votes before the attack, sided with Republicans to support a bill provision that would make the state’s undocumented population ineligible for the state’s low-income healthcare programme.
State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, were also shot multiple times and injured, but survived.
During the shooting Yvette Hoffman threw herself on their adult daughter Hope Hoffman to shield her from the bullets, a relative has said.
After surviving the hail of bullets that wounded her parents, Hope Hoffman then called local authorities who rushed to the scene and saved her parents’ lives.
Both lawmakers who were shot are Democrats.
Mrs Hoffman shared a statement on social media after the incident, saying she and her husband were “incredibly lucky to be alive” after they were hit by a combined total of 17 bullets.
“John is enduring many surgeries right now and is closer every hour to being out of the woods,” Mrs Hoffman wrote.
She also expressed sympathy for the loss of her colleagues in the state house.
“We are gutted and devastated by the loss of Melissa and Mark. We have no words. There is never a place for this kind of political hate,” she wrote.
Yvette and John Hoffman/Facebook
Yvette and John Hoffman were shot 17 times between them, but survived
What happened?
Law enforcement has confirmed the attacks occurred in the early hours of Saturday in the cities of Brooklyn Park and Champlin, Minnesota.
Drew Evans, superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, said police received a call at 02:00 local time (03:00 EDT; 07:00 GMT) about an incident at Hoffman’s house in Champlin.
Another call to police came in at 03:35, when officers were checking on Hortman’s home, nearby in Brooklyn Park.
Police discovered what looked like an emergency vehicle parked at the home with emergency lights flashing.
Coming out of the home was someone resembling a police officer, who immediately opened fire on officers, darted back into the house, then escaped on foot.
Mark Bruley, chief of Brooklyn Park police, said the suspect was “wearing a vest with a Taser, other equipment, a badge” posing as law enforcement in order “to manipulate their way into the home”.
In between Mr Boelter’s alleged attack at the Hoffman residence and the shooting at the Hortman residence, he visited the homes of two other state lawmakers allegedly targeting them, US Attorney Joseph H Thompson said on Monday.
One of those lawmakers identified herself as one of the targets.
“I have been made aware that the shooting suspect was parked near my home early Saturday morning,” Minnesota state senator Ann Rest said in a statement on Monday. “I am so grateful for the heroic work of the New Hope Police Department and its officers. Their quick action saved my life.”
The attacks drew condemnation from across the political spectrum. President Donald Trump said “such horrific violence will not be tolerated”.
Meanwhile, US Senator Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat, called it “an attack on everything we stand for as a democracy”.
Who is Vance Luther Boelter?
Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office/Reuters
Police said suspect Vance Luther Boelter was armed at the time of his arrest
Police identified the suspect as 57-year-old Mr Boelter. They did not give details on a possible motive.
A former political appointee, Mr Boelter was once a member of the same state workforce development board as Hoffman.
“We don’t know the nature of the relationship or if they actually knew each other,” said Evans.
Investigators reportedly found a list of 70 “targets”, including the names of state Democratic politicians, in a vehicle the suspect drove for the assassination.
Walz, congresswoman Ilhan Omar, Minnesota’s two US senators, Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, and state Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison were on the hit list, according to local media.
Locations for Planned Parenthood, which provides abortions and contraception, were also on the list, a person familiar with the investigation told the Minnesota Star Tribune.
Supt Evans told reporters he would not describe the notebook found in the car as a “manifesto” as it was not “a treatise on all kinds of ideology and writings”.
Mr Boelter is a security contractor and religious missionary who has worked in Africa and the Middle East, according to an online CV.
He once preached as a pastor at a church in the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to Facebook photos. He had travelled often to the nation, indicate posts from his LinkedIn account.
An online video from two years ago seemed to show him addressing a congregation, adding that he has a wife and five children.
He had also worked back in Minnesota for a major food distributor, a convenience store chain and for two funeral services businesses, according to his online profile.
According to local TV affiliate KTTC, Mr Boelter’s only criminal history in Minnesota was for traffic tickets, including speeding and parking violations.
