Today In Issues:
FDD Research & Analysis
The Must-Reads
A U.S. plan splits Gaza in two—one zone controlled by Israel, one by Hamas Israel's parliament gives initial nod to occupied West Bank annexation Israel Defense & Security Forum’s Yaron Buskila: Israel must stop Gaza from becoming the next south Lebanon Iran says it won't return to talks as long as US makes 'unreasonable demands' Iran joins UN anti-terrorism treaty in hope of easing economic sanctions Russia acquired Western technology to protect its nuclear submarine fleet U.S. imposes sanctions on Russian oil companies after strikes on Ukraine kill 7 Islamic State rises again in Syria, filling a void left by U.S. North Korea tested 'cutting-edge' weapons system on Wednesday, KCNA reports WSJ’s Sadanand Dhume: Does India even have any cards? East Timor's ASEAN membership a win for Asia's youngest nation WSJ Editorial: Trump strikes a good rare-earth dealIn The News
Israel
Vice President JD Vance is due to fly out of Israel on Thursday, just hours before Secretary of State Marco Rubio flies in. Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were on the ground a few days before. – Wall Street Journal
The U.S. and Israel are considering a plan that would divide Gaza into separate zones controlled by Israel and Hamas, with reconstruction only taking place on the Israeli side as a stopgap until the militant group can be disarmed and removed from power. – Wall Street Journal
A bill applying Israeli law to the occupied West Bank, a move tantamount to annexation of land which Palestinians want for a state, won preliminary approval from Israel’s parliament on Wednesday. – Reuters
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hinted on Wednesday at his opposition to any role for Turkish security forces in the Gaza Strip as part of a mission to monitor a U.S.-backed ceasefire with the Palestinian militant group Hamas. – Reuters
The Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, on Wednesday said the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion on UNRWA was “shameful”. – Reuters
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said the Italian government is ready to help train future Palestinian police and political leaders, and contribute to the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip. – Bloomberg
Justice Minister Yariv Levin said Wednesday he had ordered the deportation of 32 foreign activists who had helped Palestinians harvest olives in the West Bank, on the grounds they violated a military order. – Agence France-Presse
Months after returning from the front lines in Gaza, Israel Defense Forces captain Israel Ben Shitrit says he is still haunted by the ghosts of the war he left behind. – Agence France-Presse
Thousands of mourners gathered in Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak near the Gaza border on Wednesday to attend the funeral of Tal Haimi, whose body was returned to Israel days prior, after it was held by Hamas in Gaza for over two years. – Times of Israel
US President Donald Trump’s granddaughter Arabella Kushner reportedly sent handwritten letters to all 20 hostages who were released from Gaza last week under the ceasefire deal advanced by her grandfather. – Times of Israel
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to arrive in Israel on Thursday for a 48-hour trip. – Jerusalem Post
Hamas released a statement decrying the recent bill approved by the Knesset pushing for West Bank annexation, saying the move “reflects the ugly face of the colonial occupation” in a statement on Wednesday. – Jerusalem Post
Israeli firm Rafael expects to have its laser air defense systems spread throughout the field before the end of the year. But, according to the company’s top executive, that’s only the first step. – Breaking Defense
Editorial: That commission should then get to work immediately, armed with the full powers and privileges of a State commission, to conduct the kind of investigation the public deserves. For a nation that prides itself on its problem-solving capabilities, this is hardly an unsolvable problem. It must be solved so that the commission can begin its work, the county can learn from its still unfathomable failure, and Israel can move forward with greater strength. – Jerusalem Post
Douglas Bloomfield writes: Personal diplomacy and presidential pressure made shepherding the Gaza ceasefire and hostage release possible. The heavy lifting begins now. It is a commendable achievement whose success will rely on the president remaining engaged to make sure it lives up to his promises. I hope his success in pressuring Netanyahu to do the right thing will give him the courage he needs to finally stand up to Russian President Vladimir Putin and bring the Ukraine war to an end. – Jerusalem Post
