US News
- The Senate on Wednesday voted to repeal the 2002 Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) that was used for the invasion of Iraq and the 1991 AUMF that was passed for the Gulf War. AWC
- Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) plans to block a bill introduced by Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) that would ban the popular video-sharing app TikTok, The Hill reported Wednesday. AWC
Russia
- Moscow announced that it downed for the first time a longer-range rocket that the US has provided to Ukrainian forces. AWC
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told The Associated Press on Wednesday that if the Donbas city of Bakhmut falls to Russia, he would be pressured to “compromise” with Moscow. AWC
- After months of indecision, the Joe Biden administration has come out in favor of using international mechanisms to punish Russian officials for the “crime of aggression” in Ukraine. The White House has resisted Kiev’s effort to prosecute President Vladimir Putin and other Russian leaders at the International Crime Court (ICC) over fears that American officials could face similar accountability. The Institute
China
- China on Wednesday warned that it would respond if Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen met with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) while she visits the US as part of a trip to Central America. AWC
Middle East
- Israeli airstrikes hit Damascus early Thursday morning and wounded two Syrian soldiers, Syria’s SANA news agency has reported. AWC
- On Wednesday, Saudi Arabia’s cabinet approved a decision for Riyadh to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a Eurasian security and economic bloc that was founded in 2001 by China, Russia, and several Central Asian countries. AWC
