Today In Issues:
FDD Research & Analysis
The Must-Reads
Israeli long-distance strike on Houthis leaves Yemeni port ablaze Netanyahu comes to Washington as Biden withdraws from presidential race Israel should evacuate settlements, pay reparations, ICJ says JPost Editorial: Netanyahu and Biden need to focus on the real issues, not the hot topics Russia crushes dissent as Putin’s system ramps up repression Israel strikes Hezbollah ammunition depot in south Lebanon Strike on Tel Aviv draws global attention to Houthi momentum Afghanistan war commission opens inquiry of America’s longest conflict US urges people to not travel to Bangladesh amid 'civil unrest' War-torn Sudan fully restores Iran ties with ambassador swap WaPo Editorial: With Biden stepping aside, Democrats must now embrace an open process US-Japan Patriot missile production plan hits Boeing component roadblockIn The News
Israel
Israel has a problem with drones. They can be small and hard to detect, and they don’t move on predictable trajectories or emit the intense heat of rocket engines that make missiles easier to track and destroy. – Wall Street Journal
The Israeli military for the first time staged a direct airstrike against Houthi rebels in Yemen, a day after the Iran-backed militant group launched a drone attack in Tel Aviv that killed one person. – Wall Street Journal
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to land Monday in a Washington consumed by political turmoil, creating further uncertainty about U.S.-Israeli relations at a crucial moment in the Gaza war. – Washington Post
Israeli forces intercepted a surface-to-surface missile fired from Yemen, the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement on social media Sunday. The missile did not cross into Israeli territory, but “warnings of rocket and missile fire” were issued out of concern that shrapnel could fall on residents, the IDF said. – Washington Post
The International Court of Justice, the top judicial arm of the United Nations, said Friday that Israel should end its occupation of Palestinian territory, evacuate existing settlements, stop building new ones and pay reparations to Palestinians who have lost land and property. – Washington Post
Israel says the most intense phase of its war against Hamas is nearing an end. Yet for civilians in Gaza, bone-tired and packed into ever-shrinking spaces, the violence seems unceasing. – Washington Post
Israeli forces battled Palestinian fighters in the southern Gaza city of Rafah on Sunday, striking areas in the centre of the coastal enclave where thousands of Palestinians displaced from their homes have been seeking shelter. – Reuters
The Israeli military issued call-up notices to 1,000 members of the ultra-Orthodox community on Sunday in a move meant to bolster the army’s ranks but which could further inflame tensions between religious and secular Israelis. – Reuters
The Israeli military on Monday called on Gazans to clear out of the eastern parts of the city Khan Younis, saying it was preparing to “forcefully operate” against renewed rocket fire and militant activity from the area, which it had designated as a humanitarian zone. – Reuters
Israel’s military said on Saturday there was no indication of a security incident in the Red Sea port city of Eilat after reports of explosions were heard there. – Reuters
The Israeli military says that after nine months of fighting Hamas in Gaza, it’s fracturing the group’s tunnel network through mapping and destroying key underground command-and-control centers and arms factories. – Bloomberg
A new set of documents soon to be exposed by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) sheds more light on the affair dubbed Qatargate, which involves a series of documents showcasing Qatari authorities allegedly instructing the transfer of tens of millions of dollars to Israeli officials such as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. – Jerusalem Post
Shin Bet security agents are heading to Paris to protect Israeli athletes throughout the upcoming Olympic Games, set to begin on Friday, the UK’s Telegraph newspaper reported. – Times of Israel
The Israeli civilian coordination agency for the Palestinians, known as COGAT, stated at the High Court of Justice on Sunday that UN and humanitarian organizations were failing to take advantage of the efforts it and the military have made to facilitate the provision of assistance. – Times of Israel
Editorial: Netanyahu’s Washington journey should first and foremost involve coalescing the deal that will bring home the hostages. Second, he should crystalize the salient point that the US and Israel need to join forces against Iran – diplomatically and otherwise. No less importantly, he must underscore that both countries are much stronger when they work in tandem than when working separately. – Jerusalem Post
