Today In Issues:
FDD Research & Analysis
The Must-Reads
UN chief urges 'irreversible action' on Israel, Palestinian two-state solution US targets China, Iran-based firms in fresh Iran sanctions Iran executes man accused of spying for Israel Russia hopes warmer weather will boost flagging spring offensive Putin is said to demand Ukraine land despite US pressure Clashes erupt on outskirts of Syria’s capital, killing 12 US and UK forces conduct joint military operation in Yemen, Britain says Hundreds of North Korean troops killed while fighting Ukraine, Seoul says Bloomberg’s Shuli Ren: Xi’s tariff fight reveals China’s great divide France blames Russia for years of cyberattacks UK’s House of Lords’ Mark McInnes: Europe’s diplomatic blind spot: Kallas’ visit to Baku Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime’s Mark Shaw & Romain Le Cour Grandmaison: Haiti is in a political and criminal crisis that should not be ignoredIn The News
Israel
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday pushed countries to “take irreversible action towards implementing a two-state solution” between Israel and the Palestinians ahead of an international conference in June. – Reuters
France’s foreign ministry accused Israel’s embassy of “unacceptable” behaviour on Tuesday after it banned two French groups, including elected officials, from visiting Israel and alleged the groups were linked to a terrorist organisation. – Reuters
Israel’s foreign minister slammed the United Nations on Monday as the organization’s court opened a hearing on Israel’s legal responsibilities in Gaza. – Fox News
Even as it celebrates a second war-time Independence Day in a row Wednesday, Israel is being attacked on several battlefield fronts and, notably, also in various organs of the United Nations. – New York Sun
The US State Department is planning to eliminate the office of the US Security Coordinator (USSC) in Jerusalem, which helps bolster security coordination between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, a Trump administration official, congressional aide and third source familiar with the matter told The Times of Israel on Tuesday. – Times of Israel
The government canceled its decision to fire Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar in a cabinet resolution approved Tuesday afternoon, following Bar’s announcement the day before that he would resign his position on June 15. – Times of Israel
Former hostage Arbel Yehoud, who was returned to Israel in January as part of a Gaza ceasefire agreement, says her Palestinian Islamic Jihad captors made it clear to her that they would kill her if the IDF discovered their location and came to rescue her. – Times of Israel
Seventy-nine people have been killed in terrorist-related incidents since last year’s Remembrance Day, the National Insurance Institute reported on Thursday. – Jerusalem Post
Panic broke out at the Tel Aviv Remembrance Day ceremony after a conflict between police officers and venue security led to the arrest of three guards, Israeli Media reported Tuesday night. – Jerusalem Post
Nearly half of Israelis support a military strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities even without US support, according to the April 2025 edition of the Israeli Voice Index released by the Israel Democracy Institute on Tuesday. – Jerusalem Post
A news website affiliated with the Hamas terror organization condemned the Memorial Day and Independence Day ceremonies at the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron, and called them “a desecration of the holy al-Ibrahimi Sanctuary” – the Muslim name for the holy site. – Arutz Sheva
The juvenile district court in Jerusalem sentenced a terrorist who carried out a stabbing attack in Jerusalem two years ago, when he was 17, to 24 years in prison, probation, and total financial compensation of 125,000 shekels to four of the victims of the attack. – Arutz Sheva
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to depart next Wednesday for a planned visit to Baku, Azerbaijan, where he will meet with President Ilham Aliyev and remain for five days, including the weekend. – Ynet
Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer predicted on Monday that the war Israel has been fighting since October 2023 will end within a year, marking the first time a senior official has given a timeframe for it to be over. – Times of Israel
Moshe Phillips writes: And who would stop “Palestine” from importing Iranian missiles or “volunteer” Houthi fighters from Yemen? Macron — and those who share his view — must come to terms with the new geopolitical reality. The U.S. has recognized the inherent risks in establishing a Palestinian Arab state. The European Union would do well to follow suit. A two-state solution would expose Israel to an October 7 scenario every single day. No rational nation would accept that future. Neither should Israel. – Arutz Sheva
Iran
Iranian officials investigating a huge explosion at a strategic port in southern Iran have said they found “false statements” in the documentation for the shipment believed to have triggered the blast, which the authorities say has now killed 70 people. – New York Times
The United States on Tuesday imposed sanctions on a network based in Iran and China that it accused of procuring ballistic missile propellant ingredients on behalf of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as President Donald Trump’s administration seeks to increase pressure on Tehran. – Reuters