Yaron Buskila writes: Just as the withdrawal from Lebanon in 2000 initially seemed like the right move but, due to its hasty execution and the unrealistic promise of tranquility, laid the groundwork for Hezbollah’s growth and the 2006 war, an unplanned pullback from Gaza could produce an even bloodier round of violence. The struggle over Gaza will not be decided by agreements alone but by long-term strategic resolve. Hamas is betting on Israeli material and political fatigue; Israel must demonstrate that October 7 is not a recipe for further exhaustion but a call to awakening and national responsibility. – Jerusalem Post
Iran
Iran welcomed the conditional release of an Iranian student from French prison, the country’s Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday, adding Tehran will strive for her full release. – Reuters
Iran will not return to negotiations with the United States as long as Washington makes “unreasonable demands,” the Iranian foreign minister said on Wednesday according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency. – Reuters
Iran has been bombed, seen United Nations sanctions reimposed and its economy collapse further into the red this year. But its theocracy so far hasn’t taken any major action to halt the slide, restart crucial nuclear negotiations with the West nor fully prepare for possible further hostilities with Israel and the United States. – Associated Press
Iran ratified a law joining a United Nations convention against terror financing, local media reported Wednesday, in hopes it will lead to access to global banking, an easing of trade and relieving pressure on its sanctions-hit economy. – Agence France-Presse
A wave of cyberattacks targeting Israeli companies that provide IT services to businesses across the country, possibly connected to Iran, has been identified, the National Cyber Directorate said on Wednesday. – Jerusalem Post
Russia and Ukraine
Russia is protecting its nuclear submarine fleet in the Arctic with an undersea surveillance system built using high-tech equipment acquired from U.S. and European companies through a secret procurement network, according to newly uncovered financial records, court documents and Western security officials. – Washington Post
In a move reflecting the Trump administration’s waning patience with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Treasury Department on Wednesday imposed sanctions against two of Russia’s largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil. – Washington Post
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he canceled a planned summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, citing a lack of progress in diplomatic efforts and a sense that the timing was off. – Reuters
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that a news report on the United States giving approval to Ukraine to use long-range missiles deep into Russia was false, adding the U.S. “has nothing to do with those missiles.” – Reuters
Russian Tu-22M3 long-range bombers conducted a scheduled flight over neutral waters in the Baltic Sea, Russian state-run news agency RIA reported, citing the defence ministry. – Reuters
Russia’s army top brass said on Wednesday it would seek to use reservists to defend civilian infrastructure such as oil refineries after a sharp rise in Ukrainian drone attacks deep into Russia over recent months. – Reuters
EU countries on Thursday formally adopted a 19th package of sanctions against Russia for its war against Ukraine that includes a ban on Russian liquefied natural gas imports. – Reuters
The death toll after an explosion at a military plant near the Russian Urals city of Chelyabinsk on Wednesday rose to twelve with five people injured, Russia’s Izvestia news outlet reported on Thursday. – Reuters
President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday oversaw a test of Russia’s nuclear forces on land, sea and air to rehearse their readiness and command structure. – Reuters
Sweden has signed a letter of intent that could see it supply up to 150 of its domestically produced Gripen fighter jets to Ukraine, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said on Wednesday after meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy. – Reuters
Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) has unveiled the latest version of its “sea baby” naval drone that it says can operate at distances of over 1,500 km and carry a payload of up to 2,000 kg, approximately double the previous limit. – Reuters
Donald Trump should allow Ukraine to use America’s long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles to strike targets deep inside Russia, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said. – Politico
Michael Williams writes: Increased patrols as part of Operation Eastern Sentry, as well as large-scale interception exercises on the Russian border, should also be done to both reassure allies and deter Russia. NATO was founded on a simple promise: an attack on one is an attack on all. That promise has preserved peace in Europe for more than seven decades. But promises require action to remain credible, and action requires unity, capability, and resolve. Today, in the skies over Europe, Putin is testing all three. – Foreign Policy