Robert Nicholson writes: Guatemala’s decision to relocate its embassy to Jerusalem in 2018, Kenya’s condemnation of Hamas after Oct. 7, Fiji’s legal interventions in The Hague on behalf of Israel in recent months—these are all points on a longer trend line. Evangelical populations will continue to gain influence in the global south, and national politics will evolve in response. Looking ahead, it isn’t hard to imagine Asian and African Christians like Judge Sebutinde leading the fight for Western values rooted in the biblical tradition while the West continues to grope in the dark. – Wall Street Journal
Morielle I. Lotan writes: The strike on Yemen’s oil infrastructure is thus a microcosm of a larger strategic narrative. It is a clear indication that Israel is prepared to take decisive action to protect its national security interests and to ensure the stability of the region. By connecting this action to the vulnerability of Khark Island, Israel communicates a potent warning: the lights in the Middle East can be turned off, and those who threaten regional peace and security will face significant consequences. The role of energy in maintaining security is paramount; disrupting an adversary’s energy supply is a powerful method of undermining their ability to operate and project power. – Jerusalem Post
Seth Mandel writes: That is the contradiction at the heart of the Bloomberg report, as evidenced by this sentence: “The bloc has for months called for a truce but had little influence over the Israeli government as it tries to destroy Hamas.” Well, do you want a truce or do you want non-Hamas Palestinians to have a role in Gaza? You can’t have both until Israel destroys Hamas, which the parties to these negotiations seem keen on preventing. Which suggests we once again have the creation of a peacekeeping force with neither the interest nor the ability to keep the peace. – Commentary Magazine
Iran
A Polish state-owned engineering company denied on Friday that its parts were used in Iranian combat drones, saying an ongoing investigation only concerns whether it had the required export permits. – Reuters
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Friday warned Iran can now produce the necessary fissile material for an atomic bomb in as little as a week or two, but has yet to take steps to assemble a weapon. – Times of Israel
Editorial: The White House is hoping a cease-fire in Gaza will cause the Houthis to cease and desist. But the Houthis and Iran have learned they can terrorize and kill Israelis and Americans at little cost. Even if they stop for a time, they can resume the shooting any time they wish. The Houthis and their Iranian sponsors are winning their showdown with the West, and the result is likely to be more American and Israeli casualties in the future. – Wall Street Journal
Gabriel Diamond writes: Masoud Pezeshkian is explicitly telling the world he wants a new global order, centered around China, Russia and his Islamic Republic. The United States of America, and the West, does not fit into this vision. Western leaders should treat the new Iranian president as the reformist he is — of the American-led world order. – The Hill
Mordechai Kedar writes: However, after the election of Pezeshkian, this did not occur. People in Baku are now cautiously optimistic, as they know that even though Pezeshkian is a reformist who is half Azerbaijani, and has made very liberal statements related to women and minorities during his campaign, the system in Tehran is still repressive and no reformist is permitted to implement true reform. The recent calls against Israel by the Iranian regime highlight this point. – Jerusalem Post
Russia & Ukraine
Already shrinking before the Ukraine war, the space for dissent and freedom of expression has all but vanished in Russia. The latest sign came on Friday with the wrongful conviction of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich of spying following a hurried closed-door trial that the U.S. government has condemned as a sham. – Wall Street Journal
In Kirov, a small city in the heart of western Russia, about 1,000 miles from the front lines in Ukraine, the war that initially few people wanted continues to fill graves in local cemeteries. But most residents now seem to agree with President Vladimir Putin that the bloodshed is necessary. – Washington Post
Former President Donald J. Trump and Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, spoke over the phone late this week amid mounting concern in Kyiv that a second Trump administration would spell the end of American support in Ukraine’s fight against Russia. – New York Times
Russian drones and missiles struck overnight in Ukraine, killing two civilians and hitting energy facilities and railway infrastructure across the country, officials said on Saturday. – Reuters
Ukraine needs long-range weapons to protect its cities and troops on the frontline from Russian bombs and drones, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Sunday after a massive overnight drone and missile attack. – Reuters
