US News
- Biden asked for an $813 billion military budget, which represents about a 4% increase from the $782 billion that was approved for 2022. Congress wants more, and the Biden administration appears poised to agree. [Link]
- The FBI arrested Republican Ryan Kelley, a candidate for Michigan governor, on Thursday for misdemeanor charges in connection with the Jan. 6 US Capitol riot. [Link]
- ICE performed over 1.2 million searches in the LexisNexis database over seven months. LexisNexis was paid $1.7 million. [Link]
- Biden held a call with Juan Guaido and reaffirmed his support for Gaudio’s claim to power in Venezuela. [Link]
Russia
- The New York Times reported on Wednesday that despite the billions of dollars in weapons the US is sending Ukraine, Kyiv has shared few details on its operational plans with Washington. [Link]
- Mykhaylo Podolyak, a senior advisor to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, said Thursday that Ukraine is losing between 100 and 200 troops each day. [Link]
- Russia blamed the US and Ukraine for cyberattacks on its state institutions and critical infrastructure and warned the West that cyberattacks increase the risk of a “direct military clash.” [Link]
- Russia and Turkey held talks Wednesday to restart the export of Ukrainian grain and signaled progress toward the goal, although Ukraine will need to agree to any plans. [Link]
- Polish President Andrzej Duda slammed the leaders of Germany and France over their phone calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin. [Link]
- Russia may be getting more revenue from its fossil fuels now than shortly before its invasion of Ukraine,US energy security envoy Amos Hochstein told lawmakers. [Link]
- Sen. Rick Scott and Rep. Michael Waltz introduced House and Senate versions of a bill that would bar federal agencies from contracting with entities that do business with Russia’s energy sector. [Link]
- The Russian-installed administration in Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Oblast is planning to hold a referendum on joining the Russian Federation sometime this year. [Link]
- Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday Greece should stop arming islands in the Aegean Sea that have a demilitarised status and abide by international agreements. [Link]
- NATO vessels from Italy and Turkey conducted training exercises with Japanese ships in the Mediterranean Sea. [Link]
China
- Cambodia begins work on a naval base financed by China. The West has demanded Cambodia abandon the project. [Link]
- The Treasury Department sanctions three US companies for allegedly sending rocket technology and defense prototypes to China. [Link]
Korea
- In Seoul on Tuesday, Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman warned there would be a “forceful” response from the US and South Korea if North Korea conducts a nuclear test. [Link]
Middle East
- The White House on Tuesday defended President Biden’s plans to meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Saudi Arabia. [Link]
- Israel rejects a proposed summit between the US, Israel, and Palestinian Authority. [Link]
- The United States upgraded its diplomatic mission to the Palestinians on Thursday, reversing a Trump administration move. The “Palestinian Affairs Unit” (PAU) was renamed the “US Office of Palestinian Affairs” (OPA) and will report directly to Washington “on substantive matters”. [Link]
- Moqtada al-Sadr, leader of the largest party in parliament, urged a new election, and now is calling on his 73 MPs to prepare resignation papers outright to try to force the issue. [Link]
Iran
- A Greek court overturned an earlier court ruling that allowed the confiscation by the United States of an Iranian-flagged tanker off the Greek coast. [Link]
- On the third day of a week-long IAEA Board of Governors meeting, the body passed an anti-Iran resolution related to the uranium traces at undeclared sites. The vote was 30-2, with three abstentions. Russia and China opposed. [Link]
- Iran says it will cease voluntary cooperation with the IAEA outside of the NPT. Iran turned off some IAEA cameras installed under the additional inspection agreed to in the Iran nuclear agreement. [Link]
- The US says it would be regrettable if Iran removed IAEA cameras from its nuclear sites. [Link]
