US News
- Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) is urging Republican leadership not to pursue legislation designed to ban TikTok, the video-sharing app owned by the Chinese company ByteDance. AWC
- On Wednesday, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. launched his presidential bid to challenge President Biden in the 2024 Democratic primary and vowed to begin “unwinding” the American Empire. AWC
Russia
- French President Emmanuel Macron is seeking China’s help to figure out a way to bring Russia and Ukraine to the negotiating table, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday. AWC
- On Tuesday, the foreign ministers of the G7 nations vowed to increase sanctions on Russia and issued a scathing statement against Beijing after three days of talks in Japan. AWC
- The State Department on Monday approved a $259 million arms sale to Turkey that would upgrade the country’s F-16 fighter jets, a step that comes about two weeks after Ankara approved Finland’s NATO membership. AWC
- Kiev received the Patriot air defense system from the US and Germany, Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov confirmed on Twitter. While Kiev will only receive a limited number of advanced interceptors, Reznikov said Ukraine had realized its “dream.” The Institute
- The Justice Department has indicted four Americans, including three members of the African People’s Socialist Party and Uhuru Movement (APSP), over their political views on Russia, a step that has grave implications for First Amendment rights. AWC
- The Pentagon on Wednesday announced a new $325 million arms package for Ukraine that includes ammunition for the HIMARS rocket systems and anti-tank weapons. AWC
China
- The White House is preparing to take unprecedented action to limit US investments in China’s tech sector, POLITICO reported on Tuesday. AWC
- Taiwan will purchase 400 Boeing-made Harpoon anti-ship missiles under a contract worth $1.7 billion, Bloomberg reported on Monday. AWC
- Adm. John Aquilino, the commander of US Indo-Pacific Command, told Congress Tuesday that the US must be ready to “fight and win” a war against China over Taiwan. AWC
- The House’s new panel on China will be war gaming a Chinese invasion of Taiwan to explore ways the US can respond in the latest example of the US government preparing for a future conflict with Beijing. AWC
- The US and Australia will hold the “largest-ever” iteration of their bilateral military exercise, known as Talisman Sabre, which takes place every two years. AWC
Syria
- Syrian President Bashar al-Assad hosted Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister in Damascus on Tuesday in the latest sign that Riyadh is ready to normalize diplomatic relations with Syria, which have been suspended since 2011. AWC
