Today In Issues:
FDD Research & Analysis
The Must-Reads
Israel intercepts rocket from Lebanon, Hezbollah denies involvement Militants warn against helping Israel with Gaza protests Israel intercepts two missiles launched by Yemen's Houthis U.S. puts its stealthiest big bombers in range of Iran and Yemen Putin suggests temporary administration for Ukraine to end war Former Mayor of Istanbul Ekrem Imamoglu: I am the Turkish President’s main challenger. I was arrested. WINEP’s Elizabeth Dent: Two carriers in the Middle East: Implications for the Houthis, Iran, and U.S. Force readiness WSJ former editor Karen Elliott House: Saudi Arabia is the Middle East’s diplomatic capital Taiwanese soldiers guarding president’s office were spying for China Hegseth reaffirms ironclad US commitment to Philippines to enhance threat deterrence Rubio vows ‘consequences’ if Venezuela tries seizing territory from Guyana WSJ Editor: Suing Hamas’s campus cheerleadersIn The News
Israel
Israel provided sensitive intelligence from a human source in Yemen on a key Houthi military operative targeted in an attack described by national security adviser Mike Waltz in a Signal chat with senior Trump officials, two U.S. officials said. – Wall Street Journal
Wenkert is one of 38 hostages released after Hamas and Israel agreed to a cease-fire in January. The truce collapsed last week, when Israel resumed airstrikes and ground incursions aimed to pressure Hamas to release the remaining hostages. – Wall Street Journal
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition enacted legislation on Thursday that handed politicians more control over picking judges, part of a contentious effort to overhaul the Israeli judiciary that roiled the country before the war with Hamas. – New York Times
Israel said on Friday it had intercepted a projectile launched from Lebanon and vowed to respond strongly to protect its security, the latest strains to a shaky truce that ended a year-long war between Israel and Lebanese armed group Hezbollah. – Reuters
Palestinian militant groups threatened punishment on Thursday for “collaborators” furthering Israeli goals after the first substantial protests against the war in Gaza and Hamas’ rule. – Reuters
The Israeli military said on Thursday it had intercepted two missiles launched from Yemen before they crossed into Israeli territory, after sirens sounded in several areas in Israel including Jerusalem. – Reuters
Hundreds of thousands of people in Gaza are at risk of severe hunger and malnutrition again as an expansion of military activity severely disrupts food assistance operations, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) said on Thursday. – Reuters
European far-right leaders were in Jerusalem on Thursday for a conference organized by the Israeli government aimed at combating antisemitism, which was shunned by mainstream Jewish leaders because of the divisive guest list. – Associated Press
Hamas has executed individuals it deemed suspects of espionage in areas of the Gaza Strip where officials of the terror group have been targeted, sources within Hamas told Saudi-owned news outlet Asharq Al-Awsat on Friday. – Jerusalem Post
The United States delivered a message to Hamas via Qatari intermediaries in an effort to bring about the release of American-Israeli hostage Edan Alexander from Gaza captivity, Axios reported on Thursday evening, citing a US and Israeli official. – Jerusalem Post
Cookie Schwaeber-Issan writes: Perhaps it’s premature, and Gazans can only feel the weight of their own pain at the moment, but we can hope that their demand for the release of Israeli hostages is not solely connected to their aspiration to stop a war that has embittered their lives – that they also finally understand the immorality and evil of what was done, all toward the goal of a Jew-free Middle East. There is no question that each generation, especially the newest, will require a complete re-education to stop looking at Jews as the enemy that must be destroyed. – Jerusalem Post
Dan Harris writes: The anti-Hamas chants that demand an end to Hamas’ power are undoubtedly political. However, just as uprisings during the Arab Spring demanded the basics of bread, freedom, and social justice, so too here: an end to death and destruction is as basic and universal as it gets. Thus, the anti-war demand gives the protests a social soul. That gives the anti-Hamas political demand the potential to rise above divisive tensions which would inevitably arise if the protest was seen as political. That gives the protest movement more reach within Gaza. The protests are also telling in another important respect — they fail, and in the future will likely fail, to offer an alternative to Hamas rule of the enclave. – Algemeiner
Neomi Neumann and Nikhil Samuel write: The protests could also give outside mediators leverage to intensify pressure on Hamas—particularly Egypt, whom some protesters have asked to assume administrative responsibility in Gaza. Cairo is already amenable to taking action of some sort inside the Strip, if only to sidestep those who would pressure Egypt into opening its border and providing safe haven to Palestinian refugees displaced by the renewed warfare. – Washington Institute