He texted a troubling message to friends at a Minneapolis residence, where he had rented a room and would stay one or two nights a week, the Minnesota Star Tribune reports.
Mr Boelter said: “I’m going to be gone for a while. May be dead shortly, so I just want to let you know I love you guys both and I wish it hadn’t gone this way.”
How did police find Boelter?
Watch: Minnesota governor Tim Walz confirms Vance Luther Boelter’s arrest
On Sunday night, police said they found Mr Boelter after receiving information that he was seen in the area of Green Isle, a village not far from his home.
Officers called the two-day search the “largest manhunt in the state’s history”, with multiple law enforcement agencies working together to find him.
Mr Boelter was arrested in a rural area with mostly farmland, fields and small woods, and taken into custody “without any use of force” or injury to police.
Police said he was armed when he was arrested, but did not provide further information on the type of weapons present.
Supt Evans said Mr Boelter’s arrest brought “a sense of relief” to communities and lawmakers who were on the suspect’s list of targets.
He also said law enforcement believed the suspect acted alone and was not part of a broader network.
Authorities also condemned Mr Boelter’s impersonation of a police officer while carrying out the attacks, saying “he exploited the trust our uniforms are meant to represent”.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz also followed with a plea for civility, urging people to “shake hands” and “find common ground”.
“One man’s unthinkable actions have altered the state of Minnesota,” he said.
“This cannot be the norm. It cannot be the way that we deal with our political differences.”
Prior to Mr Boelter’s arrest, his wife was detained in a traffic stop along with three relatives in a car in the city of Onamia, more than 100 miles from the family home, on Saturday morning, but released after questioning.
What is the suspect charged with?
Mr Boelter has been charged at both the state and federal level.
Officials said on Monday, that the suspect faces six federal charges, some of which could lead to death penalty. At the federal level, he faces two counts of stalking, two counts of murder, and two firearms-related charges.
Separately, at the state level he is charged with two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of attempted second-degree murder at the state level.
At a brief court appearance on Monday, Mr Boelter said he couldn’t afford a lawyer and would have a federal defence lawyer.
His next court appearance is scheduled for later this month.
Watch: ‘To lose her is tragic’ – Minnesotans pay respects to Melissa Hortman
This marks the first time that Sony Music Labels, which primarily focuses on music recording business, has come to acquire animated character content.
The deal gives Sony Music Labels control over the globally distributed content that has accumulated 6.1 millionYouTube subscribers and more than 3.1 billion total views.
Spookiz centers on five monster characters who come to life at an elementary school after hours. The series features short-form, non-verbal animations typically running one to three minutes.
Each character maintains distinct personality traits: Cula, a mischievous vampire; Frankie, a food-obsessed Frankenstein; Kebbi, an unpredictable goblin; Kongkong, a Chinese ghost; and Zizi, a zombie character.
“Building on the expertise cultivated in the music business and with the support of creators andpartners, Sony Music Labels will aim to transform these monsters into stars, much like the way artists are developed.”
Manubu Tsujino, Sony Music Labels
The content has gained a following across international markets including the US, Philippines, Singapore, India, Japan, Brazil, Mexico, and the UK.
Following the acquisition, Sony Music Labels will collaborate with Keyring Co. Ltd., the South Korean animation studio that created the original content, as Sony plans to produce new Spookiz animations and launch a new season this year.
The acquisition represents a strategic shift for Sony Music Labels, which operates primarily in music production and distribution. The company says it plans to leverage its artist development expertise and to integrate music to expand the Spookiz brand across new markets and demographics as it plans to develop and introduce new characters.
Manubu Tsujino, Representative Director & President, Sony Music Labels, said: “Sony Music Labels is embarking on a new challenge. As a record company, Sony Music Labels has acquired the globally beloved Spookiz.”
“The characters will engage in even more heartfelt activities through animation, music, and other mediums. So please stay tuned for the exciting developments ahead.”
Manubu Tsujino, Sony Music Labels
“Building on the expertise cultivated in the music business and with the support of creators andpartners, Sony Music Labels will aim to transform these monsters into stars, much like the way artists are developed.