Ilan Berman writes: Dispelling this ambiguity should be the EU’s first order of business. The continent is currently considering a series of steps to bolster its support for Kyiv. One such proposal involves using the approximately €176 billion of confiscated Russian assets currently warehoused in the EU as a “reparations loan,” to be repaid only after Russia covers war damages. That’s certainly a novel idea. But the most effective way Europe can show its support for Ukraine might also be the simplest: to finally turn off Russia’s tap to the continent altogether. – National Interest
Syria
The two American-backed Kurdish soldiers were riding in a pickup truck past a row of shops when Islamic State militants on motorcycles opened fire with AK-47s, killing them both. – Wall Street Journal
Russia is set to deliver around 750,000 barrels, or 100,000 metric tons, of a mix of Arctic heavy ARCO oil and gas condensate, a type of light oil, to Syria’s Banias port, traders said and LSEG data showed. – Reuters
A Druze reserve soldier filed a defamation lawsuit against a senior Israel Air Force officer, alleging he was publicly humiliated during a rank-awarding ceremony at Tel Nof Air Force Base, N12 News reported on Wednesday. – Jerusalem Post
Syrian Consul in Dubai Ziad Zahreddine announced his resignation from the Syrian government in protest against what he described as “the genocide campaign in Sweida,” accusing “Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham forces and Bedouin tribes” of carrying out the massacre under the direct supervision of top leadership in Damascus. – Jerusalem Post
Syrian forces said they had surrounded on Wednesday a camp housing a prominent French extremist wanted by his government, sparking clashes at the site according to a monitoring group. – Al Arabiya
Middle East & North Africa
Saudi Arabia’s AlUla cultural heritage site plans to offer projects worth 6 billion riyals ($1.6 billion) for private sector participation, a tourism chief said on Wednesday. – Reuters
Egypt’s Suez Canal Authority said on Wednesday it had signed a $2 billion strategic partnership agreement with Anchorage Investments to establish a petrochemical complex in Ain Sokhna, Egypt. – Reuters
Saudi Arabia appointed a prominent ultraconservative scholar late Wednesday as the country’s new grand mufti, the kingdom’s top religious scholar. – Associated Press
Egypt and the European Union will hold their first summit on Wednesday in Brussels where leaders will discuss security, trade and migration as well as stability in Gaza. – Associated Press
Cambridge, U.K.-based Marshall Aerospace has confirmed that 12 C-130J Hercules transport aircraft acquired by Turkey from the United Kingdom have been delivered to its facilities for maintenance and modernization under a new multiyear contract signed with the Turkish Air Force. – Defense News
Rebeccah L. Heinrichs writes: Those capitals in the West calling for the recognition of a Palestinian State were counterproductive; those right-wing self-described “restrainers” who begged Trump not to support Israel or attack Iran were grossly wrong; and those concerned about U.S. collaboration with illiberal Arab nations were ignored. Will there be negative effects that carry risk into the future with this approach? Certainly. But we can celebrate the return of those innocent hostages who have suffered greatly, and a much stronger Israel and weakened Iranian terrorist network. And that means a far safer and more stable Middle East than the one of the last two decades to the benefit of Americans and the world. – World News Group
Korean Peninsula
North Korea said it successfully tested “a new cutting-edge weapons system” involving hypersonic projectiles on Wednesday as part of a defence program to enhance strategic deterrence against enemies. – Reuters
Brian Kemp, the governor of the U.S. state of Georgia, plans to meet with South Korean business leaders this week, including executives from Hyundai Motor and LG Energy Solution, months after an immigration raid in the state detained hundreds of Korean workers, the Maeil Business Newspaper said on Thursday. – Reuters
North Korean hackers have pilfered billions of dollars by breaking into cryptocurrency exchanges and creating fake identities to get remote tech jobs at foreign companies, according to an international report on North Korea’s cyber capabilities. – Associated Press
South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung hailed his nation’s relationship with the United States in a CNN interview on Wednesday, pushing aside lingering trade concerns and welcoming US President Donald Trump, who is about to visit Asia, as a “peacemaker.” – CNN
China
