US News

• A bipartisan group of lawmakers in the House and Senate introduced a bill Thursday that would repeal the congressional authorizations for the use of force from the 1991 and 2003 Iraq wars. Responsible Statecraft
• The US Air Force has test-launched a Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), the primary land-based strategic weapon in America’s nuclear arsenal. The Pentagon hailed the trial as a success, declaring that the display of military might shows Washington is “willing to defend peace across the globe.” The Institute 

Russia

• The Pentagon is looking to restart special operations programs that it was conducting inside Ukraine before Russia invaded last year, The Washington Post reported on Friday. AWC
• British weapons could soon be manufactured in Ukraine under a plan that would significantly boost cooperation between Kyiv and NATO and further raise tensions with Moscow, The Telegraph reported on Saturday. AWC
• The president of SpaceX, Gwynne Shotwell, said Wednesday that the company has limited Ukraine’s use of Starlink terminals and that it wasn’t the company’s intention for the satellite internet service to be weaponized. AWC
• The Washington Post reported Thursday that Ukraine is reliant on coordinates provided or confirmed by the US and its allies to launch strikes using the US-provided HIMARS rocket systems, a revelation that demonstrates Washington’s deep involvement in the war. AWC
• Ukraine is in discussions with the UK about receiving longer-range missiles and is prepared to use them against Crimea, which would mark another major escalation of Western involvement in the war, The Times of London reported Thursday. AWC
• Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) on Wednesday wrote on Twitter that he “can’t immediately rule out” the idea that the US blew up the Nord Stream natural gas pipelines that connect Russia and Germany. AWC
•  Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) introduced a resolution on Thursday that calls for an immediate end to US military and financial support for Ukraine and urges the warring sides to negotiate a ceasefire. AWC
• Turkey will only get F-16s if it approves Sweden’s NATO bid, according to Sen. Chris Van Hollen. Responsible Statecraft 

China

• The US military shot down another flying object on Sunday over Lake Huron in Michigan, Canada’s defense minister announced. AWC
• The US and Papua New Guinea just wrapped up talks on signing a military agreement as the Biden administration is looking to expand military ties in the Asia Pacific as part of its strategy against China. AWC
• The US Navy and Marines Corps are conducting drills in the South China Sea amid heightened tensions between Washington and Beijing over the Chinese balloon incident. AWC
• The Pentagon claims that Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin could not reach his Chinese counterpart shortly after an American fighter jet shot down a craft Beijing says was a weather balloon. AWC
• The White House claimed the Pentagon downed an unknown object off the coast of Alaska. The Joe Biden administration downplayed the incident claiming the craft was only shot down as a precaution. AWC

Iran

• The US on Thursday hit Iran with fresh sanctions that targeted companies accused of facilitating the sale of Iranian petroleum and petrochemicals to Asia. AWC

Syria

• The US has issued a 180-day exemption for its sanctions on Syria that applies to “all transactions related to earthquake relief efforts,” according to the US Treasury Department. AWC