An Iranian man convicted of espionage and intelligence cooperation with Israel was executed on Wednesday, Iranian state media reported, at a time of high-stakes nuclear negotiations between Washington and Tehran. – Reuters
French, British and German political directors will meet with Iran on Friday in Rome, two diplomatic sources told Reuters, confirming an earlier Reuters exclusive. – Reuters
The Be’er Sheva District Court sentenced 72-year-old Moti Maman from Ashkelon to 10 years in prison on Tuesday after he admitted to contacting a foreign agent and illegally entering an enemy state. Maman traveled to Iran, where he met with Iranian intelligence agents who allegedly sought to recruit him to carry out attacks against Israel. – Ynet
Dennis Ross writes: Framing objectives in a way that gains support globally certainly helps to marry objectives and means and makes for smart statecraft. Making clear that Iran can have civil nuclear power but not a nuclear weapon option can build pressure on the Iranians by isolating them — even as it raises the specter their leaders have always feared: direct U.S. military action against the regime. – The Hill
Zina Rakhamilova writes: The truth, however, is that both Israelis and the people of Iran are on the front lines facing this regime and will be the first to feel its wrath, and none of us are sitting at the negotiation table. Our futures are now being dictated by world powers willing to gamble with our lives in the name of diplomacy, despite history’s repeated proof that appeasement only fuels tyranny. The West cannot afford another unfavorable deal, and certainly not one that the regime will not even adhere to. Yet it is Israelis and Iranians who will be left to pay the price, with our security, our freedom, and our lives. – Jerusalem Post
Russia and Ukraine
Russia’s renewed assaults come as President Trump has increased pressure on the two sides to reach some kind of cease-fire—and raised the prospect that the U.S. might walk away from the conflict if they don’t, which could mean an end to military aid for Kyiv. – Wall Street Journal
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday that now is the time for concrete proposals from Moscow and Kyiv to end the war in Ukraine and warned that the U.S. will step back as a mediator if there is no progress. – Reuters
Russian forces have significantly increased the intensity of their combat activity in eastern Ukraine, Ukraine’s top military commander Oleksandr Syrskyi said on Wednesday. – Reuters
Russian troops are trying to carve out a buffer zone in Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy region, although so far without substantial success, the regional governor said on Tuesday. – Reuters
President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he thinks President Vladimir Putin wants to stop Russia’s war in Ukraine, despite recent attacks against the beleaguered nation. – Reuters
Russian forces launched a mass drone attack on the southeastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro late on Tuesday, killing one person and triggering fires, the regional governor said. – Reuters
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin signed a decree late on Tuesday renaming the airport in Volgograd as Stalingrad, as the city was known when the Soviet army defeated the Nazi German forces in the biggest battle of World War Two. – Reuters
The Kremlin said on Tuesday that Ukraine had not responded to many offers by Russia President Vladimir Putin to start direct peace negotiations, and that it was unclear whether it would join a three-day ceasefire he has announced for next month. – Reuters
President Vladimir Putin is insisting that Russia must take control of four regions of Ukraine it doesn’t fully occupy as part of any agreement to end his war, according to three people in Moscow familiar with the matter. – Bloomberg
Donald Trump is “confident” a deal on critical minerals will be signed with Ukraine, the White House said, a move that could bolster US support for Kyiv as the US president grows frustrated over delays in clinching a ceasefire in Russia’s war on Ukraine. – Bloomberg
Marc Champion writes: As I’ve written before, the US administration doesn’t have to take this road. There’s room for a deal that still requires painful concessions from Zelenskiy, but also ensures a permanent end to Russia’s invasion and leaves Ukraine secure, sovereign and investable. The US has a strong hand to play in making clear to Putin that if he refuses, he won’t be allowed to win the war. Trump should use the cards he has, and stop letting himself get tapped along. – Bloomberg
Daniel McCarthy writes: Georgia’s example doesn’t provide any clues for resolving Ukraine’s need for a security guarantee — such a thing is most likely to be met, in present circumstances, by some commitment on Western Europe’s part separate from NATO. Yet in devising a practical peace, not every question of principle needs to be answered. Georgia survives by having its answers but deferring their fulfillment. That’s hardly the happiest of endings, and it’s a reprieve, not a relief, in the face of danger. Yet a reprieve is more than Saigon ever had, and any path that doesn’t lead to horrors like those of a half-century ago is one the president must try. – New York Sun
Syria