China is quickly becoming the global leader in nuclear power, with nearly as many reactors under construction as the rest of the world combined. While its dominance of solar panels and electric vehicles is well known, China is also building nuclear plants at an extraordinary pace. – New York Times
The Trump administration is pursuing an array of unconventional measures to shore up mineral supplies that are vital for makers of cars, jet engines, weaponry and data centers, as the Chinese government leverages its control of rare earth exports in ways that could cripple global industry. – New York Times
More than 10,000 Taiwanese people participated in religious activities in China in 2024 with support from the government in Beijing, a study showed, which Taipei views as part of a campaign by China to win hearts and minds on the island. – Reuters
Donald Trump said he planned to speak to Xi Jinping about China’s purchases of Russian oil when the two leaders meet next week in South Korea, after the US president on Wednesday announced fresh sanctions on top energy companies with ties to the Kremlin. – Bloomberg
South Asia
The Pakistan navy said on Wednesday it seized narcotics worth about $972 million in the North Arabian Sea in an operation with a Saudi-led task force. – Reuters
A helicopter descended from the clear, blue sky Wednesday as thousands of people cheered the arrival of Thuingaleng Muivah, a top Naga insurgent leader, to his hometown in India’s northeastern Manipur state for the first time in five decades. – Associated Press
An unidentified gunman fatally shot an opposition Sri Lankan politician at his office on Wednesday, making him the first politician killed in a spate of shootings that have gripped the island nation in recent months. – Associated Press
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi will skip a regional leaders summit in Kuala Lumpur, missing out on a possible meeting with US President Donald Trump. – Bloomberg
Sadanand Dhume writes: The International Monetary Fund estimates that India will overtake Germany to become the world’s third-largest economy at market exchange rates in 2028. India’s large pool of engineers, along with its role as one of the world’s largest importers of oil and weapons, make it a geopolitical prize worth winning. And though India’s democracy may be flawed, it’s freer than most countries in the region. As Walter Russell Mead has pointed out in these pages, India still wants to work with Mr. Trump. It would be a blunder if Mr. Trump fails to seize this opportunity. – Wall Street Journal
Asia
Thailand’s deputy finance minister, Vorapak Tanyawong, said on Wednesday that he was resigning over allegations that he and his wife were linked to a network of cybercrime hubs in Cambodia, part of a sprawling criminal enterprise in Southeast Asia that has stolen tens of billions of dollars from victims worldwide. – New York Times
Asia’s youngest nation East Timor is set to achieve a decades-long dream when it becomes the 11th member of ASEAN this weekend, which analysts say is a win politically although the economic benefits remain to be seen. – Reuters
Talks between Thailand and Cambodia this week have made “meaningful progress”, Thai defense minister Natthaphon Narkphanit said on Thursday, ahead of the potential signing of a broader ceasefire agreement between the two countries on Sunday. – Reuters
Taiwan is closely monitoring whether China will include the Taiwan-controlled Kinmen islands in a new five-year economic plan under discussion this week in Beijing. – Reuters
Taiwan is warily watching whether China could seek to try and exert economic control over sensitive frontline Taiwanese islands in a key development plan being discussed in Beijing this week, officials familiar with the matter said. – Reuters
Taiwan’s defence ministry said on Wednesday it intends to deepen collaboration with the United States, including reciprocal visits and observation of military exercises, to help maintain peace and stability in the region. – Reuters
Mongolia’s top court ruled that a parliamentary vote to oust the prime minister was unconstitutional, a move analysts say could lock the coal-rich country into years of further political turmoil as factions in the ruling party feud over the economy. – Reuters
Japan’s new foreign minister said Wednesday his country plans to show its determination to further build up its defense to rapidly adapt to changing warfare realities and growing tension in the region when U.S. President Donald Trump visits Tokyo next week. – Associated Press
Newly appointed Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi started off her term with high approval ratings, in a show of optimism that she could deliver on her pledges that include countering inflation and strengthening the economy. – Bloomberg
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has suspended all cooperation with Indonesia and urged global sports federations not to hold any events there, after the country barred Israeli gymnasts from competing at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships currently underway in Jakarta. – Jerusalem Post
