Today In Issues:
FDD Research & Analysis
The Must-Reads
Palestinian Authority continues to pay terrorists, US State Department report confirms WSJ Editorial: The Board of Peace speaks up about Hamas Iran is grasping for a solution to an American blockade it can’t break Pezeshkian, Ghalibaf look to fire FM Araghchi over allegiance to IRGC commander - report Silent Majority Strategies’s co-founder Keith Naughton: Gaming out a nuclear Iran Russia's Medvedev questions US suitability to play role of conflict mediator Hezbollah has learned how to pilot deadly drones into Israeli troops US urges Lebanese president to meet Netanyahu, suggests sit-down could lead to IDF pullout Trump congratulates Zaidi on his nomination to be next Iraqi Prime Minister China holds naval, air patrols near Scarborough Shoal as Philippines, US stage drills UK raises terrorism threat level after stabbings as Starmer says Jews are scared EU kickstarts Mercosur pact to counter US trade hitIn The News
Israel
The Israeli military warned residents of eight Lebanese towns outside of the “buffer zone” to leave their homes immediately on Thursday ahead of strikes. – Reuters
Italy condemns Israel’s seizure of aid ships bound for Gaza and demands the immediate release of all Italians who have been “unlawfully detained,” Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s office said on Thursday. – Reuters
The Palestinian Authority is still making payments to terrorists and their families, despite promises to end the “pay for slay” programs, the US State Department reported Wednesday. It informed Congress last month, it said. – Jerusalem Post
The United States recently shipped 6,500 tons of munitions and materiel to Israel within 24 hours, using two large sea vessels and multiple cargo aircraft, the Defense Ministry reported Thursday. – Jerusalem Post
An IDF major was indicted in military court on Wednesday for allegedly using his position near the Gaza border to smuggle a truckload of unauthorized goods into the enclave, bypass military checks, and bring an Israeli citizen into Gaza to complete the transfer. – Jerusalem Post
After police arrested a 20-year-old ISIS-affiliated man who was planning an attack on soldiers, prosecutors filed an indictment against the suspect Thursday morning, according to a joint statement from the Northern District Central Unit and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency). Jerusalem Post
Israel was on heightened alert, ramping up preparations for a possible return to fighting with Iran, amid indications that US President Donald Trump may be nearing a decision on renewed military action, Israeli television reported Thursday. – Times of Israel
Participants from a Gaza-bound, anti-Israel flotilla intercepted by Israel off the coast of Greece were being transferred to Israeli custody on Thursday, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced. – Times of Israel
Israel delivered state-of-the-art defensive weaponry to the United Arab Emirates to assist the Gulf state in protecting itself against a heavy wave of Iranian missiles and drones, The Financial Times reported on Thursday. – Arutz Sheva
The United States Agency for International Development Office of Inspector General (USAID OIG), a statutorily independent law enforcement and oversight entity, announced that it has identified evidence linking four additional current or former staff members of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) to participation in the October 7 terrorist attacks in Israel and/or affiliation with Hamas. – Arutz Sheva
Editorial: Amid the Iran war, Hamas has avoided scrutiny for blowing past the Board of Peace’s April 14 deadline to accept its disarmament plan. This is a continuing breach of President Trump’s cease-fire by Hamas, which means Israel will have to continue holding territory and using force to keep the terrorists off balance. Hamas is again putting Gazans last, but Israel won’t let it rebuild the jihadist fief next door. Now the Board of Peace won’t give Hamas its usual free lane in the propaganda war either. – Wall Street Journal
Shay Shabtai writes: The State of Israel today is, as a result of the current war, a country with military and economic power much greater than its objective geo-political posture. However, when we look forward, we see that its position is unbalanced. Israel must re-strengthen the other elements of its power (see Perspective Paper No. 2347, June 3, 2025): an advanced, resilient society and economy, with improved long-term positioning of its relations with the United States and other powers. – Algemeiner
Iran
For almost five decades, Iran’s Islamic government has survived financial pressure from the U.S. by selling oil to China. It confronted American military might with guerrilla tactics. But with the U.S. Navy’s blockade, that strategy might have met its match, analysts said. – Wall Street Journal
Iran said on Thursday it would respond with “long and painful strikes” on U.S. positions if Washington renewed attacks and restated its claim to the Strait of Hormuz, complicating U.S. plans for a coalition to reopen the waterway. – Reuters
Top U.S. military leaders including Admiral Brad Cooper, the head of Central Command, will brief President Donald Trump later on Thursday on potential military action against Iran, a U.S. official told Reuters. – Reuters