Deadly clashes fueled by sectarian tensions erupted on the outskirts of the Syrian capital, Damascus, killing at least 12 people, Syrian officials and a war monitoring group said on Tuesday. – New York Times
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani met with senior U.S. State Department officials on Tuesday in New York, two sources familiar with the matter said, as Damascus seeks a clear road map from Washington on how to secure permanent sanctions relief. – Reuters
The toppling of Syrian strongman Bashar al-Assad has been great for Mohammad al-Badawi. His sales have doubled as beverages he imports cheaply from Turkey into the former-rebel stronghold of Idlib can now be sold in the rest of Syria. – Reuters
Aleppo, Syria’s second largest city and a UNESCO World Heritage site, was deeply scarred by more than a decade of war between government and rebel forces, suffering battles, a siege, Russian air strikes and barrel bomb attacks. – Reuters
Since Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa seized power in December, hundreds of Alawites have been forced from their private homes in Damascus by the security forces, according to Syrian officials, Alawite leaders, human rights groups and 12 people with similar accounts who spoke to Reuters. – Reuters
Turkey
Italy and Turkey will continue to strengthen cooperation in the defence industry with new projects while also boosting their reciprocal trade, the leaders of the two countries said after holding talks in Rome. – Reuters
The U.S. Senate on Tuesday confirmed private equity executive Thomas Barrack, a longtime friend and backer of President Donald Trump, to be U.S. ambassador to Turkey, a NATO member that in recent years has had strained ties with the United States. – Reuters
Nestled in the mountains of Iraqi Kurdistan sits the picturesque village of Sergele. For generations villagers have made a living growing pomegranates, almonds and peaches and foraging in the surrounding forests for wild fruits and spices. But Sergele, located 16km (10 miles) from the border with Turkey, has become increasingly surrounded by Turkish military bases, which are dotted across the slopes. – BBC
Middle East & North Africa
President Trump is pushing privately and in public for Egypt to compensate the U.S. for its efforts to defend shipping lanes headed to the Suez Canal, putting the struggling country in a difficult political position. – Wall Street Journal
U.S. and British forces conducted a joint military operation in Yemen on Tuesday, according to Britain’s Ministry of Defence, which said the operation was against a Houthi military target responsible for making drones like those used to attack shipping. – Reuters
Real estate developers Qatari Diar and Dar Global will announce a deal on Wednesday to build Qatar’s first Trump-branded real estate project, a source with knowledge of the plans told Reuters on Tuesday. – Reuters
The Gulf region is dependent on a strong United States, and the whole region wants security so local economies can flourish, the U.S. president’s son Eric Trump said in an interview with Reuters on Tuesday. – Reuters
US forces have struck more than 1,000 targets in President Donald Trump’s campaign against Houthi militants in Yemen, the Pentagon said, offering rare insight into a stepped-up offensive that’s been conducted largely in secret. – Bloomberg
A 1970 recording of Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser indicating a lack of interest in the Palestinian cause is causing a stir in Egypt, Hebrew media reported Tuesday. – Agence Presse-France
The Middle East’s share of global defense spending increased 15 percent in 2024, driven in part by a multi-billion jump by Israel amid a multi-front conflict, according to new data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). – Breaking Defense
Korean Peninsula
About 600 North Korean troops have been killed fighting for Russia against Ukraine out of a total deployment of 15,000, South Korean lawmakers said on Wednesday, citing the country’s intelligence agency. – Reuters
South Korean Industry Ministry officials will travel to Washington on Wednesday for “technical discussions” with U.S. Trade Representative counterparts hoping to make progress on a potential deal over U.S. tariffs, Seoul’s ministry said. – Reuters
South Korean prosecutors are conducting a search operation at ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol’s private residence, Yonhap News Agency reported on Tuesday. Yoon was ousted on April 4 over his attempt to declare martial law late last year. – Reuters
North Korea earlier this week conducted the first test-firing of the weapons system of the new “Choe Hyon-class” warship it recently unveiled, state media KCNA reported on Wednesday. – Reuters
China
China signaled its resolve to stand up to President Trump’s efforts to pressure Beijing into a settlement on trade, vowing in a social-media video to “never kneel down” before U.S. coercion—and urging other countries to also resist. – Wall Street Journal
China’s economy showed its first big signs of damage from the trade war, as steep U.S. tariffs pummeled export orders and production at the country’s factories. – Wall Street Journal
China has created a list of U.S.-made products that would be exempted from its 125% tariffs and is quietly notifying companies about the policy, two people familiar with the matter said, as Beijing seeks to ease the impact of its trade war with Washington. – Reuters