Michael Sharnoff writes: Hamas, the de facto authority in Gaza and which orchestrated the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, was not mentioned by name in the communiqué. Instead, the report envisions the creation of a transitional administration in Gaza, under Palestinian Authority auspices and international peacekeeping troops, to ensure security for Palestinians and Israelis. The Arab League approved a $53 billion reconstruction plan for Gaza, which has already been criticized by Israel and the United States for failing to address the removal of Hamas as a military and political force in Gaza. – Foreign Policy
Iran
The U.S. has deployed heavy, radar-evading B-2 bombers to the Diego Garcia base in the Indian Ocean, a warning to Iran and Yemen’s Houthi militia that American airstrikes could become more intense if Houthi attacks on Israel and Red Sea shipping don’t stop. – Wall Street Journal
Iranian state media said Thursday that Iran has sent an official response to a letter from U.S. President Donald Trump to the Iranian supreme leader that was seen as an attempt to jumpstart talks over Tehran’s nuclear program. – Associated Press
In recent months, the movement of Iran’s crude from major export terminals such as Kharg Island to cargo-switching hotspots such as Malaysia has been more heavily scrutinized, after the US cranked up a “maximum pressure” approach on Tehran with a series of sanctions targeting ships and entities supporting the regime. – Bloomberg
The United States intelligence community has assessed that Iran is not currently building a nuclear weapon, according to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. – Newsweek
The head of Iran’s elite military force responsible for overseeing Iranian proxies and terrorist operations abroad praised the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, massacre across southern Israel in new remarks, reaffirming Tehran’s “unwavering support for the resistance front” in a speech marking “Quds Day.” – Algemeiner
Mahsa Rouhi, Aziz Alghashian, and Saeid Jafari write: With the war in Gaza raging again, and the U.S. strikes on the Houthis continuing, the region is anxious that Iran could be provoked. If this happens, Riyadh is confident that it can withstand the storm. Both the war in Gaza and the direct military exchanges between Israel and Iran in 2024 gave Saudi leaders confidence in their strategy of constantly remaining in dialogue with Iran. As a result of the Gaza war, a blueprint of how to manage the situation is already there. The Saudi ruling elite will use diplomacy in three ways to avoid being caught up in the crossfire. – Foreign Policy
Russia & Ukraine
Britain and France are faltering in their campaign to persuade other European allies to send troops into Ukraine to secure any peace deal, amid mounting doubts about the U.S.’s willingness to guarantee their security. – Wall Street Journal
To see how difficult negotiating a quick peace deal between Russia and Ukraine will be, look no further than this week’s effort to reach an agreement on the Black Sea. – Wall Street Journal
The consequences of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s contentious White House visit last month appear to have abated. But this week’s negotiations in Saudi Arabia suggest the conversation over ending the war in Ukraine will only become more difficult — and perhaps put Zelensky and President Donald Trump on a collision course yet again. – Washington Post
The Trump administration reversed its decision to terminate a U.S. initiative that documented alleged Russian war crimes on Thursday following reporting by The Washington Post and other media outlets, according to U.S. officials and congressional aides familiar with the matter. – Washington Post
Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested Ukraine be placed under a form of temporary administration to allow for new elections and the signature of key accords to reach a settlement in the war, Russian news agencies reported early on Friday. – Reuters
The Trump administration has proposed a new, more expansive minerals deal with Ukraine, according to three people familiar with the ongoing negotiations and a summary of a draft proposal obtained by Reuters. – Reuters
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday Russian artillery had damaged Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in the front-line city of Kherson, two days after the U.S. announced that each side had agreed to a truce on energy strikes. – Reuters
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday Russia’s conditions for a ceasefire on the Black Sea were “unrealistic,” and that Russia was trying to drag out talks in order to grab more land. – Reuters
Swarms of Russian drones attacked Ukraine’s major cities overnight as President Volodymyr Zelenskiy prepared to join European leaders for a meeting in Paris aimed at reinforcing Kyiv’s position in any peace settlement. – Bloomberg
Russian President Vladimir Putin said that competition in the Arctic between various nations is growing, as US President Donald Trump seeks to annex Greenland and NATO increases its activities in the region. – Bloomberg