A U.S.-Iran ceasefire that began in early April has “terminated” hostilities between the two sides for the purposes of an approaching congressional war powers deadline, a senior official of President Donald Trump’s administration said on Thursday. – Reuters
A U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports has shrunk Tehran’s oil exports, stranding a growing stockpile of crude on tankers as Iranian storage sites run out of space, shipping data showed and analysts said. – Reuters
Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said in a published written message on Thursday that a new chapter for the Gulf and Strait of Hormuz has been taking shape since the Iran war with the United States and Israel broke out on February 28. – Reuters
Iran’s 90 million people have been cut off from the internet for most of 2026, one of the world’s longest and strictest national shutdowns. That is devastating an online economy that had long defied government restrictions and international sanctions. – Associated Press
A few Iran-linked vessels are making their way through the Strait of Hormuz, as the crucial waterway remains effectively closed to most international shipping amid blockades by both Tehran and the US. – Bloomberg
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf have reportedly been dissatisfied with the way Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has conducted diplomacy and negotiations and are calling for his dismissal, London-based anti-regime outlet Iran International reported on Thursday, citing two informed sources. – Jerusalem Post
The “noble” Iranian population will safeguard the regime’s nuclear and missile technologies as “national assets,” a Thursday speech attributed to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei read. – Jerusalem Post
Marc A. Thiessen writes: Here is the bottom line: The Iran war must end with a decisive victory. And that victory can only be achieved in one of two ways: either Iran capitulates or the U.S. launches a final flurry of military strikes. Trump has given the regime every opportunity to sue for peace, and it has rejected his overtures. It is admirable that Trump is taking his time. He understands that what he is doing is important and cannot be rushed. But it is also true that he cannot declare victory until either Iran cries uncle — or he finishes the job. – Washington Post
James Stavridis writes: That cooperation will soon be tested in the Middle East. European allies and Canada should willingly assist with mine‑clearing and escort operations when the Strait of Hormuz is reopened. A safe and accessible maritime commons serves almost every nation’s interest. But it matters most to the US — the world’s largest importer of seaborne trade by value. Leadership in freedom of navigation is not optional. It is a global obligation. – Bloomberg
Keith Naughton writes: Detonating a nuclear weapon, whether an airburst or on the ground, would be an insanely irresponsible risk. But the Iranian nuclear program is already totally illogical. Instead of providing security, it has resulted in sanctions, attacks and the enmity of its neighbors. By any logic, the Iranian leadership should have taken a deal to eliminate it long ago. It is the height of elite Western arrogance to think there is no chance the Iranians will actually use nuclear weapons. You cannot apply your own logic and values to people who clearly don’t have the same values. – The Hill
Russia and Ukraine
Japan’s relaxation of its weapons-exports rules opens a path for talks that could one day lead to Tokyo supplying military equipment to help Ukraine resist Russia’s invasion, Kyiv’s ambassador to Japan told Reuters. – Reuters
A fresh Ukrainian drone strike on Russia’s Black Sea port of Tuapse, the fourth in the past week, sparked a fire at the sea terminal but caused no injuries, local officials said early on Friday. – Reuters
A Russian drone attack overnight damaged port infrastructure in Ukraine’s southern Odesa region and wounded two people in the city of Odesa, regional governor Oleh Kiper said on Friday. – Reuters
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said that a vessel carrying grain that Kyiv says was stolen from its territories occupied by Russia would not unload its cargo in Israel, describing it as a “welcome development” on Thursday. – Reuters
Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on Thursday that the OPEC+ group of leading oil producers would continue working together despite the departure of the United Arab Emirates, Russian news agencies reported. – Reuters
Ukraine’s top general ordered on Thursday a mandatory two-month time limit for front-line troops serving in forward positions, a week after photos of emaciated soldiers on combat duty sparked a nationwide outcry. – Reuters
The United States is unlikely to serve as an effective mediator in international conflicts, given its actions on the global stage, senior Russian security official Dmitry Medvedev said on Thursday. – Reuters
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is seeking details of a short-term ceasefire Russia proposed to U.S. President Donald Trump, he said in a post on Telegram on Thursday. – Associated Press