Russia’s Defence Ministry said on Sunday that Russian warplanes prevented two U.S. strategic bombers from violating the state border over the Barents Sea. – Reuters
Russia’s Black Sea Tuapse oil refinery, owned by oil major Rosneft (ROSN.MM) was damaged in a Ukrainian drone attack overnight, officials from the Krasnodar region said on Monday. – Reuters
Editorial: And yet the determination of reporters like Mr. Gershkovich, and the many Russians who are risking their freedom to describe the realities behind Mr. Putin’s elaborate myths, has not been crushed. They have no illusions about the risks, but they understand the critical importance of puncturing Mr. Putin’s lies. That is journalism, not espionage, and it deserves the unwavering support of the United States and the world. – New York Times
Dov S. Zakheim writes: Nevertheless, such a circumstance remains in the realm of fantasy unless and until the U.S. and its allies fulfill most or all of Ukraine’s military needs. As long as the West insists on providing Kyiv only with defensive weapons, the lives of both fighting forces and innocent civilians will continue to be lost, and the war will remain a stalemate with no clear end in sight. – The Hill
Hezbollah
Israeli strikes late on Saturday targeted a depot storing ammunition belonging to Lebanese armed group Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, three security sources told Reuters. – Reuters
Two Israel Defense Forces soldiers were lightly and moderately wounded in a Hezbollah explosive-laden drone attack in the northern Golan Heights on Saturday, the military said. – Times of Israel
Neville Teller writes: In short, Nasrallah’s position now is that the increase in cross-border military activity since October 7 is not the precursor to an all-out conflict with Israel, but action in support of Hamas. It is certainly true that in his much-trumpeted speech on November 3, 2023, Nasrallah, while predictably praising Hamas’s October 7 invasion of Israel, was at pains to emphasize that it had been a purely Palestinian enterprise. – Jerusalem Post
Turkey
Turkey is set to send navy support to Somali waters after the two countries agreed Ankara will send an exploration vessel off the coast of Somalia to prospect for oil and gas. – Reuters
President Tayyip Erdogan believes a potential change in the U.S. administration after November’s election may be positive for Turkey’s growing defence industry, he was quoted as saying by Turkish media on Sunday. – Reuters
An electricity-transmission line between Turkey and Iraq that’s been planned for 20 years began operating, potentially helping the oil-rich Arab nation tackle grueling power outages. – Bloomberg
Yemen
A drone strike on Tel Aviv claimed by Yemen’s Houthis shows how the Iran-aligned militant group has frustrated a six-month U.S. military campaign to contain it by increasing coordination with Tehran’s network of regional militias and upgrading its arsenal. – Wall Street Journal
The Israeli bombing of a vital Yemeni port controlled by the Houthi militia is not expected to deter the group from further attacks but is likely to deepen human suffering in Yemen, regional experts said. – New York Times
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on Saturday it had received a report of two attacks on a vessel 64 nautical miles (118.5 km) northwest of Yemen’s Mokha, causing slight damage. – Reuters
Yemen’s Houthi rebels hit and damaged a Singapore-flagged container ship with two missiles on Friday as they escalate attacks on global shipping over Israel’s war in Gaza. – Reuters
The head of the Houthis in Yemen pledged on Sunday to launch more attacks against Israel, declaring that Israeli airstrikes on the port of Hodeida in western Yemen a day before would not deter the the Iran-backed group. – Times of Israel
Gulf States
Saudi Arabia’s mining minister will visit Brazil and Chile over the coming two weeks, the ministry said on Sunday, as the world’s leading oil exporter seeks to expand its international presence in mining. – Reuters
Authorities in the United Arab Emirates ordered an investigation and an expedited trial of Bangladeshi nationals arrested for protesting against their home government across the Gulf country, state media reported. – Associated Press
A senior Emirati official signaled this week that Abu Dhabi is prepared to contribute troops to a postwar peacekeeping force in Gaza, making the United Arab Emirates the first Arab country to publicly buy into the effort being quietly advanced by the Biden administration. – Times of Israel
Middle East & North Africa
The images are indelible: groups of soldiers sway and swoon in perfect synchronicity; top-hatted ambassadors from European powers squat barefoot on a tilted table or hang off its edges while discussing the fate of the Middle East; dancing girls tempt a drunkard in a tavern. But despite the surrealism of the visuals, the historical facts — they’re legit. – New York Times