Singapore has launched the first of a new class of multi-role warships that will double as unmanned systems’ motherships and are set to be the largest ships in its navy’s fleet. – Breaking Defense
Europe
The European Union gave its top human rights award Wednesday to two journalists imprisoned in their native countries of Belarus and Georgia. – Washington Post
When Russian drones swerved into Polish airspace last month, Warsaw moved swiftly to investigate what it decried as a “serious violation” of NATO territory. But while authorities sought to confirm the details, a different kind of attack was already in motion — not in the skies, but on screens. – Washington Post
A man was shot and wounded and a fire briefly broke out near the Serbian Parliament on Wednesday, stoking national tensions ahead of widespread demonstrations expected next week against President Aleksandar Vucic’s government. – New York Times
An industrial park outside Hamburg. The Munich international airport. The sprawling Baltic seaport of Kiel. In recent weeks, these and other pieces of critical infrastructure across Germany have reported unidentified drones in their vicinity. In Munich, authorities shut down flights for hours, leaving thousands stranded. – New York Times
London police have begun using drones to respond to emergency calls, saying the unmanned aircraft can reach crime scenes more quickly and stream footage to responding officers that helps them identify and locate suspects. – Reuters
Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy was targeted by death threats from an inmate at Paris’s La Sante prison, where he began serving his sentence this week, prompting a probe, the Paris prosecutor’s office said on Wednesday. – Reuters
European Union member state Lithuania will close its border with Belarus if smuggler balloons enter from the neighbouring country again, Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene said on Wednesday. – Reuters
Hungary’s two main political parties will mark a national holiday on Thursday by holding rival demonstrations that will likely bring hundreds of thousands to the streets and kick off a campaign for elections next year. – Associated Press
A majority of European Union countries, including Germany and France, are calling for a systematic review of the bloc’s regulations by the end of the year to dismantle old rules that pose challenges for the competitiveness of its companies. – Bloomberg
The European Union is working on trade options to counter China’s planned export controls on critical raw materials should the bloc fail to reach a diplomatic solution with Beijing. – Bloomberg
Bulgaria’s ruling coalition ditched plans to reshuffle its minority government, narrowly avoiding a political crisis less than three months before the Balkan country adopts the euro. – Bloomberg
Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene resigned Wednesday following public clashes with the prime minister, escalating a crisis within the Baltic nation’s fragile ruling coalition. – Bloomberg
Editorial: The lesson for mainstream parties is twofold. First, unless leaders quickly build a consensus around the need for credible reforms, political gridlock sets in. Second, lavish social spending alone won’t win over voters unless they also see an opportunity to improve their prospects. France still has enviable strengths: a skilled workforce, world-class infrastructure and a deep industrial base. But without political leaders willing to spend smarter and tell their citizens hard truths, it risks becoming a major drag on Europe. – Bloomberg
Africa
Gabon is not considering a debt restructuring or reprofiling, and is in the process of rebasing its calculations of GDP, which will make its debt-to-GDP ratio more favourable, the country’s vice president told Reuters. – Reuters
An American missionary was kidnapped in Niger’s capital Niamey, three security sources said on Wednesday. – Reuters
Nigerian lawmakers on Wednesday launched an investigation into how $4.6 billion in international aid grants between 2021 and 2025 was used, saying the money had failed to prevent high mortality rates from HIV, tuberculosis and malaria. – Reuters
South Africa expects to lift the care and maintenance status of its Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) by the first quarter of next year or even earlier, the electricity and energy minister said on Wednesday. – Reuters
Cameroon’s constitutional council on Wednesday dismissed all petitions contesting the October 12 presidential election, paving the way for the announcement of full results while security forces and opposition supporters clashed in the north. – Reuters
Simone Gbagbo, a former first lady in Ivory Coast who was once wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity, is running for president on Saturday, marking a new chapter in her political career without her ex-husband. – Reuters
