US News
- A Florida court rules those police officers who commit violent crimes are entitled to the same identity protection as crime victims. [Link]
- The US sanctioned Myanmar’s state-owned gem company. [Link]
- The US deployed two warships to the Black Sea. Turkey says the US informed Turkey the ships would leave May 4th. The US currently has four warships in the sea. [Link]
- The US is considering deploying more warships to the Black Sea. [Link]
China
- Biden says the US must pass his infrastructure plan to compete with China. [Link]
- The Senate introduced a massive new anti-China bill. The bipartisan legislation includes over $600 million to finance weapon sales to Indo-Pacific countries and over $400 million to bolster the US military’s presence in the region. The bill also includes new sanctions on China and calls for the US to combat China’s ‘Belt and Road.’ [Link]
- The US sailed an amphibious assault ship into the South China Sea. [Link]
Middle East
- The US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price downplays the indirect US-Iran talks. [Link]
- The head of Israel’s spy agency is traveling to the US to try to deter the US from reentering the JCPOA. [Link]
- Secretary of State Blinken reaffirmed the US partnership with Jordan during a call with its leader. [Link]
- ISIS fighters seized a police station in Syria. [Link]
- Seventy House Democrats send a letter to Biden urging him to lift the blockade of Yemen. [Link]