Ukraine is in limbo waiting for a resumption of peace talks that might end the war with Russia, with the distraction caused by the conflict in Iran a key obstacle, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. – Bloomberg
Russia is importing more than 90% of its sanctioned technology through China, a sign of Moscow’s growing reliance on Beijing as Vladimir Putin’s war against Ukraine drags on. – Bloomberg
Hezbollah
Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group, has increasingly used first-person-view, or FPV, drones to attack Israeli troops, posing a major threat to the Israeli military that it hasn’t encountered in earlier rounds of fighting in Gaza and Lebanon, according to military officials and soldiers. – Wall Street Journal
According to the IDF, two soldiers were moderately wounded, and 10 others sustained light injuries after a Hezbollah explosive drone struck an armored vehicle, igniting a fire and reportedly triggering secondary explosions of ammunition inside. – Jerusalem Post
IDF demolishes 140-meter-long Hezbollah tunnel in Lebanon The tunnel, over 140 meters in length, consisted of living quarters and operational shafts, and numerous weapons were found inside. – Arutz Sheva
Troops from the IDF’s Alpinist Unit, under the command of the 810th Brigade, completed a targeted operation to destroy Hezbollah terrorist infrastructure in the Mount Dov area. – Arutz Sheva
Syria
War-battered Syria has stood out as one of the few spots of calm in the region’s latest conflagration. Its leaders have been working to rebuild relations with Arab and Western countries that had shunned Syria under former President Bashar Assad, who was ousted in December 2024 by rebels, who then installed a new government. – Associated Press
Russia has emerged as the main supplier of oil to Syria, Reuters reporting shows, despite the new government’s alignment with the West and widespread distrust of Moscow over its military support for fallen leader Bashar al-Assad. – Reuters
Recently released video recordings broadcast by the Syrian Interior Ministry have revealed confessions from a number of former pilots in the Syrian regime’s air force. – Jerusalem Post
A Syrian rights commission is preparing a case accusing Fadi Saqr, a militia leader within the Assad regime, of involvement in crimes against humanity and war crimes, a senior Syrian official has told the Guardian. – The Guardian
Lebanon
A growing rift among top Lebanese officials has thrown a wrench into Saudi efforts to help Lebanon’s leaders forge a united position over negotiations with Israel, Lebanese sources and foreign officials told Reuters on Thursday. – Reuters
The US appeared to be intensifying its efforts to arrange a meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, suggesting Thursday that a sit-down could lead to Israeli forces withdrawing from southern Lebanon amid the shaky ceasefire with Hezbollah. – Times of Israel
Sherwin Pomerantz writes: A unique period in time is open to us now to make an agreement with Lebanon that could end, once and for all, our having to live with an enemy on our northern border. This would “finish the job,” as the residents of the North are demanding of our government, and put in place a framework that could provide peace and tranquility for Israel with yet another of its neighbors. Sounds idyllic, but it is possible if the leadership has the commitment to make it happen. – Jerusalem Post
Gulf States
The United Arab Emirates has banned its citizens from travelling to Iran, Lebanon and Iraq, and urged Emiratis currently in those countries to leave immediately and return home, citing regional developments, the foreign ministry said on Thursday. – Reuters
The United Arab Emirates has referred the chief of staff of Sudan’s army and 12 other defendants and six companies to its State Security Court over an alleged attempt to move ammunition through UAE territory to the Sudanese army, state news agency WAM reported on Thursday. – Reuters
Officials in the United Arab Emirates have framed their decision to quit the OPEC group of oil producing nations as an opportunity to respond more nimbly to the energy crisis caused by the Iran war. However, the move also follows a steady escalation of tensions between the UAE and Saudi Arabia, OPEC’s dominant member. – Bloomberg
Mihir Sharma writes: The UAE exit from OPEC was unexpected, but rational. It looked at all three of these changes — a post-oil energy world, a post-US security architecture, and a post-hierarchy global order — and decided its interests were no longer served by remaining within the institutions that had protected and enriched it for half a century. When the foundation of an era falls, not every country caught in the collapse will pause to mourn its passing. Some will strip out what they can, and try to create a place of their own. Others will follow the UAE’s example. Our best hope is that some will put those pieces together, and build something that benefits us all. – Bloomberg
Middle East & North Africa
U.S. President Donald Trump congratulated Ali al-Zaidi on his nomination to be next prime minister of Iraq on Thursday, saying that he looked forward to a highly productive new relationship. – Reuters