“The characters will engage in even more heartfelt activities through animation, music, and other mediums. So please stay tuned for the exciting developments ahead.”
Elsewhere at Sony Music Entertainment Japan, last year, in an exclusive World Leaders interview, Tsujino told us about SMEJ’s ambition to bring Japanese-language music to global audiences.
Tsujino explained how SMEJ also owns its own anime unit called Aniplex and claims to be one of the first record companies in the market to recognize anime’s potential.
“The global rise of Japanese anime is significant,” he told us. “We have long believed that for Japanese music to make its way into the global market, synergy with anime is crucial”.
It’s been several days now since Israel launched its surprise attack on Iran.
The conflict has since escalated with each side launching dozens of strikes.
And because the warring sides don’t share a border, the attacks have largely been focused on air strikes.
While Iran may have the largest stock of missiles and drones in the Middle East, Israel’s air force is considered one of the most powerful in the world – and its air defence system, one of the most advanced.
And more crucially, Israel has the backing of the United States.
So is one military at a clear advantage?
Will the length of the conflict make a difference?
And are there other factors at play in this conflict?
Presenter: Nick Clark
Guests:
Mamoun Abu Nowar – retired Jordanian air force general
Marina Miron – military analyst and researcher in the War Studies Department at King’s College London
Justin Bronk – senior research fellow for airpower and technology at the Royal United Services Institute
Your guide to what Trump’s second term means for Washington, business and the world
Donald Trump said it was a “big mistake” to exclude Russia from G7 summits as he used his opening remarks of the meeting in Canada’s Rocky Mountains to lament the group’s treatment of Moscow.
The US president delivered his complaint flanked by Mark Carney, Canada’s prime minister, marking an awkward start to this year’s summit, which is being dominated by war in the Middle East, trade tensions, and Washington’s inability to broker a peace deal in Ukraine.
Trump has long said he would like to see the G7 return to a G8 format, bringing Moscow back into the fold as it was before Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014.
“This was a big mistake. You wouldn’t have that war,” Trump said, referring to Russia’s full invasion of Ukraine which started in 2022. “[Vladimir] Putin speaks to me, he doesn’t speak to anybody else because he was insulted when he got thrown out of the G8.”
The president said it was “not a bad idea” to have China as part of the G7, which has for decades included the world’s largest industrialised economies and liberal democracies. China and Russia are part of the G20, a wider multilateral group that includes the world’s largest economies.
Trump’s recriminations came as Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine’s president, was invited to join the group on Tuesday for a special session on the conflict with Russia. Trump and Zelenskyy are also expected to have a bilateral meeting on Tuesday.
In his own opening remarks, Carney had wished Trump a happy birthday — he turned 79 on Saturday — and noted the “G7 is nothing without US leadership”.
Trump and Carney had bilateral talks following the opening remarks, which Canadian officials described as “productive” and “focused on advancing the ongoing negotiations around the trade and security relationship between the two countries”.
The US and Canada have been trying to reach a settlement to the trade disputes that have flared after Trump imposed steep new tariffs on Canadian metal imports into the US, but it was unclear if there was any breakthrough in sight. “We’re going to see if we can get to the bottom of it today,” Trump said.
It was unclear whether G7 leaders would find a common position or message on the conflict between Israel and Iran that broke out on the eve of the summit, but Trump urged Tehran to negotiate.
“It’s painful for both parties, but I’d say Iran is not winning this war, and they should talk,” Trump said. “And they should talk immediately, before it’s too late.”
When asked whether the US had provided intelligence support for Israel, Trump said Washington “had always supported Israel” and added “Israel is doing very well right now”.
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi briefed member states at a meeting in Vienna
The head of the global nuclear watchdog says there has been no further damage to Iran’s Natanz uranium enrichment plant since Israel struck the country’s nuclear sites on Friday.
Rafael Grossi told the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) board of governors that an above-ground enrichment facility at Natanz was destroyed, but that there were no signs of a physical attack at the underground facility there.
Four buildings were also damaged at the Isfahan site, he said, including a uranium conversion plant, and no damage was visible at the underground Fordo enrichment plant.