China is leveraging its propaganda machine to hit back at U.S. tariffs, rolling out videos using Cold War imagery to lambaste “imperialists” and send a simple message – capitulation to bullies is dangerous, and we won’t back down.- Reuters
Chinese President Xi Jinping used a visit to Shanghai on Tuesday to push for breakthroughs in artificial intelligence and underscore China’s leading role in the “Global South” – Reuters
President Xi Jinping’s diplomats are fanning out across the world with a clear message for countries cutting deals with Donald Trump: The US is a bully that can’t be trusted. – Bloomberg
China’s top legislature passed a bill aimed at boosting the private sector, in a symbolic move to rally entrepreneurs and shore up confidence as Beijing hunkers down for a “protracted” trade war with the US. – Bloomberg
China called on Chile to approve the construction of a Chinese observatory in the country’s north and overcome US “interference” to block the project. – Bloomberg
China is to lift sanctions on five current and former MEPs who have criticized its human right violations, according to a senior Parliament official, clearing the way for trade talks between the two superpowers. – Politico
Shuli Ren writes: Barring mass street protests, the government’s attitude toward blue-collar laborers has been that since many have few skills, they can be flexible. Manufacturing jobs gone? No problem, they can go into the services sector, or back home to the farm. During the GFC, at least 20 million laid-off migrant workers returned to rural areas. This attitude is unlikely to change just because of Trump. – Bloomberg
South Asia
Every night in Karachi, a bustling port city in Pakistan, Fatima Bibi goes to bed in fear. The sound of police sirens from the streets outside makes her anxious. She wonders whether a knock at the door might tear her family apart. Her husband, Sher Zada, is an Afghan refugee. – New York Times
Pakistan said on Wednesday it has “credible intelligence” that India intends to launch military action soon, as tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours escalate following a deadly attack on tourists in Indian Kashmir. – Reuters
Over half of the tourist destinations in India’s insurgency-torn Kashmir region were closed to the public from Tuesday, according to a government order reviewed by Reuters, in a move to tighten security after last week’s attack on holiday-makers. – Reuters
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will speak soon with his counterparts in India and Pakistan and urge them not to escalate tensions over a deadly Islamist militant attack in India-administered Kashmir, the State Department said on Tuesday. – Reuters
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres spoke separately on Tuesday with Pakistan’s Prime Minister Muhammad Shebaz Sharif and India’s Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, a U.N. spokesperson said. – Reuters
Last week’s deadly attack on tourists in Kashmir has rekindled worries over potential conflict in the region and served as a reminder of geopolitical risks for India – the world’s most populous nation and its fastest-growing major economy – as well as for Pakistan. – Reuters
New Delhi is prepared to include a sweetener in trade talks with Washington that would “future-proof” a deal by ensuring no other trade partners could have superior terms, as it pushes for a quick agreement with the Trump administration, Indian government officials said. – Reuters
Pakistan’s army has shot down an Indian spy drone along their disputed border in the Kashmir region, as tensions rise over last week’s militant attacks that killed 26 people. – Bloomberg
Sushant Singh writes: The cease-fire on the line of control, which has held for four years, offers little reassurance that either side is highly invested in peace and stability. Neither has addressed core disputes, engaged sincerely with the other, or sought to build trust. The cease-fire remains fragile and reversible. That the leaders of both India and Pakistan are incentivized to stand firm reduces the space for compromise and increases the likelihood of confrontation. The risks of escalation, whether intentional or accidental, are higher than ever, with the consequences of miscalculation potentially calamitous for South Asia and the world – Foreign Affairs
Asia
The Vietnam War ended 50 years ago Wednesday when North Vietnamese tanks rolled through Saigon, capital of the U.S.-backed South Vietnam. Today, tourists visiting the land of their onetime enemy are discovering that Americans are by and large beloved here. – Wall Street Journal
Thousands of Vietnamese celebrated the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War on Wednesday, in what the country’s communist leader said was a “victory of faith”. – Reuters
The killing of a veteran Filipino journalist in his home was a “heinous act” that was being investigated by police, the Philippines’ Presidential Task Force on Media Security said on Wednesday. – Reuters
China’s navy conducted a patrol in the South China Sea on Tuesday, saying that the Philippines has been creating “disturbances”, as the Filipino and U.S. air forces conducted their own joint mission above the disputed waterway. – Reuters
Indonesia’s Constitutional Court has approved in part a petition brought by an environment campaigner, it said on Tuesday, opening the way for a legal change to bar the government or a company filing defamation complaints in the event of criticism. – Reuters