A peace initiative to end a decades-long conflict with Kurdish militants has been effectively “frozen” by the Turkish government, a top militant commander said on Thursday. – Associated Press
President Donald Trump invited Iraq’s prime minister nominee to visit Washington after he forms a new government, as the US seeks to limit Iran’s influence on its neighbor. – Bloomberg
Danielle Pletka writes: These nations have not rejected Islam; they have rejected the lies that socialism, pan-Arabism and Islamism peddled. They recognize the corrupting mix of Islamism and politics, and even more important, they have begun to acknowledge that the practice of religion can be an individual choice. Better still, they acknowledge that more open societies, the free market and religious faith need not be mutually exclusive but rather can coexist and deliver prosperity and stability. – Washington Post
Korean Peninsula
South Korea’s exports surged again in April, driven by semiconductor shipments, signaling resilience in the trade-dependent economy despite geopolitical risks stemming from the Middle East conflict. – Wall Street Journal
South Korea and Australia have agreed to work together to strengthen energy supply chain resilience and to maintain stable, safe and reliable supply of energy resources, including diesel and LNG, South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said on Thursday. – Reuters
Russia’s war in Ukraine might have taken a different turn without the involvement of North Korea. The weaponry and troops provided by Kim Jong Un’s regime have supported the yearslong bombardment of Ukrainian towns and cities, and also helped repel a surprise Ukrainian incursion into Russian territory in 2024. – Bloomberg
China
President Trump’s declaration that he is willing to maintain a blockade on Iranian shipping until the Iranians surrender to his demands almost assures that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed by the time he arrives in Beijing in two weeks. That is exactly what Mr. Trump was seeking to avoid when he delayed his trip to China six weeks ago. – New York Times
China’s military said on Thursday its naval and air forces held combat readiness patrols near the Scarborough Shoal in the disputed South China Sea. – Reuters
China and the U.S. should prepare for “important high-level exchanges”, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a call with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday, while warning the Taiwan issue is “the biggest point of risk” for relations. – Reuters
China exported large quantities of a speciality rare earth used in aerospace and chipmaking to the U.S. in March, customs data showed, in a sign that tight controls which have caused shortages and record prices could be easing. – Reuters
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said American officials discussed a possible “Board of Trade” in a call with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng Thursday, casting it as a tool that could help manage economic ties between the two nations. – Bloomberg
Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned China that “the sovereignty of our hemisphere is non-negotiable” after the U.S. and regional allies accused Beijing of detaining Panama-flagged ships in a dispute tied to canal port control. – Fox News
Allen Zhang writes: This latest cancellation by three African countries reflects a troubling pattern of deference to Beijing. Taiwan has been denied a perfectly legitimate and legal means of engaging the world. And even as China notches another win, it will not stop there — it will continue until Taiwan’s remaining allies are picked off. So, the democratic world faces a choice: is it willing to defend the principle that free societies can engage one another — without seeking the approval of autocracies? – The Hill
Tong Zhao writes: It is time for Beijing to recognize that its campaign against nuclear first use is not credible, thanks, in part, to its nuclear program’s expansion. A larger Chinese arsenal hardens threat perceptions in Washington, producing aggressive U.S. countermeasures that destabilize bilateral relations and risk a nuclear arms race. But by using its policy statements to emphasize preventing any nuclear use rather than managing escalation after it begins, Washington could open the door for both sides to explore reciprocal measures of restraint. Beijing could, in turn, increase transparency around its nuclear forces that are capable of regional strikes, which would reduce American anxieties about Chinese first-use. – Foreign Affairs
South Asia
The legal team of Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi plans to meet the detained former leader this weekend after she was transferred to house arrest in the capital by the military-backed government, a representative said on Friday. – Reuters
Pakistan’s Navy will be getting a fleet of advanced Chinese submarines, a statement from the military and a government official said on Thursday, a move to strengthen Islamabad’s maritime security as part of a growing defence cooperation with Beijing. – Reuters
Islamabad wants all Afghan nationals to leave the country except for those with valid visas and has expelled more than 2 million out of 3 million back to their home country since 2023. Many are second- and third-generation refugees who fled violence at home in the 1980s. – Reuters
