Today In Issues:
FDD Research & Analysis
The Must-Reads
Syria, Israel hold US-mediated talks to ease tensions, Syria news agency says Iran’s top politicians urge an end to the war Iran warns Gulf states against joining Trump's economic war, or else Oman foreign minister to visit Tehran on Tuesday, Iranian foreign ministry says WSJ Editorial: Trump’s Iran credibility problem Hamas support plunges among Palestinians as Barghouti emerges as top Abbas successor Putin acknowledges economic impact from Ukraine's refinery hits Bloomberg’s Max Hastings: Putin is betting Russia can out-suffer Ukraine Hezbollah says new US sanctions ‘will not deter’ fight against Israel North Korea preparing further Russia troop deployments, no sign move imminent, Seoul says WSJ Editorial: Massacring the memory of Tiananmen Square Iranian hackers shut down UK power plantIn The News
Israel
Syria and Israel held high-level, U.S.-mediated talks in Jordan on Sunday aimed at easing tensions following recent Israeli strikes on Syrian territory, Syria’s state news agency SANA reported, citing a diplomatic source at the foreign ministry. – Reuters
Military officials from Uganda and Burundi visited Israel last week to discuss deploying troops to Gaza as part of an international security force envisioned by U.S. President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace for the fragile ceasefire, according to officials. – Associated Press
Israel warned Hamas on Sunday that it would step up operations in Gaza if launches of kites, drones and balloons toward Israel continued, after a recent increase in such incidents, while Hamas denied responsibility. – Agence France-Presse
Six training brigade bases will be built for the 7th, 188th, 401st, Kfir, Nahal, and Givati Brigades across Israel, incorporating lessons learned from October 7, a senior Defense Ministry official told Walla on Sunday. – Jerusalem Post
The IDF and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) killed the terrorist Ismail Abu Pul, commander of a weapons production site at Hamas’s production headquarters, who took part in producing charges and anti-tank missiles for the terror organization in a strike on the Al-Maghazi area in Gaza, the military announced on Sunday. – Jerusalem Post
Support for Hamas has fallen sharply, but the decline has not translated into stronger backing for the Palestinian Authority (PA), according to a new survey by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research (PSR). – Jerusalem Post
Israel will bar two Swedish members of the European Parliament from entering the country over what the Foreign Ministry described as anti-Israel activity, the ministry said in a statement on Sunday. – Times of Israel
After the fiasco at Israel’s main international airport last week that led to widespread delays in flights and baggage handling for thousands of travelers during the peak summer season, the Israel Airports Authority announced on Sunday that it had agreed with labor representatives on steps to stabilize operations and ease congestion. – Times of Israel
An Israeli man was moderately hurt in a stabbing attack Sunday morning near a Palestinian village in the West Bank’s Jordan Valley, security forces said. – Times of Israel
The Trump administration on Friday reemphasized its opposition to Israel annexing the West Bank, but intentionally avoided condemning Jerusalem’s planned building of settlements in the controversial E1 area. – Times of Israel
Iran
Iran’s top politicians said the country needs to focus on ending the war and shoring up its crippled economy, pushing back publicly against hardliners who are taking a more defiant approach in the six-month-old conflict. – Wall Street Journal
A top Iranian official said on Friday that his country would seek to dampen the effect of economic sanctions after the Trump administration vowed to aggressively tighten its pressure campaign against Tehran. – New York Times
The risk of a catastrophic oil spill in ecologically sensitive waters around the Strait of Hormuz has hung over the region since the start of the war in Iran. – New York Times
Iran’s new security chief, Mohsen Rezaei, on Saturday vowed to strike the interests of oil-rich neighbors if they joined U.S. efforts to further isolate Iran, whose economy is already in free fall. He warned that Tehran would seek to prevent “even a single drop of oil” from leaving the region. – New York Times
The U.S. threatened Iran with what it called “the greatest financial offensive ever marshalled” as it prepared to roll out economic sanctions on Monday that target Iran’s trade partners. – Reuters
Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir will visit Tehran on Monday to continue efforts to bring peace and security to the region, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Sunday, according to a statement by the ministry. – Reuters
Fewer than 20 commodity vessels transited the Strait of Hormuz at the weekend, shipping data showed on Monday, as Iranian and U.S. blockades restrict traffic through the chokepoint for energy shipments. – Reuters
Iran has granted permission for a number of Iraqi oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz following repeated requests from Baghdad through various channels, Iran’s state news agency IRNA reported on Saturday. – Reuters
Offers of Iranian crude to Chinese buyers have declined and prices have jumped this week as the U.S. blockade has cut Tehran’s shipments, according to trade sources, with the threat of more sanctions from Washington looming. – Reuters