Israel said it attacked the sites and killed nine nuclear scientists to stop Iran developing nuclear weapons.
It alleged that Iran had in recent months “taken steps to weaponize” its stockpile of enriched uranium, which can be used to make fuel for power plants but also nuclear bombs.
On Sunday, Iran reiterated that its nuclear programme was peaceful and urged IAEA’s 35-nation board to strongly condemn the Israeli strikes.
Grossi briefed the board on Monday that the IAEA had been monitoring the situation in Iran very carefully, ascertaining the status of the country’s nuclear facilities and assessing radiation levels through communication with local authorities.
He said Friday’s attack on Natanz destroyed the above-ground part of the Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant (PFEP), where cascades of centrifuge were producing uranium enriched up to 60% purity – close to the 90% required for weapons-grade uranium
Electricity infrastructure at Natanz, which included an electrical sub-station, a power supply building, and emergency generators, were also destroyed.
“There has been no indication of a physical attack on the underground cascade hall containing part of the PFEP and the main Fuel Enrichment Plant. However, the loss of power to the cascade hall may have damaged the centrifuges there,” Grossi added.
He also said there was radiological and chemical contamination at the site, but that the level of radioactivity outside had remained unchanged and at normal levels.
The Israeli military said on Friday that the underground centrifuge hall was also damaged as part of the attack on Natanz, but it provided no evidence.
The IAEA chief said four buildings were damaged in a separate attack on Friday on the Isfahan Nuclear Technology Centre – the central chemical laboratory, a uranium conversion plant, the Tehran reactor fuel manufacturing plant, and a facility to convert uranium hexafluoride to uranium metal, which was under construction.
As at Natanz, off-site radiation levels remain unchanged, he added.
The Israeli military said on Friday that the Isfahan strike “dismantled a facility for producing metallic uranium, infrastructure for reconverting enriched uranium, laboratories, and additional infrastructure”.
On Saturday, Iran’s semi-official Isna news agency quoted spokesman of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) as saying there was “limited damage to some areas at the Fordo enrichment site” following an Israeli attack.
However, the Israeli military has not confirmed carrying out any strikes there.
Grossi said no damage had been seen at Fordo, or at the Khondab heavy water reactor, which is under construction.
He urged all parties to exercise maximum restraint, warning that military escalation threatened lives and increased the chance of a radiological release with serious consequences for people and the environment.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told foreign diplomats in Tehran on Saturday that Israel’s attacks on his country’s nuclear facilities were a “blatant violation of international law”, and that he hoped the IAEA’s board would issue a strong condemnation.
He also said that Iran’s missile strikes on Israel since Friday were a “response to aggression”.
The Israeli military’s spokesperson, Brig Gen Effie Defrin said on Monday that its large-scale air campaign would “continue to act in pursuit of the operation’s objective, to neutralize the existential threat from Iran, from its nuclear project to the regime’s missile array”.
Iran’s health ministry says Israeli strikes have killed more than 220 people since Friday. Twenty-four Israelis have been killed by Iranian missiles, according to Israeli authorities.
Last Thursday, the IAEA’s board formally declared Iran in breach of its non-proliferation obligations for the first time in 20 years. A resolution said Iran’s “many failures” to provide the agency with full answers about its undeclared nuclear material and nuclear activities constituted non-compliance.
Under a 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, Iran was not permitted to enrich uranium above 3.67% purity – the level required for fuel for commercial nuclear power plants – and was not allowed to carry out any enrichment at Fordo for 15 years.
However, US President Donald Trump abandoned the agreement during his first term in 2018, saying it did too little to stop a pathway to a bomb, and reinstated US sanctions.
Iran retaliated by increasingly breaching the restrictions – particularly those relating to enrichment. It resumed enrichment at Fordo in 2021 and has amassed enough 60%-enriched uranium to potentially make nine nuclear bombs, according to the IAEA.
Chinese President Xi Jinping reached Kazakhstan on Monday to attend the second China–Central Asia Summit, a high-stakes diplomatic gathering aimed at deepening Beijing’s economic and strategic ties with the region.