Glenn Hubbard and Catherine Wolfram write: He would also determine if and when he wants to sign the bill, giving him additional leverage over Russia. It’s possible the mere discussion of such a bill could help push the Kremlin toward a peace deal. Combining secondary sanctions, a strong tool in the U.S. economic kit, with a tariff-like fee could pressure Mr. Putin by threatening his most valuable source of revenues. It would also make it easier for President Trump to deliver on his promise of a lasting peace. – New York Times
Marc Champion writes: Moreover, Putin has succeeded in packaging the Black Sea ceasefire with one to end air strikes on energy infrastructure, meaning that a second appetizer to a truce on the ground is now also subject to Putin’s list of conditions. Small wonder, then, that the response within Ukraine to the unfolding negotiation has ranged from incredulous to furious. – Bloomberg
Graham Allison writes: The key to Eisenhower’s success in fulfilling his promise will also be essential for Trump. Ike took the lead himself in a direct, focused effort to close the deal. If Trump can channel Eisenhower, using his authority to hammer out an agreement that neither Zelenskyy nor Putin will like but that will end the killing, prevent another outbreak of war, and allow Ukrainians to start rebuilding their country, he will be able to claim that he has achieved the peace “deal of the century.” – National Interest
Syria
Close to midnight on March 6, as a wave of sectarian killings began in western Syria, masked men stormed the homes of Alawite families in the capital Damascus and detained more than two dozen unarmed men, according to a dozen witnesses. – Reuters
Months after a lightning insurgency ended over half a century of the Assad dynasty’s rule in Syria, the Islamist interim government has been struggling to fix battered infrastructure after a 14-year conflict decimated much of the country. Severe electricity shortages continue to plague the war-torn country. – Associated Press
The German and Austrian interior ministers broke off a planned trip to Syria on Thursday because of a possible threat to their delegation, German authorities said. – Associated Press
Nir Boms and Shadi Martini write: For Syria, it could bring economic opportunities and solutions for some of its critical problems, considering Israel’s infrastructure and technological edge. A successful move toward Israel could positively influence the international positioning of Syria’s new government and convince other stakeholders of its ability to pursue a more pragmatic policy line. For Israel, a successful reorientation of the relations could ease security concerns, further distance the Iranians from Israel’s border, and pave the way for a broader normalization circle. – Jerusalem Post
Turkey
The BBC said on Thursday that Turkey had deported a correspondent who was covering the antigovernment protests in the country, after he was detained and labeled “a threat to public order.” – New York Times
Turkey said on Thursday it rejected “prejudiced” foreign statements over the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu and protests it triggered, following the detention of nearly 1,900 people since the nationwide demonstrations began eight days ago. – Reuters
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday he expressed concern to Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan over protests and detentions in Turkey following the arrest of Ekrem Imamoglu, the mayor of Istanbul. – Reuters
Turkish defense firm Havelsan joined forces with Egypt’s Kader Factory for Developed Industries to produce unmanned ground vehicles (UGV) in Egypt, Havelsan said in a statement Wednesday, in what analysts said was a sign of deepening ties between Ankara and Cairo. – Breaking Defense
Editorial: Mr. Erdogan has long hosted Hamas leaders. He constantly whips up anti-Israel, antisemitic sentiment at home and across the region. Hatred of us Yanks is growing too. Since the Cold War, Turkey has been a valued American ally. Its military is the second-largest in the North Atlantic Treaty. It’s a bridge between Europe and Asia. Yet, under Mr. Erdogan it’s increasingly difficult to tell if Ankara is a friend or foe. The deeper Turkey grows as an Islamist dictatorship, the less that “good leader” can be trusted. America might seek a more reliable ally, like the one the man in the Pikachu suit is supporting while fleeing police thugs. – New York Sun
Ekrem Imamoglu writes: The survival of democracy in Turkey is crucial not just for its people but also for the future of democracy worldwide. The age of the unchecked strongmen demands that those who believe in democracy be just as vocal, forceful and unrelenting as their opponents. Democracy’s fate depends on the courage of students, workers, other citizens, unions and elected officials — those who refuse to remain silent when institutions crumble. I have faith in the people of Turkey and beyond who fight for justice and democracy. – New York Times
Egypt
