Morning update
Good morning Middle East Eye readers,
Chinese leader Xi Jinping welcomed US President Donald Trump early on Thursday ahead of high-stakes discussions in Beijing. The summit is expected to cover sensitive issues relating to trade, Iran and Taiwan.
Meanwhile, Lebanon and Israel are also expected to hold new peace talks in Washington today.
Here are the latest developments:
Ahead of Lebanon-Israel ceasefire discussions, Israel killed and wounded more than a dozen overnight and early on Thursday.
In a press release on Wednesday, Unicef indicated that at least 59 children have been wounded or killed in Israeli attacks over the past week. Since the ceasefire began in 17 April, over 23 children have been killed since and 93 others left injured.
A US intelligence analysis suggests that China is gaining an edge over the US amid the war on Iran, US officials familiar with the confidential report told The Washington Post. The assessmen details Beijing maximising its advantage over Washington in various arenas, including militarily, economically and diplomatically.
Cuba's Energy Minister said that the country has completely run out of fuel as a result of the US blockade on the Strait of Hormuz. The country is the latest among several worldwide which have been significantly impacted by a global energy crisis.
Armed Israeli settlers on Wednesday launched several attacks across the West Bank on Wednesday, killing one teen and injuring several others. During one of the settler raids in Sinjil, which happened under the protection of Israeli forces, around 700 sheep were stolen. Other agricultural equipment was also looted in the same attack.