Singapore holds a parliamentary election on May 3, the first big test for new Prime Minister Lawrence Wong as his People’s Action Party seeks to extend its unbroken rule of the city-state and emerge with a stronger mandate. – Reuters
The New Zealand Air Force will establish a small space squadron to signal its growing commitment to space-based defence and international security, a senior military official said on Wednesday. – Reuters
A Chinese foreign ministry official on Tuesday lodged solemn representations with the Philippine ambassador over what they said were the Philippines’ “negative moves” related to Taiwan and security, a ministry statement showed. – Reuters
The first batch of individuals jailed in the landmark Hong Kong national security trial of “47 democrats” accused of conspiracy to commit subversion were freed on Tuesday after being behind bars for more than four years. – Reuters
Palau, where brutal World War Two clashes once unfolded, is again on the frontline as China and the United States and its allies prepare their forces in an intensifying contest for control over the Asia-Pacific region. – Reuters
Georgian prosecutors said on Tuesday they had conducted searches at the apartments of five individuals who helped organise funding campaigns to support street protesters, amid a government crackdown on the rallies that have raged for months. – Reuters
Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro and New Zealand counterpart Judith Collins signed the Status of Visiting Forces Agreement on Wednesday during the latter’s visit to Manila. – Bloomberg
The Philippines and Japan plan to expand their security partnership, their leaders said, as both countries grapple with maritime disputes with China. – Bloomberg
A pair of Japan-based U.S. destroyers has been operating in the Indian Ocean over the past month, as the Pentagon is enhancing its military presence in the nearby Middle East. – Newsweek
Karishma Vaswani writes: It shouldn’t be surprising that citizens expect meaningful debate on major policy issues, from childcare leave to the voting age. Any political evolution is likely to be gradual, and for most citizens, that’s the preferred path. I have heard similar sentiments from supporters on both sides. Voters don’t want to throw the PAP out, but they do want different voices in parliament to provide accountability. – Bloomberg
Europe
Germany has charged a former staffer to a right-wing politician with spying on behalf of China in a move that could complicate the coming German government’s relationship to China. – Wall Street Journal
France accused Russian military intelligence of orchestrating nearly a decade of cyberattacks against French ministries, defense contractors and media outlets with the aim of gathering intelligence and sowing division in the country. – Wall Street Journal
Travelers to Europe, mark your calendars (and bring your raincoats). On June 15, activist groups across southern Europe are planning to stage protests against tourism. Although the precise form of those demonstrations has not been decided, it’s a pretty safe bet that water guns will be involved. – New York Times
Three people were killed in a shooting in the Swedish city of Uppsala on Tuesday and a murder investigation has been launched, police said. – Reuters
Germany’s Social Democrats will announce on Wednesday whether members have backed a treaty for a coalition with the CDU/CSU conservatives, potentially clearing the last hurdle for the formation of a new government in Europe’s largest economy. – Reuters
Spain and Portugal switched their power back on after the worst blackout in their history, though authorities offered little explanation for what had caused it or how they would prevent it happening again. – Reuters
The European Court of Justice on Tuesday said Malta needs to end its golden passport programme that allows wealthy foreigners to buy citizenship, as it infringes EU law. – Reuters
Russia’s full-scale assault on Ukraine exposed how Swiss neutrality imposes strict export rules for arms, threatening the small but symbolically important industry. – Bloomberg
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK Party is poised to emerge as the biggest winner in England’s local elections on Thursday, potentially laying the ground for a wider fracturing of British politics and the end of the country’s traditional Labour-Conservative duopoly. – Bloomberg
Germany’s acting Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said on Tuesday that the disputed Nord Stream gas pipeline shouldn’t be reactivated, amid suggestions that a potential ceasefire in Ukraine could lead to renewed deliveries from Russia. – Bloomberg
Fewer Finns have faith in NATO’s security guarantees after President Donald Trump cast doubt over whether the US would unconditionally defend allies in the event of an attack, according to a recent poll. – Bloomberg
Hungary approved legislation that allows authorities to strip European Parliament lawmakers of their mandate, a move seen by critics of Prime Minister Viktor Orban as an attempt to potentially sideline his poll-leading rival before next year’s election. – Bloomberg