A tourist submarine sank off Egypt’s Red Sea coast killing six people, marking the latest fatal accident involving tourist boats in the region. – Wall Street Journal
Egypt, one of the mediators in the Gaza ceasefire negotiations, has received positive indications from Israel over a new ceasefire proposal that would include a transitional phase, security sources told Reuters on Thursday. – Reuters
Newly appointed Israeli ambassador to Egypt Ori Rotman was disinvited from the accreditation ceremony, where he would have presented his credentials to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, due to the “ongoing aggression in the Gaza Strip,” according to a Wednesday report by the Qatari-owned news outlet Al-Araby Al-Jadeed. – Jerusalem Post
Yaakov Katz writes: Sisi has refused to travel to Washington to meet with US President Donald Trump, and special envoy Steve Witkoff recently warned of a potential “bad event” in Egypt that “could take us back,” only further irritating Cairo. This is a moment that demands high-level diplomacy. The US secretary of state, national security advisor, or Witkoff himself should be shuttling between Cairo, Jerusalem, and Washington, working to prevent a further unraveling of one of the most important peace treaties in modern Middle East history. – Jerusalem Post
Yemen
American strikes on Yemen’s Houthis have destroyed military infrastructure and killed commanders and officials, an effort President Trump called “unbelievably successful.” But they haven’t achieved the campaign’s goal: deterring the U.S.-designated terrorist group. – Wall Street Journal
The bombshell publication of a group chat involving Trump administration officials discussing U.S. battle plans revealed in unusually stark fashion what the Trump administration hopes to achieve with airstrikes this month against the Houthi militia in Yemen. – New York Times
A new American airstrike campaign against Yemen’s Houthi rebels appears more intense and more extensive, as the U.S. moves from solely targeting launch sites to firing at ranking personnel as well as dropping bombs in city neighborhoods, an Associated Press review of the operation shows. – Associated Press
The Navy says it is working to reduce the growing costs of fighting Houthi drones launched from Yemen by placing two new experimental systems on destroyers that are slated to deploy later this summer. – Military.com
Elizabeth Dent writes: The need to maintain two carrier groups in the Middle East may therefore persist beyond the near future, despite the concerns about force readiness and other issues. Secretary Hegseth and his team will have to balance these needs and concerns even as the administration pursues its priorities of implementing an “America First” posture, addressing the threat from China, and maintaining American superiority in the Indo-Pacific. – Washington Institute
Middle East & North Africa
An Algerian French writer whose arrest in Algeria on accusations of undermining national unity and security inflamed tensions with France was sentenced to five years in prison on Thursday. – New York Times
French prosecutors requested a seven-year prison sentence against former President Nicolas Sarkozy on Thursday, in a trial over accusations that his 2007 campaign received illegal financing from the Libyan government of Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi. – New York Times
France regrets the 5-year jail sentence handed to French-Algerian author Boualem Sansal in Algeria and is calling for “a quick and dignified end to the situation”, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Thursday. – Reuters
The United States has given an initial approval for the energy-rich Mideast nation of Qatar to buy eight armed MQ-9B Predator drones for its military, an estimated purchase worth nearly $2 billion. – Associated Press
Karen Elliott House writes: Rising concern about U.S. reliability only feeds Saudi interest in a partnership with Israel. MBS is as relentlessly wedded to his “Saudi First” policy as Mr. Trump is to his Make America Great Again vision. Those close to the crown prince say he won’t allow decades of corrupt Palestinian leadership and Arab division to stand in the way of his pursuit of Saudi Arabia’s interests. Yet, while normalization of relations with Israel is possible, creation of a Palestinian state isn’t. Therein lies Mohammed bin Salman’s dilemma. – Wall Street Journal
Korean Peninsula
Light rain offered some relief to South Korean authorities tackling the country’s worst wildfires on record, with exhausted firefighters making another push on Friday to contain blazes stretching 70 km (44 miles). – Reuters
South Korea’s exports likely rose in March for a second straight month on a growth in chip sales, a Reuters poll found on Friday, but economists warned of weakening momentum due to U.S. tariffs. – Reuters
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has paraded new military drones amid reports that he has sent an additional 3,000 troops to help Russia in its war on Ukraine. – Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
China
One of the most popular events at a Chinese exporters’ exhibition last week was a session teaching merchants how to sell more in Russia. – Wall Street Journal