A domestic passenger flight landed at Khartoum International Airport in Sudan’s capital on Wednesday for the first time since the war broke out over two years ago, potentially marking the gradual reopening of air traffic. – Associated Press
A Cuban man deported by the United States to the African nation of Eswatini is on a hunger strike at a maximum-security prison having been held there for more than three months without charge or access to legal counsel under the Trump administration’s third-country program, his U.S.-based lawyer said Wednesday. – Associated Press
The Americas
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said the government’s budget plan, for release early next month, will take “bold” risks to rekindle growth in an economy struggling under the strain of President Trump’s tariffs. – Wall Street Journal
Peruvian Prime Minister Ernesto Alvarez on Wednesday asked Congress to grant the government 90 days of legislative powers to pass laws aimed at tackling security issues. – Reuters
Argentina’s Foreign Minister Gerardo Werthein has presented his resignation, Argentina’s presidential office said on Wednesday, marking the second departure from that role under the nearly two-year-old administration of President Javier Milei. – Reuters
Haiti will not hold a general election before the end of the current interim government’s mandate next February, the head of the country’s electoral council told Reuters on Wednesday, as the expansion of armed gangs makes any hope for a full and stable vote impossible. – Reuters
Residents of Peru’s capital saw more soldiers and police patrolling the streets on Wednesday, the first day of a state of emergency decreed by newly sworn in President José Jerí in an effort to reign in crime. – Associated Press
A Chinese national who United States authorities accuse of trafficking large quantities of cocaine and fentanyl into the U.S. before being arrested and then escaping custody in Mexico was recaptured in Cuba, Mexican authorities said Wednesday. – Associated Press
The Indigenous alliance that organized demonstrations blocking highways in Ecuador over the past month said Wednesday it was ending the protest following President Daniel Noboa ’s threat to use the military to clear blockades. – Associated Press
Brazil’s Supreme Court on Wednesday published the ruling convicting former President Jair Bolsonaro of attempting a coup, starting the clock for filing any appeals. – Associated Press
Venezuela has 5,000 Russian-made anti-aircraft missiles in “key air defense positions,” its President Nicolás Maduro claimed on Wednesday, amid growing tension over the United States’ military deployment in the Caribbean. – CNN
Donald Trump is interested in meeting Brazil’s Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and officials are discussing a possible meeting while the pair are in Malaysia for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, according to a White House official. – Bloomberg
United States
Once a relic of 19th-century U.S. diplomacy, the Monroe Doctrine is back. Two centuries after President James Monroe warned foreign powers to stay out of the Americas, his namesake doctrine is surfacing on influencer TikToks and podcasts, in corporate pitch decks and White House hallways, as President Trump recasts it as a blueprint for U.S. dominance in the region. – Wall Street Journal
In less than two months, President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth say the U.S. military has killed at least 37 people in nine strikes against drug-smuggling vessels in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean. – Associated Press
Andrew Cuomo sought to cast Zohran Mamdani as a frontrunner unprepared to actually be mayor of the largest US city in the final debate before New York City’s mayoral election. – Bloomberg
Members of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus and at least one influential Republican chairman are pushing for a long-term stopgap spending bill as part of their strategy to end the ongoing US government shutdown. – Bloomberg
The Trump administration significantly expanded its campaign against alleged drug traffickers this week, opening a new front by launching an attack in the Pacific — and targeting a new country of origin — Colombia. – Politico
The Trump administration plans to propose opening federal waters in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans to offshore drilling, two people familiar with the plan said Wednesday, a move that is likely to antagonize coastal states governors — and make a direct jab at California Gov. Gavin Newsom. – Politico
