US News

• A group of House Democrats sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland urging the Biden administration to drop the charges against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who is facing up to 175 years in prison for exposing US war crimes if extradited to the US and convicted. AWC

Russia

• The White House on Monday warned media outlets against publishing information contained in the top secret documents leaked from the Pentagon and other US government agencies that have surfaced on the internet. AWC
• One of the highly classified Pentagon documents that surfaced online suggests that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would use long-range weapons provided by the US to strike Russian territory, CNN has reported. AWC
• On Wednesday, Investigative journalist Seymour Hersh published a report on Substack that alleged the CIA was aware of widespread corruption in Ukraine and the embezzlement of US aid. AWC
• A Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) assessment that has been leaked online says that the US expects the war in Ukraine to go into 2024 without any peace talks between the warring sides, The Washington Post reported Wednesday. AWC
• The US on Wednesday imposed sanctions on a bank based in Hungary over its ties to Russia, a move that further strains ties between Washington and Budapest. AWC
• South Korea has agreed to “lend” the US 500,000 155mm artillery shells. AWC
• The Pentagon will begin simulating a nuclear war, according to a Department of Defense press release. The Institute 

China

• The US and the Philippines on Tuesday launched their Balikatan exercises, which are being touted as the largest-ever joint military drills between the long-time treaty allies. AWC
• French President Emmanuel Macron is standing by his comments about how Europe shouldn’t follow the US into a confrontation with China over Taiwan despite the backlash the remarks have drawn. AWC

Korea

• Pentagon documents that surfaced online that revealed the US was spying on South Korean officials have sparked outrage from opposition lawmakers in Seoul while the government of South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol is downplaying the leaks. AWC

Middle East

• Saudi Arabia will host a meeting this Friday of Arab foreign ministers to discuss bringing Syria back into the Arab League, which suspended Damascus in 2011, Reuters reported Tuesday. AWC
• Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad arrived in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday as Riyadh and Damascus are working toward normalization. AWC
• Progress has been reported in the Oman-brokered Saudi-Houthi peace talks that are ongoing in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa, as a ceasefire agreement is expected to be reached soon. AWC
• National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan spoke with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday about the ongoing Saudi-Houthi peace talks aimed at ending the war in Yemen. AWC