Xi Jinping, China’s top leader, met with top executives of Saudi Aramco, BMW, Toyota Motor, FedEx and dozens of other foreign companies at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Friday as China seeks to boost foreign investment amid worsening trade relations between China and the United States. – New York Times
China is willing to work with the European Union to resist protectionism, the country’s economy tsar told the bloc’s trade chief, in an invitation to join forces in pushing back against mounting threats of trade tariffs from the United States. – Reuters
China and France will hold three high-level dialogues on strategic, economic, financial and cultural issues this year, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said after meeting with his French counterpart in Beijing on Thursday. – Reuters
Jude Blanchette writes: Long-standing U.S. allies and partners in these regions may not pivot decisively toward China, but Trump’s actions, including abrupt withdrawals from international agreements, wavering security commitments, and erratic economic policies, are compelling many to reconsider their dependence on Washington. As countries hedge against potential U.S. retrenchment, Beijing stands ready to present itself as a dependable partner. The “profound changes” that Xi sees in Europe and the United States may not yet have provided Beijing with the chance to reimagine its relationships with the West, but the story across the rest of the globe may prove quite different. – Foreign Affairs
Chels Michta writes: Nothing is preordained, and relations between Washington and its European allies could stabilize in the coming months. Perhaps the current storm will clear, and the relationship will remain within its traditional parameters. Even then, however, China’s growing economic influence in Europe has now been augmented by a heretofore absent hard security enabler, i.e., the role Beijing can play as a mediator to bring an end to the most brutal, full-scale war on the continent since 1945. – Center for European Policy Analysis
South Asia
The United Nations World Food Programme has managed to sustain food assistance for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, though rations have been slightly reduced due to funding shortages, officials said on Thursday. – Reuters
The Trump administration said on Thursday it will provide $73 million in new financial aid to Rohingya refugees through the U.N. World Food Programme, amid concerns that aid cuts could deepen the crisis for the world’s largest stateless population. – Reuters
India has criticised Elon Musk’s X for wrongly labelling as a “censorship portal” an official website that allows tech companies to be notified about harmful online content, court papers reviewed by Reuters showed on Friday. – Reuters
Indian port authorities denied entry to an ageing tanker loaded with Russian crude on Thursday due to inadequate documentation, sources familiar with the matter said, an unusual move that indicates tightened scrutiny of vessels carrying Russian oil. – Reuters
Trade talks with the United States are “progressing well”, Indian Trade Minister Piyush Goyal said on Thursday, with days to go before President Donald Trump’s proposed reciprocal tariffs are due to come into effect. – Reuters
Asia
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called for elections on May 3 against the backdrop of an economic recovery and increasing uncertainty around the global outlook. – Wall Street Journal
A series of powerful earthquakes struck central Myanmar on Friday, rocking the war-torn country’s second-largest city and shaking skyscrapers in the capital of neighboring Thailand. The epicenter of a 7.7-magnitude quake struck just east of Mandalay at a depth of 10 kilometers early afternoon local time, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. – Wall Street Journal
Chinese espionage in Taiwan has reached new levels, analysts and officials say, after three soldiers responsible for guarding the Taiwanese president’s office were jailed for photographing and selling classified information. – Washington Post
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Thursday that Japan is putting “every option” on the table as it considers an “appropriate” response to President Donald Trump’s new tariffs of 25 percent on cars and car parts imported into the United States. – Washington Post
The Ukraine war and increased European defence spending are likely to slow Australia’s plans to develop its own missile components’ capability as it pushes ahead with a multibillion-dollar effort to acquire long-range strike missiles. – Reuters
Taiwan’s defence minister dismissed on Friday China’s complaints about a collision between a Taiwan navy ship and a Chinese trawler in the sensitive Taiwan Strait, vowing that Taipei would carry on military exercises undeterred. – Reuters
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reaffirmed Washington’s “ironclad” commitment to a defence treaty with the Philippines on Friday and pledged to deploy advanced capabilities to its partner to strengthen a deterrence against threats, including Chinese “aggression”. – Reuters