Tunisian President Kais Saied said on Friday he will run for another presidential term in Oct. 6 elections. The candidacy aims “to continue the national liberation struggle,” Saied said in a video on the presidency’s Facebook page. – Reuters
Mike Fleet and Mohanad Adnan write: This form of competition for local administration heads will certainly continue, as will the involvement of national-level parties seeking to exert their influence in provinces across Iraq. As all parties have their eyes set on the upcoming federal elections, these efforts will certainly heat up going forward, and likely not to the benefit of the local citizenry. – Middle East Institute
Korean Peninsula
North Korea on Sunday floated balloons carrying trash towards South Korea, South Korea’s military said, declaring it would respond with “full-scale” loudspeaker broadcasts. – Reuters
South Korea’s military said on Friday it had decided to resume its round-the-clock loudspeaker broadcast campaign targeting North Korea in response to what it called the “despicable, shameful and vulgar” launch of balloons by Pyongyang carrying trash across the border. – Reuters
Editorial: Those who are caught face prison camps where beatings, sexual violence and torture are said to be rife, part of an extensive system of forced labour detailed in a new report by the UN human rights agency. High or low, North Koreans face repression and brutality. But while so many struggle to survive, those at the top enjoy material comfort – and if that’s not enough to make them stay, they have a better chance of getting out. – The Guardian
China
As Western companies quake at the latest onslaught of cheap Chinese goods, a similar drama is playing out in China, where manufacturers are struggling as Beijing boosts industrial capacity without stimulating new demand. – Wall Street Journal
The Philippines and China have “reached an understanding on the provisional arrangement” for resupply missions to a beached Filipino naval ship in the South China Sea, Manila’s foreign ministry said in a statement on Sunday. – Reuters
The Chinese embassy in the Philippines said on Monday the United States should give an explanation to the Filipino people as soon as possible for its false propaganda against China’s COVID-19 vaccine. – Reuters
Taiwan President Lai Ching-te urged the ruling party to better develop the public’s sense of belonging to the democratically run archipelago, comments that risk worsening his difficult relationship with China. – Bloomberg
Amy J. Nelson and Andrew Yeo write: Ultimately, the United States’ goal should be to reframe the competition with China as a potentially positive-sum endeavor, with the two countries working together to support nonproliferation. Although there is no guarantee of success, starting a new U.S.-Chinese nuclear dialogue may ultimately protect East Asia from greater nuclearization. But first, Washington may have to play hardball. – Foreign Affairs
South Asia
Life in the Bangladeshi capital ground to a halt Saturday as the government enforced a curfew to quell violent clashes between student protesters and security forces. Shops and businesses were closed and roads were largely empty in the typically congested city of 10 million people, save for military and paramilitary personnel on patrol. – Washington Post
Against the backdrop of America’s roiling political landscape and two raging foreign wars, a coterie of former U.S. government officials and academics on Friday opened what will be an extensive examination of the United States’ 20-year foray in Afghanistan — the nation’s longest conflict. – Washington Post
With the death Friday of Vietnam’s long-serving Communist Party general secretary, Nguyen Phu Trong, the country’s top leadership role has been left at least temporarily to President To Lam, who is best known for implementing a sweeping anticorruption drive. – New York Times
Bangladesh’s Supreme Court on Sunday scrapped most quotas on government jobs after nationwide action led by students spiralled into clashes that killed at least 139 people, but some organisers said the protests would continue. – Reuters
The U.S. State Department said on Saturday it has raised Bangladesh’s travel advisory to level four, which urges people to not travel to the Asian country due to what Washington described as “civil unrest” amid ongoing protests. – Reuters
Pakistan will focus on meeting its external financing needs by speaking with foreign governments and lenders to draw foreign investment as well as seeking loan rollovers, the country’s finance minister told Reuters on Friday, as his government prepares to execute its new $7 billion International Monetary Fund agreement. – Reuters
The bodies of four Pakistanis killed in an attack on a Shiite mosque in Oman this week have been repatriated and handed to their families, officials said Friday. – Associated Press