Bangladesh signed a deal on Thursday to buy 14 aircraft from U.S. planemaker Boeing officials said, a move that marks a shift away from Europe’s Airbus amid trade pressure from Washington. – Reuters
A Pakistani tanker carrying a cargo of diesel from Kuwait appeared to be making an outbound transit through the Strait of Hormuz, a rare event in the blockaded waterway. – Bloomberg
Asia
Taiwan’s economy expanded at its fastest pace in 39 years, supercharged by demand tied to artificial intelligence, despite lingering risks from the Middle East conflict threatening to halt that momentum. – Wall Street Journal
The U.S. Trade Representative’s office identified Vietnam as a top concern or “Priority Foreign Country” on intellectual property rights in an annual report released on Thursday, raising the prospect of a new trade probe into the Asian nation. – Reuters
The political editor for New Zealand public broadcaster TVNZ has been banned from covering the parliament for five days after breaching press gallery rules, Speaker Gerry Brownlee said on Thursday. – Reuters
Paraguayan President Santiago Pena will travel to Taiwan from May 7 for a state visit aimed at deepening diplomatic and economic ties, his office and Taiwanese authorities said. – Reuters
The head of Taiwan’s main opposition party said she has asked to meet with President Donald Trump on a planned trip to the US, casting herself as a leader who could prevent a conflict with China through dialogue with the world’s largest economies. – Bloomberg
Europe
The eurozone economy weakened at the start of the year, and is likely to struggle ahead as a jump in energy prices curbs consumer spending and delays a hoped-for recovery in industry. – Wall Street Journal
When mass protests brought down the government in Bulgaria, forcing fresh elections in April, the protesters’ greatest ire was directed at Delyan Peevski, the leader of a small political party but considered one of Bulgaria’s most powerful politicians. – New York Times
Ruslan Gabbasov knew his activism had made him a target of Russia’s security services, so when he found an Apple AirTag tracker hidden under the hood of his car last spring, he understood it meant trouble. – New York Times
Britain raised its national terrorism threat level to “severe” from “substantial” on Thursday, a day after an antisemitic stabbing attack in north London, as Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Jewish people were living in fear and vowed stronger action to protect them. – Reuters
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he was lifting tariffs on whiskey from the United Kingdom, in a nod to King Charles on the final day of a royal visit celebrating a former colony’s impending 250th anniversary of independence. – Reuters
U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday continued his attacks on German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, saying he was “doing a terrible job” with his own country and should spend “less time on interfering” with Washington’s effort to tackle “the Iran nuclear threat.” – Reuters
Lithuania’s President Gitanas Nauseda said he was supportive of his country joining the U.S. freedom of navigation mission in the Strait of Hormuz, adding that he would present the proposal to the Baltic state’s defence council. – Reuters
Rafael Advanced Defence Systems has signed a letter of intent with Volkswagen AG to acquire the German automaker’s plant in Osnabrueck in western Germany, two people familiar with the matter said on Thursday. – Reuters
The Dutch government and top brass have committed to raising military personnel from 80,000 to 120,000 by 2035 — plans that have broad political support. – Associated Press
The European Union’s biggest economies are unhappy with a US proposal to resolve a metals tariff dispute, injecting fresh uncertainty into final negotiations to implement a stalled trade deal. – Bloomberg
Belgium is seeking to nationalize its nuclear power industry, Prime Minister Bart De Wever announced Thursday, in a bid to keep running parts of its aging reactor fleet that were otherwise headed toward closure. – Politico
French President Emmanuel Macron has appointed ambassador to Australia Pierre-André Imbert as his new chief of staff. He will succeed Emmanuel Moulin, who is now free to run for governor of the Bank of France. – Politico
Britain will take a “grown up” approach to Chinese involvement in its energy system, a senior government official told POLITICO, after the government blocked a deal which would have seen a Chinese firm build a wind turbine factory in Scotland. – Politico
EU countries are preparing a package of short-term benefits for Ukraine to bring it closer to the bloc after capitals rejected plans to fast-track full membership. – Politico
Romania will now be able to acquire counter-unmanned aerial system technology through the U.S.’s counter-drone marketplace, the Army announced on Wednesday. – Defense News
Africa
Al-Qaeda-led militants bent on building an African caliphate are closing in on Mali’s capital and forcing a retreat of the Russian mercenaries who were meant to stanch the spread of the Islamist group across the country. – Wall Street Journal