Lionel Laurent writes: There are two paths left to try. One is for individual countries to take their own preemptive measures, as seen in France, which is pushing to slap its own fees on small packages. The other is for the EU to signal its willingness to go for what might be called the “nuclear option” — cutting off market access for Temu and Shein. That’s a risky path that may expose the EU to a trade war on two fronts — but it would at least send a message. – Bloomberg
Mark McInnes writes: Dulled by energy deals and geopolitical caution, the international response to Azerbaijan’s aggression has been tepid for too long. But European security and values are indivisible, and the bloc cannot carve out exceptions without undermining its moral authority. Supporting Armenia, a fledgling democracy under siege, is not only the right thing to do, it also serves Europe’s own long-term interest in a stable, rules-based international order. – Politico
Africa
Nigeria has appointed a new commander for its fight against insurgency in the northeast after renewed attacks in the last four months that have killed several civilians and soldiers in the region. – Reuters
A national conference of political actors in Mali has recommended naming junta leader Assimi Goita, who seized power following coups in 2020 and 2021, as president with a five-year mandate, it said in a statement on Tuesday. – Reuters
A surge in attacks in Nigeria’s northeast by Boko Haram and its splinter rival ISWAP has raised fears of a major comeback by jihadists, whose tactics now include armed drones and explosive devices planted on major roads, security experts said. – Reuters
Somalia has banned entry to Taiwan passport holders citing compliance with a United Nations resolution, the island’s foreign ministry said, blaming Chinese pressure on Mogadishu at a time Taiwan is boosting ties with Somaliland. – Reuters
The Islamic State West Africa Province has claimed responsibility for an attack on Nigeria’s northeastern Borno state that killed at least 26 people, the group said in a statement on Telegram on Tuesday. – Reuters
Three Indian nationals have been arrested in Ghana on suspicion of operating a gold smuggling syndicate that authorities believe has been taking tons of the precious metal out of the country for over a decade, the West African country’s gold trading regulator said on Tuesday. – Reuters
Rwanda escorted the troops of a Southern African force through Rwandan territory to Tanzania on Tuesday as they pulled out from eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda’s foreign minister and army spokesperson said. – Reuters
Five quarry workers were killed and two others injured when their vehicle was attacked by suspected al Shabaab militants in northeastern Kenya on Tuesday morning, according to a Kenyan police report seen by Reuters. – Reuters
Belgium is open to deeper involvement in Democratic Republic of Congo’s minerals sector, its foreign minister said on a visit to the former Belgian colony, which is seeking to diversify its investment partners. – Reuters
African Export-Import Bank has rolled out a $3 billion revolving credit line that will enable African and Caribbean buyers to source petrol, diesel, jet fuel and other products from refineries on the continent more easily. – Reuters
Hundreds of Congolese soldiers and police officers seeking refuge at the United Nations’ base in Goma since the eastern city’s capture in January are being transferred to Kinshasa, the International Committee of the Red Cross said on Wednesday. – Reuters
Benin is headed for its deadliest month of Islamist violence since militants linked to al-Qaeda began making inroads in the West African country in 2021. – Bloomberg
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa agreed to establish a commission of inquiry into alleged political interference in the prosecution of crimes committed during the apartheid era after he was sued by people impacted by the murder, torture and abductions meted out by security forces. – Bloomberg
Mai Hassan and Ahmed Kodouda write: Because the conflict is overwhelmingly driven by a struggle over regional power and resources, rather than any larger political vision for the country, it remains likely that alliances will keep shifting, militias will keep defecting, and breakaway groups will keep forming. Sadly, instead of either peace or partition, Sudan’s most likely future is more war. – Foreign Affairs
The Americas
Cuba on Tuesday arrested high-profile dissident Jose Daniel Ferrer for violating the terms of his parole just three months after releasing the activist from jail as part of a Vatican-brokered deal with the Biden administration. – Reuters
The U.S. embassy in Guatemala said on Tuesday it found that China-based espionage groups had hacked the Central American nation’s foreign ministry’s computer system, but the ministry said this was an old case. – Reuters
El Salvador is still purchasing Bitcoin even after inking a loan agreement with International Monetary Fund that required it to stop accumulating the token. – Bloomberg
Trinidad and Tobago’s opposition swept to power in a landslide victory that marks a stunning comeback for Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who had led the country between 2010 and 2015. – Bloomberg
Mark Shaw and Romain Le Cour Grandmaison write: The lessons from Haiti are clear: When criminal groups embed themselves within the political and economic systems of a state, the situation becomes far more complex than traditional international responses can handle. Haitian authorities, the United Nations, and key actors involved in crisis resolution — including the United States — should adjust their thinking and actions if they hope to break the cycle of violence, corruption, and impunity. – War on the Rocks