Imrah Khalid writes: Modi’s recent embrace of Vladimir Putin has sent a clear signal: Russia remains integral to India’s strategic calculus, despite Western concerns. This visual declaration illustrates New Delhi’s determination to prioritize its strategic interests over external pressures. India’s stance exhibits confidence that the West values its partnership as much as India does theirs, risking strained relations and strategic complexity in the region. – The Hill
Happymon Jacob writes: The same is true for the United States and its allies. Although they may have viewed smaller South Asian countries as irrelevant or at best marginal to their wider interests, they should understand that the likes of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are enmeshed in the broad geopolitical competition. Encouraging the participation of these smaller countries in larger frameworks and coalitions, such as the Quad, will help rein in Chinese influence and give these countries alternatives to the political and economic support offered by China. The countries of South Asia may not comprise a coherent region, but they will play integral roles in shaping the wider Asian balance of power in the years to come. – Foreign Affairs
Asia
The Philippines is looking to forge reciprocal troops access agreements with Canada, France, New Zealand, and other countries, the defence minister said on Monday. – Reuters
Taiwan started its annual Han Kuang war games on Monday, which this year aim to be as close as possible to actual combat with no script and simulating how to repel a Chinese attack. – Reuters
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev pledged on Saturday to help France’s overseas territories secure independence, the latest in a series of incidents pitting his ex-Soviet state against Paris over long-running conflicts in the Caucasus region. – Reuters
Nepal’s newly appointed prime minister secured overwhelming support in parliament on Sunday with more than two-thirds of members voting in his favor. – Associated Press
Europe
The European Union has proposed provisional tariffs on biofuels from China after saying it found that Chinese companies were dumping the commodity into European markets at unfair prices. – Wall Street Journal
Poland wants the European Union to launch a campaign in the United States to raise awareness with the American public about the importance of the joint relationship. – Reuters
Slovakia will not be a “hostage” to Ukraine-Russia relations, its Prime Minister Robert Fico told his Ukrainian counterpart in a call on Saturday, after Kyiv placed Russian group Lukoil on a sanctions list, leading to a halt in deliveries. – Reuters
Diplomats from Germany and Belarus have been discussing the fate of a German national who has been sentenced to death in Belarus, and Minsk has proposed some “solutions”, news agencies reported on Saturday, citing the Belarusian foreign ministry. – Reuters
Britain’s new defence minister will meet with counterparts from Japan and Italy next week to discuss a joint fighter jet programme, as the new Labour government stressed its importance even as it declined to commit to it ahead of a defence review. – Reuters
Police said Sunday that they detained more than 50 people as they clashed with protesters trying to disrupt a march by hundreds of right-wing extremists in the Austrian capital. – Associated Press
The European Union’s Middle East peace envoy continues to believe a two-state solution is achievable despite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s stubborn opposition to a Palestinian state. – Agence France-Presse
Editorial: Ms. von der Leyen could have tried to pull together a coalition of her center-right EPP and victorious insurgent-right parties (calling them “far-right” is becoming a misnomer as they drift toward the center on many issues). Such a deal could have responded to voters’ concerns by ditching unpopular climate policies and focusing on economic growth, security and illegal immigration. Instead Brussels is showing again that EU grandees view elections as little more than speed bumps as they continue to govern however they want. – Wall Street Journal
Martin Ivens writes: Blenheim Palace was a gift from Queen Anne to John Churchill, the Duke of Marlborough, for uniting a squabbling coalition of European allies against a mighty nation that once threatened the balance of power — France. Europe today is divided between Russia hawks like Poland and the Baltic states, and outright Putin appeasers like Hungary. In between, other nations waver. Senator Vance poses a tough but fair question: “As we watch European power atrophy under an American protectorate, it is reasonable to ask whether our support has made it easier for Europe to ignore its own security.” – Bloomberg