When armed rebels seized northern Myanmar’s rare-earths mining belt in October, they dealt a blow to the country’s embattled military junta – and wrested control of a key global resource. – Reuters
Thailand is aiming to reduce its trade surplus with the United States to $20 billion by importing more U.S. products, an industry ministry official said on Friday. – Reuters
Myanmar’s junta chief Min Aung Hlaing will join a regional leaders’ summit in Thailand next week where he is seeking high-level bilateral meetings, three sources with direct knowledge told Reuters, in a rare visit to a Southeast Asian country since seizing power in coup that led to a civil war. – Reuters
The Trump Organization and its partner in Vietnam are working on multiple investments worth billions of dollars in golf courses, hotels and real estate projects in the Southeast Asian country, a spokesman for the consortium told Reuters. – Reuters
Joseph Felter writes: America’s comparative advantage in advancing its interests is through the strengthening of its alliances and partnerships in this priority region. Another perfect storm is brewing — in this case, a positive one. The U.S. and the Philippines must not squander this opportunity to strengthen the credibility of their alliance and establish the effective and durable deterrence that it presents to maintain peace within Philippine territory and across the entire region. – The Hill
Simone Gao writes: This places Xi in a dangerous dilemma: launch an offensive against Taiwan and risk economic collapse, or stand down and face domestic humiliation for failing to act during his third term. But there’s another scenario the Trump administration must consider: What if Xi decides to act because he has already lost hope in China’s economy? If he believes the economic game is over, a military move on Taiwan might be the only way to deflect domestic pressure and solidify his grip on power. – The Hill
Tom Le writes: The United States can pester Japan all it wants about dedicating more resources to defense, but Japan is not likely to fulfill either country’s dream of a stronger, more equal U.S.-Japanese alliance. If it were up to Ishiba, Japan would already be on its way to reaching that goal. But there are few guarantees that Ishiba will be able to follow through on the agenda set by his predecessor, especially after his party lost its legislative majority in October. – Foreign Affairs
Europe
U.S. Vice President JD Vance will visit Greenland on Friday at a time when President Donald Trump is renewing his insistence that Washington should take control of the semi-autonomous Danish territory. – Reuters
Greenland’s Democrats will announce a four-party coalition government on Friday, local media said on Thursday, following an election overshadowed by U.S. President Donald Trump’s interest in taking control of the island. – Reuters
Finland’s right-wing government has asked parliament to extend until the end of 2026 a law that allows it to reject asylum applications from migrants crossing its closed eastern border with Russia and to send them back, it said on Thursday. – Reuters
Danish government ministers condemned what they called President Donald Trump’s escalated rhetoric on Thursday and praised Greenland’s inhabitants for their resilience in the face of U.S. pressure for control over the Arctic island. – Reuters
While the Trump Administration migrates from treating Russia as adversary to viewing it as a partner, Poland makes its choice crystal clear. Central Europe’s heavyweight is building the largest NATO army in Europe. It is investing billions in new arms. Plus it is leading a regional move to build a 1,500-mile long border belt of anti-personnel mines from the Arctic to the Black Sea. – New York Sun
A Russian reconnaissance aircraft approached northeastern Germany on Thursday before it was escorted away by fighter jets, the German air force said. – Agence France-Presse
The Polish Ministry of National Defence has signed a deal worth some PLN 6.57 billion ($1.7 billion) to acquire 111 Borsuk (Badger) tracked infantry fighting vehicles from the country’s state-run defense group PGZ. – Defense News
Ivo H. Daalder writes: Europe no longer trusts Washington’s commitment to security on the continent, a collapse of confidence that has already raised far-reaching doubts about the future of NATO. But there is still a way forward that preserves the best of what the alliance has long offered: a strong defense capable of defeating any threat to its security. Europe will now have to finance and provide much of that deterrent. […] These countries, despite having had to rely on the United States for so long, are fully capable of ensuring their future security for themselves. The time to start is now. – Foreign Affairs
Graeme Wood writes: So far in Europe, he has managed to strong-arm Germany and others into meeting defense-spending targets that they had ignored after less effectual browbeating by previous U.S. administrations. That was a success. A liability of this brash style—saying to other countries, including friendly ones, You’re on your own, suckers—is that when he has to tell his own people that American soldiers are dead in a faraway land, even his most reasonable explanations are bound to sound phony, and his commitment to the mission questionable. This mission is worthwhile, and it will be interesting to hear him explain, if the soldiers are indeed dead, why they have not died in vain. – The Atlantic