Andrés Martínez-Fernández, Wilson Beaver, and Jarrett Lane write: Guyana has every right to defend its sovereignty and economic growth against the moribund, socialist autocracy next door. The United States, CARICOM, and other partners and allies must ensure that Venezuela’s aggression is met with unified resistance. While diplomacy and international arbitration remain essential tools, deterrence is equally necessary. Maduro must understand that continued hostility will come at a cost. Stopping Venezuela’s aggression now is not just in Guyana’s national security interest—it is also in the interest of the United States and of the whole hemisphere. – National Interest
North America
After his promises to protect Canadian voters from U.S. President Trump, Prime Minister Mark Carney must make quick work of a radical plan: decoupling Canada’s economy from its biggest trading partner and, lately, its biggest threat. – Wall Street Journal
Canada’s Liberal Party won a fourth term in office but fell short of a majority in Parliament, obliging Prime Minister Mark Carney to seek help from rival politicians to push through an economic agenda designed to contain fallout from President Trump’s trade war. – Wall Street Journal
The U.N. refugee agency in Mexico has closed four offices in the country and laid off 190 people due to the “serious funding crisis” facing the agency, the head of UNHCR in Mexico said on Tuesday, after U.S. President Donald Trump slashed overseas aid. – Reuters
Mexico’s attorney general, Alejandro Gertz, said on Tuesday that the ranch in Teuchtitlan, Mexico’s Jalisco state, where human remains, piles of clothes and weapons were found last month was a longstanding operation and training site for organized crime. – Reuters
The U.S. Trade Representative’s office on Tuesday placed Mexico on its priority watch list on intellectual property rights citing longstanding concerns over enforcement against trademark counterfeiting and protection of pharmaceutical-related IP. – Reuters
Arturo McFields writes: President Trump has had extraordinary success in Panama, restoring and reinforcing American military presence, cooperation and trade. He persuaded Panama to end its participation in the Belt-and-Road Initiative and strengthen its relationship with the U.S. Something similar must be done in Mexico, considering the strategic importance of this nation. This is an unparalleled moment to promote a comprehensive strategy to regain U.S. presence and power in the Americas; as President Ronald Reagan once said, “No area of the world should have higher priority than the place where we live, the Western Hemisphere.” – The Hill
United States
The United Nations, anticipating that President Trump will slash U.S. contributions to the global body, has told its departments to draw up plans for budget cuts, including through staff relocations from New York and Geneva to less-expensive cities. – New York Times
A majority of the U.S. Senate on Tuesday backed one-time U.S. Senator David Perdue to be ambassador to China, a position the former business executive assumes amid a deep strategic rivalry and blistering trade war between the two countries. – Reuters
The U.S. Senate on Tuesday confirmed billionaire investment banker Warren Stephens to be ambassador to Britain, backing President Donald Trump’s nominee by 59 to 39. – Reuters
President Donald Trump said China deserved the steep tariffs he imposed on their exports and predicted Beijing could find a way to reduce their impact on American consumer – Bloomberg
US President Donald Trump has flagged the possibility of another call with Australia’s prime minister to discuss tariffs he imposed on the longtime American ally. – Bloomberg
As its legal battle over critical federal money plays out in court, two Harvard University task forces have released a pair of long-awaited internal reports: one on how antisemitism and anti-Israeli bias are handled on campus, and another on anti-Muslim, anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian bias. – CNN
Ruby Chen writes: I will not lose hope. My faith in America’s power and promise is unbroken. But that hope needs to be matched with action. For Itay. For the other hostages. For the credibility – and the soul – of a nation that is seeking to reset the table with the world based on a true “America First” policy. What a victory it would be if President Trump, in his upcoming visit to the Middle East, will bring on his plane back home the 5 U.S. hostages from Gaza. – Fox News
Cybersecurity
Britain will bring cryptocurrencies under compulsory regulation, finance minister Rachel Reeves said on Tuesday as the government signalled it would cooperate closely with the United States on the best approach towards digital assets. – Reuters
Spain’s High Court on Tuesday said it will open an investigation into Monday’s huge power outage to find out if a cyberattack against Spanish critical infrastructures may have caused the blackout in nearly all of the Iberian Peninsula. – Reuters
The Trump administration is working on changes to a Biden-era rule that would limit global access to AI chips, including possibly doing away with its splitting the world into tiers that help determine how many advanced semiconductors a country can obtain, three sources familiar with the matter said. – Reuters