At least 150 members of the Fulani ethnic group in Nigeria’s northwestern region have died in a camp run by Nigeria’s military in recent months, according to a report released by Amnesty International on Thursday. Most of the dead were children, the group said. – New York Times
The United States on Thursday imposed sanctions on former Democratic Republic of Congo President Joseph Kabila for his support of Rwanda-backed M23 rebels and for fueling political instability in Congo’s troubled east. – Reuters
The International Monetary Fund said on Thursday it had reached a deal on some of its agreements with the Ivory Coast, paving the way for the country to access about $843.9 million once the reviews are completed. – Reuters
Gabon’s finance ministry said on Thursday it had signed an additional programme worth $150 million with the World Bank, bringing the institution’s total commitment to $600 million. – Reuters
Imprisoned Tunisian opposition leader Rached Ghannouchi has suffered a sharp deterioration in his health and has been urgently transferred from prison to hospital, his Ennahda party said on Thursday. – Reuters
South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir fired his foreign and trade ministers and senior security officials, a decree on Wednesday said, the latest in a series of government changes. – Reuters
Rachel Avraham writes: For Sudan, time matters. The longer the crisis continues without a comprehensive response, the greater the human toll will be. Addressing immediate needs is critical – but so is ensuring that the conditions for long-term stability are not overlooked. Sudan’s tragedy is not only in its scale. It is in how long it has been allowed to unfold without the attention it demands.- Jerusalem Post
The Americas
An American Airlines jet emblazoned with America’s 250th-anniversary logo landed here Thursday, completing the first direct commercial flight between the U.S. and Venezuela since 2019 and capping a day of celebration in Miami and Caracas. – Wall Street Journal
The European Union and South American bloc Mercosur will implement on Friday a contentious free trade agreement that the EU in particular hopes will benefit exporters and calm critics, even if it cannot fully offset the blow from U.S. tariffs. – Reuters
Panama President Jose Raul Mulino said his country maintains a positive relationship with China despite being caught up in a dispute between the Asian superpower and the U.S., and defended Panama’s takeover of port contracts held by Hong Kong’s CK Hutchison. – Reuters
Brazil’s Congress on Thursday overturned President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s veto on a bill sharply reducing former President Jair Bolsonaro’s 27-year prison sentence for plotting a coup after losing the 2022 election, further weakening the leftist leader’s hand in Congress. – Reuters
Argentine workers protested in the capital of Buenos Aires on Thursday, as annual May Day demonstrations in the South American nation coincided with smoldering anger over President Javier Milei’s recent overhaul of long-robust labor protections. – Associated Press
North America
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum questioned the evidence provided by U.S. authorities charging the governor of Mexico’s Sinaloa state and other officials with drug trafficking, setting the stage for a rocky period in relations between the two nations. – Wall Street Journal
Voters head to the polls on Thursday in Antigua and Barbuda in a snap general election dominated by concerns over U.S. visa restrictions, with Prime Minister Gaston Browne seeking a fourth term. – Reuters
Canada is set to host a proposed multilateral defence bank designed to help fund the rearmament of nations facing heightened geopolitical risks, Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Thursday. – Reuters
An Iranian exile and independent investigative journalist is heading toward a critical court hearing in Canada, as members of a prominent Iranian family seek to curb her ability to publish allegations linking them to wealth and influence tied to the Islamic Republic. – Jerusalem Post
United States
The US Senate voted unanimously Thursday to ban its members and staff from trading on fast-growing prediction markets, highlighting concerns about insider trading on the platforms after a US soldier was accused of using classified information to profit from trades. – Bloomberg
The Artemis II crew, following their return to Earth after a historic 10-day lunar flyby, spoke with U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz, describing the mission as a “glorious” experience. – Fox News
The US House Appropriations Committee has advanced a State Department funding bill which will restrict aid to Nigeria if the current government cannot stop what one lawmaker labeled a genocide against Christians. – Algemeiner
Chris Carberry writes: Experts estimate that every dollar spent on the Apollo Program returned between $7 and $40 to the economy. The return on investment for our current moon and Mars plans is likely to dwarf this amount. NASA is also one of a small number of federal agencies that enjoys strong bipartisan support in Congress and with the public, transcending political ideology. The Ipsos poll says 80 percent express a favorable view of the U.S. space agency — it’s highly unlikely any other federal agency enjoys a similar approval rating […] We should embrace this optimistic future, remembering that investment in space exploration is also an investment on Earth. – The Hill