Oman’s Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi will visit Tehran on Tuesday to continue talks between Iran and Oman on the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said on Monday. – Reuters
Iran said on Sunday it had discovered more than 200 billion cubic meters of natural gas, months into the Middle East war that has hit the country’s energy infrastructure and production. – Agence France-Presse
Iran on Sunday executed a man accused of carrying a gun and a chainsaw during January anti-government protests who was charged with acting as an agent of Israel and the United States. – Agence France-Presse
Iran has been invited to join the Mecca Agreement for Mutual Defense, the new security alliance established by Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan earlier this month, Al Mayadeen reported on Saturday, citing a senior Iranian official. – Jerusalem Post
Editorial: Transactions run through intermediaries who are often children or relatives of Revolutionary Guard or Intelligence Ministry figures, he adds. There’s more to be said about Iran’s networks in Turkey, Iraq, Qatar and Pakistan, as well as in crypto. But the key is that trade cutoffs, unlike sanctions, are felt immediately. Iran may lash out militarily in response, targeting Gulf energy again, and the U.S. will have to be ready with a firm response. “We are going to collapse this regime,” Mr. Bessent said Thursday. Economic pressure can make survival more difficult for the regime, but it will take more resolve and consistency than Mr. Trump has shown in the past six months. – Wall Street Journal
Bradley Martin and Dr. Liram Koblentz-Stenzler write: By confusing political debate for strategic weakness, Iran’s leaders may be making the same mistake that many of America’s adversaries have made before. The ultimate measure of American strategy is neither the number of targets destroyed, nor the severity of sanctions imposed. It is whether Tehran concludes that further delay no longer improves its prospects. Military power creates opportunity. Coercion succeeds only when it changes expectations. Until Iran’s leaders believe that waiting no longer works to their advantage, Washington risks winning battles without achieving its strategic objective. – The Hill
Russia and Ukraine
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine said this weekend that his former defense minister was wrong to call for national elections and that holding a vote in the middle of war could divide Ukraine. – New York Times
Two children were killed and another nine people, including seven children, were injured after drone debris hit a private childcare centre in Krasnodar, southern Russia, overnight, Governor Veniamin Kondratyev said. – Reuters
A Russian attack on the outskirts of Kharkiv in Ukraine’s northeast killed three people, the regional governor said on the Telegram messaging app late on Sunday. – Reuters
Ukraine played no role in blowing up the Nord Stream gas pipelines and is cooperating with an investigation into the matter, President Volodymyr Zelenksiy said on Sunday. “Ukraine has never officially taken part in any operations regarding the blowing up of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline,” he told reporters in Kyiv. – Reuters
Norway plans to give another 85 billion Norwegian crowns ($9.2 billion) in financial support to Ukraine in the 2027 fiscal year, in line with the amount given in 2026, the Nordic country’s government said in a statement on Sunday. – Reuters
Ukraine thinks Russia is planning to draft an additional 300,000 troops for its war effort after Russian parliamentary elections in mid-September, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said. – Reuters
French President Emmanuel Macron has promised to accelerate the delivery of new French equipment to Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Saturday, following a call in which they discussed Kyiv’s shortage of air defences. – Reuters
Russian President Vladimir Putin said in comments published on Saturday that Kyiv had opened “Pandora’s box” with its strikes on Russian economic targets, saying that Russia would hit back at Ukraine’s “most sensitive economic sectors”. – Reuters
Russia’s government is planning a series of measures to support grain producers, include crop procurement, preferential loan extensions and sales subsidies, Interfax reported, citing Agriculture Minister Oksana Lut. – Bloomberg
Vladimir Putin lauded the “heroes” of his military in stepping up a campaign on Ukrainian targets, calling the strikes effective and timely while acknowledging that reciprocal attacks by Ukraine have caused economic damage. – Bloomberg
Ukraine offered Russia a truce on attacks against ships carrying agricultural commodities through the Black Sea, but Moscow rejected the deal because it wanted guarantees against strikes on its energy infrastructure, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. – Bloomberg
For most of Russia’s years-long war against Ukraine, Russian civilians have been relatively insulated from Kyiv’s attacks. That is changing. Since July, Kyiv has broadened its long-range drone campaign beyond conventional military targets, intensifying strikes on Russia’s oil and gas industry and hitting the vast warehouses of Wildberries, Russia’s answer to Amazon. – Politico