A launch anomaly on board Firefly Aerospace’s Alpha rocket resulted in the loss of a Lockheed Martin spacecraft designed to demonstrate new satellite technologies. – Defense News
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem outlined her plans Tuesday to refocus the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) on protecting critical infrastructure from increasingly sophisticated threats — particularly from China — while distancing the agency from what she characterized as mission drift under previous leadership. – Cyberscoop
Government Accountability Office auditors are examining the “digital footprint” left by DOGE in Treasury Department, Social Security Administration and Office of Personnel Management IT systems, the watchdog’s leader told Congress on Tuesday. – Fedscoop
Some state and local government agencies are unsure how they will continue to fund their cybersecurity initiatives in absence of federal support, according to a report published Tuesday by the Government Accountability Office. – Statescoop
Ukraine’s largest home improvement retailer, Epicentr, said it had fallen victim to a large-scale cyberattack that disrupted operations at dozens of its stores across the country and crippled key IT systems, including sales registers and logistics services. – The Record
Google’s Threat Intelligence team published its annual zero-day report on Tuesday, finding that 75 vulnerabilities were exploited in the wild in 2024, down from 98 in the prior year. – The Record
WhatsApp is launching a new feature for the messaging platform that will ensure users’ messages remain private when being analyzed by AI tools, even if they are not kept within the app’s end-to-end encrypted protocol. – The Record
Defense
A United States Navy fighter jet and a tow tractor fell off an aircraft carrier and sank in the Red Sea on Monday after the crew lost control of the plane, the Navy said. – New York Times
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday canceled a program that sought to increase the role of women in national security sectors that was first signed into law by President Donald Trump in 2017. – Reuters
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Michigan will get 21 Boeing F-15EX jets. While the fighter jets were previously purchased by the U.S. Air Force, Trump announced the base would receive them in comments he made during a visit to mark the 100th day of his second term in office. – Reuters
The Pentagon needs to get more weapons faster, make it easier for companies to work with the government and ensure national security is funded sufficiently and consistently, according to President Donald Trump’s nominee for assistant secretary of defense for industrial base policy. – Bloomberg
The Central Intelligence Agency won’t acknowledge whether it runs a secret northern Virginia complex that appeared briefly on a list of “non-core” federal properties that the Trump administration tried to sell last month. – Bloomberg
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has promised to produce a first-ever “clean” audit of the Pentagon by 2028, but the F-35, the costliest US weapons system, poses one of the biggest obstacles. – Bloomberg
The Marine Corps is looking for medium-sized cargo drones to handle supply missions across the far-flung islands of the Pacific. One company hopes its acquisition of a drone from an uncrewed-logistics pioneer will put it in the running. – Defense One
The Coast Guard could see $14.6 billion in new cutters as part of a massive supplemental that could almost double the service’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget, according to the text of the reconciliation bill reviewed by USNI News. – USNI News
The House Armed Services Committee voted through a $150 billion boost to defense funding today, after Republicans shot down almost two dozen Democratic amendments that were largely a referendum of the Signalgate scandal and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s leadership of the Pentagon. – Breaking Defense
The U.S. military services face no shortage of challenges in adopting artificial intelligence to drive better mission outcomes — and one of the biggest things holding them back is that their personnel really don’t understand what AI is and what it can do for them, a panel of senior officials said Tuesday. – Defensescoop
The Defense Department’s chief information officer will kick off a new program this week that aims to overhaul cumbersome bureaucratic mechanisms and streamline its ability to rapidly approve new software capabilities for warfighters. – Defensescoop
The Pentagon is preparing to deploy counter-drone capabilities around the U.S.-Mexico border as part of its ongoing support of the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement and security mandates there, two senior defense officials told lawmakers Tuesday. – Defensescoop
John Ferrari writes: Army force structure can be rebuilt quickly if the Army has soldiers. Army end strength cannot be rebuilt quickly, as the Army learned it its Vietnam experience of “shake and bake” non-commissioned officers. With a new topline approaching $1T for national defense and with the Army providing cuts to civilian personnel, weapons, and other lower priority programs, the Pentagon should absolutely continue to increase readiness, but they should do it by cutting the force structure, not the end strength. – Breaking Defense