Cybersecurity
The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday voted unanimously to advance a proposal to bar all Chinese labs from testing electronic devices such as smartphones, cameras and computers for use in the United States. – Reuters
The Chinese government’s hack-for-hire ecosystem has “gotten out of control” and provides cyber criminals with “a form of plausible deniability,” a senior FBI official said on Thursday, warning that Chinese hackers can be arrested when they travel outside their home country. – Reuters
Banks across Asia, including those in Singapore – among the region’s largest – are tightening checks on artificial intelligence tools as the very newest models have raised fears that hackers could find weak spots faster and launch wider cyberattacks. – Reuters
Amazon said on Thursday that restoring cloud computing operations in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, which have been damaged during the conflict in the Middle East, is expected to take several months. – Reuters
The Irish Supreme Court on Thursday confirmed that TikTok can continue data transfers from the European Union to China during its appeal against a regulator’s order to halt them over privacy concerns. – Reuters
The White House has asked a group of tech companies to answer a set of questions this week about how to ward off digital attacks that frontier AI tools could soon enable, according to four people with knowledge of discussions between the administration and the tech sector. – Politico
France and Spain have teamed up in a bid to reserve space for European companies in an upcoming spectrum auction for mobile satellite communications, effectively pushing out U.S. players. – Politico
A teenage hacker is suspected of breaching a French government agency responsible for identity documents and attempting to sell millions of citizens’ personal data, Paris prosecutors said on Thursday. – The Record
Almost $725 million worth of cargo was stolen in the U.S. and Canada last year, much of which was fueled by a new wave of attacks where cybercriminals impersonate companies and steal cargo shipments by rerouting deliveries.- The Record
Moldova’s National Health Insurance Company (CNAM) confirmed this week that it had suffered a cyberattack that may have resulted in the exfiltration of some data. – The Record
The Federal Communications Commission approved new regulations Wednesday designed to crack down on robocalling, protect telecommunications networks from cyberattacks and further vet equipment-testing labs based overseas. – Cyberscoop
Dave Lee writes: Zuckerberg’s giant Xerox is surely meeting its limit with AI. It’s a very tall order for Zuckerberg to pull a Steve Jobs and be late to the market but with a product so superior it ends up not mattering, which is the reality of the goal that has been set. At the very least, if Zuckerberg’s going to keep expecting investors to be on board with a hyperscaler budget, he needs to come up with something that resembles a hyperscaler business model. – Bloomberg
Defense
President Trump says he is weighing whether to reduce the number of U.S. troops stationed in Germany. If he goes ahead, it would reshape the military presence that has allowed America to project power in Europe, the Middle East and beyond. – Wall Street Journal
President Donald Trump on Thursday said “probably” when asked whether he would consider pulling U.S. troops out of Italy and Spain, a day after announcing that Washington was looking at reducing the number of military personnel in Germany. – Reuters
The U.S. Navy declared Initial Operational Capability (IOC) for the P-8A Poseidon Increment 3 Block 2 system, Naval Air Systems Command announced Friday. – USNI News
Behind a record-breaking $1.5 trillion Pentagon budget request, the Navy’s unfunded wish list focused on a handful of military construction projects, according to the document reviewed by USNI News. – USNI News
Matt Reisener writes: Finally, the government should create more agreements such as the U.S.-South Korean “Make American Shipbuilding Great Again” initiative to encourage stronger allied investment in the industry. If shipyards are at capacity, the Navy could outsource some vessel construction to allied counterparts in exchange for direct investment in the nation’s maritime industry. The Navy and American shipbuilders should work more closely with their allies to share best practices, allowing the U.S. to learn from its partners’ successes and mistakes as it seeks to restore its maritime dominance. – Washington Post
Silas Schaeffer writes: To evolve into a true force multiplier, developers must focus on reducing user friction in addition to releasing new capabilities. An API product that connects reliably to developer tools, improved file generation with lower failure rates, the ability to directly generate downloadable spreadsheets, and smoother collaborative features will accelerate the DoW’s efficiency significantly. The heavy lifting of establishing a secure platform is complete; now it is time to improve the last mile delivery. – Defensescoop