Editorial: The U.S. and Australia also plan to use diplomatic tools to deter more foreign mine sales to China, as Washington has sought to do for other Belt and Road projects. Chinese mercantilism poses a unique threat to the West, and one way to counter its predatory behavior is to join with free-market democracies to oppose it. This is one reason Mr. Trump’s tariffs on allies are so counterproductive. The Aussie rare-earth deal is one example of the better way to go. – Wall Street Journal
Michael Jacobson writes: The Trump administration’s first nine months of counterterrorism actions suggest that it is adopting a markedly different approach compared to the president’s first term. Releasing its next CT strategy document sooner rather than later would help clarify the extent to which these changes represent a new direction, and indicate where officials see the counterterrorism fight headed over the next three years. – Washington Institute
Cybersecurity
Canada’s anti-money laundering regulator said on Wednesday it had imposed a C$176.9 million ($126.14 million) fine on money services business Xeltox Enterprises Limited, the largest-ever penalty doled out by the agency. – Reuters
Australia has ordered four artificial-intelligence chatbot companies to explain their measures to protect children from exposure to sexual or self-harm material, as its internet regulator beefs up safety measures on the AI fronti. – Reuters
A bill to restrict social media for children under 16 will be introduced in the New Zealand parliament, officials said on Thursday, building momentum for parliament’s efforts to prevent young people from being harmed while online. – Reuters
Europe’s aerospace giants kept investors waiting an extra day for details of a new space champion on Wednesday as lawyers and advisers pored over the smallprint, but merger plans remained intact, people familiar with the talks said. – Reuters
Britain on Wednesday moved to loosen the grip of Apple and Google in smartphones by designating them as having “strategic market status”, giving it the power to demand specific changes to boost competition. – Reuters
SpaceX has disabled over 2,500 Starlink devices being used by cyber scam syndicates operating in a lawless corner of Myanmar, the Elon Musk-led company said Wednesday. – CNN
The Trump administration should reverse cyber personnel and budget cuts, strengthen the Office of the National Cyber Director and expand federal workforce initiatives, the successor organization to the Cyberspace Solarium Commission recommended in a report published Wednesday. – Cyberscoop
An open letter released Wednesday has called for a ban on the development of artificial intelligence systems considered to be “superintelligent” until there is broad scientific consensus that such technologies can be created both safely and in a manner the public support – Cyberscoop
ToolShell bug used by Chinese attackers against governments in Africa, South America. Incident responders have identified breaches at government agencies, telecoms and universities in several countries that began with the ToolShell vulnerability identified in July. – The Record
‘PhantomCaptcha’ hackers impersonate Ukrainian president’s office in attack on war relief workers. Cybersecurity researchers have uncovered a mysterious spearphishing campaign impersonating the Ukrainian president’s office that disappeared on the same day it was launched in a bid to compromise organizations involved in war relief efforts. – The Record
Jonathan Rosenthal and Neal Zuckerman write: This new golden age of logistics entrepreneurship will unveil solutions to problems we may not even know exist. Wright’s Law still matters, but AI has broken it. Knowledge can materialize instantly. Innovation and disruption will arrive in shock waves, not cycles. The challenge will be not building the tools but surviving the pace of their consequences. Leaders who adapt to this new world will shape the future of commerce. Those who don’t will be replaced. – Wall Street Journal
Defense
The U.S. said Wednesday it had struck two suspected drug boats on the Pacific side of South America, widening its campaign against alleged drug trafficking and transnational crime. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted videos of the strikes on X and said one took place Tuesday in the eastern Pacific Ocean and another Wednesday. – Wall Street Journal
In theory, the fact that the United States and Europe fly many of the same jets should be a blessing. Common aircraft models — such as the F-35 and F-16 — should mean common spare parts, ground support equipment and mechanics who can fix similar planes from different nations. – Defense News
Forward-deployed U.S. sailors and Marines are training alongside the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and other allied militaries in the Philippine Sea as part of Annualex, a multilateral exercise held every other year. – USNI News
In an unusual move to boost President Donald Trump’s ambitious AI agenda, the Air Force is now offering to lease federal land to private companies seeking to build high-powered data centers. – Breaking Defense