Africa
The president of South Sudan has arrested his vice president, according to a statement released by the vice president’s party on Thursday, threatening to plunge the oil-rich but deeply impoverished nation back into full-fledged civil war. – Washington Post
The Sudanese army shelled parts of Khartoum’s twin city of Omdurman from early morning on Thursday, residents said, after declaring victory over their Rapid Support Forces rivals in a two-year battle for the capital. – Reuters
Britain on Thursday advised its citizens in South Sudan to leave the country following rising tensions that have brought the East African nation to the brink of renewed civil war. – Reuters
The U.S. embassy in Chad has suspended the issuance of most nonimmigrant visas for 90 days, the State Department said on Thursday, in the first known international travel restrictions of President Donald Trump’s second term. – Reuters
Twenty-eight million people face acute hunger in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a record for the country, driven by an escalating conflict between the government and Rwandan-backed rebels in the east, the United Nations said on Thursday. – Reuters
At least 825,000 Sudanese children are trapped by fighting around the beleaguered state capital of North Darfur, threatened by violence or starvation, UNICEF has warned. – Agence France-Presse
Joseph Hammond writes: We must change our mindset about barter—from the desperate action of the few to a legitimate tool for economic agency. For African nations and others navigating fragmented global markets, commodity-driven exchanges are not a retreat but rather a return to older strategies. Whether divided by financial markets or resource availability, the logic of exchange will endure. – National Interest
The Americas
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Thursday that there would be “consequences” if Venezuela used forceful actions in asserting claims to resource-rich territories that are under the control of neighboring Guyana. – New York Times
Panama’s government has approved safe passage for former President Ricardo Martinelli to travel to Nicaragua, where he has been granted asylum, a top Panamanian official said in a press conference on Thursday. – Reuters
Argentina is targeting a $20 billion deal with the International Monetary Fund, Economy Minister Luis Caputo said on Thursday, formally putting a figure on the long-mooted program for the first time as he looks to calm local market jitters. – Reuters
Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Friday Vietnam may buy Embraer and become a regional hub for Brazilian meat processing operations, as he met Vietnam’s President Luong Cuong in Hanoi. – Reuters
The United States will deploy biometric capabilities in partnership with Colombia to help manage migration and disrupt criminal activity, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said during a visit to Bogota on Thursday. – Reuters
A steady stream of illegal weapons smuggled into Haiti is fueling an increase in gang violence and leading to severe human rights abuses, according to a U.N. report released Thursday. – Associated Press
North America
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney pledged to respond to the Trump administration’s latest tariffs targeting the automotive industry with strong counter measures, but held off introducing further tariffs against the U.S. until it becomes clear what the president will introduce with the next round of levies set to be unveiled next week. – Wall Street Journal
Mexico is working to carve out an exemption for its critical autos industry after Washington announced tariffs on imported vehicles, the economy minister said on Thursday. – Reuters
Dalia Al-Aqidi writes: Canada’s attempt to define Islamophobia shows the danger faced by Western governments and institutions that give a platform to Islamist activists who falsely claim to represent all Muslims while sidelining those who seek genuine reform and freedom from political Islam. This dangerous miscalculation not only silences moderate voices but also strengthens the grip of Islamist ideology. Canada’s hamfisted attempt to grapple with “Islamophobia” is a reminder that if political Islamism is not confronted now, it will continue to erode Western freedoms, embolden extremists, and become even more difficult to dismantle in the future. – New York Sun
United States
Watching from his living room, Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy sat glued to President Trump’s televised speech to Congress earlier this month, when he heard the words that immediately energized one of America’s most ambitious energy projects—and sent him jet-setting across Asia. – Wall Street Journal