Aleksandra Gadzala Tirziu writes: Neither outcome is desirable, and the path forward rests with Europe. There are those who understand this and grasp the gravity of the continent’s security risks and the stakes involved. These are the voices that should be amplified. Where fitting, they should be elected to office. Needed in Europe is leadership — for it, and the free world, cannot afford that it misses its turn. – Washington Examiner
Africa
Now in its fifteenth month, the war is getting worse. The Rapid Support Forces paramilitary is advancing, capturing more territory and displacing millions of Sudanese, in turn fueling the world’s largest hunger crisis. Famine looms. About 750,000 people are on the brink of starving to death, the United Nations says. The United States estimates the war has already killed 150,000 people. – Washington Post
A little-known conflict in the west of the Democratic Republic of Congo is raging close to the country’s capital, Kinshasa, one of the largest cities in Africa. Nine soldiers and 70 militiamen died in clashes on July 13 in Kinsele, a village 80 miles east of Kinshasa, according to the local authorities. – New York Times
Kenyan President William Ruto on Friday mostly named holdovers from the cabinet he sacked last week to a new government meant to respond to the grievances of young protesters. – Reuters
A week of indirect talks involving Sudan’s warring parties ended in Geneva on Friday, the U.N. secretary-general’s personal envoy said. He described the discussions as an “encouraging initial step” in a complex process. – Associated Press
Civilians in Sudan have suffered horrendous levels of violence during more than a year of conflict between the army and a rival paramilitary force, facing repeated attacks, abuse and exploitation by both sides, the aid group Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders – MSF) said on Monday. – Reuters
Sudan’s army-led government said it exchanged ambassadors with Iran, fully restoring diplomatic ties as the military bolsters its overseas alliances while fighting a brutal civil war. – Bloomberg
The Americas
Panama’s government expects to start deportation flights for migrants who crossed the country’s dangerous Darien jungle in two to three months, the country’s chief of migration Roger Mojica said Friday. – Reuters
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, said on Friday that democracy in Guatemala “remains in danger,” despite election winner Bernardo Arevalo assuming the presidency this year after a post-electoral crisis. – Reuters
After a month of an “iron fist” policy aimed at fighting rampant drug- and gang-related crime, Honduras police say they have seized hundreds of guns and arrested alleged gang members. – Reuters
Latin America
Venezuela’s most popular politician had already seen dozens of campaign staff and volunteers arrested this year, as the government of Nicolás Maduro escalated repression against the opposition ahead of what he pledged would be a free and fair election. – Washington Post
Organizational decisions by Venezuela’s electoral authorities – from polling station staffing to the lay-out of the ballot – have been made with the intention of confusing voters and creating obstacles to a free presidential election on July 28, say opposition figures and analysts. – Reuters
Ecuador and a subsidiary of Chile’s state-owned oil company ENAP renegotiated an existing agreement for the exploitation of an oil block in the Ecuadorian Amazon, with an additional investment of $90 million until 2035, the Ministry of Energy in Quito said on Saturday. – Reuters
Brazil has reached agreement for consensus documents to be approved at the G20 finance meetings scheduled for next week in Rio de Janeiro, Mauricio Lyrio, Brazil’s ambassador at the G20, said on Friday. – Reuters
North America
Canadian elections have long rested on what many experts say is an undemocratic foundation: opaque nomination races in which political parties select their candidates for general contests in a process mystifying to most Canadians. – New York Times
China and Canada should promote normalising relations and get back on track toward establishing a strategic partnership, Foreign Minister Wang Yi told his Canadian counterpart, according to his ministry. – Reuters
Mexico’s president-elect Claudia Sheinbaum blasted Donald Trump for his “rude” language after he gave a speech recounting his past negotiations with incoming economy minister Marcelo Ebrard, marking a potentially tense relationship with the Republican presidential candidate. – Bloomberg
United States
What a year these past few weeks have been. President Biden’s withdrawal from the 2024 campaign caps off a historically tumultuous stretch in American politics, as a series of unexpected events—from a presidential debate for the ages to a near-assassination—have shaken up the political landscape and thrust it into uncharted territory. – Wall Street Journal
World leaders expressed respect and admiration for President Biden on Sunday after he announced he was ending his reelection campaign, a momentous decision that reshapes the race for the White House and resonated far beyond Washington. – Washington Post