Editorial: If Mr. Putin tried to shoot down Starlink satellites, he might put his own orbital systems at risk of indiscriminate damage from debris, not to mention those of China and other countries. Cyberattacks are a potential alternative for Mr. Putin. Given Starlink’s strategic importance, the U.S. would strengthen its hand by deterring such efforts or aiding SpaceX’s cyber defense. Mr. Putin won’t end his war if he thinks he has open skies to bombard Ukraine’s industrial base, disable the power grid before winter, and seek one more time to break the will of the country’s defenders. Giving Kyiv the tools to hit missile launchers over the border would undermine his theory of Russian victory and reinforce Mr. Trump’s diplomacy to broker peace. – Wall Street Journal
Arseniy Yatsenyuk and David Petraeus write: Thirty-five years of Ukrainian independence constitutes a great victory, especially given the battles of the past 12 years. Behind modern Ukraine stands more than 1,000 years of history—a legacy no less remarkable than Ukraine’s present-day triumphs in the struggle against a ruthless aggressor. Ukraine’s fight against Russian assault isn’t an isolated regional conflict but a crucial defense of the Western democratic order. Allies’ support for Ukraine is essential, but in an era of authoritarian aggression, the West must do more than provide weapons and aid. It must learn to be as determined and inventive as Ukraine. These lessons are vital to a free Kyiv and the survival of the Ukrainian nation. – Wall Street Journal
Marc Champion writes: Finally, as a new proposal called The Russian Transfer suggests, the EU should arrange to shift custody of the €185 billion in frozen Russian sovereign assets now sitting in Euroclear from Belgium, to the EU as a whole. This would deal with Belgium’s concern about being left alone to face the consequences of using the money, removing that hurdle and enabling a decision this year — before potential populist victories in 2027’s elections make that impossible. No matter what happens, this will be a tough period for Ukraine, which warned last week that an undeclared Russian troop mobilization is already underway as Putin tries to force a victory before his own economy and society buckle. It’s up to Europe — and the US — to ensure this winter is only hard, rather than catastrophic. – Bloomberg
Max Hastings writes: In other words, in the very unlikely event that we get a new Russian leader, there’s no evidence he or she would be any more sympathetic to freedom or the West. All the evidence of modern history suggests that autocracies are extraordinarily difficult to topple, especially if they are ruled with the ruthlessness that comes naturally to Putin. The Kremlin may be nervous about the looming Duma elections, as is shown by its banning of the only political party hostile to the Ukraine war, but the president’s grip on the reins of power still seems strong. There is no hint of any modification of his maximalist demands for peace. That makes the most credible forecast for Russia and Ukraine, alas, more of the same. – Bloomberg
David J. Kramer writes: But since the Ukrainian government is in desperate need of interceptor missiles to thwart constant Russian ballistic missile attacks and continued intelligence-sharing, it needs to avoid alienating the U.S. administration, even if both the current and previous administrations have disappointed Kyiv numerous times. By helping Ukraine and pressuring Russia, the Trump administration can expedite an end to the war. That, in turn, would protect American companies in the region, help stabilize global markets, and save innocent Ukrainian lives. – The Hill
Hezbollah
When Lebanese and Israeli officials sat down in April for their first direct talks in decades, Lebanon’s leaders called it a breakthrough: a chance, finally, to reclaim some control over the country’s fate after Hezbollah had dragged it into yet another war with Israel. – New York Times
Hezbollah said on Friday that the United States “will not deter” its resistance against Israel after Washington announced new sanctions on the terrorist group, accusing it of serving Iran. – Agence France-Presse
The IDF is increasing its pace of destroying Hezbollah’s terror infrastructure in southern Lebanon, following instructions given by Defense Minister Israel Katz. – Jerusalem Post
Middle East & North Africa
Turkey issued a request to law enforcement agencies around the world on Friday to arrest Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, amid a Turkish investigation into allegations that Israeli soldiers tortured activists on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla in May. – New York Times
In a small warehouse in the United Arab Emirates, workers spend up to 12 hours a day snapping together 3-D printed components to make interceptors capable of knocking Iranian drones out of the sky at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour. – New York Times
An Iranian military official called on Qatar on Saturday to transfer detained Iranian pilots to a hospital on land, saying they were being held on water and were in “poor physical condition”, Tasnim news agency reported. – Reuters
Syria on Friday said it had requested to join the International Partnership Against Impunity for the Use of Chemical Weapons on the anniversary of a 2013 chemical attack on a suburb of the capital Damascus. – Agence France-Presse
Korean Peninsula