U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders said on Thursday he would force votes next week on resolutions that would block $8.8 billion in arms sales to Israel, citing the human rights crisis faced by Palestinians in Gaza after Israel’s bombardment of the enclave and its suspension of aid deliveries. – Reuters
The International Monetary Fund is continuing to assess the impact of President Donald Trump’s tariff plans, including his new 25% auto tariffs, but the global lender’s baseline forecasts do not envision a U.S. recession, IMF spokesperson Julie Kozack said on Thursday. – Reuters
U.S. immigration authorities have detained and revoked the visa of a Turkish doctoral student at Tufts University near Boston who had voiced support for Palestinians in Israel’s war in Gaza. – Reuters
Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the Trump administration’s push to expel foreign citizens who have protested against Israel, saying the US may have revoked more than 300 visas so far. – Bloomberg
Editorial: IAP disbanded instead of paying, but the Boims allege it regrouped as American Muslims for Palestine (AMP) with many of the same leaders and the same Hamas mission. […] The Boims will have a chance to prove their allegations about AMP as the litigation continues. Their case will spawn new lawsuits so long as Israel-haters in the West align with Hamas. – Wall Street Journal
Philip Bump writes: Imagine what can happen if we don’t. We could see, for example, a president who attempted to overthrow the government by stoking a riot at the U.S. Capitol then present those actions to right-wing partisans as either a frame-up by federal agents or an overreaction to what unfolded or a function of left-wing agents provocateur. He could then easily regain power on the strength of the loyalty of those partisans, reclaiming the White House with a reinforced sense of his own immunity to accountability. – Washington Post
Cybersecurity
Taiwan authorities said on Friday they were investigating whether China’s largest chipmaker SMIC illegally lured Taiwanese tech workers under cover of a shell company on the island masquerading as Samoan. – Reuters
Chinese security firm Nuctech said Europe’s top court had rejected its appeal to suspend a decision by the European Commission to inspect the company. – Reuters
E-commerce platform TikTok Shop said it will launch to users in France, Germany, and Italy on Monday, expanding its reach further into Europe even as TikTok faces being shut down in the U.S. if Chinese owner ByteDance does not find an American buyer. – Reuters
Ukraine’s state-owned railway Ukrzaliznytsia, the country’s largest carrier, has partially restored online services after a large-scale cyber attack hit passenger and freight transport systems, the company said on Thursday. – Reuters
Meta Platforms’ WhatsApp on Thursday got the backing of an adviser to Europe’s top court in its fight against the EU privacy watchdog, which had ordered the Irish data protection authority to jack up a fine four years ago for privacy breaches. – Reuters
Russian authorities have arrested three individuals suspected of developing the Mamont malware, a recently identified banking trojan targeting Android devices. – The Record
Russian security researchers discovered sophisticated new malware used in an espionage campaign targeting media outlets and educational institutions in the country. – The Record
Two investigative journalists in Serbia were targeted with advanced commercial spyware last month, Amnesty International said Thursday. – The Record
Dewey Murdick and William Hannas write: Success won’t come from trying to stop China’s rise—that’s neither possible nor necessary. Instead, the Trump administration will succeed by rebuilding American productive capacity to create opportunities for all Americans. This approach requires patience and sustained investment, but the alternative—pinning our hope on abstract knowledge and reacting to China’s moves while more American communities decline—is far worse. – National Interest
Defense
The Space Force has added two new launch providers to its list of firms that could compete for future national security space missions. In a statement Thursday, the service said Rocket Lab and Stoke Space will join three other firms — SpaceX, United Launch Alliance and Blue Origin — chosen last year to enter the provider pool. – Defense News
The nominee to be the Department of the Air Force’s next secretary pledged on Thursday to focus on its nuclear modernization efforts and continue work to get its troubled intercontinental ballistic missile program back on track. – Defense News
The Department of the Air Force is considering a plan in which the Space Development Agency (SDA) would cancel upcoming competitions for its future Transport Layer satellites in favor of tapping SpaceX to provide the capability to rapidly transmit large amounts of data around the globe, two sources told Breaking Defense. – Breaking Defense
Michael Duffey, President Donald Trump’s nominee to be the next undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, told lawmakers that he will review the Pentagon’s controversial Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification 2.0 (CMMC 2.0) initiative if he’s confirmed. – Defensescoop