Activists opposing Israel’s war in Gaza and Washington’s support for its Middle Eastern ally plan protests at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday to coincide with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s U.S. visit this week. – Reuters
The U.S. criticized “the breadth” of the top U.N. court’s opinion that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories is illegal, with Washington saying it would complicate efforts to resolve the conflict. – Reuters
The United States imposed sanctions on two leaders of the Russian hacktivist group Cyber Army of Russia Reborn on Friday, citing their roles in targeting U.S. critical infrastructure, the Treasury Department said. – Reuters
Editorial: Republicans can make a strong case against this record, but now they might not have the layup they anticipated. Ms. Harris or some other nominee will be able to offer a competing vision and exploit Mr. Trump’s considerable weaknesses in a way Mr. Biden could not. Mr. Trump will have to raise his game too. – Wall Street Journal
Editorial: Even though he’s not seeking another term, Mr. Biden can still help his party campaign against GOP nominee Donald Trump this fall. By far his most important assignment now, though, is to work on getting the country in the best possible shape for his successor. Unburdened from the rigors of the campaign trail, Mr. Biden can help bring a long-sought conclusion to the war in Gaza and the release of hostages as well as pilot the U.S. economy to a soft landing from inflation that will be made likelier if the Federal Reserve cuts interest rates. – Washington Post
Cybersecurity
Nigeria fined Meta Platforms (META.O), $220 million, its competition watchdog said on Friday, after investigations showed data-sharing on social platforms violated local consumer, data protection and privacy laws. – Reuters
Cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike (CRWD.O) said on Sunday that a significant number of the 8.5 million Microsoft (MSFT.O) devices that were impacted as a result of a global tech outage related to a software update were back online and operational. – Reuters
Three pro-Russian hackers have been arrested for alleged cyberattacks against Spain and other NATO countries for terrorist purposes, Spanish police said on Saturday. – Reuters
Defense
A U.S. plan to use Japanese factories to boost production of Patriot air defence missiles – used by Ukraine to defend against Russian attacks – is being delayed by a shortage of a critical component manufactured by Boeing, four sources said. – Reuters
The Air Force has reached an agreement with Boeing to build the first rapid prototype E-7 battle management aircraft, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall told reporters here over the weekend. – Defense News
The U.S. military is once again accepting deliveries of the newest F-35 Joint Strike Fighters from Lockheed Martin after a yearlong halt caused by problems with the fighters’ upgrades. – Defense News
An Indo-Pacific-assigned U.S. Army unit designed to counter anti-access, area denial networks deployed its hypersonic missiles for the first time last month during a Navy-hosted exercise. – USNI News
Gen. Daniel Hokanson, the outgoing chief of the National Guard Bureau, said a proposal to transfer certain Air National Guard units into the Space Force could take away key resources from states and may lead to serious repercussions if passed. – Military.com
Tom Rogan writes: Top line: The U.S. needs the means of deterring and defeating nuclear attack. But dreaming up a highly expensive, highly impractical missile defense umbrella is not the answer. The answer is to maintain nuclear strike supremacy and make sure that Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin continue to know that while they could wreak havoc on America with nuclear weapons, America could extinguish China and Russia as sovereign entities and transform them into desert wastelands. – Washington Examiner
Long War
Pakistan counterterrorism police have arrested an al-Qaida leader who was a close aide to Osama bin Laden, the mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the United States, officials said Friday. – Associated Press
The United Nations Security Council unanimously approved more transparent procedures Friday for the hundreds of individuals, companies and other entities who are subject to U.N. sanctions and want to get off the blacklists. – Associated Press
After the March terror attack in a Moscow concert hall, Russia was quick to arrest four migrant men and accuse Ukraine of having involvement in the attack – but experts, a Tajik official, and relatives of the accused all pointed to holes in the Kremlin’s account of the attack, according to a Telegraph investigation published on Sunday. – Jerusalem Post