A South Korean container ship sets sail on Saturday for Europe via the Arctic in the nation’s first commercial voyage on the route to test its viability, with the hope of turning the southeastern port of Busan into a global maritime hub. – Reuters
South Korea‘s Defence Ministry said North Korea was continuing preparations for an additional troop deployment to Russia, but had detected no signs that such a deployment was imminent, according to a South Korean lawmaker’s office. – Reuters
Hyundai Motor’s South Korean union staged its first full strike in a decade on Friday after wage talks stalled, as it seeks a higher retirement age and job protections against artificial intelligence and automation. – Reuters
The new deputy chief of the Bank of Korea said on Friday that monetary policy decisions would be made ‘very carefully’ and flexibly if needed, taking into account various policy factors including the side effects of rate hikes. – Reuters
North Korea mocked South Korea for being a US “puppet” after President Donald Trump unilaterally curtailed the two countries’ joint military drills. – Bloomberg
Park Joonhye writes: Japan is changing. North Korea is changing. And those changes are mutually stimulating one another. What we must pay attention to is not the simplistic question of whether North Korea will actually attack Japan. The more crucial question is: How far will we allow the vicious cycle of Japan’s military buildup and North Korea’s nuclear acceleration to provoke one another? Whether Japan will be North Korea’s next target remains to be seen. However, one thing is clear: The security issues of the Korean Peninsula are no longer confined to the two Koreas. With the U.S., China, Russia, and now Japan stepping forward as active strategic actors, the security topography surrounding the peninsula is rapidly transforming. Perhaps the real question we should be asking is this: Is Japan really North Korea’s next target, or have we already entered the whirlpool of a new Northeast Asian arms race? – Washington Examiner
Dov S. Zakheim writes: To these prior complaints, Trump has now added criticism of the allies for not actively supporting the ongoing Iran operation. Trump may rightly feel that any understanding he reaches with Kim will reduce tensions on the Korean Peninsula and in East Asia more generally. But coupling his desire to meet the North Korean dictator again with the cutback in joint exercises with South Korea sends the wrong message both to America’s allies and to Beijing — and Russia, for that matter, which has also become a major Japanese concern. Even if the current exercises remain truncated, Trump could still elect to let future exercises run their planned course. This would not only reassure nervous allies but also strengthen his hand if his meeting with Kim actually were to take place. – The Hill
China
The Chinese government announced its biggest car recall ever on Friday, forcing nine automakers to address the dangers of retractable door handles popularized by Tesla particularly for electric cars. – New York Times
As Iran’s largest trading partner, China would seemingly have much to lose from President Trump’s threat this week to impose “tremendous economic consequences” on nations doing business with Tehran. […] But Beijing has reasons to feel confident it can withstand Mr. Trump’s latest warning — if it is ever fulfilled. – New York Times
China’s military on Friday said it tracked and warned three small Philippine aircraft that “illegally intruded into” airspace over the Scarborough Shoal, a contested feature in the South China Sea, without Beijing’s approval. – Reuters
China said on Sunday it was postponing its planned ambitious Chang’e-7 lunar mission, which was set to carry out explorations including searching for water ice on the moon. – Associated Press
China said it continues to support a diplomatic end to the US-Iran war, in a delayed statement released shortly before Washington is set to unveil measures to punish Tehran’s economic partners. – Bloomberg
Editorial: The judges conceded that the Hong Kong Alliance leaders had “not used or advocated violence or the threat of violence.” But their speech and public remembrance were enough to violate Hong Kong’s national-security law. It’s important for the world to understand how brave the accused are. Ms. Chow told the court that “the prosecution betrays itself by asserting that precisely because the defendant genuinely seeks democracy, they must therefore overthrow the constitution’s fundamental system. Doesn’t that amount to admitting that the constitution’s fundamental system is an undemocratic, authoritarian regime?” It certainly does. Ms. Chow and Mr. Lee face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. Like jailed publisher Jimmy Lai, they are being punished for bearing witness to tyranny and seeking freedom that Americans take for granted. – Wall Street Journal
Mark Clifford writes: You can even force me to shut up, but you can’t force me to utter what I do not believe.” Her closing statement in the current trial, delivered in June, posed a challenge to the Chinese party-state. “We know exactly what we want: to end one-party dictatorship, bring about a democratic transition, and effect a change of regime.” Ms. Chow’s maximum sentence is 10 years. But she urges supporters not to feel sorry for her. “I reject the characterization of me as ‘unfortunate.’ . . . It is actually a great fortune to be able to fight for one’s own ideas. How many people in the world have such an opportunity? Against the biggest communist dictatorship in the world, no less. What a challenge.” – Wall Street Journal