The summit, which will be held on Tuesday in the Kazakh capital Astana, comes at a time when China is intensifying its outreach to Central Asian countries amid shifting global power alignments — and mounting tensions in neighbouring Iran, which is roiled in an escalating conflict with Israel.
The summit will bring together the heads of state from all five Central Asian nations — Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan — along with Xi.
The Astana summit also carries symbolic weight: it is the first time that the five Central Asian nations are holding a summit in the region with the leader of another country.
So, what is the importance of the China-Central Asia Summit? And is China battling both the United States and Russia for influence in the region?
What’s on Xi’s agenda in Astana?
On Monday, Xi was greeted by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and other senior officials at the airport in Astana. The Astana summit follows the inaugural May 2023 China–Central Asia Summit, which was held in Xi’an, the capital city of China’s Shaanxi province.
Xi is expected to be in Astana from June 16 to 18 and is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with Kazakhstan’s leaders on Monday before the summit on June 17.
At the summit, he is expected to deliver a keynote speech and “exchange views on the achievements of the China-Central Asia mechanism, mutually beneficial cooperation under the framework, and international and regional hotspot issues,” said a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson.
The office of Kazakhstan’s president noted that both countries are “set to further strengthen bilateral ties” and Xi will also chair “high-level talks with President [Tokayev] focused on deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership”.
Tokayev, who has been in office since 2019, is a fluent Mandarin speaker and previously served as a diplomat in China.
Zhao Long, a senior research fellow at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (SIIS), told Al Jazeera that Central Asian countries see their partnership with China as a deep, multifaceted cooperation grounded in shared strategic and pragmatic interests.
“The alignment with China helps Central Asian states enhance their regional stability, pursue economic modernisation, and diversify their diplomatic portfolios,” said Zhao. Where Central Asia has abundant energy resources, he said, China offers vast markets, advanced technology, and infrastructure expertise.
Last Friday, Lin Jian, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, told a news briefing that establishing “the China-Central Asia mechanism was a unanimous decision among China and the five Central Asian countries, which dovetails with the region’s common desire to maintain stability and pursue high-quality development”.
Since China first formalised and chaired the China-Central Asia Summit in May 2023, Lin said, “China’s relations with Central Asian countries have entered a new era … injecting fresh impetus into regional development and delivering tangibly for the peoples of all six countries.”
“We believe through this summit, China and five Central Asian countries will further consolidate the foundation of mutual trust,” Lin added.
“During the summit, President Xi will also meet with these leaders and lay out the top-level plan for China’s relations with [the] five Central Asian countries,” said the spokesperson.
SISS’s Zhao said Xi’s attendance at the second summit sends a clear message: “China places high strategic importance on Central Asia.”
Former US President Joe Biden (centre) hosts a C5+1 summit meeting with the presidents of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan on the sidelines of the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, New York, the US, September 19, 2023 [File: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters]
What’s ‘C5+1’ – and is China racing the US for influence?
Experts are dubbing the China-Central Asia Summit as a C5+1 framework, because of the five regional nations involved.
The United States first initiated the concept of such a summit with all five Central Asian nations in 2015, under then-US President Barack Obama. But at the time, the conclave was held at the level of foreign ministers. Then-US Secretary of State John Kerry led the first meeting in September 2015 on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
In January 2022, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a virtual summit with the five Central Asian state heads, and then in June 2025, he invited them for a follow-up conclave in India.
Meanwhile, in 2023, Xi hosted the leaders in Xi’an. Four months later, then-US President Joe Biden hosted the C5 state heads on the sidelines of the UNGA in New York. It was the first time a US president met with Central Asian heads of state under this framework.
But current US President Donald Trump’s tariff policies could upset that outreach from Washington. Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan have all been tariffed at 10 percent.
Trump initially imposed an even higher 27 percent tariff on imports from Kazakhstan, the region’s largest economy, though as with all other countries, the US president has paused these rates, limiting tariffs to a flat 10 percent for now.
