US News

• The White House will release 15 million barrels of oil from the strategic reserve in an effort to bring down gas prices before the midterm election. AP
• A month after E.Coli was detected in the drinking water of the USS Lincoln the Navy still can not determine its source. Insider
• Washington removed the names of Muslims from the “no-fly list” to avoid additional scrutiny for the program. MEE
• The Pentagon has awarded Lockheed Martin with $179 million in contracts to replace High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (GMLRS) that it has sent to Ukraine from its own stockpiles, Defense News reported Wednesday. AWC
• UK Prime Minister Liz Truss resigns. WashPo

Russia

• The United States and its NATO allies are accelerating transfers of arms, warm clothing and anti-drone technology to Ukraine in preparation for months of bitter combat through the winter. The Institute 
• A key international agreement that allows food products to be shipped from Ukrainian ports is at risk of not being extended. The Institute
• EU ministers on Monday agreed to sanction Iranian officials over their alleged roles in cracking down on protesters inside Iran and warned of more potential sanctions if they can prove Tehran has provided Russia with drones for its war effort. AWC
• Russia on Monday said that it launched more attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure as Kyiv came under bombardment by Russian kamikaze drones. AWC
• Senators introduced an amendment to the Senate version of the 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would give the Pentagon wartime procurement powers, allowing it to purchase more arms for Ukraine. AWC
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday that Russia had destroyed 30% of Ukraine’s power plants since it began launching strikes against energy infrastructure across the country last week. AWC
• On Tuesday, Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said that Kyiv will formally ask Israel to provide air defense systems amid a flurry of Russian strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure. AWC
• Rep. Michael Waltz (R-FL) said Wednesday that the “vast majority” of Republicans favor sending aid to Ukraine amid questions of how a GOP-controlled House will approach the issue. AWC
• Dan Rice, an American serving as an advisor to the commander of Ukraine’s armed forces, told CNN’s Outfront on Tuesday that he believes Russia is looking to negotiate to return to positions it controlled before the February 24 invasion. AWC
• Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday declared martial law in the territories that Russia annexed in Ukraine, which applies to the Russian-controlled areas of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhia, and Kherson. AWC
• The US sanctioned Yury Yuryevich Orekhov, and his companies Nord-Deutsche Industrieanlagenbau GmbH (NDA GmbH) and Opus Energy Trading LLC. The Hill
• On Monday, the Air Force scrambled F-16s to intercept Russian bombers off the Alaskan coast. NBC
• NATO says it will provide Kiev with more anti-drone systems. Reuters
• The US, Italy and Poland engaged in joint war games in Europe. Defense Post
• Germany fires its cybersecurity chief because his lobbying group contracted with a firm founded by a Russian intelligence agent. NYT
• The American weapons industry will be one of the winners of the war in Ukraine. RS

China

• China reaffirmed this week its no-first-use policy for nuclear weapons at a meeting of the UN’s General Assembly First Committee. AWC
• The US is considering a plan to jointly manufacture weapons with Taiwan in an effort to speed up arms deliveries for the island, a member of the US-Taiwan Business Council said on Wednesday. AWC
• America’s chip war with China is hurting US firms more than their Chinese competitors. Asia Times 
• Japan and Australia will increase intelligence sharing about China. Guardian 

Korea

• North Korea fires artillery shells near the South Korean border. Yahoo
• Japan will place additional sanctions on North Korea. Reuters
• Seoul kicked off annual war games on Monday, prompting Pyongyang to fire over 200 artillery rounds toward the South’s maritime border in retaliation. American forces are taking part in the military exercises. The Institute 

Middle East

• Australia on Tuesday said that it was reversing its recognition of West Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, a move that has infuriated Israeli officials. AWC
• Hamas restores relations with the Syria government. MEE
•  Iraq’s Foreign Ministry doubled down on supporting OPEC and the Saudis, saying the nation has to protect its interests by working together to stabilize the oil market. AWC
• Over 600 Iraqi citizens, who are alleged to be relatives of ISIS members have been transferred from the Kurdish-run al-Hol prison in Syria to Iraq. Times of Israel 
• Over the course of ten days, fighting has raged in NW Syria between Turkey-backed rebels and Islamists centering on al-Qaeda’s Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). 48 combatants and 10 civilians were killed. AWC
• The US says Egypt shipping gas to Lebanon through Syria is unlikely to violate American sanctions. MEE

Africa

• Sen. Patrick Leahy blocked $75 million of military aid for Egypt by determining that the country has failed to meet human rights standards. RS
• UNICEF reports one Somali child is admitted into medical treatment every minute for malnutrition. Reuters
• The US issues a new round of sanctions against Somalis it claims aid al-Shabaab. VOA
• Three UN Peacekeepers were killed by a roadside bomb in Mali. VOA
• Mali threatened to exercises its right to self-defense against France. Reuters