Shuxian Luo writes: The cost of consistency is manageable friction with an ally, for whom Okinotori carries symbolic value and $600 million in sunk investment. The benefit is denying Beijing its favorite rhetorical line: casting the alliance’s invocation of the law of the sea as selective and self-serving to justify China’s own double standard between Okinotori and the South China Sea. By insisting on consistency, Washington would also be effectively competing for the opinion of third-party audiences in Asia and beyond who will increasingly shape the maritime order — and who have been watching to see whether the rules bind everyone, or only the other side. – War on the Rocks
Thomas Shugart writes: The People’s Liberation Army has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past two decades — one broader, deeper, and more relevant to a Taiwan campaign than Admiral Blair acknowledges. The possibility that China could succeed in such an attempt should not be dismissed simply because success is uncertain. U.S. and partner investments in military capability have been driven in large part by recognition of China’s military challenge. Underestimating that challenge could weaken political support for continuing those efforts at the pace necessary to maintain the peace. China’s military threat is not a mirage. Meeting it will require assessments driven not by reassurance or alarmism, but by the best available evidence. – War on the Rocks
South Asia
Bangladesh has not made a decision yet on Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s visit to India, his press secretary said on Friday, after Indian media reported that Rahman would be visiting New Delhi from August 23-25. – Reuters
India has received 29 foreign direct investment proposals worth 48.95 billion rupees ($511.5 million) under a new automatic route that allows investors from land-bordering countries, including China, to hold non-controlling stakes of up to 10%, the government said on Friday. – Reuters
India’s maritime rescue agency lost communication on Saturday with a Panama-flagged cargo vessel that sank off the coast of eastern India, the Indian Coast Guard said. – Reuters
The party of Pakistan’s jailed ex-prime minister Imran Khan filed a contempt petition against the government on Saturday after authorities took the cricketer-turned-politician to a state-run hospital instead of the private facility ordered by the top court, party officials said. – Reuters
With the race for sixth-generation combat aircraft gathering pace, India has opened talks with France on participating in its Future Combat Air System (FCAS) as it seeks a role in technologies that could shape air combat in the future. India’s Defense Ministry told parliament this month it had “initiated efforts in a concerted manner to co-join” the effort. – Defense News
Asia
Peace can only be secured through strength and not even an inch of territory can be sacrificed, Taiwan President Lai Ching-te said on Sunday, visiting a sensitive frontline island to mark a key battle with Chinese forces almost seven decades ago. – Reuters
Taiwan’s coast guard said on Friday that it had warned off and shadowed a Chinese research ship sailing in sensitive waters to the island’s west, the third time the vessel has appeared since May in what Taipei sees as ongoing maritime provocation. – Reuters
A newly formed pro-government party won a large majority in a snap parliamentary election in Kazakhstan on Sunday, three different exit polls showed, in a result set to cement President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s power over the country, a major energy and minerals exporter. – Reuters
Indonesia has arrested 10 Myanmar nationals in a drug bust involving 2.6 metric tons of liquid methamphetamine found on a ship sailing with a Tanzanian flag, authorities said at a press conference on Friday. – Reuters
Thailand ’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, already facing a flood crisis in the country’s north, held an urgent meeting on Sunday with high-level security officials in response to coordinated violence overnight in three southern provinces where a small-scale Muslim insurgency is active. – Associated Press
When Rafizi Ramli married in 2011, Malaysia’s future prime minister, Anwar Ibrahim, hosted a celebration at his home. Fifteen years later, the former allies are now political rivals, with Rafizi setting the groundwork to one day sideline his former benefactor. – Bloomberg
Duncan McCargo writes: A united opposition that puts aside the long-standing differences between pro-Thaksin and progressive forces could in theory topple Bhumjaithai at the ballot box. A return to Move Forward’s winning slogan in 2023—a Thailand that is “not the same as before,” code for the dismantling of gerontocracy and unearned privilege across the country’s creaking structures and institutions—could serve as the basis for an alternative administration. But even if an anti—Bhumjaithai coalition were to take back power, it would struggle to unwind the party’s control of Thailand’s political institutions. However long Bhumjaithai’s present tenure in Bangkok lasts, that takeover of the levers of state power will be its enduring legacy. – Foreign Affairs