China has cited these tariff rates to project itself as a more reliable partner to Central Asia than the US. At the meeting with the foreign ministers of the region in April, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi criticised unilateralism, trade protectionism, and “the trend of anti-globalisation [that] has severely impacted the free trade system”.
The US, Wang said, was “undermining the rule-based multilateral trading system, and destabilising the global economy”.
Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and China’s President Xi Jinping walk past honour guards during a welcoming ceremony before talks in Astana, Kazakhstan on July 3, 2024 [File: Press Service of the President of Kazakhstan/via Reuters]
Why does Central Asia matter to China?
The region, rich in uranium, oil, and rare earth metals, has become increasingly important to China as a key corridor for trade with Europe. Subsequently, China has increased its engagement with Central Asian countries.
Xi, who has curtailed his foreign visits since the COVID-19 pandemic, is visiting Kazakhstan for the third time since 2020. He visited in 2022, and then again in 2024.
Central Asia is also a critical part of Xi’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) — a network of highways, railroads and ports connecting Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America — as a gateway to Europe.
Experts expect the BRI to figure prominently at the summit in Astana on Tuesday, with additional emphasis on collaboration in energy and sustainable development.
A planned $8bn railway connecting China’s Xinjiang region to Uzbekistan through Kyrgyzstan is likely to be on the agenda, the SISS’s Zhao said. Construction on the project is scheduled to begin in July. Expected to be completed by 2030, the railway route will provide China with more direct access to Central Asia and reduce the three countries’ reliance on Russia’s transport infrastructure.
Additionally, Zhao said that the summit may feature agreements on reducing tariffs, streamlining customs procedures, and lowering non-tariff barriers to boost bilateral trade volumes.
From left to right, Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon, Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, China’s President Xi Jinping, Kyrgyzstan’s President Sadyr Japarov, and Turkmenistan’s President Serdar Berdymukhamedov pose for a group photo session during the first China-Central Asia Summit in Xi’an, Shaanxi province, China, May 19, 2023 [File: Florence Lo/Reuters]
How much does Central Asia depend on China?
A lot.
China is today the top trading partner of each of the five Central Asian republics.
Kazakhstan imported goods worth $18.7bn from China and exported goods worth $15bn in 2023 — making up 30 percent of its total imports and 16 percent of exports.
Tajikistan imported goods worth $3.68bn from China and exported goods worth $250m in 2023 — making up 56 percent of its total imports and 16 percent of exports.
Kyrgyzstan imported goods worth $3.68bn and exported goods worth $887m in 2023 from China — constituting 29 percent of its total imports and 26 percent of exports.
Uzbekistan imported goods worth $12.7bn and exported goods worth $1.82bn in 2023 from the world’s second-largest economy — representing 32 percent of its total imports and 6 percent of exports.
Turkmenistan imported goods worth $957m and exported goods worth $9.63bn in 2023 from China — or 20 percent of its total imports and 62 percent of exports.
China is also ramping up its investments in the region. It has committed to an estimated $26bn in investments in Kazakhstan, for instance.
Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) summit in Astana, Kazakhstan, November 28, 2024 [File: Gavriil Grigorov/Kremlin via Reuters]
Is China replacing Russia in Central Asia?
It’s complicated.
Formerly parts of the Soviet Union, the five Central Asian republics have long belonged in Russia’s strategic sphere of influence. Millions of people from the five republics live and work in Russia, and since 2023, Moscow has become a supplier of natural gas to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, which have faced energy shortages — even though Central Asia was historically a supplier of energy to Russia.
But though Russia remains a major economic force in the region, China has overtaken it as the largest trading partner of Central Asian republics over the past three years — a period that has coincided with Russia’s war on Ukraine. Some of that increased trade, in fact, is believed to be the outcome of China using Central Asia as a conduit for exports to Russia of goods that face Western sanctions.
Still, there are ways in which Russia remains the region’s preeminent outside ally. Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan — three of the region’s five nations — are part of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) — along with Russia, Armenia and Belarus. Like NATO, this bloc offers collective security guarantees to members. In effect, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan have the cover of Russia’s protection if they are attacked by another nation — something that China does not offer.