Darren Spinck writes: Kazakhstan can also play a larger role in US efforts to diversify critical mineral and rare earth supply chains away from China. The country possesses significant mineral resources and is seeking greater foreign investment in extraction, processing, and related infrastructure. Expanding US investment in these sectors would strengthen US supply-chain security while supporting Kazakhstan’s own goal of diversifying its economy and commercial relationships. The next step should be to connect these economic interests to a broader regional strategy. Washington should explore how to integrate the Trump Road for International Peace and Prosperity (TRIPP) concept into a broader Trans-Caspian strategy by linking the South Caucasus to Central Asia. Doing so would connect infrastructure, investment, and critical mineral cooperation across a strategically important region. Kazakhstan’s political and economic reforms therefore matter not only for its domestic development, but for America’s ability to build durable commercial partnerships across Eurasia. – The National Interest
Europe
When President Trump shredded U.S. climate policies last year, much of the Western world chastised him for ignoring climate change. Now, Europe, the U.K. and Canada are walking back their own environmental regulations. – Wall Street Journal
German security services are investigating a plot to conduct a politically motivated attack, possibly directed by a foreign power, that was linked to guns found stashed in a forest on the edge of Berlin, the interior minister said on Friday. – New York Times
The British Department for Education is investigating a Muslim charity that operates several schools in Britain, after a man affiliated with the group was accused by the F.B.I. of financing terrorism by funding Hamas. – New York Times
Giorgia Meloni, daughter of the extreme right, likes to set records. As she settles into an armchair opposite a painting of rustic revelry inspired by Titian, she reflects on the secret of the political success that will soon make her the longest continually serving prime minister in the history of the Italian Republic. – New York Times
NATO’s top commander convened a videoconference earlier this week to facilitate possible contributions to support freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, his spokesperson told Reuters, adding that this is not a NATO mission. – Reuters
French centre-left politician Raphael Glucksmann launched a bid for the presidency on Sunday, seeking to challenge firebrand hard-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon for dominance of France’s fractured left ahead of a campaign increasingly shaped by the far right. – Reuters
Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is banking on a breakthrough in next month’s state election to build momentum for a future national victory, the party’s co-leader Alice Weidel said on Sunday. – Reuters
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will urge his cabinet next week to accelerate reforms aimed at easing the burden on businesses and reviving economic growth, the Bild am Sonntag newspaper reported on Sunday. – Reuters
In front of a dozen reporters and a handful of local people, a crew of gravediggers in disposable protective overalls and facemasks on Friday started burying some of the scores of migrants who died in a mass crossing into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta in North Africa three weeks ago. – Reuters
French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will co-chair a meeting of the so-called Coalition of the Willing group of pro-Ukrainian countries on Monday. – Reuters
French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman are set to oversee the signing of bilateral deals and discuss alternative routes to the disrupted Strait of Hormuz during talks on Monday. – Bloomberg
The UK is drafting fresh sanctions that would ban trade with Israeli settlements in the West Bank as Prime Minister Andrew Burnham pushes a tougher approach on an issue that’s important to voters of his left-leaning Labour Party. – Bloomberg
Italy’s government extended a tax cut on diesel fuel until Wednesday, as Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni contends with the impact of oil prices pushed higher by war in the Middle East. – Bloomberg
NATO’s eastern European members are offering to cut costs for US troops stationed on their soil to discourage the Trump administration from reducing its military footprint there, according to people familiar with the matter. – Bloomberg
The German government expects it will need almost €12 billion to build a new arsenal of long-range weapons aimed at deterring Russia, according to defense ministry documents seen by POLITICO. – Politico
Africa
The Trump administration approved a $5 million payment to Liberia in connection with a deal to send migrants there from the United States, according to internal documents reviewed by The New York Times. – New York Times
A landslide at a landfill in Guinea’s capital killed 30 people, the government said on Sunday, after heavy rains overnight prompted the collapse of a massive mound of waste that engulfed nearby tents and shacks. – Reuters
Pope Leo called on Sunday for international action to help contain the impact of an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has so far claimed more than 2,500 lives. – Reuters
Armed men abducted several worshippers from a mosque in Nigeria’s north-central Niger state during Friday prayers, police said on Saturday, in the latest mass kidnapping in a region plagued by violent gangs. – Reuters
Tanzania commissioned a new 2,115-megawatt hydropower plant on Saturday, more than doubling the East African nation’s electricity generation capacity and creating a surplus that officials say could support power exports and industrial growth. – Reuters
Zambian police have summoned opposition leader Brian Mundubile for questioning over alleged national security threats in the latest escalation of a post-election dispute that analysts say may tarnish the country’s democratic reputation. – Reuters
The world’s top maritime piracy observer said incidents off the coast of Somalia are on the rise again after a pair of fresh attacks this week — as two major regional conflicts stretch naval forces in the area thin. – Bloomberg
Botswana’s government stopped eight citizens from being recruited into the Russian military at airports in the country, South Africa and Ethiopia. – Bloomberg
Along the bone-dry riverbanks of the Nile in Sudan, farmers struggle to pull water to their crops. Others gather to pray for rainfall over cracked earth. – Agence France-Presse
The Americas
Two decades ago, scientists working for Venezuela’s government pinpointed the danger zone for the next big earthquake. But officials, trying to meet political pledges to house tens of thousands of displaced flood victims, raced to build public housing there anyway. – Washington Post
Dancing, beating his chest and hugging Flávio Bolsonaro, the right-wing candidate seeking to become Brazil’s next leader, President Javier Milei of Argentina launched into a tirade against Brazil’s current president, calling him a “thief” and “socialist trash.” – New York Times
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva continues to lead Senator Flavio Bolsonaro ahead of the October election, although the right-wing challenger has narrowed the gap by one percentage point, a change within the error margin, a Datafolha poll showed on Friday. – Reuters
Bolivia’s government has named Oscar Mario Justiniano Pinto as interim economy minister, removing Jose Gabriel Espinoza from the post, according to a presidential decree published on Friday in the Official Gazette. – Reuters
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva urged Donald Trump to resume negotiations over US tariffs on Brazil during a Friday phone call, seeking to soothe relations with Washington ahead of the country’s October election. – Bloomberg
North America
Over the past 17 months, as President Trump has freighted Canada’s economy with several rounds of punishing tariffs, Prime Minister Mark Carney has often repeated the guiding maxim for his negotiations with the U.S.: No deal is better than a bad one. – Wall Street Journal
The governor of the Mexican state of Sinaloa — who returned to office on Friday despite accusations by U.S. prosecutors that he had conspired with a cartel — reversed course on Saturday after widespread criticism, particularly from members of his own party. – New York Times
When U.S. President Donald Trump levied 50% tariffs on Canadian steel in June last year, a steel factory in Canada’s mostly French-speaking province of Quebec lost about a third of its orders for bolts and fasteners in less than a week. – Reuters
Mexican Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard said on Friday he expects Mexico to reach trade understandings with the United States that are “similar in many aspects” to those being discussed between Washington and Ottawa, adding that Mexico does not see Canada’s parallel negotiations as a competitive process. – Reuters
China’s nationalist tabloid Global Times praised Canada’s retaliation against US tariffs, casting Ottawa’s move as validating Beijing’s opposition to Washington’s protectionist trade policies. – Bloomberg
Editorial: Mr. Carney said Saturday that a major reason the deal blew up is that the Trump team refused to ease tariffs on heavy and medium duty trucks, including those made at Ford’s plant in Ontario. Why is Mr. Trump punishing Ford, America’s largest auto producer? Mr. Trump’s latest round of border taxes will hit an array of consumer goods, construction materials and manufacturing components. Republicans are already getting pounded on the campaign trail over his tariffs and inflation. One reason for Mr. Trump’s frigid approval rating is that voters believe Mr. Trump is waging blunderbuss wars without a strategy, and on trade they’re right. – Wall Street Journal
Mary Anastasia O’Grady writes: A capital-hungry transitional government, which could be a five-member board of Cubans, Cuban-Americans and a trusted U.S. official, will need to be able to provide “legal certainty” to investors. Mr. Romeu recommends a process that will screen property for its beneficial owner to avoid conflicts of interest and self-dealing by members of the military conglomerate known as GAESA. It will be important to ensure that investors aren’t “military insiders or sanctioned parties.” A free Cuba will want to keep vultures from snatching up property at fire-sale prices. See Russia, post-Soviet collapse. Better, he says, to grant concessions and form public-private partnerships while markets discover the true value of assets. Funds need to be reserved for certified claims before any concession is awarded. Tighter sanctions on corrupt Cuban insiders could speed their exit. But so too could a credible plan for the morning after. – Wall Street Journal
United States
After the dramatic ouster of strongman Nicolás Maduro, President Trump and his new counterpart in Venezuela urged major energy companies like ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips to usher in a golden age of oil prosperity in the Latin American country. – Wall Street Journal
Although Mr. Trump’s tariffs only cover a small subset of Canadian goods, the consequences could quickly spiral. If Canada retaliates, and Mr. Trump does the same, the result could be a series of new shocks for the U.S. economy at a time when it is already weathering plenty. – New York Times
Seven protesters who blocked traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge in a 2024 pro-Palestinian protest against Israel’s assault on Gaza have been sentenced to 30 days, with credit for time already served. – Reuters
The Trump administration has informed Congress of its intention to pay $725 million to the United Nations, a congressional notification seen by Reuters showed, a move aid experts said was a welcome step towards paying billions in dues owed. – Reuters
A Republican lawmaker questioned President Donald Trump’s decision to cut short a joint military exercise with South Korea, saying the US should show more allegiance to a longtime Asian ally. – Bloomberg
Cybersecurity
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said on Monday his party will introduce a bill in Parliament that seeks to ban children under 16 from using social media, proposing fines of up to 10% of a platform’s global revenue for non-compliance. – Reuters
TikTok and its Chinese parent company ByteDance on Friday agreed to a $400-million settlement to resolve the U.S. Justice Department’s allegations the short-video app violated children’s online privacy. – Reuters
South Korea plans to create a new fund to channel tax windfalls from the country’s semiconductor boom into supporting younger generations and invest in future growth industries such as artificial intelligence, the budget ministry said on Friday. – Reuters
South Korea’s dominant chat app operator Kakao Corp said on Friday it plans to spin off its chat app-based platform business into a new company, tentatively named KakaoAI, while retaining investment operations in a firm renamed KakaoX. – Reuters
Iran shut down a British power plant for four days in an unprecedented cyber attack, The Telegraph can disclose. It is thought to be the first time that hackers affiliated to the Iranian regime have succeeded in closing down such a facility in the UK, and is believed to be the most successful cyber attack of its kind. – The Telegraph
Apollo Global Management confirmed it was among several financial institutions impacted by a string of social engineering attacks that hit the sector last month, the company said Friday. – Cyberscoop
A pair of lawmakers wants a watchdog agency to probe how the federal government hacks Americans, including with the use of spyware, and deliver a report to the public. – Cyberscoop
Editorial: Meanwhile, Congress can ensure that labs are taking internal security more seriously. It should consider a confidential reporting requirement for serious agent incidents, akin to those used for cybersecurity mishaps. It should require third-party audits of labs’ security standards and testing environments for models with advanced offensive capabilities. It should also clarify liability standards for autonomous systems that cause external harm, perhaps combined with a safe harbor for responsible researchers. No doubt, AI can be an unnerving tool. But it isn’t magic, malevolent, or secretly sentient. With some reasonable rules in place, policymakers should be able to keep the bots in line, and unleash the benefits for everyone else. – Bloomberg
Defense
Two U.S. tanker aircraft have left Bulgaria’s Bezmer air base, Bulgaria’s defence minister said on Saturday, nearly a month after their deployment in the Balkan country angered Iran. – Reuters
A U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon aircraft transited the Taiwan Strait in international airspace on Friday, in a move the U.S. 7th Fleet said “demonstrates the United States’ commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific”. – Reuters
Centrus Energy Corp. sees a new market for its enriched uranium coming from the US military, as the nuclear fuel producer awaits a potential boost from a supply deal to meet America’s security needs. – Bloomberg
Vague operational planning and a lack of transparency during U.S. actions in Iran have exacerbated the U.S. Navy’s longstanding logistics, maintenance and manpower issues — and sailors are feeling the effects, congressional leaders, retired military officials and deployed sailors have told Military Times. – Defense News
The Army is on the hunt for AI agents to help defend its cyber infrastructure from attacks without draining the bank for tokens or letting loose a horde of bots that create new network vulnerabilities. Project Griffin, a pilot program, aims to build an ecosystem of agents that will ingest feeds from the service’s vast array of network sensors and automatically execute defensive actions against malicious cyber actors, according to Army officials and a newly public solicitation. – Defensescoop
Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao released an administrative message to the force this week warning them to stay vigilant against a multi-pronged campaign by adversaries targeting service members, department civilians and military installations. – Defensescoop